#k. open starter ; with bryan

[k-618]

The way his eyes lingered hadn’t gone unnoticed but she says nothing about it, having gotten used to much worse reactions over the years. Most mutants have it lucky with no physical traits to give them away. She unfortunately wasn’t one of them; she had been at one point in her life but that had already become a distant memory at this point. She chortles at the bluntness of his response but nods understandingly. At his next words she merely blinks and stares at the markers in her own hands, confused. Had she been using a shitty set of markers this whole time?

“Which ones would you recommend? I’ve just been getting these because they were the first set I saw. M’not really an artist so I figured it wouldn’t matter.” She frowns, turning her attention back to the wide selection before them. “You seem like you know a lot about these things,” she chucks the set back in its place, reaching over her pocket to retrieve a small, leather-bound notebook that looked like it had been through hell and back.

“I just want something that doesn’t do this… or this.” Kei flips through the notebook, pointing at ones in particular where certain areas of the marker had smudged and bled. Each page had a very detailed illustration of some kind of mutated plant or creature with some notes hastily scribbled all around it. On certain pages there were coffee rings but all of them had varying amounts of dried blood splattered across the paper.

He takes in the others appearance, deep brown eyes roving over her appearance, almost critical in their inspection. He notes the colours in her hair, the way they shift as the light catches each individual streak and makes it appear more vibrant, the way the edges of her mouth crease into her cheek when she speaks. He can't help it, her visage will be imprinted into the artists mind forevermore now he has seen her, she could be the inspiration for a character in the future when he sits at his desk trying to conceptualise someone for one of his stories, whether that be under Bryan A. or Anda Song. Mere seconds have past and he clears his throat at her question, trying to picture himself closing his eyes and choosing something at random, "no" he replies quietly, eyes snapping to her hand as she leans and plucks those markers from the shelf, he coughs again once more, flicking his gaze from her hand, to her face and back to the markers before adding "there's a brand that has more longevity than those parkers at a better price point, if you're interested in that." He has decidedly tucked both palettes under his arm, understanding that he feels obligated to purchase both of them now.

[invsiblestrings]

open starter for: claire abbott, 29, bisexual, fashion editor open to: anyone 25+ (read rules for banned fcs/more info. anyone can reply!) suggested connections: a former flame from back home To the untrained eye, it would appear that Claire’s life really only began a decade ago when she moved north. Her apartment holds little evidence to the contrary. These days, the only pair of cowboy boots she owns are those Valentino ones Gigi Hadid wore in 2018. It’s not that she’s ashamed of where she came from. Claire loves Tennessee, her parents, even got pre-sale tickets for Zach Bryan’s tour next year. But Claire loves Tennessee better in the rearview mirror, like an identity she can pull out as a party trick or wear for a weekend trip home or remember nostalgically while scrolling Facebook. Nobody here at home in NYC knows who she was before she became the perfectly composed, career-driven (if a little self-absorbed) woman she is now. Claire Abbott. Not Lex (or God forbid - Lexie) whose claim to fame was making her entire Prom dress from scratch using curtains from K Mart. So honestly, that’s the reason she was absolutely speechless when she swung open her apartment door and saw them standing there, like a ghost come to haunt her, like a flashback to a memory she forgot existed. “Hi. What are you doing here?” she choked out, once speaking no longer eluded her

[thesportssoundoff]

Manny Machado To The Yankees Maybe? Well...

Joey

July 12th

There's been a lot of scuttlebutt around Yankeeland about the reported increased interest into All Star SS/3B Manny Machado. This has been met with either tremendous applause from fans or angry derision from fans. The weird thing is that it's a 50/50 split between the Yankee fanbase itself, not even from a "throughout the major leagues" standpoint. Yankees fans either LOVE the idea of adding Machado or HATE the concept which is really strange given the way this fanbase almost always comes to a consensus pretty quickly. To lay out the opening a bit, I'll do my best to present what both camps seem to be saying:

For Machado:

-It's the chance to add yet another all star player at a position where the Yankees don't necessarily have a "need" for an additional player but would probably benefit greatly for improved play.

-It's the chance to further fortify a strength and dare teams to get through this lineup four times in October with a juiced ball (let's be real here) without suffering significant damage.

-It opens the door to moving Andujar or even Didi to potentially improve your squad down the road.

Against Machado:

-This team needs pitching!

-We love Andujar and Machado is just a minor upgrade over him!

-Machado wants to play SS and this team has a collection of players who can play shortshop.

-Why trade for even MORE offense?! Did we mention this team needs pitching?!

In the interest of giving myself a break from solely taking MMA and boxing, I've decided to go ass first into this whole Machado to the Yankees rumor and conjecture to give my own thoughts and opinions on the matter. Am I for it? Against It? Well....

1- Even if you don't get him, getting involved is a damn good thing.

Let's start there.  The mere presence of the Yankees and their top 3-5 farm system forces teams to be honest in bidding for Manny Machado. If the Red Sox, Dodgers, Brewers, Phillies and the such want to make a move for him, having the Yankees involved helps make them pay for it. Giving those teams competition reminds me of when the Yankees sat down with Carl Crawford for the sole focus of getting the Red Sox to up their bid on the player. Sometimes if you're going to be painted as the asshole of the MLB, it's okay to actually BE the assholes of the MLB. Teams aren't going to be sympathetic to your cause so might as well give them a reason to hate.

2- It's not JUST that he makes the line up better.

The upgrade over Andujar with Manny Machado on offense is not as large as you'd think. Even if Andujar is very much a Starlin Castro 2.0 (a guy who isn't going to walk much, K's a bit more than you'd like probably and will live on those hot streaks where he goes XBH crazy), that's a very valuable type of player and he's putting up damn good numbers. Adujar's .279/.313/.495 115+ OPS is not that big of a steep endless decline from Machado's .314/.383/.573 163+OPS. Manny's better offensively by a large margin but he's having an outlier-y season. It's defensively where this team would gain a serious step up. Machado has historically been a very, very good defensive third basemen while Andujar's defense was what prevented him from playing much last year. This year he hasn't been the world's biggest butcher but his lack of range and slow feet have been well discussed. In an argument suggesting Andujar be shopped at the deadline, RiverAveBlues painted a pretty stark picture:

"That’s a long way of saying if you hit the ball at Andujar, he’s going to make the play. Hit the ball anything more than a step or two away from him in either direction, and he’s probably not going to make the play. Does that mean he won’t make those plays forever and ever? No, of course not. Andujar could improve his reads and first step and range. Young players are known to get better, after all. That said, Andujar is something of a defensive liability. His value is tied up heavily in his bat, specifically his power and ability to make contact since he never walks."

http://riveraveblues.com/2018/07/three-reasons-yankees-make-miguel-andujar-available-trade-deadline-174411/

The Yankees are already carrying one so-so defensive infielder with Gleyber Torres (who to me is fine defensively despite what feels like the usual lapses from a dude who has been a SS/3B his whole life) and a catcher who is having a really poor year defensively. Throw in so-so work from Greg Bird and Neil Walker and this infield could use somebody who could shore up some of the holes it has. That's why it's not just Machado batting 3rd/4th that makes this a smart move.

3- You can't trade for what doesn't exist.

Fun with numbers! Here's five pitchers, names removed:

A- 4-4 78.2 IP 4.00 ERA 2.96 SO/BB ratio 6.05 IP per start 1.206 WHIP B- 10-5 105.1 IP 4.44 ERA 3.38 SO/BB ratio 5.85 IP per start 1.177 WHIP C- 5-7 102 IP 4.11 ERA 2.32 SO/BB 5.67 IP per start 1.294 WHIP D- 4-5 86.1 IP 4.80 ERA 2.91 SO/BB 5.86 IP per start 1.286 WHIP E- 4-8 103 IP 4.28 ERA 2.72 SO/BB ratio 5.72 IP per start 1.359 WHIP

A is Sonny Gray at this time last year B is JA Happ C is Tyson Ross D is Matt Harvey E is Cole Hamels

Those are the four most realistic trade options since the Mets probably aren't moving their big 3, The Angels aren't going to move Garrett Richards now with his injury and MadBum is destined to be stuck in San Francisco. The top four options on the market are all pretty much a step below what Sonny Gray was and the key here is that outside of Harvey, the likes of Happ, Ross and Hamels have all been trending down recently. With Gray, he was streaking going into the trade deadline (his final ERA pre-trade would be in the 3.43 range). They THOUGHT they were getting what they need now; a guy who could start in the playoffs and slide behind developing ace Luis Severino. They thought Gray would be at worst a solid #3 and unfortunately it just hasn't panned out that way. Chances are there's no real upgrade available above what they believed they were getting last year. Their investment in Sonny Gray WAS the chance to get the lock down long term rotation help---and it went bust. It happens sometimes.  Any pitcher they're getting is probably worse than Sonny Gray, a perceived ace in his mid 20s who was believed to have the stuff to win in New York. It just didn't work out.

The Yankees need a guy who could be a solid #2/3----but that guy doesn't really exist in this market. There's no help to be had in this barren wasteland of faded aces and reclamation projects. JA Happ is the top pitcher available and would you feel comfortable with him starting game 3 of the ALDS vs the Indians or the Astros? I'm not quite sure. Happ would absolutely help you in terms of having a proven established guy in the rotation instead of Domingo German or Jonathan Loaisiga. The reality is the Yankees need what doesn't exist which means they can either create a starter (with Justus Sheffield from the minors) or hope that they can find a way to manufacture offense to outscore teams early and ride the bullpen late.  Or hope that Masahiro Tanaka and Sonny Gray suddenly get back to being good.

4- I'm not up for a rental

If you're giving up pieces for Manny Machado, it can't be for a rental. Obviously for tax purposes, the Yankees want to be able to stay under that 189 million dollar number so they can't agree to a deal this year. That said if you're giving up pieces for the best 3B in the game then you better have a clue as to where he fits in going forward. If that's as your 3B or SS of the future matters of course but you better ensure you leave a long term idea as to whether you'll have the player long term.

5- Whatever they do, it can't be out of panic.

Seriously. The Yankees are 3 1/2 of Boston with plenty of games to go, they have the best record in the league against good teams. They've beaten Houston and Boston and Cleveland with an as is squad. They'll get back Gary Sanchez and Gleyber Torres soon with the hopes that Torres can continue his All Star play with better health while Gary Sanchez can try to regain some of the form that made him a feared bat in 2016 and 2017. They JUST got back Masahiro Tanaka who probably will help solidify the rotation some. They own a tremendous bullpen and there's help in the farm system. I want them to try and grab one more impact bat; either at 1st, 3rd or even out at LF. I'd like for them to grab the best lefty arm they can to solidify this bullpen finally. I'd even be really happy if they could get an upgrade over Domingo German. The reality though is that any move they make has to be done for something resembling a long term vision. A Jaime Garcia type doesn't do much of anything for this team, a rental who isn't a difference maker just adds another body to the squad. I understand a 40 man roster crunch is coming shortly but I'm not concerned about that because you can ALWAYS find ways to get that cleaned up (Bryan Mitchell, Callum Smith, Garrett Cooper and Ronald Herrera all dealt). Make the moves that fit the long term vision this team has had over the last three years. There's no need for filler deals.

In the end? I mean how could you NOT want to be in Manny Machado? You're trading for a peak prime all star who can play 3rd or short. You're improving your line up AND helping yourself into October. He's a monster with RISP, he's coming into his own as a power hitter and he wants to be here. He's not THE difference between going to the WS and not but I feel a hell of a lot better about Judge-Machado-Stanton with Sanchez, Bird, Didi and Gleyber sprinkled in than I do otherwise. I also feel as though he, all things being equal, is clearly better than just grabbing a mediocre starter. If the market doesn't have arms? Make teams score 8 to beat you.

[animelow7-blog]

Everything to know about Cubs' closer role

As the 2019 season draws near and rosters take a clearer scope, MLB.com has been examining each club's current construction and projecting how personnels might look on Opening Day.

With bullpens becoming more versatile and less defined, the closer role has seen as drastic a change as any in recent years -- particularly with many clubs opting for their best relief arms in the most high-leverage situations, regardless of inning.

That trend could certainly continue in 2019, and it has led to some uncertainty about who will pitch the ninth for a handful of clubs. And for others, some of the most established closers will retain their roles. Here is a breakdown of where things stand for each club at closer. 

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays: Ken Giles The Blue Jays' bullpen has plenty of question marks this year, but the one area where there appears to be a lot of certainty is at the very back end. Toronto might have parted ways with an established -- yet troubled -- closer in Roberto Osuna but they got an effective one in return by landing Giles during last year's trade. The 28-year-old posted a shaky 4.65 ERA in 2018 but almost all of his troubles came in non-save situations. In save opportunities, Giles was a perfect 26-for-26, and he enters camp as Toronto's undisputed closer. The better he pitches this spring, the more likely it is he will be dealt before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. -- Gregor Chisholm

Orioles: Mychal Givens Like nearly everything with regards to the Orioles roster, the closer spot remains in flux. Givens is the obvious choice. One of the O's few veteran holdovers, Givens finished 2018 as the closer after spending the previous three and a half years as an effective setup man, particularly against right-handed hitters. He is clearly Baltimore's most accomplished reliever at this point. But whether Givens closes remains an open question. It'll likely take weeks of assessment before new O's manager Brandon Hyde tabs someone specific for the ninth, if he even does so at all. The O's could also decide whether they prefer to deploy Givens in high-leverage situations regardless of inning. For what it's worth, Givens has said he's open to any role. -- Joe Trezza

Rays: Jose Alvarado There's a good chance the Rays go into the 2019 season without naming an official closer. Sergio Romo led the team with 25 saves last season, but he's not expected to return in '19. For the most part, Romo served as the team's primary closer, but manager Kevin Cash wasn't afraid to use Romo earlier in the game if he believed that was the pivotal part of the game. While that will continue to be the case this season, left-hander Alvarado has the chance to establish himself as the primary closer, with right-handers Diego Castillo and Chaz Roe as other potential options. Alvarado finished third on the team with eight saves last season and established himself as one of the best relievers in the American League. His fastball velocity ranks in the 93rd percentile, and he showed a dominant curveball also. -- Juan Toribio

Red Sox: Matt Barnes, other contenders For a team that won the World Series last year and is loaded in most areas, it is somewhat eye-opening that the closer's role remains unknown so close to Spring Training. If Craig Kimbrel isn't re-signed, who will fit at the back end of Boston's bullpen? Barnes (96 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings last year) is the top internal candidate, but the righty has never done it before. Ryan Brasier, who came out of nowhere as a Minor League free agent last year, will also compete for the job. Brasier mixed his pitches better in 2018 than ever before, leading to his breakout. If you're looking for an unconventional option, don't rule out knuckleballer Steven Wright, who has consistently pitched well for the Red Sox when healthy. -- Ian Browne

Video: Barnes discusses potential closer role in 2019

Yankees: Aroldis Chapman The Yankees' closer situation is clear-cut, with Chapman set to be again entrusted with the ninth inning. Chapman converted 32 of 34 save opportunities last season with a 2.45 ERA, holding opponents to a .136 average while leading all relievers with a 16.3 K/9 ratio. Chapman missed four weeks late in the season due to left knee tendinitis, but with Dellin Betances, Zach Britton and Adam Ottavino pacing their setup crew, the Yanks appear to be well covered in the event of any similar absences in 2019. -- Bryan Hoch

AL CENTRAL

Indians: Brad Hand The Indians acquired lefty Hand -- one of the game's elite back-end arms -- and right-hander Adam Cimber from the Padres last July in exchange for catching prospect Francisco Mejia. The addition of the two relievers was not only to bolster the bullpen in 2018, but to also prepare for the departure of Andrew Miller and previous closer Cody Allen at the end of the year due to free agency. The immediate plan was to leave Allen in his ninth-inning role, but with Hand's arrival along with Allen's uncharacteristically shaky season, the Indians soon decided to leave the relievers' roles undefined. After both setting up and closing for the Tribe last year, Hand will officially earn the label of Cleveland's closer in 2019. In his time with the Padres and Indians in '18, the two-time All-Star recorded a 2.75 ERA with 32 saves and 106 strikeouts against 28 walks in 72 innings over 69 outings. -- Mandy Bell

Video: Hand talks Cleveland, perspective on trade rumors

Royals: Wily Peralta The Royals will go into 2019 presumably with the same closer, right-hander Peralta, who finished 2018 in that role. The Royals re-signed Peralta last fall to a one-year deal. But while manager Ned Yost likes to point out, and he did so again at the Winter Meetings, that Peralta was 14-for-14 in save opportunities once he claimed the job from Kelvin Herrera (who was traded), club officials have hinted that the closer's role isn't necessarily locked in stone. There is a sense that the Royals will get somewhat creative with how they employ their bullpen in 2019, and set roles may never be completely defined. "It comes down to whatever we can do to get 27 outs," general manager Dayton Moore told MLB.com. -- Jeffrey Flanagan

Tigers: Shane Greene While Joe Jimenez is the Tigers' closer of the future, Greene remains the closer going into this season. Part of the reason is his experience in the ninth inning, while part can be tracked to his potential trade value down the line if the Tigers make a move. Greene's 32 saves last year ranked tied for fourth-most in the AL, but his ERA nearly doubled from 2017 (2.66) to 2018 (5.12) thanks to 12 home runs allowed 63 1/3 innings, despite a four-percent drop in his hard-hit rate dropping according to Statcast™. Five of those homers came off his sinker, which dropped in velocity from 2017. On the flip side, his 3.42 strikeout-to-walk ratio last year was the best of his career. If he can avoid the longball, he should be in line for a bounceback season. If not, Jimenez will be looming. -- Jason Beck

Twins: Several contenders There are five pitchers in the Twins' bullpen -- Trevor May, Taylor Rogers, Addison Reed, Trevor Hildenberger and Blake Parker -- with the ability and experience to close, but manager Rocco Baldelli and his staff aren't in any hurry to install anyone in the role. Instead, the Twins are confident they have several arms capable of pitching three of the last nine outs, and how exactly those nine outs will be allocated will be determined in the weeks to come. Fernando Romero, a hard-throwing 24-year-old, has been a starter throughout his Minor League career, but the Twins' braintrust has also had discussions about whether his fastball might play better as a late-inning option moving forward. There's still time for the Twins to acquire a more proven arm via free agency or trade, but even if they don't, remember that Joe Nathan and Glen Perkins weren't proven when they stepped into Minnesota's closer role, either. -- Do-Hyoung Park

White Sox: Alex Colome, other contenders The White Sox haven't named an official closer, and to be honest, they have given themselves a number of options for the 2019 season. Colome led the Majors with 47 saves in 2017, but he also worked as a setup man for the Mariners last season. Kelvin Herrera, who the White Sox brought in via free agency, and returnee Nate Jones also have closing experience, and the White Sox could turn to Jace Fry from the left side. The focus for the White Sox simply is getting outs late in the game, and they have a number of high leverage options. -- Scott Merkin

AL WEST

Angels: Cody Allen The Angels signed right-hander Allen to a one-year deal worth $8.5 million earlier this month to be their closer in 2019. Allen is coming off a down year with the Indians that saw him post a career-worst 4.70 ERA in 70 appearances, but he's averaged 29 saves over the last five seasons and has a career 2.98 ERA. His velocity has declined over the years, but he still has a strong strikeout rate, so the key will be limiting homers. If Allen falters, the Angels could turn to Ty Buttrey, Justin Anderson, Hansel Robles or Cam Bedrosian as closer, but they're confident Allen will bounce back. -- Rhett Bollinger

Video: Allen joins Angels on one-year contract

Astros: Roberto Osuna After the up-and-down tenure of Ken Giles, the club stabilized its late-inning situation by trading for Osuna last July. The Astros sent three pitchers, including Giles, to Toronto for Osuna, who was suspended for the 75 games last year. He converted all 12 save chances with the Astros in the regular season, posting a 1.99 ERA in 22 2/3 innings over 23 games, walking three and striking out 19. The former All-Star will be only 24 years old on Opening Day, and he is under club control for three more seasons, so the Astros should be in good hands in the ninth inning for the foreseeable future. He's the youngest pitcher in Major League history to record at least 100 saves. -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: Blake Treinen The A's employ one of the game's best closers in Treinen, who posted historic numbers in 2018. The right-hander compiled 38 saves and turned in a tidy 0.78 ERA, the lowest in Major League history among pitchers with 80 or more innings. He was also the first pitcher in the history of the game to notch at least 30 saves and 100 strikeouts with a sub-1.00 ERA. The All-Star pitcher showed no signs of slowing down and could very well duplicate this success in 2019, leading a bullpen that also includes newcomer Joakim Soria -- who also boasts closing experience -- and flamethrower Lou Trivino. -- Jane Lee

Mariners: Hunter Strickland, other contenders A year ago, manager Scott Servais could trot out All-Star closer Edwin Diaz, whose 57 saves tied for the second-most in Major League history for a team that went an amazing 66-0 in games where he entered with a lead. But after dealing Diaz to the Mets along with Robinson Cano in a seven-player blockbuster, the picture is a little fuzzier. Free agent right-hander Strickland, who saved 14 games for the Giants last year in a season shortened by a broken hand, signed a one-year deal on Sunday and could be the early favorite to fill that role. Fellow newcomers Anthony Swarzak (six), Cory Gearrin (five) and returnee Shawn Armstrong (one) are the only other contenders with an MLB save to their name, and Servais said he'll likely use different ninth-inning options depending on matchup situations. -- Greg Johns

Rangers: Jose Leclerc Manager Chris Woodward made it known on Friday that Leclerc would be the Rangers' closer this season. The Rangers had debated the best use for Leclerc, but decided to keep him in the role he excelled in for the final two months of the season after Keone Kela was traded to the Pirates. Leclerc can be dominating with his fastball and changeup if he stays under control and keeps his emotions in check. He did that for all of last season, but especially after taking over as closer. Leclerc did not allow a run in his final 21 games last season, and he allowed just five hits and six walks while striking out 32 and saving 12 games in that stretch. Overall, he pitched in 59 games with a 1.56 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP. He posted a13.3 K/9 ratio and allowed 3.7 hits per nine innings. -- T.R. Sullivan

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: Arodys Vizcaino or A.J. Minter A healthy Vizcaino has proven to be a reliable closer, but concerns about the durability of his right shoulder could lead the Braves to primarily use Minter in this role. Minter struck out 43 percent of the batters he faced while experiencing his first 16 career appearances in 2017. That number dipped to 25.6 percent last year, when he tried to be too fine and then battled the lingering effects of lower back discomfort. If the young southpaw further develops the changeup he displayed more frequently in September, he'll have an offspeed pitch to compliment his effective cutter. -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: Drew Steckenrider, Adam Conley, other contenders Without a clear front-runner, the Marlins may be leaning to "closing by matchup." Right-hander Steckenrider and lefty Conley are the likely choices, but adding a veteran free agent to join the mix is certainly possible before Opening Day. Their closer situation came in question when Kyle Barraclough was dealt to the Nationals in October for international bonus pool money, as it created an opening in the ninth inning. Manager Don Mattingly said at the Winter Meetings that the team may be leaning toward going by matchups. If there are tough lefty batters lined up in the ninth inning, Conley may get the call on those days. If not, it could be Steckenrider, who had five saves as a rookie in 2018. A third candidate could be Tayron Guerrero, one of the hardest throwers in the league. Guerrero's average fastball was 98.8 mph, per Statcast™, with a high of 104 mph. But Guerrero lacks a reliable second pitch. Should he find it, the lanky right-hander could join the closer mix. -- Joe Frisaro

Mets: Edwin Diaz Upon acquiring Diaz in a seven-player deal in December, the Mets made it clear that Diaz would take ownership of the ninth inning both in 2019 and beyond. Arguably the game's best closer last season, Diaz converted 57 of his 61 opportunities with a 1.16 ERA in save situations. He would need to take a half-dozen steps backward to lose his grip on the ninth. The Mets have another proven closer in Jeurys Familia to fill in on Diaz's off-days, or if injury strikes, but he's not a threat to take Diaz's job any time soon. -- Anthony DiComo

Video: Diaz excited to be playing for the Mets

Nationals: Sean Doolittle Remember a few years back when "who would close?" used to be an annual question for the Nationals? Well, not anymore. Doolittle has all but erased those concerns since he arrived in the summer of 2017. His dominance on the mound, personality quirks and passion off the field are all reasons he quickly became a favorite in Washington, inspiring fans to chant "Doooo" as he marches out for a save in the ninth inning at Nationals Park. And last season further cemented him as one of the game's best relief pitchers. He made the NL All-Star team after compiling a career-low 1.60 ERA with 25 saves in 26 chances, although his season was interrupted by a nagging foot injury. His hold on the closer's job is very secure. -- Jamal Collier

Phillies: David Robertson, other contenders Robertson will receive some closing opportunities, but so will Seranthony Dominguez and possibly Hector Neris. Yes, Phillies manager Gabe Kapler still plans to use his relievers like he used them last season. If Robertson's best matchup is the eighth inning, then the Phillies will have him pitch the eighth. If that spot is best for Dominguez, it will be Dominguez, or Neris or Pat Neshek or Tommy Hunter, and on and on. Kapler might not be ready to implement an opener, like some other teams, but he loves relievers being open to any situation in any inning. -- Todd Zolecki

NL CENTRAL

Brewers: Corey Knebel, Jeremy Jeffress or Josh Hader The club appears likely to split closer duties between three capable relievers: right-handers Knebel and Jeffress, and left-hander Hader when an opposing lineup warrants it. Because manager Craig Counsell likes to pick his spots with Hader, often for multiple-inning stints that burn Hader for the next day or two, Knebel and Jeffress are the leading candidates for what we think of as traditional closer duties. Both have experience in that role and made the NL All-Star team; Knebel in 2017, and, after Knebel went down with a hamstring injury last April, Jeffress in 2018. Whomever emerges as the ninth-inning guy, Counsell has solid options for the late innings. -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: Andrew Miller Perhaps the Cardinals' depth chart at closer should read Miller with an asterisk, as the club intends to maintain some flexibility in how they cover the ninth. Miller is the most experienced option, but because he's the most dynamic lefty in the bullpen, he will also be deployed in key situations earlier in games. That will open up opportunities for second-year righty Jordan Hicks to receive some ninth-inning exposure. And don't forget about Alex Reyes, the returning top prospect who could be used as a late-inning reliever if the Cards feel that's the best way to manage his workload. In other words, the Cardinals believe they've built a bullpen with options. -- Jenifer Langosch

Cubs: Pedro Strop Expect Strop to begin the season as the Cubs' primary option for save opportunities, given Brandon Morrow's situation. Morrow underwent a debridement procedure on his right elbow in November and will likely miss at least the first couple weeks of the regular season. That will likely lead to more chances for Strop, who has a 2.63 ERA in 361 games with the Cubs over parts of the past six seasons. He notched 13 saves in '18 when Morrow was also injured. The heavily-used Steve Cishek will present another option, and the Cubs also have an agreement in place with righty Brad Brach, who has closing experience over the course of his career. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: Felipe Vazquez Vazquez will be back in the ninth inning for the Pirates this year. The Bucs are betting on their bullpen being a strength, and it starts with the 27-year-old left-hander. Vazquez has put together a 2.35 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 216 strikeouts in 172 2/3 innings since joining Pittsburgh in a trade that sent former closer Mark Melancon to Washington. Last season, the hard-throwing Vazquez racked up 37 saves and struck out 89 in 70 appearances despite a handful of blown saves in May. Right-hander Keone Kela gained plenty of experience as a closer with the Rangers, but he is set to serve as a high-leverage setup man in his first full season with the Bucs. -- Adam Berry

Reds: Raisel Iglesias Iglesias is in his fifth year with the Reds but he has quietly become one of the game's better closers the last two seasons with a 2.43 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 58 saves in 64 chances over 129 games. But after signing him to a new three-year, $24.1 million contract in November, Reds management indicated that Iglesias' role could expand beyond the ninth inning. New manager David Bell and pitching coach Derek Johnson could tap into the right-hander's starting experience and enjoyment of working multiple innings in relief to use Iglesias' elite arm in a variety of ways to get outs in high-leverage situations. If he's not closing a game, the job could fall to Jared Hughes or David Hernandez. -- Mark Sheldon

NL WEST

D-backs: Archie Bradley With the departure of Brad Boxberger, it appears like Bradley will inherit the closer's role. After a dominant 2017, the right-hander had some struggles in 2018. Some of that might be attributable to trouble with the nail of his right forefinger, which continually cracked and made it difficult for him at times to use his curveball. Yoshihisa Hirano will also be a big part of the backend of the bullpen and look out for rookie Yoan Lopez, who flashed electric stuff and a confident demeanor during a September callup. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: Kenley Jansen The Dodgers know who their closer is, they just don't know how he is. Jansen had a five-and-a-half-hour procedure to address a recurring irregular heartbeat. He had one six years ago and was fine by Opening Day and the Dodgers are cautiously optimistic that the issue -- which disrupted his 2018 season -- is resolved and he will be ready for Opening Day, but they won't really know until observing him in Spring Training. If he isn't, the acquisition of Joe Kelly looms large. At the club's FanFest on Saturday, Jansen said he's lost 25 pounds and is ready to roll for the start of Spring Training. -- Ken Gurnick

Giants: Will Smith Smith enjoyed an impressive bounceback season with the Giants last year after missing the entire 2017 season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. The 29-year-old left-hander posted a 2.55 ERA with a 0.98 WHIP over 54 appearances and converted 14 saves in 2018. Smith is currently projected to reprise his role as the club's closer, but it remains to be seen if he'll still be wearing a Giants uniform on Opening Day. The Giants have been taking calls on Smith this offseason, and they could move him or fellow left-hander Tony Watson as they look to build a younger and more versatile roster under new president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi. Smith is slated to earn $4.225 million in his final season before free agency, further motivating the Giants to explore trades for him. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: Kirby Yates Coming off a career year, Yates enters camp as the presumed closer in San Diego. He took over last July when Brad Hand was dealt to Cleveland. Despite a couple late-season hiccups, Yates finished with a 2.13 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 63 innings. In fact, Yates' 37.2 percent strikeout rate since joining the Padres in 2017 is highest in franchise history. It's worth noting, however, that the Padres played around with matchups quite a bit last season. Yates, a right-hander, will presumably pitch the eighth inning on occasion if he's set to face a string of tough righties. In such cases, a lefty like Jose Castillo could be saved for the ninth. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: Wade Davis In many senses, the Rockies and their closer, Davis, are in an enviable position. Davis led the NL in saves with a club-record 43, with 5.70 strikeouts for each walk and a .122 batting average against in those games. But he also had a career-high six blown saves (two off the league lead). Manager Bud Black points out Davis has been dedicated to tweaks to improve his pitches, and bullpen coach Darren Holmes revealed that Davis -- who during last season had to change his eating and workouts because he felt more worn than usual -- has added weight and strength this offseason as he heads for the middle season of a three-year, $52 million contract. -- Thomas Harding

Source: https://www.mlb.com/news/each-mlb-clubs-projected-closer-for-2019/c-303272400

[freelancesumandas]

Divorce Preparation: How to get yourself and your family ready

Divorce Attorney in Houston: In the event that you are considering a divorce you should understand that of all things in life you should not rush into this process before putting forth some serious thought into whether or not this is the best decision for you and your family. While I cannot speak to your particular circumstances and whether or not a divorce is justified the information that we discuss today will assist you in preparing for a divorce once you have decided that you need to move forward and divorce your spouse.

Once you hire an attorney your responsibility to understand the issues and make decisions based on those issues does not go away. Your attorney is only a tool that you can use to carve out a successful outcome. Remember that ultimately what happens in your divorce affects you and your family. Your attorney is an advocate and a representative but she cannot live your life for you or even make decisions for you. As such you should begin to prepare for your case well in advance of actually hiring an attorney. Getting your literal and metaphorical house in order is the best way to prepare yourself for what is to come.

Make copies of important documents that are in your home

Go through your life now and begin to take care of things that you may have been putting off. For starters, go through and make copies of financial documents like bank statements, 401(K) statements, insurance policies, and titles to real property. If you would prefer you can scan those documents and have electronic copies. Many clients of the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC will store those type of documents in the “cloud” but be aware that if you share an account with your spouse it will cause suspicion to one day find those documents saved.

Update passwords to any important account or website that you access regularly online

With that said, go through and change passwords and begin to divest yourself of any connection to your spouse in banking, checking, social media and email accounts. We all have a friend or two who shares a Facebook profile with their spouse. While this may help keep one another accountable, it can present problems for a spouse who is going through a divorce. You should delete social media accounts altogether if possible, before any court orders appear that tell you that you cannot. When it comes to email accounts that you do not share with your spouse make sure that your passwords are updated immediately.

Pull a copy of your credit report from the internet and take some time to review it

A large part of your divorce case will center around finances. You may be a person who does not take much interest in your financial life, and that’s fine. Nobody is forcing you to become an accountant. However, you should at least pull a copy of your credit report and take a look at it. Are there any credit accounts listed that you were unaware of? If so it is possible that your spouse took out a loan or opened a credit card in your name without your knowledge. You will want to get that address in your divorce rather than to find out about it afterwards after the court has issued orders in your case already.

Another benefit to pulling your credit report is that you can know exactly what creditors need to be paid and how much is owed. Begin to think about how you believe a settlement could go in relation to these issues and how you believe debt should be divided. In large part the community property laws of Texas will dictate which debt goes to which spouse but you and your spouse can decide amongst yourself a separate agreement if one can be reached.

Prepare a budget that you can live off of for the duration of your divorce case

Divorce Attorneys Houston: Budgeting needs to be a part of your life starting now, if it isn’t already. A common concern I have heard expressed by clients has to do with the constricting nature of a budget. After years of living without one, won’t creating a budget make it feel like you can’t breath?

Quite the opposite, actually. A budget doesn’t tell you what you cannot do. Rather, a budget tells you what you can do. Most people find that they begin to have more money to spend as a result of focusing on their spending. It’s not that they get an immediate raise from their employer, but it is that once on a budget you know exactly where your money is going. This eliminates any opportunity for you to spend too much in any one area of your life.

A budget is key when you are going througha divorce because you will have increased costs associated with your case (Attorney’s fees, child support, etc.) and you need to make sure that you have money at the end of your month to pay bills. Getting on a budget now will help you to do so after your divorce when you get back into the real world.

Do a wellness check and go to see your doctor/dentist/therapist

Going to see a doctor and/or dentist before beginning a divorce is a smart move also. You may not have an opportunity to do so during your case and now is the time to go as a result. Divorce is stressful so any physical or mental issues you are battling will likely get worse during a divorce. Have them checked out before you start the process and your body will thank you.

Inventory the items in your home in preparation for dividing them in your divorce

Do an inventory of the items in your home. Every family law attorney that I know of will ask their client to fill out what is called an inventory and appraisement. This document is done under oath and will be submitted to the court. Your run-down of all the items owned by you and spouse will be included in this form.

Like the credit report suggestion, being aware of all the property owned by yourself and your spouse will allow you to plan ahead for how to divide these items up in the divorce. You will have some time to think about what you want to keep and what you are willing to allow your spouse to have. If you own valuable items take note of each of them. You should take photos of each item including where in the house the item is kept. If an item is removed you can have your photo to refer to.

Take time for yourself- no matter how difficult it may seem to do so

You are being pulled in a thousand different directions at once when you are preparing yourself to file for divorce. If you thought your life was busy before now, you will double down on that belief as you move closer to the actual filing date.

With that said make sure that you are taking care of yourself physically and mentally. This means eating healthy, getting exercise and keeping yourself centered. Remind yourself that a divorce will take longer than just a week or two and that the experiences that you encounter will not always be pleasant. The bottom line is that you are doing this to better yourself and your family and that the end justifies the means no matter how difficult the times are that you face.

More tips and tricks in the field of divorce will be posted tomorrow

Houston Divorce Attorneys: Please return tomorrow to the website for the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC as we discuss additional methods for best preparing for a divorce. We hope that what you’ve read today will be helpful and can assist you in this difficult time.

If you have any questions over what you read, would like clarification or are just seeking some thoughts about your situation please do not hesitate to call us. Our office offers free of charge consultations with a licensed family law attorney ... Continue Reading

[gibsonsflowofthoughts]

The winners and losers of the 2018 MLB trade deadline

It’s that time of year, where we all ignore the fact that the Major League Baseball postseason is nonsense. Baseball starts drinking on Oct. 1, and when it wakes up in the first week of November, the smoke alarm is going off and there’s a horse in the bathtub. There’s no rhyme or reason to it, but we’re supposed to pretend like we can predict winners and losers at the trade deadline.

Heck yeah, we’re supposed to pretend like we can predict winners and losers at the trade deadline. It’s fun. So even though you might be from the future and laughing at my simplistic analysis, just know that I’m more interested in being fun than right. Which is good, considering this won’t be right.

Thought the Astros should have traded for Yu Darvish instead of Justin Verlander last year, for example.

Hey, it could have worked, you don’t know.

But you clicked, so I’ll write. Here are the winners and losers from the 2018 MLB trade deadline:

Rays

Acquired: Tommy Pham, Austin Meadows, Tyler Glasnow, Jalen Beeks, bonus pool money, players to be named later

Traded: Chris Archer, Jonny Venters, Nathan Eovaldi, Matt Andriese, Justin Wilson, Genesis Cabrera, Roel Ramirez, Michael Perez, Brian Shaffer

They have the payroll of a medium-sized Quiznos now, which I guess is part of the point. I’m not a fan of baseball’s current economic structure, and I’m hesitant to heap too much praise on a team trying to cut costs.

Still, as long as this is the framework, the Rays are within their rights to exploit it. And, baby, they’re exploiting it with aplomb. They’ll have an outfield of Meadows/Pham/Kiermaier, which is built to win now and for the distant future. They won’t have their ace, but they’ll have pitchers who are majors-ready or close to it coming back.

These deals aren’t for toolsy A-ballers who are five years away. This is the Rays trying to buy their cake at a yard sale and eat it, too. It’s just crazy enough to work, and I’m very impressed by the their ability to walk this weird, thrifty tightrope.

Mmmmmm, yard-sale cake.

Dodgers

Acquired: Manny Machado, Brian Dozier, John Axford, Dylan Floro, Zach Neal

Traded: Yusniel Diaz, Dean Kremer, Zach Pop, Rylan Bannon, Breyvic Valera, Luke Raley, Logan Forsythe, Devin Smeltzer, Corey Copping, James Marinan, Aneurys Zabala

The Dodgers don’t like trading prospects if they don’t have to, and they certainly gave up a lot of interesting players, Kremer has the gaudy strikeout totals, and Bannon hasn’t stopped hitting as a professional. That’s before you get to Diaz, who is supposed to be the centerpiece of the deal. It’s a lot for two months of production and the postseason.

At the same time, this is a franchise that was a single lousy game away from a World Series win last year, which is something they haven’t had since 1988. They were extremely cautious when it came to trading their prospects just a couple years ago, but now they’re trying to add to a team that’s somehow powered by minor-league free agents and lesser trades and signings.

Oh, and Clayton Kershaw. Minor-league free agents, lesser trades and signings, and Clayton Kershaw. They might have the best team in the NL, still, so it makes sense to add a hitter with Hall of Fame talent in the middle of his best season, even if he’s just a rental. If Dozier has a Dozierific second half, this could be the best lineup in baseball. The Dodgers gave up a lot of prospects, but they had a lot to offer.

When it comes to the Machado trade, it doesn’t hurt that this is a preview of what it would be like to play for the Dodgers long term, either. The weather’s pretty nice, Manny.

Yankees

Acquired: Lance Lynn, J.A. Happ, Zach Britton, Luke Volt, $2.75 million in international bonus money

Traded: Tyler Austin, Luis Rijo, Brandon Drury, Billy McKinney, Cody Carroll, Josh Rogers, Dillon Tate, Chasen Shreve, Giovanny Gallegos, Adam Warren

I’m not a huge fan of Lance Lynn, even as he’s been solid for the last two months, but he’s overqualified for what the Yankees are asking him to do, which is sit in a glass case and be ready. The Yankees have a starter with a wonky elbow in Masahiro Tanaka, one with a case of the mystery sucks in Sonny Gray, and a 38-year-old in CC Sabathia. They aren’t crossing their fingers; they’re preparing for the apocalypse. Good for them.

Happ seems like the kind of starter who can give five solid innings in the postseason before giving way to a four-headed monster of bullpen doom, and look at that, Zach Britton is here to be another head. I don’t know what happened to Tommy Kahnle either, and there are no guarantees that Britton will be back to 2014-2016 levels, or anything close to it, but the Yankees have the kind of depth that wins championships.

It’s about time. They’ve had to wait nine years and endure two 84-win seasons, but now they’ve built their best shot at another title run.

Royals

Acquired: Brett Phillips, Jorge Lopez, Blake Perkins, Kelvin Gutierrez, Yohanse Morel

Traded: Mike Moustakas, Kelvin Herrera

A fair return for two beloved players, with deft timing executed on both. The Royals swooped back into the market to sign Moustakas, which might have cost them a compensatory draft pick. Unless it just meant that he wasn’t going to have to sit out until June, which would have been incredibly annoying and sad.

Phillips is the main snag, and there’s a strong chance that he’ll whiff his way out of starting consideration soon. Still, the tools are real, and they got him for a rental. Even if that rental will have pictures of him hanging around the ballpark for the next half-century.

Orioles

Acquired: Yusniel Diaz, Dean Kremer, Zach Pop, Rylan Bannon, Breyvic Valera, Cody Carroll, Josh Rogers, Dillon Tate, international bonus space, Evan Phillips, Jean Carlos Encarnación, Brett Cumberland, Bruce Zimmerman, Jonathan Villar, Luis Ortiz, Jean Carlos Carmona

Traded: Manny Machado, Brad Brach, Zach Britton, Darren O’Day, Jonathan Schoop

It would have been more if they opened up shop in the offseason, or even better if they did this two years ago. Ah, the benefit of hindsight.

All told, though, it’s almost like having a full draft to yourself, right down to the first-round promise of Diaz. That’s a pretty sweet haul for players who weren’t going to be around for the next good Orioles team, even if it’s ultra-depressing that Machado won’t be on that team.

The part where the Orioles acquired international bonus money for Brach and Schoop made me laugh, though. They usually hold an International Bonus Money Day at the park, where they give international cap space to the first 20,000 fans, and now they’re acquiring it on purpose? I know there’s a good reason for it, but still. It’s ... almost like the organizational direction isn’t clearly defined.

Still, think of it like a free draft. Hey, free draft! If you’re going to trade away your middle infield, your bullpen, and the most reliable starter in a sea of unreliable misery, at least get 15 players so you can pretend you’re getting a free draft out of it.

Twins

Acquired: Luke Raley, Devin Smeltzer, Tyler Austin, Luis Rijo, Chase De Jong, Ryan Costello, Gilberto Celestino, Jorge Alcala, Jhoan Durán, Gabriel Maciel, Ernie De La Trinidad

Traded: Brian Dozier, Lance Lynn, Zach Duke, Ryan Pressly, Eduardo Escobar

Give me a list of the prospects the Twins were offered for Dozier two seasons ago, and I’ll tell you if they were winners or losers. As is, that’s a list of names that’s 11 players long, and there’s a fine chance that at least one or two of them will make a dumb “winners-losers” binary choice look silly in four years.

Dozier was traded too late, and the return wasn’t impressive. That’s how it goes.

Duke was traded at the perfect time, and any value he adds through trade is impressive.

Pressly is solid, even if his K-rate suggests he should be more than that. Dealing him as he’s getting deeper in his arbitration years is a good move, and while I’m not qualified to analyze the return too deeply, it sure looks like they got highly regarded prospects back, which is excellent value.

Escobar was an extreme sell-high player, and to the Twins’ credit, they sold high.

I’m leaning toward “WINNERS, ABSOLUTE WINNERS,” but as of now, I’ll turn the caps lock off. Looks good from here, and give them credit for deciding to sell so quickly after a surprise postseason run.

I just want to know what they could have got for Dozier two seasons ago.

Indians

Acquired: Leonys Martin, Brad Hand, Adam Cimber, James Hoyt

Traded: Francisco Mejia, Willi Castro, Kyle Dowdy, Tommy DeJuneas

They’re not on the loser’s list because these trades won’t help them. These trades might send them to the World danged Series. The Indians’ bullpen was a mess, and they got two low-cost relievers with loads of team control. That’s a net positive.

It cost them one of their best prospects, though, and it came after an offseason where the Indians let several relievers go and replaced them with wishes and hopes and dreams. That’s not to say that Bryan Shaw and Boone Logan have been good, because they haven’t. But their plan was something like, “Neil Ramirez and Matt Belisle and uh we’ll get back to you,” and it cost them Mejia.

If it helps them even reach the World Series, it’s a successful trade. But it sure seems like one that could have been at least partially avoided with just a modicum of urgency this offseason.

It was a reasonable trade deadline strategy, sure, but it was also a strange offseason for a team that’s so close.

Diamondbacks

Acquired: Eduardo Escobar, Matt Andriese, Brad Ziegler, Jake Diekman

Traded: RHP Jhoan Duran, OF Gabriel Maciel, OF Ernie De La Trinidad, Brian Shaffer, Michael Perez, Tommy Eveld, Wei-Chieh Huang

It’s a lot of talent for underwhelming players. Eduardo Escobar might have figured out how to be more than a super-sub at the age of 29, but the seven years of an 89 OPS+ that came before it leave me skeptical. Andriese is the best example of Just A Guy in baseball right now, right down to the 4.36 ERA, and Ziegler is an old friend suffering through an erratic season.

Most of these players are trending in the right direction, but as a deadline strategy? I want something bolder if I’m a Diamondbacks fan. These are the kinds of moves I would expect from a team like the Red Sox or Astros, teams with recent success that are running away with their respective divisions.

A team like the Diamondbacks, scrapping with three teams and without a championship since Juan Soto was an infant, should seek out trades with just a teensy bit more oomph. These players should help, so I’m probably being overly nitpicky, but with a team like this, I want EXPLOSIONS.

Rockies

Acquired: Seunghwan Oh

Traded: Forest Wall, Chad Spanberger, player to be named later

The team that spent the offseason building the Super Bullpen of Great Fortune had to go get a reliever because their plan failed. Not only did they have to get a reliever, but they got one they could have had for a pittance throughout the entire offseason.

If this isn’t a textbook lesson in bullpen construction, I don’t know what is. There are lot of ways to build a bullpen, but I’m pretty sure that throwing money at it is the absolute worst one.

Pirates

Acquired: Not Gerrit Cole

Traded: Gerrit Cole

But, yeah, go get that late-inning reliever for this year and the next. That’ll shore things up.

NEVER MIND.

Acquired: Chris Archer, Keone Kela

Traded: Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows, Taylor Hearn, players to be named later

This is the year they’re taking risks. This is the year they trade huge pieces of a potential future. This is the deadline where they vault ahead of their competition. The one where they’re seven freaking games back in the NL Central. The one after they traded Gerrit Cole for magic beans.

Let’s check in with the deadline action in 2014, when they actually made the postseason.

July 31, 2014

Selected Angel Sanchez off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.

What about 2013, when they won 94 games?

July 31, 2013

Traded player to be named to the Seattle Mariners. Received Robert Andino.

They did get J.A. Happ in 2015, and that was more inspired than anyone gave them credit for at the time. But this is the year to go bananas?

To be fair, though, if you’re going to go after a pitcher, one who has an owner-friendly contract is the way to go. Archer will be around for the next three years if the Pirates want him, so I don’t begrudge the Pirates for thinking he fits some sort of window for them. And if you’re making me bet on the cumulative WAR for Archer over the next three years and the cumulative WAR for Austin Meadows and Tyler Glasnow, I will probably choose Archer. If Meadows had boffo power or plate discipline, I’d be giddy about him, but he’s just shy on both fronts, and Glasnow has been erratic.

Still, it’s the timing that gets me, even if the trade might work out.

YOU’RE TAKING RISKS NOW?

NOW?

Astros

Acquired: Ryan Pressly, Roberto Osuna, Tommy DeJuneas, Martin Maldonado

Traded: Ken Giles, David Paulino, Gilberto Celestino, Jorge Alcala, Hector Perez, Patrick Sandoval, James Hoyt, their self-respect

Their bullpen is more talented now. Congratulations, Astros. Osuna can really wing it.

When I talked to people who worked for the Astros last year, I asked what about the team is it that they would want to read about. My answer was that the clubhouse was a diverse wonderland of ebullient personalities, one of the most cohesive teams ever assembled. So I wrote about it. They won the World Series. I was raised not to go overboard on the clubhouse stuff, but last year’s team sure got me wondering ...

Then they acquired a pitcher serving the second-longest suspension for domestic violence under the new rules. The ace pitcher clearly isn’t enthused, even as he tries to be a good employee. The Yankees acquired a reliever in the middle of a domestic violence suspension, and then they traded him for one of the best prospects in the game before giving themselves a better chance to win the World Series. So if you want to be cynical, you can look at this purely in baseball terms.

There were other relievers, but the Astros settled on Osuna because he was a buy-low guy. That’s extremely cynical.

Gross. And very much against the spirit of what got them their first championship. We’ll see how receptive the clubhouse is to a player who still has a court case pending because he allegedly did some repugnant shit.

Brewers

Acquired: Jonathan Schoop, Mike Moustakas, Joakim Soria

Traded: Jonathan Villar, Luis Ortiz, Jean Carlos Carmona, Brett Phillips, Jorge Lopez, Kodi Medeiros, Wilber Perez

I don’t hate these trades in isolation. I hate them only because the Brewers now have an overstuffed infield, but they’re still counting on Wade Miley to shore up the rotation. Maybe he’ll have a 2.01 ERA forever.

RON HOWARD: Get the fuck out of here.

Yeah, I’m not a believer in Miley, and neither is the narrator. The Brewers adding to their already formidable bullpen depth was smart. Getting one more infielder was necessary. Getting two, but not a starting pitcher?

Dunno. Not what I would have done. We’ll see if the post-deadline waiver madness helps them in this regard, but I would have loved to see them with Archer instead of the Pirates.

A’s

Acquired: Jeurys Familia

Traded: Will Toffey, Bobby Wahl

The A’s are good, dang it. I wanted more. I wanted a sign to the clubhouse that the A’s are capital-G, capital-F, and Capital-I Going For It. I wanted a starting pitcher kicking down the door and screaming, “COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE ... IN A WORLD WHERE I PITCH SIX OR SEVEN STRONG INNINGS REGULARLY.”

Instead the A’s got a reliever. A good one! At a reasonable price! But I was looking for something more when it comes to the rotation, not to mention some help for poor, lost Jonathan Lucroy behind the plate.

The A’s probably aren’t in a spot to go all-in on this year’s surprising (TO SOME) contender, and I get that. But something a little bit more than a setup man would have been nice. This fun, scrappy team deserved it.

Giants

Acquired: Nope

Traded: Nah

Will Smith is absolutely dominant right now. Of all the relievers who were traded, Smith would have been the best one. Teams are clamoring for someone just like him — a lefty who can dominate hitters from either side of the plate and is under team control for next year, too. He would have brought back a hefty return.

The Giants are holding on to him, and they’ll use him to finish .500 this year, with some crossed fingers for next year.

That’s what the Giants had to trade, though. They had relievers, with Smith, Tony Watson, and Sam Dyson all having strong years. This isn’t like their mess from the offseason, where they couldn’t even hold a fire sale if they wanted to. All they had to do is trade relievers.

It’s been extremely nice to watch a team with a competent bullpen, so I get it. But the Giants are climbing out of the bottom of the organizational rankings, and one of the golden rules of building a farm system is that when you have a chance to flip relievers for prospects, you do it.

The Giants declined. They’re five games out of the second wild card, so maybe I’m the dummy. I have a feeling, though, that it would have been an exciting return for Will Smith.

Red Sox

Acquired: Ian Kinsler, Nathan Eovaldi

Traded: Williams Jerez, Ty Buttrey, Jalen Beeks

OK. Sure. Whatever. That seems nice. Kinsler has a glove, and the bat won’t kill you. Eovaldi is still working his way back from Tommy John, and he’s always had great stuff. The Red Sox are a million games over .500 are are making the postseason regardless.

OK. Sure. These are reasonable, if boring, moves.

Not everybody is a winner or loser, dammit.

Braves

Acquired: Adam Duvall, Kevin Gausman, Jonny Venters

Traded: Lucas Sims, Matt Wisler, Preston Tucker, international bonus money

Duvall still has some believers, especially if you believe in the batted-ball stats. Gausman has a solid arm that’s always been behind his results. Maybe he’ll be better served with a different coaching staff and a ballpark that isn’t unfair to fly balls.

OK. Sure. These are reasonable, if boring, moves.

Not everybody is a winner or loser, dammit.

White Sox

Acquired: Kodi Medeiros, Wilber Perez

Traded: Joakim Soria

Always take fliers on relievers when you’re a rebuilding team. Always, always, always. Pay the extra millions. Insert yourself into the offseason deals. Then turn around and wish for a happy trade-deadline raffle ticket to pay off.

Still, these are reasonable, if boring, moves.

Not everybody is a winner or loser, dammit.

Phillies

Acquired: Asdrubal Cabrera, Wilson Ramos, Aaron Loup

Traded: Franklyn Kilome, Jacob Waguespack, PsTBNL

No Machado. No Archer. No flashy win-now pieces, no flashy win-later pieces. Just a couple of guys who could have been solid deadline moves nearly a decade ago, too.

OK. Sure. These are reasonable, if boring, moves.

Not everybody is a winner or loser, dammit.

It’s hard to judge the Ramos trade without knowing the prospects going back to the Rays, but it seems like a light price. I have no idea how the A’s, Red Sox, or even Nationals couldn’t meet it.

Cubs

Acquired: Cole Hamels, Brandon Kintzler, Jesse Chavez

Traded: Jhon Romero, Ricky Tyler Thomas, Eddie Butler, Rollie Lacy, PTBNL

Hamels got his swing-and-miss back, and there are reasons to believe that he’s still a more valuable contributor than his Texas stats suggest. They added depth in the bullpen, and you wouldn’t be wrong to think that Yu Darvish coming back is like the real deadline addition.

They’re rich. They’re young. They’re good. Sure, add the pricey veteran. Take him for a spin.

These are reasonable, if boring, moves.

Not everybody is a winner or loser, dammit.

Reds

Acquired: Lucas Sims, Matt Wisler, Preston Tucker

Traded: Adam Duvall

I’m stuck in 2014, so this seems like a fantastic package of prospects to me. Mostly, though, I like how they took a chance by trading on a cheap, under-control player who was not hitting, which limited the return. The Reds have outfielders coming out of their ears; it was a risk they could afford to take, even if it was a little bit of a buy-low trade.

The Reds have made an interesting roster out of hardly noticed trades (just look up who they got in return for Alfredo freaking Simon), and this could be a fine addition to the legacy.

This is a reasonable, if boring, move.

Not everybody is a winner or loser, dammit. Except for the Reds, who definitely aren’t winners these days, ha ha, just a little joke as I near the end of this hellpost.

Nationals

Acquired: Jhon Romero

Traded: Brandon Kintzler

There were whispers about Bryce Harper getting traded, but in the end, the Nationals traded nothing but a complementary bullpen piece, and they acquired several future moments of autocorrect-inspired confusion.

Good. They probably should have dealt Gio Gonzalez and possibly a couple of other short-timers, but at least they made a rational move, while keeping intact their desire to build a young outfield of the gods.

This is a reasonable, if boring, move.

Not everybody is a winner or loser, dammit.

Dope article from sbnation.com

[party-hard-or-die]

Major League Baseball: DeGrom K

Jacob deGrom tied a career high by striking out 13 batters over seven strong innings Friday night as the New York Mets beat the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 at Citi Field.

May 18, 2018; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets pitcher Jacob DeGrom (48) delivers a pitch during the first inning of the game at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets won for the 10th time in 28 games following an 11-1 start. The Diamondbacks have lost eight of nine.

DeGrom (4-0), who missed a start earlier this month due to a hyperextended right elbow and threw 45 pitches while lasting only one inning in his return Sunday, allowed one run on six hits and no walks while throwing 71 of his 100 pitches for strikes. The 13-strikeout effort was the fourth of his career, including one in the 2015 playoffs, and his first since he whiffed 13 against the Miami Marlins on April 15, 2017.

The Diamondbacks got only one runner beyond first base in the first five innings before scoring in the sixth, when Steven Souza Jr. singled with one out and scored on Jake Lamb’s double. The run snapped deGrom’s scoreless streak at a career-high 24 2/3 innings. Souza later left the contest after reaggravating a right pectoral injury.

Astros 4, Indians 1

Charlie Morton extended his career-long winning streak to nine games when Houston rallied on his behalf, scoring twice in the seventh inning to scratch out a win over visiting Cleveland.

Morton (6-0) was exceptional again at home, improving to 5-0 with a 1.85 ERA at Minute Maid Park this season. He limited the Indians to four hits and a walk over seven innings, recording eight strikeouts while tossing 97 pitches.

Cleveland designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion struck for a solo home run to the opposite field in right with one out in the seventh to sully the Morton ledger. It was Encarnacion’s 10th home run on the season.

Royals 5, Yankees 2

Whit Merrifield had three hits and tied a career high with three stolen bases to spark host Kansas City to victory over New York.

Merrifield helped the Royals halt a five-game losing streak with a double and two singles in his first three at-bats against CC Sabathia (2-1) to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Merrifield also stole three bases for the third time in his career and for the second time this season (also May 6).

Neil Walker hit an RBI single and Miguel Andujar lifted a sacrifice fly for the Yankees, who played for the first time since Tuesday due to a rainout in Washington. New York also lost for the fourth time in its last 23 games.

Orioles 7, Red Sox 4

A four-run fourth inning helped Alex Cobb get his first win with Baltimore at Boston’s expense, snapping a 13-game road losing streak for the Orioles.

Cobb (1-5) gave up three runs on 10 hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. It was the Boston native’s first win since Sept. 22 with Tampa Bay versus Baltimore. Cobb had a 7.06 ERA through six starts after joining the Orioles in March.

Mookie Betts hit a solo homer and had two RBIs and both Andrew Benintendi and Eduardo Nunez drove in one for Boston, which had won four of six. The Red Sox are 13-13 since their franchise-best 17-2 start.

Cubs 8, Reds 1

Addison Russell tied a career high with four hits and Jon Lester (4-1) permitted just two hits over six innings as Chicago routed host Cincinnati.

Russell’s chance at the first five-hit game of his career ended with a walk in the eighth inning. By then, the game was well in hand, with Chicago collecting a whopping 15 hits off three Reds pitchers. Willson Contreras went 3-for-6 with an RBI while Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo each bagged two hits.

After a 93-minute rain delay before first pitch, the first five Cubs to bat touched Homer Bailey (1-6) for hits. Ben Zobrist singled and Bryant doubled to set the table. Rizzo, Contreras and Russell all dug in and took bites with RBI singles for a 3-0 lead before Bailey got his first out.

May 18, 2018; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Charlie Morton (50) delivers a pitch against the Cleveland Indians during the first inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Mariners 5, Tigers 4

Mitch Haniger’s run-scoring double in the seventh inning capped a five-run rally as Seattle defeated visiting Detroit.

Trailing 4-0, the Mariners scored all of their runs in the seventh. Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer, who had allowed just two hits in blanking Seattle through the first six innings, walked Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager leading off the inning. The runners advanced on a groundout, and Ben Gamel grounded a two-run single to right field, cutting Detroit’s lead in half.

Right-hander Buck Farmer (0-2) replaced Fulmer and walked Mike Zunino and Guillermo Heredia to load the bases. Left-hander Daniel Stumpf came on to face Dee Gordon, who hit a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 4-3. Right-hander Warwick Saupold served up an RBI single to Jean Segura before Haniger’s double into the left-field corner led Seattle to a come-from-behind victory.

Brewers 8, Twins 3

Jesus Aguilar drove in three runs with two home runs, powering Milwaukee to victory over Minnesota in the opener of a three-game interleague series in Minneapolis.

After Ji-Man Choi, recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs earlier in the day, belted a solo shot in the second inning, the Brewers added three against Twins starter Kyle Gibson (1-2) in the third to go up 4-0. Orlando Arcia had a double and Christian Yelich an RBI single before Aguilar took Gibson deep to left field for a two-run homer.

Aguilar completed the third two-homer game of his career with a solo shot in the seventh for a 6-1 advantage. Max Kepler’s two-run home run, his sixth of the season, got the Twins within 7-3 in the eighth inning before the Brewers added on in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Jonathan Villar.

Rangers 12, White Sox 5

Shin-Soo Choo’s grand slam highlighted a five-run third inning, and Texas beat struggling host Chicago.

Joey Gallo and Jurickson Profar each had three RBIs for the Rangers, who bounced back from a loss in the series opener. But it was Choo who delivered the big blast, pulling a high sinker into the seats in right field in the third inning for his sixth home run of the season.

White Sox left fielder Nicky Delmonico left the game in the second inning after being hit by a pitch that fractured his right hand. He is expected to miss four to six weeks. Chicago starter Carson Fulmer (2-4) was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte following the game after he allowed eight runs on just three hits in two-plus innings.

Rays 8, Angels 3

Wilson Ramos homered twice and Blake Snell threw 6 2/3 strong innings to help carry Tampa Bay past host Los Angeles for its fifth win in a row.

The home runs for Ramos were Nos. 99 and 100 of his career, part of a 15-hit attack by the Rays offense. Six different players had at least two hits, including three each from Brad Miller and Mallex Smith. Daniel Robertson also homered for Tampa Bay.

Snell (5-3) followed up Chris Archer’s solid outing in the first game of the series on Thursday with one of his own. He held the Angels scoreless until Andrelton Simmons’ two-run single in the fifth. Before Simmons’ two-run single, the Angels had scored just one run over their previous 26 innings. Los Angeles has lost four in a row.

Marlins 2, Braves 0

Right-hander Dan Straily pitched seven scoreless innings and retired the final 11 batters he faced to help visiting Miami defeat Atlanta.

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Straily (2-0) limited the Braves, the National League’s highest-scoring team, to three hits and three walks. He struck out six. It was only the second time Atlanta has been shutout this season.

It was the second time Straily has beaten the Braves this season; he threw five innings in last week’s 6-3 victory in Miami. Straily improved to 4-2 in his career against Atlanta.

Rockies 6, Giants 1

Ian Desmond drove in four runs with a ground-rule double and a home run, lifting Colorado to a second straight victory over host San Francisco.

Left-hander Kyle Freeland (4-4) limited the Giants to one run in 6 2/3 innings, and reliever Bryan Shaw worked out of a seventh-inning jam by striking out the hot-hitting Brandon Belt, delivering the Rockies a third win in four games to begin a nine-game trip. Belt had homered in each of his previous four games.

Nolan Arenado got a third-inning rally rolling by drawing a walk, after which Trevor Story singled. One out later, Desmond belted a three-run homer to center field, putting the Rockies ahead for good at 3-1. Desmond made it 4-1 in the sixth with a two-out, ground-rule double, again scoring Arenado, who had led off the inning with a double.

Cardinals 12, Phillies 4

Jose Martinez had four hits, including a home run, to go along with five RBIs as St. Louis routed visiting Philadelphia.

Tommy Pham added three hits, Francisco Pena had three hits, including a home run, and scored three runs while starter Michael Wacha allowed two earned runs in six solid innings. Wacha (5-1) struck out eight and threw 101 pitches, 65 for strikes.

Phillies starter Jake Arrieta (3-2) struggled in three shaky innings as he gave up five hits and four runs (two earned). Reliever Drew Hutchison then allowed six hits and five earned runs in three innings.

Athletics 3, Blue Jays 1

Dustin Fowler hit his first major league home run and added an RBI double to lead visiting Oakland to victory over Toronto.

The Athletics, who ended a six-game losing streak at the Rogers Centre on Thursday, have won the first two games of the four-game series and are 5-3 with two games left on a 10-game road trip.

A’s starter Brett Anderson, who allowed two hits and no runs in the first inning, left the game after one inning. The left-hander started to warm up for the bottom of the second but left with a shoulder strain. Right-hander Josh Lucas, just recalled from Triple-A Nashville, replaced him.

Padres 3, Pirates 2

Franchy Cordero’s RBI single in the sixth held up as San Diego overcame a two-run deficit to halt the three-game winning streak of host Pittsburgh.

San Diego’s Tyson Ross (3-3) allowed two runs and five hits, with two strikeouts and four walks. He made 100 pitches and has reached that count in seven of his nine starts. Brad Hand pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for his 13th save.

Pirates center fielder Austin Meadows, making his major league debut with Starling Marte going on the 10-day disabled list because of a right oblique strain, was 2-for-4 with two singles and a stolen base.

Dodgers at Nationals, ppd.

The game between host Washington and Los Angeles was postponed due to inclement weather and will be made up as of a split doubleheader on Saturday. The Nationals have played just 5 1/2 innings of baseball since Sunday due to postponements.

—Field Level Media

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[niallodonohoe]

Justin Dillon had two shutout innings to start Tuesday’s game for Vancouver.

The Tri-City Dust Devils turned the tables on the Vancouver Canadians in the second game of their three-game set. After being shutout Tuesday night, the Dust Devils blanked the C’s 5-0 at Gesa Stadium Wednesday evening.

The C’s started the proceedings with a one-out rally on base hits by Kevin Vicuna and Logan Warmoth but Kacy Clemens rapped into an inning-ending double play against Henry Henry.

Vancouver starter Justin Dillon got into a jam immediately when Kevin Podorsky singled and stole second and moved to third on a bunt single by Justin Lopez. Dillon compounded the situation by throwing a wild pitch that advanced Lopez to second but he struck out Luis Almanzar and Chris Mattison before Kelvin Melean grounded out to third.

After the C’s were retired in order in the top of the second, Dillon matched that with a quick inning of his own that included a strikeout of Greg Lambert.

Vancouver was disposed of quickly in the third when Grayson Huffman took the mound. Huffman walked Podorsky but he picked him out and was able to survive a Lopez single to get out of the frame.

Kevin Vicuna had the only multi-hit game for the C’s Tuesday.

The C’s got their first leadoff man on base in the fourth inning when Kevin Vicuna singled and he got into scoring position with one out on an errant pick off throw by Henry. However, Clemens grounded out and Riley Adams flied out to short-circuit that opportunity.

Brayden Bouchey was brought in for the fourth inning and he struck out Mattison for the first out before getting Melean to ground out. He was able to work around a pair of two-out singles by Luis Anguizola and Lambert in the bottom of the fourth when Jalen Washington popped out to short..

Vancouver staged a two-out rally of their own in the fifth with a two-out walk by Bryan Lizardo and a single by Norberto Obeso but they were left on after Reggie Pruitt flied out.

Zach Logue was called in for the fifth inning and gave up the first run of the game. Burgos led off with a double and was advanced to third by a Podorsky groundout to first. Logue got Lopez to strike out but Almanzar jumped on the first pitch from Logue by singling to right to bring in Burgos. Adams helped Logue out of the inning by throwing out Almanzar trying to steal second.

Dalton Erb relieved Henry at the start of the sixth and retired the C’s in order. Logue faced one batter over the minium by overcoming a two-out walk to Anguizola thanks to strikeouts of Mattison and Melean.

A Cullen Large single was all Vancouver could get in the seventh while Logue shut down the Dust Devils by retiring three straight, ringing up Podorsky to send the game to the eighth.

Obeso worked his way aboard with a walk before being pushed up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Pruitt. A Vicuna flyout and a Warmoth strikeout left the C’s wanting again with the bats.

Miguel Burgos pitched the eighth for Vancouver and he loaded up the bases on a Lopez double, an Almanzar single and a Mattison walk. He struck out Melean looking but Anguizolan tripled to clear the bases and quadruple the Dust Devils lead. Lambert’s sacrifice fly scored Anguizolan to cap off the rally. Trevor Megill gave up a two-out single to David Jacob in the ninth but that was the only hiccup as he preserved the shutout for the home side.

Vancouver’s woes with runners in scoring position continued as they were hitless in six at-bats, stranding seven base runners. Vicuna had the lone two-hit game and Obeso had a hit and a walk. There were no extra-base hits.

Logue took the hard-luck loss by allowing a run on two hits and a walk but he struck out four over three innings. Justin Dillon had three strikeouts while Bouchey and Dillon had one to give the C’s a 9-3 K/BB total.

C-Notes

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Congratulations go out to catcher Riley Adams and relievers Orlando Pascual and William Ouellette for being chosen to represent the Canadians at the Northwest League-Pioneer League All-Star Game in Hillsboro August 1.

Adams has hit .325/.375/.500 with two home runs, 12 doubles and 21 runs batted in over 26 games. Pascual has a 2-0 record with a 1.35 earned run average and has posted a 25-6 strikeout/walk total over 20 innings. Ouellette has won all three of his decisions and recorded five saves in six opportunities. He has struck out 19 batters and walked five over 17-1/3 innings.

It was also announced that Rob Fai will be broadcasting the All-Star event on the Hillsboro airwaves at Rip City Radio 620.

The C’s and Dust Devils square off in the rubber match of their series Thursday night. CanadiansBaseball.com will carry that game beginning at 7:15 pm. Juan Nunez is expected to get the rawhide for Vancouver.

  C’s Recap – C’s Blanked By Dust Devils Justin Dillon had two shutout innings to start Tuesday's game for Vancouver. The Tri-City Dust Devils turned the tables on the…

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“Ever just close your eyes and pick at random?” She eyes the other for only a split second before scanning the selection before him. A spectacle of color combinations of varying kinds. It reminded her of the vibrant streaks of color adorning her own hair, like some kind of weird poisonous frog from the rain forest before they all went extinct when the world ended. Purples, pinks and blues. Vibrant colors to signify danger in certain species—inedible, toxic.  

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open starter | bryan & ? - location: the merchant district

Holding two palettes up into the light, Bryan's dark eyes are laser focused on the colour stories of each one, mentally weighing the pro's and cons of buying either, or. He has similar variations of the items clutched in both of his hands, but of course one can never have enough when it comes to art supplies. He becomes acutely aware of a presence nearby him and his head shoots around, eyes widening slightly as he steps forward to get out of their way, mumbling an apology as he pulls the items closer to his chest so as to take up as little space in the store as possible.