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Cuban defector Yunesky Maya made his debut last night for the Washington Nationals against the New York Mets, and let’s just say he got off to a rough start.

The 29-year-old (so they say) gave up five runs, five hits, and two walks in five innings of work. One of those hits was an absolute bomb by Mets’ rookie first baseman Ike Davis.

If you look in the National League, you see teams that have surprised many, such as the Braves, Reds, and Padres.

In the American League, it's a whole other story.

The Yankees and Rays look like the best teams in the AL, maybe even baseball, but in this slideshow, I will tell you why the Rangers are going to edge them out and make the Fall Classic.

Begin Slideshow

Let’s take a look at three players who would be considered hot, as well as three who had their values take a hit:

Three Hot:

For a young pitcher starting out in the Major Leagues, success can come and it go as quickly as it came. A perfect example of this is the case of Vin Mazzaro, who from June eight to July 18 saw tremendous success and looked like a mainstay in the rotation for the A's. 

From the start of Tuesday's game, the Giants' bats were working. Andres Torres - who had been struggling - led off with a double, and two batters later, Aubrey Huff hit a two-run homer. Buster Posey then doubled and scored off a Jose Guillen RBI single. With three runs of support, Tim Lincecum began dealing, not allowing a hit until the fifth inning. Through six innings, he had struck out nine; but in the seventh inning, it all collapsed for the Freak. Kelly Johnson led off with a triple, followed by a Chris Young home run.

From the start of Tuesday's game, the Giants' bats were working. Andres Torres - who had been struggling - led off with a double, and two batters later, Aubrey Huff hit a two-run homer. Buster Posey then doubled and scored off a Jose Guillen RBI single. With three runs of support, Tim Lincecum began dealing, not allowing a hit until the fifth inning. Through six innings, he had struck out nine; but in the seventh inning, it all collapsed for the Freak. Kelly Johnson led off with a triple, followed by a Chris Young home run.

We all knew it would come. Now it's that time.

Like a man on death row, you just sit and wait—you wait on your sentence and hope, something, somehow, could change your fate.

Then the inevitable day comes, and all of a sudden...you've lost first place.

Those Phightin's, I don't know how they do it, but, they live up to that name of theirs year after year.

Before our very eyes, the Giants are only one game back of the Padres.

This comes only two weeks after trailing San Diego by six games in the division.

The biggest change in the Giants' fortunes was not Tim Lincecum finding his composure once more. It was not Juan Uribe's bat coming alive in September.

As the calendar turned to September, the Padres forgot how to win.

The Padres had lost 10 straight games before beating the Dodgers 4-2 on Monday night.

Alright, I admit it: I had given up hope on these Rockies.

After an encouraging sweep of the Atlanta Braves at home, the final win coming on a nine-run come-from-behind victory, the Rockies went back on the road and looked lifeless again.

Luckily, they managed to run into a win in San Francisco, which kept their hopes briefly alive.

They weren't dead yet.

The question everyone in Minnesota is asking right now is simple: Can this year's Twins team finally make it past the ALDS?

The answer is yes—even without former AL MVP Justin Morneau in the lineup.