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**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:20 AM

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

-- Best wishes to Iowa State hoop coach Fred Hoiberg, who had the battery in his pacemaker replaced Tuesday.

-- Dwyane Wade re-signs with the Heat: two years, roughly $37M. Not too bad.

-- Mike Shanahan turned down an offer from FOX to analyze NFL games; its too bad, we need more ex-coaches on TV.

-- Ricky Rubio wants a 5-year max contract from the Timberwolves; his shooting percentage for his career? 38% on 2-pointers, 32.3% on 3's. No thanks.

-- Michigan-Oklahoma agreed to home/home football series in 2025-26; I'm hoping to still be alive to watch those games on TV.

-- Former Wisconsin coach, NBA executive Stu Jackson has been hired by Big East as a senior associate commissioner. He will oversee men's basketball operations and strategic planning. Buzz Williams' bolting Marquette for Virginia Tech is a sign the league has some problems.

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Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Questions, questions, always questions..........

13) If you had the first pick in an NFL Fantasy (non-keeper) League, who would you take?

12) Is Adrian Peterson more valuable to the Vikings, now that they’ll be playing home games outdoors for the next two years? Those late season home games are going to be frigid.

11) Are the Green Bay Packers going to a no-huddle offense? They say their goal is 75 plays a game, which is an awful lot for an NFL team—no way they could get to 75 a game if they huddle.

10) Will DirecTV carry the SEC Network, which starts August 14? Will they ever carry the Pac-12 Network, which started last year?

9) Phil Mickelson said he drank a $40,000 bottle of wine out of the Claret Jug; there is a bottle of wine that costs $40,000??? Must be some damn fine grapes.

8) I’ll ask this question again; if the 750 major league players on Opening Day rosters voted, with no union pressure, would the DH stay or go?

7) Is it me, or would Jim Nantz be the greatest mortician ever? “Hello friends, so sorry for your loss.” He would be tremendous.

6) Do high school basketball players have any idea how difficult is to make an NBA roster? This NBA Summer League in Las Vegas is a graphic example of that; guys who were great college players fighting like hell just to catch on at the end of a roster, or make a big check over in Europe. It’s a highly competitive business at the highest level.

5) What was new Cavalier coach David Blatt’s heart rate when he heard Lebron James signed with the Cavaliers? He was advised to go to Golden State and be Steve Kerr’s assistant; instead he is the head coach of the #2 favorite to win the NBA title. No pressure there.

4) When will mainstream media admit that baseball’s replay system, while not perfect, has been better than most everyone thought it would be? They’ve corrected an awful lot of calls, about 50% of those challenged.

3) What genius thought having a 25-foot wall in rightfield at Target Field was a good idea when the Twins' two best hitters at the time batted lefty?

2) What exactly did Jimmy Haslem’s truck stop company do to get fined $92M by the government? $92M is a whole lot of money, even for rich people.

1) Does anyone realize yet how big this college football playoff thing is going to be? I don’t think so, but come Halloween or so, jockeying for position to get into the playoffs is going to be intense and will increase interest in college football.

**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:21 AM

WNBA
Dunkel

Tulsa at Minnesota
The Shock head to Minnesota this afternoon to face a Lynx team that is 9-1 SU in its last 10 home games. Minnesota is the pick (-9 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Lynx favored by 12 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-9 1/2). Here are all of today's WNBA picks.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16

Game 601-602: Atlanta at New York (11:00 a.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 115.867; New York 109.491
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 6 1/2; 150
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 4 1/2; 154 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-4 1/2); Under

Game 603-604: Tulsa at Minnesota (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tulsa 105.733; Minnesota 118.264
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 12 1/2; 169
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 9 1/2; 165 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-9 1/2); Over

WNBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, July 16

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ATLANTA (15 - 5) at NEW YORK (7 - 13) - 7/16/2014, 11:00 AM

Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 86-58 ATS (+22.2 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1997.
NEW YORK is 35-20 ATS (+13.0 Units) after scoring 55 points or less since 1997.
ATLANTA is 35-18 ATS (+15.2 Units) in road games revenging a loss versus opponent since 1997.
NEW YORK is 6-13 ATS (-8.3 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 6-13 ATS (-8.3 Units) in May, June, or July games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 5-5 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 5-5 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TULSA (7 - 14) at MINNESOTA (16 - 6) - 7/16/2014, 1:00 PM

Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 38-25 ATS (+10.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 35-21 ATS (+11.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 25-15 ATS (+8.5 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
TULSA is 11-4 ATS (+6.6 Units) as an underdog this season.
TULSA is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TULSA is 6-5 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 10-1 straight up against TULSA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WNBA

Wednesday, July 16

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Trend Report
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11:00 AM
ATLANTA vs. NEW YORK

Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against New York
Atlanta is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against New York
New York is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of New York's last 8 games when playing at home against Atlanta

1:00 PM
TULSA vs. MINNESOTA

Tulsa is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Tulsa is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
Minnesota is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Minnesota is 16-1 SU in its last 17 games when playing Tulsa

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**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:22 AM

CFL
Dunkel

Edmonton at Winnipeg
The Eskimos head to Winnipeg on Thursday night where they are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against the Blue Bombers. Winnipeg is the pick (-2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Blue Bombers favored by 11 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (-2 1/2). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

THURSDAY, JULY 17

Game 421-422: Edmonton at Winnipeg (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 104.229; Winnipeg 115.543
Dunkel Line: Winnipeg by 11 1/2; 59
Vegas Line: Winnipeg by 2 1/2; 55
Dunkel Pick: Winnipeg (-2 1/2); Over

FRIDAY, JULY 18

Game 423-424: Toronto at Ottawa (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 111.823; Ottawa 104.792
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 7; 48
Vegas Line: Toronto by 2 1/2; 52 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-2 1/2); Under

Game 425-426: Hamilton at Calgary (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hamilton 108.052; Calgary 124.101
Dunkel Line: Calgary by 16; 53
Vegas Line: Calgary by 9; 49
Dunkel Pick: Calgary (-9); Over

SATURDAY, JULY 19

Game 427-428: Montreal at BC (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 109.068; BC 116.387
Dunkel Line: BC by 7 1/2; 44
Vegas Line: BC by 5; 47 1/2
Dunkel Pick: BC (-5); Under

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 4

Thursday, July 17

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EDMONTON (3 - 0) at WINNIPEG (3 - 0) - 7/17/2014, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 26-45 ATS (-23.5 Units) after 2 or more consecutive straight up wins since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 3-1 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
EDMONTON is 3-1 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Friday, July 18

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TORONTO (1 - 2) at OTTAWA (0 - 2) - 7/18/2014, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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HAMILTON (0 - 2) at CALGARY (2 - 0) - 7/18/2014, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) when playing on a Friday over the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 2-2 against the spread versus HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-0 straight up against HAMILTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Saturday, July 19

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MONTREAL (1 - 2) at BRITISH COLUMBIA (1 - 2) - 7/19/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 23-40 ATS (-21.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 3-2 against the spread versus BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 3-2 straight up against BRITISH COLUMBIA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 4

Edmonton (3-0) @ Winnipeg (3-0)-- These teams were combined 7-29 LY, are 6-0 this year; both teams beat expansion Ottawa, which helps, but Eskimos scored 27-28-27 points in their first three games, with all three staying under total, while Bombers scored 38.3 ppg in its 3-0 start, with all three games going over. Edmonton won four of last five series games, winning in OT here LY- underdogs are 4-1 vs spread in last five series games played here. Eskimos are +7 in turnovers this season, with 11 takeaways in three games.

Toronto (1-2) @ Ottawa (0-2)-- Home opener for RedBlacks squad that lost first two games after leading both at halftime; Ottawa was outscored 44-11 in second half of games after they'd led by 4-5 points at half. Argonauts opened with three western foes (west is 8-2 vs east so far this season); they've gained 1,013 yards in last two games, but got hammered by Calgary last week, despite outgaining Stamps by 78 yards. Ottawa has only one turnover in first two tilts; Toronto allowed 116 rushing ypg in first three games- can Ottawa run it against them?

Hamilton (0-2) @ Calgary (2-0)-- TiCats lost four in row and eight of last nine series games, as they've lost last nine visits here, last two by total of six points. Three of last four series games stayed under total. Stamps scored 31.5 ppg in winning first two games, turning ball over just one time. Both teams already had a bye; under is 2-0 in both teams' games this season, with Stampeders allowing 11.5 ppg- TiCats are scoring just 17 ppg. Western Conference teams are 8-2 vs eastern teams so far this season. TiCats (-3) turned ball over eight times already.

Montreal (1-2) @ BCLions (1-2)-- Alouettes (+3) upset BC 24-9 two weeks ago in Quebec, as they ran ball for 203 yards, had three takeaways (+2) in 7th straight home win in series. Als lost last three visits here by combined score of 122-25; four of their last five visits to BC went under the total. Lions upset Riders in Regina last week, shutting hosts out in second half- they turned ball over eight times in first two games- they had none last week. Montreal lost its only road games 29-8 at Calgary. All three Lion games stayed under the total.

CFL

Week 4

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Trend Report
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Thursday, July 17

8:30 PM
EDMONTON vs. WINNIPEG
Edmonton is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games
Edmonton is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Winnipeg's last 11 games at home
Winnipeg is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games at home

Friday, July 18

7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. OTTAWA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games on the road
Toronto is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Ottawa is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Ottawa is 2-10 SU in its last 12 games

10:00 PM
HAMILTON vs. CALGARY
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Hamilton's last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary
Hamilton is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Calgary's last 15 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Calgary's last 17 games when playing Hamilton

Saturday, July 19

7:00 PM
MONTREAL vs. BRITISH COLUMBIA
Montreal is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games on the road
British Columbia is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of British Columbia's last 5 games

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**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:22 AM

Athletics midseason report: Setting up for run

They would never admit it publicly, but you have to know Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane and manager Bob Melvin aren't bothered at all to see the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hanging around in the American League West race.

The A's take the major league's best record 59-36 but just a 1 1/2-game lead in the West into the All-Star break. The competitive nature of the latter belies the common belief that the A's, bolstered by the acquisition of front-line pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Chicago Cubs, already are setting their postseason rotation for the inevitable rematch with the Detroit Tigers.

Beane and Melvin went out of their way in the wake of the July 5 blockbuster to insist the A's have a lot of work to do over the final 10 1/2 weeks of the season just to qualify for the playoffs.

"The narrative that this was a postseason move," Beane claimed, "was a bit presumptuous."

A pitcher might be the driving force for the A's in the second half. But it won't be Samardzija or Hammel. Or even Sonny Gray or Scott Kazmir.

It's Felix Hernandez.

You see, if the Angels win the West ahead of the A's, relegating Oakland to the wild-card game, it's quite possible it would run into Seattle Mariners ace Hernandez in that loser-is-done, wild-card contest. With 18 career wins against the A's, one as recently as Friday night, that's an even scarier vision for Oakland than possibly seeing Justin Verlander again in October.

So when Beane insists the big trade was made with the regular season in mind, it's easy to see why. For a while there, he was watching a team with Jesse Chavez, Tommy Milone and Brad Mills composing a majority of his rotation attempting to hold off the red-hot Angels.

Now most teams will see some combination of Gray, Samardzija, Kazmir and Hammel coming at them in a three-game series. To say nothing of Coco Crisp, Brandon Moss, Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Donaldson.

Bring on the Tigers. Anybody but Hernandez.

**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:23 AM

Rangers midseason report: Few positives in injury-ravaged season

Texas manager Ron Washington pondered for several seconds the question just presented to him.

What has been the biggest positive to you in the first half about your team?

"Did you take the time to think about that question," Washington asked.

There have been very few positives.

A team that expected to be World Series caliber after acquiring first baseman Prince Fielder and left fielder Shin-Soo Choo has instead collapsed under the weight of a two-ton boulder called the disabled list.

Rather, the Rangers will feature something more closely resembling a Triple A-caliber team in the second half.

The Rangers, who lead the majors in disabled list uses and most players used, closed the first half with the worst record in baseball. Only 10 players who broke with the team at spring training remain on the active roster.

In the first half, Texas used an MLB-record 50 players, including 30 pitchers.

"It's much-needed time off," said shortstop Elvis Andrus. "Everybody needs three or four days off to clear our mind and have some fun."

Texas was 35-35 on June 16 after having taken two of three games from Seattle on the road, including beating All-Star right-hander Felix Hernandez. Since then, the Rangers have gone 3-21 and to the bottom of the AL West.

"Couldn't have imagined it," Washington said. "You put nine guys out there, they have to perform."

Instead of vying for a division title, the Rangers will be evaluating, young and older alike, to see who can help them next year and beyond.

The second half will be about player development on the big-league level.

It's difficult to see exactly what the Rangers are at this point. If everyone comes back healthy next year, they should be expected to contend again.

If not ... well, the Rangers expect to know some of those answers to that hypothetical by the end of this season.

**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:23 AM

Angels midseason report: Depth a strength

After pitching a shutout during the Los Angeles' Angels 11-3 surge in May, left-hander C.J. Wilson issued the following response when asked about his team's early success.

"If we can play the next 50 games like we've played the last 15 games," Wilson said, "then that will be really, really good baseball."

Slightly more than 50 games later, the Angels are challenging the Oakland Athletics for supremacy in the American League West -- and, barring a total collapse, will do so for the rest of the season.

With first baseman Albert Pujols healthy and with outfielder Josh Hamilton focused, the Angels offense has emerged as one of the major leagues' best. Los Angeles enters the All-Star break leading the majors with 478 runs scored. The Angels also have amassed 883 hits, 300 extra-base hits and 101 home runs, totals ranking among the American League's best. Pujols, who suffered from plantar fasciitis last year, has driven in 29 runs in his last 29 games to enter the break with 63 RBIs, 20 home runs and a .274 average. Hamilton, who spent two months on the disabled list, is hitting .291. Shortstop Erick Aybar made the American League's All-Star team for the first time after batting .284 and leading the league's shortstops with 49 RBIs and a .985 fielding percentage.

Outfielder Mike Trout is, well, Mike Trout: 22 homers, 24 doubles, five triples, 69 RBIs, 105 hits, 64 runs, a .308 batting average, a .397 on-base percentage and a .601 slugging percentage.

"With as much depth as we have, we don't need any one player to carry it," Wilson said about the offense. "We just need everybody to get on base and pass the torch."

But the Angels offer more than potent hitting. Going into Sunday's road game against the Texas Rangers, the Angels pitchers have permitted opponents to bat just .236, the American League's fourth-lowest such average. The rotation's 3.75 earned-run average ranks third in the league, while the bullpen that has seen constant turnover has compiled a 1.68 earned-run average in the past 16 games while limiting opposing hitters to a .188 average.

The biggest factor, however, has been the contributions from unexpected sources. Outfielder Collin Cowgill (.277), first baseman C.J. Cron (nine homers), infielder-outfielder Grant Green (.324), right-handed starter Matt Shoemaker (7-2) and right-handed reliever Michael Morin (2.08 earned-run average) have played pivotal roles while such regulars as Hamilton, third baseman David Freese, outfielder Kole Cahoun and left-handed starter Tyler Skaggs spent time on the disabled list.

Right-hander Garrett Richards (11-2) has emerged as one of baseball's most dominant pitchers. Richards, in his second full major-league season, became just the fourth pitcher in team history to enter the All-Star break with at least 11 wins and 120 strikeouts and an ERA under 2.60. The others? Jered Weaver, Frank Tanana and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.

The Angels' balance has enabled them to rally for 29 of their 57 wins this season; those 29 come-from-behind wins lead the majors. That balance also reflects a new-found self-confidence and camaraderie.

"We had a tendency last year to let some teams just jump us out of the gate," Wilson said. "We'd be, like, 'Oh, my God. It's 3-0. What do we do?'"

Calhoun exemplified the Angels' esprit d'corps when he talked about being platooned with Cowgill.

"If I'm in the lineup, I'm going to do it that day," Calhoun told the Los Angeles Times. "If Collin is in the lineup, he's going to do it. We're not going to start some rivalry or talk about who should be playing. We're a team, and that's how it has to be."

Richards, rejected for the American League's All-Star pitching staff five times in a week, offered perhaps the best example of subordinating individual desire for collective success.

“How can I be mad about a personal achievement," Richards told the Los Angeles Times, "when we're playing such good baseball now?”

**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:23 AM

Mariners midseason report: a club on rise

SEATTLE -- The first 95 games of the Lloyd McClendon era might not have reminded Seattle's new manager of the recent Detroit Tigers teams that employed him as a bench coach, but neither did they remind Pacific Northwest fans of some recent Mariners campaigns.

McClendon's Mariners topped 50 games by the All-Star break, which is something none of Seattle's previous 10 teams could do. The manager found a way to keep the team relevant well into July and put off the NFL talk in the football-mad town for a few more weeks.

It is quite a successful run for the Mariners, who might have to pull off an even less likely feat in order to sustain it.

The Mariners undoubtedly need more contributions if they are going to stick around in the American League wild-card race -- if not get back into the hunt in the AL West. Second baseman Robinson Cano, ace Felix Hernandez and the bullpen have been about as good as anyone could expect, yet even their combined success wasn't enough to push Seattle into the running for the division title.

Seattle sits eight games behind the AL West-leading Oakland A's.

The key to the second half of the season is going to come down to the bottom of the batting order and the back of the rotation, two areas where the Mariners have significant deficiencies. After Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma and Chris Young, Seattle has plenty of question marks in terms of starting pitching. The Mariners are also looking for much bigger things from players such as shortstop Brad Miller, left fielder Dustin Ackley, first baseman Justin Smoak and designated hitter Corey Hart over the final 67 games of the season.

In some ways, McClendon kept the team in the postseason race through smoke and mirrors. Young and veteran outfielder Endy Chavez are among the players who performed far better than anyone could have expected, and the offense was more efficient than the sum of its parts -- particularly on the road.

"I've said it time and time again: On offense, we're going to be challenged some days, and it won't look good," said McClendon, whose team went through one eight-game stretch in July when it failed to score as many as four runs in a single game. "But I'll take the whole picture, and we'll be OK. I think all in all, we're going to be OK."

The good news for the Mariners is that most of the American League has deficiencies; even Oakland was hit by the injury bug as of late.

What might be even more pressing for the Mariners over the second half of the season is for the top of the rotation to keep up its torrid pace. Hernandez is off to one of his best starts. Iwakuma could get even better as he shakes off the rust of missing spring training, while Young already won more games than anyone could have expected when the Mariners signed him out of spring training in late March.

"What a godsend for this rotation," McClendon said if Young in June. "He's just been tremendous."

Chris Young and the young Mariners exceeded expectations so far, but McClendon has his work cut out for him if Seattle is going to keep it up.

"I think this organization has come quite far," McClendon said. "I think we've accomplished a lot, but in the end, we haven't accomplished anything. But I certainly think we're headed in the right direction."

**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:24 AM

Phillies midseason report: Slide to irrelevance continues

The Philadelphia Phillies' slide to irrelevance continues.

They were world champions in 2008, and National League champs in '09. They won 102 games as recently as 2011.

But they went 81-81 in 2012, 73-89 last season and find themselves with a 42-53 record and in last place in the mediocre NL East heading into the All-Star break.

They don't hit much. Their pitching is sporadic. Moreover, their team is ancient -- five regulars are 34 or older, and three members of the starting rotation are 33 or older -- so it appears things are going to get worse before they get better.

General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has already said they will be sellers at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, and closer Jonathan Papelbon has said he will waive his no-trade clause to go to a contender.

Second baseman Chase Utley and shortstop Jimmy Rollins, Phillies their entire careers, are more reluctant to leave, and can veto any deal that is not to their liking.

Left-hander Cliff Lee is another player who would appear to be attractive to a contender, though he has been on the disabled list since May 19 with a strained elbow. The 35-year-old Lee will make another rehab start July 14, and is scheduled to start against San Francisco on July 21.

Depending upon how healthy and effective he is, it looms as one of his last appearances for the Phillies, and others seem certain to follow him out the door. Nothing that happens between now and the end of the month will change that.

"That decision's already been made, things that they want to do," Rollins said, referring to the front office. "Regardless of how we play, they're still going to make their decisions for the future of the team, not just now. We go out there, we play ball, we win, good things happen. And if that makes things difficult, then it does."

**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:24 AM

Mets midseason report: Successful homestand redefines goals

NEW YORK -- Mets general manager Sandy Alderson seemed to be employing GM speak -- and/or just putting off the inevitable -- July 7, when he said New York would wait the end of their 10-game homestand on July 13 to decide what to do at the trade deadline.

"Look, let's see where we are at the end of this week," Alderson said.

Lo and behold, the Mets used the week to completely redefine their standing heading into the All-Star break.

The Mets cruised past the Miami Marlins, 9-1, on July 13 to complete an 8-2 homestand in which New York clicked in every facet of the game.

Right-hander Jacob deGrom's seven innings of one-run ball in the first half finale marked the eighth time a Mets starter pitched into the seventh inning on the homestand and lowered the composite ERA of Mets starters to 3.67.

"This game is always going to be about getting people out," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Where we've hung in there, in all these close games we keep talking about, (is) because our pitching staff doesn't get blown out."

The Mets were doing the blowing out over the last 10 days of the first half -- during which they won five games by three runs or more -- thanks to a long-dormant lineup that busted out for 55 runs and 40 extra-base hits, including 10 homers.

The top half of the Mets' lineup -- right fielder Curtis Granderson, second baseman Daniel Murphy, third baseman David Wright, first baseman Lucas Duda and catcher Travis d'Arnaud -- combined to hit .291 on the 10-game homestand. In addition, the quintet accounted for 20 of the 26 homers the Mets hit in the final 25 games before the All-Star Break.

But it was the Mets' situational hitting and willingness to play small ball that really impressed Collins and has him believing the Mets can continue building momentum once play resumes on July 18.

Of the 55 runs the Mets scored on the homestand, 28 came with two outs.

"It goes back to the situational hitting that we talked about all the first half," Collins said. "It's about guys knowing what to do. It's about execution. And right now we're executing.

"So is it sustainable? Absolutely."

And in the finale on July 13, the Mets scored four runs in the eighth inning via four singles, three walks and two stolen bases.

"I think that for us to be successful, we can't necessarily sit back and rely on home runs," Wright said. "We've got to put ourselves in position to be aggressive and put pressure on the defense."

Armed with a solid pitching staff and a suddenly robust offense, the goal for the Mets in the second half is to put pressure on NL East co-leaders Atlanta and Washington. The Mets (45-50) will begin play July 18 seven games behind the Braves and Nationals -- a sizable gap, to be sure, but one the Mets feel they can make up after gaining three games in the standings during the homestand.

Wright said nearly sweeping a four-game set from the Braves from July 7-10 -- the Mets won the first three games before dropping the finale -- has the Mets believing they can do more than just play spoiler come September.

"I think that Braves series gave us a lot of confidence," Wright said. "We know that they're both very talented teams and teams that have a lot of household names. And we might not be there yet. But we're playing very, very good baseball and we plan on giving them a run for their money."

With 19 games remaining against the Braves and Nationals, the Mets will certainly have the opportunity to make up that ground. They also play the sub-.500 Marlins and Phillies a total of 16 times, as well as 13 other games against the Padres, Cubs, Rockies and Astros, all of whom reached the All-Star Break with losing records.

The Mets have no margin for error in their pursuit of a long-shot playoff berth (they also hit the All-Star Break 6 1/2 games behind in the race for the second wild card). But if they can maintain the level of play they showed in ending the first half, they'll at least have offered signs of tangible progress this season -- at the least.

"My expectations when I came to spring training were pretty good," Collins said. "I knew we could compete. We had to do a lot of things right if we were going to compete, but I knew we could. And what we've shown the last 10 days is yes we can compete. Now, we've got 67 more games. We've got to go out and do it. We can't just talk about it. We've got to go do it.

"If we continue to play like this, September's going to be a fun month."

**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:24 AM

Braves midseason report: Inconsistency plagues team

The Atlanta Braves have demonstrated the ability to contend for a second straight Eastern Division championship. But the team's maddening inconsistency on offense has left fans frustrated and confused.

The Braves have stretches where they simply can't score runs, either by manufacturing them or playing long ball. First baseman Freddie Freeman, left fielder Justin Upton and catcher Evan Gattis have been steady. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons and third baseman Chris Johnson have been streaky at the plate.

Right fielder Jason Heyward and center fielder B.J. Upton have been disappointments, although Upton's average has climbed to a season-high .218 since being moved to the leadoff spot three weeks ago.

The second-base job was taken from veteran Dan Uggla by rookie Tommy La Stella. Uggla (.162) was given multiple chances to keep his job and the Braves tried Ramiro Pena and Tyler Pastornicky before giving La Stella a chance. La Stella has been adept at hitting to all fields and avoiding the strikeout; he's batting .282.

The offensive inconsistency has put great pressure on the starting rotation, which began the season without Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy, two starters who are out for the season with Tommy John surgery.

The starting rotation has been led by right-hander Julio Teheran (9-6, 2.71), who has established himself as the staff ace in his second season and earned a spot on the All-Star team. Free agent Ervin Santana (7-6, 4.01) was hot the first month, but has since been hit-or-miss. The surprise is veteran right-hander Aaron Harang (9-6, 3.53), who was added in the final days of spring training after he was released by the Indians.

The bullpen has been excellent. Craig Kimbrel (29 saves) continues to be among the elite closers in the game. The only hiccup has been lefty setup man Luis Avilan, who has taken a step back after an impressive rookie season. Avilan's ERA is 4.85 and opponents are batting .287 against him.

The Braves and rival Washington Nationals are lined up to go head-to-head for the division title in the second half. Each has had their time in first place during the first half, but neither was able to shake the other. The two clubs still play each other nine times, six of those in Atlanta.

Atlanta's schedule becomes much more difficult starting in late July, which could determine the Braves' fate. There are seven games with the Dodgers, three with Washington, three with Oakland, three with Pittsburgh and four with Cincinnati.

**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:25 AM

Nationals midseason report: Injury issues seem to be over

The outlook for the second half for the Washington Nationals looks very bright -- even after the fourth inning July 13 in Philadelphia, when starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann had to leave with a biceps cramp.

"We're very cautious in that regard, with history, given radiating feelings of things with regard to elbows, stuff like that," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "We will monitor that over the break."

Washington had several regulars on the disabled list in the first half of the season, including third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, first baseman Adam LaRoche, left fielder Bryce Harper and pitcher Doug Fister. The Nationals are now almost back to full health.

With the rest of the roster back, the Nationals are in a good position in the National League East. They may have the best pitching rotation in the league and the bullpen has been among the best in the majors in the first half. If the lineup can produce at a moderate level, the Nationals should be able to win the East.

"With all the injuries that we've had, and if you were to tell us coming out of spring training that we'd have all those injuries and be where we're at, we'd feel pretty fortunate.

That being said, could it be better? Yeah, it could be better, but it could be worse. Overall, we feel OK," said Williams.

With his Opening Day roster once again intact, Williams has come up with predictable roles for his regulars and the bullpen -- and the results on the field have started to show that.

Plus the starting pitching could be among the best in the game. "Everyone seems to be throwing the ball well," said pitching coach Steve McCatty. "Everything has smoothed out; you are always happy when they are pitching at the level you expected."

Williams said the Nationals will plan to start Stephen Strasburg in the first game after the break, at home July 18 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Gio Gonzalez will start July 19 and Doug Fister will start the series finale July 20.

**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 07:25 AM

Marlins midseason report: Trade targets pondered

On June 10, the Miami Marlins were 34-30 and just a half-game out of first place in the National League East.

After getting swept by the New York Mets on July 13 in an ugly 9-1 loss, the Marlins are 44-50. With the loss, the Marlins fell from third to fourth place in the National League East, behind the Mets, and head into the All-Star break on a four-game losing streak.

The Marlins are now 7 1/2 games out of first place.

Michael Hill, the Marlins' President of Baseball Operations, said that he and his staff are looking to make trades that will get his team back into the playoff race.

But not just any deal will do, Hill said.

"A rental really doesn't help," Hill said.

Translation: The Marlins are looking to deal only if the player they get would be under their control for more than just the rest of this season.

Potential targets are starting pitchers and a second baseman, especially one with speed who could bat leadoff.

Regardless of this recent slump and any possible trades, the Marlins have been competitive this season, especially compared to last year's 100-loss disaster.

They are 21-16 in one-run games, placing them second in the majors in the total number of such efforts.

"I'm happy with our effort," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "We are a resilient group. We've taken a bunch of tough losses, especially on this road trip.

"We're a much better team than last year, but we have a lot of young guys. Sometimes, we lose sight of that."

So, what can we expect in the second half?

Anything is possible, of course, but it is hard to imagine the Marlins making the playoffs this year.

Realistic Marlins fans are hoping for a season that finishes at or near .500.

More important would be continued individual improvements of certain young, core players such as right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, center fielder Marcell Ozuna, left fielder Christian Yelich, shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria and pitchers Henderson Alvarez, Nate Eovaldi and Tom Koehler.

**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 12:41 PM

Cubs midseason report: 'Better days lie ahead'

CHICAGO -- The Cubs are playing a waiting game.

On the field, they look for eventual payoff from a now well-stocked farm system and subsequent positive impact on the parent club.

Off the field, there's a $575 million renovation looming that would bring new clubhouses, training facilities and infrastructure at 100-year-old Wrigley Field up to 21st century standards. The project, which awaits expected final city approval, could start within weeks and pick up speed up in the offseason.

A renovated Wrigley Field will feature a series of video boards and advertising signage to produce new revenue to entice more high-priced talent.

The convergence could come as soon as 2016. In the meantime, the Cubs have a difficult -- but not bleak -- second half as the National League Central title chase continues without them.

The Cubs, 40-54 and 12 games out of first at the break, realistically face another season with 90-plus losses, the third in the executive regime of team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer.

But Epstein was quoted as saying he now sees light at the end of the tunnel and that better days lie ahead.

Cubs manager Rick Renteria, who has instilled a positive atmosphere in the clubhouse despite first-half struggles, said he saw the potential down the line even before he took the job.

But the final 11 weeks of the season may mirror the first part as the Cubs proceed without two ace pitchers (Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel -- both traded to Oakland). And despite Epstein's pledge of a pause, there's still the possibility of more trades to come as the July 31 deadline approaches.

Some help may arrive from the minors, but not all top prospects will be called up in September. Officials said third baseman Kris Bryant is staying put at Triple-A Iowa for the rest of the season. Others like versatile infielder/outfielder Arismendy Alcantara had a pre-All Star Game sampling in Chicago and hit .391 (9-for-23) in five starts.

**Udog** · 07-16-2014, 12:42 PM

Reds midseason report: Team overcoming injuries

CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Reds are in the thick of the National League Central race, which is where they expected to be at this point in the season when spring training began. But the Reds' path to contention has been littered with landmines.

Bryan Price's debut season as Reds manager began with eight players on the disabled list, and that total has since ballooned to 13 players with a combined 16 stints on the DL. The Reds will begin the proverbial second half of the season without second baseman Brandon Phillips (thumb) and first baseman Joey Votto (quad).

"Doesn't surprise me that we're in the hunt," said veteran utility man Skip Schumaker. "We like our team. Our manager's been great about putting guys in the right spot. Guys are going to get hurt, it's part of the game."

The rash of injuries has tested Price's theme in spring training, which was to play more selfless and be willing to sacrifice personal stats for the betterment of the team. The club has executed well in that philosophy. Case in point -- right fielder Jay Bruce's willingness to pick up a first baseman's glove and fill in for Votto.

"That was a theme coming into spring training, and I think some of the players would've admitted that it was one of our Achilles' heels in recent year, playing a bit selfishly," said Price. "The injuries are brutal. That being said, it's created a sense of unity with this team. That's served us well, collectively."

Cincinnati (51-44) headed into the All-Star break having won 16 of 23 games to get within 1.5 games of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the Central. Climbing back from being a season-low 8.5 games out of first on June 20 required contributions from nearly everyone on the roster.

There have been some pleasant surprises as well. Everyone expected center fielder Billy Hamilton to burn up the base paths, which he's done, leading all NL rookies in stolen bases. But few thought Hamilton also would bat .283 with five homers, 38 RBIs and a .419 slugging percentage through 89 games. He's also adapted so seamlessly to playing center field every day.

One of the club's most significant injuries coming out of spring training was that of right hander Mat Latos, who had offseason elbow and knee surgeries and didn't return until mid-June. Taking Latos' spot in the rotation was middle-relief specialist Alfredo Simon, who responded with an All-Star caliber season, going 12-3 with a 2.70 ERA in 18 starts and a career-high 116 2/3 innings.

Catcher Devin Mesoraco overcame a pair of stints on the disabled list to earn a spot on the NL All-Star team. Mesoraco's 16 homers are the most for a Reds catcher since David Ross had 17 in 2007. Mesoraco tied a club record by homering in five straight appearances in June.

Fortunately for Cincinnati, right hander Johnny Cueto isn't among those injured. After having three separate stints on the DL last season, Cueto has been healthy and largely dominant, going 10-6 with a 2.13 ERA in 20 starts with 141 strikeouts and 35 walks in 143 2/3 innings to earn an All-Star nod.

Closer Aroldis Chapman provided the feel-good story of the season, recovering from being struck in the forehead by a line drive in spring training and recording 21 saves since May 10 while striking out at least one batter in 40 straight appearances, a major league record for relievers.

Cincinnati's strengths are pitching and defense, which has carried them through some rough periods the first three months. Reds starters rank second in the National League with a 3.30 ERA. Their .989 fielding percentage and 39 errors are the best in baseball, and something the club will rely on in the second half.

The Reds have held serve amid all the injuries and the clubhouse remains confident in this team's potential to reach the postseason for a fourth straight year.

"We've got some big guns down, but I think we're in a good place team-wise," said third baseman Todd Frazier, a first-time NL All-Star after hitting 19 homers with 53 RBIs in 94 games. "We understand our situation. I think it brings us a little closer. That's the kind of team we have."

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