TRADE GUIDE (fried, wide & tie-dyed)

	Well, it certainly became a busy weekend in the MLB after a mostly quiet month of July. This is your update and study guide to the issue that will be out Monday evening. I know you like to read Baseball in the Boroughs with your morning cup of "Joe" at the computer desk, but the trades came on fast and too much would be skipped if I waited till next issue to address the important trades that went down within the league. (Links to players and teams are available). Transactions and trade ruled the league these past three days and here's the information listed below. The Brotherly Love small city grew even bigger with Boston being no slackers. Beltran flew the coop in Queens as expected and the suites in the Bronx forgot to get a pitcher. Professional Baseball Players have been flying in and out of cities across America with the impression to make an impact from their cities fans and tomorrow begins the last two month push to make the postseason. As I said, a lot has been accomplished over the weekend by some and a few did almost nothing. Read up people, and I'll have my rant ready and willing for your eyes tomorrow. (Links to players and teams are available) Also, the next issue will be full with Fantasy Reports and everyone's favorite...Adam Hammer's "Loose Lips". The Doctor is in and he is back, knowing many of you need to heal from what's ailing you. Sunday, July 31, 2011 Oakland Athletics traded RHP Brad Ziegler to Arizona Diamondbacks for 1B Brandon Allen and Jordan Norberto.
	Colorado Rockies traded RHP Ubaldo Jimenez to Cleveland Indians; Cleveland Indians traded RHP Alex White to Colorado Rockies and Akron Aeros traded RHP Joseph Gardner and Matt McBride to Tulsa Drillers.
	Baltimore Orioles traded RHP Koji Uehara to Texas Rangers for 1B Chris Davis and RHP Tommy Hunter.
	Springfield Cardinals traded RF Alex Castellanos to Chattanooga Lookouts and Los Angeles Dodgers traded cash and SS Rafael Furcal to St. Louis Cardinals.
	Houston Astros traded CF Michael Bourn to Atlanta Braves; Atlanta Braves traded CF Jordan Schafer and RHP Juan Abreu to Houston Astros and Mississippi Braves traded RHP Paul Clemens and LHP Brett Oberholtzer to Corpus Christi Hooks.
	San Diego Padres traded Ryan Ludwick to Pittsburgh Pirates.
	Cleveland Indians traded 2B Orlando Cabrera to San Francisco Giants for LF Thomas Neal.
	Seattle Mariners traded LHP Erik Bedard to Boston Red Sox; Tacoma Rainiers traded RHP Josh Fields to Pawtucket Red Sox; Boston Red Sox traded CF Trayvon Robinson to Seattle Mariners and Portland Sea Dogs traded Chih-Hsien Chiang to Jackson Generals.
	San Diego Padres traded RHP Mike Adams to Texas Rangers and Frisco RoughRiders traded LHP Robert Erlin and RHP Joseph Wieland to San Antonio Missions.
	Los Angeles Dodgers traded CF Trayvon Robinson to Boston Red Sox; Portland Sea Dogs traded C Tim Federowicz and RHP Stephen Fife to Chattanooga Lookouts and Greenville Drive traded Juan Rodriguez to Great Lakes Loons.
	Baltimore Orioles traded 1B Derrek Lee to Pittsburgh Pirates and Bradenton Marauders traded 1B Aaron Baker to Frederick Keys.
	San Diego Padres called up Erik Hamren from San Antonio Missions.
	Baltimore Orioles called up Mike Ballard from Bowie Baysox.
	Kansas City Royals recalled Manuel Pina from Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
	Cleveland Indians recalled Jason Donald from Columbus Clippers.
	Baltimore Orioles recalled LHP Pedro Viola from Bowie Baysox.
	Los Angeles Dodgers recalled Dee Gordon from Albuquerque Isotopes.
	Houston Astros recalled LF Luis Durango from Oklahoma City RedHawks.
	Colorado Rockies recalled Edgmer Escalona from Colorado Springs Sky Sox.
	Washington Nationals recalled LHP Atahualpa Severino from Syracuse Chiefs.
	San Diego Padres recalled Wade LeBlanc from Tucson Padres.
07/30/11	Arizona Diamondbacks placed LHP Alberto Castillo on the 15-Day disabled list. Left Shoulder Tendonitis
	Milwaukee Brewers transferred LHP Mitch Stetter from the 15-Day disabled list to the 60-Day disabled list.
	Philadelphia Phillies activated 3B Placido Polanco from the 15-Day disabled list.
	Arizona Diamondbacks transferred SS Stephen Drew from the 15-Day disabled list to the 60-Day disabled list.
	Los Angeles Dodgers placed 3B Juan Uribe on the 15-Day disabled list retroactive to July 24, 2011. Lower abdomen strain.
	Los Angeles Dodgers activated 3B Casey Blake from the 15-Day disabled list.
	Oakland Athletics placed RHP Michael Wuertz on the 15-Day disabled list. Right thumb tendinitis
	Arizona Diamondbacks activated RHP Ryan Cook.
	RHP Casey Edelbrock assigned to AZL Royals from Kansas City Royals.
	Patrick Reyes assigned to DSL Pirates from Pittsburgh Pirates.
	OF Blake Gailen assigned to Arkansas Travelers from Los Angeles Angels.
	Tyler Williams assigned to Bristol White Sox from Chicago White Sox.
	Scott Munter assigned to Fresno Grizzlies from San Francisco Giants.
	Steven Selsky assigned to AZL Reds from Cincinnati Reds.
	Brandon Parrent assigned to Great Falls Voyagers from Chicago White Sox.
	Dustin Kellogg assigned to GCL Astros from Houston Astros.
	Milwaukee Brewers designated RF Brett Carroll for assignment.
	Baltimore Orioles optioned RHP Chris Tillman to Norfolk Tides.
	Philadelphia Phillies optioned RHP Drew Carpenter to Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
	Seattle Mariners optioned LHP Aaron Laffey to Tacoma Rainiers.
	Philadelphia Phillies optioned LF Domonic Brown to Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
	New York Yankees optioned LF Chris Dickerson to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.
	Salem Red Sox traded RHP Kendal Volz to Wilmington Blue Rocks; Boston Red Sox traded 3B Yamaico Navarro to Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Royals traded 3B Mike Aviles to Boston Red Sox.
	Seattle Mariners traded RHP David Pauley and RHP Doug Fister to Detroit Tigers; Detroit Tigers traded , RF Casper Wells and LHP Charlie Furbush to Seattle Mariners and Erie SeaWolves traded 3B Francisco Martinez to Jackson Generals.
	Houston Astros traded RF Hunter Pence to Philadelphia Phillies; Clearwater Threshers traded 1B Jonathan Singleton and RHP Jarred Cosart to Lancaster JetHawks and Reading Phillies traded RHP Josh Zeid to Corpus Christi Hooks.
	Huntsville Stars traded RF Erik Komatsu to Harrisburg Senators and Washington Nationals traded SS Jerry Hairston to Milwaukee Brewers.
	South Bend Silver Hawks traded Zachary Walters to Potomac Nationals and Washington Nationals traded RHP Jason Marquis to Arizona Diamondbacks.
	Colorado Rockies signed free agent 1B Jorge Cantu.
	Houston Astros called up RF J.D. Martinez from Corpus Christi Hooks.
	Baltimore Orioles recalled RHP Chris Tillman from Norfolk Tides.
	New York Yankees recalled RHP Ivan Nova from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.
	Oakland Athletics recalled LHP Jerry Blevins from Sacramento River Cats.
	Seattle Mariners recalled RHP Dan Cortes from Tacoma Rainiers.
	Arizona Diamondbacks recalled Ryan Cook from Reno Aces.
	Baltimore Orioles recalled LHP Zach Britton from Bowie Baysox.
	Detroit Tigers recalled Jacob Turner from Erie SeaWolves.
	Washington Nationals recalled LF Brian Bixler from Syracuse Chiefs.
	Washington Nationals recalled Yunesky Maya from Syracuse Chiefs.
07/29/11	Seattle Mariners activated LHP Erik Bedard from the 15-Day disabled list.
	Pittsburgh Pirates placed RHP Chris Leroux on the 7-Day disabled list retroactive to July 28, 2011. Left calf strain
	New York Yankees activated RHP Rafael Soriano from the 60-Day disabled list.
	Minnesota Twins placed 2B Alexi Casilla on the 15-Day disabled list. Strained right hamstring.
	Atlanta Braves placed CF Nate McLouth on the 15-Day disabled list. Lower abdominal strain.
	San Diego Padres activated RHP Ernesto Frieri.
	New York Yankees transferred RHP Sergio Mitre from the 15-Day disabled list to the 60-Day disabled list.
	St. Louis Cardinals placed 2B Nick Punto on the 15-Day disabled list. Strained left oblique.
	Los Angeles Dodgers placed RHP Kenley Jansen on the 15-Day disabled list retroactive to July 27, 2011. Cardiac arrhythmia.
	Washington Nationals activated RHP Chien-Ming Wang from the 60-Day disabled list.
	Bryce Mosier assigned to Bristol White Sox from Chicago White Sox.
	Seattle Mariners designated DH Jack Cust for assignment.
	Atlanta Braves designated SS Diory Hernandez for assignment.
	Milwaukee Brewers optioned 2B Eric Farris to Nashville Sounds.
	Detroit Tigers optioned Chance Ruffin to Toledo Mud Hens.
	San Diego Padres optioned Pat Neshek to Tucson Padres.
	New York Yankees optioned Steve Garrison to Trenton Thunder.
	Toronto Blue Jays optioned RHP P.J. Walters to Las Vegas 51s.
	Washington Nationals optioned RF Roger Bernadina to Syracuse Chiefs.
	Baltimore Orioles outrighted Mark Worrell to Norfolk Tides.
	Pittsburgh Pirates signed C Patrick Reyes.
	Chicago White Sox signed 3B Tyler Williams.
	Cincinnati Reds signed OF Steven Selsky.
	Chicago White Sox signed LHP Brandon Parrent.
	Houston Astros signed RHP Dustin Kellogg.
	Los Angeles Angels signed free agent OF Blake Gailen.
	San Francisco Giants signed free agent RHP Scott Munter.
	Atlanta Braves called up CF Jose Constanza from Gwinnett Braves.
	Milwaukee Brewers called up 2B Felipe Lopez from Nashville Sounds.
	Minnesota Twins recalled 2B Luke Hughes from Rochester Red Wings.
	St. Louis Cardinals recalled Tyler Greene from Memphis Redbirds.
	Los Angeles Dodgers recalled Josh Lindblom from Chattanooga Lookouts.
	Pittsburgh Pirates recalled 3B Pedro Ciriaco from Indianapolis Indians.
	Toronto Blue Jays recalled Jesse Litsch from Las Vegas 51s.
	Detroit Tigers recalled Daniel Schlereth from Toledo Mud Hens.

Welcome Back Note

I learned a few things while spending some time in Paradise after getting hitched the week before...

The Mets continue to battle with .500 baseball, A-Rod was a worthless number 2 fantasy pick, the Mets will be "sellers" these next two weeks, shown when sending Frankie Rodriguez to the Brewers for nobody and the Yankees will probably be "buyers" as they look for a Starting Pitcher to fill out their rotation. The All-Star game is still only mildly entertaining, while the Home-Run Derby is a complete waste of time. If I had to hear "back, back, back" out of Chris Berman's mouth one more time I would have stuck Q-tips in my ears permanently. It's a home-run derby Berman, a lot of balls go back, back, back...that's the point. Thankfully, I only had time to watch a few minutes of both of these ESPN events in a hallway with two pool tables, plenty of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes. I was relaxing on an island in the West Indies and was still able to be annoyed by the whole sha-bang.

            METS 50 -51

That’s all over with and the 2nd half of baseball in upon us. The New York Mets are 50-51 after having a tough time with Florida. Friday night’s game was the Mets season in three hours. They took the lead, lost the lead, up by one, then no fun. Winning…tied, D. Wright returns with two double…hooray, tied again. My mind was numb, but they pulled off the series opener 7-6. Losing the next two proved there was no spark set after the nice win, even after the team played the Cardinals so well. Nothing new in Queens. Just simple facts, like that 2012 is the year to look at and Beltran’s days in a Mets uniform are obviously numbered. Where he’ll go makes no difference, it’s a question and interest of who the Amazin’s receive in exchange? Sadly not a soul. It’s a moles hole that no one can seem to escape out of.

I see real positive things in the Mets GM, Sandy Alderson. I think he is looking forward and freeing money. I feel he cares about his position and wants to bring winning baseball on the East side of New York. This week will be very interesting as the trade “deadline” looms at Sunday. The Mets organization has work to do. Pitching and power production out of their lineup is a must. Small ball can work in Citi Field, but Terry Collins doesn’t have it going yet.

The Reds are the next challenge and they are not clicking like last year’s surging surprise. Dusty Baker will never be saved by this Doctor on the surgery table. The guy is a walking disaster. I see this every time he walks out for a pitching change, which is no less than four on a good day. 

YANKEES 59 -40

Three games back from the Boston Red Sox, the Bronx Bombers really can still play cool with a 5.5 game lead in the Wild Card spot. Two team that are easily described as mediocre, in Tampa Bay and the Angels strike no threat in my mind to the Yankees. Besides a hurt Alex Rodriguez, which would be a huge hit to any other team it would be fatal. When a player of that stature goes down its season over in any other city, but not in Yankee World. The only other team that could survive a star player losing as much time as A-Rod is would be the Red Sox. The lineup for the Yankees will be fine as they will always produce when hot. With Granderson, Swisher, Big Tex and Cano being a consistent danger to the opposing pitcher you just don’t worry. They took two out of three from Oakland, while scoring a massive 17 runs in Friday night’s game now face the forever struggling Seattle Mariners.

The Yankees are sitting pretty with a trade or two in the near future. Another starter will come into town replacing Hughes. He needs to straighten up and Brian Cashman is not going to wait for Phil to catch up. Another bat wouldn’t be a surprise, but pitching, pitching, pitching win World Series. I’m still looking towards the last few Red Sox series. It’s bound to be cut-throat as the season grows deeper and the AL East title stays up for grabs.

The Yankees are 19 games over .500 and I’m sorry, maybe it’s my Pittsburgh Pirate blood, but you have to be happy with that. Especially in these times, with the Wild Card playoff expansion. They will take Seattle 2 out of 3 at the least and players will be bought by week’s end. Biggest question is why they say Ivan Nova is not up for trades, I say sell high on that guy and see what you get. It’s possible the Yankees “suites” are still feeling the lumps in their throats from letting Ian Kennedy fly over to Arizona.

Yankees WIN SERIES 2-1

            The Mets went from scoring all the runs in to world while playing in Texas and Detroit.  It was amazingly beautiful to watch a team that was so depressing coming into the 2011 season. Then after witnessing the April month of Mets baseball all feelings became more sour and angry and if you really cared…you just felt sad. Hate to use the old saying, but Met games this past April was like watching a train wreck.

            All of a sudden the starting pitching began getting through 6 innings on most nights, thanks to “the Rook” Dillon Gee, and Jose Reyes started putting on a show. The team was underway in making a break for the .500 mark. Not great, not where you want to be, but respectable in a season that started off on the wrong foot. Shit, I don’t even think the Mets had any feet going into this season. The team was cruising past opponents on all cylinders, scoring runs from Beltran’s bat and the youngsters like Turner and Tejada made a bit of noise. Pagan came off the DL with spunk and actually started hitting the ball away from the defensive players. Daniel Murphy raised his average from .60 points in a month while Jon Niese and R.A. Dickey also turned things around. Hopes were high and all was looking positive in Queens coming back home to face the Bronx Bombers.

            All this was true in New York…but quietly…on the other side of the river…the Yankees had their own dominate streak taking place…

            The Yankees came into the Subway Series with a 5 game winning streak, no big feat, but continued to make ground in the AL East over Boston and Tampa Bay. I thought the surging Mets offense would’ve smacked around Ivan Nova, but nothing happened on Friday night. Jon Niese gave up 3 runs in the first inning and it seemed to blow the wind right out of the Mets sails. Dying the crowd down and weakening the Home field advantage aspect of the series right away.  Ivan Nova gave up seven hits and walked two in 5 innings, but the Mets couldn’t pull the trigger. They couldn’t get it close and once you give the Yankees a lead, it’s always tough to come back.

            It might have took the Yankees six pitchers to finish off the final 4 innings of the game, but 3 hits, 1 walk and no runs later…the Bombers take game one of the series and put a hurting on growing ego in Queens.

            On Saturday, Bartolo Colon came off the DL and the Mets wished he wouldn’t have.  It proved to be a solid day with 6 innings, 6 K’s and 5 hits from the largely overweight and aging out-of-shape Yankee pitcher. Soon I will not be able to make fun when he’s part of the playoff rotation…

…Okay that’s jumping the gun, but the old man has done his job swimmingly with an overall 6-3 record and a 2.88 ERA. Curtis Granderson came back with his 22^nd HR of the season and Eduardo Nunez went 3 for 4 with a HR, trying to somehow make fans forget about their Captain. (Ain’t gonna happen).  Again the Mets bats were just not enough gaining plenty of hits and opportunities but never really putting a good threat on to make Joe Girardi shake in his cleats. To put more terrible on the fire 14 of the 18 Mets hits in the first two games…singles. That’s not how you produce runs and these games did nothing but help to prove that point. By the way, the four other hits…doubles…great. Game two was won 5-2 in 2 hours and thirty-two minutes. The victory improved the Yankees to a season-high 19 games over .500, and was their 7^th win in a row.

Last but not least was the Sunday afternoon, the finally of these two New York clubs battling it out in 2011. Couldn’t have ended any better if you ask me on an excitement level. Mets were pretty much dead at the plate again having 9 hits in 10 innings and only one extra base hit, which was another double.  It was a pitchers duel between Freddy Garcia and Dickey/Beato. The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the first that carried all the way into the 5^th. Then Pedro Beato dueled with the end of Freddy Garcia’s great day (7 inn, 1 ER and 6 hits). Another old man by the nickname of Izzy came in for the Mets and couldn’t deliver against Granderson and Cano who slapped a triple to take a 2-1 lead and a convincing road to a three-game sweep in Citi Field. If it happened, and did seem it would happen with the big time all MLB knowledge Mariano Rivera entering the following inning, it would have blown the past weekend for the Mets right out of their fans memories like it never happen. The Bronx Bombers were three outs away of dropping bombs all over Queens before the end of interleague play.

The Mets refused to die and go down with only 4 runs in the series. They ended up scoring one off Mo and then the unlikely hero named Jason Bay knocked in the game winner with a single up the middle. The fans that stayed went wild and the fact that it was Mets vs. Yankees the place was packed and elated. The Yankee bullpen can be beat and the Mets stole one going 2-4 against the mighty Yankees in 2011. The series was not as tight as the first on at Yankee stadium this year even though the scoring was low, but the heart of the Mets players and the dominant attitude the pinstripe wearing Yankees bring to every stadium they play in is just an amazing amazement to be apart of.