2016 MLB thread. THE CUBS HAVE BROKEN THE CURSE! Chicago Cubs are your 2016 World Series champions

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Is Josh Hamilton’s Plate Discipline Improving?

After brutal June and July performances, Josh Hamilton has performed well in the first few weeks of August, hitting .320/.382/.580 in 55 trips to the plate. According to both Hamilton and his coaches, the improvement is the direct result of his willingness to finally make adjustments in terms of which pitches to swing at. After months of hacking away at pitches well out of the strike zone, he’s finally learned his lesson.

“I’m just making my mind up that I’m going to try to focus better on taking more pitches and getting in better hitter’s counts,” Hamilton said. “You see the difference. My third at-bat, I struck out. He didn’t throw me a strike. I asked the umpire, ‘Did he throw any strikes?’ He said, ‘No.’ That was the difference, being patient and getting in good hitter’s counts and knowing that if they’re pitching it there, you can hit it instead of trying to make something happen. Just take your base and score runs.”

He’s definitely saying the right things, and his recent performance is a dramatic improvement. So, is Hamilton really becoming more selective?

Judge for yourself.

Month PA O-Swing% Z-Swing% Swing% O-Contact% Z-Contact% Contact%
April 96 42% 83% 57% 56% 82% 70%
May 111 44% 82% 58% 53% 81% 67%
June 107 39% 80% 56% 41% 75% 60%
July 91 44% 85% 60% 48% 77% 64%
August 55 39% 84% 57% 66% 77% 72%

His O-Swing% — the rate of pitches where he swings at a pitch classified as outside the strike zone by PITCHF/x — is at its lowest point of the season, but it was also at its lowest point in June, when he was terrible. His overall swing rate is pretty similar to where it’s been all season, so he’s not actually taking more pitches. In fact, Hamilton’s swing rate in August is the second highest in the Major Leagues (behind only Mike Morse), so the idea that he’s developing into a patient hitter who works counts doesn’t really seem to stand up to scrutiny.

However, in that same article, Richard Durrett gets an interesting quote from Ron Washington:

“It’s impossible to step in that box and see as many pitches as these guys see and not chase,” manager Ron Washington said. “You just have to minimize your chases and how far you chase them. He quit chasing them a mile out of the strike zone and is just chasing them a half a mile.”

While Hamilton claims that he’s not chasing as often — which seems to not really be true — Washington states that the difference is in the magnitude of the chase rather than the frequency. And this is a point where O-Swing% can’t help us that much, since it just provides a binary strike/not-strike classification for all pitches, no matter whether the pitch is an inch outside or a foot outside. There are obviously some non-strikes that are harder to hit than others, and if Hamilton is varying the types of out-of-zone pitches he swings at, that could have a legitimate impact on his results.

In fact, there is one line in the chart above that would seemingly line up with Washington’s assessment; the O-Contact%. In August, Hamilton’s rate of contact on pitches out of the zone that he chases is 66%, well north of where it was in June and July, and even higher than it was in the first two months of the season when he was crushing the baseball. His Z-Contact% — contact on pitches in the strike zone — isn’t really much different than it was during his slump, so almost the entirety of his improvement in August contact rate can be attributed to putting the bat on the ball more often when he reaches for pitches out of the zone.

This would seem to align with Washington’s observation – he’s chasing, but he’s chasing better pitches to hit. Thanks to TexasLeaguers.com, we can look at a breakdown of the locations of pitches in August that he’s taken and that he’s swung at.





There’s no question pitchers have been aggressively attacking Hamilton away, and because of his free-swinging tendencies, they’re going well off the plate with some frequency. But, you’ll notice that there’s not a single data point in the first plot that is to the left of the -2 inch line, meaning that Hamilton has taken 100% of the pitches he’s seen this month that are at least one inch outside the border of the strike zone, and he’s only chased four pitches that were both low and away according to PITCHF/x.

Now, compare that plot to this one from June, which is when Hamilton began his tailspin:



Not only was he chasing pitches that were more than an inch off the plate, but there’s a large cluster of pitches both down and away that he went after. Pitchers were throwing sliders, curves, and cutters that ended up at his ankles and well off the plate, and those are pitches that he just couldn’t get his bat on.

In the first two weeks of August, he’s done a better job of laying off that down-and-away breaking ball. In any two week sample, however, we also have to realize that he could have just faced a series of pitches who aren’t very good at throwing those types of pitches or missed their location, and the fact that he’s still swinging at about the same population of pitches that are away-but-not-low suggests that he’s not really a reformed hack just yet. Is he working on it? It seems like it, and given how bad he was in two months, it would be amazing if he didn’t try to make some adjustments. His results have improved, and there seems to be some evidence that he’s swinging at easier pitches to hit, but I don’t think the data supports the idea that he’s now working counts and forcing pitchers to throw him strikes.

Hamilton’s still an extremely aggressive hitter. His results have probably improved faster than his approach has changed, partly due to the fact that he’s a really talented hitter who can drive pitches that most players cannot. The data doesn’t support Hamilton’s self-evaluation as much as it does support Washington’s, but that’s okay – just swinging at better pitches out of the zone might be enough for Hamilton to succeed. He’s never going to be a guy who only swings at strikes. Getting him to swing at the right kinds of balls might be the best the Rangers can hope for.


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Buster Posey Making Strong Case For NL MVP.

The Giants took it on the chin Tuesday night, losing 14-2 to the Nationals. But that didn’t stop catcher Buster Posey from adding to the spectacular numbers he’s posted since the All-Star break: .457/.531/.787 with seven doubles and eight home runs in 113 plate appearances. His wRC+ over that time is an astounding 248. Simply put, he’s been the best hitter in baseball in the second half, and it’s not particularly close. Mike Trout — regularly regarded as “the best player on the planet” — has accumulated 2.3 WAR to Posey’s 2.6 over the past 30 days, and that’s with Posey’s catchers-legs base running and lower defensive rating.

For the season, Posey’s batting .332/.406/.547 with 19 home runs. His 158 wRC+ ranks fourth in the National League, behind Joey Votto, Andrew McCutchen, and Ryan Braun. He’s accumulated 5.0 WAR, good for fifth in the league, behind McCutchen, David Wright, Braun, and Michael Bourn. And again, Posey takes a hit for his base running.


McCutchen is likely considered the front runner for the National League MVP. His offensive numbers are gaudy: .362/.422/.609 with 23 home runs. His league-leading wRC+ sits at 175. The Pirates’ center fielder has accumulated 5.9 WAR, and that includes a negative defensive rating which is hard to understand if you, like me, regularly watch him roam the outfield for the Bucs. But McCutchen has cooled off a bit in the second half, at the same time Posey has amped it up. McCutchen’s second-half line sits at: .347/.427/.525 with four home runs.

If not for his knee injuries, Votto likely would have battled McCutchen for MVP honors to the end of the season, with their respective teams chasing the same National League Central title. But Votto’s been on the disabled list since just after the All-Star break and may not return until September.

Wright was in the discussion, too, particularly in the first half when the Mets were playing surprisingly competitive baseball. But New York’s season has taken an ugly turn in the second half even though Wright has continued to post very good numbers. Braun is having an almost identical season to 2011, when he beat out Matt Kemp for the National League MVP crown. But like Kemp’s Dodgers last season, Braun’s Brewers are not contenting this year. The seasons McCutchen and Posey are having for contending teams, coupled with his somewhat controversial win last season, likely knocks Braun out of the race.

Posey’s unearthly production in the second half has fueled the Giants’ re-invigorated offense. And that has helped keep San Francisco either tied for, or in sole possession of, first place in the National League West since the end of June. And Posey has done all of this while playing the most demanding defensive position on the field and quarterbacking the Giants’ very good starting rotation.

Posey’s played in 104 games to date. Only 81 of those have been as catcher; he’s played first base in the other games, save for three when he served as the designated hitter during interleague play. We’re likely to see a similar catcher-to-first baseman ratio for the Giants’ final 46 games, as manager Bruce Bochy works to keep Posey’s bat in the lineup while also giving his legs a rest. At this point, it’s easy to forget that Posey’s in his first season back after suffering a brutal and season-ending injury to his left ankle and lower leg last May. And while that’s more of a factor for the Comeback Player of the Year Award, I’d be surprised if some voters didn’t take that into account.

If Posey continues to produce as he has through the Giants’ first 116 games, he’d end the season with 6.94 WAR. That would land him on the list of Top 30 seasons in WAR by a catcher in the last 50 years. Johnny Bench‘s 1972 season with the Reds tops that list at 10.2 WAR. Bench won the MVP that year, as he had in 1970, the third-best season by a catcher since 1962 (8.7 WAR). Bench’s 1974 and 1975 seasons are also on the list, but he didn’t win MVP honors either of those seasons, losing out to Steve Garvey and teammate Joe Morgan, respectively. The Reds were in the postseason in 1970, 1972 and won the World Series in 1975.

Only three other catcher seasons in the Top 30 Since 1962 also resulted in MVP Awards: Joe Mauer with the Twins in 2009; Ivan Rodriguez with the Rangers in 1999, and Elston Howard with the Yankees in 1963. All three of those teams played in the postseason.

Mike Piazza has four seasons on the list (1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998). Gary Carter has three (1982, 1983 and 1984), and Joe Torre has two (1966 and 1970). None of the teams those catchers played for in those years made the postseason. None was awarded the MVP.

With a bit more than 25% of games still to be played, the competition for the 2012 NL MVP Award will be spirited. Andrew McCutchen is in the lead but Buster Posey is making a strong second-half push. The Pirates and Giants are in a similar position, each vying for their division title, but also competing with each other for one of the two wild cards. Fasten your seat belt. It’s going to be an exciting ride.


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To sit or not to sit? That is the question.......

Rizzo seems firmly rooted in his stance on sitting Strasburg despite almost everyone involved disagreeing....I think he might be sticking to his word simply to save face and because of his pride/ego. :smh:
 
I don't really see why he's being criticized. Management decided with consultation from his doctors that an innings cap would used in his first year back. Same went for Jordan, and everything worked out for him. So why would they abandon that plan if they thought it was the best thing for the health of his arm? I'd rather see them do right by the player. If they play him and his arm blows out then you've destroyed his career, his career earning potential, and all the on/off the field value he would have provided to your franchise in the next five seasons.


Potentially three teams from the AL East in the playoffs - one can only hope. Great win for the Birds last night. As for the Sox and Bobby V : :rofl:
 
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I don't really see why he's being criticized. Management decided with consultation from his doctors that an innings cap would used in his first year back. Same went for Jordan, and everything worked out for him. So why would they abandon that plan if they thought it was the best thing for the health of his arm? I'd rather see them do right by the player. If they play him and his arm blows out then you've destroyed his career, his career earning potential, and all the on/off the field value he would have provided to your franchise in the next five seasons.
Potentially three teams from the AL East in the playoffs - one can only hope. Great win for the Birds last night. As for the Sox and Bobby V : :rofl:


But Strasburg wants to play.....I think it should be his choice.
 
Red Sox should let GM decide.

Some of the Boston Red Sox players who met with ownership about Bobby Valentine on July 26 are extremely media savvy. They've played in big markets and speak off and on the record at length to various reporters, and they had to know, as they gathered that day, that eventually word of this summit would get out.

Sure enough, less than a week later, Joel Sherman of the New York Post became the first to make reference to the players' discussion with their bosses: "Outside officials say the clubhouse dislike for Bobby Valentine is so intense, players lobbying ownership for a change is not an overstatement."

More details are out now, reinforcing for all to see the reality that has been in place for months: The Red Sox players don't want to play for Bobby Valentine, not in the way that the Chicago White Sox want to play for Robin Ventura or the Los Angeles Dodgers want to play for Don Mattingly.



The roots of Boston's sub-.500 performance are more deeply tied to the pitching of Josh Beckett and John Lester and the injuries to John Lackey, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Andrew Bailey. The Red Sox have $52 million invested in those five pitchers, and in return they've gotten 11 wins, 23 losses, just 225 innings and a 5.36 ERA.



But the poor relationship between Valentine and some of his players and some coaches is a daily virus for this organization, like a flu that never goes away. On a given day, they can all get their work done, but probably not to the best of their abilities. It is, as reported in June, a toxic mix. The Red Sox ownership has been taken aback by the level of discord, and John Henry is on record as saying he doesn't believe Valentine is responsible for the team's play, so it may be that the manager will last the season -- especially given that in Boston, the players are taking the brunt of the criticism in the last 24 hours. Ownership may be leery of the perception that the inmates are running the asylum.



But there will be a day when Henry must decide what direction he wants to take and whether it's smart to continue with Valentine as the manager for the 2013 season. Henry should draw from an example set by his old friend George Steinbrenner, in the last years of Steinbrenner's life.



In the fall of 2005, the contract of New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman was set to expire, and he was ready to leave after spending seven years fighting to operate through the maze of advisors and friends and office politics that Steinbrenner created with his manic management style.

As part of what Cashman thought was his exit conversation with Steinbrenner, Cashman gave his recommendation to the man who had given him his first job in baseball. The Red Sox had surpassed the Yankees with the strength of their organization, Cashman told Steinbrenner, in their player development and evaluation, and if the Yankees wanted to keep up, they needed a more defined chain of command, with others answering to a general manager who answered to Steinbrenner.

By that fall, Steinbrenner had started to fail, with his memory and his cognitive abilities in regression; he was uncertain in a way he had never been before. But after hearing Cashman's vision of the changes needed, Steinbrenner told Cashman he wanted Cashman to make those recommended alterations, not a new GM.

Steinbrenner and Cashman had a tumultuous relationship, with the two men sometimes screaming at each other. But Steinbrenner trusted Cashman and longtime Yankee Gene Michael in a way he didn't trust others, because he believed no matter what happened, Cashman and Michael would make decisions with clean motives: They would do what was best for the organization, for the Yankees. There might be arguments, there might be fights, there might be disagreements, but Steinbrenner thought that, at heart, Cashman and Michael were loyal to the Yankees, and that they were not basing their suggestions on an effort to curry favor with Steinbrenner or to strengthen organizational alliances or weaken enemies in the office.

This is why Henry should turn to general manager Ben Cherington in the same way that Steinbrenner turned to Cashman. Henry should give full control of the team's baseball operations to Cherington, because the owner should know that above all else, Cherington is devoted to doing what's right for the Red Sox.

In Henry's decade-long stewardship of the team, Cherington has steered clear of Boston's thick culture of palace intrigue. There has been so much in-fighting, joked an AL executive, that interns are probably asked to take the first drink from each chalice -- for fear of poisoning.



For example: As soon as Theo Epstein departed as general manager last fall, leaving a power vacuum in the baseball operations, president Larry Lucchino stepped into the process of the managerial hiring and served as Valentine's patron saint -- something that never would have happened if Epstein had remained.

Cherington's short track record of decisions isn't flawless, because the GM with a perfect record doesn't exist. But Henry can trust that as Valentine's situation is evaluated, Cherington will make a fair-minded recommendation on whether the manager should be retained. Cherington would weigh the clubhouse culture and, moving forward, he could present a clear-headed array of options from which Henry could choose.

Cherington is known among rival general managers as a good and decent person; he's known for his honesty.

This is the type of perspective that Henry should be grabbing for, as he tries to figure out how to pull the Red Sox out of an ugly chapter in their history.

Josh Beckett had another bad outing, and the Red Sox were crushed.

Dustin Pedroia said he doesn't want Valentine to be fired. Valentine continues to talk himself into trouble, writes John Tomase. The meeting adds to the Red Sox drama, writes Tim Britton.

Christopher Gasper think Valentine needs to be fired.

By The Numbers
From ESPN Stats and Info



5: wins, in as many starts, for Chad Billingsley since the All-Star Break; Billingsley was 4-9 before the break.
6: shutouts in MLB Tuesday, the most on any one day in the 2012 season. The last time there were at least six shutouts on one day was May 14, 2011 (six).
9: consecutive 100-RBI seasons for Miguel Cabrera, the 10th different player in MLB history to accomplish the feat.
45: single-season hit streaks of 10-plus games in the career of Derek Jeter, the 4th-most double-digit single-season hit streaks since 1903 (Ty Cobb, 66; Hank Aaron, 48; Tris Speaker, 47).

Moves, deals and decisions


1. Don't bet on the Washington Nationals calling up prospect Anthony Rendon.



2. The New York Mets added catcher Kelly Shoppach.



3. Kevin Gausman was promoted to High-A.



4. The Baltimore Orioles are preparing to move left-hander Brian Matusz into a bullpen role.



5. Brian Fuentes left the St. Louis Cardinals, and they do not expect him to be back.



6. Lorenzo Cain was shifted down in the lineup.



7. Ben Dozier was sent to the minors.



8. Mike Butcher was suspended.



9. The Seattle Mariners look like they have a catcher on the fast track, writes Larry Stone.

Dings and dents


1. Joey Votto won't return until he's 100 percent.



2. Ian Desmond could come off the disabled list Friday, writes Adam Kilgore.



3. Matt Garza's season could be over.



4. Dallas Braden is going to have surgery.



5. Mike Napoli is eager for a quick return.



6. Matt Diaz is headed for surgery.



7. Ben Sheets is dealing with a dead arm.

AL East notes


• Hiroki Kuroda threw a complete game.

From ESPN Stats and Info, how Kuroda shut out the Rangers:



A) Seventeen of the 22 balls in play against Kuroda (77 percent) were hit on the ground, his highest percentage in the last four seasons.
B) Kuroda matched a season-low by going to only two three-ball counts.
C) Twelve of the 14 balls in play (86 percent) against Kuroda's fastball were hit on the ground. Kuroda threw only 18 percent of fastballs in the upper third of the zone or higher, his second-lowest percentage of the season.
D) Kuroda threw 35 percent sliders, his fifth-highest percentage of the season. Ninety percent of Kuroda's sliders were in the outer third of the strike zone or further outside.



• Mark Reynolds mashed a couple of homers.



• The Rays' winning streak ended, and they had their guts ripped out.

AL Central notes


• Jeremy Guthrie was dominant.

• Doug Fister was unfazed. The Tigers' relievers need relief, writes Drew Sharp.

• Ubaldo Jimenez was shelled.

• A.J. Pierzynski keeps doing great stuff for the White Sox, as Darly Van Schouwen.

AL West notes


• Zack Greinke picked up his first win with the Los Angeles Angels.

• Jarrod Parker had another tough day.

From ESPN Stats and Info: Parker's ascension was a big reason for the Athletics' success so far this season, as he went 5-3 with a 2.46 ERA in his first 13 starts. He looks like he might be running out of gas, though, as he has a 6.15 ERA in his last seven starts and failed to make it through five innings on Tuesday. Most importantly, he's now at 121 1/3 innings, and he's never exceeded 135 2/3 in his professional career.

• Eric Thames and the Mariners got to frolic.

• Josh Hamilton wasn't happy with the Rangers' plate discipline.

NL East notes


• Washington was shut down.

• Kyle Kendrick was The Man for the Philadelphia Phillies, writes Matt Gelb.

• The Mets had another bad day, as Andy Martino writes.

• Tim Hudson was dominant.

• The Miami Marlins have stopped scoring runs.

NL Central notes


• The Pittsburgh Pirates are slumping.

• Joe Kelly bounced back for the Cardinals.

• Jay Bruce got it done for the Cincinnati Reds.

• The Milwaukee Brewers tried to mount a comeback.

• Chris Volstad is still looking for a win.

• The Houston Astros had a nice game.

NL West notes


• Chad Billingsley was outstanding, as Dylan Hernandez writes.

• The Giants' lineup looks like a winner, with Brandon Belt part of the middle.

• The Arizona Diamondbacks just keep drifting.

• The Colorado Rockies won a series for the first time in 2 1/2 months.

• The San Diego Padres were blanked.

Time for O's to call up Bundy.

When the Baltimore Orioles promoted top positional prospect Manny Machado last week, there was a lot of debate as to whether or not the 20-year-old infielder was ready for the big leagues after just 928 minor league plate appearances. He's proven them right so far, but what is beyond debate is that the Orioles acted aggressively, which brought up the obvious question: If Machado, then why not Dylan Bundy?



For those who have missed it, Bundy is the 19-year-old phenom who has taken the lower levels of the minor leagues by storm. The fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft had a 0.00 ERA in eight starts for Low Class A Delmarva, and while he was more of a mortal at High-A Frederick, he was bumped up to Double-A Bowie with a 1.92 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings total innings this season.



His fastball sits in the mid-to-upper 90s, both his curveball and changeup are advanced, and for much of the season he hasn't been allowed to throw his low-90s cutter, which many believe is his best pitch. For many, Bundy is the best pitching prospect in baseball.



And when you look at all the circumstances, ranging from the Orioles' unlikely playoff odds and Bundy's current innings count, it's pretty clear that Baltimore should figure out a way to use him in the majors down the stretch. In fact, their division rival gave them a template just a few years ago.




Bundy made his Double-A debut last night with plenty of Orioles officials, and even Jim Thome, in attendance. He allowed a pair of home runs in 5 1/3 innings while striking out three. He has some occasional command issues, but some in attendance believe they saw a few cutters come out of his hand, which could be something to read into in terms of preparing him for a major-league role. Everything is certainly lining up for Baltimore in terms of Bundy's talent, workload and even a precedent to follow.



"The are two questions to ask if you are Baltimore," said a National League official in terms of a potential Bundy call-up. "The first is will the stuff play, and the second is can he handle it emotionally. The answers to the first one seems to be a resounding 'yes.' "



During the spring, the Orioles bandied about an innings count of somewhere around 120 for Bundy. Even with Monday night's outing, he's at just 89 2/3 innings, which leaves another 30-plus in the bank. He'll likely make three more Eastern League starts for Bowie, which will put him somewhere in the neighborhood of 105 innings at the start of September.

Bundy's peers?
The four modern-era teenagers who have pitched in the postseason, including their regular-season MLB innings that year.

Player Season MLB IP
Bert Blyleven 1970 164
Ken Brett 1968 2
Don Drysdale 1956 99
Don Gullett 1970 77 2/3


Scouts believe Bundy could have value in the big leagues right now, at a level ranging from solid-to-big impact, and there's a model for how to use him. In 2008, the best pitching prospect in baseball was David Price, the first overall pick in 2007. Across three levels, Price threw 109 2/3 innings during the minor-league regular season. In the midst of a historic season '08 season for the Tampa Bay Rays, Price came up in September as a bullpen arm. He ended up throwing 5 1/3 innings of relief in his debut, coming in after a disastrous start in Yankee Stadium by Edwin Jackson, and other than a spot start in September, he was used in short stints of 14 to 31 pitches.



Price was exclusively a reliever in the '08 playoffs, throwing 5 2/3 innings in five games, including a dramatic save in Game 7 of the ALCS against Boston. He still threw fewer than 130 innings that season, the Rays never wavered from developing him as a starter, and he spent the majority of the following year in the rotation.



"I love the idea of Baltimore bringing up Bundy in a Price-like role," said another National League executive. "But they have to let him throw that cutter, and the one difference that I'd wonder about is that Price was 23 years old at the time. Bundy is 19."



Only four teenagers have pitched in the postseason, and three of them spent a good amount of the regular season that year in the big leagues (see table). Yes, Bundy is just 19, but he's lauded for his maturity and work ethic, has already spent spring training with the big league club and because he received a big-league contract when signing last August, moving him to Baltimore requires no roster shenanigans.



The Orioles are in the midst of their own historic season, in the sense that they haven't had a winning season since 1997 -- when the first Playstation was the hot video game console, Hanson's MMMBop topped the charts and Cal Ripken's consecutive game streak was still alive.



Bundy can help Baltimore right now as either a starter or reliever. Scouts think he could get hitters out now in one-inning stints, and even as a starter, simply five strong innings four times in September could represent a massive upgrade over what the back of the current rotation has been supplying of late.



You have the potential to make a bit of history Baltimore, and Dylan Bundy has about 30 innings left. Use them wisely.

Rumors.

Limits for Samardzija
12:34
PM ETJeff Samardzija | Cubs Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Chicago Cubs' brass is keeping a close eye on the workload of right-hander Jeff Samardzija and couldpotemtially shut him down, reports Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com.

Samardzija has tallied nearly 140 frames this season, almost 30 more than he has ever before, so at some point in September he very well could be shut down.

"We're monitoring things and talking about it, but it is not something we have engaged him on,%u201D Theo Epstein said. %u201CWe have just let him go, but we have (the whole staff) talking about it. We will do what is best for him long term.%u201D

If you're counting on Samardzija in fantasy ball, make some changes, because it;s highly unlikely he makes it through the end of the season.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Chicago Cubs, Jeff Samardzija
Wallace's future with Astros
10:54
AM ETBrett Wallace | Astros Recommend0Comments0EmailBrett Wallace is getting another shot from the Houston Astros and and making the most it thus far.

Wallace struggled in his first few stints in the big leagues but is batting nearly .400 this time around. Skipper Brad Mills has Wallace playing third base, too, a position for which Wallace will soon qualify for fantasy purposes.

With Chris Johnson being traded to Arizona, the Astros have an opening at the hot corner, so it appears Wallace is their first choice and could spend all of 2013 there -- if he continues to hit.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Houston Astros, Brett Wallace
New names for winter deals?
10:17
AM ETFuture Trade Candidates Recommend0Comments2EmailWhile several names rumored to be on the trade block this summer that didn't get moved may again be shopped this offseason, there are likely to be new names surfacing once the 2012 season is over and clubs look to reshape their rosters.

Denard Span, Justin Morneau, Josh Willingham, Josh Johnson, Matt Garza and Justin Upton could again be available, but so could Kansas City's Billy Butler, as the Royals search for impact starting pitching, as well as Cleveland's Shin-Soo Choo and Boston's Jacoby Ellsbury, two names that were mentioned but talks reportedly did not go very far in either instance.

Both Choo and Ellsbury will be a free agents after 2013, while Butler is signed through 2014 with a club option for 2015. The Royals could entertain offers for Gordon rather than Butler, especially if rivals hold out for a more valuable player -- Gordon can play the field well while Butler is relegated to DH duties -- in return for pitching. Prospect Wil Myers could replace Gordon in the field and eventually as a productive bat, if not right away.

Hunter Pence, who was traded to the Giants last month, could be on the move again as his 2013 salary figures to be north of $13 million via arbitration.

Jed Lowrie could also be shopped over the winter, as could fellow shortstop Yunel Escobar, Arizona outfielder Gerardo Parra. A player such as Upton, Butler, Gordon or Baltimore's J.J. Hardy, could be candidates for trade next summer if things fall just right, including health, performance and the development of players behind them.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Baltimore Orioles, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, Jacoby Ellsbury, Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, Shin-Soo Choo, Justin Upton, Jed Lowrie, Gerardo Parra, J.J. Hardy
Update on Braden, Anderson
9:40
AM ETOakland Athletics Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Oakland Athletics are stacked with starting pitching but while they may get left-hander Brett Anderson back next week to add to that depth, southpaw Dallas Braden will need more surgery and will not pitch in 2012, reports Susan Slusser.

Anderson is slated for one more rehab start with Triple-A Sacramento and could rejoin the big club next week in the heat of the team's Wildcard chase.

Braden's surgery is considered exploratory, manager Bob Melvin said, so he should be ready for spring training come February.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Oakland Athletics, Brett Anderson, Dallas Braden
No. 1 prospect to the show?
9:23
AM ETTexas Rangers Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Texas Rangers are considering calling up top prospect Jurickson Profar from Double-A Frisco, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.

The Rangers' timing with such a move could come as early as Monday as late as September when rosters expand. Sullivan explains that the clubs has just three players on their bench right now but when the current road trip ends will likely go back to a 4-man bench, at which time Profar could be the call-up.

The switch-hitting shortstop is widely considered among the very best prospects in the game and could eventually push Elvis Andrus out the door via trade, or even switch positions to second base or center field simply to get him on the field everyday.

The 19-year-old is batting .285/.363/.470 with 14 home runs and 15 steals this season, and could spell Andrus at shortstop, Ian Kinsler at second base and pinch run late in games, if he's summoned ahead of other candidates such as Brandon Snyder, Leonys Martin, Julio Borbon and Engel Beltre. Each of the four on already on the 40-man roster, whereas Profar is not. The Rangers have room, however, so that shouldn't be a factor in the decision making process.

- Jason A. Churchill



Keith Law
Profar at the top

"Profar has the ultimate mark of an elite prospect. He keeps improving even as he is challenged with better competition. In this case, the Rangers jumped the 19-year-old two levels to Double-A, where he has continued to hit for average, get on base, make contact, show surprising power for his size, hit from both sides of the plate and play plus defense. There's no real hole in his game, and he looks as if he'll be more than ready for the majors before he turns 21 -- another mark of a potential superstar -- if the Rangers can create a spot for him."
Tags:Elvis Andrus, Ian Kinsler, Julio Borbon, Leonys Martin, Texas Rangers
Morrow's return
8:41
AM ETBrandon Morrow | Blue Jays Recommend0Comments0EmailBrandon Morrow tossed a strong 4 2/3 innings on rehab Monday and could be activated as early as next week after one more start in the minors.

Morrow will likely replace left-hander Aaron Laffey in the rotation, sending the journeyman back to the bullpen. Carlos Villanueva would have been another candidate, but he's throwing the ball very well right now and appears to have earned the right to continue starting.

Morrow's arm should be fresh, so he could be lightning in a bottle down the stretch, though it appears to be to little, too late for the Jays' playoff hopes.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Toronto Blue Jays, Carlos Villanueva, Aaron Laffey, Brandon Morrow
First rounder to bigs?
8:25
AM ETWashington Nationals Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Washington Nationals have promoted 2011 first-round pick Anthony Rendon to Double-A Harrisburg, reports Byron Kerr of MASN.com. Rendon missed several weeks this season due to injury and has now been promoted three times since returning earlier this summer.

Rendon, 22, was the top pure college bat in the draft class but came with an injury history and concerns that his big power wouldn't play as much in pro ball and with the wood bat. He's healthy now -- we'll see if he can stay off the disabled list -- but he's yet to be challenged by solid pitching.

Manager Davey Johnson adds to the news of Rendon's promotion by say the infielder "might be" a candidate for a September call-up when rosters expand, tweets Amanda Comack.

Rendon could otherwise be big league ready sometime in 2013 and may be an option at first base, a position the Nationals do not have a young player penciled in at for the long haul. He's very capable at third, however, so if Ryan Zimmerman continues to struggle to stay off the DL himself, Rendon could help at that position, too.

There's been talk that Rendon could learn to play second base, but considering his leg and ankle injuries, such a transition may not be in the cards. Rendon has played third base or served as the DH in each of his games played in pro ball thus far.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Washington Nationals, Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche
Indians to eye hitters
7:46
AM ETCleveland Indians Recommend0Comments0EmailWhile we have yet to complete our installation of a Rumor Central wiretap on the phone lines of Cleveland Indians GM Chris Antonetti and his staff -- :wink: -- skipper Manny Acta is talking about the club's future and potentially cluing us in on their winter plans.

Tuesday on SiriusXM Radio with Jim Bowden and Casey Stern, Acta said the club needs three hitters and a starting pitcher to compete in the American League Central. That's quite a tall order, but it's interesting nonetheless.

One of the bats probably has to come at first base, while an outfielder and possibly a third baseman could also be on the wish list. Lonnie Chisenhall could claim the hot corner with consistent play, but he's been on the disabled list most of the season with an arm injury and subsequent surgery.

Among the possible free agents the Indians could make a play for include Mike Napoli, but the club's reluctance to greatly expand payroll may force Antonetti to go the trade route, especially considering the arbitration raises due several key players such as Shin-Soo Choo, which nullifies the savings stemming from the declining of club option on Travis Hafner and the expiring contract of Grady Sizemore.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Travis Hafner, Shin-Soo Choo, Grady Sizemore, Manny Acta, Cleveland Indians
Six-man rotation in Queens?
7:33
AM ETNew York Mets Recommend0Comments0EmailIn order to better rest Johan Santana and Chris Young, New York Mets manager Terry Collins is considering a six-man starting rotation.

What Collins will not do down the stretch is use R.A. Dickey on short rest regularly, and if the club does decide to go to six starters, Jeremy Hefner is the likely No. 6 starter.

Collins says the team has not decided for sure if or when such a plan would be implemented and that the team is concerned with disrupting the schedules of Dickey and Jon Niese.

If they go to a six-man staff, fantasy owners will need to adjust accordingly, though it's possible they could do a four and two setup where Niese and Dickey always pitch on regular rest and everyone else gets an extra day or two. Stay tuned.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Jeremy Hefner, New York Mets, Chris Young, Johan Santana, R.A. Dickey, Jonathon Niese
McDonald to the 'pen?
7:26
AM ETJames McDonald | Pirates Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Pittsburgh Pirates have a week remaining on their 20-game stretch without a day off and skipper Clint Hurdle says the club will return to a five-man rotation at that point, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune. That means someone will lose their starting spot and be sent to the bullpen.

Biertempfel opines that right-hander James McDonald may be the odd-man out due to his struggles since the All-Star break. McDonald has posted an 8.71 ERA in 31 innings in the past month, suggesting he's the weak link right now.

Kevin Correia could be another candidate to move to the bullpen but he's been string of late and the club is still trying to hang onto a Wildcard berth, a race in which they lead heading into Wednesday's games.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Kevin Correia, Pittsburgh Pirates, James McDonald
How much money for Wright?
7:09
AM ETDavid Wright | Mets Recommend0Comments0EmailThird baseman David Wright says he likes the direction the New York Mets are headed and is hopeful and optimistic that the two sides can agree on a long-term extension, writes Mike Puuma of the New York Post. The question, despite Wright saying money would not be the deciding factor, now becomes about the dollars.

Wright has had a rebound season and is could be in line for a deal similar to that of Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Despite Zimmerman being nearly two years younger than Wright, his contract does not begin until 2014, when he'll be about as old as Wright will be this winter when am extension is most likely to occur.

The six-year, $100 million pact the Nats gave their third baseman, may be a bit steep for the Mets on a 30-year-old player, but that is the going rate. Perhaps Wright will be amenable to a five-year deal in the $80 million range, but it's difficult to imagine anything less than that getting it done.

The Mets have cleared payroll space in recent months by trading Carlos Beltran, letting Jose Reyes leave via free agency and avoiding big-money free agents, suggesting they have the available monies to make a fair offer to Wright and keep him around.

The alternative is to shop Wright's services over the winter and try to add multiple pieces to the puzzle. Wright's contract is not up until after 2013 due to a club option for $16 million, making a trade plausible, though not likely.

- Jason A. Churchill
 
Why? When players sign for a team they are entrusting their development to that team. Players don't usually know what's best for them, and Stras doesn't have the data or medical knowledge to make the most informed call.
 
On the Strasburg point - they traded away their high end pitching prospect for Gio, what happens is he goes down again with an injury next year? There's too much risk and not enough upside IMO.
 
DC hasn't been involved in a penant race for a long long time, the city would revolt if the Nats miss the playoffs or drop in the standings with Stras on the bench.
 
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Shame. Likely was on it last year too. Career was close to over after his year in Atlanta before broke KC signed him for peanuts, and those groundouts became singles.
 
Is this the first time ever a team has thrown a perfect game in the same year that they were victims of a perfect game?
 
Damn, there goes that FA money :lol:

Everyone is saying this, including an article on fan graphs saying this will cost him $60-70 million... pfffftt This guy was in the dumps, Yankees sent him packing then the Braves told him to kick rocks. Got a minor league deal with KC and "rebounded", gets traded in a contract year and he blows up only to ultimately have it blow up in his face. He would've never been in line for that money anyway. He's been playing with house money. Maybe now he can slang that Camaro he got for getting the ASMVP.


Shocking that Dodger fans would be in here talking.

Sure, let's pretend like we didn't hear the biggest baseball news of the day, up until Felix got the perfecto, involving our biggest rival and team we are competing with for the division crown. :lol:

Frankly, I'm kind of bummed, think we would've won the division despite a juiced Melky in your lineup, and you knew Sabean was going to give him a fat contract. Wanted Melky to get Rowand money and then get busted. Giants dodged a bullet.

Melky's "resurgence" never sat well with me...call it intuition.
 
Players must take stance against PEDs.

Melky Cabrera was like a bank robber who did everything right in his plan to steal tens of millions -- right up until the moment his getaway car ran out of gas.




Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports/US Presswire
Had Melky Cabrera inked a new deal, then got busted, the signing team would still be on the hook.

With a little luck, it would've all worked out as planned, and Cabrera could've made $60 million, or $70 million or $80 million or more. It's unclear exactly what day Cabrera was asked for the urine sample that tested positive, but if the timing had been different, he might've slipped through the cracks before becoming a free agent this fall. And it's just the latest example that should scare the players' union into seeking tougher penalties for drug offenders.



Cabrera was in a great position to capitalize on another strong season that was out of the ordinary for him. (And yes, it's now fair game to wonder if Cabrera's breakthrough season of 2011 was also accomplished with the aid of performance-enhancing drugs. He was a fourth outfielder with the Yankees before having a terrible year with the Braves in 2010, and then being non-tendered. Then suddenly, like someone rising out of a wheelchair and shouting that he was cured, Cabrera hit .305 with 67 extra-base hits for the Royals in 2011, before hitting .346 for the Giants this year while also winning All-Star Game MVP).



Think about what would have come next, if he hadn't have been nabbed: At age 28, he was probably the No. 2 or No. 3 free-agent outfielder, behind Josh Hamilton. Armed with strong back-to-back years on his résumé, Cabrera probably would've gotten offers in the range of the deal that Andre Ethier signed -- five years, $85 million.



Imagine, for a moment, that he had signed that deal with the Giants, for $17 million a year. Then, if he had tested positive at any time during the course of the contract -- if he had been caught -- the Giants would have had the same recourse that the Dodgers had with Manny Ramirez: Nada.



You remember that, right? Ramirez signed a two-year, $45 million deal with the Dodgers and was immediately suspended after being linked to a female fertility drug. He served his suspension, which cost him roughly $8 million, and then he came back and was a shadow of himself -- getting paid, even after getting caught.



If the Giants had locked up Cabrera, they would've been on the hook for the rest of Cabrera's contract even if he was caught, and even if it became clear that they signed him under false pretenses.



It's apparent that as players weigh the possible risks and rewards of using performance-enhancing drugs, in baseball, crime can still pay. Handsomely.



"There's more work to be done with the [drug] policy," a veteran player conceded on Wednesday evening. "I think almost all players want a level playing field -- that's what important to them. If the policy isn't deterring players, then that's a problem."



To Cabrera's credit, he didn't read from the my-dog-ate-my-homework script after news of his positive test broke. He was honest, in the statement released in his name: "My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used. I accept my suspension under the Joint Drug Program and I will try to move on with my life. I am deeply sorry for my mistake and I apologize to my teammates, to the San Francisco Giants organization and to the fans for letting them down."



But if Cabrera had been truly regretful, then he wouldn't have gone through the appeals process, which, for him, began sometime in the last 10 days of July. He was fully prepared to beat the system, to add tens of millions of dollars to his new contract, and when he was caught, well, that's when he'd put his hands in the air and surrendered.

Cabrera not only would have essentially been deceiving his next employer, of course, but he could have directly hurt other players in the market. If Cabrera had gone into free agency without a suspension, wielding those huge numbers, then players like Shane Victorino would have been naturally pushed lower down the pecking order, as the older (and less desirable) player.
There is a parallel violation that could provide some guideline in how the union can (and should) ask for a strengthening of the drug-testing policy. If a player or staff member is caught betting on a baseball game in which he is not involved, a first offense would cost him a one-year ban. A second offense could mean a lifetime ban. This is how the union could put some teeth into the drug-testing: A one-year ban for the first offense, and a lifetime ban for the second offense.



Additionally, any player suspended for performance-enhancing drugs should have his contract voided, with the player remaining under the control of the team that signed him. And any player who tests positive in a given season should automatically be ineligible to play in the postseason that year, so they are not rewarded with a playoff share. As it stands, Cabrera could still profit if the Giants play deep into October.



These would be an important means in assuring that cheating players would be face career-threatening risks, rather than a penalty that is light enough that the Melky Cabreras of the world would seek ways to beat the system -- to rob the marketplace.



Cabrera not only would have essentially been deceiving his next employer, of course, but he could have directly hurt other players in the market. If Cabrera had gone into free agency without a suspension, wielding those huge numbers, then players like Shane Victorino would have been naturally pushed lower down the pecking order, as the older (and less desirable) player. If Cabrera had gotten an $85 million deal from the Giants, that may well have impacted their decision whether to re-sign Hunter Pence at some point.



Melky Cabrera is a cheater -- not only in how he competed, but in how he tried to beat the system. Until the players more severely punish those who are caught, the temptation to try will only grow, as the compensation does.

Impact of Melky suspension.

Last month, a rumor was passed around about a player testing positive for drug use and being suspended for 50 games. Unlike most rumors flying around the Twitterverse, this one made it to mass media, creating a minor firestorm and a handful of headaches. The player involved? Melky Cabrera.



This afternoon, another story hit the airwaves, this one better sourced than the one above. Melky Cabrera had tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone in his blood, triggering the 50-game suspension for a first-time violator of MLB's drug testing agreement with the players' association.




Two years ago, this would not have been a major story as Cabrera was busy hitting .255/.317/.354 in left field for the Atlanta Braves -- they would have been happier to have a shortfall of Melky than a surplus.



The 2012 edition of Cabrera is a much different player than the one who signed a one-year, $1.25 million deal with the Kansas City Royals before the 2011 season. This Melky hit .305/.339/.470 for the Royals in 2011 and, after being swapped for Jonathan Sanchez this past winter, was hitting .346/.390/.516 for the Giants through Tuesday night's game.



As unpleasant as this news may be for Cabrera, it comes off as downright nauseating for the Giants, who are 64-53 and tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West lead.



So, where does that leave the Giants, without their .906 OPS left fielder? With Nate Schierholtz gone in the Hunter Pence trade, Gregor Blanco becomes the obvious starting left fielder in Cabrera's absence, with Brett Pill likely to be the beneficiary of Blanco's reserve time in left and right. Using the ZiPS projection system, the Giants project to lose just under one win for the rest of the season, at 0.7 wins the rest of the way, thanks to the loss of Cabrera.



That may not sound like a lot at first, but in a tight race, with only 45 games to play, a single game can be the difference between winning the division and winning a much less valuable wild-card spot. Even worse, it could be the difference between winning the division and watching the playoffs from a couch.



To gauge the effect on the divisional race, I used a Monte Carlo simulation, along with ZiPS, to simulate the remaining games in baseball, both with the Giants having Cabrera and with the Giants losing him.



Before the news of Cabrera's suspension broke, the Giants -- a team with a bit more than the Dodgers -- projected to have a 52.6 percent chance at winning the division, followed by the Dodgers at 37.3 percent, the Diamondbacks at 10.1 percent, and the Rockies and Padres both having less than 1-in-2,000 chance.



Without Cabrera, San Francisco's odds of winning the division drop to 43.8 percent. The Dodgers, the team in the best position to take advantage of the Giants' loss, have their odds increase to 44.1 percent. That's right, Cabrera's absence for the rest of the season swings the division in the Dodgers' favor.



Arizona's slimmer odds improve slightly, to 11.9 percent. Even the Padres get a slightly better lottery ticket, their odds improving to 0.053 percent, or about 1 time in 1,887 chances (don't hold your breath).



The Giants woke up today as a solid bet to win the NL West. Instead, a single news story now makes the Dodgers a slight favorite to take the division and the guaranteed NLDS spot that comes with it.

King Felix's transcendent gift.

There is a spectacular scene in the Oscar-winning movie "Amadeus" when the composer Antonio Salieri presents Mozart with a piece written in his honor, and in playing the music, Mozart demonstrates (you can see it here) his own extraordinary talent -- and at the same time, he makes Salieri understand the full depth of difference between his own ability and that of Mozart, and how he couldn't possibly be as good as his rival.

I thought of this yesterday while watching Felix Hernandez throw his perfect game, because he is baseball's Mozart.



He was a childhood prodigy, was nicknamed "The King" while he was a teenager, and like a composer who can seemingly generate whole operas in his mind, there doesn't seem to be anything he can't do when he pitches, at a level of brilliance that others can't even fathom.



His fastball has ridiculous movement. His changeup sometimes is of the Bugs Bunny variety. His command of his slider is surpassed only by his ability to control his curveball. Early in the 2009 season, the Los Angeles Angels stole four bases against Hernandez, and before his next start, Rick Adair -- who was the Seattle pitching coach at the time -- spoke to Hernandez about this, about how he needed to start focusing on holding runners because it was becoming a problem.



Felix had three more starts against the Angels and allowed one steal, total. It was if he just decided that this stolen-base nonsense was going to stop, and he just ended it.

Hernandez has played on mostly bad teams in his career, but when he faces a good lineup, he just seems to raise his level, like an older sibling who decides to score the last 20 points in a one-on-one game against a younger sibling because he just won't let them win.

Hernandez has five starts in Yankee Stadium, in what is typically viewed as one of the toughest parks for pitchers in baseball, against what is typically one of the best and deepest lineups, and these are the results of those games:

Innings: 39 2/3
Earned runs: 5
ERA: 1.13
Strikeouts: 40

It's like Felix decides that he's going to win, that he's going to inflict his will on the game. It's more complicated than that, of course, and Hernandez should always get the credit for honing that ability. But I spent a few moments this morning thinking of athletes who had that kind of transcendent talent similar to that of Hernandez, and the list I came up with was very short:

Tiger Woods. Josh Hamilton, for sure. Willie Mays. Joe DiMaggio. Michael Jordan. Babe Ruth. Jim Brown. Pedro Martinez. Wayne Gretzky. Barry Sanders.

For the readers: Name other "kings" in sports.

Sean Rodriguez, the 27th out, thought about dropping a bunt, as Marc Topkin writes.

Hernandez's perfect game was the 23rd in history, as Larry Stone writes. For Felix, perfection seemed inevitable, writes Steve Kelley.

The Tampa Bay Rays had a whole lot of praise for Felix.

By The Numbers, Felix edition
From ESPN Stats and Info



12: All 12 of Hernandez's strikeouts in his perfect game were on off-speed pitches (six changeups, five curveballs, one slider).
23: Hernandez threw the 23rd perfect game in MLB history, and the third this season (Philip Humber, Matt Cain).
25: Swings and misses for the Rays against Hernandez's offspeed pitches, most by a starter this season.
93: Average mph of Hernandez's fastballs, the fastest in a start this season. Hernandez averaged 94.3 mph in innings 7-9, including eight pitches 95 mph or faster.

Hernandez had his breaking stuff working on Wednesday -- his 25 swing-and-misses on his breaking pitches are the most by anyone in our database (since 2009). Hernandez used all four of his pitches to get 27 outs against the Rays, but increased his off-speed usage to its highest total of the season (59.3 percent of pitches). Hernandez got 15 of 27 outs with his off-speed pitches, including all 12 of his strikeouts.

Pitch selection: 46 fastballs, 25 changeups, 22 curveballs, 20 sliders
Outs by pitch: 12 on fastballs, seven on changeups, five on curveballs, three on sliders
Strikeouts by pitch: Six on changeups, five on curveballs, one on a slider



Elsewhere


• Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals keep humming along, writes Adam Kilgore. Strasburg pitched six more innings.

From Adam Kilgore's story:



He made his other frames look easy, throwing 100 pitches total. He may have five starts remaining, perhaps more and perhaps fewer. His innings count for the year is 139 1 / 3, a number he has pushed out of his mind.


"It's out of my control," Strasburg said. "I'm just doing everything I can to help this team win games and it's all going to take care of itself in the end."


James Wagner spoke with some doctors about this situation.

• The Nationals have been without All-Star shortstop Ian Desmond, but they haven't missed a beat while Danny Espinosa and Steve Lombardozzi have filled in, writes Amanda Comak.

• The Pittsburgh Pirates are working to avoid the same kind of collapse they had last season, but they have had a brutal series against the Los Angeles Dodgers -- and now they've lost Neil Walker for the immediate future, as Bill Brink writes.

• Just so we can get all the stories straight: The Boston Red Sox are saying they had a player-owner meeting that involved about two dozen people and nobody complained about Bobby Valentine. And at the same time, Nick Cafardo writes that the Red Sox are concerned about leaks.

The chicken-and-beer Red Sox ... stunned that there are leaks.

The Red Sox -- some of who flambéed Terry Francona as he departed the organization -- are surprised there are leaks.

Wow.

Here's John Henry's statement.

The Red Sox lost again, and they're not worth attention, writes John Tomase.



Cabrera tests positive


A partial list of folks who might have some hard questions after Melky Cabrera's 50-game suspension:

Ian Kennedy, against whom Cabrera hit an Opening Day homer.

Antonio Bastardo, the Phillies' pitcher who allowed a walkoff hit to Cabrera in April.

Ricky Nolasco, who was almost single-handedly beaten by Cabrera on May 22.

Or how about all the teams that got hammered by Cabrera this year, and saw first-hand how Cabrera impacted the standings.

Kirk Gibson wants tougher penalties for players who are busted. From Nick Piecoro's story:



"I can say that certainly the majority of people who are in this game care about the integrity of the game," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "We're all committed to cleaning it up. Obviously, there's not a big enough deterrent if it continues."


Gibson doesn't know what the right answer is. He just believes it's something greater than the penalties tied to the game's current drug policy, which calls for a 50-game suspension for a first-time positive test.


"I don't have an exact number," Gibson said. "I think it should be a minimum of a year (for a first positive) and after that it should just be banned."


Gibson rarely voices opinions on big-picture baseball topics, confining himself instead to the realm directly related to his job description. But on this day, on this topic, he felt strongly enough to break character.


In nine games against them this season, Cabrera had his way with Diamondbacks pitching. He was 18 for 39 (.462) with three doubles, two homers, eight runs scored and six RBIs, numbers Gibson rattled off during a pregame session with reporters. The Giants won four of those nine games.


"He's had a huge impact against us," Gibson said. "And then you go back to 2008 with the Manny thing. Huge impact. You compare like in the NCAA with Penn State. All those people are gone and Penn State is paying for it. Here it's just tied to the individual. I think we need much stronger ramifications for that type of activity. It just absolutely cannot be tolerated."


I wrote about this in a post Wednesday, after talking with some players on background.



The New York Yankees were surprised about the Cabrera news, writes Zach Schonbrun.

He sought an edge and then fell off the cliff.

Victor Conte thinks testosterone is the biggest loophole.

From The Daily News story:

Conte told The News recently that he believes the most popular performance enhancers in sports are not necessarily the undetectable designer steroids he provided athletes with more than a decade ago from his BALCO offices near San Francisco, but the kind of simple, fast-acting synthetic testosterone Cabrera is believed to have tested positive for.
"I'm told that they rub it on their hands or under their arms," he said, adding that the "trans-dermal" creams, as they're known, clear the system in six to eight hours and don't breach the 4-to-1 testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio that triggers a positive test under most programs.


This ban is going to cost Cabrera a lot of money, writes Joel Sherman. The Melky suspension shows that the sport is still dirty, writes Bob Klapisch. The Kansas City Royals were surprised.

The Giants have a decision to make, as Henry Schulman writes. A Giant told Alex Pavlovic, "This could be a turning point" -- the day before, and the player might be right without knowing why.

From ESPN Stats and Info: Cabrera became one of the better hitters in baseball during the past year and a half, hitting .346 this season. His biggest improvement came from hitting fastballs, where his average jumped more than 50 points from 2009 to 2012.



Cabrera vs. fastballs in the last four seasons (BA/OPS)
2009: .288/.800
2010: .293/.749
2011: .338/.904
2012: .345/.949

Moves, deals and decisions


1. A Pirates coach isn't interested in an available college job.



2. Brian Matusz to the bullpen is just temporary, says GM Dan Duquette.



3. The Cleveland Indians need more offense in 2013, Manny Acta says.



4. Chris Parmalee might be returning.



5. The Chicago Cubs continue to go through a front office shakeup, and Phil Rogers wonders how one executive, in particular, will survive.



6. Chipper Jones is going to be back in the lineup for his bobblehead day.



7. Buster Posey wants more time behind the plate.

Dings and dents


1. Paul Konerko is set to return.



2. The question about Troy Tulowitzki is whether he should return this year, writes Troy Renck.

NL East notes


• Umpires made R.A. Dickey cut off his bracelets.

• The Philadelphia Phillies had a rough go of it.

• The Miami Marlins came alive at the plate.

• Dan Uggla mashed a big home run, in support of Paul Maholm, who keeps doing great stuff for the Atlanta Braves.

NL Central notes


• The St. Louis Cardinals caught the Pirates in the wild-card chase. Rafael Furcal is hitting again.

• Mike Leake went the distance.

• The Cubs won a series against the Houston Astros.

• This is not a recording: The Brewers' bullpen collapsed, and Milwaukee was swept.

• The Astros gave up a lot of homers.

NL West notes


• The Diamondbacks continue to be a riddle.

• Clayton Kershaw was The Man for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

• Edinson Volquez struggled.

AL East notes


• The Baltimore Orioles rallied, and they now lead the AL wild-card race, which is pretty crazy.

• The Jays' pitching was knocked around.

• Freddy Garcia was excellent.

AL Central


• Miguel Cabrera continues to amaze, as John Lowe writes.

• The Royals were powered by a two-run burst.

• Roberto Hernandez was flat in his first start back with the Indians.

• The Minnesota Twins had a plan that worked well early, and they still lost.

• Adam Dunn clubbed career homer No. 399, and the White Sox won again, as Dave van Dyck writes.

AL West notes


• Josh Hamilton hit a couple of homers, but the Texas Rangers still lost. Center field seems to be his new spot.

• Brandon McCarthy was really good, but the Royals still lost.

• Ervin Santana was impressive. Nothing Mike Trout does surprises us anymore, writes Bill Plunkett.

Rumors.

Soriano trade coming?
10:01
AM ETAlfonso Soriano | Cubs Recommend0Comments0EmailChicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano has cleared waivers, reported Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com Wednesday, which means he can be traded to any team. OK, not really.

Soriano has full no-trade rights and can veto any trade brought to him by the club and told Patrick Mooney of Comcast Sportsnet "I don't think so," when asked if he might change his mind and accept a trade to a team such as the San Francisco Giants.

The Giants, having lost Melky Cabrera for the rest of the season due to suspension, may look around for offensive help.

Soriano is due about $1.5 million for the rest of 2012, but $36 million guaranteed for 2013 and 2014 combined. The Cubs are believed to be willing to eat a significant portion of his salary, but the player has to be willing to go, and it appears that isn't the case right now, or at least when it comes to the Giants.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Alfonso Soriano
Rangers roster plans
9:02
AM ETTexas Rangers Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Texas Rangers are planning to stick with their current 8-man relief corps through the weekend series in Toronto, reports MLB.com.

The club isn't likely to add a utility infielder -- possibly a veteran -- though not Yuniesky Betancourt, who was recently released by the Kansas City Royals -- and possibly top prospect Jurickson Profar -- until Monday.

The club does not have a candidate for such a role on their 40-man, and of those not yet on the roster, Profar is by far the most likely to be an asset.

In related news, right-hander Koji Uehara is nearing a return from the disabled list, but is likely still a week or two away. He threw live BP Wednesday at Double-A Frisco and is expected to do so again Saturday.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Texas Rangers, Yuniesky Betancourt, Koji Uehara
Dice-K done in Boston?
8:35
AM ETDaisuke Matsuzaka | Red Sox Recommend0Comments0EmailDaisuke Matsuzaka has had an injury-filled sixth season in Major League Baseball, and his recent rehab start could be an indication that his career in Boston has come to an end.

He struggled in Triple-A Pawtucket Wednesday, surrendering four earned runs on five hits and two walks in his fourth rehab start during this stint on the disabled list.

The Sox have through August 29 to decide whether Matsuzaka is ready to come back to the big leagues, at which time they will have to activate the right-hander, option him to Pawtucket or again place him on the disabled list. If he's DL'd again or optioned, the minor league schedule would be complete before he was eligible to rehab again, effectively ending his season. Pawtucket could make the postseason, however, which could change things on that front. They sit just one game back with two-plus weeks remaining.

Dice-K will hit the free agent market this offseason, and it appears highly unlikely that the Red Sox make a serious bid for his services, unless he comes at a greatly reduced rate. That isn't out of the question, though, considering he's battled injuries this season and may want a comfortable place to reestablish his value.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Boston Red Sox, Daisuke Matsuzaka
Weeks on the hot seat?
8:01
AM ETJemile Weeks | Athletics Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Oakland Athletics, who are in the thick of the Wildcard hunt in the American League and trail the American League West leaders -- the Texas Rangers -- by just six games with six weeks remaining -- may be having second thoughts about one of their regulars.

Second baseman Jemile Weeks has struggled at the plate all season and enters play Thursday with a .220/.304/.303 triple-slash, serving as a major weak link in the A's thin offensive armor. It may be Weeks' defense, however, that costs him his job, writes Casey Pratt of CSNBayArea.com.

Weeks made a costly error Tuesday and the defensive metrics show he's been below average with the glove during his time in the big leagues. That puts pressure on Weeks' bat, which was a bright spot when he came up a year ago.

Pratt points out that former first-roundpick Grant Green, a natural shortstop who has played the outfield and third base a lot this season, as well, has been playing second base regularly for the past eight games. Perhaps the A's are preparing for Green to be called up soon to help them at second base in light of Weeks' struggles.

In the meantime, Adam Rosales is getting time at second.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Oakland Athletics, Adam Rosales, Jemile Weeks
Future for Ortiz
7:29
AM ETDavid Ortiz | Red Sox Recommend0Comments0EmailDavid Ortiz is still not ready to return to action, and it appears it may be a little while, writes Ian Browne of MLB.com.

Big Papi is not running or hitting, part of a plan to back off his rehab work to make sure he avoids any further setbacks. Browne indicates the DH will not likely play for at least the rest of the current week, but he's been out a month now and may need a little time to get ready once he's cleared for all baseball activities.

With the Red Sox's season getting away from them, the focus may shift from when Ortiz returns in 2012 to whether or not he comes back to Boston next season. And if he does return, under what terms, exactly.

Ortiz and the club agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth just over $14.575 million for this season. He'll be 37 this fall, but showed he can still rake, and it's difficult to believe he'd play anywhere else, as long as the Sox come at him with a fair offer.

With the Red Sox's season getting away from them, the focus may shift from when Ortiz returns in 2012 to whether or not he comes back to Boston next season. And if he does return, under what terms, exactly.

Ortiz and the club agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth just over $14.575 million for this season. He'll be 37 this fall, but showed he can still rake, and it's difficult to believe he'd play anywhere else, as long as the Sox come at him with a fair offer.

Ryan Lavarnway, for whom playing time was recently cleared when the team dealt Kelly Shoppach to the New York Mets, is likely to continue to get time at DH while Ortiz remains on the disabled list. The right-handed slugger also could be Boston's backup plan at DH in case Ortiz does not return for 2013.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Boston Red Sox, Ryan Lavarnway, David Ortiz
Matusz's role
6:46
AM ETBrian Matusz | Orioles Recommend0Comments1EmailThe Baltimore Orioles lost left-hander Troy Patton to the disabled list and are considering moving southpaw Brian Matusz into a relief role, reports Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun.

Skipper Buck Showalter went as far as to say "I think that's something you'll probably see us do here very quickly," suggesting the decision has already been made.

Matusz is effective versus left-handed batters, holding them to a .174 average this season and .223 over the course of his short big league career, and the change in roles may be the best way for Matusz to get back to The Show, at least for 2012.

General manager Dan Duquette said Wednesday that the club still views Matusz as a starter long term, since it's more valuable, and that a move to the bullpen right now is due to team need.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Brian Matusz, Troy Patton, Baltimore Orioles
August 15, 2012Impact of Cabrera's suspension
3:32
PM ETMelky Cabrera | Giants Recommend0Comments3EmailThe San Francisco Giants will be without Melky Cabrera for the rest of the season as the outfielder has been suspended for violating the league's drug policy, tweets ESPN's Jorge Arangure.

Cabrera will also miss the first four games in 2013 or the first four games of this year's playoffs, but the real impact is on the 2012 pennant race between the Giants and the heated rival Dodgers.

The Giants are likely to replace Cabrera in the lineup with Gregor Blanco, but will likely call up an outfielder from Triple-A, perhaps Justin Christian.

Cabrera's pending free agency is almost certain to be negatively impacted, too, as the testosterone he was on can easily be credited with a portion of his huge success this season, and some clubs may not want to take such a risk on a multi-year contract, suggesting the suspension may actually help the Giants keep Cabrera into 2013. That is, unless they have soured on Cabrera as a result of the positive test.

- Jason A. Churchill



Eric Karabell
Cabrera replacements

"I wouldn't try to find someone capable of hitting .346 the rest of the season. It was pretty unlikely Cabrera was going to do that in the first place; he was hitting .309 in August. Look closer at your place in the standings in home runs and stolen bases and see if you need an upgrade there, and whether you can afford to lose a bit in batting average, because quite a few of these available players aren't going to hit even .250 the rest of the way. In terms of cheap and likely available power, Eric Chavez, Jonny Gomes, Mark Reynolds,Todd Frazier, Brett Wallace, Wilin Rosario, Dustin Ackley, Zack Cozart, Starling Marte andSalvador Perez are the only players with three or more home runs in the past 15 days that are still available in more than half of ESPN's standard leagues."
Tags:Melky Cabrera, Gregor Blanco, Justin Christian, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers
August 15, 2012Who's on first in Denver?
2:25
PM ETColorado Rockies Recommend0Comments1EmailFor now, Todd Helton is still under contract, a deal that lasts through the 2013 season, and there have been no hints that he's calling it quits a year early, so Helton will get at least some of the playing at first base next season. What happens on days he sits and after he hangs up the spikes is anyone's guess. Let's give it a shot, anyway.

The first thought is Michael Cuddyer, who is aging -- 34 before next season begins -- and the Rockies seem to have plenty of options in the outfield with Dexter Fowler, Carlos Gonzalez and a combination of Tyler Colvin, Eric Young, Jr., and prospect Tim Wheeler.

Other than Cuddyer, the Rockies lack clear options at the position, suggesting that if they intend to use Cuddyer in the outfield regularly, they'll need to acquire some first base help as early as this winter. Jason Giambi has been getting part-time duty at first, but he's a free agent at season's end and may not be back for '13.

If the Rockies aren't planning to spend money on a free agent or send young players away in a trade to acquire veteran, perhaps a cheaper answer such as Lyle Overbay, James Loney or Daric Barton will be of interest.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Colorado Rockies, Daric Barton, James Loney, Lyle Overbay, Michael Cuddyer, Todd Helton
August 15, 2012Update on Braden, Anderson
1:50
PM ETOakland Athletics Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Oakland Athletics are stacked with starting pitching but while they may get left-hander Brett Anderson back next week to add to that depth, southpaw Dallas Braden will need more surgery and will not pitch in 2012, reports Susan Slusser.

Anderson is slated for one more rehab start with Triple-A Sacramento and could rejoin the big club next week in the heat of the team's Wildcard chase.

Braden's surgery is considered exploratory, manager Bob Melvin said, so he should be ready for spring training come February.

- Jason A. Churchill



Jim Bowden
Who is the X-Factor in Oakland?

"Circumstance: The A's are for real, boasting solid young pitching, above-average defense and a surprising offense. But could that young pitching be helped by a veteran ace down the stretch? X factor: Brett Anderson. The 24-year-old lefty has missed most of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he just threw six shutout innings in a Triple-A rehab start last Friday and could return to the majors in the next week. Anderson won 11 games with an ERA of 2.80 in 2010, before breaking down in 2011."
Tags:Oakland Athletics, Brett Anderson, Dallas Braden
August 15, 2012Garza's altered future
1:01
PM ETMatt Garza | Cubs Recommend1Comments0EmailFirst it was all about the Chicago Cubs trading Matt Garza. Then it became about signing the right-hander to a multi-year extension. Then he got hurt and survived the trade deadline. Now, Garza's short-term future is cloudy, at best.

Garza, writes Toni Ginnetti of the Chicago Sun-Times, is likely out for the rest of the season. Not would that make it difficult for the team to trade him this winter, but it also makes it difficult to evaluate his worth in terms of a contract extension.


All this points to Garza being back with the club to start next season and adds some pressure on the veteran to perform to either earn an extension by proving he's healthy, improve his trade value or simply add to his resume once he hits free agency after the season.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Chicago Cubs, Matt Garza
August 15, 2012Guthrie's FA stock rising
12:52
PM ETJeremy Guthrie | Royals Recommend0Comments1EmailRight-hander Jeremy Guthrie tossed eight shutout innings at the Chicago White Sox last Wednesday, his second straight quality outing, and repeated the effort Tuesday. Perhaps Guthrie was simply the victim of a new league and the rigors of pitching in the thin air at Coors Field, but he's been a completely different pitcher since coming back to the American League.

The 33-year-old will be a free agent after the season, but may have found a home with the Kansas City Royals, who desperately need veteran starting pitching and have given indications that they are willing to spend money on the right arms. Keeping Guthrie around could be part of their offseason plan, though GM Dayton Moore is certain to look for top-of-the-rotation additions, too.

Guthrie could be a fit for several clubs as a back-end starter who can eat innings, provided he's not too pricey and continues to pitch at such a level.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Jeremy Guthrie, Kansas City Royals
August 15, 2012Limits for Samardzija
12:34
PM ETJeff Samardzija | Cubs Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Chicago Cubs' brass is keeping a close eye on the workload of right-hander Jeff Samardzija and couldpotemtially shut him down, reports Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com.

Samardzija has tallied nearly 140 frames this season, almost 30 more than he has ever before, so at some point in September he very well could be shut down.

"We're monitoring things and talking about it, but it is not something we have engaged him on," Theo Epstein said. "We have just let him go, but we have (the whole staff) talking about it. We will do what is best for him long term."

If you're counting on Samardzija in fantasy ball, make some changes, because it;s highly unlikely he makes it through the end of the season.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Jeff Samardzija, Chicago Cubs
August 15, 2012Wallace's future with Astros
10:54
AM ETBrett Wallace | Astros Recommend0Comments0EmailBrett Wallace is getting another shot from the Houston Astros and and making the most it thus far.

Wallace struggled in his first few stints in the big leagues but is batting nearly .400 this time around. Skipper Brad Mills has Wallace playing third base, too, a position for which Wallace will soon qualify for fantasy purposes.

With Chris Johnson being traded to Arizona, the Astros have an opening at the hot corner, so it appears Wallace is their first choice and could spend all of 2013 there -- if he continues to hit.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Houston Astros, Brett Wallace
August 15, 2012New names for winter deals?
10:17
AM ETFuture Trade Candidates Recommend0Comments3EmailWhile several names rumored to be on the trade block this summer that didn't get moved may again be shopped this offseason, there are likely to be new names surfacing once the 2012 season is over and clubs look to reshape their rosters.

Denard Span, Justin Morneau, Josh Willingham, Josh Johnson, Matt Garza and Justin Upton could again be available, but so could Kansas City's Billy Butler, as the Royals search for impact starting pitching, as well as Cleveland's Shin-Soo Choo and Boston's Jacoby Ellsbury, two names that were mentioned but talks reportedly did not go very far in either instance.

Both Choo and Ellsbury will be a free agents after 2013, while Butler is signed through 2014 with a club option for 2015. The Royals could entertain offers for Gordon rather than Butler, especially if rivals hold out for a more valuable player -- Gordon can play the field well while Butler is relegated to DH duties -- in return for pitching. Prospect Wil Myers could replace Gordon in the field and eventually as a productive bat, if not right away.

Hunter Pence, who was traded to the Giants last month, could be on the move again as his 2013 salary figures to be north of $13 million via arbitration.

Jed Lowrie could also be shopped over the winter, as could fellow shortstop Yunel Escobar, Arizona outfielder Gerardo Parra. A player such as Upton, Butler, Gordon or Baltimore's J.J. Hardy, could be candidates for trade next summer if things fall just right, including health, performance and the development of players behind them.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Baltimore Orioles, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals, Jacoby Ellsbury, Alex Gordon, Billy Butler, Shin-Soo Choo, Justin Upton, Jed Lowrie, Gerardo Parra, J.J. Hardy
August 15, 2012No. 1 prospect to the show?
9:23
AM ETTexas Rangers Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Texas Rangers are considering calling up top prospect Jurickson Profar from Double-A Frisco, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.

The Rangers' timing with such a move could come as early as Monday as late as September when rosters expand. Sullivan explains that the clubs has just three players on their bench right now but when the current road trip ends will likely go back to a 4-man bench, at which time Profar could be the call-up.

The switch-hitting shortstop is widely considered among the very best prospects in the game and could eventually push Elvis Andrus out the door via trade, or even switch positions to second base or center field simply to get him on the field everyday.

The 19-year-old is batting .285/.363/.470 with 14 home runs and 15 steals this season, and could spell Andrus at shortstop, Ian Kinsler at second base and pinch run late in games, if he's summoned ahead of other candidates such as Brandon Snyder, Leonys Martin, Julio Borbon and Engel Beltre. Each of the four on already on the 40-man roster, whereas Profar is not. The Rangers have room, however, so that shouldn't be a factor in the decision making process.

- Jason A. Churchill



Keith Law
Profar at the top

"Profar has the ultimate mark of an elite prospect. He keeps improving even as he is challenged with better competition. In this case, the Rangers jumped the 19-year-old two levels to Double-A, where he has continued to hit for average, get on base, make contact, show surprising power for his size, hit from both sides of the plate and play plus defense. There's no real hole in his game, and he looks as if he'll be more than ready for the majors before he turns 21 -- another mark of a potential superstar -- if the Rangers can create a spot for him."
Tags:Elvis Andrus, Ian Kinsler, Julio Borbon, Leonys Martin, Texas Rangers
August 15, 2012Morrow's return
8:41
AM ETBrandon Morrow | Blue Jays Recommend0Comments0EmailBrandon Morrow tossed a strong 4 2/3 innings on rehab Monday and could be activated as early as next week after one more start in the minors.

Morrow will likely replace left-hander Aaron Laffey in the rotation, sending the journeyman back to the bullpen. Carlos Villanueva would have been another candidate, but he's throwing the ball very well right now and appears to have earned the right to continue starting.

Morrow's arm should be fresh, so he could be lightning in a bottle down the stretch, though it appears to be to little, too late for the Jays' playoff hopes.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Toronto Blue Jays, Carlos Villanueva, Aaron Laffey, Brandon Morrow
August 15, 2012First rounder to bigs?
8:25
AM ETWashington Nationals Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Washington Nationals have promoted 2011 first-round pick Anthony Rendon to Double-A Harrisburg, reports Byron Kerr of MASN.com. Rendon missed several weeks this season due to injury and has now been promoted three times since returning earlier this summer.

Rendon, 22, was the top pure college bat in the draft class but came with an injury history and concerns that his big power wouldn't play as much in pro ball and with the wood bat. He's healthy now -- we'll see if he can stay off the disabled list -- but he's yet to be challenged by solid pitching.

Manager Davey Johnson adds to the news of Rendon's promotion by say the infielder "might be" a candidate for a September call-up when rosters expand, tweets Amanda Comack.

Rendon could otherwise be big league ready sometime in 2013 and may be an option at first base, a position the Nationals do not have a young player penciled in at for the long haul. He's very capable at third, however, so if Ryan Zimmerman continues to struggle to stay off the DL himself, Rendon could help at that position, too.

There's been talk that Rendon could learn to play second base, but considering his leg and ankle injuries, such a transition may not be in the cards. Rendon has played third base or served as the DH in each of his games played in pro ball thus far.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Washington Nationals, Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche
August 15, 2012Indians to eye hitters
7:46
AM ETCleveland Indians Recommend0Comments0EmailWhile we have yet to complete our installation of a Rumor Central wiretap on the phone lines of Cleveland Indians GM Chris Antonetti and his staff -- :wink: -- skipper Manny Acta is talking about the club's future and potentially cluing us in on their winter plans.

Tuesday on SiriusXM Radio with Jim Bowden and Casey Stern, Acta said the club needs three hitters and a starting pitcher to compete in the American League Central. That's quite a tall order, but it's interesting nonetheless.

One of the bats probably has to come at first base, while an outfielder and possibly a third baseman could also be on the wish list. Lonnie Chisenhall could claim the hot corner with consistent play, but he's been on the disabled list most of the season with an arm injury and subsequent surgery.

Among the possible free agents the Indians could make a play for include Mike Napoli, but the club's reluctance to greatly expand payroll may force Antonetti to go the trade route, especially considering the arbitration raises due several key players such as Shin-Soo Choo, which nullifies the savings stemming from the declining of club option on Travis Hafner and the expiring contract of Grady Sizemore.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Travis Hafner, Shin-Soo Choo, Grady Sizemore, Manny Acta, Cleveland Indians
August 15, 2012Six-man rotation in Queens?
7:33
AM ETNew York Mets Recommend0Comments0EmailIn order to better rest Johan Santana and Chris Young, New York Mets manager Terry Collins is considering a six-man starting rotation.

What Collins will not do down the stretch is use R.A. Dickey on short rest regularly, and if the club does decide to go to six starters, Jeremy Hefner is the likely No. 6 starter.

Collins says the team has not decided for sure if or when such a plan would be implemented and that the team is concerned with disrupting the schedules of Dickey and Jon Niese.

If they go to a six-man staff, fantasy owners will need to adjust accordingly, though it's possible they could do a four and two setup where Niese and Dickey always pitch on regular rest and everyone else gets an extra day or two. Stay tuned.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Jeremy Hefner, New York Mets, Chris Young, Johan Santana, R.A. Dickey, Jonathon Niese
August 15, 2012McDonald to the 'pen?
7:26
AM ETJames McDonald | Pirates Recommend0Comments0EmailThe Pittsburgh Pirates have a week remaining on their 20-game stretch without a day off and skipper Clint Hurdle says the club will return to a five-man rotation at that point, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune. That means someone will lose their starting spot and be sent to the bullpen.

Biertempfel opines that right-hander James McDonald may be the odd-man out due to his struggles since the All-Star break. McDonald has posted an 8.71 ERA in 31 innings in the past month, suggesting he's the weak link right now.

Kevin Correia could be another candidate to move to the bullpen but he's been string of late and the club is still trying to hang onto a Wildcard berth, a race in which they lead heading into Wednesday's games.

- Jason A. Churchill
Tags:Kevin Correia, Pittsburgh Pirates, James McDonald
August 15, 2012How much money for Wright?
7:09
AM ETDavid Wright | Mets Recommend0Comments2EmailThird baseman David Wright says he likes the direction the New York Mets are headed and is hopeful and optimistic that the two sides can agree on a long-term extension, writes Mike Puuma of the New York Post. The question, despite Wright saying money would not be the deciding factor, now becomes about the dollars.

Wright has had a rebound season and is could be in line for a deal similar to that of Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Despite Zimmerman being nearly two years younger than Wright, his contract does not begin until 2014, when he'll be about as old as Wright will be this winter when am extension is most likely to occur.

The six-year, $100 million pact the Nats gave their third baseman, may be a bit steep for the Mets on a 30-year-old player, but that is the going rate. Perhaps Wright will be amenable to a five-year deal in the $80 million range, but it's difficult to imagine anything less than that getting it done.

The Mets have cleared payroll space in recent months by trading Carlos Beltran, letting Jose Reyes leave via free agency and avoiding big-money free agents, suggesting they have the available monies to make a fair offer to Wright and keep him around.

The alternative is to shop Wright's services over the winter and try to add multiple pieces to the puzzle. Wright's contract is not up until after 2013 due to a club option for $16 million, making a trade plausible, though not likely.

- Jason A. Churchill
 
Shame. Likely was on it last year too. Career was close to over after his year in Atlanta before broke KC signed him for peanuts, and those groundouts became singles.

Cmon you really believe that, it's just a magic pill that can turn a 4th out fielder to a mvp candidate? Really?

That sounds like horse**** to me, his BABIP is also like 400 so that probably has more to do with it.


I hope he comes back and keeps hitting like Braun did.
 
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