I get it. Gio has had a CY-qualifying season and Jordan Zimmerman is a star. So they have choices. But IMO, if you got a chance to make a run at the WS, you take it. And if you are making a legitimate run, you want Strasburg in the rotation.
I like that. Of course, to be nitpicky, it’s not true any more, what with Tampa Bay’s great pitching run lately:
Nats with Strasburg: 406 ER in 1133 innings –> team ERA of 3.23
Nats w/o Strasburg: 360 ER in 987 2/3 innings –> team ERA of 3.28
Rays team ERA: 3.24.
Still, the basic point stands. Though I’d say the real question is whether you think Ross Detwiler is *really *as good as Strasburg, and which one you would rather have at the head of your rotation against Cincinnati or San Francisco or Texas or somebody a month-plus from now. I know who I’d choose, and his first name doesn’t begin with an R.
BREAKING: Hot rumor, widely reported but not yet a done deal. Hang on to your hats. Red Sox send Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, and (the key to the deal) Nick Punto to the Dodgers for a package of prospects including Zack Lee. Latest is that they’re exchanging medicals already.
A major improvement for Boston, recognizing the need to blow it up and open salary space. Now, to find a taker for Lackey …
Holy shit, where did you hear that? Lee is good, but he’s looking like his ceiling is a solid #3, if he is the biggest name of the deal everyone should be happy.
(cosses fingers that Ned doesn’t fuck this one up.)
Hmm… the Astros aren’t going to have to pay major league salaries to anyone for the next couple years, at least until Altuve hits arbitration. Wonder what the Sox would give them to take Lackey off their hands.
If this happens today, I will be at the game tomorrow night. I saw this on ESPN about 45 minutes ago. Trying not to hold my breath. But it’s really hard not to fantasize about Gonzalez, Kemp, Ethier and Ramirez as 2-3-4-5 in the lineup.
First, on the radio driving home. Then here. Gonzalez and James Loney were both pulled from their lineups just before tonight’s games, btw.
I just saw that De La Rosa might be in the deal too, I like that less.
This is what I get for going to the gym after work. Now I am playing catchup.
Same cite, gets updated regularly: “The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham Tweeted just before 7:30 p.m. that the Red Sox would receive from the Dodgers: Loney, right handed minor league pitcher Rubby de la Rosa, minor league outfielder Jerry Sands, minor league infielder Ivan DeJesus, and a prospect.”
I was just about to say the same thing. Time to hit up Stubhub.
A story over at MLB.com discusses the fact that Mike Trout’s MVP candidacy will be hurt if the Angels miss the playoffs. Let me just say I HATE this argument. Now I understand that there is no exact definition of what “Most Valuable” means but for God’s sake it should not mean “Best Player on a team that made the playoffs because the other players are good as well”. Mike Trout is lapping the field in the American League and yet some dumbshit reporters are going to vote for Cabrera or Cano simply because the Yankees or Tigers make the playoffs.
Drives me insane.
Enjoy your September and October, Asimovian!
Tickets purchased for tomorrow. 
And the latest rumor is that the prospect going to Boston would be Allen Webster, not Zach Lee.
Webster and De La Rosa is a big hit. Maybe worth it though.
Agreed on both counts.
I wish Rick Dempsey would STFU. He’s the color man on the current Orioles broadcast, and he’s very annoying.
The Orioles have a had a couple of relatively close strike calls going against them tonight, and you’d think it was the worst pair of decisions in history. Even worse, Dempsey then started whining about how this is the sort of thing that has been happening to Baltimore all year.
WTF?
The Orioles are ten games over their pythagorean expectations. I doubt that would be the case if they had been getting screwed on all the close umpiring decisions. Admittedly, i haven’t watched every Baltimore game this year, but i’ve watched a lot, and it doesn’t seem to me that the Birds have suffered in the officiating.
Dempsey makes me want Jim Palmer back in the second chair.
And as i type this, Chris Davis hits his third home run of the game, crushing one to the opposite field in the sixth inning.
The Phils’ pitcher right now is a real Bastardo.
facepalm
Goddammit Reds. WIN the game when your number two stakes you a 5-2 lead!
Damn. I thought the M’s were going to win nine in a row after that great comeback from a five run deficit in the top of the ninth, but they blew it in the bottom. So close. If only the outfielders hadn’t ran into each other.
Still no confirmation of the Sox-Dodgers deal.
Good Christ, can even LA take on that much salary?