It’s quiet today, but baseball’s second half begins in earnest tomorrow. Over the break, a roster of American League All-Stars defeated an assortment of National Leaguers by a score of 4 to 2. Owing to one of the most confounding rules in all of sport, this means that the A.L. entrant in the World Series will own home-field advantage for the Fall Classic.
As the A.L. post-season hopefuls celebrate their victory, here’s the latest from the N.L.:
- Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com writes that a breakout first half from Cameron Rupp has made him a potential trade chip for the Phillies. While the 27-year-old comes with another four years of club control beyond the 2016 season, he represents a rare, controllable option for teams in need of offense behind the dish. A number of contenders meet that criteria, Seidman notes, listing the Indians and White Sox as a pair of clubs that have received well below-average production from their backstops this season. While the Phils needn’t feel compelled to move Rupp, GM Matt Klentak showed with the offseason Ken Giles trade that he’s willing to move assets with considerably more club control than the typical trade candidate if the right offer presents itself.
- Brewers righty Junior Guerra has been one of the game’s most remarkable stories in the first half, turning from a waiver claimee (in GM David Stearns’s first transaction) into a quality starter. As Gary D’Amato of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes, it was his discovery — and mastery — of the splitter that made him a Rookie of the Year candidate at 31 years of age. Harnessing that key offering “was a long process,” he says, explaining that he didn’t feel comfortable with it until about two years ago. Because of his age, Guerra is in a rather unique position with regard to contract rights; he also could be a more likely trade candidate than might otherwise be anticipated given his meager service time (though I didn’t feel compelled to include him in our list of potentially available starters). “Right now I’m not thinking about money,” he tells D’Amato. “I’m just thinking about working hard and providing for my family. I want to keep working hard in order to keep getting chances.” Field questions about his trade status is probably quite an unexpected luxury, but Guerra says he hopes to continue pitching in Milwaukee.
- MLB commissioner Rob Manfred says that the league won’t take any action with regard to Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang until the Chicago police have advanced their investigation into allegations of sexual assault, Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. “We are aware of the situation and are working with law enforcement,” said Manfred. “We will make a decision when we have sufficient facts as to whether application of, for example, the administrative leave provisions in the new policy are applicable.” The league had moved more swiftly to place Hector Olivera on administrative leave earlier this season, but he was arrested and charged in the immediate aftermath of the incident in question. In many ways, Kang’s situation will represent a new challenge for the commissioner’s office, who has already dealt with several cases under a still-new policy addressing domestic violence and sexual assault. This is the first case falling under the latter rubric, and also the first involving an important player whose team is involved in a post-season race.
Using the old alternating rule the AL would have had home field this year any way though.
It should be best record.
Leagues are too far apart even with all the interleague play, too many bad teams in the NL, why punish the AL for having everyone trying to win baseball games.
So you think alternating or using the all-star game is better alternative? Record is what determines NBA and NHL. Competing balance goes back and forth between leagues over time so that’s not a strong argument for being against best record.
Dang autocorrect-sorry on the typos
And yet 4 of the last champs are from the NL.
5
*6
I’m not going to get into the semantics, I just believe that anything besides on field play determining home field advantage is a bad idea.
You are comparing sports with 80 game seasons to one with 162. The AL Has 11 of 15 teams above .500, the NL has 8. The AL has a winning record in interleague play the past 3 years including this season. 98 wins in the NL is not the same as 98 wins in the AL.
What do they play the All Star game on?
3 of which were won by one team? the giants have ended the argument the NL is clearly better.
The more games, the better chance the best team ends with the best record.
Anyhow, it’s no different than determining who has hone field advantage through the NL and AL playoffs. Schedules are not balanced in the leagues either.
Which is why wild card teams don’t get a series and winning a division does.
You can hate the Alternating Rule and the All star game rule all you want fact is they are completely unbiased, Best record is biased toward the weaker league.
So a team plays in the weakest division in baseball. It’s okay for that to help them get home field advantage through the playoffs. But not the world Series you’d rather that be decided by something not related to baseball. We might as well decide it by a Harlem Globetrotters game
I think DH or no DH (AL rules vs. NL rules) would be a better compromise. Better record determines home field advatage, and AS game decides DH or not. It would allow the AS game to still count for something, just not as drastic a rule.
The All Star game is an exhibition, that’s it. It should count for nothing.
And if they are so set on having it count, then they need to end the fan voting. It’s terrible.
The Allstar game should not count as any deciding factor. Especially with all the ballot stuffing that was done and has been done.
They should pick the rosters and then let fans vote for who starts
In the NBA and NHL all teams play each other at least once, if not twice. That’s not the case in MLB.
It’s never been best record
“a roster of American League All-Stars defeated an assortment of National Leaguers”
Is this a dig at the NL roster? Did johnsilver write this? Haha
Well there were a few starters on NL side that should not have been on the team, let alone starting.
Count me in for trading Rupp. With such a young pitching staff, I want a catcher who is a good game caller and good behind the plate. He has a good arm, but Rupp is neither of those. With Alfaro in AA and Knapp in AAA (granted both have questions about staying behind the plate, but Alfaro seems to be answering some of those critics), Rupp isn’t the future.
An ideal spot would definitely be moving him to the AL where he can catch and DH, I wonder if he’s played 1B before too. But he definitely has some power and could provide some value to a team’s catching situation.
Rupp would be a HUGE upgrade to most of all the AL and NL Playoff hopefuls.
Indians – White Sox – Tigers – Red Sox – Rangers – Mariners – Astros all have poor hitting Catchers.
Mets – Pirates fit the need at Catcher as well.
The time to trade Rupp is NOW when his value is at its peak and the need is so great from other teams.
Best deal? – Rupp / Hellickson and Gomez or Neris for Profar and another prospect.
You can rule the Pirates out. Cervelli off the DL is the only catching upgrade needed. Stewart, if healthy, or Fryer can backup. If Fryer continues to hit it will be him.
I’d be all over that Texas deal but I don’t see them moving Profar for that. All 3 pieces would be useful to a contender and Rupp and Gomez/Neris come with control, but I don’t see Texas moving Profar for them.
They would be trading one top prospect who probably has already graduated from prospect status for 3 average MLB players. Yes each is useful, but none are good enough even in combo to land someone like Profar. But hey, if Texas offered it, it would take me less than a second to accept.
If Hellickson continues to pitch to a 3-ish era his next couple starts, I think coupling him with Rupp (his near MLB-leading exit velocity and offensive production at a premium position catapult his value) and Neris/Gomez is a fair payment for an oft-injured former top prospect. Problem is, Rangers fans don’t see a “sexy” name back, but hopefully their front office recognizes that the deal would improve their major league roster.
Agreed. Rangers fans would hate it like you said. Let’s hope Hellickson continues to pitch well to make this even a possibility. I may be in the minority that if the Phillies don’t get a decent player back for him I’d actually gamble and give him a QO this offseason. I am interested to see what tying him to a controllable bat like Rupp and a reliever would do to the return.
“Baseball’s second half begins in earnest tomorrow”? Isn’t it a full schedule with all thirty teams playing?
Let me ask Brixton because I value his opinion and he stated he is a Philly fan. Would the Phillies trade Rupp in the division and if do what would it take the Braves to get him ?????
I’m not Brixton, but yes the Phillies would trade him in the division. The return? Beats me. I have no idea what the going rate is for a 27 year old catcher with power, low OBP, poor defensive skills, but a strong arm. Best thing about him is that he’s under team control thru 2020.
As a Phils fan who values Rupp highly because his near MLB-leading exit velocity and offensive dominance at a premium position warrant it, I would say Kolby Allard straight up or Tyrell Jenkins and another piece or two. Thoughts?
I wouldn’t just give away a solid hitting 27 year old catcher who’s controllable thru 2020, but I definitely don’t expect a top-100 prospect like Allard in return for him.