MLB Bullets Got Run Over By A Horse

Still chugging along with my wife's computer..

• The top story today is the top story last time: Manny Machado was suspended by MLB for five games for throwing his bat. Machado is appealing the suspension.
• Jay Jaffee thinks Machado got off easy.
• Orioles GM Dan Duquette has not ruled out sending Machado down to the minors as a result of all this.
• Rob Neyer remembers when this immature brat Machado was one of the nicest and most "mature" rookies around. He asks which is the real Manny Machado? Both and neither, really.
• Matt Snyder thinks that we, the baseball public, should accept Machado's apology and forgive him.
• Dirk Hayhurst uses the Machado case to once again blast baseball's "unwritten rules" about retaliation.
• It really kind of hits you when the ballplayers of your youth start to pass away. That's what happened to me when former Cy Young Award winner Bob Welch died yesterday at the age of 57.
• David Schoenfield recalls the moment that Welch entered the national (as well as my) consciousness: his epic battle with Reggie Jackson in Game 2 of the 1978 World Series that lasted nine pitches and six minutes and ended with Welch striking out Jackson.
• The obituary in the Washington Post notes that Welch was one of the first ballplayers to publicly enter rehabilitation for alcoholism and to speak about addiction frankly and honestly.
• The New York Times notes that Welch's fastball-heavy, high-heat approach is a prototype for the modern pitcher.
• Ken Rosenthal thinks the Blue Jays need to make a move and trade for Jeff Samardzija or David Price.
• Sam Miller thinks the Tigers may have made a big mistake locking up Justin Verlander to a long-term deal long before they had to.
• The Red Sox are still struggling, but GM Ben Cherington thinks the team can turn things around without making a major move. That's fine, Ben. But my suggestion is that there's nothing wrong with the Red Sox that can't be cured with fried chicken and beer.
• The Yankees are also not where they want to be, although they're doing better than the Red Sox. But that's no thanks to two high-profile free agents, Jacoby Ellsbury and Brian McCann, who are struggling badly. Also Derek Jeter.
• Terry Collins' job as Mets manager is safe despite the team's problems.
• Highly-touted rookie catcher Travis d'Arnaud's job isn't safe, as he just got sent down to the minors. Jay Jaffe looks at five other highly-touted former prospects who are struggling their rookie season. One's even a Cub. No, not Junior Lake. Probably because the place Lake was most "highly-touted" was by Cubs fans on Twitter.
• Daniel Murphy spoke at the White House about his decision to miss a game to attend the birth of his son.
• Howard Megdal feels sorry for the way Johan Santana's career has gone the past couple of seasons. But he won't accept that Santana's career is over until Santana says it is.
• On that note, we might as well go through the butcher's bill now. The Twins' Mike Pelfrey is out for 2 to 4 months after undergoing surgery to clean up scar tissue left behind by his Tommy John surgery.
• Carlos Gonzalez had a small tumor removed from his finger. The tumor will be biopsied, but the working assumption for now is that it is benign.
• More bad news for the Rockies. Michael Cuddyer is out for six to eight weeks with a fractured shoulder socket.
• Jay Jaffe notes that injuries have left the Rockies decimated. Hard to remember now but as late as May 7, the Rockies were in first place this season.
• Things are so bad for the Rangers that former Cub Brad Snyder is their new first baseman.
• The Reds got good news in that Joey Votto was activated off the DL yesterday and Mat Latos will make his first start of the season on Saturday.
• Lonnie Chisenhall went 5 for 5 with three home runs on Monday, one of the greatest single-game performances in history.
• The Nationals have gambled often in recent drafts, taking players who dropped because of injuries. That risky strategy has paid off big for the Nats.
• If you're still looking for more information on the draft, Eric Longenhagen does a profile of each team's draft at SportsOnEarth that is not only good, it has the added benefit of being free.
• David Schoenfield uses the Pirates promotion of Gregory Polanco to examine the greatest young outfields of the past 40 years.
• Huston Street is expecting to be traded.
• Micheal Knisley uses Matt Adams as an example of what players are trying to do to beat defensive shifts.
• A profile of Sean Doolittle and how he went from first base to the mound.
• A runaway horse and carriage almost ran over Matt den Dekker. Are we sure that isn't suppose to be Mike "King" Kelly that almost got run over? Nope, I checked. It's den Dekker.
• Finally, I don't have a PUIG! story for today But I do have one of the most amazing outfield assists you're ever going to see, courtesy of Yoenis Cespedes.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Because the freaking World Cup starts.