Week 8 Preview: Can the Menehunes Work Their Magic Against Bomba?

Los Coche Bomba and the Marin Menehunes enter Week 8 each winning their last two series and leading their divisions. Bomba has the league's best record at 49-29-6 while the Menehunes stand at 43-35-6. Their paths to success couldn't be more different. Bomba is led by keeper stars including starting pitcher Brandon Beachy and outfielder Andrew McCutchen. New Menehunes GM Elizabeth Gravely, on the other hand, has patched together a band of free agents led by Josh Willingham and Josh Reddick.

The Menehunes are the surprise of the 2012 season. A new star seems to emerge from out of nowhere each week to lead the team to a series victory. The Menehunes have won five of their seven series but this will be the team's biggest test to date. They've lost two of the three series they've played against Bomba over the last two years and have won just 15 of the 36 categories. Bomba has also won five of the seven series they've played this year and they've done it without the usual contributions from second baseman Robinson Cano. Cano has driven in just 16 runs in his first 162 plate appearances. The Menehunes will send their best pitchers to the mound on Monday, Jaime Garcia and Johan Santana, and should get two starts out of them for the series. Matt Garza will pitch tonight for Bomba. A series victory against the league's top team will move the Menehunes from a possible playoff contender to a team with serious championship aspirations. Final Prediction: Los Coche Bomba 9-2-1.

The Slammers have the league's second best record at 45-32-7 and sit atop the East Division standings. Team HUMA, last year's South Division champs, are 36-41-7 and mired in the division cellar. The Slammers have owned this series, winning both meetings in the last two years including a 6-5-1 upset in Week 8 last year. The Slammers are on a roll, losing just one series over the last five weeks while HUMA has lost two of its last three. These two teams were involved in one of the league's biggest trades earlier this year when HUMA sent closer Jim Johnson to the Slammers for young second baseman Jose Altuve. The trade was good for both teams as Johnson has emerged as one of the league's best closers and Altuve is stealing bases. As good as the Slammers have been this year, they are still just 3.5-games up on last year's division champ, the Machine. HUMA is 12.5-games back and can't afford to lose ground to Bomba. Final Prediction: Scully's Slammers 6-6.

The Bulls enter Week 8 having won five of their last six series. They've built a commanding 9.5-game lead over Give it a Yankee in the North Division. High Cheese is second in the South Division but trail Bomba by seven games. The team has lost its last two series. High Cheese has never lost to the Bulls, winning both series by a combined score of 14-8-2. The Bulls will limp into this series as Emilio Bonifacio and Matt Kemp are both sidelined with injuries. High Cheese will be without the services of Vance Worley and setup man David Robertson. The Bulls have made a habit of winning close series, as illustrated by last week's improbable 6-5-1 victory over the Jersey Boys. Last week's hero was catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who had two homers and seven RBI on the final day of the series. High Cheese will enter this series with a new closer, Dale Thayer, and a new starting pitcher, veteran Derek Lowe. Offensively, Adam Jones is on a tear. He had four homers and eight RBI last week with an OBP of .424. Final Prediction: The Bulls 7-5.

The Machine has won just one of the three meetings between these two teams and lost a heart-breaking 6-5-1 playoff series that prevented the team from playing in last year's championship. But this is a different year and the Machine enters this series on a roll. They've won their last five series and trail the Slammers by just 3.5-games in the East Division pennant race. The Lower Haighters have won just three series all year but they have won two of the last four. The defending champions have become more competitive behind the resurgence of starting pitcher Brandon Morrow and the addition of Ricky Romero and Neftali Feliz. Outfielder Ryan Braun is also catching fire, reaching base at a .483 clip last week, stealing three bases, hitting a homer, and driving in seven runs. Jose Bautista is flashing the power that was expected for the Machine. He hit three homers last week. The Machine will be without the services of starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy, who has a shoulder injury. Final Prediction: The Machine 7-5.

The Mirrors had won three straight series until last week's 5-6-1 loss to Bomba. Bacon has won five of its last six series but is still 10-games behind the Bulls in the North Division pennant race. Bacon has won two of the three meetings all-time against the Mirrors. Both teams are hoping some of their struggling stars turn it around this week. Logan Morrison, Eric Hosmer and Jose Tabata were a combined 9-for-68 for Bacon last week with no homers and just three RBI. Rookie Mike Trout picked up the slack, hitting two homers and stealing four bases. For the Mirrors, pitcher Kevin Correia gave up nine earned runs in 9.2 innings last week while Dustin Pedroia was just 6-for-29 with no RBI. Catcher J.P. Arencibia is providing the power that was expected when the Mirrors made him a keeper, bashing four homers last week. The return to health of outfielder B.J. Upton has also helped the team, as he stole five bases and had an OBP of .448 last week. The Mirrors have also gambled by inserting Matt Carpenter into the lineup over the hot hitting Adam LaRoche.  Final Prediction: Bacon at Mile 11 9-3.

The Jersey Boys were oh so close to pulling off one of the season's biggest upsets last week until a Sunday collapse and a three-homer performance lifted the Bulls to another come-from-behind victory. Inconceivably, the Jersey Boys did not have an RBI and just one run on Sunday, helping the Bulls steal the win. Now the team will try to earn its first series victory of the season against Give it a Yankee, a team that has lost five of its last six series. Both teams have been injury-riddled through the first two months of the season. The Jersey Boys have won three of the four meetings between these teams and have a 28-15-5 record against Give it a Yankee. Outfielder Vernon Wells will miss this series for Give it a Yankee and is expected to go on the DL with a broken finger. Austin Jackson still has a sore abdomen for the Jersey Boys but could play this week while third baseman Brett Lawrie will return from suspension. Hiroki Kuroda, who has been up and down all season, will start for the Jersey Boys on Monday. Final Prediction: Jersey Boys 7-5.

Yu Darvish is becoming an ace for the Cys. Last week he gave up just one run in 7.2 innings while striking out seven. He takes the mound today and will have two starts in this series. Home Run 101 will be looking for its first series victory against the Cys, having lost both meetings by a combined score of 9-15-0. The Cys have won four of their last six series and are now 39-39-6 and third in the South Division pennant race. Their bullpen became stronger over the weekend when Aroldis Chapman was named the new closer in Cincinnati. Home Run 101 had a two series winning streak snapped last week by the Lower Haighters but the team's 36-43-5 record has it in early playoff contention. Ultimately, this could be an important series in the playoff race. Starting pitchers Josh Johnson and Wade Miley each had two quality starts last week and lead a staff that been very consistent. Now the team needs to find some power, as it is near the bottom of the league in home runs, RBI, and runs scored. Final Prediction: The Cys 8-4.

The Vicious Fishes have never beaten Twinkle Toes, losing one series and tying another in their two matchups. The Fishes have played every team close, but have not won a series over the past three weeks. They are now 37-43-4 and third in the West Division. Twinkle Toes is 36-41-7 and has also failed to win a series over the past three weeks. They are third in the East Division, 9-games behind the surging Slammers. Twinkle Toes lost Lance Berkman to a torn ACL in his right knee on Saturday and will likely miss the rest of the season. The Fishes should have the services of slugger Paul Konerko, who was hit in the face over the weekend with a pitch but suffered no major injuries. Shortstop Derek Jeter also took a bad bounce off his wrist on Sunday but is expected to play this week. Twinkle Toes will have the first starting pitchers in action, as Madison Bumgarner and Jeremy Hellickson play tonight. Final Prediction: Vicious Fishes 6-5-1.