MLB

With their tremendous winning streak of late, the Colorado Rockies have been generating a lot of discussion. Is this team as good as the 2007 club that rode a lucky streak into the World Series? Or are they destined to fade down the stretch?

Many pundits are inclined to believe the latter, and why shouldn't they? After all, this is the Rockies we're talking about, right? What reason do we have to believe they're going to be able to keep this up?

Friends, the Colorado Rockies are much better than you think they are.

As a lifelong baseball fan and supporter of the game (I make it to at least 10 games a year), I feel the only people that owe me an apology are the owners for providing crappy, overpriced food at the stadiums and charging $15 for parking (thank you Mr. McCourt).

Today will be the second installment of Tigers by the Numbers, where I will profile a current or former player that wore each uniform number. If you missed the first edition, my profile on uniform No. 1, Lou Whitaker, can be found here.

Today we will look at No. 2. Charlie Gehringer shared many similarities with Whitaker: they both played second base, they both hit left handed, and they both earned their way onto this list. Without further ado....

For the first time all season, the San Francisco Giants used their sixth starting pitcher. After numerous poor performances by Jonathan Sanchez, the Giants brought up Triple A starter Ryan Sadowski to at-least temporarily take over the last spot in the rotation.

After losing the first two games of the series, the Giants were putting their hopes on the rookie to avoid the sweep.

In the top half of the first inning the Giants offense went down quickly, giving Sadowski little time to shake off the nerves going into his big league debut.

Brad Penny came into this game hoping for a good start. Through the season so far, he has done well, but the numbers have not yet been anything extraordinary. He pitched against Tommy Hanson in this game, who had already put together an impressive 3-0 record and got the start.

Brad Penny did get that good start, but it wasn't enough. The offense that stood behind him no longer sparked, as the team did not score until the ninth inning.

From the start of Bob Geren's tenure as manager of the Oakland A's, he was doomed to fail.

The reason being is the style of managing he employs and it has nothing to do with the trades that Billy Beane has made during the time he's been manager.

The excuse of injuries as well isn't an easily bought excuse either because every team in baseball has to deal with injuries at some point during a season.

The difference is a good-to-great manager knows how to motivate and get the most from his players.

With a series win over the Toronto Blue Jays, Brad Lidge back and Raul Ibanez on his way back, it is time for the Phillies to take hold of the National League East.

Phils fans held their collective breath when closer Brad Lidge entered Sunday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays holding a slim 5-4 lead.

Raul Chavez dropped a bunt and Lidge's field and throw were late. John McDonald pinch ran for Chavez, and after Brad Lidge ran a 3-2 count on Marco Scutaro, he walked him to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Oh-oh.

Well there's no doubt that this has been an up-and-down season for the Atlanta Braves. Where one facet of the game has been stellar, another area would breakdown.

Young phenom, Tommy Hanson is apparently immune to his team's struggles, however.

Hanson burst onto the scene in the Arizona Fall League this past off season when he won the hitting dominated league's MVP. He won five of seven starts, and had 28.2 innings pitched, 49 strikeouts, and a 0.63 ERA.

That came on the heels of throwing a no-hitter at AA-Mississippi last season.

The legend was born.

Seattle Mariners General Manager Jack Zduriencik announced today that the M's acquired outfielder Ryan Langerhans from the Washington Nationals in exchange for Mike Morse. He will most likely be on the 25-man roster as soon as third baseman Adrian Beltre hits the disabled list.

Halfway through the 2009 season one can fairly say it has not played out the way most fans expected.

Manny Ramirez received a 50-game suspension for use of a banned substance, with steroid use believed to be involved, and the Dodgers remain in first place not only in the NL West, not only in the National League, but in all of baseball (as of June 28).

In addition to this, one of the Dodgers' best starters, Hiroki Kurdoda has missed significant time and has only pitched 36.2 innings.