MLB - 2008 All Star Break and Beyond!

[-Jrabbit]

When you look at Games Behind, it doesn't look impossible.

But when you look at the fact that all three teams ahead of them (not to mention the out-of-division wild card contenders) have to tank for them to get back in the race, it does.

[Imran Siddiqui]

It's the same for the Braves in the NL. They may "only" be 7.5 behind, but you have the Mets, Phils, and Marlins all hovering around the lead and all three have to tank for the Braves to have a chance (not to mention their ace is out for the year and possibly the rest of his career, since he is, after all, in his 40s).

[Ben Kenobi]

I didn't account for the last few weeks.

Thanks for admitting you were wrong.

[Ben Kenobi]

The Rays may fade a bit, but that's a good team. Their offense may be due for some improvement, actually, and that may mitigate any backsliding by the pitchers. I think the Yanks have a good shot at the WC, and a respectable chance at the division (though I think the WC is much more likely).

Agreed. I think the Rays are a fine team, and barring a complete collapse the Jays will have to win 2 of 3 to have a chance.

I think it's too early to rule them out just yet.

Add all of that up, and I just don't see Toronto pulling it out. That they have lost a bunch of close games is unfortunate for them, but with most of the season in the books there isn't anything they can do about it. They may play better from here on out in such close games, but I doubt they can do it well enough to catch the multiple teams they would need to catch.

I figure they will need to win 2 of 3 from here on out to catch the Rays, assuming the Rays drift down to about .560 and the Yankees do not go on a tear. I think the Sox will get up around .580-.600 and win the division.

Slim, but still possible.

As for Thomas, would have been better to put up one of the young guys and get a year of development, rather then see him on the DL.

The A's are another team that's a mystery to me. Why are they doing so poorly? They have excellent pitching.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The A's are another team that's a mystery to me. Why are they doing so poorly? They have excellent pitching.

Um... is this a trick question? Their hitting is abysmal. They have a team OPS+ of 92.

And only Seattle and Kansas City have a worse Runs Scored per Game.

[Ben Kenobi]

I haven't seen any A's games, so I wasn't sure. I felt someone here who likes the A's would have a better idea.

Thanks Imran.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I think the loss of Swisher really hurt them bad and Chavez seems to have gotten hurt again.

[Imran Siddiqui]

And Teixeira is now an Angel. Dealt for 1B Casey Kotchman and pitching prospect Stephen Marek.

Kotchman is an above average bat at 1B and still only 25, but has little power. Kind of Sean Casey-eque. Marek is decent, but has been playing mid-relief in the minors.

Great deal for the Halos as, Teixeira is just what they needed (outside from Vlad, Kendrick, and Hunter they are hitting like crap this season) and have the money to sign Tex to a long term deal when his contract is up this year.

[-Jrabbit]

So the Braves are officially sellers. I heard earlier today there was a bidding war, so I'm a little surprised they didn't get more.

That is a huge deal for the Angels.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well, there is a lot of talk that Teixeira will test the market this winter (he has Boras as an agent) so it appeared the Braves didn't get that much because he was seen, perhaps correctly, as a rental.

Apparently Arizona and Tampa were the other bidders, with Arizona dangling Chad Tracy as their main piece and Tampa willing to part with Carlos Pena.

[OzzyKP]

Tigers trade Pudge to Yankees for Farnsworth

BY JOHN LOWE AND JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITERS • July 30, 2008

CLEVELAND - The Tigers today traded catcher Ivan Rodriguez straight up to the New York Yankees for relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth.
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Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski portrayed three causes for the deal. First off, Rodriguez can be a free agent after this season.

Secondly, the club believes Brandon Inge is ready to succeed Rodriguez as the No. 1 catcher for the rest of this season. "Brandon Inge is ready to tackle being the everyday catcher. He gives us a quality chance to win on a day-in, day-out basis and this allows us to address the one area of our club that needs to be addressed the most, which is our bullpen, ” Dombrowski explained. He also said Inge will be the No. 1 catcher next season.

Lastly, the Tigers need bullpen help. "Our major focus was our bullpen," said Dombrowski. Todd Jones has been replaced at closer by Fernando Rodney, but neither Rodney nor Joel Zumaya, who were injured much of the year, are as durable right now as the Tigers hope they will be. Rodney has struggled with his control in both of his outings since he replaced Jones at closer.

Dombrowski stressed that the deal doesn't in any way represent a retreat from the Tigers' playoff aspirations for this season. He said he believes the trade makes the club stronger now.

The Yankees need a catcher because their first-string catcher, Jorge Posada, had season-ending shoulder surgery on Wednesday. The rehab time is about six months.

Rodriguez signed with the Tigers in the off-season after they lost 119 games in 2003. In that season, Rodriguez was the catcher for the world champion Florida Marlins.


“I want to make special note of everything Pudge has done for our organization,” Dombrowski said. “He helped us in the very beginning. I told him, I will be in Cooperstown the day he is inducted (in the Hall of Fame).”

After his 4-for-4 performance on Sunday, he had the best offensive numbers of any prospective free-agent catcher. He is hitting .295 with five homers in 82 games this season. Among all catchers with at least 290 at-bats, Rodriguez ranks fifth in on-base-plus-slugging percentage, with .759. The four catchers ahead of him this year are All-Stars Brian McCann, Joe Mauer, Geovany Soto and Russell Martin.

Farnsworth, like Rodriguez, can be a free agent after this season. He pitched for the Tigers in 2005. At the trading deadline that year, the Tigers traded him to Atlanta for pitchers Zach Miner (now a Tigers starter) and Roman Colon (since dealt to Kansas City). The Tigers made the deal after Farnsworth, also a pending free agent that season, turned down a multi-year contract offer from them.

This season, Farnsworth is 1-2 in 45 appearances. His statistic that would raise the most concern is homers allowed: 11 in 44 1/3 innings.

“He has been throwing well lately, between 94 and 98 mph,” Dombrowski said.

With Thursday’s 4 p.m. trading deadline about 24 hours away, Dombrowski said, “I’ve talked to a dozen clubs today. I don’t think I’m close on anything. You never know when things take place this time of year. This one (the Rodriguez trade) came out of the blue. This deal all really happened today."

Dombrowski said the club hadn’t held any contract discussions with Rodriguez about next season.

[Imran Siddiqui]

How does freaking Brian Cashman always rape teams in deals?

[Deity Dude]

I think it is a good move for the Tigers and Yankees.

Tigers need the bullpen help, as can be seen by tonight's game with Cleveland, and Pudge wasn't coming back next year anyways.

Yanks need the help at catcher and Pudge (almost 37) is still solid when platooned.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Btw, *knock on wood*, the Red Sox just got swept at home by the Angels (after losing 2 out of 3 to the Yankees at home) and the Rays just won 4 out of the last 6 games, which were on the road.

[snoopy369]

DD, you overlook a critical point.

Brian Cashman both filled a hole he has with a solid player; and offloaded Kyle Farnsworth. He wins both ways...