[plubbr]

7/3 Eric Munson hit a 3-run homer in the first to pace the Astros to a 5-4 win over John Smoltz and the Braves.

7/5 Here is a strange score for an extra inning game. The Rangers beat the Yankees 15-5 in 10 innings. Yep, the Rangers scored 10 runs in the top of the 10th.

7/10 C. C. Sabathia is a hard luck pitcher. He pitched a good game, giving up 3 runs over seven innings, but got no decision as Brad Lidge blew a save in the ninth by allowing 3 runs to score, with the game ending in a 6-5 loss. Sabathia’s season record is 4-11, even though he has pitched really well.

7/12 My All-Stars
• P Roy Oswalt from Houston
• 3B Eric Munson from Houston
• LF Grady Sizemore from Houston
AL won 5-3. Sizemore was 0-4, while Oswalt threw 2 scoreless innings. Munson never got into the game.

7/20 Sabathia finally got another win. He went 8 strong innings, allowing only 3 runs and 2 hits. Eric Munson hit a 3rd inning grand slam to push his league leading HR total to 27 and his league leading RBI total to 75. He is tied with A-Rod for the ML lead in home runs.

7/22 Eric Munson hit another homer, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Cubs won 3-1.

7/24 Eric Munson is en fuego. He hit yet another homer as the Astros outlasted the Cubs in 17 innings. Too bad he had to wait until the 17th to hit it.

7/25 C.C. Sabathia got his second win in a row as he tossed 7 innings of 4 hit ball, while his offense supplied him with 8 runs.

7/28 Eric Bruntlett launched a 3-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 8. C Humberto Quintero then hit a two out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to win it.

7/30 Made a trade. Not hugely significant, but I picked up a serviceable first baseman.
Houston gets :
1B Joe Dillon
Florida gets :
C Wyatt Toregas, P Juan Gutierrez

7/31 Ben Zobrist, Get Ready! SS Danny Klassen was injured while running the bases. It is time to see what Ben can do at the Major League level.

We finished the month at 48-57. It has been a downhill slide ever since we were swept by the damn Yankees and the Red Sox in the early part of June.

Down on the Farm
• 1B Delmon Young – Delmon’s has gotten his average back up to .303, but his power is taking a while to come around. He probably will need another year at AAA. That is part of the reason I made the trade I did.
• 2B Lee Lamberton – Lee is hitting .288 with 5 HR and 30 RBI in 60 games at AAA Round Rock. He is not a spectacular player, but should develop into a solid Major Leaguer.
• SS Benjamin Zobrist – Ben was hitting .307 with 15 homers and 56 RBI at AAA Round Rock before his callup to the Big Show.
• CF Jordan Parraz – This kid is unbelieveable. After hitting .400 in A, I decided to try him out at the AA level. At that level, he is hitting .373 with 9 HR and 42 RBI in 54 games! His OPS in AA is 1.007.
• CL Jamie Merchant – Jamie has a solid 0.83 ERA with 21 saves in 44 games. He has struck out 98 while walking 21 in 76 innings.
• CL Chad Reinke – Chad has 27 saves in 39 games, has given up 23 walks while compiling 54 strikeouts in 42.2 innings of work.
• CL Juan Hirt – Juan has had a solid start to his career, with 11 saves in 18 games. He has collected 27 strikeouts in 21.1 innings, and has an era of 2.53.

Around the League

Awards:
AL Pitcher of the Month: Kevin Millwood (TB/TOR), 4-0, 1.62 ERA
NL Pitcher of the Month: J.J. Putz (FLA), 3-1, 1.19 ERA

AL Batter of the Month: Dmitri Young (DET), .363 AVG, 32 RBI
NL Batter of the Month: J.D. Closser (COL), .400 AVG, 22 RBI

Performances:
7/4 Josh Beckett (FLA) NO-HITS Milwaukee
7/4 Nomar Garciaparra (CHC) on fire, laces five hits
7/6 Derek Jeter (NYY) laces 2000th career hit
7/8 Brad Radke (MIN) pitches 2-hit shutout against Kansas City
7/10 Kevin Millwood (TB) pitches 2-hit shutout against Detroit
7/19 Justin Duchscherer (KC) pitches his 1st shutout of the season
7/21 Eric Crozier (TOR) collects five hits against Cleveland
7/30 Detroit has no chance in a 1-hitter by Wes Littleton (TEX)
7/31 Luis Castillo (FLA) punishes San Francisco with five hits

Injuries:
7/3 Vladimir Guerrero (ANA), Fractured Hip, Out 6 Weeks
7/6 Ryan Madson (TB), Pulled Bicep Muscle, Out 7 Weeks
7/7 Eric Beattie (DET), Strained Elbow Ligament, Out 5-6 Weeks
7/7 Carlos Lee (MIL), Dislocated Shoulder, Out 4-5 Weeks
7/14 Josh Beckett (FLA), Bone Chips in his Shoulder, Out for the Season
7/16 Sean Henn (NYY), Ruptured Tricep Tendon, Out 7 Weeks
7/16 Scott Kazmir (SEA), Bone Chips in his Elbow, Out 7 Weeks
7/22 Jason Kendall (OAK), Torn Thigh Muscle, Out 5 Weeks
7/23 Eric Milton (CIN), Torn Bicep Muscle, Out for the Season
7/30 Eric Byrnes (OAK), Torn PCL, Out for the Season

Notable Transactions:
7/9
Trade between Oakland and Kansas City :
Kansas City gets: P Justin Duchscherer, C Steven Dalessandro
Oakland gets: P Billy Buckner

7/13
Trade between Florida and Detroit :
Detroit gets: P A.J. Burnett, $2,100,000 cash.
Florida gets: CF Curtis Granderson

7/17
Trade between Cleveland and Cincinnati :
Cincinnati gets: RF Jody Gerut, SS Robert Devault
Cleveland gets: P Dennis Tankersley, $500,000 cash.

Trade between Detroit and Arizona :
Arizona gets: P A.J. Burnett, $2,400,000 cash.
Detroit gets: 3B David Wright

7/23
Trade between Cleveland and Toronto :
Toronto gets: P Jake Westbrook, 1B Edwin Graham, $2,100,000 cash.
Cleveland gets: P Dustin McGowan

7/24
Trade between Tampa Bay and Toronto :
Toronto gets: P Kevin Millwood, LF Leopoldo Jarrett
Tampa Bay gets: SS Russ Adams

7/27
Trade between Washington and Cleveland :
Cleveland gets: P Livan Hernandez,
Washington gets: 3B Morgan Ensberg

Trade between Arizona and Cincinnati :
Cincinnati gets: LF Scott Hairston, CF German Marciano
Arizona gets: 3B Edwin Encarnacion

7/30
Trade between Milwaukee and Detroit :
Detroit gets: 1B Lyle Overbay, P Carlos Villanueva
Milwaukee gets: SS Carlos Guillen

Trade between New York (N) and Washington :
Washington gets: RF Milton Bradley, P William Poisson
New York (N) gets: 1B Larry Broadway

Trade between Anaheim and Minnesota :
Minnesota gets: RF Darin Erstad, $2,300,000 cash.
Anaheim gets: SS Trevor Plouffe

Trade between Arizona and Detroit :
Detroit gets: CF Endy Chavez, 3B Alvin Elizondo
Arizona gets: 1B Brandon Inge

Trade between Baltimore and Cincinnati :
Cincinnati gets: P Sidney Ponson, 3B Scott Gillett, $2,200,000 cash.
Baltimore gets: P Elizardo Ramirez

Trade between San Francisco and Seattle :
Seattle gets: 2B Ray Durham, $2,500,000 cash.
San Francisco gets: C Chao-Kuan Wu, P Raymond Trower

Trade between Seattle and San Francisco :
San Francisco gets: 3B Justin Leone
Seattle gets: P Merkin Valdez

Trade between Detroit and Boston :
Boston gets: P Jeremy Bonderman, P Andrew Kown, LF Daryl Bermejo
Detroit gets: SS Edgar Renteria, $2,400,000 cash.

Trade between Washington and Arizona :
Arizona gets: 1B Nick Johnson, $1,100,000 cash.
Washington gets: P Mike Gosling, SS Steve Garabrants

Trade between Boston and St. Louis :
St. Louis gets: 1B Jeremy West, RF Dante Abrego, SS Samuel Astudillo
Boston gets: P Chris Carpenter

Trade between Philadelphia and Chicago (A) :
Chicago (A) gets: 3B Joe Crede
Philadelphia gets: SS Robert Valido

Trade between Los Angeles (N) and Tampa Bay :
Tampa Bay gets: P Derek Lowe, 3B Blake DeWitt, 1B Randy Scroggs
Los Angeles (N) gets: LF Aubrey Huff

Trade between Colorado and Boston :
Boston gets: 3B Garrett Atkins
Colorado gets: 2B Brandon Moss, LF Daryl Bermejo

7/31
Trade between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati :
Cincinnati gets: 1B Brad Eldred
Pittsburgh gets: 2B William Bergolla

Trade between Philadelphia and Washington :
Washington gets: C Carlos Ruiz
Philadelphia gets: CF Jeff Francoeur