Take 2 Roundup: Games of Sat, 3/22/08

[bernieh]

[size=24:496704da24][b:496704da24]MATTINGLY FOR MVP[/b:496704da24][/size:496704da24]
[size=18:496704da24]Yankee First Baseman Lifts NY to Brink of 1st Place[/size:496704da24]

<img src="http://fantasygames.sportingnews.com/images/baseball/stratomatic/1986/story_photos/don_mattingly_3_150x211.jpg " align="left" border="1" width="150" height="211" style="margin-right: 10px;" /> When all is said and done, will there be a question as to who will be the American League MVP? Yankee first baseman Don Mattingly provided the big blow, a 3-run homerun in the 1st inning, in the Bronx Bombers' [url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/1986/scores/boxscore.php?id=1600]10-2 humiliation of the Oakland A's[/url] on Saturday night. The 2nd place Yankees, anchored by the lefty slugger, kept pace with the equally hot Detroit Tigers, staying within 1.5 games of them for the AL East lead.

Mattingly, who started the season strong and has been amazingly consistent, has a realistic shot at the AL Triple Crown, as he's 2nd in the league with a .343 BA (to Wade Boggs' .347), tied for 2nd with 32 HR (to Jesse Barfield's 34), and leads the league with 114 RBI (a lead of 11 over Texas' Larry Parrish). Given his equally stellar defense at 1st base, and the Yankees' year-long contention for the AL East crown, it's hard to believe anyone would challenge him for his 2nd MVP award in a row.

[b:496704da24]Meanwhile, 'twas a wild one in San Diego[/b:496704da24] as the Padres, who are desperately trying to fight off the Astros at top of the NL West, barely survived a [url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/1986/scores/boxscore.php?id=1597]back-and-forth slugfest with the Phillies[/url]. San Diego entered the 8th with a 4-1 lead, but their bullpen couldn't hold it and they found themselves down 6-4 going into the bottom of the 9th. Leave it to third baseman Graig Nettles, who, after a run was in, launched a 3-run, walkoff homer to steal the win from the Phillies.

[i:496704da24]photo: SN Archives[/i:496704da24]