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As the 2013 MLB trade deadline approaches, one of the players most commonly associated with a potential trade is Houston Astros pitcher Bud Norris. As a strong right-handed starter who can contribute in the middle of a rotation, Norris certainly could attract a contender.

The question is, where might he up and how would he fit?

According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, three teams have been identified as potential suitors. Those teams are the Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates, who all have postseason dreams and a need for pitching.

Per Jeff Passan of CBS Sports, Norris won’t be in Houston for much longer.

McTaggart reports that Norris has been scratched from his start on Tuesday, July 30.

It’s hardly surprising that Houston, a team far from postseason contention, would be willing to move a quality pitcher in his prime. Thus far in 2013, the 28-year-old is 6-9 with a 3.93 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 21 appearances.

The belief around the league, however, is that Norris will see significantly better results with an upgraded defense and more run support—something each of the teams interested in him would provide.

Arizona Diamondbacks

W-L Record: 54-51 (2nd in NL West)

It’s no secret that the Diamondbacks are looking to add arms. Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston reports that they’re the front-runners to land Jake Peavy. Should that plan fall through, however, Arizona’s commitment to pursuing Norris makes a powerful statement.

The Diamondbacks are not satisfied with the aces they already have and believe they can make a real push for the postseason—and they can.

Arizona is led by 24-year-old All-Star Patrick Corbin, who is 12-2 with an ERA of 2.24, a WHIP of 0.99 and 123 strikeouts. Behind the lefty is Wade Miley, who is 7-8 with a 3.86 ERA, having lowered that number in nine of his past 11 starts.

Beyond them, there really isn’t much to say.

Trevor Cahill is injured, but even if he does return, he’d bring a record of 3-10 with a 4.66 ERA to the table. Ian Kennedy, who won 36 combined games in 2011 and 2012, is 3-7 with a dreadful 5.35 ERA.

Even still, Arizona is within 2.5 games of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

Norris may not fare much better than Miley, but if he’s able to add a stabilizing arm in front of Cahill and Kennedy, Arizona would reap the benefits. Paul Goldschmidt is playing at a superstar level offensively, and the Diamondbacks’ bullpen has lethal arms.

It wouldn’t be a World Series clincher, but adding Norris would be a major step in the right direction.

Baltimore Orioles

W-L Record: 58-48 (3rd in AL East)

The Orioles have the tall task of chasing the hottest teams in baseball as the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays trade the AL East lead. As the most powerful team in baseball—Baltimore ranks No. 1 with a .443 slugging percentage—they certainly have a way to get back into the race.

It’s all about adding reliable arms to a less-than-dependable rotation.

The Orioles are 20th or worse in quality starts, WHIP, opponent batting average and team ERA. Wei-Yin Chen, Chris Tillman and Miguel Gonzalez have been very strong for Baltimore, but no other player with at least five starts has an ERA lower than 5.12.

That’s what you call urgency.

Norris would be a welcome addition. His ERA would float somewhere between 3.70 and 4.00. That may not be an elite number, but it’s a substantial upgrade over what Baltimore currently puts forth.

Optimism tells us Norris may actually improve with a move to the AL East, as Baltimore’s defense would offer far more support than Houston’s.

The key here is that Baltimore has a core of Chris Davis, Adam Jones, Manny Machado and Nick Markakis to support Norris. Even when a game gets out of hand, the Orioles can get back into it with their bats.

That would offer a form of confidence that Norris hasn’t felt in quite some time.

Pittsburgh Pirates

W-L Record: 62-42 (2nd in NL Central)

If the season ended yesterday, the Pirates would earn a wild-card spot in the 2013 MLB playoffs. They’re tied for the most wins in the National League, sitting just .5 games behind the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals.

Did we mention that Pittsburgh has turned some of the most inconsistent arms in MLB into the most dominant pitching staff in baseball? Their rankings of No. 1 in team ERA and opponent batting average supports that statement.

Why can’t Norris be the next player to break out in Pittsburgh?

The Pirates are led by a veteran cast of A.J. Burnett, Francisco Liriano and Wandy Rodriguez, along with 25-year-old breakout star Jeff Jocke. Those names suggest bottom-10 potential, but pitching coach Ray Searage has worked absolute magic.

With Jason Grilli converting 30 saves in 31 opportunities, this team truly is the all-unbelievable team.

It’s worth noting that Norris has posted a 2.33 ERA at PNC Park since 2011, playing his division rival multiple times per year. It’s also important to factor in that Norris was teammates with Rodriguez for three-and-a-half seasons and Mark Melancon for one-and-a-half.

It’s unclear where Norris will end up, but Pittsburgh certainly sounds like the most ideal destination.

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The Texas Rangers acquired Matt Garza from the Chicago Cubs last week in an effort to bolster their pitching staff. While Garza is certainly a nice addition to a rotation that has struggled through injuries for most of the season, he is far from being the only need that Texas has right now.

One of the biggest rumors recently has been that Texas is looking to MLBTradeRumors.com, MLB.com, Baseball-Reference.com, Star-Telegram.com, Freep.com, Twitter.com, YahooSports.com, USAToday.com and ESPN.com unless noted otherwise.

Follow Zachary on Twitter at @ZacharyKrueger

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Billy Beane is doing it again. He’s putting together a roster of misfits that are doing nothing but win baseball games. And it’s all being done with the fourth lowest payroll in the majors, and a bunch of guys the casual fan can’t name.

Heading into action on July 27th, Oakland’s winning percentage is .583, good for fifth in Major League Baseball. And they’re leading the Texas Rangers in the American League West by four games. All this with a roster of cast-offs and no-names, and a ballpark that has a history of sewage backups. 

Despite all the disadvantages Beane and company have to endure, the A’s are one of the best teams in baseball.

And they’re doing this while flying far under the radar, as evidenced by their All-Stars.

They had exactly two. Bartolo Colon, and Grant Balfour.

Over the past year, not just this season, the A’s have been really good. Excellent, in fact. Take it from Buster Olney.

It’s very interesting just exactly how the A’s are winning games with so few resources. And yes, there are reasons; this isn’t just a long stroke of luck. So let’s start with the first and most important reason.

The Pitching Staff

It might seem too general, but World Series have been won with pitching and not much else. And Oakland’s staff is one of the best.

Some statistics off the top: The A team has an ERA of 3.60, sixth in the majors, a deep rotation that is fourth in baseball in innings pitched with 634 and an entire staff that refuses to walk anyone—as evidenced by their major league low 2.38 BB/9.

The staff is also tied for eighth in baseball in wins above replacement, or WAR.

Need more? The A’s are seventh in the league in K/BB, with a ratio of 2.88. They’re tied with the Reds and Pirates for the lowest WHIP in the MLB, at 1.19. And they’re holding teams to a measly .239 batting average against. That would be fourth lowest in the majors.

They’re not a sexy pitching staff. They don’t have the big names, or the guys who strike out 200-plus batters. They don’t have anyone who throws 100, and the way they get guys out isn’t always pretty.

Also, is it too mean to make a joke about Bartolo Colon and not being sexy? Probably. Let’s just move on.

What all this means is that despite how the staff may look, or how they go about business, they get the job done.

They don’t give out free passes very easily. So they force lineups to hit them. And lineups can’t seem to hit them. Despite the staff throwing fastballs at an average velocity of 90.6, ahead of only the Twins and Giants.

What this tells me is that the A’s in general have pinpoint control. They don’t throw too hard, and they don’t mow down lineups. They locate their pitches, and force batters to hit the pitches they give them. They don’t make the mistakes that hitters love to feast on. 

If you watch the A’s play, don’t expect to see a pitcher take the mound and look like a prototypical ace. But they sure will pitch like one.

The Lineup

Just like the pitching staff, it might not look like much. But the A’s hitters sure do get the job done.

They’re ninth in the league in runs with 457, yet 23rd in the league with a .243 batting average.

And other than those two stats, they’re really middle of the pack in every other notable category. They’re between 12th and 18th in the league in home runs, stolen bases, OBP, slugging, and strikeout rate.

Yet they’re in the top 10 in runs, and have been all year.

Just like with the pitching staff, the secret lies in walks. The A’s lead baseball in walks and BB percent, and are second in walks per strikeout.

What this translates to is a way to counteract an atrocious batting average. Even though they’re only hitting .243, Oakland’s OBP is .320. Instead of hitting singles, they’re trotting to first on ball four.

Although that doesn’t quite explain all of it. The other part is that the A’s love to hit home runs. Or at least they love trying to.

They lead the league in fly balls, hitting them 40 percent of the time. But they’re only 12th in the league in home runs with 107, which is explained by their home run to fly ball ratio of 9.8 percent. That has them tied for 23rd in baseball, and an average ratio is around 11 percent, good for 23rd in baseball. 

And all indications are that the A’s should be hitting more homers. They have the home run hitters in Josh Reddick, Yoenis Cespedes, Brandon Moss and Josh Donaldson. And they’re 13th in isolated power. So there should be an uptick in homers down the stretch.

So really, this offense should improve. As unconventional as the strategy is, it seems to be working. Draw walks and swing for the fences. It’s an odd formula, but so far a successful one.

The How

Just like in years past, the A’s are having success with a lot of leftovers, players that other teams didn’t want.

First of all, huge shout-out to FanGraphs for all the statistics throughout this article, and then for this piece on exactly where many of the A’s key players came from. I’ll run through some of the highlights here.

Coco Crisp was signed for two years $14 million, along with a third year team option. Not bad for someone who’s WAR over the past two seasons is 4.4.

Josh Donaldson was a throw in to a deal that sent Rich Harden to the Cubs. But this season he was a near All-Star with a WAR of 4.3.

Brandon Moss was cut from the Phillies, but now has hit 38 homers in 179 games in an Athletics uniform.

The A’s have paid Bartolo Colon $5 million over two years. The same Colon who has 14 wins and a 2.54 ERA this season.

Jarrod Parker and Brett Anderson were acquired in trades, and AJ Griffin and Dan Straily were late draft picks. And their other All-Star Grant Balfour was signed to a two year $8.1 million dollar deal after his time with the Rays. Pretty good rate for one of the top closers in the game.

The only guy the A’s really spent money on was Yoenis Cespedes. And when you look like he does, run like he does and have such a pretty home run swing, you can’t blame them.

There should be a theme that’s starting to pop out. Almost all these guys were forgotten about, or cut or drafted extremely late. 

But Oakland brought them all together. They reinvented moneyball, just in a different way. This time there are no stars like Barry Zito or Miguel Tejada or Tim Hudson. 

Just a bunch of guys who believe in the strategy, believe in each other and believe they’re great when not many people even know their names. Josh Donaldson being one of them.

They may not be household names, but they play like they should be. And if they keep on winning, everyone will know who they are.

All statistics, unless otherwise noted, come from FanGraphs.com

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Albert Pujols‘ bothersome left foot injury is about to cost the Los Angeles Angels slugger significant time out of the lineup.

According to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, Pujols has left the team and returned to Southern California to have his foot evaluated after suffering another setback Friday night:

#Angels DH Albert Pujols has returned to SoCal to be evaluated. Re-injured L foot Fri night. Doesn’t look good. Out for a while.

— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) July 27, 2013

The Angels are in Oakland this weekend for a critical series against the AL West-leading Athletics. Pujols was in the lineup Friday night and went 1-for-5, including a single that sent home two runs in the top of the ninth. When Pujols reached first base, however, Angels skipper Mike Scioscia was forced to send in Collin Cowgill as a pinch runner.

Pujols, in his second season in Los Angeles, has struggled throughout the 2013 campaign with plantar fasciitis. Though the 33-year-old slugger has stayed in the lineup on almost an everyday basis, DiGiovanna is speculating this latest setback will likely send him to the disabled list:

My take on Pujols from covering Scioscia for many years. By way #Angels MGR spoke today, Albert appears headed for DL.

— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) July 27, 2013

Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register had the Los Angeles skipper’s quote on Pujols’ status, agreeing with DiGiovanna’s expectation of a DL stint:

Scioscia, on Pujols: “It’s sorer than anything he’s dealt with.” Dont be surprised if this is finally the DL for Pujols. #Angels

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) July 27, 2013

Pujols has missed just two games all season, but the affect of Pujols’ lingering foot injury has been apparent. The slugger’s bout with plantar fasciitis has rendered him unable to play the field for much of the season and significantly affected his plate approach. The injury has gotten to the point he’s even talked about the possibility of offseason surgery with Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.

“When we get to that point, we’ll talk about it,” Pujols said. “I’m definitely going to try to do something after the season to help me out and not play in that pain I’ve been playing in. There’s no doubt that I’ll be a full-time first baseman next year.”

Pujols is batting a career-low .258 this season with 17 home runs and 64 RBI. At his current pace, Pujols would fail to reach 30 home runs for the first time in his career.

Having signed a 10-year, $254 million contract with the Angels before the 2012 season, Pujols’ first two years in Los Angeles have been a struggle. He needed a torrid end to the season to reach 30 home runs and 100 RBI last year, as he set career lows in batting average and on-base percentage.

The former St. Louis Cardinals great has been a significant factor in the Angels’ disappointing 2013 season as well. The high-priced squad is 48-53 heading into Saturday’s action, 11 games behind the Athletics. Los Angeles is also 8.5 games out of the second wild-card spot.

Follow Tyler Conway on Twitter:

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The July 31 non-waiver trade deadline is approaching, and the Oakland A’s are in a position similar to where they were at this time last year.  Back then, the A’s were just in the playoff hunt, but this year, they find themselves as division leaders at the deadline.

Last year, Oakland’s general manager Billy Beane opted to acquire talent rather than deal talent at the deadline, and the A’s went out and acquired shortstop Stephen Drew.  The A’s could use help in the middle infield again.  

Adam Rosales, Eric Sogard and Grant Green have been unimpressive in their attempts to deliver at second base.  Green is still looking for his first MLB hit.

With that in mind, the A’s could target a veteran like Chase Utley.  Now that the Texas Rangers have acquired Matt Garza from the Cubs, the A’s could feel hard-pressed to also acquire a big-name player before the deadline.

That would be one option for the A’s to consider.  Another option would be to be patient with Green as he adjusts to the MLB talent level.  After all, Utley is in a contract year, just like Drew was when Oakland acquired him last year.  Drew left in free agency after just a few months in Oakland.  Utley is making $15 million (according to Spotrac) this year, so re-signing him would be no easy task for the small-market A’s.

Oakland’s most dire position right now is second base.  If the A’s feel the need for a pitcher, they should look no further than Triple-A, where Sonny Gray is waiting.  More pitching help will also arrive when Brett Anderson returns from the DL.

The same can be said for Oakland’s under-performing outfield.  If the A’s want help in the outfield, Michael Taylor is in Triple-A with Gray.  

The A’s have had a revolving door at second base for over a year, with names like Jemile Weeks, Cliff Pennington, Rosales, Sogard and Green trying to secure the job.  Utley is not living up to his $15 million contract, as he is hitting .279 with 13 homers and 36 RBI.  Still, those numbers do look much better than anything Oakland has had at second base in a long time.

Utley would have a quicker stint in Oakland than Matt Holiday, but he could be the missing piece that helps catapult the A’s from being division champions to World Series champions.  

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The Los Angeles Angels have dropped four of their last five games against the Minnesota Twins, which is important to consider when making your MLB picks as the two teams meet up at Angel Stadium.

Courtesy of SBR Forum, the Angels are minus-175 home favorites in the pro baseball odds, with the betting total sitting at 8.5 in the market.

Let’s take a closer look at this American League matchup from a betting perspective, while offering up a prediction along the way. 

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Houston Astros pitcher Erik Bedard had a no-hitter going in Saturday evening’s game against the Seattle Mariners, but with one out in the seventh inning, manager Bo Porter decided to relieve him of his duties.

UPDATE: Saturday, July 20, at 10:17 p.m. ET by Ian Hanford

The Astros lost to the Mariners 4-2, giving up one run and one hit from the bullpen after Bedard was pulled from the game.

—End of update—

It would have been a unique no-hitter had Bedard been able to maintain it. Seattle knotted the game at 2-2 in the Astros’ Minute Maid Park thanks to two unearned runs plated in the sixth.

The numbers got even more bizarre upon Bedard’s exit.

Even though Bedard got Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager to pop out at the top of the inning, he walked his fifth batter of the game thereafter. The switch was then made to reliever Jose Cisnero.

The team’s Twitter page noted that Bedard had registered a relatively high pitch count of 109 when he was pulled:

In the pitcher’s defense, a big reason he threw so much was due to some of the brilliance he was flashing. The southpaw struck out 10 batters and pitched his way out of some difficult spots.

As if things couldn’t get much worse for Houston—which sported the worst record in Major League Baseball at 33-62 entering the game—Cisnero was lit up for a two-run double by Michael Saunders, per Greg Johns of MLB.com:

Johns points out that Bedard was charged for the third run, which is earned, since he walked the eventual go-ahead run yielded by Cisnero:

Porter’s decision backfired, and the opportunity for a no-no went out the window for Bedard. While he and Houston wonder what could have been, Bedard ended up tagged with the team’s latest loss.

Nevertheless, Bedard’s game was certainly historic, which ESPN Stats & Info contextualized nicely:

He had lost his previous three decisions and was 3-6 in 2013 with a 4.61 ERA before Saturday’s extraordinary effort.

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With the All Star break officially underway, many of the Texas Rangers will get the opportunity to rest up after a long first half of the season. With the exception of Joe Nathan, Yu Darvish and Nelson Cruz, the entire Texas Rangers organization will use this four day break to recharge and get ready for the long haul ahead.

For some Rangers the break could not have come at a better time, as cold streaks can often be cured by taking some time off of the diamond. On the other hand, there are other players who came into the break hot who probably wish the time off could have happened at another time. With that in mind, let’s take a look at who the hottest and coldest players for the Rangers are heading into the second half of the season.

Hottest

Adrian Beltre

July Stats: .440/.491/.920, 7 HR and 13 RBI

Adrian Beltre hasn’t just been the hottest player on the Rangers, but may also have been the hottest player in the month of July in all of baseball. Over his last 10 games before the All-Star break, Beltre had five multi-hit games, but none were better than his performance on July 9 against Baltimore.

In an 8-4 win over the Orioles, Beltre reached base five times, going 4-for-4 with two homers and five RBI. Currently, Beltre ranks in the top seven in the American League in batting average, home runs, slugging percentage and OPS. If Beltre can continue to rake like he did at the beginning of the month, the Rangers will be in a good position to keep up with the Athletics in the second half of the season.

Nelson Cruz

July Stats: .309/.345/.473, 2 HR and 8 RBI

In the midst of a contract year, Nelson Cruz is making a strong case to be paid like one of the best outfielders in the game. For the season, Cruz is batting .277 with 22 homers and 69 RBI and has helped offset the departures of Josh Hamilton, Michael Young and Mike Napoli.

In the month of July, Cruz was batting .309 with two homers and eight RBI, and he had three multi-hit games leading up the the All-Star break. Don’t expect the break to cool down Cruz either; as mentioned above, he has a contract to play for next season. Expect Cruz to carry his momentum into a big second half for the Rangers.

Coldest

Mitch Moreland

July Stats: .250/.295/.375, 1 HR and 5 RBI

Though Moreland‘s numbers don’t look awful in the month of July, his splits that include the month of June are much worse. Moreland has gone 19-for-95 since the start of June, and only has two home runs after hitting 11 in his first two months. Sure, an injury to Moreland may have something to do with it, but his slugging percentage was nearly .300 points lower in June than it was in the month of May.

Rangers fans will be hoping that Moreland‘s injury has more to do with his slumping than him falling back into bad habits. Moreland was one of the feel good stories for the Rangers at the beginning of the season, and he is a very important part of the lineup. Texas will need Moreland to perform better in the second half, and it would not be a surprise if they find someone else if he can’t.

Jurickson Profar

July Stats: .161/.278/.226, 0 HR and 2 RBI

Some of this can be contributed to the fact that Profar is in the midst of being transitioned to the outfield, and some of it can be contributed to his inconsistent playing time. But the fact of the matter is that Profar struggled mightily through July and was the coldest hitter on the Rangers coming into the All-Star break.

This break may end up doing a world of good for Profar, as the time off could help him get some extra swings to get back into a groove. Profar came out firing when he first got called up in May for the Rangers, and he could wind up being the key for the Rangers in the second half.

Justin Grimm

July Stats: 11.1 IP, 0-2, 11.91 ERA, 6 K and .426 BAA

Grimm’s struggles as the season went on became so bad that he was recently moved to the bullpen after leaving his last start with forearm soreness.

After a brilliant first month in which the rookie went 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA, Grimm has been getting lit up by opposing hitters, and has yet to have a month in which his batting average against wasn’t lower than .309. To make matters worse, Grimm’s walk rate has skyrocketed as well. After walking just four batters in 17 innings in April, Grimm has walked 24 batters in his last 76 innings.

Similar to Profar, the break may be what Grimm needed, as he may have been wearing down in the Texas heat. Unfortunately for Grimm, his time in the rotation may have come to an end. With the return of Martin Perez to the rotation and Alexi Ogando on the mend as well, Grimm may see clean-up duty from here on out.

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The 2013 MLB All-Star Game Tuesday night at Citi Field in New York has a chance to carry an interesting and historical meaning, opening the proverbial door for special opportunities in communities that need them. 

Thanks to the efforts by Head & Shoulders and Los Angeles Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson, all it will take are a few swings…and some timely misses.

That’s right, long-ball lovers; tonight the strikeout will be on center stage.

Though most baseball fans are drawn to the MLB All-Star Game because of the chance to see herculean home runs—followed by more herculean home runs—or a respective league’s home-field advantage possibilities during the World Series, tonight’s game will put a great deal of importance elsewhere.

As part of the continuing support for the MLB’s RBI program (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities), Head & Shoulders has announced a special challenge: If a pitcher strikes out the side in the second inning of the All-Star Game, they will donate $1 million to the RBI program.

Yep, that’s $1 million.

The announcement is an added bonus to the already successful “Season of the #Whiff Campaign,” where Head & Shoulders donates $1 to the RBI program for every strikeout in the 2013 season.

Keeping up with the power of social media, a fanbase can tweet the specified hashtag (#whiff) plus their team’s Twitter handle every time a pitcher from that club records a strikeout. The team with the most tweets at the end of each month can earn $10,000, encompassing a total community effort for each team.

It’s a community helping another community. Simple enough.

At the head of this, not only for the Los Angeles Angels, but also nationally, is pitcher C.J. Wilson.

I was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to chat with the Angels’ pitcher, and Head & Shoulders “Mane Man,” about his involvement with the campaign and the potential donation.

Wilson, who was introduced to the RBI program when he was 15 years old while playing youth baseball in the Los Angeles area, is excited about such a hands-on charitable group.

“It’s great,” Wilson told me over the phone, “I get to go out there and do my job—strike people out, help people get some fantasy (league) points—and it’s all for a great cause.”

In addition to his 110 strikeouts this year from the mound, C.J. has contributed via a few rare plate appearances, where he has struck out four times. Instead of beating himself up, though, he looked at the bright side of his misfortune. “When I was hitting last week, I struck out,” he laughed, “And I thought…hey, that’s a dollar for donation.”

It remains to be seen if the hitters in tonight’s game will have the same fresh outlook, but with such a hefty announcement during a media-rich All-Star week (see Yasiel Puig and Freddie Freeman), you can count on more than a casual glance, no question.

It’s something that Wilson, who missed out on being an All Star this year, understands. “I wish it was me out there,” he said. “I would like the chance to (strike out the side), but I didn’t get the votes.”

That doesn’t mean he won’t be around tonight, however. C.J. will be taking over the Head & Shoulders Twitter handle (@HSforMen) for a portion of the game, spreading the word about the campaign and fielding fan questions.

And who knows, perhaps he may divulge a scouting report or two for the possible hurlers (Matt Harvey and Max Scherzer) in the second inning.

It wouldn’t hurt.

After all, the middle of the lineup for both the AL and NL teams are not what you would call Adam Dunn-esque. As Wilson joked, “(Dunn) could probably use (the program) as a tax write-off.”

Predictions and outcomes aside, the added recognition of RBI can only help the game of baseball and softball moving forward—during a time when they aren’t necessarily in line with pop culture.

It really is a win-win. Perhaps that’s the growth John Young had in mind when he started the RBI program in 1989.

So, though it may be odd, don’t be afraid to applaud the backwards-K tonight. Let the roars echo around Citi Field following a swing and a miss…followed by another and another. Salute the failed bunt with two strikes.

Enjoy it!

Because tonight, much to the delight of C.J., is all about the strikeout, making this game different from the rest.

Note: A very special thanks to C.J. Wilson for taking the time to chat. For more from Rick Suter follow him on Twitter @rick_suter

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I think I’m supposed to write something like, “And so the legend of Yoenis Cespedes grows” here.

Or perhaps, “On a night to remember in New York City, Yoenis Cespedes swung his way into the national consciousness and flipped his bat at the end in a moment made for gifs and tweets, so that we don’t soon forget that he’s arrived.”

And then we’ll all wax poetic about the majesty of a ball soaring through the evening sky and landing in bedrooms all across the America, as kids plaster posters of Cespedes in their rooms after Monday evening. 

Let’s not. The truth is, he won a Home Run Derby, where guys mash 60 mph pitches over the fence for fun. We can recognize that Cespedes will be more recognizable now without romanticizing his Home Run Derby win. 

This is the competition that ruined Bobby Abreu’s swing in 2005. He was hitting .307 with 18 home runs and 58 RBI before the All-Star break, he hit .260 with six home runs and 44 RBI the rest of the way.

You could also argue that it remains the best manifestation of how fans and sportswriters alike could ignore the signs of steroid use in baseball for years on end. 

It isn’t just chicks that dig the long ball, after all. 

But Cespedes is now a familiar name to the casual fan—there’s no two ways about that—and in the process was given a platform to share a part of his story as a Cuban defector.

It was a cool moment, even if doing the post-Derby interview in Spanish became some sort of issue for bored Internet commenters. 

And it was fun seeing him do battle against young star Bryce Harper, who will surely win many things more important than the Home Run Derby in his career. 

However, Cespedes didn’t “arrive” on Monday night. He hit .292 with 23 home runs, 82 RBI and 16 stolen bases in his rookie season, and while he’s hitting just .225 this year, he does have 15 home runs and 43 RBI.

He’s not a star yet—heck, he’s not even playing in the All-Star Game—but he’s already a very good ballplayer. 

But his profile has raised. The profile of his team, the Oakland Athletics, may have raised a bit as well. The A’s shocked a lot of folks by reaching the playoffs last year. For any people who mistakenly thought that was a fluke, well, the A’s proved them wrong and currently sit atop the AL West. 

Cespedes is now the most marketable player in Oakland. His bat flip at the end of the Derby was memorable. People are going to hope to see some of his moonshots in actual games now. He’s entered All-Star lure. 

Nevertheless, the Home Run Derby didn’t somehow make him a star, nor will it shoot him into elite status. He was already a good ballplayer, and now a lot more folks will find that out. 

Let’s save the Red Smith-esque columns glorifying the moment, shall we?

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