Todd's Takes: Dumb Excuses

Afternoon Delight

There are a lot of shortcomings with the MLB schedule: two-day series, some teams not playing on holidays, etc. However, for someone who works from home, and, you know, likes watching baseball, having matinees on most Tuesdays and then every Wednesday and Thursday through the end of the season is pretty cool. Granted, it gives me yet another excuse not to go to the gym, but I'm trying.

Love Thy Neighbor

I heard it countless times during Wednesday's broadcasts and saw it all over Twitter, and I just don't get it.

_________ doesn't want to trade to another team in the _________.

Why?

Clearly, it's because they don't want to suffer the backlash of the player coming back to haunt them. On our MLB Network Radio show last Saturday, Jeff Erickson astutely pointed out there will be far fewer chances with the impending balanced schedule.

Even so... why?

Let's look at it from a practical point of view. The contending team is probably going to deal the same prospects regardless. If they don't extend the acquired player for bags of money, they're going to spend it elsewhere. If their prospects are the best you can get, why not make the deal, irrespective of division?

You're not likely to compete next season, so who cares if your competitor is a bit better in the short term? Why not be the team to take advantage of their sacrificing some of their future?

Isn't the goal to maximize one's own chances of winning? If dealing within the division accomplishes it, DO IT!

There are some analogous fantasy scenarios. This is for redraft, or being on the competitive side of a keeper/dynasty league. If all you're doing is securing a money spot, there should be no hesitance dealing with the first-place team, so long as you open things up so everyone has a shot at those you're dealing.

Trading with a team ahead of you in the standings seems risky, but if you can identify differences in player expectations so you feel they'll be hurt by the deal, making such a trade can be doubly beneficial.

Box Score Blitz

• PHI 7, ATL 2: Alec Bohm's 2-for-4 effort extended his hitting streak to 12 games, over which he's slashing .488/.511/.707. The problem is he continues to be a huge defensive liability, with a -12 defensive runs saved at the hot corner. Wednesday was a scheduled off day for Ronald Acuna. Michael Harris filled in at leadoff but went 0-for-4. After a rough dozen games to start the season, Charlie Morton righted the ship, but Wednesday was the second time in three games that he gave up at least four earned runs in five innings.
• DET 4, SD 3: Taylor Rogers blew a save for the second straight day and has only recorded three scoreless outings over his last 11 appearances. Rogers has posted an 8.74 ERA and 1.94 WHIP over that span, despite fanning 14 with just two walks and no homers in those 11.1 frames. The problem has been how he's clustered 20 hits over that stretch. Padres skipper Bob Melvin hinted Rogers may not be the man for the next save. Luis Garcia, Nick Martinez and Adrian Morejon are all possibilities. Jeimer Candelario collected three hits. In his last three games, he's cracked six balls over 95 mph (five over 100, three over 105). He may be hitting the ball hard, but Candelario and the Tigers draw the tough Alek Manoah, Ross Stripling and Jose Berrios in Toronto over the weekend.
• LAA 4, KC 0: With Michael Lorenzen (shoulder) suffering a setback on his rehab assignment, the Angels summoned Janson Junk as their sixth starter. He responded by fanning eight Royals in five scoreless frames, walking just one while scattering four hits. It's unclear when Lorenzen will be ready, but if Junk stays in the rotation, he lines up to face Oakland next week and then Oakland and the Twins the following period. Kansas City announced they traded Andrew Benintendi to the Yankees after the game, paving the way for Nick Pratto and Vinnie Pasquantino to be in the lineup together.
• MIL 10, MIN 4: Corbin Burnes compiled double-digit strikeouts for the third time in his last four starts. The Twins tied the game 3-3 in the second inning, but Burnes got to work with a lead again after Rowdy Tellez crushed his second three-run blast in the fourth. Tellez has been playing more against lefty pitching, but don't be surprised if the Brewers bring in a platoon partner over the next week. Chris Archer struggled for the second straight start, but the Twins don't have any other options. There has been eerily no news on Bailey Ober (groin). The last update had him hopefully returning in early July, which obviously didn't happen.
• COL 6, CHW 5: Kris Bryant's 2-for-5 effort brought his slash line to .304/.371/.480. Only 28 of the Rockies' remaining 63 games are at home (44 percent) so using Bryant's solid numbers to deal him before all the road games lower his production could be beneficial. With Liam Hendriks throwing 27 pitches on Tuesday night, Kendall Graveman received the save chance, but he failed to convert.
• LAD 7, WSH 1: Getting a piece of the potent Dodgers lineup is tough for daily league enthusiasts, with one option being Hanser Alberto when a lefty is on the hill. Alberto doubled in four at-bats, but he knocked in two and scored once, demonstrating the benefit of playing in a stacked order. The Dodgers were hoping for five innings from Andrew Heaney in his return. He managed to throw four frames, but three walks drove his pitch count up. Still, his effort was encouraging, so Heaney should be back on the fantasy radar.
• OAK 4, HOU 2: You sweep the Yankees in a twin bill coming out of the break, then you get swept in a series by the A's. Baseball. Cole Irvin continued a stealthily solid season with seven strong stanzas, but the story could be A.J. Puk collecting his second save in a week. Granted, the first was of the one-out, rescue variety and Wednesday's came after Lou Trivino pitched the previous evening, but Trivino has been sketchy so perhaps Puk will take over. Stephen Piscotty collected a pair of hits for the third time in four games. Let's not go overboard, Piscotty remains a back-end outfielder, but in deeper leagues, he could be an upgrade.
• ARI 5, SF 3: Aided by some shoddy defense, the Diamondbacks rallied for three runs in the seventh, spoiling another solid effort from Logan Webb. Josh Rojas and Ketel Marte both homered for Arizona. Rojas is also running and should be one of the better fantasy third basemen down the stretch, while Marte has been hitting the ball with more authority for a few weeks now.
• SEA 4, TEX 2: Julio Rodriguez didn't care that Jon Gray had been one of the best pitchers in July, as he took him deep with a go-ahead (and game-winning) three-run blast in the seventh. Matt Festa collected his second save this month, though Paul Sewald remains head of the Seattle committee.
• CIN 5, MIA 3: In what could be his last start with the Reds, Luis Castillo cemented his status as the top arm available with a seven-inning, eight strikeout effort. He's now punched out 90 in 85 frames. ImAGiNe hOW he'Ll Do wHEn iT gETs WarM? Hunter Strickland picked up his eighth save. I've avoided the Reds bullpen all season, but Strickland appears to be the guy. JJ Bleday has played regularly since being promoted. He garnered his first homer in Wednesday's losing effort.
• NYM 3, NYY 2: Max Scherzer hurled seven scoreless but didn't factor into the decision. Starling Marte continues to rake after missing a few games with a groin issue. His 2-for-5 effort raised his line to .382/.417/.500 with two steals since July 14.
• TB 6, BAL 4 (F/10): The Rays bullpen picked up an unusually shaky Drew Rasmussen with a zombie runner win. Pete Fairbanks became the ninth Tampa reliever to notch a save. There are still several ahead of him in the committee, though Fairbanks could move up if he regains old form.
• STL 6, TOR 1: So much for Kevin Gausman cruising with Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt back in the states. The Cardinals put up a five-spot, the second time this season Gausman has allowed five runs. Insert veteran leadership narrative here. Albert Pujols was 3-for-4, including a three-run dinger, while Adam Wainwright stifled the potent Blue Jays lineup with seven innings of one-run ball, scattering five hits while fanning eight.
• CLE 7, BOS 6: The Guardians took advantage of more sloppy defense in Fenway Park, with a Myles Straw game-tying double in the eighth and Josh Naylor's game-winning ninth-inning homer besting Bobby Dalbec's two-homer evening.