The 2017 Major League Baseball Player Chatter, News and Fantasy Thread.

[yisman]

Jon Jay throwing 60 mph right now in the 9th
switched from OF to pitcher

pitched 1 inning, allowed a single and no runs

[Chi_archie]

Jon Jay throwing 60 mph right now in the 9th
switched from OF to pitcher

pitched 1 inning, allowed a single and no runs

rag arm

[yisman]

Robbie Ray walks Turner. Taylor doubles.

Strikes out Barnes (who has no business batting 5th). Intentional walk to Kike (wow), and then strikes out Puig and Trayce Thompson (doesn't belong in MLB).

Ray went 6 innings, striking out 13 for a new career high.

[Cross]

Jon jay so versatile, what a stud.

[EmpireMaker]

Just-released Braves righty Bartolo Colon is drawing quick interest after reaching the open market, according to multiple reports. The Mets have reached out regarding the team’s former rotation stalwart, per Mike Puma of the New York Post (via Twitter).
While it’s notable that the Mets moved so quickly on a fan favorite who so recently played such a significant role with the organization, it’s not yet clear that Colon is slated to return to Queens. The club doesn’t expect to hear back from Colon’s camp until tomorrow, says Puma. And other (as yet unnamed) organizations have also logged their interest in the veteran hurler, per James Wagner of the New York Times (via Twitter).
Colon, 44, washed out with the Braves this year. But Atlanta is paying his sizable guarantee the rest of the way, with other organizations free to retain him for nothing more than the league minimum salary (for whatever time he actually spends in the majors). And despite Colon’s significant struggles this year, it wasn’t long ago that he was a durable and effective starter for the Mets.
That makes the veteran a reasonable target for teams searching for innings down the stretch. Colon has clearly not been at his best this year, but he has perhaps also been unfortunate (.360 BABIP; 48.2% strand rate) to carry an abysmal 8.14 ERA through his 63 innings on the year. With no financial commitment required to take a chance, it won’t be surprising to see Colon back in the majors in relatively short order.

[koz-man]

The Cubs called up pitcher Dylan Floro from Triple-A Iowa on Friday while sending down reliever Jack Leathersich, who struggled in his only appearance on Thursday. He walked 4, including two with the bases loaded.

[El Nino]

That Dbacks/Dodgers 9th inning was so ridiculous. Dodgers pitcher balks trying to throw to 3rd base with 2 outs, nobody covering 3rd. 4-1 Dbacks.

Fernando Rodney comes in to close the door in the bottom of the 9th. Chavez Ravine is half empty. Puig singles. Pederson walks, Bellinger walks, Forsythe walks 4-2. Seager singles 4-4. Turner intentionally walked to load the bases. Bye bye Rodney. McFarland comes in, Taylor singles to left. Ball game 5-4 Dodgers. Just unreal. Especially considering I live bet the Dodgers in the 7th.

[stevenash]

You're hating life right now if you bet Max laying -250.
How's that chalk taste right now?

[Andy117]

You're hating life right now if you bet Max laying -250.
How's that chalk taste right now?

Don't taste the chalk until it's done.

[EmpireMaker]

The Twins have signed veteran righty Bartolo Colon to a minors deal, per a club announcement. He’ll head to the organization’s top affiliate.
It’s not tough to see the fit. Minnesota has struggled to find reliable innings from its rotation, outside of top starters Ervin Santana and Jose Berrios, and also has depth issues in the bullpen. With the club still holding onto hopes of competing for the postseason, but not interested in punting too much future value for immediate improvements, it’ll take a shot on the veteran castaway just three weeks before the trade deadline.
Minnesota will only be responsible to pay Colon at the league-minimum rate during any time he spends in the majors, with the Braves covering the remainder of his $12.5MM annual salary. Evidently, the Twins offered a more appealing situation — whether in terms of opportunity, competitiveness, or otherwise — than did the Mets, who were among the other teams pursuing Colon.
Colon, 44, had thrived for the Mets over the past three seasons, capping off his time there with 191 2/3 innings of 2.43 ERA ball in 2016. But he has been rocked through 13 starts in the current season, allowing 57 earned runs on 92 hits through 63 innings. The Twins will hope that Colon can regain his pinpoint control while also returning to the good graces of the BABIP gods, who cursed him with a .360 batting average on balls in play and 48.2% strand rate during his time in Atlanta.

[Cross]

Colon can't just call it quits, good for him.

[Otters27]

RA Dickey pitched a gem only to get lead blown in 9th

[JAKEPEAVY21]

That Dbacks/Dodgers 9th inning was so ridiculous. Dodgers pitcher balks trying to throw to 3rd base with 2 outs, nobody covering 3rd. 4-1 Dbacks.

Fernando Rodney comes in to close the door in the bottom of the 9th. Chavez Ravine is half empty. Puig singles. Pederson walks, Bellinger walks, Forsythe walks 4-2. Seager singles 4-4. Turner intentionally walked to load the bases. Bye bye Rodney. McFarland comes in, Taylor singles to left. Ball game 5-4 Dodgers. Just unreal. Especially considering I live bet the Dodgers in the 7th.

nice brag post

[koz-man]

Drew Pomeranz is 6-1 with a 2.57 ERA in last 10 starts. How does that compare to first half of last season, when he was an All-Star for Padres? "I think it's a little better," said Pomeranz, who has a 3.60 ERA overall and has been Red Sox's second-best starter. "Just being in this league you have to mix it up, and that's kind of made me grow as a pitcher and get better at things that I needed to be successful here. I think I'm a better pitcher now, just the way I'm attacking guys."

[Chi_archie]

Drew has been very quietly solid

[stevenash]

Six weeks ago Andrew McCutchen was left for dead, "washed up" they said.
He was batting .203 on May 24, .200 on May 23.

Then he hit .411 in the month June, going 37 for 90.
Scored 22 runs, drove in 23 in June with an OBA of .505.
Are you kidding me? He got on base more than half the times he got up to the plate in June.
That's sick!
Today he's back in the 3 hole, batting .296 and I could not be more pleased for one of baseballs classiest act.

[stevenash]

Don't taste the chalk until it's done.

Squeaker, but I bet if you laid that kind of lumber you were looking for a shot of anything to guzzle.

[stevenash]

Neither like nor dislike the NY Yankees, but that walk off homer from the kid Clint Frazier was a joy to watch.
Check out the replay, that ginger head kid has might quick hands, that swing still needs a little work, kid is still raw, but he's got Judge potential.

If this Clint Frazier pans out, the Judge/Sanchez/Frazier triad could put up a combined 100 HR's.
If Bird can get healthy, oh boy.

Yanks still have holes, like 3B, and starting pitching.

[El Nino]

nice brag post

Have to humble brag after watching that abortion. Local radio going nuts wanting Rodney out of town. Last night's performance won't help his cause.

[stevenash]

Strasburg gets blown out of the water by the Braves.
Has Strasburg ever won a meaningful game?
I mean he's only pitched in one post season game and got out pitched by Jake Peavy.
He's a terrific regular season pitcher, but not elite, I can't recall him ever winning a clutch game.

I can't recall Washington for that matter ever winning a meaningful game, God knows they never won a post season series.
They've been around for almost a quarter of a century now, they're not new kids on the block.

My God, most overhyped team.

[Cross]

Strasburg is filthy, just always hurt.

[Chi_archie]

Strasburg is filthy, just always hurt.

rag arm

[Andy117]

Neither like nor dislike the NY Yankees, but that walk off homer from the kid Clint Frazier was a joy to watch.
Check out the replay, that ginger head kid has might quick hands, that swing still needs a little work, kid is still raw, but he's got Judge potential.

If this Clint Frazier pans out, the Judge/Sanchez/Frazier triad could put up a combined 100 HR's.
If Bird can get healthy, oh boy.

Yanks still have holes, like 3B, and starting pitching.

Looks like year #2 for Bird is going to be washed out by injuries.

[EmpireMaker]

Andrew McCutchen’s NL Player Of The Month-winning performance in June ended over a year of frustration at the plate for the longtime Pirates star, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick writes. The hot streak also reinvigorated trade speculation about McCutchen’s future, and he reiterated to Crasnick that he wants to stay in Pittsburgh. Bucs GM Neal Huntington stated that the team isn’t shopping McCutchen but, thanks to the Pirates’ struggles in the standings and their payroll limitations, all options must be kept open:
“We anticipate Andrew continuing to be a Pirate until something changes — whether it’s through free agency or someone coming in [with an offer] that we believe can help this organization over the big picture,” Huntington said. “That’s the hard reality. We’ll listen on anybody. We have to. It doesn’t mean we’re looking to move him or actively engage. There’s active and passive engagement, and we’ll always be open for passive engagement if somebody wants to come to us.”
Here’s more from around the NL Central…

• Brewers GM David Stearns spoke to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other reporters about his team’s deadline plans, largely reiterating his statement from May about the Brewers’ improved play not throwing off their overall long-term rebuilding strategy. While the club will “certainly explore every avenue” to improve the roster, Stearns implied that the Brew Crew will pursue controllable players over rentals st the trade deadline. “I never want to say never, but if there’s going to be an acquisition cost, it needs to be an acquisition that’s going to be here for more than one year. Players that have multiple years of control are naturally better fits,” Stearns said.
• Pitchers like Jose Quintana and Sonny Gray would fit as upgrades on multi-year contracts, though Stearns downplayed reports of the Brewers’ interest in the two hurlers. “I think this time of year, we along with all 29 other teams, do background work on a number of different players. That’s natural. It’s league-wide and across the board,” Stearns said.
• Talks between the Reds and second overall draft pick Hunter Greene came right down to the wire yesterday, as president of baseball ops Dick Williams tells Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer and other reporters. Both sides expressed worry that a deal couldn’t be reached before Friday’s 5pm deadline, and it was apparently a matter of seconds before a final agreement was reached, Williams said. There was pressure in both camps, as Greene faced either a year in limbo or three years away from re-entering the draft if he chose to attend UCLA, while the Reds didn’t want to face the stiff penalties that would’ve been imposed on them for exceeding their draft bonus pool. In the end, Greene signed for a record-setting $7.23MM bonus.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Strasburg is filthy, just always hurt.

even when healthy he is not that great...sure as hell doesn't live up to all the hype..

[koz-man]

Small-sample proof that as Hanley Ramirez goes, Red Sox offense follows: Ramirez went 12-for-30 with 4 doubles and 2 homers from June 29-July 4, and Sox averaged 8.8 runs per game (and went 6-0);

Ramirez is 3-for-15 with 1 homer in last four games, and Sox have averaged 2.75 runs per game. "When he has impacted the baseball, we're a much stronger offensive team," John Farrell said.

[mr. leisure]

Lester getting blasted early .

[stevenash]

Lester getting blasted early .

Washed up.
I dislike the Astros, but since I used Peacock today in my daily I've got them on the big screen.
My God that lineup is downright lethal.
They should hit 3 homers in the second inning off a pretty good JA Happ.

[BigSpoon]

Washed up.
I dislike the Astros, but since I used Peacock today in my daily I've got them on the big screen.
My God that lineup is downright lethal.
They should hit 3 homers in the second inning off a pretty good JA Happ.

Clobbered the Jays 19-1 , not good for Toronto's run differential.

[mr. leisure]

Washed up.
I dislike the Astros, but since I used Peacock today in my daily I've got them on the big screen.
My God that lineup is downright lethal.
They should hit 3 homers in the second inning off a pretty good JA Happ.

Nice call on the tigers too .

[stevenash]

Nice call on the tigers too .

Thanks, it was a +200 doggie on paper that had a very real chance of cashing.
I spent over a half an hour on that game, it just made sense.

Cervelli became the very first player in baseball history to hit a grand slam homer in the first inning from any batter hitting in the two hole.

[El Nino]

The Dodgers have a 7.5 game lead over a Dbacks team that is 17 games over .500 The Dbacks would be leading every other division besides theirs and the AL West.

[Cross]

Stop tanking cubs, this is getting ridiculous.

[EmpireMaker]

Yoan Moncada sits atop both the midseason top 100 prospect rankings from Baseball America and the top 50 list from Baseball Prospectus. The two lists have different methodologies in compiling the rankings (for instance, BA includes 2017 draft picks while BP doesn’t) but obviously are in agreement about the value of several top minor leaguers, with Moncada as the consensus choice. The White Sox prospect has a very solid but not dominant .282/.380/.451 slash line over 334 plate appearances at Triple-A this season, and with 93 strikeouts on his record, plate discipline is still something of a question mark. Of course, Moncada struck out in 12 of his 20 big league plate appearances last season during his first taste of MLB action. Though the White Sox have been somewhat non-committal about when Moncada will get called up, the 22-year-old is likely to make his debut in a White Sox uniform at some point late this season.
Here’s some more from around baseball…

• Jay Bruce’s contract contains partial no-trade protection against eight teams, and the octet on Bruce’s list hasn’t changed since the offseason, James Wagner of the Washington Post writes. The eight teams in question are the Athletics, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Marlins, Phillies, Rays, Twins, and Yankees. The Mets outfielder isn’t likely to be targeted by many of those teams anyway, be it for financial reasons, fit reasons or because at least three of those clubs are looking like deadline sellers themselves.
• The Yankees are one of the many teams interested in Marlins relievers AJ Ramos and David Phelps, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
• Also from Sherman’s piece, the Marlins have gotten “a few nibbles” on Edinson Volquez and Brad Ziegler. Miami appears to be concentrating on dealing relievers and veterans under multi-year contracts like Volquez and Ziegler, and the club’s biggest names seem to be staying put for now, though “the situation is fluid,” according to both Marlins officials and officials on rival teams. Sherman includes right-hander Dan Straily on the list of Miami’s untouchable-for-now core players, which makes sense given that Straily is enjoying a strong season and is controllable for three more seasons. The Marlins are scouting over 20 different farm systems for potential trade pieces.
• It’s unclear if Padres righty Jered Weaver will ever pitch again, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes. If Weaver does resume his career, Lin doesn’t expect it to happen in San Diego (Twitter link). The 34-year-old Weaver, who has been on the disabled list with left hip inflammation in late May, is working on his health in San Diego, according to manager Andy Green. The club has given Weaver “latitude to explore some things,” and there’s no timetable for his return, per Green. Before Weaver landed on the shelf, the former Angels ace recorded unsightly numbers (7.44 ERA, 7.99 FIP) over nine starts and 42 1/3 innings.

[Otters27]

Crazy day in MLB. Blowouts, almost a nono in the toughest park. Lester 10 runs in 1st only 4 erned though