MLB Bullets Is Thankful For All The Fish

I've got nothing clever to write up here. So maybe I should take a page from Al and do a DIY Introductory Quip?

• Yes, there's more Biogenesis stuff to talk about and we'll get to it. But let's start with a celebration of Mike Trout, who turned 22 on Wednesday. Since this is still considered his "Age 21" season, Craig Calcaterra notes that, according to WAR at least, Mike Trout is about to be the greatest 21 year old ballplayer ever, passing New York Giants great Mel Ott.
• Jonah Keri of Grantland takes a look at Trout's sophomore season, which is even better than his rookie year. He also asks former Angels scouting director Eddie Bane why Trout was still available with the 25th pick in 2009.
• The Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves are red-hot right now and are both pretty much locks to make the playoffs. The Braves won their 13th straight game and the Tigers won their 12th straight game. In that Tigers game, Max Scherzer improved to 17-1, which is tied for the second-best W-L record after 18 decisions in baseball history.
• Jay Jaffe looks at both teams are comes up with things that could go wrong for both teams on the way to the playoffs. I'm sure Jaffe's not a Cubs fan, but he certainly thinks like one.
• Dayn Perry admits that the Braves have had an easy schedule in the NL East this season, but they're beating the good teams too.
• The Tigers swept the second-place Indians when the won the last game of the series 17-1. Utility player Ryan Raburn pitched a perfect inning of relief in this game, even getting one strikeout.
• Were the Indians just trying to make Raburn earn the two-year, $4.85 million contract extension he signed on Wednesday? Not bad for a guy who they signed to a non-guaranteed minor league contract over the off-season.
• Raburn wasn't the only player getting a contract extension, as Phillies second baseman Chase Utley signed a two-year, $27 million extension. The contract could go as high as $75 million if Utley reaches certain conditions.
• Dave Cameron of Fangraphs has been critical of Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. before, but he thinks this is a good deal for Philadelphia.
• Cliff Corcoran also likes the deal, except that it's not going to save the Phillies from drowning.
• Phillies third baseman Michael Young cleared waivers.
• White Sox outfielder Alex Rios did not clear waivers as he was claimed by the Texas Rangers.
• Back to the Indians, they designated Mark Reynolds for assignment.
• OK, I've put it off long enough. Jon Heyman thinks that Alex Rodriguez's 211 game ban isn't tough enough. He thinks ARod should get 50 games for PED use and 161 games or more for, and I'm not kidding, "chutzpah." How much should he get for being a "shlemiel," Jon?
• Rob Neyer points out that just using Yiddish words to make your case is not going to impress an arbitrator. What matters are precedents and procedures.
• Heyman also says that Matt Williams is a candidate to be the next Nationals manager, despite having no managerial experience outside of the Arizona Fall League. Probably because he's such a mensch.
• Bryce Harper admired a home run for longer than the Braves thought was proper, so they hit him with a pitch. Joe Posnanski takes a look at these "unwritten rules" and argues that they're stupid and should be changed, BUT Harper knew them and so he should have to live with them as long as they're in effect. Then he talks about someone named Johnny Manziel, who apparently plays some niche sport.
• Larry Bowa wants CC Sabathia to get fat again. That reminds me of this internet meme from last year: "fat sounds awesome."
• This post claims that this Raul Ibanez throw is the worst you've ever seen, but I'm not impressed. That's because I watched Matt Garza try to field bunts for the past 2 1/2 years.
• The Royals are now relevant and everyone is celebrating.. No, not the twits in Buckingham Palace. They're as irrelevant as ever. Jeff Passan is talking about the Kansas City Royals.
• Matt Snyder reminds us that in all the hoopla over the Pirates finally breaking their 20 year streak of losing seasons (I mean, even they couldn't go 10-28 the rest of the way, could they?), that the Royals story is just as inspiring. After all, only an 83 win season in 2003 keeps them from having gone since 1993 without a winning season.
• Some really horrible people defaced a Jackie Robinson statue in Brooklyn. Just a reminder that Robinson's cause is not yet over.
• Indians fans are not nearly that bad, but chanting "Detroit's bankrupt" at the Tigers shows a definite lack of class, in my opinion.
• Between a family tragedy and his power disappearing, this season has been a struggle for Alexei Ramirez.
• One thing the Mets do better than any other team in baseball? Run the bases.
• Even Jean Segura is surprised at how good he's been this season.
• This is hilarious, even if it's about a former Cub. Kerry Wood, when asked about Alex Rodriguez, said "when I came up . . .we respected the game." Kerry, Kerry, Kerry. You're 36 years old. Alex Rodriguez is older than you. When you came up, he had already played in two All-Star games. Ballplayers never change.
• In the spirit of this story from the Hollywood Reporter, the Brewers are worried that the suspension of Ryan Braun is going to hurt their chances to win the World Series this season.
• And finally, and this should probably should have been a front page story, but Ernie Banks is going to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.