# MLB: July 2016 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 1, 2016, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862 "2016-07-01T12:59:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2016, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/101 "2016-07-13T03:33:40Z")
And, World Series home field advantage to the AL champs this year again. If the Royals three-peat, they definitely did themselves some good. ---
**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 13, 2016, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/102 "2016-07-13T05:19:21Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Somehow it just looks wrong to have the AL at home in San Diego. If they’re going to allow that, they may as well just let the side of the defending MLB champ be the home team the following ASG. Or even the winner of the prior ASG, as defending champ. I’ve long advocated that, if we’re going to have interleague play, then the rules ought to be reversed. Use the DH in National League parks, and pitchers bat in AL stadiums. Let the fans see the other way of playing the game. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2016, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/103 "2016-07-13T07:46:10Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > And, World Series home field advantage to the AL champs this year again. If the Royals three-peat, they definitely did themselves some good. Huh? The Royals would only be repeating, they lost to the Giants in 2014. ---
**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 13, 2016, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/104 "2016-07-13T07:51:23Z")
They would 3-peat as AL champs ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2016, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/105 "2016-07-13T12:29:08Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Weird story in the Tigers organization. Anthony Gose was demoted to AAA and has now got into a dispute with his manager there, banished from the dugout, and cleaned out his locker. He no-showed a game Sunday. I had this guy as a fantasy sleeper last year which blew up in my face. > [Tigers' Anthony Gose didn't show up for Sunday's Triple-A game - NBC Sports](http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2016/07/10/tigers-anthony-gose-didnt-show-up-for-sundays-triple-a-game/) The Gose for Devon Travis trade is looking better every day. I was amused by this line: “…His (Gose’s) his speed has been an asset, swiping 23 bases in 35 attempts as a Tiger.” 23 for 35 is terrible. Incidentally, having the AL team home in San Diego was stupid. Who cares if it’s the second straight NL park? Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2016, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/106 "2016-07-13T13:36:57Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Ugh, looks like politics got involved in the Canadian National Anthem with the performers altering the lyrics at the ASG > > [The Tenors blame 'lone wolf' for changing O Canada lyrics to 'all lives matter' at all-star game | CBC Sports](http://www.cbc.ca/1.3676477) > > Can’t we have 3 hours without hot button political issues? Of course, American viewers didn’t see it. Fox doesn’t believe its viewers should know that other countries have anthems, so as always they showed a commercial instead of the O Canada singing. If they ever got the Olympics, they’d pixelate the other countries’ names from their uniforms. What’s up with the ridiculous caps the players had to wear with the altered logos?(sort of a halo around each logo) I swear, MLB isn’t going to stop fucking with the uniforms until each team wears 162 different uniforms each year. As usual, not a bad game. Baseball is the only sport that can and does play an all star game that is pretty close to the real thing. Other than the excessive substitutions and limits on innings for pitchers it’s a real game. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/107 "2016-07-13T14:01:24Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > lWhat’s up with the ridiculous caps the players had to wear with the altered logos?(sort of a halo around each logo) Just an outline in Padres colors, wasn’t it? This was the third straight ASG in which all caps referenced the host team. The 2014 Twins “batting helmet” and 2015 Reds “pillbox” caps were weirder. (Actual pillbox caps and vintage-cut uniforms might have been cool.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2016, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/108 "2016-07-13T14:07:39Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Of course, American viewers didn’t see it. Fox doesn’t believe its viewers should know that other countries have anthems, so as always they showed a commercial instead of the O Canada singing. I suspect it’s more likely that they just thought they could make more money (without bothering many American viewers) by showing a commercial rather than the Canadian anthem. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/109 "2016-07-13T16:21:36Z")
I was actually listening to the radio coverage and they did play the Canadian anthem. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/110 "2016-07-14T22:50:28Z")
“Sources” (whoever that is) say the Red Sox have picked up Drew Pomeranz from the Pads. If Rodriguez is okay now, they could have an all-lefty rotation for October. Plus an All-Star knuckler for variety. ---
**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 14, 2016, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/111 "2016-07-14T23:42:25Z")
Looks straight up for Anderson Espinoza, one of their top pitching prospects. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/112 "2016-07-14T23:50:35Z")
Bad trade for the Sox, though not as bad as the Kimbrel trade, so I guess that’s something? I guess Detroit wasn’t Ilitch wanting to win now (or at least not **just** that); Dombrowski is truly brutal on farm systems. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/113 "2016-07-14T23:53:34Z")
A guy they know is pretty good now, in return for a guy who may or may not be good in a couple of years? Good move, Dave. That’s the kind of deal you have to make to be a contender. Keeping Espinoza would have been a tomorrow-never-comes Oakland kind of decision. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/114 "2016-07-14T23:58:15Z")
Is he pretty good now? He just crossed 100 ML IP for the first time in his career, and he has exactly the first half of this year of “being good as a starter”. While pitching in the NL, in Petco. The context adjusted stats still have him as a #2/3 type SP, but don’t kid yourself, there is a TON of risk bringing this guy to the AL East. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/115 "2016-07-15T00:04:51Z")
It’s a deal _for this year_, in which he has a 2.47 ERA, 115 K and 41 BB in 102 innings, so yes. Anderson Espinoza is 18 years old and in the Sally League. Is he less of a risk? Will he be more of a contributor to winning the 2016 World Series? ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/116 "2016-07-15T00:14:30Z")
I guess my fundamental problem is more with the process than the specific trade - even in the best case, Espinoza is probably not a thing until 2018/2019 (as you allude to), and a lot of stuff happens to even the very best pitching prospects (of which he is one). But you build long term franchise value just like any other investment situation, buying low and selling high. Even if you like the guys they’ve gotten in Dombrowski’s two big trades, you can’t argue that they bought high on both Kimbrel and Pomeranz, and even then paid at the high end of the price range. And one of the biggest benefits of winning all those championships in the last fifteen years is that you don’t (or shouldn’t) have to play for _this year_ in the sport where the playoffs are possibly the biggest crapshoot. The best chance to win as many World Series as possible is to make the playoffs every year with the best team you can every year. I don’t think a guy with a mid-3s FIP who is already at his ML innings high by the break and will hit a total career innings high by mid-August moves the 2016 WS series needle more than a percent or two. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/117 "2016-07-15T01:20:14Z")
Espinoza is 18 years old. He’s nothing, a guess, a hope. Casting him as “not a thing until 2018/2019” is insanely optimistic; his median likely year of being a useful major league pitcher is something like 2023, if it ever happens, which it probably won’t. You can draft another child next year. Pomeranz is only 27. I don’t at all understand the “build for the future” argument here. Pomeranz is still the future; he has his prime ahead of him. If you are not at some point willing to trade away a prospect who has proven nothing to try to win the division, just when the hell are you going to make an effort? Pomeranz is an interesting case; he has tremendous stuff but his control is, well uncontrolled. Moving to a harder league and from a pitcher’s park to a hitter’s park won’t be super helpful to him. But I’d sure start him over Clay Buchholz. The Red Sox had to do _something;_ you can’t play another 70 games with three starting pitchers. Adding Pomeranz is a significant advantage in a tight division race when he is such a massive upgrade over the in-house options. If Espinoza was a real prospect - if he had mature arm, was 21 and had just blown apart AA and made AAA by July 1 and was already 3-0 with 20 strikeouts in 22 innings - I might have a different take and suggest the Red Sox could have snagged Pomeranz for a lower price. You know, not a real top prospect, but some 18-year-old kid who really wasn’t anything yet. Someone like… Espinoza. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/118 "2016-07-15T03:08:10Z")
I think you’re hugely undervaluing Espinoza (at the same time as I’m probably overvaluing him a little). He’s a top 20 prospect on every list of them, and start of 2019 is legitimately the median estimate for his ETA among the prospect-watchers. Sure, there’s a chance he’ll wipe out - even among top 50 type prospects, something like two thirds of pitching prospects do. Pitching as a physical activity kind of sucks. But elite pitching prospects are currently worth more than they’ve ever been. We’re paying full retail for the 3.50 xFIP, 170+ IP SP version of Pomeranz that has existed for all of 3 months. Maybe that’s him now - I hope it is! I feel like the team selling high usually comes out fine here, though. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/119 "2016-07-15T03:16:26Z")
I’ll see your Espinosa and raise you a Kopech: [Red Sox prospect Michael Kopech throws 105 mph fastball](https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/redsox/2016/07/14/red-sox-prospect-michael-kopech-throws-fastball/k9bG2IVb35EReQLDco2QbN/story.html) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862/120 "2016-07-15T09:58:28Z")
A year, tops, before his Tommy John. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-july-2016/758862.md?page=7)