Time to decide to buy or sell in the MLB.
July features two things in baseball: first, the annual All-Star Game. Second, the trade deadline. As the All-Star Game nears, teams on the fringe have to decide if they're going to push ahead and try to make a surge, thus deciding to be a buyer and acquire more, or better, pieces, or if they're going to sell and unload any expiring contracts or valuable players in an attempt to build for next year. It can be a tough decision to make.
The baseball team nearest to me is the Minnesota Twins and they stand on the edge of this precipice. The Twins are 9 games behind in the AL Central and sub-.500 so far. They're known for playing .550 ball under Ron Gardenhire, their manager, in the second half of the season, typically. Everyone expects the Cleveland Indians to fade away (they won't) and everyone knows that the Detroit Tigers play roughly .450 ball in the second half of the season under Jim Leyland. That, combined with some timely winning, have some wondering if the Twins will try to make a run. Word in Minneapolis, according to the Star-Tribune, also, is that even the Twins themselves have considered it, advising their scouts to look out for bullpen help if they decide to go that route.
I look at the Twins and are of a mind that they need to sell. Even if the unlikely happened and they win the AL Central again, I don't think their current roster is playoff-worthy; not the way it's been playing this year. Meanwhile, they have several players with expiring contracts this season who would look valuable to other teams in pennant races - they could maximize their position by dealing some of those players for top prospects, thus rebuilding their barren minor league cabinets and giving them greater longevity. Anyone they don't anticipate re-signing should be traded. I'm looking particularly at three men: Jason Kubel, Michael Cuddyer and Joe Nathan.
Nathan can veto any trade. However, that may not stop him from seeing a good destination out there. Nathan is getting older and may accept a trade to a strong contender who needs reliever help. Jason Kubel is the most expendable expiring Twin to me - he was hot in 2009 and this year, but cold in 2011. The Twins are deep in the outfield, with more capable Major League players than outfield spots. It would behoove them to move Kubel and gain prospects or other talent for him before he hits free agency. As for Michael Cuddyer, well, I think he's the face of the franchise that Joe Mauer doesn't want to be. Cuddyer plays wherever the Twins need him, doesn't complain, and is relatively productive. He could be a huge asset to any team making a push who needs a reliable, veteran utility man. The Twins need to consider trading him and his $10.5M/year salary or begin preliminary negotiations with him for next year now, figuring out if he'll consider staying for less. Otherwise, it may be in everyone's best interests for him to go. Even though he's one of the most popular Twins and one of the most hard-working, it would do the Twins well to remember the last time they felt they had a player too valuable to let walk: how's the $23M/year for Joe Mauer looking now?
I'll probably revisit the buy/sell question as the month stretches on, as it'll be the major storyline in baseball until the deadline passes - at which point, the pennant races begin in earnest.
NHL free agency update!
Brad Richards signed a 9-year, $60M contract with the NY Rangers, thus rejoining John Tortorella, whom he won the 2004 Stanley Cup with. This is another one of those "end of your career" contracts I mentioned before; Richards will be 40 when it ends. Richards was the gem of this year's free agents and, unlike some others, he's earned a contract like this. Playing alongside Marion Gaborik, with a top young goaltender behind him, he could give the Rangers a much-needed boost.
Meanwhile, the Kings signed Simon Gagne, to a 2-year deal after his productive outing with the Lightning last year. He should line up with Vincent Lecavalier and give the Kings a welcome boost to propel them a little further than last year. If he can stay healthy, this could be very beneficial.
Surprisingly, the Washington Capitals shipped young, promising goaltender Semyon Varlamov to Colorado for draft picks. Yesterday, they signed his possible replacement in free agency's top goaltender, Tomas Vokoun. They also signed senior defensemen Roman Hamrlik to help shore up their defense. Always interesting to watch, we'll see how these moves pan out for the Capitals, who always falter in the playoffs.
Around the MLB -
Philadelphia 5, Toronto 3 - Halladay throws the complete game, notching win number 11 in his return to Toronto.
Pittsburgh 5, Washington 3 - Garrett Jones's almost-cycle (short by a triple) pushed the Pirates over the Nats in Game 1 of their doubleheader.
Washington 4, Pittsburgh 3 - The Nats bite back in the eighth inning of the second game with a pinch-hit RBI single from Pudge Rodridguez.
Chi. White Sox 1, Chi. Cubs 0 - Philip Humber and Matt Garza duel it out, but the White Sox prevail, giving Garza a rare complete game loss.
Cleveland 3, Cincinnati 1 - Michael Brantley's 3-run shot in the third inning was all the Tribe needed to win again in Cincy.
NY Yankees 5, Mets 2 - Bartolo Colon shines in his return from the DL, throwing six scoreless innings.
Boston 10, Houston 4 - Three runs in the first helped spark the Red Sox until they closed it out with four in the eighth.
San Francisco 15, Detroit 3 - After a nearly 3-hour rain delay, the Giants batter the Tigers, whose bullpen gave up another grand slam.
Atlanta 5, Baltimore 4 - Mark Reynolds's 2 HRs aren't enough to help the Orioles prevail after a five-run fourth inning for the Braves.
Milwaukee 8, Minnesota 7 - Leading 7-4 in the ninth (7-0 after four), Twins closer Matt Capps gives up 4 runs and the game.
Tampa Bay 5, St. Louis 1 - Kyle McClellan and Jeff Niemann's pitcher's duel ended in the sixth when a bases-loaded triple blew the game open for the Rays.
Florida 9, Texas 5 - Hanley Ramirez's grand slam in the first inning and another homer in the seventh to seal the win for the Marlins.
Colorado 9, Kansas City 6 - Mark Ellis hit three doubles for the Rockies, who stormed the Royals for 15 hits in their win.
Arizona 4, Oakland 2 - Joe Saunders's magnificent start was backed up by a 4-RBI effort by Chris Young.
LA Angels 7, LA Dodgers 1 - Six days after their first pitcher's duel, Weaver and Kershaw meet again; Weaver's eight-inning, one-run game keeps his era under 2.00.
San Diego 1, Seattle 0 - Doug Fister threw a complete game, 1-run loss for the Mariners; starter Cory Luebke is sterling for the Padres and is backed up by a strong bullpen performance.
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