Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB NEWS AND NOTES
All-Star teams to be announced live tomorrow night
By MLB.com Staff
07/02/2020

GIANTS ACQUIRE HAND FROM ROYALS

San Francisco continues to beef up its bullpen in the wake of incumbent closer Mark Melancon's struggles, as they swapped pitcher Jensen Elliott to Kansas City for former Padres and Marlins closer Brad Hand.

Two weeks ago, the Giants traded for Nationals closer Sean Doolittle, sending a PTBNL along with him for catcher Miguel Gomez. That PTBNL was just revealed to be right-handed pitcher Carlos Jose Romero.

Hand is back in the NL West, where he had the most success during his career. He was a two-time All-Star in 2017 and 2018, both seasons with the Padres.

He was traded to the Cleveland Indians near the trading deadline in 2018, but didn't find much success, sporting a 5.09 ERA in 81 1/3 innings of work for the Indians over one-and-one-half seasons.

He seemed to rediscover his groove with the Royals, pitching to a remarkable 1.69 ERA in thirty-two innings of work, pitching in primarily a set-up role to Drew Smith and closer Corey Knebel. He was acquired from Cleveland over the past offseason for outfielder David Peralta. --David LoPietro

ALL-STAR VOTING BEGINS TODAY

As part of the package of rule changes adopted earlier this season, the All-Star vote will be held in one 24-hour period that began at 5 AM Pacific/8 AM Eastern this morning, and will run through the same times tomorrow morning.

In keeping with tradition, the top vote-getter at each non-pitching position will get the start, and the manager will get to select the reserves as usual. However, the twist is that pitchers are now being voted on, but only the top five starters and top five relievers in total votes are guaranteed a spot. The manager for each side still needs to pick the remaining pitchers to round out their staffs.

The teams will be announced tomorrow night in a one-hour special on MLB Network. --Evan Smith

ONLY TWO FIRST-ROUND PICKS REMAIN UNSIGNED

With just one day remaining until the deadline to sign draft picks, only two first-round picks have yet to sign -- Johnny Cuevas, picked 18th by Kansas City; and 28th-overall selection Joe Boyle, a right-handed pitcher out of Notre Dame taken by the Red Sox.

Cuevas has already stated his intention to re-enter the draft next season, in which it would be his fourth turn through the draft process. Boyle is a draft-eligible sophomore with two more chances at the draft beginning in 2021, but has not declared his intentions either way.

In all, eight players throughout the top three rounds remain unsigned. Teams with unsigned picks through the first three rounds after 4 PM Eastern time tomorrow will be awarded compensatory picks in the 2021 draft. --Jason Frampton

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

GENERAL MANAGER'S JUNE REPORT

AL CENTRAL STANDINGS

Minnesota Twins: 44-34
Cleveland Indians: 44-35
Kansas City Royals: 37-43
Detroit Tigers: 35-42
Chicago White Sox: 27-52

MINOR LEAGUE AFFILIATE RECORDS

Omaha: 42-37 (1st, PCL Amer. North)
NW Arkansas: 48-28 (1st, Texas League North)
Wilmington: 46-30 (1st, Carolina League, Northern Division)
Lexington: 38-38 (t-3rd, South Atlantic League, Southern Division)
Burlington: 3-3 (t-2nd, Appalachian League East)
Idaho Falls: 6-5 (2nd, Pioneer League South)
AZL Royals: 5-4 (t-2nd, AZL West)
DSL Royals 1: 12-9 (3rd, Boca Chica NW Division)
DSL Royals 2: 4-16 (9th, Boca Chica NW Division)

REPORTS FROM MINOR LEAGUE MANAGERS

No issues to report.

PLAYERS OF THE MONTH - JUNE

Kansas City: Brad Hand, LHP
He's now a member of the Giants as of today, but Hand earned the team's Player of the Month for June right before getting traded. He had a 1.09 ERA in seventeen innings of work in June, striking out nineteen.

Omaha: Kyle Kasser, INF
Since being called up to Omaha in late May, Kasser has been a revelation. His 22-game hit streak was snapped on July 1st, and the 2018 30th-round pick hit a remarkable .358 (38-of-106) in June. He tied for second with the most runs scored in June (19), had the most hits (38), and stole three bases along with stroking four doubles.

NW Arkansas: Nick Pratto, 1B
The 21-year-old first baseman hit just one homerun in June, but racked up an impressive twelve doubles, two triples, and twenty-one RBI, which all led the team in the month. His slash-line of .359/.389/.544 was also tops on the squad amongst players with at least seventy-five plate appearances in the month.

Wilmington: Matt Morales, INF
Another Blue Rocks infielder finally wrested the award away from Francis Grullon, who won it in back-to-back months. In seventy-eight plate appearances, Morales was 27-of-68 (.397) with six doubles, two homeruns, and eleven RBI. He also walked ten times, placing third on the team for the month of June.

Lexington: Charlie Neuweiler, RHP
Neuweiler left his last start with elbow issues, but the 22-year-old righty has been one of the SAL's best pitchers this season. He was 2-1 in June in seven starts, pitching to a 1.95 ERA in 32 1/3 innings of work, including a shutout on June 7th, where he blanked Greeneville on three hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (38-43) @ TORONTO BLUE JAYS (41-40)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

07/03: RHP Heath Fillmyer (1-2, 2.00) vs RHP Luis Cessa (5-6, 5.38)
07/04: RHP Jorge Lopez (3-4, 4.96) vs LHP Tayler Saucedo (1-3, 6.49)
07/05: RHP Jake Junis (6-7, 4.86) vs LHP Helmis Rodriguez (0-0, 5.40)
07/06: LHP Danny Duffy (8-6, 2.90) vs RHP Jesse Hahn (4-3, 4.11)

GAME RECAPS

Friday, July 3rd, 2020 - First pitch, 6:35 CST
Kansas City (39-43) 5, Toronto (41-41) 2
Winner: Heath Fillmyer (2-2) Loser: Luis Cessa (5-7) Save: Corey Knebel (11)
HR-KC: Patrick Mazeika (4) HR-TOR: Forrest Wall (8)

FILLMYER DOMINANT AGAIN AS ROYALS WIN

With just one run allowed over seven innings thanks to a solo homerun from Forrest Wall, Heath Fillmyer picked up his second victory of the season as the Royals rolled to a 5-2 victory over the host Blue Jays. Former Royal Luis Cessa allowed four runs in the first inning, thanks to a Peter Alonso RBI single, and then a three-run homerun off the bat of catcher Patrick Mazeika. However, the Royals didn't dent the scoreboard again until the late innings, when Seuly Matias walked with the bases loaded to bring a run home. Corey Knebel picked up the save, his 11th in twelve tries, coming in with one out and two men on in relief of Drew Smith. Knebel struck out both Michael Brantley and Austin Allen to end the contest. After five straight losses, the Royals have won two straight.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Cleveland (44-37) 8, Baltimore (29-54) 10
Kansas City (39-43) 5, Toronto (41-41) 2
Texas (37-45) 6, Tampa Bay (41-42) 2
Minnesota (46-35) 4, Chi. Sox (28-53) 1
Seattle (36-49) 2, Houston (51-32) 6
Oakland (40-43) 6, LA Angels (50-33) 5
Washington (35-47) 5, Detroit (37-43) 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
St. Louis (37-44) 3, San Diego (29-52) 8
Philadelphia (42-41) 1, Miami (34-47) 5
Chi. Cubs (53-29) 4, Cincinnati (38-42) 5
Atlanta (48-36) 1, NY Mets (54-30) 2
Arizona (42-41) 1, San Francisco (40-41) 3
LA Dodgers (49-35) 1, Colorado (48-36) 3
Pittsburgh (38-42) 6, Milwaukee (37-45) 4

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Phillies acquire veteran RHP Cory Gearrin from Milwaukee for minor-leaguer

Saturday, July 4th, 2020 - First pitch, 6:35 CST
Kansas City (39-44) 1, Toronto (42-41) 1
Winner: Tayler Saucedo (2-3) Loser: Jorge Lopez (3-5) Save: Blake Treinen (21)
HR-KC: None HR-TOR: Austin Allen (13)

OFFENSE SPUTTERS AGAINST SAUCEDO, BLUE JAYS

Kansas City couldn't figure out rookie left-hander Tayler Saucedo, as the lanky southpaw held the Royals to just one run over seven and one-third innings in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Blue Jays. Another rookie, catcher Austin Allen, supplied both runs with a two-run homerun against Jorge Lopez in the third. Lopez was strong himself, allowing just those two runs in six innings of work, but was the tough-luck loser. He fanned three, walked three, and scattered just two hits. The Royals scratched across a run in the ninth, as Peter Alonso tripled to lead off the inning, and was brought home on a sac fly from Yoenis Cespedes. But former Royal Blake Treinen settled in and got the final three outs in a five-out save conversion.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Cleveland (44-38) 4, Baltimore (30-54) 5 (Final/10)
NY Yankees (44-39) 3, Boston (47-37) 1
Kansas City (39-44) 1, Toronto (42-41) 2
Texas (38-45) 16, Tampa Bay (41-43) 9
Minnesota (46-36) 4, Chi. Sox (29-53) 1
Seattle (37-49) 8, Houston (51-33) 7
Oakland (40-44) 2, LA Angels (51-33) 9
Washington (36-47) 8, Detroit (37-44) 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Arizona (42-42) 1, San Francisco (41-41) 5 (G1)
Arizona (43-42) 10, San Francisco (41-42) 5 (G2)
St. Louis (37-45) 2, San Diego (30-52) 3
Philadelphia (42-42) 0, Miami (35-47) 2
Chi. Cubs (53-30) 1, Cincinnati (39-42) 3
Atlanta (49-36) 6, NY Mets (54-31) 1
LA Dodgers (49-36) 4, Colorado (49-36) 5
Pittsburgh (39-42) 6, Milwaukee (37-46) 4

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Orioles place INF Michael Chavis (torn abdominal) on 60-day disabled list, could miss 3-to-4 months
Blue Jays activate RHP Gerrit Cole, sent to Triple-A Buffalo for rehab assignment

Sunday, July 5th, 2020 - First pitch, 6:35 CST
Kansas City (39-45) 4, Toronto (43-41) 5 (Final/11)
Winner: Ryan Tepera (3-0) Loser: Eric Skoglund (0-1) Save: None
HR-KC: None HR-TOR: Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. (21), Forrest Wall (9)

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AS ROYALS FALL IN EXTRAS

Kansas City had baserunners galore, with seventeen throughout, but could only score four of them as the Blue Jays prevailed over the Royals 5-4 in eleven. In addition, the Royals grounded into four double plays and were 0-fer with runners in scoring position. Nicky Lopez's two-run single in the fourth against starter Helmis Rodriguez was the last time they would dent the scoreboard, as relievers Danny Barnes, Ken Giles, Blake Treinen, and Ryan Tepera combined to shut the Royals out for seven innings. To make matters worse, southpaw reliever Richard Lovelady left after just one batter, wincing and holding his elbow after a strikeout of Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. Guerrero and Forrest Wall supplied all the offense Toronto would need, as Guerrero drove in three runs as part of a 2-for-5 day. Wall was 3-for-6, including a solo homerun and the game-winning single with two outs in the ninth.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Cleveland (44-39) 1, Baltimore (31-54) 7
NY Yankees (45-39) 11, Boston (47-38) 4
Kansas City (39-45) 4, Toronto (43-41) 5 (Final/11)
Texas (38-46) 16, Tampa Bay (42-43) 17
Minnesota (46-37) 2, Chi. Sox (30-53) 3
Seattle (37-50) 3, Houston (52-33) 5
Oakland (41-44) 3, LA Angels (51-34) 0
Washington (37-47) 9, Detroit (37-45) 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Arizona (43-43) 0, San Francisco (42-42) 3
St. Louis (38-45) 3, San Diego (30-53) 2
Philadelphia (42-43) 2, Miami (36-47) 6
Chi. Cubs (54-30) 5, Cincinnati (39-43) 1
Atlanta (49-37) 3, NY Mets (55-31) 9
LA Dodgers (49-37) 0, Colorado (50-36) 2
Pittsburgh (39-43) 2, Milwaukee (38-46) 3 (Final/10)

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Texas RHP Matt Bush expected to miss one to two more weeks (shoulder)

Monday, July 6th, 2020 - First pitch, 6:35 CST
Kansas City (40-45) 10, Toronto (43-42) 4
Winner: Danny Duffy (9-6) Loser: Keury Mella (1-5) Save: Nathan Karns (1)
HR-KC: Seuly Matias (5), Cheslor Cuthbert (19) HR-TOR: Troy Tulowitzki (7)

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AS ROYALS FALL IN EXTRAS

The Royals' offense exploded in the middle-to-late innings, adding eight runs from the sixth through the eighth inning as the Royals rolled to a 10-4 victory over the Blue Jays to salvage a series split on the road. Danny Duffy wasn't his usual dominant self, but still picked up the victory with four runs over six innings of work to move to 9-6 on the season. Nicky Lopez was 4-for-5 with a double, stolen base, and two RBI. Yoenis Cespedes, Cheslor Cuthbert, and Seuly Matias all drove in a pair of runs, with Cuthbert's and Matias' coming via the homerun. Patrick Mazeika was 3-for-4 with three doubles and an RBI.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Baltimore (32-54) 6, Tampa Bay (42-44) 5
Kansas City (40-45) 10, Toronto (43-42) 4
LA Angels (51-35) 6, Texas (39-46) 7

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
San Francisco (42-43) 0, San Diego (31-53) 3
Milwaukee (38-47) 2, Cincinnati (40-43) 7
Chi. Cubs (55-30) 8, Pittsburgh (39-44) 2

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Rangers' Ibanez, Washington's Forsythe announced as Players of the Week
Royals LHP Richard Lovelady (torn UCL) placed on 60-day disabled list; will have surgery on Tuesday in Kansas City

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

LOVELADY OUT FOR SEASON, WILL NEED SURGERY
Royals suffer another major pitching injury
By artoodeetoo
07/06/2020

Kansas City received an expected, but still crushing blow to their playoff hopes, as left-handed reliever Richard Lovelady will miss the remainder of the season with a torn UCL that will require Tommy John surgery to repair.

He was placed on the 60-day disabled list, the second Royals pitcher to land on the 60-day disabled list in as many months.

He left Sunday night's game with "extreme elbow discomfort", sitting down on the mound in disappointment after firing just four pitches in his outing. He struck out Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., but it was little consolation for manager Ned Yost, who spoke at length following the Royals' 10-4 win last night.

"He just battled back from a back injury, and goes in for one outing, and boom -- done, just like that," said Yost. "I feel bad for him, and he's been a big part of the reason that the bullpen has pitched as well as it has this year."

His departure leaves a huge hole in the bullpen, as they just traded away Brad Hand days ago to the Giants. That leaves Eric Skoglund and Jake Diekman as the only bullpen left-handers on the active roster.

However, help is on the way. Adam Liberatore, who pitched to a 2.55 ERA with the Dodgers, was claimed by the Royals off waivers earlier this morning, and should be with the team for tonight's matchup with Cleveland to begin a short three-game homestand.

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB NEWS AND NOTES
Pair of NL teams make reliever deals
By MLB.com Staff
07/07/2020

RELIEVERS SWITCH TEAMS

A couple of veteran relievers switched teams in the last few days -- with Cory Gearrin going from the Brewers to the Phillies, and Greg Holland returning to Colorado after a two-year absence.

Gearrin doesn't have great surface numbers (7.52 ERA, 7.6 K/9), but has an FIP that is much lower (4.90), and has been one of the best relievers in the National League the last few years at stranding inherited runners on base (31.8%). In exchange, the Brewers get first baseman Max Guzman, a power-hitting prospect.

For Holland, it's his second go-round with the Rockies. In his only season in Colorado in 2017, he pitched to a 3.61 ERA and a NL-best forty-one saves. In 2019, he had a 1.65 ERA through 16 1/3 inning with the Red Sox before an injury derailed his season. Holland spent the bulk of his career with the Royals, where he won a World Series ring despite missing the second half of the season.

A PTBNL was also sent to Pittsburgh in the deal along with Holland for 20-year-old pitcher Enrique Castillo, who has pitched the last two-plus seasons with the team's Pioneer League squad in Grand Junction, Colo. --Evan Smith

2020 ALL-STAR ROSTERS RELEASED

The first All-Star rosters under the new 24-hour voting format were released on Friday, and there were very few surprises. With the new format, the final vote no longer exists, and injury replacements are not allowed, unless it is a starting pitcher.

Despite owning a 46-42 record at the break, Cleveland, along with Houston, led all American League squads with five representatives, including three starters in Jose Ramirez (2B), Francisco Lindor (SS), and A.J. Pollock (CF). Pitchers Danny Salazar and Tony Zych were also voted in by the fans. Ramirez, Lindor, and Pollock are all returning All-Stars from a year ago, while this is Salazar's first All-Star nod since 2016. This is the first year for Zych.

Houston also had five representatives, but just one starter in pitcher Lance McCullers, who was the top vote-getter in the starting pitching category. Jose Altuve, who started the last two All-Star games at second base, made it as a reserve. In addition, Carlos Correa, Jandel Gustave, and Joakim Soria also were added to the squad.

The Yankees were next with four representatives, led by starters Giancarlo Stanton (LF), and Gary Sanchez (C). Pitchers Luis Severino and Craig Kimbrel were reserves, with Severino getting voted in, and Kimbrel added as a reserve by rival manager Alex Cora.

Toronto, Boston, and the Angels all put three each on the squad. The Blue Jays (Josh Donaldson, 3B; Vladimir Guerrero Jr., DH), had two starters voted in, while the Red Sox voted in one starter (Bryce Harper, RF). Catcher Jonathan Lucroy, along with pitchers Drew Pomeranz and Alex Meyer, were named as reserves from the Angels. After that, Oakland and Seattle each had two make the team, with the A's Matt Olson getting the most votes at first base to earn the nod there.

In the National League, the hosting-team Dodgers led all MLB teams with six All-Star nods, led by Cody Bellinger, who is following up last year's season with an even better one. Bellinger was the biggest snub last year, and with the game being in Los Angeles at Chavez Ravine this season, the fans made sure he got in this time as the starting first baseman. The Dodgers also have three other starters, with Manny Machado (3B), Mike Trout (CF), and Corey Seager (DH), and two reserves in outfielder Alex Verdugo and relief pitcher Cam Bedrosian.

The Cubs had five make the squad, although none were voted in as starters. One of the more notable snubs from this year's squad was Jose Quintana, but with Arizona having just one representative (Robbie Ray), it likely drove Quintana out of consideration for an at-large spot. Next were the defending-champion Mets with four, including Noah Syndergaard, who was tabbed by his manager, Mickey Callaway, to start on Tuesday. Jacob deGrom was voted in, as well as outfielder Michael Conforto and catcher Yasmani Grandal, who made it in as manager's picks.

NL West-leading Colorado also brought four to the party, with one starter voted in (Charlie Blackmon, RF). Blackmon was voted in as the starting CF in the 2019 All-Star Game in Cleveland. Fellow outfielder David Dahl and pitcher Jon Gray also made the squad as a reserve, with first baseman Ryan McMahon getting the nod over Joey Votto as a manager's pick. Atlanta and Pittsburgh each had three selections, while St. Louis landed two.

Tampa Bay, Texas, Kansas City, Baltimore, Minnesota, Detroit, and the White Sox all were one-rep squads in the American League. In the National League, Philadelphia, Miami, Cincinnati, Washington, San Francisco, Arizona, San Diego, and Milwaukee were all one-rep squads. However, they had two players voted in as starters in Francisco Mejia (C, San Diego), and Orlando Arcia (SS, Milwaukee).

The game will be played on July 14th at Dodger Stadium, and the homerun derby will precede the game on July 13th. --David LoPietro

2020 MLB All-Star Game Rosters
American League		National League
Manager: Alex Cora, Boston		Manager: Mickey Callaway, NY Mets
Pos	Starters	Pos	Starters
C	Gary Sanchez, NY Yankees	C	Francisco Mejia, San Diego
1B	Matt Olson, Oakland	1B	Cody Bellinger, LA Dodgers
2B	Jose Ramirez, Cleveland	2B	Ozzie Albies, Atlanta
3B	Josh Donaldson, Toronto	3B	Manny Machado, LA Dodgers
SS	Francisco Lindor, Cleveland	SS	Orlando Arcia, Milwaukee
LF	Giancarlo Stanton, NY Yankees	LF	Michael Conforto, NY Mets
CF	A.J. Pollock, Cleveland	CF	Mike Trout, LA Dodgers
RF	Bryce Harper, Boston	RF	Charlie Blackmon, Colorado
DH	Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Toronto	DH	Corey Seager, LA Dodgers
Pos	Pitchers & Reserves	Pos	Pitchers & Reserves
SP	Luis Severino, NY Yankees	SP	Jon Lester, Chi. Cubs
SP	Danny Duffy, Kansas City	SP	Wilmer Font, Miami
SP	Drew Pomeranz, LA Angels	SP	Kyle Hendricks, Chi. Cubs
SP	Lance McCullers, Jr., Houston	SP	Robbie Ray, Arizona
SP	Danny Salazar, Cleveland	SP	Alex Reyes, St. Louis
SP	Chris Sale, Boston	SP	Jacob deGrom, NY Mets
SP	Sean Manaea, Oakland	SP	Jon Gray, Colorado
SP	Alex Meyer, LA Angels	SP	Noah Syndergaard, NY Mets
RP	Craig Kimbrel, NY Yankees	RP	Cam Bedrosian, LA Dodgers
RP	Joakim Soria, Houston	RP	Zach Britton, Atlanta
RP	Kyle Barraclough, LA Angels	RP	Felipe Vazquez, Pittsburgh
RP	Edwin Diaz, Seattle	RP	Aroldis Chapman, St. Louis
RP	Jandel Gustave, Houston	RP	Andrew Miller, Chi. Cubs
RP	Tony Zych, Cleveland	RP	A.J. Minter, Atlanta
C	Austin Allen, Toronto	C	Buster Posey, San Francisco
C	Jonathan Lucroy, LA Angels	C	Yasmani Grandal, NY Mets
1B	Jose Abreu, Minnesota	1B	Anthony Rizzo, Chi. Cubs
2B	Jose Altuve, Houston	1B	Ryan McMahon, Colorado
3B	Joey Gallo, Texas	3B	Nick Senzel, Cincinnati
3B	Rafael Devers, Boston	SS	Xander Bogaerts, Pittsburgh
3B	Jeimer Candelario, Detroit	OF	Ian Happ, Chi. Cubs
SS	Carlos Correa, Houston	OF	Rhys Hoskins, Philadelphia
OF	Nicky Delmonico, Chi. Sox	OF	Gregory Polanco, Pittsburgh
OF	Anthony Santander, Baltimore	OF	Juan Soto, Washington
OF	Hisayoshi Chono, Seattle	OF	Alex Verdugo, LA Dodgers
OF	Scott Schebler, Tampa Bay	OF	David Dahl, Colorado

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

CLEVELAND INDIANS (44-39) @ KANSAS CITY ROYALS (40-45)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

07/07: RHP Josh Tomlin (4-1, 3.59) vs RHP Mitchell White (4-1, 4.17)
07/08: RHP Angel L. Sanchez (0-3, 10.57) vs RHP Heath Fillmyer (2-2, 1.85)
07/09: RHP Elijah Morgan (2-4, 3.99) vs RHP Jorge Lopez (3-5, 4.80)

GAME RECAPS

Tuesday, July 7th, 2020 - First pitch, 7:05 CST
Cleveland (45-39) 5, Kansas City (40-46) 4
Winner: Josh Tomlin (5-1) Loser: Mitchell White (4-2) Save: Tony Zych (22)
HR-CLE: None HR-KC: Yoenis Cespedes (18)

ROYALS' OFFENSE STALLS; INDIANS WIN WITH LATE RALLY

The Royals' offense looked good early on, scoring four runs in the first four innings, but stalled out over the rest of the game as the Indians used a three-run seventh to pull ahead and eventually emerge with a 5-4 victory. Mitchell White pitched seven innings, allowing five earned runs on ten hits, walking two and striking out two. The Royals' offensive star was an unlikely source -- Richard Urena was 3-for-4 with three doubles and an RBI, but grounded into the game-ending double play against closer Tony Zych in the ninth. Josh Tomlin moved to 5-1 with eight strong innings, striking out three with no walks and four runs allowed.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Cleveland (45-39) 5, Kansas City (40-46) 4
Baltimore (33-54) 9, Tampa Bay (42-45) 4
Boston (47-39) 5, Toronto (44-42) 6
Detroit (38-45) 5, Chi. Sox (30-54) 2
LA Angels (51-36) 3, Texas (40-46) 4
Minnesota (46-38) 1, Oakland (42-44) 6
St. Louis (39-45) 9, Seattle (37-51) 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Miami (36-48) 6, Washington (38-47) 7
Milwaukee (38-48) 2, Cincinnati (41-43) 11
Chi. Cubs (55-31) 9, Pittsburgh (40-44) 10 (Final/14)
NY Yankees (45-40) 1, NY Mets (56-31) 2
Philadelphia (42-44) 4, Atlanta (50-37) 5
Houston (52-34) 2, Colorado (51-36) 3
San Francisco (43-43) 6, San Diego (31-54) 4
Arizona (43-44) 1, LA Dodgers (50-37) 4

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Rockies acquire Greg Holland and PTBNL from Pittsburgh for minor-leaguer

Wednesday, July 7th, 2020 - First pitch, 7:05 CST
Cleveland (45-40) 1, Kansas City (41-46) 2
Winner: Heath Fillmyer (3-2) Loser: Angel L. Sanchez (0-4) Save: Corey Knebel (12)
HR: None

FILLMYER ROLLS, ROYALS EMERGE VICTORIOUS

Heath Fillmyer continued his remarkable early success since being re-called from Omaha, allowing just one run over seven-plus innings as the Royals held on late for a 2-1 victory. Corey Knebel picked up the two-inning save, his 12th of the season. He struck out four in an economical twenty-six pitches, walking one. Fillmyer fanned five in his outing, scattering just five hits and one walk. The Royals did all of their damage in the sixth inning, as Peter Alonso doubled Nicky Lopez home before Cheslor Cuthbert stroked a single to center two hitters later to score Alonso. Alonso left the game in the eighth after going first to third on a single, injuring his hip on an awkward head-first slide into third. He was lifted for a pinch-runner in Jose Peraza, who stayed in to play shortstop.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Cleveland (45-40) 1, Kansas City (41-46) 2
Baltimore (33-55) 7, Tampa Bay (43-45) 8
Boston (47-40) 2, Toronto (45-42) 5
Detroit (38-46) 2, Chi. Sox (31-54) 4
LA Angels (51-37) 3, Texas (41-46) 4
Minnesota (46-39) 4, Oakland (43-44) 11
St. Louis (39-46) 3, Seattle (38-51) 6

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Miami (37-48) 5, Washington (38-48) 3
Milwaukee (38-49) 5, Cincinnati (42-43) 6
Chi. Cubs (56-31) 11, Pittsburgh (40-45) 5 (Final/12)
NY Yankees (45-41) 3, NY Mets (57-31) 5
Philadelphia (43-44) 10, Atlanta (50-38) 4
Houston (52-35) 4, Colorado (52-36) 6
San Francisco (44-43) 5, San Diego (31-55) 4 (Final/10)
Arizona (43-45) 3, LA Dodgers (51-37) 9

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Nationals sign SS Trea Turner to six-year, $119M extension through 2026

Thursday, July 9th, 2020 - First pitch, 7:05 CST
Cleveland (46-40) 4, Kansas City (41-47) 3
Winner: Elijah Morgan (3-4) Loser: Jorge Lopez (3-6) Save: Tony Zych (23)
HR-CLE: None HR-KC: Cheslor Cuthbert (20)

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES AS ROYALS FALL IN EXTRAS

Jorge Lopez was cruising along until the fifth inning, allowing just one run through his first four innings. But a three-run fifth proved to be the difference, as the Royals eventually fell late by a 4-3 count. The Royals added two runs against Indians rookie Elijah Morgan in the sixth, but the right-hander picked up his third victory of the season with eight innings, six strikeouts, and just three runs allowed. Cheslor Cuthbert hit a solo homerun in the third for his 20th homerun of the season, and later added a sac fly for one of the Royals' two sixth-inning tallies.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
NY Yankees (45-42) 2, Tampa Bay (44-45) 8
Cleveland (46-40) 4, Kansas City (41-47) 3
Boston (48-40) 14, Toronto (45-43) 1
Detroit (39-46) 8, Chi. Sox (31-55) 4
LA Angels (52-37) 7, Texas (41-47) 1
Minnesota (47-39) 1, Oakland (43-45) 0
St. Louis (39-47) 2, Seattle (39-51) 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Miami (37-48) @ Washington (38-48) -- PPD
Milwaukee (38-50) 1, Cincinnati (43-43) 3
Chi. Cubs (57-31) 9, Pittsburgh (40-46) 5 (Final/12)
Philadelphia (44-44) 3, Atlanta (50-39) 1
San Diego (31-56) 2, LA Dodgers (52-37) 3

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
LHP Jacob Lindgren (shoulder) to miss rest of season after surgery
Seattle releases LHP Clayton Richard

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

ROYALS SIGN KARNS TO TWO-YEAR EXTENSION
Deal keeps Karns in KC through 2022
By artoodeetoo
07/10/2020

Nathan Karns will be in Kansas City for the next few years, as the Royals inked the right-handed reliever to a two-year extension on Thursday evening.

The move is a strong signal that the team will not be exercising the $6M option on veteran righty Nate Jones, who is currently on the disabled list with an ERA of over 8.00.

His base salary in 2021 will be $2.75M, and has a player option for 2022 that is worth $3.25M. He also has incentives that can add another $250K over each season, giving him a possible maximum of $6.5M over the two years.

Karns has seen his career take off with the Royals after an injury-filled first few seasons since being acquired from the Mariners after the 2016 season for Jarrod Dyson.

He has a 3.58 ERA in 152 2/3 innings the past one and one-half seasons, striking out better than ten batters per nine innings, with just three walks per nine.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB NEWS AND NOTES
Home Run Derby field set
By MLB.com Staff
07/10/2020

HOME RUN DERBY FIELD SET

Four American League and National League sluggers have accepted invitations to take part in the 2020 Home Run Derby on Monday night, preceding Tuesday night's All-Star Game.

Oakland's Matt Olson, the Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton, Texas' Joey Gallo, and Boston's Bryce Harper will take the field for the AL side. On the NL side of the ledger, a pair of Dodgers will be the headlining acts -- first baseman Cody Bellinger and third baseman Manny Machado.

In addition, a pair of first-timers in Philadelphia outfielder Rhys Hoskins and Milwaukee shortstop Orlando Arcia will represent the NL side. Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs was extended an invite, but declined due to a knee issue that has had him in and out of the lineup recently, giving way for Arcia to join the competition. --Jason Frampton

BALTIMORE'S LINDGREN OUT FOR YEAR

Baltimore left-hander Jacob Lindgren will miss the rest of the season with a torn labrum, according to Craig Laskey of the Baltimore Sun. He has not been effective this season, with a 9.64 ERA in twenty-three innings of work, and has twenty-six walks against thirty strikeouts. --Evan Smith

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Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (41-47) @ WASHINGTON NATIONALS (38-48)



PITCHING MATCHUPS

07/10: RHP Jake Junis (6-7, 4.92) vs RHP Max Scherzer (4-10, 4.16)
07/11: LHP Danny Duffy (9-6, 3.06) vs LHP Mike Minor (5-8, 5.54)
07/12: RHP Mitchell White (4-2, 4.45) vs RHP Mike Hauschild (1-0, 3.07)

GAME RECAPS

Friday, July 10th, 2020 - First pitch, 8:05 CST
Kansas City (42-47) 3, Washington (38-49) 2
Winner: Jake Junis (7-7) Loser: Max Scherzer (4-11) Save: Drew Smith (1)
HR-KC: Yoenis Cespedes (19) HR-WAS: Logan Forsythe (14)

JUNIS EVENS RECORD WITH STRONG START

Jake Junis fanned six over six and two-third, and Nicky Lopez and Yoenis Cespedes combined to go 7-for-9 with three RBI as the Royals edged out the host Nats by a 3-2 count. Lopez had the key hit -- an RBI single with two outs in the seventh that gave the Royals an insurance run they'd need later, as Logan Forsythe drilled a solo homerun against Drew Smith in the ninth, just one batter after Smith erased two baserunners with a double play. Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run homerun in the third off Max Scherzer, his 19th homerun of the season as part of a 3-for-4 day that saw him fall just a triple short of the cycle.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
LA Angels (53-37) 5, Houston (52-36) 1
Boston (48-41) 3, Detroit (40-46) 6
Baltimore (33-56) 4, Toronto (46-43) 6
NY Yankees (46-42) 2, Tampa Bay (44-46) 0
Texas (41-48) 5, Minnesota (48-39) 6
Oakland (44-45) 9, Seattle (39-52) 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Kansas City (42-47) 3, Washington (38-49) 2
St. Louis (40-47) 7, San Francisco (44-44) 2
San Diego (31-57) 2, LA Dodgers (53-37) 4
Philadelphia (45-44) 6, NY Mets (57-32) 4 (Final/10)
Milwaukee (39-50) 8, Pittsburgh (40-47) 1
Miami (38-48) 8, Atlanta (50-40) 1
Colorado (52-37) 2, Arizona (44-45) 6

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Royals ink veteran RHP Nathan Karns to two-year extension with 2022 player option

Saturday, July 11th, 2020 - First pitch, 8:05 CST
Kansas City (42-48) 0, Washington (39-49) 4
Winner: Mike Minor (6-8) Loser: Danny Duffy (9-7) Save: Hunter Strickland (6)
HR-KC: None HR-WAS: Logan Forsythe (15), Trey Michalczewski (2)

TWO NATS COMBINE TO BLANK ROYALS

Former Royal Mike Minor shut the Royals out over seven and one-third innings, and Hunter Strickland picked up the save in one and two-third innings as the Nats shut the punch-less Royals out 4-0. Minor fanned eight over his outing, his second-highest strikeout total on the season. After getting ten runs of support in his last start, Danny Duffy received no such help this time around as the Royals had just four hits and one walk in the game. Cheslor Cuthbert was 1-for-4 with a double for the Royals' only extra-base hit. Peter Alonso left the game in the first inning after taking a pitch off his right ankle, and is listed day-to-day. This is in addition to a hip problem that he is already playing through.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
LA Angels (53-38) 5, Houston (53-36) 7
Boston (48-42) 2, Detroit (41-46) 3
Baltimore (33-57) 5, Toronto (47-43) 11
NY Yankees (46-43) 9, Tampa Bay (45-46) 10
Texas (41-49) 1, Minnesota (49-39) 6
Oakland (44-46) 4, Seattle (40-52) 8
Chi. Cubs (57-32) 4, Chi. Sox (32-55) 5

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Cleveland (46-41) 1, Cincinnati (44-43) 3 (Final/10)
Kansas City (42-48) 0, Washington (39-49) 4
St. Louis (41-47) 2, San Francisco (44-45) 1
San Diego (31-58) 5, LA Dodgers (54-37) 6
Philadelphia (45-45) 2, NY Mets (58-32) 7 (Final/10)
Milwaukee (39-51) 1, Pittsburgh (41-47) 6
Miami (38-49) 3, Atlanta (51-40) 11
Colorado (53-37) 8, Arizona (44-46) 1

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Mets RHP Jacob deGrom (forearm) placed on 10-day disabled list, will miss 2020 All-Star Game

Sunday, July 12th, 2020 - First pitch, 2:05 CST
Kansas City (43-48) 7, Washington (39-50) 5
Winner: Mitchell White (5-2) Loser: Mike Hauschild (1-1) Save: Corey Knebel (13)
HR: None

CUTHBERT, ROYALS END FIRST HALF ON HIGH NOTE

Hitting in the second slot in the order for the first time in his career, Cheslor Cuthbert drove in four of the Royals' seven runs, going 3-for-4 in the process as the Royals held on for a 7-5 road victory, earning their first series win since a road sweep at Seattle from June 22nd through the 24th. Nicky Lopez also collected a trio of hits, including his 20th double of the season. Each also scored twice, with Nick Castellanos, Brett Phillips, and Mitchell White scoring once. Making his 10th start of the season, White overcame some shoddy defense early on, allowing four runs (just two earned) over six innings, fanning seven with just two walks.

AMERICAN LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
LA Angels (53-39) 3, Houston (54-36) 9
Boston (49-42) 5, Detroit (41-47) 1
Baltimore (34-57) 9, Toronto (47-44) 5
NY Yankees (47-43) 6, Tampa Bay (45-47) 4
Texas (42-49) 6, Minnesota (49-40) 4
Oakland (44-47) 5, Seattle (41-52) 9
Chi. Cubs (58-32) 5, Chi. Sox (32-56) 0

NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOREBOARD
Cleveland (46-42) 1, Cincinnati (45-43) 6
Kansas City (43-48) 7, Washington (39-50) 5
St. Louis (42-47) 5, San Francisco (44-46) 0
San Diego (32-58) 3, LA Dodgers (54-38) 1
Philadelphia (45-46) 3, NY Mets (59-32) 5 (Final/10)
Milwaukee (39-52) 3, Pittsburgh (42-47) 7
Miami (39-49) 5, Atlanta (51-41) 3
Colorado (53-38) 1, Arizona (45-46) 5

MAJOR NEWS/TRANSACTIONS
Atlanta acquires southpaw Tyler Anderson from Miami for minor-leaguer

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MONDESI SUFFERS SETBACK IN REHAB
Shortstop will likely miss rest of season; moved to 60-day DL
By artoodeetoo
07/13/2020

During a routine workout in recovery from a strained Achilles, Adalberto Mondesi suffered what was labeled a 'slight' re-injury of his strained tendon, according to manager Ned Yost in his All-Star break conference call earlier this morning. Despite being on the disabled list, he has been traveling with the team on road trips, and has been in the dugout in uniform for home games.

Mondesi will likely miss the remainder of the season on the advice of Nick Kenney, the team's long-time head trainer.

"Unfortunately, when dealing with Achilles injuries, the recovery time can be longer than with other injuries," Yost noted. "So, we're pretty disappointed at these new developments, but thankfully, it's not completely torn. That's the fear when you're trying to rehab this type of injury."

If Mondesi is indeed out for the rest of the season, where do the Royals go at shortstop? Nicky Lopez is as sure-handed as it gets, but doesn't really have the arm strength to turn tough plays into outs on a consistent basis.

Richard Urena and Jose Peraza have been splitting time at the position, mainly along platoon lines, as both have the range and arm to play there. However, they have provided little to no offense to date. Erick Mejia has played little shortstop over the years, as he's mainly played second base.

Other than that, there is little in the minor leagues that can help. If the Royals decide they are going to contend this year (which still seems unlikely), they might be in the market for a shortstop at the deadline.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB NEWS AND NOTES
Mets' deGrom to miss All-Star Game
By MLB.com Staff
07/13/2020

DEGROM PLACED ON DISABLED LIST

Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom will miss his initial second-half start with a forearm strain, according to Jason Salter of the New York Times. He was added onto the 2020 NL All-Star squad by his manager, Mickey Callaway, after surprisingly not getting voted in.

DeGrom, who is 12-2 with a 2.39 ERA in 2020, was placed on the 10-day disabled list, and was one of the likelier pitchers to make a short appearance in the game with four days' rest. He was replaced by Callaway on the NL roster by Colorado left-hander Antonio Senzatela, a first-time All-Star at just twenty-five.

TRADE MARKET BEGINNING TO HEAT UP

After a slow start with just a few trades involving relief pitchers in place, the trade market has started to heat up in recent days. The biggest name purported to be on the move in the next few days after the break is Seattle closer Edwin Diaz, with the Mets out in front, and the Red Sox, Yankees, Angels, and Dodgers all interested. Miami has also put 2020 NL All-Star and right-hander Wilmer Font on the block in the last week.

Southpaws Adam Morgan and Robbie Ross (White Sox); and Tyler Anderson (Marlins), another lefty, have already been dealt in the past handful of days to the Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Braves respectively.

Still other big names that may join the party in the coming week or so are Aroldis Chapman of St. Louis, Danny Duffy and Corey Knebel in Kansas City, Jurickson Profar in Texas, Mike Minor in Washington, and Yoan Moncada of the White Sox. However, Moncada's value has dipped precipitously this season with a .191/.306/.287 slash-line, so it might be prudent for Rick Hahn to hold on to the 24-year-old infielder, at least until the offseason.

Baltimore may look to unload veteran third baseman Mike Moustakas despite having a team-friendly deal that doesn't expire until 2024, paying him a modest $28M in sum through that season. He's still owed roughly $3M in 2020. --Evan Smith

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

I forgot to add the All-Star rosters earlier. They are back on post #410.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

BIGGEST ALL-STAR SNUBS
AL hitting leader fails to make squad
07/13/2020
By David LoPietro, MLB.com

Corey Knebel, Kansas City -- With apologies to Tony Zych, the most dominant closer in baseball right now is Knebel. To wit, he has a lower ERA than WHIP (0.67 to 0.78), and has given up a paltry eleven hits in twenty-seven innings, with fifty strikeouts. He's still somewhat prone to walks in bunches, but his walk rate is way down from a year ago (4.8 to 3.3). In 49 1/3 innings with the Royals since being acquired last year, Knebel has allowed three earned runs, two off solo homeruns. He doesn't have the save numbers of the other closers, but I'd take him over any other reliever on the roster, including Zych. Both Joakim Soria and Jandel Gustave are very, very worthy players, but did Alex Cora really need two Houston relievers?

Franklin Barreto, Oakland -- The American League second base field is incredibly stacked -- including Jose Ramirez and Jose Altuve, who made the team, Barreto probably should have been in consideration, along with Kansas City's Nicky Lopez and Daniel Murphy of the Angels. Barreto is second amongst AL second basemen in homeruns (16), and also has twenty-four doubles and three triples to go with sixteen steals. The acquisition of Freddy Galvis to play shortstop has allowed Barreto to flourish at second, garnering a +2 ZR with solid efficiency (1.008).

Kyle Tucker, Houston -- I know, I know, it's a Houston player, and the Astros already had a bunch of their players on the roster. But Tucker is leading the AL in hitting (.336), and it's pretty rare that the leading hitter in either league doesn't get at least a manager's pick. I think if Cora had gone with Corey Knebel over either Gustave or Soria for the pitching staff, Tucker would be on the roster. Interestingly enough, Tucker finished fifth in the right-field vote, one spot behind Hisayoshi Chono, which might have influenced Cora's decision.

Logan Forsythe, Washington -- At age-33, Forsythe is having a career year, certainly better than the year Ozzie Albies is having, and that's no disrespect to him. Forsythe leads all NL second basemen in BA (.312), OBP (.389), and OPS (.888). He's also third in homeruns (15), and third in RBI (41). The National League roster is a little short on infielders, and I'd argue that Forsythe means more to the Nats than Gregory Polanco does to the Pirates, David Dahl to the Rockies, or Alex Verdugo does to the Dodgers.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

NATIONAL LEAGUE WINS ALL-STAR GAME HANDILY
Dodgers have big weekend with Trout, Bellinger
07/15/2020
By Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com

Mike Trout hit homeruns in his first two at-bats, helping lead the National League to a 9-2 victory in the 2020 All-Star Game, held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. As with the night before in the Home Run Derby which saw Cody Bellinger take the title, Mike Trout won the All-Star Game's highest honor with his performance, although his teammates more than covered the bill in the later innings.

"Pretty amazing few days if you're a Dodgers fan," said victorious NL skipper Mickey Callaway after the game. "They have a pretty tremendous squad out here."

Trout went deep off Lance McCullers in the first inning, and then again in the fourth against former teammate Kyle Barraclough. Cleveland teammates Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez each had a pair of hits for the American League, as they only pushed across single tallies in the fifth and sixth innings.

All thirty teams have tomorrow off before the Rangers and Astros play a make-up game on Thursday night, the 16th. All teams resume action on Friday night, the 17th.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Royal Rebuild [OOTP 19]

MLB'S FIVE SECOND-HALF THINGS TO WATCH
Central race in AL is most compelling
07/16/2020
By Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com

Will the trade market pick up? It's been slowly percolating, but nothing massive has come down the pipeline as of yet. As a reminder, going forward, there isn't a trade waiver period in August, so teams are going to have to put up or shut up, so to speak. The first five to six days of the second half may not bring much, but the last week before the break should be explosive.

Has a favorite emerged out of the American League? The Astros and Angels appear to be the two best teams, but they have serious flaws. Boston has struggled without David Price and Eduardo Rodriguez much of the season, and need pitching in the worst way. Toronto has inserted themselves into the AL East discussion, as they are just five games back at the break. Minnesota and Cleveland are one-two in the Central, but much like last season, neither one seem like real World Series contenders. Detroit is another team that has come off the fringe, and has a key series with the Royals to begin the second half.

Could one of Rafael Devers or Bryce Harper win the Triple Crown? Devers, who has twenty-four homeruns, will likely have to go on a massive homerun binge in the second half, but is fourth in the AL in BA (.324) and first in RBI (88); while Harper is third in BA (.327), fourth in homeruns (29), and second in RBI (80).

What is the most compelling race in each league? The AL East will be fun to watch, with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays all within five games of each other. After a 23-30 first two months of the season, the Jays went 24-14 over the last one and one-half months to find themselves in the thick of it. Their pitching is suspect, but have more than enough offensive capabilities to make a push against weakened Red Sox and Yankees squads. In the NL, much like last year, the wildcard is where the drama will be at. The Braves are beginning to pull away, but the Giants, Phillies, Diamondbacks, and even the Reds -- yes, the Reds, at six games out -- have a shot.

So, about Cincinnati -- are they really for real? After fifty-one wins last year, the Reds clocked in with a 45-42 first-half mark, so they're well on their way to besting last year's franchise-worst 51-111 record in 2019. 2020 All-Star Nick Senzel has been everything advertised and more, with a nearly +3 ZR and sporting a .947 OPS in 396 plate appearances. Joey Votto has missed some time with injury, but has been his usual productive self when healthy. Joe McCarthy filled in for him at first base when he was out, and has been a solid defender in both left field and at first. Center fielder Mallex Smith and second baseman Shedric Long have shown surprising power, with seven and fifteen homeruns, respectively. Long's fifteen dingers rank second only to Senzel's nineteen. They need starting pitching help, and may not enter the sweepstakes until they inch closer in the race (if they do at all).