Who’s Lovin’ Life … On the Diamond?

By C.G. Morelli
Love of Sports Correspondent

The world of sports is one of the only venues that will allow a person to go from goat to glory, or vice versa, with such grace.

As a sports fan I love this. When it comes to watching an athlete pull himself out of a season long slump to assume the role of hero once more, I just can’t get enough.

That’s why I’ll be taking a weekly look at some of the individual athletes and teams in the world of sports who were able to string together a memorable week. This week, we step onto the diamond to see who’s Lovin’ Life as the Midsummer Classic approaches.

Definitely Lovin’ Life…

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brew Crew’s been playing the role of red-headed stepchild all season, but let’s not let their current role tarnish their potential.

First of all, the Brewers are on fire as of late, having won seven of their last 11 games. Ryan Braun, J.J. Hardy and Prince Fielder are tearing the cover off the ball and had slugged Milwaukee to within only four games of the NL All-Star team, uhh, I mean the Cubs, coming into the weekend.

Also, the front office went out and made a statement by trading away top prospect Matt LaPorta and three other minor leaguers to the Indians for reigning Cy Young winner, CC Sabathia. Sure, Sabathia’s had a strange season so far, but if you think he won’t make the Brewers a better ballclub, you’re crazy. Clearly, management loves what they see when they have no problem mortgaging the future in order to win now.

Finally, you just have to love the spot this team finds itself in at the break. Bottom line, when the team ahead of you in the division is the Chicago Cubs, you’ve got to think luck is on your side.

Tampa Bay Rays

Just when you thought the Tampa party bus was running on fumes, the Rays reel off eight wins in a 10-game clip, including seven in a row. Of course, they immediately tanked right after that, losing six straight through Saturday’s action. However, the ystill find themselves a half-game up over the Red Sox going into Sunday’s games.

They’ve not only freed themselves from the dank recesses of the AL East cellar to become America’s sweethearts this season, but they’re sending three of the league’s most promising young talents in Dioner Navarro, Evan Longoria and Scott Kazmir to the All-Star Game.

The Rays can float happily into the break owning the best record in baseball and leading the defending champions in the division. Not bad for a team that was nothing more than a laughing stock this time last year.

Minnesota Twins

Who would’ve thought after dealing away staff ace Johan Santana and losing Gold Glove centerfielder Torii Hunter that the Twins would breeze into the break in such good shape? “Not I,” says every honest man in America. But it happened.

Don’t look now Minnesota fans, but your Twins have just won three straight and seven out of 10, and they’re breathing down the White Sox necks in the AL Central (1.5 games back). Catcher Joe Mauer and first baseman Justin Morneau, both All-Star selections, are a good part of the reason for the team’s recent clip of 18 wins in their last 23 games. Both are batting well above .300, and Morneau’s 65 RBI lead the team. Minnesota’s other All-Star, closer Joe Nathan, has been putting a regular exclamation mark on most of these wins, having tallied 26 saves in just 39 innings.

Brad Lidge

The Phillies are leading the NL East with a mark of 51-44 and looking to go deep in the playoffs. The Astros are currently in dead last in the NL Central, 14 games behind the Cubbies, and are just hoping to reach the .500 mark again. Think Lidge is happy?

I’d say so, considering he’ll be making his second All-Star appearance this weekend, just a few days after signing a contract extension with the Phils worth $37.5 million. Did I mention he already has 20 saves and a 0.92 ERA in 39 games so far this season? Heee’s baaaack.

MLB.com

I don’t know a whole heck of a lot about internet site statistics, but I do know that having many visitors on your site is a good thing. Therefore, you’d have to think the people at MLB.com were seriously Lovin’ Life last week as throngs of fans repeatedly tapped their mouses in a mind-numbing attempt to fill the final All-Star spots with their favorite players.

Whoever came up with this little brain child is an absolute genius. Not only does baseball reel in advertising dollars via its website, but fans also get to wallow in cheesy marketing campaigns designed by the teams of the nominees aimed at swaying your vote. In the NL, will you “Go to Bat for Pat (Burrell)” or will you “Vote (David) Wright Now?” Personally, I haven’t decided yet, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be “Supporting the Stache” (Jason Giambi) when it comes to the AL.

Definitely NOT Lovin’ Life …

Cleveland Indians

As if their recent 10-game losing streak to fall 14 games back in the AL Central wasn’t bad enough, last year’s wild card winners parted ways with, arguably, their best player over the last decade, CC Sabathia.

Sure, they got a decent prospect in La Porta, but there’s still a lot of season left and things are getting pretty ugly in Cleveland. The only bright spot for the Tribe, other than Grady Sizemore, has been pitcher Cliff Lee, who’s been utterly dominant since April. But even Lee is having his problems of late, like when coughed up a three-run lead late in the game against Minnesota on Sunday. Hey, think Ricky Vaughan still has a few tosses left in him?

Johnny Damon

After 14 seasons of crashing into walls and sliding into shortstops, a modern day warrior was finally forced to make his first-ever trip to the disabled list last week. Barring a setback, Damon will only miss 10 games while resting his swollen shoulder, but the Yankees left fielder will undoubtedly treat his time off like a lifetime’s hard labor at Attica.

Bottom line Yanks fans … don’t be surprised on the subway Monday morning when you see Damon banging out a few sets of weighted dips on the railings between train cars. The dude just wants to play ball.

New Yorkers

There’s no way you can justify seven Red Sox making the All-Star team. Good thing you only have to justify it to 55,000 screaming New Yorkers on Tuesday night. Oh boy. Raise your hand if you think Terry Francona should be delivered to the AL dugout in one of those bullet-proof Popemobiles.

(C.G. Morelli’s column will appear in this spot each and every weekend.)