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Phillies agree to sign Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez

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The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to sign Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez to a six-year contract worth $48 million in guaranteed money, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports. Passan notes that the deal could reach $59 million due to the bonus money involved, and MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez says that the deal includes a vesting option for the 2019 season worth $11 million.

The Phillies beat out the Red Sox to sign Gonzalez, according to Passan, which aligns with Red Sox President/CEO Larry Lucchino's comments that the Sox were "looking pretty hard" at Gonzalez. The Braves, Dodgers, Cubs and Rangers were also seriously involved in the Gonzalez sweepstakes while the Blue Jays, Twins, Yankees and Marlins all showed some level of interest. While Minnesota and Miami were considered longshots due to the price tag, the other teams were all rumored to have a legitimate chance at signing the 26-year old.

Gonzalez, who fled Cuba earlier in the year, impressed major league scouts in two showcases in Tijuana last month. His fastball sat in the mid-90s for most of the showcases, and even touched 97 mph. People within the game project that the right-hander will need a few starts in the minors to start, but will likely be able to join the Phillies' major league rotation for the end of the season.

With this signing, the Phillies have signaled that they will still try to be competitive this season, meaning that they are unlikely to sell key assets before Wednesday's trade deadline. Pieces like Cliff Lee, Michael Young, Jonathan Papelbon and Carlos Ruiz were rumored to be in play in trade talks, but Philadelphia's aggressiveness in the Gonzalez sweepstakes means that they will try to make a playoff run this season. Teams like the Red Sox and Dodgers, who were looking at spending on Gonzalez as an alternative to giving up top prospects for a starter at the deadline, will have to bow to the seller's market if they want to acquire a rotation piece like Bud Norris, Yovani Gallardo, Jake Peavy or Ervin Santana.

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Phillies trade rumors: Phillies will listen to offers on Cliff Lee

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The Philadelphia Phillies are not closing the door on a potential trade involving Cliff Lee and will listen to offers for the star left-hander, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. Crasnick notes that "multiple teams are making a late run at the Phillies with offers for Lee", and spoke with general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. about the possibility of dealing the 34-year old.

"I never put any real absolutes on anything," Amaro said. "Although we don't have any desire to move a guy like that because we view him as someone who will be key to our future, I am a businessperson as well and I'll be a good listener."

"I can't sit here and say I'm not going to trade Chase Utley, or Cliff Lee, or Michael Young or Carlos Ruiz, or any of these guys. Some guys are less tradable than others. But I think I owe it to us as an organization to listen. If teams are going to come at us and suggest things, I'm not going to turn off the faucet and stop listening to them."

The Phillies, who made headlines on Friday night by agreeing to sign star Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, are in a difficult position as the trade deadline approaches. They currently sit nine games back of the NL East-leading Braves, but have not committed to become sellers at the deadline. While teams have shown interest in assets like Lee, Young, Ruiz, Utley and closer Jonathan Papelbon, Philadelphia has shown a reluctance to give up on the season by selling key assets.

Young has drawn interest from many teams, including the Yankees, Red Sox, Reds and Rangers, and is the most likely Phillie to be dealt before the deadline. The team is reportedly working on an extension with Utley, and deals involving Ruiz or Papelbon are considered very unlikely. If Lee hits the market, he would instantly become the top starter available over Jake Peavy, Ervin Santana and Bud Norris.

Lee can block trades to twenty teams due to a partial no-trade clause in his contract, as Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reported in June. The Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles and Rangers are among the teams on that list, and the Cardinals are not. While Texas is all set after acquiring Matt Garza and Lee is probably out of Baltimore's price range, the Red Sox and Cardinals are known to be actively looking for starting pitching. Unlike Boston, St. Louis could pull off a deal for the left-hander without Lee's approval, which would be an easier process. Other teams in the market for starters include the Blue Jays, Pirates, Dodgers and Athletics, but it is unclear at this time if Lee can block a trade to any of those teams.

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Houston Astros (34-68) at Toronto Blue Jays (47-55), 12:07 p.m. (CT)

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Houston at Toronto, 12:07 pm (CT)

TV: CSN Houston, MLB.TV
Radio: KBME 790 AM, KLAT 1010 AM
Blue Jays SBNation Blog: Bluebird Banter

Preview

There is no pitchers matchup listed above today, because I would like to tell you a story. Lets compare two players. One is making $13,750,000 and hasn't had ERA under five since his first start of the season. The other is making $500,000 this season, and has has held teams to three runs or less in eight of last nine starts.

As you might have already guessed, we are talking about today's starters - Josh Johnson and Dallas Keuchel. Maybe that was Jeff Luhnow's plan all along. Here is the missing stat line.

LHP Dallas Keuchel (4-5 / 4.42 ERA / 1.90 WHIP) vs. RHP Josh Johnson (1-6 / 5.66 ERA / 1.57 WHIP)

Keuchel's ERA over his previous nine starts is 3.44. If you were to remove his dismal 5 run outing against the Rays, his ERA over the eight remaining game is 2.86. Maybe I'm just putting him in the best light, but either way he still keeping the ball on the ground (1.90 GO/FO), striking out batters (31 strikeouts over his last 29 2/3 innings), and keeping the Astros in the game.

Keuchel is a new obstacle for the Blue Jays to face, but Jose Reyes and Edwin Encarnacion appear to be able to hit anything at the moment. Reyes was 3-for-3 with two walks, two runs scores, and two runs batted yesterday. Encarnacion hit two home runs in one inning off the Astros batting practice rotation.

As for Mr. Johnson, he was one the pieces that made the trade between Jays and Marlins insane. In reality, Johnson has struggled with health and command problems have prevented him from replicating his 2010 and 2011 seasons. He is leaving too many pitches over the plate to not be hit around. In his last start against Houston, Johnson pitched seven innings of two run ball, while striking out six. The lone representative from that team is Jose Altuve, who was 0-3 against Johnson


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Blue Jays 6 Astros 8: stop me if you've heard this one, Josh Johnson was terrible

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Astros 8 Blue Jays 6

Yet another bad stop from Josh Johnson. It's getting harder and to watch him. I don't know, I think it's time for an intervention. Or something. Josh went 5.2 innings, allowed 7 hits, 7 earned (though 1 of those should have been unearned, that first single that Mark DeRosa messed up should have been an error) (I know, it doesn't make it better), 2 walks, 8 strikeouts, 3 home runs allowed.

The Jays tried to come back. DeRosa, Colby Rasmus and Jose Bautista homered. Edwin Encarnacion went 4 for 4. The only Jays starters not to hit were Adam Lind (who had a tough time against the lefty starter Dallas Keuchel), J.P. Arencibia and Brett Lawrie. J.P. did take a walk.

Jay of the Day, Edwin (.209 WPA). He is so good right now, he's hitting everything hard.

Suckage goes to Johnson (-.381), Lind (-.212) and Lawrie (-.099).

Josh, if you can't beat the Astros, I don't think there is any hope for you.

26 of us posted 403 comments in the GameThread. Infield Triple led the way in a losing cause. A gritty performance.

#Commenter# Comments
1Infield Triple74
2Tom Dakers73
3Belisarius33
4Minor Leaguer33
5Alan F.32
6MapleMan30
7moncheri29
8KevinInCT16
9fishedin15
10leafs7111
11ABsteve9
12Janz_V848
13Redonred7
14jays1827
15Marcos Montenegro6

Cubs trade rumors: "Strong preference" is extension for Samardzija

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Following a report from Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com that the Chicago Cubs are listening to trade offers for right-hander Jeff Samardzija, a Cubs source revealed that while there has been lots of trade interest in him, the team's strong preference would be to sign the 28-year old to a contract extension. It is unclear if the sides have recently discussed an extension, but they did have talks last offseason.

Cubs manager Dale Sveum also threw water on the flames of Samardzija trade rumors, telling MLB.com's Carrie Muskat that he would be surprised to see the young ace traded before the deadline.

Chicago has been the most active team on the trade market, shipping Scott Feldman, Steve Clevenger, Matt Garza, Alfonso Soriano and Guillermo Moscoso to contenders in recent weeks. They are expected to continue their aggressive selling until Wednesday's trade deadline, and have movable assets like Kevin Gregg, James Russell, Dioner Navarro and Nate Schierholtz still on the roster. While a Samardzija move would bring the Cubs a major haul of strong prospects, he is under team control through the 2015 season, and would likely be more valuable to the team as a veteran workhorse at the top of the rotation.

While the source did not disclose which teams were showing interest in Samardzija, a Rosenthal report from earlier in the month revealed that the Diamondbacks had strong interest in him. Other pitching-needy teams like the Pirates, Red Sox, Dodgers, Blue Jays and Athletics could also show interest in the coming days.

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RationaL's "A Swing and a Belt" Lyrics Explained

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To honour legendary Blue Jays radio broadcaster Tom Cheek's Ford C. Frick Award, RationaL released "A Swing and a Belt" this week. Here are the lyrics and an explanation of the events and people. The song is embedded too so feel free to sing along.

Lyrics courtesy of RationaL.

Lyric

Annotation

I was 8 years old, my birthday present

A baseball glove and my first Jays fitted

His first baseball glove was a blue Juan Guzman Rawlings glove. "Fitted" refers to a "fitted" baseball cap, the type that players and coaches wear.

I felt like Robbie, my fingers to the sky

Roberto Alomar celebrated by putting his fingers in the air after he hit a key game-tying homer off of Dennis Eckersley in game 4 of the 1992 ALCS.

I can still hear the call: "a swing and there's a drive!"

Tom Cheek’s call of the home run, which has been called the "most important home run in Blue Jays history."

Big league dreams for a kid to cherish

One team, one color, brought a country together

I'll never forget it, "Winfield wants noise!"

Dave Winfield commented on how quiet the fans were at the SkyDome and asked them to cheer the team on. Fans started to bring in signs that read "Winfield Wants Noise"

Who knew feeling 'blue' could bring so much joy?

blue, adj.: 1) of the colour blue, 2) low in spirits, melancholy.

Devo on patrol looking like Willie Mays

Devon "Devo" Whyte (he recently changed the spelling of his last name) played centre field like Willie Mays. In game 3 of the 1992 World Series, he made a sensational catch, crashing into the padded wall.

Bob Davidson blew it, we all knew it’s a triple play

Bob Davidson was the second-base umpire during game 3 of the 1992 World Series when he missed Kelly Gruber tagging out Deion Sanders in what should’ve been a triple play, started by Whyte with his sensational catch.

Guzman the jheri curl, Gruber the mullet

Juan Guzman was famous for his Jheri curl and Kelly Gruber for his mullet.

Bring ‘The Terminator’ in and soon we knew it was over

The closer for the 1992 Blue Jays was Tom Henke, who was nicknamed "The Terminator".

The flashbacks, memories, they making me smile

Tom Cheek painting pictures through your radio dial…

A "dial" was used to select the appropriate radio frequency on a receiver before digital controls were popular.

There's a bunted ball, Timlin grabs it, flips it...


The Blue Jays won the 1992 World Series in game 6 when Otis Nixon bunted to pitcher Mike Timlin, who then tossed it to first baseman Joe Carter to get the out.

The Blue Jays win it! THE BLUE JAYS WIN IT!


CHORUS

Take a look into the sky

Close my eyes and I can see it

Spread our wings and we take flight

Give you something to believe in

It's our time, tonight's the night

Got a whole country dreaming

Never forget, the first time I heard it myself

I'll never forget that, "Swing and a Belt!"


The start of '93, echoed through all of Canada

Put the banner up: defending World Series Champions

Fantasy roster, seven All-Stars

Seven Blue Jays were named as American League All-Stars in 1993: Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, Pat Hentgen, Jimmy Key, Paul Molitor, John Olerud, and Duane Ward.

I swear this team was sent from the heavens above

Second to none, Dad and I, we watched it all

Those bats on fire like a Beeston cigar

Paul Beeston enjoys smoking cigars.

W.A.M.C.O., that acronym everyone ought-a-know

W.A.M.C.O.was the acronym for the Blue Jays’ lineup for the beginning of the season, standing for Whyte, Alomar, Molitor, Carter, Olerud.

White, Alomar, Molitor, Carter and Johnny O

.400 flirting, hotter than a smoked-out soufflé

John Olerud was hitting above .400 until August 2.

Even Americans singing, "OK, Blue Jays!"

"OK, Blue Jays!" is the Blue Jays’ team song, and is played before "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch.

Who could forget about Tony and Rickey?

Tony Fernandez was acquired midseason for Darrin Jackson, and Rickey Henderson was acquired for Steve Karsay and Jose Herrera.

Cito had the team buzzing through the whole dang city

Stand on Mr. Gillick, he never was standing Pat

Before he pulled the 1990 trade that brought Joe Carter and Robbie Alomar to Toronto, he was known around the league to be reluctant to make major moves.

Borders framing border-line pitches behind the mask

World Series-era catcher Pat Borders was known to be a good defensive catcher.

Remember, while those two trophies sit on the shelf

Referring to the two Commissioner’s Trophies that are sitting in a display case in the Rogers Centre.

Rest In Peace Tom Cheek, "A Swing and a Belt!"

CHORUS

Take a look into the sky

Close my eyes and I can see it

Spread our wings and we take flight

Give you something to believe in

It's our time, tonight's the night

Got a whole country dreaming

Never forget, the first time I heard it myself

I'll never forget that, "Swing and a Belt!"

The dawn of a brand new day

At the home of #1 Blue Jays Way

The address of the Rogers Centre.

I Love This Team, keep believing til our dreams come true

"#LoveThisTeam" is the official slogan and hashtag of the 2013 Blue Jays

30-million-plus strong and we bleed blood blue

The population of Canada is 33.5 million.

We stuck thru it and we still holding on

Blue Jays fans have stuck by a mediocre team for the past 20 years, having not seen the Blue Jays play a playoff game since 1993.

The memories sustain us even though you're gone

28 years with a mic in his hand

Tom Cheek was the Blue Jays’ broadcaster from 1977-2004.

1430 and 590 The Fan

The Toronto sports radio station that broadcasts the Blue Jays’ games is Sportsnet Radio 590 the FAN. The FAN radio station was at the 1430 am frequency until 1995.

The times that we had, he spoke and brought 'em to life

SkyDome, 50,000, every single night

From the time the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) opened until 1998, the stadium had a capacity of 50,516 for baseball games.

Now, each spring hopes eternal, through the summer and fall

The baseball season starts with Spring Training, they play though summer, and perhaps fall if the club makes the playoffs.

Together just like Joe, we'll be "touching 'em all!"

Tom Cheek’s most famous call was on Joe Carter’s World Series-winning walk-off homer in game 6 of the 1993. Cheek told Carter to "touch ‘em all" to remind him to not miss any bases and get called out.

I can still hear the roar, what a joyous thunder

The SkyDome erupted with noise as they saw Carter’s batted ball land in the outfield seats.

Baritone in my stereo, that voice of summer

Playing in my loudspeaker

Heavens got an angel in the outfield

CHORUS

Take a look into the sky

Close my eyes and I can see it

Spread our wings and we take flight

Give you something to believe in

It's our time, tonight's the night

Got a whole country dreaming

Never forget, the first time I heard it myself

I'll never forget that, "Swing and a Belt!"

MLB Scores: Astros 8, Blue Jays 6

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Hey, it's not often we get to say things like, "Astros win!" any more, right?

So what if Dallas Keuchel got a little persnickety in the late innings. Let's focus on this offense.

The Astros scored eight runs on Saturday and have now scored 22 runs since Jonathan Villar has been recalled. That's...well, that's a little below their season average of 3.7 runs per game. So, I guess I don't have a point there.

Chris Carter did hit a huge 3-run home run in the first inning to stake Dallas Keuchel to an early 4-0 lead. Keuchel did well with that lead for the most part, but ran into trouble of his own in the bottom of the eighth, before Jose Veras got a rate five-out save in relief of the lefty.

You can't blame Bo Porter for not trusting his bullpen right now. It's been overworked this week. And also horrible. But, he also can't just leave his starter out there forever. Ideally, Houston would have an option to pitch the eighth inning in addition to the ninth, so Keuchel could have gone seven and turned it over to the two stoppers.

Those guys don't exist right now. Well, Jose Cisnero is a solid eighth inning guy, but he's been overused as one of the few dependable bullpen arms for the middle innings.

Who else stood out? Well, Jonathan Villar was 1 for 3 with two runs scored and a pair of walks. Color me surprised he's continued to walk in the majors. There's no way his walk rate stays up near 11 percent (where it's at right now) just like there's no way his strikeout rate stays near 40 percent. But, all these early walks are a very good sign for the young shortstop.

Oh, Justin Maxwell and Matt Dominguez also joined the homer party. Anything else of note? Any chance Houston steals the series split tomorrow behind Jarred Cosart?

Who Are Ya: Jarred Cosart

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The Astros try to salvage a split today as 23-year-old Jared Cosart goes up against Todd Redmond. The Phillies drafted Cosart in the 38th round of the 2008, but he only fell that far because of a strong commitment to the University of Missouri. Instead he chose to sign for $550,000. The Texas native was one of the prospects that the Astros fleeced from the Phillies in exchange for 155 games of Hunter Pence. Cosart made his debut 16 days ago pitching an eight inning two-hit shutout in Tampa Bay. He followed that up with seven strong innings in Oakland allowing only one earned run on 115 pitches.

John Sickels had a look at Jarred Cosart early in the season, so take a look at that first of all. He throws a fastball, cutter, curveball, and changeup with his hard stuff sitting mid-90's. His tight curveball has some serious drop to it.

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His groundball rate in the two starts is 57.1% and it's not a sample size trick. Cosart's fastball has some sink and he pounds the bottom of the zone with all his pitches (pound down?):

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In his 15 big league innings, Cosart has only recorded 6 strikeouts, while also issuing 6 free passes. The command and control have been an issue for him, although the strikeouts should come up a bit because his K/9 was between 7.00 and 9.00 in the minors the past couple of years. Watching Cosart pitch should be fun and must be a bright spot in an otherwise tough season for Houston's fans, but hey at least they have bright spots. He's going to throw a lot of hard stuff, it's going to be fast and he's going to be dominant, as you've likely realized.

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The lineup I'd like to see would look like this (I think Melky batting 2nd is a thing now):

  1. Reyes SS
  2. Cabrera LF
  3. Bautsita RF
  4. Lind 1B
  5. Encarnacion DH
  6. Rasmus CF
  7. Izturis 2B
  8. Thole C
  9. Lawrie 3B
For the "Find the Link":

Find the link between Jarred Cosart and a player currently in A ball that might possibly patrol the ground at Busch Stadium that Colby Rasmus used to roam for the Cardinals.

This is probably going to go poorly.




Houston Astros (35-68) at Toronto Blue Jays (47-56), 12:07 p.m. (CT)

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Houston at Toronto, 12:07 pm (CT)

TV: CSN Houston, MLB.TV
Radio: KBME 790 AM, KLAT 1010 AM
Blue Jays SBNation Blog: Bluebird Banter

Pitching Match

RHP Jarred Cosart (1-0 / 0.60 ERA / 1.00 WHIP) vs. RHP Todd Redmond (1-1 / 4.43 ERA / 1.07 WHIP)

Preview

'The Jarred Cosart Show' has become the most watched and talked about exposition since the start of the season. Cosart has shown the brilliance that warranted his arrival, as part of the Hunter Pence trade, thus far.

The Astros young right-hander has allowed only one earned run over 15 innings, and he has walked six and struck out six. We've seen the best and worst of Jarred Cosart. He has electric stuff that he can't necessarily control at times. He will be facing a homer-happy lineup, that is currently averaging three home runs a game in the Roger Centre. Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista continue to stay hot, they were a combined 6-for-8 with four runs batted in yesterday.

On the mound today for the Blue Jays is Todd Redmond. Redmond was a surprise call up after spending the majority of his previous eight seasons in the minors. Before joining the Jays rotation, Redmond pitched three innings for the Reds in a lone start against the Cubs. He gave up four runs over 3 1/3 innings. Toronto is the second team in Redmond's career to claim him off waivers.

As a starter, Redmond is 1-0 in three starts with a 4.91 ERA. He had his longest outing of the year, allowing three runs over 5 2/3 inning against the Dodgers. Redmond has good command of three average pitches a four seam, slider, and change. Hopefully the Astros will continue to be able to keep up their home run assault. Houston has five home runs in the last two games.

Robbie Grossman will be making his return to the Astros starting lineup today in left field.


Today in dumb trade rumors: Jays interested in Justin Morneau

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Nick Cafardo, from the Boston Globe, has this today:

9. Justin Morneau, 1B, Twins - Contrary to some reports, the Twins have received "numerous calls" on Morneau, according to a major league source. Morneau will be a free agent after the season and it doesn't appear as if the Twins will re-sign him. Being Canadian, the Blue Jays are one team that has expressed interest. This is not the old MVP Morneau. He's hitting .264 with seven homers, 52 RBIs, and a .712 OPS.

Boston media, you have to love them (legally that's all I can say about Boston Media). What a dumb idea this would be. We really need another DH/first baseman? Or course, the only evidence Nick gives is that Morneau is Canadian, so, of course, the Jays would want him.

Beyond that Nick tells us that:

You hear different things among the scouts and executives about whether the Jays could sell off Buehrle and/or Josh Johnson

I'd imagine trading Johnson would be pretty tough at the moment, and Buehrle's contract would be tough to move. He also says that Darren Oliver could be moved. We'll see I guess.

I really would think that Casey Janssen could be moved. I think this would be the time to do it.

Angels trade rumors: Team looking to sell Downs, Aybar, Kendrick

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Currently sitting thirteen games back of the AL West-leading Athletics, the Los Angeles Angels are ready to put this season behind them and swap veteran assets for pieces that can help them in the future. According to Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan, the Angels are "open for business" and will listen to offers for veterans like Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar and other players.

The Angels are looking for controllable starting pitchers in trade talks, according to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com notes that left-hander Scott Downs is being discussed in trade talks, and suggests that starter Jason Vargas is another name to watch. Peter Bourjos and Mark Trumbo would be attractive to many teams on the trade market, but Heyman says that are likely to stay with the Angels past Wednesday's trade deadline. Other players who may become available include Alberto Callaspo, Tommy Hanson and Ryan Madson.

The Royals are actively looking for a second baseman, and are likely to pursue Kendrick in trade talks. The Dodgers and Blue Jays also have help at second base, and the previous lack of available talent means that the Angels could obtain a valuable return if they decide to move Kendrick. The Cardinals are pursuing White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, but could look at Aybar as a backup plan.

Downs has reportedly drawn interest from many teams including the Braves, who have been searching everywhere for left-handed relievers. Vargas is currently on the disabled list, but is expected to return soon to finish out his contract year.

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Streamer Report: Monday's Streamers

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The Streamer Report provides you with daily startng pitcher streaming selections for owners who prefer to stream starting pitchers on a daily basis. This report identifies starting pitchers who are owned in less than 50% of ESPN Yahoo leagues, and who either has a decent track record vs their opponent, has pitched well of late, or has a decent matchup.

Note: I don't actually play in any leagues on ESPN, so I am having a hard time accessing the ownership data, so while Ray is out I will be using Yahoo data.

First, let's look at how Ray's picks did this weekend:

Dillon Gee vs Nationals - 7 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, L

Tyler Skaggs vs Padres - 3.2 IP, 3 H, 7 ER, 5 BB, 5 K, L

Samuel Deduno vs Mariners - 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W

Ivan Nova vs Rays - 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, L

Saturday's Total: 24.2 IP, 20 H, 12 ER, 10 BB, 18 K, 1 W, 3 L, 4.37 ERA, 1.21 WHIP

Rick Porcello vs Phillies - 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W

Hector Santiago vs Royals - 6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, ND

Jarred Cosart vs Blue Jays - 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 1 K, ND

Sunday's Total: 18.2 IP, 16 H, 6 ER, 11 BB, 11 K, 2.89 ERA, 1.47 WHIP

Monday's Streamers

Jacob Turner vs. Mets

Jeremy Hefner vs. Marlins

Zach McAllister vs. White Sox

Around the Bases: Derek Jeter homers in return, Alfonso Soriano wins it for Yankees

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Yankees 6, Rays 5:Derek Jeter hit a home run on the first pitch he saw in his return to the lineup, and Alfonso Soriano capped off a big day with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning. Soriano went 4-for-5 on the day with a homer and three RBIs. Ichiro Suzuki added four hits for New York. Wil Myers went yard twice in the loss for Tampa Bay. Here's Soriano's game-winner:

Indians 6, Rangers 0:Ubaldo Jimenez struck out six in eight shutout innings to lead the Indians past the Rangers. Mike Aviles hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning and Michael Bourn drove in two runs for Cleveland. The Rangers only managed two hits off Jimenez and Indians reliever Vinnie Pestano.

Blue Jays 2, Astros 1:Colby Rasmus hit a walk-off single off Wesley Wright to push the Blue Jays past the Astros. Todd Redmond struck out 10 in six innings for Toronto, but he took a no decision. Jarred Cosart gave up one run in six innings for Houston.

Tigers 12, Phillies 4: Jhonny Peralta hit a grand slam in an eight-run sixth inning that blew the game open for Detroit. Ramon Santiago added three hits and Victor Martinez drove in two runs. Miguel Cabrera and Tigers manager Jim Leyland were both ejected early in the game for arguing balls and strikes.

Marlins 3, Pirates 2:Jose Fernandez gave up two runs and struck out 13 in eight innings to earn the victory for Miami. Giancarlo Stanton hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning that would stand up for the Marlins the rest of the way. The Pirates scored two runs in the second inning, but that was the only offense they could muster.

Red Sox 5, Orioles 0:Jon Lester tossed seven shutout innings as the Red Sox blanked the Orioles. Lester allowed just four hits and struck out eight in his seven innings of work. David Ortiz went 4-for-4, hitting his 20th home run of the year and knocking in two runs. With the win and Tampa Bay's loss, Boston has regained a half-game lead in the AL East.

Nationals 14, Mets 1: The bottom of Washington's order did a lot of damage in a rout of the Mets, with Ian Desmond, Denard Span and Wilson Ramos combining for 10 hits and 10 RBIs. Ramos hit a grand slam in the third inning, while Desmond and Span both went 4-for-4. Taylor Jordan earned his first MLB win by giving up just one run in six innings.

Royals 4, White Sox 2 (12 innings):Alex Gordon hit a go-ahead two-run blast in the top of the 12th inning and Greg Holland shut the door in the bottom of the 12th as the Royals capped off a sweep of the White Sox. Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko drove in the only runs for Chicago, with Dunn hitting his 25th homer of the year in the sixth inning.

Athletics 10, Angels 6:Yoenis Cespedes went 3-for-5 and knocked in four runs as the Athletics came back from an early 5-0 deficit to snatch the victory from the Angels. Oakland starter Jarrod Parker gave up four runs in the first inning and another in the second before settling down and making it through five innings. The A's overtook the Angels thanks to a five-run sixth inning.

Cubs 2, Giants 1: The Cubs swept the Giants with three-straight one-run wins. In Sunday's win, Travis Wood gave up one unearned run in seven innings and also homered in the fifth inning to get Chicago on the board. Wellington Castillo hit a home run in the seventh inning that proved to be the game-winner. Tim Lincecum struck out 10 in seven innings of work, but he picked up his 11th loss of the year.

Dodgers 1, Reds 0 (11 innings): Dodgers rookie sensation Yasiel Puig broke a scoreless tie in the 11th inning with a walk-off blast off Curtis Partch. Brandon League pitched two scoreless innings to nab the victory. Chris Capuano started for the Dodgers, giving up just three hits in 6⅔ innings. Tony Cingrani gave up only one hit and struck out 11 in seven innings for Cincinnati.

Puig-slide

Rockies 6, Brewers 5:Nolan Arenado hit a go-ahead single in the bottom of the eighth to rally the Rockies to victory in a back-and-forth affair. Dexter Fowler put the Rockies ahead 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh with a home run, but the Brewers went ahead 5-4 in the top of the eighth. Troy Tulowitzki went yard and Michael Cuddyer knocked in two runs for Colorado.

Mariners 6, Twins 4:Nick Franklin homered twice and knocked in four runs to push the Mariners past the Twins. Seattle used a four-run fourth inning to seize control of the game, and Franklin's second home run of the game in the seventh inning provided some insurance after Minnesota got within one run.

Padres 1, Diamondbacks 0:Tyson Ross allowed three hits and struck out seven in eight shutout innings to earn the victory for San Diego. Carlos Quentin drove in the only run of the game in the first inning. Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin gave up only one run in eight innings while striking out eight, but he was saddled with the loss.

Braves 5, Cardinals 2:Jason Heyward homered and drove in two runs as the Braves swept the Cardinals in Atlanta for the first time in 10 years. The game was tied at 2-2 in the sixth inning before pinch-hitter Joey Terdoslavich knocked in the go-ahead run with an RBI single. Heyward followed that up with an RBI single of his own. Kris Medlen pitched six innings of two-run ball to notch the victory, while Craig Kimbrel picked up his 31st save of the year.

More from SB Nation:

Yasiel Puig hits first career walk-off homer

Phillies sign Cuban RHP Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez

Albert Pujols out for up to a year

Minor League Ball: Early 2014 draft rankings

Yankees ownership overruled Cashman on Soriano trade

Monday Morning Media Mashup: Sportsnet's Bar Graphs Edition

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One thing that annoys me more about Sportsnet broadcasts than "Stadium Love", Pat Tabler, and Gregg Zaun is their recent love affair with arbitrary bar graphs. Bar graphs are useful to visually compare relative amount of things, like maybe the number of home runs by each team in the league. An example of an appropriate (but perhaps not very useful) application of bar graphs is in the scouting report for starter Todd Redmond. Below you can see visually that left-handed batters have a batting average around a third lower than righties:

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It is not useful for things like percentage of different pitches in a pitcher's arsenal, because pie charts are much better at visually depicting the distribution, although it is not necessarily incorrect to use a bar graph for that. I remember they showed that somewhere in Sunday's broadcast but I couldn't find it.

But in the bottom of the second in the game, Sportsnet put out the following bar graph before Jose Reyes' at bat (big shout out to @EricHartman and @ScottJohnson48 for tweeting it out when I was at the game):

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It attempts to use a bar graph to compare four statistics THAT HAVE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT UNITS! What is it telling me visually? That Jose Reyes' OPS is higher than his OBP, which in turn is higher than his AVG. WHICH IS PROBABLY TRUE FOR 99.999999999999999999999% OF PLAYERS IN MLB HISTORY (for a player to have an OBP lower than his AVG, he must have more sacrifice flies than the sum of his walks and hit by pitches, which is very rare for players who has had significant number of plate appearances). In case you didn't know, OPS stands for "on base plus slugging", a simple and useful quick statistic about a player's overall hitting prowess, and it is calculated by (surprise!) adding a player's on base percentage with his slugging. Since one cannot have negative slugging, OPS CANNOT POSSIBLY BE LOWER THAN OBP.

And then, even more insanely, among the three rate statistics, they included RUNS BATTED IN, WHICH IS A FRIGGIN COUNTING STATISTIC. And for an unknown reason, SOMEONE DECIDED THAT 7 IS SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN 0.452 AND 1.101!!!!

I can see the pre-game production meeting going as such:

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Sportsnet Guy 1: Guys, we're wearing lab coats and glasses, I think we need to do something more scientific for baseball broadcasts. But what can we do? Maybe putting the lineup on some sort of periodic table?

Sportsnet Guy 2: No, no, maybe something easier. Hey! You know that $50,000 graphics program we paid for? I'm sure it has a function to make bar graphs!

Sportsnet Guy 1: Oh, boy, it does! /scurries off to work on something

Sportsnet Guy 1: Hey look at this neat bar graph of Jose Reyes' awesome homestand!

Sportsnet Guy 2: Oh cool, but I think there is something wrong with that graph that I remember from grade 5 math. The bar for his RBIs is too tall, can you make it shorter to fit in to the graphic?

Sportsnet Guy 1: Sure! /changes 7 to 0.7 in the software

Sportsnet Guy 2: GENIUS.

Sportsnet Guy 1: Maybe Judy will finally go out with me now!

You know, for a couple of guys who are dressed up as a stereotypical scientist, those two dudes are horrible at making graphs.

At least, in the two examples above, the height of the bars are correct in proportion to each other (if we disregard the 7 RBIs), which is what bar graphs should be. A couple of months ago, Sportsnet showed this graph to demonstrate R.A. Dickey's loss of velocity (technically we should be using the word speed as velocity is a vector value but I digress), using ARBITRARY BAR HEIGHTS! I guess you can say they've... improved?

So, Rogers Sportsnet, it is OK that you suck at making graphs. Everyone has weaknesses. There is a reason why I don't play the infield in softball. So why don't you be more like Comcast Sportsnet, who broadcasts the Houston Astros games, and farm your statistical work out to bloggers, like our friends at Crawfish Boxes?

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OK. I'm done. Now to the links...

Blue Jays Related

Blue Jays Still In Good Shape For 2014 - GAMEREAX
Chris Toman reviews all that has gone wrong so far in 2013, but thinks that this squad in all likelihood would not be horrible in 2014. In terms of moves, what would you do with Josh Johnson and Adam Lind? My thoughts is to pick up Lind's option--yes $7 million is a lot to pay for a platoon first baseman / designated hitter, but $2 million is a lot to pay him to play for someone else. Josh Johnson is a tougher call, but I have to believe that he will not keep pitching this badly forever. Since the Blue Jays would have to pay him at least $14 million or so to get a compensation draft pick anyway, I'd offer him an extension of $14 million + a $16 million club option for 2015 with a $1 million buy out. I think it is worth the risk, but then again it's not my job on the line (unless Tom fires me).

Colby Rasmus the hero as Blue Jays down Astros - Toronto Star
Brendan Kennedy's recap of Sunday's victory features some great quotes from Colby Rasmus about how he has changed his approach following bad games, thanks to John Gibbons' advice to stay cool and enjoy the game. My favourite part, tough, is Kennedy's description of Colby, who was "staring expressionless into the TV cameras." He also explains why the umpires had to review the almost-home run hit by Edwin Encarnacion. The Rogers Centre's outfield is very simple and symmetric, and the outfield stands are well removed from the wall, so generally it is very easy to make home run calls--before Sunday, I don't ever recall any dispute having happened.

Despite Jays' failings, media loves John Gibbons - Toronto Sun
John Gibbons may be popular with the media--and around these parts--but there is a segment of the fanbase that cannot stand him. I was listening to George Rusic's call-in show on the FAN 590 on Sunday afternoon, and many callers expressed their desire for Gibby to be fired. They want to see a manager who is "tougher" and one who would "shake things up in the clubhouse." Oh also, take a read through that article's comments, then take a couple of Tylenols.

Tough Trade Deadline calls in store for Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos - bluejays.com
Alex Anthopoulos tells Gregor Chisholm that he has received calls for relief help, but it is difficult to deal relievers in a one-for-one trade, so it's easier to put them in a larger package. One can recall the Colby Rasmus trade where several relievers were dealt.

Bautista: I need to stay in games - Sportsnet.ca (VIDEO)
Well, at least Jose Bautista is self-aware (and can self-censor), saying, "what I need to do is to stay in the games."

JA Happ Rehab In Buffalo - OK Blue Jays
J.A. Happ says that baseball should look at head protection for pitchers, but that he hasn't seen any prototypes or samples. Happ made a rehab start with Buffalo Sunday night and he wasn't good, giving up six runs on eight hits and three walks, striking out four against the Toledo Mud Hens. However, he did reach his goal of 90 pitches (threw 92, 56 for strikes). There was talk of the Blue Jays bringing him back after this rehab start, but I think he's got another AAA appearance in him.

Adam Lind's back pain is back - Toronto Sun
Mike Rutsey's nearly point-form piece in the Sun reviews some of the aches and pains hitting the Blue Jays squad. Jose Bautista has a left Achilles problem, and Adam Lind has a flare up from his recurring back issue.

Blue Jays’ walk-off victory has something for everyone -Toronto Star
Rosie DiManno offers a great lesson to writers about how easy it is to string together quotes (and make fun of Edwin Encarnacion's accent) to make a column.

Tom Cheek

Tom Cheek: The Voice of Summer - Canadian Baseball Network (AUDIO)
The Canadian Baseball Network interviewed the wonderful Shirley Cheek about Tom as husband, broadcaster, and baseball lover.

Cheek's widow on Frick Award - MLB.com (VIDEO)
Shirley Cheek's wonderful speech at Cooperstown accepting Tom Cheek's Frick Award. You can view the transcription of the speech here.

Now lobbying can begin for Howarth - Canadian Baseball Network
I don't think it is too early to start campaigning for Jerry Howarth to get the Ford C. Frick Award after seeing it take almost a decade to get Tom Cheek in. Jerry has, humbly, asked Mike Wilner not to lead the campaign, so fellow Jays fans, it's up to us!

Around Baseball

Albert Pujols injury: Angels 1B could be out for year - SBNation.com
Albert Pujols, who the Angels still owe $212 million from 2014-2021, will be gone up to a year with a torn plantar fascia (the same tissue Dustin McGowan had inflammed right after signing his contract extension in spring training 2012). The Angels also owe $98 million to Josh Hamilton. I bet they can't wait for Tony Reagins to find a GM job somewhere else.

MLB bans in PED case likely to drop this week; A-Rod's could keep him out until 2015 - New York Post
Joel Sherman and Ken Davidoff have heard that Major League Baseball will suspend a bunch of players linked to the Biogenesis scandal some time this week. The article, understandably, is focused on Alex Rodriguez, but the Blue Jays' Melky Cabrera could also be punished for his involvement.

Martinez recalls perfect game in L.A. - Sportsnet.ca (VIDEO)
Arash Madani sits down with Houston Astros bullpen coach and former Montreal Expos pitcher Dennis Martinez about his perfect game, which happened 22 years ago this past Sunday. Martinez speaks about the impact his game had on Canada and his native Nicaragua, and professes his disappointment that there isn't a baseball team in Montreal. Vous pouvez regarder des parties du match parfait ici (en français).

Papelbon: Phillies need changes from top, down - Phillies.com
"I definitely didn't come here for this," our favourite mouth breather Jonathan Papelbon said. Does anyone feel sorry for him?

Texas Rangers pitcher sucker-punched in Cleveland, police say no big deal (updated) - Scene and Heard
This weekend, it was reported that Rangers pitcher Tanner Scheppers was punched in the face as he was innocently walking down a Cleveland street. However, it may be that he truth is a little less innocent, according to witnesses and a Cleveland Police statement.

Poll
Are the bad bar graphs the most annoying thing about Sportsnet broadcasts?

  139 votes |Results

Poll Time: Who do you think the Jays will trade before the deadline?

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With the 'non-waiver' trade deadline just a couple of days away, I thought I'd ask you all who you thought was most likely to be traded.

I'm going to give the ones I think are the most possible to trade.

  • Casey Janssen: with how over valued closers are at this time of year, I'd be shopping Casey (much as I love the guy). I mean Texas is in contention, and they are considering trading their closer. If you could get a good middle infield prospect or a starting pitching prospect, I think you'd have to do it.
  • Brett Cecil: an All-Star reliever, he would be worth a bunch to a contending team
  • Steve Delabar: same as the above, All-Star.
  • Darren Oliver: It would be a very easy trade, if he would go somewhere over than Fort Worth.
  • Adam Lind: left-handed bats, with power, are always in demand at deadline time. It depends if the Jays decide they want to keep him, his contract isn't bad.
  • Mark Buehrle: Mark has an ERA of about 3.46 in his last 10 starts. He has a great track record. For a contender that's a little short of starting pitching, he'd be a pretty attractive player. I'm sure the Jays wouldn't mind dumping that contract, but then I'm not sure how many teams would take that contract.
  • Jose Bautista: well, he'd have a fair bit of trade value, I don't think the Jays would trade him, personally.
  • Edwin Encarnacion: I'm only listing him because he must have the most trade value on the team, considering his power and his team friendly contract. Think of how much you could get for him.

I'm can't imagine the team could trade Emilio Bonifacio or Josh Johnson. I think Colby Rasmus would have a fair bit of trade value, but since Anthony Gose has been pretty lousy in Buffalo, I don't think he'll be going anywhere.

So let's have a poll.

Poll
Who do you think is most likely to be traded by the Blue Jays?

  809 votes |Results


Rangers trade rumors: Joe Nathan available in search of offense

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The Texas Rangers are actively shopping All-Star closer Joe Nathan in search of an established offensive piece, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. With the potential suspension of outfielder Nelson Cruz likely coming soon, the team is pushing hard to deal from one of its strengths (closer) to strengthen their offensive weakness.

If the Rangers were to deal Nathan, Joakim Soria would take over as closer for the next two weeks. A source confirms that Neftali Feliz, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, will be ready for minor league rehab outings on August 4th with the goal of appearing in the majors on August 15th.

As Jon Morosi of FOXSports.com reported yesterday, the Rangers and Tigers have discussed the possibility of a deal involving Nathan.

That may still be possible, but Detroit's acquisition of Jose Veras likely means that they are content with the back end of their bullpen.

The Dodgers have been speculated to be the best fit for Nathan, and some have said they could be willing to part with pieces like Andre Ethier or Carl Crawford to get the deal done.

Other bullpen-needy teams like the Indians and Red Sox would probably not be able to acquire Nathan due to their status as AL contenders and lack of movable major league-ready offensive pieces.

The Rangers have been aggressive in their pursuit for offense, and have targeted bats like Alex Rios (White Sox), Hunter Pence (Giants), Marlon Byrd (Mets), Chris Denorfia (Padres), Justin Ruggiano (Marlins) and Kendrys Morales (Mariners).

While Rios is definitely available, the other options are less likely to be dealt before the deadline due to their teams' reluctance to sell and the high prices on the market. According to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com, the Rangers have also targeted stars like Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins and Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays, who are all overwhelmingly likely to stay put at the deadline.

After giving up three top prospects to acquire Matt Garza from the Cubs, the Rangers would rather deal Nathan, a pending free agent with immense value on the trade market, then another piece for the future. If the team aspires to deal for an impact bat, they may have to part with Nathan to do so.

Read more from MLB Daily Dish:

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View from the Other Side: A's questions for Nico of Athletics Nation

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We start a three game series in Oakland against the AL West first place A's, they are sitting at 62-43 and I'd feel happy for them but I can't bring myself to.

I sent off some questions to Nico, blogger for SB Nation's Athletics Nation and he was nice enough to answer them.

I just the obvious first question is, what is it like to be following a winning team?

I remember following winning A's teams back in the 1988-92 World Series years, where you knew the team was loaded, everyone expected the A's to win, and then they did. These past two seasons have been far more gratifying to me: Watching a team that first even I didn't think was going to be that good but had a seemingly magical 2012 season, and then watching a 2013 team that the pundits keep trying to avoid giving any credit or respect, but which just keeps proving its critics wrong.

What are the A's looking for at the trade deadline?

Apparently Jake Peavy, even though starting pitching is the team's strength and acquiring Peavy would force the A's to drop a pitcher, like A.J. Griffin or Tommy Milone, who is having a very decent season. Plus, Brett Anderson is due back next month -- yet the A's are rumored to be very much in on the Peavy talks.

Ideally, I'm sure the A's would love to add a SS so they could move Jed Lowrie over to 2B; Lowrie has been terrific at the plate but pretty rough at times at SS. However, that SS doesn't appear to exist in the trade market, which is probably why the A's are focused on Peavy: because he's available and good.

Who is your favourite A to watch?

Josh Donaldson is sometimes a wonder to watch at 3B. He won't win a gold glove because Adrian Beltre and Manny Machado are also outstanding, but he should be "in the conversation". I love Brandon Moss for his raw power and beautiful swing -- he'll strike out a lot but when ball meets bat it's as pretty as you'll find. When Tommy Milone gets into a groove with his changeup it's like watching Jamie Moyer carve up good hitters in slow motion. But typical of the A's, who are a true "team," there isn't so much "one player I love to watch" so much as I love watching the entire team.

In five years the Athletics will be playing at in...

Three inches of raw sewage? Bud Selig should seriously be ashamed of the way he has handled -- or should I say not handled -- the whole A's venue situation and I doubt that in five years the A's will playing anywhere but where they're playing right now. The only question is what the stadium will be called that year.

Yoenis Cespedes seems to have stopped hitting, what's going on with him?

Cespedes has been incredibly frustrating because he is making the same mistakes over and over and over. His swing is huge, he is trying to pull everything, and as a result he is vulnerable to breaking pitches down and away. He is also swinging through a lot of high fastballs, even in the strike zone. As long as he tries to pull everything, he's easy to pitch to. Today, for the first time in seemingly forever, he snapped out of it sizzling a double to right-center and taking Mike Trout to the CF wall. We'll see if it carries over into the Blue Jays series.

What's the feeling in Oakland, is this the A's year to win it all?

I think the prevailing feeling in Oakland is, "Can the team get past the first round?" because this was an issue not only in 2012 but also in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003. Short series definitely have a "crapshoot" aspect to them, and it only takes one Verlander to end a season.

A personal question, I'm going to this series in Oakland, where should I eat before the game? Or drink after the game?

There really isn't much around the Coliseum, which is one of the problems: The stadium is off of a drab stretch of I-80, not downtown not in or near any sort of village-complex. As a result, the best advice is probably to separate "going to the A's game" and "eating/drinking" and just enjoy one of the thousands of great restaurants and bars scattered throughout the East Bay.

Do you think the A's should extend Grant Balfour's contract?

Closers are usually overpaid and if Balfour can command $10M/year on the open market then no, I don't think the A's should shell out that kind of money to re-sign him. But if the price is reasonable, I could see the A's bringing Balfour back on, say, a 2 year/$14M deal and I could see Balfour opting to stay put in a place he's happy rather than packing up and moving again. Given that the A's don't have that many veterans and given how important the depth of their bullpen has been to their success, I have no problem with the A's bringing Balfour back and making him one of the higher paid players on the team (as $7M/year would do). He has been an excellent reliever for many years and probably has a couple good seasons left in his arm.

Anything we should know about the Athletics?

They genuinely enjoy one another and always seem to be teaming up to create charity drives (the bullpen just put together an "A's Relief Program" to recognize unsung heroes in the community). I don't profess to know exactly how real chemistry is, but the A's have it.

Former Blue Jays starter Frank Castillo has died at age 44.

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Former Blue Jays starter Frank Castillo has drowned, according to a report from KVIA in El Paso, Texas. The 44-year old father of two died on Sunday morning in a drowning accident while swimming in Bartlett Lake in Arizona.

Castillo was a righty who was picked in the sixth round of the 1987 amateur draft by the Chicago Cubs. He made his major league debut in 1991 and had several decent seasons for the Cubs, notably 1992 and 1995. On September 25, 1995, Castillo had a no-hitter broken up with two outs in the ninth, when the Cardinals' Bernard Gilkey tripled off of him. He did settle for a one-hitter when the next batter flew out. He is only one of 23 pitchers, and the most recent one, to record a complete game where the only hit allowed was a triple.

His struggles started after the 1995 season, and was out of the majors in 1999 after being released during spring training. Gord Ash, then-general manager of the Blue Jays, signed him off the "scrap heap" for the major league minimum in 2000, and he was a surprise success. With Toronto, he made 24 starts, going 10-5 with a 3.59 ERA, which was good for a 142 ERA+ back in 2000. Castillo's best game with the Blue Jays came on June 18, when tossed a three-hit shutout through seven innings against the Boston Red Sox.

That start must have impressed the Red Sox, who signed him for a two-year $4.5-million contract. The Blue Jays offered him arbitration, but were reluctant to sign him to a multi-year deal after he experienced some arm trouble that shut him down for a part of 2000.

His final game came on May 26, 2005 with the Florida Marlins, where he was reunited with Carlos Delgado.

We send our condolences and thoughts to Frank Castillo's friends and family.

Streamer Report: Tuesday's Streamers

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The Streamer Report provides you with daily startng pitcher streaming selections for owners who prefer to stream starting pitchers on a daily basis. This report identifies starting pitchers who are owned in less than 50% of ESPN Yahoo leagues, and who either has a decent track record vs their opponent, has pitched well of late, or has a decent matchup.

Note: I don't actually play in any leagues on ESPN, so I am having a hard time accessing the ownership data, so while Ray is out I will be using Yahoo data.

Zack Wheeler vs. MIA - With the Marlins' lineup still not hitting all that well, I think Wheeler comes through with a bunch of strikeouts against the Marlins.

Wei-Yin Chen vs. HOU - Chen is more of a play for ratios than strikeouts, as he has thrown 20 innings with a 2.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts in the last 30 days. And it's versus Houston, so maybe the strikeouts do come after all.

Scott Kazmir vs. CHW - Solid matchup, and he's posted 24 strikeouts, a 2.04 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 31 innings in the last month as well.

Dan Straily vs. TOR - It's a bit of a homer pick and a stretch given the Blue Jays offensive potential, but Straily has 22 strikeouts in 24 innings and a 2.92 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and is pitching at home.

Angels trade Scott Downs to Braves for prospect Cory Rasmus

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The Los Angeles Angels traded veteran reliever Scott Downs to the Atlanta Braves today in exchange for relief prospect Cory Rasmus. Here is the scoop on the newest member of the Angels system.

Cory Rasmus, RHP: Rasmus was drafted by the Braves in the supplemental first round in 2006, from high school in Seale, Alabama. The brother of Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus, Cory threw in the mid-90s with a big-breaking curveball and a good changeup, but he was struck down with health problems immediately, missing all of 2007 and most of 2008 after having shoulder surgery. He had a good year in A-ball in 2010 (3.18 ERA, 102/47 K/BB in 124 innings) but missed most of '11 with more injury problems.

The Braves bowed to the inevitable and moved him to the bullpen in 2012 with decent results (3.68 ERA, 62/32 K/BB in 59 innings in Double-A). He has been very effective as a closer in Triple-A this year (14 saves, 1.72 ERA, 48/22 K/BB in 37 innings) and appeared briefly in the majors earlier this year.

Rasmus is a 6-0, 200 pound right-hander, born November 6, 1987. Although he doesn't throw as consistently hard as he did pre-injury, he has taken well to relief work and can still get up to 95 when kept within his limits. He varies speed well with his breaking ball and changeup, but the lost development time shows up in his command, which is spotty. He gave up four homers in 6.2 innings of work in the majors, but his home run rate in the minor leagues has been very reasonable.

This deal makes sense for both teams. The Braves want Downs' experience in the pen for the stretch run. Rasmus was surplus to Atlanta's needs, but the Angels cashed a 37-year-old LOOGY in for someone 11 years younger who might help their future squads as a middle man.

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