To start the 2012 season the Baltimore Orioles decided that the time had come. It was time to once again place the smiling cartoon bird on their caps. Nowhere have I seen a happier, less intimidating logo. And you know what? Bravo. Good for them. Baseball is a gentleman's game. No need to try to make our logos look so angry. This isn't he XFL. In fact many major league teams have very wussy nicknames. How tough are Sox anyway? While the NFL is intent on adding more black and making their Seahawk or Lion or Eagle look more fierce, MLB takes out the black (in the case of the Mets, anyway) and inserts cartoon birds.
Can we take this trend a little farther? Can we create an even kinder, gentler American League? Let's try.
AL East
Baltimore Orioles
What's the only way to make the cartoon bird less tough? Replace the "O's" cap on the cap on the bird on the cap of the bird with a Lakers cap:
Yankees could be really tough if you think of civil war soldiers. Let's not. Let's think about the song Yankee Doodle. Better yet, this pansy kid singing Yankee Doodle
The suns rays are actually pretty powerful. Stingrays have the word sting right in their name! Too tough! You know what's wussy? The mathematical idea of a ray. Nothing is worse than geometry. BORING
I accidently saw one episode of The Regular Show and spotted Mordecai Blue Jay, he's described by the show's wikia page as "mild-mannered and laid back. ...He lacks clothing, plays video games, sings karaoke, and drinks copious amounts of coffee and soda." Sounds like the personalities of my least intimidating friends.
A mariner is a sailor, a sea farer, an adventurer! Pretty tough, pretty cool. You know what isn't? The psudo-Ford Explorer SUV. This logo features a random 2005 Mercury Mariner I found on craigslist.
Oakland A's
Oakland's secondary logos feature elephants. No matter how you slice it, elephants are awesome. They are tough, they stomp things, they have no predators. So maybe we could stretch a little and use an elephant seal. Those things look worthless. They are just flabby piles of blubber. Pretty gentle I'd say. (just don't take their bucket)
Finally our very own Tigers. To find the most disheartened, wussy logo we only need to go back into our own history. This tiger looks pretty resigned to disappointment and weakness I'd say. What where those people thinking?!
Going into the game, you kind of figured that a game featuring Hiroki Kuroda and Clayton Kershaw could potentially be a low scoring game. I guess in this case, you can predict baseball Suzyn.
At the very least, it's pretty easy to predict what Clayton Kershaw was going to do to this Yankees offense. Kershaw has been a Cy Young candidate for multiple years, won the award in 2011, and is on the verge of becoming the highest paid pitcher in baseball history. The man can pitch, and he also got the fortune of facing the 2013 Yankees offense.
The result? Eight shutout innings. Kershaw was as good as advertised for the Dodgers tonight, allowing only three hits in his first seven innings. The Yankees threatened in the second, as singles by Vernon Wells and Brent Lillibridge put runners on the corners with one out, but Kershaw got Jayson Nix to pop one up and Chris Stewart to ground out to end the threat.
That was about as much as the Yankees could get going against Kershaw. They threatened again in the eighth with two outs, as a single by Chris Stewart and a pinch hit single by Melky Mesa gave them an opportunity to score, but Brett Gardner fouled out to left to end the inning.
Fortunately for the Yankees, Hiroki Kuroda was on the mound, and he was every bit as masterful as Kershaw tonight. HIROK allowed only two hits through the first six and he matched Kershaw pitch for pitch and inning for inning tonight. After showing absolutely no signs of trouble through the first six, Kuroda ran into a bit of trouble in the seventh. Adrian Gonzalez singled to right to lead off the inning but was thrown out by about 15 feet at second base by Vernon Wells for the first out. After a strikeout of Hanley Ramirez, back to back singles for Andre Eithier and A.J. Ellis gave the Dodgers their best opportunity to score off of Kuroda. Kuroda, however, struck out Skip Schumaker to end the inning.
Melky Mesa's pinch hit appearance in the top of the eighth signaled the end of the night for Hiroki Kuroda (yay NL Baseball!). His final line: Seven innings, five hits, no runs, one walk, eight strikeouts. This was his eighth scoreless pitching performance of the season. See you in 2014, HIROK (I hope).
Boone Logan relieved Kuroda in the bottom of the eighth, and this is where the Binder began to successfully take over the game (!!!). Juan Uribe led off the inning with a single to left (PASTA diving Jeter, to be precise). This prompted Don Mattingly to send Clayton Kershaw back out to bunt Uribe over to second, which he successfully did. Carl Crawford flew out to Soriano in left, and then Birardi walked Yasiel Puig intentionally to set up the lefty-lefty matchup between Boone Logan and Adrian Gonzalez. It should be noted that lefties have actually had more success against Logan this season than righties have. But none of it turned out to matter, as Logan got Gonzalez to fly out to Gardner to end the inning.
For reasons best known to himself, Mattingly decided to take Clayton Kershaw out of the game despite letting him hit in the previous inning. Kershaw was replaced by Ronald Belisario. Another change for the Dodgers: Skip Schumaker moved to left field and Mark Ellis entered the game for defensive purposes. Remember that later.
Derek Jeter walked to lead off the ninth and was replaced by Eduardo Nunez on the bases. Robinson Cano grounded into a force, and then Alfonso Soriano grounded out softly to third which allowed Cano to move to second. This is where Girardi went into managing mode, and it seemed like every move he made worked out tonight. Ichiro Suzuki pinch hit for Vernon Wells with Cano on second and two outs, and was intentionally walked. Lyle Overbay was then called upon to pinch hit for Brent Lillibridge, and Mattingly countered with the lefty Paco Rodriguez.
Following two ugly check swings and a... questionable call on a check swing by the third base umpire, Lyle Overbay delivered a two out RBI single to finally get the Yankees a run. The next batter, Jayson Nix, then popped one up to second where the ball was dropped by Mark Ellis (Luis Castillo would be proud) allowing two more runs to score. Mattingly then brought in his third pitcher of the inning in Brandon League, who got Stewart to ground out to end the inning. I have no idea why Kershaw didn't pitch the ninth at only 94 pitches, but I'm sure glad he didn't.
Mariano Rivera closed the game in typical Mariano Rivera fashion: A 1-2-3 inning on 12 pitches. Yankees win 3-0.
Game Notes:
CC Sabathia finished the game in the on deck circle, as he was going to pinch hit for Boone Logan. I am thoroughly disappointed that he didn't get to hit, as Stewart grounded out to end the ninth.
Speaking of Stewart, he's 4 for his last 41... ouch.
Both the Orioles and Tampa Bay lost their respective games today, so the Yankees managed to gain a game on both. They are exactly three games back of the final wild card spot as of tonight.
The Yankees will be off tomorrow before taking on the Padres on Friday night in San Diego. Curtis Granderson is expected to be activated from the DL and will likely be in the starting lineup playing left field Friday night. And as of right now, Alex Rodriguez is expected to be activated shortly after Granderson, either later in the San Diego series or for the following series against the White Sox starting on Monday.
CC Sabathia and Andrew Cashner will be Friday's starters. First pitch around 10:10 ET.
Clayton Kershaw was brilliant through eight innings on Wednesday night but despite throwing just 97 pitches was pulled in a tie game. His replacements did not fare quite as well in a sloppy ninth inning as the Dodgers fell to the Yankees 3-0 at Dodger Stadium.
The loss lowered the Dodgers' lead in the National League West to 2½ games over Arizona.
Kershaw retired 12 straight batters until a pair of two-out ground ball singles in the eighth inning. He ended the inning at 97 pitches, and even batted for himself in the bottom of the inning, sacrificing Juan Uribe into scoring position.
But instead of Kershaw starting the ninth inning, Ronald Belisario opened the inning. It may not have been manager Don Mattingly's preference to remove Kershaw after just 97 pitches, per J.P. Hoornstra of the LA Daily News.
Clayton Kershaw said he put Don Mattingly in a tough spot in the 8th inning, but didn't want to say what he said to DM.
Belisario walked Derek Jeter to start the inning, but then got two outs. After an intentional walk to Ichiro Suzuki, left-hander Paco Rodriguez was brought in to face the left-handed Lyle Overbay. But Rodriguez, who last allowed a hit to a left-handed batter on July 3, gave up an RBI single to center field for a 1-0 Yankees lead.
Mattingly was later ejected for arguing balls and strikes with third base umpire Bill Miller, who called a swing by Overbay on the 0-1 pitch but declined to do so on a similar swing on the 0-2 pitch.
Left-handed batters were 1-for-14 with eight strikeouts and a hit by pitch against Rodriguez in July before Overbay's go-ahead single. Overbay had all three Yankees RBI in the two-game series.
Jayson Nix followed with a pop up to shallow right field. As second baseman Mark Ellis went out right fielder Yasiel Puig came in, and the near collision resulted in a distracted Ellis dropping the ball, allowing two more runs to score to essentially put the game away.
43-year-old Mariano Rivera picked up his 34th save of the season.
The 3-0 lead was more than enough for Mariano Rivera, who retired the side in order in the ninth, including two strikeouts, for his 642nd career save.
For Hiroki Kuroda, Wednesday had to be familiar. He was brilliant in a start at Dodger Stadium, only to see his team not give him the requisite run support. Kuroda pitched seven scoreless innings, his fourth scoreless outing in five July starts. He struck out eight and allowed just five hits and a walk in his return to Dodger Stadium.
Kershaw completed one of the greatest months of his career with seven runs allowed in six starts, in 47 innings. He was 4-1 with a 1.34 ERA during the month with 43 strikeouts and two walks. He lowered his seasonal ERA to 1.87.
The Dodgers' offense managed just six hits and two walks on the night.
Up next
The Dodgers hit the road for a two-city, eight-game road trip through Chicago and St. Louis. Ricky Nolasco starts the opener at Wrigley Field against the Cubs on Thursday night, on seven days of rest. Rookie left-hander Chris Rusin gets the start for Chicago in the opener of the four-game series.
Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter spoke out on Wednesday against the competitive imbalance that he believes will come in the wake of Alex Rodriguez's PED suspension. The O's skipper has no problem with punishing A-Rod for his transgressions, but thinks that the Yankees should not be completely freed from their contractual obligations to the veteran slugger, reports Paul White of USA Today.
Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement, when a player is suspended without pay, the salary that is owed for that time no longer counts towards the team's payroll nor the luxury tax threshold. This means that if Rodriguez is suspended for the 2014 season, the Yankees will instantly have $25 million freed off of their payroll books. If they give him a lifetime ban, it's potentially an instant $86 million windfall for the Bombers.
Showalter believes this rule will give the Yankees an unfair advantage in 2014 and beyond:
"If Bud lets them get away with that, they're under the luxury tax," Showalter told USA TODAY Sports. "If they can reset, they can spend again and I guarantee you in two years Matt Wieters is in New York."
Judgement day is coming soon for Alex Rodriguez, who will reportedly receive a lifetime ban if he doesn't agree to a plea deal with MLB.
Showalter later added that "they're the ones who signed him to that contract," implying that he thinks the Yankees should be on the hook for at least some of A-Rod's salary.
It's long been reported that the Yankees are attempting to work their way under the $189 million luxury tax threshold next season. If the club is completely freed of its salary commitments to A-Rod next season, not only would that exponentially help their chances of staying under the tax threshold, it might even give them some wiggle room to be big players on the free-agent market again.
The league is expected to announce the suspensions of A-Rod and several other players involved in the Biogenesis scandal sometime in the next few days. The league is currently discussing a settlement with Rodriguez that could limit his time on the sidelines to this season and the next, but they also have plans to hand him a lifetime ban if he does not agree to their terms.
The Yankees have signed international free agent Leonardo Molina on his 16th birthday. The Dominican outfielder was had for a $1.4 million bonus and was ranked by Baseball America and Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com as the fifth best international free agent this class.
Ben Badler of BA has said that he has better raw tools than No. 1 international prospect Eloy Jimenez, who was signed by the Cubs, and has plus-plus speed and a strong arm. Sanchez believes he is the best overall athlete of the 2013 class and has the potential to become a five-tool center fielder. Both agree that his hitting abilities lag behind his defensive skills at this point, but the potential is there. One scout said he was Bernie Williams with a better arm.
The Yankees had $1.8779 million to spend on the 2013 international class and this signing, along with their signing of Dominican shortstop Yonauris Rodriguez for $575,000 puts them at a 5% overage on their international pool allowances and I'll let Michael Eder from It's About the Money explain it from here:
They'll have to pay a 75% tax on this overage, and if they want to sign anyone else significant, they'll have to trade for a slot. Of course, if they love this international class, they could just go ahead and sign everyone, pay a 100% tax, and be severely constricted by a $250,000 maximum bonus next season. By nailing the 5% overage, it seems that the Yankees are probably done spending.
Former Yankees manager Buck Showalter is not a fan of the upcoming suspension of Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. It has nothing to do with what kind of player A-Rod is or the whole ordeal regarding performance enhancing drugs. Showalter is upset because the Yankees getting free of the money they owe A-Rod would benefit them greatly in the future.
"If Bud lets them get away with that, they're under the luxury tax," the Orioles manager told USA Today. "If they can reset, they can spend again, and I guarantee you in two years Matt Wieters is in New York."
While he might not be right about Matt Wieters wearing the pinstripes in two years, he's not wrong about the obvious financial benefit of being free of the monetary obligations towards A-Rod. If the Yankees do intend to proceed with Plan $189 next year, this would not only get them under that, but it would allow them to potentially add much needed pieces to this lineup. It would also help ease the possible financial blow to the face of Robinson Cano's contract.
On a personal note, Showalter has every right to be upset about this. For the right reasons as well. This 10 year agreement was pretty foolish to begin with. It was a mega contract that, while benefiting the Yankees in the short term, was suppose to hamper them a bit towards the end. The Yankees getting out of the monetary aspect of this deal is nothing short of a lucky break. What opposing team wouldn't be kind of peeved about this?
Being banned from baseball for life puts one in a refined crowd. You join Shoeless Joe Jackson, Chick Gandil, and the rest of the Black Sox crowd, including the most likely innocent Buck Weaver, whose career had to die so that the Commissioner could make the point that clubhouse omerta does not apply when it comes to throwing baseball games. You are one with Benny Kauff, the "Ty Cobb of the Federal League" and a very fine player in the National League as well, who was thrown out for trafficking in stolen automobiles and dim rumors of involvement with the tainted World Series.
Being excommunicated with the game means you share a destiny with the Shuffler, Giants pitcher Phil Douglas, a hapless alcoholic who got drunk and wrote a letter to Cardinals outfielder Les Mann saying he was willing to tank a game. Mann, knowing what happened to Weaver when he kept guilty knowledge to himself, turned Douglas in. You are of the same ilk as Hal Chase and Heinie Zimmerman, never officially banned but not welcome either. Chase was the first real star of the New York Highlanders/Yankees, a slick-fielding first baseman who could hit a little, but he died alone, unloved, impoverished and malnourished because he not only tried to sell every game in which he played, he did his best to corrupt others as well. Zimmerman, holder of the 1912 NL batting title, spent the initial phase of his post-baseball existence deeply involved with the gangster Dutch Schultz, the kind of guy who would chastise a foe short of murder by rubbing syphilis-infected bandages in his eyes. It's a classy crowd.
Bobby Wallace and Hal Chase (Wikimedia Commons)
A lifetime expulsion gives you something in common with Steve Howe, the talented left-handed pitcher who destroyed himself with drugs, and George Steinbrenner, the Yankees owner, who was so obsessed with destroying his expensive right fielder, Dave Winfield, that he paid a gambler for information that might compromise Winfield. In both cases the "lifetime" part of the ban proved to be a misnomer, but the stain remains.
Being banned automatically enters you into kinship with Pete Rose, the player-manager who wrote his name in the lineup, day after day, so that he could claim the all-time hits record even though he was no longer an asset to his team. Before his insane, unthinking decision to bet on games, that was his first crime against baseball.
Because going back in time and stopping A-Rod's parents from meeting isn't an option. Yet.
The reported decision by Commissioner Selig and Major League Baseball to ban Alex Rodriguez for life should he not agree to a lengthy suspension that would, for all practical purposes, end his career, should be understood for what it is: a negotiating tactic. As Jon Heyman wrote on Thursday, "MLB's goal, as it is with the rest of the Biogenesis Nine, is to cut deals and put the ugliness behind them ASAP." In the Dr. Seuss version of The Guilty Crimes and Shameful Misdeeds of Alex Rodriguez, Bud Selig is offering two plates of green eggs and ham. Rodriguez is saying, "But I do not like green eggs and ham. Besides, they're treif." Selig points and says, "Look, either way this is what you're getting, but observe: one plate is smaller than the other."
In a larger sense, Selig and his cohort of ties, toupees, and other high-salaried executives in bespoke suits are making sure that regardless of Rodriguez's decision to take the transient ban or fight and risk lifetime expulsion, his reputation never again gets up off the floor. Hence the litany of banished ghosts above: By even floating the possibility of a lifetime ban, Major League Baseball is conjuring all of those associations. It's the really bad criminals who get the death penalty: the murderers, the perpetrators of war crimes, the terrorists. This is baseball's version of the death penalty, and the public will draw its own conclusions as to what a player must have done to merit that kind of sanction. In essence, they have ensured that Rodriguez dies not once, but at least twice, and probably many more times than that thereafter. Even if he accepts the limited suspension, he will always be the great player who plea-bargained his way out of Shoeless Joe/Pete Rose territory.
That's not to say that Rodriguez doesn't deserve a lifetime ban. If the rumors are true and Rodriguez not only violated the Joint Drug Agreement but tried to evade baseball's justice through the destruction of evidence or the intimidation of potential witnesses, he not only has broken MLB's rules and the Player Association's commitment to same, he has attempted to prevent the enforcement of same. That's not something that can be allowed to stand if the game, and the performance-enhancing drug regime in particular, is going to maintain its integrity. It is far worse than the actual crime which, if Rodriguez's performance record is any proof, came to nothing.
Benny Kauff (Wikimedia Commons)
The Collective Bargaining Agreement between MLB and the Players Association confirms the Commissioner's power to discipline players "for conduct that is materially detrimental or materially prejudicial to the best interests of Baseball." It also admits the possibility that the Commissioner might act in matters "involving the preservation of the integrity of, or the maintenance of public confidence in, the game of baseball." Again, all depends on the evidence said to be in Baseball's possession. If Rodriguez attempted a cover-up, the situation would fit that description to the letter. It is possible that even if they don't have said evidence, the perception of Rodriguez now being fostered, is sufficient to create doubt that would threaten the integrity of the game. Kauff was acquitted of the stolen-car charges, but remained unwelcome anyway.
"Your mere presence in the lineup," said Commissioner Landis, "would inevitably burden patrons of the game with grave apprehension as to its integrity." Perhaps Landis meant that literally, or maybe he just meant, "Look, you'd be a distraction we really don't feel like dealing with." Both interpretations would seem to apply to Rodriguez, even if MLB itself was responsible for creating the "grave apprehension" about him in the first place. Maybe they didn't have to do this, perhaps there was another way, or maybe Rodriguez forced their hands. Either way, there is no restoring him now, even if he were somehow cleared tomorrow.
In the novel Shoeless Joe, later made into the film Field of Dreams, W.P. Kinsella imagined an afterlife in which ballplayers are forgiven. Regardless of their crimes in life, or their inevitable fade into less glorious occupations, disease, disability, and death, as ghosts they exist as their purest selves, the athletes they were in their early 20s. Regardless of what happens next, limited-time suspension or open-ended ban, Kinsella's magical version of Iowa is now Rodriguez's only hope to be what he was again. What he apparently hasn't realized is that the suspension doesn't matter: Baseball can't kill him because he's already dead.
The trade deadline was somewhat quiet this year around baseball, but all the contenders in the American League East made at least one move to improve their teams as they enter the final two months of the season. Here's how the AL East standings look as of the morning of August 1st:
The Red Sox and Rays are in a tussle on top of the AL East for the division crown. The Rays' tremendous 21-5 July vaulted them to contention for the title and also gave them a solid lead for the Wild Card. The Cleveland Indians' recent seven-game winning streak helped them pass the Orioles for a slim lead on the second Wild Card spot, so the Fightin' Showalters have yet another team to surpass in their hopes for a second straight playoff berth. The Texas Rangers are tied with the O's at half a game behind the second Wild Card, and the Yankees sit a few games back of them, as well. The Blue Jays are playing baseball, or so I hear.
So with the race as tight as it is, how did the Yankees and their rivals fare at the deadline?
Red Sox
Boston has one of the best offenses in the league thanks to their .272/.344/.438 triple slash. All three stats rank among the top three in the AL, and they lead the league with 248 doubles and 83 stolen bases. Their starting pitching has been above-average, but they sustained a tough blow when Clay Buchholz and his 41 ERA- went down with a neck and shoulder injury. A trip to Dr. Andrews fortunately did not end in surgery, but he's still only throwing from flat ground and is not close to returning to the rotation. John Lackey is likely pitching above his actual abilities, and both Ryan Dempster and Jon Lester have been just mediocre in the rotation with a league-average ERA-, so GM Ben Cherington sought pitching help at the deadline.
It took until July 30th, but the Red Sox landed the biggest pitching arm on the market in Chicago White Sox starter Jake Peavy. To do so, they sent away BABIP-crazy rookie shortstop Jose Iglesias to the Detroit Tigers and three A-ball minor leaguers to the White Sox. Boston sold high on Iglesias, who was starting to cool down in July, and they can replace him with the likes of Stephen Drew, Brock Holt, and perhaps 20-year-old top prospect Xander Bogaerts. Boston also acquired righty reliever Brayan Villareal from the Tigers, who has struggled this year, but pitched to a 53 ERA- in 50 games last year. He might be able to help the bullpen, but the focus of trade is obviously on Peavy.
The former Padres ace and 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner has been dogged by all kinds of injuries since 2008 and has only made 30 starts in a season once since that '07 season. 2012 was a comeback year for Peavy though, as he was named an All-Star, pitched 219 innings to a 79 ERA- and 87 FIP-, and ended with 4.4 fWAR. A fractured ribcage had him on the DL earlier this year, and in 13 starts, he has regressed to a 101 ERA- and 98 FIP-, roughly Lester and Dempster's numbers. Peavy still has terrific control though; his 1.9 BB/9 would rank him seventh in the league if he had enough innings to qualify. Park factors will also likely help his season, as he's moving from one of the easier places for righties to homer to one of the more difficult parks. Thus, his 1.6 HR/9 should regress to his career norm of 1.0.
Although Peavy's numbers this year are not overwhelming, he should improve in Boston, and if healthy, he provides rotation stability for minimal prospect cost. The "if healthy" is a dangerous clause with Peavy, but the cost was worth the risk. Even if they don't get Buchholz back, a playoff rotation of Peavy/Lackey/Doubront/Lester inspires more confidence than Lackey/Doubront/Lester/Dempster.
Rays
Yes, the Rays were active at the Trade Deadline! Believe it!
Well, they were active in a tentative sense of the word. They acquired an injured pitcher. On July 29th, the White Sox sent All-Star righty reliever Jesse Crain to the Rays in a complicated deal. Chicago's return will be either a player to be named later or cash considerations, and if Ken Rosenthal is correct, then it will not be contingent on Crain's performance with Rays as originally rumored.
The bullpen has been a weakness for the Rays this year, as Fernando Rodney's crash to Earth has brought the team's bullpen ERA- to 97, 10th in the league. Lefty Alex Torres has been nothing short of phenomenal, allowing an unreal one run in 33 innings (0.27 ERA) with a 10.9 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9, but even with Joel Peralta's 77 ERA-, the group has been mediocre outside of his performance. In fact, their bullpen ERA outside of Torres is 4.28, higher than all AL teams except the Mariners and Astros. They needed more than one stalwart, and they got him for a very low cost.
Crain has basically been a righthanded Torres this year, allowing just three earned runs in 36 2/3 innings for the White Sox, striking out 11.3 per nine innings with a 2.7 BB/9. He's already been worth 2.0 fWAR out of the bullpen, and his peak ERA- since 2010 is 73; the man is consistent. He could be huge for the Rays, but his health is in question right now. He strained his shoulder on June 29th to land on the DL, and he has not been able to throw a bullpen session yet. It's unclear when exactly he will return, but since the Rays got him for such a small cost, it's hard to criticize the move by GM Andrew Friedman. With a pitching staff that was due to get better and the league's most productive position players by fWAR, the Rays are in a good position to make a run for the title anyway, even if Crain can't return.
Orioles
It's a new era for Birdland, as a team that was consistently a seller for 15 years is now a buyer. Like Boston, Baltimore's offense has been mostly good, so they sought to improve their pitching staff in July since several of their surprising pitching assets from last year have come down to Earth in 2013. Chris Tillman, Miguel Gonzalez, Jason Hammel, and Wei-Yin Chen all had ERA-s below 100 last year, but all except Chen have taken a big step backward. The bullpen that had a league-best 72 ERA- last year now has an 89 ERA-. So in July, the Orioles made three moves for pitching:
3) July 31: Traded Baseball America's #6 preseason Orioles prospect, Triple-A outfielder L.J. Hoes, 19-year-old A-ball starter Josh Hader, and a 2014 round A competitive balance pick to the Astros for starter Bud Norris.
The Orioles added some arms to their pitching staff at the cost of a pair of washed-up prospects and a pair of promising Top 10 prospects (in addition to Hader, who has a 2.45 ERA in 113 2/3 minor league innings). They were definitely moves by GM Dan Duquette to gamble some future assets on this current squad in contention. It's hard to blame him for wanting to improve a team that is undoubtedly going to be in the heat of the playoff race come September, but those were some tough prospects to give up for a couple league-average starters and a veteran reliever who didn't sign this year until mid-April.
Feldman has been up-and-down in his five starts since the trade last month. He had pitched to an 89 ERA- in 15 starts with the Cubs, but so far, that has not translated to the AL. Remember, this is the same guy who had a 117 ERA- in over 120 innings last year the AL with the Rangers. It's far from certain that he will get much better with the Orioles. "K-Rod" recaptured his dominant form in half a season with the Brew Crew, pitching to a 1.09 ERA with 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings. It's been a long time since he was in his prime with the Angels as their closer, even though he's only 31. (Weird.) As previously mentioned, he was such a question mark in the off-season that he was not signed until mid-April, and he as an unsightly 110 ERA- pitcher last year in Milwaukee. Nonetheless, if he can step into the role Strop excelled in last year, then he can certainly be an asset to the O's bullpen. 2012 was the first truly bad season of K-Rod's career anyway, so perhaps it was just a blip on the radar. If not though, the Orioles just forfeited a very nice prospect for an inconsistent reliever who has never been good at limiting walks.
The biggest piece acquired was Norris, a 28-year-old starter in his fifth season with the lowly Astros. Houston took advantage of a weak starting pitching market after Peavy to make Norris a hot commodity since he is only in his first year of arbitration. At the moment though, Norris is merely a league-average pitcher. He had a 100 ERA- in 2011 which ballooned to 119 last year before returning to normal in 21 starts this year.
Yesterday, Tanya pointed out that Norris has struggled in open-air stadiums this year; he has a 6.31 ERA in seven open-air starts against a 2.99 ERA in 14 starts at retractable roof stadiums like his old home in Houston, Minute Maid Park. This park factor is not just a small sample size 2013 thing though--in 58 career games in open-air, he has a 5.04 ERA. He will have to improve that with his home games now at Camden Yards. The fact that lefties have a higher propensity to homer at Camden Yards compared to Minute Maid Park doesn't help the righty Norris much either.
Nonetheless, Norris will likely help the Orioles at least a little bit. Mark Brown at Camden Chat nicely summed it up:
[Norris] is just about league average, and in that sense it will represent a significant improvement over Jason Hammel... Is this a blockbuster trade? Let's be real: Norris is not a blockbuster piece to acquire. However, neither Hader nor Hoes were top pieces to give up, and Norris should be a very real upgrade to one of the biggest areas of weakness for the Orioles. The starting rotation should be stronger with him than it was without him, and for Dan Duquette, that was enough to make the trade.
Yankees
Much has been made around these parts about the Yankees' woes on offense, most notably from the right side of the plate. By the end of play on July 25th, the Yankees' righthanded hitters ranked as the worst righty offense of all time by Baseball Prospectus's True Average stat. Overall, the offense was also the fourth-worst Yankee offense by True Average since 1950, barely trailing the '68 team for third. They needed some kind of boost, even a small one. They got that boost by reacquiring an old friend.
On July 26th, they traded High-A pitcher Corey Black to the Cubs for 1999-2003 Yankee Alfonso Soriano, a veteran with flaws, but one whose righthanded power potential was badly needed. Soriano has a roughly league-average 101 wRC+ this year, and against lefties, he is hitting .285/.319/.515 with nine doubles and seven homers, numbers not far off from his career triple slash of .275/.345/.517 against them. Soriano is never going to be a guy who walks very much, but that's the least of the Yankees' problems right now against southpaws. Soriano's return complemented by that of lefty masher Derek Jeter and home run threat Curtis Granderson should jolt the Yankees' offense, which is basically on life support.
The Yankees could have done more at the deadline to improve their offense, but there truly did not appear to be much out there. GM Brian Cashman described it as "an offensive offense" market, and it's hard to debate that considering the fact that Soriano was probably the biggest bat moved around the deadline. Selling teams seemed to be asking for too much for their flawed hitters, from Michael Young to Marlon Byrd. The Yankees will need their returning injured players to at least get their offense to around league-average. If they can at least do that, then the team can continue its unlikely run at a playoff spot. At just a few games off the Wild Card, they are far from out of it.
Blue Jays
Original image: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Well, that didn't work. Anyone up for some Timmy Ho's? Wonder how the Leafs are looking this year...
Brian Cashman offered Ruben Amaro of the Phillies minor league reliever Tom Kahnle and $ 5 million for Michael Young on deadline day, but the Phillies general manager said no. He was prepared to give up talent that was closer to the majors, but Amaro rejected that idea too. Cashman also inquired on Carlos Ruiz, but Amaro said he was not available because the Phillies had no one to replace him.
Amaro didn't feel that Kahnle was a good enough prospect to give up his "best bat"and the money wasn't a concern. Kahnle has a 2.42 ERA, 13 saves, and a 10.5 K/9, but also a 6.0 BB/9 in 44.2 innings. He has high-strikeout potential, but has struggled with his control in his first year in Double-A.
A pitcher like this might not be much, but it's certainly valuable when the alternative is to get absolutely nothing back. Now Young will become a free agent and the Phillies will get nothing in return.
The Yankees are off tonight for the second time this week. That makes for a boring Thursday but you can still hang out here and discuss things amongst yourselves. If you happen to be scoreboard watching, the Orioles are taking on the Astros in Bud Norris' Baltimore debut, the Red Sox take on the Mariners, and the Rangers host the Diamondbacks in Arlington.
Some questions for the night:
What is your opinion of the team now that the dust has settled a bit from deadline day?
Do you expect Biogenesis suspensions tomorrow?
Can the Yankees actually sweep the Padres this weekend?
Rodriguez will fight the suspensions through the appeals process, which couldpotentially lead to commissioner Bud Selig invoking the "best interest of baseball clause." The usage of the clause would prevent Rodriguez from playing until a ruling was made on his appeal.
The Yankees could use Rodriguez's bat in their lineup, with his unavailability looming over the team's pennant race hopes. He was set to return in mid-July from hip surgery, but suffered a quad strain and is currently rehabbing for Double-A Trenton.
Rodriguez had hired a new law firm that many believed (per Sherman) would help him get the best settlement possible, but it now appears as though its job is to build up an appeal case.
The Yankees currently sit at 56-51, eight games behind the Red Sox in the American League east.
The league intends to announce its suspensions for those involved in the Biogenesis scandal soon, beyond the punishment already handed out to Ryan Braun. The Brewers outfielder received a suspension for the rest of the season after settling.
'Twas the night before Biogenesis suspensions, and all through MLB, not a shortstop was stirring, not even . . .oh forget it. Nothing rhymes with "MLB."
MLB is expected to announce suspensions in connection with the Biogenesis scandal, perhaps as soon as today, although Monday seems more likely. With that, the focus now is pretty much all on Alex Rodriguez, as reports are that other players have all agreed to plea deals that would suspend them for 50 games.
Rodriguez, however, is looking at a lifetime ban as he's accused of going far beyond mere taking PEDs. MLB reportedly is charging Rodriguez with tampering with evidence, recruiting other players to PED use and lying to MLB investigators.
Buster Olney urges MLB to use restraint in suspending Rodriguez, lest they change the players opinion of him from one of scorn to sympathy. Rodriguez's case should be used to expand cooperation with the players union rather than to declare war.
Rodriguez did an interview with Sports Illustrated, an excerpt of which can be found here. Rodriguez seems good at "departmentalizing" these events as he works his way back to the Yankees.
Jen Floyd Engel believes that Rodriguez was doomed by mega-contract he signed with Texas in 2001. ARod chose money over happiness, believing that money equals "winning," an attitude she finds way too pervasive in 21st Century America.
Jay Jaffe lists trading deadline winners and losers. Hint: One of the winners is a team that plays on a city on Lake Michigan and doesn't rhyme with "Sewers" or "Flight Locks."
The Nationals are having a disappointing season with only a 3.5% chance of making the playoffs, according to Baseball Prospectus. So naturally they gave a contract extension to GM Mike Rizzo and gave him the new title of Team President.
Ever want to know why Iowa is in the Pacific Coast League? Frank Jackson gives a geography lesson about Triple-A baseball. There are seven teams in the Central Time Zone in the PCL, compared to only five in the Pacific Time Zone.
Finally, if you're curious where I was last night, I was at the Fresno Grizzlies Taco Truck Throwdown. It was awesome. Duck a l'Orange tacos for two bucks at a ballgame is something I could get used to.
And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.
Will we still be discussing Alex Rodriguez next week? Oh you can bet we will. We probably will still be discussing it on Episode 100 as Bud Selig postpones another retirement to further deliberate A-Rod's suspension while a tipster reports that A-Rod is photographed eating a hamburger.
[0:45] All about A-Rod and upcoming Biogenesis suspensions; effects of a plea bargain? [10:07] How Ryan Braun's admission killed any defense [16:27] Trade Deadline wrap-up: Bud Norris, Jake Peavy, and the unmoveable Phil Hughes [30:45] The sad tale of Francisco Cervelli [33:50] Chris Stewart vs. Austin Romine vs. J.R. Murphy [38:19] On CC Sabathia's struggles [44:56] We love Hiroki Kuroda [48:35] Derek Jeter's return [53:08] Tweetbag: Pineda's return, non-Mo/Jeter/Torre future Yankee Hall of Famers, and who the Yankees should have tried to acquire
Sound off in the comments if you have any questions you'd like us to answer for next time, or if you have any feedback on the podcast! Send your tweets to the Tweetbag by tweeting @pinstripebible.
It was believed that MLB would announce the Biogenesis suspensions on Friday, however, it now looks like that will be pushed back yet again to within the next 72 hours. The deadline for players to accept their suspensions is on Monday, so allowing them the time to discuss their legal options before everything goes public makes sense. MLB is likely to make two different announcements: one for the list of players who have agreed to a settlement and one for the players who will be suspended and have the right to appeal.
There now appears to be 13 other players that are waiting to hear about their punishment and most are expected to agree to a settlement that would keep them out for the rest of the season. Joel Sherman says the announcements could come on Sunday because it would be the last moment possible before the season meets the 50-game mark. Players like Nelson Cruz and Jhonny Peralta could then still rejoin their team for the playoffs.
He also hears that Alex Rodriguez is still dead set on appealing any punishment that is levied against him. If A-Rod is suspended on Monday and appeals, he could then play later that night with the Yankees.
Major League Baseball has reportedly given Alex Rodriguez and a group of players who have been connected to the Biogenesis scandal until Sunday to accept suspensions, and all information will be made public on Monday regardless, according to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post.
Rodriguez is not expected to accept his suspension. He plans to fight the league on any penalties he faces and return to the major leagues as soon as possible, according to ESPN.
The Yankees third baseman is still recovering from offseason hip surgery and a quad strain. He's expected to be in the lineup for the Double-A Trenton Thunder on Friday night and will be playing third base.
Major League Baseball and Rodriguez's representatives continue to discuss a settlement, but nothing has been agreed upon at this point.
The Yankees will take on the San Diego Padres tonight, a rare occurrence indeed. Since I prefer to ignore inter-league play altogether, let's pretend this is the first time the two teams have met since the 1998 World Series.
During all my years living in China, my two favorite purchases had nothing to do with the country itself. Well, that's not entirely true - neither purchase would have been possible without China's rather lax attitude toward intellectual property rights. Favorite Buy #2 - a Criterion Collection edition of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai - pales in comparison to Favorite Buy #1: a box set of every World Series video from 1943 to 2008.
I was especially happy to get my hands on the 1998 World Series video - my VHS copy was cruelly stolen from me years ago when my mom mistakenly returned it to Blockbuster Video. The video - modestly entitled "Team of the Century" - is chock-full of the kind of half-baked inspirational cheese that would make me vomit if they were talking about any team except the Yankees. When it comes to the Bronx Bombers, however, I can't get enough of lines like this:
"If they ask for our star, give them 25 names. And if they forget our names, just tell them 'we were Yankees.'"
OH MY GOD, IT'S SO GOOD! JUST HOOK IT TO MY VEINS!
The late-nineties Yankees dynasty had many good teams (which is why we they really were a dynasty), but the '98 squad was their pièce de résistance. Teams like this practically ruined the Yankee fan experience for an entire generation of kids who now expect every scrub called up from Triple-A to be Shane Spencer and every Cuban pitcher to win their first ten postseason starts, like El Duque (I'm looking at you, Jose Contreras!).
But what about the National League champion from that season, the San Diego Padres? They've gone down in history as mere patsies of the 125-win Yankee juggernaut, which doesn't afford them the respect they deserve. They won 98 games during the regular season - at least four games better than each of the last three World Series champions. They are still the only team in history to face three 100-win teams in the postseason, having defeated the 102-win Astros and the 106-win Braves before taking on the Yankees.
Leading up to the Series, the Padres' plan was to ride starter Kevin Brown for Games One and Four, with hopes of a Game Seven. That was no idle threat - a few weeks earlier, Brown had struck out 16 Astros in Game One of the NLDS and thrown an 11-K, complete game shutout of the Braves in Game Two of the NLCS. Brown's late-nineties dominance often gets overlooked, but he was far better than any Yankees starter in '98. His 164 ERA+ dwarfed the likes of David Wells (127 ERA+) and David Cone (125 ERA+).
Statistically-speaking the '98 Yankees were built on quality rotation depth, as opposed to having a true ace. These are the sorts of teams who are often expected to struggle in a postseason series, particularly against a team with a dominant starter who can go 1-4-7. Fortunately for those Yankee teams, all four of their starters (Wells, Cone, Andy Pettitte, and Orlando Hernandez) would go on to become legendary postseason performers in their own right.
Despite battling the flu, Brown would out-pitch Wells in Game One. Brown left with the lead, but the Padres' bullpen gave up the game-tying home run the Chuck Knoblauch, and then...
Glorious. Brown would throw eight-innings of three-run ball in Game Four, which wasn't nearly enough to overcome Pettitte's seven-inning, no-run masterpiece.
Though they were swept, the Padres didn't go quietly against the Yankees. They held a lead in the seventh inning of Game One and the eighth inning of Game Three. I would argue that this was the year the legend of "Mariano Rivera: Greatest Closer Ever" was born. Going into that Series, many baseball pundits argued that Trevor Hoffman was the superior closer. In fact, he'd had a better regular season than Rivera (265 ERA+ for Hoffman, a measly 233 ERA+ for Mo). When Hoffman came in during the eighth inning of Game Three, with AC/DC's "Hells Bells" blasting from the loudspeakers and Qualcomm Stadium shaking like the massive football field it, in fact, was, I couldn't help but think of Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn's entrance at the end of Major League...if the Wild Thing had come in and immediately given up a back-breaking home run to the villainous Clete Haywood. With one on and nobody out, and the Padres nursing a 3-2 lead, Hoffman gave up a deep fly ball to Bernie Williams, a walk to Tino Martinez, and a three-run home run to Scott Brosius. The best closer in the National League pitched one inning with a lead in that Series, and couldn't hold it. Hoffman and Rivera would go on to be the two greatest closers of their era, but anyone watching that night probably could have guessed that Mo would inevitably come out on top.
If YES should happen to show some highlights of the '98 Series this weekend (and I sure hope they do), please remember that the Yankees didn't simply roll over a bunch of chumps. The '98 Padres were a fitting final challenge for the greatest team I've ever seen, and I'm certainly glad they're not around to play this year's Yankees.
Major League Baseball is expected to announce suspensions for the players connected to the Biogenesis PED scandel on Monday and it appears MLB has evidence showing Alex Rodriguez had been using steroids consistently since 2009, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Rodriguez is being threatened with a lifetime ban for his involvement with the Biogenesis clinic, but Heyman reports few people in baseball see that as a likely outcome. His sources say that the commissioner's office is hoping to work out deals with the players involved, but Rodriguez's camp remains far apart from MLB on the issue. Commissioner Bud Selig does have the power to ban a player under the Collective Bargaining Agreement's "best interest of baseball" clause, but Heyman's sources believe that he is unwilling to invoke that power and risk upsetting a players' union that has been very cooperative in the Biogenesis investigation to this point.
Rodriguez's side believes that he should not be suspended longer than Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, who was given a 65-game suspension earlier this month. Unlike Braun, Rodriguez has not failed any test for performance-enhancing drugs under MLB's current agreement. He did admit to using PEDs in 2009 in an interview with Peter Gammons of ESPN. Rodriguez said he had taken banned substances as a member of the Texas Rangers from 2001-2003 after a Sports Illustrated report came out claiming the Yankees star had failed an anonymous 2003 survey test. If Heyman's sources are correct, Rogriguez would appear to have continued buying and using banned substances even after his admission and apology.
At the time of his admission, he said he had never used PEDs as a member of the Yankees (he joined the team in 2004) and he asked people to judge him on what he did before and after that time. Given those statements, evidence of his continued use would seem to be particularly damaging to his case and that could explain MLB's aggressive stance on his punishment.
The evidence that MLB has to use against Alex Rodriguez in their expected upcoming suspensions includes records from the Biogenesis clinic that connect the Yankees third baseman to steroids every year since 2009, according to Jon Heyman. The evidence suggests that A-Rod was involved in buying or taking steroids in each year since Rodriguez admitted to his steroid usage with the Texas Rangers between 2001-2003.
MLB also has documentation and text records that would backup statements they intend to use against Rodriguez from clinic owner Tony Bosch, making it more difficult for A-Rod or any player to dispute his credibility in any appeal. That's to say nothing of the fact that they'd like to punish him for his attempts to buy evidence to impede MLB's investigation.
Also of note from Heyman is that A-Rod seems unwilling to accept any suspension longer than 100 games, if even that many. When it was reported that the two sides were far apart with MLB seeking a suspension that would keep him out through the 2014 season, adding up to a little over 200 games, it was unclear of how far A-Rod and his representation would be willing to go in negotiations. Apparently 100 games is approximately that limit.
Players reportedly have until 6:00 pm on Sunday to accept their suspension from MLB without appeal. An announcement is expected to be made on Monday on which players are suspended and for how long. Any players that don't come to an agreement on the time they must serve will likely be heading toward an appeal at that point. We've heard rumors that Bud Selig doesn't intend to allow Rodriguez to appeal, but we've also heard that these suspensions would be announced weeks ago. Who knows what the case is as this point, but barring yet another setback, maybe we'll know more on Monday.
Having played with the Trenton Thunder tonight in New Jersey, A-Rod could technically re-join the team in Chicago for their series against the White Sox on Monday if he is not suspended. That is a big if. If the Yankees have been trying to keep him off the field until suspensions are announced, they may have just succeeded.
Alex Rodriguez was outspoken following his latest rehab outing with the Trenton Thunder, his comments hinting that he blames the Yankees front office for playing a role in MLB's efforts to ban him from the game.
Speaking to the media in this video from Nick Peruffo of the Trentonian, Rodriguez said there was a "pink elephant in the room" after being asked if why felt he was being singled out and alluded to efforts by the Yankees to avoid paying him.
"When all the stuff is going on in the background and people are finding creative ways to cancel contracts and stuff like that, that's concerning for me."
"I will say this. There is more than one party that benefits from me not ever stepping back on the field."
Rodriguez doesn't specifically state that he believes the Yankees are working to keep him from playing, but actions taken by GM Brian Cashman and the Yankees front office seem implied in these comments. The Yankees still owe Rodriquez more than $100 million in salary on his contract, which extends through 2017.
Rodriguez also told the media in Trenton that he was ready to return to the field for the Yankees. He homered in the game, drew a walk and handled the two plays that came his way at third base. He said he is excited about how his body was reacting to rehab and that he hoped to play for "five more years."
After a nice little ceremony for Mariano Rivera, the Padres got down to business and commenced to beating New York 7-2 in the Yankees' first game at Petco Park. Andrew Cashner improved to 8-5 and helped his own cause on the offensive side for the second game in a row, singling and scoring a run. He was also backed by three home runs in what was a real team effort; all seven of the Padres' runs were scored by different players.
The Yankees' second and third batters hit back-to-back singles with one out in the top of the first but Andrew Cashner stranded them on the corners. Everth Cabrera and Chris Denorfia hit two singles of their own to kick off the Padres' half. A ground ball fielder's choice moved Evy to third and put Chase Headley on first. Jesus Guzman then walked to fill the bases. Yonder Alonso did the same thing to bring Cabrera home with the lead. After that Jedd Gyorko grounded out to bring in another run, giving the Padres an early 2-0 lead.
Ichiro led off the second inning with a single, stole second, and came in on an Eduardo Nunez double. Nunez moved to third and scored on a pair of ground ball outs before Brett Gardner lined the short for the third out. Everth singled and took second on a throwing error by chosen one Derek Jeter with two outs in the bottom of the inning but got caught trying to steal third, leaving the game tied at twos.
After a 1-2-3 third by Cashner, Chase Headley picked up a double but got cut down trying to score on a single by Yonder. Cashner set 'em down 1-2-3 again in the fourth, and Big Logan Forsythe got the lead back in the bottom of the inning with a solo shot, his fourth homer of the year. Cashner did his part to help his own cause by hitting a single and was immediately rewarded when Everth Cabrera hit his fifth triple of the year to widen the score to 4-2. [Note by jodes0405, 08/02/13 10:46 PM PDT Forsythe's homer.]
[Note by jodes0405, 08/02/13 10:47 PM PDT Everth's triple. Look at Cashner go!]
Cashner allowed a single to begin the top of the fifth but nothing became of it. Jesus Guzman singled with one out in the bottom of the inning but nothing became of that either. Fast Money allowed another single in the sixth but got out unscathed once again. Nick Hundley walked in the bottom of the inning and Evy singled him over with two outs for his fourth hit of the game. Norf was on the scene like a hit machine to drive Hundley home and drive Sabathia out of the game.
[Note by jodes0405, 08/02/13 10:48 PM PDT Deno's RBI double.]
Young Money went back out to the hill for the seventh with a 5-2 lead and, like he did the previous two innings, allowed one consequence-free single. Jedd Gyorko gave him another run in the bottom of the inning with his ninth homer of the season, his first since June 7. I almost looked that up on BR but I figured Corey Brock was already all over it so I checked Twitter and sure enough, it was the first thing I saw. The man is good at what he does.
[Note by jodes0405, 08/02/13 10:49 PM PDT Gyorkin' it in San Diego!]
After Gyorko's homer stretched the lead to four, Forsythe walked and moved to second when Hundley reached on a fielder's (poor) choice. Mark Kotsay came in to end Cashner's night and got on base on another fielder's choice before Everth ended the inning with his first hitless plate appearance of the game. Andy Cash finished with seven hits and no walks in his seven innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out an uncharacteristically low two batters. He was very democratic with his 97 pitches.
Luke Gregerson came in for the eighth inning and retired the side with ten pitches, notching a K in the process. In the bottom of the inning, Will Venable added to the solo homer parade with his thirteenth shot of the year to make it 7-2.
[Note by jodes0405, 08/02/13 10:53 PM PDT Venabomb!]
Tim Stauffer got the call for the ninth and echoed Gregerson's performance to hammer in the final nail.
The Padres have now won eight of their last eleven games. The Padres have a chance to take their fourth series in a row on Saturday, with Tyson Ross going up against Ivan Nova.
Friar Fever led all commenters with 76. chris.callahan.7777 came in second with 55, and jodes0405 rounded out the Top-3 with a Joey Cora-riffic tally of 28.
Gaslamp Baller ariz2cali had the most-recced comment of the game thread, scoring six for this beauty. FF and jodes each scored a pair of recs, and callahan had one as well.
Bobby Wallace and Hal Chase (Wikimedia Commons)
Benny Kauff (Wikimedia Commons)
