Phillies and Brewers Charging Into NL Wild Card Race

The Milwaukee Brewers' Norichika Aoki had a crucial double to help lift the Brewers to a 5-0 win over the Braves. (The Candian Press)

The Philadelphia Phillies have been disappointing all season. Underachieving meant that two of their best players, Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino, ended up being traded. The Phillies pitching staff has been pretty solid all season (as expected). What wasn't quite up to par yet was the lineup and bullpen. All of a sudden, both have gotten hot as of late.

Winners of five straight coming into Tuesday night's game at home against the Miami Marlins, the Phillies looked to build upon their recent success. The Phillies got off to a great start when they scored three runs in the first inning. On the mound, Phillies ace Roy Halladay unexpectedly struggled. Lasting 6 1/3 innings, he gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Phillies veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins hit a two-run home run to increase their lead to 8-3. However, during the top of the seventh, the Marlins scored four runs to pull within one run, trailing 8-7. In the bottom half of the inning, Rollins hit a sacrifice fly to score an insurance run.

The lead was handed over to the Phillies' spotty bullpen. With the two-run lead in place, their relievers began pitching quite well. B.J. Rosenburg and Phillippe Aumont kept the lead intact, earning both of them their second hold of the season. In the ninth inning, Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon threw a scoreless inning to seal the team's 9-7 victory.

Coming off a 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves the previous night, the Milwaukee Brewers looked to keep their winning going at home Tuesday. Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks got the scoring started with a solo shot to center for the 1-0 lead. That is all the offense that starting pitcher Marco Estrada got while he was pitching. As it turned out, that proved to be enough as Estrada threw scoreless baseball into the seventh inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, Braves starting pitcher Tim Hudson hit Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez with a pitch to load the bases. Then, shortstop Jean Segura grounded into a fielder's choice for the second out as one run came into score. The next batter was pinch hitter Taylor Greene, who hit an RBI-single to center field. Right fielder Norichika Aoki capped off the big inning with a RBI-double. When it was all said and done, the Brewers had scored three runs to take a 4-0 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Brewers cushioned their lead a little bit more on a solo home run by third baseman Aramis Ramirez. As far as the bullpen was concerned, relievers Jim Henderson, Francisco Rodriguez, and Brandon Kintzler pitched the final 2 1/3 innings to complete the 5-0 shutout.

The NL Wild Card race is wide open. With the Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Cardinals all struggling in the thick of the race, teams like the Phillies and Brewers have come out of nowhere to join the playoff picture. As a result of their wins tonight, both the Phillies and Brewers now have a 71-71 record and stand four games out of the second wild card spot.

If you had told me during the summer that the Phillies and Brewers would be in the playoff hunt in September, I would have said you were crazy. However, this is baseball, and it always seems as though anything is possible. While some things are more likely than others, it is nearly impossible to predict what will really happen. It will surely be an exciting race to the end in the National League.

2012 MLB Trade Deadline Winners and Losers

The Philadelphia Phillies are one of my losers after treading away both Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino. (Brian Garfinkel and Kirby Lee)

The Major League Baseball trade deadline can have so much of an impact on a franchise. For a team looking to make it into the postseason, it could be adding that missing piece. On the other hand, a team looking to trade away some of their best players, might be looking for the perfect package of prospects in return. Passivity at the trade deadline is an option that can be perfectly fine or quite detrimental. I have sifted through all the trades that occurred before today's trade deadline to determine my three overall winners and losers.

Trade Deadline Winners


Los Angeles Dodgers
I don't think any team was as active at the trade deadline as the Dodgers were. The pitching has been solid all season, so the main focus was on bulking up the offense. Besides Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, the Dodgers offense had struggled to do much this season. When rumors began to swirl that the Miami Marlins were frustrated with former star infielder Hanley Ramirez, the Dodgers got on the phone. The two sides finally worked out a deal. You can check out my full take on that trade here. Today, the Dodgers managed to acquire another quality veteran bat in center fielder Shane Victorino from the Philadelphia Phillies. While improving their lineup even more, they didn't have to give up much in return. Finally, they bolstered their bullpen with the addition of former Seattle Mariners closer Brandon League. The Los Angles Dodgers made three great moves without giving up either of their top two prospects, Zach Lee and Allen Webster.

Los Angeles Angels
The Dodgers weren't the only ones busy making phone calls in Los Angeles. The Angels were exploring options as well. Their lineup has already been thrust into full throttle by young star Mike Trout. It was the back of the rotation that had to concern the Angels front office. Starting pitching options are always fairly bleak at the trade deadline. Plus, teams are usually looking for an arm and a leg in return. Once Cole Hamels signed a long-term extension with the Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers ace Zack Greinke became the top arm available. The Angels paid the steep price, but got a very good pitcher in return. While I do have some concerns about him pitching in a big market with his anxiety issues, this was the right move for the Angels to make, especially when you consider that their divisional rival Texas Rangers were pushing to get him as well.

Pittsburgh Pirates
I believe the Pirates could be the sneaky big winner here at the trade deadline. The Pirates' first move was to bolster their already solid starting staff. They acquired a familiar opponent in Wandy Rodriguez from the Houston Astros. The move was good because they added a very good pitcher without overpaying. You can read my full analysis of that trade here. The Pirates wanted to add a big bat next. GM Neal Huntington looked to add many different options, but once again didn't want to overpay. Instead, he settled for two smaller hitting additions. The Pirates acquired first baseman Gaby Sanchez from the Miami Marlins. When Sanchez struggled early this year, they designated him for assignment in the minors. He does hit for power though. Each of the past two seasons, Sanchez has hit 19 home runs. He was also an All-Star last season. The Pirates also traded for outfielder Travis Snider from the Toronto Blue Jays. Snider offers similar hitting potential to Sanchez. Finally, the Pirates added reliever Chad Qualls from the New York Yankees to help fill out their bullpen. All in all, the Pirates made a number of great moves, without taking away too much from their bright future in their farm system.

Trade Deadline Losers


Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins spent tons of money this past offseason. They opened a new stadium with a new team name. The Marlins pledged to their fans that they were going to be contenders and big spenders. They did acquire veteran Carlos Lee from the Astros, but even a third grader could probably tell you that Lee has been in full decline as a hitter. Then, the Marlins let their impatience and frustration with Hanley Ramirez get the better of them. They traded him to the Dodgers when his value was much lower than it should be. As if that weren't enough, the Marlins also dealt Omar Infante and Anibal Sanchez to the Detroit Tigers. So much for being contenders. This team is now somewhere muddled between being contenders and rebuilders.

Philadelphia Phillies
Which of the following is most surprising? A: The Phillies are 11 games under .500 under in August. B: The Phillies are in last place in the NL East. C: The Phillies are 15 1/2 games out of first place. D: The Phillies were big time sellers at the trade deadline. It has to be all of the above. It is hard to believe that the Phillies are having this terrible of a season. When they were first rumored to be sellers at the trade deadline, I couldn't believe it. This team isn't that far removed from being in the World Series. I was even more surprised when they decided to trade both outfielders Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino, two of the team's best hitters. The Phillies are definitely not going to get any better the rest of this season. If they don't make any moves in the offseason, they could be one of the worst teams in baseball next season. I don't really see how what the Phillies did at the trade deadline helped their situation at all.

St. Louis Cardinals
I was looking at the top contenders for the postseason, and most every team made at least one considerably key move, except for the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals have been stuck in third place in the NL Central for awhile now. The first place Cincinnati Reds are playing great baseball and look like they are going to be difficult to catch. As I already mentioned, the second place Pirates made several key moves. The only move the Cardinals made was to add reliever Edward Mujica from the Marlins. Mujica tends to give up the home run ball and hasn't been at his best this year. The Cardinals weren't good enough to catch the Reds and Pirates before and little has happened to change that now. Unless something unexpected happens, I believe the reigning World Series champion Cardinals are going to miss the playoffs.

Pirates Acquire Wandy Rodriguez from the Astros

The Pittsburgh Pirates have looked to bolster their rotation by acquiring Wandy Rodriguez from the Houston Astros. (Pat Sullivan)

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in playoff contention this late in the season for the first time in twenty years. As a result, they are actually buyers coming into the trade deadline as they try to make a push for a playoff berth. While finding a big offensive bat might be their biggest need, the Pirates knew the value that adding another solid starter could mean for their pitching staff as a whole.

The Houston Astros are years from contention. With many young prospects in their daily lineups, it comes as no surprise that they have the worst record in baseball. With the youth movement in full swing, the Astros were looking to move their ace Wandy Rodriguez. He is signed at $13 million per season through 2013 with a club option for 2014.

The interests of the two NL Central rivals seemed to line up for the time being. The Astros agreed to trade Rodriguez to the Pirates for three prospects, center fielder Robbie Grossman and left-handed pitchers Rudy Owens and Colton Cain. The three prospects help to add further depth to the Astros' farm system. While none of the trio of prospects are marquee players, each one is young enough to potentially grow into the difference makers the Astros hope they will become.

The Pirates add Rodriguez to a starting rotation with a 3.91 ERA, which is seventh best in the NL. Rodriguez and his 3.79 ERA in 21 starts with the Astros is expected to replace Kevin Correia in the rotation. Rodriguez is widely considered the far superior pitcher with a better strikeout/walk ratio. He should also benefit from improved support from Andrew McCutchen and the upstart Pirates offense.

I like the trade for both teams. While the bigger need might be offense, the Pirates will definitely benefit from adding Wandy Rodriguez to their rotation. Not only does it help the other starters, but it also aids the bullpen and gives them additional rest. The Astros got three young prospects. They can only hope that at least one or two of them will mature into everyday players. The real question for the Pirates is whether this is just their first move. I believe they have at least one more move to make. They need to find the right bat to add to their lineup, without giving up their best prospects. No doubt GM Neal Huntington is exploring his options right now.

Answering Some of Baseball's Biggest Second Half Questions

Will the Washington Nationals put an innings-limit on young phenom Stephen Strasburg? (Toni L. Sandys)

With the second half of the Major League Baseball's season about to get underway, I take a look at some of the biggest questions that remain to be answered.

1. Will the Pittsburgh Pirates make their first postseason appearance since 1992?
The Pirates had to be the biggest surprise of baseball's first half. After 19 consecutive losing seasons, the Pirates are 11 games over .500 and in first place in the NL Central. Star Andrew McCutchen is one of the leading contenders for NL MVP. Veteran A.J. Burnett is leading the starting rotation with 10 wins in his first season in Pittsburgh. The Pirates' bullpen has a major league best 2.63 ERA. With young prospects, such as outfielder Sterling Marte, nearing their debut, the Pirates seem primed for a postseason run. Manager Clint Hurdle appears to have his boys primed and ready. (To read more about the Pirates, check out my blog post about their first half.)


2. Will the Washington Nationals put an innings-limit on young phenom Stephen Strasburg?
One of the biggest questions for the young Nationals is what do with their young ace Strasburg. They of course want to be careful with him since he is coming off Tommy John Surgery. Prior to the beginning of the season, the Nationals said the would limit Strasburg to about 160 innings. They took a similar approach last season with another young stud pitcher Jordan Zimmerman. However, the big difference this year is that the Nationals are in first place. Strasburg has been vocal about his desire to stay in the rotation. The Nationals have to carefully weigh their short-term and long-term options.

3. Will the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies be able to overcome their rough first halves?
The Red Sox have been in a state of disarray since last September. New manager Bobby Valentine has yet to be able to solve the mystery of the Red Sox's troubles. Kevin Youkilis has traded in his sox for white ones. The team has be ravaged by injuries. The health of some key players, such as Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Carl Crawford could make or break their season. The Phillies offense has been sputtering all season. The return of stars Ryan Howard and Chase Utley should only help things, but will it be enough. It may or may not. The Phillies also have to solve their pitching woes as well. Cliff Lee will likely need to win more than one game in the second half to help lead the Phillies out of the cellar of the NL East.

4. Will the trade deadline have an affect on the push for the postseason?
With teams pushing for the postseason and a chance at the World Series, the trade deadline can have a huge affect on their chances. Their are a number of quality starters who are rumored to be reportedly available. Cole Hamels, Zack Greinke, Matt Garza, and Ryan Dempster are just some of the names out there. As far as hitters are concerned, the potential stud out there is Justin Upton. Upton still has so much potential, but is supposedly unhappy in Arizona. The Diamondbacks will be looking for a ton in return, but it could absolutely be worth it for the right contender.

5. Will Josh Hamilton win the AL's first Triple Crown since 1967?
Hamilton's first half numbers are impressive to say the least. His first half line of .308, 27 home runs, and 75 RBIs had people talking about a potential Triple Crown. However, Hamilton has significantly cooled off during June and so far in July. We can only hope that the All-Star Break provided the recharge he needed. The other concern with Hamilton is always his health. If Hamilton can remain healthy, you can never count out his chances of making history.

Pirates Complete Best First Half in Twenty Years

MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen has led the Pittsburgh Pirates to their best record at the All-Star Break since 1992. (Keith Srakocic)

Who would have believed before the season began that A.J. Burnett would have ten wins, while Tim Lincecum would have ten losses? Absolutely positively no one. You would have told me I was crazy. San Francisco Giants ace Lincecum's shockingly horrible first half could be summarized by his performance today against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He gave up six runs on seven hits over only 3 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, Burnett, who has long been known as erratic pitcher, was steady as he has been all year. He limited the Giants to just two runs while pitching into the seventh. Burnett has now won nine consecutive decisions, becoming just the second Pirates pitcher to win at least ten games before the All-Star Break since 1993.

Offensively, it was the Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen show. Walker went 5-5 with a home run, a double, and scored four runs of his own. McCutchen crushed a pair of two-run homers. He has been absolutely red hot as of late. McCutchen is on a 21-for-38 (.552) tear, including six multiple hit games in his last nine games. He has 23 RBIs in his last 19 games. His 18 home runs have all come over the last two months. A NL-high 12 of them have come with baserunners on.

Hits aren't the only thing piling up for the Pirates. Wins happen to be as well. Remember this is a franchise that has endured a North American professional sports record 19 consecutive losing seasons. But these Pirates are looking to put all of that behind them. The NL Central leaders are 48-37, their best record at the All-Star Break since 1992. Since May 12, they are a major league best 34-19. including 10-2 in their last 12. Every way you look at it, the Pirates are playing great baseball.

Manager Clint Hurdle's culture change has been a major reason why. He has his players believing in their abilities to win ball games. With the extra gained revenue and excitement, the front office is even exploring their options to upgrade either the outfield or starting rotation. With the All-Star Break here, it will be easy for the Pirates to cool off. It is important that they maintain their confidence and hot play. If they are able to keep this going, not only will the Pirates finish above.500, they will be vying for a spot in the playoffs.

Burnett's Battle in the Bronx Appears to be Coming to a Close

The New York Yankees have agreed to trade A.J. Burnett to the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor league pitcher Diego Moreno and outfielder Exicardo Cayones. The deal is awaiting approval from the commissioner's office since it involves money. The Pirates and Yankees will split the remaining cost of Burnett's contract. Everyone while remember how the Yankees overpaid for Burnett. He was never able to get fully comfortable in the Bronx, especially with his control. As a Yankee, his record stands at 34-35 with an ERA of 4.79.

However, I could make the argument that for one night in the Bronx, A.J. Burnett earned every penny of that contract. That night would be October 29, 2009. The game was Game 2 of the 2009 World Series. Cliff Lee dominated the Yankee hitters in Game 1 to give the Philadelphia Phillies the one game to zero lead in the Bronx. If Burnett lost the game, the Yankees were going to be headed to Philadelphia down in the hole 2-0. Burnett wouldn't let that happen as he was on his game as never before. He threw seven innings of four-hit ball, giving up just one hit while striking out nine. He outdueled Pedro Martinez to help give the Yankees the win and swing the World Series in their favor.

Many Bronx Bomber fans will remember A.J. Burnett and shake their heads solemnly. While I might do that when I think of his control (as wild a thrower as they come), I will always remember the night when Burnett finally lived up to the hopes and dreams every Yankee had for him. His era in the Bronx might be coming to a close, but that does not mean that is bad news for either party. The Yankees have a crowded rotation competition, and Burnett deserved a chance to succeed elsewhere. In Pittsburgh, he will get to play under less scrutiny and against weaker offensive competition. I think that Burnett could possibly resurrect his career with the Pirates. A.J. Burnett was a New York Yankee. He has the ring to prove it. Without him, the Yankees may have never won their 27th World Series Championship.