Rays struggling; Angels getting back on top

AL CENTRAL

The Minnesota Twins lost three of four to the Seattle Mariners last week, and they only had to win two of three from the Oakland Athletics to stay three and a half games ahead of the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers had a wild week, which gave us the news of the release of Dontrelle Willis. Armando Galarraga was robbed of a perfect game as well, and the Tigers lost two of three to the Kansas City Royals. The good news for them: The inconsistent pitching staff gets a huge boost from Galarraga. He is 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA since moving to the starting role.

AL EAST

The Rays continue with their slump, but they still lead the Yankees by two games and the Blue Jays and Red Sox by four and a half games. The problem is, the other teams chasing them are hitting a hot streak at the moment. They Yankees went 5-2 last week, and the two losses came at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Boston also had a decent week at 4-2. The offense is clicking, as they averaged nine runs a game. If the pitching continues to be better, they are as good as the Rays and the Yankees.

AL WEST

Another week, another first place team. The Rangers are back in first place after going 4-2 for the week. They had two impressive series wins against the White Sox and the Rays. However, the good play wasn’t the story of the division.

The retirement of Ken Griffey Jr. was an amazing story, because he was a great ball player ending his career on the team that gave him his start. He probably should have called it quits a few years ago, but it is right to see him end his hall of fame campaign with the Mariners.

The other news may have snuck up on many fans. The Los Angeles Angels have won five games in a row and eight of ten to pull to with a half game of first place. The reason for the streak is the resurgence of the offense. They scored 47 runs in a 6-1 week, and they allowed 19 runs in the same span. The division needs to watch out for the Angels. Mike Scioscia is a great manager with a lot of postseason experience, and he has his team playing good baseball for the first time all season.

TOP FIVE AL TEAMS June 7:

1.) Tampa Bay Rays - They haven’t been dethroned yet, but they have been allowing a lot of runs lately.

2.) New York Yankees – They are playing well, and the Rays aren’t. They can be in first by the end of the week.

3.) Toronto Blue Jays – They are surprising everyone, and a series win against the Yankees does wonders in the standings.

4.) Minnesota Twins – The Tigers remain inconsistent, and they win enough. The rest of the division doesn’t pose a threat at the moment.

5.) Los Angeles Angels – They are quickly moving back to the top of the West, and they have the look of a team that wants to actually stay there.