MLB Bullets Is Going To Challenge That Call

I'm doing MLB Bullets today with an injury, as I put a slice into my left hand as I was cleaning my knives this afternoon. But I'm going to push through the pain and try to avoid a stint on the disabled list. I just hope you don't all boo me if a link gets away because I wasn't able to go full speed.

• Most of the talk in baseball the past two years has surrounded the proposal for the new expanded replay system. If you want to read more about it, I'd suggest you read one of Al's two articles on the subject. Or you can read Bob Nightengale's FAQ on the subject. The one thing that wasn't apparent yesterday morning is that a manager won't be charged with a challenge if the call is overturned, which makes the system marginally better.
• Now on to reactions to the system. Jay Jaffe likes the expansion of replay, but hates the "manager's challenge" aspect. Jeff Sullivan feels the same way.
• Mike Port, who used to be MLB's vice-president in charge of umpiring, tells Jayson Stark that the "manager's challenge" system is going to be trouble. Among his other points, he thinks it's unnecessarily complicated and will slow the game down because instead of discussing the call, managers are going to be confused and arguing about what plays are challengeable and what the proper challenge procedures are.
• Ken Rosenthal wants us to hold our judgement until the system is actually put into place. (video) He says changes could still be made.
• Rob Neyer agrees with Jaffe and Sullivan, but adds that no replay system is going to be perfect.
• Scott Miller of CBSSports.com thinks the challenge system is the only workable way to do replay.
• Ted Berg of USAToday.com looks back at seven famous calls that would have been overturned by replay. Well, assuming that the manager hadn't already used their challenges. In such a case, Cardinals fans would have Whitey Herzog voodoo dolls instead of Don Denkinger ones.
• The three person committee of John Schuerholtz, Joe Torre and Tony LaRussa found that MLB managers did not want a challenge system. They did it anyway.
• Twins manager Ron Gardenhire is among those who don't like the challenge system. He does like expanding replay though.
• It's generally been assumed that the Yankees will resign Robinson Cano, but Ken Rosenthal isn't so sure, and he thinks Jay-Z may prevent a Cano return to the Bronx.
• Joe Sheehan thinks Cano may become the first $30 million a year ballplayer.
• The Dodgers are one team speculated to have interest in Cano. Bob Nightengale believes the Dodgers are the new Yankees.
• Bud Selig thinks that the 211 game suspension handed out the Alex Rodriguez is "eminently fair."
• David Schoenfield asks just how much advantage to baseball players get from PEDs. The answer just isn't clear, but it's probably a lot less than most fans think.
• On that point, Chris Davis's home run surge is not evidence that he's using PEDs and people need to stop questioning him, writes Matt Snyder CBSSports.com
• Producers of a Yankee-themed animated movie are honoring Alex Rodriguez by cutting him out of their movie. Oh, that's meant to be a bad thing? Looking at the trailer, I think ARod is going to be pretty happy he's not in it.
• Sometime in the next week or so, Ichiro Suzuki is going to get his 4000th hit between MLB and NPB. Jeff Passan explains that Ichiro treasures each and every one of them.
• Speaking of Ichiro, Frank Deford thinks that when he goes into the Hall of Fame, Pete Rose ought to be inducted along with him, for some unclear reason. Frank Deford: still long on beautiful prose and short on common sense. Craig Calcaterra thinks Rose belongs in Cooperstown, but finds Deford's argument silly. He also doesn't think the crime of PED use in any way compares to what Rose did.
• MLB is threatening to intervene in the Tampa Bay Rays stadium problems. It's not clear what exactly they can do, though.
• David Schoenfield wonders if the Rays problems are because of the stadium, which would be solved by a new ballpark somewhere else in the Tampa Bay area, or just that the people of the Tampa Bay area just don't like major league baseball, which could only be solved by relocation.
• Joe Maddon brought a 20 foot python into the Rays clubhouse. I'm going to say it before someone else does: That's what she said.
• Now we know what Torii Hunter was talking about last time: Prince Fielder is getting divorced.
• Despite taking a comebacker in a very sensitive area, LaTroy Hawkins won't wear a cup.
• Eric Sogard got both the ball and the bat on a play against Houston. More like he took the bat in the leg. He got knocked over, but hung onto the ball.
• Marc Normandin notes that the Rangers have had a lot of adversity this season, but they're still in first place, which is a testament to the quality of their front office.
• After a few weeks of euphoria, reality is starting to set in for the Kansas City Royals.
• Dan Uggla is on the DL and Tyler Pastornicky may soon join him there, so Dave O'Brien thinks the Braves ought to trade for Michael Young.
• Grant Green can hit, but he's still looking for a position on the diamond.
• The Nationals are getting back into the international talent pool in a big way after being mostly inactive since a 2009 kickback scandal.
• Rob Neyer thinks that while Orioles fans may have had enough of Jim Johnson, he's essentially the same pitcher this season that he was last season.
• Travis d'Arnaud wishes that John Buck's wife would hurry up and have her baby already.
• Mark Reynolds signed with the Yankees.
• Paul Goldschmidt is having a great year in Arizona.
• Finally, this is fascinating. Sam Miller of Baseball Prospectus looked at 50 of the 86 balks called so far this season (he was going to look at all 86, but he got tired) in an attempt to understand the balk rule. His conclusion? "Balks are, just as you always suspected, dumb."

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Except probably not for you as your vacation is ending.