The Week We Just Had

- The Mets were feeling pretty good on Friday night, riding an eight-game winning streak and having just beaten the Phillies to extend their NL East lead to a game and a half. Then the Phils unleashed their new toy, Roy Halladay, to the tune of 10-0 on Saturday, and torched Met ace Johan Santana for a nine run fourth inning on Sunday to take the weekend series.

- So far, Santana proclaiming himself the best pitcher in the NL East has been a perfect microcosm for the difference between the teams. The Met talks about it, the Phillie is about it. This weekend Halladay tossed a complete game shutout, while Santana gave up 10 earned in 3.2 innings.

- Santana's fastball isn't good enough to make his change up the devastating pitch it has been for awhile. There just isn't enough seperation in velocity between the two pitches. Also, as Joe Morgan pointed out (hate to point out decent Joe Morgan points) during the telecast Sunday, without a good breaking ball there is no reason for lefthanded hitters to be uncomfortable against him.

- Mike Pelfrey, welcome back to Earth.

- Either Jose Reyes wasn't trying, or he's turned into Alfonso Soriano in the three hole. He's far too aggressive and swinging early in the count too much right now.

- Joe Blanton returns to the mound tonight and it can't come soon enough for the Phillies. Kyle Kendrick just doesn't look like a major league pitcher, Jamie Moyer is giving up too many big innings, and J.A. Happ is still probably down for awhile.

- I can't kill Ryan Madson for breaking his toe kicking a chair in frustration. He knows he hasn't been getting the job done. But, he also knows how important he is to the Phils out of the pen.

- He's had detractors, myself included, but Robinson Cano is turning into a force for the Yankees. It seems like everytime I look up he's hitting another big homer for the Yankees.

- Javier Vasquez still can't handle being a Yankee. Could the Braves actually have gotten the better end of that deal?

- A.J. Pierzynski, Mark Teixiera, Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence, Yuniel Escobar, Chipper Jones, Aramis Ramirez, Danys Baez, Ben Sheets, Aaron Harang and Edwin Jackson stink. Right now anyway.

- I think Ramirez is hurt, Jones is old, Lee is overweight, and Escobar is lazy.

- How many good young pitchers are out there right now? I can't remember a time with so many exciting young hurlers. Nevermind Tim Lincecum, who's obvious. How bout Wade Davis, Zach Greinke, Ubaldo Jimenez, C.J. Wilson and Ricky Romero, among others. All fun to watch.

- The Red Sox can't let this continue too much further. I don't care how bad things are going, if you're a team with legitimate aspirations (as the Red Sox always are), you can't get swept by the Orioles.

- My take? They're being too kind to David Ortiz, who's been an albatross and an automatic out in a weak lineup. That and Jonathan Papelbon has been too beatable.

- Great move by the Phils signing up Ryan Howard long term. Rob Neyer may not think so, but he had Corey Koskie as a better player in the 2000s than Howard. I digress. I'm more interested to see what happens to the rest of the 1b free agent class of 2011-12. If I'm Prince Fielder or Adrian Gonzalez, I want everyone else to sign but me, thus driving up my value. I think both Fielder and Gonzalez leave their current teams.

- With Tampa, Minnesota and San Diego all leading their divisions, maybe it really isn't all about spending the most money, I really hope all three can keep it up all year, but I think San Diego is a bit of a mirage.

- Tampa and Minnesota are real though. As long as Joe Mauer's heel is not a long-term issue.