MLB Bullets Has Been to The Optometrist

Wow! Can you all believe what happened on that show everyone watches to that one guy? I sure didn't see that coming.

• As had been long rumored, MLB made a tweak to the "transfer rule" that had been so controversial this season. A ball is now considered a catch if the fielder drops the ball after opening the glove to remove the ball. Everyone seems to think that this is a common sense decision to return to the way the play had always been called in the past.
• As far as the use of pine tar by pitchers goes, the rule against it is going to stay in place for now. But Bud Selig says that the league will consider changing the rule after the season is over, allowing pitchers to use pine tar. The problem, of course, is how an umpire can tell that it's pine tar that a pitcher is putting on the ball and not something else.
• In addition, Ken Rosenthal says that MLB will also examine the home plate collision rule after the season. But while the "transfer rule" issue wasn't controversial and everyone seemed to want the change, both of these possible rules changes are likely to be more contentious.
• Dirk Hayhurst says that you should forget about pine tar or vaseline, the best way to cheat is to scuff the ball. He tells you how to do it, and he speaks from experience. And if you don't believe him, just ask the '86 Mets about Mike Scott.
• As far as the replay rule goes, Reds manager Bryan Price was ejected after arguing when a replay call went against him. Homer Bailey was also ejected for arguing the decision, although he wasn't pitching in the game. From the replay, B.J. Upton certainly looked out and you have to wonder what the replay umpires were thinking.
• Speaking of B.J. Upton, he's tried everything to get out of the slump he's been in since he's joined the Braves. Everything, it seems, except get his eyes examined. He's now sporting a brand new pair of bitchin' Charlie Sheen-style glasses. He's now gotten a hit in each of his last three games since he's started wearing glasses. Nothing spectacular, but better than he had been doing. I can't believe no one in Atlanta had ever seen Major League.
• Time for the Butcher's Bill. Bryce Harper slid head-first into third base and is heading to the DL with a sprained left thumb. Jay Jaffe gives a list of players who hit the DL after sliding head first, but notes that it's hard to change long-time habits.
• Christina Kahrl notes that this just adds more drama to the Nationals season. She also notes the irony of Harper heading to the DL after hustling for a triple, just a few days after he was benched for not hustling to first base.
• Jean Segura was injured when Ryan Braun hit him in the face with a bat. You probably already knew this if you were watching the Cubs this weekend. Then again, you probably weren't watching the Cubs this weekend.
• Segura just joins a long list of bizarre injuries for the Brewers over the years.
• Chris Davis is heading the DL with an oblique strain.
• Rafael Furcal suffered a setback in his rehab.
• Clayton Kershaw has been telling the Dodgers he's healthy and ready to pitch in the majors again.
• Aroldis Chapman is throwing batting practice and is easing his way back to a return to the Reds.
• Jayson Stark has a look at the Tommy John surgery "epidemic" that has hit baseball this season. It's a really good summary of "where are we now" with the injuries and "what do we know now."
• Tim Hudson isn't coming back from Tommy John surgery, but rather a broken ankle that cost him the second half of the season. Right now, he's in line to win his second "Comeback Player of the Year" award in five seasons.
• That would be the National League version. The favorite in the American League has to be Grady Sizemore, who's playing for the Red Sox after missing the past two seasons. Gabriel Baumgaertner has the story of Sizemore's comeback.
• The Mets are not speaking to a reporter who made fun of Bartolo Colon's weight.
• The Cardinals' pitching staff is having a great deal of success with the sinker.
• David Schoenfield says the Cardinals offense has been getting by with "clutch hitting" but that the lack of power on the team is a dark cloud on the horizon.
• The White Sox are getting some power from Jose Abreu, who has shown himself to be an elite power hitter so far this season.
• Christina Kahrl wonders if Abreu's success will translate into more fans at the Cell. She also notes that the one area of player acquisition that the White Sox have excelled at is signing players out of Cuba.
• The Blue Jays fielded a starting lineup with six Dominican-born players, which is a major league record.
• Korean third baseman Jeong Choi may be heading to the majors next year.
• Carlos Beltran, noting that the Yankees have three Japanese translators, says that MLB needs to provide more Spanish translators.
• Ned Yost is probably the worst manager in the game.
• Although it is hard to judge Bo Porter, based on the fact that he's tried to manage a Triple-A team in the ultra-competitive AL West the past two seasons. The bad blood between the Astros and the Athletics continued as the Astros continued to throw at Jed Lowrie and Brandon Moss, whereas the Athletics retaliated against Jason Castro.
• Will Leitch looks at Porter's recent antics and wonders if he's snapped. In any case, he thinks that Porter is making an already bad team look bad.
• Grant Brisbee thinks Porter and the Astros have broken the unwritten rule that you should not get so angry about supposed violations of unwritten rules.
• Albert Chen thinks Gregory Polanco is the next baseball superstar.
• Robinson Cano says that playing for the Mariners is a lot more "relaxed" than playing for the Yankees.
• Businessweek ranks all 122 sports franchises on "smart spending." You don't want to know what team finished 122nd.
• Allen Barra attacks four "myths" about baseball: The league isn't competitive, the games are too long, expansion has diluted the talent and that baseball is losing popularity.
• Andrew Cashner says that getting to play left field for one batter was "a dream come true." The ball was not hit anywhere near him, however. It was a lineout back to the pitcher. The actual pitcher.
• The Diamondbacks players are still supporting manager Kirk Gibson and GM Kevin Towers despite the team's slow start.
• Maybe because they're the only ones to know how to hold back the zombie horde? Seriously, when your team is 8-20, maybe a "Walking Dead" night isn't the best idea. However, it does look like the fans had fun, so I guess that's all that's important.
• The Bob Uecker "I must be in the front row" statue at Miller Park was unveiled.
• Finally, this baby really doesn't like having his picture taken with Brandon Phillips. A future Cubs fan, no doubt.

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