Point Beer Is Best

I'm actually not too concerned about the running game once we hit the regular season. The lack of success there can be quickly attributable to the awful OL depth. It's really hard to evaluate the new RB's if they aren't running with the ones. Montgomery is bigger this year, Williams has had some moments, Jones looks like a potential home run hitter, and Mays has shown incredibly cutback ability. I personally feel the running game will flourish, with one giant caveat - that the starting OL stays healthy...

Cubs may not have had the prospects left to make that deal. Had they not dealt for Quintana, the chances that Verlander ended up in Chicago would have been much greater.

Sitton became a malcontent in the locker room after his request for an extension was denied. He became the proverbial "locker room cancer" that needed to be removed. There were also rumors that he and Sam Barrington got into an altercation over the Colin Kaepernick protests (which began during the exhibition season last year, and Barrington tweeted about his support for Kaepernick almost immediately). Neither Sitton nor Barrington made the final roster. Counter-point: When have the Packers been foolish about where they allocate the salary cap? Few and far between. The issue isn't that Cobb stinks (although your earlier post about Cobb's 3 year totals leaves out the fact that half of that production came 3 years ago and has been in steady decline since), the question is Should you pay a slot WR $10M relative to his current contributions to this year's team when you have a number of players up for contract extensions? I don't think the notion of cutting Cobb can be dismissed out of hand.

From what I've read and seen, the additions of Kendricks & Bennett means the Packers are going to run a lot of the "12" formation (1 RB, 2 TE sets with 2 WR's). That will essentially be their base formation, since it gives them incredible flexibility and keep the defense from substituting accordingly. They could line up with Montgomery and Kendricks (as a FB) in the backfield & Bennett in-line, all the way to going 5 wide/empty backfield with the exact same personnel. With that being said, when they cut down to the final 53 I think they will place added emphasis on special teams ability rather than projected upside on the offensive side of the ball. So I think they'll keep 6 WRs instead of the 7 they went with last year. That places Dupre & Yancey on shaking ground to start with, while it gives a big boost to Janis & possibly Davis (they will give him every opportunity in the preseason to improve his ball security). I think it also gives a guy like McCaffrey an advantage if he is given an opportunity in the return game as well. Given that emphasis, combined with the fewer targets for a traditional slot receiver, means I would not be surprised at all if they cut Randall Cobb. They have other guys to allocate those dollars too if they wish to proceed in that fashion. It could shake out like this: Nelson, Adams, Davis, McCaffrey, Janis, and one of Dupre/Yancey. Dupre/Yancey are then cut after Week 1 when Allison returns from suspension. After typing that scenario out, however, that leaves the team pretty slim in terms of experience in the WR group. Alternatively, I think Davis & McCaffrey are battling for one position. As much as I hate on Jeff Janis (he cannot be relied on offensively at all), his coverage abilities on special teams cannot be ignored. He's essentially a specialist in my view.

Yeah, it's kind of like the sports-focused love child of College Humor & The Chive.

So not only would the Brewers have to pay for the stadium, Gilbert wants it proven out that any money they are on the hook for annually will be offset with the incremental tax revenue (which they say hasn't been provided yet). I'm glad that the tide is turning in regards to these phony economic studies showing that taxpayer funded stadiums provide a net gain in economic impact to those taxpayers when in reality they don't. I just wish it were happening to somebody else's team! Why can't we have nice things?

Phillips had 10/5 rights with Cincy. He does not currently have a no-trade provision. Seems like only yesterday that Cleveland turned down Doug Melvin's offer of a young Jorge De La Rosa for Phillips before they dealt him to the Reds.

I'm sorry, what did I just read? Come on guys, let's get our stories straight. I thought that by not adding a significant piece at the deadline, we had destroyed the psyche of our team and jump started the post-ASG decline on offense. Now you're telling me that it had the opposite effect on the pitching staff?

I think it's unlikely because of the optics for Detroit. It certainly would make sense for the Brewers to add Verlander since they appear to be able to absorb his contract and not have to part with legitimate prospects. For the Brewers, it would almost be akin to signing him as a free agent. But on the Detroit side of things, even if it makes business sense to just cut the payroll, how in the world do you survive the PR hit of dealing Justin Verlander for a bag of baseballs? That's why it's so unlikely. You may have to structure a deal around Ray who is still a "ranked" prospect with 1st round status for Detroit to survive the PR hit.

Assuming both players would clear revocable waivers, which is doubtful.

If Verlander cleared waivers, it would be just like before the 7/31 deadline where he has his 10/5 no trade rights. What I'm not clear on is, if a team claimed him on revocable waivers and a deal was worked out (or the Tigers wanted to let him go), can he still veto a trade via the 10/5 rights? Or is it looked at like a waiver claim and he has no veto power?

Garza at $5M next season is a no-brainer to me. That's not a significant amount of money to assume the risk. I'd rank the likely outcomes as: 1) Pick up the option and pencil Garza into the 2018 rotation 2) Pick up the option and trade Garza if you don't have him in the plans for 2018 3) Decline the option and let him walk.

Welcome back, Josh!

Fowler, Mateo, Kaprelian is the return per Passan.

I'm assuming (if no other moves made today), that they will DFA Kirk when Jeffress is added, and then option WCW and recall Phillips (if the 10 day window has passed yet).

Personally, I'm not interested in anyone who doesn't have at least 2 more years of control left. I *might* be swayed on Kinsler and his $10M option for next year because 2B is a black hole offensively right now.

"Good news, AJ! You've been traded... to the Mets!"

So here's what we know: - Brinson played half an inning for the SkySox and was removed prior to his first at bat. Stearns confirmed that it was not injury related. It does not appear to be pre-meditated to face the stretch of LHP coming up since he would have already been on his way and never started that game. - Braun said he was healthy, so Brinson doesn't appear to be on his way as an injury replacement (unless it was another OF) - Brinson has NOT been officially recalled, per Stearns - Brinson is NOT in the SkySox lineup for tonight - Nobody knows where Brinson physically is, where he is en route to, or which roster he is a part of - Stearns's chat with Haudricourt indicates that more news is coming sometime today. Did I miss anything?

That's the way it used to work (we acquired the comp pick for losing Sabathia, as an example), but that hasn't been the case for several years. The player needs to be on that team's roster before the season starts to be eligible for a comp pick. That's what makes matching up difficult on trades for rentals who would otherwise be made a Qualifying Offer. The seller views the player as 2 months plus a comp pick they'd lose out on, while the buyer is just buying that player for 2 months without any comp pick attached.

You're right, the time of the SkySox game may have played a factor in pulling him immediately. At least that's what I'm saying to myself trying to calm myself down.

Agreed. REFRESH! REFRESH!

Based on this, now I'm fearing that Brinson is involved in a trade. If a trade went down late last night involving Phillips, I would think you'd let Brinson finish the game (it's more likely that you'd let him play out a few innings rather than pull him out immediately in my opinion). You would FOR SURE pull him immediately if he were involved in a trade, however. Couple that with Stearns not confirming Brinson was recalled has me leaning towards a Brinson trade now.

Just tuned in, but has the guy in the crowd who screams as the pitch approaches been doing that the whole game?

Certainly athletes are improving, and certain techniques have changed with recent trends in swing mechanics, but we're talking about a HR spike that became very noticeable beginning late last year which has continued into this season. If the studies that have been done so far this season are based on sound science, that sort of dramatic shift can't be explained by anything other than a juiced ball. I won't claim it as fact since MLB won't own up to it, but my opinion is that there is something going on with the baseballs based on the scientific evidence presented so far.

As others have mentioned, there are now two different studies from this season indicating a juiced ball, along with some comments from pitchers agreeing with that fact (they obviously have a vested interest in that theory). However, Rob Mandred (who was very instrumental in making sure the blame for the PED era fell entirely on the players while enablers like Selig and LaRussa were enshrined in the HOF) claims that the ball is fine and causally mentioned that they will begin to investigate the bats. Which, besides the fact it again points the finger at the players, would be nearly impossible. Unless you find some sort of evidence that Louisville Slugger (who makes the vast majority of bats for MLB and MiLB yet the HR rate is only up significantly in MLB) created some kind of Franken-wood that they are now using in their bats without the players knowledge, levying that accusation is frankly laughable.