Saturday 8/1/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cubs (55-47) at Brewers (44-60)

Game: 3
Venue: Miller Park
Date: August 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Hours after bolstering their already impressive pitching staff, the Chicago Cubs stifled the opponent for a third straight victory.

Chicago hopes Kyle Hendricks can bounce back from a couple of tough outings to extend that winning streak Saturday night against the offensively challenged Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

The Cubs (55-47) sent two minor leaguers to Miami on Friday for Dan Haren and acquired reliever Tommy Hunter from Baltimore for outfielder Junior Lake.

Haren, who owns his lowest ERA (3.42) in four seasons, brings 369 starts of experience with him, while Hunter has posted a 3.05 ERA over the last three years for the Orioles.

Chicago's pitching has been especially strong during a three-game winning streak, limiting Colorado and Milwaukee to a combined five runs and 18 hits. Jason Hammel allowed one run in 5 2-3 innings, and four relievers combined to yield one hit and one walk over 3 1-3 innings in Friday's 4-1 victory.

With a 3.46 ERA that ranks fifth in baseball, the onus is largely on the offense to elevate its play for the Cubs to reach the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Chicago is one game out of a wild-card spot despite averaging 3.8 runs, ranking in baseball's bottom third, and batting .228 with runners in scoring position to rank 26th.

Manager Joe Maddon's club has a major league-high 936 strikeouts.

"Offensively we have to continue to get our strike zones in order, and more than anything, runner on third, less than two outs, let's get them home," Maddon told MLB's official website. "We need to become more consistent situationally, and I've always believed having an organized strike zone is part of that."

Anthony Rizzo delivered Friday, homering for the third straight game and adding a single. Rizzo, who had homered once in 31 games before the last three, owns a 1.439 OPS with nine home runs and 20 RBIs in his last 17 against the Brewers.

Hendricks (4-5, 3.81 ERA) seeks his first win in five starts after struggling in his last two, allowing nine runs and 14 hits in 11 innings against Cincinnati and Colorado. Five combined walks were especially uncharacteristic after he had issued as many free passes in his previous eight outings.

Hendricks is 2-0 with a 0.98 ERA in three matchups with Milwaukee. Ryan Braun, who hit his 19th homer Friday, is 1 for 6 with three strikeouts off Hendricks.

Milwaukee (44-60) has dropped seven of nine and an offense that was already struggling looks overmatched after trading Gerardo Parra and Carlos Gomez. Parra was batting a team-leading .328, while Gomez had posted a club-best .821 OPS since 2013.

The Brewers, who also recently traded away Aramis Ramirez, are batting .201 while averaging 1.4 runs during this 1-6 stretch.

"We lost three players from our regular lineup," manager Craig Counsell said. "It's going to be the biggest challenge, for sure."

Counsell now hopes Matt Garza's recent improvement continues. Garza (5-11, 5.20) is 1-4 with a 6.06 ERA in his last six starts but was better in the last two. He threw six shutout innings in an 8-1 win over Cleveland on July 21, then allowed three runs over 5 2-3 innings in Sunday's 3-0 loss at Arizona.

A 12th loss would tie his career high from 2009 with Tampa Bay. Sunday marked his eighth defeat with one run of support or fewer.

Garza is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in four meetings with the Cubs since they traded him to Texas in 2013.

Chris Coghlan is 2 for 33 in his last nine against Milwaukee, but he's 5 for 12 with three doubles and a triple off Garza.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Padres (50-53) at Marlins (42-61)

Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: August 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

While the underachieving Miami Marlins shed salary prior to the trade deadline, the San Diego Padres stood pat believing there's still time to salvage their disappointing season.

The visiting Padres look to win for a seventh time in eight games Saturday night against the reeling Marlins.

Both teams faced lofty expectations, but Miami (42-61) opened the season 3-11 and ended July by dropping 15 of its last 22. It's batted .186 and totaled 13 runs while losing six of the last seven.

With an eye toward the future, the Marlins dealt veterans Steve Cishek, Mat Latos, Michael Morse, Dan Haren and young reliever Sam Dyson in recent days.

"There's a lot of reason for optimism and belief that this is a playoff, championship-caliber team," Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. "But we're not there and we have to keep working until we get there.'

San Diego (50-53) is eight games back in the NL West and 6 1/2 out of the final wild-card spot, but isn't ready to write off the season after opting not to deal any veterans as was speculated. Instead, the Padres added depth to their bullpen with Friday's acquisition of Marc Rzepczynski from Cleveland.

"We like this team, and we believe with (59) games to go that we can make a great run," optimistic Padres president and CEO Mike Dee said. "There was no mandate from ownership to slash payroll or save money. It was really about what it should be; baseball decisions and smart baseball decisions."

Previously rumored trade target Ian Kennedy allowed two runs over seven innings and the Padres scored five times in the 11th after blowing a one-run lead in the ninth to win their third in a row, 8-3 on Friday. Will Venable, also mentioned in trade talks, and Jedd Gyorko each had three hits for San Diego, which is 11-4 since losing a season-high six in a row.

'We're built to last now that the trade deadline is over,' Gyorko said.

Trying for a fifth straight victory over the Marlins, the Padres hand the ball to Odrisamer Despaigne (4-7, 4.88 ERA), who allowed one run and two hits in six innings of a 3-2 win over them Sunday.

"If you pitch well, everyone seems to feed off of that and play well," he said. "If you don't pitch well, the rest of the team seems to follow suit. It's all contagious.'

That's been the case of late on the road, where the right-hander has posted a 2.70 ERA without a decision in his last two starts after going 1-3 with a 6.07 ERA in his first five.

Christian Yelich went 0 for 3 against Despaigne in that contest but is batting .353 (6 for 17) with a homer he hit Friday and three RBIs in four games since.

Miami right-hander Jose Urena (1-4, 4.04) was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans to make his eighth career start and first since June 28. The right-hander yielded one run, four hits and walked four in five innings of a 2-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He'll try to cool off Venable, 5 for 11 in his last two games, and Gyorko, who is 7 for 12 in the last three.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mariners (47-57) at Twins (53-49)

Game: 3
Venue: Target Field
Date: August 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Minnesota Twins' grip on a wild-card spot is slipping.

Their advantage could disappear entirely if they can't bounce back from an abysmal performance and find a way to keep Nelson Cruz in check.

Minnesota tries to avoid its 10th loss in 13 games Saturday night against the visiting Seattle Mariners.

The Twins (53-49) ended a four-game skid by cranking out 13 hits in a 9-5 win in Thursday's series opener, but struck out 11 times while being held to one hit by Taijuan Walker in a 1-0 defeat Friday.

Baltimore and Toronto won Friday to pull within one game of Minnesota, and four other teams are within 3 1/2 games.

"Overall, the homestand hasn't been good," manager Paul Molitor said of his club's 2-5 stretch at Target Field. "You just got to kind of accept every day when you hit the pillow where you're at. No sense trying to overanalyze things."

Cruz dominated at the dish for Seattle (47-57), going 4 for 5 with his 27th home run and 16th double. He's 20 for 50 with six homers and 10 RBIs during an 11-game hitting streak.

The star slugger is batting .400 in his last 11 at Target Field with three homers in the past five.

While Jesus Montero also provided a spark Friday by homering upon being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma, Robinson Cano missed his third consecutive game due to an abdominal injury and Logan Morrison (thumb) sat out a second straight.

Kyle Gibson (8-8, 3.48 ERA) looks to get back on track for the Twins after rough outings against the Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees. He gave up a total of 11 earned runs in 10 1-3 innings after allowing nine in his previous six outings.

Gibson's success this year has been fueled by his ability to tighten up in key situations. Opponents had been hitting .165 against him with runners in scoring position before going 5 for 14 in his last two games. He escaped a few jams Sunday against the Yankees before getting tagged for five runs in the sixth inning.

"Really kind of turned what I felt like was going to be a pretty decent day into a pretty sour day," he said.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA over his last three starts against Seattle, including a strong outing in a 4-2 win at Safeco Field on April 26. Gibson gave up two runs over seven-plus innings.

The Mariners are 1 for 18 with runners in scoring position against Gibson in four all-time meetings.

Mike Montgomery (4-4, 3.20) is 0-2 while allowing 16 earned runs over 20 1-3 innings in his last four starts, seeing his ERA nearly double from 1.62.

Home runs and walks have recently become concerns for the rookie left-hander. He has surrendered seven homers in his last five starts after allowing one through his first six, and he's walked nine in his last two after totaling 10 in his previous six games.

He limited Arizona to two earned runs Monday, but was taken deep twice and walked four over 6 2-3 innings in a 4-3 loss.

Brian Dozier is 7 for his last 19 off lefties with two homers and two doubles.

Miguel Sano, who homered Friday, has a 1.073 OPS during a seven-game hitting streak with two doubles, two homers and five walks.

Trevor Plouffe, tied for second on the team with 55 RBIs, is expected to return after missing two games for the birth of his son.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Yankees (58-44) at White Sox (49-52)

Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: August 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Mark Teixeira has a chance to do something Saturday night that has been accomplished four times in baseball history and never in the illustrious history of the New York Yankees.

Judging by his success against Chicago White Sox starter John Danks, he certainly has a chance.

Teixeira can become the first Yankee and fifth hitter to post three consecutive multihomer efforts as these clubs continue a three-game series in Chicago.

The slugger went deep twice in Thursday's 7-6 loss at Texas and did so again Friday, including a grand slam, as New York (58-44) built a six-run lead after two innings and cruised to a 13-6 victory. He finished 3 for 4 with six RBIs, driving in at least that many runs for the eighth time in his career.

Friday marked the 14th time Teixeira has homered from both sides of the plate, a major league record. He is hitting .457 with six homers, 11 RBIs and 12 runs scored in his last 12 games.

"It's a cool record to have," Teixeira said, "but hopefully I'll add to it."

If he does so Saturday, he will reach a different milestone by becoming the fifth player to homer multiple times in three straight contests. He would join the Anaheim Angels' Jeff DaVanon (2003), the Cincinnati Reds' Lee May (1969), the New York Mets' Frank Thomas (1962) and the Philadelphia Athletics' Gus Zernial (1951).

Teixeira is 8 for 18 with a homer and two doubles off Danks (5-8, 4.97 ERA), and he has a 1.124 OPS in his last 12 games at U.S. Cellular Field with four homers and 16 RBIs.

Danks posted a 2.08 ERA while not receiving a decision in two 2014 starts versus New York. The left-hander had a hit-or-miss July with three scoreless efforts and two in which he was charged with six earned runs, including Monday's 10-8 victory at Boston.

Jacoby Ellsbury is 8 for 17 off Danks, though he's in a 5-for-32 slump.

The Yankees have won seven straight games when opposed by left-handers and will once again likely start Chris Young, who is 1 for 3 versus Danks. Young is hitting .370 against lefties, going 8 for 18 with two homers against them since the All-Star break.

Alex Rodriguez has hit safely in seven straight, going 11 for 27 with four homers and 10 runs scored.

Brett Gardner and Brian McCann are both expected back in the lineup after not starting Friday, though Gardner is 1 for 11 off Danks and McCann is 2 for 9.

New York has won six straight over Chicago, which has lost consecutive games after a season-high, seven-game win streak.

The White Sox (49-52) have dropped five straight at home for the first time since a six-game slide there Sept. 10-15, 2013. Manager Robin Ventura said Friday's loss had nothing to do with the club's inability to acquire anyone at the trade deadline.

"That's not it, we just got beat in a game, that's part of it, that has nothing to do with yesterday or at noon today," he said.

Jose Abreu is enjoying an 11-game hitting streak in which he has a .381 average, four homers and 15 RBIs after going deep Friday for the third time in four games.

Adam LaRoche finished with his first four-hit effort in three years and pitched the ninth for his first mound appearance since 2003 at Double-A Greenville.

The Yankees will give Bryan Mitchell (0-0, 2.89) his first start and second of his career. The right-hander was recalled Thursday from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he went 5-5 with a 3.12 ERA in 15 starts.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Diamondbacks (50-51) at Astros (58-46)

Game: 2
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: August 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Dallas Keuchel had one of his worst efforts of the season in his latest start but a return to Houston might be what he needs to put that behind quickly.

The Astros left-hander will try to extend his 24-inning home scoreless streak and become the AL's first 13-game winner Saturday night, but he will have to face the surging Arizona Diamondbacks.

Keuchel (12-5, 2.32 ERA) yielded four runs in the first inning in Sunday's 5-1 loss to Kansas City. He also gave up a season-high 10 hits in 6 2-3 innings and matched his most runs allowed this season with five.

Keuchel will try to shake that off by extending the longest home scoreless streak by an Astros pitcher since Hall of Famer Randy Johnson had a 36-inning run in 1998.

"It's going to be a fight the rest of the year, just because we're in the playoff hunt and every team's looking to put their best foot forward,' said Keuchel, whose team is two games ahead of Los Angeles in the AL West.

Keuchel, 10-0 with 1.33 ERA in his last 14 home games dating to last season, will also try to join Johnson as the only pitchers in team history with four consecutive scoreless home starts of seven innings or more Saturday. Johnson is also the last in the majors to accomplish that feat.

Keuchel will face a team that's won six in a row after a 6-4 victory in 10 innings in Friday's series opener. The Diamondbacks (50-51) rallied from a three-run deficit to send Houston (58-46) to just its second loss in 14 home games.

Welington Castillo and Jake Lamb had the final of Arizona's 14 hits with their back-to-back homers in the 10th. Arizona is batting .347 with 22 runs in its past three games after hitting .235 and averaging 3.2 runs in its previous 15.

Castillo's homer was his fourth in three games, and he'll try to add to that binge while helping the Diamondbacks extend their longest win streak since a nine-game run in August 2011.

Jeremy Hellickson (7-6, 4.60) will try to build on a superb July for a team that has posted a 1.90 ERA by its starting pitchers in the past eight games. The right-hander went 2-1 with a 1.88 ERA in four starts last month and lasted six innings in a 3-0 win over Milwaukee on Sunday.

"I don't know what the word is for it, but you really don't want to be the guy (that ends the streak)," Hellickson said.

Hellickson also got the benefit of making three home starts in July. He's 0-2 with a 7.58 ERA in his last four road games and had his most recent one - July 8 against Texas - cut short after allowing two runs in four innings because of a blister on his right thumb.

Hellickson will make his first start against Houston and will try to lead Arizona to its first five-game road win streak since May 6-18, 2013.

Keuchel is 1-1 with a 1.84 ERA in two career home starts against the Diamondbacks, tossing eight innings of one-run ball to beat them last June.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockies (43-58) at Cardinals (66-37)

Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: August 01, 2015 7:15 PM EDT

Matt Carpenter has been the star for the St. Louis Cardinals halfway through this four-game set with the lowly Colorado Rockies.

Lance Lynn could take over that role when the series continues Saturday night because of how he has dominated the Rockies.

Lynn's lowest ERA against an NL foe is versus Colorado, and he's been nearly unbeatable at home as he seeks to win a fourth straight Busch Stadium start.

Carpenter is 6 for 9 with three homers and five RBIs in this series, going deep twice in a 9-8 comeback win Thursday and adding his 13th of the season in Friday's 7-0 rout. The Cardinals have used 14-hit attacks both nights.

St. Louis (66-37) has captured 16 of 19 at home over Colorado with five straight wins as it turns to Lynn (8-5, 2.71 ERA), whose 1.77 home ERA is baseball's fifth-best mark.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA in four starts against Colorado with two scoreless efforts. The Rockies with the most plate appearances against him with seven apiece are DJ LeMahieu and Drew Stubbs, who have combined to go 1 for 13 with a walk and six strikeouts.

Lynn is 5-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his last seven home starts, posting a 0.86 ERA in three this month with 22 strikeouts in 21 innings. The one issue plaguing him is that he has baseball's fourth-worst run support average at 2.86.

That could be a problem Saturday since Carpenter could be cooled off because he's 0 for 9 with four strikeouts against Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa (6-4, 5.03), who is 6-2 with a 3.51 ERA in his last eight starts against the Cardinals. The left-hander is 2-2 with a 3.04 ERA in four at the current Busch Stadium.

Mark Reynolds is 3 for 20 with 10 walks and 10 strikeouts versus De La Rosa and Jhonny Peralta is 5 for 24 with two homers.

De La Rosa has a 3.07 road ERA compared to 6.62 at home. He has yielded six runs in each of his last two starts and escaped without a decision both times, including Monday's 9-8 road loss to the Chicago Cubs.

"I was thinking too much and tried to do too much, and it put more pressure on me," he told MLB's official website. "But I'm better than the way I'm pitching right now."

The Rockies (43-58) are 1-4 on a seven-game trip even with LeMahieu batting .522 in his last six. Nolan Arenado, who leads the majors with 78 RBIs, is 1 for 9 in this series as part of a 5-for-36 slump.

Corey Dickerson is likely headed to the disabled list with two broken ribs suffered in the series opener.

Peralta is 4 for 8 in this series with four RBIs after homering Friday. Stephen Piscotty is batting .400 in the last six games, including a two-run double in a five-run sixth inning that opened a 4-0 lead.

"After striking out twice (earlier in the game), I told myself there are two ways to handle this," Piscotty said. "I could curl up and hide or embrace it as an opportunity to redeem myself."

St. Louis boasts the NL's best bullpen with a 2.32 ERA. That unit received another boost after the club acquired Jonathan Broxton from Milwaukee on Friday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Giants (56-46) at Rangers (50-52)

Game: 2
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: August 01, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Cole Hamels has the potential to help the Texas Rangers for several years, but his focus is on the present.


Fresh off throwing a no-hitter, Hamels makes his Rangers debut Saturday night looking to fare better than he did against the visiting San Francisco Giants last month.

With Philadelphia mired in a miserable season and its future potentially bleak, Hamels prepared himself for a trade that involved eight players and was officially completed Friday. While the 2008 World Series MVP looks back fondly on his career with the Phillies that concluded with last Saturday's no-hitter at Wrigley Field, he's eager to move on.

'I'm excited to start the next chapter of my baseball life,' said Hamels, who has three years remaining on a $144 million, six-year contract that includes a $20 million club option for 2019 or a $6 million buyout. '(The Rangers) have a lot of great players and there's always a chance in that league. I don't think they are too far away, even this year.'

Hamels, 114-90 with a 3.30 ERA in his 10 seasons, wanted to be dealt to a contender, and at least publicly believes Texas (50-52) can make a push. The Rangers are seven games behind AL West-leading Houston but three out of the final wild-card spot.

They won for the seventh time in the last 10 games Friday by handing the Giants (56-46) their third defeat in the last 16, 6-3.

"There's still a chance, and I like knowing that," he told MLB's official website. "I know I can help be a part of that for the Rangers, and that's what I'll look to do.

"I just want to be a part of it and do what I can. My expectations are to go out there and win ballgames."

Hamels gutted out 129 pitches and struck out 13 during the historic 5-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs to improve to 6-7 with a 3.64 ERA in his 20th start. However, 15 days earlier he allowed season highs of nine runs and 12 hits in 3 1-3 innings of a 15-2 loss at San Francisco.

Hunter Pence hit a grand slam off Hamels in that contest and Buster Posey went 2 for 3 to raise his regular-season average against the left-hander to .524 (11 for 21).

Hamels leaves one of the majors' worst-hitting clubs to join a Rangers team that's averaged 5.8 runs while winning eight of the last 13 contests. Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus each hit two-run homers off Madison Bumgarner to help Texas to a third consecutive victory.

Andrus is batting .343 with 10 RBIs in his last 17 games.

Chris Heston (11-5, 3.14 ERA), who threw a no-hitter against the New York Mets on June 9, will try to end the Rangers' surge. This is the first time since 2010 when Matt Garza faced Dallas Braden and Edwin Jackson opposed Roy Halladay that two pitchers who tossed no-hitters in a season squared off in that same year.

Looking to win a fourth straight start, Heston is 5-0 with a 2.11 ERA in his last seven starts and allowed two runs over 28 1-3 innings of his last four.

"He's just been unbelievable to watch this year," teammate Matt Duffy said after the right-hander gave up two of those runs in seven innings of Monday's 4-2 win over Milwaukee.

Tempers flared and the benches cleared Friday after an agitated Bumgarner shouted something toward the Rangers bench as the fourth inning ended on Delino DeShields' pop up. No punches were thrown and there were no ejections.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indians (48-54) at Athletics (45-59)

Game: 3
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: August 01, 2015 9:05 PM EDT

Though the Cleveland Indians were sellers prior to the trade deadline, they've hardly given up hope this season.

They can record a fourth consecutive victory by extending the Oakland Athletics' current struggles Saturday night at the Coliseum.

Cleveland (48-54) is last in the AL Central and dealt veterans David Murphy, Brandon Moss and Marc Rzepczynski this week, but remains optimistic while sitting five games out of the final wild-card spot.

"Things haven't gone the way we've wanted them to so far, but I don't think just because we traded a (few) guys away that it means we've given up on this year," ace Corey Kluber told MLB's official website.

The Indians have built some momentum by winning three straight since losing the first six of a seven-game homestand. Danny Salazar allowed Oakland's only hit over eight innings, Lonnie Chisenhall had three hits and Michael Bourn delivered a tiebreaking double in the ninth of Friday's 2-1 victory.

'This team has so much energy, and we're having fun out there,' Salazar said

While Cleveland's hurt itself with a 20-32 home record, it is 28-22 on the road and won 10 of the last 14 away from Progressive Field. The Indians have held Oakland (45-59) to two runs and three hits in the first two of this set.

"I don't know how many times we've said it, but it kind of starts with pitching," manager Terry Francona said. "If you can't pitch, you're in real trouble."

Cody Anderson (2-2, 3.26 ERA) proved to be a pleasant surprise for Francona after becoming the first pitcher since 1914 to last at least 6 2-3 innings and allow one or no runs in each of his first four career starts. However, the right-hander has yielded 11 runs and 18 hits over 8 1-3 innings to go 0-1 in his last two.

He gave up seven runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings of Monday's 9-4 loss to Kansas City.

"I just didn't make my pitches down in the zone," said Anderson, who grew up some five hours northwest of the Bay Area in Quincy, Calif.

He'll face an Oakland club that's scored 20 runs while batting .189 with three homers over a 1-7 stretch. Eric Sogard, Billy Burns and Josh Reddick have accounted for all the team's hits in this series.

'You're going to go through stretches when you struggle offensively,' manager Bob Melvin said. 'You hope you time it right when you get a good pitching effort, you also have the offense.'

All-Star catcher Stephen Vogt is 0 for 19 in his last six games after going hitless in three at-bats Friday.

Acquired in Tuesday's deal that sent the versatile Ben Zobrist to the Royals, Aaron Brooks (0-0, 6.23) makes his fifth career appearance and second start in his Oakland debut. He allowed three runs and six hits in 4 1-3 innings of two relief outings this season but went 6-4 with a 3.72 ERA in 17 starts for Triple-A Omaha.

"I think getting the ball right away, coming from Triple-A straight here, is a big confidence boost and something I've got to take advantage of," said the Los Angeles area native who is expected to have plenty of family and friends on hand.

Bourn is 8 for 14 with four stolen bases in the last four games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

After trades, Mariners call up Montero, others
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

After sending out three players in trades over the past two days, the Seattle Mariners recalled Jesus Montero and three others from Triple-A Tacoma on Friday.

Also called up were infielder Ketel Marte, right-hander Jose Ramirez and left-hander Rob Rasmussen. The Mariners optioned infielder Chris Taylor to Tacoma to even out the 25-man roster after the Mariners traded outfielder Dustin Ackley and pitchers Mark Lowe and A.J. Happ.

Montero, 25, is in his second stint with the Mariners. In five games earlier this season, he went 3-for-10. In 93 games with Tacoma, he has hit .346 with 16 home runs, 75 RBIs and a .938 OPS.

Marte, 21, will be making his major-league debut. In 65 games with Tacoma, he was hitting .314 with three home runs, 29 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.

Marte was rated as the third-best prospect in the Mariners' organization by Baseball America entering the season. He played in the Futures Game during All-Star weekend in Cincinnati and also was a Triple-A All-Star.

Taylor, 24, has hit .170 in two stints with Seattle. In 48 games with Tacoma, he has hit .289 with four triples, 16 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.

Ramirez, 25, was acquired Thursday in a deal that sent Ackley to the New York Yankees. He was 3-0 with 10 saves and a 2.90 ERA with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season.

Rasmussen, 26, was acquired Friday in a deal that sent the right-handed Lowe to the Toronto Blue Jays. Rasmussen has recorded a 2.92 ERA in 11 appearances over two seasons for the Blue Jays, while going 4-1 with a 2.36 ERA in 34 games with Triple-A Buffalo this year. He will go on the Mariners' 40-man roster.

Also on Friday, the Mariners traded the left-handed Happ to the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor-league right-hander Adrian Sampson, who is scheduled to report to Tacoma in the next few days.

Sampson, 23, was drafted by the Pirates out of Bellevue College in 2012. With Triple-A Indianapolis this season, he was 8-8 with a 3.98 ERA over 124 1/3 innings with 95 strikeouts in 21 starts.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Blue Jays biggest deadline winners; Yankees stand pat
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

CHICAGO -- There was a time not long ago when general manager Brian Cashman and the New York Yankees strolled into the intersection of July and August and dominated the competition at MLB's non-waiver trade deadline, backed by doubly deep pockets and ownership demands for ticker-tape type transactions at midsummer.

On Friday, Cashman didn't take whatever he wanted. He took a pass.

"We could not find a match," Cashman said Friday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field, minutes after the trade deadline ticked by, and only the second time in his 17 years running the team that it made no moves.

Cashman said he was unwilling to make a deal that included his top prospects. All others refused to make a deal with the Yankees that didn't feature one of the team's top four minor leaguers.

The Yankees are leading the American League East -- by six games at the deadline -- but placed No. 2 starter Michael Pineda on the disabled list Thursday in the midst of the Toronto Blue Jays' shopping spree. What looms with the deadline passed is 13 games between the Yankees and Blue Jays, a race to not just win the East but to avoid the wild-card game.

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn learned his way around the deadline at the right hand of Ken Williams, who loved the baseball holiday and opportunities it brought in deals for the likes of Ken Griffey Jr. and Jake Peavy.

Hahn had chances to ship out right-hander Jeff Samardzija -- the Yankees, Blue Jays, Giants and others had interest -- and gave division rival GM Dave Dombrowski a ring to talk Yeonis Cespedes, but wound up doing nothing at the deadline in a bunched-up playoff hunt.

"Frankly, it's a little frustrating," Hahn said from the White Sox dugout. "Ultimately, the cost didn't justify the return. ... We started flirting a little bit with rentals. At the end of the day, that didn't make sense."

The Blue Jays should be heading north in the standings. Who were the other biggest potential winners at the deadline?

5. Detroit Tigers

Acquired: LHP Daniel Norris, INF JaCoby Jones, LHP Jairo Labourt, LHP Matt Boyd, RHP Michael Fullmer, LHP Luis Cessa

Tigers fans might be asking, this is what winning looks like, eh?

The Tigers tossed out the two headliners acquired last July in a major prospect purge.

For the second time in seven months, the Tigers lost the ace of their pitching staff -- David Price to the Blue Jays, chasing free-agent goner Max Scherzer (Nationals) -- and another ninth-inning bullpen arm. Joe Nathan is out for the season with an elbow injury and the Tigers shipped out Joakim Soria before Thursday's game. Also gone is outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, shipped to the Mets just before 4 p.m. ET.

All is not lost in Detroit. Not yet, at least. Norris, lauded as the gem of the Blue Jays' system, didn't dent a pitiful starting rotation in Toronto and pitched to an ERA of nearly 5.00 in Buffalo.

Perennial MVP candidate Miguel Cabrera will be back in the middle of the order next season and the fast-flowing stream of prospects fetched in return by general manager Dave Dombrowski -- he's not lying when he labels this week's move as a reboot -- stabilizes a weakened farm system.

4. Texas Rangers

Acquired: LHP Cole Hamels

Getting Hamels without giving up the top power prospect in the organization is more than a moral victory for a team settling into also-ran territory in the American League West.

Hamels has $82.1 million remaining on his $144 million contract with a vesting option to stick around through 2019. That's market value, or slightly below, based on Max Scherzer's deal with the Nationals last winter and what some project 30-year-old David Price might fetch this holiday shopping season.

With Hamels in tow -- he'll make his first start with Texas on Saturday -- and if Yu Darvish comes back throwing with the same velocity and movement in 2016, it's hard to find a better 1-2 punch in the American League.

3. Houston Astros

Acquired: RHP Mike Fiers, LHP Scott Kazmir, CF Carlos Gomez

Houston had the American League All-Star Game starter -- Dallas Keuchel -- but the Astros needed swing-and-miss starters. In Kazmir and Fiers, they have two of the better whiff-promoting starters in the game. Kazmir, a free agent after this season, is in the top five in swinging strikes in 2014. GM Jeff Luhnow abandoned the build toward contention in 2015 and perhaps with good reason after a successful sweep to overtake the Los Angeles Angels for the AL West lead.

Gomez has survived injuries this season, was nearly dealt to the Mets midweek, and is under contract through 2016.

"We're committed to winning," Luhnow said. "(Astros owner) Jim Crane is committed to winning, our front office is committed to winning, our players and coaches are. To be able to bring a player like Carlos Gomez into our organization in the prime of his career to complement a lot of great players that we have out there right now means we're serious about doing some damage this year and for years to come.

"It's going to be a fun next few years for the Astros, and hopefully it starts a long string of postseason appearances this year."

2. Kansas City Royals

Acquired: RHP Johnny Cueto, UTIL Ben Zobrist

No strategy is a winning strategy all the time. Dayton Moore showed he believes as much by going away from the stand-pat plan employed by the Royals general manager at the 2014 trade deadline.

Moore took the first big swing of the 2015 deadline when he landed No. 1 starter Johnny Cueto, a 20-game winner last year who was 7-6 with a 2.62 ERA in Cincinnati this season. The Royals also picked up master-of-all-trades Ben Zobrist, a 34-year-old utility man who can play left field until All-Star Alex Gordon is healthy or fill in almost anywhere else on the diamond.

"Every trade he's made, he's given us exactly what we needed," said Gordon, sidelined until at least early September with a groin injury.

1. Toronto Blue Jays

Acquired: RP LaTroy Hawkins, RP Mark Lowe, LHP David Price, OF Ben Revere, SS Troy Tulowitzki

With a weak spot in left field, the Blue Jays landed Revere to be the high-contact (90.3 percent of swings, per Stats Inc.) tablesetter at the top or bottom of the most potent lineup in baseball. Lowe, who has a 1.00 ERA and four earned runs allowed in 36 innings this season, to help stabilize the back end of the bullpen. Price is a bona-fide No. 1 and steepens a rotation that needed a legitimate front man.

"There's a great dynamic in that clubhouse," GM AJ Anthopolous said. "The mix there is very, very good. But at the same time you still need to win games. I think every team gets better when you add a player like this."

Bringing Price in to boost a rotation with the third-worst ERA in the American League gets a gold star. Tulowitzki stands as the jewel of the haul because he is not a rental and gives the team a face of the franchise if slugger Jose Bautista is dealt this offseason.

"You already knew you were dealing with a strong opponent," Cashman said Friday of the Blue Jays. "They got significantly better."

 

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MLB notebook: Mets acquire slugger Cespedes
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The New York Mets found a way to bolster their offense Friday, acquiring left fielder Yoenis Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers received Double-A right-hander Michael Fulmer and Triple-A right-hander Luis Cessa in return.

The Mets, who rank last in the majors in runs scored, had been looking for help on offense and had backed out of a trade for Milwaukee slugger Carlos Gomez earlier in the week.

Cespedes, 29, is hitting .293 with 18 homers and has hit four home runs in his past six games. He joins infielders Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe, acquired from the Atlanta Braves a week ago, as the Mets try to improve their offense.

Cespedes will arrive just in time to help the Mets in a crucial series against the Washington Nationals. The Mets were three games behind the Nationals in the National League East before they played Friday.

The Mets will be Cespedes' fourth team in the past year. The Oakland Athletics traded him to the Boston Red Sox last July, and Boston sent him to Detroit in the offseason. He will be a free agent after this season.

---The Toronto Blue Jays continued to load up for a run to the postseason, acquiring outfielder Ben Revere from the Philadelphia Phillies for two minor league pitchers.

The Blue Jays have now added Revere, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, ace left-hander David Price and veteran reliever Mark Lowe this week.

Philadelphia received right-handers Jimmy Cordero and Alberto Tirado from Toronto.

Revere is hitting .296 with 24 stolen bases and should step into the leadoff spot in Toronto's lineup.

The Blue Jays solidified their bullpen by acquiring the right-handed Lowe from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for three minor league pitchers.

Lowe, 32, has made 34 appearances out of the bullpen for Seattle this season, allowing just four earned runs over 36 innings for a 1.00 ERA. He is a veteran of 10 seasons, spending time with Seattle, Texas, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland. He has a 8-22 career mark with a 3.80 ERA in 305 appearances, all in relief.

The Mariners received left-handers Nick Wells, Jacob Brentz and Rob Rasmussen from the Blue Jays.

---The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired left-hander J.A. Happ from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor league right-hander Adrian Sampson.

Happ, 32, was 4-6 with a 4.64 ERA over 108 2/3 innings with 82 strikeouts in 21 games (20 starts) for the Mariners this season. He was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays on Dec. 3, 2014.

In nine major league seasons with Philadelphia, Houston, Toronto and Seattle, Happ is 55-59 with a 4.29 ERA in 185 games (160 starts).

Earlier this week, the Pirates acquired right-handed closer Joakim Soria in a trade with the Detroit Tigers and grabbed right-hander Joe Blanton from the Kansas City Royals.

---The Baltimore Orioles got a boost to their lineup by acquiring outfielder Gerardo Parra from the Milwaukee Brewers for minor league pitcher Zach Davies.

Parra, who has batted lead-off in Milwaukee, should help solve the Orioles' challenges with production from their corner outfielders. Parra is currently riding a career-high 14-game hitting streak and is batting .328 on the season. He also has nine homes and 31 RBIs with 24 doubles and five triples.

---The St. Louis Cardinals acquired right-handed reliever Jonathan Broxton and cash considerations from the Brewers in exchange for minor league outfielder Malik Collymore.

Broxton, 31, a two time All-Star with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is 36-32 career with a 3.25 ERA and 118 saves. He is 1-2 with a 5.89 ERA in 40 games over 36 2/3 innings with the Brewers this season.

---The Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed reliever Tommy Hunter from the Baltimore Orioles, sending outfielder Junior Lake to Baltimore in return.

Hunter has a 3.63 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings this season. His ERA is 2.63 in his last 34 games. Lake is hitting .315 with seven homers at Triple-A this season and in 193 career major league games, he has hit .241 with 16 homers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cubs acquire RHP Hunter from Orioles
The Sports Xchange Jul 31, 2015

The Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed reliever Tommy Hunter from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, sending outfielder Junior Lake to Baltimore in return.

Hunter, 29, has a 3.63 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings this season. His ERA is 2.63 in his last 34 games.

Lake, 25, is hitting .315 with seven homers at Triple-A this season. In 193 career major-league games, he has hit .241 with 16 homers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Busy Blue Jays add OF Revere to trade haul
The Sports Xchange

The Toronto Blue Jays continued to load up for a run to the postseason Friday, acquiring outfielder Ben Revere from the Philadelphia Phillies for two minor-league pitchers.

The Blue Jays have now added Revere, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, ace left-hander David Price and veteran reliever Mark Lowe this week.

Philadelphia, which already had traded closer Jonathan Papelbon and ace Cole Hamels, received right-handers Jimmy Cordero and Alberto Tirado from Toronto on Friday.

Revere is hitting .296 with 24 stolen bases and should step into the leadoff spot in Toronto's lineup.

Before they hosted the Kansas City Royals on Friday, the Blue Jays (53-51) were six games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East and two games out in the wild-card race.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mets acquire slugger Cespedes
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The New York Mets found a way to bolster their offense Friday, acquiring left fielder Yoenis Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers received Double-A right-hander Michael Fulmer and Triple-A right-hander Luis Cessa in return.

The Mets, who rank last in the majors in runs scored, had been looking for help on offense and had backed out of a trade for Milwaukee slugger Carlos Gomez earlier in the week.

Cespedes, 29, is hitting .293 with 18 homers and has hit four home runs in his past six games. He joins infielders Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe, acquired from the Atlanta Braves a week ago, as the Mets try to improve their offense.

Cespedes will arrive just in time to help the Mets in a crucial series against the Washington Nationals. The Mets (52-50) were three games behind the Nationals in the National League East before they played Friday.

The Mets will be Cespedes' fourth team in the past year: The Oakland Athletics traded him to the Boston Red Sox last July, and Boston sent him to Detroit in the offseason. He will be a free agent after this season.

The Tigers' trade of Cespedes follows their deal that sent pitcher David Price to the Toronto Blue Jays earlier in the week.

Fulmer, 22, has a 2.03 ERA with 92 strikeouts in the minors this season. Cessa, 23, has a 3.98 ERA with 85 strikeouts.

 

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Pirates acquire LHP Happ from Mariners
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired left-hander J.A. Happ from the Seattle Mariners on Friday in exchange for minor league right-hander Adrian Sampson.

The Pirates also recalled left-handed pitcher Bobby LaFromboise from Triple-A Indianapolis and placed right-handed pitcher A.J. Burnett on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation.

Right-handed pitcher Joakim Soria is also active and has joined the team in Cincinnati. To make room for Soria on the 25-man active roster, right-handed pitcher Deolis Guerra has been designated for assignment.

Happ, 32, was 4-6 with a 4.64 ERA in 108 2/3 innings with 82 strikeouts in 21 games (20 starts) for the Mariners this season. He was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays on Dec. 3, 2014.

In nine major league seasons with Philadelphia, Houston, Toronto and Seattle, Happ is 55-59 with a 4.29 ERA in 185 games (160 starts).

The Pirates acquired Soria in a trade with the Detroit Tigers on Thursday and grabbed right-hander Joe Blanton from the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

Sampson, a Redmond, Wash., native is scheduled to report to Triple-A Tacoma in the next few days.

Sampson, 23, was drafted by the Pirates out of Bellevue College in 2012. With Triple-A Indianapolis this season, he was 8-8 with a 3.98 ERA over 124 1/3 innings with 95 strikeouts in 21 starts.

LaFromboise, who is in his second stint with Pittsburgh this year, went 1-1 with a 2.72 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 42 appearances for Indianapolis this season. He did not allow a run in his last seven appearances and was scored upon just once in his last 17 Triple-A outings. He made his one appearance with the Pirates and pitched a scoreless inning..

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Blue Jays add RHP Lowe to bullpen
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The Toronto Blue Jays made a move Friday to solidify their bullpen by acquiring right-hander Mark Lowe from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for three minor league pitchers.

The busy Blue Jays acquired ace left-hander David Price from the Detroit Tigers and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki from the Colorado Rockies this week as they make a push in the American League East.

The Mariners received left-handers Nick Wells, Jacob Brentz and Rob Rasmussen from the Blue Jays.

Lowe, 32, has made 34 appearances out of the bullpen for Seattle this season, allowing just four earned runs over 36 innings for a 1.00 ERA. He is a veteran of 10 seasons, spending time with Seattle, Texas, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland. He has a 8-22 career mark with a 3.80 ERA in 305 appearances, all in relief.

The 19-year-old Wells, selected in the third round of the 2014 draft, was playing for rookie-level Bluefield in the Appalachian League, posting a 1-2 record with a 4.78 ERA in seven starts.

Brentz, 20, was an 11th-round selection in 2013 and was 0-1 with a 4.09 ERA in six starts, also with Bluefield.

Rasmussen, 26, has recorded a 2.92 ERA in 11 appearances over two seasons for the Blue Jays, while going 4-1 with a 2.36 ERA in 34 games with Triple-A Buffalo this year. He will go on the Mariners' 40-man roster.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cards acquire RHP Broxton from Brewers
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The St. Louis Cardinals acquired right-handed reliever Jonathan Broxton and cash considerations from the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday in exchange for minor league outfielder Malik Collymore.

Broxton is owed approximately $3.6 million for the rest of the season. His contract includes a $9 million club option for 2016.

Broxton, 31, a two time All-Star with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is 36-32 career with a 3.25 ERA and 118 saves. He is 1-2 with a 5.89 ERA in 40 games over 36 2/3 innings with the Brewers this season.

The 6-foot-4, 305-pound Broxton is unscored upon in his last seven appearances. He has struck out 37 and walked just 10 this season.

Broxton, who had a career-high 36 saves for the Dodgers in 2009, has appeared in 582 games with the Dodgers (2005-11), Kansas City (2012), Cincinnati (2012-14) and Milwaukee (2014-15).

Collymore, 20, was St. Louis' 10th-round pick in the 2013 draft. He is hitting .216 in 23 rookie games this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tigers trade Cespedes to Mets
Stephen Campbell

The New York Mets have acquired slugging outfielder Yoenis Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports.

Going back the other way are right-handers Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa. Cespedes owns a .293 batting average to go along with 18 home runs and 61 RBI this season.

Prior to the trade, the Mets' odds to capture the 2015 World Series at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook were 16/1.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hamels to make Rangers debut Saturday
Stephen Campbell

Newly-acquired starting pitcher Cole Hamels will make his Texas Rangers debut against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday, reports Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

In 20 starts this season for the lowly Philadelphia Phillies, Hamels went 6-7 with a 3.64 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Tim Hudson is the probable starter for the Giants.

The line for the interleague clash was off the board at the time of writing.

 

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'On the Diamond'

August is upon the baseball season which means MLB clubs in the playoff hunt are giving their all and teams outside the October picture are planning holiday's. That disparity in motivation can lead to some big odds baseball bettors must deal with.

On the surface, it may seem like easy money when you see a winning team with a great pitcher against a mediocre team at best. However, what seems like a sure thing seldom is in baseball. The very best teams clock in with a 60% winning percentage, the worst teams are usually good for a win 40% of the time so winning 2 out 3 won’t cut it with the heavy juice.

Over the past six seasons (2009-2014) favorites priced -$2.50 or more during August/September are 95-40 for a 70.4% winning clip. But, the heavy chalk left backers with a -$1513 hole in betting accounts.

Hell bent on betting these humungous favorites down the stretch, the best strategy is to take them on the run line instead of the money line. In baseball, the run line is 1.5 for every game, with the favorite listed at -1.5 and the underdog at +1.5. While you now need the big favorite to win by more than one run, you no longer have to worry about laying huge juice. Many times you will see a favorite at -$2.50 on the money line go all the way down to -$1.15 on the run line. Using this strategy is the best way to bet big favorites. Putting down your hard-earned money in this manner with the above mentioned high priced favorites would have put extra cash in the bank even with the 40 losses.