It's that time of year again

It's that time of year again, when the rumors begin to pick up, and players begin to change uniforms. All 30 clubs will have to decide if they are buyers or sellers at the deadline, but this is not as easy as in years past. Ever since the expansion of the 2nd Wild Card, more and more teams are in it as of Jul. 31. As of Jul. 20, 13 teams are either leading their division or within five games of 1st. 11 teams are within 5.5 games of a wild card spot. This can put pressure on a team to make a move in order to contend, even if they are not realistically in the race. There are some big names that could be on the move, and many needs that have to be filled.

Definite Sellers

The Reds and Phillies are two teams who are definite sellers, and rumors have already begun to swirl around them. Both of them have lock down closers to trade as well as a front line starter. Aroldis Chapman’s name has already come up, and the Nationals, Blue Jays, and even the Dodgers would make sense for the powerful lefty. Jonathan Papelbon of the Phillies is a very intriguing player as many teams seem hesitant because of the animosity he creates in a clubhouse. So far it seems that the Blue Jays are still a possible target. The Brewers are another team that will likely be sellers at the deadline. They have some pieces that will fit nicely on contending teams. Francisco Rodriguez, Carlos Gomez, Jean Segura, Gerardo Parra and even Ryan Braun all seem to be expendable, but only for the right price. The Rockies should also be sellers, but it will hinge on whether they will trade Troy Tulowitzki or not. Billy Beane should also be busy this trade deadline, but not in the way he has in the past. After trading away many top prospects to get starter Jeff Samardzija last year, the A’s need to get back some more major league ready talent, and restock for 2016. Ben Zobrist as well as Scott Kazmir are the two most likely be dealt.

Let's Make a Deal

Here are a few possible scenarios that could go down this trade deadline...

Chapman to the Nationals for A.J. Cole and Trea Turner.

Steep price? Yes, but no one compares to Chapman in the 'pen, who by the way just became the fastest pitcher to 500 strikeouts. The Nationals would be trading from an area of surplus, pitching, and an area that is a question mark past this year (shortstop). If they are still unsure about shortstop for the future, then we could see Joe Ross, or even Tanner Roark go to the Reds instead of Trea Turner.

Johnny Cueto and Skip Schumaker to the Houston Astros for Mark Appel, Colin Moran, and Brett Phillips.

The Astros would be getting a frontline starter as well as a veteran 4^th outfielder. Mark Appel hasn’t developed as planned, so the Astros will be less hesitant than before in giving him up. Their outfield will be ok with dealing Brett Phillips as they will have Preston Tucker, Jake Marisnick, and Domingo Santana as their future outfield. The Reds on the other hand could have a replacement to Jay Bruce in Phillips, and will get back a future top to middle rotation guy in Appel.

Papelbon to the Blue Jays for Devon Travis and Jeff Hoffman

The Phillies will be landing a quality second baseman in Devon Travis and a good rotation arm in Jeff Hoffman. The Phillies need to make sure that they get the most that they can though as they have gotten minimal return in years past. The Blue Jays on the other hand, will be getting a lock down closer. This is their year to go for it. They have a powerhouse offense that leads the bigs in runs (by 80, with 498), but its been their pitching that has let them down. Going for Papelbon would definitely make a statement to the AL East as well as the players. Last year Alex Anthopoulos came under a lot of criticism for not making a deal, but he learned his lesson, and won't make the same mistake.

Cole Hamels to the Dodgers for Corey Seager, Jose De Leon, and Zach Lee.

The Dodgers will have to give in and give up one of the big three (Joc Pederson, Julio Urias, Corey Seager). Although they will have to give up a lot for Cole Hamels, it won’t be as much because they will most likely be paying some of his contract.

Gomez to the Mets for Steven Matz and Gavin Cecchini -- or -- Gomez and Parra for Steven Matz, Dominic Smith, and Akeel Morris.

Steven Matz would be the center piece that the Brewers would want, and Cecchini could also be future big leaguers. Another player that could be seen on the move in this deal is the first base prospect Dominic Smith. Smith will really only be a first baseman, so with Lucas Duda solidifying his case as an everyday player, Smith will be expendable. The Mets desperately need offense, and Carlos Gomez gives them a little bit of everything.

Ben Zobrist to the Yankees for Rob Refsnyder and Ian Clarkin.

The A’s will be getting back two mid-tier prospects, but two future big leaguers at the least. Rob Refsnyder even made his debut this year and the A’s can plug him straight into the lineup.

It is always fun to throw ideas out there, but these trades could be a possibility based on the needs and wants of each team. Some may be more outrageous than others, but we’ve seen crazier things happen at the trade deadline in years past. Expect this deadline to be no less exciting than the last.

Timing is everything

For years, the MLB Home Run Derby was marked by 10 outs, 3 rounds, and the famous Gold Ball at 9 outs. It used to be 15 to 30 minute rounds with guys taking 5 pitches in a row, only to launch a measly 2 home runs. Players would even leave before it was over, bored by the slow pace, and wanting to get that sleep they have been deprived of for months.



Image courtesy of MLB.com

2015 brought a dramatic change to the Gillette Home Run Derby. The new format brought a fast paced approach that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. Here is a look at some of the changes.

The first major change was adding a clock to the rounds. Due to the threat of rain, the rounds were shortened from 5 to 4 minutes, but 4 proved to be a great time. The 4 minute clock also added excitement and dramatics, as many rounds came down to the wire. Fans held their breath as the clock ticked down, and it also gave the hitters a sense of urgency. In the fast paced world we live in today, the timed rounds proved to be an exciting twist. The timeout also proved to be a valuable, but controlled break as it let players take a breather, without taking away excitement.

As a result of the timed rounds, more home runs were hit this year over previous years. 2014 saw around 80 baseballs fly into the stands as souvenirs, while almost double that amount, 159, ended up over the wall in 2015. More home runs hit equals more excitement. The amount of home runs hit per round was increased because of the new formatting. Anthony Rizzo had the lowest 1 round total of 8. In the 4 rounds of the 2014 derby, only 2 rounds saw a player hit more than 8 home runs.

Another change was the set brackets. Every player would be seeded based on the number of home runs they had hit during the regular season leading up to the break. Advancing was solely dependent on hitting more than your opponent in the bracket. The amount to beat was set there and then, instead of having to wait for everyone to hit to know the number to beat. This also added more of a head to head feel than in recent years.

Overall, the changes proved to be effective in captivating fans, and bringing a breath of fresh air to the oft drug out derby. There was definitely more of a buzz around the derby this year, and although many were skeptical about the new format, MLB did a great job of organizing and constructing it to work smoothly. The MLB deserves a big thumbs up for revamping the format.