No Tuesday Tantrum this week because I will be traveling so I came up with some "mello" topics to discuss. This will be a mega blog of predictions (mostly baseball).

HOMERUN DERBY:

Obviously, Cardinals slugger Albert Pujlos is the favorite to win this ~thing~ tonight, but who's your winner? I like Ryan Howard (Philadelphia Phillies) and Joe Mauer (Minnesota Twins) as my guy to win the 2009 Home Run Derby. My long shot is Nelson Cruz of the Texas Rangers. Least Favorite: Prince Fielder. Why? The guy is about as inconsistent as Greg Oden is to staying on an NBA court for a regular season game. Fielder has hit 22 home runs but he has hit just two (so far) in the month of July. I like Fielder as a player, but I never like over weight players to win a competition like this... Fielder will be out in the first round. Over or under 7 homers (I'll go under).

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT:

Easy. The Chicago Cubs. Who can argue right? I think I'd rather go blueberry picking with my great grandmother than to watch a Cubs game right now. They have the third highest pay roll in Major League Baseball and they are ~just~ two games over .500 (45-43) , while the Detroit Tigers are in first place in the National League Central at 48-39. Sad. How does someone like Phil Jackson, who has won 10 NBA Titles get all kinds of "heat" through his career, while "Sweet" Lou Piniella has not won a playoff series since the new millennium, yet he is as untouchable as Justin Chatwin in the movie "The Invisible." Get serious Cub fans, Lou is not the man for your organization and you completely misfired after firing ol' "My Armpits Are Dusty" Baker.

Wake up Wrigley Field, because the ivy on the outfield wall is about to be blown away if you do not have a better second half season... "are ya with me?"

Side Note: Straighten up Jimmy Rollins (Philadelphia Phillies) because you were on the verge of being in front of the Cubs on this list. Thank the Lord, your team is in first place. Hitting .167 in the month of June is not going to win you a thumbs up whatsoever. However, I give Rollins a pass because he begins the All-Star break hitting .378 in the month of July. I will take the upside in the second half to a player who has built his career around consistency.

BIGGEST SURPRISE:

The Texas Rangers entire franchise. Yes its hotter than a half-nude pic of Jenna Jameson down there in Arlington and pitchers do struggle in that ype of heat, but Ranger Manager, Ron Washington has to be proud of his work. The Rangers are right behind the Anaheim Angels in the AL West and I say they have one hell of a shot in the second half. Whether or not they make the playoffs is almost irrelevant. The Rangers have impressed baseball purist, fans, and managers across the nation.

Your thoughts ...

One last thought. UFC-100 was surprisingly "decent." It was not worth my $60, but I will give it a C+. I thought the four fights before the main event (Brock Lesner vs. Frank Mir) were much more entertaining. Two images I could not get out of my head at the end of the night. 1) Brock's shorts that had "Jack Links," the logo, on the back of his trunks (can you imagine what kind of links come out of that 265 pound man? ehh). 2) Brock's comments about being "on top" of his wife. Poor Sable. I'm guessing she's tapped out before ... ok that's enough. I think I just went a little overboard.

Thanks for reading. Follow me on Twitter @JamieMcCracken.