MLB FanHouse

Scouting Notes: Braves Shopping Pair of Arms, and Both Could Be Bargains

Frankie Piliere — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:58:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Red Sox, Yankees, MLB Inside Scoop, Scout's Eye View

On the free-agent market, all the focus has been on John Lackey. On the trade market, the talk has been about Roy Halladay. The consolation prize for teams seeking a top-flight arm may come out of Atlanta.

The Braves have two of their top starters on the block, Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez, and there's little doubt that at least one of those two pitchers will be moved, according to multiple major league sources. With strong resumes for both, there should be teams lined up for their services.

One source said that the Braves intend to move one of the two pitchers, and who goes will depend on the offers they receive.

Trading for Halladay could take a king's ransom, and Lackey will demand a huge financial commitment. With that in mind, and one of these pitchers clearly on the block, how might the market be impacted, what do each of these Braves hurlers bring to the table and what might it take to get them?

Lowe is more likely depart and would certainly come cheaper than Vazquez, but the Braves won't get nearly the same return for the former as they would the latter. Atlanta could use the contract relief that would come with dealing Lowe, who has three years and around $45 million left on his contract.

Count the Yankees and Mets as possible destinations for Lowe. Would the Yankees go down the Vazquez road again? It seems unlikely, and given his National League success, he might be best served to stay there. Either way, Vazquez' desirability is the reason Atlanta is more likely to try and hold onto him. After all, he's cheaper, younger, and had a fantastic 2009.

Any suitors for Lowe will have to be financially flexible, and that rules out quite a few teams. Not many clubs would give up players and also pay the $45 million left on his contract. For example, the Texas Rangers, who have also been linked to Vazquez and are looking for pitching help, will not be in on either of these two pitchers because of the money each is making. Other than the Yankees, who figure to lead the charge here, the Angels, who have money coming off the books, will likely explore both pitchers. Whether the Braves would trade within the division to the Mets remains to be seen, but they would be a logical destination otherwise.

Although it will take a financial commitment, Vazquez and Lowe are not going to command a haul of prospects that someone like Halladay would. If Halladay isn't moved, one could make the argument that either Vazquez or Lowe would be the best pitcher available this winter.

While his 4.67 ERA in 2009 doesn't look all the glamorous, Lowe was much better than that ERA would indicate and has been a model of consistency since 2003. Minus a few bad starts near the end of the season, Lowe was as good as ever this year. Don't expect teams to be any less impressed with Lowe than they were when he was free agent last offseason

And then there is Vazquez. He likely won't win the Cy Young Award, announced Thursday, but he was a legitimate contender for the hardware in 2009. He mixed his pitches better this season than he ever has in the past, and his walk numbers were way down from 2008. While some scouts may doubt that he can repeat his fantastic 2009 performance, he has been a consistent innings-eater with good strikeout numbers for many years now.

So what can we expect? Finding a home for Derek Lowe's big contract won't be easy, but it appears that he's the one in this pair that Atlanta would prefer to jettison. Vazquez, on the other hand, will draw much more widespread interest, with only a year remaining on his contract and his impressive performance this past season.

In the end, bet on Lowe getting dealt, with the destination being one of the big-market clubs that showed interest in him when he was a free agent. Expect the Yankees to be heavily involved, especially if money is more the issue at hand than the players that Atlanta gets in return.

Quick Hits

o. It's looking more and more like the Aroldis Chapman sweepstakes will be a two-team race. Mid-market teams do not expect to be involved in the bidding, according to sources with several different teams, leaving the Yankees and Red Sox poised to battle it out for the Cuban left-hander's services.

o. As the market takes shape, Rafael Soriano has been placed on the top of many wish lists. Few relievers warrant premium free-agent money, but most agree that Soriano is one of those guys. It looks like he'll hit the big money on the open market and Mike Gonzalez could be the one that remains in Atlanta. Soriano has, for many years now, drawn high praise from scouts for his outstanding pure stuff, and it looks like he'll get compensated like a closer with that type of stuff now.

Frankie Piliere spent the last three seasons working as a scout, most recently in the professional scouting department for the Texas Rangers in 2009. He now serves as the National Baseball Analyst here at FanHouse.

Scouting Notes: Braves Shopping Pair of Arms, and Both Could Be Bargains originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLB's Economic Rebound Could Be Slow

Jeff Fletcher — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Blue Jays, Dodgers, Nationals, MLB Biz, MLB Inside Scoop

CHICAGO -- On a day this week when the stock market had one of the encouraging spikes investors have enjoyed more frequently over the past few months, Kenny Williams let out a sarcastic cheer for what it meant to baseball.

"Let's go, let's party," he said. "We've got cash again."

Then, the White Sox general manager quickly returned to reality, at least the version of reality that he and his colleagues have been describing this week at the GM Meetings.

"I don't think it works that way," he said. "We might need to see six months of recovery before we buy into that. We need an advertiser or a sponsor or two to come back to us."

Baseball teams have cried poverty before, but last winter turned out to be, financially, one of the coldest in recent years. Dozens of players waited until just a week or two before spring training, eventually settling for cut-rate deals. Although there are indications that the economy is improving, it remains to be seen what type of winter this will be in terms of spending.

"I honestly have no idea," Braves GM Frank Wren said. "Every market has its own life it takes on once we get a little deeper into the winter. I don't know that any of us know."

"We heard a lot last year about the impending doom of the economics of baseball. ... Even in an economy where many many businesses are struggling, ... our industry has been able to keep the revenues at record levels."
-- Scott Boras While owners and GMs may call for fiscal restraint, agents will, as usual, say that it's all a smokescreen intended to help the teams keep their cash out of the hands of their clients.

"We heard a lot last year about the impending doom of the economics of baseball," agent Scott Boras said. "We had another record year this year and the economy is better. ... Even in an economy where many many businesses are struggling, particularly in the last year, our industry has been able to keep the revenues at record levels."

Attendance actually dropped 6.5 percent from last year, which was the biggest decline since 1952. That said, the raw number of fans to come to games -- more than 75 million -- was still the fourth-highest in history.

Everything is relative, from the money clubs are making to the money players are making.

"When you are talking free agency with these guys, the question isn't 'Are you going to be rich?', the question is 'How rich do you want to be?'" Williams said. "No matter the real economics of the world, in a lot of ways this is Fantasy Land. None of these guys are going to starve."

Boras countered by saying that any club that considers itself to be a small- or middle-market also should have some perspective.

"I don't know what a mid-market franchise is," he said. "That's like a mid-sized aircraft carrier. They all have the potential to have an economic bomb. If you are drawing 3.3 million fans and averaging $50 a fan. ... I just don't know that mid-market team."

Free agents may be the first to feel the economic crunch, particularly since this market has few marquee players and dozens who have question marks because of their age or performance. Traditionally, the players hurt most when the money dries up are the ones in the middle. Now the middle expands all the way up to the second tier of free agents and all the way down to arbitration-eligible players.

Jeremy Hermida, J.J. Hardy and Mark Teahen have already been traded this offseason because they were arbitration-eligible players whose potential salaries were already getting out of line with their production. Others like Garrett Atkins, Chad Billingsley, Ryan Church, Jack Cust, Mike Jacobs and Russell Martin all could follow. Each was a valuable asset when he was making the relative pennies of a player with less than three years of service time, but now they have contracts that might need to be moved.

In past years it was easy to move players like that, because most any team could afford a $3-to-$5 million player, but these days, not so much.

"All of the sudden, there is a risk-reward of 'Am I going to go after the second-tier free agent?'" Giants GM Brian Sabean said. "There might be some risk dollar wise, but I'm not sure of the reward vs. a guy that's coming in my system or the guy that a year from now we're going to need to get anyway."

A raft of players may wind up creating a new pool of free agents after Dec. 12, the deadline to tender contracts to those that are eligible for arbitration.

Another recent, economically based, change in baseball's offseason is the reluctance of teams to give up draft picks for free agents. A team that signs a Type-A free agent has to surrender a high draft pick as compensation. With teams lusting after all the cheap players they can find, those draft picks are valued more than they were five years ago.

"There are guys out there I would certainly have interest in if they weren't Type-A's," Williams said.

It is certainly not a recent development to have baseball decisions impacted by money, but there is no doubt that dollars have become more of a driving force in the past couple years.

"I don't think we're out of the woods yet with sports getting slapped in the face of reality," Williams said. "That's just my own personal opinion. It's not just fun and games any more. It's got to be a business. You have to run it as it is supposed to be, as a business."

Here are five other key questions to watch as this offseason unfolds:

Where will the big free agents land?

Jason Bay, Chone Figgins, Matt Holliday and John Lackey are the only premium players on the market. The Yankees, Red Sox, Mets and Angels, four of baseball's big spenders, each are expected to be in on the bidding for at least a couple of those players, so they should end up getting nice contracts.

Look for Holliday to be the last of the bunch to sign, since he's represented by Boras. He probably won't go anywhere until he sees what Bay gets.

Which big names will be traded?

The biggest name on the trade block this winter is Roy Halladay. The Blue Jays shopped him in all-too-public fashion over the summer, but asked for so much in return that they didn't make a deal. The failure to move Halladay may have contributed to GM J.P. Ricciardi's demise in Toronto. Now Alex Anthopolous is running the Blue Jays, and he has not tipped his hand about what the Jays plan to do with Halladay, but he has made it clear he'll listen to anything.

Dan Uggla is another premium player who is almost certain to be traded. The Marlins are always looking to trim payroll and they have Rookie of the Year candidate Chris Coglan ready to move to second.

After that, the next biggest players to watch are Adrian Gonzalez and Felix Hernandez. Both are so good and so cheap that their current teams can keep them. But those current teams are not contenders, so they may also use them for rebuilding, looking for a Mark Teixeira-like four- or five-for-one deal.

Will the Dodgers ownership saga affect the baseball team?

The ugly divorce proceedings between Frank and Jamie McCourt have so far been a story more fitting for TMZ than FanHouse. However, if the McCourts end up having to sell the team in order to liquidate their assets for a split, it could have a dramatic impact on how the Dodgers do business. The model everyone in Los Angeles fears is what happened to the Padres when John Moores got divorced.

For now, though, it's too early in the process to know if the Dodgers will go the same route. GM Ned Colletti said he's conducting business as usual.

Which of the aging star players will be back and which ones will retire?

This past season saw what may have been the end of a lot of great careers, including Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Andy Pettitte, Pudge Rodriguez, John Smoltz and Omar Vizquel. Ken Griffey Jr. would have been on this list, but he re-signed with Seattle on Wednesday.

Of that group, Martinez seems to be the most likely to come back because of what he showed in the second half and the postseason with the Phillies. He also said he wishes to return.

Pettitte certainly performed well enough to warrant another contract, but after winning another ring, he may prefer to stay home.

Who will sign the biggest names on the international market?

Aroldis Chapman is a 21-year-old Cuban left-hander who throws up to 100 mph. Although he's got potential, he is considered very raw and probably won't be able to help a big-league team this year.

Ryota Igarashi is a polished veteran of the NPB, Japan's major league. A 30-year-old right-hander, he has been a setup man and closer in Japan. He'd most likely be considered a late-inning reliever in the majors.

MLB's Economic Rebound Could Be Slow originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Money Worries Could Force Reds to Move All-Star Phillips, Others

Ed Price — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:48:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Blue Jays, Giants, Nationals, Red Sox, Reds, Tigers, Yankees, MLB Inside Scoop

Editor's Note: FanHouse's Jeff Fletcher contributed to this report

CHICAGO -- The Reds' need to slash payroll, according to a major league source, could lead them to explore trading second baseman Brandon Phillips as well as right-handers Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang.

Cincinnati's 2009 payroll was about $71 million. General manager Walt Jocketty said during a break Tuesday at the GM Meetings that he "might" have to move some high-salaried players to meet the 2010 goal.

"We're going to probably have less to spend this year than we have in the past," Jocketty told FanHouse. "It just depends on how [ticket] sales go this offseason."

Boras: Holliday Can Play in Either League

Cincinnati's total attendance fell from 2.06 million in 2008 to 1.75 million this year, a drop of more than 15 percent.

The source above said the Reds plan to cut back to $65-70 million, which is a challenge in part because of raises due Harang ($11 million to $12.5 million), Arroyo (from $9.5 million to $11 million) and Phillips (from $4.75 million to $5 million).

With their salaries and so-so 2009 seasons, the pitchers would be hard to trade without the Reds taking on some of their pay. So Cincinnati's best bet could be finding a taker for Phillips, who last season hit .276 with 30 doubles, 20 homers, 98 RBI and 25 stolen bases.

The source said the Reds would prefer to keep closer Francisco Cordero, who has two years and $25 million left on his deal. They also need a shortstop and a catcher and have a decision to make at first base, where Joey Votto hit .322 but prospect Yonder Alonso (.838 OPS in the minors last season) seems close to being ready.

o. In a 180-degree turn from predecessor J.P. Ricciardi, new Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos declined any comment on whether he will trade ace Roy Halladay. But baseball sources expect that to happen this winter, with one GM predicting the Dodgers as a landing spot.

o. Detroit is probably content to let second baseman Placido Polanco sign elsewhere as a free agent and replace him with prospect Scott Sizemore, who by spring training is expected to be recovered by from a broken ankle suffered in the Arizona Fall League. It would seem to make sense for the Tigers to re-sign shortstop Adam Everett, a defensive specialist who could help a rookie double-play partner.

o. Washington should name its manager by the end of the week. A source confirmed the FOXSports.com report that Jim Riggleman, who finished out the 2009 season as interim manager, and Bobby Valentine are the finalists. One major league source said the decision will be based on who can help the team develop -- rather than public personality -- which seems to point to Riggleman.

Once that is settled, the Nats may target a veteran starting pitcher to top off and mentor their young rotation. Jon Garland and Randy Wolf are free agents who fit the profile.

Washington seems committed to Adam Dunn at first base with an outfield of Josh Willingham, Nyjer Morgan and Elijah Dukes. And Ian Desmond (.280 as a September call-up) will get a chance to be the everyday shortstop.

o. One official from another team expects the Red Sox to trade for a left fielder to replace Jason Bay, in part because they see Bay's rough two-month stretch from late June to late August -- .214 average with 59 strikeouts in 168 at-bats -- as a red flag. But another major league source said Boston is still engaged with Bay, a free agent. The Giants, in dire need of offense, could also get involved with the slugger.

"Chronological age does not have anything to do with a player of his genetics."
-- Scott Boras on client and free agent Johnny Damon San Francisco general manager Brian Sabean said his team won't be used as a pawn in a bidding war.

"You've got to be realistic," Sabean said. "Do they really want to come to San Francisco versus the people they are going to be talking to, including their own teams? We'll gauge in that way. People who are interested in San Francisco sincerely, we'll be interested in. Are we going to chase people we have no chance of signing?"

The Giants may have a tough time convincing a slugger to play in San Francisco because AT&T Park is so pitcher-friendly.

"If you can hit, you can hit," Sabean said. "The ballpark shouldn't bother you."

o. Johnny Damon just turned 36, but, as you'd expect, that's not going to deter Scott Boras from seeking as long a contract as he can get.

"The thing I'll say about Johnny is his durability is off the charts," Boras said. "It's like when I had Maddux on the market at age 37 and he got a four-year deal. Johnny Damon is at the point he's played 12 years and played 140-plus games and put up this remarkable career. Then you are talking about Pete Rose and all those players who went on to play till they were 40 at very high levels. Chronological age does not have anything to do with a player of his genetics."

Boras also said that Damon would not necessarily want to wait until he goes on the open market to re-sign with the Yankees, even though he conceded that it is customary for Boras clients to test the waters.

"If there is a deal that comes across the table that Johnny is happy with, I'm sure he'd sign quickly," Boras said.

o. The Angels have started a dialogue with all of their free agents, including the two big ones, John Lackey and Chone Figgins. General manager Tony Reagins said it's too early to tell how those negotations will go.

He said neither player has closed the door on re-signing with the Angels before the end of the 15-day exclusive negotiating window.

o. After the main portion of the GM Meetings on Tuesday morning, there was a second meeting just for the assistant GMs. Essentially, that's the meeting where they discuss topics so mundane that MLB officials know that the GMs would leave if they were invited.

"We spent 20 minutes talking about urine samples," one assistant GM said.

Money Worries Could Force Reds to Move All-Star Phillips, Others originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boras: Holliday Can Play in Both Leagues

Jeff Fletcher — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:02:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Red Sox, Yankees, MLB Inside Scoop

CHICAGO -- Matt Holliday's performance in Oakland last year might have given some American League general managers a reason to be reluctant before ponying up the big bucks for him, but Scott Boras is ready with the answers.

Of course, Holliday's agent has to take that approach, because the two biggest suitors on the market -- the Yankees and Red Sox -- play in the American League.

Boras said the slow start had less to do with Oakland or the American League than it did with Holliday's own swing.

"Really, it was about Matt's hitting mechanics," Boras said. "He made some adjustments in the offseason. After about the first five weeks of the season, he went back to his normal stance. If you look at numbers from that point on, his slugging and OPS was at the same level he was at in the National League."

Sure enough, starting on May 5, Holliday hit .330 with 22 homers and a .961 OPS over his final 134 games, a stretch was just about evenly split between the A's and Cardinals. (By the way, it should be noted here that one of the sources of Holliday's revamped swing last winter was Mark McGwire, who was recently hired as the Cardinals' hitting coach.)

Boras used the phrase "franchise player" repeatedly in describing Holliday, comparing him to Mark Teixeira, who signed last year for $180 million, and practically said the Yankees got a bargain with the Teixeira deal.

"Last year we had one club that went and made a commitment to a franchise player and they won a world championship," Boras said. "They had an infrastructure and made the right decision and it turned out to be the right decision baseball-wise and economically. I think Matt Hollliday is another player like that in this marketplace."

What Boras didn't say is that Teixeira had proven himself in both leagues, is a premium defensive player at a more important position and is a switch-hitter.

Boras said he's been meeting with as many teams as possible during the GM Meetings in Chicago. The Cardinals, the only team that can talk dollars with Holliday before Nov. 20, have been one of them. Boras wouldn't close the door on a return to St. Louis. He said that realistically, if there turn out to be five serious bidders for Holliday, that would be a good number.

When asked what Holliday wants out of a team, other than the most money, Boras said he wants to play for a winner.

"If you talk about these long-term contracts, you don't want to get stuck in a place where you can't win annually," Boras said. "That's an important part for a free agent that's a franchise player. You want to make sure the owner is not only committed today, but committed longt-erm."

Boras: Holliday Can Play in Both Leagues originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yankees Not Close to Making Moves, Including With Matsui

Ed Price — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:36:00 EST

Filed under: Yankees, MLB Transactions, MLB Inside Scoop

CHICAGO -- The confetti from their championship parade not fully cleaned up, the Yankees are not yet prepared to address their offseason moves.

"I don't see anything happening here in Chicago," general manager Brian Cashman said Monday after checking in to the Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport for baseball's GM Meetings. "I have the feeling we'll be a little bit more cautious than anxious."

And Cashman made it clear that just because Hideki Matsui was MVP of the World Series does not make it more important for the Yankees to keep him. In fact, the Yankees probably prefer not to have a player who can only DH, as seems to be the case with Matsui because of his knee problems.

FanHouse's World Series Coverage

"Over the last few years," Cashman said, "we've tried to improve how we go about decision-making. Part of that is sample size.

"He's a great player. I know exactly what type of player he is. Whether he performed well in the World Series or not doesn't change what type of player he is."

Cashman said he doubts the Yankees could re-sign any of their top free agents -- Matsui, Johnny Damon and Andy Pettitte -- before Nov. 20, when players can begin negotiating salary and signing with other teams. Cashman said he has not started discussions on contracts with any players.

Instead, Cashman wants to gauge other teams' positions and meet with his pro scouts and ownership before setting a game plan for the winter.

"We'll be in catch-up mode," Cashman said. "We have not had any internal discussions. ... There's been no movement in terms of business. I really want to make sure I take our time -- sit down, have discussions with all our personnel."

Yankees Not Close to Making Moves, Including With Matsui originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Joe, Albert and the Rest Of the Award Winners

Ed Price — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Cardinals, Nationals, Phillies, Reds, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, Twins, MLB Awards, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Ron Gardenhire was asked how teams try to pitch Joe Mauer.

"I can't give you all that information," Gardenhire, the Twins manager, said of his No. 3 hitter. "You'll write it and then other people might figure it out."

So you know, Ron, how to get him out?

"Hell, no, I don't! That's why I don't want to say anything.

"You just better have your defense standing in the right place, and that's where he's going to hit the ball hard -- that normally works. Catch the rocket that he's going to hit somewhere."

It's awards time here at Baseball Brunch, and we're casting our lot in the AL MVP race with Mr. Mauer.

Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Kevin Youkilis, Miguel Cabrera, Kendry Morales -- nice years, guys. Very nice.

But come on.

Mauer leads the American League in batting, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. And he's a catcher. Maybe as not as good a catcher as Teixeira is a first baseman, but at least as good a catcher as Jeter is a shortstop.

And better offensively, this year, than both of them.

If Mauer was playing in New York, teammate Michael Cuddyer said, "It would be ridiculous. He'd be everywhere. He would be on every billboard, every magazine cover.

"He's having arguably the best year in the history of the position. Not even arguably, really. It's pretty much the best year in the history of the position."

And that's a pretty good MVP argument.

With one caveat. We had some hesitation on Mauer because he missed the first month because of an inflamed joint in his lower back. So he has fewer total bases than Teixeira and fewer hits than Jeter. And playing time is an explicit criterion for picking the MVP.

But Mauer will end up playing in 137 or 138 games, only eight or nine fewer than last year, and with about 600 plate appearances. That's about 100 fewer than Jeter or Teixeira, but more than Youkilis. He will have been the DH more, with nearly 300 fewer innings caught than in 2008 -- but still sixth- or seventh-most innings caught in the league.

Our conclusion: his overwhelming production, and his near constant playing since returning, make up for the missed month.

Just for icing, Mauer leads the AL in batting average at home, on the road, against right-handers and in night games. He is second in average with runners in scoring position, third in average in day games and fourth in average vs. lefties.

o. NL MVP: Even an easier pick than in the AL. St. Louis' Albert Pujols also leads his league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage -- plus homers, runs scored, total bases, grand slams and extra-base hits. Like Mauer, he's second in batting average with men in scoring position.

Also worthy of being on the ballot: Hanley Ramirez, Chase Utley, Prince Fielder, Derrek Lee, Troy Tulowitzki, Adrian Gonzalez, Andre Ethier and Ryan Howard.

o. AL Cy Young Award: There should not be a debate. The MVP award should -- in our opinion, because that is what it has come to represent -- contain an element of contributing to a contender. But not the Cy Young.

And Kansas City's Zack Greinke is the best pitcher in the AL. Period. Felix Hernandez, Justin Verlander and CC Sabathia are great. And if Greinke wasn't around, it would be a tasty three-way debate.

But this year, that debate is about second place.

o. NL Cy Young Award: A similar three-way choice between San Francisco's Tim Lincecum and St. Louis teammates Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. They're 1-2-3 in ERA and 1-2-4 in wins.

Carpenter has been the most brilliant and dominant, but he's not in the top 10 in the NL in innings pitched because of early-season health issues. Lincecum has the lowest OPS allowed, but he plays in a great pitcher's park. And while we don't want to give wins too much weight, they are significant, and Wainwright leads the league.

So Wainwright, by a hair.

o. AL Rookie of the Year: What a great season for rookie talent, in both leagues. The White Sox are pushing third baseman Gordon Beckham, who has hit well (he has a ways to go defensively) but wasn't called up until June. And if Beckham is a candidate, Baltimore outfielder Nolan Reimold should be as well. Reimold leads Beckham in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and homers.

Texas' Elvis Andrus, meanwhile, has played all season -- excelling at shortstop with acceptable production at the plate for a 20-year-old.

And here we have to compare apples and oranges. How do we judge these position players against a closer (Oakland's Andrew Bailey with his .168 opponents' average) and starters (Detroit's Rick Porcello, Toronto's Ricky Romero, Tampa Bay's Jeff Niemann and Oakland's Brett Anderson)?

Tough call, but we go with Porcello. He's 20, he made 30 starts while pitching in a pennant race to the finish and he went 14-9 with a 4.04 ERA.

o. NL Rookie of the Year: Just as loaded, with Philadelphia's J.A. Happ, Atlanta's Tommy Hanson, Randy Wells of the Cubs, Milwaukee's Casey McGehee, Florida's Chris Coghlan, Colorado's Dexter Fowler and Pittsburgh's Garrett Jones and Andrew McCutchen.

If we whittle it down to one position player and one pitcher, we get Coghlan (229 total bases, 82 runs scored and .319 average) over McCutchen and Jones and a very close call between Happ (12-4, 2.85 ERA) vs. Hanson (11-4, 2.89 ERA).

The cop-out would be to go with Coghlan to avoid the choice between the pitchers. But while Hanson is a terrific prospect, Happ threw 164 innings and the Phillies would have been in big trouble without him.

o. AL Manager of the Year: Great job by Ron Washington to help make the Rangers relevant. Jim Leyland may take the Tigers from worst to first -- their first division title since 1987!

But Mike Scioscia didn't just guide the Angels to another division title. He kept the team from falling apart through a rough first few months, not only because of a rash of pitching injuries but also because of the death of Nick Adenhart. Managing a team is about managing people, and Scioscia did a great job this year.

(Amazingly, Joe Girardi will manage his team to 102 or 103 wins and not get a sniff of this award.)

o. NL Manager of the Year: We have a vote on this award this year, so due to BBWAA rules, we can't reveal our vote before the award is announced in November.

But there are good candidates. Fredi Gonzalez kept the Marlins in contention for 25 weeks. Tony La Russa had little in his lineup other than Pujols for the first three months. Charlie Manuel got the Phillies back on top, as did Joe Torre with the Dodgers. And Colorado has gone 74-41 since Jim Tracy took over for Clint Hurdle -- the equivalent of a 104-win season.

Overheard and Understood

o. The Angels could look a bit different in 2010. Unless owner Arte Moreno puts his foot down, they seem likely to not pick up the option on Vladimir Guerrero. Then, if Bobby Abreu comes back -- no slam dunk -- he could be the DH. Otherwise, it could rotate among a few players. Ace John Lackey is bound to go elsewhere, as mentioned last week in this space, meaning the Angels will probably try to add a mid-rotation pitcher.

Chart of the Week
No team has ever been more efficient at stealing bases than the recent vintage Phillies -- who have three of the seven best seasons ever in stolen-base percentage:
Team	SB%
2007 Phillies	87.9
2008 Phillies	84.5
1994 Orioles	84.1
1995 Blue Jays	82.4
1975 Reds	82.4
2004 Mets	82.3
2009 Phillies	82.3
2007 Diamondbacks	82.0
STATS LLC

The potential free agent the Angels feel the best about keeping, although it isn't a sure thing, is leadoff man Chone Figgins. And if he comes back, he'd likely move to left field, with Juan Rivera going from left to right and Brandon Wood taking over at third.

o. The Reds, whose attendance will drop about 15 percent from 2008, have to cut payroll for 2010. Which could make some pitching available on the trade market.

o. By going 57-24 at home, the Yankees tied the record for most wins in the first year at a new park. The Red Sox went 57-20 at Fenway Park in 1912.

o. We have gone six years without a World Series going to a deciding game, the longest such stretch since 1913-23. In fact, there hasn't been more than one winner-takes-all postseason game in any year since 2004 (the two LCS).

o. Through June 14, Washington had 16 losses in its opponent's final at-bat and just three wins in its final at-bat. But since then, the Nats have 12 last-at-bat wins and eight last-at-bat losses.

o. Jason Bartlett is likely to be the second Tampa Bay player ever to finish in the top 10 in the AL in batting average. The other? Aubrey Huff, when he hit .311 in 2003 to finish ninth in the league.

o. The Rockies are the second team since the 1989 Blue Jays to reach the playoffs after being 12 games under .500 at some point. The other was the 2005 Astros.

o. Pujols has an NL-record 184 assists from first base. He also the big-league record of 184, set by Bill Buckner in 1985. In other words, don't leave Pujols in for the ninth inning of Game 6 of the 2010 World Series.

Baseball Brunch: Joe, Albert and the Rest Of the Award Winners originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Bizarre, Rich Legacy at Metrodome as Twins Depart

Ed Price — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Nationals, Padres, Rangers, Red Sox, Tigers, Twins, Yankees, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Johan Santana had never seen the Metrodome before the Twins took him from Single-A in the Rule 5 draft.

"When I first got there," Santana told FanHouse, "my first impression was, 'How can you play baseball in a place like this?'

"I came from Single-A and from Venezuela, and we don't have any of that stuff. ... I couldn't figure it out. How could this thing [the roof] be up in the air? And then it feels like you're in a bubble. And then you play baseball."

Yes they did. The Twins won two World Series in that bubble, but unless they rally to make the playoffs, they will say goodbye to the Metrodome this week.

Open-air Target Field opens next April.

The Twins say about all they'll miss about the Metrodome is the guarantee of no rainouts (or snowouts).

Kent Hrbek -- who grew up in Bloomington and attended games outdoors at old Metropolitan Stadium -- went 2-for-4 in the April 6, 1982, regular season opener at the dome.

He said he has "so many good memories" there. But, "after playing the game there and becoming a fan again," he said, "it's a horrible place to see a baseball game."

It's not just the artificial turf. Or the noise level. And the seats that don't point the right way for baseball.

"Playing inside is not fun," former Twins center fielder Torii Hunter said. "It's not baseball."

In Minnesota, summer doesn't last very long -- and it's gorgeous. Who wants to spend it indoors?

"I just came back from five days in Canada," Jack Morris, who grew up across the river in St. Paul and pitched one of the most memorable games in Metrodome history (Game 7 of the 1991 World Series), said earlier this month. "I saw over 200 bald eagles. Believe me, what God creates is so much better than anything man can create, it's unbelievable."

Said closer Joe Nathan: "When you walk through the doors when it's a nice day out, it kind of deflates you.

"You get nice days, you see this place like half-empty and you wonder why. It's because it's nice out. People are outside."

But the Twins might lose their home-field advantage when they go outdoors.

Visiting teams, especially those in the AL Central, hated coming to the Metrodome so much they sometimes seemed psyched out.

"This ballpark is an advantage," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said, "just because people hate coming in here so much that maybe it intimidates them a little bit.

"But there's been an advantage in here. I guarantee it. We've had teams that can play on this [turf] and play in here and irritate the crap out of people, so that's been kind of fun."

Plus fly balls lost in the those 10 acres of Teflon-coated fiberglass overhead and the strange bounces off the turf and speakers hanging overhead and the "baggie" in right field.

In 1984, Dave Kingman hit a fly ball so high it went into one of the holes in the roof and stayed there.

Double.

"Especially during day games," said Aaron Rowand, who visited often with the White Sox in 2001-05, "if you try to go back on the ball and take your eye off it to run to a spot, and try to look back up and find it, it's real tough.

"I remember once somebody hit [a fly], it was going foul, it bounced off [a speaker], came back in and one of the infielders caught it."

There have been other subtle advantages. Some accused the Twins of manipulating the air conditioning, but Hunter said that once fans started leaving in the seventh inning, the opening of doors created a swirling wind current that carried balls out to right-center field. A "napkin" -- makeshift weather vane -- near the home on-deck circle would let the Twins know when to hit to right.

In the 1987 and '91 World Series, the Metrodome's advantage was mostly fans, packed houses making noise intensified by the roof.

"It's the most intimidating home field of any team, any sport that I've ever seen or been around," Oakland general manager Billy Beane, who played for the Twins and had A's teams lose in Minneapolis in the playoffs, told FanHouse's Jeff Fletcher. "As a player, as a GM, as a fan of other sports, from what I hear Saturday night in Baton Rouge is supposed to be pretty tough, but I'd put the Metrodome up there. If you had one of those tournaments for most intimidating it would be LSU and the Metrodome in the final, and I'm going with the Metrodome.

"There is nothing like the Metrodome. There is nothing that is even close."

The Twins' winning percentage since 1982 is 100 points higher at home than on the road. Of the teams that have been in existence since 1982, only Houston and Texas have had a larger advantage at home.

Metrodome Mosts
Stat	Twins	Visitors
Hits	K. Puckett (1,269)	C. Ripken (123)
HR	K. Hrbek (138)	J. Thome (28)
Wins	B. Radke (85)	Mussina/Clemens (10)
Saves	J. Nathan (123)	Montgomery/Jones (18)

Even so, the Metrodome won't be missed by the Twins.

"It wasn't really a baseball stadium," said Hrbek, who played more games at the Metrodome than anyone but the late Kirby Puckett. "It was a football stadium, and they decided to put a baseball park in there."

Said Gardenhire: "We can't wait to get outside and have our own field and not share it with anybody."

Twins catcher Joe Mauer, who grew up in St. Paul, played his first football game in the Metrodome, as a fifth-grader, and never saw an outdoor big-league baseball game until he played in one.

"I think it's more a football stadium than anything," he said. "I have a lot of great memories here ... but I'm really looking forward to getting outside and playing outside."

Target Field, not far from the Metrodome in the Warehouse District, will seat 40,000 and cost $412 million (about six times what the Metrodome cost).

"It's typical Minnesota," said Mariners infielder Jack Hannahan, who grew up across the river in St. Paul, attended the University of Minnesota (which plays its home baseball games in the Metrodome) and still has a "Homer Hanky" from the 1991 World Series.

"It took them forever to do it, and once they finally did it, they didn't do it right. If it would have had a retractable dome, like what Safeco [Field in Seattle] has, it would have been perfect. It didn't work out, it didn't work out. But anything they'll build will be successful in Minnestota because the fans are so good."

"It's the most intimidating home field of any team, any sport that I've ever seen or been around. ... There is nothing like the Metrodome"
-- Billy Beane University of Minnesota baseball and the Vikings will continue to play in the Metrodome; Gophers football opened its new on-campus stadium this year.

A large numeral beyond left field in the Metrodome indicates how many Twins games are left there. Then a series of banners reads, "Countdown to outdoor baseball," "Countdown to farmer-tanned vendors," "Countdown to mustard-flavored lip balm," "Countdown to ch-ch-ch-chhhhh (the sound of sprinklers on natural grass), "Countdown to skyline sunsets," "Countdown to real grass stains," "Countdown to starry nights."

The team itself is counting down to when it has a decent-sized clubhouse, it doesn't have to store equipment in the hallway and it won't have to share a weight room and batting cage that are on the other side of the stadium.

"If I play next year," Seattle's Mike Sweeney said, "and it's April and I go to Minnesota and its 25 degrees, I'll miss the Metrodome big time.

"But the stadium is outdated and it's cool to move on to a new place. We just might need to pack some more [long] sleeves."

Overheard and Understood

o. Angels ace John Lackey, an impending free agent, has told people he is seeking a $100 million contract. And a major league source said the Angels have no intention of meeting that demand. Who would -- even despite Lackey's dependability over the years? There have been five nine-figure deals for pitchers; Kevin Brown and Mike Hampton didn't produce over the entire lengths of their deals, Barry Zito looks similar and the jury is still out on CC Sabathia and Santana.

Chart of the Week
Colorado's Seth Smith is 17-for-35 as a pinch hitter. In the past 35 years, just four players have batted .500 in the pinch (minimum 20 at-bats):
Player	Team	Average
Bruce Boisclair	'76 Mets	.571 (12-21)
Kevin Seitzer	'91 Royals	.550 (11-20)
Alex Arias	'99 Phillies	.545 (12-22)
Willie McGee	'92 Giants	.524 (11-21)
Seth Smith	'09 Rockies	.486 (17-35)
Source: STATS LLC

o. Washington plans to talk with Bob Melvin about its managerial position soon after the season ends. Melvin and general manager Mike Rizzo worked together in Arizona. Bobby Valentine's name has also come up as a Nationals candidate, and there is talk that those interviewed for the Washington GM job were asked directly about Valentine, an indication that he has been in the team's sights for a while.

o. Are we in a golden age of second basemen? For the first time ever, five second basemen -- Dan Uggla, Aaron Hill, Chase Utley, Jose Lopez and Ian Kinsler -- have 25-homer seasons in the same year. Then there's Brian Roberts (55 doubles), Robinson Cano ( .321 average and .519 slugging percentage,), Dustin Pedroia (110 runs scored and .297 average) and Brandon Phillips (20 homers, 95 RBI). Only Roberts and Utley are in their 30s.

o. A scout who has examined the Diamondbacks system said it is severely lacking in top prospects, and he cited three factors: some of the top young players in the organization are already in the majors; Arizona gave up prospects in the deal for Dan Haren; and a couple of bad drafts in a row. In contrasting the depth of two systems, the scout said the Giants "have 20 guys like" Diamondbacks lefty Daniel Schlereth.

o. Texas' Elvis Andrus is the fourth-youngest player to steal 30 bases in a season after Rickey Henderson, Ty Cobb and Claudell Washington.

o. The Red Sox face a tough decision on how much to play catcher Jason Varitek in the postseason. He looks terrible at the plate (.167 with 20 RBI in 156 at-bats since June 30) and in the field. About all manager Terry Francona can cite is intangibles: "There was a reason they put that 'C' (for captain) on his chest. And even through disappointment and a little bit of a reduced role, he still exhibits a lot of leadership."

o. With the Angels, Phillies and Cardinals having closer issues, we wondered: how much does a closer matter in the postseason. Conventional wisdom says a lot, since the competition is better, the games are closer, and each loss is so significant. Well, according to STATS LLC, since the three-tiered playoffs began in 1995, there has been an average of one save opportunity every 2.89 postseason games. Over the same span, save opportunities have been MORE frequent in the regular season -- an average of one save opportunity every 2.68 regular-season games. And the save percentage is about the same, 67.0 in the regular season and 67.2 in the postseason.

Still, we suspect that closers do matter, because of the importance of every game and the psychological effect of a blown save.

o. Seattle could be the second team ever to win 85 games the year after losing 100. The 1989 Orioles were 87-75 after going 54-107 the previous season.

o. Arizona vice president for player personnel Jerry DiPoto didn't get the Washington GM job, but if San Diego decides to promote long-time general manager Kevin Towers to a position such as team president, DiPoto would have a shot at becoming Padres GM.

o. The possible Game 1 matchup in one American League Division Series is Sabathia and Justin Verlander. They have faced off six times, their teams splitting the games (two this year between the Yankees and Tigers and the other four between Cleveland and Detroit). In the six games, Sabathia has gone 3-3 with a 5.13 ERA while Verlander has gone 3-2 with a 3.26 ERA.

o. An AL executive who recently saw St. Louis' John Smoltz in person said, "His stuff is really, really good. I guess Boston must be really good not to need that guy." The minuses, according to the executive: Smoltz's "command is not what it used to be" and he "labors," throwing a lot of sliders.

o. Some suspect Chad Billingsley's struggles for the Dodgers -- 3-6 with a 5.40 ERA since the All-Star break -- come from not getting along with catcher Russell Martin.

o. Derek Jeter, 35, is the oldest regular shortstop with a 200-hit season.

o. They aren't the most indicative statistics, but the Dodgers could become the first team since the 1946 Cardinals to lead the NL in club batting average, ERA and fielding percentage.

Baseball Brunch: Bizarre, Rich Legacy at Metrodome as Twins Depart originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Meet the Rarest Breed

Ed Price — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Athletics, Cardinals, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Marlins, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Rays, Royals, Tigers, Twins, Yankees, MLB Awards, MLB Biz, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Cody Ross blames his mom.

"My dad was a really good athlete (Kenny Ross, who played safety at New Mexico in the late 1960s)," said Ross, the Marlins' right fielder. "My dad was all right[-handed]. My mom's a lefty, so maybe I got that gene from her."

Ross and St. Louis' Ryan Ludwick are the only two active position players who throw left and bat right. Just 14 such players in baseball history have gotten as many as 1,000 at-bats -- and that list now includes a Hall of Famer, Rickey Henderson.

"He kind of put us on the map," Ross said.

Some of the other names are recognizable -- early 20th-century Yankees star Hal Chase, Mets outfielder Cleon Jones, and more recent players Mark Carreon, Brian Hunter and David McCarty.

Some aren't -- Rube Bressler, Johnny Cooney, Al Nixon and Delos Drake.

"I think it's something that's kind of cool, something to be proud of," Ludwick said. "It's kind of an honor to be able to be in such little company."

Why so rare? There have certainly been plenty of players who throw right and bat left (582 with 1,000 or more at-bats), so it can't be that it's hard to be opposite-handed for hitting and throwing.

The simplest explanation is that a left-handed thrower can really play only four of the eight positions -- outfield and first base -- and is even less valuable if he bats right-handed, since lefties are less common and have the advantage against right-handed pitching.

"I think being a left-handed hitter is viewed as having an advantage," Ludwick said, "so you see a lot more people who throw right and are taught to hit left because it's an advantage."

Nether Ross nor Ludwick could explain how they ended up batting right and throwing left.

"It just happened," said Ludwick, who last year joined Henderson and Jones as the only bat-right/throw-left players to make an All-Star Game. "Natural."

Said Ross: "I have no reason why I do it. Nobody ever taught me to do it."

Both tried switch-hitting as kids -- "for a minute," Ludwick said, "but I was so much better right-handed."

Said Ross, "My dad tried to get me to switch-hit when I was younger. I did for a little while. But I realized really quickly that I had a lot more power from the right side and I didn't want to waste an at-bat [left-handed]."

It's not like Ross and Ludwick can't play. Ross, 28, is third on the Marlins with 22 homers and 83 RBI. Ludwick, 31, has 20 home runs and has driven in 87 runs, both second on the Cardinals.

"I feel like you see a lot of left-handed hitters that are right-handed throwers that have a lot of pop because they're right-hand-dominant, so they can really pull that bat through the zone," Ludwick said. "So I feel like being left-hand-dominant, I can [do the same]."

The bottom hand provides the power in a swing, and some recent boppers who throw right and bat left include Jim Thome, Prince Fielder, Larry Walker, Tino Martinez, Carlos Delgado, Adam Dunn, Jason Giambi and Mo Vaughn.

But those guys who throw left and bat right -- they don't get the love.

Ludwick was a second-round draft pick out of UNLV in 1999, so he never felt a bias because of his bat/throw combination. But Ross, a fourth-rounder in the same draft out of high school in New Mexico, said it worked against him. (Louie Medina, who played 51 games in the majors while throwing left and batting right, scouted both players for that '99 draft. Medina, now a special assistant to the GM in Kansas City, was then a scout for Arizona.)

"You have scouts come to watch you," Ross said, "and I was already challenged because of my height and I wasn't your prototypical baseball player, pushing 5-10. And also throwing left and hitting right, that's a lot against you going into pro ball. Or even college. So I think it affected me a little bit when it came to drafting and stuff like that.

"It's one of those things I knew I had to overcome, and I just did. A little bump in the road."

Both Ludwick and Ross didn't get a chance to become regulars in the majors until they had gone through multiple organizations. Ludwick was traded from Oakland to Texas to Cleveland and then had to sign on with Detroit and St. Louis as a minor-league free agent.

Ross was traded from the Tigers to the Dodgers to the Reds to the Marlins, including being traded twice in 33 days in 2006.

But he didn't blame that bouncing around on throwing left-handed and batting right-handed.

"I think once I got into pro ball, I think all of that kind of goes out the window," he said. "If you can play, you can play, and they'll find a spot for you."

Overheard and Understood

-- If you think Derek Jeter's pursuit of the Yankees' franchise hits record was overblown, wait until next spring training. Because the Yankees seem intent on letting Jeter go into 2010 without a contract beyond this year, and it will be a season-long storyline next year: Is this the Captain's last year in pinstripes?

Chart of the Week
Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria became the ninth player to have 40 doubles, 30 homers and 100 RBI in a season before the age of 24:
Player	Year
Hal Trosky	1934/36
Ted Williams	1939
Alex Rodriguez	1996
Scott Rolen	1998
Eric Chavez	2001
Aramis Ramirez	2001
Albert Pujols	2001-03
Miguel Cabrera	2005
Evan Longoria	2009
Source: Rays

While it might seem good public relations and, emotionally, a no-brainer to try to lock up Jeter long-term this winter, that wouldn't be good business for the Yankees. Not that they don't want him, but Jeter will be coming off his best season in at least three years, maybe 10. So in any contract negotiations this winter, Jeter would have the upper hand. The Yankees couldn't tell Jeter they have an alternative in mind, since both sides know he'll be the team's shortstop in 2010.

And it's not like the Yankees have ever gotten any kind of hometown discount from Jeter; the sides went to arbitration in 1999, avoided arbitration in 2000 with a $10 million salary and then worked out his current 10-year, $189 million deal in February 2001. Considering what he means to the franchise -- and its fans -- Jeter now could have every right to ask for more than Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia.

The only way an extension would get done before Jeter's contract is up (or close to up) is if ownership -- the Steinbrenner brothers -- steps in. They did in the fall of 2007, after the Joe Torre fiasco, to bring back Rodriguez (after his ugly opt-out), and with Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera on above-market deals. But the Steinbrenners may realize now they overpaid then and hold firm on Jeter.

Which will make for a fascinating winter of 2010-11, because the next negotiations will determine how much Jeter makes compared to A-Rod, whether he will be signed for the same length of time (through 2017!) and -- as part of the whole equation -- whether he ever moves from shortstop, and when, and where.

-- With a new ballpark opening next year, the Twins plan to spend more this winter than in any recent offseason. They "won't be picking up the scraps" of free agency, as one person put it.

-- Washington (including its Montreal years) is the only franchise never to have had two teammates with 100 RBI in the same season, but that could be corrected this year as Adam Dunn has 99 RBI and Ryan Zimmerman has 94. Tampa Bay got its first 100-RBI duo this year, with Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena.

-- The Angels could be the first team since the 2005 Cardinals to make it through the season without a four-game losing streak.

-- Figure this: Seven of the Dodgers' final 18 games are against the Pirates. Three others are against the Nationals.

-- Arizona's Chris Young last Sunday became the first player to go into a game batting less than .200 and then hit three homers.

-- The Cubs did not gain ground on the Cardinals in any day from Aug. 3 through Thursday.

-- If the A's, who have 85 errors, can finish with fewer than 100, they will set an all-time record by doing that for the sixth straight year. The Phillies had double-digit errors from 2001 to 2005.

-- Attendance at the Mets' new Citi Field on Thursday, for a game against the Marlins, was 37,620. But the Mets estimated 20,000 no-shows and about 17,000 in the stands.

-- The Rays are promoting right-hander Jeff Niemann (12-5, 3.57 ERA) for AL Rookie of the Year. They cite that he is in the top 10 all-time for winning percentage by an AL rookie starter; the first rookie to beat Roy Halladay twice; the first rookie in 55 years to lead the defending AL champs in wins and ERA; and that he could have three more wins but for two blown two-run leads and a blown three-run lead by his bullpen.

-- Since the start of last year, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, just two AL teams have swept four series from the same opponent (three or more games). It figures that the Yankees swept the Orioles five times, but not that the Royals have swept the Tigers four times.

-- Detroit's Brent Dlugach, called up Sept. 1, is the first big-leaguer ever whose name begins with "DL." Unless you count Mike Hampton.

Baseball Brunch: Meet the Rarest Breed originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Senior Circuit Resembles Rest Home for Pitchers

Ed Price — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Athletics, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Rangers, Red Sox, Rockies, Tigers, Twins, Yankees, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Ahhh, the National League -- where pitchers can play out their golden years without a care in the world.

Think of the NL as baseball's rest home.

Just in the past few weeks, Brad Penny and John Smoltz have reached the legendary fountain of youth that Ponce de Sabathia discovered last year in the wilds of Wisconsin.

"In reality, it's a little tougher to pitch in the American League than it is the National League," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who formerly managed in Seattle and Tampa Bay.

At least he admits it.

Others asked about the difference between leagues tried to downplay it.

"If you make pitches, you're going to get outs," Penny told FanHouse a few days after joining the Giants. "When I got hit in the American League, it was because I didn't make pitches.

"Obviously the American League's a little harder, but it's not as big of a gap as everyone would think."

As Red Sox this year, Penny and Smoltz combined to go 9-13 with a 6.24 ERA and a .310 opponents' average.

Thus far, back in the comfy NL, they are 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA and .205 opponents' average.

Then -- in perhaps the ultimate indignity -- Jose Contreras, who went 5-13 with a 5.42 ERA this year for the White Sox, held the Diamondbacks to one run in 6 2/3 innings in his NL debut for Colorado.

Sounds like a pretty big gap.

"I don't see how it could be," Cubs GM Jim Hendry said. "How many American League lineups are better than the Phillies?"

Point taken, and for Penny to shut down the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park was pretty impressive.

Ted Lilly, who went from the Blue Jays to the Cubs two years ago, would admit to only noticing "a little bit" of a difference between leagues.

Penny said Smoltz wasn't bothered by the AL as much as he wasn't fully recovered from shoulder surgery.

"He was trying to rush things," Penny said, "and got back out there probably a little too soon."

Phillies right-hander Joe Blanton also claimed to notice no drop in class when he switched leagues.

"Hitters are hitters," said Blanton, who was 47-46 with Oakland and has gone 13-6 with Philadelphia. "I mean, other than facing the pitcher, hitters are hitters."

It's not just the presence of the DH that makes the AL harder on pitchers. Lineups are deeper, ballparks are smaller and the style of play different.

For example, through Friday's games, according to STATS LLC, American League No. 8 hitters had combined for a .400 slugging percentage and a homer every 33.4 at-bats. In the NL, No. 8 hitters had a .374 slugging percentage and a home run every 52.4 at-bats.

The National League has pitcher-friendly parks in San Francisco, San Diego, New York, Florida and Los Angeles. The AL has Seattle and Oakland -- and hitter's havens in New York, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago and Texas.

"I think the teams are put together a little differently," Piniella said. "The [AL] teams are put together with a little more offense in mind."

More AL teams, notably in Boston and New York, seem to emphasize patience at the plate and building opposing pitchers' pitch counts.

"I think that the lineups in the American League are more powerful," said Johan Santana, in his second year with the Mets after winning two Cy Young Awards for the Twins. "You see more guys with longer swings than you see here in the National League. ... You don't see that many bunt plays, you don't see that many hit-and-runs in the American League.

"What I found out here, is that here they make a lot of contact and they put the ball in play. In the American League, there are more swing-and-misses."

In any case, it seems not to bode well for Jake Peavy, who (eventually) will make the reverse trip, from a team that plays in one of the NL's top pitchers' parks to an AL team that plays in a home-run den.

Maybe, for Smoltz and Penny, it was just getting out of the AL East. Scott Kazmir stayed in the league but left the division when he went from the Rays to the Angels, and he allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings in his first start after having a 5.92 ERA in Tampa Bay.

Or maybe Smoltz and Penny will eventually revert to their Boston form.

"Well, let's wait and see how it goes," Lilly said. "Four games, that doesn't give you much to go on."

Overheard and Understood

o. The early AL MVP talk -- and it's early, since September performance can swing the race -- has focused on Twins catcher Joe Mauer and Yankees teammates Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter. But I see drawbacks with all three.

Mauer (back) and Teixeira (.200 average, 10 RBI) took April off. Jeter recently bunted against Contreras with two men on, a 2-0 lead in the second inning with Sergio Mitre pitching for his team. Jeter is a great player having a great year, but that's not an MVP play.

Chart of the Week
Seattle's David Aardsma has 34 saves -- sixth-most all-time for a pitcher who had zero career saves coming into that season:
Pitcher	Team/Year	S
Eric Gagne	'02 Dodgers	52
Derrick Turnbow	'05 Brewers	39
Kaz Sasaki*	'00 Mariners	37
Shawn Chacon	'04 Rockies	35
J. Papelbon	'06 Red Sox	35
Kerry Wood	'08 Cubs	34
David Aardsma	'09 Mariners	34
Chris Ray	'06 Orioles	33
Billy Koch*	'99 Blue Jays	31
* - First year in majors Source: Mariners

So let's expand the discussion. Detroit's Miguel Cabrera is in the top five in slugging and on-base percentage for a first-place team. And as the Angels went on a 44-16 tear from June 12 to Aug. 19, Kendry Morales led the league with a 1.083 OPS over that span (.345, 18 homers, 47 RBI).

o. A friend of Bobby Abreu's said Abreu would be open to remaining with the Angels, but if there have been talks about extending him past his current one-year deal, they have not progressed significantly.

o. Interesting managerial matchup last week when the Diamondbacks played the Dodgers. Arizona manager A.J. Hinch was born on May 15, 1974 -- at which point counterpart Joe Torre already had won an MVP, been an All-Star nine times, and accumulated 2,035 hits. Torre managed his first game, as player/manager for the Mets, 16 days after Hinch's third birthday.

o. The Giants have that rare combination of neither power nor speed. San Francisco is on pace for 118 homers and 78 stolen bases. But give the Giants credit for somehow being in contention anyway. Since the three-tiered playoffs began in 1995, four teams have failed to have either 80 stolen bases or 120 home runs -- the 1995 Phillies and Cardinals, the 2005 Nationals and the '07 Royals -- and none had a winning record or finished higher than third place.

o. One scout, using the 20-80 scouting scale, rated San Diego shortstop Everth Cabrera, 22, an 80 on range and a 75 on arm. A year ago, Cabrera was with Asheville, N.C., in the lower-level Single-A South Atlantic League. Then the Padres took him from the Rockies in the Rule 5 draft. "Within a year or two," the scout said, "he's going to be the best defensive shortstop in the National League."

o. Oakland has used a starting pitcher age 23 or younger 85 times this year and could wind up with the most such starts since the woeful 1998 Marlins had 135. (Livan Hernandez and Ryan Dempster turned out OK; Brian Meadows, Jesus Sanchez, Rafael Medina and Joe Fontenot are not as easily remembered.)

o. The Rangers have clinched home field for a playoff tiebreaker game against the Red Sox or Rays and need one more win over the Angels to have an AL West playoff, if needed, at home.

o. The Division Series with an extra day off -- the one that allows teams to use a three-man rotation without anyone going on short rest -- is in the American League this year. The AL team the finishes with the best record has the choice of whether to play in the seven-day series or the eight-day series.

Baseball Brunch: Senior Circuit Resembles Rest Home for Pitchers originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Royals Will Give Contract Extension to GM Dayton Moore

Ed Price — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:05:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, FanHouse Exclusive, MLB Inside Scoop

A contract extension for Kansas City GM Dayton Moore is "done," according to a major-league source.

Moore's original contract ran through 2010, and the source did not know how many years the extension would cover.

This will create much anguish for those who focus on Moore's moves the past year and their horrendous performance the past 3 1/2 months (31-67 after an 18-11 start).

I still maintain it was not such a bad idea to trade middle relievers (Ramon Ramirez and Leo Nunez) for every-day players (Coco Crisp and Mike Jacobs). Signing Jose Guillen, Ron Mahay, Horacio Ramirez, Kyle Farnsworth and Willie Bloomquist were more predictably bad.

But the Royals believe they have the base of a decent rotation with Zack Greinke, Gil Meche, Luke Hochevar and Kyle Davies and some prospects in the low minors.

The crux of the matter is that Kansas City has not had a winning record since 2003 and hasn't won more than 83 games since 1993. And ownership pinched pennies in every part of baseball operations, severely handicapping Allard Baird as GM, until opening its Wal-Mart wallet once hiring Moore in June 2006.

So the team has been run with some degree of freedom from severe financial constraints for just three years. Maybe it isn't time to judge Moore just yet.

Royals Will Give Contract Extension to GM Dayton Moore originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thank the Management: Girardi's Subtle Changes Help Yankees Soar

Ed Price — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: Yankees, MLB Inside Scoop

NEW YORK -- Just like last year, there is neither candy nor ice cream available for the Yankees in their clubhouse.

"I don't think anyone cares," Johnny Damon said Tuesday.

Manager Joe Girardi infamously banned sweets last year, much to the dismay of inveterate snacker Mike Mussina (now retired to a life of M&Ms and Mountain Dew).

And while Girardi hasn't become the Candyman, he has changed in his second year on New York's perennially hottest seat. And the Yankees say that's part of the reason they are running away with the AL East.

Of course, the main reason for the Yanks' improvement is the addition of Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. But even the best players need to be managed, and one team insider said Girardi is "1,000 percent better" in his handling of the club.

"I think he's let people see that personal side more," general manager Brian Cashman told FanHouse. "He's connected much better with his players and with the media and stuff. I think he's let his guard down."

Of course, the ability to read people and handle different personalities was the greatest strength of Girardi's predecessor, Mr. Joe Torre. But Torre had managed 15 seasons over three different stops before taking over the Yankees. Girardi had one year with the Marlins.

There has never been much question about running a game with Girardi (who has an industrial engineering degree from Northwestern). He has shown a knack for handling pitchers, especially mixing and matching setup men and middle relievers as needed.

But managing is more about managing people than strategy. And Girardi was a no-nonsense, hard-nosed type who perhaps had to learn that not every player is made up that way.

Girardi, 44, admits he made an effort this year to get closer to his players, and bring them closer to each other. There was a team pool-hall outing during spring training that got a lot of attention. But there are less noticeable moves that have paid off.

The insider said Girardi has been much better at incorporating the coaches and having an "open door" for the players.

Last year, Girardi spent much of pregame in his office with coaches Mike Harkey and Bobby Meacham -- shutting out the players and the rest of the staff to some degree. Perhaps the postseason firing of Meacham was meant as a sign to Girardi; if so, he read it correctly.

"I definitely think I've made adjustments," Girardi said. "Because I think you understand the demands of the job. I think being around players for a year you understand the players that are in that room."

Cashman said he spoke to Girardi last year after the Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time since 1993 about making some adjustments.

"But I also think it's something he learned," Cashman said. "He's a very smart person. He's the type that will grow from all the experiences that he has. He was a better manager his first year in New York than he was his first year in Florida; he's a better manager now his second year in New York because he's building on all his experiences. That's what smart people are able to do."

Yankees special adviser Ray Negron said, "in 36 years, [Girardi] is the best I've seen" at relating to players.

"He knows what they want, he knows what they feel," Negron said.

Of course, it wasn't that long ago Girardi was teammates with Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte. Girardi should know about the modern-day player.

But relating to those guys as a manager is different than sharing their locker room.

"It's one thing to broadcast and play with them," Girardi said. "It's another thing when you have to manage them. It's a different relationship. So that's a relationship that has to develop. Because you look at them maybe a little bit different, and they look at you differently. Because now you're in a job where you're making decisions."

Cashman said there's "no question" that Girardi's altered style is reflected in the standings.

"Joe motivates us," Damon said. "Joe gets us going, and Joe understands that we don't work hard just to work hard. We're doing this for a reason -- because we'll be better."

Said Cashman: "These guys are fighting hard for him. They're with him."

The statheads who don't visit clubhouses pooh-pooh the idea of "chemistry," while the ex-jocks in the broadcast booth can overstate it.

But it exists. The debate is more whether winning creates chemistry or vice versa.

In either case, the Yankees have it. Much of that has to do with the new faces: a blend of Sabathia's easy-going personality, Burnett's goofy side, Nick Swisher's hamming it up and Teixeira's all-business robotics.

Bench coach Tony Pena -- whose strength in his stint as Royals manager was his ability to motivate -- said Girardi deserves credit, too.

"You can have a great team," Pena said. "If you don't have chemistry, you can't win. He has done that."

Girardi's shift has been subtle. Players said they don't see a change in his personality.

"Joe is still Joe," Pena said.

For the most part, yes. In some important ways, he's better.

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Thank the Management: Girardi's Subtle Changes Help Yankees Soar originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Time for Draft Reform?

Ed Price — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Mariners, Orioles, Rangers, Rays, Rockies, MLB Biz, MLB Draft, Prospects, FanHouse Exclusive, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

As the No. 1 overall pick in 1990, Chipper Jones signed with the Braves for $275,000.

Even in today's dollars, that's about $450,000 -- or about 3 percent of Stephen Strasburg was guaranteed as this year's No. 1 pick.

And Jones agreed to his deal the night before the draft, while Strasburg came within two minutes of missing last Monday's deadline to sign.

"I think the only way that you're going to get kids signed and get them into the various camps is to put some kind of cap on it," Jones said. "I was always of the belief that you make your money at the big-league level."

That's how the teams want it too. When the current collective bargaining agreement is up in two years, Major League Baseball may pursue an NBA-style slotting system -- with signing bonuses locked in depending on how high a player is picked, as opposed to the current non-binding slot recommendations.

Commissioner Bud Selig last week told The Washington Post, "There's no question in my mind, in 2011, certainly a [hard] slotting system and a worldwide draft are things we will be very aggressive in talking about."

Which would lead to an interesting tug-of-war between owners, the players' union and agents.

With the alliances not as clear as it might seem.

"I think it's something we can seriously talk about," Mets right fielder Jeff Francoeur told FanHouse. "I don't think the guys mind [slotting] very much.

"A guy like Strasburg, he deserves it. But something to stop it [escalating bonuses], I agree."

MLB might feel that it can get the players on its side as they see the signing bonuses explode -- especially this year, just a few months after the free-agent market went soft.

As Francoeur, who signed for $2.2 million as the 23rd overall pick in 2002, said, "Now, it's crazy. Guys are wanting $7-8 million and have never stepped on the [big-league] field."

But resistance to strict slotting could come from agents (who stand to lose their commissions) and union leadership (on principle).

"I think it goes against what we've fought for in the past, the free market," said Milwaukee infielder Craig Counsell, a member of the union's executive board.

"I know it sounds like something ownership is going to want. They've wanted it before. All you can go by is the past, and in the past it hasn't happened. ... I know in the past we've decided we're not going to restrict what players are going to make."

Through a spokesman, incoming union head Michael Weiner declined comment.

Another person with ties to the union pointed out that if teams save money on signing bonuses, they may not necessarily use it on payroll instead -- so why should current players go for the strict slotting system?

"I don't want to get into what may or may not be proposals," said Rob Manfred, MLB's executive vice president for labor relations and human resources. "It's early, but this whole player talent-acquisition area -- by that I mean the draft, international signings, acquiring professional players from other countries -- that whole group of issues, clubs are talking about.

"The draft system is less than optimal from the perspective of the 30 clubs."

It isn't just Strasburg. According to Baseball America, this year's draft set records for highest bonus to a high school player (San Diego's Donovan Tate), biggest bonus to a high school pitcher (Detroit's Jacob Turner) as well as Strasburg's overall marks for biggest bonus and largest guarantee.

"I think the amount of money we spend at the top end of the draft is now too much for what I like to label unproven talent," said Logan White, the Dodgers' assistant general manager for scouting.

"When you draft a player and sign a player -- that's supposed to be when they're a bargain."

Chart of the Week
When San Diego's Kyle Blanks -- listed at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds -- hit an inside-the-park home run last Tuesday, he tied for the tallest player ever to do so. Players 6-foot-6 to hit inside-the-park homers:
Player	Vs.	Year
Corey Hart (MIL)	ARI	2008
Darryl Strawberry (NYM)	CIN	1989
Darryl Strawberry (NYM)	STL	1984
Dave Kingman (NYM)	STL	1982
Dave Winfield (NYY)	CHW	1981
Source: David Vincent, SABR

White said about 150 big-leaguers, 35 of whom become regulars, come out of each draft, with the numbers fairly consistent.

"No matter how much money you throw into the draft," he said, "that's not going to make it [produce] 300 major-leaguers and 75 every-day players."

And while the Aug. 15 deadline to sign (Aug. 17 this year because Aug. 15 fell on a weekend) is an improvement on the old deadline of when a player first attended college classes -- imagine a scout trying to intercept a freshman on campus with one final offer before his first class -- there is a whole other set of headaches.

Along with the recommended bonuses, MLB pressures teams that intend to go over slot to hold off on announcing deals so as not to drive up the price for other draft picks. And some agents wait to see what everyone else gets. Which leads to the last-minute deals -- or, last year, two that went past the deadline but were still approved.

Also, teams that ignore the slot recommendations can be rewarded over teams that obey. The classic case in point is Detroit's Rick Porcello, who wanted a $7 million deal out of high school. He should have been a top-10 pick in 2007 but fell to 27th before the Tigers were willing to bust slot.

And their decision paid off. Porcello is a winning pitcher in the majors at age 20 -- exactly what many of the teams that drafted 1-26 could have used.

"We do have [a situation] whereby economics ... undermines the purpose of the draft," Manfred said.

Manfred said such scenarios are on the decline.

"We have really worked with the clubs and, I think, convinced them letting players slip is bad for everybody," he said.

Agent Scott Boras, who represents Strasburg and Porcello, agreed.

"In prior drafts the No. 1 draft pick was not always the best player," Boras said. "Now, because of revenue-sharing, in the draft the best player is No. 1. For maybe 15 years, the best players in the draft were rarely No. 1 because of signability issues."

White said he thinks the current slotting system works in "90 percent of the cases, probably.

"... it's usually fair for whenever we pick the player."

According to Manfred, 75 percent of the drafted players signed, and 75 percent of those signed for within 5 percent of the slot recommendation.

Still ...

"We spend nearly $200 million on players, a very, very small percentage of whom make it to the major leagues," Manfred said.

But from the union point of view, that the teams are willing to make such investments proves they shouldn't cry poverty.

As Counsell put it, "It's easy to say when you see a kid sign for $16 million that's never played a day in the big leagues, 'Oh, that's not fair. There's some guys that have 10-year careers that don't make that much.' But there's market for his services, that's why he's getting that much."

When a new CBA is negotiated, as one high-ranking union person said, "It always comes down to tradeoffs." If the players want something else more, they may give in on a slot system.

One team official theorized that the top agents, such as Boras, would go for a strict slotting system, because it would result in fewer high school players passing up college scholarships to turn pro, and it's easier for the agents to identify and pursue potential clients once they're in college.

But the general perception is that Major League Baseball's pursuit of drastic signing-bonus reform would be determined by whether players or the agents call the shots.

"I would be open to listening to something," Jones said, "but the fact of the matter is, there were people here before me that allowed me to do the things that I've done. Who am I to say that there needs to be a cap or some kind of different system that regulates what kids make out of college or high school?"

Overheard and Understood

o. Before next Saturday's game in Seattle, Jim Bouton will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to catcher Gerry McNertney to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1969 Seattle Pilots, an expansion team that lasted one season before moving to Milwaukee and becoming the Brewers.

o. Matt Holliday is batting .404 since the All-Star break. According to STATS LLC, since expansion in 1961, only five players have batted .400 or better after the break (200 or more plate appearances): Ichiro Suzuki in 2004, George Brett in 1980, Barry Bonds in 2002, Larry Walker in 1998 and Tony Gwynn in 1993.

o. Pick your poison in the Cubs bullpen -- if you're manager Lou Piniella, that is. Kevin Gregg is second among NL relievers for most home runs allowed per nine innings, while Carlos Marmol has given up the fourth-fewest. But Marmol has averaged the most bases on balls per nine innings (8.2), while Gregg averages 3.6. So you want the guy who gives up walks or the one who surrenders home runs?

o. Kenshin Kawakami opened the season as the Braves' No. 4 starter, but he has faced a Cy Young Award winner five times (Barry Zito, Roy Halladay, Randy Johnson and Johan Santana twice); Opening-Day starters John Lannan and Brett Myers; aces Cole Hamels and Jonathan Johnson; and Clayton Kershaw, eighth in the NL in ERA. No wonder Kawakami is 6-9.

o. San Francisco's Jeremy Affeldt has induced 16 groundball double plays, most among big-league relievers, and has a chance to be the first reliever since Doug Sisk in 1988 to get 21 DP balls.

o. Since opening the season by winning their first 13 home games, the Dodgers are 27-24 at Chavez Ravine.

o. Baltimore's Brian Roberts (46) and Nick Markakis (39) have combined for 85 doubles and could threaten the teammate record of 116, set by George Burns and Tris Speaker of the 1926 Indians.

o. When Ivan Rodriguez rejoined the Rangers, it meant three teams had their all-time franchise hits leader on the current roster, along with Colorado's Todd Helton and Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford.

o. Rockies manager Jim Tracy also ranks fifth all-time in managerial wins against Colorado, with 60.

o. In the Little League World Series 15 years ago, Maracaibo, Venezuela, defeated Northridge, Calif., in the championship game. Current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel played for Northridge, while Maracaibo featured Diamondbacks pitcher Yusmeiro Petit and Mariners catcher Guillermo Quiroz.

Baseball Brunch: Time for Draft Reform? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Russell Martin, Brendan Ryan Slam Their Teams to Wins

Ed Price — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Mets, Padres, Rays, Red Sox, Reds, Rockies, Yankees, MLB Injuries, MLB Inside Scoop, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That Russell Martin and Brendan Ryan felt just grand last night.

The Dodgers catcher and Cardinals' shortstop both swatted grand slams for some rare RBI as their division-leading teams won.

Martin's sixth-inning blast broke a tie with the Cubs, and the Dodgers went on to win 7-2. His four RBI on that swing were more than he had in the previous 21 games. It was also Martin's first homer since July 26 and his fourth of the season after hitting 13 a year ago.

"I haven't trotted around the bases too often this year," Martin said. "It was nice just to get a breather."

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Ryan had never before had more than three RBI in a game, and he went into last night with five career home runs and just one in the past 12 months, on June 22.

But he connected off San Diego's Tim Stauffer in the second inning after Stauffer hit two batters and walked one, and St. Louis won 5-1.

"Every day I'm trying to prove to myself, to prove to the other team, prove to everybody that I belong," Ryan said. "I want to play at this level a long time."

From the Trainer's Room ...
Attention Angels, Tigers, Cubs, Marlins and anyone else who could use bullpen help: Billy Wagner looked pretty good last night.

In his first game after about 11 months after major elbow surgery, Wagner hit 96 on the radar gun and showed a decent slider as he struck out two in a 1-2-3 inning for the Mets.

One note about the possibility of the Mets' trading Wagner: despite missing most of this season, he should still wind up a Type-A free agent. So the acquiring team would have to risk offering him arbitration to get the two draft picks as compensation if he left.

Numbers Game ...
Tampa Bay Opening Day starter James Shields, who took the loss Thursday against Baltimore, has one win since June 20. Shields, who tied the franchise record last year with 14 wins, is 7-10 with a 3.81 ERA. Over his past 11 starts, Shields is 1-5 with a 4.44 ERA. He also has the lowest run support in the AL.

In Their Own Words ...
"Again, baseball is something you can't figure. He only hit three down there in the minors, and then he comes up here and hits one. What a dramatic way to get your first home run." -- Reds manager Dusty Baker on rookie Drew Stubbs, who beat the Giants with a walkoff, 10th-inning homer off the foul pole in his second big-league game.

Advance Scouting ...
Two series between playoff contenders open tonight. It's the usual Armageddon when the Yankees visit the Red Sox (7:10 PM ET). In the series opener, Brad Penny goes for Boston, 6 1/2 games back of New York in the AL East, against Andy Pettitte. Later, the Giants visit the Rockies (9:10 PM ET) as the two NL wild-card leaders go head-to-head. Aaron Cook starts for Colorado against Jonathan Sanchez, who is 2-2 with a 4.04 ERA in six starts since his July 10 no-hitter.

Starting Five: Russell Martin, Brendan Ryan Slam Their Teams to Wins originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nationals GM Job May Still Be Undecided

Ed Price — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Nationals, MLB Inside Scoop

A major league source tells FanHouse "not so fast" on Jerry DiPoto becoming the Nationals' next general manager, as has been reported.

According to the source, acting GM Mike Rizzo -- who has been running the team since Jim Bowden resigned under fire during spring training -- did an impressive enough job in the negotiations to sign No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg (who will be introduced Friday at a news conference) that Washington ownership is still considering giving him the job permanently.

The Lerner family and team president Stan Kasten are keeping their intentions very close to the vest. But the Washington Post reported there are signs Rizzo will get the job.

A Nationals source with knowledge of the general manager search went so far as to call the DiPoto report patently false, and even hinted that Rizzo would soon get the job.

The decision has already been made," the source said, "and the best I can tell you -- what's been written is 100-percent wrong."

An additional source familiar with the Washington front office said that the vibe around the organization had shifted, drastically, since the Strasburg signing -- with all signs pointing to Rizzo getting the permanent job.

This being the Nationals, anything could happen. They haven't had a full-time GM for about five months, and the franchise has yet to capitalize on a new stadium in a major market.

Rizzo has made plenty of moves to try to bring Washington up from rock bottom: rebuilding the bullpen, firing manager Manny Acta, trading for Nyjer Morgan and nearly daily transactions to try to make the roster competitive. He has also helped oversee several drafts that have pumped some talent into the lower levels of the organization.

So ownership has to choose whether to promote from within despite being en route to back-to-back 100-loss seasons or looking ungrateful for essentially firing Rizzo after all those efforts just so they could bring in a fresh face to replace him.

Nationals GM Job May Still Be Undecided originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Billy Butler Quietly Turning Into One of Baseball's Best Young Hitters

Ed Price — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Royals, MLB Inside Scoop

DETROIT -- Pablo Sandoval leads all big-leaguers 23 and younger in hits.

Who's second?

No idea? OK, here's a clue: He bats third for the Kansas City Royals.

Didn't help?

Initials: B.B.

Get it? No?

Well, we don't blame you. First baseman Billy Butler toils in the anonymity of the shaky K.C. lineup. But his name is worth remembering.

"I think he's one of the more impressive young hitters I've seen," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I really like him. He's good."

How good? Butler is tied for second in the AL with 38 doubles. He has a .297 average, 14 homers and 61 RBI.

"He's a baby," Royals hitting coach Kevin Seitzer said. "I see, long-term, he's got a chance to do special things."

Only 15 players have hit .300 with 45 doubles at age 23 or younger, including four active players: Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramirez and Miguel Cabrera.

"I want to be the batter that the pitchers fear," Butler told FanHouse. "I want to initiate fear. I want to go up there and the pitcher knows that, 'Even if I hit my spot, he's going to hit it hard.'"

A right-handed hitter, Butler has already shown the ability to go the other way and drive the ball hard to the outfield gaps.

The consensus is that Butler (whose defense is still, shall we say, a work in progress) will become a high-average, high-doubles hitter who can hit 20-plus homers as his power improves.

"I think he's a legitimate No. 3 hitter," Kansas City manager Trey Hillman said. "I think there's more power and I think there's more average in there as years come."

Said Seitzer: "Definitely the doubles are going to be there, because he can plug gaps for fun. He doesn't really have any weaknesses or holes in his swing."

On pure ability, Butler last year hit .275 with 22 doubles and 11 homers in 124 games. This year has been a matter of adding an advanced approach at the plate.

"There was a lot ... he needed to learn about how to work pitchers, what pitchers are trying to do to him," said Seitzer, the former .295 career hitter for the Royals, Brewers and Indians. "He's made some big strides. He's a great student."

Said Butler: "It's all about plate discipline, getting to the pitch you want to."

Hillman knew something had clicked for Butler in a late-July homestand, as twice in five days Butler hit a 3-0 pitch out to right field. (According to baseball-reference.com, there have been just 10 opposite-field homers all year at Kauffman Stadium.)

"When you see something like that," Hillman said, "it usually is a pretty good indicator. ... He's getting more mature, taking what they give him -- rather than trying to create things and make it happen."

It was also a by-product of some work with Seitzer. Earlier this season, Seitzer noticed Butler opening his front (left) shoulder too soon, which made it harder for him to drive the ball to right field.

"It's kind of turned my approach around," Butler said. "Balls are carrying further. I'm staying through balls longer. Balls that were like warning-track balls are going out of the park."

Butler was Kansas City's first-round draft pick in 2004 (14th overall, just before Stephen Drew). He won the rookie-level Pioneer League batting title that year, with a .373 mark, and another crown in 2006 at Double-A.

"He's one of those guys that will figure out that it's easier to hit up here," Leyland said. "What I mean by that is, he's starting to know the pitchers, know what they do to him. That's why if you're a good hitter, when you come up here, eventually it'll be easier for you because a lot of time you see the same pitchers year after year.

"Minor leagues, you don't see that. You're getting on the bus, riding eight hours, seeing a different pitcher -- you may never see that pitcher again the rest of the year."

Billy Butler Quietly Turning Into One of Baseball's Best Young Hitters originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red Alert in Nation as Yanks Sweep Sox

Ed Price — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:59:00 EST

Filed under: Red Sox, Yankees, AL East, MLB Inside Scoop

NEW YORK -- Dustin Pedroia late Sunday night was facing the firing squad of reporters wanting to know (like all of New England) what's wrong with the Red Sox, will they turn it around, when will this skid come to an end.

"Are we in the lead for the wild card? What's the deal?" Pedroia asked.

Tied with the Rangers, he was told.

"Oh good," he said. "So we'll start over. We've got a new season, fifty-something (52) games. We're excited about it."

That's all they have to be excited about. Boston's season is circling the drain, and while no one should expect them to drop completely off the map, the Red Sox for sure have issues.

With back-to-back homers by Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira -- the fomer Red Sox and the never-was Red Sox -- in Sunday's eighth inning, the Yankees finished off a four-game sweep of their rivals.

The Yankees now lead the season series, 4-8.

At least that's how it feels. Just four days ago, the questions around the Bronx centered on, can the Yankees beat the Red Sox?

That seems like a long, long time ago.

Now the Red Sox have dropped six straight games for the first time since 2006. In 23 days they have gone from three games up on the Yankees to 6 1/2 back.

More importantly, Boston has dropped 6 1/2 games to Texas in that span to fall into that wild-card tie.

"There's a lot of ups and downs during the season," manager Terry Francona said. "And how you deal with those ups and downs really can define your season."

To that end, Francona briefly addressed his players before Sunday's game.

According to a person who was in the room, Francona told them he sensed some tension in the club around the trade deadline, as rumors swirled and everyone wondered what the team would do.

That's past now, Francona told the team. Settle down and just keep playing and things will be OK.

"Sometimes I think it's important to just talk to our guys," Francona said later. "It was not a big deal.

"I don't know that I believe in ranting and raving for the sake of one game. ... But I just wanted to remind guys how we felt about things, that's all."

Like their manager, the Sox are not panicking.

"We have a long part of our season left," captain Jason Varitek said. "We have too many good characters on this team, this team won't quit."

But it needs to get healthy and it needs to hit.

Injuries (Mike Lowell's hip, Jason Bay's hamstring, Jed Lowrie's wrist, Rocco Baldelli's ankle) and a bullpen overworked because of a shaky back end to the rotation have led to a flurry of roster moves, with 15 players shuttling through six roster spots since July 31.

The offense is atrocious, with no threats after Bay in the No. 5 spot. Victor Martinez's two-run homer in the top of the eighth Sunday mercifully ended a 31-inning scoreless streak -- the team's longest since 1974.

Boston was 3-for-38 in the series with runners in scoring positon.

"I feel we have a good offense," said Pedroia, who was 4-for-16 in the series. "We just didn't score runs, that's it."

As a result, the Red Sox are trying to hold off the Rangers and Rays in the wild-card race instead of working on a division title.

"I still think we're a playoff team," Lowell said. "I don't think we're playing like one right now. ... We can't play like this.

"The whole world isn't over. But I think everyone knows that we've got to play better baseball in order to maintain a chance at the postseason."

That will have to come as a wild card, it seems.

With the Dodgers scuffling, the Yankees now have the largest division lead in the majors. In their history, the Yankees have never blown a division (or, pre-1969, league) lead of more than six games.

Said David Ortiz, who was 1-for-14 in the series, "It can't get any worse, right?"

Sure it could. Ask Red Sox Nation, which goes to sleep at night clutching its panic buttons.

So now what? How do they get back to being the team that was 55-34?

"I don't know," Pedroia said. "I'm not a magic person. I just play second base."

Red Alert in Nation as Yanks Sweep Sox originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Legal Greenies? Nick Green Explains Ins, Outs of Therapeutic Use Exemption

Ed Price — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Red Sox, FanHouse Exclusive, MLB PEDs, MLB Inside Scoop

NEW YORK -- Three hours before every Red Sox game, Nick Green takes an amphetamine.

It's legal.

It's within baseball's rules.

And he's not alone.

Amphetamines are banned in baseball, but players can get therapeutic-use exemptions (TUEs), in which they show a medical need for the substance.

It sounds like a perfect loophole. Get a doctor to diagnosis you with attention-deficit disorder and write a prescription, and you can have your greenies.

But as Green tells it, the loophole isn't easily exploited.

"It's kind of a pain in the ass," Green told FanHouse on Sunday. "It's good. It needs to be like that, so people can't buck the system."

"Greenies" have been banned in Major League Baseball since the 2006 season, and their use in the game predates steroids -- and was probably always more prevalent. Players who wouldn't go near steroids took amphetamines without a second thought; given the taxing nature of baseball's schedule, with only a few days off a month, early-morning arrivals in cities and day games after night games, they were considered a near necessity.

And MLB didn't test for stimulants until two years after instituting testing for other performance-enhancing drugs like steroids.

According to the MLB report issued in January, there were 106 TUEs granted for ADD in the 2008 season. And the increase in TUEs from 28 in 2006 to 103 in 2007 got the attention of Congress in its January 2008 steroids hearing.

Green, 30, said he has ADD and has had it "forever" -- since he was a kid growing up outside Atlanta.

"At school I could cram and stuff," he said. "I was fine. I always made good grades. So my mom said, 'Yeah, no problem.'

"Once I got into pro ball, what happens in pro ball is you play every day. So you end up zoning out too much, and if you zone out too much while you're playing, you're done."

So in 2003 Green got a prescription for Adderall. By 2005 he thought he had overcome his problem and stopped taking the drugs. But he hit just .183 after the All-Star break.

He wanted to go back on Adderall in 2006, but in the first year of amphetamine testing the red tape proved too difficut.

Now Green has to visit an MLB-approved doctor every spring training. That doctor even interviewed his family to verify the ADD. And the Adderall prescription has to be written by his team doctor. His TUE has to be renewed every year.

That prevents doctor-shopping and phony diagnoses.

The number of TUEs granted by MLB has drawn criticism, such as from anti-doping expert Gary Wadler to the New York Daily News.

"It seems to me as an internist, that's a disproportionate number of adults with ADD requiring stimulants - roughly 10 percent of the league. I've seen a lot of adults (as patients) and I can count on one hand the number of people I've seen with ADD," said Wadler, who is chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency's Prohibited List and Methods Committee. "Since so many (players) received TUEs, it's crying out for close examination of the TUE process for baseball and how it stacks up against the international standard. I don't know that there's an epidemic of ADD in baseball."

But as Green describes it, MLB makes it hard to fake ADD.

"It's a whole process you have to go through," he said. "They have to, to make it legitimate."

In fact, after Seattle called up Green from Triple-A in 2007, he tested positive for Adderall and he had to enlist the union's help in transferring his minor-league TUE to the major league testing program.

Adderall, according to the Web site of manufacturer Shire, is a "central nervous system stimulant" that includes as its ingredients amphetamine aspartate monohydrate and dextroamphetamine sulfate.

But Green said he doesn't feel taking one every day (he actually takes it only on days he plays) gives him an unfair advantage on the field.

"I've never taken greenies, so I don't know" if Adderall has the same effect, he said. "It helps me focus on the task at hand."

Asked if Adderall gives him extra energy, Green said, "I don't know. I still drink Red Bull and stuff."

He did say the Adderall can keep him up at night, which is why he takes it three hours before game time, since the effects are supposed to last eight hours.

Green has been a pleasant surprise for the Red Sox this year, making the team out of spring training as a non-roster player because Julio Lugo suffered a knee injury and winding up playing shortstop most of the time because of Lugo's ineffectiveness and Jed Lowrie's injuries.

Going into last night's game at Yankee Stadium, Green was batting .232 with five homers and 32 RBI.

"I think he's done a pretty good job," Boston manager Terry Francona said.

Green said he doesn't feel his TUE gives him an unfair advantage. He sees it as a medical necessity.

"I don't think what I take does the same as a greenie," he said.

And he's all for baseball's testing program.

"I think it's fair," he said. "The way I see it is you even out the playing field.

"I think it's a good program. It's tough to beat the system."

Legal Greenies? Nick Green Explains Ins, Outs of Therapeutic Use Exemption originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Under-the-Radar Jackson Deal Pays Huge Dividends

Ed Price — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Athletics, Diamondbacks, Indians, Marlins, Mets, Orioles, Phillies, Rangers, Rays, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, AL Central, MLB Media Watch, MLB Milestones, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

The most significant trade of last winter barely caused a ripple at the time.

The same day the Mets signed Francisco Rodriguez and traded for J.J. Putz, and the day after the Yankees came to terms with C.C. Sabathia, the Tigers sent outfielder Matt Joyce to the Rays for right-hander Edwin Jackson.

Or don't you remember?

Eight months later, Jackson is second in the AL with a 2.62 ERA and leads the league with a .217 opponents' average. Ignore his 8-5 record; Detroit has scored three runs or fewer in 10 of his 22 starts, and more than five runs just twice.

"We liked him," Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski told FanHouse. "We thought he'd be one of our starters. But to say we thought we'd be trading for an All-Star starter, I would not ever have projected that."

While it may seem that Jackson is one of those pitchers who had plodded along forever, doing nothing special, and has put together a fluke year, it should be noted that he is just 25.

Jackson's unusual career is the result of getting to the big leagues too soon. He made his debut with the Dodgers on Sept. 9, 2003 -- his 20th birthday -- winning against 40-year-old Randy Johnson.

But Jackson then bounced back and forth between the minors and majors, understandable since he was still in his early 20s. He was traded to the Rays in January 2006 and by 2007 he was out of minor-league options despite being only 23. He went into that season with an 11-19 career record and a 5.64 ERA.

In other words, much of his development took place in the majors.

"When I did struggle it was in the limelight," Jackson said. "It wasn't like I was in the minor leagues and had a chance to struggle under the radar.

"I think it all just worked out to make me a stronger person at the end."

And Detroit caught him on the upswing.

"He's been tremendous for us," Dombrowski said. "I don't think anybody could anticipate he'd be good to this extent. I think everybody in the game has been aware of his ability. That goes back for a long time. He's always had great stuff. It was just one of those things where sometimes you get a guy at the right time."

It's not like Dombrowski set out to steal Jackson from Tampa Bay.

Jackson went into last winter eligible for arbitration, meaning he was in line for a big raise from his $412,700 salary (it wound up being $2.2 million this year). With top prospect David Price and others, the low-payroll Rays had some pitching depth, so trading Jackson was a way to save some money that could be spent elsewhere.

It was Tampa Bay that approached Detroit first, Dombrowski said.

"They liked Matt Joyce a lot," Dombrowski said. "And we liked Matt Joyce a lot. I still think Matt Joyce is going to be a good player."

And Jackson didn't take it personally.

"A trade is a trade," he said. "That's the business aspect of it. ... As long as a team wants me, I don't have a problem.

"Without the opportunity [the Rays] gave me, I wouldn't be [an All-Star]. But at the end of the day you can only do so much with a player. You have to kind of let them go out and find themselves. That's what I went through when I had my struggles."

Jackson has thrown more strikes, going from 4.9 walks per nine innings in 2007 to 3.8 last year to 2.9 this year, and success has followed.

"I was just trying to continue to do the same thing I did last year," he said. "I just wanted cut down on my walks, attack the strike zone more. You make the hitters put the ball in play, good things happen for you."

Another reason Jackson took time, as former Rays teammate Carl Crawford noted, is that when the Dodgers signed Jackson out of Columbus, Ga., he was a pitcher and outfielder.

"So he's still learning," Crawford said. "He's not gonna do nothing but get better. He's going to be a dangerous guy for a long time."

But Jackson said he won't mind if, like when he was traded to Detroit, not too many people notice.

"It's not a bad thing to fly under the radar," he said. "It makes life a little easier."

Overheard and Understood

o. Arizona manager A.J. Hinch said ace Dan Haren excels at, as Hinch put it, breaking a game down into 110 one-pitch games -- i.e., focusing on one pitch at a time. But Hinch is also monitoring the mental and physical strain from putting so much effort into every delivery. Including Saturday at Washington, Haren has failed to get into the seventh inning in four of his past seven starts. "He executes that one pitch at a time," Hinch said, "and he exhausts about every bit of energy that he has on every one of his pitches."

o. The Twins' best chance to win the AL Central lies in their schedule. Of their 52 remaining games, 35 are within the division -- including 12 against Kansas City, nine against Cleveland and eight against Detroit (which is 3-7 against Minnesota).

o. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Orioles are the first team in 121 years to have five pitchers (Brian Matusz, David Hernandez, Jason Berken, Brad Bergesen, Koji Uehara) start and win in their major league debut. The only other team to accomplish that was the 1888 Chicago White Stockings.

Chart of the Week
The Mariners are 27-14 in one-run games, putting them on pace for 40 one-run victories this season. That would rank tied for fourth all-time and the most since 1978:
Team	Record
1978 Giants	42-26
1969 Mets	41-23
1940 Reds	41-17
1974 Orioles	40-21
1970 Orioles	40-15
1979 Astros	39-27
1985 Reds	39-18
Source: Mariners, baseball-reference.com

o. The trade of Carl Pavano to Minnesota left Cleveland with just 11 players on its 25-man roster who were on the Opening Day roster or disabled list. Only four players have made it all season on the Indians' active roster: Kerry Wood, Kelly Shoppach, Jhonny Peralta and Shin-Soo Choo.

o. Colorado's Todd Helton reached 500 doubles in 1,749 career games -- third fastest all-time after Joe Medwick and Nap Lajoie.

o. Since Luis Castillo's game-losing dropped popup against the Yankees on June 12, Rodriguez has a 7.71 ERA, four blown saves in 12 chances, and 17 walks and four homers allowed in 18 2/3 innings.

o. Because Dallas Braden is out with a foot infection, Oakland has started a rookie in eight straight games, with Brett Anderson scheduled to make it nine Sunday. The last team to use a rookie starter in nine straight games was the 1997 Cardinals, who used rookies Manny Aybar, Rigo Beltran, Matt Morris, Sean Lowe, Mike Busby and Brady Raggio over their final 19 games.

o. Darren O'Day retired 18 straight batters before walking the first man he faced Friday and has a 1.91 ERA for the Rangers. The Mets took him in last winter's Rule 5 draft but, shortsightedly, opted to cut him in April when they called up Nelson Figueroa for a spot start.

o. Bruce Chen's win Thursday for Kansas City was his first since Oct. 2, 2005, for Baltimore against Tampa Bay. In between Chen's wins, Roy Halladay and C.C. Sabathia each won 63 games.

o. Florida's Dan Uggla joined Joe Gordon as the only second basemen ever to begin their careers with four 20-homer seasons.

o. The Phillies broadcasters have created a sports-broadcasting scholarship for Philadelphia-area college students, called the Kalas Award, in memory of their late colleague Harry Kalas. Scholarship applications and the eligibility requirements are available at www.phillybroadcasters.org.

Baseball Brunch: Under-the-Radar Jackson Deal Pays Huge Dividends originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Off to the Races

Ed Price — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Athletics, Blue Jays, Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Marlins, Mets, Padres, Phillies, Rangers, Red Sox, Reds, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, MLB Playoffs, Minor Leagues, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch, MLB Trade Deadline

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Now that the hands are dealt -- expect for one or two more this month -- we can examine the pennant races to come.

There wasn't much point in assessing the races until after Friday's non-waiver trade deadline, when we know what we're dealing with. Some important pieces will change hands after they clear waivers this month, but they probably won't be difference-makers.

Before we get to the predictions, though, let's talk about one trade that didn't happen.

Toronto held on to Roy Halladay. The Blue Jays had every right to ask for a boatload of prospects for him, as Halladay may be the most reliable pitcher in the game.

The strategy was to either use Halladay for a quick rebuild or keep him and make a run in 2010. An official from another team told FanHouse that strategy comes "right out of the Oakland playbook: load up for a year, take your shot. If it doesn't work, start over."

Remember, Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi came from the A's.

There's one problem, and that's Halladay himself. He was said to be quite motivated to move on, because his goal -- stated publicly -- is to get a chance to pitch in the playoffs.

That won't happen this year. And now that he's been teased with the proposition of moving to a contender, he may itch even more to get out of Toronto. He may be more vocal about what he really wants, which is a shot at October.

One person familiar with the situation assured FanHouse that trading Halladay will get revisited over the winter. He won't be worth quite as much then as he was last week, since the acquiring team gets him for just one season rather than one plus part of a second, but there may be more clubs involved in the bidding.

Halladay and Ricciardi have a good relationship. If Halladay makes it known he's unhappy, Ricciardi may accommodate him.

Until then, though, we have to play two months plus the postseason.

The most compelling race should be in the division that was most active in July trading. And while Cleveland was trying to re-stock its farm system, contenders Detroit, Chicago and Minnesota were all making a move for this year.

Edge to the Tigers.

At least for this year. They figure to get about 12 starts from Jarrod Washburn, which gives them the best one-through-four starting pitchers in the AL. Meanwhile, Jake Peavy figures to make seven starts max for the White Sox because he has to work back from an ankle tendon problem.

That five-start gap is enough for Detroit to hold onto its division lead.

The other three AL playoff teams should be the Red Sox, Angels and Yankees -- even though the latter two didn't make a significant move.

Boston recognized its offensive deficiencies and addressed them with the addition of Victor Martinez. The Angels should hold on because the Rangers seemed to be fading and couldn't pull off a booster deal.

The Yankees have an issue in rotation depth, and maybe some back-end starter will pass through waivers. They need to do something, because if they don't, then if Andy Pettitte, A.J. Burnett, Joba Chamberlain or Sergio Mitre has any kind of issue the rest of the way, the Yankees will have to subtract from their bullpen to fill the hole.

In the NL, the race for two spots between the Rockies, Giants, Cubs, Cardinals, Marlins, Braves and (perhaps) the Mets should be fun.

All but the Mets made some kind of move. The suspicion here is that San Francisco grabs the wild card because all it needed was a little more offense to supplement its pitching. Since the All-Star break, the Giants have lost eight games, and five of those were by the scores of 2-1, 2-0, 4-2, 4-2 and 5-1.

The Phillies will hold on in the East and the Dodgers in the West, leaving the jumbled Central. Like with San Francisco, St. Louis addressed its offensive need and seems OK in the pitching department, so that's the pick.

That gives us a postseason first round of Philadelphia vs. San Francisco and Los Angeles vs. St. Louis. We'll go with a Phils-Cards NLCS and the Phillies back in the World Series.

In the AL, the Angels would play the AL East runner-up (we'll say the Yankees) and the Tigers the AL East winners. We know the Yankees can't beat the Angels, and we'll take Boston over Detroit.

But the Angels aren't quite that good, so they fall to the Red Sox -- meaning a Boston-Philadelphia World Series.

Who wins? Get back to us in October if these predictions are correct.

Overheard and Understood

o. Lost in the shuffle after the bungled news conference to announce the decision is the impact of the Mets' firing of Tony Bernazard, who was supposedly overseeing their farm system. Bernazard had detractors inside the organization as well as in the media, but sources said he had ingratiated himself with GM Omar Minaya and COO Jeff Wilpon. One source said Bernazard ran off a number of good minor-league instructors (which has manifested itself when the players have reached the majors) and Gary LaRocque, who at one point ran the scouting and player development departments. LaRocque, the source said, brought a sense of organization to the front office, making up for one of Minaya's weakness -- and that too has been exposed in recent years. "We do a number of things by the seat of the pants," the source said. [LaRocque] was a structure guy. [Minaya] knows he needs a structure guy." Now Minaya has a chance to correct that.

Chart of the Week
It's a lofty comparison, and not a prediction, but look at Mike Schmidt's statistics from his 23rd birthday (July 27, 1972) through his 26th birthday compared to Mark Reynolds' numbers since his 23rd birthday (Reynolds turns 26 on Monday):
Stat	Schmidt	Reynolds
G	404	365
AVG	.244	.262
OBP	.362	.342
SLG	.470	.503
OPS	.832	.845
HR	74	75
RBI	227	229
SO	401	476
BB	234	153
Source: Diamondbacks, STATS LLC

o. While getting Cliff Lee, the Phillies kept most of their top young players. "They don't want to give up [lefty J.A.] Happ, and I don't blame them," one scout said. "He's come up with a really good changeup. He throws across his body but is able to get the ball back inside. If you can do that, you're going to be successful." Another scout called outfielder Michael Taylor, now in Triple-A, "the best player in the [Double-A] Eastern League. Plus, plus power. For a big kid, he doesn't strike out a lot. Good pitch recognition. He has a chance to hit for average and power. He can run and throw."

o. Four rookies have nine wins: Rick Porcello, Ricky Romero, Jeff Niemann, Matt Palmer. There haven't been four rookie 13-game winners in the same season since 2002 (Ryan Jensen, Kaz Ishii, Rodrigo Lopez, Jason Jennings).

o. Philadelphia went 20-7 in July, its most wins in any month since going 20-8 in May 2001, and its winningest July since 1963.

o. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, when San Diego beat Cincinnati on Wednesday, it marked the first time since the rookie rule was established in 1957 that three rookies combined on a one-hitter (Mat Latos, Greg Burke and Mike Ekstrom).

o. Enough already of people ripping the Pirates or bemoaning the breakup of the team. This isn't the selloff of the 1997 Marlins. At least Pittsburgh is trying, by using what players had value to restock and start all over.

o. Colorado has rocketed into contention under interim manager Jim Tracy, but one NL scout said first baseman Todd Helton deserves a lot of the credit. "He's this decade's [Jeff] Bagwell," the scout said, "the star player in the clubhouse who puts the team on his back. He's part of the reason they've recovered."

o. Unless there's a rainout, Oakland will play a franchise-record 28 straight days after the All-Star break (July 16-Aug. 12). In fact, the A's have just five off days in the second half because of makeup games.

o. Toronto's Marco Scutaro is on pace to be just the fourth shortstop to field .993 or better and average more than three assists per nine innings, after Rey Sanchez in 2000, Mike Bordick in 2002 and Omar Vizquel in 1998.

o. When Kansas City got double-digit strikeouts games from starters two nights in a row last weekend (10 for Zack Greinke and 13 for Luke Hochevar) it marked the first time that happened for the Royals since Tom Gordon and Kevin Appier in 1993.

Baseball Brunch: Off to the Races originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phillies Get Lee in Blockbuster Swap

Ed Price — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:48:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, Indians, Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees, MLB Inside Scoop, MLB Trade Deadline

The Phillies have landed left-hander Cliff Lee of the Indians.

FanHouse first reported that, according to a major league source, the clubs were "very" close to deal that would send Lee to Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon. The Phillies also got outfielder Ben Francisco to bolster its right-handed bench, while sending Cleveland will Single-A right-hander Jason Knapp, right-hander Carlos Carrasco, shortstop Jason Donald and catcher Lou Marson.

This could mean Toronto hangs on to ace Roy Halladay, at least until the offseason. Halladay seemed to prefer to go to Philadelphia if he was traded. Boston might be a possibility, but the Yankees don't want to add payroll and the Dodgers may not be willing to part with the package of prospects the Blue Jays seek.

"I don't think the price comes down" on Halladay with the Phillies out of the picture, said someone close to Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi.

An official from another team quoted a Red Sox official as saying, "[The Blue Jays] are asking a lot, and I don't think it's going to get done."

Said Jays manager Cito Gaston: "I'm happy if he stays. If he stays and we get our guys back next year and add a guy or two we have a chance to make a run at it next year, if we stay healthy."

Philadelphia has been trying for most of the season to bolster its rotation. Now it has last year's AL Cy Young Award winner, giving it a 1-2-3 -- all left-handed -- of Lee, Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer.

Knapp, who turns 19 next month, is 2-7 with a 4.01 ERA in the South Atlantic League but has 111 strikeouts in 85 1/3 innings. He was a second-round draft pick in 2008.

A scout who has seen Knapp said he throws 96-97 mph. "This guy could be a horse," the scout said. "He might be Danys Baez. That breaking ball, it's a long way away."

Marson, according to another scout, is "just OK ... Not the best defensive guy, and he's a singles/doubles bat. He's got the swing where he's going to hit. That's not a premium guy."

The second scout called Donald a "poor man's Michael Young" in that he isn't a great defensive shortstop but doesn't have the usual power profile for third base. "He doesn't move great at short, but he's a capable bat," the scout said.

Carrasco has "three solid [major-league] average pitches" -- i.e., fastball, curve, changeup -- with "decent control."

"At the root of this deal was balancing the conviction of our ability to compete in 2010 with the opportunity to impact the team's construction for years to come," Indians GM Mark Shapiro said in a written statement. "Without the sense of confidence in the team's ultimate competitiveness, we acted aggressively to add players that will impact the organization in 2010 and beyond."

Phillies Get Lee in Blockbuster Swap originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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