Big Z puts Astros to sleep

Carlos Zambrano completes the first Cubs no-hitter since Milt Pappas in 1972 as the Cubs go to Milwaukee and beat the Astros in front of 23-thousand screaming Chicagoans.

The Cubs win in Miller Park is actually help for the Brewers, who dropped a day-night double header to the Phillies, leaving those two teams tied for the Wild Card. Houston's loss leaves the Astros 1.5 games back in that race, while the Cubs move 7.5 games ahead of the Brewers. Chicago is a virtual lock for the NL Central crown.

Major players?

Three guys who spent extended periods in the minors this year helped the Royals rip the Indians, 13-3.

Kansas City shortstop Mike Aviles continues to hit for a high average, improving to .322 with a 3-5 effort. He scored three runs. Second baseman Alberto Callaspo went 2-3 with three runs scored and two RBI while first baseman Ryan Shealy powered out two home runs and knocked in five.

Fantasy Impact: Hard to say any of the three should make you salivate over their long term futures (Aviles and Shealy are not youngsters, and Callaspo owns little pop), but they got the job done today.

Maddux mad good, but Dodgers lose

Talk about efficiency; Greg Maddux threw just 68 pitches over seven innings of two-hit baseball. He allowed just two hits and no runs, leaving with his Dodgers in a 0-0 tie at Colorado.

Counterpart Aaron Cook threw 102 pitches over eight innings and also gave up no runs, as the Rockies required 10 innings to finally prevail, 1-0. Troy Tulowitzki knocked in the game's only run.

Fantasy Impact: Maddux mixes in the occasional gem and the occasional clunker. He's been remarkably efficient for his advanced age of 42 years old. Without much strikeout potential, however, he's no better than a fringe starter in fantasy, especially if the Dodgers aren't giving him run support.

Heavenly

Everything is setting up for the Angels to earn home-field advantage in the postseason and set their team up for a run to the World Series, where again the AL has home-field.

If Kevin Jepsen, a minor league flamethrower is called up, Anaheim's bullpen gets that much stronger.

One thing to watch closely is how Scioscia sets up his bullpen behind Rodriguez. There is growing speculation that call-up Kevin Jepsen, an Olympian who throws in the upper 90s, might make the playoff roster. Scioscia likes that Jepsen thrived in the pressure of the Olympics, and had to have been impressed when Jepsen made his major league debut against the Yankees last week and retired Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu and Alex Rodriguez. And then did it again two days later, striking out A-Rod with a 95 mph heater.

Jepsen's debut brings to mind the saga of K-Rod in 2002, when Rodriguez made his major league debut on Sept. 18 and struck out 13 in his first 5 2/3 innings. The Angels put the rookie on their postseason roster, and he was a huge factor in their run to a World Series title.

Another K-Rod? Home-field advantage? Who doesn't like the Angels?

Price looks money in relief

The Rays debuted David Price, and the minor league player of the year looked strong in his relief role. He gave up just two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings and struck out four.

Fantasy Impact: Price would appear to be an injury away from stepping in for a spot start down the stretch. He's good enough to dominate, so consider stashing him. He's also worth picking up for long relief dominance that can help your pitching numbers. At the very least, consider grabbing him in keeper leagues as he should make an impact in 2009.

Qualls gets the call

With both Brandon Lyon and Jon Rauch struggling, the Arizona Diamondbacks will go with Chad Qualls at closer the rest of the way. This makes the trade for Rauch seem less of an impact than originally considered, and it makes sense. Qualls outperformed Lyon in stretches this year, and his numbers are generally very good. Why he's never gotten a shot to close in the past is a head-scratcher.

Fantasy Impact: Get Qualls. He may never give up this gig.

Dodgers on a run

The Dodgers, winners of 12 of 13 games, look poised for the postseason. Not only has Los Angeles sprinted past Arizona to the top of the NL Central, making them one of the hottest teams in baseball.

The other three teams that are red hot, Houston and Toronto, are still on the outside looking in. The Blue Jays don't stand much of a chance, but if the Astros continue to win, they're just two behind Milwaukee for the wild card. Watch out, Ned Yost.

K-Rod sets record

Francisco Rodriguez is baseball's single-season saves record holder, notching his 58th save of the year. Bobby Thigpen previously held the record with 57. Spitting Seeds wondered if K-Rod could reach 60 earlier this year. It looks like he'll get it done.

Wedge stays put

After a dismal season, the Cleveland Indians will bring back manager Eric Wedge.

"Eric's strength and consistency are most apparent when we have adversity," Shapiro said, according to the report. "Those values don't always show themselves when we're going through that adversity, but those values are always apparent when we emerge from them."

Huh? That quote makes zero sense.
The Indians are young and need to mature. Wedge is a good manager for that type of team.

Disneyfi this

Baseball's cousin cricket finds itself a Jim Morris. Don't wait for the Disney movie starring Dennis Quaid.

Brewers could roast Yost

Ken Rosenthal reports that the Brewers may rid themselves of Ned Yost if Milwaukee fails to make the postseason.

How about Doug Melvin gets Yost a halfway decent bullpen and a few more guys that can hit better than .250.

Baseball is British

That is, according to these people. Who cares?

Rays for real? Please.

Is this the best ESPN can offer? The Rays beat the Red Sox in Fenway, so now they've arrived? Last I checked, Tampa's been right there all year. If ESPN is going to boring journalism on us now with Tampa made a statement, they're going to do it all over again in the postseason. Give us something to read, please!

Mets met with further challenges

With the Mets pulling out a wild one over the Nats, and the Phillies getting beat by the Marlins, New York builds a 3 1/2 game lead with only 17 to play. That sounds good, but New York led by seven with 17 to play last year, and the Phillies caught them.

Odd

This is odd.

Penny pushed to the 'pen

In what's become a trend this season with pitchers like Chris Carpenter and Joba Chamberlain, among others, returning from injury to throw in the pen, Brad Penny is next in line to do so.

It's a creative move by the Dodgers, who've gotten good pitching from a number of different sources. Using Penny in the 'pen makes Los Angeles that much tougher late in games.

Angels in the playoffs

Did you see the Angels celebration after they clinched the first playoff spot today? It will be hard to out-do that party if they win it all!

Red Sox socked

Tampa delivered another blow to the Red Sox, winning for the second straight night, this time 4-2 in 14 innings. The Rays pitching staff outperformed Boston, allowing just eight hits.

Boston now stands 2 1/2 back in the AL East.

Percival goes down again

Troy Percival exited tonight's marathon between Boston and Tampa in the 14th inning due to injury. He's already spent time on the DL this season, and this latest setback could mean opportunities for others to close down the stretch. Keep your eyes on Dan Wheeler and Grant Balfour. Manager Joe Maddon seems more likely to use Wheeler, but Balfour numbers jump out.

Too closer for comfort

Both the first-place Cubs and the first-place White Sox got scares late in their wins over wild card challengers. The Cubs, up 4-1 in the ninth, saw Kerry Wood serve up a two-run homer to Ryan Ludwick, cutting the lead to 4-3. Wood still got out of the jam.

The White Sox entered the nith with a 6-2 lead, but only prevailed by one thanks to a three-run frame from Bobby Jenks.

Both were close shaves, but Wood gets a save and Jenks preserves the win. Both teams remain in first place. It's nice to still come away with a win, even when your closer throws a clunker.