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When the MLB All-Star Game comes to Cincinnati in 2015, longtime Reds star Pete Rose will be allowed to play a role in the festivities despite his lifetime ban from the sport.    

“That’ll be up to the Cincinnati club, and they know what they can do and they can’t do,” MLB commissioner Bud Selig told the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Tuesday, via the Cincinnati Enquirer‘s C. Trent Rosecrans. “They’ve been very good about that. We haven’t had that discussion.”

Reds owner Bob Castellini made clear his team’s intentions: “We plan on using him wherever Major League Baseball is comfortable with, but we’re certainly going to include him.”

Rose, who spent 19 of his 24 seasons playing with the Reds and another seven as manager (three of those seasons overlapped, when he served as player/manager), was banned from baseball in 1989 when an investigation revealed he had bet on his team. 

Even so, as the all-time MLB hits leader and a crucial part of Cincinnati’s baseball history, Rose’s exclusion from the All-Star festivities at Great American Ball Park would feel wrong. Especially since the team has twice “officially recognized” the 73-year-old in Cincinnati since his ban, per Rosecrans. 

Moreover, as ESPN’s Jessamyn McIntyre alluded to, perhaps this is a step toward lifting Rose’s ban and getting him into the Hall of Fame: 

Selig, however, kept a familiar stance when it came to that particular topic. 

“It’s a matter under advisement. That’s my standard line,” the commissioner said, via Rosecrans. “I’m the judge and that’s where it’ll stay. There’s nothing new.”

Still, perhaps this is a sign of baby steps when it comes to MLB’s firm stand on Rose. It’s not likely that his lifetime ban will be lifted anytime soon, but it’s at least encouraging to see him rightfully included in what will be a celebration of Cincy’s baseball past. 

The MLB All-Star Game always provides plenty of excitement among fans and players. Rose’s role in the festivities next year will only add another level of intrigue.

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The 2014 MLB All-Star Game rosters are officially set. 

Injuries and other players being deemed unavailable may send managers John Farrell and Mike Matheny scrambling for some last-minute replacements, but for the most part, we know who will be taking part in the Midsummer Classic at Target Field. 

The starters are set, the reserves and pitchers have been selected and Chris Sale and Anthony Rizzo have won the final spots in the fan vote, which, as Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan argued, was the right decision: 

Let’s take a complete look at both rosters. 

American League

Note: Matt Wieters (injury) replaced by Salvador Perez in starting lineup.

Note: Edwin Encarnacion (injury) replaced by Kyle Seager.

Note: Masahiro Tanaka (injury) replaced by Koji Uehara.

National League

Note: Jeff Samardzija elected as member of Cubs but traded to Athletics on July 4. Will be inactive.

Note: Yadier Molina (injury) will be replaced.

AL Top Vote-Getter: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

Considering how stacked the American League outfield is, it was quite impressive Jose Bautista was able to rack up the most votes in the majors. 

As ESPN Stats & Info noted, it’s the second time he’s earned the accomplishment: 

Joey Bats is certainly deserving of his fifth consecutive All-Star nod. He’s hitting .292/.412/.510 with 17 home runs and 57 RBI. While those are the popular numbers, though, Bautista‘s patience at the plate is a trait that flies way too far under the radar.  

Of qualified hitters, he’s leads the majors in walks, is third in walk percentage, is third in on-base percentage and is one of just three players to have drawn more free passes than strikeouts. Bautista, the two-time home run champ, is far more than just a power hitter. 

But, you know, he’s that, too:

His ability at the plate is a large reason why the Blue Jays currently sit at the top of the AL East and are in the top seven in the league in average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS. 

A heart of the order featuring Bautista, Robinson Cano, Mike Trout and Miguel Cabrera is just downright unfair. 

NL Top Vote-Getter: Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies

Troy Tulowitzki‘s Rockies are struggling to stay out of the cellar in the National League, but no individual player has been better than him over the first half of the season. 

It has been a video-game-esque season for Tulo. He is first in the majors in runs (70), first in batting average (.350), first in on-base percentage (.441), first in OPS (1.057), second in slugging percentage (.616), sixth in homers (20), sixth in walk-to-strikeout ratio (0.92) and 10th in walk percentage (13.6). 

“This is Tulo‘s fourth [All-Star Game selection], and every one of them is really special,” manager Walt Weiss said, via The Denver Post‘s Patrick Saunders. “He’s the leading vote-getter, and rightfully so, for the first half he’s put together.”

At least on paper, the American League looks like the better squad. But don’t be surprised if Tulo puts the NL on his back with an MVP performance. 

It would be right in line with everything he’s done so far this year. 

Note: Stats courtesy of Fangraphs and updated as of games played on Thursday, July 10.

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The 2014 Home Run Derby will have a very different look about it. 

In an effort to speed up the pace and pique interest in the annual showcase, Major League Baseball has tweaked the rules of the derby significantly. There will be only seven outs per round, and after each of the 10 hitters steps to the plate for the first time, the contest will transition into a bracket format. 

Not only that, but some of baseball’s brightest and most powerful young stars—Yasiel Puig and Giancarlo Stanton, specifically—will participate for the first time.    

Unfortunately, they won’t be joined by MLB home run leader Nelson Cruz, or Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout, arguably the two best hitters in the majors. 

 “I don’t want to mess with my swing anymore,” Cabrera said, via The Detroit News‘ Tony Paul. “I’ve got enough issues.”

Still, even without Miggy and his delusion, Target Field won’t be lacking excitement on Monday night. Let’s take a look at the list of participants. 

Note: The final participant for each league will be announced on Thursday, July 10

Date: Monday, July 14, 2014

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Troy Tulowitzki (Captain), Colorado Rockies, NL

The Rockies have struggled in the first half of the MLB season, but Troy Tulowitzki has been the National League’s best individual player. He is first among all qualified hitters in batting average (.349), first in on-base percentage (.442) and second in slugging percentage (.602). 

He has displayed quite a bit of pop, too. Tulo’s 18 home runs lead all shortstops and rank 11th in the majors. That said, it will be intriguing to see if his real-game skills translate to the slugging exhibition, where fans typically just want to see players flex their muscles and hit it as far as possible. Tulowitzki is certainly capable of that, but he’s more of a rounded hitter: 

Still, there aren’t many hitters on the planet who can get into a rhythm at the plate better or faster than the 29-year-old superstar. Tulo may not break any distance records, but don’t be surprised if he gets into a groove and puts up some big numbers. 

Jose Bautista (Captain), Toronto Blue Jays, AL

The American League’s leading vote-getter has participated in the derby twice before. He hit just four dingers at Chase Field in 2011, but bounced back with a trip to the final in 2012 before eventually falling to Prince Fielder. 

So he has the experience, and he certainly has the power. Joey Bats led the majors in home runs in both 2010 and 2011, and this year he has smashed another 17 to help the Jays to the most four-baggers in the majors. 

Here’s his longest shot of the season, according to ESPN’s home run tracker:

Need a reason to root for him? He probably follows you on Twitter. 

Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics, AL

It’s only right that last year’s champion is back to defend his title. Yoenis Cespedes put on one of the best derby shows of all time at Citi Field last year, blasting 17 home runs in the first round and needing just five outs to smash nine and beat fellow youngster Bryce Harper in the final.

CBS Sports’ Matt Snyder put it simply: “Cespedes is the defending champ. We don’t need to get into what he might do, because we saw his ability last year.”

The 28-year-old’s numbers this year aren’t overwhelming. He has 14 home runs and is slugging .467, but his powerful skill set is tailor-made for this kind of competition. He will bring his A-game once again, and considering the AL field, there’s a good chance he makes it to the finals. 

Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL

Yasiel Puig only has 12 homers on the year, but there is very little question he has the raw power to excel in this kind of setting:

We can only hope he flashes his immense bat-flipping talent after every shot: 

No matter how Puig fares, though, one thing is clear: He has a flair for the dramatic, and he is easily one of the most polarizing, captivating players in the sport. There weren’t many who didn’t want to see his name on the participant list. ESPN radio’s Beto Duran was one of many celebrating his inclusion: 

Puig can hit zero homers, or he can smash a handful of 500-foot home runs. Either way, his participation will undoubtedly help the contest’s popularity.

Predicted Winner: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins, NL

Giancarlo Stanton has 21 home runs, which is tied for fourth most in the league. He’s young enough (24 years old) not to let the pressure get to him in his first derby. And he’s arguably the strongest player in the league. ESPN Stats & Info provided one particular jaw-dropping stat: 

According to ESPN’s home run tracker, Stanton has four of the major’s 20 longest bombs this season. His farthest traveled a ridiculous 484 feet: 

This is an absolutely stacked field, but Stanton is primed to thrive in this type of environment. He’ll send “oohs” and “ahhs” ringing throughout Target Field all night, and he’ll take home the trophy. 

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Perhaps caught up in World Cup fever, Major League Baseball has announced a move to a bracketed format for the 2014 Home Run Derby. 

According to MLB.com’s Mark Newman, the first round will have a similar look. Five players from both the American and National League (the last four of each chosen by captains Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Bautista) will get seven outs—down from 10 in previous years—to hit as many home runs as possible. 

That’s where the similarities end. 

The player with the highest total in each league will get a bye to the third round, while the players who hit the second- and third-most home runs in each league will advance to second round. That will be a head-to-head matchup (seven outs), with the winner advancing to the third round (semifinals) for a spot in the championship. 

Clear as mud, right? 

Here’s a more visual look at the format: 

A few things stand out here. 

First, there will be incentive to win the opening round, as doing so will give a hitter time to rest, relax, hit the batting cages, take a nap or really whatever he wants.

We’ve seen many times in the past where someone goes bananas in the first round, only to decelerate greatly in the subsequent rounds (Josh Hamilton, David Wright, Jason Giambi, Mark McGwire, etc.). 

Second, the move to seven outs per hitter in each round should significantly speed things up. There’s no question that the Derby has suffered in the past from being drawn out like a Savannah accent, and this should help keep viewers’ attention. 

The SportsBusiness Journal‘s Eric Fisher applauded the move:

Finally, people love brackets.

Whether it’s the NBA playoffs, March Madness, College World Series or the aforementioned World Cup, there’s just something about a bracket format that makes an event more captivating.

The head-to-head, loser-goes-home battles, the ability to fill it out beforehand and tear it up when it inevitably goes wrong, the betting aspect, etc. 

Much like with the NBA and the Slam Dunk Contest, MLB is always looking for ways to keep the Home Run Derby fresh. These are simple changes, but they should help pique interest. 

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The MLB trade deadline is still over seven weeks away, but we’re getting to the point where teams—at least the realistic ones—know if they’re going to contend for postseason play or not.

That means trade blocks are starting to open up. 

We’re nearly halfway through June. Teams have played over 60 games, and the numbers in the “games back” column are beginning to trend upward. It’s still too early to get a read on several teams, but picking out potential buyers and sellers is starting to become a little easier. 

With that, trade speculation and rumors are steadily increasing. Let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing recent gossip from around the league. 

Toronto Blue Jays Prefer James Shields to Jeff Samardzija

The Jays continue to win ballgames and increase the distance between themselves and the rest of the AL East—in large part due to their hitting. Edwin Encarnacion hits a home run about once every 14 times to the plate, Jose Bautista is raking and Toronto is second in the majors in OPS. 

Eventually, they’ll need some more consistency in the rotation behind Mark Buehrle, though. 

A name that has seemingly popped up on every team’s summer wish list is Jeff Samardzija of the struggling Chicago Cubs, but according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, Alex Anthopoulos and his staff prefer James Shields. 

The reason? He’s cheaper, and Toronto isn’t interested in gutting the farm system. 

“We can’t keep trading our prospects,” a member of the Jays organization told Heyman. 

They would have to do that to acquire the electric Samardzija, who doesn’t hit free agency until after the 2015 season, so a rental like Shields would seemingly make more sense. 

That said, the Kansas City Royals ace won’t come cheap. Remarkably consistent over the past four seasons, Shields currently sports a 3.44 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. Moreover, the Royals, just 3.5 games back in the Central and 3.0 back in the wild card, are going to have to be enticed into selling their No. 1.

While Shields would be crucial for a stretch run, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal argued against the idea of a short-term solution for the Blue Jays:

Heyman reports that players such as Justin Masterson (Cleveland Indians, second in AL Central), Francisco Liriano (Pittsburgh Pirates, third in NL Central) and Jason Hammel (Chicago Cubs, last in NL Central) are also options for Toronto if they become available. 

Baltimore Orioles Leaders for Jeff Samardzija

Staying in the wacky AL East, the Orioles currently trail Toronto by 5.5 games, while they are behind Seattle by 1.5 for the second wild-card spot. Still in contention but sporting the sixth-worst ERA in baseball, they will undoubtedly be in the market for some arms. 

Unsurprisingly, then, the O’s are currently the team showing the most interest in Samardzija, per CBS Chicago’s Bruce Levine. 

Samardzija has been fantastic this season. Some old-timers might try to point to his 2-5 record as criticism, but go ahead and ask Felix Hernandez how indicative wins are of an individual performance. Even after a brutal start in Milwaukee earlier this month, Samardzjia has a 2.54 ERA (seventh in the NL), 1.13 WHIP (12th), 75 strikeouts (12th) and a 2.1 WAR (sixth, per Baseball Reference). 

For Baltimore, though, acquiring him will likely take one of its prime pitching prospects in Dylan Bundy or Kevin Gausman, along with another piece or two. Although Bundy is recovering from Tommy John surgery, both are top-20 prospects and look like future top-of-the-rotation studs. 

It would be a steep price to pay, but the Cubs will have the kind of market that lets them shoot for the moon. Heyman recently called Samardzija the best trade chip, and there will be a bevy of teams fighting for his services this summer. 

That gives Chicago some necessary leverage. 

Chase Utley Headed West?

Talking on Philly Sports Talk, via CSN Philly’s Corey Seidman, Peter Gammons suggested that Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley could be on his way to the NL West:

A general manager said to me that he thought the National League would be decided by whether the Dodgers or the Giants got Chase Utley. There comes a point where you have to think about doing really unpleasant things to completely retool.

In terms of Utley, again, to me, he is the model player, but a team like the Giants, every scout I’ve talked to tells me they might have the best pitching in Double A of any team in baseball. If you get three pitchers for Chase Utley out of that Giants organization, you have a chance to be — two years from now — restore that pitching to where it should be.

Utley, who has spent 12 seasons with the Phillies, is off to a scorching start this season, hitting .314/.371/.498 with a league-leading 24 doubles. Trading him seems like blasphemy, but the Phils are 25-36 and need to reload to keep up with the Miami Marlins, Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals, who boast three of the four youngest pitching staffs in the NL. 

Philly, meanwhile, has the second-oldest. 

On the flip side, it makes sense for the Giants, who have gotten an atrocious .184/.265/.298 slash line from their second basemen this season. The Dodgers don’t have as big of a need, with Dee Gordon and Hanley Ramirez up the middle and Adrian Gonzalez at first. 

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During an All-Star rookie campaign, Baltimore Orioles star Manny Machado consistently looked like a seasoned veteran both at the plate and in the field. This past weekend against the Oakland Athletics, though, the 21-year-old finally showed his youth.

His actions have earned him a five-game suspension, the league confirmed:

Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports was first to report the news:

The Orioles confirm Machado remains in the lineup:

Dan Connolly and Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun provide more from Machado:

Following the news of the suspension, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports weighed in with advice for Machado:

Buster Olney of ESPN also discussed the ban in relation to suspensions for pitchers throwing at batters:

On Friday night, the young third baseman didn’t particularly enjoy an enthusiastic tag applied by Josh Donaldson. Machado slammed his helmet down and got in Donaldson’s face, and benches subsequently cleared:

That was mere child’s play compared to what he did Sunday, though.

With the A’s leading 10-0 in the bottom of the eighth, reliever Fernando Abad brushed Machado off the plate with a pitch around his knees, leading to a lengthy stare-down from the youngster. The very next pitch came inside—intentionally inside, according to home-plate umpire Larry Vanover—and Machado responded by letting his bat fly dangerously towards Alberto Callaspo at the hot corner:

It was an immature, dangerous stunt, and most agreed a suspension was inevitable. The only debate seemed to surround the severity of the punishment.

Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan didn’t hold back in his interpretation of the incident: 

In an interview Monday with Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports, via Sporting News’ Justin McGuire, Machado was apologetic:

I want to apologize to all my teammates, my coaching staff, the Orioles organization and Oakland, and the fans also, for the way I acted and overreacted on that. It was a frustrating weekend, and I just let my emotions get the best of me.

Following Monday’s win over the Boston Red Sox, he explained how this incident was going to help him, via Orioles beat writer Britt Ghiroli:

When things happen like this you’re definitely going to learn. It’s going to make me a better player and it’s going to make me a better man. Looking forward, I hope I learn from it and don’t make the same mistake.

Alas, while he sounds remorseful and doesn’t have a checkered history, Machado’s actions were senseless, and there’s very little question he is deserving of the punishment doled out by MLB.

The only thing he can do from here is use the time off to get his head right. After leading the league with 51 doubles as a rookie, Machado, recovering from offseason knee surgery, is hitting a mediocre .229/.283/.336.

O’s general manager Dan Duquette, via Sports Illustrated‘s Tom Verducci, even suggested a stint in the minors is an option at this point.

Either way, the Orioles, who are currently second in the AL East, will hope this suspension churns out the 2013 version of Machado.

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There was a scary moment at Miller Park in Milwaukee Tuesday, as a fan fell over the outfield wall and had to be stretchered off the field. 

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel‘s Tom Haudricourt provided some details of the incident: 

Fortunately, Fox Sports’ Andrew Gruman provided an update from the team that sounds encouraging: 

Of course, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen an incident like this happen at a sporting event. In July 2011, a fan died after falling from the stands during a Texas Rangers game. A deadly fall also occurred at Reliant Stadium a year later, while a fan was placed in critical condition this March following a fall at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. 

Those are unfortunately just a few of the stories that are becoming far too common, and we can only hope the fan involved in this incident is able to make a full and quick recovery. 

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Never a stranger to injuries over the past two seasons, Hanley Ramirez was scratched from Saturday’s lineup with a sore left calf. 

Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times provided the news:

The Orange County Register‘s Bill Plunkett provided a look at the new lineup, with 24-year-old Erisbel Arruebarrena taking Ramirez’s spot at short: 

Ramirez, who injured his thumb in late April, has gotten off to a rough start in 2014, hitting just .250/.333/.451 with seven home runs. Those are certainly not numbers to scoff at, especially for a shortstop, but they are a far cry from 2013, when Ramirez hit .345/.402/.638 and was one of the most feared hitters in the league when healthy. 

It doesn’t sound at this point that the injury is serious. However, it’s worth noting that Ramirez also sat out Friday’s game (before pinch hitting in the eighth). Manager Don Mattingly said it was just a routine day off, but, as Rotoworld’s Matthew Pouliot argued, that may not have been 100 percent true:

Nevertheless, perhaps this will provide an excuse for the Dodgers to give their star some time off so he can get fully healthy as he attempts to prove he is worth a nine-figure extension. 

Arruebarrena and perhaps Justin Turner will get time at short while Ramirez is sidelined, but the Dodgers, who rank sixth in the MLB in OPS, should be able to tread water until the 30-year-old’s return. 

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The Philadelphia Phillies are hanging around in the crowded National League East, but looming news concerning starting pitcher Cliff Lee‘s elbow could soon change that.    

CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury and the Philly Inquirer‘s Matt Gelb provide the details: 

CSN’s Jim Salisbury announced Tuesday evening that Lee will go on the disabled list:

We obviously won’t be able to know anything for sure until the MRI results are in, but whenever you have “elbow discomfort” and “ace pitcher” in the same train of thought, there is potential for a devastating blow.

In his 13th season in the bigs, Lee’s numbers have been subpar compared to the last six seasons. Still, Lee at his worst is something most pitchers would gladly accept—3.18 ERA, 1.279 WHIP and 2.63 FIP, per baseball-reference.com. Moreover, while he’s been hit a little harder than usual, his 6.78 strikeout-to-walk ratio is still sparkling. 

Cole Hamels has been dominant over his last two trips to the bump, while A.J. Burnett and Kyle Kendrick have enjoyed solid seasons, so the Phils aren’t completely bare in the starting rotation. Still, a significant injury to their ace would be potentially calamitous. 

As Rotoworld’s Drew Silva noted, the potential affect goes beyond just on-the-diamond results, too:

Losing a stud so shortly after Jose Fernandez’s injury would also serve as yet another blow to baseball in general, so hopefully the MRI produces encouraging results. 

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For the first time since 2010, Prince Fielder is going to miss a game. 

The hard-hitting first baseman has played in 162 contests the previous three regular seasons—and four of the last five—but a herniated disc in his neck will keep him out for at least the remainder of the Texas Rangers‘ weekend series against the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has the news: 

“It’s part of what we deal with every day,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said, via The Dallas Morning News‘ Evan Grant. “It’s been to the extreme this year, but it’s something every club has to deal with.”

Fielder, who has played 547 consecutive games, has reportedly complained about a lack of strength in his left arm for the last two weeks, which would explain his slow start at the plate. 

Coming over from Detroit in the trade for Ian Kinsler this winter, the left-handed slugger is hitting just .247/.360/.360 with three home runs in 178 plate appearances. 

FanGraphs’ Jeff Sullivan noted a bizarre comparison between Fielder and noted speedster Billy Hamilton of the Cincinnati Reds: 

Mitch Moreland, who is hitting .286/.330/.407 and slugged 23 home runs last year, will likely spend most of the time at first base in Fielder’s stead. Saturday’s lineup, via Sportsnet‘s Barry Davis, has Moreland at first, Alex Rios at DH and Michael Choice stepping in at right field. 

While the Rangers clearly aren’t short on hitters, they will be hoping a DL trip isn’t necessary for Fielder as they attempt to keep pace in the suddenly crowded AL West. 

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