Indians coming to visit Dodgers; Angels head to Philadelphia

Dodgers: C.C. Sabathia is scheduled to pitch at Dodger Stadium next weekend, for the first time but maybe not the last time. Sabathia is eligible for free agency this fall, and the Cleveland Indians might trade their ace next month if they fall out of contention in the American League Central. Sabathia posted an ERA of 13.50 in his first four starts, but he has posted a 2.09 ERA in his subsequent 10 starts. Do the Dodgers dare risk another $100 million on a pitcher?

Dodgers vs. Cleveland Indians, Friday through next Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

Angels: The Angels visit Citizens Bank Bandbox for the first time, for a firsthand look at the most powerful infield in baseball. The Angels like to hit-and-run, steal a base, scamper from first to third. The Philadelphia Phillies just mash, and their infield has outhomered the Angels' infield, 54-13. Second baseman Chase Utley and first baseman Ryan Howard each has outhomered the Angels' infield by himself, with Utley at 22 home runs and Howard at 17.

Angels vs. Philadelphia Phillies, Friday through next Sunday at Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia.

Elsewhere: We've never had a Freeway World Series. Our friends in New York enjoyed the Subway World Series between the Yankees and Mets in 2000, not to mention the 13 times the Yankees faced either the Brooklyn Dodgers or New York Giants in the World Series. But the best bet for a one-town Fall Classic appears to be a Windy City World Series, with the Chicago Cubs and White Sox each in first place. The Cubs and White Sox met once before in the World Series, in 1906. The Cubs had Tinker, Evers and Chance -- and Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown -- but the Sox won the series.

Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs, Friday through next Sunday at Wrigley Field, Chicago.

Minor leaguers of the week

Angels:Mark Trumbo, 1b

Trumbo grew up a few minutes down the road from Angel Stadium, and the Angels hope he can develop into a power hitter for a team seemingly forever in search of a big bat. Trumbo wowed scouts as a pitcher at Villa Park High, but the Angels drafted him and paid him $1.425 million to grab a bat. He struggled to make consistent contact in his first three seasons, but he is batting .305 for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga this season, ranking among the California League leaders in doubles and home runs while cutting his strikeouts to one per seven at-bats. Trumbo, 22, hit .341 with three home runs in a 10-game run from June 2-11.

Dodgers: Josh Wall, rhp

It's never easy to pitch in the California League, and it's downright aggravating when the desert winds blow. Wall accomplished quite a feat last week, pitching six scoreless innings for Inland Empire in a 10-1 victory over Lake Elsinore, giving up two hits while winds swirled about him. The Dodgers selected Wall, 21, in the second round of the 2005 draft, and they still have faith that he can harness his live fastball. He entered this season with 89 walks and 149 strikeouts in 209 career innings, and this season he is 5-3 with a 5.55 ERA, with 40 walks and 46 strikeouts in 60 innings.

--

Bill Shaikin