Yankees Top Tina Fey and Paul Rudd and the White Sox

"Make another error and next time it'll be hot coffee."

Tuesday night's Yankees-White Sox game had all the makings of a disaster. Hiroki Kuroda was attempting to right his ship after three poor outings in a row and struck out the side in the first inning. The only problem was Alfonso Soriano had played a potential fly out into a double and Eduardo Nunez added to his error total at shortstop. Kuroda worked out of the jam with just one run allowed, but the Yankees already trailed after a half inning. More poor play by Soriano in left field and domination by White Sox starter Chris Sale put the Yankees in a 4-1 hole.

By that time the five human and one furry occupants of our household were watching Admission with Tina Fey and Paul Rudd. A cute movie that was no blockbuster, but enjoyable nonetheless. I had already lambasted Nunez repeatedly in debating his value with my brother. "His bat is not good enough to put up with his defense in the field."  A little later Nunez tried to prove me wrong.

After the credits rolled on the movie, I glanced at Yahoo baseball and was shocked to see Yankees 6 White Sox 4.  The Yankees get all the credit in the world for coming from behind to win another must win game. Robin Ventura should be sent a thank you card for his role in it - he pulled Sale after the star in the making threw 114 pitches. (The people that knocked Ventura need their heads examined - 114 pitches in this day and age is a huge amount.)

Derek Jeter got the ball rolling with a one-out single in the bottom of the 8th and Robinson Cano followed with a double. Ventura ended Sales' night and brought in Nate Jones to face Soriano. The second time around in pinstripes has been fruitful for Soriano, whose bat does make up for his defensive deficiencies. He laced a single back up the middle to cut the White Sox lead to 4-3 and moved to third when Alex Rodriguez followed with a single of his own.

Lefty Donnie Veal replaced Jones to face pinch-hitter Curtis Granderson, but the Grandyman lined a game tying single to center field. Veal struck out Mark Reynolds, but Nunez lined a double to left off right-hander Matt Lindstrom to put the Yankees on top for the first time, 6-4.  Mariano Rivera made quick work of the White Sox with a 12-pitch, 9th inning for his 40th save.

It was a tremendous win, but also a reminder that Nunez cannot, should not, be in the field with such huge importance on every game. With Jayson Nix out, the Yankees should have picked up a Miguel Cairo-type player to spell Jeter in the field and kept Nunez on the bench.

Notes

The time finally arrived - Phil Hughes has been plucked from the rotation and put in the bullpen. David Huff, who has a similar career path to Hughes will take his turn in the rotation against Boston on Saturday. Hughes was tremendous out of the pen for the Yankees in 2009 and the move could mean that Joba Chamberlain gets crazy glued to the bullpen bench in close games.

Girardi told the media that he will use the off-season to try to get Rivera to return next year. The odds are slim to none.  Rivera is a man of his word and the "retirement tour" that has taken place would seem disingenuous.

The Yankees first run came on a double steal. A hit and a pair of Chicago errors put Vernon Wells on third and Nunez on first. Nunez broke for second on Sales' delivery and catcher Josh Phegley fired towards second. Wells broke for home and scored when second baseman Gordon Beckham cut the ball off in front of the bag, but made a throw to the wrong side of home plate.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Nunez became the first non-Jeter shortstop since Randy Velarde (1995) to drive in the game winning run in the 8th inning or later.

FullCountPitch | July Trades Bring August Gambles

Wandy Rodriguez will be among those dangled on waivers

With the trade deadline concluded a week ago Sunday, teams must now pass players through waivers to deal with any team. All waivers are revocable, so general managers can dangle any players out there and not worry about automatically losing them.

Just to quickly recap the rules…if a player is claimed by one team on waivers, that is the only team the orginal team can try to make a trade with. If more than one team makes a claim, the team with the worst record is the only team that can make a deal. If the player’s team pulls him back off waivers, he can still be put on waivers again in September. However, if anyone claims the player at that time, he is all their’s, free and clear.

Teams will pick up players as late as September even if it means said player isn’t eligible for the post-season. The 1977 Yankees were a powerhouse, but still grabbed Dave Kingman for the stretch run. “Kong” hit four home runs in eight games and slugged his way to an 1.167 OPS. (Imagine if Kingman and Hideki "Godzilla" Matsui ever had the chance to oppose each other.)

Then there are the gamblers, like White Sox GM Kenny Williams who claimed Alex Rios and his over the top contract. Rios’ current employer, the Toronto Blue Jays, said “He’s all yours”. It used to be no one would be claimed on waivers, effectively allowing any trades to be worked out. But then teams started saying the hell with that and blocked deals by claiming players to prevent the competition from getting him. The Yankees got saddled with Jose Canseco in 2000 when they claimed him just to keep him away from the Red Sox.

Other players have had a major impact on their new team. Outfielder Cody Ross was a key component to the Giants World Series title after being picked up on August 21. So who might be dealt post-deadline in 2011, or outright grabbed on waivers? Who might a team take a chance on?

Read the rest of this free article at FullCountPitch.com.

Big Puma Tops Big Surprises | Baseball Digest

Big Puma Tops Big Surprises | Baseball Digest

Every year it seems a light-hitting shortstop powers up in April, a team that isn’t expected to compete comes out like lightning out of the gate, and a journeyman pitcher dominates. But, the biggest surprise this season has been the resurgence of one-time All-Star Lance Berkman, aka “Big Puma”.

Berkman’s numbers had dropped drastically the last couple of years, especially when the switch-hitting first baseman was facing a left-handed pitcher. But Berkman, who has moved back to the outfield with the St. Louis Cardinals, came out swinging this season. He hit .393/.455/.753 in March/April with eight home runs and 22 RBI. Though his numbers are still pedestrian in limited exposure to left-handed pitching, Berkman has absolutely destroyed right-handers to the tune of a 1.352. Berkman kept the pace through the first two games in May with a home run, five RBI and four hits in eight at-bats.

The American League Central division standings are upside down. Favorites Minnesota and Chicago are at the bottom of the division while the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals are 1-2 in the standings. The Tribe rolled out to a 20-8 start, thanks in large part to outstanding starting pitching and effective relief work. One-time Boston prospect Justin Masterson has started 5-0, 2.25, thanks to outstanding control, which has been a major issue for Masterson in the past. Though he walked five batters in one of his wins, he’s allowed just eight walks in his five other starts. Masterson has also allowed less than a hit per inning. The right-hander’s only no-decision came in his last start when he limited the Tigers to two earned runs over seven innings in a game the Indians eventually won.

Masterson’s teammate Josh Tomlin also entered his start Wednesday night with an unbeaten mark (4-0, 2.45). Like Masterson, Tomlin has limited the number of opposing men on base and has a better than 2:1 strikeout to walk ratio. The 26-yr old had shown promise since being selected in the 2006 amateur draft, including a 12 game stint with Cleveland last season. The Indians bullpen, which has allowed 27 earned runs in 79.1 innings pitched, has seen superb seasons from closer Chris Perez (1-1, 2.77, 8 SV), Vinnie Pestano (0.82 ERA) and left-handers Rafael Perez (2-1, 0.00) and Tony Sipp (1-0, 2.08).

Maybe the biggest surprise has been the Indians offense, which has averaged 5.36 runs per game, good for second-best in the American League. The Indians’ lineup has produced a balanced attack and received a boost when Grady Sizemore returned with force after missing the start of the season while recovering from microfracture knee surgery. The centerfielder has busted out a 1.058 OPS with four home runs and nine RBI in 13 games.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the power-packed Chicago White Sox lineup looks more like a bunch of Punch-and-Judy hitters. It’s the overwhelming reason the White Sox are off to an 11-21 start. Just when things seemed like they were at rock bottom, Chicago was no-hit by Minnesota’s Francisco Liriano this past Tuesday night. Liriano entered the game with a 9.13 ERA and had allowed over 10 hits per nine innings pitched.

Chief among the lack-of-offensive offenders is free agent DH Adam Dunn. The first year AL player is adjusting to a new league and being a full-time DH, but that being said, he entered Wednesday’s play hitting just .157 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and an anemic .582 OPS. He’s not alone though; outside of Paul Konerko (.298-8-24) and Carlos Quentin (.283-6-17), none of the White Sox regulars are hitting. The team is averaging less than four runs per game while the pitching staff has put up a decent 4.37 ERA.

Houston Astros first baseman Brett Wallace has heard the murmurs, “He’s a bust”, and things of that nature. The still just 24-yr old was drafted by the Cardinals with the 13th overall pick in the 2008 draft. He was then dealt to Oakland in July, 2009 as part of the deal that brought Matt Holliday to St. Louis. Eight months later, the A’s dealt Wallace to the Toronto Blue Jays for fellow prospect Michael Taylor, who was part of the Roy Halladay deal. Finally, in July, 2010, Toronto sent Wallace packing to Houston for a “project” minor leaguer in part of a three-way deal that landed Roy Oswalt in Philly.

Wallace showed 20-HR power in the minors and had a career .863 OPS in three minor league seasons. He got a cup of coffee with the Astros last season, but his splits (.222/.296/.319) were nothing to write home about. This season, Wallace was given the chance to prove himself at the Major League level, and so far he’s got everyone taking notice. He has an NL third-best .383 average with a pair of home runs, nine doubles, 10 RBI, 10 walks, and a .990 OPS. The Astros, who are surprisingly fourth in the NL in scoring, have even moved Wallace into the clean up spot. Only time will tell of course if Wallace can do it over the long haul.

FullCountPitch | April Free Agents: Booms and Busts

With the first month of the season ending, it’s time to take the temperature on the best and worst free agent signings of this past off-season.

BUSTS

As I sat there watching the New York Yankees-Chicago White Sox game Tuesday night, one of the top busts so far came into my view. With a 2-1 lead to protect in the 8th inning, Rafael Soriano surrendered a go-ahead 2-run home run to Paul Konerko. Things started out well enough for the 2010 closer-turned-set-up-man as he cruised through the 8th inning in his first two appearances to help Mariano Rivera earn a pair of saves. But since then, Soriano’s appearances haven’t gone so smoothly. There a was blown 4-0 lead and Yankees loss to Minnesota on April 5. A 5-0 lead against Texas turned into a save situation on the 16th, and back-to-back bad nights against the White Sox on Monday (he allowed an insurance run and gave up on a low pop up) and Tuesday.

Click here to read the rest of the (always) free column at fullcountpitch.com

Lance Berkman Bartolo Colon Freddy Garcia Russell Martin Carl Crawford Adam Dunn Manny Ramirez

Sometimes You Get The White Sox, Sometimes The White Sox Get You

A.J. Burnett has frustrated fans in Florida, Toronto, and New York in his 13 year career, but last night Burnett was the pitcher everyone has dreamed of. Eight solid innings (the first time since August 15 of last year and just the fourth time since the start of the '09 season) of one run, 3-hit ball should have set him up for his fourth win without a loss. But former New York Mets prospect Phil Humber humbled the Yankees through seven innings and the Chicago White Sox beat the Yankees 2-0.

Humber held the Yankees hitless until one out in his final inning of work when Alex Rodriguez singled back up the middle. It followed a Mark Teixeira walk and was one of the few rallies the Yankees had on the evening. But after a trip to the mound by pitching coach Don Cooper, Humber struck out Robinson Cano (Have you noticed his zone of pitches to swing at has gone back from head to toe? That he's walked just once this year?) and got the slumping Nick Swisher to ground out to end the inning.

Burnett meanwhile pitched in tough luck- Curtis Granderson got a bad read on a Carlos Quentin line drive in the 4th and misplayed it into a double. A pair of ground outs produced an RBI for Adam Dunn and a 1-0 lead. Burnett then breezed through the next four innings to keep his team in the game. But his team looked lifeless.

It didn't help the White Sox got an insurance run in the 9th thanks to a miscommunication in the infield. Alexei Ramirez popped up a Rafael Soriano pitch over the mound, but it wasn't high enough for Derek Jeter to get there in time. Meanwhile, Soriano pointed to the sky, got out of the way, and never looked back at the ball. Had he done so he might have caught the ball and averted the trouble to come. But one out later pinch-runner Brent Lillibridge stole second base and came home on Paul Konerko's single for a 2-0 lead and set off a round of boos for Soriano.

Earlier in the game, Granderson told Burnett he would get the run back that he had misplayed. True to form, he ripped a lead off single in the 9th inning, but Sergio Santos got Teixeira to bounce into a back breaking 3-6-1 double play and the Yankees were finished.

Notes

Phil Hughes will go for an MRI today on his numb/dead shoulder. Hughes told YES' Kim Jones it feels like when someone "punches you in the thigh and it goes numb". Why the thigh and not the arm? You'll have to ask Hughes.

BD Hot Stove: 2010, A Look Back At Wheeling and Dealing | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove: 2010, A Look Back At Wheeling and Dealing | Baseball Digest

t’s the final day of 2010 (for me personally this year went very fast.) and as many of you know it is customary this time of year to take a look back at events of the closing year. For the Baseball Digest Hot Stove column that means pondering the best moves in major league baseball over the past year.

The Cliff Lee double whammy: Seattle realized they weren’t going anywhere as the trade deadline approached in 2010, so they worked out one deal with the Yankees, and then went with a trade they felt was better for them in the short and long run. The Mariners landed slugger Justin Smoak and the Rangers got themselves a pitcher that led them to the World Series.

Then it was the Phillies turn to land Lee, bringing him back to the team he helped them to the 2009 World Series, and in the process set up a killer rotation with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels.

Roy Meet Roy: Long before re-acquiring Lee, the Phillies first dealt J.A. Happ and two minor leaguers last July to the Astros for Oswalt. The veteran right-hander, who had spent a decade with Houston, went 7-1, 1.74 after the trade to help the Phillies win their fourth consecutive NL East division.

Boston Bashers: The Red Sox lost Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre from a lineup that was beset by injuries in 2010. GM Theo Epstein dealt for 1st baseman Adrian Gonzalez and signed outfielder Carl Crawford to a long term deal. He also attempted to shore up the bullpen by signing Bobby Jenks.

The Team With Big Shoulders: The White Sox prepped for the 2011 season by re-signing Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynski and inked slugger Adam Dunn to a free agent deal. GM Kenny Williams also acquired starter Edwin Jackson at the trade deadline and cut bait with the inconsistent Jenks.

Lilly Loves LA: The Dodgers acquired Ted Lilly too little late for the 2010 season, but then signed him to a new deal for 2011. They also went out and got Jon Garland on the cheap ($5M for one year) and re-signed Vincente Padilla to team with Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley to create a formidable rotation.

A New Year’s Memory

On December 31, 1974 George Steinbrenner began his assault on the free agent market. I had just gotten into the car with family after seeing “Freebie and the Bean” in the movie theater. The radio was on and the sports report was beginning. The Yankees had just signed Jim “Catfish” Hunter to a five year, $3.75M contract. By today’s standards it was a mere pittance, but at the time it was a huge amount of money. The length of the contract was quite a committment as well. But signing one of the best pitchers/biggest winners in the game was a monumental move for the the Yankees. Yes, even a better move than signing Reggie Jackson two years later.

Hunter taught his teammates how to win, how to carry themselves with class, what it means to “want the baseball” in the big spot, and to be a team. His deal also opened the way for many free agent deals, not only with the Yankees, but for all of baseball.

Rumors News and Transactions

The Mariners shopping of closer David Aardsma ground to halt when it was discovered the righty needed to have a surgery Monday for a torn hip labrum. Aardsma is expected to start throwing again a month after surgery and hopes to ready for the start of the season.

Shortstop Edgar Renteria has decided he wants to play two years, but still hasn’t decided where to play. The Reds are the latest team he has spoken with.

The Royals inked former Tigers’ left-hander Zach Miner to a minor league deal.

Bartolo Colon, attempting to make a comeback, said that the Yankees, Rangers, and the Indians have recently shown some interest in him.

From everyone here at BaseballDigest.com, we wish a very Happy, Healthy, and Safe New Year!

BD Hot Stove: AL Central Dunn? | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove: AL Central Dunn? | Baseball Digest

The AL Central is often overlooked when discussing pennant contenders. They don’t have the powerhouse teams of the AL East or the standout LA Angels in the AL West. But they do have teams that are well structured and don’t usually have a runaway winner. Such was the case last year when the Chicago White Sox spent 27 days in first place and stayed on the Minnesota Twins’ heels for most of the season. Ultimately the Twins, the most consistent of all the central teams, won out. It should be a competitive division again based on the moves made so far in this off-season.

The name’s Williams. Kenny Williams: The White Sox GM is one smooth cat. Never afraid to make a bold move, to spend some money, or to ring up another GM on his Walther PPK, er Blackberry. When the White Sox started to fade last season, Williams swung a deal to bring in starter Edwin Jackson from Arizona, obstensibly to use him as bait to land Adam Dunn in a three team trade. The deal didn’t work out, but now Chicago has Jackson for the 2011 season and signed Dunn to a four year free agent contracT. Williams also brought back free agents/fan favorites Paul Konerko and A.J. Pierzynksi, and signed reliever Jesse Crain away from the Twins. Crain is part of a bullpen re-tooling that Williams undertook as soon as he cut ties with closer Bobby Jenks. Set up man J.J. Putz signed with Arizona and Williams dealt Scott Linebrink to Atlanta.

They Talk Alike, They Walk Alike: Speaking of the aforementioned Twins, they’ve done what they do best. Make quite moves with an occassional splash. Carl Pavano regained his manhood in the Twin Cities and Minny would like to have him back. But the former “American Idle” is playing the free agent game and anything can happen. Minnesota has high hopes for Japanese import Tsuyoshi Nishioka to be their every day shortstop for the next three years. To make room for him, the Twins spun J.J. Hardy and utility man Brendan Harris to the Orioles for hard throwing reliever Jim Hoey as well as another bullpen prospect in Brett Jacobson. Alexi Casilla will likely take over 2nd base with Orlando Hudson departing for San Diego. The Twins suffered blows to the bullpen when Crain left for Chi-town and their best set up man, Matt Guerrier, departed for a three year deal with the Dodgers. Set up man/part-time closer Jon Rauch will also leave via free agency.

Tiger Town: The Tigers have had some interesting decisions to make as they blend veterans like Magglio Ordonez and youngsters such as Austin Jackson together. Many people were surprised when GM Dave Dombrowski brought the soon to be 34-yr old Ordonez back. He did sever ties with Johnny Damon however, and made two big free agent splashes. One of the first signings of the winter was the solid bat of catcher Victor Martinez, who’ll primarily serve as DH. Dombrowski also inked standout reliever Joaquin Benoit to set up for Jose Valverde. The Tigers retained the left side of their infield in 3rd baseman Brandon Inge and shortstop Jhonny Peralta, while catcher Gerald Laird left for St. Louis.

Cleveland Rocks?: Not so much, at least not this winter. The biggest name the Tribe have brought in this off-season is Austin Kearns, who they dealt to the Yankees at the trade deadline. Signing infielders Adam Everett and Drew Sutton doesn’t make fans run to the box office or feel the urge to buy season tickets. The Indians have also been fielding calls on their best starter, Fausto Carmona.

Royals Blue: The fans in KC haven’t had much to cheer about for quite some time, but KC does have a lot of good young players Unfortunately, one of them was dealt away. KC took Zack Greinke up on his request for a trade and sent him to Milwaukee for four prospects. On paper, the deal doesn’t look great for KC, but outfielder Lorenzo Cain and shortstop Alcides Escobar will get a chance to make an immediate impact. The Royals also signed veteran outfielders Jeff Francouer and Melky Cabrera to help fill the void left when David DeJesus was traded to Oakland. Vin Mazzaro, acquired in that deal, will get a chance to compete for a spot in the lackluster rotation.

Rumors, News, and Transactions

Brian Cashman downplayed reports that the Yankees were taking a look at their former left fielder Johnny Damon, calling it nothing more than normal free agent exploration.

The Pirates signed Garrett Atkins, who flopped the with the Orioles in ’10, to a minor league deal.

The Padres are turning some attention to free agent Brad Hawpe, who split last season with Colorada and Tampa Bay. The Pads are also reportedly interested in lefty slugger Russell Branyan.

The Angels and Reds are both eyeing speedy Scott Podsednik as part of an outfield platoon.

BD Hot Stove Breaking News: Konerko Re-ups With White Sox | Baseball Digest

Paul Konerko has decided to stay on the south side.

BD Hot Stove Breaking News: Konerko Re-ups With White Sox | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove: Who’s On First? | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove: Who’s On First? | Baseball Digest

A look at this year's free agent crop of 1st basemen.

Paul Konerko Adam Dunn Carlos Pena Derrek Lee

Time to Call It A Day

There are a number of teams still in the MLB playoff race, but there are a number of teams that should be calling it quits by September 1. That's the day rosters expand and must include players that are to be part of a playoff squad.

A number of teams were buyers at the trade deadline when they clearly shouldn't have been. Between now and 9/1, some of those teams should be looking to waive dead weight and/or trade players to true contenders.

Johnny Damon - The Tigers are dead in the AL Central (9) and Wildcard (14) races. Damon signed a 1 year, $8 million deal in the off-season and is an ideal candidate for the Tigers to move. After a great start in April, Damon absolutely stunk over the next two months before a semi-revival in July. He's started August just 4-22, but perhaps all that could change if he is into a pennant race. Then again he's hitting just .268 against right-handers.

Manny Ramirez - The Dodgers were aggressive at the deadline, getting Ted Lilly among others. But LA is going nowhere. They're 8 back in the NL West and 7 back of division rival San Fran in the Wildcard. Time to throw Manny out there and see if there are takers. The downside of course is that he's on the DL right now with a bad calf. He then aggravated it this past week, but delayed an MRI after feeling claustrophobic. (Not sure why he would have to go in head first for a calf?) Because of the uncertainty, Manny being Nuthead is likely to pass through waivers unclaimed, allowing the Dodgers to move him to his next port of call.

Adam Dunn - The Nats were never in it, but if a team has claimed (as rumored) Dunn, Washington is crazy not to move the big slugger. You can always bring him back, but getting nothing for him other than draft picks is absurd. Dunn blasted a pair of 3-run blasts last night, causing GMs everywhere to salivate.

The Mets - Sorry Mets fans, but you know better than anyone that this team is finished. Some minor moves today- released Alex Cora, sent down Jesus Feliciano, called up Fernando Martinez and Ruben Tejada. It's time for the Mets to start making major moves, most likely in the off-season. But if you can move Jose Reyes with good results, go for it. The Mets need a change and it should start with their oft-injured, oft-under performing shortstop. Someone would probably take Jeff Francoeur. Unfortunately, no wants Luis Castillo.

Hideki Matsui - Oh beloved Godzilla; World Series hero; poor 2010 performer. Sorry for that last one, but so true. With the Angels getting further and further behind in the AL West and Wildcard races (10, 12 respectively), Tony Reagins should be moving "The Hideki" to a contender. Juan Rivera too. Torii Hunter too. The once proud centerfielder said he can't handle the position any more. With two years left on Hunter's deal, Reagins should look for a taker.

Red Sox Suffer Another Blow

The Boston Red Sox have suffered one injury after another this season, but have still managed to stay within striking distance in the AL Eastern division and wildcard races. But the latest blow to the Red Sox could be devestating.

All-Star 1st baseman Kevin Youkilis is out for the season after deciding to undergo surgery on a torn muscle at the base of his right thumb.

For now, Mike Lowell, just activated from the DL himself, will take Youkilis' place in the lineup. While Lowell was an outstanding defender, his bat is no longer what it was and is well below the standard that Youkilis has established.

The Red Sox realize it and are apparently willing to take drastic measures to get another bat in the lineup. The Boston Herald reported that the Red Sox have had discussions internally about taking a look at Carlos Delgado, who has not played at all this year due to 2009 hip surgery.

Another possibility would be Adam Dunn if he gets through waivers.

The Daily Yankeeland

Some interesting discussion this afternoon between Brandon Tierney and Jody McDonald on 1050ESPN radio. Most of it centered around whether or not the Yankees needed to do anything at the trade deadline.

Tierney said he was fine going to the post-season as is, which is completely nuts. Everyone knows they need an improved bench and a better bullpen. A starting pitcher is not a must, especially since most of the better ones are taken.

Jody Mac's idea for a new DH is an old DH...Hideki Matsui. It's not a bad move and you would think he could be acquired pretty cheaply from the Halos. Godzilla is only working on a one year deal so you don't have to worry about keeping him around next year. It would also make me laugh since it's a signature "bring a guy back" George Steinbrenner move.

The other idea Jody Mac had, however, was totally bananas. Trevor Hoffman for the bullpen. Wow. Jody must have been hanging out at Shea too much back in the day and it affected his brain. Tierney called him crazy and he's right. Jody thought that Hoffman hadn't blown that many big games. Apparently he hasn't been paying attention, because Hoffman has been horrible in big regular season games, not just playoffs.

* * *

Adam Dunn is a popular topic for discussion. I would love to see him as a DH rental for the rest of the season, but not at the price that the Nationals are reportedly asking. I don't know specifics, but they are basically asking for the proverbial moon.

Dunn is said not to want to DH, but perhaps going from the cellar to a contender will change all that. ESPN's Buster Olney said this evening that the Nats will take one more shot at a new deal for the big first baseman before dealing him. Olney expects the Yankees and Rays to get into a trade war to keep the other from landing Dunn.

That would not be a wise move for a rental player, even if Dunn is a dangerous addition to any lineup.

* * *

Speaking of bench strength, the Star Ledger's Marc Carig tweeted earlier that the Yankees have backed off of Ty Wigginton as a possible role player.

Just pondering rosters there is not a lot of veteran guys possibly available. Maybe the Cubs Ryan Theriot? I would be interested in Marlins outfielder Cody Ross.

What's That Smell? Oh, It's The Trade Winds

We're less than a week away from the major league trading deadline. Plenty of big names are being floated - Roy Oswalt, Dan Haren, Adam Dunn - and the rumors are flying. But other than the Cliff Lee deal two weeks ago, nothing major has happened.

So let's take a look team by team of who might be moved in a deal this week.

AL East

Yankees - Clearly buyers. The Yankees lost out on Lee and have set their sights on Haren. A secondary possibility would be Ted Lilly. The Yankees also need to add to their pen and could use some bench strength. I am still of the opinion they should go after Adam Dunn to be an every day DH.

Rays - Buyers as well. The Rays have had some preliminary discussions with the Phillies for Jayson Werth and have made contact with the Royals about Zack Greinke. Neither deal is expected to happen. But the Rays will continue to look for a bat and a starting pitcher. They could also part with B.J. Upton, who has been a disappointment in a variety of ways.

Red Sox - Boston needs medical help with all of the injuries they've had. Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, and Jacoby Ellsbury have been significant losses. Jason Varitek has played above his recent offensive output and is the team leader. Josh Beckett returned last night as well. In other words Boston could be back in good shape if everyone heals up. But the Sox would definitely look for a starting pitcher to be sure Beckett is okay and Dice-K holds up. Tim Wakefield has been a complete disaster and was moved to the pen when Beckett was activated.

The Red Sox have been taking a look recently at Marlins outfielder Cody Ross and closer Leo Nunez.

Blue Jays - Sellers. Teams have been making major inquiries for the suddenly Babe Ruth-esque Jose Bautista, solid reliever Scott Downs, catcher John Buck, and 1st baseman Lyle Overbay. Relievers Jason Frasor and Kevin Gregg are shaky, but still in somewhat of a demand.

Orioles - Ty Wiggington's big year has created a number of calls to the Orioles front office. Closer Mike Gonzalez is back from the DL and could be quickly moved if he proves himself somewhat healthy. With David Eckstein injured, the Padres may look into a deal for Miguel Tejada.

AL Central

White Sox - Most people didn't expect to find the Chisox in first place on July 25, but there they are. Instead of selling, Chicago is looking to buy. They have talked to Milwaukee about Prince Fielder and are willing to give up pitcher Daniel Hudson and 3rd baseman Dayan Viciedo. But so far the Brewers prefer infielder Gordon Beckham and outfielder Carlos Quentin. The White Sox are also talking to the Nats about Dunn.

Tigers - Sellers/Buyers. The Tigers started July 7-1, but a seven game losing streak took it's toll. The Tigers entered Saturday's play 2.5 behind Chicago in the AL Central, but 6.5 back in the Wildcard race. The Tigers lineup took a big blow today when outfielder Magglio Ordonez broke his ankle. He'll be out 6-8 weeks. Detroit had already lost 3rd baseman Brandon Inge for 4-6 weeks after he fractured a hand last week. I have to wonder if the injuries will change the Tigers buyers' stance.

The Tigers have been looking to add a starting pitcher - they have discussed Lilly - but now may have to go after a bat as well.

Twins - Minnesota has been a major disappointment despite the fact they're still within spitting distance in the division. The Twins have always banked on their solid pitching, but Kevin Slowey (4.94 ERA), Nick Blackburn (6.53), and Scott Baker (5.15) have been major disappointments.

The Twins would like to land Oswalt or Lilly. They could always use offensive help, especially now with Justin Morneau's return date uncertain.

Royals - Sellers, of course. The most in-demand Royal was outfielder David DeJesus, but that all changed when he suffered a season ending thumb injury against the Yankees on Thursday night. Jose Guillen has been looked at by several teams, including the Yankees. But any team thinking about Guillen also has to think about what a pain in the ass he is.

The Royals already moved infielder Alberto Callaspo to the Angels for pitcher Sean O'Sullivan and are said to be listening to inquiries about Zack Greinke.

Indians - Sellers. The Tribe has had calls about both Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona. The Tribe will reportedly deal one, but not both. (I can't figure out why any team would want Westbrook.) The Indians are willing to move Jhonny Peralta, Austin Kearns, and Kerry Wood, though it's hard to imagine the Indians getting much in return for Wood.

AL West

Rangers - Moderate Buyers. The Rangers are just looking to tweak right now since they landed the big fish in Cliff Lee. The Rangers bankrupcy and pending sale should prevent them from pulling off anything too big the rest of the way.

A's - Sellers. Billy Beane is cringing tonight after Oakland had to place Ben Sheets on the DL earlier today with an elbow injury. The $10 million gamble looks to have been a failure. Just about every pitcher in the A's bullpen outside of Andrew Bailey is up for discussion.

Angels - Buyers. The Halos need a lot with Kendry Morales gone for the season and the team struggling. Word is that the Angels will not likely land Dunn, but could be major players for Derrek Lee. The Angels acquisition of Callaspo from the Royals is a curious one. Did the Angels need another light hitting infielder? The Angels salivated over Paul Konerko for a long time, but clearly that's not happening with the White Sox in first place.

Mariners - Sellers. Another disappointing season in Coffee-land. The M's bullpen duo of David Aardsma and Brandon League are being looked at and the M's could move disappointing Chone Figgins or Jose Lopez. This team needs an overhaul in attitude to say the least.

NL East

Mets - Buyers. The Mets continue to explore pitching options. Ted Lilly has been the Mets' main target. They've also looked to strengthen their pen with a possible deal for Octavio Dotel or Scott Downs. The Mets would also like to move Jeff Francouer, who has been grousing about his lack of playing time.

Braves - Buyers. Did anyone outside of Atlanta expect the Braves to be in the position they're in right now atop the NL East (Maybe not even in Atlanta.) The Braves already dealt disappointing youngster Yunel Escobar for veteran Alex Gonzalez and are looking to improve their outfield. Cody Ross, Josh Willingham, and Corey Hart are among the players that have piqued Atlanta's interest.

Phillies - Good question. They might buy and sell. There have been Jayson Werth rumors for a while now, but he may not go anywhere. Raul Ibanez could definitely be moved. The Phillies have thrown their hats in the Roy Oswalt ring and are particularly in need of pitching with Jamie Moyer's elbow injury. They're also interested in Haren as well.

Nationals - Sellers. Adam Dunn is the biggest chip, no pun intended, that Washington has, but so far they don't want to deal him. If they did, they would certainly lower their asking price. The Nats should move him and try to re-sign the free agent to be if they really want him as a fixture in D.C..

Marlins - Sellers. As I mentioned earlier, several teams have looked in on Ross and what team in need of relief help would not want Nunez?

NL Central

Cardinals - Buyers. The Cardinals have been pushing hard for Oswalt, who would like to land in St. Lou.

Reds - Buyers. Not too many people saw this one coming either. The Reds are looking for some depth in the pen. Downs, Frasor, Brandon League, David Aardsma, Dotel, and Brad Ziegler are among the many arms Cincy is taking a look at.

Cubs - Sellers. Major disappointment is a major understatement to describe the Cubbies. Ted Lilly will be moved sooner rather than later. 1st baseman Derrek Lee, another free agent to be, could certainly be moved as well. Chicago would like to move Carlos Zambrano, but he has a no-trade clause and $53 million left on his contract. The Cubs should move Alfonso Soriano too, but what's that? Oh yeah, he has 4 years and $72 million left on his deal. You really don't have to wonder why the Cubs haven't won a title in a gazillion years.

Brewers - Sellers. The Fresh Prince of Fielder of course is the biggest name, no pun intended again, available. The Brewers aren't going to deal him though unless the price is right. Corey Hart could definitely go after making $4.8 million in arbitration last year and in the midst of a monster year that will see that total sky rocket next year.

Astros - Sellers. Oswalt, Oswalt, Oswalt. Lance Berkman isn't likely to go anywhere, but you never know as Houston tries to rebuild/re-tool/re-shape. Brett Myers could be moved as well.

Pirates - Sellers. There have been rumors swirling about the Pirates' best starter, Paul Maholm, despite the fact he's signed at a decent deal (he's in the 2nd year of a 3 year, $14.5 mill deal with an option in 2012). Closer Octavio Dotel will likely go to a team in need of bullpen help.

NL West

Padres - Moderate Buyers. As I mentioned earlier, shortstop David Eckstein's injury could cause the Pads to go get another middle infielder. The Padres are also in the Corey Hart hunt.

Dodgers - Buyers. Pitching is the name of the game in Chavez Ravine. The Dodgers are looking into Oswalt, Lilly, and Maholm. It wouldn't be a surprise if they moved Matt Kemp either.

Giants - Moderate Buyers. Corey Hart appears to be the number one guy on San Fran's radar.

Rockies - Buyers. The Rockies would like to improve their corner infield and are taking a look at Jorge Cantu and Ty Wiggington. The Rockies also like Dan Uggla to help out their lineup. To help their pitching, Colorado is considering making a push for Haren and are looking at relievers like Gregg and Dotel.

Trade Winds Not Strong Thus Far

Sure, there are plenty of MLB Trade Rumors out there, but how many major deals will really be pulled off? With teams scaling back on the free agent market, there's been no sign to indicate things will change for the in-season trading period. Other than Roy Halladay, nothing is a given, and even the Halladay deal will only get done if the Blue Jays get a fair return.

More minor deals, like the one that sent infielder Felipe Lopez from Arizona to Milwaukee yesterday, are likely to occur.

So it's time to look at some of the various rumors and what might go down over the next 11 days.

Roy Halladay - As we alluded to, there are some obstacles to a Halladay deal getting done. Besides fair market value, the Blue Jays will not allow any team a window to negotiate a new deal with Doc. Halladay must also approve his point of destination. SI's Jon Heyman still feels that the Phillies are the favorites to land the ace, with prospects Michael Taylor, Kyle Drabek, Jason Donald, and Carlos Carrasco being discussed. So far though, the Phillies have been unwilling to include Drabek in any deal. (If only the Yankees had kept Kyle's father Doug when they obtained Rick Rhoden from Pittsburgh in 1986.)

Jon also mentioned on his Twitter acc't that Halladay's preferences (according to pal) are: 1. win. 2. quiet. 3. spring in fla.; thinks he'd OK Phil, Stl, NY, Bos, etc.

For the Yankees to pull off a deal it would take Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain, Austin Jackson, and Jesus Montero or Francisco Cervelli. The Yankees have reportedly asked Jays' GM J.P. Ricciardi to give them a chance to match or beat any deal.

Adam Dunn - There are teams looking for a 1st baseman/DH, but not many that want to pick up the remainder of Dunn's 2-year, $20 million deal that he signed prior to this season. The Daily News' Adam Rubin reported today that Nats' GM Mike Rizzo is insisting the Nats won't deal Dunn, but it's hard to believe they wouldn't consider it. Fanhouse's Ed Price reported last week that the Tigers had interested in Dunn, but couldn't work out the financial part of the deal.

Red Sox hot corners - With Mike Lowell's injured hip continuing to give him trouble, the Red Sox are in the market for a replacement 3rd baseman or a 1st baseman that would enable Kevin Youkilis to slide across the diamond. Possibilities could be the Nats' Nick Johnson, Rockies corner man Garrett Atkins (though the Rockies asking high price is very high at the moment), O's Aubrey Huff

Bullpen Help: There's never a time that a major league ball club couldn't improve their pen. That's one of the reasons the O's have been inundated with calls for closer George Sherrill, who could be moved back to a set up spot if dealt. The LA Times reports the Angels have been talking to the O's about Sherrill, but Baltimore is looking for 2 top prospects in return.