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 OK, 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.
Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
★★★
Everyone knows about the MLB All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby, but the real gem of that whole event comes on Sunday of All-Star week, while regular season baseball is still being played. That’s the Futures Game, which pits a team of United States prospects against a roster of international ones, and it’s your best chance to see the MLB of tomorrow, today. With just a couple of weeks to go before July 12, the date of the annual contest, MLB released the rosters for both squads.
There are a number of prospects you know of -- maybe some from your own team! -- and plenty that you might not know yet. There are plenty of top 100 prospects to see, even with all the rookies called up already in the first three months of the season, and you’ll want this sneak peek at them, too. Last year’s Futures Game featured Kris Bryant, Francisco Lindor, Joey Gallo and Noah Syndergaard, and Carlos Correa was selected for it even though he was injured. This is your first chance to see 2016’s version of those dudes, before they’re in the bigs.
Baseball Prospectus broke down the rosters of both the U.S. team and their international -- officially dubbed the World team -- counterparts. You can watch them in action on July 12 at 3 p.m. ET -- if you need further convincing to tune in, know that the Futures Game is also the lead-in for the annual All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game.
See, we told you Sunday of All-Star week is where you want to be.
- The Marlins drafted a hall of famer in 1992 with their first-ever selection. Well, sort of.
- Max Scherzer threw a 16-strikeout complete game and then a no-hitter in consecutive starts, and now he has a chance to rewrite a whole bunch of history in his next outing on Friday.
- The A’s have the most disciplined hitters in MLB, even if their record doesn’t reflect that positive note.
- The Twins called up prospect Alex Meyer to give their bullpen a mid-season boost, and the Mets did the same with Steven Matz, only for their rotation.
- Somehow, the Mets haven’t traded one of their roughly 97 starting pitchers for a competent bat yet, but hey, at least the rotation should be fun to watch.
- The MLB trade deadline is a little over a month away, so keep an eye on these 11 shortstops who could be moved before then.
- The 2018 season looms large for the 2015 Royals, because they called up a whole bunch of their youth at the same time a few years ago.
- Here are five trades someone dreamed up that you can argue about until real ones go down.
- Logan Morrison has been active on the bases for the Mariners, so here’s a breakdown of his steals.
- Why hiring Andy McPhail makes a whole lot of sense for the Phillies’ front office.
- Brett Myers: deeply unpleasant, and proud of it. Musically.
See More:
