MLB Bullets is a wizard, a true star

I think my jersey on Bloggers’ Weekend will read “Minors Threat.”

Leaving New York for Cleveland was a plot on “30 Rock” once.

• I think MLB hit on a winner with “Players’ Weekend” since the talk of the last two days has been what players will be wearing. Paul Lukas breaks down all the details of the uniforms for that weekend, along with some of the nicknames. And yes, Kyle Seager wins with “Corey’s Brother.”
• Grant Brisbee grades all the caps. As he points out, you’re not likely to spend $199 on a jersey, but you are much more likely to plunk down $40 on a hat. So who is ordering a Cubs one? I broke down and got a Cubs All-Star Game batting practice cap (So I can look like that great slugger Wade Davis) with the mesh fabric and tropical brim, so I probably won’t be ordering another one. But I do kind of like the Cubs one.
• Zach Buchanan explains why Shin-Soo Choo is wearing “Tokki 1” and Joey Votto is wearing “Tokki 2”
• Chris Landers has his favorite nicknames on the jerseys.
• Barry Petchesky lists his favorites and least favorites.
• Tigers manager Brad Ausmus says he’ll at least think about putting “Fire” (as in “Fire Brad Ausmus”) on his jersey.
• Craig Calcaterra isn’t too sure about Alex Colome’s nickname.
• Back to the actual games. Craig Calcaterra asks if the Dodgers can lay claim to being the best team in history.
• The Dodgers are very, very good, but they aren’t invincible. Michael Baumann explains where the Dodgers could be vulnerable.
• The Mets traded Jay Bruce to the Indians.
• Dave Cameron thinks it was a good move for the Indians to get Bruce to fill in for an injured Michael Brantley.
• Apparently talks to send Bruce to the Yankees broke down over how much money each side was willing to chip in to pay Bruce’s contract.
• And the two New York front offices started taking pot shots at each other in the Gotham media.
• Ted Keith doesn’t get the point of the Mets/Indians trade for the Mets.
• Paul Lebowitz believes the only thing wrong with Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is that he’s not fully healthy.
• Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom left a start after getting hit in the arm with a line drive.
• Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn took a line drive off his head, but he stayed in the game.
• The Cardinals beat the Royals after Yadier Molina hit a grand slam after a “rally cat” ran on to the field.
• Then the “rally cat” went missing. The Cardinals still won last night.
• The Cardinals have won six in a row and are now just a game behind the Cubs for first place. Will Leitch looks at the history of “rally” animals and whether or not the Cardinals are actually a contender now.
• The Rockies turned their team’s fortunes around with this one simple trick. Jonah Keri shows how the Rox are winning thanks to strong pitching arms.
• Jon Heyman thinks that the Astros cautious approach to the trade deadline will come back to haunt them in the postseason.
• Grant Brisbee writes that it’s not your imagination: There really are more teams in the playoff hunt this year than any other year.
• Mike Lupica is not happy that there may be yet another October without the best player in baseball, Mike Trout, competing.
• Not only Trout, but Chris Landers points out that Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons has been one of the best players in baseball this year. Like, a “what if Ozzie Smith had a 121 OPS+?” player.
• On the flipside, David Schoenfield has the most disappointing players in baseball this year.
• This is an ESPN-insider article, but Brian Reiff ranks all the infield defenses in MLB and the Cubs come out on top.
• Dave Cameron believes the Athletics have a budding star in Matt Chapman.
• The Athletics have also launched a new website dedicated to a new ballpark in Oakland.
• Matt Snyder thinks Padres manager Andy Green should get some consideration for NL Manager of the Year.
• Tony Blengino argues that when talking about the best pitchers in baseball, you need to include Mariners hurler James Paxton.
• Joe Posnanski writes about going to a baseball game with his daughter and the magic that is Ichiro Suzuki.
• Robert Sanchez writes a profile of Blue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who could be baseball’s next superstar. I have to say, watching Guerrero and Bo Bichette play for Lansing against South Bend has left me in awe of those two players.
• Some updates on the Marlins sale situation.
• Sad news as former umpire Ken Kaiser died at age 72.
• In the continuing saga of the disappearance of real sports journalism, Fox Sports “pivot to video” apparently means begging other people to let them use their audio and video for free. News Corporation turned a net profit of $1.2 billion in 2012 and they want journalists who could get laid off any day to share their work with them for free. Maybe they shouldn’t have fired all those sportswriters if they wanted that video.
• A safety deposit box belonging to Ty Cobb was discovered and its contents handed over to his grandson.
• And finally, it wasn’t a gymnast doing a cartwheel, but Chicago Steel hockey captain Marc Johnstone served up a first pitch with a nice wrist shot. It might have even been a strike.

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