MLB Bullets is feeling a draft

Don’t forget that the MLB Draft starts tonight at 6 p.m. Central time. The Cubs have two picks at the end of the first round (27th and 30th) so check on in here during the game with the Mets tonight.

• In the absence of any really important breaking news, why don’t you start your day off with this longform piece by Michael McKnight: Can a 45-year-old sportswriter, who hasn’t played baseball in 30 years, hit a batting practice home run in a major league stadium? Do you think he can? Read about his 15-month quest to hit one out.
• On the other side, Yankees phenom Aaron Judge hit the longest home run of the year yesterday at 495 feet. And that was in a real game.
• For all the attention that Judge, Gary Sanchez and Starlin Castro are getting on the Yankees, Stacey Gotsulias points out that no one seems to be noticing that Didi Gregorius is having an incredible year so far.
• Marly Rivera talks to Yankees pitcher Luis Severino about adjusting to life in America and the difficulties in speaking English. He doesn’t have a problem with players using interpreters, although he is reluctant to criticize anyone who says otherwise.
• Mike Oz says that everyone needs to accept that baseball doesn’t have just one language anymore.
• On to the draft. Dayn Perry speaks with Chris Crawford about what to expect at this year’s draft.
• Chris Cwik has ten names to know this draft. Some of them are guys who will go at the top of the draft and others are just players with interesting stories. What? No Handsome Monica? (Yes, that’s a draft-eligible player, and it is his real name.)
• In case you’ve missed the handful of previous stories that I’ve linked to about Hunter Greene, Zach Buchanan has another profile of the two-way high school player expected to go in the top three picks.
• Michael Baumann is not impressed with this year’s draft class.
• Sam Miller notes that 15 years after the Moneyball draft, it probably is a good idea to pick players who could sell jeans. Even Billy Beane says “Our guys look good in jeans.”
• Peter Gammons notes that you need more than just good first round picks to build a winning ballclub. But first-rounders are still very important, he notes.
• Oregon State’s Luke Heimlich, who was expected to go in the first three rounds of the draft before it was discovered that he’s a registered sex offender, has voluntarily asked not to pitch for the Beavers, so as not to be a distraction. He remains a member of the team and his teammates say they support him.
• Back to the majors. Buster Olney explains why Rockies closer Greg Holland was the best free agent signing this past winter.
• Nick Stephen writes that even not counting Holland, the Rockies bullpen has been a huge reason for the 2017 success.
• Chris Bahr has five things the Cardinals need to do now to turn their season around. Why would they want to do that?
• Because of their struggles, the Cardinals have shook up their coaching staff. Inexplicably, Mike Matheny still has a job.
• Cards general manager John Mozeliak warns that no one’s job on the team is safe. Except Matheny’s apparently.
• R.J. Anderson ranks all the managers on the hot seat. Matheny isn’t on the list because ownership reportedly loves him.
• Dave Cameron thinks the Mets need to start preparing for 2018.
• Red Sox pitcher David Price has been having a rough time in Boston, but Jay Jaffe notes that the only way to turn things around in Beantown is to start pitching better.
• David Schoenfield notices that Giants pitcher Jeff Samardzija has changed his approach to walk fewer batters and that is making a big positive difference.
• Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer became the third-fastest pitcher to reach 2000 strikeouts.
• Nats GM Mike Rizzo told Orioles manager Buck Showalter to “stop whining” about a rainout. Could he maybe talk to Craig Counsell too?
• Nationals closer Koda Glover ended up on the disabled list after hurting his back in the shower.
• Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier will miss two months with a hip fracture.
• Pirates starter Jameson Taillon will make his first start today after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer earlier this year.
• Joe Sparacio lists eight underrated MLB players.
• Matt Snyder looks at some recent MLB free agents with upcoming opt-out clauses who may not exercise them. Jason Heyward is on the list.
• Evan Davis thinks teams will still want to trade for White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier despite his poor 2017 season. It’s not that poor. Baseball-reference still has him at 1.2 WAR so far this year.
• Eric Gomez looks at the time when Negro Leagues players went down to Mexico to play baseball and how it may have helped pave the way for integration in the majors.
• Jose Bautista took two bases on a walk against the Mariners on Saturday.
• Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was actually asked by a reporter “I think all four of your walkoffs have been at home.” Yes, and in every game the Dodgers won this year, they scored more runs than their opponent.
• Charlotte Wilder talks to Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard about hot sauce. A more interesting piece than you might think from its description.
• White Sox outfielder Melky Cabrera goes country and smashes a guitar for Country Music Night at Guaranteed Rate Field.
• A kid at a minor league game got some major brain freeze after winning the Icee-chugging contest. Worth it, I suppose.
• Do you remember that weird fish mascot that the Chiba Lotte Mariners adopted from a weeks ago? It just got weirder. You’ve got to love the Japanese.
• The field at Miller Park got invaded by a man with no pants who went after Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford. If I had a nickel for every story I’ve linked to about men without pants rushing onto the field. . .
• And for some reason, people just went wild about this video over the weekend, although it doesn’t do much for me. A man at SunTrust Stadium did a face plant after celebrating too early in their “Beat the Freeze” contest between innings. I like weird Japanese mascots better, but I seem to be outvoted.

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