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Phillies, Cubs interested in Michael Wuertz

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The Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs have expressed interest in right-handed pitcher Michael Wuertz, a source has confirmed to MLBDailyDish's Chris Cotillo. Wuertz is currently pitching for the Atlantic League's York Revolution, and can be purchased by any major league organization.

The source noted that the Phillies sent a scout specifically to see Wuertz pitch, and that the Cubs also have shown interest.

Wuertz, 34, was released by the Marlins during spring training and signed with the Revolution at the end of March. In 30 relief appearances on the season, he is 3-1 with a 3.17 ERA in 28.1 innings of work. He last appeared in the majors in 2011 with the Athletics, when he posted a 6.68 ERA in 39 relief appearances.

In 426 career games over eight major league seasons with the Cubs (2004-2008) and Athletics (2009-2011), Wuertz is 21-11 with a 3.71 ERA. He has battled injury over the last two seasons, but has proven that he is completely healthy and ready to re-join a major league organization.

If Wuertz signs with an organization, he would become the fifth member of the Revolution to do so this season, joining Josh Judy (Angels), Johan Limonta (Padres), Matt Fox (Mets) and Eric Patterson (Brewers).

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All-Star Game Open Thread

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The All-Star Game goes tonight at 8pm with four Blue Jays taking part. The starting pitcher for the American League is Max Scherzer who I previewed a few weeks ago here. Mets' fans rookie prodigy Matt Harvey goes for the National League, who have won the past three years with the AL winning the 12 years before that (plus a tie). If you don't know who Matt Harvey is, neither do a lot of New York Mets fans:

Harvey throws the four main pitches relying heavily on his high 90's fastball. His three solid off-speed offerings all record whiffs on about a third of hitter's swings.

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Cool GIF incoming! (Click the GIF if it doesn't show up here)

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via images.ftw.usatoday.com

The full rosters for the game are below:

American League

Starters
C: Joe Mauer, Twins
1B: Chris Davis, Orioles
2B: Robinson Cano, Yankees
SS: J.J. Hardy, Orioles
3B: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
OF: Mike Trout, Angels
OF: Adam Jones, Orioles
OF: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
DH: David Ortiz, Red Sox

Reserves
C: Jason Castro, Astros
C: Salvador Perez, Royals
1B: Prince Fielder, Tigers
2B: Jason Kipnis, Indians
2B: Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox
2B: Ben Zobrist, Rays
SS: Jhonny Peralta: Tigers
3B: Manny Machado, Orioles
OF: Nelson Cruz, Rangers
OF: Alex Gordon, Royals
OF: Torii Hunter, Tigers
DH: Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays

Pitchers
RHP: Clay Buchholz*, Red Sox
LHP: Brett Cecil, Blue Jays
RHP: Bartolo Colon *, A's
RHP: Jesse Crain*, White Sox
RHP: Yu Darvish*, Rangers
RHP: Steve Delabar,Blue Jays
RHP: Felix Hernandez, Mariners
RHP: Hisashi Iwakuma *, Mariners
RHP: Justin Masterson, Indians
RHP: Matt Moore, Rays
RHP: Joe Nathan, Rangers
LHP: Glen Perkins, Twins
RHP: Mariano Rivera, Yankees
LHP: Chris Sale, White Sox
RHP: Max Scherzer, Tigers
RHP: Chris Tillman, Orioles
RHP: Justin Verlander *, Tigers

I could go on a rant about Chris Tillman being in this game, but I'm not sure anyone cares.

National League

Starters
C: Yadier Molina, Cardinals
1B: Joey Votto, Reds
2B: Brandon Phillips, Reds
SS: Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
3B: David Wright, Mets
OF: Carlos Beltran, Cardinals
OF: Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
OF: Bryce Harper, Nationals

Pitchers
LHP: Madison Bumgarner, Giants
LHP: Aroldis Chapman, Reds
LHP: Patrick Corbin, Diamondbacks
RHP: Jose Fernandez, Marlins
RHP: Jason Grilli, Pirates
RHP: Matt Harvey, Mets
LHP: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
RHP: Craig Kimbrel, Braves
LHP: Cliff Lee, Phillies
LHP: Jeff Locke*, Pirates
RHP: Mark Melancon , Pirates
RHP: Edward Mujica, Cardinals
RHP: Sergio Romo , Giants
RHP: Adam Wainwright*, Cardinals
LHP: Travis Wood, Cubs
RHP: Jordan Zimmermann*, Nationals


The last time the Blue Jays had four representatives in the All-Star game was 1994, although they had five in 2006.

I'm personally pretty excited about watching this game, which seems to go against popular opinion these days as the game is oft-criticized. The lineups this year are ridiculously star studded with less obscure players than usual it seems.

Join us in the comments to talk about the game or any other things that suit your fancy.

Padres name new CEO, Mike Dee

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Well that was quick. The Padres named a president and CEO about a half hour ago. The name they chose for the newly birthed president? Mike Dee. He comes to us from the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

Padres name Mike Dee President and CEO | padres.com: News

"I am thrilled to be coming home to San Diego - an extraordinary community that has always been very special to me," said Dee. "The Padres organization is where I started my sports career nearly two decades ago, and I am grateful to Ron and Peter for the opportunity to return to my roots."

And his tweets:

Apparently he used to work for the Padres under the Larry Lucchino regime in the mid to late 90's before leaving with Lucchino for Boston. Oh, so he will leave San Diego for better opportunities with a large market team? Just the trait we're looking for in a candidate.

Here's a look at Dee back in his Padres prime via RJ's Fro:

Everytbody (Scott Marshall, the Padres' vice president of concessions and retail), seems to think he'll be a good fit for the job.

Padres name Mike Dee team president and CEO | padres.com: News

"I honestly believe there's no better candidate than Mike Dee," Marshall said. "His energy and passion are unmatched. He's committed to three things: to a championship, fan engagement and community.

Ah yes, the holy trinity of Padres baseball: the NL West championship, marriage proposals on the jumbotron and the NBC comedy series.

I can't wait to see the new logos and uniforms. Best of luck to Dee, something tells me he's going to need it.

With some prying questions from Darren Smith, hopefully we'll get some more info from Fowler this afternoon.

Padres hire Mike Dee to take over as CEO

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The San Diego Padres have wasted no time finding a new president and CEO following last week's resignation of Tom Garfinkel. The club's owners announced Wednesday morning that long-time baseball exec Mike Dee will be rejoining the Padres' front office to take over the position.

Dee spent the last four years as the CEO of the Miami Dolphins, but will be vacating the post (obviously) to join the Padres organization.

Dee worked in various capacities the Friars' front office from 1995-2002, eventually making his way up to vice president of business affairs before moving on to the Boston Red Sox. In all, he's spent 15 years working in baseball and nearly two decades in professional sports.

Dee went to Twitter to express his excitement at rejoining the Padres:

Not sure about the "exciting time for the franchise" part -- unless he really likes selling at the trade deadline -- but he seems to be genuinely elated about coming back to baseball.

While Dee's first go-round with San Diego was under different ownership, he's not without his ties to the current front office. He has a long-standing relationship with the Padres' newish executive chairman, Ron Fowler, and worked for three years with the club's general manager, Josh Byrnes, when they were both in the Red Sox front office.

More from SB Nation:

American League wins, 3-0 | Mo Rivera named MVP

Mariano Rivera bids farewell to the All-Star Game

The ballad of the kid who ran on the field at the All-Star Game

Yoenis Cespedes wins the 2013 Home Run Derby

Longread: Brooklyn’s field of broken dreams

Yankees' Gary Sanchez makes Fangraphs' mid-season prospect list

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Yankees catching prospect Gary Sanchez made Fangraphs' 2013 mid-season top 50 prospects list. He was ranked at #34 overall and as the third best catcher in the minors, behind Travis D'Arnaud (#24) of the Mets and Austin Hedges (#26) of the Padres. The 20-year-old has hit .267/.330/.459 with 13 home runs in 334 plate appearances at High-A Tampa this season.

Marc Hulet states that his offense has stalled a bit at High-A, but he still has the potential and plenty of time to be an above-average player. It seemed that Sanchez was having a good enough season to get promoted to Double-A, especially after JR Murphy was sent up to Triple-A and Peter O'Brien was brought up from Low-A, but that hasn't happened yet. The Yankees now have two top catching prospects sharing playing time at the same level, which is unusual. The organization might still want to see more from Sanchez with his defense before finally moving him up.

Gary Sanchez has been consistently ranked as one of the top prospects of the in the system, often switching places with Mason Williams between #1 and #2, depending on the evaluator. The top prospect out of the Dominican Republic could represent the Yankees' best chance at finding an everyday catcher that can hit.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

2014 MLB Draft: Competitive balance lottery results

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The Colorado Rockies won the Competitive Balance Draft Lottery and will pick first in Competitive Balance Round A of the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft. The Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Miami Marlins, Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers also won picks in the round.

The Competitive Balance Draft is designed to give teams in small markets, or who have minimal revenue, additional high draft picks. The 10 clubs with the lower revenue and 10 clubs from the smallest market are entered into a lottery to receive one of six picks in Comp Round A, which comes right after the first round. After that, all the teams that did not get picks in Round A, as well as all teams that are payees under the league Revenue Sharing Plan, are entered into a lottery for six more picks, this time in Round B, which comes after the second round.

The San Diego Padres will lead Round B, followed by the Arizona Diamondbacks, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners.

These draft picks are eligible to be traded. Detroit and Florida swapped their Round A and Round B picks for the 2013 draft.

The lottery was conducted on Wednesday at the MLB offices in New York.

Comp Round A

1. Colorado Rockies

2. Baltimore Orioles

3. Cleveland Indians

4. Miami Marlins

5. Kansas City Royals

6. Milwaukee Brewers

Comp Round B

1. San Diego Padres

2. Arizona Diamondbacks

3. St. Louis Cardinals

4. Tampa Bay Rays

5. Pittsburgh Pirates

6. Seattle Mariners

More from SB Nation:

American League wins, 3-0 | Mo Rivera named MVP

Mariano Rivera bids farewell to the All-Star Game

The ballad of the kid who ran on the field at the All-Star Game

Yoenis Cespedes wins the 2013 Home Run Derby

Longread: Brooklyn’s field of broken dreams

Yankees will not get Headley unless "it's absolutely the right deal"

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Jon Heyman says the Yankees won't be getting Padres 3B Chase Headley, because he's barely on the market and just short of being untouchable.

Even if they were able to deal for Headley I'm not sure that ends their search for a bat. This isn't the 2012 Headley that we're talking about, though he has been better as of late.


GABRH2B3BHRRBIBBKSBCSAVGOBPSLG
2013 - Chase Headley823063370171731408261.229.330.359

The Yankees thought Headley could fill in at 3B for Alex Rodriguez or play first, but after a phone call they got the impression that the Padres would need "a special prospect" in return for last year's team MVP.

Yankees called about Headley, but they need to look elsewhere for bats - CBSSports.com

The Padres will keep the switch-hitting Headley unless "it's absolutely the right deal,'' according to someone familiar with their thinking.

That's kind of a vague generalization from a vague source, but that's what's keeping Headley in San Diego for the time being.

Padres Chairman on changes in the organization

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Ron Fowler interview with Darren Smith (MP3)

  • Mike Dee is the new Padres President and CEO. He comes to the Padres from the NFL's Miami Dolphins.
  • The Dolphins wanted to make an announcement immediately but the Padres couldn't do it until after the All-Star game.
  • Fowler met Mike Dee in the mid 90s. Fowler loves his energy and creativity.
  • The ownership group started making a list of candidates for the position about 6 weeks ago when they made the determination that they "weren't on the same page with our existing President and CEO". Dee was the first person on the list. A couple weeks ago Peter Seidler and Fowler met with him twice to make sure they were on the same page on how to build the team back to where it should be. Dee was totally impressive.
  • "This is a hire for a long term future. Mike is looking to come here and retire here."
  • "I'm not going to be here in 15 years, I just hope to be alive in 15 years."
  • Dee finds ways to solve problems and he collaborates well. He's a strong leader. He's not afraid to make unpopular decisions. He has a past with Byrnes. He's a winner in everything he's touched.
  • Fowler solicited Dee's input on people who were with the Padres when he worked there.
    He's the perfect fit. -Ron Fowler on new president Mike Dee

  • No internal candidates were considered for the position, not even members of the Seider or O'Malley family. Collectively they decided to find the best possible person that had significant experience in professional sports and baseball in particular.
  • Fowler and former President/CEO Tom Garfinkel had candid conversations. Garfinkel is a bright guy, but the two lead guys needed to be on the same page. "Ultimately he felt differently about how we should run it. When that's the case it's best that you resign and let ownership find someone who is far more compatible and has a shared vision of how things should be." They agreed to disagree. Ownership honored his contract. The big difference was that Garfinkel was more structured and Dee and Fowler are more entrepreneurial and collaborative.
  • Fowler says fans will see increased energy and collaboration as it relates to baseball. "Bottom line there will be changes." There will be changes in player personnel. The position players have been strong, but the pitching has "been a disappointment". They are looking to make changes, both additions and subtractions.
  • Fowler and his group now have good idea of how the baseball business really works. They are going to be far more active. They will look at trades and the farm system.
  • We're not going to ask people to wait for years until we get the farm system and the drafting down to where we want it. We're going to look to make trades to strengthen the club.
    We're not going to ask people to wait for years -Ron Fowler

  • Fowler says the Padres don't have the players right now. They tried in free agency but the players they wanted were too expensive and they're now glad they don't have them on the team. They think they have an abundance of talent at the positions but they need to do something more with the pitching.
  • Fowler was at the park at Tim Lincecum's no-hitter. Black's comments after the game echoed what ownership felt. Fowler prefers to have Padres fans at the ballpark, but first and foremost they want to fill the seats because that's where the revenue comes from. They want to earn the support of Padres fans with the play on the field. "Everybody's money is green and we'll take it where it came from, but it sucked. Okay? To have that many Giants fans cheering for the no-hitter."

Matt Antonelli retires

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Second baseman Matt Antonelli has retired from baseball, a source has confirmed to MLBDailyDish's Chris Cotillo. The 28-year old will head head to Wake Forest University in the fall to finish getting his degree, and will become a student assistant coach for the school's baseball team.

After being drafted 17th overall by the San Diego Padres in the 2006 draft, the Massachusetts native performed well in his first two years in team's minor league system.

Baseball America ranked him as the 50th best prospect in the game prior to the 2008 season, in which he made his major league debut.

In 21 games that season, Antonelli hit .193 with 1 HR and 3 RBI, and returned to Triple-A for the 2009 season. He missed most of the 2010 season due to injury, and signed with the Washington Nationals for 2011.

Since then, he has bounced around the Nationals, Orioles, Yankees and Indians' organizations, and spent the last three seasons at Triple-A.

After three games with Triple-A Columbus this season, the Indians released Antonelli on April 30th. He retires having hit .254 with 44 HR and 214 RBI in eight minor league seasons with the Padres (2006-2010), Nationals (2011), Orioles (2012), Yankees (2012), and Indians (2012) organizations.

More from MLB Daily Dish:

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Around the Empire: New York Yankees News - 7/18/13

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Yesterday on Pinstriped Bible

Around the Internet

Quick Hits


Questions of the Day

  • Is the All-Star break too long?
  • Do you think Mariano Rivera will change his mind about retiring?
  • If you could play one musical instrument, what would it be?
  • What color is the case on your phone?

Coming Up Today

  • Baby Bomber Recap 7/17/13: Peter O'Brien homers in Tampa loss @ 9 am
  • Yankees trade rumors: Chase Headley a target in search for bats; deal unlikely @ 10 am
  • Yankees second half splits @ 11 am
  • Mason Williams is turning his 2013 season around @ 12 pm
  • Who was the Yankees' first half MVP? @ 2 pm
  • Yankees Trade Chip: Dellin Betances @ 3 pm
  • Yankees Prospect Interview: Brett Gerritse @ 4 pm

Yankees trade rumors: New York inquired on Padres' Chase Headley

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The New York Yankees recently asked the San Diego Padres about the availability of third baseman Chase Headley, but were told that there is no trade to be made, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The Padres are willing to sell off assets as the trade deadline approaches, but they consider Headley close to untouchable.

The Yankees are known to be looking hard for a third baseman on the trade market due to Alex Rodriguez's injury and potential upcoming suspension. They have shown continued interest in Michael Young, who may be moved by the Phillies in the next couple weeks. The Bronx Bombers are searching for right-handed hitting, and may have interest in a reunion with Alfonso Soriano, according to Heyman.

New York has long been interested in the 29-year old, who the Padres would like to sign to an extension in the near future. He has hit only .229 with 7 HR and 31 RBI in 82 games on the season, meaning that his trade value is probably much lower than it was last winter, when he was coming off a season in which he hit .286 with 31 HR and 115 RBI.

While Headley will probably remain a Padre after the 31st, other players will likely be moved. Edinson Volquez, Kyle Blanks and Huston Street are among the names that have been mentioned in trade rumors.

More from MLB Daily Dish:

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Nationals' RHP Stephen Strasburg Starts Second Half vs LA Dodgers In D.C.

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"It can happen to anybody,"Washington Nationals' manager Davey Johnson told reporters afterStephen Strasburg's two inning, 66-pitch, first-half-ending start against the Miami Marlins last week, "but it's kind of remarkable to happen to him." It was the briefest outing of the 2009 no.1 overall pick's major league career which he didn't leave due to injury, and a tough way to go into the break.

A month of July that started with seven shutout innings against the Milwaukee Brewers in which he gave up just three hits, ended with the Nats' 24-year-old right-hander giving up a combined 12 hits, six walks and 11 runs, all earned in eight innings against the San Diego Padres and Marlins.

"I think you're always trying to get better," Strasburg said, "always trying to learn and I think it's these type of games where you've got nothing working that you can really just kind of take a step back and just pick it apart..."- Stephen Strasburg after start vs Marlins

His 12.38 ERA over those last two outings left Washington's right-handed starter with a 2.99 ERA on the year (up from 2.24 after the start against the Brewers). The .333/.467/.583 line opposing hitters put up over those eight innings left the opposition with a .214/.298/.321 line against Strasburg so far this season. He's surrendered nine home runs (0.87 HR/9) and 37 walks (3.07 BB/9), collected 107 Ks (9.06 K/9) and posted a 3.40 FIP over 108.0 IP.

Last year at the break? 2.82 ERA, 2.53 FIP, .221/.287/.339 line against, eight home runs (0.73 HR/9), 28 walks (2.55 BB/9) and 128 Ks (11.64 K/9) in 99.0 IP.

Strasburg probably would have preferred to get back on the mound right away, but the All-Star Break gave him a full week of rest between his 18th and what will be his 19th start of the season. Tomorrow night he'll take the mound against the Los Angeles Dodgers. While he'll be looking to bounce back from the rough outing against the Fish, as Strasburg told reporters after the start in Miami, it's no different than the way he approaches and tries to learn from every start.

"I think you're always trying to get better,"Strasburg said, "always trying to learn and I think it's these type of games where you've got nothing working that you can really just kind of take a step back and just pick it apart a little bit and kind of see your flaws a little bit more."

Davey Johnson has, of course, talked about just how critical of himself Strasburg is, joking earlier this season that, "He's such a perfectionist. Any little thing can -- even when a guy flies out, he'll wonder if he threw the pitch in the right spot. He's very critical of himself." So maybe a whole week between starts after an outing like the last one isn't the best thing for Strasburg.

"Even when a guy flies out, he'll wonder if he threw the pitch in the right spot. He's very critical of himself."- Davey Johnson on Stephen Strasburg earlier this season

Especially considering that he had a three-run lead before even taking the mound against the Marlins in a season in which he's been criminally under-supported by the Nationals' offense. Though the Nats scored 11 runs for the right-hander in his next-to-last start of the first half against the Padres, Strasburg finished the "first-half" of the 2013 campaign with the second-lowest average run support per start in the majors at 2.94 RS, tied with the Pirates' A.J. Burnett behind only the Chicago White Sox' Chris Sale (2.76 RS).

Strasburg's received two runs or less in eight of his starts this season which the Nationals lost. Six of those games were decided by two runs or less. Before that last outing in Miami, Nats' GM Mike Rizzo stumped for his starter and set the record straight for anyone who might think Strasburg's (5-7) record at the break is a sign of a struggling pitcher. Rizzo said he's taken it to another level this season.

"We break down every minute detail of everything he does. We get crazy when he shakes his arm too much and when he gives up two or three runs in a ballgame..."- Mike Rizzo on Stephen Strasburg on 106.7 the FAN in D.C.

"The bar for Stephen Strasburg is so extremely high from people from outside the organization,"Rizzo told 106.7 the FAN in D.C.'s Holden Kushner and Danny Rouhier last week. "This guy pitched terrifically all season -- for his whole career. Has he taken it to the next level? Yeah. The first time he stepped on the mound he took it to the next level and he continues to pitch extremely well. You're not going to throw a two-hit shutout and strike out 14 every every time out. This guy gives us a chance to win games every time he takes the mound. He's getting better and better each and every start. He's learning more about himself and more about the league each time out.

"The most analyzed pitcher since I've been doing this stuff has been Stephen Strasburg. We break down every minute detail of everything he does. We get crazy when he shakes his arm too much and when he gives up two or three runs in a ballgame, but this guy is one of the elite pitchers and he's continued to be an elite pitcher."

Strasburg will be back on the mound tomorrow night at 7:05 pm EDT for his first start of the second half. And barring any setbacks or hiccups or unforeseen events, he'll continue pitching until the last game of the season is played, which should thrill all the "people from outside the organization" who were so concerned with his innings limit last season...

More from Federal Baseball:

Yankees Prospects: Gary Sanchez and Rafael De Paula are midseason top prospects

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Minor League Ball and Keith Law have both released their midseason top prospect list and Gary Sanchez has placed on both. Rafael De Paula is the only other Yankees prospect to make one of the lists, making all other baby bombers lower than the top 75 and 50, respectively.

John Sickels of Minor League Ball ranked Sanchez at No. 35 after previously listing him at No. 46 before the season. He cited his ability to hit and his improvements behind the plate have led to his move up the chart. He was once again ranked as the third best catcher behind the Mets' Travis D'Arnaud (No. 22) and the Padres' Austin Hedges (No. 33), like he was on Fangraphs' list.

He also ranked Rafael De Paula at No. 48 after leaving him off his preseason list, stating that the more optimistic scouting reports have turned out to be true.

Tyler Austin, who he ranked No. 58, Mason Williams, who he ranked No. 64, and Slade Heathcott, who he ranked at No. 108 on the preseason list all missed the top 75 list. All three have had disappointing seasons to begin the year, but Williams and Austin have picked it up in recent months.

Keith Law ranked Gary Sanchez at No. 49 on his list of top 50 midseason prospects, making him the only Yankees prospect to crack his list. Law is a lot more critical of Sanchez, believing his stock has taken a hit because his receiving skills have regressed in 2013. It's on his offensive potential alone that he even placed him on the list at all.

On the season, Sanchez has hit .267/.329/.457 with 13 home runs for a 121 wRC+ and has thrown out 44% of base stealers, which is the best rate of his career. Unfortunately, he's also committed seven errors and allowed eight passed balls. In 64.1 innings, De Paula put up a 2.94 ERA, 2.03 FIP, and struck out 13.43 batters per nine innings in Low-A Charleston before being promoted to High-A Tampa.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

MLB Bullets Still Has No Games To Talk About

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This is awkward. They're haven't been any games since the last MLB Bullets, so the pickings on stories is slim. In the absence of major league games, I started watching Orange Is The New Black and I'm halfway through it and I'm only now realizing that it's not about the Giantsnew alternate uniforms. I mean, she could have gone to prison for those, couldn't she?

And tomorrow will be a better day that today, Buster. We'll be playing games again.

    90-year-old former minor leaguer sinks 2nd hole-in-one

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    At the age of 46, my golf outings have been reduced to once a year, and even then I have to warn wildlife nesting in the woods nearby that I have no idea where the ball is going once it leaves my club.

    Apparently, former minor leaguer Bucky Boehm doesn’t have that problem. The 90-year-old sank his second hole-in-one recently. His first one came in 1985. His latest came at Pine Valley Golf Links in Pelham, N.H. He used an 8-iron on the 125-yard hole, knocking it straight down the fairway. The hole is uphill though, so he didn’t know about the hole-in-one at first.

    "I couldn’t see it and then I started walking up toward the hole and I got there and I saw the ball in the bottom, and I said, 'Hey, Billy, it’s in the hole,'" Boehm recalled in an AP story. "I said, 'You come and look before I take it out.'"

    Boehm played six seasons (833 games) in the minor leagues from 1946-51, including one with the San Diego Padres who were in the Pacific Coast League at the time. Ironically, the modern day major league Padres wore PCL throwback jerseys recently.

    Boehm, whose real first name is Ed, never got a chance to play in the big leagues. He says hitting kept him from making it (he was a career .253 hitter with 47 home runs). He found another sport he loves though. He plays golf five times a week and has a 22-handicap.


    MLB Trade Rumor Analysis: Bud Norris

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    The Houston Astros have put Bud Norris on the trading block. It feels like there are trade rumors swirling around Norris every year but it seems the 2013 trade deadline is the best opportunity for Houston to trade him for the most value. With the Chicago Cubs supposedly asking a king's ransom for Matt Garza, a free agent to be with a long, detailed injury history, Norris provides a more controllable, younger alternative. Only arbitration eligible for the first time this season, Norris won't be a free agent until 2016 when he'll be 31.

    The Astros aren't going anywhere this year or the next and they have a couple young, high-upside arms in Jarred Cosart, Lance McMullers Jr. and Mike Foltynewicz developing in the minors. Having a pitcher who will be getting more and more expensive through the 2015 season doesn't seem necessary for a team that isn't going to be competitive in the not-so-distant future. Therefore, Bud Norris is an intriguing trade option for contending teams and others that are looking for an innings-eaters that could be a stable back-end rotation piece.

    Player Analysis

    As mentioned before, Norris became arbitration eligible for the first time this past winter and settled for a $3 million salary with the Astros, making him the highest paid player on Houston's roster. He'll be a free agent after the 2015 season so he provides some intriguing long-term value. Norris isn't very expensive this year but he's on pace to have the best season of his career so he may be due for a raise next year.

    Norris doesn't boast a very eclectic pitch arsenal with a four-seamer, sinker, changeup and slider. Since debuting in 2009, his fastball velocity had been steadily decreasing but has seen a bounce back in 2013, averaging about 93 MPH. Velocity may have somewhat returned in 2013 but his strikeout rate has plummeted. From 2009 until 2012, it hovered around 22-23% but has dropped to 16.7% this year. But he is posting a career low 7.4% walk rate!

    Once thing Norris has always had a problem with is home runs. His HR/FB% has usually been 1-3% higher than the league average, leading to an xFIP that has always been lower than his ERA and FIP. Since we have three full seasons to work with, it could be assumed that he was going to continue to be homer-prone. But right now, Norris is sporting a 5.8% HR/FB rate. His batted ball profile has been practically identical with his career norms so it seems that he has been getting lucky and not making a significant improvement. The midseason xFIP of 4.35 warns of an impending regression in the second half of 2013.

    Norris has had his fair share of nicks and bruises and has only eclipsed 180 innings once. At the All-Star break in 2013, he had thrown 114 innings. Batters are making contact more often (79.6% contact rate in 2013) and he's thriving on a significant boost in first-strike percentage (65.2%) so he's seemingly become more efficient. His BABIP is higher than it has ever been (.326). At this rate, it looks like Norris is getting a little bit unlucky with balls put in play but he's getting ahead of batters more often than before. It's looking like he might be able to reach 190, maybe even 200 innings this year. He's not going to be on the leaderboards with innings pitched but durability shouldn't be a concerned.

    Overall, Norris has been slightly better than replacement level over his first three full seasons, averaging 1.4 fWAR every year. At the All-Star break, he's already accumulated 2.1 fWAR in 2013. He is still just 28 years old and may still be improving but we have a pretty good snapshot of the pitcher Norris is: decent-to-good strikeout rate with average control and prone to the long ball. If we're buying into his significantly lower HR/FB rate in 2013 and expect it to continue, Norris could end up being worth more than three wins this year. Earning just $3 million in his first year of arbitration eligibility, he is definitely going to command more next year. Wins are worth about $5 million and Norris should continue to be worth one-and-a-half wins and possibly more throughout 2015. Arbitration should keep his salary down, leaving teams the ability to extract considerable value from an innings eater with good strikeout potential.

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    Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports

    Market Analysis

    Who are the other starting pitchers believed to be on the block? Teams such as the Brewers, Twins, Marlins, Cubs, White Sox, Mariners, Royals and Padres can arguably be considered out of contention and may be positioned as "sellers."

    Of these eight teams, I think we can safely say that those controlled, dominant starting pitchers such as Jose Fernandez, Felix Hernandez and Jeff Samardzija. Teams have apparently been lining around the block to inquire about Chris Sale from the White Sox but after signing a team-friendly, long-term deal, I highly doubt he'll be wearing a different uniform after July unless Chicago is completely blown away by some offer.

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    Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports

    But there are a couple controllable starters that may be on the block such as Yovani Gallardo, Carlos Villanueva and John Danks. Gallardo is an intriguing option to "buy low" as he's in the middle of his worst season but has a proven track record of being a productive starting pitcher, accumulating 12.4 fWAR from 2009-12 and averaging 195 innings a season. He's earning $7.75 million this year but his salary will rise to $11.25 million next year. The deal also holds a $13 million team option in 2015 with a $600,000 buyout. Younger than Norris at just 27 years old, Gallardo may be the best controllable starter if Milwaukee puts him on the block.

    Carlos Villanueva was signed by the Cubs in October for 2 years and $10 million to serve as a back-end starter who could also shift into the bullpen. Although his strikeout rate has dropped, Villanueva's walk rate has improved and his groundball percentage is at its highest since 2008. This and a significantly lower fly ball rate have led to a career low 3.77 FIP/3.85 xFIP. Chicago isn't going to catch the Cardinals, Reds or Pirates and have already traded Scott Feldman and are currently weighing offers on Matt Garza, who is likely to be traded this week. With another starter about to be traded, I think the Cubs will keep Villanueva this year to hold down the back-end of their rotation.

    John Danks had shown serious promise when he was younger, breaking out with a 3.44 FIP in 195 innings for the White Sox in 2008. Injuries have sidetracked his career throughout the past couple years, culminating with surgery to repair a capsule tear in his left shoulder in the summer of 2012. He's been able to pitch 62.2 innings before the All-Star break but doesn't seem to be getting the excellent results that he used to. More prone to homeruns than ever before, his ERA and FIP have swollen to 4.31/4.64 but his xFIP argues that he's still a productive pitcher. His batted ball profile has been very similar to his successful years so perhaps he's just been getting unlucky with his HR/FB rate. Danks has never had substantial strikeout potential and has thrived on control. Although it's rather smaller sample size, Danks has posted an impressive 3.2% walk rate. Still only 28 years old, there may be some good years ahead for Danks. But with the upside comes a hefty price tag. From 2013 until 2016, Danks will be earning $14.25 million. Contending teams may not want to take a risk on an expensive pitcher coming off of major shoulder surgery.

    There are also a handful of free-agent-to-be starters that are believed to be available such as Matt Garza and Phil Hughes. Much has been written about Garza over the past few weeks and appears a lock to be dealt.

    The Yankees have been staying afloat in the AL East race despite tons of injuries to their aging core. With Michael Pineda waiting in the minors and Phil Hughes a free agent to be, New York has understandably been fielding offers for the intriguing pitcher. Hughes has shown some promise over his career but struggles with inconsistency and durability, leaving doubt about whether he would be a rotation upgrade for some contending teams. Inquiring teams may be thinking of him as a bullpen piece that he excelled in earlier in his career. Needless to say, Hughes may get traded but I think more teams will be interested in the similar but cheaper and more controllable Norris.

    Potential Matches

    Jeff Passan has kindly done most of the work already, listing some possible matches for Bud Norris. The Rangers keeping tabs on Norris as an alternative to Garza isn't surprising nor is the Giants as Ryan Vogelsong and Tim Lincecum may be pitching their last seasons in San Francisco. Toronto is interesting because even if Josh Johnson leaves this offseason, Kyle Drabek should be recovered and able to slide into his rotation spot. Considering how unlucky the Blue Jays have been with starting pitching injuries over the past couple years, they actually make for a conceivable landing spot. Personally, I'd expect the Angels and Indians to jump into the bidding war as dark horses as well.

    The Rangers

    Texas always seems to be looking for ways to improve their rotation. With Colby Lewis still rebuilding arm strength after last year's Tommy John surgery and Matt Harrison not expected back until September, Jon Daniels and company may view Norris as a better option than Martin Perez as the fifth starter. With a farm system plentiful with young, high-upside players, Texas will quickly have the upper hand over its competitors. Perhaps they could dangle an intriguing ranked prospect such as Joey Gallo in trade talks.

    The Giants

    Tim Lincecum and Ryan Vogelsong are free agents to be and San Francisco has to be concerned with Matt Cain's sudden implosion this year. With reigning NL MVP Buster Posey still performing well and Pablo Sandoval assumingly getting healthy over the All-Star break, don't be surprised if the Giants make a run at the up-for-grabs NL West. Their playoff odds are low but an acquisition such as Bud Norris could stabilize their rotation and allow them to try to trade Lincecum for outfield help. Edwin Escobar or Andrew Susac could pose as decent trade bait that Houston could ask for.

    The Blue Jays

    Toronto made a big splash this offseason and traded a lot of their rising talent but still have some prospects to spare. Josh Johnson is due to become a free agent next year, J.A. Happ is recovering from concussion symptoms and Brandon Morrow continues to struggle to stay healthy. The instability of their rotation may be the primary factor in their reported interested in Norris. That being said, Kyle Drabek should be back for the start of 2014, Esmil Rogers has had some great spot starts and they always have the option of stretching Brett Cecil out, even though he has been lights out in the bullpen. With Houston owning all of the leverage in trade talks, I think Toronto acquiring Norris could be considered a long shot.

    The Dark Horses

    I wouldn't be surprised to see the Angels reported as a potential landing spot for Norris. Joe Blanton has been a disaster since signing with Anaheim, Jason Vargas (a free agent to be nonetheless) is still recovering from a blood clot and Tommy Hanson, hasn't been able to stay healthy and effective. The Angels aren't rolling out a gigantic payroll just to be a distant third behind Texas and Oakland and I think Norris would be a better option than Garrett Richards or Jerome Williams.

    The Indians have reportedly been interested in Matt Garza but I think they will fall short as playoff contenders this year. Detroit should run away with the division in the second half and the Rays, Rangers and Athletics are simply better teams that will be duking it out for the wildcard. Therefore, Cleveland should be looking for future pitching help instead of for the present. Scott Kazmir was a scrap heap pickup that has been pitching better as of late but Norris would provide more durability and innings in the long run. Ubaldo Jimenez has an $8 million team option for 2014, which Cleveland will likely use, but if he falls apart in the second half, they could have Norris as insurance.

    Overall, Bud Norris has been a serviceable innings-eater that could be a viable #4 or #5 starter on most teams. Cheap and controllable with strikeout potential, he provides considerable long-term value for inquiring teams. Although he may not be as attractive as other controlled starters such as Gallardo, Norris is in the middle of a career year and may continue to improve. With such a low payroll, the Astros shouldn't really have a burning desire to trade him but if they're planning on getting two top prospects for Norris, perhaps now is the best time to sell high.

    . . .

    All stats courtesy of Fangraphs and Brooks Baseball. Contract information courtesy of Baseball Reference.

    Mike Mulvenna is a writer for Beyond the Box Score.

    You can follow him on twitter @mkmulv.

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    MLB trade deadline: Dodgers needs at third base

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    The non-waiver trade deadline is a mere 12 days away, and third base is a position of need for the Dodgers.

    The team has used a combination of players this season trying to fill the hot corner. Luis Cruz began the season as the starter but before the end of April hit his way out of a full-time job. Cruz started 20 games at third base, Nick Punto started 14 and Jerry Hairston started 11 at the position. Juan Uribe, in what has been a remarkably resurgent season, has helped stabilize the position somewhat with 49 starts at third.

    Dodgers third baseman are 26th in MLB in OPS (.631), 24th in batting average (.232), 21st in on-base percentage (.305), 28th in slugging percentage (.326), 25th in wOBA (25th), 22nd in wRC+ (76), 27th in total bases (111) and tied for 26th in home runs (five).

    Offense isn't everything, of course, and thanks to the defense of Cruz, now gone, and Uribe, the Dodgers are closer to the middle of the pack, 14th overall in FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement (1.7).

    The bulk, if not all of that production has come from Uribe, who is hitting .270/.343/.413 with 10 doubles and five home runs in 71 games. Uribe's OPS+ of 113 is higher than Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp and A.J. Ellis, and compared to his putrid production in the first two years (.199/.262/.289 in 2011-2012, a 54 OPS+) Uribe has been a godsend.

    But to count on Uribe going forward is a risky proposition. Uribe has started 22 of the last 32 games at third base, with the 35-year-old Punto and 37-year-old Hairston in reserve. Acquiring a third baseman with some stability is obviously preferred, but is there anyone out there?

    Aramis Ramirez

    The 35-year-old is hitting .271/.359/.414 with five home runs and 11 doubles in 51 games this season after averaging .297/.359/.534, 28 home runs and 97 RBI over the previous nine years. He is currently on the disabled list with a left knee injury, but could be back as early as Monday, per Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

    Finding out if Ramirez is healthy will go a long way in determining whether the Dodgers want to take on the remainder of his $10 million salary this season (approximately $3.8 million if acquired Tuesday), $16 million in 2014 and a mutual option for 2015 or a $4 million buyout, per Cot's Contracts.

    With the Brewers 18 games under .500 they might be looking to offload other pieces as well, like one of their relievers or even starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo, so Ramirez and his salary could be part of a larger trade.

    Michael Young

    The standard wish list of Phillies, starting pitcher Cliff Lee and second baseman Chase Utley, requires a loss of faith by the Philadelphia front office in their ability to contend. But a deal for the 36-year-old Young, a free agent after the season, seems far more likely to happen regardless of what happens on the field for the Phillies in the next two weeks.

    Young is hitting .288/.344/.414 with 18 doubles and six home runs in 89 games, and honestly would anyone be surprised if the Bishop Amat grad and UCSB Gaucho ends up in Los Angeles? The Phillies are only on the hook for $6 million of Young's $16 million salary in 2013, so they may not be in a huge rush to save roughly $2.3 million.

    Trevor Plouffe

    The 27-year-old is hitting .265/.323/.445 with 10 home runs in 2013, on pace for a roughly similar season to 2012 when he hit .235/.301/.455 with 24 home runs. There is no real indication that Plouffe is even on the block, but 20-year-old Miguel Sano is a top 10 prospect in all of baseball and could take over at third base for the Twins in a year or so.

    Plouffe has one year, 162 days of service time and will be a Super Two in 2014, the first of four years of arbitration eligibility, making this a long-term play.

    Chase Headley

    What a difference a year makes. Headley finished sixth in the National League MVP race in 2012, but now the 29-year-old is hitting just .229/.330/.359 with seven home runs in 82 games in 2013. Perhaps the Padres wouldn't require a king's ransom for the player looking less like the one who hit 23 home runs in 75 games after the 2012 All-Star break and looking more like the one with 51 home runs in his 697 other major league games.

    But Headley, who is making $8.575 million in 2013 and has one more year of arbitration eligibility before hitting free agency, sounds like he isn't going anywhere any time soon. As Jon Heyman of CBS Sports noted Wednesday, "People who have spoken to the Padres have the impression it would take a special prospect to make the Padres even consider a trade for Headley."

    Tucson Padres Walk Off With A Win

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    At least one team named the Padres picked up a win on Friday night. It took them 10 innings but Tucson walked away with an 8-7 win over Colorado Springs. Walked off with a win, as a matter of fact. Jaff Decker singled in Gregorio Petit in the bottom of the tenth to give his homie Miles Mikolas the win. I'm just assuming they're homies. They might hate each other for all I know; I sure hope not.

    Anthony Bass got the start and gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk in five innings. This managed to bring his ERA down to a still-robust 7.48 after nine starts in AAA. Jorge Reyes came in and gave up a pair of earned runs in an inning and then Brad Brach gave up one of his own in the the first of his two innings. Mikolas was nearly perfect in the ninth and tenth, allowing no hits and one walk.

    Four Padres had multi-hit games, led by center fielder Jaff Decker and third baseman Scott Moore's four-hit showings. Double play duo Dean Anna and Gregorio Petit each had a pair of hits and all four scored at least one run. Anna's .331 BA is good for fifth in the PCL, right behind former teammate Rene Rivera, who is now with the major league Padres. His 30 doubles are second in the league. Moore's 26 are good for fourth and right between them is former Friar Aaron Cunningham with 27.

    The Padres and Sky Sox go at it again at 7:05pm Saturday for the third game of a four game set. The two teams are even after the first pair and Robbie Erlin will assigned with putting the TuPads up 2-1 in the series.

    Cubs trade rumors: Matt Garza to Rangers deal on hold

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    After a trade between the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers involving Matt Garza was considered to be close for most of the day on Friday, talks lost momentum after the sides exchanged medical records, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports.

    The Cubs had medical concerns about one of the players they were receiving in the deal, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan, who notes that possibly-involved prospects Mike Olt and Neil Ramirez have recently dealt with physical issues. A Garza-to-Rangers deal is still a possibility, according to Sullivan, but there is also a chance that he could end up with one of the multiple other teams who have been pursuing him.

    There has been "no significant headway Saturday toward striking a deal", according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who reveals that yesterday's stalled deal was set to send Garza and another player to Texas in exchange for a package of prospects that included Olt, Ramirez, shortstop Luis Sardinas and pitcher C.J. Edwards.

    Passan notes that Cubs' reliever James Russellwas also discussed between the two teams, so he is possibly the sixth player involved in the proposed deal.

    A mystery team in the National League "could intercept Texas' efforts and get Garza", according to Gordon Wittenmeyer, who also notes that the mystery team is not the Nationals or Cardinals. The Pirates, Diamondbacks, Dodgers and Padres have shown interest in Garza along with American League teams like the Indians, Blue Jays and Red Sox.

    Washington was rumored earlier in the day to be the mystery team that Wittenmeyer mentioned, but a later report indicates that the Nats are not willing to pick up the remainder of Garza's contract. A new entry into the Garza sweepstakes on Saturday is the Oakland Athletics, who FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal says "would love to have Garza if the price is right."

    At this point, nothing is for certain. Garza will almost definitely be traded before his start on Sunday, but with as many as ten teams showing interest in him, his destination is completely up in the air. Any of the teams who have been linked to him--the Athletics, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Indians, Rangers, Nationals, Cardinals, Pirates, Dodgers, Padres and Diamondbacks--could swoop in and acquire him at the last minute.

    More from MLB Daily Dish:

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    Jake Peavy rumors: Red Sox, others interested in White Sox pitcher

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    Plenty of eyes will be on Chicago White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy when he makes his start against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, his first since June 4 due to a rib injury.

    For more on the White Sox, head over toSouth Side Sox

    Peavy is drawing trade interest from the Boston Red Sox, who are "doing background work" on the 32-year-old right-hander, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. The Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies are also reportedly involved in discussions with the White Sox regarding Peavy..

    The 6'1, 195-pound native of Alabama owned a 4.30 ERA with 66 strikeouts and 15 walks in 67 innings before landing on the disabled list with a fractured rib.

    2012 marked a return to form for Peavy, who was a dominant pitcher for the San Diego Padres before winding up with the White Sox in late-2009 and struggling during the two ensuing seasons. Peavy posted a 3.37 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 32 starts, the most he made since 2007, and earned a spot on the American League All-Star squad.

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