MLB Bullets Is An Idiot

It's another Monday. MLB is trying to make everyone care about who participates in the Home Run Derby.

• Because nothing ever gets blown out of proportion when the Yankees and Red Sox are involved, there was a bit of a controversy when Mike Napoli said "what an idiot" after Masahiro Tanaka threw him a fastball that Napoli deposited over the right field fence for a game-winning home run. Napoli said this as he crossed home plate to his teammates.
• Joe Girardi said it was no big deal and that Napoli didn't mean anything by it. So can we ignore this now? Oh, of course not. It's the Yankees and Red Sox.
• As long as we're on the Red Sox, they're making one last-ditch effort to sign Jon Lester to a long-term deal.
• Ken Rosenthal says that the two sides are not going to come to an agreement. (video) He says the sides are too far apart to come together in the short time frame the Red Sox and Lester have given for these talks. Man, this all sounds so familiar? Where have I heard this before?
• Peter Gammons says the Red Sox are going to have to decide very soon if they are buyers or sellers this season.
• The Phillies have already made up their minds. Team President David Montgomery says attendance would fall too much for the Phillies to undertake a complete rebuild. In case you haven't noticed, the Phillies attendance is already way down.
• So the Phillies did take one step towards rebuilding by trading Ronny Cedeño to the Diamondbacks. The fire sale has begun.
• In a slightly bigger trade, the Pirates and Angels exchanged ex-closers, sending Ernesto Frieri to Pittsburgh and Jason Grilli to Anaheim.
• The Angels become Grilli's 10th team, but he's never tempted to give up. He also maintains a positive attitude of "It's nice to be wanted."
• The Pirates are still trying to sign Gregory Polanco to a long-term deal, but the two sides are still far apart. Part of the problem is that the Pirates are trying to lock him up until he's 33.
• So far, Polanco has been everything he was advertised to be and more.
• The Reds signed Cuban reliever Rafael Iglesias to a seven-year, $27 million deal.
• Grant Brisbee wonders what kind of reliever is worth a seven-year deal, especially one who is under six feet tall and was throwing mid-80s in the World Baseball Classic last season.
• Eric Longenhagen has a scouting report on Iglesias and also questions giving a seven-year deal to a reliever, although he notes the Reds think he can start.
• Iglesias's countryman Jose Abreu is on pace to break Mark McGwire's rookie home run record.
• Christina Kahrl notes that Billy Hamilton has gone from a guy with supposed "game-changing speed" to just being a "game-changing ballplayer." He's not going to steal 100 bases, but he's been a lot better than advertised anyway.
• Grant Brisbee also wants to know what in the world is happening to his Giants. A 9½-game lead on June 8 is now down to one game.
• The Padres interviewed former Marlins president Larry Beinfest for their vacant GM job.
• Tony La Russa, who still has some sort of undefined role in running the Diamondbacks, wants to use analytics to serve the team before and after the game, not during it.
• Speaking of analytics, this might be as good a time say that Norman Chad went full Murray Chass and told you kids to get off his lawn. Don't click on the link. It was probably written just to get a rise out of people and generate page hits. It's also terribly written. But I want you all to know that such people are still getting paid by major media corporations. And I read it and I want you to know how much I suffer for you people. So go ahead and read it if you want. Misery loves company.
• Back to the D'backs, Brandon McCarthy says that it certainly looks like he's going to be traded.
• The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority had to cancel a vote on the Athletics new lease because four of the eight members boycotted the meeting. The Authority has to approve any new lease agreement.
• Time for the butcher's bill. David Wright has a bruised rotator cuff, but should avoid the DL for now.
• Carlos Ruiz was placed on the 7-day concussion disabled list.
• Josh Reddick went to the DL with a knee injury.
• Justin Turner heads to the DL with a strained hamstring.
• Chris Owning is on the DL with a left shoulder strain.
• Bryce Harper is set to come off the DL today, and Mike Axisa looks at the Nationals options on which current starter should be benched.
• Richard Bergstrom says the Tigers are still the favorites to win the American League.
• Rob Neyer looks at Joe Nathan and other struggling relievers and tries to determine which ones will straighten it out and which won't
• For those who like analytics and history, George Resor tries to determine what impact lowering the pitching mound in 1969 had on the game.
• Kenley Jansen is not above rubbing his Mexican teammates noses in their soccer team's collapse against the Netherlands on Sunday. Of course, you didn't show up to play for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic until the semifinals and then you didn't even get into the game.
• The Braves Carolina League affiliate, the Lynchburg Hillcats no-hit the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Royals) twice in back-to-back games.
• And in other minor league news, the Tacoma Raniers game at El Paso was postponed when the airline lost their luggage along with all their uniforms and equipment.
• You think that's bad? Christian Yelich had his glove stolen from his airline luggage.
• Finally, we have the story of a 93-year-old man who goes to more games than Al does. Not only that, he does it the hard way. He attends all 81 Giants road games. He goes to about half the home games.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Because Belgium is going down!