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

Joe Nathan is being shopped by the Rangers for an established hitter, other teams say. More than just internal talks.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 28, 2013

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

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

3 days until the deadline!

It was a busy weekend around MLB and here at MLBDD. Here's a quick recap of everything you need to know before the deadline.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read more from MLB Daily Dish:

• Tigers acquire Jose Veras
• Angels looking to sell
• Jake Peavy rumors: Athletics, Red Sox, Cardinals, Orioles remain in the mix
• Orioles interested in Michael Young, Justin Morneau
• Phillies say Young's available, but not Lee

There came a man from Kentucky,

who believed the Reds were unlucky.

So he called a show,

and caused quite a row,

and plead that they be less sucky.

There's no need to cry to your madres,

the Redlegs now play the Padres.

They'll all cross the plate,

and then win 3 straight,

because of their well-trained cadres.

So if you'd like to call him baby,

or you'd like to tell him maybe,

buy him some flowers,

and he'll talk for hours,

'bout Leake, Arroyo, and Bailey.

He'll talk about Hamilton's hitting,

and if Heisey or Derrick is sitting.

They'll quote Lou Brown,

to cheer up your frown,

and won't say Homer is quitting.

You can hear him blab on forever,

while he sat there and thought he was clever.

He'll say "so" and "umm,"

and sound like a bum,

but please listen to his endeavor!

Just go ahead now!

Yesterday was quite the night for baseball. Fernando Rodney pitched in the most intense situation of the day while Chris Denorfia provided the most win probability in a pinch-hitting appearance against Aroldis Chapman. Monday provided a couple division lead match-ups such as the Red Sox/Rays and Pirates/Cardinals but perhaps the most exciting games involved come from behind wins and clutch walk-off hits.

The Smallest Sample Size -- Game Results for 7/29/13

Photo credit: Getty Images

Rays 2, Red Sox 1

David Price continued the Rays' incredible hot streak throughout the month of July with over seven innings of two-hit, one-run ball. With a 40 minute rain delay, Joe Maddon had a decision to make. Price had just thrown 82 pitches in seven innings. After running the count to 3-0 but coming back to strikeout Jonny Gomes, Maddon pulled the hook on Price and went to the bullpen. Joel Peralta came into the game and gave up two hits but the game was saved by an excellent throw from web-gem extraordinaire, Sam Fuld, who gunned down Daniel Nava at home plate. Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth in the highest leverage situation of the day (5.63 pLI).

Felix Doubront was a bit mroe hittable than usual, allowing eight hits and three walks in just five innings. Boston just couldn't string any hits together against the surging Rays.

Angels 3, Rangers 4

Texas had gone 26 straight innings until they scored a run in the sixth inning of yesterday's game against the Angels. Heading into the ninth down 3-2 with Ernesto Frieri coming into the game, the Rangers had a win expectancy of 22.4%. Then, A.J. Pierzynski led off with a solo homer that shot their chances of winning to 65.2%. Nelson Cruz singled but was erased from basepaths due to David Murphy grounding into a double play. With two outs in the ninth of a tie ball game, Geovany Soto smashed a walk-off homerun to win the game (.439 WPA). It's a pretty amazing feat to have two catchers hit a homerun in the same game, let alone the same inning.

Jered Weaver, diminished velocity and all, was able to stifle the Rangers lineup for seven innings, only allowing one run on five hits and six strikeouts. Mike Trout got on base in all four of his plate appearances but the Angels were only able to bring him across home plate once. Matt Garza gave up three runs on five hits in seven innings. On the year, opposing batters are only averaging .220 against the righthander but much can be contributed to his career low .259 BABIP. FIP, xFIP and SIERA all envision some regression coming Garza's way but Texas can only hope that he can continue to outlast the projection of his underlying peripherals.

White Sox 2, Indians 3

Another walk-off!! Jason Giambi, 42 years old and somehow still playing baseball, let alone in the major leagues, came off the bench as a pinch hitter and crushed a homerun off of Ramon Troncoso. In just one plate appearance, Giambi added the most winning probability of Cleveland's lineup (.366 WPA) and played in the highest leverage situation (2.24 pLI). Fun fact: Carlton Fisk actually leads in the most number of games over forty years old while contributing over .300 WPA with 18. Barry Bonds was fourth with 12.

Zach McAllister continued his breakout season, hurling seven innings with five hits and two runs. Only managing two strikeouts, McAllister has been far too hittable to have such a low ERA. With a low groundball rate of 37.9% and a meager swinging strike percentage of 6.8%, FIP, xFIP and SIERA all suggest a regression is looming over the Indians' starter. Since we only have two partial MLB seasons as background, it's hard to figure out if McAllister is just better at preventing homeruns. After posting a 12.1% HR/FB rate last year, in 2013 it's down to 6.9%. Only the Steamer projection thinks he'll finish the season with an ERA under four.

Cardinals 2, Pirates 9

Pedro Alvarez hit a three run homer in the bottom of the first and that's all the Pirates really needed to beat the Cardinals. In this battle for first place in the NL Central, Francisco Liriano has officially regained his absolutely dominant 2006 form. With a 2.16 ERA and a FIP of just 2.65, Liriano has been a pivotal asset to Pittsburgh's division race and likely will continue to be. At this point, the Pirates are a shoe-in for the playoffs as Baseball Prospectus projects that they have a 97% of playing meaningful baseball in October.

Jake Westbrook's regression continued yesterday as he allowed four runs on three walks and four hits in just five innings. With a 2013 HR/FB rate (5.8%) just under half of his career average (11.4%) and the lowest strikeout rate of his career (8.5%), all signs point towards Westbrook having an underwhelming second half (4.72 xFIP). Perhaps John Mozeliak and the St. Louis front office are aware of this and that's why we're seeing their name thrown around in Jake Peavy and other starting pitching rumors. As the Reds and Pirates are both proving to be viable contenders this year, St. Louis isn't really a guarantee to win the division.

Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports

Rockies 8, Braves 9

The Braves and Rockies battled in an absolute slugfest Monday night. Brandon Beachy made his first major league start since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year but gave up seven earned runs on eight hits that included two homeruns in under four innings. Jorde De La Rosa was just as bad, allowing eight runs (five earned) on ten hits in five innings.

Carlos Gonzalez went five-for-five and tied the game with a single that scored Dexter Fowler in the eighth inning. After Charlie Blackmon led off the bottom of the eighth with a strikeout and the Braves leading 8-7, it surely looked like Atlanta was going to win (91.6% win expectancy). Jordan Walden walked the tying run with Fowler and then gave up two hits to DJ LeMahieu and CarGo, plummeting their win expectancy to 41.8%.

Scott Downs was just traded from the Angels to the Braves and landed in Colorado just to be thrown into one of the highest leverage situations of the day (4.04 pLI), where he excelled, only allowing a hit in 1.1 innings. Dan Uggla led off with a walk in the 10th inning and Andrelton Simmons (.404 WPA) continued his power burst with another clutch hit, this time a triple for a walk-off win.

Mets 6, Marlins 5

This was another back-and-forth game. The Marlins had an 86.8% win expectancy in the middle of the sixth inning only to see it fall to 34.6% by the bottom of the seventh. Jeremy Hefner struggled with control, walking five and allowing three runs on four hits in under six innings. Jacob Turner got an additional three outs but posted a similar line of five hits, three walks and five runs. Striking out two around a hit and a walk in the ninth inning, Bobby Parnell continued to be excellent in high leverage situations (4.62 pLI last night).

Brewers 5, Cubs 0

Yesterday's game was quite the pitchers due between Kyle Lohse and Jeff Samardzija. Lohse (.350 WPA) was great in six shutout innings, walking three and allowing five hits but struck out six. Meanwhile, Shark was even better (.436 WPA), only allowing three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in seven innings. Then the game went to the Cubs bullpen and all hell broke loose. Pedro Strop, believed to be the heir to the closer role if Kevin Gregg were to be traded, allowed five runs in one-third of an innings thanks to a walk and three hits. Only Ernestro Frieri (-.776 WPA) hurt his team's chances of winning more than Strop (-.481).

Blue Jays 4, Athletics 9

The Athletics are 20 games over .500 in late July. Moneyball wins!! Esmil Rogers was run out of the game after four and a third unimpressive innings where he gave up six earned runs on nine hits and three walks. A.J. Griffin stumbled throughout his seven innings but the Blue Jays never really threatened to make this a competitive game after Yoenis Cespedes tripled in the first. In fact, at the end of the first inning, Oakland had an 87% win expectancy.

Reds 1, Padres 2

Yes, another walk-off! Mike Leake and JJ Hoover had completely silenced the Padres for eight innings but somehow Aroldis Chapman and his 100+ MPH fastball couldn't close the door. Heading into the ninth inning, the Reds had an 82.3% win expectancy. Once Yonder Alonso led off the inning with a walk against the Cuban flamethrower, it dropped to 69.1%. Still, when you have as dominant of a reliever as Chapman pitching in the ninth, it's not necessary to get too worried. Until Chris Denorfia crushed a fastball for the longest walk-off homerun in the history of Petco Park. Pinch hitting for Will Venable, Denorfia was thrown into the highest leverage at-bat of the day (5.41 pLI) and amassed a .691 WPA in just one plate appearance.

. . .

All statistics courtesy of Fangraphs.

Mike Mulvenna is a writer at Beyond The Box Score. You can follow him on Twitter at @mkmulv.

More from Beyond the Box Score:

• SaberSphere 7/30: Trade Deadline, Josh Gibson, & CC Sabathia
• Trade Deadline Countdown: Relievers on the Move
• The Decline of CC Sabathia
• The Smallest Sample Size 07/28/13: Puig Out
• The Next Cub To Go

I've done this a couple times before, when the Padreswere playing the Marlins and then when they were in Milwaukee. The premise is about as basic as premises get; I just look at all of the players who have played for both the Padres and whatever other team, and then construct a 25-man roster. I just use a player's career as a whole when considering them; how long they played for each team or how they did with them doesn't come into play. And since the Reds are in town, this time I'll be making a team of guys who were Padres and Reds. Padreds, if you will. Let's start with the starting lineup:

C- Benito Santiago
1B- Yonder Alonso
2B- Bret Boone
SS- Tony Fernandez
3B- Kevin Mitchell
LF- Greg Vaughn
CF- Jim Edmonds
RF- Reggie Sanders

I have a feeling Benito is going to be showing up on a lot of these; the man got around. Surprisingly, Yonder was the only first baseman out of 105 guys who played for both teams. Like, the only actual first baseman. Reggie Sanders gets the nod over two guys on the bench with similar numbers because, unlike them, he was a true right fielder whereas each of them played there only sparingly. The rest of the bench is also solid as well as versatile:

C/1B- Ramon Hernandez
Util.- Bip Roberts
3B/1B/OF- Russell Branyan
OF- Mike Cameron
OF- Ron Gant

I wanted so badly to include Chris Denorfia when I started compiling this, and even more so after what he did last night. I just couldn't honestly allow myself to bump either Cameron or Gant.

Rotation:
Mat Latos
David Wells
Aaron Harang
Danny Jackson
Joey Hamilton

I was surprised how good Danny Jackson was. I knew he was a decent middle of the rotation starter for a good while but just discovered he was Cy Young runner-up in 1988 and sixth in 1994. Sadly, his days of being good were over by the time he came to San Diego for a couple months in '97 and finished his career on a low note. He and the other four will be backed by a solid, if not particularly flashy, bullpen:

Relievers:
Randy Myers
Scott Williamson
Micah Owings
Greg A. Harris
Chuck McElroy
Jack Baldschun
Jon Adkins

Like Jackson, Williamson didn't have much success in San Diego but did everywhere beforehand. Adkins' career was short but he was effective, especially with the 2006 NL West Champion Padres. Owings gets the nod over some fringe guys because of his bat, and Harris probably would have made it anyway but the fact that he switch-pitched in a game seals the deal.

I could see this team making the playoffs. In what division and what year that would be happening I couldn't tell you, but sure, they could beat some teams some years. Not a lot of megastars, just a bunch of tough outs from top to bottom along with good, generally reliable pitching.

Admittedly I've not been paying close attention to Padres trade rumors. For about three weeks there, I just didn't care. "Trade them all!" I yelled in my head, silently to myself.

In the last week though I've become slightly aware that Luke Gregerson's name seemed to be brought up more than others. He was deemed the Padres most valuable trade chip. Playoff contenders need relief pitching and he's proven to be better than Huston Street in every way except his post game interviews.

Then there was talk of Carlos Quentin. He's the guy with the "power bat" and the no trade clause, but all it takes is for Quentin to agree to waive his rights and he could be sent off to parts unknown too.

Chase Headley could also be traded, but the Padres don't want to sell low.

Then today Joel Sherman says it's doubtful the Padres will trade anyone at all.

#Padres feeling better about future offense, not moving Quentin or Headley in this mkt, and more doubtful even rlvrs Gregerson/Thatcher move

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 30, 2013

That's either unabashed optimism after one walk-off win in two months or a way of driving up the price of their assets. You won't give us what we want? Then have it your way, go ahead and lose in the playoffs. It's a method that's been working for spoiled kids for generations.

Padres are listening on Gregerson/Thatcher interest, but they'd have to be inspired by an offer to move either guy.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 30, 2013

It appears that the Padres will only play a bit part in the great trade theater this year.

Buddy Black interview with Darren Smith (MP3)

• A power hitter can change the game with one hit as long as a team's pitching can keep them in the game. "It proves what power can do."
• Black wanted Yonder Alonso, Chris Denorfia and Carlos Quentin to face Aroldis Chapman. Black was hoping that Alonso or Denorfia would get on base and Quentin would pitch hit for Luke Gregerson and hit the homer.
• Denorfia in Black's opinion is real good against left handed and fastball pitchers.
• Black senses that Quentin will be okay to play today. He was a late scratch yesterday, but as far as Black knows Quentin isn't being considered for a trade. They need him as a middle of the order offensive player for the next couple of years.
• The Padres will be playing during the trade deadline. GM Josh Byrnes and his staff are working the phones. He's talked over scenarios with other clubs, but both teams need to be motivated. "It takes two to tango."
  
• "We know what we need and we're trying to get it."
  We know what we need and we're trying to get it. -Bud Black
  But they don't want to do anything outlandish that will weaken them in other areas. "We're trying." They're trying to strengthen their pitching. They feel good about their position players. They can't count on injured players coming back.
• Cory Luebke and Joe Wieland will not be pitching in a major league uniform this season. "It's doubtful." They'll hopefully be pitching in winter league.
• Black thinks that Will Venable has a legitimate chance to win a gold glove. "His name will be discussed in clubhouses across the National League, for sure."
• There will be no secrets tonight. The Padres know Mat Latos throws and the Reds know what Edinson Volquez throws. It'll be about which offense can take advantage of the pitcher's mistakes. "We need our guy to out pitch him."
  
• Mark Carlson will be the umpire behind the plate. "I like Mark he's solid." Both pitchers wear their emotions on their sleeves.
• Latos was awful good for the Padres in 2010. "I'm impressed by Mat's 'going to post' and being durable." He's matured and understands the responsibility of a Major League starting pitcher. He's taken care of himself and his work ethic is good.
• Black is looking forward to the Yankees series and Derek Jeter being in the lineup. Oakland gave Mariano Rivera a surfboard, the standard San Diego gift. "We can't double up on the surfboard, that's brutal. Maybe our surfboard is better."

The Arizona Diamondbacks are now considered likely to land either Jake Peavy or Bud Norris, and are suddenly working to trade pitcher Ian Kennedy before the deadline as well. According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the Angels are hopeful of landing the 28-year old right-hander from Arizona.

Also on #Angels: Source says team "hopeful" of landing #DBacks’ Kennedy. Interest first reported by @JonHeymanCBS.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2013

Steve Gilbert of MLB.com notes that the Padres are also interested in acquiring Kennedy, and ESPN's Buster Olney speculates that the Cubs would be a good fit as well. The Angels seem to be most aggressive on the right-hander, and are willing to move major league players to get any deal done.

Kennedy, who finished fourth in last year's NL Cy Young award voting, is 3-7 with a 5.22 ERA, 7.6 K/9, and 3.4 BB/9 in 20 starts on the season. The Diamondbacks are shopping both him and outfielder Jason Kubel in an effort to clear salary space for the potential addition of Peavy.

I interviewed Padres legendary closer Trevor Hoffman a few months ago. I've been milking it since then, just giving you little snippets or our conversation. I'd let you listen to the whole thing, but I hate the way my voice sounds, it makes my skin crawl.

With the Padres/Yankees series approaching I thought I'd share Hoffman's thoughts on the topic. Today we'll learn if the Trevor Hoffman from a few months ago thinks he'll be involved Mariano Rivera's farewell tour stop.

I also ask him if the Padres are going to gift Rivera with another surfboard, perhaps a custom Trevor Hoffman long board. I like how Hoffman chuckles after every one of my questions, it makes my heart feel good.

This not so new "news" comes on the heels of us learning that the Oakland Athletics just gave Mariana Rivera a surfboard, even though they know that's our thing!

Ugh. I hate the A's, so much! Know this about me, I hate the A's forever and always.

Photo credit: Ezra Shaw

As a result Geoff from Ducksnorts asked the question we were all wondering.

@ducksnorts seriously. They should have gotten him riot gear or something.

— Gaslamp Ball (@gaslampball) July 30, 2013

Many of the players indicted in the Biogenesis scandal will agree to suspensions handed down by Major League Baseball within the next 72 hours, according to Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan.

Three players who were selected to the 2013 MLB All-Star Game -- Jhonny Peralta of the Detroit Tigers, Nelson Cruz of the Texas Rangers and Everth Cabrera of the San Diego Padres -- face punishment, in addition to fellow big-leaguer Francisco Cervelli of the New York Yankees, who is currently on the 60-day disabled list.

Minor leaguers Jesus Montero, Fernando Martinez and Cesar Puello are expected to be disciplined as well, as are free-agent pitchers Jordan Norberto and Fautino De Los Santos. Suspensions could also be handed down to, and accepted by, players whose names have not been leaked, league sources told Passan.

Plea deals for those players will reportedly allow them to play near the end of the season and into the playoffs, per Passan.

Bartolo Colon, Melky Cabrera and Yasmani Grandal are also on the Biogenesis list, but those players likely won't be affected because of their previous suspensions for failed tests.

Alex Rodriguez's camp still plans to appeal any punishment handed down to the veteran third baseman, so his situation will likely differ significantly from the other players linked to the investigation.

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• Commish could use special power to ban A-Rod

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• All our trade deadline coverage

The San Diego Padres have acquired right-hander Ian Kennedy from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for left-hander Joe Thatcher, minor league pitcher Matt Stites and a compensation round B draft pick, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock.

Kennedy, who drew interest from the Angels and Cubs in addition to the Padres, was recently made available by Arizona after struggling throughout the season. The 28-year old is 3-8 with a 5.23 ERA, 7.8 K/9, and 3.5 BB/9 in 21 starts on the season, but is only two years removed from finishing fourth in the NL Cy Young award after posting a 21-4 record and 2.88 ERA in 33 starts. He is under team control through the 2015 season, and presents the Padres with the rotation arm that they have been looking for all summer.

Thatcher, 31, has been one of the hottest names available on the relief market, and has drawn interest from teams like the Red Sox and Braves. The left-hander is 3-1 with a 2.10 ERA, 8.7 K/9, and 1.2 BB/9 on the season in 50 appearances on the season, and has consistently been one of the most underrated relievers in the game for the last five seasons. The D-Backs were known to be looking for left-handed relief help in recent days, and were able to fill their need by acquiring one of the best options available. Thatcher is under team control until the end of next season.

Stites, a 23-year old reliever, was the Padres' 17th round pick in the 2011 draft, and has spent this season with Double-A San Antonio. In 46 appearances, he has posted a 2-2 record and 2.08 ERA, following a spectacular 2012 season in which he posted a 0.74 ERA in 42 appearances with Single-A Fort Wayne. He was ranked as San Diego's 27th best prospect before the season, and should provide a solid bullpen arm in the minor leagues.

While both teams satisfied needs in the deal, many throughout the game are surprised that the D-Backs did not get more than Thatcher and Stites for Kennedy. Solid 28-year old starters who are under team control for the next two years are rare to find on the trade market, so Kennedy was expected to draw a more significant return to Arizona. Regardless, Thatcher is one of the best lefty relievers in the game and will fill a need for the D-Backs, who also get a promising young minor league bullpen arm.

More from MLB Daily Dish:

• Phillies trade rumors: Michael Young willing to accept deal to Red Sox, Rangers
• Orioles trade rumors: Baltimore interested in Morneau, Norris, Perez, Morse
• White Sox trade rumors: Alex Rios deal unlikely
• MLB trade rumor roundup: Hours to go
• Athletics acquire Alberto Callaspo from Angels for Grant Green

UPDATE 2:15pm ET: The Padres and Diamondbacks have agreed on a deal that will send right-hander Ian Kennedy to San Diego in exchange for left-hander Joe Thatcher, pitching prospect Matt Stites, and a competitive balance pick, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.

ORIGINAL: With just hours left to go until the trade deadline hits, the San Diego Padres are "getting closer" to a deal for Diamondbacks right-hander Ian Kennedy, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Kennedy, 28, has been the subject of discussions between the Friars and D'Backs for a "couple of weeks now," per CBS Sports' Scott Miller. In return for Kennedy, Arizona is hoping in bolster its struggling bullpen, whose 19 blown saves is tied for second-worst in baseball.

Twitter Traded Hunter Pence

So, so cruel.

The Padres are rumored to be listening on offers for relievers Luke Gregerson and Joe Thatcher, so they definitely have the solid bullpen arms that the D'Backs want. However, AZ is selling very low on Kennedy -- 5.23 earned-run average in 21 starts -- so the likelihood of club netting both Gregerson and Thatcher in a deal seems unlikely.

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic hears that the deal at the moment will "likely" be Thatcher and a prospect for Kennedy. The Los Angeles Angels have also been tied to Kennedy in the last 24 hours, however, so the Padres aren't alone in their pursuit.

Dealt to the D'Backs in a three-team deal with the Yankees and Tigers in 2009, Kennedy seemed like a steal for Arizona after a couple seasons in Phoenix. The right-hander posted a 3.31 ERA and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of almost three in over 400 innings in his first two years with the club, but then the wheels came off the bus.

Over the last two seasons, Kennedy owns a 4.47 ERA and has given up more than a home run per nine in over 330 innings.

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Ian Kennedy walked off the mound at Tropicana Field for the Diamondbacks last night after a disappointing start for the last time yesterday. The Diamondbacks have traded him within the division to the San Diego Padres for Lefty-Specialist Joe Thatcher, Minor League pitcher Matt Stites, and a Comp B draft pick.

Kennedy was with the Diamondbacks for three and some change seasons, acquired before the 2010 season as part of the Max Scherzer-Curtis Granderson-Edwin Jackson three way deal with the Yankees and Tigers. He easily had his best season with the Diamondbacks, and in his career, in 2011, when he went 21-4 with a 2.88 ERA and being the ace of the 2011 NL West winning team.

After that, the wheels started to come off. Kennedy put up a 4.02 ERA in 2012 and had a 5.23 ERA in 2013 thus far. He had a meteoric rise in home runs allowed and hit by pitches in both years.

In return the Padres send over Joe Thatcher, a lefty specialist. In 30 innings pitched in 2013 he has put up a 2.10 ERA with a K/BB ratio of 7.25. The Padres also sent over Matt Stites, a minor league reliever. He has put up a 2.08 ERA with 51 Strikeouts to 8 walks in 52 innings in AA this season. Here is a scouting report on him from scoutingbook.com and posted by txzona in the trade thread:

A smallish closer candidate in the Padres minor league system, U Missouri alum Matt Stites ran his high-90's fastball right through the Midwest League in 2012, posting this insane performance line that contains no typographical errors: 50 innings, 0.74 ERA, 0.58 WHIP, 60 strikeouts and (wait for it) 3 walks.

Stites complements his heat with a ‘changeup' that still clocks in the high 80's and a breaking ball that's either a 12-7 slider or a hard curve, depending on your school of thought. Either way, it's devastating when it comes in unannounced. Despite his smallish stature, Stites has all the confidence and swagger you expect from a quality relief pitcher. He's shown no fear of any hitter, at least not yet. As the top relief prospect in the Padres system, and with all due respect to the outstanding Huston Street, it wouldn't be a shock to see Stites closing games by the end of 2014.

The dealings and wheelings may not yet be finished, so stay glued to azsnakepit.com for all your trade deadline needs.

There had been some chatter that the Padres would stay quiet at the trade deadline. Their biggest trade chits (Quentin, Street, Gregerson, Thatcher) were all under contract or team control for 2014, so there was no hurry to trade any of them. However, we knew the Padres were laser focused on getting a proven starting pitcher who would be under contract or team control for the next couple of years. So when a deal emerged that would get them that they pulled they trigger. Padres.com reporter Corey Brock reported the following deadline for the Friars.

The #Padres deal with the #Dbacks: Get RHP Ian Kennedy for LHP Joe Thatcher, RHP Matt Stites (Double-A) and a draft pick (comp B).

— Corey Brock (@FollowThePadres) July 31, 2013

Ian Kennedy is a starter that has had success in the major leagues. He is under team control through the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He came at a cost the Padres could live with. He makes all the sense in the world in that regard. The one catch is that his ERA is quite high this year. 5.23 to be exact. Some more in depth analysis of statistics like FIP and BABIP will tell you that he's due to bounce back (at some point) to where he was before 2013. That's what the Padres will have to bank on. And considering that he was pretty darn good in 2011 and 2012, it seems worth giving up a situational reliever with one year left before free agency, a promising AA relief pitcher and a draft pick in 2014.

The other thing people may bring up about Kennedy is that, like Carlos Quentin, he caused some kerfuffle with the rival Dodgers this season. He hit a Dodger player in the head and caused Zack Greinke to retaliate against a DBacks player, which Kennedy escalated further by hitting Greinke. He was given a 10 game suspension by Major League Baseball for his wrongdoings. I can't condone Kennedy's actions. Those pitches were dangerous and inexcusable and I will never find what he did acceptable. Having both Kennedy and Quentin on the same team is going to ruffle more than few Dodger feathers. Let's just say that the rivalry ante has been upped.

I would expect Kennedy to make his debut on either Sunday or Tuesday since he just pitched yesterday. Sunday would be against the Yankees, the team that drafted him out of USC. It also makes sense since he would replace Sean O'Sullivan in the rotation.

Ian Kennedy

San Diego Padres

Height: 6-0

Weight: 190

Born: Dec 19, 1984

Welcome to the Beyond the Box Score LiveThread for all your Trade Deadline needs. Want a bit of analysis on the latest minor deal? Join Transactions Editor Ken Woolums and the rest of the staff right here, for the rest of the day!

UPDATE: 4:19 ET--Twins send C Drew Butera to the Dodgers.

Analysis- Butera has basically no value, so I am not sure why the Dodgers would go acquire him rather than giving up some other pieces to land someone like Navarro.- Ken W

UPDATE: 3:51 ET-- It appears the interest from the Cardinals in Cubs' catcher Dioner Navarro is dwindling per Ken Rosenthal.

Analysis -- Bit of a lost opportunity for the Cubs if the deal really fell through. Navarro was a late pick-up and turning him into anything of value would have been a genius move. Perhaps they feel other teams will jump in. -- Ken W

UPDATE 3:48 ET -- It looks like the trade for Bud Norris is about complete. It should be L.J. Hoes, Josh Hader, and a 2014 competitve balance pick to Houston for Bud Norris.

The Orioles are sending LJ Hoes and Josh Hader and their comp pick in 2014 for Bud Norris

— Dan Connolly (@danconnollysun) July 31, 2013

Analysis- I've already mentioned how little value I think 2nd-round comp picks have, so that's really just a throw in in the deal. However, I did not expect Hader in this deal and now feel that Baltimore end the deadline as the biggest loser. They acquired marginal talent and gave up quite a bit. I like the potential in Delmonico, Hoes, and Hader.- Ken W

UPDATE 3:39 ET – The Baltimore Orioles have acquired starting pitcher Bud Norris from the Houston Astros in exchange for outfielder L.J. Hoes and "another piece" according to Ken Rosenthal.

Sources: #Orioles agree to acquire Norris from #Astros for Hoes and another piece. Finalizing now.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2013

Analysis -- Hoes was already too much for Norris, so I'm concerned over what the second piece is. Baltimore's deadline strategy is a complete mystery. So far they've traded plenty of control and youth -- Arrieta, Strop, Hoes, and Delmonico -- for Norris, Feldman, and K-Rod. They've given up two of their top ten prospects at this deadline and haven't acquired any impact talent. One has to wonder if there is added pressure to gain wins for the playoff push, because so far they have added about a couple wins in value spread over three different players. -- Ken W

UPDATE 3:31 ET -- The Kansas City Royals have acquired Justin Maxwell from the Houston Astros, according to Steve Adams at MLB Trade Rumors. According to Bob Dutton, the Astros will get minor-league starter Kyle Smith.

#Royals acquire OF Justin Maxwell from Houston for minor-league pitcher Kyle Smith.

— Bob Dutton (@Royals_Report) July 31, 2013

Analysis -- Kansas City appears to be aiming for a Maxwell/Lough platoon in right field. Maxwell doesn't have a lot of value, but he has a career .836 OPS against left-handed pitching. He's also a plus fielder in the outfield, so it makes Kansas City to add him for pennies. -- Ken W

UPDATE 3:30 ET -- It looks like the Orioles could be frontrunners for Bud Norris, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Sources: #Orioles making progress on acquiring Norris from #Astros.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2013

Analysis -- Watch for rumors on the return for Norris. People keep saying the Astros are seeking a lot, but I'm not sure what "a lot" means. His strikeouts are way down this year, and even though he's not making a lot, I can't imagine he goes for much. This trade will be a good barometer of just how much teams value control versus performance.- Ken W

UPDATE 3:16 ET -- The Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly traded starting pitcher Ian Kennedy to the San Diego Padres for relief pitcher Joe Thatcher, minor league relief pitcher Matt Stites, and a compensation B round pick, according to Chris Cotillo at MLB Daily Dish.

Analysis -- This deal has to be questioned on Arizona's side. They sold low on a cost-controlled starter who is just two years removed from a very strong season. He's making pennies on the dollar and likely won't win much of anything in arbitration after this season. Trading him for a LOOGY and a couple of minor pieces is a puzzling move. -- Ken W.

. . .

More from Beyond the Box Score:

• Francisco Liriano and the Rare "Third Peak"
• Futures Game 2013: What does the 'future' in the Futures Game stand for?
• The Smallest Sample Size 07/31/13: Doubleheader Dominance
• Lineouts! 7/31/13: Trades, Biogenesis and beards
• Reaction: Brandon Beachy's shaky return

In the interest of not burying the lede, the Blue Jays made no trades today at the deadline. There was a point where something gained traction that was never mentioned in the media, but it fell apart and never came back together.

Anthopoulos said he was working on a deal late last week but it fell apart. Another potential deal broke down yesterday morning. #BlueJays

— Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) July 31, 2013

AA: "I don't even know if I want to say that we came close. I would say we had some traction. ... ultimately it wasn't going to make sense."

— Brendan Kennedy (@BKennedyStar) July 31, 2013

Not all hope is lost though as there is still the possibility of waiver trades after the deadline and deals to be picked up and finished in the off-season:

Anthopoulos said he was working on a deal late last week but it fell apart. Another potential deal broke down yesterday morning. #BlueJays

— Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) July 31, 2013

As you can imagine, Alex Anthopoulos is intent on making trades to better this team before taking another run at the postseason next year:

AA: "There's no question we need to make improvements, we need to get better and the results in the standings speak for themselves."

— Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) July 31, 2013

The two areas that the team wanted to strengthen through trade, as expected, were the second base position and the starting rotation:

Anthopoulos said the two areas he explored the most was starting pitching and middle infield (aka second base). #bluejays

— Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) July 31, 2013

The issue of why no relievers were traded was brought up and Anthopoulos side stepped the question a bit and said the market was pretty quiet:

AA on Oliver: Lots of supply, little demand in LHP reliever market. "You didn't see a lot of left-handed relievers traded." #bluejays

— Brendan Kennedy (@BKennedyStar) July 31, 2013

AA: "There were quite a number of LH relievers available through trade, many with expiring contracts, and you just didn't see them move."

— Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) July 31, 2013

So there's another trade deadline in the books, a extremely quiet one on the Blue Jays front. Around the league, Baltimore acquired Bud Norris from Houston and the Padres traded for Ian Kennedy from Arizona. Aside from the Peavy three team-trade last night, not many game-changing players were moved leading to most contenders heading for the stretch run with the same pieces they had when they started the year.

How do you feel about the trade deadline for the Blue Jays?

Hat tip to Minor Leaguer for the title idea.

The Houston Astros were extremely active leading up to the MLB non-waiver trade deadline on Wednesday, but that can't be said about many other teams. Here's a round-up of what happened on Tuesday and Wednesday:

Boston Red Sox acquire Jake Peavy and Brayan Villareal, send Jose Iglesias to Detroit Tigers and minor leaguers Cleulius Rondon, Frank Montas and JB Wendelken to Chicago White Sox; Tigers send Avisail Garcia to White Sox

The Red Sox refused to part withXander Bogaerts, putting an end to their attempt to land Philadelphia Phillies ace Cliff Lee. So, Boston settled on perhaps the second-best option in Peavy, who has taken advantage of good health to return to form over the past two seasons in Chicago.

The White Sox potentially missed out on a chance to improve their offense, which ranks last in the American League in OPS+, by settling for Garcia, writes Steven Goldman:

Garcia, 22, looks like a promising player, albeit one who will have to hit .300 to contribute at a high level -- he has taken just 98 walks in a 615-game pro career, and hasn't yet evinced consistent home run power. A right fielder who hits, say, .290 with a .320 on-base percentage and a .420 slugging percentage is not quite league average for the position.

The Tigers did themselves a favor by getting an insurance option at shortstop in the case that Jhonny Peralta serves a suspension as a result of his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.

Baltimore Orioles acquire Bud Norris from Houston Astros for L.J. Hoes, Josh Hader and a Comp A draft pick

Norris was scratched from his start on Tuesday, leading many to believe that he'd be dealt a day before the deadline arrived. Instead, the Astros held out until Wednesday and were rewarded with two of the Orioles' top-10 prospects and a top-50 pick in the 2014 draft. That might have been too much for Baltimore to give for a guy who may not be the best fit for Camden Yards,writes Marc Normandin.

San Diego Padres acquire Ian Kennedy from Arizona Diamondbacks for Joe Thatcher, Matt Stites and a Comp B draft pick

Kennedy's drop in production over the past couple of seasons has been stiff, but with a trade to San Diego, he'll now pitch half of his games in a ballpark that should assist him in righting the ship, says Normandin:

"Kennedy's command obviously needs fixing, but, if nothing else, Petco should help mitigate some of those issues. He might not turn things around immediately, but he doesn't have to: he's just in his first year of arbitration, and won't be a free agent until 2016 at the earliest."

The Diamondbacks receive help in the form of one of baseball's best relievers in Thatcher. After a couple of down years, Thatcher has returned to the form he exhibited in the latter part of the last decade thanks to a career-low walk rate. Stites, 23, has been dominant at mostly age-appropriate levels as a minor-league reliever and could be ready to contribute to the D-Backs soon.

Kansas City Royals acquire Justin Maxwell from Houston Astros for Kyle Smith

The Royals felt they needed to bolster their offense, so they acquired a guy that hit 18 home runs in limited action last year before being hampered by injuries in 2013. Maxwell has hit lefties well over the course of his career, but has a slightly below-average hitter over the course of his career, posting a lifetime 96 OPS+.

Smith was rated as the Royals' No. 4 prospect entering the 2013 by Minor League Ball's John Sickels, and he hasn't done anything to make the ranking look bad, posting a 2.85 ERA with 96 strikeouts and 29 walks in 104 ⅓ innings as a 20-year-old in high-A.

Oakland Athletics acquire Alberto Callaspo from Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for Grant Green

The A's wanted an upgrade over Eric Sogard at second base, so they grabbed Callaspo from their division rivals, hoping that he'll improve upon his .252/.324/.347 line, which is actually worse than what Sogard was providing. Callaspo is thought of as a better defender than Sogard, even with a switch from third base to second.

Green struggled in his cameo for the A's earlier this season, going 0-for-15 at the plate. However, he has a first-round pedigree and has put up solid numbers throughout his minor-league career, including a .325/.379/.500 line in Triple-A this year.

Cleveland Indians acquire Marc Rzepczynski from St. Louis Cardinals for Juan Herrera

Rzepczynski has endured some struggles at the big-league level since helping the Cardinals win the World Series in 2011, but he still fills a need for the Indians, whose best left-handed reliever this season has been Rich Hill -- the Rich Hill who sports a 6.35 ERA.

Herrera is a 20-year-old shortstop currently playing short-season ball who has shown good on-base ability but little pop in his limited professional experience.

Dodgers acquire Drew Butera from Minnesota Twins for a player to be named later

Butera appeared in his first big-league game of 2013 on July 25 and is hitless in three plate appearances. The Dodgers immediately optioned him to Triple-A Albuquerque following the move.

More from SB Nation:

• David Roth: On Alex Rodriguez, the performance artist

• Roth: Stop sniffing Bud Norris | O’s acquire Norris

• Steven Goldman reviews the Peavy trade

• What’s the best trade deadline deal ever?

• All our trade deadline coverage

The Padres desperately need starting pitching. Their staff has been decimated by injuries. Picking up the Diamondbacks one time ace and opening day starter is nice anyway you slice it. Let's be honest no one is going to miss Joe Thatcher. Even if people haven't tempered their expectations and end up hating Kennedy, it's still better than forgetting that Joe Thatcher ever existed. Sure there's a little risk, but Kennedy has far more upside for the Padres organization than Thatcher ever did. I like this trade, at least until things go south, then I'll deny this blog post ever happened.

But enough about me, let's see what bloggers and media types are saying around the internet and put the rating up on the Tomatometer.

* if you see more reviews, put them in the comments and I'll add them, this was just my initial sweep of the news.

Apologies to RottenTomatoes.com

Diamondbacks Swap Ian Kennedy Dollar for Bullpen Quarters | FanGraphs Baseball
But most simply, it looks like Arizona sold low and San Diego bought low, and there are worse ideas than buying low on a 28-year-old starting pitcher not far removed from being good. Maybe Kennedy won’t rebound, but the Padres have to be thrilled to have the opportunity to find out for themselves.

Breaking down deadline winners (Red Sox, Tigers, Dodgers) and losers (hint: cheese) - CBSSports.com
They got just what they wanted, a starting pitcher they can control for the next few years, and essentially didn't give up much more than a LOOGY to get him. Ian Kennedy (Diamondbacks) is controllable through 2015. Lefty Joe Thatcher has faced more than four batters in a game only four times this season, and has faced one batter in five of 12 appearances this month. One more thing: With both Kennedy and Carlos Quentin, it will be a miracle if they don't brawl with the Dodgers every single time they play each other the rest of the summer.

Ian Kennedy trade: Padres try to improve rotation through reclamation - SBNation.com
Kennedy might not be a cure all, and he might never be the pitcher he was back in 2011 again, but he doesn't have to be for this to work out for San Diego.

Twitter / Steve_Adler:
Kennedy will anchor the Padres young staff in 2014. Byrnes didn't give up much (if anything) in the deal. Calculated risk, with upside.

Twitter / JonHeymanCBS:
ok, who saw padres as possibly the big winner on trade deadline day? well, as of 2:55 they are leader in clubhouse.

Diamondbacks SP Ian Kennedy Officially Traded to Padres | Bleacher Report
Overall, this is a last-minute swap that provides promise for both sides, but the big storyline will be how Kennedy recovers from his recent difficulties.

Twitter / UTKevinAcee:
Really like this Ian Kennedy trade. Padres had relievers to give and need starting pitching for the future.

Twitter / sdutPosner:
Seems like decent gamble 4 Padres to get Kennedy. Been terrible this year but then again, otherwise wouldn't be available.

Twitter / BenHigginsSD:
Even if Kennedy never pitches better than a #3 or #4 starter, this is still a good value trade for the Padres.

Twitter / annieheilbrunn:
Joe Thatcher was great, but starting pitchers are at a premium. Anytime u can get legitimate starter for a specialist, you do it.

Twitter / mickeykoke:
Darren Balsely and Bud Black along with Petco park working for Ian Kennedy, nice job. Rebuilding value and adding pieces, not subtracting.

Twitter / UTkrasovic:
I'll say it again: whenever the #Padres trade a reliever, they're dealing from a good spot. Success not guaranteed. Such moves make sense.

Twitter / RJsFro:
Good deal.

Padres Trade Relievers & Draft Pick to Diamondbacks For Ian Kennedy - Chicken Friars
While I am not particularly “ga-ga” over the move, it is nevertheless a sensible one on San Diego’s part.

Twitter / PadresJagoff:
So basically we are swapping Volquez's spot/salary in 2014 for Kennedy. Even if we get 2013 Ian Kennedy in the out-years, that's a win.

Major League Baseball is preparing to ban New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez for life due to his connection to the Biogenesis scandal, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Nightengale also notes that about eight other players will be suspended before the weekend, which means that impact players like Nelson Cruz (Rangers), Jhonny Peralta (Tigers) and Everth Cabrera (Padres) will likely be handed 50-game bans.

While most of the other players involved with the scandal plan on accepting their 50-game suspensions without appeal in order to return before the postseason begins, Rodriguez will appeal any suspension that the league levies upon him, according to Nightengale. Because the 38-year old is accused of purposefully lying to Major League Baseball and trying to sabotage their investigation, his suspension will be more severe than those of the other players involved.

In addition to Rodriguez, Cruz, Peralta and Cabrera, Francisco Cervelli (Yankees), Fautino de los Santos (free agent), Fernando Martinez (Yankees), Jesus Montero (Mariners), Jordan Norberto (free agent), and Cesar Puello (Mets) are all expected to be suspended as a result of the investigation. Bartolo Colon (Athletics), Yasmani Grandal (Padres) and Melky Cabrera (Blue Jays) are unlikely to be suspended due to their previous suspensions caused by testing positive for a banned substance.

The investigation had a profound impact on the trade market in July, causing teams to anticipate needs based on the pending suspensions. The Tigers found a long-term replacement for Peralta by acquiring Jose Iglesias from the Red Sox, and the Rangers were in search of offensive replacements for Cruz for much of the month.

Brewers' outfielder Ryan Braun, who was also implicated in the league's investigation into Biogenesis, was suspended last week for the remainder of the season (65 games).

The participants

"KT was real classy. He called me, earlier today around 2, and wanted to meet up, didn't want to do it over the phone, so I thought that was a classy move... I know it's part of the business: I'm not going to take any moves like this personally. I'll miss the guys... Living in Arizona has been great. The people in Phoenix have welcomed me with open arms. It's always going to be my home, I'm going to live here in the off-season. There's a lot of great people in Arizona - hopefully, they'll still be great to me now I'm a Padre!"
-- Ian Kennedy

"It was a shock. You read different things, but you just never know. But it's exciting to get traded, being in a pennant race is exciting. It's a chance to win. It's an opportunity. I'm looking forward to it. It feels good to be wanted, to know Kevin Towers was willing to pull the trigger on something like this, to have that confidence in me."
-- Joe Thatcher

I've heard nothing but good things about the Diamondbacks! Excited to be a part of the organization!

— Matt Stites (@matt_stites) August 1, 2013

The organizers

"[Thatcher] reminds me a little bit of a left-handed Brad Ziegler. Somebody that will take the ball each and every night, tough angle, as is Ziegler with the right-handers. Resilient, bounces back, you can probably pitch him in back-to-back-to-back nights, good breaking ball, good fastball. I think somebody that [Gibson] will have a lot of confidence in to get big outs late in the game... I tell you Stites is somebody we're very, very excited about. Somebody that we'll probably have in big league camp and someone we think in 2014 should be in a fixture in the back end of our bullpen."
-- Kevin Towers

"We gave up things we value to get Ian Kennedy. But in order to get the kind of starting pitcher who can do what Ian can do, we felt like this was the right value for us... He's had a down year for him. We scouted him a lot and watched him recently and tried to assess at age 28 why that is. We're hopeful he can come here and get back to performing like he can."
-- Josh Byrnes

The players

"It's good for Kennedy, too, to get a fresh start somewhere else. We all know he is better than this. He was probably putting a little too much pressure on himself. He's a great teammate, a great guy, and he's a great pitcher. I have no doubt. It is just one of those years. We all have years like that. I still believe he can pitch and is going to be good for a long time."
-- Miguel Montero

"Ian's one of the first guys I talked to when I came up, he helped a lot. He's easy to talk to, been around for a little bit, and I learned to be myself up here and go after these guys - that's one of the biggest things that I learned from him. All the guys here, especially the pitchers, loved Ian: we're going to miss him, and wish him luck. I don't think we've played our best baseball yet. Maybe they're trying to mix some things up. Hopefully we can get back on track, start winning some games."
-- Patrick Corbin

"It's tough. I don't think you have the right things to say. I think we both agreed that at least San Diego is a highly-desired destination for a lot of guys, and he's a Southern California guy. It is a business but you're still dealing with people, with families, with kids... I'm just hoping it's not too little too late. We felt good about the guys that we had in here. We're obviously on a cold streak right now, but baseball's very contagious and we just need to flip that... We need to make it work with what we've got."
-- Eric Chavez

The pundits

"The fate of this deal will ride on two outcomes: First, whether or not the Diamondbacks can edge out the Dodgers in the NL West thanks to improved late-game relief and second, if Kennedy ever returns to his ace-like form. The answer to the former will likely come much sooner than the answer to the latter."
-- Joe Lemire, SI

"At issue is whether the Diamondbacks got as much as they could’ve and should’ve, and ultimately they turned Kennedy into an older reliever, a younger proven reliever, and a pick. It feels like one of those trades where Kevin Towers didn’t work to get as many teams involved as possible. It feels like Towers sold low, and it feels like this offer should’ve been beat."
-- Jeff Sullivan, Fangraphs

"[Kennedy's 2011] was a mirage, in large part the result of being a severe fly-ball pitcher in front of one of the game's best defensive outfields that year... In San Diego, however, the fly-ball high-wire act might work better than it did in Arizona, as he's moving from a good home run park to one of the majors' worst .. The return for Arizona is slight, although it reflects the performance of Kennedy this year and the team's desire to just be rid of him."
-- Keith Law, ESPN

Yesterday on Pinstriped Bible

• 
  
• Yankees lineup vs. Dodgers; Carlos Pena, Brandon Inge, Kelly Shoppach are free agents
• Yankees Injury Updates: Rodriguez, Granderson, Cervelli, Youkilis
• In Defense of the BBWAA's 2013 Hall of Fame Results
• MLB Trade Deadline 2013: Yankees quiet as time runs out
• Biogenesis: MLB seeks lifetime ban for Alex Rodriguez
• MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees have received offers for Phil Hughes
• MLB Trade Rumors: Michael Young would approve a trade to Yankees
• Crisis averted: The time Andy Pettitte was almost traded for trash
• Jonathan Mayo's mid-season prospect list: Sanchez, Williams, and Austin rank in top 100
• Biogenesis: MLB plans to suspend Alex Rodriguez and eight other players
• Baby Bomber Recap 7/30/13: Rafael De Paula strikes out eight in five innings
• MLB Trade Deadline 2013: Open Thread

Around the Internet

• ESPN New York | T.J. Quinn: Sources say that Alex Rodriguez is ready to make a deal with MLB in order to prevent a lifetime ban for his part in the Biogenesis controversy.
• LoHud | Chad Jennings: The Yankees prepare for the Biogenesis suspensions
• CBS Sports | Jon Heyman: Brian Cashman tried to get Michael Young and Carlos Ruiz from the Phillies.
• An A-Blog For A-Rod | Brad Vietrogoski: The Yankees have been unable to score runs because the heart of the order has been week all season.
• Star-Ledger | Andy McCullough:Derek Jeter talks about the difficulty of holding back when running down the line
• ESPN New York | Wallace Matthews: Brian Cashman talked about the trade deadline and why the Yankees didn't make a move.

Quick Hits

Questions of the Day

• Who should the Yankees have traded for?
• What will A-Rod's suspension be?
• What color is your floor?
• What would you rather be allergic to, peanuts or shellfish?

Coming Up Today

• Baby Bomber Recap 7/31/13 @ 9 am
• Trade Deadline 2013: Winners and Losers @ 11 am
• New York Yankees @ San Diego Padres at 10:10 pm (Game Thread at 9:30 pm)