From empty lockers to leather goods Mike Napoli Jersey , Manny Machado looms over the opening of spring training — but win or lose him, brighter days lie ahead"WhiteFanposts FanpostsFanshotsSections AnalysisGame RecapsGamethreadsMinorsOffbeatFull ArchiveExclusives South Side Sox Hall of FameCard of the MonthDeep DiveDigitsFlashbackFranchise FactsKnow Your EnemyMost Essential White SoxRace to the BottomSix Pack of StatsSouth Side SnapSouth Side StumperSSS Literary SupplementSuper Stats PackThe Game I’ll Never ForgetTwitterpatingUnder the RadarView From the Other SideWhite Sox on SB Nation HomeStoriesScheduleRosterStatsWhite Sox on Yahoo! HomeDepth ChartTransactionsMasthead MastheadMeet the Players!Links White Sox Web LinksSouth Side Sox standardsCommunity GuidelinesOdds Shop StubHub ??tate of the Sox: Whirling, whirling, whirling towards freedomNew,36commentsFrom empty lockers to leather goods, Manny Machado looms over the opening of spring training — but win or lose him, brighter days lie aheadCSTShareTweetShareShareState of the Sox: Whirling, whirling, whirling towards freedomNatty dread: Rick Hahn’s traditional State of the Sox address at spring training had an unusual cloud looming over it: Machado Watch.After many trials and tribulations, a few days of sub-zero temperatures, and a lot of questions looming over whether or not certain free agents will be signing on to join the squad at 35th and Shields this season — you’ve made it. You are at the doorstep of redemption that comes in the form of the 2019 Chicago White Sox reporting to spring training at Camelback Ranch on Wednesday morning.While there have been a flurry of small roster-bolstering moves made over the offseason, with free agency moving at the slowest pace it’s seen in likely the last decade or so there are still pieces of the puzzle that need to be installed to round out this Sox team.But let’s simply focus on the now, and catch up on what the Sox brass have managed to get done over the offseason, as well as what to keep an eye on as the coming weeks lead this team into Opening Day.That pesky last rotation spotHeading into the season, with the subtraction of Michael Kopech and his blazing fastball from the rotation, the Sox now need to continue searching for an arm to plug into that final spot. While the first four spots are locked in right now with a healthy Carlos Rod?n, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo L?pez and newly added Iv?n Nova — there is still the question of the fifth spot, with the departure of workhorse James Shields.Over SoxFest weekend, Hahn stated that while the club is still potentially looking for a free agent to add to the fold, there are also perfectly viable internal options as well. Those options? Dylan Covey and Manny Ba?uelos. Now, before you cringe at the name “Dylan Covey http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey ,” keep in mind that while he finished the 2018 season with a 5.18 ERA (and a notable 4.39 FIP), that’s an improvement from the 7.70 ERA and nearly identical FIP he carried the previous season. Covey may not be the answer Sox fans are looking for, but for a fifth starter role on a rebuilding team, he’s a decent fit. Covey also threw a career-high 121 innings last season, and managed to lower his walk rate and raise his strikeout rate.Ba?uelos, who told the media on Wednesday morning that his reaction to being traded to the Sox was a “Hell yeah!”, is a very interesting option. Ba?uelos is a 27-year old lefty who was once a highly touted prospect, before falling victim to injuries that have left him on the shelf. While Ba?uelos could be somewhat of a mixed bag, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Sox potentially plug both Covey and Ba?uelos into the rotation. The two offer some diversity being a mix of righty and lefty, and neither have thrown over 120 innings in the last several seasons.Jon Jay is here!Jon Jay brings a bevy of interesting qualities to this Sox group. For starters, with the departure of Shields, it’s obvious that the Sox needed to install another veteran clubhouse leader to their roster. Jay comes with nine years of experience, and though his slash line has dipped a bit as he enters his age 34 season, he isn’t someone who is likely going to be leaned on heavily. Jay fits into the outfield mix well, and with the departure of Avisail Garc?a, the Sox needed another player to compliment the eclectic mix of Adam Engel, Leury Garc?a, Nicky Delmonico and Daniel Palka. It’s also never a bad idea to have another lefty bat on the bench, and a great leadoff-type hitter who gets on base at a healthy clip. Jay sported an on-base percentage of .374 in 2017 with the Cubs, and .330 in 2018 between the Royals and Diamondbacks.While that makes for a crowded outfield, perhaps the Sox will be looking to flip someone at the trade deadline — even perhaps Jay himself, should he put up a successful first half. Seeing as Jay is only signed to a one-year deal with the Sox Yonder Alonso Jersey , he would come at as a rental, so he’d likely have to go on a hot streak for a couple of months to earn back anything of value in trade.But perhaps other White Sox outfielders could find themselves on the block as well. Should Palka continue his baseball-crushing ways, he could fit nicely on a roster looking to boost their left-handed power as they make a playoff run. Can Yo?n Moncada lower his strikeout rate?Plain and simply put — yes. There is a lot of certainty throughout the organization, from coaches to players to Moncada himself, that point to this being a very successful second full season for him.Moncada’s willingness to spend time in Arizona working with hitting coach Todd Steverson almost immediately after the season ended shows major initiative, which in and of itself is not a quality to be overlooked. Moncada is still just 23 years old, and has yet to grow into the player he will become at the major league level. Whether that includes shifting positions in the infield (though manager Rick Renteria has stated that as of now, Moncada is his starting second baseman), working on adjusting his swing path, or keeping his keen eye at the plate and not expanding his zone, remains to be seen.Moncada spent quite a bit of time in Arizona working to make the adjustments needed to better himself as a player. His even-keeled manner and confidence in himself, coupled with the belief instilled in him from his lifelong friend and now teammate Jos? Abreu and many others throughout the organization simply leave the impression that Moncada is a slow but steady work in progress. Look for Moncada to keep tinkering this season; nothing is going to be perfect right away, because after one full season and a short stint in 2017, Moncada still has a few growing pains to work through. And of course, the elephant in the room: What about Machado? At this point, all the speculation is beginning to feel like much ado about nothing. The comments and questions have been worn out. Yonder Alonso has fielded a ton, and Jay as well. Team leader Abreu has shouldered plenty. And on Wednesday, the media loomed large over Rick Hahn, particularly about the mysterious photos of Machado’s 2019 glove (adorned with black and white leather) which surfaced on Tuesday evening. While small details seem to point to the Sox acquiring Machado, the clock is ticking. It may take another month, but eventually baseball will have its answer as to where Machado will be playing. That is, unless Machado intends to spend the 2019 season sitting at home on his couch with his black and white leather glove. Fear not though; should Machado land elsewhere http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , that doesn’t derail the Sox’s rebuilding efforts. There are so many strong pieces throughout the organization, the future looks as bright as ever. Would Machado add to that illumination? Certainly. But the entire rebuild is not hinged on whether or not the third baseman inks a long term deal on the South Side. Let’s keep our wits about ourselves, and not take our eye off the prize. The Kansas City Royals have a chance on Saturday to lock up a third consecutive series for the first time this season.Kansas City (43-91) is playing another team struggling as much — the Baltimore Orioles — and the Royals posted a 9-2 victory in the opener to three-game Friday night at home. They banged out three homers in the win.That win stopped the Orioles (40-95) from tying a season high for consecutive victories (four).Article continues below ...They’ll meet again Saturday at Kauffman Stadium when Dylan Bundy (7-13, 5.37 ERA) starts for the Orioles against Heath Fillmyer (2-1, 4.21) in a battle of right-handers.The Royals’ recent streak started when they took two of three from Cleveland last weekend and swept a two-game set from Detroit after that. Now, Kansas City has won six of its last seven games, the team’s best stretch this season.Power helped the Royals in Friday’s win. They belted out three homers in the victory, including one from Cam Gallagher, who had just been called up earlier in the day. That was his first home run this season and the second of his brief major league career.Home runs have been a problem for Bundy recently and all season, in fact. Bundy has given up the most homers in the majors this year (34) and allowed eight in July and eight in August.He has a combined record of 1-6 in the past two months after going 3-0 in June.Bundy has left the ball too close to the plate too many times and is working on correcting that issue. When the right-hander’s pitches stay on the corner, he finds much more success.“It’s frustrating for Dylan because he doesn’t want to be giving up anything,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter told the media earlier this season. “I’ve talked to him about it.”Bundy has a 1-1 career record with a 5.87 ERA against Kansas City.For the Royals, Fillmyer is a rookie who will be making his ninth career start — and 13th appearance in the major leagues. He never has faced the Orioles.Both teams made some moves before the game. The Royals acquired pitcher Jerry Vasto from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for catcher Drew Butera, a popular player who was with the team during its World Series run three years ago.Butera was a backup catcher, and it was clear the Royals were sad about losing him.“He was perfect for this team and knowing his role,” Royals manager Ned Yost told the media Friday. “He was always ready to play when he was called upon. He was just the perfect backup catcher, especially for our situation.”Kansas City also recalled Gallagher from Triple-A Omaha and returned outfielder Brian Goodwin from his rehab assignment and reinstated him from the disabled list.Baltimore recalled outfielder Joey Rickard from Triple-A Norfolk and reinstated pitcher Jhan Marinez from the disabled list (right hamstring strain). After clearing waivers, the Orioles assigned him to Triple-A Norfolk.The Orioles also designated outfielder Craig Gentry for assignment.

We're fast approaching the 4 p.m. ET MLB trade deadline Gregor Blanco Jersey , and things about to get nuclear. Zach Britton, J.A. Happ and Mike Moustakas, but the fun won't stop there.We will be getting rumors up until the last minute, so it's time to examine some of the ones we have at the moment.Could we see any more major players get moved? Have the biggest splashes already been made?Let's start with a rumor buzzing around one of the best players in the entire league.Harper the Subject of RumorsIt should be prefaced that this is highly unlikely, but Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper has made his way into the rumor mill.Perhaps the rumors began when Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said it would take "something extreme," according to Joel Sherman of New York Post, to lure Harper away from D.C.Jon Heyman ofFancredhas dispelled some of those rumors, by stating the Nationals want to lock him up for the long term, they're in striking distance of the NL East and the team is mostly back to being healthy:Jon Heyman JonHeymanRivals believe there almost no chance nats will market/trade Bryce Harper in 28-hour window that exists. 1. They want to sign him long-term. 2. They are within striking distance of 2 young teams. 3. They have team mostly back together (except Strasburg).However, even with that stance, the Nationals have reportedly had discussions with the Cleveland Indians about Harper, according to Jon Paul Morosiof MLB.com.Adding the 25-year-old would be revolutionary for their team heading into the postseason.The 2018 season hasn't been kind to Harper, who is batting just .220 despite his 25 home runs.He also has the exact amount of strikeouts he had in 2016 right now in 44 fewer games and 18 more than in 2017 in eight fewer games.On the open market, he will still net a monstrous contract despite this poor season, but that is one of the main reasons there are any rumors about him.That Fernando Rodney Jersey , and the fact he's in the final year of his deal, and there's real potential he could walk after this season.It would be unbelievable to see Harper get dealt. The trade package in return would deplete whichever farm system the team that receives him would have, such as the Indians'.Granderson Back to Yankees?With players such as outfielder Aaron Judge and catcher Gary Sanchez on the disabled list, the New York Yankees could look to add to their squad.The Yankees are looking for an extra hitter who playsthe outfield, according to Heyman, who also noted Toronto Blue Jays outfielder and former Yankee Curtis Granderson could be an option:Jon Heyman JonHeymanYankees looking for an extra hitter/OF with judge (and Sanchez and Frazier) out. Probably prefer a righty hitter. But the grandy man cgrand3 could be a potential fit.At 37, Granderson doesn't have a whole lot left in the tank. He has double-digit home runs (10), but his batting average is just .233 over 294 plate appearances.Granted, he would be a cheap asset to acquire and would be back on a familiar team, so perhaps he can be the Band-Aid fix they're seeking.Granderson isn't a player a team in 2018 should rely on, but he should do just fine for a few weeks while they get healthy.He'd be cheap and would handle the role the Yankees are looking to fill. Nats Not Done with RealmutoIt seems the Nationals have their eyes on Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto.According to Craig Mish, a national sports radio host on SiriusXM, Marlins chief executive Derek Jeter would have the final call on whether to deal the 27-year-old:Craig Mish CraigMishFrom my understanding the Marlins amp;amp; Nationals discussions on Realmuto did not get to the point where ownership would need to sign off on the final deal (or veto it.) If they do progress, on Miamis side the one with the final call is Marlins CEO Derek Jeter.Heyman added that Nationals outfielder Victor Robles and shortstop Carter Kieboom could be considered for trading for the league's best catcher:Jon Heyman JonHeymannats and marlins havent closed door on Realmuto, so there could still be talks until Tuesday. last we heard, nats would consider including Robles or possibly kieboom Jorge De La Rosa Jersey , and marlins sought both for baseballs best catcher.Realmuto is an elite player in the big leagues, batting .311 with over a dozen home runs.As mentioned already, Washington is nipping at the heels of the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, and adding Realmuto would help its cause immeasurably.However, it sounds like they would need to trade two of their top prospects for a guy the Marlins are working out a long-term extension with.It's not totally impossible this deal goes down. At the end of the day, will the Nationals meet the Marlins' asking price to the point where they can't say no? Or do they hold on to their prospects and plan for a life without Harper after 2018?This could be a monumental decision that could heavily impact the Nationals organization.Statistics courtesy of Baseball Reference ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Avisail Garcia can earn up to $6 million as part of his one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.The team announced the deal Friday, an agreement that guarantees $3.5 million this season.He can earn $250,000 each for 350, 400, 450, 500, 550 and 600 plate appearances, and $1 million for 650.Garcia, coming off arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, hit a career-high 19 home runs last season but slumped to .236 with 49 RBIs in 93 games after batting a career-best .330 with 18 homers and 80 RBIs in 136 games in 2017 Taijuan Walker Jersey , when he was an All-Star.“I’m 100 percent now … ready to go,” Garcia said during a conference call, adding that he was attracted to the Rays because they’re a competitive team and the Tampa Bay area is close to his offseason home in Miami.The 27-year-old has a .271 career big league average with 76 home runs and 302 RBIs on seven seasons with the White Sox and Detroit Tigers.Garcia said injuries impacted his performance in 2018, but he’s confident he can revert to his form of two years ago and help the Rays.“I know what I can do. … I just have to be healthy,” he said.To clear a roster spot, right-hander Oliver Drake was designated for assignment. Drake was claimed off waivers by the Rays from Minnesota on Nov. 1, claimed off waivers by Toronto on Nov. 6, and then purchased back by the Rays from the Blue Jays on Jan. 4 for $70,000.Drake played for a record five teams last season: Milwaukee, Cleveland, the Los Angeles Angels, Toronto and Minnesota.

Broke a couple of records http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-arcia-jersey , too. Yet still not a victory that might boost his NL Cy Young Award candidacy.And don’t think his teammates aren’t feeling a little guilty. Pinch-hitter Brandon Nimmo slugged a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning, rallying New York past the Dodgers 4-2 on Monday night to snap a 12-game skid against Los Angeles.DeGrom pitched six innings of one-run ball and drove in the tying run for the Mets, but didn’t factor into the decision. He’s 8-8 this season despite a 1.68 ERA.DeGrom has held opponents to three runs or fewer in 25 consecutive starts, the longest single-season streak in the majors since 1913, breaking a tie with Mets star Dwight Gooden (1985).“He went out there and pitched another gem,” Nimmo said. “It is what we come to expect from Jake every time, it is almost not fair. We expect him to go out there and pitch seven innings and give up zero or one run every time. For him to keep doing that and then not get these W’s is unfortunate.”The loss ended the Dodgers’ three-game winning streak and dropped them out of first in the NL West. They trail Colorado by a half-game.“Everybody knew from the beginning it was going to be a battle,” Dodgers center fielder Alex Verdugo said. “DeGrom was on today like he has been all season.”Jay Bruce opened the ninth with a double off Kenta Maeda (8-9) and was sacrificed to third by Kevin Plawecki. Maeda hit Jeff McNeil with a pitch before Nimmo’s second career pinch-hit homer on an 0-2 pitch went over the right-field wall.The Dodgers briefly threatened in the ninth. Newly called up Verdugo singled leading off and Cody Bellinger followed with a single that hit chalk on first-base line while eluding the glove of Wilmer Flores. Initially Glenn Robinson Jersey , it was ruled foul, but the call was overturned upon video review. Verdugo went to third and Bellinger stayed at first. Yasmani Grandal’s sacrifice fly got the Dodgers to 4-2. Matt Kemp followed as a pinch-hitter but grounded into a game-ending double play after providing game-ending hits in the ninth the previous two days.The Mets hadn’t beaten the Dodgers since May 27, 2016, New York’s longest losing stretch against them in team history. David Wright homered in that game and hasn’t played for the Mets since.Drew Smith (1-0) got the win with one inning of relief. Robert Gsellman worked the ninth for his 10th save.The Dodgers have scored three runs or fewer in their last six games.Justin Turner went deep in the first to put the Dodgers up 1-0, just the ninth homer off deGrom this season.DeGrom allowed two hits. He struck out six — snapping a run of six straight starts with at least nine — and walked one. His 20 straight quality starts are the longest active streak in the majors and the longest in franchise history.“I honestly have not been looking at stuff like that, just trying to get ready for my next start,” he said about his two records. “I am out there trying to put this team in a position to win. I don’t like giving up runs.”As if his pitching isn’t enough, deGrom is contributing on offense, too. He was 2 for 2 Manny Pina Jersey , and his two-out RBI single in the fifth drove in the Mets’ first run in his second straight multihit game.“Just trying to do my part anyway I can,” he said.The Dodgers ran up deGrom’s pitch count in the sixth when he needed 34 pitches against the heart of their order. After deGrom struck out Joc Pederson, Turner worked a 12-pitch at-bat into putting the go-ahead run at first on an error by shortstop Amed Rosario. DeGrom struck out Manny Machado on seven pitches and Max Muncy grounded out to second to end deGrom’s outing.“He has been the best pitcher in all of baseball,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “He doesn’t pitch for himself, he pitches for the team and that is why he has been able to do what he has been able to do.”With Seth Lugo pitching in the seventh, the Dodgers had runners at the corners with one out. Verdugo doubled leading off and Bellinger followed with a single to set up Yasiel Puig. But he grounded into an inning-ending double play.Los Angeles had runners at second and third with two outs in the eighth when Enrique Hernandez flied out to center.Dodgers starter Alex Wood gave up one run and five hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked two.TRAINER’S ROOMMets: C Devin Mesoraco singled in the fifth and then left the game after sustaining neck and back stiffness on his swing. He’s day-to-day. … INF David Wright, trying to come back after surgeries on his neck, right shoulder and back in addition to chronic spinal stenosis, will continue taking ground balls and hit in the cage. Without more minor league games for him to play in http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-arcia-jersey , manager Mickey Callaway says the team will need to get creative in offering Wright game-like situations. Callaway was non-committal about the possibility of Wright being activated during the next homestand, saying he will be re-evaluated on a daily basis.Dodgers: They’re evaluating whether closer Kenley Jansen will make the trip to Colorado on Friday. He experienced an irregular heartbeat and went on the 10-day DL during his last visit. If doctors say the high altitude could affect him, he would likely stay back. … RHP Walker Buehler, who experienced muscle spasms in his left foot during Sunday’s start, had precautionary X-rays that were negative. He expects to make his next start.WINLESS VS LADeGrom has yet to beat the Dodgers in eight career starts. He’s 0-4 with a 3.20 ERA and has held their hitters to a .190 average, while striking out 50 and walking 17.UP NEXTLHP Jason Vargas (5-8, 6.56 ERA) starts for the Mets on Tuesday. His three-game winning streak is his longest since taking four in a row last September. He recently notched his 1,000th career strikeout. LHP Rich Hill (6-5, 3.59) goes for the Dodgers. In five starts against New York http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-arcia-jersey , he is 1-2 with a 7.66 ERA, averaging 11.28 strikeouts per nine innings. GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — The Indians have signed infielder Brad Miller to a major league contract.Miller was signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers on Feb. 27. He opted out of it on March 21 and signed with the Indians, who will start the season with second baseman Jason Kipnis and shortstop Francisco Lindor on the injured list.The Indians cleared a roster spot for Miller by placing pitcher Danny Salazar on the 60-day injured list while he rehabs his right shoulder from surgery.Miller joins Max Moroff and Eric Stamets in the middle infield.“He has a done a lot of damage against right-handed pitching,” manager Terry Francona said. “We will mix and match a bit depending how guys are swinging the bat. Our guys did a good job of finding someone who could help us at this late stage of spring. That’s not an easy thing to do.”Miller played with the Rays and Brewers last season, his sixth in the league since he was the Mariners’ second-round pick. He played three seasons with the Mariners before moving on to the Rays.Miller hit .230 in 75 games last season. He has a .239 average with 75 home runs in 680 games. He has played all four infield positions, 375 at shortstop and 156 at second base.The Indians will keep Hanley Ramirez on the opening day roster as a designated hitter and part time first baseman.

Theypeaked witha $127.8 million payroll in 2011 http://www.piratesfanproshop.com/authentic-josh-bell-jersey , andthey're projectedto be under $100 million in 2019.However, the White Sox do have one advantage. Only Tim Anderson has a guaranteed salary after 2020, and he won't be in line for eight figures until 2023.That long-term outlook will change if the White Sox make good on their spirited pursuit of Machado, who would be teaming up withgood pals Yonder Alonso and Jon Jay. He's likely to cost Chicago at least $25 million per year.For the most part, though, the White Sox's future rosters will mainly be comprised of young, cheap stars who they've accumulated throughout their rebuilding process. There thus could be enough room for both Machado and Trout, the latter of whom happens toown a1.157 career OPSat Guaranteed Rate Field.But while the White Sox could conceivably make Trout a competitive offer, their pockets might not be deep enough to make him the best offer. Like the Cubs, they also may be sidelined by his geographical preferences.Odds:15-1Los Angeles Dodgers3 of 9Victor Decolongon/Getty ImagesIf sticking in Southern California is a priority for Trout, he could always jump ship from the Angels to the Los Angeles Dodgers.The Dodgers had a year-end payroll of darn near $300 million four years ago, and their revenue streams include MLB's biggest local TV deal andbest attendance figures. To boot, only Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen are owed big money after 2020, and free agency will beckon both after 2021.Even if the Dodgers do win an elusive World Series championship in the next two years, that won't stop them from trying to win it every year. After years of frustration in Anaheim, Trout may only be too happy to climb aboard."You want to be in an atmosphere where [the organization] wants to win," he said this past September, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. "I want to come to the ballpark playing for something. That's everybody's goal here as a player. You don't want to come playing for nothing."Yet, the Dodgers' long-term books are so clean in part because they prefer short-term contracts. Per Bill Shaikin of theLos Angeles Times, they also want to stay under the luxury-tax threshold through 2022.These factors have effectively sidelined the Dodgers in the Bryce Harper sweepstakes this winter. History might repeat itself with the Trout sweepstakes in two years.Odds:10-1Washington Nationals4 of 9Alex Brandon/Associated PressAfter years of being joined at the hip with Harper in the public consciousness, it would be oddly ironic if Trout stepped into Harper's old shoes with the Washington Nationals.The Nats have been a reliable spender since their rise to power back in 2012, and their projected $199.4 million payroll for 2019 would betheir biggest yet. AsJayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin can vouch, general manager Mike Rizzo isn't shy about handing out long-term megadeals.Albeit for a lot of money, Scherzer, Strasburg and Corbin are the only players guaranteed to still be on the Nats after 2020. The Nats might look to save some of the financial flexibility they'll gain between now and then for Trout.Trout would slide in between Juan Soto and Victor Robles to form the ultimate outfield. To boot, he'd be playing only about three hours down the road from his hometown of Millville Bill Mazeroski Jersey , New Jersey.However, the Nats may do their usual thing and act like a win-now team. That would entail extending Anthony Rendon and/or loading up on free agents after 2019. Doing so would inflate their payroll and make it that much harder to win a bidding war for Trout after 2020.Odds:8-1New York Yankees5 of 9Bill Kostroun/Associated PressThe Bronx is closer to Millville than Washington D.C. It's also the home of the New York Yankees, who traditionally spend a ton of money in pursuit of championships.Despite appearances to the contrary, so it goes even now. The Yankeesopened last year at $166.1 million, and while they've thus far avoided Machado and Harper, they're still projected to cross back over the $200 million threshold in 2019.The Yankees' alleged cheapness is more so an aversion to risk. As a result, only Giancarlo Stanton, Aroldis Chapman and Zach Britton are under contract past 2020. That would seem to equal plenty of room for Trout.For his part, Trout may be attracted not just to annual shots at World Series glory, but also the chance to play at Yankee Stadium. He's raked a 1.231 OPS in 20 career games there.However, the Yankees' long-term books might not stay clean for long. They're due to have some major holes to fill after 2019, and they might soon consider extensions for Aaron Judge and Luis Severino, among others.These factors could make the Yankees all the more willing to trust top prospect Estevan Florial to handle center field starting in 2020.Odds:7-1Boston Red Sox6 of 9Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty ImagesCompared to other East Coast teams, the Boston Red Sox won't have proximity to Millville to offer Trout. If they want him, nothing less than the best offer will do.If Trout was a free agent right now, this would be impossible. The defending World Series champs are projected to open 2019 with a $238.4 million payroll, with a luxury-tax bill that's even higher. They can barely afford relief pitchers, much less a single superstar.Over the next two seasons, however, the Red Sox have a ton of money set to come off the books. Assuming J.D. Martinez opts out after 2019 or 2020, only David Price, Nathan Eovaldi, Dustin Pedroia and Christian Vazquez will still be under contract come 2021.With their farm system all dried out, the Red Sox won't have much choice but to spend if they want to keep pace with the Yankees. To this end, they could do worse than signing the best player in baseball.Then again, the Red Sox could just as easily take that sentiment and apply it to Mookie Betts. He's fresh off leading Trout and everyone else in WAR in 2018, and he's also due to become a free agent after 2020. If the Red Sox can't extend him before then, they might prioritize bringing him back over adding Trout.Odds:6-1Los Angeles Angels7 of 9Victor Decolongon/Getty ImagesIt wouldn't be too dramatic, but Trout staying with the Angels for the long haul is practical.Although Trout has played in only one postseason series and three playoff games since he's been with the Angels Dave Parker Jersey , he's nonetheless enjoyed himself."I enjoy coming to the ballpark. It [stinks] when it's September and you're out of it,"he said, per Fletcher."But when I was a kid, they took a chance on me. We'll see how it goes. I've got a couple more years and we'll go from there."If the Angels have it their way, Trout won't even reach free agency. According to Jon Heyman of Fancred, the Angels have mulled a contract that would keep Trout in Anaheim for the rest of his career.The Angels won't be out of the picture even if Trout does make it to free agency. Only the Dodgers have a bigger local TV deal to draw from, and the Angels will finally be free of Albert Pujols' albatross contract after 2021. Trout may also like the sound of a lasting partnership with two-way wunderkind Shohei Ohtani.There is, however, one team that looms as a bigger threat to steal Trout from the Angels than all the rest.Odds:5-1Philadelphia Phillies8 of 9Michael Perez/Associated PressAccording to Tom Verducci ofSports Illustrated, the Philadelphia Phillies went into this offseason with one eye on Harper and Machado and the other on Trout. Their ultimate dream scenario may involve Trout and Harper patrolling the same outfield one day.Joining Philadelphia may be Trout's own dream scenario. Philadelphia is less than an hour's drive from Millville. Trout grew up rooting for Philly teams, and he's made no secret of his ongoing Eagles fandom.It would take a lot of money to employ both HarperandTrout, but perhaps not more than the Phillies can afford. They peaked with a $177.7 million payroll in 2014, two years before their $2.5 billion TV deal kicked in. As of now, only Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura, Odubel Herrera and Scott Kingery are under contractbeyond 2020.To complete their eventual pitch to Trout, the Phillies only need to become World Series contenders in the next two seasons. They took a step in that direction with an 80-win 2018 campaign. They now have a blend of youthful and veteran talent that should lead to further steps toward title contention.Altogether, the Phillies should be able to offer Trout everything he could ask for.Odds:4-1The Field9 of 9Rob Carr/Getty ImagesThose eight teams may look like the best bets to land Trout after 2020, but the field won't go down without a good fight.The Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers, for example, might attempt to keep Trout in the American League West. Though they each have their payroll limits, none of the three (see here, here and here) has much on the books beyond 2020.Over in the National League West, the San Francisco Giants should have a better idea of what their future looks like by 2020. If their current retooling phase points them in a good direction, they might jump the gun on their post-2021 payroll relief by signing Trout to be their next cornerstone superstar.Provided they make enough progress with their own rebuild over the next two years, the Detroit Tigers might also return to their old big-spending ways to accommodate Trout. After all, only Miguel Cabrera is on their books after 2021.To throw a few more candidates out there,the St. Louis Cardinals Josh Harrison Jersey , New York Mets and Atlanta Braves are contenders who might extend their finances for Trout.Odds:19-1 Stats courtesy ofBaseball Reference. Payroll and contract data courtesy ofCot's Baseball ContractsandRoster Resource. TORONTO — The Houston Astros are on the verge of clinching first in the American League West.They moved one step closer by defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at the Rogers Centre.The 2017 World Series champions own a 4 1/2-game lead over the Oakland Athletics in the division.Article continues below ...They Astros (99-57) will start rookie right-hander Josh James (1-0, 2.81 ERA) Tuesday in the second game. The Blue Jays (71-86) will start right-hander Sam Gaviglio (3-8, 5.16).James has never faced the Blue Jays. He will be making his third start in his fifth big-league appearance.Gaviglio has not won since Aug. 21 and in four starts since is 0-2 with a 6.38 ERA. In two career starts against the Astros, both last season, he is 0-2, 5.25.“I think everybody’s really excited about us closing in on 100 wins, closing in on the division title,” said Astros third baseman Alex Bregman who had an RBI double Monday and has reached base safely in 52 straight road games, a club record. “But there’s only one thing on our minds, that’s winning the World Series again.”In addition to the division race, there were other story lines to the series.One of them received a jolt after the first inning Monday when Blue Jays shortstop Lourdes Gurriel Jr. left the game with a tight left hamstring after hitting into a double play.The 24-year-old Cuban was playing against his older brother Yuli for the first time in the majors Monday and it is not certain whether he will return to play in the series.Yuli, 34, extended his hit streak to 10 games with an RBI single in the first. The Astros first baseman went 2-for-4 and is batting .439 (18-for-41) during his streak.The other story involved Roberto Osuna, the former Blue Jays closer who was booed all during the ninth when he pitched around a single for his 10th save since he was traded to the Astros July 30 and his 19th overall this season. Osuna faces an assault charge that brought a 75-game suspension from major league baseball.“It was really weird,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. “Kind of mixed emotions, but I knew there was a good chance he was probably going to get it done. I’ve seen him do it too many times.”“I think he wanted the save,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “I think he wanted the ball like he always does. I’m sure it was emotional for him.”As for the crowd reaction, Hinch said: “It was pretty expected.”Closer, Ken Giles, who was traded by the Astros to the Blue Jays as part of the deal for Osuna, did not pitch Monday.The Astros continued to play without shortstop Carlos Correa Monday. He was shut down during the Astros’ recent homestand with lingering back and oblique tightness. Hinch said the earliest he could return is Wednesday.“He’s feeling a little bit better,” Hinch said. “I’m encouraged by the fact that he’s doing baseball activities and feeling pain-free, which is the key.”The Astros reinstated right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. from the 10-day disabled list Monday and recalled left-hander Reymin Guduan.The Astros are 17-4 during September, the best record in the majors. They are 53-22 away from home, matching their club-record road win total set last season.Houston is 3-1 against Toronto this season. The Blue Jays outhit the Astros 11-10 Monday. It was the second time in as many games that they have lost while outhitting the opposition and the 10th time this season overall.

The rookie with the preternatural calm pitched the Los Angeles Dodgers to a record sixth consecutive NL West title. Buehler tossed one-hit ball into the seventh inning Fred Lynn Jersey , and Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy launched two-run homers to beat the Colorado Rockies 5-2 in a tiebreaker on Monday.“It’s a normal baseball game. It’s hyped up, there’s an adrenaline, but you got to execute,” Buehler said. “That’s all you can do.”The defending NL champion Dodgers became the first major league team to win six straight division crowns since the Yankees captured nine AL East titles in a row from 1998-2006.“It doesn’t get old,” confirmed ace Clayton Kershaw.Los Angeles now hosts Atlanta in the best-of-five NL Division Series beginning Thursday.“We’re going to beat Atlanta,” a shirtless Yasiel Puig proclaimed, rivulets of beer and champagne down his front and back. “No matter who’s coming, we’re going to the World Series and bring the 2018 championship here.”Denied their first division title in franchise history, the Rockies head to Wrigley Field to play the Chicago Cubs in the NL wild-card game on Tuesday night.“Our guys will put it in the rearview for sure,” Rockies manager Bud Black said of the loss. “The resiliency of this group has been awesome all year.”Pitching in 90-degree heat, Buehler was oh-so-cool in closing out a regular season that ended with Game 163 after both teams had identical records of 91-71.The soft-spoken 24-year-old from Lexington, Kentucky, has been so steady of late that manager Dave Roberts had no qualms about giving Buehler the ball for the crucial game that helped decide the Dodgers’ postseason fate.“He’s ready for this moment,” Roberts said, “and he responded.”Buehler’s only slip-up came on the field after the game when he let loose with an inadvertent expletive, having been handed the mic after fans demanded to hear from him. He clasped his hand to his mouth and apologized.No need to be sorry Wade Boggs Jersey , though, after that performance.Buehler settled in quickly, retiring his first six batters in a row, and never did allow a run.“Walker is a tremendous talent,” Kershaw said. “His competitiveness is off-the-charts, his ability is off-the-charts.”Buehler (8-5) had his no-hit bid broken up in the sixth on Charlie Blackmon’s single, one of his two hits for the Rockies.“He didn’t fold at all under pressure,” Muncy said. “He went there and attacked them just like we knew he was going to.”Buehler even helped himself offensively, hitting a single in the sixth for his first professional RBI and extending the Dodgers’ lead to 5-0.“Love that, absolutely,” he said, soaked to the skin.After giving up a two-out walk to Carlos Gonzalez in the seventh, Buehler exited to a standing ovation from the announced crowd of 47,816. He waved his right hand and quickly strode to the dugout as fans chanted his last name. The right-hander struck out three and walked three.Despite posting the best road record in franchise history (44-38), the Rockies couldn’t get untracked. They didn’t advance a runner past second base until the ninth when Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story homered back-to-back off closer Kenley Jansen.Jansen then retired the next three batters in a row.“What happened?” Jansen said when asked about the homers. “We’re first in the division, that’s what happened.”The Dodgers’ two homers extended their franchise and NL-leading total to 235 on the season. Bellinger got the Dodgers on the board with his 25th homer in the fourth http://www.redsoxproshops.com/authentic-dustin-pedroia-jersey , a two-out shot to left that made it 2-0. Muncy struck out leading off but was safe at first on a passed ball by catcher Tony Wolters. After Manny Machado and Yasmani Grandal struck out, Bellinger connected on a 1-0 pitch from German Marquez (14-11).Joc Pederson doubled to deep right-center leading off the fifth. One out later, Muncy hit his 35th homer to left-center, extending the lead to 4-0 and chasing Marquez. Marquez gave up four runs — two earned — and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked two.The Dodgers played their first tiebreaker since 1980, when they lost to Houston for the division title.The Rockies were on a roll coming into the club’s second tiebreaker and first for the NL West title, having won nine of 10 since being swept at Dodger Stadium from Sept. 17-19.“Today was unfortunate, but the fact of the matter is we have a chance to win the World Series,” Blackmon said. “I feel like most of the guys are looking at this as a great opportunity.”DIVISION TITLE ROLLRoberts joins Minnesota’s Ron Gardenhire (2002-04) and Houston’s Larry Dierker (1997-99) as the only managers to win three straight division titles in their first three seasons on the job.GOOGLE-EYED LASORDATom Lasorda stood in the midst of the partying, his blue Dodgers jacket bone-dry. The 91-year-old Hall of Famer, who managed the club to its last World Series title in 1988, wore goggles to protect his eyes from the spray of alcohol.THROUGH THE GATESThe announced attendance of 47,816 pushed the Dodgers’ season total to 3,857,500, breaking the franchise record of 3,857 Pedro Martinez Jersey ,036 set in 2007 and the sixth-highest in NL history.GOING LONGArenado finished the regular season with 38 homers to lead the NL. Story ended with 37, a career-high.UP NEXTThe Dodgers get two days off before the division series. The Rockies were headed to Chicago immediately after the game. Paul Bereswill/Getty ImagesThe New York Yankees broke the 1997 Seattle Mariners' record for the most home runs in a single season by an MLB team with a Gleyber Torres homer in the fourth inning Saturday during the Yanks' clash with the rival Boston Red Sox to give the club 265 in 2018.YES Network YESNetworkGleyber Torres connects to give the Yankees a NEW MLB RECORD - 265 home runs as a team!Also, Torres is todays No. 9 hitter, so that homer gives the Yankees at least 20 HR from each spot in the batting order this season. #BronxBombers mMYoqAJ56bThe Yankees have enjoyed a balanced power surge all season.Giancarlo Stanton leads the way with 37 home runs, but the Yanks feature six players with at least 20 homers and 12 have reached double-digits in taters. And it's fair to wonder whether they could have obliterated the record if Aaron Judge didn't miss almost 50 games because of injury.MLB Stat of the Day MLBStatoftheDay2 The Yankees and 1997 Mariners now share the all-time single-season HR record. bLXpGmwRUSThe Bronx Bombers are no stranger to posting high home runs totals. The storied franchise owns six of the top 18 spots on the single-season list of most HRs by a team.Now the question is whether that type of power output will translate to postseason success.In June, Yankees manager Aaron Boone downplayed the idea the lineup was too reliant on the homers to generate offense."I think it's a silly argument, I really do," he told reporters. "Does it bother me? That does bother me, actually. If a great pitcher shuts us down, it's because a great pitcher shuts us down. He can shut down a team that doesn't hit home runs, too."New York's playoff journey begins Wednesday night when it hosts the Oakland Athletics in the American League Wild Card Game.The A's rank second in the AL in home runs, so it wouldn't be a surprise if a late-inning blast ends up making the difference in that win-or-go-home battle.

MLB All-Star break on Monday when they host the Arizona Diamondbacks (54-46). The Cubs alternated wins and losses in a five-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals going back to last Thursday that also included a doubleheader split at Wrigley Field on Saturday.MLB betting line: The Diamondbacks opened as -120 favorites (wager $120 to win $100); the total is at nine runs Melky Cabrera Jersey , according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)MLB betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 5.4-2.2, Diamondbacks (MLB picks on every game)Check out the OddsShark podcast on iTunes or at OddsShark.libsyn.com for more odds information, betting picks and a breakdown of this week?? top sports betting news.Why the Diamondbacks can pay on the MLB linesThe Diamondbacks avoided being swept at home by the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, earning a 6-1 victory thanks to ace Zack Greinke. Arizona ended Colorado's seven-game winning streak and moved back into second place behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.The Diamondbacks will now send southpaw Patrick Corbin (6-4, 3.24 ERA) to the mound looking for his first win since June 5. Corbin is 0-2 in seven starts since then with five no-decisions, two of which came away from home. The 29-year-old has been very good on the road this season, going 2-1 in nine outings with a 2.89 ERA.Why the Cubs can pay on the MLB linesChicago extended its winning streak to four games with a 9-6 victory in the series opener against St. Louis. The Cubs also closed out the series against the Cardinals with a 7-2 win on Sunday behind seven solid innings from pitcher Jose Quintana, who allowed two runs and six hits with four walks and six strikeouts on 121 pitches. It was a much-needed quality start for Chicago in a series that saw 65 total runs scored.Next up in the rotation is converted reliever Luke Farrell (3-3, 3.86), who has made just one start for the Cubs this season. That came back on June 23 when he surrendered three runs on two hits and two walks in 2.2 innings of an 11-2 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds. However, that remains the only time he has given up more than two earned runs this year.Smart betting pickArizona definitely has an edge in the pitching matchup, due mostly to Farrell's inexperience as a starter and Corbin's success on the road. The Diamondbacks have also won three of the past five meetings, according to the OddsShark MLB Database, including the last two at Wrigley Field. Before that, Chicago had won nine of the previous 11 in the series, so take Arizona to pull off the upset in the series opener.MLB betting trendsThe total has gone UNDER in five of Arizona's last seven games.Arizona is 14-5 in its last 19 games on the road.Chi Cubs is 12-3 in its last 15 games at home.All MLB odds and betting trends according to Bleacher Report?? official odds partner, OddsShark. Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for more betting picks and analysis on this week's top games. You can also download the free odds tracker app. Through the grapevine has come a hint that the designated hitter may become a universal reality in Major League Baseball in the not-too-distant future.Hurry up. Oh, for the love of David Ortiz Jeff Keppinger Jersey , Edgar Martinez and Frank Thomas, please hurry up.Per Ken Rosenthalof The Athletic andJeff Passanof ESPN, the MLB Players Association has been pushing for the DH??hich has been saving American League pitchers from hitting for themselves since 1973??o come to the National League for the 2019 season.With pitchers and catchers due to report for spring training next week, it's probably a bit late to adapt such a seismic change for the coming season. The same goes for some of the other big ideas (e.g., a 20-second pitch clock and a three-batter minimum for pitchers) being kicked around by the MLB and the MLBPA.Still, it's significant that the concept of a universal DH is being pushed by the players. At last check, it was the owners who were doing the pushing."I think that is a continuing source of conversation among the ownership group, and I think that the dialogue actually probably moved a little bit," MLB commission Rob Manfred told reporterslast June.As far as baseball fans are concerned, this is where the bickering begins.Anyone who's pro-DH is most likely an American League fan with fond memories of the great sluggers who've called the position home over the last 46 years. Anyone who's anti-DH is most likely a National League fan who much prefers the bunts, double switches and other strategic elements that come hand-in-hand with pitchers hitting for themselves.Others, presumably, just can't bear to leave behind the #PitchersWhoRake lifestyle. This group includes at least one actual pitcher who rakes:Noah Syndergaard NoahsyndergaardUniversal DH?!?!? qNLnKHFAS6No matter your preference, you're not wrong. That's the thing about preferences; they're nice and subjective.But if we're going to shift this discussion over to what's best for baseball, a fundamental problem with the anti-DH position arises. Once you get past "Because I like it," there aren't many objective arguments in favor of pitchers hitting for themselves.The big one in favor of a universal DH is that pitchers are insultingly bad at hitting.This was true even as far back as the 1800s, when an article inSporting Life(h/t SABR's John Cronin) posited: "Every patron of the game is conversant with the utter worthlessness of the average pitcher when he goes up to try to hit the ball."Here's a graph that shows it's only been getting worse since the AL and NL started rubbing elbows in 1901:The central statistic here is a FanGraphs specialty called "weighted runs created plus," which measures total offensive value in relation to the league average of 100.As that blue line shows, pitchers weren't close to league-average hitters to begin with. By the time the AL adopted the DH in 1973 http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-paul-konerko-jersey , they were already barreling toward zero. Now they're at a point where even a 0 wRC+ would be a feat worthy of champagne and trip to Disneyland.The trouble is, pitchers aren't trained to hit anymore. The DH is a staple of organized baseball in high school, college and the minor leagues. Only the National League is holding out.Jacob deGrom is not made for hitting.David Banks/Getty ImagesThis could have changed as far back as 1980. In August of that year, representatives from the 12 National League clubs convened to hold a vote on whether to adapt the DH. The idea was rejected 5-4 with three abstentions, yetthat marked notable progress toward a universal DH."I'm not surprised at today's vote," NL President Chub Feeney said at the time, per theAssociated Press."It's gotten fairly close from time to time, but it fluctuates. The vote was 10-2 the last time we took it, about a year ago."In the ensuing years, however, the NL and MLB as a whole had bigger fish to fry. Such as:colluding against free agentsin the 1980s, getting in and out of multiple work stoppages between 1980 and 1995 and cleaning up after the steroid erain the mid-2000s.Nowadays, however, a universal DH can help MLB with two of its biggest challenges: livening up games and preventing the first work stoppage in a quarter of a century.Strikeouts have been going up for years, and that there were more strikeouts than hits in 2018 is a dire warning that balls in play can't make a comeback on their own.Which brings us to another graph:The strikeout rate has been higher in the National League, but not because the NL's actual hitters are more prone to punchouts than AL hitters. As the yellow dotted line shows, hitters from both leagues tend to have roughly the same strikeout rate. The problem, naturally, is the pitchers.It wouldn't reverse it James Shields Jersey , but letting real hitters bat for pitchers in the NL would help stem the growth of MLB's strikeout rate, thereby reintroducing some action into games.If anyone's worried about this potentially leading to longer days at the ballpark, well, don't. Carl Bialik of FiveThirtyEight looked into that in 2014 and didn't find anything.As to the work-stoppage threat??hich Rosenthal reported is "palpable"??utting the DH in the National League would theoretically make it easier for players to regain some of the riches that owners have been hoarding in recent offseasons.The number of clubs with a safety blanket for aging sluggers would double. That could lead to stronger markets not only for the likes of Nelson Cruz, but for super-long-term investments such as the Bryce Harpers and Manny Machados of this world.Younger sluggers could also benefit, as there would be more job openings for bat-only prospects (e.g., New York Mets slugger Peter Alonso).Further, neither NL clubs nor AL clubs visiting NL parks would have to worry any longer about pitchers getting hurt doing things other than pitching. Maybe it wouldn't have a huge impact in the long run, but that would be one less hurdle in between pitchers and good paydays.Beyond the allegedly entertaining strategic elements of NL-style ball, the biggest casualty of a universal DH would be the end of any true differentiation between MLB's two leagues. But since this "casualty" would nix unfair advantages for one league or the other in interleague games and the World Series, the mourning period would be brief.As hinted at by that oneSporting Life quote from the 1891, the DH was a good idea long before it officially came into being in 1973. At this juncture, it's never looked more like a necessary idea.So, again, please hurry up. Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — With nothing left to play for Roberto Alomar Jersey , the San Diego Padres are in spoiler mode.“This is a crowd you don’t play in front of every single night,” third baseman Wil Myers said. “It was pretty cool to watch guys go out there and really compete.”Coming off a big three-game sweep of Colorado, the Dodgers’ NL West lead was trimmed to 1 1/2 games over the Rockies, who won 6-2 at Arizona.“Can’t take anyone for granted,” losing pitcher Ross Stripling said.San Diego had dropped five in a row against Los Angeles. It was the Padres’ first win over the Dodgers since July 10 at Petco Park.Rookie Eric Lauer (6-7) pitched five innings of one-run ball in his first win since that July day.“We want to be the spoilers for them just to do it,” Lauer said. “Just because it’s them. It’s definitely cool getting a win in that environment.”Lauer struck out Manny Machado with runners on first and second to end the fifth.“Yeah, I was just feeling good and it was kind of like the amped up part of the moment,” Lauer said.Kirby Yates allowed Machado’s two-out RBI single in the ninth before striking out Joc Pederson for his 10th save.“We just couldn’t take advantage when we had runners in scoring position,” Machado said.Renfroe slugged his 24th homer on a 3-2 pitch with one out in the fourth, putting the Padres ahead 2-1 after Franmil Reyes‘ leadoff single against Ross Stripling (8-5).Galvis homered into the lower right-field seats leading off the seventh, making it 3-1.The Dodgers threatened in the seventh and eighth only to come up short.They cut their deficit to 3-2 in the eighth. Pederson doubled to deep right-center and Matt Kemp struck out before Yasiel Puig singled to left Nick Markakis Jersey , scoring Pederson.Yasmani Grandal walked before Yates came in to face pinch-hitter Cody Bellinger. He got Bellinger on a swinging strike to end the inning.Trailing 3-1, the Dodgers had the potential tying runs on in the seventh. Brian Dozier walked and took second on Enrique Hernandez’s two-out single. Dozier moved to third and Hernandez went to second on a wild pitch by Robert Stock. Justin Turner flied to left to end the threat.The Padres extended their lead to 5-2 in the ninth against John Axford. Myers hit a two-run double.“Any time you can add runs on late is big and to be able to do it against a good team right there is nice,” Myers said.The Dodgers struck first, taking a 1-0 lead on Hernandez’s 21st homer in the third.Making his return to the rotation, Stripling allowed two runs and three hits in 3 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two.TRIPPIN’Yates grounded out to the shortstop in the ninth and while in an all-out dash to first he tripped and fell, sliding on his belly. The move cracked up his teammates. Yates then went out and pitched the ninth.“I’m more impressed he didn’t lose composure after that. Most people are not able to laugh that off,” Green said. “He’s great at laughing at himself. He said, ‘There’s only one way to play the game and that’s hard,’ and that’s what he did.”MISTAKE PRONEDodgers third baseman Justin Turner committed a career-tying two errors.VINNY RETURNSVin Scully has made a rare public appearance at Dodger Stadium to help honor fellow Hall of Famer Jaime Jarrin. The Spanish-language broadcaster was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor, with his name joining Scully and such Dodgers greats as Sandy Koufax, Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella.Scully greeted the crowd with his trademark phrase: “Hi, everybody, and a very pleasant good evening to you.” A roar went up.“I haven’t said it in two years Babe Ruth Jersey , so I just thought I’d like to hear it one last time,” Scully said, smiling.He retired two years ago after 67 years in the booth.UP NEXTRHP Jacob Nix (2-3, 5.75 ERA) goes for the Padres in his first career start against Los Angeles. He made his big league debut on Aug. 10. LHP Rich Hill (9-5, 4.02 ERA) starts for the Dodgers on Saturday night. He last faced the Padres a month ago, tossing six scoreless innings and striking out eight. WASHINGTON — Daniel Murphy returns to Nationals Park on Thursday after helping the Chicago Cubs gain some breathing room over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.Murphy, who was acquired from the Nationals on Aug. 21, had three hits, including a home run, as the Cubs beat the Brewers 6-4 to snap a two-game losing streak and increase their lead in the National League Central to four games.Chicago is 11-5 in a stretch of 23 games in 23 days and manager Joe Maddon said he’s proud of the way his team is handling it.Article continues below ...“I don’t sense fatigue, the energy is good, pregame is good, talk in the dugout good http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-nick-markakis-jersey ,” Maddon told mlb.com. “Normally at this time of the year, you feel more of that (fatigue). I think our ability to manipulate lineups and keep guys fresh helps. I think they know how to react.”Ironically, the other player Washington traded Aug. 21 — Matt Adams — homered twice Wednesday night to lead the Cardinals to a 7-6 win over the Nationals in the rubber game of that series. The Cardinals remain 4 1/2 games behind Chicago in the Central and are second in the wild-card race, two games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the final spot.The Nationals continued the selloff they began Aug. 21 when they traded pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Ryan Madson last week. Meanwhile, the Braves and Phillies are slumping. Both have played sub-.500 baseball since Aug. 15, but so have the Nationals (9-10), failing to gain much ground.Washington (69-71) dropped the final two games against St. Louis as late rallies fell short.“We gotta finish some comebacks, we really do,” Martinez said. They jump out to a 5-0 lead. Our guys don’t quit. it’s tough.”Martinez was speaking hours after general manager Mike Rizzo was asked during a session with reporters if his rookie manager — formerly the Cubs bench coach — would be back next season.“I haven’t considered any other scenario,” Rizzo responded, later praising his manager’s handling of the team.Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks (11-10, 3.37 ERA) opposes right-hander Stephen Strasburg (7-7, 4.09) on Thursday night.Hendricks got a win last time out when he held the Phillies to a run on six hits in six innings Sept. 1. He was 3-1 with a 3.41 ERA in August and got a no-decision against Washington on Aug. 10 Freddie Freeman Jersey , when he allowed two runs in six innings.In his career, Hendricks is 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA in six starts versus Washington.The Nationals have won all three of Strasburg’s starts since he returned from a cervical nerve impingement. Last time out, he picked up the win against Milwaukee when he allowed two runs on five hits over six innings, with seven strikeouts and two walks. It was his best outing since his return.“His velo’s back plus the first few innings he was lights out,” Martinez told mlb.com after the game. “That’s the Strasburg that we’ve seen in the past. So hopefully he’s got it now and he’s good, and in five days we see that same Stras.”Strasburg is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in five regular-season starts versus the Cubs. In last year’s divisional playoff series, he was 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA after allowing two unearned runs over 14 innings. He threw seven shutout innings to win Game 4 in Chicago.Strasburg will try to stop the recent home run barrage against Washington pitchers, who have surrendered eight in the past two games.“The home runs have really killed us,” Martinez said. “I look back, and we’re giving up way too many homers. We have to figure that out. We really do.”

The Elder Scrolls: Blades is played from a first-person perspective and has been specifically designed for mobile with touch controls and support for both landscape or portrait mode. The most recent entry in the Elder Scrolls franchise, ESO Mobile Gold will use the processing capacities to deliver console quality visuals for greater immersion Howard said. A gameplay trailer showed off a plethora of varied areas ranging from dark corridors into wide, open sunlit locales. As a result of the iPhone XS' OLED screen, details that would usually go amiss are brought to light like surface textures such as rocky caverns or snowy ground. Howard also said that audio gets a boost as well thanks to this iPhone XS' speakers.

It finished with a tease of a dragon battle, harkening back to the most popular sport in The Elder Scrolls series, Skyrim.This is not Bethesda's initial stab of attempting to bring the Elder Scrolls series to mobile platforms. After all, it did bring Skyrim into the Nintendo Switch and prior to that its very first effort at handheld gaming was an Elder Scrolls PSP game called The Elder Scrolls Travels: Oblivion which was canceled midway in development.

The Elder Scrolls: Blades was unveiled earlier this year at E3. In accordance with Todd Howard, he had originally wished to mirror the release of Fallout Shelter at 2015 and launch Blades then and there in the statement. But he clarified then that the game simply was not ready in time. Ever since that time, it's been evident that The Elder Scrolls: Blades release date could actually have been further away than it first seemed.

The Elder Scrolls: Blades will be the very first ever Elder Scrolls cellular game when it will finally launch. Even though Fallout Shelter was comparatively simple, Blades is apparently a far more ambitious endeavor; a match more akin to one of those studio's leading RPGs, with a surprising amount of content. The game will be accessible on mobile and PC, and will also feature VR support. Moreover, all versions of the game will have the ability to play with each other, meaning you might be playing with a PvP mode in your phone against somebody sitting at home in a VR headset!

Every one these remarkable features, however, apparently come at a price; long development times and uncertainty in regards to The Elder Scrolls: Blades' discharge date. Months after the announcement, Bethesda still has yet to commit to a particular date. The studio said at E3 the match was due to release in late 2018. As time has worn on, enthusiasts have grown increasingly sceptical that this goal would be met. Four months ago, the App Store's placeholder launch date of September 7th became December 1st; prompting Bethesda to deny the match has been postponed.

Certainly, it may not have been true then. However, Bethesda recently announced that the game has actually now been delayed. According to the studio, Blades will release in"Early 2019". Fans can still sign up for Early Access. Unfortunately, it is now unknown when this feature will become accessible. For now, it seems fans should not hold their breath. It is certainly possible (even likely) that Bethesda can give enthusiasts hardly any note as soon as they do settle on a release date. On the other hand, the date remains so obscure that Buy The Elder Scrolls Blades Gold will likely be a couple of months before the game does finally launch.

That's not too bad, so far as delays go, but it means those of you who have been expecting to go adventuring in your phone through the holidays will have to wait just a little bit longer.

Now into November http://www.ravenscheapshops.com/cheap ... tic-tony-jefferson-jersey , the NFL season is no longer young, and the margin for error continues to shrink with each passing week. To remain in contention for a postseason appearance, Week 9 is crucial for several teams across the league.who will emerge victorious every week. Readers can continue to vote for each matchup in the polls at the bottom of this article. Current standings: Kyle A. (80-39)Frank (79-40)Sage (76-43)Readers (74-45)Jake and Vas (73-46)Zach (72-47)Kyle B. (71-48)Dustin (70-49)Logan (68-51)An analysis of the Baltimore Beatdown staff picksConsensus winnersThe Bears will beat the Bills (CHI -10.0)The Texans will defeat the Broncos at Mile High (DEN -1.0)The Cowboys will get a win on Monday Night Football over the Titans (DAL -6.0)Another week, another nightmare quarterback situation in Buffalo. The Bears are primed for an easy day, regardless of what replacement signal caller the Bills are left to depend on. Houston has won five straight and has not played since last Thursday, while Denver continues to sink to the bottom of the AFC West standings after being swept by Kansas City. Dallas is certainly not without flaws, but Tennessee has dropped their last three games Cheap Mark Andrews Jersey , struggling behind an injured Marcus Mariota.‘Lone wolf’ picksKyle A. is the only writer to select the Lions to defeat the Vikings (MIN -5.0)Zach goes against the rest of the staff in selecting the Buccaneers to beat the Panthers (CAR -6.0)Logan is alone in predicting the Browns to shock the Chiefs (KC -8.5)The Vikings, headlined by Adam Thielen, have a top 10 offense, which should give the Lions 19th ranked defense fits. With Tampa Bay giving the keys back to Ryan Fitzpatrick, the lack of continuity should prove to hinder the team’s ability to defeat a divisional opponent on the road. The Browns fired Hue Jackson, turning the team over to Gregg Williams in the interim. While many are heralding the return of Mayfield vs. Mahomes, the Chiefs red hot offense should continue to roll. Will the Ravens sweep Pittsburgh?As the home team, Baltimore is slightly favored for their second game against the Steelers (BAL -3.0). However http://www.ravenscheapshops.com/cheap ... ic-willie-snead-iv-jersey , only 22 percent of the Beatdown staff has chosen the Ravens to stop their losing streak this week. The Steelers have rebounded from a slow start to year, winning their last three contests. Pittsburgh arrives in Baltimore with the league’s fourth ranked offense, and Ben Roethlisberger and company will look to wear down a Ravens defense that gave up 36 points in Carolina last week and allowed Cam Newton to record a 116.9 passer rating, his highest mark on the year. All writers’ picks can be found in the table below.NFL Week 9 PicksGamesKyle A.FrankSageJakeVasilisZachKyle B. DustinLoganBB ReadersGamesKyle A.FrankSageJakeVasilisZachKyle B. DustinLoganBB ReadersVote in the polls for all Week 9 games! 4 stats to know as the Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans prepare to square off in Week 6 - Aaron KasinitzHopefully Marlon Humphrey, C.J. Mosley, Jimmy Smith and/or Eric Weddle can record their first interceptions of the season in Week 6. Should Ravens replace Hurst with Brown? - Ken McKusickMatt Skura’s inability to anchor will not be given reprieve with defensive tackles such as Jurrell Casey, Kawaan Short Cheap Hayden Hurst Jersey , Geno Atkins and Gerald McCoy on the upcoming schedule. NFL Offensive Line Rankings: All 32 team’s units after Week 5 - Mike RennerAfter a seemingly slow start to the season, Ronnie Stanely has rebounded rather well. At the other tackle spot, however, James Hurst has not been as impressive as he was in Week 3 against Von Miller.John Brown Will Get a Look at Returner - Ryan MinkThe Ravens should be awfully careful about exposing the injury prone John Brown, arguably their team MVP so far this season, to extra hits as a kick returner.

It appears that Black and Metallic Gold are next up for the LeBron 15 Low, creating an attractive regal aesthetic for the lower-profile version of the King’s 15th signature LeBron 16. A stark white midsole and outsole unit provide contrast – allowing for the flexible upper to receive even more of the spotlight.LeBron Shoes Metallic Gold accents can be found on the midsole and midfoot Swooshes as well as James’ signature on the heel loop. No official release date for the newest LeBron 15 Low has been made available, but pairs are expected to arrive at Nike Basketball retailers next month. Grab a detailed look below and check out our Sneaker Release Dates page www.lebron15inc.com for more on the latest sneakers dropping the rest of the year.

Nike LeBron 15 Low
Release Date: May, 2018
$150
Color: Black/Metallic Gold-Phantom
Style Code: AO1755-001
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