Kuzul

The American League All-Stars didn’t have a memorable night in Kansas City, but the National League’s starting center fielder, Melky Cabrera, certainly did.

Following the NL’s 8-0 drubbing of their counterparts, Cabrera was named the All-Star Game MVP in  ballpark he called home last season with the Kansas City Royals.

Cabrera went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored, and the 27-year-old switch-hitter was presented with a 2013 Chevy Camaro for his performance.

There were a couple other options to choose from for the 2012 Midsummer Classic MVP, but Cabrera was definitely the best choice.

Ryan Braun got the scoring started for the N.L. with a run-scoring double in the first inning. 

Justin Verlander then walked a pair to bring Pablo Sandoval to the plate, who promptly rapped a base-clearing triple off the right-field wall.

Dan Uggla came up and drove in Cabrera with an infield single to round out the first-inning scoring for Tony La Russa’s team.

The game was quiet until the fourth inning when Rafael Furcal tripled to right. He was chased home by Matt Holliday, who was pinch-hitting for Carlos Gonzalez.

Cabrera then stepped up to the plate and drilled a 2-2 fastball from Texas Rangers starting pitcher Matt Harrison over the left-field fence to push the lead to 8-0.

It was a dull game after the fourth inning, as there were only six hits combined over the final five frames at Kauffman Stadium.

Cabrera is hitting .353 with eight homers and 44 RBI this season. The Giants are surely hoping that this award helps him to build on an already impressive season out West.

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Adding a pitcher before the trade deadline can be the difference between a playoff berth and an offseason of disappointment.

There are plenty of teams in the league that will need a starting pitcher if they want to make the postseason in 2012. Fortunately for those teams, there are a few starters on the trade market who would be able to step in and make an immediate impact on the playoff race.

Joe Saunders, Matt Garza and Zack Greinke have all been the subject of trade talks over the last month or so, and it’s likely that one of the three will be playing in a different uniform after the July 31 trade deadline.

Here is a suitor for each of those players:

Joe Saunders: Boston Red Sox

The Arizona Diamondbacks are shopping Saunders because they’re looking to make a spot in their rotation for their top pitching prospect Trevor Bauer.

That means that they probably won’t be looking for a king’s ransom in return for the 30-year-old left-hander. That opens the door for the Boston Red Sox to bring another lefty to their rotation.

The Sox pitching staff hasn’t been too stellar this season, and they won’t make the playoffs at the rate they’re going unless they bring in a starting pitcher.

John Lackey is on the disabled list, and he wasn’t very good for the Red Sox when he was taking the mound every fifth day. Daisuke Matsuzaka just came off the disabled list, but Bobby Valentine has no idea what he’s going to get out of him. Clay Buchholz isn’t pitching like the pitcher we thought he was. Josh Beckett is a ticking time bomb. Jon Lester is the only guy in the rotation you’d be comfortable with right now, but his ERA is still 4.64.

Enter Joe Saunders. He’d be perfect for the Red Sox in a few different ways. He pitched 212 innings last season, so they know he can eat up some innings for them. He’s a lefty, so he’ll be able to get the lefty-heavy lineup of the Yankees out (something that can never hurt a pitcher in Boston). And he’s had playoff experience with the Los Angeles Angels in the past.

The Sox seem to be rising from the ashes now, and the acquisition of Saunders would only accelerate that.

Matt Garza: St. Louis Cardinals

The Chicago Cubs are never relenting in their talks about Garza. It doesn’t make much sense, considering how hard they worked to get him from the Tampa Bay Rays, but they are looking to deal him nonetheless.

I know an intradivision trade doesn’t seem likely, but it would work out for both teams. The Cubs aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The Cardinals need a starting pitcher after Jaime Garcia went down with a torn rotator cuff and labrum. They’re saying he’ll be out for two months, but that’s obviously an optimistic expectation, as his shoulder appears to be completely shredded.

The Cardinals would have to give up a decent amount of prospects to get Garza, but he would turn them into more of a contender in the NL Central than they already are.

Jake Westbrook has faltered a bit. And who knows when Lance Lynn is due to implode?

Collectively, they can get it done at the dish. Second in runs, batting average and on-base percentage and fourth in slugging will get you past a lot of teams. 

Garza is nearly a top-notch starter, and the Cardinals would be wise to make a bid for him.

Zack Greinke: Chicago White Sox

The Milwaukee Brewers are letting teams inquire about Greinke. General manager Doug Melvin reportedly hasn’t decided whether he wants to buy or sell this offseason, but if the team decides to sell, Greinke will most likely be on the market.

The White Sox are in first place now, but they could use one more arm in their rotation to be comfortable atop the AL Central. Sure, Jose Quintana pitched well his last time out, but he hasn’t yet showed that he belongs in the majors for the duration of the season.

Chris Sale has been great, but he’s a newcomer so the White Sox have to consider the prospect that he will tail off significantly. Jake Peavy’s arm could fall off any day now, given his history. Philip Humber threw a perfect game, but he had a 5.79 ERA in May. Gavin Floyd is the picture of mediocrity and has been consistent in his average performances.

Greinke can be lights out, and Chicago is the perfect-sized market for him. He’s had anxiety issues, and nobody knows for sure if he can get the job done in a huge media market. Chicago loves their sports, but it’s a step down from New York and Los Angeles.

He can shut down some of the best teams in the league and would be a huge boost for the White Sox heading into the dog days of summer.

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For every Alex Rodriguez, there is a Matt Bush. For every David Price, there is a Bryan Bullington.

We won’t know if the Houston Astros’ No. 1 overall pick, Carlos Correa will be an A-Rod or Bush, but we do know what kind of abilities he has at the dish and in the field.

Here we will asses his skill set and evaluate his chances to, one day, become an MLB star.

Correa as a Hitter

I don’t know what it is about this guy,but he looks extremely comfortable at the plate—more so than any other prospect in this draft class.

He’s a bit skinny, but his 190-pound frame doesn’t keep him from hitting for power. He gets a lot of torque from his swing, and it’s really great to watch because you just see this lanky kid uncoiling his body to drive the ball.

He’s more capable of hitting for power right now than he is average, simply because a player’s natural power comes to fruition before he can acquire plate discipline. Once Correa starts getting regular at-bats against professional hitting, he’ll have an easier time picking and choosing his pitches.

It’s easy to forget that he’s just a 17-year-old kid. In all the videos that I’ve seen of this kid, I haven’t seen him swing and miss.

Granted, you won’t find many prospect videos with the featured prospect swinging and missing, but his hand-eye coordination is impressive.

Correa’s head doesn’t move at all throughout his swing, and stays on a line as his bat comes through the zone. Seriously, you could draw a line on replay after replay, and his head stays right on it. He keeps his weight on his back foot until the perfect time.

Correa as a Fielder

The main problem with Correa’s defense is his size. He’s 6’4″, and won’t stay at 190 pounds forever. He’s likely to outgrow the shortstop position one day.

He’s not going anywhere yet, though. He’s really fun to watch in the field, as he looks so smooth and natural on ground balls. It’s a catch and throw in one motion, kind of like Ray Allen catching and shooting a basketball. It’s just one of those things that you see and know that there’s not a whole lot of players who can do the same.

Correa can turn the double play pretty well, considering his relatively minimal experience. He has a really quick release and just as good of an arm, but sometimes his throws, to first look, the slightest bit loopy.

I’m just nitpicking at this point. Correa is at the very least an above-average fielder in all facets. If he doesn’t bulk up an inordinate amount, he’ll be able to stay at short.

The other shortstops that were taken in Round 1 of the 2012 MLB draft could prove to be glorified utility men, but Correa is going to be much more than that. You don’t often see a 17-year-old high school draftee who looks so comfortable at his position.

Everything Else

Correa has good speed for a kid his size, and he’s the type of baserunner who is much faster once they get going than out of the box. The fact that he is 17 years old cannot be understated because we hardly have a grasp on what his ceiling could be.

His personality off the diamond helped his draft stock, maybe even more so than some of his on-field abilities. Bobby Heck, the Astros’ assistant general manager and scouting director, said this, as per the Houston Astros website:

“We’re very excited to add a player of Carlos’ caliber,” Heck sad. “He profiles as a power-hitting middle-of-the-field guy, and to get that type of power at shortstop — his work ethic, how he was brought up and the family environment he comes from, the student he is — it’s a great pick for us, as well as a great long-term investment for the Astros.”

A good upbringing, good family environment and a good student. That seems like a pretty good recipe for success.

When you factor in the work ethic, you can tell why the Astros shocked the baseball world and went with Correa over Appel.

Correa seams to have all the tools necessary to become a star in the major leagues. Couple that with his mindset, past and work ethic, and he has everything he needs to be a bona fide celebrity. 

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Fantasy production from the catcher’s spot has become less and less prominent in recent seasons.

This season is no different, as ESPN hasn’t predicted any players to reach the 500-point mark in head-to-head leagues.

Now that fantasy baseball players have discovered that Victor Martinez will miss the entire 2012 season, a murky pool of players remains.

1. Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians

Santana is the new cream of the crop with V-Mart gone for the year. He’s also first-base eligible, which is a huge plus, making him worthy of fifth- or sixth-round pick.

You’re guaranteed almost a point a game from him as he possesses impeccable plate discipline and knowledge of the strike zone.

He’s got great power (27 homers in 2011), and that will only get better with age. His main downside is that he’ll cost you in the average category in a rotisserie league, but for those of you in head-to-head, he has to be the No. 1 catcher.

2. Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins

It seems that Mauer is a real boom-or-bust pick every year. He’s great when he’s on the field, but you always hear about some lingering injury that he’s dealing with.

That being said, from 2005-2010, he played 130 games in all but one season.

In the last two seasons, his power has been sapped, presumably by his oft-injured lower body. He’s always going to hit for average, as he’s hit at least .327 in three of the last four campaigns.

The good news is that he arrived to spring training healthy, and is still healthy right now. That’s all you can hope for with a guy like Mauer who is capable of hitting .365 with 28 home runs, like he did in 2009.

3. Mike Napoli, Texas Rangers

Another catcher who is eligible at first base, Napoli is the third-best catcher available in 2012.

Here’s a word of advice: Draft Napoli a round earlier than you think he is going to go, especially if Santana and Mauer are already off the board.

Once those two get picked, people will remember they actually have to draft a catcher and will be looking at Napoli as a No. 3 pick.

There is an injury concern, as he missed 49 games in 2011, but he appears healthy heading into the season.

4. Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves

McCann spent some time on the disabled list last season thanks to an injured oblique muscle, and saw his average drop over 30 points upon his return.

Despite that discouraging trend, McCann’s 2012 season looks like it’s shaping up to be very successful. The Braves have a lineup full of young, quality hitters who will get on base in front of McCann.

Those hitters (Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla) are also capable of protecting him if the order were to change.

McCann hit 24 homers last season and only struck out 89 times. 

Those statistics, coupled with his low average, indicate that perhaps McCann was just unlucky in 2011. High power, high contact and low average usually indicate that the guy hit a bunch of “hang-with-ems.”

The real talent drop-off begins once McCann is taken off the board, so take one of these top-four catchers and leave the rest of your league in the dust.

5. Miguel Montero, Arizona Diamondbacks

This one was a toss-up between Matt Wieters and Montero. Montero is the guy to go with, specifically because Wieters has an average draft position of 90, 30 picks before Montero.

Montero accounted for 18 homers, 86 RBI and hit .282 last season. 

Wieters hit 22 homers and 68 RBI to the tune of a .262 average.

Wieters in the eighth or Montero in the 11th? You’d be getting more bang for your buck if you resist the urge to take the sexy pick over the sensible pick.

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