MLB Bullets Is On A Mission

That blew.

• Late yesterday afternoon, the Padres and the Braves pulled off a blockbuster trade. You probably already know this. If you don't, click on the link and see who went where.
• Braves General Manager John Hart says he knows that trading Craig Kimbrel wouldn't be popular, but it's in the best long-term interests of the team. He says nothing about the popularity of trading Melvin Upton.
• Except our friends over at Talking Chop think it was a great trade.
• Over at Gaslamp Ball, they're happy but do see the long-term downside of the deal.
• Jeff Sullivan says the Padres keep building through borrowing.
• Ken Rosenthal writes that since Craig Kimbrel is the best player in this deal, then he thinks the Padres won the trade.
• Keith Law, on the other hand, thinks this deal was a home run for the Braves. (ESPN Insider Only)
• David Brown likes what the Braves have been doing this off-season except why in the world did they sign Nick Markakis?
• One of the players the Braves got in the deal, Carlos Quentin, is going to be designated for assignment. The Braves only took him to pay his salary, while the Padres picked up Melvin Upton's salary.
• Last Friday we found out that an arbitrator ruled that Josh Hamilton did not violate the terms of his drug treatment program and therefore would not be suspended.
• The Angels front office made a statement (more than one, actually) saying how disappointed they were that their own player was not suspended.
• Tim Brown says that the Angels have embarrassed themselves.
• Rob Neyer says that while the Angels talk about accountability, the Angels should be held accountable for their own decisions.
• Craig Calcaterra calls the Angels behavior "appalling."
• Cliff Corcoran calls it "shocking" and "sad."
• Hamilton's Angels teammates were also reportedly unhappy about the statements made by the Angels front office, although only C.J. Wilson (who was also Hamilton's teammate in Texas) would go on the record. (h/t Big League Stew)
• Grant Brisbee understands why the Angels are upset that they have to pay Hamilton while he sits on the DL, but he can't understand why the Angels are so foolish to say so publicly.
• Ken Rosenthal is outraged that all of this was made public, since these types of issues are supposed to be confidential. He's also reasonably confident the Angels were the ones who leaked it to the press in the first place. Rosenthal writes that Hamilton "deserved better as a human being."
• David Schoenfield says that when Hamilton does come back (he's currently on the DL), he's not likely going to help the Angels much. Which is pretty much why the Angels are upset.
• In news about someone who was suspended, Twins pitcher Ervin Santana was suspended 80 games for testing positive for stanozolol.
• Jared Cosart was fined after MLB discovered he was making illegal sports bets. However, none of the bets were on baseball or this would be a much, much bigger story.
• The Cleveland Indians agreed to a five-year extension with reigning Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber.
• And the Indians came to a three-year deal with pitcher Carlos Carrasco.
• On the other side of Ohio, the Reds have been unable to reach an agreement with either Johnny Cueto or Mike Leake.
• The Royals signed pitcher Yordano Ventura to a five-year deal.
• The Mets and Lucas Duda have been unable to agree on a new contract. Duda's not a free agent until after the 2017 season, so there's no real rush there.
• Christina Kahrl writes that the Giants were smart to lock up manager Bruce Bochy and GM Brian Sabean.
• There were more huge crowds in Montreal for a two-game exhibition series this weekend.
• Jon Paul Morosi thinks there is much more passion for baseball in Montréal than there is in Tampa Bay.
• Maybe because they're all hurt. The Rays put six players, including five pitchers, on their Opening Day DL.
• Check out the reception that native son Russell Martin got in his return. Also, Martin's dad played both national anthems.
• Masahiro Tanaka says he's going to change his style and throw softer this season, presumably in an effort to stay healthy.
• Barry Zito accepted an assignment to the Athletics Triple-A affiliate in Nashville. (Man, that sounds weird. No pun intended.) Zito displayed a great attitude in saying that he didn't work hard all winter to "rush to go sit at home" and that if Rickey Henderson kept playing when no major league team wanted him, then "us non-first ballot Hall of Famers shouldn't have more pride than Rickey." Zito is going to be a first-ballot "Hall of the Pretty Good" inductee though.
• The Nationals will be awarded the 2018 All-Star Game. That will be four straight NL cities.
• The Phillies are holding off bidding on the All-Star Game, instead hoping for the 2026 game to coincide with America's Sestercentennial. And now for a Sestercentennial Minute . . .
• There is a feeling in baseball that Chase Utley will eventually get tired of losing in Philadelphia and agree to a trade to a West Coast team.
• Hall of Fame broadcaster Lon Simmons has died at 91. He was one of the original San Francisco Giants broadcasters in 1958.
• David Schoenfield is concerned about the Tigers' rotation.
• Chris Archer talks to Fernando Perez. You might recall that those two were traded for each other once upon a time, although as Perez notes, "I was the French fries in the Matt Garza deal."
• The Dodgers have baseball's biggest payroll at $269 million this year.
• Matt Snyder lists struggling starting pitchers who he thinks could excel in the bullpen. Since Edwin Jackson tops his list, I really hope he's right.
• Pretty much everyone hated ESPN's "K zone" last night.
• Cy Brown has some topics that people will be talking about on Opening Day.
• Find out the connection between Dodger outfielder Joc Pederson and Albert Pujols and why Pederson's brother treasures the Angels jersey that Pujols gave him.
• And finally, Ken Rosenthal explains why he doesn't like it when people say "It's only one game" after an Opening Day.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Because the Cubs will win tomorrow, right?