Coming off of a 6-1 road trip, the Miami Marlins could be motivated to pursue a trade for a starting pitcher and second baseman. Citing their recent success, the Miami Herald noted Ian Kennedy and Wade Miley could be atop the Marlins' wish list.

Miami is aware of its position in the standings. The team is just waiting to ensure it can be consistent before adding to the roster.

Coming off of a 6-1 road trip, the best seven game trip in franchise history, the Marlins are heading into a three game series with the Washington Nationals still unsure of the types of moves they will make before Thursday's trade deadline.

Not trading away Giancarlo Stanton, Casey McGehee, or other young core players, the Marlins could look to trade away Steve Cishek or Mike Dunn before the deadline. But if they win the series, the Marlins could look to add a second baseman and starting pitcher, two of the team's primary needs.

Clark Spencer of The Miami Herald listed a few names that could satisfy the Marlins' need to add a starter who would be under club control for more than just one season.

Tommy Milone, Oakland Athletics

Milone has posted a 6-3 record to complement a 3.55 ERA and 4.43 FIP in 96 and a third innings pitched. Milone typically has command of all of his pitches (2.43 BB/9), but reportedly asked to be traded following a demotion.

Milone was bounced to the minors after the A’s traded for starters Jeff Samardzijaand Jason Hammel. Milone is appealing to the Marlins in that he is not eligible for free agency until 2018.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/27/4258443/continued-surge-could-put-miami.html#storylink=cpy

In addition to the fact that Milone would be under club control moving forward, he is a left-handed pitcher that would balance out a right-handed heavy Miami rotation. Brad Hand is the Marlins' lone lefty starter, with Randy Wolf in the same spot when he was with the club.

Since he was demoted to accomadate Samardzija and Hammel, it may not take much to acquire Milone, although the fact that he has major league experience will likely be a focal point in discussions.

Wade Miley, Arizona Diamondbacks

Miley is 6-7 with a 4.34 ERA and and 3.93 FIP in 139 innings pitched for the Diamondbacks. He is not eligible for free agency for three more seasons, and like Milone, would be a nice left-handed addition to the Marlins' rotation.

Miley, a fly-ball pitcher who would fit well at Marlins Park, has gone 36-30 with a 3.73 ERA in 91 career starts with the Diamondbacks.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/27/4258443/continued-surge-could-put-miami.html#storylink=cpyC

Considering the struggles of the Diamondbacks in 2014, the organization will likely be inclined to move pieces like Miley. But since they will have several players to offer and could be in full sell mode, Arizona could request several prospects in a deal.

Ian Kennedy, San Diego Padres

Kennedy has gone 8-9 with a 3.66 ERA and 3.11 FIP in 135 and a third innings pitched for the Padres this season. Of all the "available" starting pitchers, Kennedy is among those with the most experience. But with that, Kennedy only has one year of arbitration left

Kennedy brings more experience (61-49 with a 3.96 ERA in 163 career starts) but is closer to free agency and, with only one arbitration year left, would be a costlier option for the Marlins.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/27/4258443/continued-surge-could-put-miami.html#storylink=cpy

Since San Diego is having a rough season, the asking price for Kennedy may be a bit high.

Since they are not eligible for free agency after the season, all of the possible starters the Marlins could be looking at could require at least a pair of prospects to make the deal reality.

Miami will likely wait until after the series with the Nationals to add an arm, making the three game set that much more important.

Talking about relievers, Lance Berkman and Jason Lane...

Some things to talk about while wondering what embarrassments are on tap this week...

1) Relievers are fungible

Who were the five best non-closer relievers in baseball last season? About about in 2012? And in 2011?

The list in 2013, judged by ERA+ is Neil Cotts, Luis Avilan, Alex Torres, Craig Breslow and Tanner Scheppers. In 2012, it was Scott Atchison, Eric O'Flaherty, Darren Oliver, Robbie Ross and Jake McGee. In 2011, it was David Robertson, O'Flaherty, Scott Downs, Mike Adams and Greg Holland.

One name duplicated on the lists, which looked at relievers who did not have a start, threw at least 50 innings with an ERA+ of 150 or better and less than 10 saves. In 2014, none of the players from 2012 fit that criteria, much less make the top five. That's despite lowering the inning cap to 30 for the current season, too.

The point is that relievers are fungible. They rarely sustain success from year to year. Remember when Mike Adams was a setup man extraordinaire? Outside of San Diego, he's proven just as unreliable as any other non-closer.

Closers, too, will often be unreliable, which is why so many teams look to bolster their bullpen as they try to contend. Who would have thought two years ago that Koji Uehara would become unhittable or that Zach Britton would turn into a great closer for the Orioles?

But, that success rarely lasts. With someone like Houston's Tony Sipp, what are the chances that he's able to remain this good for multiple seasons? What are the chances he pitches like he did in 2013 with Arizona or his 2010 or 2012 seasons in Cleveland?

If teams are lucky, they nab one reliable closer for a two-year stretch. That's what Houston did with Qualls and why they're likely to keep him around next year, too. But, counting on multiple guys performing that well? It's asking for trouble.

Houston's not going to just give Sipp away. After all, he's cheap and under team control past this season. But, if a contender needs a lefty and is willing to give up talent for him? They make that move 10 times out of 10.

2) Lancelot now at Rice

Next year could be a lot of fun. Lance Berkman will be back in Houston, as he's joining the Rice baseball staff as a student assistant. From the story:

Lance Berkman is returning to Rice - this time in the dugout.

Berkman, a two-time All-American and college baseball National Player of the Year in 1997, will join Wayne Graham's coaching staff as a student assistant.

Berkman received the OK from the university on Thursday to enroll in classes for the fall semester and begin working on completion of his degree.

The reason he's joining as a student is that Big Puma never got his degree from Rice. Once he does so, expect him to be in line to replace Graham whenever the elder statesman decides to retire. As Matt Eddy said on Twitter, this is a pretty big get for Rice. He should be able to help the hitters there enormously and, with his personality, the team should be loose for most of the season.

3) Jason Lane to start for Padres

You won't find many stories this incredible this season. Nine years after playing right field in a World Series, former Astro Jason Lane will be the starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres, thanks to Ian Kennedy being scratched. From Gaslamp Ball:

Ian Kennedy will be skipping his regularly scheduled start tomorrow and Jason Lane is being called up from El Paso to take the hill in his place. Kennedy won't be placed on the disabled list, as he just has a sore left oblique that he tweaked swinging a bat, and the team expects him to miss only this start.

Lane was once such a promising prospect who never was able to tap into his potential with the Astros. But, he has persevered with pitching instead of hitting and now stands poised to start a game. This is so incredibly cool. Even though he's not an Astro any more, I'll be rooting for this story.

BCB's Danny Rockett eats a Pulled Pork Dog so you don't have to.

The first question that came to mind when considering the Cubs celebration of the 1970s with a Pulled Pork Dog was "Why pulled pork?" Wouldn't a quiche or fondue dog be a more appropriate homage to the decade of disco? BBQ'd pulled pork is far older than 50 years. People have been cooking pork slowly over an open pit here since DeSoto brought hogs to the America's in the mid 1500s. Add some Native American and Caribbean spices and cooking techniques and the American BBQ pig roast was born. Even George Washington described going to a "barbicue" in his diary in 1769. So why the 1970s?

Then I remembered how I cook pulled pork. In a Crockpot!

This is my Crockpot, which I store lovingly between a bottle of Absinth and a recently purchased tool set, and in front of a broken dartboard.

With more women entering the workforce in the 1970s the Crockpot, introduced in 1971, was the perfect way to prepare a family meal with minimal effort. I myself was treated to numerous slowly cooked stews in the 1970s courtesy of my mother, as my father's culinary skills stopped at defrosting hot dogs in the sink.

The Crockpot has a Chicago connection as well. Originally invented by the Naxon Utilities Corporation of Chicago, Joe Naxon was inspired to create the "Naxon Beanery All-Purpose Cooker" by his Jewish grandmother who described slow cooking a stew called Cholent in her native Lithuania. In 1970, The Rival company bought Naxon Utilities and reintroduced the device as a Crockpot in 1971.

Nowhere explicitly do the Cubs make any mention of the Chicagoan Naxon or the Crockpot being the inspiration for the Pulled Pork Dog, but it was the only connection I could find to the 1970s. I'd love to hear other theories.

I'd also love to hear other theories as to why I can't get a Decade Dog as described. This is what I ordered during Thursday's laugher loss to the Padres.

And this is what I received...

The Pulled Pork Dog sign does not mention fried onion crumbles, but there they are. No complaints from me either as they seemed a fine addition. Still, this is the second time in a row I've purchased this $7 specialty dog and received something different than described. The Buffalo Wing Dog wasn't even close. Although, this coleslaw looks awfully familiar. I believe the slaw was substituted for the bleu cheese crumbles and celery that was supposed to be on the 1960s Buffalo Wing Dog. Yet, here it is on the Pulled Pork Dog along with some extra onion crumbles. I wonder which hot dog the onion crumbles are supposed to be on?

Quality control issues aside, I returned to my Terrace Reserved seat to eat the overpriced wiener just in time to watch the Padres put up nine runs in the sixth inning. Unfortunately, it will be in impossible to to tell if the queasy feeling in my stomach was a result of the Pulled Pork Dog or Edwin Jackson's pitching performance.

The pork on salty dog action, smothered in Uncle Dougie's sweet and smoky BBQ sauce, and topped with coleslaw was an exercise in subtraction through addition. Like the Reuben Dog, the Pulled Pork Dog's cacophony of flavors tend to cancel each other out. I love pulled pork. I love hot dogs. Yet together when coupled with slaw and onion crumbles that are more crumble than onion, it tastes like all of it, and none of it at the same time.

I gave my initial reactions to my friend TJ and regular BCB reader and season ticket holder Rhett, who was sitting a row below me. "It's not bad, but it's not great either." TJ put it best when he nut shelled "It's not fusion, it's addition." This is precisely the case for all of the Decade Dogs I've eaten so far. Great chefs fuse ingredients to bring out individual flavors that would not taste as good without each other, whereas the Pulled Pork Dog is just a hot dog with pulled pork on it. Hey… at least it was better than the ballgame.

I make pulled pork about twice a month in my Crockpot. It's simple and it's much better than Wrigley's. I just buy a tenderloin, smother it in Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce and let it slow cook for five hours, often times during a Cubs day game. My friends think it's delicious, but all the credit goes to Sweet Baby Ray and Joe Naxon's Crockpot. Sweet Baby Ray's Sauce is by far the best BBQ sauce in the biz. Sorry Uncle Dougie, but I would have preferred SBR's sweeter and thicker sauce. I also would have preferred a simple pulled pork sandwich with some pickles as opposed to this conglomeration called a Pulled Pork Dog.

I do know one thing. If I keep eating these blasted things, I'm going to end up like this guy who I saw after the game.

San Diego Padres outfield prospect Rymer Liriano missed all of 2013 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Back in action in '14, he had a decent spring for Double-A San Antonio and was recently promoted to Triple-A El Paso.

Liriano was originally signed by the Padres back in 2007. It seems like he's been around forever as a result, but he's still reasonably young at 23. He hit .280/.350/.417 with 32 steals between High-A and Double-A in 2012, but missing all of '13 with surgery rehab was bad timing, not that there's ever good timing for a lost season of course. Fully healthy again this year, he hit .264/.335/.442 with 14 homers, 35 walks, and 102 strikeouts in 371 at-bats for the Missions, stealing 17 bases in 24 attempts. He's 8-for-16 with two doubles, a steal and three walks in his first four contests for the Chihuahuas.

Liriano is a 6-0, 230 pound right-handed hitter born June 20, 1991. Despite his height and weight listing, he runs very well and should be good for 15-20 steals a year if given a consistent green light. The speed helps him in the outfield, where he shows enough range to handle center field. He's lost a bit of arm strength from the surgery but still throws well enough to deal with right field; overall his glove is a positive asset.

Pitch recognition is his biggest problem. He makes an effort to work counts but simply swings-and-misses a lot, which will likely inhibit his ability to hit for average. On the other hand, he is not a strict pull hitter and will drive pitches the opposite way for distance. His power has increased with maturity and will likely continue to do so.

The goal this year was for Liriano to stay healthy, get at-bats, and work off the injury rust. That mission has been accomplished. It remains to be seen if his hitting will blossom enough for him to be a regular, but he should be a useful role player at least and could receive a big league trial later this year.

The club could not provide the run support to give Jason Lane a win in the 37 year old's first ever major start as a pitcher.

LHP Jason Lane already pitched for the Padres earlier in the season, but today's game felt even more special. The 37 year old converted OF made his first major league start on the mound. His previous outings resulted in no earned runs and he began his milestone day by doing more of the same. His craftiness got him through 6 full innings with 0 runs scored and only 4 hits allowed. A stellar half dozen innings that should have been enough to put the Padres in a position to win.

However, the Padres bats were silenced completely for the 16th time this season. Ervin Santana was on the hill for Atlanta Braves and his slider was unstoppable. He whiffed 11 Padres to tie a career high and would go 8 innings in this game. Jason Lane could not match that sort of domination and in the 7th inning a leadoff home run by Evan Gattis gave Santana and the Braves a 1-0 lead. Lane would leave a batter later with Nick Vincent barely keeping the deficit at 1. Dale Thayer would come in for the 8th and allowed a second run. That made it all to easy for All Star closer Craig Kimbrel to finish off the Padres in the 9th.

The Padres dropped the 4 game series losing 3 of the 4 games after taking the other series of the road trip 2-1 over the Cubs. That Friars are now 3-4 since the All Star break and finish another road trip with a losing record. They will head back to San Diego this afternoon and start a homestand that begins with the St. Louis Cardinals tomorrow.

Jedd Gyorko returned from the DL to start at 2B for this game. He legged out a single for his one hit in 3 at bats. Also, for the first time this season Yangervis Solarte played a game for the Padres where he did not record a RBI or even get on base. He had done both in each of his first 5 games. Jason Lane should head back to the El Paso Chihuahuas after his excellent effort due to the club only requiring one fill-in start before Ian Kennedy returns from his oblique issue. While his outing did not lead to a win, his journey and personal performance is easily applaudable by Padres fans.

The San Diego righty has sustained his 2013 breakout, but as of late he's taken things to the next level, behind dramatically better command.

In an altogether miserable season for the Padres, one bright spot has shone through: Tyson Ross. A middling Oakland swingman whom San Diego acquired in a low-key offseason deal two years ago, Ross exploded onto the scene in 2013, with a 3.17 ERA in 125.0 innings. Advanced stats gave credibility to his accomplishments — he put up a 3.43 xFIP and a 3.33 SIERA. In 2014, he's kept the magic going, as his ERA, xFIP, and SIERA have decreased even further, to 2.65, 2.95, and 3.06, respectively.

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As phenomenal as it's been, Ross's current campaign has had its share of bumps. Following an ugly game in Seattle on June 16, his ERA ballooned to 3.27, with a 3.40 xFIP and 3.50 SIERA to boot. The impetus behind this quasi-collapse? Walks. He handed out seven of them to the Mariners, which pumped up his BB% to 10%. Nor was this a fluke: In the 14 starts prior, he issued free passes at a 9% clip.

Since then, Ross has flipped the script. In seven outings, he has averaged one base on balls per start; for that span as a whole, he walked 3.8% of the batters he faced. This is fairly unprecedented for him — even when he broke out last year, he still owned an 8.7% BB%. His abrupt switch to Madduxesque control has definitely led to better results, as he posted a 1.47 ERA (to go along with a 2.08 xFIP and 2.08 SIERA) in those games.

As we always do when presented with a trend, let's dig deeper. Through 15 starts, batters swung at 29.9% of Ross's pitches outside the strike zone; he also threw a mere 41.8% of his pitches in the strike zone. The last seven starts have seen those numbers increase considerably, to 38% and 44.2%, respectively. Throwing over the plate + making the hitter offer when you don't = good things, i.e., a lower walk rate.

The first change hardly needs an explanation — a pitcher can simply decide to pound the zone more, of his own volition, and the batters have no play in that. But the second change requires more investigation. From whence has Ross's newfound deceptiveness come?

He hasn't really altered his zone profile — he still throws to roughly the same places that he always has. However, he has made some notable shifts to his delivery as of late; the results of those speak for themselves. Take a look at his release chart from games 1-15:

Now, from games 16-22:

He has begun to release all his pitches further away. This seems to have had a good effect on them, as his velocity chart illustrates:

Each of them has seen an uptick of at least one MPH.

A simple tweak begat faster pitches, which begat enhanced control, which begat a spectacular performance overall. Hence, the new Ross. Tonight, he takes on the Cardinals. If he maintains these mechanics, St. Louis — and the rest of the league — should watch out.

. . .

All data courtesy of FanGraphs and Brooks Baseball, as of Tuesday, July 29th, 2014.

Ryan Romano is a featured contributor for Beyond the Box Score. He also writes about the Orioles on Birds Watcherand on Camden Chat that one time. Follow him on Twitter at @triple_r_ if you enjoy angry tweets about Maryland sports.

After dropping three of four in Atlanta, our Padres hope to get back on track as they begin their homestand against the Cardinals. Tyson Ross will get the ball in the opener and try to continue his fantastic season, hopefully with some help from the Padres offense.

Ross is looking to extend his current win streak to a career-high three straight starts. His last time out he kept the Cubs to just one run in six innings of work while striking out a career-high 11 batters. Tonight's matchup will be his first ever start against St. Louis, though he's pitched three relief innings against the Cards, allowing one unearned run.

Opposing Ross will be Lance Lynn, who is also experiencing a good amount of success this season. Last Wednesday he struck out seven and allowed two runs in 6 1/3 frames in a loss to the Rays, ending a three-game win streak for the right-hander. In two lifetime appearances against San Diego, Lynn is 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA.

The action at Petco Park begins at 7:10 PT.

Tyson Ross earns his 10th victory of the season as he and and Friars down St. Louis.

For the first time since June 3, the Padres fielded an infield that started Yonder Alonso, Jedd Gyorko and Everth Cabrera. The trio was called into action early when a leadoff walk helped set up a 4-6-3 double play. Walks would become a theme for Tyson Ross. The All Star right handed starter had avoided them in most of his recent start but they plagued him this evening. He allowed five to reach base on balls in the first 3 innings and with a single also given up in the second inning, he had 2 baserunners in each of the first 3 frames. He escaped all three with the scoreboard unscathed, but the tight rope, high wire act was on.

The Padres would not quietly let Tyson Ross' first attempt at a 10th win on the season fail. In the bottom of the 3rd Rene Rivera reached base on a throwing error that got him to 2nd base. He then advanced on Everth Cabrera's first offensive contribution since his activation from the DL earlier that day. Rivera put the Padres up 1-0 when he scored on a medium fly ball from Alexi Amarista. Not the most glamorous of rallies, but it put the Padres up.

To maintain the lead the Padres would need some good defense, a more settled Tyson Ross and insurance runs. They would get the good defense right away when Cabrera made an over-the-shoulder grab for the first out of the 4th. Ross looked more settled with a 1-2-3 inning in the 4th, but the 5th finally scathed that scoreboard. Cabrera just missed on a diving attempt and the leadoff man got on. Matt Carpenter lined a double to left field. All it took after that was a Kolton Wong sac fly to tie up the game. A little tapper to Yangervis Solarte by supposed slugger Matt Holliday allowed the 3B to throw home and get Carpenter out at the plate. Carpenter tap danced around Rene Rivera at home, but was tagged out after not touching home plate. The throw took Rivera into the runner's lane, but the play was upheld even after a challenge, the tie game preserved and a lot less pressure on Ross with only a runner left on 1st with 2 outs. He would escape even after giving up another hit with a nick pick and throw to second by Everth Cabrera (who has now been mentioned 5 times in this recap).

The Padres would attempt to strike back in the bottom of the 5th and it led to a scary moment. Jedd Gyorko led off and got hit by a pitch. Then Rene Rivera lined a full count pitch to RF for a single. With runners at 1st and 2nd, pitcher Tyson Ross was bunting, but with two strikes took a ball off the hand that was ruled a foul ball and a strikeout. The rally would die on the vine, but concern about the game and Ross shifted to the pitcher's throwing hand.

Ross would turn out to be fine for the time being. Not damage in the 6th, but Ross' pitch count would chase him from the game. The Padres would also buoy Ross by making noise in the bottom of the 6th. Solarte would lead it off with a walk and Seth Smith would follow with one of his one. Lance Lynn's control was getting shaky, but would get the next two out as Will Venable popped up a bunt and Yonder Alonso softy flew out. Jedd Gyorko, however, would wait for his pitch and lined a single to LF that Solarte used to beat a throw home and make it 2-1. The rally looked to continue after a Rivera walk, but pinch hitter Yasmani Grandal struck out on a full count after getting 3 balls to start.

The Padres would finally get an insurance run in the bottom of the 7th. Blaine Boyer came on and kept the game at 2-1 in the top. Then in the bottom of the 7th with two outs Yangervis Solarte would Petco Porch a solo shot to make it 3-1. Kevin Quackenbush would follow Boyer's lead and hold the Cards in the 8th.Joaquin Benoit would finish them off in the 9th to earn his 3rd save as a Friar.

As for the Gaslampball game thread, the Ozarks, El Caminos, a TWSS and, of course, a WBHITB were mentioned so it was a good day.

Seems unwise for the Cardinals to lose this game.

Here's an abbreviated recap of this baseball game, which the Cardinals undoubtedly should have won.

Lance Lynn pitched very well until the sixth inning, in which he walked three batters and gave up the only earned run of his night. His final line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER (2 R), 3 BB, 6 K.

Walking off the mound after he struck out Yasmani Grandal to end the inning, Lynn sort of yelled passive-aggressively at the ump, and then directly at him, venting his spleen on account of the ump's stingy strike zone. Lynn maybe said, "That's terrible, your strike calling. That's a terrible thing in the world. I hate it." And then, "Go away." Also, and I can't even bring myself to type his name because I'm on vacation and haven't fully accepted the reality of the situation, but the Cards' new catcher also got into it with the ump.

At any rate, Padres starter Tyson Ross walked five batters, all in the first three innings, and yet the Cardinals came away with zero runs. Perhaps the most important play of the game was Matt Adams's towering moonshot flyout to right-center in the third inning, which came WITH MATTS CARPENTER AND HOLLIDAY BOTH on base, thus coming oh so closely to the natural mattrick and a 3-1 lead. *shakes fist at petco*

The Padres held a 1-0 lead (their unearned run scoring on a sac fly after a Kolten Wong throwing error) until the fifth inning, when Lynn singled (Lynn singled! (Lynn singled! (Lynn singled!))), Carpenter doubled, Wong sac-flied Lynn in, and Holliday hit a chopper to third on which Carpenter immediately broke toward home. The Padres' catcher moved into the baseline in order to catch the throw from third and tag Carpenter. After a review, he was confirmed out and the Cardinals would score no more runs that inning or any other this night.

Jason Motte (who was throwing 95-mph fastballs and looked pretty good, actually) allowed a Yangervis Solarte home run in the seventh, which:

That now seven home runs in 21 innings for Jason Motte since coming back from Tommy John surgery. #stlcards

— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) July 30, 2014

The Cardinals' final good chance at tying the game came in the eighth inning, with one unnamed man on, when Allen Craig hit a towering moonshot flyout to the deepest part of center field.

Craig went 0-4 with 2 Ks, while Oscar Taveras hit a pinch-hit single in the seventh.

This doesn't sound like it's going to happen

The Yankees have expressed interest in acquiring Ian Kennedy to not only improve their rotation for the rest of the season, but also next year's as well. Unfortunately, the Padres' right-hander suffered an oblique injury that, though might not require a DL stint, has kept him from starting in the last few days before the trading deadline. He's projected to start again on August 2, but a team like that Yankees, who has already been hurt by injuries to their rotation, can't afford to acquire a pitcher who might not be able to stay on the field.

It has also been said that San Diego, now without a general manager, is unsure on how to handle the situation and might just end up holding onto Kennedy. One executive who dealt with the team believed that the chances of Kennedy being moved were at 50-50. Even if they were to deal him, the group that is currently running the organization has said that "they can't leave the next GM with no rotation, so they'd need a big league starter, plus a second prospect, if they're going to move Kennedy."

With the amount of injuries that have plagued the Yankees' major league rotation, it is unlikely that they would be able to come up with a big league starter that they could actually afford to give up. Chase Whitley shouldn't really be considered a starter and though Shane Greene could be someone they could move, they actually need him to fill out the rotation along with Hiroki Kuroda, David Phelps, and Brandon McCarthy. Michael Pineda isn't due back until August and he's not someone they can rely on staying healthy the rest of the way. If that's the asking price for Ian Kennedy, technically it sounds affordable, but the Yankees just can't do it.

Bullpen insanity.

With the Yankees' quest to bolster their starting rotation proving to be difficult, Brian Cashman has now turned his attention to reinforcing the bullpen instead. They are again looking toward the leaderless San Diego Padres, who now have the top reliever on the market in Joaquin Benoit. That is to say, if he's actually available. Like with Ian Kennedy, the Padres have not yet determined whether they want to trade Benoit or not, though they have already traded Huston Street several weeks ago.

On the season, Benoit has been excellent with a 1.88 ERA and 2.65 FIP for San Diego. While the Yankees bullpen has been a strength for the team for much of the season, adding Benoit could go a long way toward shortening games and would represent a significant upgrade over someone like David Huff, or really anyone not named David Robertson or Dellin Betances. Adding another elite reliever would prevent overworking Betances as they head into the final two months of the season with a playoff spot on the line.

The one hang up is that the 37-year-old right-hander is locked up to a long-term contract and is owed $8 million in 2015 and an option for 2016 that can become guaranteed based on the amount of games he finishes. While Benoit could help the bullpen in the event that Robertson leaves in free agency, the Yankees are better off re-signing their closer than hope an expensive and old reliever continues to be very good. Considering all of this, the reality of such a deal will likely rely heavily on what the Yankees have to give up in return. That will be key.

A pair of big market clubs are looking into acquiring the San Diego closer.

San Diego Padres' right-hander Joaquin Benoit is drawing interest from the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, among others, reports CBS Sports' Jon Heyman. FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal was the first to report os Angeles' interest in the 37-year-old reliever.

The Dodgers clearly need bullpen help, as their staff ranks 22nd in the majors in ERA (3.71) and 24th in WAR (0.9), so it makes sense that they are pursuing Benoit. San Diego, however, isn't exactly inclined to deal him within the division, which could stall out talks between the two organizations.

New York's interest is somewhat surprising considering the back of their bullpen, led by David Robertson and Dellin Betances, has been a strength this season. Andy Martino of the New York Daily Post tweets that it makes sense for the club to target a bullpen upgrade since they are having trouble acquiring a starting pitcher. He also adds that there is currently "nothing going on" between the Yankees and Padres, though that could easily change in the next day or so.

Benoit is having an excellent season in the first year of a two-year deal he signed with the Padres over the offseason. In 43 innings, he has a minuscule 1.88 ERA, 2.64 FIP, 10.7 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, and 1.2 WAR. He is owed $8 million next season and also carries a $8 million club option (with a $1.5 million buyout) for 2016 that becomes guaranteed if he finishes 55 games in 2015.

It is far from a certainty that San Diego deals their current closer, though Chris Cotillo reported yesterday that there is "still a good chance" he is moved before Thursday's deadline. One holdback in a Benoit deal could be San Diego's high asking price, as evidenced by the outstanding return they received for Huston Street earlier this month. Of course, the Padres have all the leverage since they can always hold onto him for next year.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians have also shown interest in acquiring Benoit.

With a little more than 24 hours before the trade deadline, it is unknown whether the Dodgers will add a big-ticket starting pitcher like Jon Lester, David Price or Cole Hamels, for whom the cost is exorbitant. But the Dodgers figure to add a pitcher of some sort, especially in relief by the 1 p.m. PT July 31 non-waiver deadline.

If the Dodgers remain steadfast in their goal to keep top three prospects Corey Seager, Julio Urias and Joc Pederson, than Price and Hamels are likely off the table. It's conceivable the club could build a package around Zach Lee and/or Chris Anderson for Lester, who is a two-month rental. The Dodgers would have also needed to outbid the Cardinals for the left-hander's services, until St. Louis swooped in and acquired Justin Masterson from Cleveland, presumably filling their need for a starter.

For what it's worth, Peter Gammon says the Dodgers' unwillingness to deal any of their top three prospects means they are out on Price, Hamels and Lester.

Adding a starting pitcher remains a priority for the Dodgers, with uncertainty surrounding both Dan Haren and Josh Beckett, but adding a starter could be done in August through waivers in the right situation.

A reliever seems more likely to be added by Thursday afternoon, to help ease some of the burden off Kenley Jansen, J.P. Howell, Brian Wilson and Brandon League. Buster Olney of ESPN intimated as much.

Safest bet in the last hours leading to the trade deadline: The Dodgers are going to get bullpen help, one way or another.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 30, 2014

Joaquin Benoit is a target per both Jon Heyman of CBS Sports and Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, with Rosenthal adding a caveat that defies logic.

Sources: #Dodgers interested in #Padres’ Benoit, but Pads would prefer not to trade him within division, if they trade him at all.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2014

The Padres aren't going to be competitive this year or next (the remainder of Benoit's contract), and the only way they would threaten for a playoff spot is with a maximum return for players like Benoit, so to limit their negotiating pool is foolish and shortsighted.

Benoit is 4-2 with a 1.88 ERA this season in 42 games, with 51 strikeouts and 13 walks in 43 innings. He has saved three games this year and saved 24 games in 2013 with the Tigers, so he fits general manager Ned Colletti's fetish for experienced closers.

The Yankees are also said to be interested in Benoit, per Heyman.

Benoit makes $6 million this season, so there would be roughly $1.93 million remaining in 2014, plus $8 million in 2015 and an $8 million club option in 2016, with a $1.5 million buyout, that becomes guaranteed with 55 games finished in 2015.

Acquiring Benoit would go a long way in making the 2015 bullpen surpass the 2014 squad as the most expensive bullpen in Dodgers history. Brian Wilson has an $8.5 million player option for next year, Brandon League is due another $7.5 million and Kenley Jansen will be arbitration eligible for a second season, due a raise on his $4.3 million salary.

We need more lefties

In their attempt to bolster their pitching before the trading deadline, the Yankees have turned to improving the bullpen if they can't add another starting pitcher. They have already shown interest in Padres reliever Joaquin Benoit, but he's owed $8 million in 2015. Aside from Benoit, they have looked at other relievers who are under control for more than one year, but are much cheaper, namely James Russell of the Cubs and Antonio Bastardo of the Phillies.

Russell, arbitration eligible for the last time in 2015 at the age of 28, has had success at the major league level for the last three years by pitching to a 3.42 ERA and 3.98 FIP during that time. He's dropped below that level in 2014 and has also struggles with control by walking a full batter per nine innings more than the 3.3 level he's maintained since 2012. As a left-handed reliever, Russell is a LOOGY who has been allowed to face right-handed hitters far too often. In his career he maintains a 3.65 FIP against lefties and a 5.05 FIP against righties, however his platoons have reversed in 2014.

Bastardo is also arbitration eligible for the last time in 2015, is also 28, and is also a left-handed reliever. He has great strikeout numbers with an 11.1 K/9 since 2009, however his 4.2 BB/9 shows that he lacks control and he's now hit 5.0 this season for a career-high. Despite his 4.17 ERA, his 3.75 FIP suggest he's a bit unlucky in 2014. For a left-handed reliever, Bastardo doesn't show any platoon splits over his career, however, he's struggled a bit against lefties this year.

Both Russell and Bastardo are dealing with reverse splits this year, making them unlikely to be upgrades over Matt Thornton or even David Huff. Brain Cashman is clearly trying to upgrade over one of them and give Girardi a better second lefty option down the stretch. Unfortunately, neither pitchers are much of a solution.

Our Padres opened up the series last night with a solid win over the Cardinals in game 1. Tonight they'll try to secure the series win behind standout rookie Jesse Hahn.

Hahn has been fantastic since joining the rotation in mid-June. His last time out was no different. He kept the Braves to just one run on three hits through six innings of work at Turner Field to pick up his sixth win in his last seven starts. Through that seven game stretch, he's posted an ERA of 1.47.

His opponent will be Joe Kelly, who's coming off a couple of troublesome outings. Over his last two starts he's allowed 11 runs through 7 2/3 innings on the road. Prior to that he was out for nearly three months with a strained hamstring.

The still-offensively challenged Padres have shown some flashes of potential lately and hopefully they can do so again tonight. Tune in at 7:10 PT to see if they can lock up a series victory.

On this day in 2005, Kevin Towers finally traded Phil Nevin. Well, he had already traded him three times, but this time it stuck. Nevin vetoed two of those trades -- most famously one after the 2002 season that would have netted Ken Griffey, Jr -- but his no-trade clause didn't cover the greater Dallas- Fort Worth metro area, so he found himself headed to the Rangers in exchange for Chan Ho Park.

Both Nevin and Park were slogging through ugly seasons at the time of the trade. Nevin's was his worst since he came to San Diego from Anaheim before the 1999 season, while Park's was what Rangers fans had come to expect since he signed as a free agent in early 2002. Each had thoroughly disillusioned fans of their respective teams; Nevin's new-found offensive troubles coupled with his longstanding awful attitude, and Park never pitched well in the American League when he managed to stay off the disabled list. The fact that the new guy might fill a need for the acquiring club seemed almost secondary to getting the other guy out of town. jbox voiced this sentiment in his brilliantly titled post about the trade the day it happened.

The good news for the Pads is that Phil is gone.  No more temper tantrums.  No more booing... hopefully.  No more watching Phil pop up the catcher every other at bat.  Chan Ho Park won't be the distraction that Ponson might have been.  I'm also glad that Phil didn't leave the Padres showing off his temper.  He seems genuine with his love for the Pads, but there is no doubt that it was time for him to go.

The Ponson who Mr. Box referred to is starting pitcher Sidney Ponson, who Towers was lined up to acquire from Baltimore in exchange for Nevin just six days earlier before Phil once again invoked his no-trade clause, presumably while holding a copy of his contract in one hand and pointing to it with the other one like Roger Dorn.

The day Nevin vetoed the Ponson trade was also the same day he lost his starting job. While that seems punitive on the surface, it makes sense given what else was going on at the time. In a move meant to coincide with sending Nevin to Baltimore, the Padres acquired Joe Randa from the Reds to play third base in place of the demoted Sean Burroughs, and then moved ahead with their plan to hand first base to Xavier Nady and Mark Sweeney.

Nevin's eight-figure salary both that season and the next might have been an impediment to some teams, but not to the Rangers, who not only took on that commitment but also sent along the difference between Nevin and Park's paydays, as reported by Tom Krasovic of the Union-Tribune the day of the trade.

The Rangers were so eager to move Park, they agreed to pay about $7 million to cover the gap in guaranteed money. Park, who is 8-5 this season, has spent many months on the trade block since Texas signed him to a four-year, $65 million pact three years ago.

That $7 million broke down to $2 million to offset the difference between the $3 million and $5 million due to Nevin and Park respectively for the remaining third of a season, with the leftover $5 to sew up the gap between the $10 million Nevin had coming in 2006 and Park's $15 million. The magnitude of the money moving in the deal, which was agreed to a day earlier, is why the approval of the commissioner's office was required.

In the sense that "all's well that ends well" the Padres walked away from this trade a winner. They got an underperforming malingerer out of town on a rail and, while Park was basically the same guy he was in Texas, they won the division with an 82-80 record. And winning a weak division and getting beat in the first round by the Cardinals is as well as well has been the past sixteen seasons.

While Park was going 4-3 with a 5.91 ERA (over a run-and-a-half higher than his FIP of 4.40) down the stretch, Nevin hit a blink-and-you'd-miss-it .182 in 99 at-bats over 29 games for the third-place Rangers. He took eight walks and got plunked once to boost his OBP to a paltry .250, while his five doubles and four homers added up to a SLG of just .323. These marks were markedly worse than the already-disappointing slash line of .256/ .301/ .399 he posted in his 73 games before the trade.

The 2006 season brought more of the same for both players. Nevin hit poorly for the Rangers and was traded to the Cubs for Jerry Hairston on May 31. He seemed rejuvenated, slashing .274/ .335/ .497 with 12 home runs for Chicago, and was sent to Minnesota at the waiver trade deadline. He batted .190 with a double and a homer in 16 games for his third team of the season and fourth of the past two, and decided after the season to trade his spikes in for a microphone.

Unlike Nevin, Park wasn't traded at all the next season. In fact, the Nevin swap was the only time Park was traded in his illustrious 17-year, seven-team career. Park stuck with San Diego for the entirety of the 2006 season as the club successfully defended its division title. He went 7-7 with a 4.81 ERA (this time nearly identical to his 4.83 FIP) in 24 games, 21 of which were starts. After leaving as a free agent, Park went on to catch a second wind as a moderately successful reliever for a handful of teams through 2010 before finishing his career with seven games in Japan in 2011.

While it wasn't the most glamorous trade, it was one that had to be made and didn't blow up in the franchise's collective face. For those reasons, I think it's safe to finally judge this trade fresh.

Jesse Hahn pitched an incredible game tonight, giving up just one run on four hits and two walks in seven innings of work, but the rookie could have taken it easy on his 25th birthday. The Padres rained an impressive twelve runs down on the shockingly inept Cardinals tonight to secure a series win.

Everth Cabrera started the game with a leadoff single. He didn't stay on the basepaths long, with Alexi Amarista grounding into a fielder's choice. Seth Smith's fly ball to center left the Ninja sitting on first with two outs, but that didn't stop the Padres. Yasmani Grandal drew a walk, setting Sexi Lexi up to steal third. A single from Yangervis Solarte brought him home, giving the Padres a lead they would hold the entire game.

Alexi did some damage again in the third. He "doubled" with one out when the Cardinals couldn't decide who should field a routine fly to center. A ground out moved him to third, and then a wild pitch by Joe Kelly let him score easily. That would have been enough for a win, but wins are much more fun when brutally embarrassing the opposition. That's why Jedd Gyorko hit a solo shot to left in the bottom of the fourth. That was followed by Yonder Alonso's first major league triple. That's not a joke. He really hit a triple, and then he went ahead and scored on Will Venable's RBI single.

St. Louis did manage to get on the board in the seventh, with Matt Adams hitting a leadoff double before scoring thanks to a combination of a Jhonny Peralta single and a Peter Bourjos ground out. The Friars immediately struck back with a vengeance. With runners on the corners and one out, Smith hit an RBI double, scoring Cabrera and moving Amarista to second. Randy Choate (a real name) intentionally walked Grandal to get to Solarte. He hit an RBI single. That brought Gyorko to the plate again. Not content with a single RBI, he hit a bases-clearing double. Alonso then drew a walk, setting up Venable's three-run bomb to the Jack Deck. Final score: Padres one billion, Cardinals 1.

Odrisamer Despaigne will go for the sweep tomorrow afternoon. First pitch is at 12:40 PM, so bring your lunch to the game thread.

FriarFever had 51 comments, with Jodes slugging a healthy 4 recs.

The outfielder is expected to be moved within the next few hours.

The San Diego Padres are expected to move outfielder Chris Denorfia today, and the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals appear to be the leaders to acquire him, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune adds that the Seattle Mariners are in the mix for Denorfia, as well.

In a market thin on right-handed hitting outfielders, the 34-year-old Denorfia is rather valuable. A 3.9 WAR player in 2013, Denorfia's production has tailed off a bit this season, as he has hit just .242/.293/.319 for a 76 wRC+ after posting a 108 wRC+ last season. Still, he provides quite a bit of value on defense, with a career UZR of 21.8, including a 16.3 mark last season and 6.0 this year.  He would likely slot in on a contender's bench, where he could serve strictly in a utility role or see time as part of a platoon (he has a .809 career OPS against lefties). Denorfia is eligible for free agency following the season.

A summary of all of the Padres' trade candidates and an open thread for commenting on the day's dealings

Today at 1 PM pacific time the non-waiver trading deadline will come to an end. That puts it at 20 minutes past today's first pitch at Petco Park. The Padres have clearly positioned themselves as sellers having traded both Huston Street and Chase Headley this month. Here is an update on the players the Padres may also consider selling and an opportunity for readers to comment about all the deals today.

Chris Denorfia

In his 5th season as a Padre, the righty outfielder is approaching his first shot a free agency. Because of his contract status he is a likely candidate to get traded. At 34 years old, it never made sense for the Padres to agree to a deal beyond this season, and so they have reached the point where the most value they can get out of him is to return a prospect or two via trade. He is not the sexiest name on the trading block today, but he can still hit left handed pitching, can play all three outfield spots, is used to pinch hitting and has enough speed to pinch run in key situations for a playoff club. Rumors have the Braves and Royals in the mix for him. Some have the Mariners and Giants also with interest.

Joaquin Benoit

The newly minted Padres closer has been with the team for less than a full season, but already finds his name in trade rumors. A team that is out of contention and does not have a good outlook for contention the following season has no need for expensive relief pitchers. That makes Benoit expendable for the right price. He is still under contract after 2014 so the team does not have to make a deal, but they would be foolish to pass up some choice prospects. A deal would give the team some extra cash to splash to fix the offense in the offseason and would add talent to a deepening farm system. The rumors du jour are that the Dodgers and Yankees are interested.

Ian Kennedy

A week or so ago, it looked like a deal involving Kennedy was likely. Like Benoit, the Padres are not forced to deal Kennedy as the right hander is under team control for 2015. However, that team control comes with an expensive arbitration year. The Padres can afford it, but perhaps could reallocate those dollars elsewhere if the right deal came around. An acquiring team would be getting a pitcher who can help them reach the playoffs, can start in a playoff game and will be able to keep the following year. That is an enticing piece to acquire, but there is likely concern about the 8 year veteran's health after he was scratched from his last start with an oblique strain. So now a deal today would be a surprise.

Will Venable

I have yet to hear a rumor involving the lefty outfielder, but he has one year remaining on his contract and there are two prospects in the high minors that could man RF fairly soon. His value is quite low right now given his disappointing 2014, but I am sure the Padres would listen to offers in order to get free of his salary and open up a spot for the youngsters next season.

Tim Stauffer

The market for Stauffer has to be pretty small, if not non-existent, but he is a free agent after the season and if the team could get anything for him they would.

Who will they get?

With only a few hours to go, the Yankees are working to upgrade over Ichiro Suzuki in right field. While the Red Sox have been busy trading for Yoenis Cespedes, the Yankees are checking in on players that will cost a whole lot less than someone like Jon Lester. They are currently talking to the Twins about Josh Willingham and the Padres about Chris Denorfia, but they don't seem to be close on either fronts.

Willingham offers some power from the right side of the plate, something they have been missing all year long. He is a free agent after this season and is only owed a portion of his $7 million 2014 salary, so he shouldn't cost too much. Chris Denorfia is also a free agent after this year, but is having a disappointing season so far. Neither are exactly exciting, but they would fall in line with the types of trades Brian Cashman has made with Chase Headley and Brandon McCarthy.

The Yankees are also still in talks about Marlon Byrd, despite erroneous reports saying that they have already acquired him. It seems like Willingham might make the most sense in regards to what they would be getting and what they would have to give up, however they'll still need another outfielder for 2015.

Obviously this happens immediately after I hit publish: