Ichiro Suzuki

"Before the game started, the fans were nice and polite. But after the game started and they started drinking beer, lots of beer, their personality changed." Ichiro Suzuki Seattle Mariners center fielder, on playing in front of the Bleacher Bums at Wrigley Field

UP Ryan Howard, first baseman, Phillies -- The slugger is 13-for-32 (.406) with four homers and 14 RBIs in his past eight games. Garret Anderson, outfielder, Angels -- He's 10-for-27 (.370) with three home runs and nine RBIs in his past seven games. Anderson has hit .300 or better in three straight seasons, but he is at .283 this year. Brad Radke, starter, Twins -- With Francisco Liriano injured, Minnesota needs the veteran hurler to pitch well during its playoff push. So far Radke has delivered.

Josh Beckett Red Sox pitcher He has allowed one earned run in seven innings in each of his three starts for a 1.29 ERA. Ichiro Suzuki Mariners right fielder He is 0-for-11 in the first three games against the Red Sox.

When Miguel Tejada takes his rightful spot as the American League's starting shortstop in tonight's 76th All-Star game in Detroit, he'll look to his left and see his buddy and Orioles teammate, Brian Roberts, probably baseball's most surprising new star. To Tejada's right will be New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, the game's highest-paid player and perennial Most Valuable Player candidate. If Tejada is searching for the absolute best player in baseball, however, the argument can be made that he should simply look inward.

WHO'S HOT Eric Chavez of the A's was 2-for-3 yesterday and 7-for-17 in four games against the Mariners. WHO'S NOT Ichiro Suzuki of the Mariners was 0-for-10 in his past two games. BATTING LINE OF THE DAY Miguel Cabrera, Marlins LF AB R H RBI HR 5 3 4 6 2 PITCHING LINE OF THE DAY Kirk Saarloos, A's IP H R BB SO 9 4 0 0 7

You don't need to see Ichiro Suzuki more than once to be amazed at how he handles a bat. See him repeatedly, though, and you'll realize his bloops, pings and sinking liners are all purposeful - little chance is involved. "You can watch him in one game, see him do what he does and say, `That lucky sucker,'" said Mike Hargrove, Suzuki's new manager with the Seattle Mariners. "Then if you watch him the way I have, since spring training, it's an everyday occurrence. ... It is not a lucky swing here, a lucky swing there.

BOSTON - When Orioles center fielder Luis Matos first made it back to the big leagues this season, teams dusted off their old scouting reports and fed him a steady diet of breaking pitches. Big mistake. Matos freely admits he had a hard time recognizing curveballs and sliders when he was with the Orioles for parts of the previous three seasons. But he learned how to hit them and came back ready for anything. For his first three weeks, with teams still using the old book, Matos absolutely flourished, getting 28 hits in his first 63 at-bats (.444)

The pending non-waiver trade deadline once again has Orioles manager Mike Hargrove wondering what his club will look like after July 31. Not that it's become a distraction. Hargrove has been through this process too many times. "You're not on pins and needles, but you understand what's going on in the players' minds," he said. "For the team that's on the field right now, it's one of those bridges that you cross when you come to it. You don't try to get too far ahead of yourself. "Something may happen.