MLB Bullets Just Wants To Talk

It's Monday morning, everyone.

• We've got about seven weeks left of the season and the hunt for playoff spots are heating up, especially in the American League. Tracy Ringolsby argues that every team in the American League is flawed and the key for each team will be to overcome that.
• Will Leitch writes that the crazy race for the final AL wild card spot is the reason why they added a second wild card.
• Christina Kahrl writes that injuries to the Tigers has opened the door for the Royals to catch them in the AL Central race.
• Howard Megdal profiles Tigers manager Brad Ausmus and how he is coping with his first year of managing.
• Cliff Corcoran points out that the Orioles' pitching and defense have carried them to first place in the AL East.
• Buck Showalter got ejected from yesterday's game because the umpires wouldn't let him put on the headset and talk to the replay umpires in New York.
• The Braves and Nationals are going at in in the NL East. Christina Kahrl thinks the sinking Braves have little choice but to hope their lineup snaps out of its funk.
• For one game, at least, they did. The Braves hit four home runs off Stephen Strasburg to snap their eight-game losing streak. It's the first time Strasburg has allowed four home runs in one game.
• And it also set a record as Justin and B.J. Upton became the first pair of brothers to both hit a homer in the same game five times.
• And file this under "More unwritten rules violations that upset the Braves." Bryce Harper dragged his foot across the "A" in the dirt behind home plate three times.
• Grant Brisbee wonders if the Dodgers already regret not having made a trade at the deadline. The Giants fan also takes a shot at a Dodgers legend in the URL.
• Maybe so, because on Saturday the Dodgers acquired Kevin Correia from the Twins for a player to be named later. Or cash. Or a block of seats to a Prairie Home Companion taping.
• Tampa Bay owner Stuart Sternberg doesn't regret trading David Price.
• Not one but two looks at the Indians' Corey Kluber. Albert Chen looks at how adopting the two-seam fastball turned Kluber from an afterthought into an ace.
• Maybe so, but Jeff Sullivan also credits Kluber as having the best curveball in the major leagues.
• Jerry Crasnick has a look at how the diminutive Jose Altuve can be one of the best hitters in the majors. Although his manager Bo Porter doesn't like people calling him "diminutive." He calls him "The Big Guy" instead.
• A profile of Brett Gardner and how his determination turned him into a quality major league ballplayer.
• Carl Crawford admitted that he didn't do enough research before signing with the Red Sox. What kind of a stupid GM would sign a guy like Crawford to a massive deal without first insisting that he did his homework?
• The Marlins want to sign Giancarlo Stanton to a long-term deal, but they're not optimistic that they can get a deal done.
• Yankees closer David Robertson (and man, that still looks wrong) is a free agent at the end of the season. The Yankees have missed their change to extend him at a hometown discount. Like the Yankees ever clip coupons anyway.
• Pedro Alvarez is willing to move to first base. Not like he had much choice, but good to see he's happily taking grounders at first.
• It's been a while since I've done a full butcher's bill. But there's a big casualty list today. First, add Tyler Skaggs' name to the list of pitchers who needed Tommy John surgery this season. He'll miss all of this season and next.
• Brett Anderson is out for the season with a back injury.
• The Dodgers traded for Correia because Josh Beckett went to the DL. The Dodgers do expect him to return this season.
• The Dodgers also are going to miss Hanley Ramirez for at least 15 days with a strained right oblique. This opens up a roster spot for Darwin Barney.
• Those injuries the Tigers are having? Anibal Sanchez and Joaquim Soria were both put on the DL.
• The Indians placed Nick Swisher and David Murphy on the DL.
• Jacob deGrom has been one of the better stories this season, but the Mets hurler is going to have his right shoulder examined.
• The Hollywood Reporter lists all the new developments in the Nationals/Orioles MASN dispute.
• Camden Chat offers the Orioles side of the story. I do quibble with their (and the Orioles) claim that the Orioles let the Nationals move into "their territory." It's been pretty well established that the Orioles were never granted territorial rights to the District of Columbia like the Giants were given Santa Clara County, for example.
• An Ohio state legislator has asked that the Indians change their name and mascot.
• Ken Rosenthal says that Jason Varitek may be the next retired catcher to go straight into managing a major league team.
• Derek Jeter passed Honus Wagner for sixth on the all-time hit list on Saturday against Cleveland. Or did he? It's complicated.
• Mitch Golditch says the Phillies are in the mess they are in because GM Ruben Amaro Jr. didn't follow his own rules.
• Umpire Gary Cederstrom took a pratfall, but he still managed to make the call.
• Tim Belcher talks about being the last first pick in the draft to not sign.
• A list of current baseball fan traditions.
• The Rays are threatening to call the Cubs "The Orphans" the next time they come to Tropicana Field because of the "Devil Rays" flag flying at Wrigley Field. Yes, it's all in good fun.
• Mets fans decided to gently taunt Hunter Pence. This was actually pretty creative and Pence took it in good fun.
• The Yankees won't let Kate Upton wear her Tigers gear at Yankee Stadium. BOO! Kate Upton gets to wear whatever she wants! Fascist bastards.
• Norichika Aoki is the least photogenic ballplayer in baseball history.
• And finally, it was the 38th anniversary of the most infamous uniforms in baseball history: The Chicago White Sox "Bermuda Shorts" outfit. Rolling Stone has a look back. (h/t Hardball Talk)

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