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Cuban-born pitcher Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez may not have pitched a single inning in Major League Baseball, but he could be the missing link the Philadelphia Phillies have been looking for.

According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, the Phillies have inked Gonzalez to a six-year, $48 million contract, with an option for a seventh year at $11 million—bringing the total value to $59 million. That represents the largest international signing ever.

The Phillies obviously thought that Gonzalez was worth it, outbidding the Boston Red Sox and several other teams.

For teams who may have thought they might have a shot at landing Phillies starter Cliff Lee, they could now be very disappointed.

Gonzalez is considered to be a pitcher who’s already ready for the majors and may just need a couple of minor league starts to acclimate himself.

The Phillies are five games under .500 and a full 10 games out of a wild-card spot in the National League, but this is clearly a signing that indicates Philadelphia is at least looking at a postseason berth in 2014, if not this season.

According to Passan, Gonzalez has a solid four-pitch repertoire that recently impressed just about every scout who attended workouts in Mexico.

Re-Tooling, Not Rebuilding

In recent weeks, the Phillies’ fate as either a buyer or seller has been discussed ad nauseum. Several weeks ago, general manager Ruben Amaro gave every indication that he simply wasn’t interested in offering up players like Lee, despite the team’s mediocre start to the season.

However, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN wrote on Friday that several teams were interested in Lee, and that Amaro was at least listening.

Via Crasnick: 

I never put any real absolutes on anything. Although we don’t have any desire to move a guy like that because we view him as someone who will be key to our future, I am a businessperson as well and I’ll be a good listener.

That could have been nothing but a smokescreen.

The acquisition of Gonzalez gives the Phillies a solid foursome along with Lee, Cole Hamels and Kyle Kendrick. That doesn’t even include Roy Halladay, who has a $20 million option for next season that will likely be declined. That doesn’t mean that Halladay couldn’t come back for much less, however.

Think of that for a starting five, if Halladay comes back healthy.

It simply doesn’t sound like a team that’s going be selling off any of its pitching parts anytime soon.

Future Television Money Means Phillies Can Keep Playing With Big Boys

The Phillies can’t necessarily cry poor-mouth—they have the third-highest payroll, according to USA Today. But they aren’t blessed with a TV deal quite like the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers, either.

That could be changing very soon.

The Phillies could be in line for a TV deal that nets them somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 billion. That’s certainly enough to continue paying the likes of Lee, Halladay, Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon and now Gonzalez. 

That’s a whole lot of incentive for the Phillies to have traveled to Tijuana last month to watch Gonzalez pitch. And it’s a lot of incentive to sign him and keep everyone else as well.

Let’s face it—the Phillies have some issues. Injuries have decimated their bullpen, with Jeremy Horst and Mike Adams now out for the season. Ryan Howard is likely out until at least late August with a torn meniscus. Their best power hitter, Domonic Brown, just hit the seven-day disabled list with a concussion, and Chase Utley isn’t getting any younger. 

It’s a stretch to think the Phillies have a snowball’s chance in hell of making the postseason this year. 

But with a rotation that boasts of Lee, Hamels, Gonzalez, Kendrick and Halladay, the 2014 season is all of a sudden looking a whole lot brighter. And the Phillies will have the benefit of a potential $5 billion TV deal that can help cushion the financial blow.

So, to the teams that are currently salivating at the thought of Cliff Lee helping their drive for postseason glory this season, they might have to consider Plan B.

Could Amaro still consider dealing Lee? He said it himself: He’s a businessman. He’ll at least listen. He’d be a fool to turn down a deal that completely overwhelmed him. But it would absolutely have to be a slam-dunk type deal to convince Amaro that Lee needs to be moved.

He has a pitcher in Gonzalez who could very well be the missing link for next season, and who could potentially help in 2013 as well. He has a possible TV deal that will keep the Phillies in the black for quite a while. 

That’s a whole lot of hope. And for teams pining away for Lee, it’s a lot of heartache as well. 

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

Feel free to talk baseball with Doug anytime on Twitter.

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After a four-day layoff interrupted by an exhibition contest—the 84th edition of the All-Star Game—MLB is back on Friday with a full slate of games to kick off the second half.

There will also be less than two weeks to go before the non-waiver trade deadline, so many teams not only have an urgency to get in the best position as possible for the postseason, but they’ll be thinking about upgrades as well.

Other teams, like the Houston Astros, Miami Marlins and Milwaukee Brewers, are playing out the string and setting themselves up for the future.

Every trade rumor will be pounced upon over the next 12 days or so, and any news that’s fit to print—or maybe not—will be the order of the day for the next two weeks.

So, just what is the hottest trade talk associated with each MLB team?

Let’s take a look. 

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New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera will be participating in his 13th and final MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, and his American League teammates paid homage to him in fitting fashion.

In a pose that suggests reverence, some of the game’s greats, including Robinson Cano, Miguel Cabrera, David Ortiz and Felix Hernandez, seemingly look down in wonder at the closer who has amassed more saves than anyone in the history of the game.

The 43-year-old Rivera has been pitching unlike a man ready to retire; he entered the break with a 1.83 ERA and 30 saves. He’s also coming into the Midsummer Classic with an unblemished record in previous All-Star appearances, with four saves, five strikeouts and just five hits allowed in eight total innings.

MLB commissioner Bud Selig took time out of his busy schedule to comment on Rivera’s final All-Star game as well. 

Fans on Twitter certainly appreciated the message of the photo as well, with a number of touching notes.

And the most fitting way to honor Rivera Tuesday night is, of course, obvious.

With the National League holding home-field advantage at the Mets‘ Citi Field, it could easily come down to the bottom of the ninth—an all-too familiar scene for a man with 638 career saves. 

One thing is for sure—New Yorkers and fans across the country will be tuning in en masse to watch in the late innings to see Mariano Rivera enter the game to his familiar tune “Enter Sandman.”

It’s bittersweet for fans who have had the pleasure of watching Rivera for the past 19 years, but a glorious exit nonetheless. 

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One thing the Los Angeles Dodgers have to be given credit for on a night where nothing went right—they know how to end a streak in grand fashion.

Backed by a 21-hit attack and a six-RBI night from embattled outfielder Delmon Young, the Philadelphia Phillies whipped the Dodgers, 16-1.

It represented the Dodgers’ worst loss at home since they moved out west in 1958.

The night started out bad for the Dodgers and continued to get worse. Starter Chris Capuano was roughed up for three runs in the first inning and eventually left after allowing seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits in 3.2 innings.

Relievers Peter Moylan and Matt Guerrier were about as effective as Capuano. They combined to give up another eight runs in 3.1 innings.

The number of Phillies that crossed home plate even had legendary broadcaster Vin Scully looking for relief.

This was a perfect night for Brandon League to pitch, considering he was demoted from his closer role and designated for mop-up duty.

He at least held the Phillies to one run in his lone inning of work.

By that time, the Phillies had taken a 16-1 lead, and there was only one thing left for manager Don Mattingly to do—call upon his relief pitcher extraordinaire, Skip Schumaker.

Schumaker entered with a lifetime 0.00 ERA in a Dodger uniform, and he left with a perfect mark as well. He was the lone Dodger pitcher unscored on all night.

Schumaker has clearly given the phrase “utility player” a new meaning with his performance.

So the modest six-game winning streak ends for the Dodgers. But maybe they’ll catch a break on Saturday.

At least there’s that.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

Feel free to talk baseball with Doug anytime on Twitter.

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On the MLB schedule for Friday, a veritable who’s who of young pitching stars were scheduled to start.

Matt Harvey and Shelby Miller were just two of the bright young arms in the game slated to work—Gerrit Cole, Julio Teheran, Miller, Harvey, Allen Webster, Alex Colome and Trevor Bauer all took the mound on Friday.

Each one of them were highly touted prospects who have made their way to the majors—all with thoughts of achieving greatness at the highest level.

Harvey and Miller are already having seasons worthy of All-Star consideration. Teheran has been a more-than-pleasant surprise as well.

Here is a more comprehensive look at each young stud pitching prospect with grades based on their performance thus far in 2013.

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It’s likely that at the beginning of the 2013 season, no one would have assumed that starting pitchers Bartolo Colon of the Oakland Athletics and Hisashi Iwakuma of the Seattle Mariners would be anchoring their pitching staffs.

Colon pitched brilliantly last season—posting a 10-9 record and 3.43 ERA—before being slapped with a 50-game ban for violating MLB‘s joint drug program.

Iwakuma was injured at the beginning of last season and worked out of the bullpen before joining the starting rotation, ending his first year in the league with a respectable 9-5 record and 3.16 ERA in 30 appearances, 16 of them starts.

Yet on Friday, they matched up against each other, Colon with a 9-2 record and 2.89 ERA, which included a six-game winning game, and Iwakuma with a 7-2 record and impressive 2.06 ERA.

In fact, Safeco Field has proved to be a safe haven for both pitchers.

The A’s got to Iwakuma quickly as he yielded a two-run home run to Yoenis Cespedes in the top of the first inning.

The Mariners answered right back, however, when second baseman Nick Franklin connected for a three-run shot off Colon in the bottom of the third.

Colon settled down after Franklin’s shot, working quickly and flawlessly through eight innings.

But Iwakuma wasn’t quite so lucky. He gave up two more home runs, a solo shot to Jed Lowrie in the fourth and another solo blast to Coco Crisp in the sixth.

It just wasn’t Iwakuma‘s night, exiting after seven innings and allowing four runs on six hits, three of which went yard.

On the other hand, Colon was efficient after Franklin’s blast, giving up just four singles for the rest of the evening and once again showing off outstanding velocity and command.

The 6-3 victory by the A’s lifted Colon to 10-2 with a 2.93 ERA, joining Detroit Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer as the only other hurler with double-digit wins in the American League.

At least one person on Twitter expressed incredulity at that fact.

At this point, it would be hard to overlook Colon as a deserving All-Star selection. At 40 years of age, he has a legitimate shot at a 20-win season, which would make him one of the oldest in MLB history to achieve the feat.

But for now, the A’s and Colon will simply enjoy the seven-game winning streak and hope that it doesn’t stop anytime soon.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

Feel free to talk baseball with Doug anytime on Twitter.

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After a while it must get kind of old hat for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout.

You know, another great defensive play, he trends on Twitter.

Big deal, right?

On Friday night, in the top of the fifth inning in the game between the Los Angeles Angels and Pittsburgh Pirates, Trout indeed found himself once again trending on Twitter after robbing Pirates first baseman Gaby Sanchez with a fully extended dive to take away extra bases.

For Trout, it doesn’t matter whether he’s playing center or left field—he’s already making a living in legal highway robbery.

His Twitter faithful still continue to be amazed by what they see from the 21-year-old superstar.

It’s certainly not the first time Trout has given reason to trend on Twitter.

Check out this sick play he made on Jeff Keppinger back in April.

Quite frankly, no other player can close on a ball the way Trout did on that night.

And then, the play last year—robbing J.J. Hardy of a certain home run—a play that’s still highlighted on MLB Network a year later.

Trout’s defensive abilities are, of course, just one of the five tools he shows off on a regular basis. But it’s already a finely honed skill for sure.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

Feel free to talk baseball with Doug anytime on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

A little over a month ago, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ took a wicked line drive to the head off the bat of Tampa Bay Rays hitter Desmond Jennings. Fortunately, Happ suffered just a contusion and laceration to his left ear and was released after an overnight stay in the hospital.

Bleacher Report MLB lead writer Zachary Rymer wrote an article immediately after the chilling incident, calling for MLB to stop pressing its luck and introduce protective headgear for all pitchers.

With the latest injury suffered by Rays pitcher Alex Cobb, that time is now.

MLB can’t afford to wait any longer.

In the top of the fifth inning in a game between the Kansas City Royals and Rays on Saturday, first baseman Eric Hosmer shot a line drive up the middle, striking Cobb in the area around his right ear. Cobb immediately dropped to the ground, grabbing the right side of his head.

He was carted off the field on a stretcher and taken to Bayfront Medical Center for evaluation.

Within minutes, Twitter was flooded with calls for MLB to do more to protect pitchers.

It seems obvious that fans are sick of MLB’s relatively slow pace in taking action, especially considering the injuries suffered by Happ earlier this season and Brandon McCarthy of the Arizona Diamondbacks last September. McCarthy underwent brain surgery and has suffered from seizures as a result.

As one baseball fan eloquently tweeted, the sport doesn’t need to wait until a pitcher dies before taking steps to protect pitchers.

William Weinbaum of ESPN pointed out that MLB had been considering and testing padded caps, but that as of spring training, officials weren’t satisfied with the designs being tested. Part of the problem, though, is that MLB must present options to the players union for approval first, and the testing of the caps at the time was said to be voluntary.

This shouldn’t be voluntary—protective headgear for pitchers needs to be mandatory.

It took until the 1950s for MLB to require batting helmets—a full 30-plus years after Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians was killed after taking a pitch to the head.

Modern-day baseball doesn’t need to wait that long to institute mandatory protection for its pitchers. The incidents involving McCarthy, Happ and now Cobb should be more than enough evidence that the time is now.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

Feel free to talk baseball with Doug anytime on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

When the Atlanta Braves signed center fielder B.J. Upton last winter to a lucrative five-year, $75.25 million contact, they envisioned a young star who would provide solid production in the middle of their batting order for years to come.

They may one day rue that deal.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez is now seriously considering asking Upton to work out his hitting woes in the minors.

That’s right—demoting a player making eight figures annually.

Speaking to reporters before Friday’s game against the Washington Nationals, Gonzalez talked about what to do about Upton, who is currently hitting just .145.

Via ESPN:

It’s a hard decision. It’s a decision that you take very, very seriously. You talk collectively with your coaches about it, and it’s something always falls on my shoulders, right? That’s fine. I’m comfortable with that. But you’ve got to think about 25 (players), six staff members, four clubhouse guys, the front office and the fans.

It seems almost unthinkable that Gonzalez would be forced to make that decision. Upton clubbed 118 home runs with a .255 batting average in eight years with the Tampa Bay Rays. He’s always had a propensity to strike out, with a 25.1 percent career strikeout rate, but the Braves obviously knew that when they signed him.

What they didn’t count on was a current strikeout rate of nearly 35 percent and a player who looks completely lost at the plate.

Upton was not in the starting lineup for the second straight day, and he’s been relegated to the bottom of the batting order when he has played in recent weeks.

With Evan Gattis hitting .281 along with 12 home runs and 32 RBI, Gonzalez would be remiss to keep his hot bat out of the lineup. On Friday, he had Jason Heyward in center with Justin Upton in right and Gattis in left.

As long as Upton is struggling, that’s the outfield combination that makes sense for a team trying to stay on top in the NL East.

Upton is a classic example of why long-term deals are so incredibly risky for teams. Even Josh Hamilton, who signed a five-year, $125 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels, was a major risk. He’s struggling in his own right, albeit not quite like Upton.

There is so much for general managers to consider when putting together deals for free agents. In the Braves’ case, they apparently weren’t willing to keep Michael Bourn, preferring to let him hit free agency and take their chances in the market.

Bourn is working out pretty well for his new team, the Cleveland Indians, and he’s doing it for one year and approximately $24 million less.

Can Upton eventually work things out? Sure, but whether he can play up to the level of his contract is another matter entirely.

For right now, that answer is a resounding no. And the Braves are hoping that it’s just a blip on the radar.

If not, they’ll be counting the dollars spent in their sleep.

Doug Mead is a featured columnist with Bleacher Report. His work has been featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, CBS Sports, the Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle.

Feel free to talk baseball with Doug anytime on Twitter.

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Heading into Friday night’s game with the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia hadn’t logged a victory in the entire month of May.

In fact, after he gave up seven runs in seven innings to the Tampa Bay Rays on May 26, Sabathia talked about the need to pick his game up.

“I’m hurting the team,” Sabathia told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. “I’m not helping the team out. I just need to get better.”

There was talk about Sabathia’s diminished velocity, with some even wondering if the 6’7″ behemoth could still be regarded as an ace.

His outing on Friday against the Boston Red Sox certainly quieted those concerns—at least for now.

Sabathia pitched into the eighth inning, allowing just one run on six hits while striking out 10 in an outstanding performance. He left the game with a 4-1 lead.

Sabathia didn’t walk a batter as he threw 109 pitches, with 73 of them for strikes. Sabathia doesn’t possess the blazing, high-90s fastball that he featured in his early days, but he hit 94 mph several times with his four-seamer and regularly sat in the 91-to-93 mph range throughout the night.

The 10-strikeout effort was indeed a welcome sight, and it put him in elite company in franchise history:

It wasn’t just Sabathia’s fastball that did the trick on this night. As Jack Curry of the YES Network pointed out, Sabathia’s out-pitch for much of the night was his devastating slider:

He breezed through his first six innings, striking out nine while scattering four hits. In the seventh, Sabathia allowed a leadoff double to Dustin Pedroia, who was driven home by another double off the bat of Mike Napoli for Boston’s first run of the game.

Sabathia escaped further damage by striking out Stephen Drew to reach double digits and inducing an inning-ending ground ball to David Ross.

For a reeling team on a five-game losing streak, Sabathia delivered exactly what was needed, both for himself and for the Yankees.

He left a pretty good impression on his Twitter fans as well:

Another fan even referenced a famous Mark Twain quote:

Sabathia’s double-digit-strikeout effort also puts him among the leaders of another prestigious group of current players:

The rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees is always an exciting affair. But on this night, the Bronx Bombers were in search of stability and needed their ace to step up.

Mission accomplished.

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