MLB Bullets Is Managing To Thrive

If you thought I was going to pass up a chance to post a photo of those Bill Veeck-era White Sox throwbacks, you don't know me very well. I'm just upset they didn't wear shorts.

• Justin Verlander came pretty darn close to throwing a no-hitter.
• Verlander just missed becoming only the sixth pitcher to throw three or more no-hitters. And Larry Corcoran shouldn't even count since he threw underhanded.
• Grant Brisbee thinks about what Verlander would get on the free agent market this winter and concludes that Verlander's current contract is no longer an albatross.
• Jay Jaffe thinks the signs are encouraging that Verlander can again become a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.
• Ken Rosenthal reports that Hall of Fame players Barry Larkin and Cal Ripken Jr. could get picked to be the next managers of the Reds and Nationals, respectively. Larkin is reportedly calling old teammates and asking them if they'd be interested in being coaches. Hmm. . .who was a teammate of Larkin's? Pete Rose!
• Commissioner Rob Manfred has said that he'll make a decision on Rose's reinstatement by the end of the year.
• Anthony Castrovince lists his choices for the 10 most impactful managers in 2015. Number one won't surprise you.
• Eno Sarris talks to players and writers about what makes Bruce Bochy and Joe Maddon such good managers.
• Jose Bautista was refusing to give interviews with Blue Jays broadcaster Sportsnet over a dispute over a rookie's suit.
• However, the boycott is over. Terms of the settlement were not revealed.
• In more broadcaster news, Curt Schilling will not work this Sunday's ESPN telecast of the Cubs/Dodgers game. Instead, Jessica Mendoza will be in the booth for the game.
• Barry Bonds lost his collusion case against Major League Baseball.
• The Phillies are planning on extending the netting behind home plate at Citizen's Bank Park. However, they are waiting from guidance from MLB because they don't want to make the change only to have to change it again if it is not in compliance with possible new regulations.
• The Marlins are considering moving in and lowering the fences at Marlins Park. I hope it would be at Marlins Park. I'd hate for them to sneak into Tropicana Field and move their fences around.
• Although maybe they should. Or at least move the catwalks. Twins slugger Miguel Sano was robbed of a monster home run when the ball hit the catwalk and landed behind second base.
• By one measure at least, Cubs fans are the happiest in baseball right now. They must have measured on days that Dan Haren is not pitching.
• As the Yankees struggle and slip behind the Blue Jays, Andrew Marchand writes that Masahiro Tanaka needs to step up and become an ace.
• Michael Baumann is conflicted about how to feel about the Yankees now that they're actually kind of likeable.
• The Nationals are adjusting their rotation for the pennant push, but Eddie Matz thinks the Nationals aren't in a position anymore for it to matter.
• Katie Baker writes that while David Wright never became the player everyone thought he would be back in 2006, his return to the Mets lineup is still a major boost and a reminder of what the Mets used to be and what they can be again.
• Jerry Crasnick believes the future is bright in Philadelphia, but questions remain around the future of GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and manager Pete Mackanin. Although Amaro is generally considered to be a goner, Crasnick does point out that he's received pretty positive reviews for his deadline deals this year.
• In fact, the Rangers aren't really benefitting from Cole Hamels yet. But Mike Axisa points out that they are getting major contributions from a pair of lesser-heralded pickups.
• The Red Sox announced that Hanley Ramirez will play first base next season. Current rookie first baseman Travis Shaw says he's not going to worry about the future.
• Red Sox interim manager Torey Lovullo thinks Pablo Sandoval's defense is getting better now that he's more adjusted to the American League. Rob Neyer isn't buying it.
• Craig Edwards explains why the Astros could find it difficult to come to an agreement on a long-term deal with Dallas Keuchel.
• Matt Trueblood explains why it's so difficult to project Stephen Piscotty's future.
• Dave Cameron calls Diamondbacks outfielder David Peralta the most underrated player in baseball. I guess Ben Zobrist and Brian Dozier can't claim to be underrated anymore.
• The Diamondbacks have adopted a hamster as their clubhouse mascot. No, it's not David Eckstein.
• DJ LeMahieu became the first Rockies player in history to start in all nine lineup spots in one season.
• Jeff Sullivan noticed that Mike Trout never, ever swings at a first-pitch curveball.
• A look at the chances that a major league team comes to Portland in the near future.
• Tim Kurkjian tells a story of the day in 1989 when the Angels started  a game without center fielder Devon White. Or any other center fielder. (Video)
• Bob Klapisch hails our new robot umpire overlords and the debate over the new technology.
• The White Sox took the field in all their Bill Veeck mid-70s glory.
• Jose Bautista (him again?) noticed a fan wearing a Lionel Messi Barcelona jersey in the stands. So he traded his batting practice jersey for it and took BP wearing the Messi's blaugrana kit.
• And finally, MLB owns 27 of the 30 teams (team name).com addresses. The NFL owns giants.com, so that's out. A popular Seattle restaurant owns rays.com and they won't sell. Ben Lindbergh tracks down the mystery that is twins.com. It's been "under construction" since the mid-90s.

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