With the calendar ready to turn to the final month of the regular season, there are still 15 teams in contention for a playoff spot. From the surprises (Athletics, Pirates, Orioles) to the big spenders (Dodgers, Angels, Tigers), the addition of a second Wild Card to each league has take the race for the playoffs to another level. Let's take a moment to catch up on the latest stories and news making headlines from around baseball…
- It took him awhile, but FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal finally understands why the Dodgers' trade with the Red Sox actually makes sense for Los Angeles. The addition of Adrian Gonzalez to man first base gives the Dodgers the game's biggest Mexican-American star as well as an upgrade both offensively and defensively. Even though Los Angeles paid a large sum for its package of stars, Rosenthal suggests the team wouldn't have had many desirable options to pursue this offseason.
- Another star player appears to be done in Boston – at least for this season – write Evan Drellich and Austin Laymance of MLB.com. Slugger David Ortiz, enjoying a strong season at the plate, may find himself on the disabled list come Monday as he continues to struggle with his right Achilles tendon. "We're talking about it, because I just can't really play like this," Ortiz said. "I don't want to be thinking about my foot while I'm facing the opposition, which is what happened to me after I hit that double [on Friday]."
- Prospect Dylan Bundy can't help but wonder what it would be like if the Orioles call up the right-hander to join the big league club in Baltimore this September, writes Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com. The 19-year-old isn't afraid of the bright lights of the big city as he doesn't think there's much of a difference between playing at Double-A and facing Derek Jeter amidst a playoff race. "Not any pressure at all, it's just the same game. Little bit better hitters. Someone told me the other day, it's the same distance between the rubber and home plate no matter where you are. Just little bit bigger stands, little bit better hitters in the box. More media, but it's all the same."
start_wearing_purple
Congrats Ken… you’ve managed to figure out what the rest of us already did: For the Dodgers it was about getting Gonzalez. Good job Ken. You’ve earned a cookie.
User 4245925809
For 260m, compared to 215m for Fielder and 240-250m for Votto and Pujols (9 years left on all those) Colletti really to me gets better, filling 2 holes with a 1b who should last the duration of his contract and an impact OF who should play well the next 3-4 at least.
nobody thinks Pujols, nor fielder is going to be around in another 5-6 seasons. beckett deal will be long gone in 2.
Those hammering Colleti should temper the critisism when compared to the GM/ownership of Anaheim, Cinci and detroit. he should get a lot more value and spread out over 2 positions with proven impact players.
start_wearing_purple
I’m not criticizing Colletti. I think this move has the potential to be a rare win-win situation. Boston dumps some bad contracts, sacrifices a great hitter (with RISP Gonzalez had a slash line of .400/.439/.696 this year), and gains a few interesting prospects. Meanwhile the Dodgers gain a great hitter ho is undervalued (market-wise as you state) and a couple of expensive wild cards.
But really, Rosenthal’s analysis is along the lines of me saying water is wet and claiming it as his own original opinion.
start_wearing_purple
Sigh. Guys, seriously tell me why my last comment needs to wait for approval. I only insulted Rosenthal and with seriously good reason and I didn’t say anything worse than a kindergartener would hear on a playground.
Shane Maples
Votto starts his 10 year deal in 2014.
CubsFan5
I’m not sure that Bundys word choice was the best here. “…little bit better hitters in the box…” More like A LOT better. Could he dominate the Bigs right now? Sure. Could he get lit up like a Christmas tree? Possibly.
Jake Cameron
this is true but what do they honestly have to lose? another year of losing? as an O’s fan i’m ok with whatever is going to get us past the losing years
CubsFan5
Well, we already saw what happened to Trevor Bauer. Now, are Trevor Bauer and Dylan Bundy the same pitcher? No. Do they both struggle with command? Yes, but they’re young guys and pretty advanced with their pitches.
What if Bundy get’s knocked around or he really struggles with command? Does he gain anything from that in the Majors? Yes, and probably gives us a better point of view of his flaws. This means he’s going to need more Minor League time to refine himself. What if it doesn’t translate into the O’s winning?
I know I just threw out a bunch of hypothetical questions, it’s just something I like to do. My point is, there is risk of bringing him up too soon, but at the same time there is also a reward. It’s up to the O’s to judge if that reward out ways the risk. IMO I think it’s best to keep him down.
basemonkey
Bundy doesn’t struggle with command. I understand your point, but what makes Bundy a rare once-a-gen pitching prospect is that he has mind blowing stuff, velo, and command. That said, I’m sure there would be an adjustment period though.
CubsFan5
According to scouts, he doesn’t command all his pitches with great accuracy. While it may not show up in the box score as a BB everytime, he can get in trouble if he can’t locate/command every pitch. As far as we know, he has mind blowing stuff to Minor League talent. I’ve seen his Curve, it’s dirty. His fastball is solid. They already took his cutter out of his arsenal of pitches, and it could be for good instead of limiting it. (I would link you, but it’s not an approved site on here). Let me rephrase the whole “Do bauer and bundy struggle with command?” They both struggle. While Bauer struggles with both locating and keeping his pitches in the strike zone, Bundy does not stuggle with both. Bauer’s issues turn into BB, Bundy’s issue locating and maintaining command of his pitches at all times. It’s fine though and a lot easier to fix then what Bauer is up to. Sure it results in a couple walks or a couple of harder hit balls. He’s young and I get that, most if not all young pitchers have the same exact issues with command/locating. Would it be fair to expect him to have Greg Maddux like command? Of course not.
PD
Dylan Bundy has nowhere near the control issues Bauer has.They’re not even in the same realm, not to mention Orioles management won’t let Dylan throw one of his best pitches, his cutter.
CubsFan5
I’m not saying their control issues are the same, Obviously Bauer has a pretty big problem with command. It took a while for the comments to get posted, but the rest of my response was below.
Dock_Elvis
Why isn’t he allowed to throw a cutter? It’s as safe to throw as any regular fastball…just a varied grip.
Robert Klein
Old baseball axiom: You can’t hurt the good ones.
Boz
Papi “wait you’re trading Agone, Beckett and Crawford…..Owwwwww”
Bobby V “I know, that’s a lot of big names”
Papi “No, Oww, my ankle suddenly hurts, I dont think I want…uh I mean ummm …can play anymore this season”
karkat
You’re thinking of Manny Ramirez
Lunchbox45
ya right, more like trade me too trade me too!!
Michael 22
This is why so many eyebrows have been raised over the team’s “injuries” over the past two seasons. Are they really HURT or are they just copping attitudes? They seem to have an awful lot of these nagging little injuries that other teams seldom get, and in huge quantity.
Lunchbox45
that’s absolutely ridiculous.
MetsMagic
I think the injury ended both Papi’s season and his career as a Red Sox.
AaronAngst
“Not any pressure at all, it’s just the same game. Little bit better
hitters. Someone told me the other day, it’s the same distance between
the rubber and home plate no matter where you are. Just little bit
bigger stands, little bit better hitters in the box. More media, but
it’s all the same.”
Bundy continued, “Millions of dollars exchanging hands, and fan-bases that can love you one moment, and will wish death upon you the next. Someone told me the other day that the bases are still ninety feet apart though, so there’s always that.”
“It’s really pretty different, isn’t it?”