Mets’ Matt Harvey still predicting success

Matt Harvey stood on the mound on Saturday afternoon, supposedly a changed man. It was a newer, trimmer, healthier Harvey ready to show that the first part of his dismal 2017 season was behind him, and he can get outs and put up zeros.

Clayton Kershaw’s return helps end Dodgers’ slide with 1-0 defeat of Padres | LAT

Kershaw handled his opposition earlier in the evening with ease. He struck out seven and appeared unfazed by his time on the disabled list nursing a strained back. He spun an abbreviated gem, exiting only because of the Dodgers’ decision to gently ease him back into big-league competition.

Kershaw faced little adversity. He permitted two infield singles. He walked none. His outfielders did not field the baseball once. His employers can breathe easier about October — Kershaw looked like ...

When the flood calls, you have no OMNICHATTER, you have no walls for the weekend of Sept. 2-3, 2017

After hitting a home run, Joey Votto gave his bat and jersey to a young Reds fan | MLB.com

Making the world better, one fan at a time.

After learning that Walter’s parents said that the gift meant the world to the young boy, Votto told MLB.com’s John Fay, “That’s all that matters.”

Area woman realizes how many of her kids she likes less than Byron Buxton - Twinkie Town

“I’ll be honest with you, my kids can be pricks,” said the Cottage Grove human resources administrator. “Cale’s got a busted arm from doing skateboard tricks on the stairs at the middle school, which I’ve told him 100 ####### times not to do. Buxton is carrying this team. He needs to be healthy, especially if (Miguel) Sano is still hurt.”

Hauser said her relationship with her children is far from strained, but Buxton’s injury has clarified some things.

“When I heard the ...

OMNICHATTER can’t stand the rain against its window, for September 1, 2017

C.C. Sabathia Rants Over Red Sox’ Nunez Bunting On Him « CBS Boston

So, how many more bunts will he have to deal with in the future?

“It’s kind of weak to me,” Sabathia told reporters after the game. “It shows what they’ve got over there. … I’m an old man. They should go out there and try to kick my butt.

“I just feel like they tried to take the weak road.”

Asked if he felt the Red Sox disrespected him, Sabathia responded: “[They gave me] too much respect. … Let’s go. Let’s play. Swing the bat.”

The battle over the Chief Wahoo logo is finished. Now it’s time for the Indians to act – The Athletic

Rosenthal’s latest is outside the paywall.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 9-1-2017

Chicago Eagle, September 1, 1917:

There are rumors and much whispering about the third major league plan which, it is said, may be put into effect when the season ends. The plan provides for clubs from Buffalo, Toronto, Baltimore, Newark, Indianapolis, Toledo, Milwaukee, and Kansas City. Let us hope some of these predictions come true. It will be good to see those cities represented in the big leagues.

An attempt at a major league with teams in Buffalo, Newark, Baltimore, Indianapolis, and ...

Chad Green on His Overpowering Repertoire

Chad Green’s 2-0 win-loss record and 2.05 ERA suggest he’s had a successful season. Those numbers only begin to tell the story. Pitching out of the New York Yankees bullpen, the 26-year-old right-hander has allowed just 27 hits in 57 innings while also recording 86 strikeouts…

“[The coaching staff] probably saw that I had a high spin rate, so they said, ‘OK, let’s try throwing more fastballs up in the zone.’ I’d say I probably learned about my spin rate around the middle of the ...

Cubs acquire outfielder Leonys Martin from Mariners

The Cubs made a late-night acquisition on Thursday before the 11 p.m. deadline, acquiring Mariners outfielder Leonys Martin and cash for a player to be named later or cash.

Rangers Acquire Miguel Gonzalez

Though Texas isn’t exactly in prime position to snag a Wild Card berth — the team entered play today three games out and dropped its contest — it seems the club is at least interested in keeping that possibility open. Gonzalez will help bolster a rotation that no longer features Yu Darvish and has seen numerous other pitchers struggle. If they can crack the postseason, the Rangers will be able to utilize Gonzalez on their roster.

Angels hope to quicken pace of the race with acquisition of Justin Upton, Brandon Phillips

When you’re three games out of the second wild-card spot, and you’re unable to escape the shadow of .500, are you legit? Or maybe you’re just being graded on the curve.

Finally the Angels got to the end of August. They were still unexposed. They were one game out, and the Yankees were cratering, and Seattle was mud-caked, and the Royals played 45 innings without bothering to score.

It became difficult not to do something.

On Thursday, they did something.

Stunner! Detroit Tigers trade Justin Verlander to Houston Astros

At approximately 11:59 p.m. on Thursday night, Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander was traded to the Houston Astros for three prospects, according to multiple persons with knowledge of the situation.
....
In exchange for Verlander, the Tigers received right-hander Franklin Perez, outfielder Daz Cameron (son of former Gold Glove outfielder Mike Cameron) and catcher Jake Rogers.

The Tigers are also believed to be sending at least $10 million to the Astros (via Yahoo’s Jeff Passan), with ...

AP: Tebow plans to play in Mets’ system in ’18, callup uncertain

He’d better show up in Queens on Monday. Fans won’t take the 7 train to see Gavin Cecchini.

Tim Tebow plans to return to the New York Mets’ organization next season. But first, what will he do when the St. Lucie Mets’ minor league season ends Sunday? Is there any chance of more baseball in the Arizona Fall League or somewhere else for the rookie outfielder?

“It’s still something we’re figuring out, but for me it’ll be a lot of training,” he said Thursday. “For me it’ll be ...

The Ringer: Gio González Doesn’t Want To Talk About How Good He Is

A fine analytical piece, including a nicely technical interview with batterymate Matt Wieters, on how and why Gio González is quietly posting the best season of his career, even as nobody really notices.

Wieters has helped González, who turns 32 next month, to the best season of his career. González is allowing the fifth-lowest opponent batting average out of 63 qualified starters and the third-lowest ERA in the eighth-most innings. Mash all that together and he’s a fraction of a win ...

Shohei Ohtani hits 100 mph in return to mound | MLB.com

Officials from Major League Baseball clubs packed the scout section at Sapporo Dome on Thursday, eager to see if Japanese pitching sensation Shohei Ohtani had returned to health after a season plagued by ankle and thigh injuries.

Ohtani’s fastball alone eliminated any lingering concerns. It reached 99 and 100 mph, as first reported by The Athletic and confirmed by multiple sources to MLB.com.

Astros agree to trade for Cameron Maybin | MLB.com

At the same time…Angels reportedly close to getting Upton.

The Tigers will receive Minor League pitcher Grayson Long, ranked No. 9 among the Angels’ top prospects by MLBPipeline.com, as part of the deal.

Albert Pujols Is the Worst Player in Baseball

Pujols has flat-out stunk up Angel Stadium. He’s hitting .230 (79 points below his previous career average) with an on-base plus slugging 26 percent worse than league average. Even in an age of ineffective designated hitters, Pujols has easily been the worst hitter at the position that provides the least defensive value (i.e., zero value). As a result, no player has been less valuable than Pujols this year: His -1.99 WAR ranks dead last among all players (including pitchers).

If he finishes ...

Put me in coach, I’m ready to play – Freddy Galvis, in center field? | PhillyVoice

It’s great Galvis wants to play every day. Do the Phillies really want to see him in CF?

What are the most valuable players based on contracts? | Sports on Earth

1. Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros

WAR: 6.9
Salary: $4.5M
Surplus value: $57.6M

As if it weren’t easy enough to root for Altuve because of his size (5-foot-6, 165 pounds), the pure joy he brings to the field and the pure hitting he provides at a time when batting averages are punier than he is, he’s also laughably underpaid. Altuve is making $4.5 million this year, and he might be the AL MVP.

Altuve signed his club-friendly extension midway through the 2013 season, when the Astros were still ...

Oh, where have you been, my darling young OMNICHATTER?, for August 31, 2017

Inside Baseball AL Notes | Justin Upton Has Tough Decision Coming

He’s also written NL Notes and Which managers are on the hot seat?. With Rosenthal behind a paywall now, it looks like Heyman will assume the Gammons’ mantle. Too bad, I used to like reading and linking to Rosenthal.

Twins’ Byron Buxton exits with hand injury | MLB.com

A possible left hamate bone injury. MRI was done this morning. Bummer.

Update: Bone contusion and not a break.

Strasburg Goes Yard, Pitches A Gem Vs. Marlins

Dusty the Arm-Shredder is at it again!!

https://twitter.com/Nationals/status/903025708875833346
One of these men homered today.

The Case for Eliminating the DH

Conclusion

The existence of the designated hitter in the American League provides a constant competitive disincentive for pitchers and organizations to invest in developing their pitchers as hitters. While it is hard to prove the DH is completely at fault for the continuous decline of pitcher hitting ability, there really is no compelling pure baseball reason for continued use of the rule.

Even if we accept the fallacious assumption that pitchers don’t hit very well (enough hit well enough ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 8-31-2017

Butte Daily Post, August 31, 1917:

“Sammies” being American soldiers in World War I.

Buddy Bell was nearly the Adrian Beltre of the 1980s

Coming to Texas, though, Bell came into his own, hitting .300 over his first six seasons. He made four All-Star teams and also won Gold Gloves all six years.

Not everyone can have the level of success that Beltre has sustained through his mid-late 30s. That’s part of what makes Beltre so special as a player

Mariners acquire Mike Leake | MLB.com

With the Mariners three games out of an American League Wild Card spot, general manager Jerry Dipoto moved to bolster his injury-racked rotation by acquiring veteran right-hander Mike Leake from the Cardinals on Wednesday for Minor League infielder Rayder Ascanio.
...
Players acquired prior to Thursday’s waiver trade deadline are eligible to compete in the postseason, but Leake is more than just a one-month rental, as the 29-year-old still has three more years and about $55 million remaining on ...

OMNICHATTER cursed the gloom that set upon us, ‘pon us, ‘pon us, for August 30, 2017