Last week saw the annual swap meet get underway in major league baseball.  Scott Kazmir was sent to Houston for two average prospects.  This was a move long in the making as the Astros rotation has been ugly behind Cy Young candidate Dallas Keuchel.  Other moves were also made but out of injury need; David Freese going down opened the door for a lower cost move to be made and the Halos ended up with Connor Gillaspie.  The Pirates also made a reactive move to the injury bug as they obtained Aramis Ramirez for a stretch playoff run due to Josh Harrison going down.  In New York David Wright’s season long back issues prompted a move for Juan Uribe and perhaps more importantly Kelly Johnson who has been a better hitter this season than Uribe.  The Cardinal’s obtaining reliever Steve Cishek as insurance for Trevor Rosenthal’s arm was a smooth move to ensure a long October run. 

 

Speaking of injury help, Welcome to Kansas City Johnny Cueto! With Jason Vargas going down for the year, the Royals correctly sensed they have the best team in the AL are “going for it” with Cueto.  The price was steep, giving up Brandon Finnegan could cost them in the next two years as Cueto is a free agent at the end of the year and isn’t likely to take any kind of discount to resign.  The team did, in the end, upgrade its weakest position and as of right now squarely put themselves in the driver’s seat for a World Series run. 

 

There have been whispers that the Tigers and Orioles, who are both battling to get to .500 in the standings, could be sellers.  I don’t buy it in the case of the O’s.  Yes Chris Davis is a free agent at the end of the year but how much value would he bring to a National League contender as a pinch hitter, who either homers or K’s?  The Tigers on the other hand are a different story.  Ever since Justin Verlander got paid as in $28 million over the next 4 years and an option for year 5 at $22 million, he has seen his career fall off dramatically.  This should give pause to owner Mike Illitch when deciding whether or not David Price should get the $200+ million dollar extension he surely will from someone this winter.  The offense is signed up for a couple years other than Yoenis Cespedes, who also is not eligible for draft pick compensation should he leave via free agency.  It’s this detail that I think makes him the most likely to be traded as the “big bat” of the deadline.   J.D Martinez’s breaking out this year all but assures that Cespedes won’t be back in Motown.  I’m sure that if the front office in Detroit could find a taker for Ian Kinsler and his remaining $30 million dollars they would jump at that opportunity, especially if they decide they want Price back. 

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The Yankees swept a series with the Orioles last week to put them comfortably ahead in the AL East race.  Is this a strong team to be reckoned with come playoff time or are they the beast of a poor division?  Taking a closer look, they are under .500 on the road, and with a run differential of +26 the short answer is the latter hypothesis.  Looking at the roster, the bullpen is solid but the starting pitching has been lackluster in the first half, and that includes Michael Pineda’s hot start to the season.  CC Sabathia heard the rumblings in the New York media about his needing to be sent to the bullpen and let Chase Whitley, who has been more effective this season, stay in the rotation as Ivan Nova works back into form from Tommy John surgery.  They are a team who will be kicking the tires of every second tier starter their scouts think have some gas left for a playoff run. 

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