Coming Down the Stretch

Just two-and-a-half weeks to go and there’s still plenty left undecided.

The A.L. Central is suddenly up for grabs since the Tigers have plummeted and the Twins are one of the hottest teams in the second half.

The A.L. and N.L. Wild Card races are still a huge mystery with no single team really distinguishing themselves as the clear favorite.

And if you would have told me at the All-Star break that the Yankees would be challenging the Mets for baseball’s best record down the final stretch of the season, I would have laughed at you.

But that’s what’s so great and exciting about September baseball. The uncertainty is impalpable.

REVITALIZED STAR

So for those of you who are still in the hunt for that ever-elusive fantasy championship, here are a few players to take a look at as you try to move through the playoffs.

Leading the pack is former MVP, and current Oakland A’s designated hitter, Frank Thomas. After playing a fairly one-dimensional game in the first half, Thomas has knocked 17 balls out of the park, including eight in September, driven in 52 runs and batted .330 to raise his season average to .280.

Thomas resurgence as a force to be reckoned with in the heart of the order has helped propel Oakland into a commanding lead in the A.L. West, and they’re going to need him to keep it up with the Angels lurking in the shadows of second place.

This strong September should make it a close battle between Thomas and Jim Thome, Thomas’ replacement in Chicago, for the A.L.’s Comeback Player of the Year award.

ON THE RISE

If you haven’t heard of this guy before, I’m sure you’ll be hearing a lot more about him soon. Orioles’ rookie outfielder Nick Markakis started off slow, as is common with most rookies, but the 22-year-old Georgia native has really taken off since the beginning of August, where Markakis hit 10 of his 14 homers and drove in 26 runs. With Baltimore way out of the playoff race, he should only get more opportunities to show what he can do. Fantasy GMs, pay attention; he could be a solid No. 3 outfielder next season.

Sticking with the rookies, Cleveland’s Ryan Garko is getting his chance in the middle of the order, now that professional masher Travis Hafner is done for the year with a fractured hand. Hafner surely would have been an MVP candidate, but Garko is no slouch at the plate himself with five big flies, 27 RBI and a .911 OPS. At 6-2, 225 the rookie has the potential to become the right-handed version of Hafner, which should give the Indians plenty of reason to be optimistic about their chances in 2007.

However, 2006 isn’t over yet, and if you were smart enough to stash Hideki Matsui on your bench, you can go ahead and pat yourself on the back now. In case you missed it, the Yankees left fielder, affectionately known as Godzilla, went four-for-four with a walk, RBI and two runs scored in his return to the 2006 version of Murderers’ Row. And with his impeccable mechanics and technique at the plate, I expect him to go on a serious tear as the Bronx Bombers prepare to win their ninth straight division title.

Surprisingly, he was available in a few of my public leagues. He may have an off game here or there, but his presence in the Yankees’ lineup makes it down-right frightening, and Gary Sheffield still isn’t back yet! Granted, the Yankees are playing Tampa Bay in Matsui’s first series back, but scoring 20 runs in two games is amazing, no matter who it’s against.

SAVING YOUR SEASON

Though it’s just one category, winning saves can make the difference between either advancing to the next round or being knocked out. So if you need some help in this area, take a look at veteran lefty Mike Stanton in San Francisco. The Giants are still close in the hunt for the N.L. Wild Card, and with Armando Benitez done for the year with inflammation in his right knee (the one he uses to push off the rubber) Felipe Alou hasn’t hesitated to anoint Stanton as his ninth inning savior.

Since coming over from the Washington Nationals, Stanton has converted seven of his nine save opportunities, including five in a row. He hasn’t given up a run in 10 innings, spanning nine games, and he has lowered his ERA from 4.70 to 3.96 over the same timeframe. Given the lack of quality arms out there, a man with Stanton’s experience in meaningful games is worth grabbing.

RANDOM THOUGHTS/FACTS

The Atlanta Braves’ bid for 15 straight was officially thwarted when the Mets beat the Marlins in a rain-soaked affair Tuesday. The last time Atlanta failed to make the playoffs – 1990 – Barry Bonds had 117 home runs, won his first of seven MVP awards, and was half the size he is today. That ought to put some things in perspective.

I’m still trying to figure out who’s going to win the major awards when all is said and done, but it isn’t easy. Johan Santana is all-but-guaranteed the A.L. Cy Young, but who will emerge in the senior circuit?

Brandon Webb and Chris Carpenter will certainly get votes, as will Carlos Zambrano, Brad Penny and John Smoltz, but how sad is the National League that not one pitcher has set himself apart from the pack, and here we are in the middle of September.

Penny leads the N.L. in wins with 16; however, there are six pitchers with at least as many wins already in the A.L. and several more are on pace to reach that mark.

And you can forget about the MVP debate in either league, it’s nearly impossible to decide. There are more than five worthy candidates in the American League and at least three in the National League.

All I know is that whoever wants the hardware is going to have to annihilate their respective league over the last 20 games.