Playing Fact or Fiction with All of MLB's Hottest Week 11 Buzz, Rumors
As the temperature continues to rise, it's time to dive into another batch of fact or fiction regarding the latest MLB buzz, rumors and hot topics.
Over the past week, we've been rewarded with plenty of interesting conversation.
Should former San Diego Padres manager Bud Black shoulder the blame for the underachieving club? What can be done to fix MLB's All-Star Game voting problem? And come on, Alex Rodriguez, future MLB manager?
Of course the biggest story of the week comes from a report that the St. Louis Cardinals hacked the Houston Astros to steal information. Are those alleged accusations enough to permanently harm the Cardinals' top-notch reputation?
We'll dive into those topics and a host of other hot-button questions over the next few slides.
Bud Black Is to Blame for San Diego's Underachievement
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Verdict: Fiction
When general manager A.J. Preller revamped the San Diego Padres this winter, expectations were always going to increase.
Unfortunately for Bud Black, those expectations cost him his job. The Padres relieved Black of his duties earlier this week after two-and-a-half months of frustrating inconsistencies.
Managers are always the first to fall when a team underachieves, but in Black's case, it's hard to lay the blame at his feet. While Preller did manage to acquire plenty of talent, he failed to address key areas on his roster.
The most glaring hole is at shortstop, where the duo of Alexi Amarista (.220/.298/.308) and Clint Barmes (.286/.326/.417) hasn't been able to provide San Diego with consistent production.
Preller also failed to add a legitimate center fielder, tasking Wil Myers and Will Venable with the task of playing one of the toughest positions in baseball. Myers and Venable have combined to cost the Padres 14 defensive runs.
With question marks at both of those positions, San Diego had issues at two of the most important spots on the field. If good teams are indeed built up the middle, the Padres missed the memo.
San Diego did increase its payroll to a club-record $108 million this offseason, so it's natural the front office thought it needed to make a change. Pat Murphy may be a better fit for this ballclub in the eyes of the San Diego brain trust, but the Padres' subpar start had more to do with a dysfunctional roster than Black's incompetence.
The All-Star Game Voting Format Should Be Changed
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Verdict: Fact
The latest American League All-Star voting results were released this week, but don't refresh the page—you aren't looking at a Kansas City Royals roster.
But a squad full of Royals is exactly what we would see in Cincinnati if voting ended today. Kansas City fans have made their voices heard, making sure nearly every Royals player is the leading vote-getter at his respective position.
Some of those selections are definitely deserving, as Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Alex Gordon and Kendrys Morales would have been All-Stars regardless of the fan vote. But when Omar Infante (.227/.234/.310) and Alcides Escobar (.261/.292/.351) make up the starting AL middle infield, the system needs to be addressed.
This isn't a knock on the Royals or their fans. Kansas City is in first place in the AL Central, and their faithful supporters have shown their appreciation by stuffing the ballot box.
But with home-field advantage in the World Series on the line, MLB needs a better voting format than a glorified popularity contest. B/R's own Zachary Rymer mentioned that problem in a recent indictment of the system:
"Allowing fans to vote for the All-Stars they want to see is a fine idea in theory. But what's happening now is just the latest reminder that popularity and tribal loyalties guide voting decisions more than star power between the lines. And as we've been over many times before, that's not what MLB needs as long as the All-Star Game counts toward home-field advantage in the World Series.
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The solution seems rather simple. If MLB wants the fans to be involved, take home-field advantage off the table. If MLB wants the game to matter, give players and coaches a majority of the say in who suits up for each league.
The Atlanta Braves Should Be Worried About Julio Teheran
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Verdict: Fiction
On paper, Julio Teheran's 2015 numbers are cringeworthy.
Teheran has a 5.07 ERA in 14 starts for the Atlanta Braves this season. The right-hander's strikeouts are down, while his walks and homers are up. Those worries only intensified when he was shelled for 13 hits and six earned runs by the Boston Red Sox in his last start.
For a hurler who headed into 2015 with two straight excellent campaigns, those statistics are surprising to say the least.
When a pitcher sees such a significant dip in form, the first place to look is his velocity. But Teheran has maintained his typical stuff in 2015, as his four-seamer is still sitting at 91 mph and his two-seamer remains in the upper 80s.
The difference in Teheran this season can be found in his pitch usages.
In 2014, Teheran threw his four-seamer nearly 40 percent of the time. 2015? That total is down to 34 percent. With hitters managing only a .220 average against that pitch, it's puzzling why Teheran refuses to throw it more often.
Teheran's struggles shouldn't be swept under the rug, but the 24-year-old has shown signs he's still the same guy we've come to know—including a 2.77 ERA at home.
As long as the stuff is there, Teheran will sift through his problems and return to form. His struggles seem to be a young pitcher continuing to find what works best for him.
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The St. Louis Cardinals' Favorable Reputation Has Already Taken a Hit
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Verdict: Fact
Stealing signs, pine tar, performance-enhancing drugs? Those days are long gone.
As the game has evolved, so, apparently, have the ways that teams can obtain unfair advantages. The St. Louis Cardinals' alleged hacking into the networks of the Houston Astros in an attempt to steal information suggests that cheating has been taken to the next level.
We must keep in mind that these allegations are just that—allegations. But there seems to be compelling evidence that Cardinals officials participated in some level of wrongdoing. The FBI and the Justice Department don't often get involved for no reason.
If guilty, those responsible will likely face severe punishment. While Brandon McCarthy of the Los Angeles Dodgers suggested MLB stay true to its tradition with a clever quip on Twitter, the Cardinals' public image will suffer more than any rouge employee.
St. Louis has long been considered one of the premier franchises in baseball. Since 2000, the Cardinals have advanced to the NLCS a remarkable nine times. The club has been heralded for doing things the right way and building a winning organization through homegrown talent.
But a scandal of this magnitude would make all of those accomplishments a moot point. A fantastic organization is now in the crossroads of a federal investigation, and an exemplary reputation has already taken a massive blow.
The Cincinnati Reds Should Hold Their Firesale Until After the All-Star Game
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Verdict: Fiction
The Cincinnati Reds will host the 2015 MLB All-Star Game next month, which has put the club in a strange predicament regarding its trade-deadline strategy.
The Reds are currently 13 games back of first place in the NL Central. On one hand, Cincinnati would love to host the festivities as a team still in contention. On the other, the Reds need to begin their rebuilding efforts as soon as they can.
While the former is an understandable way of thinking, the Cincinnati brain trust cannot allow a one-time event to dictate how the club goes about its business.
Players like Johnny Cueto, Aroldis Chapman, Todd Frazier, Jay Bruce, Mike Leake and others could all bring back solid prospect packages to Cincy. The Reds could use an influx of talent at the developmental levels, as the team's farm system ranks among the middle of the pack.
Trading the team's recognizable stars won't be popular, but it's likely necessary to get Cincinnati back to where it wants to be. Using the All-Star Game as a crutch would just delay the inevitable.
The Minnesota Twins Should Have Called Up Byron Buxton
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Verdict: Fact
The Minnesota Twins pulled the trigger and promoted top overall prospect Byron Buxton to The Show this past week.
After injuries and inconsistencies in 2014, Buxton has shown why he's so highly regarded this season. The outfielder hit .283 with six homers and 37 RBI in 59 games at Double-A. His 20 stolen bases were even more encouraging, as it proved Buxton is fully healthy and ready to roll.
On the flip side, the Twins called up a 21-year-old who played in just 60 games at Double-A. Buxton is nowhere near the player he will become and promoting him to the big leagues too early would do nothing but stunt his growth.
Buxton's Double-A manager, former major leaguer Doug Mientkiewicz, was undecided on Buxton's promotion.
“I don’t think he’s completely ready,” Mientkiewicz told Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. “Well, part of me says yes, and part of me says no.
“Definitely, without a question, he was ready to play defense two years ago. Offensively, it’s going to come and go. He’s young. It’s like anybody else. It’s going to take time."
Here's the thing: If Minnesota wasn't hanging around the playoff race, Buxton would still be in Double-A. But with a surprise start, why not give Buxton the opportunity to prove he belongs? The Twins are gambling, but they are also showing they believe in Buxton's maturity to handle the situation, no matter the result.
Minnesota center fielders rank 27th in the big leagues in WAR. While risky, promoting Buxton gives the Twins an upgrade without having to part with any prospects.
Alex Rodriguez Would Be a Great Manager for the Miami Marlins
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Verdict: Fiction
As the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins tangled in interleague play this week, Buster Olney of ESPN had an interesting take regarding Alex Rodriguez.
"The next time (Jeffrey) Loria considers a change, assuming that conversation doesn't take place until after the 2015 season, here's a name he ought to seriously think about: Alex Rodriguez," Olney said about Miami's revolving managerial seat.
Olney went on to mention A-Rod's knowledge of the game and desire to help young players, and he ties in Miami as plausible reasons why the beleaguered slugger would be a good fit for the Fish.
While those points do make plenty of sense, this is Alex Rodriguez we're talking about.
There's no questioning A-Rod's talent. PEDs or not, 666 homers and a soon-to-be tally of 3,000 hits don't happen by accident.
What can be questioned, however, is Rodriguez's character:
- He's shown poor decision-making skills with his PED transgressions
- He hasn't always gotten along with his teammates
- He's blamed others for his wrongdoings, failing to take responsibility for his actions until finally relenting at the start of the 2015 season
- He's had an off-and-on relationship with the media
Are the above flaws not key qualities in managing an MLB team? Aside from the ludicrous scrutiny that will go with it, A-Rod's managerial weaknesses should be enough to deter a Rodriguez-Marlins marriage.
Advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs. Stats accurate as of June 18.
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