Listen, we know it’s tough to catch up on everything happening in the baseball world each morning. There are all kinds of stories, rumors, game coverage, and Vines of dudes getting hit in the beans every day. Trying to find all of it while on your way to work or sitting at your desk just isn’t easy. It’s okay, though, we’re going to do the heavy lifting for you each morning, and find the things you need to see from within the SB Nation baseball network as well as from elsewhere. Please hold your applause until the end, or at least until after you subscribe to the newsletter.
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Last season, Devin Mesoraco was one of the best catchers in all of baseball, as he hit .273/.359/.534 with 25 home runs and a Fangraphs WAR of 4.5 for the Cincinnati Reds. Mesoraco’s breakout season earned him a four-year contract extension, and things seemed peachy for both the Reds and Mesoraco. Every team in baseball could use a catcher who can mash the ball while being an adequate fielder, and Mesoraco fits the bill.
Unfortunately, Mesoraco hasn’t been doing much fielding this season. In fact, he hasn’t played the position of catcher since April 12 due to a left hip impingement. He’s been serving as a pinch hitter in the meantime, and while he’s come off the bench to help the Reds in a couple of big moments (such as earlier this week), there’s still a pretty obvious question here: Why not just have hip surgery and be through with it, instead of having to resort to halfway measures such as this?
We may get an answer to that question soon, since Mesoraco is reportedly considering having surgery on his hip. It would assuredly end his season, but it would also put an end to having a clearly-injured player take up a roster spot. Mesoraco having surgery now would allow the Reds to focus on the future with a hopefully-healthy Mesoraco, instead of wading around in the muck and mire of the present with the currently-injured Mesoraco. Even if there are still valid questions about whether he’ll be able to be a full-time catcher post-surgery, it would be better to deal with that issue than to have a potential cornerstone piece be relegated to pinch-hit duty.
- It’s time for everybody’s favorite baseball topic of discussion: Tampa Bay Rays attendance issues!
- Troy Tulowitzki has reportedly told the Rockies that he won’t seek a trade -- at least, publicly.
- Speaking of the Rockies, they’ve been in a bit of a funk, lately. Carlos Gonzalez helped them break out of it last night, big time.
- Another wacky Cubs fan is in the news, and apparently he’s a big fan of the ivy in the Friendly Confines.
- The hats for the 2015 MLB All-Star Game have leaked. If you’re a fan of Mr. Redlegs’ headgear, then you’ll like these. (Unfortunately for Mr. Redlegs, Darren Rovell says that the players won’t be hearing these hats)
- Could Chase Utley be moving across the state? One Pirates fan thinks it’s possible.
- Tim Lincecum had a rough go of it last night, and it didn’t help that he couldn’t stay upright on the mound.
- The Nationals have been celebrating their walk-off victories with chocolate syrup. Why are they being a bunch of weirdos? Max Scherzer tried to explain.
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