#current score: trout: 7 me: 0

[lies]

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[comedianstalkingbaseball]

Your Sunday Baseball Update (1 of 27)

Welcome. It’s Opening Week in the 2019 baseball season and there’s plenty to get excited about. It’s still only March. A lot of the games are freezing. But there are projections a-plenty, so we might as well talk about who’s supposed to be good and the early developments in this young season. Let’s start with the AL East. 

AL East. 

Every reputable projections model has the Yankees winning the division with 96-97 wins. But I feel like that’s how it looked last year as well. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have elite projections, as do Luis Severino and newcomer, James Paxton. 

The Red Sox look just slightly off the pace with Mookie Betts generally seen as the second-best player in baseball and Chris Sale as (at least) the best pitcher in the American League. His projections would make him a landslide Cy Young favorite.    

Every model I’ve seen also has the Rays in the second Wild Card with Blake Snell and (to a certain extent) Charlie Morton putting up elite starting numbers. 

For the rest of the division, there is some excitement over Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in Toronto, but the Orioles are probably going to be terrible.  

The Story So Far: Sale was horrible in his first start (3 IP, 21.00 ERA). The Sox starters have struggled. And the Blue Jays have the best pitching in baseball. After 3 games, playing the Tigers, but I gotta talk about something.  

AL Central. 

The Indians are heavy favorites yet again (93-97 wins) with a seemingly all-elite staff including Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer. Plus, they have two of the best position players in baseball in Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor. 

I feel like the Twins (82-86 wins) have been a trendy pick to win the division, but the rest of the Central looks lousy.   

The Story So Far: Lindor is out indefinitely with an ankle injury. So maybe that trendy Twins pick just got trendier. Plus, nobody in the American League had a better opening week than Jose Berrios (7.2 IP, 0 ER, 10K). The Twins have the second-best pitching in baseball early on. But they probably need to score some runs. The Royals (2-0) are still undefeated.     

AL West. 

Everyone is taking the Astros (96-98 wins) yet again. Alex Bregman is projecting MVP-like numbers, while Jose Altuve isn’t far behind. And Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole look like Cy Young candidates. 

The rest of the division includes Mike Trout, who everyone agrees is the best player in baseball. He also just got that huge contract. So it would be nice for the game if the Angels could get into the mix in October. 

The Story So Far: Ichiro had a great send-off at the Tokyo Dome in two games from two weeks ago that totally counted in the standings even though I’m not sure even the sportswriters are sure how to handle since everyone packed up and went back to Spring Training. But the Mariners have started hot. They lead the Majors in runs scored. Tim Beckham lit up Chris Sale and is my first week A.L. MVP. Enjoy it while it lasts, Seattle.     

NL East. 

The Nationals (86-90 wins) still seem to be the consensus, slight favorite in the East. Even without Bryce Harper in the mix. Every reputable model has them at least tied for first in the division. Juan Soto and Anthony Rendon have elite projections. Max Scherzer is seen as the 2nd-best pitcher in the league. And the rotation also has Stephen Strasburg and newcomer, Patrick Corbin, who are also Cy Young candidates on paper.    

The Phillies (84-89 wins) also look like a playoff team in almost every projection. Bryce Harper was their prize pickup in the offseason. Aaron Nola is also elite.  

The Mets (85-87 wins) are also a playoff pick in every projection model. Jacob deGrom is seen as (at least) the best pitcher in the National League. And Noah Syndergaard isn’t far behind. Edwin Diaz is also seen as a huge pickup in the bullpen.       

The rest of the division has a Braves team (with Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna Jr.) that could compete at 79-85 wins. And the (rebranded) Marlins are going to be awful. 

The Story So Far: deGrom and Scherzer went head-to-head on Opening Day, and deGrom came out victorious. And with 6 IP, 0 ER and 10 K, he’s my Opening Week N.L. Cy Young. So the question remains whether he is officially the best pitcher in baseball. Bill James’ pitcher rankings (which I love) still has Scherzer at 1, deGrom at 2 with Justin Verlander, Chris Sale and Corey Kluber rounding out the top 5. Robinson Cano homered off Scherzer in his first AB with the Mets or we might be having a different conversation. The Nats are winless (0-2) thus far without Harper. I feel like Victor Robles has made a lot of mistakes early on. And Mets fans apparently chanted, “Where is Harper?” during the game.       

Harper seems like he’s having fun in Philly. He has the #1-selling jersey in baseball (dethroning Aaron Judge). He wore Phanatic spikes on Opening Day. Then the Phanatic wore Harper spikes the following day. He hit his first home run and got a curtain call after going hitless his first game. He got walked before Rhys Hoskins delivered a grand slam. Andrew McCutchen also homered on Opening Day. Even though Maikel Franco has probably been the player to watch early on. Which all means that the Braves pitching has also been pretty terrible.      

NL Central. 

The Cardinals (83-86 wins) seem to be the consensus favorite in the projection models. Although the Central is all over the place. 

The Brewers (80-88 wins) would probably be the #2 choice in the power rankings. Christian Yelich is seen as the best player in the National League and an MVP favorite in two of the 5 projection models I’ve seen.   

The Cubs (80-87 wins) start the season as the seeming #3 choice, which rubs me the wrong way. Even though FanGraphs has them winning the division. Kris Bryant is also an MVP favorite in two of the 5 projection models. 

The rest of the division seems tough, with the Reds (77-81 wins) and the Pirates (78-80 wins) rounding it out. Joey Votto and Chris Archer have some elite projections in there as well.  

The Story So Far: Lorenzo Cain had a walk-off catch on Opening Day. Christian Yelich has stayed red hot. And that might make up for Corey Knebel being lost for the season. Yikes.    

After a lackluster debut for the Cardinals, Paul Goldschmidt homered three times in his second game before being walked in his attempt at #4. Kolten Wong has also been hot for the Cardinals. Javy Baez hit two home runs on Opening Day for the Cubs, so he’s coming into the season with a ton of confidence. Just in case anyone forgot about him. But Yu Darvish was fucking horrible (he walked 7 of his first 13 batters) in his season debut against the Rangers.     

NL West

The Dodgers (92-95 wins) are heavy favorites again in the West. Justin Turner has some elite projections, as do Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler.

The Rockies (79-85 wins) may be competitive and Nolan Arenado is projected as an MVP in one of the models I’ve seen. The Padres (74-81 wins) might be a sleeper. I’ve already received a ‘hot take’ text message predicting the Padres to win the West, so take that with a grain of salt. Garrett Richards and Chris Paddack have some pretty impressive projections in that rotation. And it looks like the Giants and Diamondbacks are going to be bad.  

The Story So Far: The Dodgers hit 8 home runs on Opening Day, which is a record. Zack Greinke (3.2 IP, 17.18 ERA) was horrible. Joc Pederson is my Opening Week N.L. MVP, edging out teammate, Austin Barnes. So maybe they’ll be fine without Kershaw or Rich Hill in the early season.        

Things sure seem to feel different in San Diego. Maybe that’s just the excitement of the Manny Machado signing. Or the debut of Fernando Tatis Jr. But they went over .500 for the first time since 2015, which is insane. But I also read a story about Machado finding a woman’s wallet at Target and then tracking her down on Instagram. And there’s so many things about that sentence that are incredible. 

Alright. We’ve only just begun. I’ll keep a tab of the current projections as we go. But here’s how they stand as of 3/31. 

PECOTA: Yankees, Indians, Astros. Red Sox, Rays.// Phillies/Nationals, Brewers/Cardinals, Dodgers. Mets.  

Davenport: Yankees, Indians, Astros. Red Sox, Rays. //Mets/Nationals, Cardinals, Dodgers. Phillies. 

FanGraphs: Yankees, Indians, Astros. Red Sox, Rays. //Nationals, Cubs, Dodgers. Phillies, Mets.    

FiveThirtyEight: Yankees, Indians, Astros. Red Sox, Rays. //Nationals, Brewers, Dodgers. Mets, Phillies.

[frontproofmedia]

Erickson Lubin Battles Former Title Challenger & U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in WBC Title Eliminator

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Published: September 25, 2019

READING, PA. - Top super welterweight contender Erickson "Hammer" Lubin returns to take on former world title challenger and U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in a 12-round WBC title eliminator on Saturday, October 26 live on SHOWTIME from Santander Arena in Reading, Pa., in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features former lightweight world champion Robert Easter Jr. making his super lightweight debut against battle-tested veteran Adrian "El Tigre" Granados in the 10-round co-featured attraction. The televised opener will see former world champions collide as Rau'shee Warren takes on Emmanuel Rodriguez in a 12-round WBC bantamweight title eliminator.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and King's Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com or at the Santander box office (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.).

"Top to bottom this is a card that guarantees action featuring fighters highly motivated to make statement victories," said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. "Erickson Lubin is fast on the track to another world title opportunity, but he'll have to get through a veteran with a tremendous pedigree in Terrell Gausha. With exciting former champion Robert Easter making his 140-pound debut against all-action Adrian Granados, and a bantamweight duel between former world champions Rau'shee Warren and Emmanuel Rodriguez, the fans in Reading and watching in SHOWTIME are going to get their money's worth Saturday, October 26."

Orlando, Florida's Lubin (21-1, 16 KOs) was one of the fastest rising contenders in boxing as he quickly raced to the top of the ladder to challenge Jermell Charlo for the WBC 154-pound championship in 2017. Since the setback against Charlo, the 23-year-old has scored three straight stoppage victories to regain his momentum toward a championship run. In February, Lubin became the first boxer to stop former champion Ishe Smith and is coming off a TKO victory over Zaharia Attou in his last fight on June 29 on SHOWTIME

"I'm extremely excited for the opportunity to showcase my talents once again on SHOWTIME," said Lubin. "I'm focused on the task at hand, and that's beating a world class opponent in Terrell Gausha. My plan is to put all of the belt holders in my division on notice with a victory. I've been in camp for five weeks with five weeks to go. I'll be supremely conditioned and fundamentally sound on October 26. You're definitely not going to want to miss it."

The 31-year-old Gausha (21-1-1, 10 KOs) is a brilliant ring tactician with an impressive boxing pedigree that included representing the United States at the 2012 Olympics. Born in Cleveland and now living in Encino, Calif., Gausha suffered the only loss on his record when he dropped a unanimous decision to long-reigning WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy Lara in 2017. He most recently fought to a disputed split draw against former super welterweight champion Austin Trout on May 25.

"This is going to be an action-packed fight with me and a strong young fighter like Lubin," said Gausha. "He's a good test for me. Lubin will be the fourth southpaw in a row that I've faced and I'm ready to go again. I'm just at a point where I want to fight the best and most challenging fights possible. He called me out and I'm definitely going to be ready for him on October 26. The fans won't want to miss it."

A former IBF Lightweight World Champion, Easter (21-1-1, 14 KOs) won the belt with a split decision victory over current champion Richard Commey in 2016 at Santander Arena in Reading. The 28-year-old from Toledo, Ohio successfully defended the title three times before losing it to four-division world champion Mikey Garcia in a 2018 unification clash on SHOWTIME. He is coming off a split draw against Rances Barthelemy in his last fight on April 27 and will be making his super lightweight debut when he steps in against Granados at the site of his first world championship fight.

"I'm moving up to 140 pounds and I've been preparing really hard for this fight," said Easter. "Expect me to come out and be very explosive on October 26. I anticipate Granados coming to fight like he always does. He's a fighter who always comes prepared and puts his heart into it, but I'm going to do the same thing and show that I'm ready to make a statement in this division."

The 30-year-old Granados (20-7-2, 14 KOs) has battled a slew of accomplished junior welterweights and welterweights over the course of his career including Shawn Porter, Adrien Broner and most recently Danny Garcia in April. The 30-year-old from Chicago will return to 140-pounds where he's had most of the success in his career, including his 2015 stoppage of a then-unbeaten Amir Imam.

"I'm expecting a tough fight against Robert Easter Jr. on October 26," said Granados. "Our styles mesh well. Easter is a sharp fighter and that's why I'm giving it everything I have in training camp. I'm looking to bounce back from my last fight and show everyone that I still have a lot to give the sport of boxing. Easter is a technician in the ring but I'm a warrior and I'm going to come with everything that I have."

Fighting out of his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, Warren (16-3, 4 KOs) is looking to climb back into the championship ranks, having won the WBA bantamweight title with a majority decision over Juan Carlos Payano in 2016. The 32-year-old lost the title to Zhanat Zhakiyanov by majority decision in 2017 and is coming off a decision loss to Nordine Oubaali in a January title clash. Warren won his first 13 pro fights after an amateur career that saw him represent the U.S. at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

"I'm ready to bounce back and prove I'm still one of the best bantamweights in the world," said Warren. "This is a great fight for me to do that. After this fight, I'm ready to get that belt back again because I miss it. I know these fighters can't beat me when I'm at my best."

The 27-year-old Rodriguez (19-1, 12 KOs) will also look to put himself back in position to reclaim a 118-pound belt with a win on October 26. Fighting out of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, Rodriguez won the IBF Bantamweight World Title with a unanimous decision victory over Paul Butler in 2018 and defended it successfully against then-unbeaten Jason Moloney. He most recently was stopped by unbeaten champion Naoya Inoue in their May title bout.

"I'm super excited to return in a great fight like this," said Rodriguez. "Warren is a very good fighter and a victory over him will put me where I want to be. I'm thankful for the opportunity to get closer to reaching my goal of becoming a world champion again in 2020. I have learned from the mistakes of my loss and I'm confident everyone is going to be talking about my performance on October 26."

[investmart007]

WASHINGTON | The Latest: Segura hits 3-run homer, AL leads 5-2

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WASHINGTON | The Latest: Segura hits 3-run homer, AL leads 5-2

WASHINGTON — The Latest on baseball’s All-Star Game (all times local):

11:05 p.m.

Jean Segura hit a 3-run homer after first baseman Joey Votto’s error gave him another chance, and the American League took a 5-2 eighth-inning lead over the National League in the All-Star Game.

Votto dropped a foul popup along the NL dugout railing with runners on first and second and a 3-2 count on Segura, who launched the next pitch over the left-field wall.

It was the first hit with a runner in scoring position in the game. All seven runs were scored via home runs, the first four coming on solo shots.

Segura went deep off Josh Hader. He became the third player in the game to homer in his first career All-Star at-bat, following Willson Contreras and Trevor Story.

___

10:45 p.m.

Trevor Story has homered in the seventh inning to draw the National League even 2-2 in the All-Star Game.

Story pulled his hands in and ripped an inside fastball from Charlie Morton down the left-field line and into the first row of bleachers.

It was Story’s first All-Star at-bat. Willson Contreras also went deep for the NL in his first time at the plate as an All-Star.

All four runs have been scored on solo homers.

___

10:20 p.m.

Light rain has begun falling at the All-Star Game as a small band of showers moves through Washington.

The rain caused some fans to head for the concourses but appeared unlikely to delay the game.

Earlier Tuesday, strong thunderstorms led to standing water in the National League dugout. But the field was in good shape by the time the game started after 8 p.m.

The American League leads the National League 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning.

___

9:10 p.m.

Willson Contreras put the National League on the board in the All-Star Game by homering off Blake Snell in the third inning.

Contreras hit the first pitch from Snell just over the wall in left field to cut the American League lead to 2-1.

All three runs have scored on solo homers.

In the top of the third, Mike Trout homered off Jacob deGrom.

Trout went deep on a 1-2 fastball, sending it into the AL bullpen in left field.

It was Trout’s second homer in five All-Star Game appearances and improved him to 7-for-15 (.467) in his All-Star career. He was named MVP of the game in 2014 and 2015.

___

8:45 p.m.

Aaron Judge has given the American League a 1-0 lead in the All-Star Game with a homer off Max Scherzer.

Leading off the second inning, the Yankees slugger got ahold of a belt-high 0-1 fastball from Scherzer and sent it into the bullpen beyond the left field fence.

It was Judge’s first All-Star Game hit in his second appearance. He went 0-for-3 last year.

National League manager Dave Roberts tapped Scherzer to start the game in part because it’s being played at his home ballpark. The Nationals right-hander made his third All-Star start.

___

8:10 p.m.

A combat medic who received the Medal of Honor for his service in Vietnam has thrown out the ceremonial first pitch for the All-Star Game at Nationals Park.

James McCloughan was one of 30 Medal of Honor recipients to be honored before the game. After serving in Vietnam, McCloughan spent 38 years as a high school baseball coach in Michigan.

In choosing McCloughan, Major League Baseball stayed away from political controversy during the first All-Star game in 49 years in Washington. President Donald Trump did not attend the game a day after he drew bipartisan criticism for siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy threw out the first pitch at All-Star games in Washington during their terms. Dwight D. Eisenhower declined because he was recovering from surgery, while Richard M. Nixon had to delegate the responsibility to Vice President Spiro Agnew because the 1969 game was postponed one day by rain.

___

7:20 p.m.

Some Cubs fans — and gamblers — are claiming on social media that Bryce Harper “cheated” during the Home Run Derby to beat Chicago’s Kyle Schwarber.

Harper hit 19 homers in the final round of Monday night’s competition at Nationals Park to beat Schwarber by one. Hitting in front his hometown fans with his father pitching, Harper appeared to be running out of time to catch the Cubs slugger before he hit nine homers in his final 10 swings to tie him. Because he hit two homers over 440 feet in the round, Harper earned 30 seconds of extra time that he used to hit the decisive long ball.

The competition rules state that the pitcher has to wait until the previous ball has landed before throwing another one. Video from the event shows Harper’s father, Ron, apparently breaking that rule. Umpires on the field did not intervene.

But that didn’t stop Cubs fans from complaining that Harper cheated or that the event was rigged. The result was also bitter for bettors who put money on Schwarber to win, a population that has increased with expanded legal sports gambling in the United States.

___

6:30 p.m.

Severe thunderstorms that blew through Washington in the afternoon soaked the field at Nationals Park, but players hope the conditions are safe and playable for the All-Star Game.

The rain stopped in time for the NL and AL to take abbreviated batting practice

“You have to deal with elements,” NL starter Max Scherzer of the host Nationals said. “You have to pitch when it’s cold, you have to pitch when it’s hot, when it’s windy, when it’s rainy. This is just another element of baseball that a pitcher just has to deal with.”

With the storms over, there was not much concern about delaying or postponing the game as much as how the water on the field could affect play. Nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport took more than 2 inches of rain, and there was standing water in the NL dugout.

“Hopefully it’s dry and everybody’s safe and nobody gets injury,” Mariners designated hitter Nelson Cruz said. “That’s the goal.”

___

6 p.m.

If Manny Machado is heading to Los Angeles, the Dodgers would be thrilled to have him.

USA Today reported Tuesday that the Orioles were expected to trade their All-Star shortstop to the Dodgers on Wednesday, barring a last-minute snag. Machado says he hasn’t heard anything from his agent and he refused to answer a hypothetical question about going to the Dodgers.

Dodgers right-hander Ross Stripling says: “Things are getting serious now. That’s the kind of bat and the kind of player that you want in your lineup.”

Stripling says it’s good to be on a team that’s buying instead of selling at the trade deadline. He also credited the Dodgers for making midseason moves while hanging onto big league-ready prospects.

Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp says he’s good friends with Machado but hasn’t heard anything. He says Machado would bring excitement to LA.

___

5:20 p.m.

Cubs pitcher Jon Lester and Reds first baseman Joey Votto believe this offseason will be a test of whether last year’s free agent situation was a one-off or cause for concern.

Tony Clark, the head of the baseball players’ union, said earlier Tuesday he’d like to talk to the league about free agency after so many players were left unsigned for months last winter.

Lester said that with the free agent class that could be available — including Bryce Harper and Manny Machado — if the same situation occurs, it would present a problem.

With Clark broaching the possibility of a 2021 labor struggle, Votto told The Associated Press that previous generations of players set up the current tug of war between the sides, which he thinks is healthy for the game.

___

5:05 p.m.

With trade rumors swirling, Manny Machado made a fashion statement as he arrived at Nationals Park for the All-Star Game.

Machado wore a gray double-breasted suit with no shirt underneath the jacket and an inch-wide gold chain during a red carpet interview with MLB Network. He sported bare ankles, white sneakers and tortoiseshell sunglasses.

As for where he’ll play next, Machado doesn’t know. He says it’s “tough” to think that the All-Star Game could be his last in a Baltimore Orioles uniform. But he also says he’s “blessed to be talked about. Blessed to know that people out there want me, they want me to go out there and help (the) team win.”

Machado played third base before this season, when he moved to shortstop, the position he’d played in childhood and throughout the minor leagues. He thinks he’d stay at short for any team that trades for him and says he would prefer not to move back to third.

___

3:30 p.m.

The tarp is on the field and early arriving fans are seeking cover or wearing ponchos as a summer thunderstorm rolls through downtown Washington ahead of the All-Star Game.

Heavy rain and lightning started shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday at Nationals Park and were predicted to continue into the early evening. But if the forecast holds, it should be clear by the first pitch, which is scheduled for 8:18 p.m.

The last All-Star Game to be postponed by rain was the last one in Washington, 49 years ago. It was rescheduled for the next day and President Richard Nixon had to delegate first-pitch duties to Vice President Spiro Agnew.

___

12:55 p.m.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is outlining concerns in the way the sport has changed and says owners want a broad conversation with players about rules changes.

Manfred says concerns include the time between putting balls in play, the increased number of strikeouts, an increase in home runs, the far greater use of infield shifts, the lessened length of starting pitcher outings and the increase in the use of relief pitchers.

He maintains the changes are the result of “smart people who want to win more” in front offices and says MLB and the players must decide “at what point do we want to step in, OK, and manage that organic change.”

Manfred says “this organic change may be driven by competition, but there’s lots of places in life where competition has to be bridled a little bit.”

___

12:30 p.m.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is defending teams’ reluctance to sign free agents last offseason and says union head Tony Clark has not responded to a pair of invitations to have a broad discussion about players’ concerns and changes in the way the game is played.

Manfred says “the only purposeful behavior that took place in the free-agent market last year is our clubs carefully analyzed the available players and made individual decisions as to what they thought those players were worth. … I’m pretty sure, based on what’s already in the books, you’re going to make the judgment that the clubs made sound decisions as to how those players should be valued. That’s how markets operate.

___

12:10 p.m.

Players consider teams’ reluctance to sign free agents last offseason “a direct attack” on their rights, according to union head Tony Clark. He hinted that the sport’s quarter-century of labor peace could end if concerns are not addressed.

More than 100 free agents remained unsigned when spring training began. Many signed at a fraction of the price they thought they were worth and many received shorter deals than they expected.

Baseball had eight work stoppages from 1966-95 but has had labor peace since. The current labor contract runs through the 2021 season.

Asked whether he thought there could be a work stoppage at the end of the deal if players’ concerns are not addressed, Clark says that, “to the extent there are challenges to those rights, historically I would suggest those have manifested themselves a particular way.”

___

12:05 p.m.

The head of the baseball players’ union favors expanding the wild-card playoff from one game to a series, but he says there are scheduling challenges.

Major League Baseball began winner-take-all, one-game playoffs in each league in 2012, when the postseason field was expanded from eight to 10.

In the AL East this year, the New York Yankees could wind up as a wild card with a record that currently projects to 106 wins.

Union head Tony Clark says “having series is always … better for a player in a lot of ways than a one-game playoff” and adds “it would be great if we can find a way in the future to have that first game be a series, but there are some challenges there.”

The schedule currently starts in the last week of March or the first week of April, and the World Series sometimes ends in November. But, the division winners might not like having an extended break before the playoffs.

___

11:35 a.m.

The head of the baseball players’ union says conversations will take place with the commissioner’s office over whether prohibitions against legalized gambling among his members’ relatives may be needed.

Following a U.S. Supreme Court decision to strike down a federal prohibition on sports gambling, New Jersey enacted a law allowing bets on games. Team employees including players are prohibited under baseball rules from betting on the sport, but there are no rules covering their families.

Union head Tony Clark said there will a wide discussion with management about legalized gambling that will include talk of “six degrees of separation” and where lines should be drawn. Clark also is concerned about player data in relation to gambling.

__

By Associated Press

[yahoo-roto-arcade-blog]

Shuffle Up: Searching for Bryce Harper

It’s been one of those years for Bryce Harper (AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)

Ah, the outfield. Land of all the fun stats. If you can keep your players on the field, you might just get somewhere.

The numbers don’t matter in a vacuum; what matters is how the player prices relate to one another. Assume a 5×5 scoring system, as always. Everyone listed here has outfield eligibility in the Yahoo game at the current time. Players at the same cost are considered even, and don’t fret when players are just a buck or two apart, that’s not a big deal.

I’m not ranking the injured guys; it just becomes a silly game of “Who has the most injury optimism?”

[Yahoo Fantasy Football leagues are open: Sign up now for free!]

And I’m not a doctor. (Somebody get me a doctor.)

Have some disagreements? Have some major disagreements? That’s good! That’s why we have a game. I welcome your respectful disagreement anytime: @scott_pianowski on Twitter.

$44 Mike Trout $42 Mookie Betts $37 J.D. Martinez $32 Andrew Benintendi $30 Charlie Blackmon $30 Giancarlo Stanton $29 Aaron Judge $27 Christian Yelich $27 Eddie Rosario $27 Nelson Cruz $27 Bryce Harper $26 Scooter Gennett $25 Nick Castellanos

The good news with Harper is that he’s still adding value as an offensive player. His OPS+ of 124 is actually the median of his career (though his career average OPS+ is 139). A .366 OBP is still excellent; he leads the NL in walks. He has 20 home runs and a .475 slugging.

Then again, every number in Harper’s slash line is lower than we project. And the .216 average is 62 points lower than his career mark.

Perhaps he’s running into a lot of bad luck. His hard-hit rate is a career high, and his line-drive rate is almost identical to last year’s. He’s striking out a little more this year, but a 3.4-percent boost isn’t cause for alarm. A .223 BABIP is an obvious outlier, especially when combined with his batted-ball profile. Harper’s pull-happy profile also means more outs via the shift — maybe it would be in his best interests to lay down a bunt now and again, take an easy hit (especially when leading off an inning, when a baserunner is a boon for scoring chances).

Harper zone contact is a career low, which is surprising, but he’s not getting himself out — his chase rate is under his career mark.

I’m floor driven with my first-round picks, so I would not make Harper a Top 15 player if redrafting today. But he’s be a ticklish play anywhere in the second round. His bad season isn’t that bad. And his upside remains the moon (or maybe just slight of the moon; perhaps only Trout and Betts can get there).

Nick Castellanos hit his 10th home run of the season.

He’ll be an All-Star next month. pic.twitter.com/r5c9jI2874

— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) June 26, 2018

I don’t know why pitchers keep challenging Castellanos, by far the only formidable stick in the Detroit lineup. Although the Tigers are 6-11 since Miguel Cabrera suffered his season-ending injury, Castellanos keeps rolling along (.288/.356/.667, seven homers). He’s fifth in hard-hit rate (training Olson, Carpenter, Suarez, and J.D. Martinez), and he’s No. 17 overall in soft-contact avoidance. Look at this messy Tigers lineup. I’d take my chances with anyone else . . . Does Rosario look out of place here? He shouldn’t. Here’s his last calendar year: .307/.346/.557, 102 runs, 35 home runs, 102 RBIs, 13 steals . . . Blackmon has too much back class for me to take him out of the 30s. Maybe this means nothing, but June has historically been his weakest month. He turned 32 on the weekend, so it’s too soon to worry about age. A .301 BABIP might not look out of order, but it’s 34 points below his career average. Hang in.

$22 Jose Martinez $22 George Springer $21 Marcell Ozuna $20 Matt Kemp $20 Starling Marte $18 Justin Upton $17 Michael Brantley $16 Max Muncy $15 Nomar Mazara $15 Shin-Soo Choo $15 Khris Davis $15 Mitch Haniger $15 Rhys Hoskins $15 Odubel Herrera $15 Juan Soto $15 Yasiel Puig

Very quietly Choo has been a Top 21 outfielder, producing in every category except stolen bases (and he’s not a total zero there, he has three). You just hope he can stay healthy in his age-36 season (the calendar flips for him on July 13). Choo isn’t getting a bump from Arlington this year (his OPS is 20 points higher on the road), but he does jump to a .933 OPS against right-handed pitching. He’s one of my favorites, an Ibanez All-Star to be sure. Boring but reliable veterans are a lovely target area in all fantasy sports. We don’t have to market our teams, we just want the numbers.

Puig had a .193 average in late April, when a hip injury forced him to the DL. In his 46 games since returning, he’s been solid — .295/.364/.548, nine homers. Somehow Puig only produced 24 runs and 20 RBIs from that slash, but we’ll take it. And for all the mistakes he makes through his mercurial ways, sometimes you get splashy highlights, too.

$14 Brandon Belt $14 Andrew McCutchen $14 Brandon Nimmo $14 Tommy Pham $13 Adam Jones $13 Aaron Hicks $13 Matt Olson $12 Whit Merrifield $12 Carlos Santana $12 Wil Myers $12 Jurickson Profar $12 Kyle Schwarber $12 Dee Gordon $12 Cody Bellinger $12 Adam Eaton $11 Derek Dietrich $11 Ian Desmond $11 Nick Markakis $11 Ryan Braun $11 David Peralta $10 Scott Schebler $10 Joc Pederson $10 Brett Gardner $10 Jesse Winker $10 Ronald Acuna $10 Adam Duvall $10 Eric Thames $9 Jason Heyward

Is Gordon’s toe injury still a concern? This is what he’s done in 30 games since returning from the disabled list: .246/.261/.285, with five steals in eight attempts. You knew you’d get zero power — no homers, seven RBIs. He’s scored a paltry 13 runs. I don’t think he’s healthy right now; at least, I’m not going to pay for him on the assumption that he is.

Although Heyward’s OBP has dipped a little in the No. 2 slot — a misleading change, since batting eighth in front of the pitcher is a driver of walks — he’s taken to the slot nicely, slashing .313/.347/.473, with 17 runs and 16 RBIs in 26 games. He’s shut down the running game and he is not a major power threat, but perhaps he can be a solid three-category contributor now.

$8 Gerardo Parra $8 Austin Meadows $8 Brian Anderson $8 Randal Grichuk $8 Chris Taylor $8 Mark Trumbo $8 Ender Inciarte $7 Avisail Garcia $7 Carlos Gonzalez $7 Jason Kipnis $7 Josh Reddick $7 Ian Happ $7 Josh Harrison $7 Stephen Piscotty $7 Teoscar Hernandez $7 Enrique Hernandez $7 Joey Gallo $6 Gorkys Hernandez $6 Ben Zobrist $6 Hunter Renfroe $6 Harrison Bader $6 Lonnie Chisenhall $5 Dustin Fowler $5 Manuel Margot $5 Gregory Polanco $5 Marwin Gonzalez $5 Jackie Bradley Jr. $5 Charlie Culberson $5 Delino DeShields $5 Kevin Pillar

Kipnis still has horrendous seasonal numbers, but he perked up over his last three weeks: .280/.357/.480, with four homers. His line-drive rate is up six percent from last year. Interestingly, he’s hitting .286 when shifted against, and .221 against a traditional defense . . . Bader would instantly jump into double-digits on my board if the Cardinals made a clear commitment to him . . . Polanco is a pain in the neck for weekly-lineup players, as the Pirates have four outfielders for three spots and he’s not the primary guy in that rotation.

$4 Albert Almora $4 Michael Taylor $4 Jon Jay $4 Corey Dickerson $4 Denard Span $4 Jose Pirela $4 Jonathan Villar $4 Nick Williams $4 Niko Goodrum $4 Michael Conforto $3 Danny Valencia $3 Ehire Adrianza $3 Alen Hanson $3 Eduardo Nunez $3 Travis Jankowski $3 Daniel Descalso $3 Mallex Smith $3 Jose Bautista $3 Curtis Granderson $3 Mark Canha $3 Franmil Reyes $3 Daniel Palka $3 Max Kepler

Mallex Smith is showing modest growth as a hitter, though a 97 OPS+ is still an eyelash below the league average of 100. Worst of all, he’s not improving as a base stealer —successful on just 15-of-22 swipes. And the Rays don’t prefer him at the top of the order, either; he’s batted seventh or lower in 49 of his 56 starts. Right now Smith is giving you a slightly-favorable average in a mixed league, a handful of steals — hopefully the caught-stealings don’t hurt you — disappointing runs scored, and no pop. It’s not like the fantasy community is going crazy for Smith, but he’s been moderately overrated for a while. The closer you get to Smith, the less fun he is.

$2 Ben Gamel $2 Tony Kemp $2 Rajai Davis $2 Brock Holt $2 Charlie Tilson $2 Cory Spangenberg $2 Jake Cave $2 Jacob Marisnick $2 Adam Engel $2 Chad Pinder $2 Scott Kingery $2 Robbie Grossman $2 Alex Gordon $2 Billy Hamilton $2 Lewis Brinson $2 Trey Mancini $2 Jarrod Dyson $2 Kevin Kiermaier $1 Hernan Perez $1 Ryan Rua $1 Matt Joyce $1 JaCoby Jones $1 Chris Owings $1 Kole Calhoun $0 Dexter Fowler

No debating the injured Lorenzo Cain AJ Pollock Byron Buxton David Dahl Franchy Cordero Jay Bruce Jorge Soler Kris Bryant Leonys Martin Matt Adams Steven Souza

Follow the Yahoo fantasy crew on Twitter: Andy Behrens, Dalton Del Don, Bradley Evans, Liz Loza, Scott Pianowski and Tank Williams

[investmart007]

WASHINGTON | The Latest: All-Star Game plays on as rain falls

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WASHINGTON | The Latest: All-Star Game plays on as rain falls

WASHINGTON  — The Latest on baseball’s All-Star Game (all times local):

10:20 p.m.

Light rain has begun falling at the All-Star Game as a small band of showers moves through Washington.

The rain caused some fans to head for the concourses but appeared unlikely to delay the game.

Earlier Tuesday, strong thunderstorms led to standing water in the National League dugout. But the field was in good shape by the time the game started after 8 p.m.

The American League leads the National League 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning.

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9:10 p.m.

Willson Contreras  put the National League on the board in the All-Star Game by homering off Blake Snell in the third inning.

Contreras hit the first pitch from Snell just over the wall in left field to cut the American League lead to 2-1.

All three runs have scored on solo homers.

In the top of the third, Mike Trout homered off Jacob deGrom.

Trout went deep on a 1-2 fastball, sending it into the AL bullpen in left field.

It was Trout’s second homer in five All-Star Game appearances and improved him to 7-for-15 (.467) in his All-Star career. He was named MVP of the game in 2014 and 2015.

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8:45 p.m.

Aaron Judge has given the American League a 1-0 lead in the All-Star Game with a homer off Max Scherzer.

Leading off the second inning, the Yankees slugger got ahold of a belt-high 0-1 fastball from Scherzer and sent it into the bullpen beyond the left field fence.

It was Judge’s first All-Star Game hit in his second appearance. He went 0-for-3 last year.

National League manager Dave Roberts tapped Scherzer to start the game in part because it’s being played at his home ballpark. The Nationals right-hander made his third All-Star start.

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8:10 p.m.

A combat medic who received the Medal of Honor for his service in Vietnam has thrown out the ceremonial first pitch for the All-Star Game at Nationals Park.

James McCloughan was one of 30 Medal of Honor recipients to be honored before the game. After serving in Vietnam, McCloughan spent 38 years as a high school baseball coach in Michigan.

In choosing McCloughan, Major League Baseball stayed away from political controversy during the first All-Star game in 49 years in Washington. President Donald Trump did not attend the game a day after he drew bipartisan criticism for siding with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy threw out the first pitch at All-Star games in Washington during their terms. Dwight D. Eisenhower declined because he was recovering from surgery, while Richard M. Nixon had to delegate the responsibility to Vice President Spiro Agnew because the 1969 game was postponed one day by rain.

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7:20 p.m.

Some Cubs fans — and gamblers — are claiming on social media that Bryce Harper “cheated” during the Home Run Derby to beat Chicago’s Kyle Schwarber.

Harper hit 19 homers in the final round of Monday night’s competition at Nationals Park to beat Schwarber by one. Hitting in front his hometown fans with his father pitching, Harper appeared to be running out of time to catch the Cubs slugger before he hit nine homers in his final 10 swings to tie him. Because he hit two homers over 440 feet in the round, Harper earned 30 seconds of extra time that he used to hit the decisive long ball.

The competition rules state that the pitcher has to wait until the previous ball has landed before throwing another one. Video from the event shows Harper’s father, Ron, apparently breaking that rule. Umpires on the field did not intervene.

But that didn’t stop Cubs fans from complaining that Harper cheated or that the event was rigged. The result was also bitter for bettors who put money on Schwarber to win, a population that has increased with expanded legal sports gambling in the United States.

___

6:30 p.m.

Severe thunderstorms that blew through Washington in the afternoon soaked the field at Nationals Park, but players hope the conditions are safe and playable for the All-Star Game.

The rain stopped in time for the NL and AL to take abbreviated batting practice

“You have to deal with elements,” NL starter Max Scherzer of the host Nationals said. “You have to pitch when it’s cold, you have to pitch when it’s hot, when it’s windy, when it’s rainy. This is just another element of baseball that a pitcher just has to deal with.”

With the storms over, there was not much concern about delaying or postponing the game as much as how the water on the field could affect play. Nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport took more than 2 inches of rain, and there was standing water in the NL dugout.

“Hopefully it’s dry and everybody’s safe and nobody gets injury,” Mariners designated hitter Nelson Cruz said. “That’s the goal.”

___

6 p.m.

If Manny Machado is heading to Los Angeles, the Dodgers would be thrilled to have him.

USA Today reported Tuesday that the Orioles were expected to trade their All-Star shortstop to the Dodgers on Wednesday, barring a last-minute snag. Machado says he hasn’t heard anything from his agent and he refused to answer a hypothetical question about going to the Dodgers.

Dodgers right-hander Ross Stripling says: “Things are getting serious now. That’s the kind of bat and the kind of player that you want in your lineup.”

Stripling says it’s good to be on a team that’s buying instead of selling at the trade deadline. He also credited the Dodgers for making midseason moves while hanging onto big league-ready prospects.

Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp says he’s good friends with Machado but hasn’t heard anything. He says Machado would bring excitement to LA.

___

5:20 p.m.

Cubs pitcher Jon Lester and Reds first baseman Joey Votto believe this offseason will be a test of whether last year’s free agent situation was a one-off or cause for concern.

Tony Clark, the head of the baseball players’ union, said earlier Tuesday he’d like to talk to the league about free agency after so many players were left unsigned for months last winter.

Lester said that with the free agent class that could be available — including Bryce Harper and Manny Machado — if the same situation occurs, it would present a problem.

With Clark broaching the possibility of a 2021 labor struggle, Votto told The Associated Press that previous generations of players set up the current tug of war between the sides, which he thinks is healthy for the game.

___

5:05 p.m.

With trade rumors swirling, Manny Machado made a fashion statement as he arrived at Nationals Park for the All-Star Game.

Machado wore a gray double-breasted suit with no shirt underneath the jacket and an inch-wide gold chain during a red carpet interview with MLB Network. He sported bare ankles, white sneakers and tortoiseshell sunglasses.

As for where he’ll play next, Machado doesn’t know. He says it’s “tough” to think that the All-Star Game could be his last in a Baltimore Orioles uniform. But he also says he’s “blessed to be talked about. Blessed to know that people out there want me, they want me to go out there and help (the) team win.”

Machado played third base before this season, when he moved to shortstop, the position he’d played in childhood and throughout the minor leagues. He thinks he’d stay at short for any team that trades for him and says he would prefer not to move back to third.

___

3:30 p.m.

The tarp is on the field and early arriving fans are seeking cover or wearing ponchos as a summer thunderstorm rolls through downtown Washington ahead of the All-Star Game.

Heavy rain and lightning started shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday at Nationals Park and were predicted to continue into the early evening. But if the forecast holds, it should be clear by the first pitch, which is scheduled for 8:18 p.m.

The last All-Star Game to be postponed by rain was the last one in Washington, 49 years ago. It was rescheduled for the next day and President Richard Nixon had to delegate first-pitch duties to Vice President Spiro Agnew.

___

12:55 p.m.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is outlining concerns in the way the sport has changed and says owners want a broad conversation with players about rules changes.

Manfred says concerns include the time between putting balls in play, the increased number of strikeouts, an increase in home runs, the far greater use of infield shifts, the lessened length of starting pitcher outings and the increase in the use of relief pitchers.

He maintains the changes are the result of “smart people who want to win more” in front offices and says MLB and the players must decide “at what point do we want to step in, OK, and manage that organic change.”

Manfred says “this organic change may be driven by competition, but there’s lots of places in life where competition has to be bridled a little bit.”

___

12:30 p.m.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is defending teams’ reluctance to sign free agents last offseason and says union head Tony Clark has not responded to a pair of invitations to have a broad discussion about players’ concerns and changes in the way the game is played.

Manfred says “the only purposeful behavior that took place in the free-agent market last year is our clubs carefully analyzed the available players and made individual decisions as to what they thought those players were worth. … I’m pretty sure, based on what’s already in the books, you’re going to make the judgment that the clubs made sound decisions as to how those players should be valued. That’s how markets operate.

___

12:10 p.m.

Players consider teams’ reluctance to sign free agents last offseason “a direct attack” on their rights, according to union head Tony Clark. He hinted that the sport’s quarter-century of labor peace could end if concerns are not addressed.

More than 100 free agents remained unsigned when spring training began. Many signed at a fraction of the price they thought they were worth and many received shorter deals than they expected.

Baseball had eight work stoppages from 1966-95 but has had labor peace since. The current labor contract runs through the 2021 season.

Asked whether he thought there could be a work stoppage at the end of the deal if players’ concerns are not addressed, Clark says that, “to the extent there are challenges to those rights, historically I would suggest those have manifested themselves a particular way.”

___

12:05 p.m.

The head of the baseball players’ union favors expanding the wild-card playoff from one game to a series, but he says there are scheduling challenges.

Major League Baseball began winner-take-all, one-game playoffs in each league in 2012, when the postseason field was expanded from eight to 10.

In the AL East this year, the New York Yankees could wind up as a wild card with a record that currently projects to 106 wins.

Union head Tony Clark says “having series is always … better for a player in a lot of ways than a one-game playoff” and adds “it would be great if we can find a way in the future to have that first game be a series, but there are some challenges there.”

The schedule currently starts in the last week of March or the first week of April, and the World Series sometimes ends in November. But, the division winners might not like having an extended break before the playoffs.

___

11:35 a.m.

The head of the baseball players’ union says conversations will take place with the commissioner’s office over whether prohibitions against legalized gambling among his members’ relatives may be needed.

Following a U.S. Supreme Court decision to strike down a federal prohibition on sports gambling, New Jersey enacted a law allowing bets on games. Team employees including players are prohibited under baseball rules from betting on the sport, but there are no rules covering their families.

Union head Tony Clark said there will a wide discussion with management about legalized gambling that will include talk of “six degrees of separation” and where lines should be drawn. Clark also is concerned about player data in relation to gambling.

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By Associated Press