But there is still hope in Chicago, on the northside at least. One through four, I still like this rotation, and I feel next year they will be one of the best this side of Atlanta or the Bronx. And it is never too early to look ahead towards next year. A top-to-bottom look of the Cubs rotation is as follows�

Kerry Wood � Actually has been a mild disappointment this year, with a 3.83 ERA/1.23 ratio � as opposed to 3.36/1.26 in 2001. More alarmingly K-Wood has dropped below a strikeout per inning, with 128 in 141 IP, down from 217 in 174 innings last year. Still, the walks are slightly down (4.5 per nine innings) and he is still only 25 years old. If he could ever harness his control entirely, Wood still has the potential to be dominant, but it will have to be as a #2 starter because�

Mark Prior � Although he has had some shaky moments, the early returns are downright scary with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.10 ratio. Even better is 109 K�s in 88 innings pitched. The crowning performance was a fit-hit, 13 strikeout complete game on Colorado this past weekend. In his previous start, Prior retired 13 San Diego Padres in order.

Jon Lieber � Was having another solid season, with a 3.70 ERA/1.17 ratio � despite playing with what was termed �mild elbow tendonitis�. But then Lieber went on the DL this week, and sure enough � Jon is now scheduled for 'reconstructive' elbow surgery. That may put Lieber on the shelf until mid-2003 and not at full strength until sometime in �04.

Matt Clement � On a much brighter note, Clement has blossomed from a 5.00/1.50 pitcher with SD and FL from 1999-2001 to a 3.70/1.18 this year, with 146 K�s in 143.2 IP. At age 28, several additional good seasons can be expected.

And then comes the relief corps, and the bad side of the pre-season trade with Florida. Scared of going into the regular season with a �unproven� closer, the team brought in Antonio Alfonseca, who is nothing special (1.40/3.65 � 13 for 19 in save opportunites) in that role. Ironically, the Dodgers were also in the market for Alf, remember all the worry about LA going into the season with the prospect of handing the ball in the ninth to �unproven� Eric Gagne. I guess the Dodgers coped just fine there. Getting back to the Cubs, Kyle Farnsworth has struggled this year (1.43/5.93 � 25 K�s in 27 IP) fter missing some time with a broken foot. A much better indication of Farnsworth�s potential would be his 2001 numbers of 1.15/2.74 with 107 K�s in 82 IP. Tom Gordon has come back from his latest arm problem, but has a 5.40 ERA and 2.33 ratio. Flash does have 21 K�s in 15 innings though. Also struggling is veteran Jeff Fassero with a 5.77 ERA and 1.65 ratio. At age 39, he could be at the end of the line. Look for Chicago to revamp their bullpen in the off-season, with Farnsworth most likely becoming the closer, and perhaps the Eric Gagne of 2003�

Now for others making noise in the Dog Days of August�

Johan Santana � Starting pitcher Eric Milton comes down with a trick knee warming up for the first inning. For nearly every other team, that would represent a dire emergency � but not for the Twins who were afforded the luxury of plugging Santana in, who promptly K�d nine Orioles in six innings, keeping the Twins in things until Latroy F. Hawkins ruined things in the seventh. Santana has a 3.36 ERA and a 1.22 ERA. The key number though is 79 K�s in 61 IP. Now Milton is going to miss the next month do get the knee scoped, cementing Johan�s spot in the rotation until September, and making him a very popular pick-up this week � along with a potential bargain selection for 2003.

Mike Mussina � Well, at least he is an inning eater. That�s the good news, the bad news is that he is an inning eater. Moose allowed 14 hits in a seven inning start, the most hits any Yankee starter has allowed since 1973. And that was on the heels of allowing 11 hits and 7 ER in 3 innings in Texas last week. That brings his ERA dangerously close to five (4.90 to be exact). I expect Moose to get tougher down the stretch though, so if you can trade him off a frustrated owner, that might not be a bad avenue to take. I also like Mussina�s chances in playoff leagues.

Andy Pettitte � Veteran hurling some of the best ball of his career in the last month, allowing 6 ER in 36.2 IP, bringing his season ERA down to 3.13. On the downside though, he still allows his normal amount of baserunners and has a ratio of 1.43, which is actually up from his 1.32 of last year.

Barry Bonds � By the time you read this, Bonds should have home run #600 in the bag. A couple of more insane numbers � Bonds went into the week with a slugging percentage of .781, Larry Walker is second in the majors with a .647. Also Bonds has a .559 on-base percentage, Adam Dunn is second in the majors with a .445. Barry also feasts on the inexperienced � in the last two seasons he is 38-76 with 15 HR and 35 RBI facing pitchers for the first time.

Randy Johnson � So much for age catching up to the Unit. Two straight complete game wins, striking out 26 while allowing one earned run. Unit trails teammate Curt Schilling in the MLB strikeout race 225 to 230. Pedro Martinez is third with 178.

Pedro Martinez � Has stepped it up even higher as well, allowing 3 ER in his last 49.1 IP, and is now 15-2 for the season. Also has a ridiculous 69 strikeouts during that span. With some of the Yankees current pitching woes, Pedro is sure to be bringing it straight till the season�s final week.

Kaz Ishii � So much for yet another Asian Rookie of the Year. 13 earned runs in his last 7.2 innings pitched (over two starts) may earn Kaz a ticket for middle relief. Time to cut your losses here.

Richard Hidalgo � His stock continues to go down, as it has since 2000. Since June 14, Hidalgo is 21-124 (.169) with 2 HR and only 7 RBI. Not recommended at this point.

Lance Berkman � Has also struggled lately, with only 2 HR and 8 RBI since the All-Star break.

Miguel Tejada � No longer a half-step behind the �big-three�, he�s there!!!!! Has the BA over .300 for the first time in his career, thanks in part to a recent 24-game hitting streak. Is also now up to 90 RBI (along with 25 HR), placing him second only to Alex Rodriguez�s 94 RBI. Amazingly, only six of the top 250 teams are currently playing him in the full-season Diamond Challenge. Not a bad player to stash on a roster at this point, even if it�s as a DH, using along with Arod and Nomar.

PENNANT RACES

Now is not a bad time to speculate how the current divisional and wild-card races could effect how you manage your fantasy roster in September, that is of course under the assumption that there is no work stoppage�

AL � Minnesota is of course a sure thing in the AL Central. The Twins will have plenty of motivation, perhaps even to the final weekend � as they try to secure the AL�s best record, and home field advantage up until the World Series (which the AL has the HFA for this year). At 69-46, Minnesota currently trails the Yankees (70-42), and Seattle (70-44). Of course, the Yankees have Boston (65-47) to worry about in their own division while Seattle is in a three-team tussle with Anaheim (67-45) and Oakland (66-48). And the wild-card race between Boston, Anaheim, and Oakland is tight as well, so look for none of the six AL contenders to shut it down early this year. The down side is that there is zero hope for the other eight teams, and they will be using September as an extended Spring Training.

NL � Atlanta (74-39) has an 17-game lead in the division, and a 4 � game lead over Arizona for the NL�s best record. Providing Arizona (70-44), pulls away from San Francisco (63-50), and Los Angeles (63-51), you can look for Schill and Unit to be rested some in September, along with Maddux and Glavine on the Atlanta side, unless the ATL/AZ race for best record gets closer. A seven game losing streak by St. Louis (59-51) has brought both Houston (59-53), and Cincinnati (58-54) back into the NL Central race. Look for players from those teams to become valuable in September. SF, LA, HOU, and CIN all figure in the NL Wild Card race while Montreal (57-56) and the Mets (56-57) could still be potential dark horses.

WEEK 20 PREVIEW

There are only five games on tap for Monday, and the Players Association is going to take advantage of that to meet, and possibly set a strike date. The good news is that eight years ago at this time the strike had already begun. Supposedly there has been �progress� made in talks this week, and there has even been an agreement hammered out in regards to steroid testing. Don�t be surprised if talks go straight south the second Uncle Bud tells Don Fehr that he would still like to contract those two teams.

On the field, the NL gets the most games with CHC, HOU, PIT, and STL playing seven times. In the AL everyone plays six except for CWS and TX, who play five. It is also the AL�s turn to play out west, while all the NL games will be out east. Home teams include TB, TX, MN, SEA, OAK, ANH, CHC, MON, PIT, PHI, FL, CIN, NYM and ATL while DET, TOR, BOS, NYY, CWS, CLE, AZ, SD, SF, STL, MIL, HOU, LA, COL. Kansas City and Baltimore are the only two teams whose weeks will be split between home and road. Not only are Houston and Colorado on the road, but each of the �big three� pitchers (Pedro, Unit, Schill) will only be starting once, with all three slated on the road. Pedro will get a tough assignment in Seattle, but did well (8 IP, 4 hits, 3 BB, 1 ER, 12 K�s) in his last appearance back in May. Overall Pedro has only allowed three ER in 40 Safeco Field innings lifetime. Pedro is also 9-0 v. the Mariners in his career. Schilling�s start will be Friday or Saturday at Wrigley. As mentioned earlier, the Cubs have the majors worst team BA. If the D-Backs elect to use their fifth starter earlier in the week Unit�s start would also be v. the Cubs, but Unit is more likely to be slated for Thursday in Cincinnati. Not like there is any road assignment that would scare any of the big three. Pitchers who are possible for two starts include Joel Piniero, Barry Zito, Roy Oswalt, Kerry Wood, Vicente Padilla, Greg Maddux (D-T-D pulled side muscle), Matt Morris, and Matt Clement.

Teams waiting too long for Eric Gagne to show up on the CDM Free Agent list were hung out to dry. Anyone wonder how the CDM honchos determine who goes on that list each week??? Anyway, here is this week�s offerings...


C 53 *PHELPS, JOSH TOR 750000
1B 128 LEE, DERREK FLO 780000
2B 202 KENT, JEFF SF 1510000
3B 305 CIRILLO, JEFF SEA 1240000
SS 410 CABRERA, ORLANDO MON 930000
OF 506 ABREU, BOB PHI 1720000
OF 596 IBANEZ, RAUL KC 600000
SP 813 HUDSON, TIM OAK 1170000
SP 941 GAGNE, ERIC LA 500000
RP 1222 *JULIO, JORGE BAL 750000

LATROY F. HAWKINS AWARD

LFH himself was a candidate this week, allowing five earnies in a third of an inning in Baltimore. However, LaTroy has been solid overall contributing in the Minnesota bullpen with a 2.15 ERA for the year. Before that LaTroy had a 1.48 ERA/.84 ratio. Billy Koch escaped with a save in Boston this week, just so he�s sure to buy Terence Long dinner. T-Long literally saved Billy Goat�s hide. The LFH award for this week however goes to the Toronto bullpen, who darn near committed what would had been a meltdown of historic proportions in hanging on by their fingernails � after being staked to a 13-2 lead after seven innings. With the seemingly safe lead Roy Halladay turned things over to ex-NBA scrub Mark Hendrickson, who allowed five earnies in one-third of an inning. That gives Mark a career 135.00 ERA to go with his NBA career 3.3 scoring average. Corey Thurman then came in to allow a three-run bomb to John Olerud (two of the runs inherited from Hendrickson), but then got out of the eighth with no further damage. Up 14-8 going in to the ninth Cliff Politte gives up four earned runs before shaky closer Kelvim Escobar finally manages to close things out for a 14-12 win. Oh well, if a 4-0 lead on Tampa Bay wasn�t good enough for Derek Lowe and the Red Sox a few weeks back then why should 13-2 over Seattle be a lock for Halladay???

TRIVIA: Mark Hendrickson is the second player in Blue Jay history to also have played in the NBA. Who was the other??? HINT: His style was just as decrepit on the diamond, but at least was much more successful in the Association. Answer next week.