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.
Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
★★★
Cole Hamels is great at that whole pitching thing, and while he’ll cost whoever wants him in a trade a whole bunch of prospects, he won’t cost said team nearly as much in dollars as his comparables on the free agent market. David Price and Johnny Cueto both might pull in upwards of $200 million over a whole lot of years as Max Scherzer did this past winter, while Hamels is only owed $84 million over the next 3.5 seasons, and only $98 million total over 4.5 if his option is picked up. This is why it’s not surprising that the Cubs, Rangers, Dodgers and Red Sox are still all in on Hamels, even though two of those teams might not even be contending this year.
All four of those teams have the prospects to make it work. While the Dodgers and Red Sox are unlikely to want to part with their most talented youth -- Corey Seager and Julio Urias in Los Angeles, and Mookie Betts and Blake Swihart in Boston -- Jayson Stark reported that the Phillies are willing to go for a balance of quantity and quality in a Hamels’ deal. That would mean six -- six! -- prospects for Hamels. While it obviously depends on which six, if one of these teams really wants Hamels and everything his contract represents compared to this winter’s options, then they’ll have to pay up that number or something reasonably close to it.
The Red Sox have proven with 2015 that they do need Hamels, but they were probably hoping they would be closer to contention this summer when they found out one way or the other. With teams like the Cubs and Dodgers maybe more inclined towards a rental since they’re competing now, that might leave things a little more open for the Sox and Rangers. And hey, the Rangers with Hamels might even get fully back into the wild card race, as they are just 5.5 games back at the moment.
- While there has been no official statement, the MLBPA is reportedly not happy with Colin Cowherd’s remarks about Dominican Baseball players. And neither was Jose Bautista.
- Bryce Harper couldn’t take a fan to prom -- after all, it’s during baseball season -- but that’s OK. He made it up to her.
- Rob Manfred discussed moving the trade deadline to compensate for the second wild card, but that would be a mistake for a number of reasons.
- Scott Kazmir was traded to the Astros, and everything about it -- Kazmir’s odd career, the evolution of the Astros, the A’s sad 2015 -- is so very baseball.
- Why was Kazmir the first to go? The A’s needed to be realistic about the standings, and July 23 was the moment where that reality was unavoidable.
- Now that Kazmir has been dealt, what does this mean for the Reds, who still haven’t traded anyone of consequence?
- If the Phillies “fail” to trade either Hamels or closer Jonathan Papelbon, it’s going to be OK..
- The Padres are aggressively scouting the Blue Jays, as the Jays need pitching and San Diego can provide it.
- There is one stat that proves the Giants need to be active at the trade deadline.
- Other teams want to get Nick Markakis from the Braves, but they won’t be able to.
- Were you worried about Clayton Kershaw earlier this year? Because he’s rattled off 29 straight scoreless innings and struck out 45 batters since issuing his last walk, and now his ERA is 2.51.
★★★
SB Nation video archives: The best first pitch and the absolute worst ones (2013)
See More:
