Winners, Losers at the Trade Deadline

Winner: Boston Red Sox

Yoenis Cespedes
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When any team trades three pitchers who started a game in the World Series for them the season before, you expect the worst. However, the Red Sox got back great pieces. Yoenis Cespedes is a very good player and is now playing in a pitchers park. He will be an All-Star playing in Fenway Park. His power numbers will surge being able to pull the ball off and over the Green Monster. Not only that, Cespedes is a good defender with a cannon of an arm. Joining Cespedes in the Red Sox outfield is Allen Craig. Craig has struggled this season after being an All-Star last year. However, he has not been fully healthy this year. There is a very good chance Craig returns, either this year or next year, to being a very good hitter. The one thing I wonder about getting Cespedes and Craig is that they are joining an outfield with lots of young players. I think getting rid of Stephen Drew is a smart move. He was stalling the progress of their young players. I think they could have gotten more for Andrew Miller. 

Winner: Oakland Athletics

Jon Lester is a huge pick-up for the Athletics. They have always struggled in October.  He is a big-game pitcher who is having a fantastic season. Jonny Gomes is also a nice pick-up as a platoon player. He hits southpaws very well. You also have to remember that the Athletics also picked up Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel earlier in the month. My one problem with the Lester deal is the man the A's gave up: Yoenis Cespedes. As I already discussed, Cespedes is an All-Star talent. I never though that Cespedes would be out of Oakland so quickly. He is a free agent after next season, so the A's would have had at least until next July before they thought about trading him. The A's also got Sam Fuld from the Twins for Tommy Milone. Fuld was released by the A's earlier in the year, so reacquiring him is interesting. He will most likely platoon with Gomes in left field. The Athletics are in win now mode and you cannot blame them for it. 

Winner: Detroit Tigers

David Price
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I am all in on the Tigers. Their rotation looks dominant, absolutely dominant. 2011 Cy Young and MVP Justin Verlander, 2012 Cy Young Winner David Price, 2013 Cy Young Winner Max Scherzer, 2013 ERA Leader Anibal Sanchez, and Rick Porcello, who is in the middle of a career year. All five guys are top guys on any staff. The one factor I think goes under the radar is that one of those starters will be in the bullpen in the playoffs. I would assume it to be Porcello because he usually goes to pen in the playoffs. This would help the Tigers sketchy bullpen. Remember, they also added Joakim Soria earlier in the month. Even though he has struggled, he should be a good fit by playoff time. 

Winner: Seattle Mariners 

The Mariners did not make any big splashes, but they made key moves to help them down the stretch. They traded for Chris Denorfia, a versatile outfielder, who will be a good fit with them. And then they joined in on the David Price deal, acquiring CF Austin Jackson from Detroit and only giving up Nick Franklin. Jackson has struggled the past two years after three good seasons. Lloyd McClendon was the hitting coach in Detroit before becoming the manager of Seattle before the season. If anyone could help fix Jackson's hitting woes, it would be McClendon. Also, Jackson fills two major needs for Seattle: Right Handed Bat and Center Fielder. He improves the Mariners and makes them a bigger player in the playoff hunt.

Winner: Milwaukee Brewers

Gerardo Parra
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On a day where Lester and Price captured the headlines, the Brewers made an under-the-radar trade that will pay dividends in the playoff race and in the playoffs. They acquired OF Gerardo Parra from Arizona for two minor leaguers, LHP Anthony Banda and OF Mitch Haniger. I would expect Parra to take over Khris Davis' spot in left field or move Ryan Braun back to left (where he played from 2008-12) and put Parra in right. Parra is going to be an impact player for Brewers. He is fantastic defender with a rocket arm and a decent hitter at the plate. Plus, he bats left-handed, which is a surprising key. Scooter Gennett is the only usual starter that bats left handed so Parra gives the Brewers more lineup diversity. Parra will be a key for the Brewers down the stretch.

Loser: Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies desperately wanted to make a deal by the deadline, but they could not. They have been holding off rebuilding for a while and now that they are trying to, they cannot get anything done. They have a lot of parts that they could have gotten prospects and young players for. These include Marlon Byrd, Cliff Lee, Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. The Phillies needed to make a move and were expected to make a move. The fact they didn't on a day with more then a dozen moves is shocking. They missed out big time.

Loser: Houston Astros

I really don't understand this trade. They traded RHP Jarred Cosart, UTL Enrique "Kike" Hernandez, and OF Austin Wates to Miami for 3B Colin Moran, OF Jake Marisnick, RHP Francis Martes, and a draft pick. Jarred Cosart is a top of the rotation pitcher and could be a team ace for the future. Hernandez was fantastic in Triple A (.337/.380/.508) before being moved up to the big club, where he has been playing well. He may become a important piece on a playoff team. Wates is a speedy outfielder currently in Triple-A that has potential. Those are three interesting players who may have been a part of the Astros future. Moran may be a good player, whilee Marisnick has big potential

Loser: Tampa Bay Rays

Willy Adames
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It is always tough to give away a franchise player, but you can always expect to get a lot in return. The Rays did not get a lot and that makes them losers at the deadline. They got middle infielder Nick Franklin from Seattle and LHP Drew Smyly and minor league SS Willy Adames from Detroit. Franklin hit extremely well in Triple-A last year, but hit .222 with Seattle in 2013 and .128 in 17 games with Seattle this year. He has potential, but he will need to hit to be a major league starter. Smyly is good starting pitcher, maybe a 3 or 4 starter, but no All-Star. The key piece for them is Adames. Adames is an 18-year old shortstop from the Dominican Repblic. He is currently in his second professional season. He played in Rookie ball in 2013, but was playing with the Tigers' Class A franchise this year. Adames is a raw talent and the Rays are clearly high on him. However, they could have definitely gotten at least one more player for Price. The Rays did not get enough for the Price deal to it to be considered at least somewhat successful.

Jury Out: New York Yankees

The Yankees picked up three hitters before the deadline: Chase Headley on July 22nd and Stephen Drew and Martin Prado today. Headley has played well in New York, but he will never play like he did in 2012. Of the three players, I like Martin Prado the best because he is the most versatile, is a very good fielder, and is good hitter. Stephen Drew is a great defender, but he has never played second base in the majors or the minors. He also has not hit at all this year. Time will tell whether these deal work out. The Yankees also picked up Brandon McCarthy on July 8th and he has been great, going 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA and a 3.05 FIP. 

Jury Out: St. Louis Cardinals

John Lackey
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The Cardinals made two moves for starting pitchers on the last two days before the deadline. They acquired RHP Justin Masterson from Cleveland for OF James Ramsey and then John Lackey and minor league LHP Corey Littrell from Boston for OF/1B Allen Craig and RHP Joe Kelly. These moves are clearly made to boost their rotation that experienced injuries and some struggles. However, their rotation has not been the problem, it is their line-up. They have had little slugging from them and have had difficulty scoring. They have the second-to-last runs scored in the majors with 387. Both starters they received are good but inconsistent. The big question is whether or not they missed out on an opportunity to get a bat. 

Jury Out: Washington Nationals 

With Ryan Zimmermann is out indefinitely, the Nats decided to go out and get infielder. They got Asdrubal Cabrera for the Indians for Zach Wolters. Cabrera, who was playing short in Cleveland, will be playing second base in Washington. That means Anthony Rendon will move to third base, where he is most comfortable. Cabrera has gold glove potential, but he is a streaky hitter. His versatility is a big key, but we need to see how he performs in DC to see if the Nationals are winners or losers. 

Winner: Baseball

What a day for baseball! After a very uneventful and boring deadline day last year, this deadline day was exciting, interesting, and fascinating. First the two big Red Sox deals, then the Price rumors with the smaller deals, and then 15 minutes before the deadline, the Price deal is made. The day was a roller coaster ride. These trades will impact teams for many years to come. This was the best trade deadline of any sport in years and a great day for baseball.

Is Jose Altuve the Best Baseball Player in the Majors?

Jose Altuve
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The Houston Astros are 42-63, second worst in the major leagues. They have a run differential of -107 and their hitters have the second most strikeouts of any team. Astros' pitchers have the third worst ERA (4.47) and WHIP (1.41) in the majors. They are on their way to their sixth straight losing season and possibly their fourth straight 100+ loss season. There have been few bright spots on the Astros in these last few years. One of those bright spots has been Jose Altuve, an unheralded prospect who is leading the major leagues in hitting and made his second All-Star Game this year. While Mike Trout, Troy Tulowitzki, Jonathan Lucroy, and other star players are being discussed as MVP, Altuve is not being heavily considered. However, he may be the best player in the league this year.

Altuve is 5'6", 175 pounds, so he is never going to be a man who hits many home runs, but he can hit the ball with the best of them. He is currently hitting .344, which is first in the MLB. He has 148 hits, most in the majors, with 30 doubles, tied for fourth in the majors. He has also only struck out 39 times and has averages one strikeout per eleven at-bats, which is third best in the league. Not only is he raking at the plate, but he is also making a fantastic baserunner. He is second in the majors in stolen bases with 42, and has only been caught five times. 

Defensively, Altuve has been good. He is second in the majors in putouts (192), assists (295), and double plays turned (72). His 4.98 range factor per nine innings is fourth in the league. Some other advanced defensive metrics have Altuve as a middle of the pack second baseman, but he still very good defensively. 

The sabermetrics are not very high on Altuve. His fWAR is 3.6, which is 19th the majors, and his rWAR is 3.9, which is 22nd. With his production this year, I would think they would be higher. His secondary average is not in the top 75 and his 1.6 win probability added is 44th in the majors. He is top ten in a few sabermetrics. He is fifth in the league in offensive runs above replacement level, eighth in the majors in runs created with 77, and first in runs above replacement level. 

Jose Altuve
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Altuve has been great this season. His combination of hitting and speed has not been seen in the majors in the last few seasons. The problem with Altuve is he is on one of the worst teams in the majors who may lose 100+ games for the fourth straight season. That is the reason Altuve is not in the MVP race. While most sabermetrics do not due Altuve justice for his production, he should be put into the best baseball players of the year category. He is not the best, but he is playing exceptionally and should be rewarded for it. He is a player that plays the game with a lot of heart and does the little things exceptionally well. Altuve is in elite tier of second baseman and should be there for a long time.  

2014 World Lacrosse Championships

2014 World Lacrosse Championship Logo
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The 2014 World Lacrosse Championships were held in Denver from July 10-19. Thirty-eight teams competed in the championships in nine different divisions, up from twenty-nine teams in the 2010 World Lacrosse Championships. There were nine countries competing for first time: Belgium, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, Israel  Russia, Thailand, Turkey, and Uganda. The Blue Division featured the sixth highest ranked countries in the world: Australia, Canada, England, Iroquois, Japan, and USA. The top four teams, Australia, Canada, Iroquois, and USA, automatically made it to the playoffs. The other eight divisions featured four teams and was not based on rankings. The top team in each of the other eight divisions were placed into the play-in bracket for a chance to play for the gold medal. Here are four things you should remember about this year's World Lacrosse Championship.

Placement Games

The World Lacrosse Championships have placements games for 37th place to 1st place. Colombia beat Costa Rica 11-4 in the 37th place game. In the game for 35th place, Korea defeated Argentina. China scored eight goals in the first half to put away Uganda early and win the 33rd place game 14-7. France blew out Russia 15-7 in the 31st place game. In the 29th place game, Thailand trounced Spain 12-6. Belgium scored with about a minute to go to beat Austria 7-6 in the 27th place game. Norway routed Slovakia 14-3 in the 25th place game. In the game for 23rd place, Mexico defeated Bermuda 12-8. Hong Kong beat Turkey 10-4 in the 21st place game. Latvia crushed Poland 17-7 in the 19th place game. Wales annihilated Italy in the 17th place game with an 18-6 win. Switzerland score six goals in the second half to the Netherlands two to win the 15th place game 9-6. In the 13th place game, Finland score six straight goals against the Czech Republic after going down 1-0 and ended winning the game 11-7. Sweden won 8-6 against New Zealand in the 11th place game. Germany beat Ireland 8-6 in the 9th place game. In the 7th place game, Israel defeated Japan, 15-10. Israel's seventh place finish was the best of first time competitors, while Japan's eight place finish was the worst of any team in the Blue Division. England held back a late comeback against rivals Scotland to win the 5th place game, 15-13.

Iroquois Finish In Third; Get First Ever Medal

Miles Thompson
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The Iroquois Nationals are the only Native American sports team that competes in any sport internationally. They were one of the favorites for the 2010 World Championships in England. However, they did not compete in the tournament. The English government did not  accept their passports and would not allow the team to come to play in the country. They came into the 2014 World Championships with high hopes. They went 3-2 in the Blue Division, losing only to the USA and Canada. They beat Scotland 10-8 in the quarterfinal behind Miles Thompson's four goals and two assists. But, they lost to Canada in the semi's 12-6. In the third place game, they faced Australia. Australia had medaled in every World Lacrosse Championships up to the game. The Iroquois dominated the game, never losing and only being tied for a few minutes in the first period. They led 6-3 at the half and then went on a scoring spree in the second half. The Iroquois scored ten goals and eight consecutive goals to end the game and secure the 16-5 victory. Miles Thompson scored three goals and had an assist, while his brothers Jeremy (one assist, two ground balls), Jerome (one goal, one assist), and Lyle (two goals, two assists) all were key contributors to the win. Randy Staats has three goals and Warren Hill had eleven saves.

All-World Team

The All-World Team featured four players from Canada and the United States and two Iroquoian players. Dillon Ward of Canada was the goalie of the All-World Team and also the Most Valuable Player and Oustanding Goalie. He made 62 saves in the tournament and a save percentage of .633. The three attackers on the team are Canada's Curtis Dickson, USA's Rob Pannell, and Iroquois' Lyle Thompson. Pannell won the Outstanding Attackman. The three midfielders were David Lawson and Paul Rabil (Winner of the Outstanding Midfielder) of the US, and Jason Thompson of Iroquois, Lyle's older brother. USA's Tucker Durkin, Canada's Brodie Merrill, and Canada's Kyle Rubisch were the defenders on the All-World Team and Durkin was the Oustanding Defensemen. 

USA-Canada Final

Canada celebrating their win
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The United States and Canada faced off in the Finals for the fifth consecutive time. The United States won the 2010 Championship by a score of 12-10 and also won the first game of the tournament, 10-7. However, Canada got the last laugh this year as they won the 2014 Championship Game, 8-5. The first half was low-scoring with the half-time score being 3-1 in favor of Canada. Kevin Crowley scored all three goals for Canada, while Kevin Leveille scored the United States goal. Leveille scored the first goal of the second half to bring the score to 3-2, Canada. Then Canada score fire unanswered goals to go up 8-2 and put the game out of the US' reach. The US scored three goals at the end, but could not gain enough momentum to come close to Canada. Crowley scored five of Canada's eight goals, while Dillon Ward made ten saves. 

LeBron James's Returns To Cleveland; More NBA Free Agency Notes

LeBron James during his first stint in Cleveland
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LeBron James is heading back to Cleveland. 

Let that sink in.

After four seasons of winning basketball in Miami, four seasons of losing basketball in Cleveland, and four years of hatred in Cleveland, the best basketball player in the world is going home.

And I totally get it. When you read his announcement letter, he makes his reasons for going very clear. LeBron missed Cleveland and feels a responsibility to win and be there for Northeast Ohio. "My relationship with Northern Ohio is bigger than basketball." The part of the letter that most interests me is when he says, "Miami, for me, has almost been like college for other guys." That makes a lot of sense looking back at his time in Miami. LeBron had always lived in Northeast Ohio area and when he left he had to face adversity and live in a new environment. Remember, LeBron never went to college. This was probably as close to college as he will ever get and he needed to have an experience like that to reach the level he is on.

This is the best move for LeBron. He has a much brighter future in Cleveland. In Miami, the team was getting too old for LeBron to be confident that he can win not just a title in three years, but in this upcoming year. In Cleveland, he can be the leader, the unequivocal leader to this young team 

LeBron James and Kevin Love
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The questions around Cleveland are not done. Kevin Love is on the trade market and would Cleveland pull the trigger? The initial offer for Love is rumored to be Anthony Bennett, Dion Waiters, and a future first-round pick. However, this year's number one pick Andrew Wiggins is expected to be the key piece in the deal. This may be a bigger decision than signing LeBron. I would give up Wiggins for Love without a doubt. But, I am not as high as Wiggins as others and I believe Kevin Love is one of the top players in the league. Love is a double-double machine that can shoot a fantastic three-ball. I think a trio of LeBron, Irving, and Love would be a better "Big 3" then the LeBron, Wade, Bosh trio in their prime year. However, if I could get Love and keep Wiggins, I would. 

The next question is who does LeBron convince to join him in Cleveland. Ray Allen and Mike Miller have been rumored to join LeBron in Cleveland and both would be great choices. Not only are both experienced veterans that are great shooters, they will be great in the locker room. If Kevin Martin comes with Love to Cleveland he would be a great pick-up. Anthony Morrow would be a good fit as a sharpshooter. I think they will need another three and possibly a stretch four. 

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James
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This may be LeBron's toughest season coming up. He will be taking a team with pretty much no playoff experience and will try to bring them to the promise land. However, I think that they can do definitely win the Eastern Conference championship and they have a legitimate chance to win the NBA Title. The projected starting line-up of Irving, Wiggins, LeBron, Tristen Thompson, and Anderson Varejeo is very good starting lineup. Irving is a superstar. Wiggins has a high celling, Thompson is a good, young power forward. Varejeo is also a good player,is the only remaining player from LeBron's last season in Cleveland, and are friends. If they get Love, then they have a perfect complement to LeBron. David Blatt, the rookie head coach of the Cavs, will not be an issue. He has been a great head coach in Europe and will be able to quickly adjust. It is now LeBron's time to shine as the leader of his hometown team and bring them title. 

More NBA Free Agency Notes

The most interesting division in the NBA is now the Central Division. Cleveland is now the most interesting team in the league. Chicago and Indiana are the biggest threats to the LeBron in the East. Detroit is an interesting team headlined by one of the most dymaic big men in the league in Andre Drummond. And Milwaukee has Jabari Parker, the best player in  the most recent draft.

Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard
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With LeBron out of Miami, it is widely believed that Chris Bosh is going to go to Houston. Bosh is still a great player and would be a great fit in Houston's core with James Harden and Dwight Howard. He would not have to guard the interior and would be given the opportunity to shoot a lot of jump shots. If they can also retain Chandler Parsons, they would have a tremendous amount of talent. That would be a very interesting and a top three team in the West. It would not surprise me if they would be considered the favorite in the West heading into next season. 

It is now reported that Carmelo Anthony has narrowed his choices to New York and Chicago. The Bulls would be the best choice to win championships and I have believed that since the beginning of free agency. The Knicks would give him a larger and longer contract then the Bulls would give him. 

I think Dwayne Wade goes back to Miami. Unlike LeBron and Bosh, he has stayed with one team, the Heat, for his whole career and he definitely feels close with Pat Riley and Mickey Arison. I also do not believe that there are many teams aggressively going after Wade. The only team that I think may be able to bring him out of Miami would be Chicago, just because Chicago is his hometown and he would not have to be a part of another rebuilding process.

How crazy would it be if in the 2015 NBA Playoffs, LeBron faces Miami and Wade in the first round, Carmelo led Chicago in the Eastern Conference Finals, and Houston with Bosh in the NBA Finals. That may be the most interesting playoffs ever.