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BASEBALL SAVANT

If you haven't noodled around at 'Savant, they've got lots of inneresting leaderboards based on StatCast.  For example, you can find a player's "expected batting average" based on exit velocity and launch angle, which comes very verrrrry close to a real normalization.

There is "expected slugging average," xOPS+ (actually xWOBA) and lots of stuff.

The bottom line is that if you re-racked the first half and gave Kyle Seager the same kinds of batted balls, his stats would be a lot better.  As would - this may surprise you - Taylor Motter's, which is probably why Scott Servais keeps running him out there fearlessly.  And the TNT got a great Sports Illustrated of him skying for the tomahawk jam:

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The guys hitting into the best luck have been Ben Gamel -- you knew that -- along with Haniger, Segura and Heredia.  Of course Gamel and Haniger have stats to spare; take a healthy slice off their OPS+ and they're still in great shape.  One guy who has NOT hit into especially good luck, since Opening Day, is Mike Zunino.  His OPS+ is at 110 and that's about where his theoretical batted balls put him.

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TRADE RUMORS

The 'vine around Dave Robertson and his 13K arm continues to smoke, hiss, and bubble slightly.  Could blow at any time.  MLB Trade Rumors calls Pat Neshek "the most likely pitcher in the majors to be traded"; he hasn't given up a run in a couple of months or something.  The Mainframe has a real inkling for a deal that would bring in a closer and let Edwin Diaz set up for a little while.

This Bay Area reporter stated that there were 4 teams with "multiple execs and scouts" at Sonny Gray's last start:  Toronto, Seattle, Atlanta and Chicago.  Gray is controlled for this year and 2 more, and in my humble opinion could be in shouting distance of Jose Quintana for resource value.

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INTERNATIONAL SPECTS

The TNT says that the Mariners are expected to sign two big time Caribbean teenagers:  the top power hitter, Julio Rodriguez, and a 16-year-old shortstop who supposedly has a special baseball head, Juan Querecuto.  

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CHRIS SALE'S RELEASE POINT

Ryan Divish's twitter feed has an image of Chris Sale throwing his slider and fastball in overlay.  ... actually the tunnel out of his release point isn't that weird, but his repetition is.  That's when you get a bankable All-Star, when his release point is automatic and his deception on the change speed is a given.  You feel fortunate to ever scratch 3 runs out of a pitcher like that.  K-Pax has a long ways to go, but when he gets there, there's no telling.

BABVA,

Dr D

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Image:  Tacoma News Tribune