MLB Standings After 12 weeks

MLB Standings After 12 Weeks
By Keith Antigiovanni

The defending AL Champion Texas Rangers are holding on to first place 2 games up with the Angels at 4 games back.

The surprising Arizona Diamondbacks are in first place at a half-game in front in the NL West. The Colorado Rockies have climbed back into contention at 2.5 games back and third place. Meanwhile the Dodgers are 7 games back and the Small-Market Padres are 9 games back but managed to take 2 of 3 from the Red Sox in Boston.

St Louis is holding on to a share of first place in the NL Central despite Albert Pujols injury. The struggling Houston Astros maintain last place in the division with a 27-48 record and 13.5 games out.

The Kansas City Royals are also struggling and are in last place in the AL Central at 8.5 games out.

The Florida Marlins are another struggling Small-Market team that went from second place to fifth place in the NL East in the month of June. Jack McKeon has returned as manager 8 years after he led the Marlins to the World Series title in 2003.

The Atlanta Braves continue to win as they swept Toronto and improved their record to 43-33 and 4 games out of the lead in the NL East.

The Small-Market Tampa Rays continue to hang tough with a 41-34 record in the Big Market AL East. The Rays have won the AL East in two of the three past years and cannot be taken for granted.