The best keep getting better

AL CENTRAL

The Minnesota Twins are back on track to battle for the division lead. They are one game back, and they gained two games on the White Sox. When you play the Kansas City Royals it helps.

The White Sox had a little trouble in Oakland, but they bounced back against the lowly Seattle Mariners. Detroit, on the other hand, had some trouble in Toronto and Tampa Bay.

The key is going to be how teams handle their weaknesses. Detroit better find a way soon, because they have a brutal stretch right now with the Rays and the Boston Red Sox.

AL EAST

The story of the East Division was the Matt Garza no-hitter. The New York Yankees keep winning, but the Rays are looking better and better. The result is the two best teams in the major leagues are making the Boston Red Sox look terrible.

At seven games back, the Red Sox better do something to solve their problems above them. The Rays and Yankees are on pace to win 100 games, and the Red Sox may miss out on the postseason with 92-92 wins.

The Red Sox can start with taking care of business against Detroit and Cleveland. The Yankees have to travel to Tampa Bay this weekend, and the Red Sox can gain a few games on both.

AL WEST

The Texas Rangers are moving closer and closer to the time they should start thinking about challenging for a pennant, and they may have begun with the rumors about acquiring Jorge Cantu.

The lineup can get better? Really? The defense can get better? Really? The answer is yes to all the questions. The Rangers are building too big a lead, and the rest of the division doesn’t have the tools to challenge them.

In the playoffs, the Rangers have Cliff Lee, a Yankee killer, and they may have the second best lineup to the Yankees. If the Rangers continue to win like they have, the playoffs may be the best anyone has ever seen. If the season ended today, the Rangers would face the Rays.

TOP FIVE AL TEAMS July 13:

1.) New York Yankees - It is close with the Rays, and the heavyweight championship is this weekend in Tampa Bay.

2.) Tampa Bay Rays – The Rays get a shot at the No. 1 seed, and they get the home-field advantage.

3.) Texas Rangers – If the rumors about Jorge Cantu are real, the division is locked up.

4.) Chicago White Sox– The Twins are closer than they appear. The White Sox need to beat the .500 teams like Oakland.

5.) Boston Red Sox – The problem for the Red Sox is that they have two teams on pace for 100 wins ahead of them.