Last week I gathered all the information I could find on players and managers who have commented on the feel of the baseball this season. I also found two different studies that say the baseball is in fact different.
There are just too many who notice to blow it off. You can find all the evidence in the July 4th Baseball Chatter (LINK)
I am sure the commissioner of baseball read the chatter that day because he is now going to take another look.
All Star Game
33 All-Star game participants this year were 27 or younger.
The National League team went through nine pitchers, but forgot about Corey Knebel
Ender Inciarte ranks second in the majors, with 212 hits since last year’s All-Star break. Jose Altuve has 213.
Justin Verlander hasn’t received much, if any, interest on the trade market which is likely due to the $56 million he is owed over the next two seasons.
Lonnie Chisenhall is hitting .305 with 12 home runs and leads the Indians with 51 RBI with 100 fewer at bats than Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Ramirez.
Mark Reynolds started the season crazy good, with 19 home runs and 61 RBI through the end of June. He is striking out 44% of the time and has yet to hit a homerun or get an RBI in July.
Eric Thames struck out 39 times in June after only 45 strikeouts over the first two months.
Teams
The Rays won four games straight heading into the break, putting them four games above .500 and tied with the Yankees for second place in the American League East.
The Giants had the best record in baseball heading into the All Star Break last season. Since then, they have lost 98 of 162 games and their current payroll at nearly $200 million doesn’t permit much wiggle room if they are planning to stay under the tax threshold.
To watch us literally hope to win one game in a series … I mean, I can’t remember a season, and I’ve been here since ’93, whether it’s home or road, that we’ve been swept so many times,That to me is a sign of our total ineptitude. We’re not as athletic or have as much team speed as we should to be able to manufacture runs. And this is so redundant it’s ridiculous, but it applies to what we’re taking about: the magic number is four. When we figure out how to score four or more, in most years, if the starting pitching is in check, and the bullpen is competent enough, you should win your share of games. It’s uncanny. The stats don’t lie in that regard.President of baseball operations Brian Sabean
The odds of the Phillies trading Tommy Joseph are strong according to Philly beat writer Matt Gelb. They want to make room for Rhys Hoskins.
The Cardinals will need to do well on the 10 game road trip after the break in order to justify the cost of a meaningful addition by the trade deadline. They head to Pittsburgh, New York (Mets) and Wrigley Field.
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