MLB Bullets Are In The Dog Days

For maximum effect,  I suggest you take three hours and sixteen minutes to go through all the links.

• Author Paul Auster had a letter published in the New York Times with some radical ideas to speed up the game. He wants all foul balls to count as strikes and a walk issued on ball three. Craig Calcaterra thinks it's a terrible idea.
• Rob Neyer doesn't support Auster's ideas, but he wonders why they don't try them out in independent ball or something to see how they work before dismissing them.
• Russell Carleton looks at some less radical ideas to speed up the game and how much time they'd actually shave off the average game. But he doesn't really think long games are a problem.
• Seventy-five years ago yesterday, the first major league baseball game was televised. History.com has the story of that day. Afterwards, Shirley Povich wrote a column that the game was too long and that the poor ratings proves that baseball is dying.
• The Angels are looking to add another starter after Garrett Richards was lost to the season because of an injury. But Jon Heyman writes that the problem is Angels payroll is maxed out and they don't have many remaining prospects that would interest other teams.
• Mike Bates said that the Angels were smart not to claim Bartolo Colon on waivers. Of course, because the Angels were the last team allowed to put in a claim, they knew that if they didn't claim him, Colon would clear waivers.
• Dave Cameron thinks that baseball should consider giving teams who suffered a season-ending injury after the trade deadline a "trade exemption" that would allow them to acquire a player without clearing waivers.
• Giancarlo Stanton is happy that the Marlins are on the edge of the playoff race. But when asked if that changed his opinion of the franchise, Stanton said "Five months doesn't change five years."
• Grant Brisbee says that all signs point to Stanton leaving Miami.
• The correlation between payroll and winning percentage is very small at the moment.
• Craig Calcaterra says people will still be calling for a salary cap to promote "competitive balance" anyway.
• Joe Posnanski writes that high payroll teams aren't winning because free agency has become a sucker's bet recently.
• Speaking of which, Tim Lincecum is moving to the bullpen.
• And Mike Adams is upset that he's stealing money from the Phillies. No, he's not rifling through the petty change drawer. He's talking about his salary.
• David Schoenfield says the Orioles have ridden to first place thanks to Adam Jones and Nick Markakis, who are more solid and steady ballplayers than superstars.
• Jerry Crasnick says the Cardinals are counting on the return of Yadier Molina and Michael Wacha to lead them to the postseason.
• Mike Petriello looks at why the Tigers have fallen out of first and what they need to get back there. (Hint: it involves Kansas City coming back down to earth.)
• Richard Justice writes that the Tigers window of opportunity to win the World Series will soon close.
• Anibal Sanchez is probably out for the rest of the regular season.
• Jon Paul Morosi examines why Michigan native Derek Jeter is so disliked in Detroit. But he thinks the Tigers need to honor their native son.
• The Rangers are close to breaking the all-time record for most pitchers used in a season. They'll likely also break the record for most total players used in one season.
• I noted the tragic sudden death of ESPN Dallas' Rangers beat writer Richard Durrent two months ago. For some reason, ESPN hasn't hired a full-time replacement yet and they have Calvin Watkins, who normally covers the Cowboys, handling double-duty on the Rangers beat. I noted his column last week when he blasted Yu Darvish for not pitching through pain. But his latest missive on Darvish is even better, as he clearly has no clue that the rules for MLB's disabled list are different than the rules for the NFL's injured reserve.
• In any case, Craig Calcaterra dissects the ways that Watkins has no idea what he's talking about.
• Richard Justice defends Joey Votto from the criticism he's been receiving, both for being on the disabled list and his on-the field performance.
• MLB denied the Rays protest of their loss to the Blue Jays. No explanation was given. Because none would make sense other than "we didn't want to."
• Anthony Castrovince ranks all the teams out of the playoff race on their chances to contend next season.
• Tom Verducci explains that few teams who aren't in a playoff position on September 1 end up playing in October.
• Ben Lindbergh looks at why Rusney Castillo got so much money and how likely he is to be worth it.
• In an ESPN insider article, Keith Law list ten players who have had breakout seasons that are likely to sustain their performance. I mention it mainly because Jake Arrieta and Anthony Rizzo are two of the players he lists.
• Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik signed a multi-year extension.
• Lookout Landing has mixed feelings.
• Eno Sarris asks if catchers who are good at framing pitches are also good at blocking pitches.
• Gregory Polanco is a reminder that sometimes top prospects take a while before they thrive at the major league level.
• Rob Neyer asks how Bartolo Colon and LaTroy Hawkins are still effective pitchers on the other side of 40.
• The Los Angeles Times ranks all 30 ballparks.
• What Billy Bean plans to do as MLB's new Ambassador for Inclusion.
• No one on the Athletics will play Twister with the Astros mascot. Good.
• And finally, a minor-league manager took his shoes off and left them at home plate while arguing with an umpire.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Heck, the Cubs are only ten games out of a playoff spot.