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Redleg Nation: Rewriting the Record Book
Jason Linden writes that Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, and Jay Bruce will one day permeate the Reds' franchise leaderboards the way that Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and Tony Perez do. The article goes through several notable counting stats to see what the modern triumvirate needs to do to break into the top ten in each category. As Linden notes, Votto is a virtual lock for the franchise record for walks, but it will be tough to pass Rose or Bench in many of the categories.
Position Player WAR (BBRef):
To enter the Top Ten - 40.3
To be the All Time Leader - 78.0. . .
Bruce - Currently has 14.3. He's got a long way to go, but if he signs an extension, he'll might get there. Bruce isn't perfect, but I bet he'll get to 40 WAR before his career is done.
If this were a real prop bet, I'd scramble to put every available cent on the under.
Red Hot Mama: Putting the pressure on Ludwick
Thank you, Amanda, thank you so much. The notion that Ryan Ludwick will jumpstart this team to the division title is bizarre to me. Yes, last year was a lot of fun, but Ludwick is coming off of a very serious shoulder injury. In addition, he just turned 35, and his overall track record is underwhelming.
USA Today: Report: Chase Utley, Phillies agree to extension
Despite the talk of Philadelphia moving Utley at the trade deadline, the Phillies held on to the aging second baseman and inked him for two more years and $27 million. When healthy, Utley is still probably the second most effective keystone in the game (after Robinson Cano), but the trouble is that he's rarely healthy anymore. He hasn't played in more than 115 games since 2009, though he might barely eclipse that mark this year if he stays healthy. Given the Phillies' poor record, it would have made a lot of sense to trade Utley for prospects and make an effort to re-sign him in the winter, but Ruben Amaro, Jr. operates in a world of delusion where Philadelphia is still a contender.
ESPN.com: Source: Rangers claim Alex Rios
With Nelson Cruz suspended and David Murphy struggling, the Texas Rangers are in dire need of a warm body for the outfield. A deal would make sense as the White Sox are far out of the playoff races and need to rebuild in coming seasons, but a trade doesn't seem probable: "A deal seems unlikely, according to MLB.com, as the two sides had many discussions before the non-waiver trade deadline without coming to an agreement."