Pennant races take shape after trade deadline
Since the trade deadline was moved to July 31, the surest thing seemed to be the 1998 Astros. That night, Houston—in first place with a 65-44 record—and general manager Gerry Hunsicker got Randy Johnson from the Mariners. Johnson went 10-1, 1.28 in 11 starts down the stretch, and the Astros went 37-16 after the deal. They had Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Moises Alou and Billy Wagner in their primes.
Those Astros lost to the Padres in the National League Division Series, thanks to days off between Games 1 and 2 and then Games 2 and 3. That enabled San Diego to start Kevin Brown in two of the first three games. Brown, who Bagwell says “had the best stuff of anyone I ever faced,” gave up one run in each start.
When the trade deadline passed this year, the consensus appeared to be that the Dodgers are the lock that the ’98 Astros once appeared. And they might be, presuming that Clayton Kershaw is healthy in front of Yu Darvish, Rich Hill, Alex Wood and a deep bullpen led by Kenley Jansen.
Still, stuff happens. Do we know how good Darvish really is? The Cubs and Indians were on his no-trade list, and when he eventually ended up in Los Angeles with his friend Kenta Maeda, the Dodgers hadn’t given away any of their future for a rental.
Denne historien er fra September 01 2017-utgaven av Baseball America.
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Denne historien er fra September 01 2017-utgaven av Baseball America.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
ROAD BLOCK?
Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha
ROYALS REVIVAL
A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound
SUMMER STANDOUTS
The top prospects in summer college leagues are poised to impact the 2025 draft
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Last year’s Florida Complex League prospect crop has been beset by lengthy injuries to many of its top players, including Yankees pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange, Mets infielder Marco Vargas and Red Sox catcher Johanfran Garcia.
IN WITH THE NEW
The 2024 draft is in the books. The trade deadline is history.
WALCOTT BLASTS OFF
It took some time for Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott to find his footing at High-A Hickory.
A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS
Four key takeaways from the 2024 draft
K.C.MASTERPIECE
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. wins games for the Royals with his bat, glove, speed and baseball IQ. He might be the most tooled-up player in the game.
HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
When negotiating the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the MLB Players Association prioritized the earning power of young major league players, especially young stars.
