Actually, and it's just a guess, but I'm thinking the number of posts on Dunn in 2011 and 2012 are about the same.

New rules change Trade Deadline dynamics

Additional Wild Cards, altered free-agent compensation put clubs in quandaries

By Matthew Leach

07/13/12 10:00 AM ET

It's a whole new world as the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches, but maybe not for the reasons you think.

A number of changes have taken place since last year in the way that baseball does business. Most prominent, for good reason, is the addition of a second Wild Card in each league. But when it comes to trade talks, a less publicized change may have more impact.

Adjustments to Draft-pick compensation for free agents have significantly altered the value of many "rental" players, both to buying and selling teams. The combination of the two new circumstances means that this Deadline is harder to figure than any in recent memory.

That's because for pretty much every team, in every segment of the standings, something is different than it's been in the past. One way or another, the equation has changed.

For teams that appear to be safely in the postseason, the urgency may well be greater than ever to fortify their clubs. With the unpredictability of a one-game Wild Card playoff, clubs will likely be less willing to be satisfied with falling short of a division title.

For teams in the Wild Card hunt but not securely in October, there's one more invitation available to the party. No team is significantly closer in the standings this year than it would be in the past, but the math is friendlier because there are more spaces available.

And for all contenders, the sense is that they have more competition for valuable pieces this year.

"More teams feel they have a chance at October and therefore are willing to try to improve," a National League executive told MLB.com, "whereas in past years more teams sought prospects and financial relief than what we are seeing now. [It's] certainly a seller's market."

It's curious, though, because the standings don't really reveal much difference this year in who is a contender and who is not. In each league, there is a tie atop the Wild Card standings as the second half begins, so teams are just as far out of the second Wild Card as they are the first. The second Wild Card will have much more impact in years when there is one team running away with the Wild Card and a pack of teams vying for the second spot.

Certainly, the challenge is easier when there is one more spot, but the real chances for most teams didn't go up that much. And yet, if their perception of their position improved, that's all that matters. That's enough to increase the number of buyers and, just as important, decrease the number of sellers.

"The second Wild Card spot definitely changes the way teams think," A's assistant general manager David Forst told MLB.com. "I mean, having a shot at a playoff spot is not something that you take lightly and certainly is not something that comes around every year. For teams that see that extra spot being a realistic opportunity, that's going to be a big factor in thinking pertaining to the Deadline."

A second NL executive argued that it's likely that teams will overestimate the value of the extra spot, at least in the first year or two. With time, that may diminish, but in the early going, it's possible we'll see an overreaction by borderline teams that may now see themselves as buyers.

And then there are the changes in compensation, which alter the dynamic significantly as well. Previously, if a player rated as a Type A or Type B free agent and his team offered him salary arbitration, the team received Draft-pick compensation if he left. Now there are many more restrictions on that compensation.

For one, if a player has not been with his current team for a full season, the team cannot receive compensation. Thus, some teams may be more hesitant to give up prospects for rental players, because if they do not sign those players, they don't have the fallback of receiving Draft picks to replenish the farm system.

"Without compensation, teams are less likely to give up the farm," the first NL executive said, "so I agree that this has and will affect how teams view trades. It's clearly a steep price to pay."

It may work the other way as well, though, because teams must reach a dollar threshold in their contract offers in order to receive compensation. So teams must do more than just offer arbitration to their free agents. It's at least possible, then, that some potential sellers will decide that they won't be able to stomach such offers, and with no Draft picks in the offing, trade veterans at a lower prospect price.

Again, it's a bit of an unknown. The second Wild Card, at least, is more straightforward, especially in the American League, where the dividing line looks pretty clear. Eight teams are within 2 1/2 games of the Wild Card in the AL -- the Angels, Orioles, Rays, Indians, Tigers, A's, Red Sox and Blue Jays. The next team down is Kansas City, 7 1/2 games back. That's not to say the Royals will be sellers, but the math would make it hard for them to justify any kind of short-term upgrade at the expense of their farm system.

In the NL, it's less clear. Five teams are very much in the mix: the Reds, Braves, Giants, Mets and Cardinals are all separated by one-half game. Then there's Arizona, four games back, the Marlins five out, the Brewers six back and the Phillies 10 back. Somewhere on that continuum is the line between buyer and seller, and the coming days and weeks will make it a bit clearer.

But for those teams hanging on the fringe of contention, if they want to believe, they can. A five-percent shot has become a 10-percent shot, and if the memory of the 2011 Cardinals, a team that got in the postseason at the last moment and won the World Series, stands out in someone's mind, and suddenly the line between selling and holding, or holding and buying, gets blurrier.

There's no way to know how it will turn out, but it's going to be interesting to watch.

Matthew Leach is a national reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Obviously, You're Not a Golfer and follow him on Twitter at @MatthewHLeach. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Don't know if anyone's been watching any of the Yoenis Cespedes highlights, but the guy is hitting the ball all over the park. He's hit homers to right, center, and left and has been using the entire field of play. He worked out for the Indians. What was the problem? The Danys Baez syndrome!?!?!

Joe Z does not understand that free agents actually get to choose where they play. Someone needs to explain to him how that system works.

Joe Z does not understand that free agents actually get to choose where they play. Someone needs to explain to him how that system works.

OIC! Joe Z understands that 99.9% of the free agents follow the money. The A's were the top bidder. We should have offered a dollar more

Because Cespedes may already be the best athlete playing an American sport behind LeBron James. Everyone should go and watch this promotional video of Cespedes doing various workouts. The video includes highlights of Cespedes hitting homeruns and catching fly balls behind his back but also film of him training. He does a 45 inch box jump, runs a 6.3 60 yard dash, 1,300 pound leg presses (with people sitting on top of the weights), 4.3 second T drills, 510 pound hack squats, 350 pound bench presses. Now I’m not an expert but the stuff he does in this video seems to defy logic.

February 14, 2012 by Mark Travis, Founder



http://thecutoffman.com/29910/athletics ... -cespedes/

Hey, Hoynsie: How close did the Tribe come to signing Yoenis Cespedes? On so many levels I think that he would have been a good fit here, plus we wouldn't have wasted money this year on Grady Sizemore and Johnny Damon, who will be gone in 2013. -- Brian Jenkins, Cleveland

Hey, Brian: The Indians did a lot of background work on Cespedes. They worked him out a couple of times in the Dominican Republic and liked his talent. When it became clear how much the A's were going to pay him ($36 million for four years), the Tribe quickly withdrew.

In other words, they were never close. Not sure how you equate the $6.25 million the Indians paid Sizemore and Damon to the $36 million the A's paid Cespedes, but everyone has an opinion.

Whining as usual.......


Not sure how you equate the $6.25 million the Indians paid Sizemore and Damon to the $36 million the A's paid Cespedes, but everyone has an opinion.

Most understand the difference is 30 million. Not sure may be different in Chicago.

And that's exactly why this franchise needs new ownership. Ownership that understands what winning baseball is all about and will not be afraid to gamble on players like Cespedes and will not be afraid to spend a little cash. Nine million a year is not a lot of money in today's game. For the Dolan's its a scary figure.

Yankees acquire Ichiro for two prospects

Mariners receive right-handers Mitchell, Farquhar in return

By Adam Berry / MLB.com | 07/23/12 6:26 PM ET

The Mariners made it official Monday evening: Ichiro Suzuki is heading to the Yankees.

The Yankees will send right-handers DJ Mitchell and Danny Farquhar to Seattle in exchange for Suzuki, the Japanese superstar with 2,533 career Major League hits in 12 seasons with the Mariners. The deal also includes cash considerations.

The Yankees and Mariners will play Monday night at 10:10 p.m. ET at Safeco Field, so Suzuki will simply walk over to the other side of the ballpark and line up against the only American club for which he's ever played.

New York has been in need of outfield depth without injured left fielder Brett Gardner, who will undergo arthroscopic elbow surgery. The Yankees have primarily used veterans Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones in left field this season.

Mitchell, 25, has spent most of the season with Triple-A Scranton. He is 6-4 with a 5.04 ERA in 15 games this season at Triple-A. He also made four appearances in the Majors this season, posting a 3.86 ERA.

Farquhar is also 25 years old. He has spent the 2012 season in the Minor League systems of three clubs, the Blue Jays, A's and Yankees. He has combined to go 2-3, with a 3.33 ERA and five saves in 32 games.

Source: Braves close to deal for Cubs' Dempster

Atlanta would add Major League leader in ERA in hopes of stabilizing starting rotation

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | 07/23/12 5:37 PM ET

MIAMI --

The Braves reached an agreement to acquire Ryan Dempster from the Cubs on Monday, but the trade has not been formally completed.

Because he has played in the Major League for at least 10 years and been with the same team for at least five, Dempster has the right to veto any trade. Dempster tweeted on Monday afternoon that he didn't know anything about a trade and then declined to comment upon arriving at PNC Park in Pittsburgh for a night game against the Pirates.

A source confirmed that the deal is close to being made official, though details were not immediately known. But there was some indication that the Braves would send highly regarded rookie right-hander Randall Delgado to the Cubs.

"I know what you guys know, basically the same thing, maybe a little bit more -- I'm not going to lie to you about that," said Braves manger Fredi Gonzalez on Monday. "But that's all I know right now. We're in a holding pattern."

Dempster has the potential to serve as the stabilizing asset the Braves have been seeking to add to their inconsistent starting rotation. The 35-year-old right-hander has posted a Major League-leading 2.11 ERA in 15 starts this year and a 3.63 ERA in the 147 starts he has made since the start of the 2008 season.

When Jair Jurrjens struggled again during Sunday's 9-2 loss to the Nationals, it became more apparent that the Braves would aggressively pursue the acquisition of a starting pitcher. Their rotation has posted the third-worst ERA (4.34) in the National League this year.

Dempster can be a free agent at the conclusion of the season and he is owed approximately $5 million, the remaining amount on the four-year, $52 million contract he signed with Chicago in November 2008. It is not known whether the Braves will be responsible for part or the entire portion of the remaining salary.

When the Braves began evaluating ways to improve their starting rotation, Dempster and the Brewers' Zack Greinke were at the top of their wish list. But as the past few days passed with Milwaukee providing no clear indication that they are willing to move Greinke, the focus turned to Dempster.

To get Greinke, the Braves would have had to likely part with top pitching prospect Julio Teheran and at least one other Top 15 prospect. Now they may instead pursue Greinke on the free-agent market this winter.

The Braves signed Delgado, a native of Panama, as an amateur free agent in 2006. The 22-year-old is 4-9 with a 4.42 ERA in 17 starts.

Yoenis Cespedes last 10 games prior to this evening
This Evening
2B: Cespedes 2 (15)
RBI: Cespedes 2 (50)

On the Year - Prior to this Evening's Ball Game
Some Great reasons to drop the ball and run

Cespedes continues to mash and the A's continue to roll! Crisp with a pair of homers tonight. Everyone in the lineup has been contributing during this hot streak.

Everyone in the lineup has been contributing during this hot streak.

That's what it takes. Indians, by contrast, field half a team.

And of course Indians add starters with combined ERA of about 5.

How that team can be only a little below .500 is hard to fathom. But for the rest of the season, I can say "Look out below" we could be descending to the Twins and Royals' level.

The Reds Billy Hamilton (Bakersfield and Pensacola) has 116 stolen bases so far this season. I can see him pinch running the bases for the Reds in September. He's getting on base and hitting at a .320 clip.

Reds' Hamilton lives up to reputation

Speedy Blaze outfielder swipes two bases in All-Star Game

By Chris Gigley / Special to MLB.com06/20/2012 1:45 AM ET
The Blaze's Billy Hamilton (right) joked with the Storm's Cory Spangenberg. (Matt Burton/MiLB.com)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. --

Billy Hamilton invited his family and friends all the way from Mississippi to see him play in the 2012 Carolina-California League All-Star Game. There was no way the Minor League leader in steals wasn't going to swipe at least one base.

"My teammates told me everyone was here to see me steal bases, so that's what I wanted to do," said Hamilton, who took home MVP honors for the California League. "That's the goal I have every game. To steal bags and get in position to score."

The Reds' top prospect not only gets into position, he almost single-handedly manufactures runs, as he did in the first inning of the Class A Advanced leagues' Midsummer Classic. The Bakersfield shortstop led off the game by beating out a bunt for an infield single, stole second and then swiped third. He jogged home on Lancaster outfielder George Springer's groundout to second base.

"I wouldn't be surprised if the Reds called him up in September just to steal bases for them," said Winston-Salem manager Tommy Thompson, who managed against him in Spring Training.

The All-Star Game, which the Cal League lost, 9-1, was just a continuation of Hamilton's first half as he swiped 80 bases in just 66 games. A big reason for that, said Hamilton, was his skipper.

"I have the green light whenever I'm on unless it's a situation [Blaze manager Ken Griffey] doesn't feel I should be going," said Hamilton. "I haven't had one so far. I told him before the season, 'You've got to trust me, Griff.' He said all right, and I haven't gone wrong yet."

What makes Hamilton's performance even more impressive is that every opposing team already knows he's a threat on the basepaths. He stole 103 bases in 135 games for the Class A Dayton Dragons last year and 48 in 69 games for Rookie-level Billings in 2010.

Hamilton's reputation also preceded him in Winston-Salem, where the Carolina League All-Stars knew he had more steals than all than all but one team on the circuit -- the Salem Red Sox with 99 steals in the first half.

"I think he stole a thousand bases last year, didn't he?" quipped Carolina League starter Matt Heidenreich of the Dash. "He's probably run past me three times already, he's so fast."

Heidenreich's plan of attack before he took the mound Tuesday night was pretty simple. Keep Hamilton off the bases so he can't steal bases in the first place. And when he got on?

"I just hoped [Nationals catcher Mike] Freitas would throw him out," said Heidenreich. "He's an All-Star for a reason. He's got a cannon for an arm."

Even though he couldn't catch Hamilton, Freitas said he enjoyed the challenge.

"As a baseball player in general, you always want to compete against the best," Potomac's backstop said. "It only makes you a better player."

Freitas and Heidenreich made a few pickoff attempts and mixed up their timing to keep Hamilton honest. But the speedster said it wasn't anything he wasn't already used to.

"I've seen teams hold the ball and pick off a lot more to get me out of my comfort zone," said Hamilton. "That's just not going to happen. The other day, a shortstop saw me getting a big lead and called a timeout because he was afraid I'd go. I'd never seen that before."

Did he steal the base on that occasion anyway?

"Oh yeah," answered Hamilton. "It only made me more determined to go."

As Hamilton keeps on proving this year, there's not much that can stop him. Not a timeout, not a throw-over to first, and not even a team of All-Stars.