# MLB: July 2015 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 1, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972 "2015-07-01T18:07:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/21 "2015-07-10T14:50:59Z")
Jeff Samardzija, who shut out the Blue Jays yesterday, will almost certainly be available in a couple of weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/22 "2015-07-10T20:32:37Z")
I think quite a few starting pitchers could be available. I’m most interested to see what happens with Johnny Cueto. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/23 "2015-07-10T20:52:42Z")
The Phillies have already pissed away a large part of whatever they could have gotten for Cole Hamels. It will take firing Amaro to get it done. Papelbon doesn’t have the value he thinks he does anymore, either. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/24 "2015-07-10T23:05:58Z")
To follow up on a little bit of discussion from last month’s thread regarding Luis Valbuena… > [@MLB: June 2015](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2015/721383/137): > > So Luis Valbuena now has 19 home runs and 22 singles. (And 6 doubles). I think McGwire managed more home runs than singles one year; anyone remember any others? (quick spot check says McGwire did it 3 of his last 4 years; Bonds did it in his 73 homer year; Adam Dunn didn’t quite manage it.) > [@MLB: June 2015](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2015/721383/139): > > I’ve been a fan of Valbuena’s since his days with the Indians. But McGwire and Bonds he ain’t. 🙂 > [@MLB: June 2015](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-june-2015/721383/141): > > On the field. His 19 home runs are accompanied by a .199 batting average and a .279 OBP. > > Valbuena actually hit pretty well for the Cubs last year but he’s fallen in love with hitting home runs now. …here’s [an interesting article](http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/luis-valbuena-is-having-a-very-weird-season-with-the-astros/) about just how weird Valbuena’s season has been. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/25 "2015-07-10T23:40:59Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > If the Blue Jays don’t make a huge trade for someone who can pitch it’s the end of the GM’s career, and it should be. If I follow your logic correctly (and I fully admit that I may not be), the GM should be fired if the Jays don’t make a splash with a big-name pitcher. But if they DO trade for a pitcher, it sounds like you’re saying that the GM should be off of the hot seat, and not be fired. It sounds like you’re saying that whether the GM stays in Toronto is entirely dependent upon whether he makes one trade, for a pitcher. Am I parsing that correctly? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/26 "2015-07-11T02:20:47Z")
More or less, yup. If they don’t win this year this gang isn’t going to win. The existing core is not going to get better, so better win now. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/27 "2015-07-11T03:26:26Z")
The Reds…oof, they suck. But hey, the All-Star game is in the 'Nati, so…yay? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/28 "2015-07-11T04:14:03Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The Phillies have already pissed away a large part of whatever they could have gotten for Cole Hamels. It will take firing Amaro to get it done. > > Papelbon doesn’t have the value he thinks he does anymore, either. And Hamels gave up 9 earned runs in 3 1/3 innings to the Giants tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/29 "2015-07-11T15:51:33Z")
Tigers blow a 6-1 lead, giving up 7 runs in the bottom of the ninth. Put a fork in them. Sell, sell, sell. Trade: Price, Avila, Yoenis, Kinsler, Verlander (maybe last night’s stellar performance will perk some interest?), Simon, Soria and Rajai Keep: Miggy, JD Martinez and Iglesias Fire: Manager Brad Ausmus, pitching coach Jeff Jones See you in '16. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/30 "2015-07-12T20:57:15Z")
What a win by the Bucs against the Cardinals last night. McCutcheon in a clutch role hitting a home run. Coming back from 3-0, 4-1, 4-3 in the 10th, and 5-4 in the 14th. Huge effort. These guys are for real. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/31 "2015-07-13T14:54:33Z")
I think the Jays are the only team this year to lose a game in which they had an eight run inning. I think they may also be the only team to lose a game in which they had a seven run inning, and they also lost a game in which they had a six run inning. God help us. I’d trade every prospect in the system for two honest to God pitchers. The team needs to just win something, anything. A division title would be fine. The division will never be weaker. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/32 "2015-07-13T15:17:33Z")
I kind of wish the Red Sox would be sellers, especially for Buchholz, but I think at 6 gb from the wildcard and the offense starting to click, they’re going to hold fast and see how it plays out. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/33 "2015-07-13T15:21:40Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Tigers blow a 6-1 lead, giving up 7 runs in the bottom of the ninth. Put a fork in them. Sell, sell, sell. > > Trade: Price, Avila, Yoenis, Kinsler, Verlander (maybe last night’s stellar performance will perk some interest?), Simon, Soria and Rajai > Keep: Miggy, JD Martinez and Iglesias > Fire: Manager Brad Ausmus, pitching coach Jeff Jones > See you in '16. The kitties then proceeded to lose the next two games, and finish the first half squarely at .500 and 9 games behind KC. Sell, sell, sell. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/34 "2015-07-13T15:23:30Z")
There are only a few teams out of it, and that’s just the norm now with so many October slots available. Pickings are slim and overpriced, and that’s true every year. A club is probably as likely to get help internally, from a hotshot rookie callup (e.g. Eduardo Rodriguez) or a returnee from the DL. On the positive side, in the AL East anyway, a team doesn’t \*have \*to get much better. Can you say “competitive parity”? I knew you could! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/35 "2015-07-14T02:05:47Z")
The Home Run Derby format is a huge improvement. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/36 "2015-07-14T02:49:14Z")
No baseball for 4 days. What will I do with the time? (sob) ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/37 "2015-07-14T03:23:18Z")
You just made my day. I thought everything started back up on Monday and was trying to figure out how to deal with a week without baseball. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/38 "2015-07-14T03:31:50Z")
There’s baseball tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/39 "2015-07-14T13:55:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > No baseball for 4 days. What will I do with the time? (sob) Think of it as practice for November. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972/40 "2015-07-14T14:50:00Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > There’s baseball tomorrow. Something roughly resembling it, anyway. You mean you’re not riveted by the CONCACAF Gold Cup? U!S!A!, baby! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2015/723972.md?page=3)