What's on tap Centers of mediocrity July 2, 2003 Print it Archived Sports Bahr If you look at the standings in MLB, you will notice the pathetic records of the division leaders in the NL Central and AL Central. As of Wednesday morning, four wild-card contenders in the NL had better records than the Cardinals and Astros, the co-leaders in the NL Central. In the AL, there are three wild-card contenders with better records than the AL Central-leading Royals. Competitive might be the most polite way to describe these divisions, but the best word to use is mediocre. No team has been able to separate itself from the pack in either division, and aside from the Royals, no team from either division really has gone on a very impressive winning stretch. Will this continue all season? Are we going to have two division champions with .500 records? Let's take a quick look at both divisions. After you check out my analysis, let me know what you think. AL Central: I still think the Twins are the most talented team in the division, but they simply are underachieving. Just when they appear to be getting hot, they stumble again. Kansas City has been a nice surprise, and you have to give the Royals credit for getting back into the race after a poor May, but this team isn't good enough to pull away. The White Sox are intriguing because of their recent acquisitions on offense, and they certainly have strong starting pitching. However, I still like the Twins to win a close race. NL Central: St. Louis was my preseason pick, but the pitching is a mess, and I am not sure there is a solution. The offense is great, but you can't count on more than two starting pitchers, and the bullpen is unreliable. The Cubs look average these days and keep losing close games. They probably need another bat, and the late-inning relief has to improve. I keep thinking Houston will bust out, but the team is really banged up. And the Reds can't go on a tear with that kind of pitching. So, who knows? I'll guess the Astros eventually win this thing, but not by much. Simply put, I don't expect either division to change much. None of these teams jumps out as a clear-cut favorite at this time, and it is hard to imagine a team in either division distancing itself from the pack. The mediocrity is here to stay. What do you think? Will mediocrity rule all season in these two divisions? Or will a strong team suddenly emerge? Send your thoughts to fans@sportingnews.com, and look for them in my next column. Thanks for reading. Chris Bahr The Sporting News

Still Brewin' Will he stay or go? Here are some of your responses to my previous column, which asked whether Kobe Bryant really would leave the Lakers once he becomes a free agent. While anything is possible, Kobe Bryant would be insane to leave the Lakers for these reasons: 1. I have no insight into his psyche, but I think he gets it that he can't win it all alone. I would place pictures of Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd and other ring-less superstars in front of him and make him guess what they all have in common: no second option. Even Michael Jordan needed Scottie Pippen (and Phil Jackson) before he won anything. Kobe's ego might be monstrous, but he has to know that he has no chance, physically, against the likes of Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett. He needs Shaq as much as Shaq needs him. 2. Money can't be an issue, if my understanding of the arcane NBA salary cap holds, because only the Lakers are able to offer him the most, if he really needs more. Even though he has been reluctant to spend money lately, Lakers owner Jerry Buss knows he'll have to shell out to keep Kobe. 3. Glamour. There's no other glamour team in the NBA. The Knicks are lousy and will be for some time, while drawing second-tier celebrities. Boston lost whatever mystique it might have had when Larry Bird left town. The other top teams in the West are even more ensemble-based, so there is no chance to be The Man. The Lakers are the only ones left, and Kobe has to know his highlights will make SportsCenter, just because he plays for the Lakers. James Ko I think that Kobe is making a wise decision by contemplating his departure. Shaq is deteriorating and has hinted at retirement. Phil Jackson will leave soon. Jerry West is in Memphis. Kobe has nothing more to prove in LA. Kobe should shop around, get what money he can and pick a franchise on its way up. Chris Tryon Kobe wouldn't leave the Lakers unless he felt they were not serious about winning. The urge to go it alone is powerful in Kobe because he is so competitive, but I think the need to leave his own dramatic imprint on the league with as many titles as he can get is far more prevalent for young Kobe. Simply put, Kobe can win many titles in LA, and that is a pretty powerful legacy to leave behind. I say Kobe stays, but the Lakers and Shaq had better carry their end of the bargain because Kobe can be pretty determined if he gets his dander up. And the last thing anyone in LA wants is for Kobe to leave the Lakers. Patty Galindo Sherman Oaks, Calif. Kobe should and will leave if he does not finally become the No. 1 option. He knows of his abilities right now and the potential for superstardom. People talk of how he has a great player to fall behind, and that is why he will leave -- to show he can go it alone. He has has better results than Michael Jordan did at the same age. Kobe is gone if things do not change drastically in Tinseltown. For the Lakers' sake, they had better change soon, or they will get the "Sam Bowie" disease. Watching the best player to ever live just pass them by. Brian St. John's, Newfoundland I think Kobe is giving a wake-up to Mitch Kupchak and Jerry Buss, not Shaq. Regardless of whether Shaq comes into next season in shape, he doesn't have very many seasons left as the dominant big man in the league. Time and pounding are starting to take their toll. Kobe is doing what Tim Duncan did in San Antonio few seasons ago. Before locking himself into a long-term deal, Kobe wants to be sure that the franchise is going to go in a direction he is comfortable with in the post-Shaq days. If not, he shouldn't hesitate to get out of there. He is not going to stay with the Lakers if he doesn't believe he has legitimate shot at titles. Major Chicago, Ill.