The Best 1-2 Combos in Baseball

If your team has 2 aces at the top of their pitching rotation you should feel pretty good about your chances to stay in the playoff hunt. A dominant 1-2 punch gives a team an identity and a foundation to build around. It sets the tone for everything that happens in the future. You always feel better going into a contest if you expect to win. Right now these are the top 5 1-2 combos in baseball:

5. Roy Halladay/Cole Hamels Phillies. Roy Halladay's ERA is a microscopic 1.59 and Cole Hamels is starting to return to his dominant 2008 form. Both of these guys will pitch a ton of innings and keep pressure off the bullpen.

4. Cliff Lee/Felix Hernandez Mariners. Felix has got command of all his pitches and big strikeout numbers. Cliff Lee is coming off a stint on the DL but has looked like his normal Cy Young self the last 2 starts. If the Mariners could score any runs these 2 could anchor a playoff run in a weak division.

3. C.C. Sabbathia/Phil Hughes Yankees. You get what you pay for and in this case that translates into productivity and wins. Phil Hughes is 5-0 with a 1.38 ERA right now.

2. Matt Garza/David Price Rays. It's no wonder Tampa Bay sits atop the AL East with these 2 young guns. With a 2.49 and 2.03 ERA respectively they have the attention of the rest of the league.

1. Tim Lincecum/Barry Zito Giants. With 3 Cy Youngs between the 2 of them they are the odds on favorites to win the NL West. It's good to see Zito return to his dominant form after the Alyssa Milano fiasco.

Cleavie Wonder's 5 Favorite Athletes

It's fair to say I gravitate towards the talented and the arrogant. I'm superstar oriented with a flair for the dramatic and I'm not particularly fond of the quiet role model types. I'd prefer you talk the talk if you can walk the walk. With no further adieu, here are my 5 favorite athletes of all time.

5. John McEnroe. Supremely talented and misunderstood. It's unfortunate his well documented anger management problem overshadows his accomplishments on the court. 77 singles title and 77 doubles titles separates him from the rest of the pack. His 82-3 record in 1984 is still the greatest season in tennis history. John may still be the most popular player in the sport today.

4. Eric Dickerson. Every running back in the league should donate 5% of their salary to #29. Before Dickerson it was ok for the coach to make more money than the record holder for yards in a season. If he stayed in Los Angeles he might have rushed for 20,000 yards. You'll wake me the next time someone rushes for 1,808 yards in their rookie season.

3. Dan Marino. I don't give a damn what you say, Dan Marino is the greatest quarterback of all time. 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns in a season sounds like video game numbers. I understand the absence of championship jewelry contradicts this statement but nonetheless I'm sticking with it. 2 minutes left to go down by 5 with 80 yards to go I wouldn't take Manning, Favre, Montana, or Brady. I'd take Golden Arm. We'll never see a release that quick and accurate again.

2. Barry Bonds. Barry Bonds has 7 MVP trophies and he should have 9. Terry Pendleton has 1 that doesn't belong to him and Jeff Kent has 1 for a season he hit behind Barry. He was the most feared hitter in the history of baseball, his glove was golden 10 times over, and he stole a ton of bases. Before the BALCO scandal there was no doubt he was a first ballot hall of famer. After the BALCO scandal there is no doubt he should be a first ballot hall of famer.

1. Michael Irvin. The Playmaker. The epitome of the Miami Hurricane mystique and the catalyst for the 3 time super bowl champion Dallas Cowboys. He played hard and he partied even harder. You will go your whole life and never see an athlete more intense, more driven, or more narcissistic. His passion for winning and his work ethic were unparalleled. A prima donna chiseled out of granite with a cocky swagger that makes you want to beat him to a pulp. If only you could.