<font color=goldenrod>Well after a fucking pitiful performance against the Padres, I will take a page out of Damian Rey's book and take a look at some trade candidates for the Mets:

BARTOLO COLON
I expect Colon's name to be tossed around more than any other Met at the deadline. He's given up a lot of home runs this year and his overall numbers don't look particularly flashy, but then again the 4/13 start against the Angels and 5/12 start against the Yankees really fucked up his numbers. Take those out and he's having a very solid year, especially in his last 5 starts where he's put up a 1.83 ERA. I'm not convinced a contender will give up much more than a mid-level prospect for him given that he's 41 and is under contract for 2015 at $11 million. But, he has a rubber arm and is dependable so I'd guess the Mets will still get plenty of calls on him. With Harvey coming back next year to go along with all of their other young pitching they probably won't need him.

DANIEL MURPHY
Murph has been the Mets' most consistent hitter all season, made even more apparent with Wright in a complete tailspin over the past couple of weeks. As of right now, Murph is slashing .299/.356/.419 with 16 doubles. Not a big power hitter (has 5 HR now, usually gets around 10-13) but he absolutely knows how to find the gaps. Easily the Met most deserving of going to Minnesota in July. He's got one year of arbitration left and is forecasted to get somewhere around $10 million for 2015. He isn't really good defensively and makes some dumb baserunning decisions, but he is pretty much the perfect hitter for Citi Field. For that reason, I'd really want the Mets to lock him down for like 4 years and $40 million since he'll surely want more than that if he has another big year next year, but I doubt the Mets do it. Overall it would take a big haul for the Mets to move Murph now, they're more likely to trade him next year or keeping him through 2015 and letting him leave for nothing, but I figured he was at least worth being in the discussion.

DILLON GEE
Gee's injury was really shitty timing. He's been red hot ever since May 2013. Was putting together a really solid campaign this year with a 2.73 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. He'll hopefully be back by July. I expect there will still be interest in him, though. He's still relatively young at 28, under team control for 3 more seasons, and is showing that 2013 wasn't a fluke. In a way I feel bad for Dillon. Everybody knows the Mets need to deal from their pitching depth, and Gee is always the one that gets cast off with Harvey, Wheeler, Syndergaard, Niese, deGrom, Montero, Verrett, etc. all in the mix for next year. If I had to guess I'd say the Mets keep him this year and hope for a huge second half to maximize his trade value for the off-season. Either way I'd be fairly surprised if he is a Met in 2016.

BOBBY ABREU
I'm listing Abreu here, at age 40 he's worked his way back into the starting lineup although that might say more about the state of the Mets than Abreu himself. Still, he's slashing .307/.379/.453 in limited play and could get some suitors looking for a veteran presence off the bench. Every year though the Mets find themselves with a veteran having a good year that they SHOULD trade (Scott Hairston in 2012, LaTroy Hawkins last year) and they never pull the trigger because they want to pretend they care about the second half even when they're clearly not a playoff team. Could see that being the case with Abreu this year.

DAISUKE MATSUZAKA
Dice-K has been way better than I ever thought possible this year. He only recently got forced into the rotation out of necessity, but really I think his best value is out of the bullpen (even if he does have to comically start warming up 3 innings before he enters the game). His versatility may have extended his MLB career, as he's done enough good this year where I could see him landing a job somewhere next year. Much like Abreu the Mets might keep him anyway and I doubt teams would be knocking down the doors for him, but I could see a contender wanting to add a swingman for depth.

CHRIS YOUNG
I'm not sure why I'm even putting him on this list. Best case scenario for him was that he had a decent first half and got flipped for a mid-level prospect in July. That's no longer in play because Young has been fucking atrocious, slashing .196/.283/.313 and he makes $7.5 million. Mets would need to pay his entire salary in a trade and they wouldn't get anything for him, anyway. He got the golden sombrero today, starting only because Granderson is hurt. It's telling that he's otherwise been benched even with Juan Lagares and Eric Young Jr on the DL. Just what a waste. I didn't think it was possible for a 1-year deal to be THIS bad but somehow it has been. I shed a tear thinking of what the Mets could have done with that $7.5 million. Hell they still could have brought CY in for about 1/4 of the price if they had just waited rather than blowing him away with an offer in fucking November. Hopefully they just release him outright once Lagares gets back. A total sunk cost.

Honorable mention would go to Jon Niese, who might be in serious All Star Game consideration. Having a really good year, is young, left-handed, and has a team-friendly contract. Could probably get a good return for him. Would be shocked if the Mets move him though since there are no lefty SPs on the horizon. Closest is probably Steven Matz, who is only in Single A and has 2 more option years left.</font>

Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn has passed away. :(. RIP

Only 54...fuck cancer.

RIP. Supposedly an all around nice guy.

Geezus. 388 career obp.

I just saw him on the bottle of some kind of grip enhancement spray he was endorsing.

Dude was a dipper. Very glad I quit. That's the kind of shit that scared me into quitting.

R.I.P. Mr. Padre.

A's Drew Pomeranz out for at least 2 weeks after breaking his hand from punching a chair yesterday.

Red Sox designated Grady Sizemore for assignment. Daniel Nava's resurgence and Brock Holt having an amazing rookie season was eating a lot of his potential playing time.

Brock Holt is still my fav baseball player name to say

Mike Olt. Try it.

Brock is a way more bad-ass sounding name

on account of client conquering streak etc etc

Plus Mike Olt plays for the Cubs so......

If Mike Olt wore #45 though that would be pretty fantastic.

Tweet Theo so that can be a thing

Clayton Kershaw had a Perfect Game going.

But now Clayton Kershaw only has a no-no going.

#jinx

Well, it took a few days for me to get on here and actually say anything, but I have no where else to really vent this, so here it goes.

If you've even remotely followed anything I have said in this thread, you notice two things. I love baseball, and I fucking love my Padres. But before I gave two shits about either of those things, I loved Tony Gwynn. He was the sole reason I ever bothered to watch the games in the first place. I'm not sure how or why, but I just remember being an 8 yr old kid who all of sudden took an interest in watching a not so muscular, chubby guy in his 30's punch the ball all over the field, and I was hooked.

I collected everything Tony Gwynn. Magazines, bobble heads, baseball cards, posters, newspaper clippings. EVERYTHING. I wore my Tony Gywnn number 19 t-shirt for Halloween multiple years in a row. I legit idolized this man I had never met, but never heard one bad thing about.


My entire day as a kid was built around baseball and watching Tony hit. Once my youth league games were over, I'd want to rush home, and make sure that, no matter what I missed, I didn't miss Tony's at bats. I'd take half assed 2 minute showers knwoing he was due up the next inning. I'd scarf down my dinner to get back to the living room to watch him hit. I put everything in my life on hold 4 times a night because nothing mattered more to me than watching my favorite player do his thing.

I saw all of his great moments in the back 9 of his career. His WS homerun off David Wells was amazing. My favorite player of all time crushed a pitch, at Yankee stadium, to give my team the lead. I watched intently has he lined his 3000th hit into center field in front an empty stadium in Montreal. I remember his first grand slam, his only inside the park homerun, etc. I was an addict to his watching his game.

As I grew older, I more and more wanted to emulate Gwynn. I stopped caring if I'd ever hit a homerun, and just tried to make contact. I mimicked his stance ( to little success), his plate mannerisms. I played right field, even though the "scrubs" were the ones who played there when I was a kid. He was my everything for baseball. He was everything I wanted to be as a player. Humble. Loyal. Insanely consistent and successful. but nothing flashy or over the top.

As I continued to play and not be entirely successful in youth baseball, I began to be more and more inspired by my hero. I knew for a long time Tony had watched himself relentlessly through video tape. The minute I figured out how to work my parents old camera and plug the feed into the tv, I started doing the same, having my brother throw whiffle balls at me while the camera was capturing a profile shot. I hadn't a fucking clue exactly what I was looking for, but I knew to only focus on the good swings and good hits.

This continued into high school. Video equipment was not readily available, so trying to tape myself in front of my teammates was a doomed idea, but, after "borrowing" at a batting tee I still own to this day, I was able to continually tape and photograph my swing off the tee and through soft toss from my unwilling brother, trying to mimmick success, just like my hero.

I legit, no joke, do this to this day. I, being a 28 year old man, playing in Sunday adult baseball leagues the last decade, still bring my camera and tripod to the dugout, and set that bad boy up to tape my at bats. It sounds ridiculous that I take something so serious, but it's true. I tape my damn at bats. I tape my rounds off the tee in my garage at home. I tape my batting practice session with my best friend during the week, shooting the shit for hours talking hitting mechanics, getting my foot down, throwing my hands, and all other kinds of jargon about hitting and trying to get better. And then I go home, ignore my poor, enduring wife, while I pour over hours of video looking for the constant in my good swings. All because, to this day, 20 years after first seeing him play, I still want to be like Tony Gwynn.

Like everyone, I had to accept that my hero's time was winding down. I distinctly remember Tony's press conference, following two miserable seasons of injuries and missing a gross amount of time, where he announced it was time to call it day at the end of 2001. I was crushed. I was already 15 years old, and I still needed my mommy to console me, because I didn't know who I was gonna root for or care about when he was gone. Who was I going to watch and emulate if Tony isn't around? I somehow lucked out, and got great seats from a family friend to attend Tony's last game. At this point, Tony was limited to making a joke out of pinch hitting, punching a .300 plus average while doing so. He ended up grounding out Juan Uribe, who was the Rockies shortstop at the time. Tony took his time jogging off the field, and tipped his helmet. I remember it like it was yesterday. My favorite game I've ever been to.

I was in my truck driving to work on Monday morning, wearing, no joke, my 98 pinstripe T. Gwynn jersey (fav jersey, btw). I had just gotten gas and was heading to work, and as I accelerated up the on ramp, I hear dead silence on the radio where a news bumper usually plays, leading to a top story spot. The announce came on, clearly wavering, and stated "The greatest athlete in San Diego history has passed away". For a split second I tried to process who the fuck he could be talking about. He then followed "Tony Gwynn passed away this morning...". I, quite literally yelped, put my hand over my mouth, and tears started to roll down my face.

The man I had spent my entire life trying to mimick, trying my best to emulate, was gone. A man I had never met, yet felt such a deep connection to, was no longer with us. My hero. My idle. Gone. I still cannot put into words how empty I feel. It is still hitting, hard, that a man who I spent my entire childhood looking up to was no longer in this world.

I know it can, and likely, sounds at least a bit silly to cry tears for a man, a person, I never had the pleasure of meeting. But Tony meant a lot to me. My dad, for all the great things he has provided me, and the great things he's taught me as a man, was not, in any way, shape or form, into baseball. My mom was, but not like me. I didn't have that male figure in my life to look up to and learn from and be my mentor. That's what Tony was for me. Everything I wanted to be as a person, as a player, and as a man, was what Tony was. Kind, generous, humble. That's how I modeled myself, and it's still how I continue to try and carry myself.

I will never get to tell him this, but Tony, you meant thw world to me, and you had a big part in shaping who I am. Thank you for being the man who made me fall in love forever with the greatest game on earth. You will be missed. R.I.P #19.

Sorry for back to back Noid posts, btw.

Hey, Kershaw got a no-hitter. Good for him.

Buuuuuuuut,

MY CLIENT, MASAHIRO TANAKA, LEADS THE MLB IN WINS!

And the Orioles are the only team to beat him. So ha..

Going to try for another free pizza. Probably won't be lucky this time.

Cubs beat him if memory serves me correctly.

I remember he gave up the 3 run homer to Schoop but he got a ND in the Yankees 5-4 loss. That and the cubs game were the only two games the Yankees lost that he's started.

Look, I'm not saying the Cubs will make the playoffs, but if they win today and the Cards lose, they'll only be 5 1/2 back in the Wild Card. The national league wild card spots are completely up for grabs right now. I'd like to see where we're at a week from now before we go trading a sure Ace for a bunch of unproven prospects ( which makes no sense btw ). Rizzo and Castro are really doing a great job right now. Castro is on fire. I really wanna ride this out a few weeks.

<font color=goldenrod>The Mets are somehow only 5.5 out of the division despite being 8 games under .500. I remember when the NL East used to be good.</font>

Tell me about it :(

<font color=goldenrod>I'm always nostalgic about the 2006 Mets for obvious reasons, but jesus I've even been pining for 2007-08 lately. Yeah they collapsed spectacularly but at least they could score more than 2 runs a game.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>I'd like to think that if they're still within 5 games of the division lead in July, they'll consider trading from their pitching depth for a big bat. But I doubt it. As it is Harvey was trying to make a push to get back by August, a year after his TJS but the Mets are now banning him from throwing off a mound even though doctors have already OK'ed Harvey for the activity. They don't want him pitching this year. It's like they don't want the fans to think they have any aspirations of winning before 2015.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>In other news, there was a 3-1-3 putout in the Cardinals game last night. That's odd.</font>

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BqtTHKvCQAEE4Sp.jpg

Schoop now has 2 hrs off Tanaka. O's currently up 7-0 in the 9th.

Make that 8-0

Damn, Tanaka took the loss and the bullpen made it worse.

Yankees couldn't hit a lick today.

In other news, Padres fire GM Josh Byrnes.

They had one good inning at the plate the entire series (4 run 9th inning Friday)

Orioles should have left NY with the sweep. Pisses me off but anyway.

It's a me Mario!

At this rate it'll be the Yankees/Orioles fighting in September for the division, unless Red Sox turn things around quickly

Joey Bats and Troy Tulowitski are YOUR Home Run Derby captains.

<font color=goldenrod>The Derby is also expanding to 10 participants while shrinking the number of outs from 10 to 7. They're also doing seeding after the first round. The guys who finish 4th and 5th in each league get knocked out, 2nd and 3rd play each other, winner plays the 1st seed, and then whoever wins THAT meets the winner from the other league in the finals.

Even with 7 outs the Derby is prolly gonna take like 5 hours.</font>

I'm late to the party again, but boy do I not agree with the firing of Josh Byrnes. I admit I had my reservations about him when they replaced a departing Jed Hoyer with him, but I think he's done a solid job, considering his limitations.

I still would not have done it, but he didn't lose on the Cashner/Rizzo trade. Cash has been the team's best pitcher the last 2 seasons, and has filled in nicely for Latos. Speaking of Latos, even though I wouldn't have done that trade either, it's not like he got a couple of bums in Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal. Both were legit highly touted prospects when they got here, who have since been derailed by either lack of playing time and, in both cases, injuries.

He also raped the Athletics, twice, for Tyson Ross, another great starting pitcher, and Seth Smith, who's a top 20 in avg/obp/slg this year. Also, the Rays gave up Alex Torres and Jesse Hahn, both who have been impressive (especially Hahn), while Logan Forsythe has sucked on the Rays end of the deal.

He has also built a staff that has continued to draft well. Apparently ownership thought the current roster should be a more competitive team. Byrnes, or any GM, can't control that. I think player performances and lack of development as they get more experience falls on the manager, not the GM. I also think you'd have to have been an idiot to think the current roster, even if healthy and productive, would be better than the Giants and Dodgers. Maybe they're slightly above .500, but they wouldn't be a division contender. Sounds like ownership is a bunch of know nothings.

Now that he's gone, though, I'd love to see them pluck Jason McLeod from the Cubs. Think he's Jed Hoyer 2.0, and I loved Jed when he was here.

He lost the Cashner/Rizzo trade. Rizzo is an MVP candidate if on a contender right now.

There's a difference between losing and getting the lesser end of the deal. To say a team "lost" by acquiring a top of the rotation starter is assinine. Rizzo is, as I have conceded, the better of the two, but Cash isn't some schlub starting the middle or backend of their rotation. Cubs got the better end of the deal, yes. But the Padres did not lose out.

A loser trade to this point has been the Latos for Grandal/Alonso move, and that's more due to injuries. The haven't reaped any benefit out of that move after 2012.

Tim Lincecum has a no-no through 8.

He's got it.

Good for Lunecum.

Padres got themselves a legit kryptonite on their hands. The Freak no-hitting them twice within a year is not good.

Watch another Giant get a no-no in a few days. Dodgers and Giants will be going back and forth all season.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is my favourite MLB pitcher, good on him.

Pirates and Angels swap relivers. Jason Grilli for Ernesto Frieri.


Who turns it around first?

Can someone lift the injury curse that was placed upon the Braves? I would be greatly appreciative.

<font color=goldenrod>We’re less than a week away from voting closing for the All Star Game, and presumably the player ballot has already been done or will be very soon so the managers can make their picks. I believe next week is when they’ll reveal the initial rosters anyway, so I’ll continue my annual tradition of guessing how the rosters will shake out. Gives me a good excuse to be a stat nerd and look through the league.

Keep in mind this isn’t necessarily who I think SHOULD make the team, but how I think it will play out based on how the voting is conducted. The fans elect the starting lineups, the players elect a backup at each position, 5 starting pitchers, and 3 relievers, and the manager fills out the rest and picks the Final Vote guys. Besides, the rosters are bound to even change beyond this as players drop out due to injury or ineligibility. Anyway, let’s get to it:


National League

Fan-Elected Starters
C: Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals
1B: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
2B: Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
SS: Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies
3B: Aramis Ramirez, Milwaukee Brewers
OF: Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers
OF: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates
OF: Carlos Gomez, Milwaukee Brewers

I just went with the current leaders from the most recent polling update this week. Goldschmidt, Tulowitzki, and Puig are no-doubters to start at their positions. There are better options to start at C and 2B than Molina and Utley, but both were going to make the team anyway – Molina because he’s Molina and Utley because nobody else from the Phillies deserves it. Todd Frazier has been the best 3B in the NL by far but isn’t even in the top 5 of voting, Ramirez has a slim lead but Milwaukee is on a voting blitzkrieg so I think he’ll make it. That’s why I also think Gomez will hang onto the 3rd OF spot, he and McCutchen are certainly both deserving. I think Giancarlo Stanton should be in the starting lineup but it might work out better that he doesn’t get voted in since can simply DH instead while the better defenders play the field.


Player Balloting
C: Jonathan Lucroy, Milwaukee Brewers
1B: Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs
2B: Dee Gordon, Los Angeles Dodgers
SS: Starlin Castro, Chicago Cubs
3B: Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds
OF: Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies
OF: Michael Morse, San Francisco Giants
OF: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins
SP: Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants
SP: Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds
SP: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
SP: Alfredo Simon, Cincinnati Reds
SP: Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals
RP: Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves
RP: Francisco Rodriguez, Milwaukee Brewers
RP: Huston Street, San Diego Padres

Stanton is pretty much guaranteed to get elected, and as mentioned above he should probably be the NL’s DH and hopefully be in the Home Run Derby. I think Frazier will get a lot more respect from the players than he got from the fans. Lucroy has been better than Molina this year. Gordon’s blazing speed should win him a ton of votes from the players. Blackmon and Morse have been big surprises this year, way better than anybody could have expected. And how about those Cubs? Normally I’d say a last place team shouldn’t get 2 reps, but I think the circumstances are right for it to happen. Rizzo is having an incredible season, just way too good to pass up. Castro and Hanley Ramirez are having really similar seasons, but Castro has still been better so I’ll say the players give him some love in spite of his team.

From the pitching side, Wainwright, Cueto, and Bumgarner would seem to be locks to get voted in straight away. Kershaw missed a good chunk of the season, but with 2 Cy Youngs, a no-hitter, and still being crazy good this year, I would be shocked if he didn’t get the player support. Simon has been a huge surprise this season and I think the players vote him in as he’s at the top of the NL in wins. For the relievers, Kimbrel still has his reputation and insane strikeout rate, K-Rod is having himself a career rejuvenation, and Street hasn’t blown a save yet.


Manager Selections
C: Evan Gattis, Atlanta Braves
1B: Justin Morneau, Colorado Rockies
2B: Daniel Murphy, New York Mets
OF: Justin Upton, Atlanta Braves
SP: Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers
SP: Tim Hudson, San Francisco Giants
SP: Lance Lynn, St. Louis Cardinals
SP: Tanner Roark, Washington Nationals
RP: Jean Machi, San Francisco Giants

Mike Matheny’s first task is to make sure every team has a rep. While David Wright might be the most well-known player on the Mets, Murphy has clearly been their best everyday player so he rightfully gets the nod. The poor first place Nationals don’t have a rep yet either, so breakout pitcher Tanner Roark gets tabbed for a spot.

Anthony Rendon would give the Nats another rep, but there are too many hitters having better seasons, which is why Gattis and Morneau get picked. I think Matheny will also want to take another OF especially if Stanton is the DH, and I can’t see him taking Ryan Braun with his controversy, so Justin Upton is in. Two more Giants get in as the highly respected Hudson is picked, as is Machi who has been ridiculous as a set-up guy. Greinke is selected in a tough call over Josh Beckett. One spot left and with so many good starters in the mix, we haven’t gotten a homer pick yet so I think that’ll be the tiebreaker for Lance Lynn.


Final Vote Candidates
SP: Henderson Alvarez, Miami Marlins
SP: Josh Beckett, Los Angeles Dodgers
RP: Trevor Rosenthal, St. Louis Cardinals
SP: Jeff Samardzija, Chicago Cubs
SP: Julio Teheran, Atlanta Braves

The NL is just loaded with starting pitchers that could have easily been All Stars, enough so that I think Matheny could very easily just load up his Final Vote list with them. I threw Rosenthal in as well as a way of Matheny rewarding one of his guys, would have been Michael Wacha but he just landed on the DL. If Matheny does decide to put position players on his list, I imagine Hanley Ramirez, Freddie Freeman, and Neil Walker will all receive consideration.




American League

Fan-Elected Starters
C: Derek Norris, Oakland Athletics
1B: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
2B: Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners
SS: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
3B: Josh Donaldson, Oakland Athletics
OF: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
OF: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays
OF: Melky Cabrera, Toronto Blue Jays
DH: Nelson Cruz, Baltimore Orioles

Like with the NL, I stuck with the current vote leaders, the one exception being at C. Matt Wieters is somehow still in the lead there despite not playing in 2 months. Still, Norris is gaining on him and will likely be the starter anyway even if Wieters gets elected. That should be 2 starters for the A’s, whose fans have done a great job ensuring Donaldson isn’t snubbed again this year. Miguel Cabrera, Cano, Trout, and Bautista are all winning handily and rightly so. There was no way on God’s green Earth that Jeter wasn’t getting the start in his final season despite his crappy numbers. Not sure why Cruz is on the ballot as a DH since he’s played the field more than he’s DHed, but he’s winning that race which in turn frees up a OF spot for Melky Cabrera to get elected, not sure the players would have put him on the team following his steroid controversy a couple of years ago.

Player Balloting
C: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals
1B: Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox
2B: Ian Kinsler, Detroit Tigers
SS: Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox
3B: Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers
OF: Michael Brantley, Cleveland Indians
OF: Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics
OF: Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles
DH: Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto Blue Jays
SP: Mark Buehrle, Toronto Blue Jays
SP: Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers
SP: Felix Hernandez, Seattle Mariners
SP: Scott Kazmir, Oakland Athletics
SP: Masahiro Tanaka, New York Yankees
RP: Dellin Betances, New York Yankees
RP: Greg Holland, Kansas City Royals
RP: Koji Uehara, Boston Red Sox

Much like with Cruz, Encarnacion has played the field way more than DH, but I think the players vote from the same ballot as the fans and he’s listed as a DH there. I can’t see the players not voting for the HR/RBI leader so he’s in as backup DH which frees up the rookie powerhouse Abreu to be named as backup 1B. Jones, Kinsler, and Beltre get in for reputation and they’re all having good seasons. Alexei is having the best year for any AL SS and probably would start if it weren’t Jeter’s final year. I thought about Bryan McCann who always seems to make the All Star Game, but really a guy hitting .220 shouldn’t be there, Perez is much better. Brantley gets respect for his breakout season. Poor Brandon Moss is a victim of also being listed as DH on the ballot, but his loss is his teammate Cespedes’ gain.

I’d be stunned if Tanaka, Hernandez, Buehrle, and Darvish aren’t all voted in by the players. Can’t argue with any of them. Kazmir got destroyed in his last start but has still been really good, enough so that I think he gets voted in by the players as well. Holland’s been the best closer in the AL this year and Uehara has picked right up where he left off last year. I’m not sure if a non-closing reliever has ever gotten in via player ballot, but if Betances doesn’t with the kind of year he’s having then I’m pretty sure nobody ever will.


Manager Selections
2B: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
DH: Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers
SP: Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox
SP: Garrett Richards, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
SP: Phil Hughes, Minnesota Twins
SP: Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox
RP: Jake McGee, Tampa Bay Rays

3 teams left without a rep. Altuve is the easy choice for the Astros, gives some speed for the bench and he’s easily been their best player. Hughes has had a big bounceback season for the hometown Twins. With only 2 closers on the roster I feel bad snubbing Sean Doolittle and Fernando Rodney, among others. But the Rays do need a rep so I reckon it’ll be McGee.

Martinez gets in as the only true DH on the roster because he has been amazing, but that being said I guarantee John Farrell will consider taking David Ortiz as a loyalty pick. I do think he’ll reward Lester with a spot, not unlike Jim Leyland rewarded Justin Verlander last year. Lester hasn’t been bad or anything but there are better options such as Dallas Keuchel, Sonny Gray, and Jesse Chavez. Sale is kinda like Kershaw, missed time but still incredible when he’s on the mound so Farrell gives him the nod. Richards gets the last spot with a breakout campaign and because the Angels deserve a second rep anyway.


Final Vote Candidates
2B: Brian Dozier, Minnesota Twins
OF: Jacoby Ellsbury, New York Yankees
OF: Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals
OF: Brandon Moss, Oakland Athletics
DH: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox

If Farrell doesn’t take Big Papi for the roster, I’d be really surprised if he wasn’t given a chance to be voted in. Dozier gives Minnesota fans a chance to have a second Twin elected for the game at Target Field. Moss, Gordon, and Ellsbury unfortunately get squeezed out in a deep OF pool this year. Most of the pitchers I mentioned earlier (Keuchel, Chavez, Gray, Doolittle, Rodney) should be in play if Farrell wants some arms on his Final Vote list.</font>

Jays linked to Chase Headley. I really dont want the Jays dealing prospect Daniel Norris. He's a stud. Im open to seeing Aaron Sanchez moved.

Care to inform us on Norris, Gertie?

Radio station here is asking if it's time to move on from Dominic Brown. They've come around!

Rajai Davis awesome walk-off last night. lost my shit

And the Yankees are now sitting at .500

Olt Jolt!

Encarsmashion!

A's staying in Oakland for at least another 10 years after agreeing to a stadium lease extension with the city.

Bad day for Yankees fans. CC Sabathia is on the DL indefinitely for a bad knee, and Solarte got sent down.

And tomorrow will be a sad day not only for Yankees fans but for baseball fans everywhere as it will mark 75 years since Lou Gehrig's famous "Luckiest man on the face of the earth" speech.

Orioles sweep the Rangers in 4 and are now tied for first place with the Jays.

Take that back. The O's are in first by .001 percentage points (.541-.540)

Woohoo!

<font color=goldenrod>What on earth were the White Sox thinking?</font>

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BrnVdaECMAAdzpY.jpg:large

<font color=goldenrod>Cubs send Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the A's for Addison Russell.</font>

He's a lefty, throws around 95, been destroying High A and now AA. They just can't deal him.

A pitching staff of

Hutchison
Stroman
Norris
Sanchez
Hoffman

That's insane potential.

That seems like not a lot for 2 pitchers. I get Russell is a top prospect but still..

A's also sending 3 more players (1 to be named later) and a draft pick.

<font color=goldenrod>Russell was pretty much the only nearly-ready position player prospect that the A's had. Better hope they win it all in 2014.</font>

I'm just happy neither Toronto or NY got samardzija.

Saw Russell in the AFL. Looked good defensively but seemed over matched at the plate alot. AFL is a hitters league too but everyone seems to think he's a bad ass.

Because he is. AFL is not a good place to judge minor league talent. Big time trade, and creates more middle infield elite prospect drama for the Cubs. Man, I really wish Jed had never left San Diego. Cubs are gonna be a force.

Its a shame the o's couldn't have traded for Samardzija cause the Cubs would have had 3-4 more former Orioles players to go with Hammel, Arrieta and Strop along with Tsuyoshi Wada who they got from the Orioles.

Lol....AFL not a good place to judge minor league talent. If it weren't it wouldn't exist and the 50 scouts who were there at every game must have been watching porn on their speed guns.

Heh. Samardzija pitched his way out of Chicago. I remember that was someone's advice.

Heh yah. Forgot about that. He's from NW Indiana and supposedly grew up a Cub fan though. If he wanted to go to a competitive team he got it...If he wanted one that had better facilities than Wrigley, well, at least Wrigley never had problems with toilets always overflowing.

Look it up, bud. Scouts don't use the AFL as a defining method of evaluation for a number of reasons, such as the wide varying range of age and talent, and the time of year. Case in point is Junior Lake. He fucking blows, but put on a show in the AFL. Nobody was calling him a start prospect during that run.

Thanks Obama

Seeing how stacked the Cubs have become since Jed took over makes me sad. I have zero doubt the Posted would've been in a similar situation, maybe better, had our then ownership committed to extending him. #imissjed

He's been a top ten prospect in the Cubs system so it's not like he's obscure. It's not the be all end all for evaluation but it's a big enough stage that it matters. If you want to go back to the cubs, they had Dallas Beeler go to evaluate if they should place him on the 40 man roster or leave him unprotected for the rule 5 draft. Apparently they felt it was a good enough proving ground.

Well, it's easy to get stacked when you're constantly drafting in the top 3 every year.

Man, just what the Cubs needed, another elite middle infield prospect. Maybe they can trade Castro to New York for Harvey and Syndergaard now... :shifty:

Don't know what I think about this trade. I thought the whole point was to get pitching in the farm system. I don't know if Jeff is a full blown Ace, but we'll find out. I think Hammel will come down to earth, but still bee decent for the A's.

I'll actually agree with droford and say I'm kinda surprised the cubs didn't shoot for some type of bundy/gausman deal. Theo probably realizes arms fall off alot easier on SPs. Still...used to wonder how all these guys were going to get playing time at the big league level, now wondering the same all the way down to AA. Can't expect all these guys to work out but still....has to be thinking there is some sort of market deficiency on middle IFs

Fairly certain despite Bundy coming of TJS and not looking too good so far in the minors that they wouldn't trade him. Which probably figures because I'm starting to worry he'll end being one of the few pitchers that can't pitch after the surgery.

Should just be hoping he passes all the "tests" stays healthy, and not worry about how he looks this season. You can be sure he's going to be on an innings and pitch limit next year too.

As a baseball fan, not happy about the bundy injury last year in the same vain of this year's Jose Fernandez injury. Just a shitty thing for baseball.

Exactly why is Francisco Cervelli on the roster instead of J.R. Murphy?

Murphy wouldn't have made that bad throw.

Yankees acquire Brandon McCarthy from the Diamondbacks for Vidal Nuno.


I guess this guy is Home Run Hughes 2.0. And in Yankee Stadium, greaaaaaaaaaaaaat.

<font color=goldenrod>McCarthy has never really regained his form since taking a liner to the head a couple years ago and requiring surgery.

Regardless he's probably still loving life. Fairly good looking, rich, great sense of humor, and a really hot wife who also has a great sense of humor. Wish I was him.</font>

weird post

Ooof. Fonsie got DFA'd to make room for McCarthy.

Unless someone grabs him, this may be the end. Unless he's content with a stint in AAA.

Im pretty sure no one won the Yanks Cubs Soriano trade, now.

Corey Black has been ok in AA. May be a decent bullpen arm at some point.

Image is way too big but herechicks dig the ground ball

From first to worst to world champions to worst again. Shit.

<font color=goldenrod>All Star rosters announced:


AL Starters (fan vote)

C Matt Wieters, Orioles
1B Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
2B Robinson Cano, Mariners
SS Derek Jeter, Yankees
3B Josh Donaldson, Athletics
DH Nelson Cruz, Orioles
OF Jose Bautista, Blue Jays (leading vote-getter overall)
OF Mike Trout, Angels
OF Adam Jones, Orioles

NL Starters (fan vote)

C Yadier Molina, Cardinals
1B Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks
2B Chase Utley, Phillies
SS Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
3B Aramis Ramirez, Brewers
OF Andrew McCutchen, Pirates
OF Carlos Gomez, Brewers
OF Yasiel Puig, Dodgers

AL Pitchers

RHP Yu Darvish, Rangers
RHP Max Scherzer, Tigers
RHP Felix Hernandez, Mariners
RHP Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees
LHP Jon Lester, Red Sox
LHP David Price, Rays
LHP Scott Kazmir, Athletics
LHP Mark Buehrle, Blue Jays
LHP Sean Doolittle, Athletics
RHP Greg Holland, Royals
LHP Glen Perkins, Twins
RHP Dellin Betances, Yankees

NL Pitchers

RHP Johnny Cueto, Reds
LHP Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
RHP Zack Greinke, Dodgers
LHP Madison Bumgarner, Giants
RHP Adam Wainwright, Cardinals
RHP Tyson Ross, Padres
RHP Jordan Zimmermann, Nationals
RHP Julio Teheran, Braves*
RHP Craig Kimbrel, Braves
LHP Aroldis Chapman, Reds
RHP Francisco Rodriguez, Brewers
LHP Tony Watson, Pirates
RHP Pat Neshek, Cardianls

* Teheran replaces Jeff Samardzija, who was voted into the game but is ineligible to play following his trade from the Cubs to the Athletics.

AL Reserves

C Salvador Perez, Royals -- will replace Wieters (Tommy John surgery) in the starting lineup
C Derek Norris, Athletics
C Kurt Suzuki, Twins
1B Jose Abreu, White Sox
1B Victor Martinez, Tigers
1B Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays
1B/OF Brandon Moss, Athletics
2B Jose Altuve, Astros
SS Alexei Ramirez, White Sox
3B Adrian Beltre, Rangers
OF Yoenis Cespedes, Athletics
OF Alex Gordon, Royals
OF Michael Brantley, Indians

NL Reserves

C Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers
C Devin Mesoraco, Reds
1B Freddie Freeman, Braves
2B Dee Gordon, Dodgers
2B Daniel Murphy, Mets
SS Starlin Castro, Cubs
3B Todd Frazier, Reds
3B Matt Carpenter, Cardinals
IF/OF Josh Harrison, Pirates
OF Charlie Blackmon, Rockies
OF Hunter Pence, Giants
OF Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins</font>

<font color=goldenrod>And the final vote candidates:

AL

LHP Dallas Keuchel, Astros
RHP Corey Kluber, Indians
RHP Rick Porcello, Tigers
RHP Garrett Richards, Angels
LHP Chris Sale, White Sox


NL

3B Casey McGehee, Marlins
1B Justin Morneau, Rockies
2B/3B Anthony Rendon, Nationals
1B Anthony Rizzo, Cubs
OF Justin Upton, Braves</font>

AL sending in some solid pitchers. Might be what makes the difference this All-Star game. Shocked that Betances made the team. Only one of the Yankee Killer B's to make something of himself.

Starting lineup ain't that great. Twinkies only sending Suzuki and Perkins to the game. That's gotta be a kick in the balls for being the host city and a fan.

<font color=goldenrod>Not really. If the game wasn't in Minnesota they'd probably have only gotten one guy in. The host city usually gets at least 2 reps even if the team is shit (see: Mets in 2013)</font>

<font color=goldenrod>If Stanton had beaten out Gomez, then all 16 starting position players would have been from different teams. Odd.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>Anyway, I'm really glad Murphy made it in. Easily the most deserving Mets candidate. Really, with the exception of Jon Niese he's probably the ONLY deserving candidate. Glad to see him get the recognition although there's a very good chance he doesn't even get in the game since he's pretty much the 3rd string 2B.

The biggest snub I can see is Huston Street not being the lone Padres rep...but when the players voted in Chapman he pretty much got screwed as Matheny was dead-set on taking Watson and Neshek.</font>

Figured Dozier might have snuck in with the fair year he's having.

But Joe Mauer. Man, how the mighty have fallen. :nono: Used to be guaranteed to be the catcher for the AL.

<font color=goldenrod>King Felix is pretty much a lock to be the AL starting pitcher. Tanaka is in line to start the Sunday before and therefore wouldn't be able to play.

The NL starter probably has to be Kershaw but Kershaw and Wainwright going 2 innings each to start would be a helluva way to cover 4 innings. Cueto is another guy lined up to start the Sunday before so he'd be a no-go.</font>