MLB Bullets shakes things up

Let’s take a moment to reflect that two of the best, maybe the best, baseball reporters today, Ken Rosenthal and Jayson Stark, are currently being paid by major media conglomerates to NOT write anything about baseball. It’s gotten so bad that the only place you can read Rosenthal is on Facebook and the two of them are reduced to breaking scoops under ridiculous code names like “KatyPerrysBootyHole” and “wetbutt23.” (OK, not really on the aliases. I have to say that because someone on the internet is going to think that comment was serious.)

• Stark and Rosenthal may not be publishing anything (and Buster Olney is barely writing anything), but our own Grant Brisbee is still producing written words. And he has a terrific essay on the wonder that is the Marlins, their home run sculpture and the way time makes almost anything in baseball a beloved tradition. This is his “Ode to a Grecian Urinal,” and I think they have one of those in Marlins Park. By the way, Brisbee has completely changed his opinion of the Home Run Sculpture after seeing it in person. Not sure if he saw the Grecian Urinal.
• So the big news is the Jose Quintana deal and we have that covered pretty well elsewhere. What would be even bigger would be a deal that would send Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich to the Phillies, which Rosenthal has taken to Facebook to report (under his own name.) As Rosenthal reports, the Phillies are very interested in Yelich. Less so on Stanton and his contract.
• Geoff Mosher admits taking on Stanton’s contract is a risk, but that the Phillies are even considering it shows that the team isn’t content to just tank and collect draft picks. He thinks Stanton is the guy who could get Philadelphians excited about the Phillies again.
• Jon Heyman notes that the Dodgers are interested in trading for Orioles closer Zach Britton and their current closer, Kenley Jansen, thinks that is a terrific idea.
• Nate Silver notes that while Jansen may not get as many saves as a lot of closers, the Dodgers innovative use of Jansen is leading to more team wins.
• Mike Lupica talks to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts about “that steal” and how he is leading the Dodgers to “steal” the National League pennant.
• Heyman also reports that there hasn’t been much trade interest in Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander, but teams are calling Detroit about several other players.
• Bob Nightengale has a guide to what to look for as the trading deadline approaches. He’s got some stuff on the Quintana trade too.
• Jerry Crasnick has a list of some participants of the recently-completed All-Star Game who could find themselves dealt before the month is over.
• Cliff Corcoran has the top ten players (by bWAR) who are likely available for trade.
• Jon Paul Morosi has five teams who are on the bubble between buying and selling.
• There was actually one other trade. The Yankees sent left-handed reliever Tyler Webb to the Brewers for first baseman Garrett Cooper.
• Matt Snyder likes the Cooper-Webb deal for both sides.
• Rays outfielder Colby Rasmus announced that he’s “step[ping] away from baseball.” This isn’t officially a retirement, at least not yet. But from what I’ve read from reporters who have covered Rasmus in the past, it sounds like he hasn’t really enjoyed playing baseball for quite a while.
• Will Leitch looks at every division in baseball and what we can expect the rest of the way.
• Mike Petriello lists players who had disappointing first halves who are likely to turn it around in the second half. Kyle Schwarber is on the list.
• Jeff Sullivan notes how historically good the Astros lineup is this season.
• Anthony Castrovince has five predictions for the second half.
• Zach Kram has some records that could fall in 2017.
• Vince Grzegorek gets Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis to open up about a lot of things in an interesting piece. For Cubs fans, the most notable was how miserable it was for Kipnis to return home to Chicago this offseason. (h/t Hardball Talk)
• Stacey Gotsulias looks at Starlin Castro’s 2017 season and the chances that it could be his best season ever.
• Here’s a link to a video from an upcoming “Real Sports” segment on HBO about Hall of Famer Rod Carew and his heart transplant.
• Eno Sarris looks at the issue of increasing blisters in baseball and concludes that the data provides a much more complicated picture than some are making it out to be.
• Tim Brown argues why it is very unlikely that MLB is “juicing” the baseball. Of course, Brown misses that almost no one is arguing that MLB is doing this intentionally. Still, he does make a few points.
• Some wrap up pieces from the All-Star Game. Will Leitch notes that now that the game no longer “counts” for home field advantage, everyone was just able to have fun, which made for a better experience.
• Chris Cwik liked the idea of the on-field interviews that they did during the All-Star Game, although he does think the execution needs some tweaking.
• George Springer did the on-field interview to serve as an inspiration to others who stutter like he does.
• Charlotte Wilder got to talk with Marlins Man at the All-Star Game to try to figure out who he really is under all those Marlins apparel.
• Mike Oz continues his “opening 25-year-old baseball cards” series with Andre Dawson. Dawson has a story about Lee Smith.
• Chris Landers has a piece on the origins of several baseball terms.
• Brewers closer Corey Knebel is both a Brewer and a brewer.
• And finally, Indians manager Terry Francona missed the All-Star Game with a heart issue. But his favorite moment of the tournament was the gum someone stuck on his bench coach and AL manager Brad Mills hat.

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