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Rosenthal: A plea to the Brewers' owner, a potential Dodgers trade chip and more MLB notes
Rosenthal: A plea to the Brewers' owner, a potential Dodgers trade chip and more MLB notes

New York Times

time7 days ago

  • Sport
  • New York Times

Rosenthal: A plea to the Brewers' owner, a potential Dodgers trade chip and more MLB notes

I'm here to make a case for the Milwaukee Brewers to add Eugenio Suárez, or at the very least, bullpen help. But first, I'm going to tell on myself: Shortly after the start of spring training, I wrote the following: 'Brewers owner Mark Attanasio keeps getting away with it. His front office is that shrewd, his managers that skilled, his players that devoted to succeeding as underdogs. Advertisement 'Yet, as Attanasio continues to clamp down on spending, his team's margin for error keeps shrinking. And if this is the season his frugality finally costs the Brewers, he will deserve some, if not most, of the blame.' Somewhere, Attanasio is cackling hysterically. His frugality clearly is not costing the Brewers, who own the best record in the majors. And to any suggestion he should authorize a payroll increase at the trade deadline, he can rightly ask, 'Why should I?' The St. Louis Cardinals for much of this century were renowned for their 'devil magic.' No one has coined as catchy a phrase to describe Milwaukee's strange brew. But year after year, the Brewers rebound from any number of impediments – injuries, trades, free-agent departures, losses of managers, coaches and executives – to produce contending teams. This year's club, featuring the unheralded likes of Isaac Collins, Caleb Durbin and Andrew Vaughn, to name only a few, should have Attanasio particularly excited. The owner lives in the Los Angeles area. The Brewers went 6-0 against the defending World Series champion Dodgers, a sweep to stir small-market souls. Well, if the Brewers are preparing to make a play on Suárez or some other unsuspecting trade candidate, they sure aren't acting like it. Ask club officials about upgrading the left side of the infield, and they respond as if Joey Ortiz and Durbin are Derek Jeter and Alex Rodríguez. Ask them about reinforcing the bullpen, and they sing the glories of Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe and company. Those officials are not necessarily wrong. Ortiz, acquired in the Corbin Burnes trade, might be batting only .217 with a .589 OPS, but is a gifted defender. Durbin, acquired in the Devin Williams trade, is batting .347 with an .899 OPS over the past six weeks. The bullpen, even with four relievers at 44 or more appearances — second only to the San Diego Padres, who have five — entered Wednesday ranked eighth in opponents' OPS. Advertisement Still, as The Athletic's Eno Sarris wrote, the Brewers' offense lacks the slug generally necessary to succeed in the postseason. Even with improvement in July, the Brewers entered Wednesday ranked 23rd in slugging percentage, 25th in hard-hit rate and 30th in barrel percentage. Which is where Suárez would enter the picture. The Brewers, sitting on a surplus of starting pitchers, possess the kind of controllable arms that might entice the Arizona Diamondbacks. Granted, the Brewers likely will need some of those pitchers to replace potential free agents José Quintana, Nestor Cortes Jr. and Brandon Woodruff. They also would require more than Suárez to part with a Logan Henderson or Chad Patrick. And, as if all that isn't enough, Attanasio might balk at adding Suárez's remaining $4.8 million. Attanasio surely is lamenting the Brewers' average home attendance is down almost 1,500 per game from last season, dropping from 31,323 to 29,882. But part of that might be due to an offseason in which the Brewers traded Williams, lost Willy Adames to free agency and then spent no more than $1 million on any free agent until signing Quintana to a one-year, $4.25 million deal in early March. Adding Suárez would electrify the fan base, amounting to a coup for a team that plays in the league's smallest TV market. As The Athletic's C. Trent Rosecrans reports, another small-market club, the Cincinnati Reds, are interested in Suárez. Yes, big-market teams like the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs might be more motivated. And yes, the Brewers are doing just fine as is. Attanasio, who did not respond to a request for comment, might think he already has gotten the last word. Fair enough. But wouldn't it be something if the owner matched the effort that the Brewers' players, on-field staff and front office are giving him? If the team that traded Burnes, Williams and Josh Hader finally said, 'Our turn?' Advertisement Left-hander Tanner Scott's stint on the injured list with elbow inflammation makes the Dodgers' need for bullpen help even more acute. But how are they going to get it? One way, according to sources briefed on the club's thinking, might be to trade right-hander Dustin May, a potential free agent who could lose his spot in the rotation once left-hander Blake Snell comes off the injured list. May, though, would have only so much value as a rental with a 4.73 ERA. The Dodgers' difficulties keeping pitchers healthy also might make them reluctant to move a starter who is second on the team in innings pitched. May could serve, as he did successfully on Monday, as a bulk pitcher behind Shohei Ohtani. Manager Dave Roberts called that pairing a 'one-off,' but the idea of May providing length out of the bullpen is hardly an outrageous idea. The Dodgers, if they prefer to keep May, can instead deal from their deep farm system, which The Athletic's Keith Law ranked before the season as the third best in the game. The team, as The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya reported, is reluctant to move catcher Dalton Rushing and shortstop Alex Freeland. Two of the club's other top prospects, High-A outfielders Josue De Paula and Zyhir Hope, also possess considerable upside. The system, though, is stacked with other highly regarded position players. Among them: Shortstops Kellon Lindsey and Emil Morales, outfielders Eduardo Quintero, Ching-Hsien Ko and Mike Sirota, third baseman Chase Harlan. When right-hander Adrian Houser signed a one-year, $1.35 million contract with the Chicago White Sox on May 20, his goal wasn't to turn himself into a trade candidate. Houser, after exercising an opt-out in his minor-league deal with the Texas Rangers, was happy just to be back in the majors. Advertisement 'A trade was a possibility. Obviously everything has to fall in line for that to become a possibility,' Houser said. 'My thought process was to be up here and compete, prove I can pitch up here and try to stay up here as long as possible.' Houser, 32, has succeeded in that effort, producing a 1.89 ERA in 62 innings. His expected ERA is 3.76, but his low salary and seven quality starts in nine outings should make him attractive to teams looking for a back-end starter. Prior to joining the White Sox, Houser had his last major-league start with the New York Mets on July 24, 2024. The Mets released him a week later. He signed a minor-league deal with the Cubs, who released him on Aug. 31, then finished the season in the Baltimore Orioles' organization. During the offseason, Houser made a significant mechanical change to his backside at Pitching WRX in Oklahoma City, getting more into his hamstring and glutes rather than his quads. 'I was probably three pitches into an offseason bullpen and they noticed it immediately,' he said. He also made greater use of the cold tub and adjusted his eating habits, adopting what he called the 'carnivorish' diet — mostly red meat, but on occasion chicken or fish as well. 'I was pretty much a carnivore all week, then Saturday and Sunday I would kind of cheat a little bit,' Houser said. 'We would do 'Pancake Saturdays' at our house. I'd have some pancakes on the weekend, maybe some coffee and soda. But once the week rolled around and I started working out, it was back to meat, eggs and cheese, and that was about it.' His 5.03 ERA with the Rangers at Triple A was hardly exceptional. His 17.7 percent strikeout rate with the White Sox might deter clubs obsessed with swing and miss. But his recent success is undeniable, and Houser is well aware he might be on the move. Advertisement 'You know how it is in the clubhouses. You see all this stuff on TV. MLB Network is everywhere. And the way social media is, you're going to see it,' Houser said. 'At the end of the day, I've got to take care of my business and worry about today and what's in front of me vs. thinking about what the future holds.' As The Athletic's Mitch Bannon wrote, a rash of injuries has made bullpen help perhaps the Toronto Blue Jays' biggest priority. But, like virtually every other team in the majors, the Jays also are in the market for a starting pitcher under club control beyond 2025, according to sources briefed on the team's plans. Both Chris Bassitt, 36, and Max Scherzer, 40, are potential free agents. The Jays could wait until the offseason to address the possibility of them leaving. Both enjoy playing for Toronto and would entertain coming back, a clubhouse source said. The Jays' lack of rotation depth, however, makes it almost imperative they add a starter before the deadline. Scherzer has been on the injured list five times since September 2023. Eric Lauer's impression of an ace might last only so long. Alek Manoah cannot be expected to be a stalwart if he returns from Tommy John surgery in late August, and few options exist at Triple A. The expected return of center fielder Daulton Varsho from a left hamstring strain next week should give the Jays' lineup a boost. The bullpen, minus Yimi Garcia and others, requires the most attention. But the Jays figure to address their rotation, too. One executive who spoke with the Atlanta Braves said he was told the team does not even intend to trade its potential free agents. The Braves conveyed they are under no pressure to reduce payroll, the exec said, and would like to win as many games as possible to build momentum going into 2026. A Braves source, however, said that was not a proper interpretation of the team's position. The team is willing to trade players on expiring contracts such as designated hitter Marcell Ozuna and closer Raisel Iglesias, the source said. But it has no interest in merely dumping salary. Its goal in any deal would be to receive some level of talent in return. Advertisement That would be easier said than done with Ozuna, who as a player with 10 years service, five consecutive with the same team, has the right to veto any deal. Ozuna has cratered since April 20, batting .219 with a .689 OPS. The Braves are now playing both their catchers, Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin, rather than using Ozuna at DH. Iglesias, 35, is a more interesting case. Prior to allowing four runs against the New York Yankees on Sunday, he had pitched 13 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings. He then added another scoreless inning against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. The bullpen market is crowded, and Iglesias will be owed more than $5 million at the deadline. But the cost for him in talent will be less than it is for multi-year relievers, and the Braves presumably could include cash for a better return. After getting swept at home by the Houston Astros, the Arizona Diamondbacks are 5 1/2 games back in the NL wild-card race, with three teams ahead of them. As I wrote Monday, they need to trade at least some of their potential free agents. But some rival executives are still not convinced they will be aggressive sellers. General manager Mike Hazen long has resisted any form of teardown, and owner Ken Kendrick likely is no more enthusiastic about breaking up his team. Kendrick, 81, said at Corbin Burnes' introductory news conference in January, 'I'm kind of aging out on this. I'd kind of like to have some additional success before I go off into the sunset.' Hazen and Kendrick are realists, and almost certainly will do what they think is in the best interests of the franchise. But their individual perspectives make the Diamondbacks perhaps more likely to pursue a buy-sell strategy than a full-fledged sale. It will be difficult for them to concede. (Top photo of Brewers owner Mark Attanasio: John Fisher / Getty Images)

🎧 Catch up on the Scrimmage Special
🎧 Catch up on the Scrimmage Special

BBC News

time17-07-2025

  • Sport
  • BBC News

🎧 Catch up on the Scrimmage Special

Weren't able to get along to Carrow Road for the special summer edition of the Scrimmage in person this week?Don't worry, whether it's signings, departures, investment or promotion you're interested in, we've got you Radio Norfolk's Rob Butler, Phil Daley and Chris Reeve were joined by Norwich head coach Liam Manning, majority shareholder Mark Attanasio, executive director Zoe Webber and sporting director Ben Knapper to discuss a range of topics - and they also took part in a Q&A session with Canaries can listen to the Scrimmage Special via BBC Sounds here.

'I promised Delia we would open our chequebook'
'I promised Delia we would open our chequebook'

Yahoo

time16-07-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

'I promised Delia we would open our chequebook'

Norwich City's majority shareholder Mark Attanasio, pictured with his son Mike, flew in to speak to fans at Carrow Road [Rob Butler/BBC] A new era of financial strength is well under way at Norwich City, but supporters may have to remain patient for a revamp of the stadium. That was the message from the football club's top brass when they spoke to Canaries fans about the big issues. Advertisement Majority shareholder Mark Attanasio, who fronts the FB Norfolk Holdings group, had flown in from the United States hot on the heels of the £6.9m signing of Danish international Mathias Kvistgaarden. The American said he had told his predecessors, Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones, that the group would "open our chequebooks" as they chased a return to the Premier League. After a disappointing 13th place finish in the Championship last season, a change of head coach has led to a busy transfer window, giving supporters hope of an upturn in fortunes. Attanasio said: "One of the pledges I actually made to Delia and Michael before was that we would open our chequebook and do everything we could to make the team as best as it can be – something that the community could keep being proud of. Advertisement "The goal is, of course, to get back to the Premier League." The businessman also owns the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team in the US, and he has ensured Norwich benefit from shared knowledge, including a need to specialise in young talent. He added: "If you have a younger club who can keep bringing players up, you can sustain success. That's what we've done with Milwaukee in the last seven years "We've been in the play-offs six years out of seven and this year we have the third most wins out of 15 in the National League, all with really young players." Senior Norwich City staff took part in a special BBC Radio Norfolk Scrimmage Q&A [Henry Miller/BBC] Johannes Hoff Thorup was dismissed as the club's head coach in April after struggling to achieve consistent results with a young squad. Advertisement Attanasio is confident new head coach Liam Manning, brought in after leading Bristol City to the Championship play-offs, will do a better job. He added: "That has to translate on to the pitch... and we needed a coach who could develop players but also needed a coach who could win. "[Manning] took a club last year who didn't have the resources we had – or, at least, didn't spend the resources – to a play-off spot, and that's the goal for this year." About 150 Canaries supporters attended the special Scrimmage event [Henry Miller/BBC] Attanasio and Manning sat alongside sporting director Ben Knapper and executive director Zoe Webber for a special episode of BBC Radio Norfolk's Scrimmage show at Carrow Road on Tuesday. Advertisement A question about the potential for the club's 27,000-seater stadium to be expanded was among those asked. Webber said: "We're looking at a few projects in and around the stadium. It is incumbent on us to make sure that we are using all of the space that we've got in the stadium and bringing that up to a good standard, first and foremost. "We've had a look at plans for the City Stand – some were leaked online recently, some visuals – so it is very much something we are looking at. "But at the moment it is quite cost-prohibitive, and we need to work through the feasibility of these projects going forward." Advertisement Attanasio was able to offer one update about the stadium which brought cheers, though. He said: "Our goal is to cherish this facility. I do have a request from Delia that we keep the name 'Carrow Road'." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Related stories Related internet links

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