MLB Bullets Is Having A Sale

Lots to talk about today. Very little that I actually want to talk about. At least I feel free to continue to ignore the ridiculous All-Star Game voting.

• By now, you've no doubt heard about the tragic death of former player and MLB analyst Darryl Hamilton. Two of the teams he played for, the Brewers and the Mets, played each other last night and had a moment of silence in his memory.
• Commissioner Rob Manfred issued a statement on Hamilton's passing.
• Andrew Marchand, who covered Hamilton as a young reporter for the New York Post when Hamilton played for the Mets, remembers Hamilton's smile and the (eventually) warm relationship the two had.
• A report by ESPN's Outside the Lines provides documented evidence that Pete Rose bet on baseball while still a player.
• Craig Calcaterra tries to explain what this new evidence means for Rose.
• Jayson Stark still thinks Rose belongs in the Hall of Fame.
• Fox Sports says it's keeping Rose as an analyst.
• For the first time, MLB placed a woman, French teenager Melissa Mayeux, on the list of players eligible to be signed by a major league team.
• SB Nation did a roundtable discussion by seven women baseball writers of what Mayeux's eligibility means, even if a team is very unlikely to sign her.
• A judge has dismissed the lawsuit against Yasiel Puig that connected him to human trafficking charges.
• The analysis of the trade that sent Touki Toussaint to the Braves continues. Mark Bradley writes that is was another smart move by a Braves front office that has made a lot of smart moves lately.
• Keith Law (ESPN Insider Only) is worried about the precedent this "trade" has set, because the deal was essentially the Diamondbacks selling Toussaint to the Braves for $10 million, and selling players outright hasn't been allowed in baseball since the 1970s.
• Matthew Kory doesn't like the deal, but wonders if it is part of a bigger plan.
• And that's exactly what the Diamondbacks are claiming it is. Tony LaRussa says that the trade was made because the Diamondbacks can win now and need the payroll flexibility to add pieces at the trade deadline.
• Speaking of the trade deadline, Tim Healy lists five contenders who could make an upgrade.
• The Phillies and Rangers are discussing a deal that would send Cole Hamels to Texas.
• Dave Cameron thinks it's time to blow up the White Sox. Well, duh. I've been saying that for years and no one listens to me. (Reads the article) Oh. I guess Cameron and I have different definitions of what "blowing up the White Sox" means.
• Phil Rogers thinks the White Sox should trade Chris Sale to the Cubs. As much as I'd like Chris Sale on the North Side, this will never happen.
• Michael Baumann asks "Who would you rather have for your team? Max Scherzer or Chris Sale?"
• Andrew Simon lists potential free agents who have been helping and hurting their value so far this season.
• One guy who has really helped his value is Zack Greinke. David Schoenfield points out how Greinke has been the victim of historic non-support this season. Like last night.
• The Rays have moved into first place with the help of some innovative use of the bullpen.
• The Red Sox are going to retire Pedro Martinez's number 45. The Expos were also going to retire Martinez's number, but they quickly realized that it was already retired, along with every other Expos number.
• Rob Neyer remembers back when Pedro Martinez was the greatest pitcher ever.
• The Red Sox also sent Rusney Castillo down to the minors.
• The Rangers activated Adrian Beltre off the disabled list, but they kept Joey Gallo on the major league roster.
• Albert Pujols is The Machine once again.
• Cliff Corcoran looks at players likely to get 3000 hits. The Machine is on the list.
• Bob Uecker had returned to the Brewers broadcast booth.
• Rob Neyer remembers "Ball Four," 45 years after its publication.
• Why is it so hard to hit a curveball? Joseph Stromberg explains the optical illusion behind a curve with a cool video.
• The Twins played a prank on Eddie Guardado.
• Are the Dodgers Minions? (My 7 year old daughter loved this one.)
• And finally, an extremely well-done but very strange promo video from the Giants. Tim Lincecum interviews martial arts legend Bruce Lee about pitching. It's worth your time and Timmy does a great job.

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