Fixes for five October sleepers.
Nick Swisher's intangible value.
Yordano Ventura a work in progress.
Joey Votto lines up a record.
The worst rotation ever?
Rumors.
http://[h3]Who needs Greinke?[/h3]
3:17PM ET
[h5]Zack Greinke | Brewers [/h5]
Zack Greinke can become a free agent after this season and if the Milwaukee Brewers cannot extend his contract soon, they'll try and trade the right-hander, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.
Rosenthal notes that the Brewers, who sit 7 1/2 games out of first place in the National League Central and 5 1/2 back in the Wildcard race, have yet to decide whether or not to buy or sell. Barring a hot streak, they're likely sellers, however, as eight teams are ahead of them in that Wildcard hunt and they are in fourth place in their division race.
Among the clubs that need a pitcher such as Greinke include the usual suspects -- New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers -- but the Detroit Tigers may need him the most.
After Justin Verlander and Doug Fister, the Tigers lack reliable starting pitching. Greinke could also be ideal in St. Louis if the Cardinals lose faith that Chris Carpenter will return in near-top form. The Toronto Blue Jays cannot be counted out, either.
- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:
Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals, Zack Greinke
http://[h3]The Rangers and the deadline[/h3]
2:40PM ET
[h5]Texas Rangers [/h5]
[h5]Rangers have trade bait[/h5]
The Texas Rangers, who have already added Roy Oswalt to their rotation this month, may not be done tinkering with their 2012 roster as they look to hold off the Los Angeles Angels and make another run through he American League playoffs. Could more pitching be on GM Jon Daniels' wish list, or will the Rangers look to add another bat?
Deadline Strategy
The Rangers are definite buyers, though it's anyone's guess who might be their prime targets. They'll likely use their farm system and as well as any non-core players from their 25-man to get what they need, and it's more likely that Daniels seeks the kind of help that is under contract beyond 2012 first and foremost.
Money
With the new TV deal in effect and franchise records being set and broken for attendance, payroll does not appear to be any kind of issue for the Rangers this summer. The club is nowhere near the luxury tax threshold, either, even including Oswalt's pro-rated salary for the season, and all signs point to the ownership as a highly-motivated group willing to spend money on the roster.
Bait
As listed above, right, the Rangers have young talent to offer in return for proven veterans, and the recent performance by Perez, especially, could make an impact on the club's abilities at the deadline. Perez was called up Tuesday and could be auditioning for his future in the Rangers organization or as part of a future deal.
Olt, who is putting up big numbers in Double-A Frisco and may be the most likely of trade bait, tweaked a hamstring this week and will miss some time. He shouldn't be out long, however, and remains a valuable trade piece.
Profar is among the very best prospects in baseball and the chances he's included in any deal are extremely remote. One would have to believe it would require a superstar player in return, and one under contract for at least a couple of additional seasons.
It's not out of the realm of possibility that a core player could be included in the right trade -- Michael Young, perhaps? -- and while it's not unheard of (See: Red Sox, Boston), contenders aren't known for dealing away valuable veterans in July.
Targets
It's my opinion that no matter how well Oswalt pitches, the Rangers will consider starting pitchers Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster, Wandy Rodriguez and Zack Greinke -- if available -- before the deadline. Bullpen arms are always in play and the one thing the Rangers lack is a left-handed weapon to neutralize the better lefty hitters in the league. Perhaps the Twins' Glenn Perkins will be available at a price the Rangers like. The San Diego Padres could be willing to moving Joe Thatcher and if the Royals are open to discussing Tim Collins, either might be a fit for the Rangers.
If other big-name talents become available, we have to consider the Rangers in the same light we've considered the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox the past several years. If he's good and available, the Rangers are interested. Justin Morneau? Denard Span?
- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:
Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, Justin Morneau, Denard Span, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Zack Greinke, Wandy Rodriguez, Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza, Tanner Scheppers, Leonys Martin, Michael Young
http://[h3]Bauer to debut Thursday?[/h3]
1:36PM ET
[h5]Arizona Diamondbacks [/h5]
All signs are pointing to Trevor Bauer making his major league debut for the Arizona Diamondbacks Thursday against the Atlanta Braves.
Bauer, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 draft, was pulled from his start Sunday at Triple-A Reno after 50 pitches and 22/3 innings, leading to speculation he'll get the start Thursday in Atlanta place of the injured Joe Saunders. While the D-backs have made no formal announcement, Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic said it would "a shocker" if Bauer does not start Thursday.
Bauer is 11-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 16 starts this season and leads all minor-league pitchers with 116 strikeouts.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Arizona Diamondbacks, Joe Saunders
http://[h3]Pipp'd closers?[/h3]
1:09PM ET
[h5]Closers [/h5]
[img]http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/leagues/lrg/trans/mlb.gif[/img]
With Tampa Bay's Kyle Farnsworth and Washington's Drew Storen each on their way back to the big leagues from the disabled list and Brandon League having held opponents scoreless in seven of his last eight appearances including the last four in a row, one might expect each of the three to return to their closer roles and start racking up saves.
There is one problem, however: Their replacements have performed at such high levels, none of the three are likely to get their jobs back anytime soon.
The Rays' Fernando Rodney has 20 saves in 21 chances and has compiled a 31-5 K/BB ratio and a 1.10 ERA in 34 appearances. Tyler Clippard, the Nationals' top setup man a year ago, has 12 saves in 13 chances and has not given up a run since May 16, a span of 16 appearances.
Seattle's Tom Wilhelmsen, the owner of one of the most devastating curveballs in the game, has five saves in June and enters play Sunday with a 16 2/3 scoreless innings streak. He's also whiffed 17 and walked just three in that span, perhaps leaving League in a setup role for the long haul.
All three certainly have a chance to eventually get back their ninth-inning responsibilities, but it doesn't appear it will occur anytime soon for League, and both Storen and Farnsworth seem headed for a setup role once they return from the disabled list. Nationals skipper Davey Johnson said as much in regards to Storen.
- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:
Brandon League, Kyle Farnsworth, Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard, Tom Wilhelmsen, Fernando Rodney
http://[h3]Headley drawing interest[/h3]
1:08PM ET
[h5]Chase Headley | Padres [/h5]
As we have speculated all season, San Diego Padres third baseman Chase Headley is a player of interest as the trade deadline nears. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets Monday afternoon that teams have called on the switch-hitter.
Heyman adds that the Padres will ask for a lot in return for Headley, and rightfully so. The Third base market, especially now that Kevin Youkilis has been moved, is quite barren, and Headley is not due for free agency until after the 2014 season.
Clubs that might see Headley as a worthy target include the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles and perhaps the Los Angeles Angels.
Whether contact by clubs develop into true negotiations remains to be seen. This is one to watch as the deadline gets closer.
- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:
Chase Headley, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles
http://[h3]The Indians at the deadline[/h3]
12:40PM ET
[h5]Cleveland Indians [/h5]
[h5]Potential Targets for CLE[/h5]
Although they didn't get out of the gates quite as quickly this year as they did last season, the Indians have still been a surprise in the first half of 2012. No doubt, the club is looking to prevent another fool's-gold campaign -- remember, after starting out 30-15 in 2011, they went 50-67 -- and a trade or two could set the club up nicely as they try to keep pace in the AL Central with the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers.
Deadline Strategy
While it's possible GM Chris Antonetti could get cold feet after his big deadline deal a year ago for Ubaldo Jimenez didn't exactly put them over the top -- and doesn't look any better this season, either -- the fact is this is a team that doesn't necessarily need to make a splash to stay in the race. A minor adjustment here, a solid veteran there and the Indians could be in better position to make a run at the division title than they were in 2011.
Money
The Indians operate on a small-budget payroll structure that can handcuff Antonetti when it comes to taking on any additional salary. That just means he has to be a little creative by unearthing players who offer a certain skill or fit a specific need, ideally at a minimal cost. Still, it wouldn't be out of the question to see Cleveland make a run at players with expiring contracts, knowing full well that the salary comes off the books at year's end.
Bait
Thanks in part to the recent graduations of Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall and dealing Drew Pomeranz and Alex White (among others) for Jimenez, the Indians farm system isn't exactly overflowing with major league-ready players. If another team is willing to gamble on a skilled yet flawed shortstop prospect, though, either Ronny Rodriguez or Tony Wolters (both at High-A) could bring back a helpful piece. Some other assets include filler types like potential back-end starters Zach McAllister, Scott Barnes and T.J. McFarland or utility man Cord Phelps, most of whom have some big league experience.
Targets
The Indians' biggest need is a first baseman who can hit like, well, someone other than Casey Kotchman (sub-.650 OPS). Problem is, there aren't many on the market, and those who are won't be cheap enough to fit (think: Carlos Lee and Justin Morneau). That leaves the likes of Wigginton and Doumit, neither of whom is a real first baseman by trade, as the best options.
The other problem area is an outfield bat with some pop. The best candidate to fill both the power void and the hole in left field is Willingham. Granted, he's signed for two more years, but the rate ($7 mill per) is something Cleveland could actually afford (and they were hot after him in the offseason). If Victorino becomes available, the Indians would probably check in on him, too, even if he's not a true power threat.
The last area that could be addressed is the rotation. The Indians have no ace and lack a No. 2, too, so even if the money makes it unlikely, it would behoove them to consider Greinke or Garza if at all possible. Otherwise, Dempster, once healthy, would be a nice fit as a veteran to lead the rotation. Liriano -- yes, another Twin -- could be an intriguing gamble, whereas Vargas would be a more stable possibility with less upside.
There's unlikely to be a headline-grabbing move out of Cleveland this year, but if the Indians can make a smart under-the-radar addition or two, the club would be in much better position to battle it out for the division title against the Tigers and White Sox, two teams who are certain to be active.
- Jason Catania
Tags:
Cleveland Indians, Josh Willingham, Shane Victorino, Ryan Doumit, Ty Wigginton, Zack Greinke, Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster, Jason Vargas, Francisco Liriano
http://[h3]The Braves at the deadline[/h3]
10:44AM ET
[h5]Atlanta Braves [/h5]
[h5]Potential Targets in Atlanta[/h5]
On the bright side, the Braves are less likely to squander a huge lead in September simply because they won't have one. They play their best baseball when Chipper Jones is in the lineup and have a realistic shot of sending him out with one more round of October baseball.
Deadline Strategy
General manager Frank Wren is not afraid to pull the trigger -- right at last year's deadline, he landed outfielder Michael Bourn from Houston. The season-ending injury to Brandon Beachy suddenly has the traditionally-rich pitching franchise looking to add a starter. It could ride on how Jair Jurrjens performs over the next few weeks. If he is pitching well, as he did Friday in Boston, the Braves could be less desperate and other clubs will not be able to hold them hostage.
Money
The Braves are in the middle of the MLB pack with an $83 million payroll. Jones' $13 million salary comes off the books after the season, giving them some flexibility.
Bait
Mike Minor was viewed as almost an untouchable last July, but the lefthander's stock has fallen a bit and the Braves could be more open to deal this time. Juan Francisco would be a nice addition to any team looking to add depth at third base. The Braves had four players in Keith Law's preseason list of top 100 prospects, but it seems unlikely they would deal a pitcher such as Julio Teheran.
Targets
Look for the Braves to be among the teams to be talking regularly with Theo Epstein about Cubs righthanders Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster. The D-backs may be more willing to deal southpaw Joe Saunders than they were last July. If the Brewers decide to deal Zack Greinke, the Braves would be a nice fit. There is some talk the Braves could look to add a reliever due to the recent struggles of Jonny Venters. Another veteran bullpen arm would enable manager Fredi Gonzalez to spread around the workload more than he did last September, when Venters, Eric O'Flaherty and Craig Kimbrel may have been running on fumes.
If the Braves add a bat, they could kick the tires on a short-term rental with the Padres' Carlos Quentin. Martin Prado, already having a productive year in left field, could be freed up to give the injury-prone Jones some rest at third base.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Jair Jurrjens, Jonny Venters, Craig Kimbrel, Carlos Quentin, Joe Saunders, Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster, Huston Street, Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves
http://[h3]Rotation shuffle in KC?[/h3]
10:14AM ET
[h5]Kansas City Royals [/h5]
The Kansas City Royals may call up lefthander Everett Teaford from Triple-A to start Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays as part of a rotation shakeup.
Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star says the Royals are pondering changes after Vin Mazzaro, Luis Mendoza and Jonathan Sanchez combined to surrender a combined 17 runs in 11 1/3 innings over the weekend in three losses to the Cardinals. Mazzaro already has been assigned to the bullpen.
The first change could come Wednesday when Teaford is in consideration to start, as are two of the organization's top prospects: right-hander Jake Odorizzi and lefty Mike Montgomery.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Luis Mendoza, Vin Mazzaro, Angel Sanchez, Everett Teaford, Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Rays
http://[h3]Mets' quest for bullpen help[/h3]
9:48AM ET
[h5]New York Mets [/h5]
The New York Mets have the worst bullpen ERA in baseball (5.17), and that was before closer Frank Francisco landed on the disabled list Sunday with an oblique strain. If the Mets are to continue their surprising start, they will need some improvement, whether it be internal or external.
Mets assistant GM John Ricco is well aware of the predicament, telling Ken Davidoff of the NY Post that while it's probably too early to make a move, "it's not too early to do the research."
Davidoff lists Houston's Brett Myers, San Diego's Huston Street, Oakland's Grant Balfour and Minnesota's Matt Capps (who landed on the DL Monday) as some of the best pieces potentially available.
General manager Sandy Alderson hasn't ruled out the possibility of taking on payroll, although he has yet to say whether the Mets will definitely be deadline buyers. Alderson will be very reluctant to giving up prospects, so it could come down to how much contract money the Mets are willing to absorb.
While the Mets need bullpen help now, they will probably have to wait until the All-Star break before they dig into the market because there currently are few sellers, tweets Buster Olney.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
New York Mets, Frank Francisco, Matt Capps, Huston Street, Brett Myers
http://[h3]Bench role for Huff[/h3]
9:19AM ET
[h5]Aubrey Huff | Giants [/h5]
The Giants' Aubrey Huff will need to be content with a bench role when he comes off the disabled list, says Alex Pavlovic of the Mercury News.
Huff, who sprained his knee in the celebration of Matt Cain's perfect game, is eligible to come off the DL Thursday, but manager Bruce Bochy would like the veteran to take a minor league rehab assignment before returning.
Even when Huff returns, he can expect no more than an occasional start at first base. Brandon Belt has been the regular starter at first the last two weeks and has a 1.033 OPS in June. Huff has started in left field, but that is the domain of Melky Cabrera.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Brandon Belt, Melky Cabrera, Aubrey Huff, San Francisco Giants
http://[h3]ETA for Dempster[/h3]
8:55AM ET
[h5]Ryan Dempster | Cubs [/h5]
When the Cubs' Ryan Dempster landed on the disabled list June 16 with a sore lat, it was widely reported the righthander would miss only a few starts and be back well before the July 31 deadline.
While manager Dale Sveum said there is no timetable for his return, Dempster experienced no discomfort after throwing off flat ground on Monday, reports the Sun-Times. While Dempster is unlikely to pitch during the current homestand, a return around the All-Star break seems feasible.
That would give Dempster a few starts to audition for interested teams and prove he is healthy. The Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox are among the teams recently linked to the 35-year-old.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Chicago Cubs, Ryan Dempster, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers
http://[h3]Closing duties in Minnesota[/h3]
8:32AM ET
[h5]Matt Capps | Twins [/h5]
The list of available relievers this month should include the Twins' Matt Capps, given that he will be a free agent after the season and he pitches for a last-place team.
A red flag regarding Capps, however, went up Monday when the righthander landed on the disabled list for the first time since 2008 due to right shoulder pain. Capps' value could take a notable hit if he is not healthy in a few weeks.
Manager Ron Gardenhire says the closing duties will be split between lefthander Glen Perkins and Jared Burton, who earned saves Sunday and Monday. La Velle Neal suggests Perkins could get a few more opportunities because the Twins will be careful not to overwork Burton due to his injury history.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Minnesota Twins, Matt Capps
http://[h3]End of 4-man rotation in Denver?[/h3]
8:05AM ET
[h5]Colorado Rockies [/h5]
The Rockies optioned slumping right-hander Alex White to Triple-A Colorado Springs on Monday, a move that could lead to manager Jim Tracy scrapping his highly-publicized four-man rotation.
MLB.com's Thomas Harding says left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who was sent down in May to correct delivery flaws, is the obvious candidate for a promotion. One issue is that Pomeranz pitched Sunday for Colorado Springs, throwing 101 pitches in 5 1/3 innings.
The next available start would be Thursday against the Nationals and Pomeranz would be working on short rest. The Nats could give Thursday's start to right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, who has pitched well in two long-relief appearances since being removed from the rotation.
If the Rockies decide to return to a five-man rotation, Pomeranz would fit in nicely to start Friday against San Diego. There would be no need to keep the well-rested Pomeranz under the 75 pitch limit used with the four-man rotation.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Colorado Rockies, Drew Pomeranz, Alex White, Jeremy Guthrie
http://[h3]Impact of Carpenter setback[/h3]
7:44AM ET
[h5]Chris Carpenter | Cardinals [/h5]
The St. Louis Cardinals were cautiously optimistic that Chris Carpenter' ailing shoulder was healing to the point where the ace righthander would be making a minor league start within a week.
That timetable has been scrapped after Carpenter still experienced weakness following a 34-pitch throwing session Friday in Kansas City.
GM John Mozeliak has recently said that knowing Carpenter's availability by July 1 would influence the players he pursues at the trade deadline. Carpenter's shaky status should only intensify the Cardinals' quest to land another starting pitcher.
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported the Cardinals are interested in Cubs starter Matt Garza, who is under club control through 2013. If the Cardinals are thinking bigger, the Brewers' Zack Greinke and the Phils' Cole Hamels could be pursued as expensive short-term rentals.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Matt Garza, Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals
http://[h3]High price for Garza?[/h3]
7:19AM ET
[h5]Matt Garza | Cubs [/h5]
We mentioned Monday the market appears to be heating up for Cubs righthander Matt Garza.
In Sunday's Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo says at least six teams -- Braves, Tigers, Cardinals, Red Sox, Jays, and Royals -- have expressed their interest in Garza to Cubs president Theo Epstein. The interest from the Braves may have escalated in the past week over the season-ending injury to Brandon Beachy.
Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports says Epstein can ask for plenty because Garza is under contract through next season. Even if arbitration is likely to take his salary well past $12 million, it's for only a season, and teams never balk at one-year commitments. Passan says Garza might bring back even more than impending free agents Zack Greinke or Cole Hamels in a July deal.
We asked Buster Olney about a possible price, and Eric Karabell whether a trade will give Garza a fantasy bump.
- Doug Mittler
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
He won't be cheap
[h5]Eric Karabell[/h5]
Not a big bounce
Spoiler [+]
As we move closer to July, the truly good and bad teams begin to really soar or sink. But in between, there are 10-15 teams whose place in the ESPN Power Rankings will vary from week to week, and a few teams that currently reside in the bottom half of the rankings may find themselves with tickets to the dance come October if they are able to improve in certain respects.
Four of the teams in the bottom 15 of the rankings -- the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies -- entered Sunday's play in the top 15 in team wins above replacement, and a fifth -- the Detroit Tigers -- still finds itself in an enviable position despite its lackluster play.
Despite their recent struggles, these five teams should not be written off. Let's look at what each needs to do to vault back up the Power Rankings, and, more importantly, the standings.
Last season, the Cardinals rode to the World Series thanks in large part to a bullpen that combined to post a 2.55 ERA in the National League Division and Championship Series. But while that bullpen returned most of its members this season, its stellar play has not.
As a unit, St. Louis' bullpen has posted a 4.26 ERA that ranks 23rd in the game this season, and its 4.23 FIP ranks 27th overall. Losing Jaime Garcia hurts, and guys like Rafael Furcal and Matt Adams are not pulling their weight lately. (Adams was sent back to Triple-A, in fact.) If Chris Carpenter and Lance Berkman return in the next month, that will help tremendously. But the bullpen needs to improve -- particularly Jason Motte and Marc Rzepczynski, whose four meltdowns apiece in the past 30 days place them among the worst relievers in the league.
June has been a good month for the Diamondbacks -- they have the best run differential (plus-41) for the month, and only the New York Yankees have won more games than the D-backs, who are 14-7 now after sweeping the Chicago Cubs this past weekend. And with Stephen Drew possibly -- finally -- returning from the disabled list this week, the offense could get even better.
But the key for Arizona is the level of its competition. While the D-backs are 24-12 with a plus-48 run differential against teams worse than .500 this season, they are just 13-23 and have been outscored by 24 runs against teams that are better than .500. They haven't won a series against a team better than .500 since the first series of the year against the San Francisco Giants. This has not changed even in June, as the club dropped four of six to the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels in interleague play. The Diamondbacks will face a good test this week on the road against the Atlanta Braves, who took three of four in Arizona back in April.
The Phillies' descent to the basement has come from a lot of little things going awry. The combination of Ty Wigginton playing more and Freddy Galvis getting hurt has helped downgrade the team from middling to subpar. The bullpen keeps finding ways to fail at the worst possible times, like Sunday when Antonio Bastardo coughed up a three-run homer right on the heels of seven shutout innings from Cole Hamels.
And all of a sudden Cliff Lee is pitching like Joe Blanton, as the lefty has allowed 31 baserunners and compiled a 6.30 ERA in his past three starts. But even with the losses mounting this month, the club still finds itself only 5½ games back in the wild-card hunt. If the Phillies can find a way to start putting whole games together, they can get back in the race.
Also 5½ games back in the NL wild-card race are the Brewers. The Brew Crew is ranked 23rd in the Power Rankings this week, but they entered Sunday with the ninth highest WAR, giving them a case for the most underrated team in the game. Milwaukee has posted a positive run differential since the end of April but does not have the winning record to match.
One of the reasons the two have not matched up may be the team's defense, which ranks in the game's lower third. Chief among the laggards has been Rickie Weeks. The All-Star second baseman has picked up his efforts at the dish recently, but so far this season his fielding has reverted to 2005-06 levels, when he was still trying to break into the league. Weeks entered Sunday's play with one of the five worst UZRs (minus-10.9) in baseball.
The Brewers, however, look like a squadron of Gold Glovers compared to the Tigers. Detroit continues to pitch remarkably well, but its defense has already cost the team the equivalent of more than three wins. The Tigers' minus-35.2 UZR would already be one of the 11 worst defensive seasons of the past three years, and the season isn't even half over yet.
Much has been made of Miguel Cabrera's switch back to third base, but Cabrera is just one of 11 Tigers who has posted a negative UZR this season (min. 100 innings played). In fact, the only Tiger who has posted a positive UZR is center fielder Austin Jackson. The Tigers -- who have not seen first place since May 1 -- have hit much better during the past month, but they simply need to field the ball better.
Comebacks happen all the time in baseball, and usually right when we least expect them. There's no guarantee that one of this season's middling teams emerges in the second half to claim a postseason berth, but these five teams that currently find themselves on the outside looking in could be poised for such a comeback if they tighten up their problem areas.
Four of the teams in the bottom 15 of the rankings -- the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks and Philadelphia Phillies -- entered Sunday's play in the top 15 in team wins above replacement, and a fifth -- the Detroit Tigers -- still finds itself in an enviable position despite its lackluster play.
Despite their recent struggles, these five teams should not be written off. Let's look at what each needs to do to vault back up the Power Rankings, and, more importantly, the standings.
Last season, the Cardinals rode to the World Series thanks in large part to a bullpen that combined to post a 2.55 ERA in the National League Division and Championship Series. But while that bullpen returned most of its members this season, its stellar play has not.
As a unit, St. Louis' bullpen has posted a 4.26 ERA that ranks 23rd in the game this season, and its 4.23 FIP ranks 27th overall. Losing Jaime Garcia hurts, and guys like Rafael Furcal and Matt Adams are not pulling their weight lately. (Adams was sent back to Triple-A, in fact.) If Chris Carpenter and Lance Berkman return in the next month, that will help tremendously. But the bullpen needs to improve -- particularly Jason Motte and Marc Rzepczynski, whose four meltdowns apiece in the past 30 days place them among the worst relievers in the league.
June has been a good month for the Diamondbacks -- they have the best run differential (plus-41) for the month, and only the New York Yankees have won more games than the D-backs, who are 14-7 now after sweeping the Chicago Cubs this past weekend. And with Stephen Drew possibly -- finally -- returning from the disabled list this week, the offense could get even better.
But the key for Arizona is the level of its competition. While the D-backs are 24-12 with a plus-48 run differential against teams worse than .500 this season, they are just 13-23 and have been outscored by 24 runs against teams that are better than .500. They haven't won a series against a team better than .500 since the first series of the year against the San Francisco Giants. This has not changed even in June, as the club dropped four of six to the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels in interleague play. The Diamondbacks will face a good test this week on the road against the Atlanta Braves, who took three of four in Arizona back in April.
The Phillies' descent to the basement has come from a lot of little things going awry. The combination of Ty Wigginton playing more and Freddy Galvis getting hurt has helped downgrade the team from middling to subpar. The bullpen keeps finding ways to fail at the worst possible times, like Sunday when Antonio Bastardo coughed up a three-run homer right on the heels of seven shutout innings from Cole Hamels.
And all of a sudden Cliff Lee is pitching like Joe Blanton, as the lefty has allowed 31 baserunners and compiled a 6.30 ERA in his past three starts. But even with the losses mounting this month, the club still finds itself only 5½ games back in the wild-card hunt. If the Phillies can find a way to start putting whole games together, they can get back in the race.
Also 5½ games back in the NL wild-card race are the Brewers. The Brew Crew is ranked 23rd in the Power Rankings this week, but they entered Sunday with the ninth highest WAR, giving them a case for the most underrated team in the game. Milwaukee has posted a positive run differential since the end of April but does not have the winning record to match.
One of the reasons the two have not matched up may be the team's defense, which ranks in the game's lower third. Chief among the laggards has been Rickie Weeks. The All-Star second baseman has picked up his efforts at the dish recently, but so far this season his fielding has reverted to 2005-06 levels, when he was still trying to break into the league. Weeks entered Sunday's play with one of the five worst UZRs (minus-10.9) in baseball.
The Brewers, however, look like a squadron of Gold Glovers compared to the Tigers. Detroit continues to pitch remarkably well, but its defense has already cost the team the equivalent of more than three wins. The Tigers' minus-35.2 UZR would already be one of the 11 worst defensive seasons of the past three years, and the season isn't even half over yet.
Much has been made of Miguel Cabrera's switch back to third base, but Cabrera is just one of 11 Tigers who has posted a negative UZR this season (min. 100 innings played). In fact, the only Tiger who has posted a positive UZR is center fielder Austin Jackson. The Tigers -- who have not seen first place since May 1 -- have hit much better during the past month, but they simply need to field the ball better.
Comebacks happen all the time in baseball, and usually right when we least expect them. There's no guarantee that one of this season's middling teams emerges in the second half to claim a postseason berth, but these five teams that currently find themselves on the outside looking in could be poised for such a comeback if they tighten up their problem areas.
Nick Swisher's intangible value.
Spoiler [+]
I live in the New York area, but my 12-year-old had never been to a game at Yankee Stadium until Monday night. She loved the massive scoreboard and hated the foul balls that zoomed past us repeatedly on the left field side.
And while she decided as a child to give her allegiance to the Boston Red Sox -- her Kevin Youkilis shirt is now outdated, I told her Monday morning -- she got a kick out of the exuberance of Nick Swisher. "I think he's my favorite player," she said as he ran off the field after the top of the eighth inning.
Her response was directly related to his effort -- nothing more, nothing less.
By the eighth inning, the New York Yankees had control of the game against the Cleveland Indians, carrying a 7-0 lead. Hiroki Kuroda came out to start the inning with his pitch count at 100, with an outside chance at a shutout. Lonnie Chisenhall laced a ball into right-center field, a hit, and as he came out of the box, the Cleveland DH was thinking about taking second base.
But Swisher rushed into the alley, hustling to cut the ball off, and he fired back toward the infield, holding Chisenhall to a single.
In a perfect world, this is what Swisher and others should always do. But the reality is that this doesn't always happen, especially when the outcome is decided, as it was by the eighth inning last night. Sometimes players don't hustle, don't care enough.
But Swisher had scrambled after the ball and made a nice play, and at least one 12-year-old fan noticed.
Shin-Soo Choo doubled Chisenhall to third base, after Kuroda was relieved, and Asdrubal Cabrera hit a line drive toward right-center field -- and Swisher again rushed over to glove the ball, spin and fire toward the plate. Chisenhall hadn't tagged up, so the Yankees' shutout was intact, and the fans in Yankee Stadium cheered.
Swisher was challenged again. Jason Kipnis hit a ball to right field, Swisher made a nice catch, and Chisenhall tagged up and scored. But the baseball gods weren't through with Swisher yet: Carlos Santana lifted a long fly ball down the right field line, and Swisher raced toward the corner, catching the ball before he reached the padding along the line.
From the stands on the opposite side of the field, you could see Swisher laughing about his crazy half-inning, his exuberance filling the giant scoreboard as he jogged off and some of the fans in the park gave him a standing ovation.
Some opposing players and coaches -- and fans -- don't like Swisher because they think he's too expressive, too showy, and that some of what he does is for effect and nothing more.
All I can say is this: Swisher's energy level is the same four hours before a game as it is when the cameras are on. He is loud and boisterous for batting practice. He is grinning and waving his hands when you talk to him in the clubhouse. He wears the same big smile when he's chatting with a teammate alone in the runway that leads to the Yankees' dugout.
The guy loves to play and consistently competes with the same level of energy in the eighth inning of a forgettable June game as he would in the playoffs in October, and there is value in that. It might not be worth nearly as much as Stephen Strasburg's pure stuff or Joey Votto's ability to get on base or the defense that Adam Jones provides for the Baltimore Orioles.
But it's worth something. Ask Charlie Manuel, who arrives at the park every day knowing that Juan Pierre will be on the field 5½ hours before a game practicing his bunting or his throwing or his break from first base. Ask Jim Leyland, who knows that Justin Verlander will always be prepared and will always be in shape and will always take him through at least six innings. Ask Ron Washington, who knows that any effort to take Adrian Beltre out of the lineup might require some sort of argument, regardless of whether Beltre is limping or bruised.
Or ask a 12-year-old, who went to a ballgame and came away appreciating a ballplayer -- a member of a team she does not like -- because of the passion he played with and showed on her first trip to a big league park.
Swisher has no regrets about what he said last weekend.
Dewayne Wise also had a good night for the Yankees, writes Zach Berman.
The Yankees hit their 115th home run in their 72nd game of the season Monday. That tied the 2002 team for the most homers through 72 games in franchise history (the '09 team, which won the World Series, had 10
.
[h3]A new Youk era[/h3]
The Kevin Youkilis era began for the Chicago White Sox on Monday, and the Anthony Rizzo era starts tonight for the Chicago Cubs.
Youkilis was in the No. 2 spot in the lineup, with Gordon Beckham being bumped down.
Whether Youkilis can still be a productive hitter remains to be seen, but at the very least, he and Adam Dunn will force opposing pitchers to work hard. They rank No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in pitches per plate appearance at 4.58 and 4.55.
Youkilis said that what he went through Sunday was the most emotional thing he's felt in baseball. Youkilis is going to be missed in Boston, writes Bob Ryan.
[h3]Elsewhere[/h3]
⢠Chris Carpenter had a setback, as Derrick Goold writes.
⢠Other clubs are monitoring the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies to see if they're going to become sellers in the next few weeks, but at least one of the would-be trade targets is dealing with an injury: Shaun Marcum tried to play catch, and it didn't work out that well.
To this point, by the way, the Phillies have not put Cole Hamels or Shane Victorino on the market, sources say.
⢠Trevor Bauer is going to make his major league debut Thursday, and this is expected to bolster an already strong Arizona Diamondbacks surge.
And meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers know that Matt Kemp will be out at least a few more weeks. This probably means, of course, that Kemp won't be able to participate in the Home Run Derby, for which he is a captain.
⢠The Blue Jays' injury situation has gotten absurd: A fourth member of their rotation got hurt.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. The Houston Astros signed a top pick.
2. The San Francisco Giants have to make a decision on Brad Penny.
3. A couple of Twins relievers are splitting the closer's role.
4. Adam Lind was promoted to the big leagues and will face some lefties, says John Farrell.
5. The Kansas City Royals are going to shake up their rotation.
6. Miguel Tejada was granted his release by the Orioles.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Derek Holland is making progress in his rehab.
2. Troy Tulowitzki says he's been battling pain all year.
3. Knee tendinitis is affecting Alex Avila.
4. Victor Martinez could provide a big lift for the Detroit Tigers.
5. Jeremy Hellickson will likely return to the Tampa Bay rotation Saturday.
6. The Cincinnati Reds are hoping for a jolt from Drew Stubbs.
7. Within this notebook, there is word that Josh Beckett is making progress.
8. Mark DeRosa came off the disabled list and replaced Xavier Nady.
9. The Phillies should never again wait for Chase Utley in the way they did this year, writes Phil Sheridan.
[h3]By The Numbers[/h3]
From ESPN Stats and Info
16: Games with four or more strikeouts by Adam Dunn, the second-most such games behind Ryan Howard since 2001.
24: Consecutive strikes thrown by Mat Latos on Monday, the longest streak by a Reds pitcher in a game since pitch data is available (going to 2000).
398: Career home runs by David Ortiz, tying Dale Murphy for 51st on the all-time list.
1998: The last time a pitcher allowed at least eight runs in a complete game prior to Alex Cobb on Monday.
[h3]NL West notes[/h3]
⢠The Giants are now only two games behind the Dodgers after a Barry Zito-led shutout.
⢠The D-backs' hitters have been on a roll.
⢠Jeff Francis and the Colorado Rockies found a way to beat one of the best pitchers in the majors, as Patrick Saunders writes.
⢠Dee Gordon proves you can't keep a good young man down, writes T.J. Simers.
⢠Carlos Quentin hoisted the San Diego Padres on his shoulders.
[h3]NL East notes[/h3]
⢠Heath Bell and the Miami Marlins blew a huge lead. Bell says he deserves a slap in the face.
⢠Jason Heyward was the player of the week.
⢠The New York Mets looked lifeless in a loss to the Cubs, writes Andrew Keh.
⢠Stephen Strasburg's winless streak was snapped. Tyler Moore is much more at ease in his second time around.
⢠The Philadelphia bats came to life, with Jimmy Rollins mashing another homer.
[h3]NL Central notes[/h3]
⢠Milwaukee got shut down.
⢠St. Louis mounted a huge comeback.
⢠Travis Wood shut down the Mets, writes Paul Sullivan.
⢠Mat Latos was dominant, racking up 13 strikeouts.
From ESPN Stats and Info, how Latos was so good:
A) Latos threw a career-high 43 sliders and induced a career-best 16 swings-and-misses on the pitch. The 16 swings-and-misses were the most any pitcher has had on sliders in a game this season.
B) Latos also had eight swings-and-misses on his fastball, giving him a career-best 24 whiffs. That's the fourth-most by any pitcher this season and the most by a Reds starter in the past four seasons.
C) Latos finished with a career-high 13 strikeouts, which came on fastballs (six) and sliders (seven). Seven of his strikeouts were on three pitches, tied for the most by any starter this season.
D) Latos pounded his fastball in the zone and used his slider as a chase pitch. He threw 35 of his 49 fastballs (71 percent) in the strike zone, the highest percentage of his career. He threw just 10 of his 43 sliders (23 percent) in the zone, but Brewers hitters chased 17 out of the zone. Nine of the 12 outs he recorded on his slider, including all seven strikeouts, were out of the zone.
⢠Jeff Karstens was knocked around, writes Bill Brink.
[h3]AL West notes[/h3]
⢠Justin Grimm was given a taste of reality.
⢠Josh Hamilton is searching for answers, writes Jeff Wilson.
⢠Tommy Milone was The Man for the Oakland Athletics.
⢠Bill Plunkett asks the question: Are Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo headed to the All-Star Game?
[h3]AL Central notes[/h3]
⢠Rick Porcello had one of his best outings of the year.
⢠Francisco Liriano helped the Minnesota Twins and built his trade value, as well.
⢠Luke Hochevar was excellent against the Rays.
⢠Cleveland has its top two starters in order, it appears.
[h3]AL East notes[/h3]
⢠Alex Cobb was lit up.
⢠Felix Doubrant was shelled, writes Brian MacPherson.
And while she decided as a child to give her allegiance to the Boston Red Sox -- her Kevin Youkilis shirt is now outdated, I told her Monday morning -- she got a kick out of the exuberance of Nick Swisher. "I think he's my favorite player," she said as he ran off the field after the top of the eighth inning.
Her response was directly related to his effort -- nothing more, nothing less.
By the eighth inning, the New York Yankees had control of the game against the Cleveland Indians, carrying a 7-0 lead. Hiroki Kuroda came out to start the inning with his pitch count at 100, with an outside chance at a shutout. Lonnie Chisenhall laced a ball into right-center field, a hit, and as he came out of the box, the Cleveland DH was thinking about taking second base.
But Swisher rushed into the alley, hustling to cut the ball off, and he fired back toward the infield, holding Chisenhall to a single.
In a perfect world, this is what Swisher and others should always do. But the reality is that this doesn't always happen, especially when the outcome is decided, as it was by the eighth inning last night. Sometimes players don't hustle, don't care enough.
But Swisher had scrambled after the ball and made a nice play, and at least one 12-year-old fan noticed.
Shin-Soo Choo doubled Chisenhall to third base, after Kuroda was relieved, and Asdrubal Cabrera hit a line drive toward right-center field -- and Swisher again rushed over to glove the ball, spin and fire toward the plate. Chisenhall hadn't tagged up, so the Yankees' shutout was intact, and the fans in Yankee Stadium cheered.
Swisher was challenged again. Jason Kipnis hit a ball to right field, Swisher made a nice catch, and Chisenhall tagged up and scored. But the baseball gods weren't through with Swisher yet: Carlos Santana lifted a long fly ball down the right field line, and Swisher raced toward the corner, catching the ball before he reached the padding along the line.
From the stands on the opposite side of the field, you could see Swisher laughing about his crazy half-inning, his exuberance filling the giant scoreboard as he jogged off and some of the fans in the park gave him a standing ovation.
Some opposing players and coaches -- and fans -- don't like Swisher because they think he's too expressive, too showy, and that some of what he does is for effect and nothing more.
All I can say is this: Swisher's energy level is the same four hours before a game as it is when the cameras are on. He is loud and boisterous for batting practice. He is grinning and waving his hands when you talk to him in the clubhouse. He wears the same big smile when he's chatting with a teammate alone in the runway that leads to the Yankees' dugout.
The guy loves to play and consistently competes with the same level of energy in the eighth inning of a forgettable June game as he would in the playoffs in October, and there is value in that. It might not be worth nearly as much as Stephen Strasburg's pure stuff or Joey Votto's ability to get on base or the defense that Adam Jones provides for the Baltimore Orioles.
But it's worth something. Ask Charlie Manuel, who arrives at the park every day knowing that Juan Pierre will be on the field 5½ hours before a game practicing his bunting or his throwing or his break from first base. Ask Jim Leyland, who knows that Justin Verlander will always be prepared and will always be in shape and will always take him through at least six innings. Ask Ron Washington, who knows that any effort to take Adrian Beltre out of the lineup might require some sort of argument, regardless of whether Beltre is limping or bruised.
Or ask a 12-year-old, who went to a ballgame and came away appreciating a ballplayer -- a member of a team she does not like -- because of the passion he played with and showed on her first trip to a big league park.
Swisher has no regrets about what he said last weekend.
Dewayne Wise also had a good night for the Yankees, writes Zach Berman.
The Yankees hit their 115th home run in their 72nd game of the season Monday. That tied the 2002 team for the most homers through 72 games in franchise history (the '09 team, which won the World Series, had 10
.[h3]A new Youk era[/h3]
The Kevin Youkilis era began for the Chicago White Sox on Monday, and the Anthony Rizzo era starts tonight for the Chicago Cubs.
Youkilis was in the No. 2 spot in the lineup, with Gordon Beckham being bumped down.
Whether Youkilis can still be a productive hitter remains to be seen, but at the very least, he and Adam Dunn will force opposing pitchers to work hard. They rank No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in pitches per plate appearance at 4.58 and 4.55.
Youkilis said that what he went through Sunday was the most emotional thing he's felt in baseball. Youkilis is going to be missed in Boston, writes Bob Ryan.
[h3]Elsewhere[/h3]
⢠Chris Carpenter had a setback, as Derrick Goold writes.
⢠Other clubs are monitoring the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies to see if they're going to become sellers in the next few weeks, but at least one of the would-be trade targets is dealing with an injury: Shaun Marcum tried to play catch, and it didn't work out that well.
To this point, by the way, the Phillies have not put Cole Hamels or Shane Victorino on the market, sources say.
⢠Trevor Bauer is going to make his major league debut Thursday, and this is expected to bolster an already strong Arizona Diamondbacks surge.
And meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers know that Matt Kemp will be out at least a few more weeks. This probably means, of course, that Kemp won't be able to participate in the Home Run Derby, for which he is a captain.
⢠The Blue Jays' injury situation has gotten absurd: A fourth member of their rotation got hurt.
[h3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h3]
1. The Houston Astros signed a top pick.
2. The San Francisco Giants have to make a decision on Brad Penny.
3. A couple of Twins relievers are splitting the closer's role.
4. Adam Lind was promoted to the big leagues and will face some lefties, says John Farrell.
5. The Kansas City Royals are going to shake up their rotation.
6. Miguel Tejada was granted his release by the Orioles.
[h3]Dings and dents[/h3]
1. Derek Holland is making progress in his rehab.
2. Troy Tulowitzki says he's been battling pain all year.
3. Knee tendinitis is affecting Alex Avila.
4. Victor Martinez could provide a big lift for the Detroit Tigers.
5. Jeremy Hellickson will likely return to the Tampa Bay rotation Saturday.
6. The Cincinnati Reds are hoping for a jolt from Drew Stubbs.
7. Within this notebook, there is word that Josh Beckett is making progress.
8. Mark DeRosa came off the disabled list and replaced Xavier Nady.
9. The Phillies should never again wait for Chase Utley in the way they did this year, writes Phil Sheridan.
[h3]By The Numbers[/h3]
From ESPN Stats and Info
16: Games with four or more strikeouts by Adam Dunn, the second-most such games behind Ryan Howard since 2001.
24: Consecutive strikes thrown by Mat Latos on Monday, the longest streak by a Reds pitcher in a game since pitch data is available (going to 2000).
398: Career home runs by David Ortiz, tying Dale Murphy for 51st on the all-time list.
1998: The last time a pitcher allowed at least eight runs in a complete game prior to Alex Cobb on Monday.
[h3]NL West notes[/h3]
⢠The Giants are now only two games behind the Dodgers after a Barry Zito-led shutout.
⢠The D-backs' hitters have been on a roll.
⢠Jeff Francis and the Colorado Rockies found a way to beat one of the best pitchers in the majors, as Patrick Saunders writes.
⢠Dee Gordon proves you can't keep a good young man down, writes T.J. Simers.
⢠Carlos Quentin hoisted the San Diego Padres on his shoulders.
[h3]NL East notes[/h3]
⢠Heath Bell and the Miami Marlins blew a huge lead. Bell says he deserves a slap in the face.
⢠Jason Heyward was the player of the week.
⢠The New York Mets looked lifeless in a loss to the Cubs, writes Andrew Keh.
⢠Stephen Strasburg's winless streak was snapped. Tyler Moore is much more at ease in his second time around.
⢠The Philadelphia bats came to life, with Jimmy Rollins mashing another homer.
[h3]NL Central notes[/h3]
⢠Milwaukee got shut down.
⢠St. Louis mounted a huge comeback.
⢠Travis Wood shut down the Mets, writes Paul Sullivan.
⢠Mat Latos was dominant, racking up 13 strikeouts.
From ESPN Stats and Info, how Latos was so good:
A) Latos threw a career-high 43 sliders and induced a career-best 16 swings-and-misses on the pitch. The 16 swings-and-misses were the most any pitcher has had on sliders in a game this season.
B) Latos also had eight swings-and-misses on his fastball, giving him a career-best 24 whiffs. That's the fourth-most by any pitcher this season and the most by a Reds starter in the past four seasons.
C) Latos finished with a career-high 13 strikeouts, which came on fastballs (six) and sliders (seven). Seven of his strikeouts were on three pitches, tied for the most by any starter this season.
D) Latos pounded his fastball in the zone and used his slider as a chase pitch. He threw 35 of his 49 fastballs (71 percent) in the strike zone, the highest percentage of his career. He threw just 10 of his 43 sliders (23 percent) in the zone, but Brewers hitters chased 17 out of the zone. Nine of the 12 outs he recorded on his slider, including all seven strikeouts, were out of the zone.
⢠Jeff Karstens was knocked around, writes Bill Brink.
[h3]AL West notes[/h3]
⢠Justin Grimm was given a taste of reality.
⢠Josh Hamilton is searching for answers, writes Jeff Wilson.
⢠Tommy Milone was The Man for the Oakland Athletics.
⢠Bill Plunkett asks the question: Are Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo headed to the All-Star Game?
[h3]AL Central notes[/h3]
⢠Rick Porcello had one of his best outings of the year.
⢠Francisco Liriano helped the Minnesota Twins and built his trade value, as well.
⢠Luke Hochevar was excellent against the Rays.
⢠Cleveland has its top two starters in order, it appears.
[h3]AL East notes[/h3]
⢠Alex Cobb was lit up.
⢠Felix Doubrant was shelled, writes Brian MacPherson.
Yordano Ventura a work in progress.
Spoiler [+]
The Kansas City Royals will be represented at next month's MLB Futures Game, held at Kaufman Stadium, by three prospects, including outfielder Wil Myers and right-hander Jake Odorizzi. Their third Futures Game participant, Yordano Ventura, started for the high Class A Wilmington Blue Rocks on Monday night at Pfitzner Stadium against the Potomac Nationals.
Ventura has an electric arm, reaching 100 mph in the past and topping out at 98 on Monday night (although that particular pitch ended up over the left-field fence), coming from the Pedro Martinez model of pitcher -- undersized but loose-armed with comically easy velocity. Ventura sat 94-97 for most of seven easy innings, with that home run, by a Nationals hitter who was sitting fastball, the only real blemish on his stat line. His control was fine but his command wasn't -- you could see the concept of an approach, but execution was spotty. He threw predominantly fastballs, mixing in an 81-83 mph curveball with depth that he threw for strikes but that didn't have tight rotation despite its velocity, maybe an average pitch but not the off-speed weapon he'll need to be an effective big league starter.
Ventura's arm action is pretty clean in back and he boosts his velocity with a long stride and good hip rotation to generate torque, but his landing is very inconsistent -- he nearly knocked himself over more than once after release. That inconsistency probably drives the spotty fastball command, and his trouble finishing well out over his front side may be why he can't get sharper break on that hard curveball. I would love to see Ventura work out as a starter, and since he just turned 21 earlier this month there is still plenty of time for him to develop into one, but he has several steps to take before he'll project as a guy who can turn a lineup over three times.
⢠The Blue Rocks' lineup included three big-bonus prospects, two of whom looked promising. Orlando Calixte has bat speed and loose, quick wrists; his swing gets a little long and he can get his weight out front early, but he did a nice job of dropping the bat head in his last at-bat for a dead-pull home run to give Wilmington the lead in the ninth. He showed good actions at short and plenty of arm to stay there, although he was challenged on only one play. Third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert, a top-50 prospect for me coming into the season, showed the good approach and simple, strong swing that I liked from him in the past; he's very balanced throughout the swing and should produce plenty of line drives to all fields, making his season to date something of a mystery. I wouldn't give up on him at all. Outfielder Brett Eibner looks like a lost cause right now; he's always had trouble recognizing breaking balls and that's all he's going to see until that changes, with 30 punchouts in his past 67 games. I wonder if we'll see Eibner -- who was a good two-way player at Arkansas -- on a mound in instructional league this September.
⢠Cole Kimball started for Potomac, going two innings in a rehab appearance, and was 88-90 with a big, very slow curveball at 69-71. His arm slot is high, which can give some hitters trouble the first or second time they see him, but the stuff was below-average, and, as Josh Collmenter can attest, that trick doesn't work twice.
⢠A few readers asked for my take on the Kevin Youkilis trade, which isn't that different from the takes offered by many other analysts: This is just a modest salary dump for the Boston Red Sox, and a modest upside play for the Chicago White Sox. The main concerns I have about Youkilis are health (obviously) and his unexpected tendency in 2012 to hit everything into the ground, with a career-high ground ball rate of 50.9 percent according to FanGraphs; his bat looks slower, and his swing looks flatter, but it's possible that those are tied to the back injury rather than just age, which is probably Chicago's hope in making this deal. A return even partway to where he was last year would be a big boost for the White Sox, who have been playing a mushroom at third for much of the season.
As for the players headed to Boston -- I was a big Zach Stewart fan after seeing him in the 2010 Eastern League playoffs, but his velocity has been down the past two years and unless it returns he's just a bullpen piece, a sinker/slider guy who has been disgustingly homer-prone as a big league starter. Brent Lillibridge can play many positions but doesn't field well enough to be an everyday shortstop and, last year's weird power spike notwithstanding, doesn't have the bat to be a regular anywhere else, but has value in this era of 12- and 13-man pitching staffs as someone who can fill in at five or six spots.
Ventura has an electric arm, reaching 100 mph in the past and topping out at 98 on Monday night (although that particular pitch ended up over the left-field fence), coming from the Pedro Martinez model of pitcher -- undersized but loose-armed with comically easy velocity. Ventura sat 94-97 for most of seven easy innings, with that home run, by a Nationals hitter who was sitting fastball, the only real blemish on his stat line. His control was fine but his command wasn't -- you could see the concept of an approach, but execution was spotty. He threw predominantly fastballs, mixing in an 81-83 mph curveball with depth that he threw for strikes but that didn't have tight rotation despite its velocity, maybe an average pitch but not the off-speed weapon he'll need to be an effective big league starter.
Ventura's arm action is pretty clean in back and he boosts his velocity with a long stride and good hip rotation to generate torque, but his landing is very inconsistent -- he nearly knocked himself over more than once after release. That inconsistency probably drives the spotty fastball command, and his trouble finishing well out over his front side may be why he can't get sharper break on that hard curveball. I would love to see Ventura work out as a starter, and since he just turned 21 earlier this month there is still plenty of time for him to develop into one, but he has several steps to take before he'll project as a guy who can turn a lineup over three times.
⢠The Blue Rocks' lineup included three big-bonus prospects, two of whom looked promising. Orlando Calixte has bat speed and loose, quick wrists; his swing gets a little long and he can get his weight out front early, but he did a nice job of dropping the bat head in his last at-bat for a dead-pull home run to give Wilmington the lead in the ninth. He showed good actions at short and plenty of arm to stay there, although he was challenged on only one play. Third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert, a top-50 prospect for me coming into the season, showed the good approach and simple, strong swing that I liked from him in the past; he's very balanced throughout the swing and should produce plenty of line drives to all fields, making his season to date something of a mystery. I wouldn't give up on him at all. Outfielder Brett Eibner looks like a lost cause right now; he's always had trouble recognizing breaking balls and that's all he's going to see until that changes, with 30 punchouts in his past 67 games. I wonder if we'll see Eibner -- who was a good two-way player at Arkansas -- on a mound in instructional league this September.
⢠Cole Kimball started for Potomac, going two innings in a rehab appearance, and was 88-90 with a big, very slow curveball at 69-71. His arm slot is high, which can give some hitters trouble the first or second time they see him, but the stuff was below-average, and, as Josh Collmenter can attest, that trick doesn't work twice.
⢠A few readers asked for my take on the Kevin Youkilis trade, which isn't that different from the takes offered by many other analysts: This is just a modest salary dump for the Boston Red Sox, and a modest upside play for the Chicago White Sox. The main concerns I have about Youkilis are health (obviously) and his unexpected tendency in 2012 to hit everything into the ground, with a career-high ground ball rate of 50.9 percent according to FanGraphs; his bat looks slower, and his swing looks flatter, but it's possible that those are tied to the back injury rather than just age, which is probably Chicago's hope in making this deal. A return even partway to where he was last year would be a big boost for the White Sox, who have been playing a mushroom at third for much of the season.
As for the players headed to Boston -- I was a big Zach Stewart fan after seeing him in the 2010 Eastern League playoffs, but his velocity has been down the past two years and unless it returns he's just a bullpen piece, a sinker/slider guy who has been disgustingly homer-prone as a big league starter. Brent Lillibridge can play many positions but doesn't field well enough to be an everyday shortstop and, last year's weird power spike notwithstanding, doesn't have the bat to be a regular anywhere else, but has value in this era of 12- and 13-man pitching staffs as someone who can fill in at five or six spots.
Joey Votto lines up a record.
Spoiler [+]
Some records in baseball have become legendary over the years, to the point where most baseball fans know exactly the number and the record holder. The records for most career no-hitters (seven, Nolan Ryan), longest hitting streak (56 games, Joe DiMaggio), consecutive games played (2,632, Cal Ripken) and stolen bases in a season (130, Rickey Henderson) are some of the more famous numbers in the sport and have stood the test of time, with few challengers since they were established. There's another record that hasn't been seriously threatened in 75 years that is coming under assault this season, but you probably haven't heard much about it yet -- Joey Votto is poised to make a run at the record for most doubles in a season.
The current record holder is Earl Webb, who hit 67 doubles for the Boston Red Sox in 1931. He broke George Burns' record of 64 doubles, set five years earlier. In fact, only six players in history have recorded 60 or more doubles in a season, and all of six of them did it in the 11 seasons from 1926 to 1936. For hitters, it was the golden age of the double.
The last player to make a run at Webb's record was Todd Helton in 2000. Aided by playing in Coors Field during the peak of the offensive surge at the turn of the century, Helton finished the season with 59 doubles, and his season represents the gold standard for modern-day doubles production. Yet with 30 doubles in his first 68 games, Votto is on pace to obliterate Helton's mark and actually run down Webb as well.
At his current pace, Votto would end the season with 71 doubles, and while history suggests he probably can't keep hitting doubles at this pace, he is the perfect modern-day hitter to challenge Webb's record.
[h3][/h3]
[Votto] hasn't hit a single popup all year, which might be weird if he didn't go the entire 2010 season without hitting an infield fly.
Doubles require line drives, because line drives are hit hard enough to get into the gaps or down the lines and are not hit high enough to clear any fences for a home run. Among the 330 players with at least 2,000 plate appearances since 2002, only two (Mark Loretta and Helton) have a higher line-drive rate than Votto's 24.8 percent. He's turned things up in 2012, posting a ridiculous 33.0 percent line-drive rate this season, up from the 27.5 percent mark he posted last year and easily the best single-season line-drive rate since batted ball data began being collected.
In addition to hitting line drives, Votto is also remarkable at avoiding infield flies -- the kinds of balls in play that are outs nearly 100 percent of the time. He hasn't hit a single popup all year, which might be weird if he didn't go the entire 2010 season without hitting an infield fly. In fact, his one popup from last year is starting to look like the aberration. When Votto hits the ball, it goes out, not up.
He also excels in one other skill critical to racking up a lot of doubles -- driving the ball to the opposite field. Taking out his 13 home runs, Votto has put 170 balls in the field of play this season -- 60 to left, 63 to center, 49 to right. His opposite-field power is the driving force behind his run at Webb's doubles records, as half of his 30 doubles have come on balls hit to left field. He's the league leader in opposite-field doubles with 15, but his eight doubles to center field rank fourth in the league, and there are 45 hitters with more pulled doubles this season than Votto. For Votto, left field is his doubles sweet spot.
This combination of high line-drive rate and willingness to go to the opposite field is the perfect recipe for a lot of extra-base hits that don't quite clear the wall, and while Votto runs pretty well for a first baseman, he doesn't run so well that he's likely to keep on going for third. If Votto was a right-handed hitter, he'd likely have a better chance at turning some of those doubles into triples, but given his average speed and the fact that he's hitting the ball toward third base, he's more likely to settle for two bases instead of trying for three. Being a high doubles hitter requires an interesting combination of skills, and no player in today's game specializes in these more than Votto.
If anything is going to keep him from the record, though, it might just be his home park. Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati has historically been a below-average park for doubles because the shorter fences convert would-be doubles into home runs. In fact, GABP has historically inflated home runs by right-handed hitters (most of whom pull the ball to left field, which is Votto's doubles field) by 13 percent, while playing as a just slightly-below-average doubles park due to those home runs.
When you look at the parks that historically inflate doubles (Colorado, Boston, Arizona), you begin to understand why Helton, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Luis Gonzalez and Matt Holliday have all managed seasons with at least 50 doubles in the past 10 years. Since the Reds opened their new stadium, they've had only two hitters get even 40 doubles in a season -- Sean Casey in 2004 and Votto last year.
So, can Votto break Webb's record?
It won't be easy, as he'll need 38 doubles over the Reds' remaining 94 games, and he's never hit more than 40 in 161 games in any prior season. Even with Votto's predilection for line drives to the opposite field, the game has changed dramatically since Webb played, as the league average strikeout rate is now more than twice what it was back in 1931, while the average home run rate is twice as high. More strikeouts and more home runs equal many fewer chances for doubles, which is why no one has crossed the 60-double mark in 75 years. Votto's halfway there, though, and has more than half the season remaining, so Webb could be in for his first real challenge in a very long time.
The current record holder is Earl Webb, who hit 67 doubles for the Boston Red Sox in 1931. He broke George Burns' record of 64 doubles, set five years earlier. In fact, only six players in history have recorded 60 or more doubles in a season, and all of six of them did it in the 11 seasons from 1926 to 1936. For hitters, it was the golden age of the double.
The last player to make a run at Webb's record was Todd Helton in 2000. Aided by playing in Coors Field during the peak of the offensive surge at the turn of the century, Helton finished the season with 59 doubles, and his season represents the gold standard for modern-day doubles production. Yet with 30 doubles in his first 68 games, Votto is on pace to obliterate Helton's mark and actually run down Webb as well.
At his current pace, Votto would end the season with 71 doubles, and while history suggests he probably can't keep hitting doubles at this pace, he is the perfect modern-day hitter to challenge Webb's record.
[h3][/h3]
[Votto] hasn't hit a single popup all year, which might be weird if he didn't go the entire 2010 season without hitting an infield fly.
Doubles require line drives, because line drives are hit hard enough to get into the gaps or down the lines and are not hit high enough to clear any fences for a home run. Among the 330 players with at least 2,000 plate appearances since 2002, only two (Mark Loretta and Helton) have a higher line-drive rate than Votto's 24.8 percent. He's turned things up in 2012, posting a ridiculous 33.0 percent line-drive rate this season, up from the 27.5 percent mark he posted last year and easily the best single-season line-drive rate since batted ball data began being collected.
In addition to hitting line drives, Votto is also remarkable at avoiding infield flies -- the kinds of balls in play that are outs nearly 100 percent of the time. He hasn't hit a single popup all year, which might be weird if he didn't go the entire 2010 season without hitting an infield fly. In fact, his one popup from last year is starting to look like the aberration. When Votto hits the ball, it goes out, not up.
He also excels in one other skill critical to racking up a lot of doubles -- driving the ball to the opposite field. Taking out his 13 home runs, Votto has put 170 balls in the field of play this season -- 60 to left, 63 to center, 49 to right. His opposite-field power is the driving force behind his run at Webb's doubles records, as half of his 30 doubles have come on balls hit to left field. He's the league leader in opposite-field doubles with 15, but his eight doubles to center field rank fourth in the league, and there are 45 hitters with more pulled doubles this season than Votto. For Votto, left field is his doubles sweet spot.
This combination of high line-drive rate and willingness to go to the opposite field is the perfect recipe for a lot of extra-base hits that don't quite clear the wall, and while Votto runs pretty well for a first baseman, he doesn't run so well that he's likely to keep on going for third. If Votto was a right-handed hitter, he'd likely have a better chance at turning some of those doubles into triples, but given his average speed and the fact that he's hitting the ball toward third base, he's more likely to settle for two bases instead of trying for three. Being a high doubles hitter requires an interesting combination of skills, and no player in today's game specializes in these more than Votto.
If anything is going to keep him from the record, though, it might just be his home park. Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati has historically been a below-average park for doubles because the shorter fences convert would-be doubles into home runs. In fact, GABP has historically inflated home runs by right-handed hitters (most of whom pull the ball to left field, which is Votto's doubles field) by 13 percent, while playing as a just slightly-below-average doubles park due to those home runs.
When you look at the parks that historically inflate doubles (Colorado, Boston, Arizona), you begin to understand why Helton, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Luis Gonzalez and Matt Holliday have all managed seasons with at least 50 doubles in the past 10 years. Since the Reds opened their new stadium, they've had only two hitters get even 40 doubles in a season -- Sean Casey in 2004 and Votto last year.
So, can Votto break Webb's record?
It won't be easy, as he'll need 38 doubles over the Reds' remaining 94 games, and he's never hit more than 40 in 161 games in any prior season. Even with Votto's predilection for line drives to the opposite field, the game has changed dramatically since Webb played, as the league average strikeout rate is now more than twice what it was back in 1931, while the average home run rate is twice as high. More strikeouts and more home runs equal many fewer chances for doubles, which is why no one has crossed the 60-double mark in 75 years. Votto's halfway there, though, and has more than half the season remaining, so Webb could be in for his first real challenge in a very long time.
The worst rotation ever?
Spoiler [+]
This year, the combined ERA of all major league pitchers is 3.97, which strongly suggests that last year's 3.94 ERA -- MLB's lowest since 1992 -- wasn't simply a fluke. Whether you think the cause of the 1990s surge was juiced players, juiced baseballs or something else, runs are a lot harder to find than they were in 2000, when baseball's ERA peaked at 4.77.
However, not all teams received the memos, apparently, with the rotations of the Minnesota Twins and Colorado Rockies not noticing the age of austerity we've entered.
Being the best at something is a terrific way to be remembered in history, but terrible is another path to immortality. The 1962 Mets are fondly remembered despite going 40-120, but other recent teams that weren't quite as good at being bad have been forgotten.
So, just how bad are Minnesota's and Colorado's starters this year? Bad like losing your car keys? Bad like breaking your foot? Bad like the sun running out of hydrogen and growing into a red giant that finishes the job of incinerating the earth?
Entering Tuesday play, Twins starters have combined for a 5.89 ERA, sneaking below 6.00 only in the past few days. The Rockies aren't even close to the happy day of getting their starting ERA to that point, with a rotation ERA of 6.36 just a couple of weeks from the All-Star Game.
Levels of offense and park effects can have a gigantic effect on a team's runs allowed. Pitching at Coors Field and Petco Park are very different experiences, even with the former's addition of a humidor. So, to compare teams, I'm using Baseball-Reference.com's ERA+, which compares ERA to what a league-average ERA in that particular park and year would be -- 100 is league average, with larger numbers being good and smaller numbers being bad.
[h4]Worst rotations[/h4]
The least successful staffs since 1950, based on Baseball-Reference.com's ERA+ (100 is league average, with lower being worse).
[table][tr][th=""]
Rank
[/th][th=""]
Team
[/th][th=""]
ERA+
[/th][/tr][tr][td]
1,532
[/td][td]
2012 Twins
[/td][td]
66.3
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,531
[/td][td]
2003 Reds
[/td][td]
71.5
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,530
[/td][td]
2005 Royals
[/td][td]
73.2
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,529
[/td][td]
1984 Giants
[/td][td]
73.6
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,528
[/td][td]
1977 Padres
[/td][td]
73.7
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,527
[/td][td]
2012 Rockies
[/td][td]
73.7
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,526
[/td][td]
1997 Athletics
[/td][td]
74.7
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,525
[/td][td]
1998 Marlins
[/td][td]
74.8
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,524
[/td][td]
1964 K.C. A's
[/td][td]
74.8
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,523
[/td][td]
1956 Senators
[/td][td]
75.0
[/td][/tr][/table]
Since 1950, there have been 1,532 teams. Among those teams, the Twins' starters, with an ERA+ of 66.3 -- serve as the caboose, bringing up the rear at 1,532nd (see chart). At this point in the season, it's not even close. The second-worst team -- the 2003 Reds -- had a 71.5 rotation ERA+. Minnesota is not alone among current squads near the bottom, as Colorado ranks 1,527th with a 73.7 ERA+, albeit practically a Strasburg-esque performance compared to what we've seen in the Twin Cities.
Batters are hitting .307/.359/.518 against Minnesota starters, meaning they turn a league-average hitter into the 2012 version of Miguel Cabrera.
The natural question is to what degree this should have been expected going into the season, whether it's the quality of the pitchers, bad luck or some combination of the two. To get a look at this, I used the preseason ZiPS projections for the Twins' and Rockies' rotations as a starting point and added the actual 2012 innings totals.
With the actual inning distribution for 2012, ZiPS projected the Twins would have a rotation ERA of 4.97 at this point, about a run below their actual figure but not exactly something they should be crowing about. Minnesota's rotation consists of one strikeout pitcher with less control than a bumper car (Francisco Liriano) and a whole horde of pitchers who never strike anybody out. P.J. Walters is the team's second-best strikeout starter this year at a woeful 5.6 K's per nine.
Using actual innings, ZiPS expected the Rockies to have a 5.02 ERA at this point, more than a run better than the current 6.36 ERA, so the team has a little to complain about with a 5.02 ERA being only a little below league average for a starter in Coors Field in 2012. A Rockies team without a healthy Troy Tulowitzki, Jhoulys Chacin and Jorge de la Rosa just doesn't have the depth to be a contender, even in a weak division.
With 90 games still to go, the Minnesota starting pitchers are seriously vying to put their own stamp on history. It'll take a lot of clutch run allowing to make them the greatest at being the worst.
However, not all teams received the memos, apparently, with the rotations of the Minnesota Twins and Colorado Rockies not noticing the age of austerity we've entered.
Being the best at something is a terrific way to be remembered in history, but terrible is another path to immortality. The 1962 Mets are fondly remembered despite going 40-120, but other recent teams that weren't quite as good at being bad have been forgotten.
So, just how bad are Minnesota's and Colorado's starters this year? Bad like losing your car keys? Bad like breaking your foot? Bad like the sun running out of hydrogen and growing into a red giant that finishes the job of incinerating the earth?
Entering Tuesday play, Twins starters have combined for a 5.89 ERA, sneaking below 6.00 only in the past few days. The Rockies aren't even close to the happy day of getting their starting ERA to that point, with a rotation ERA of 6.36 just a couple of weeks from the All-Star Game.
Levels of offense and park effects can have a gigantic effect on a team's runs allowed. Pitching at Coors Field and Petco Park are very different experiences, even with the former's addition of a humidor. So, to compare teams, I'm using Baseball-Reference.com's ERA+, which compares ERA to what a league-average ERA in that particular park and year would be -- 100 is league average, with larger numbers being good and smaller numbers being bad.
[h4]Worst rotations[/h4]
The least successful staffs since 1950, based on Baseball-Reference.com's ERA+ (100 is league average, with lower being worse).
[table][tr][th=""]
Rank
[/th][th=""]
Team
[/th][th=""]
ERA+
[/th][/tr][tr][td]
1,532
[/td][td]
2012 Twins
[/td][td]
66.3
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,531
[/td][td]
2003 Reds
[/td][td]
71.5
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,530
[/td][td]
2005 Royals
[/td][td]
73.2
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,529
[/td][td]
1984 Giants
[/td][td]
73.6
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,528
[/td][td]
1977 Padres
[/td][td]
73.7
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,527
[/td][td]
2012 Rockies
[/td][td]
73.7
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,526
[/td][td]
1997 Athletics
[/td][td]
74.7
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,525
[/td][td]
1998 Marlins
[/td][td]
74.8
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,524
[/td][td]
1964 K.C. A's
[/td][td]
74.8
[/td][/tr][tr][td]
1,523
[/td][td]
1956 Senators
[/td][td]
75.0
[/td][/tr][/table]
Since 1950, there have been 1,532 teams. Among those teams, the Twins' starters, with an ERA+ of 66.3 -- serve as the caboose, bringing up the rear at 1,532nd (see chart). At this point in the season, it's not even close. The second-worst team -- the 2003 Reds -- had a 71.5 rotation ERA+. Minnesota is not alone among current squads near the bottom, as Colorado ranks 1,527th with a 73.7 ERA+, albeit practically a Strasburg-esque performance compared to what we've seen in the Twin Cities.
Batters are hitting .307/.359/.518 against Minnesota starters, meaning they turn a league-average hitter into the 2012 version of Miguel Cabrera.
The natural question is to what degree this should have been expected going into the season, whether it's the quality of the pitchers, bad luck or some combination of the two. To get a look at this, I used the preseason ZiPS projections for the Twins' and Rockies' rotations as a starting point and added the actual 2012 innings totals.
With the actual inning distribution for 2012, ZiPS projected the Twins would have a rotation ERA of 4.97 at this point, about a run below their actual figure but not exactly something they should be crowing about. Minnesota's rotation consists of one strikeout pitcher with less control than a bumper car (Francisco Liriano) and a whole horde of pitchers who never strike anybody out. P.J. Walters is the team's second-best strikeout starter this year at a woeful 5.6 K's per nine.
Using actual innings, ZiPS expected the Rockies to have a 5.02 ERA at this point, more than a run better than the current 6.36 ERA, so the team has a little to complain about with a 5.02 ERA being only a little below league average for a starter in Coors Field in 2012. A Rockies team without a healthy Troy Tulowitzki, Jhoulys Chacin and Jorge de la Rosa just doesn't have the depth to be a contender, even in a weak division.
With 90 games still to go, the Minnesota starting pitchers are seriously vying to put their own stamp on history. It'll take a lot of clutch run allowing to make them the greatest at being the worst.
Rumors.
Spoiler [+]
http://[h3]Moyer to face Hultzen[/h3]
4:19PM ET
[h5]Jamie Moyer | Rockies [/h5]
FUN FACT: Moyer will start for the 51s Thursday in Tacoma -- the Triple-A club of Moyer's former team the Seattle Mariners -- versus last June's No. 2 overall draft pick Danny Hultzen, who will be making his home debut and just his second start in the PCL.
...
Unwanted in Baltimore, the Blue Jays signed veteran left-hander Jamie Moyer to a minor league contract on Monday night.
Moyer was %u201D<a href=/toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120626&content_id=33942560&vkey=news_tor&c_id=tor%u201D">http://toronto.bluejays.m...s_tor&c_id=tor%u201D" target=new>given no guarantees by the Jays and will report to Triple-A Las Vegas for a few starts.
The 49-year-old Moyer has a realistic shot to land with the Blue Jays, at least temporarily, since Toronto's starting rotation has been devastated by injuries during the past two weeks. Right-handers Brandon Morrow, Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison were all placed on the 15-day disabled list, while Henderson Alvarez was forced to depart Monday night's game in Boston because of soreness in his right elbow.
The Blue Jays tried the same type of deal a few weeks ago with Vladimir Guerrero before parting ways with the former AL MVP.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Chad Hutchinson, Kyle Drabek, Jamie Moyer, Toronto Blue Jays
http://[h3]Puig still waiting[/h3]
4:17PM ET
[h5]Yasel Puig [/h5]
[img]http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/leagues/lrg/trans/mlb.gif[/img]
Cuban defector Yasiel Puig, a 21-year-old outfielder, has already established residency in Mexico and is slated to work out for MLB clubs next week, reports Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. And if all goes according to plan, Puig could be declared a free agent and signed by a team as soon as next weekend, according to his agent Jaime Torres.
Puig could get a contract similar to that of Jorge Soler, who received a nine-year, $30 million deal from the Chicago Cubs earlier in June.
The reason for such a high price? Well, aside from his age and talent, there's a key timing factor that could give Puig a lot of leverage. The new regulations set forth by the CBA allow clubs all of $2.9 million to spend on international free agents (including Cuban defectors), but that doesn't kick in until July 2. So if Puig is declared a free agent before then, teams will be fighting over his rights -- and have more money to spend.
As for the teams expected to be after Puig, ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com's Enrique Rojas mentions the following in the link above: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks.
- Jason A. Churchill and Jason Catania
Tags:
San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks
http://[h3]Sizemore's progress[/h3]
3:45PM ET
[h5]Grady Sizemore | Indians [/h5]
When http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5882/grady-sizemoreGrady Sizemore had surgery to repair a herniated disc in March, the hope was that the Indians center fielder would be back sometime in June. The centerfielder told Paul Hoynes last month that the optimism has waned.
General manager Chris Antonetti said last week, however, that he believes Sizemore still has a chance to contribute this year despite Sizemore having yet to resume running after his May setback.
There is no timetable for Sizemore's return, but we do know he won't see the field in Cleveland before the All-Star break, so we're talking late July at the earliest, and that is assuming no further setbacks.
Nick Camino tweets Tuesday, however, that Sizemore has been hitting and throwing, which could be a sign he'll be sent out on a rehab assignment early in July.
- Jason A. Churchill and Doug Mittler
Tags:
Michael Brantley, Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians
http://[h3]What to expect from Rizzo[/h3]
3:30PM ET
[h5]Anthony Rizzo | Cubs [/h5]
Anthony Rizzo has been a top talent in three organizations, going from Boston to San Diego to Chicago in the past two-plus years, and while his first stints in the majors did not go well -- .141/.281/.242 in 49 games -- there is reason to believe this time will be different.
For one, he's gained more experience, tearing up the Pacific Coast League for the second year in a row. Second, his home ballpark will be much more hitter friendly. Wrigley is more of a lick-your-face lap dog, whole Petco, no pun intended, is more that of the barking guard dog that won't let you get your baseballs from its backyard.
Rizzo has even performed a little better versus left-handed pitching this season than last.
Rizzo's expected call-up pushes Bryan LaHair to the outfield regularly where the 29-year-old will gain eligibility for fantasy purposes sometime early next week, leaving first base for Rizzo for the long hail.
ESPN's Fantasy Baseball Expert, Eric Karabell, discusses whether or not fantasy owners should rush to the wire to grab Rizzo:
- Jason A. Churchill
[h5]Eric Karabell[/h5]
Rizzo's fantasy prospects
Tags:
Anthony Rizzo, Bryan LaHair, Chicago Cubs
4:19PM ET
[h5]Jamie Moyer | Rockies [/h5]
FUN FACT: Moyer will start for the 51s Thursday in Tacoma -- the Triple-A club of Moyer's former team the Seattle Mariners -- versus last June's No. 2 overall draft pick Danny Hultzen, who will be making his home debut and just his second start in the PCL.
...
Unwanted in Baltimore, the Blue Jays signed veteran left-hander Jamie Moyer to a minor league contract on Monday night.
Moyer was %u201D<a href=/toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120626&content_id=33942560&vkey=news_tor&c_id=tor%u201D">http://toronto.bluejays.m...s_tor&c_id=tor%u201D" target=new>given no guarantees by the Jays and will report to Triple-A Las Vegas for a few starts.
The 49-year-old Moyer has a realistic shot to land with the Blue Jays, at least temporarily, since Toronto's starting rotation has been devastated by injuries during the past two weeks. Right-handers Brandon Morrow, Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison were all placed on the 15-day disabled list, while Henderson Alvarez was forced to depart Monday night's game in Boston because of soreness in his right elbow.
The Blue Jays tried the same type of deal a few weeks ago with Vladimir Guerrero before parting ways with the former AL MVP.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Chad Hutchinson, Kyle Drabek, Jamie Moyer, Toronto Blue Jays
http://[h3]Puig still waiting[/h3]
4:17PM ET
[h5]Yasel Puig [/h5]
[img]http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/leagues/lrg/trans/mlb.gif[/img]
Cuban defector Yasiel Puig, a 21-year-old outfielder, has already established residency in Mexico and is slated to work out for MLB clubs next week, reports Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. And if all goes according to plan, Puig could be declared a free agent and signed by a team as soon as next weekend, according to his agent Jaime Torres.
Puig could get a contract similar to that of Jorge Soler, who received a nine-year, $30 million deal from the Chicago Cubs earlier in June.
The reason for such a high price? Well, aside from his age and talent, there's a key timing factor that could give Puig a lot of leverage. The new regulations set forth by the CBA allow clubs all of $2.9 million to spend on international free agents (including Cuban defectors), but that doesn't kick in until July 2. So if Puig is declared a free agent before then, teams will be fighting over his rights -- and have more money to spend.
As for the teams expected to be after Puig, ESPNDeportesLosAngeles.com's Enrique Rojas mentions the following in the link above: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks.
- Jason A. Churchill and Jason Catania
Tags:
San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks
http://[h3]Sizemore's progress[/h3]
3:45PM ET
[h5]Grady Sizemore | Indians [/h5]
When http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5882/grady-sizemoreGrady Sizemore had surgery to repair a herniated disc in March, the hope was that the Indians center fielder would be back sometime in June. The centerfielder told Paul Hoynes last month that the optimism has waned.
General manager Chris Antonetti said last week, however, that he believes Sizemore still has a chance to contribute this year despite Sizemore having yet to resume running after his May setback.
There is no timetable for Sizemore's return, but we do know he won't see the field in Cleveland before the All-Star break, so we're talking late July at the earliest, and that is assuming no further setbacks.
Nick Camino tweets Tuesday, however, that Sizemore has been hitting and throwing, which could be a sign he'll be sent out on a rehab assignment early in July.
- Jason A. Churchill and Doug Mittler
Tags:
Michael Brantley, Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians
http://[h3]What to expect from Rizzo[/h3]
3:30PM ET
[h5]Anthony Rizzo | Cubs [/h5]
Anthony Rizzo has been a top talent in three organizations, going from Boston to San Diego to Chicago in the past two-plus years, and while his first stints in the majors did not go well -- .141/.281/.242 in 49 games -- there is reason to believe this time will be different.
For one, he's gained more experience, tearing up the Pacific Coast League for the second year in a row. Second, his home ballpark will be much more hitter friendly. Wrigley is more of a lick-your-face lap dog, whole Petco, no pun intended, is more that of the barking guard dog that won't let you get your baseballs from its backyard.
Rizzo has even performed a little better versus left-handed pitching this season than last.
Rizzo's expected call-up pushes Bryan LaHair to the outfield regularly where the 29-year-old will gain eligibility for fantasy purposes sometime early next week, leaving first base for Rizzo for the long hail.
ESPN's Fantasy Baseball Expert, Eric Karabell, discusses whether or not fantasy owners should rush to the wire to grab Rizzo:
- Jason A. Churchill
Rizzo's fantasy prospects
Tags:
Anthony Rizzo, Bryan LaHair, Chicago Cubs
3:17PM ET
[h5]Zack Greinke | Brewers [/h5]
Zack Greinke can become a free agent after this season and if the Milwaukee Brewers cannot extend his contract soon, they'll try and trade the right-hander, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.
Rosenthal notes that the Brewers, who sit 7 1/2 games out of first place in the National League Central and 5 1/2 back in the Wildcard race, have yet to decide whether or not to buy or sell. Barring a hot streak, they're likely sellers, however, as eight teams are ahead of them in that Wildcard hunt and they are in fourth place in their division race.
Among the clubs that need a pitcher such as Greinke include the usual suspects -- New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers -- but the Detroit Tigers may need him the most.
After Justin Verlander and Doug Fister, the Tigers lack reliable starting pitching. Greinke could also be ideal in St. Louis if the Cardinals lose faith that Chris Carpenter will return in near-top form. The Toronto Blue Jays cannot be counted out, either.
- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:
Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals, Zack Greinke
http://[h3]The Rangers and the deadline[/h3]
2:40PM ET
[h5]Texas Rangers [/h5]
[h5]Rangers have trade bait[/h5]
- Jurickson Profar, SS
- Martin Perez, LHP
- Mike Olt, 3B
- Leonys Martin, OF
- Rougned Odor, 2B
- Tanner Scheppers, RHP
- Michael Young, UT
The Texas Rangers, who have already added Roy Oswalt to their rotation this month, may not be done tinkering with their 2012 roster as they look to hold off the Los Angeles Angels and make another run through he American League playoffs. Could more pitching be on GM Jon Daniels' wish list, or will the Rangers look to add another bat?
Deadline Strategy
The Rangers are definite buyers, though it's anyone's guess who might be their prime targets. They'll likely use their farm system and as well as any non-core players from their 25-man to get what they need, and it's more likely that Daniels seeks the kind of help that is under contract beyond 2012 first and foremost.
Money
With the new TV deal in effect and franchise records being set and broken for attendance, payroll does not appear to be any kind of issue for the Rangers this summer. The club is nowhere near the luxury tax threshold, either, even including Oswalt's pro-rated salary for the season, and all signs point to the ownership as a highly-motivated group willing to spend money on the roster.
Bait
As listed above, right, the Rangers have young talent to offer in return for proven veterans, and the recent performance by Perez, especially, could make an impact on the club's abilities at the deadline. Perez was called up Tuesday and could be auditioning for his future in the Rangers organization or as part of a future deal.
Olt, who is putting up big numbers in Double-A Frisco and may be the most likely of trade bait, tweaked a hamstring this week and will miss some time. He shouldn't be out long, however, and remains a valuable trade piece.
Profar is among the very best prospects in baseball and the chances he's included in any deal are extremely remote. One would have to believe it would require a superstar player in return, and one under contract for at least a couple of additional seasons.
It's not out of the realm of possibility that a core player could be included in the right trade -- Michael Young, perhaps? -- and while it's not unheard of (See: Red Sox, Boston), contenders aren't known for dealing away valuable veterans in July.
Targets
It's my opinion that no matter how well Oswalt pitches, the Rangers will consider starting pitchers Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster, Wandy Rodriguez and Zack Greinke -- if available -- before the deadline. Bullpen arms are always in play and the one thing the Rangers lack is a left-handed weapon to neutralize the better lefty hitters in the league. Perhaps the Twins' Glenn Perkins will be available at a price the Rangers like. The San Diego Padres could be willing to moving Joe Thatcher and if the Royals are open to discussing Tim Collins, either might be a fit for the Rangers.
If other big-name talents become available, we have to consider the Rangers in the same light we've considered the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox the past several years. If he's good and available, the Rangers are interested. Justin Morneau? Denard Span?
- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:
Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, Justin Morneau, Denard Span, Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Zack Greinke, Wandy Rodriguez, Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza, Tanner Scheppers, Leonys Martin, Michael Young
http://[h3]Bauer to debut Thursday?[/h3]
1:36PM ET
[h5]Arizona Diamondbacks [/h5]
All signs are pointing to Trevor Bauer making his major league debut for the Arizona Diamondbacks Thursday against the Atlanta Braves.
Bauer, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 draft, was pulled from his start Sunday at Triple-A Reno after 50 pitches and 22/3 innings, leading to speculation he'll get the start Thursday in Atlanta place of the injured Joe Saunders. While the D-backs have made no formal announcement, Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic said it would "a shocker" if Bauer does not start Thursday.
Bauer is 11-1 with a 2.23 ERA in 16 starts this season and leads all minor-league pitchers with 116 strikeouts.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Arizona Diamondbacks, Joe Saunders
http://[h3]Pipp'd closers?[/h3]
1:09PM ET
[h5]Closers [/h5]
[img]http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/leagues/lrg/trans/mlb.gif[/img]
With Tampa Bay's Kyle Farnsworth and Washington's Drew Storen each on their way back to the big leagues from the disabled list and Brandon League having held opponents scoreless in seven of his last eight appearances including the last four in a row, one might expect each of the three to return to their closer roles and start racking up saves.
There is one problem, however: Their replacements have performed at such high levels, none of the three are likely to get their jobs back anytime soon.
The Rays' Fernando Rodney has 20 saves in 21 chances and has compiled a 31-5 K/BB ratio and a 1.10 ERA in 34 appearances. Tyler Clippard, the Nationals' top setup man a year ago, has 12 saves in 13 chances and has not given up a run since May 16, a span of 16 appearances.
Seattle's Tom Wilhelmsen, the owner of one of the most devastating curveballs in the game, has five saves in June and enters play Sunday with a 16 2/3 scoreless innings streak. He's also whiffed 17 and walked just three in that span, perhaps leaving League in a setup role for the long haul.
All three certainly have a chance to eventually get back their ninth-inning responsibilities, but it doesn't appear it will occur anytime soon for League, and both Storen and Farnsworth seem headed for a setup role once they return from the disabled list. Nationals skipper Davey Johnson said as much in regards to Storen.
- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:
Brandon League, Kyle Farnsworth, Drew Storen, Tyler Clippard, Tom Wilhelmsen, Fernando Rodney
http://[h3]Headley drawing interest[/h3]
1:08PM ET
[h5]Chase Headley | Padres [/h5]
As we have speculated all season, San Diego Padres third baseman Chase Headley is a player of interest as the trade deadline nears. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com tweets Monday afternoon that teams have called on the switch-hitter.
Heyman adds that the Padres will ask for a lot in return for Headley, and rightfully so. The Third base market, especially now that Kevin Youkilis has been moved, is quite barren, and Headley is not due for free agency until after the 2014 season.
Clubs that might see Headley as a worthy target include the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles and perhaps the Los Angeles Angels.
Whether contact by clubs develop into true negotiations remains to be seen. This is one to watch as the deadline gets closer.
- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:
Chase Headley, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles
http://[h3]The Indians at the deadline[/h3]
12:40PM ET
[h5]Cleveland Indians [/h5]
[h5]Potential Targets for CLE[/h5]
- Josh Willingham, OF -- Minnesota Twins
- Shane Victorino, OF -- Philadelphia Phillies
- Ryan Doumit, C/1B/DH -- Minnesota Twins
- Ty Wigginton, 1B/3B/OF -- Philadelphia Phillies
- Zack Greinke, RHP -- Milwaukee Brewers
- Matt Garza, RHP -- Chicago Cubs
- Ryan Dempster, RHP -- Chicago Cubs
- Francisco Liriano, LHP -- Minnesota Twins
- Jason Vargas, LHP -- Seattle Mariners
Although they didn't get out of the gates quite as quickly this year as they did last season, the Indians have still been a surprise in the first half of 2012. No doubt, the club is looking to prevent another fool's-gold campaign -- remember, after starting out 30-15 in 2011, they went 50-67 -- and a trade or two could set the club up nicely as they try to keep pace in the AL Central with the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers.
Deadline Strategy
While it's possible GM Chris Antonetti could get cold feet after his big deadline deal a year ago for Ubaldo Jimenez didn't exactly put them over the top -- and doesn't look any better this season, either -- the fact is this is a team that doesn't necessarily need to make a splash to stay in the race. A minor adjustment here, a solid veteran there and the Indians could be in better position to make a run at the division title than they were in 2011.
Money
The Indians operate on a small-budget payroll structure that can handcuff Antonetti when it comes to taking on any additional salary. That just means he has to be a little creative by unearthing players who offer a certain skill or fit a specific need, ideally at a minimal cost. Still, it wouldn't be out of the question to see Cleveland make a run at players with expiring contracts, knowing full well that the salary comes off the books at year's end.
Bait
Thanks in part to the recent graduations of Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall and dealing Drew Pomeranz and Alex White (among others) for Jimenez, the Indians farm system isn't exactly overflowing with major league-ready players. If another team is willing to gamble on a skilled yet flawed shortstop prospect, though, either Ronny Rodriguez or Tony Wolters (both at High-A) could bring back a helpful piece. Some other assets include filler types like potential back-end starters Zach McAllister, Scott Barnes and T.J. McFarland or utility man Cord Phelps, most of whom have some big league experience.
Targets
The Indians' biggest need is a first baseman who can hit like, well, someone other than Casey Kotchman (sub-.650 OPS). Problem is, there aren't many on the market, and those who are won't be cheap enough to fit (think: Carlos Lee and Justin Morneau). That leaves the likes of Wigginton and Doumit, neither of whom is a real first baseman by trade, as the best options.
The other problem area is an outfield bat with some pop. The best candidate to fill both the power void and the hole in left field is Willingham. Granted, he's signed for two more years, but the rate ($7 mill per) is something Cleveland could actually afford (and they were hot after him in the offseason). If Victorino becomes available, the Indians would probably check in on him, too, even if he's not a true power threat.
The last area that could be addressed is the rotation. The Indians have no ace and lack a No. 2, too, so even if the money makes it unlikely, it would behoove them to consider Greinke or Garza if at all possible. Otherwise, Dempster, once healthy, would be a nice fit as a veteran to lead the rotation. Liriano -- yes, another Twin -- could be an intriguing gamble, whereas Vargas would be a more stable possibility with less upside.
There's unlikely to be a headline-grabbing move out of Cleveland this year, but if the Indians can make a smart under-the-radar addition or two, the club would be in much better position to battle it out for the division title against the Tigers and White Sox, two teams who are certain to be active.
- Jason Catania
Tags:
Cleveland Indians, Josh Willingham, Shane Victorino, Ryan Doumit, Ty Wigginton, Zack Greinke, Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster, Jason Vargas, Francisco Liriano
http://[h3]The Braves at the deadline[/h3]
10:44AM ET
[h5]Atlanta Braves [/h5]
[h5]Potential Targets in Atlanta[/h5]
- http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/28528/matt-garzaMatt Garza, P - http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/chc/chicago-cubsChicago Cubs
- http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/3845/ryan-dempsterRyan Dempster, P - Chicago Cubs
- http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5883/zack-greinkeZack Greinke, P -- http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/mil/milwaukee-brewersMilwaukee Brewers
- http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6383/joe-saundersJoe Saunders, P - http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/ari/arizona-diamondbacksArizona Diamondbacks
- Huston Street, P - San Diego Padres
On the bright side, the Braves are less likely to squander a huge lead in September simply because they won't have one. They play their best baseball when Chipper Jones is in the lineup and have a realistic shot of sending him out with one more round of October baseball.
Deadline Strategy
General manager Frank Wren is not afraid to pull the trigger -- right at last year's deadline, he landed outfielder Michael Bourn from Houston. The season-ending injury to Brandon Beachy suddenly has the traditionally-rich pitching franchise looking to add a starter. It could ride on how Jair Jurrjens performs over the next few weeks. If he is pitching well, as he did Friday in Boston, the Braves could be less desperate and other clubs will not be able to hold them hostage.
Money
The Braves are in the middle of the MLB pack with an $83 million payroll. Jones' $13 million salary comes off the books after the season, giving them some flexibility.
Bait
Mike Minor was viewed as almost an untouchable last July, but the lefthander's stock has fallen a bit and the Braves could be more open to deal this time. Juan Francisco would be a nice addition to any team looking to add depth at third base. The Braves had four players in Keith Law's preseason list of top 100 prospects, but it seems unlikely they would deal a pitcher such as Julio Teheran.
Targets
Look for the Braves to be among the teams to be talking regularly with Theo Epstein about Cubs righthanders Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster. The D-backs may be more willing to deal southpaw Joe Saunders than they were last July. If the Brewers decide to deal Zack Greinke, the Braves would be a nice fit. There is some talk the Braves could look to add a reliever due to the recent struggles of Jonny Venters. Another veteran bullpen arm would enable manager Fredi Gonzalez to spread around the workload more than he did last September, when Venters, Eric O'Flaherty and Craig Kimbrel may have been running on fumes.
If the Braves add a bat, they could kick the tires on a short-term rental with the Padres' Carlos Quentin. Martin Prado, already having a productive year in left field, could be freed up to give the injury-prone Jones some rest at third base.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Jair Jurrjens, Jonny Venters, Craig Kimbrel, Carlos Quentin, Joe Saunders, Matt Garza, Ryan Dempster, Huston Street, Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves
http://[h3]Rotation shuffle in KC?[/h3]
10:14AM ET
[h5]Kansas City Royals [/h5]
The Kansas City Royals may call up lefthander Everett Teaford from Triple-A to start Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays as part of a rotation shakeup.
Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star says the Royals are pondering changes after Vin Mazzaro, Luis Mendoza and Jonathan Sanchez combined to surrender a combined 17 runs in 11 1/3 innings over the weekend in three losses to the Cardinals. Mazzaro already has been assigned to the bullpen.
The first change could come Wednesday when Teaford is in consideration to start, as are two of the organization's top prospects: right-hander Jake Odorizzi and lefty Mike Montgomery.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Luis Mendoza, Vin Mazzaro, Angel Sanchez, Everett Teaford, Kansas City Royals, Tampa Bay Rays
http://[h3]Mets' quest for bullpen help[/h3]
9:48AM ET
[h5]New York Mets [/h5]
The New York Mets have the worst bullpen ERA in baseball (5.17), and that was before closer Frank Francisco landed on the disabled list Sunday with an oblique strain. If the Mets are to continue their surprising start, they will need some improvement, whether it be internal or external.
Mets assistant GM John Ricco is well aware of the predicament, telling Ken Davidoff of the NY Post that while it's probably too early to make a move, "it's not too early to do the research."
Davidoff lists Houston's Brett Myers, San Diego's Huston Street, Oakland's Grant Balfour and Minnesota's Matt Capps (who landed on the DL Monday) as some of the best pieces potentially available.
General manager Sandy Alderson hasn't ruled out the possibility of taking on payroll, although he has yet to say whether the Mets will definitely be deadline buyers. Alderson will be very reluctant to giving up prospects, so it could come down to how much contract money the Mets are willing to absorb.
While the Mets need bullpen help now, they will probably have to wait until the All-Star break before they dig into the market because there currently are few sellers, tweets Buster Olney.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
New York Mets, Frank Francisco, Matt Capps, Huston Street, Brett Myers
http://[h3]Bench role for Huff[/h3]
9:19AM ET
[h5]Aubrey Huff | Giants [/h5]
The Giants' Aubrey Huff will need to be content with a bench role when he comes off the disabled list, says Alex Pavlovic of the Mercury News.
Huff, who sprained his knee in the celebration of Matt Cain's perfect game, is eligible to come off the DL Thursday, but manager Bruce Bochy would like the veteran to take a minor league rehab assignment before returning.
Even when Huff returns, he can expect no more than an occasional start at first base. Brandon Belt has been the regular starter at first the last two weeks and has a 1.033 OPS in June. Huff has started in left field, but that is the domain of Melky Cabrera.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Brandon Belt, Melky Cabrera, Aubrey Huff, San Francisco Giants
http://[h3]ETA for Dempster[/h3]
8:55AM ET
[h5]Ryan Dempster | Cubs [/h5]
When the Cubs' Ryan Dempster landed on the disabled list June 16 with a sore lat, it was widely reported the righthander would miss only a few starts and be back well before the July 31 deadline.
While manager Dale Sveum said there is no timetable for his return, Dempster experienced no discomfort after throwing off flat ground on Monday, reports the Sun-Times. While Dempster is unlikely to pitch during the current homestand, a return around the All-Star break seems feasible.
That would give Dempster a few starts to audition for interested teams and prove he is healthy. The Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox are among the teams recently linked to the 35-year-old.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Chicago Cubs, Ryan Dempster, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers
http://[h3]Closing duties in Minnesota[/h3]
8:32AM ET
[h5]Matt Capps | Twins [/h5]
The list of available relievers this month should include the Twins' Matt Capps, given that he will be a free agent after the season and he pitches for a last-place team.
A red flag regarding Capps, however, went up Monday when the righthander landed on the disabled list for the first time since 2008 due to right shoulder pain. Capps' value could take a notable hit if he is not healthy in a few weeks.
Manager Ron Gardenhire says the closing duties will be split between lefthander Glen Perkins and Jared Burton, who earned saves Sunday and Monday. La Velle Neal suggests Perkins could get a few more opportunities because the Twins will be careful not to overwork Burton due to his injury history.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Minnesota Twins, Matt Capps
http://[h3]End of 4-man rotation in Denver?[/h3]
8:05AM ET
[h5]Colorado Rockies [/h5]
The Rockies optioned slumping right-hander Alex White to Triple-A Colorado Springs on Monday, a move that could lead to manager Jim Tracy scrapping his highly-publicized four-man rotation.
MLB.com's Thomas Harding says left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who was sent down in May to correct delivery flaws, is the obvious candidate for a promotion. One issue is that Pomeranz pitched Sunday for Colorado Springs, throwing 101 pitches in 5 1/3 innings.
The next available start would be Thursday against the Nationals and Pomeranz would be working on short rest. The Nats could give Thursday's start to right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, who has pitched well in two long-relief appearances since being removed from the rotation.
If the Rockies decide to return to a five-man rotation, Pomeranz would fit in nicely to start Friday against San Diego. There would be no need to keep the well-rested Pomeranz under the 75 pitch limit used with the four-man rotation.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Colorado Rockies, Drew Pomeranz, Alex White, Jeremy Guthrie
http://[h3]Impact of Carpenter setback[/h3]
7:44AM ET
[h5]Chris Carpenter | Cardinals [/h5]
The St. Louis Cardinals were cautiously optimistic that Chris Carpenter' ailing shoulder was healing to the point where the ace righthander would be making a minor league start within a week.
That timetable has been scrapped after Carpenter still experienced weakness following a 34-pitch throwing session Friday in Kansas City.
GM John Mozeliak has recently said that knowing Carpenter's availability by July 1 would influence the players he pursues at the trade deadline. Carpenter's shaky status should only intensify the Cardinals' quest to land another starting pitcher.
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported the Cardinals are interested in Cubs starter Matt Garza, who is under club control through 2013. If the Cardinals are thinking bigger, the Brewers' Zack Greinke and the Phils' Cole Hamels could be pursued as expensive short-term rentals.
- Doug Mittler
Tags:
Matt Garza, Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals
http://[h3]High price for Garza?[/h3]
7:19AM ET
[h5]Matt Garza | Cubs [/h5]
We mentioned Monday the market appears to be heating up for Cubs righthander Matt Garza.
In Sunday's Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo says at least six teams -- Braves, Tigers, Cardinals, Red Sox, Jays, and Royals -- have expressed their interest in Garza to Cubs president Theo Epstein. The interest from the Braves may have escalated in the past week over the season-ending injury to Brandon Beachy.
Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports says Epstein can ask for plenty because Garza is under contract through next season. Even if arbitration is likely to take his salary well past $12 million, it's for only a season, and teams never balk at one-year commitments. Passan says Garza might bring back even more than impending free agents Zack Greinke or Cole Hamels in a July deal.
We asked Buster Olney about a possible price, and Eric Karabell whether a trade will give Garza a fantasy bump.
- Doug Mittler
He won't be cheap
Not a big bounce
