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St. Louis Cardinals Recipe for Deadline Success

ST. LOUIS, MO - MARCH 26: St. Louis Cardinals President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom looks on during the pregame ceremony prior to the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

For some, the MLB Trade Deadline can be one of the most exciting and unpredictable times of the year. It presents an opportunity for all 30 teams to improve their chances to win now or in the future. For others, it can be a daunting, tedious, repetitive grind of information that may or may not come to fruition. The Viva El Birdos comment section famously has evoked it’s displeasure with the constant trade talk of a former individual who created content for us with soup recipes of all things! So, I thought, what a funny way to both have a reasonable conversation around the upcoming trade deadline and give a hat tip and wink at the comment section.

So, if we are to create Trade Deadline Soup, we need a recipe to follow!

The 2024 Detroit Tigers finished the season at 86-76 as the final Wild Card team into the playoffs. They swept the Houston Astros in the AL Wild Card round before being eliminated in the ALDS by the Cleveland Guardians. This seems like a plausible best-case scenario for the 2026 Cardinals team that has surprised just about every corner of the baseball world this season. The 2024 Tigers sold 4 players at the players at the deadline; old friend Jack Flaherty was traded to the Dodgers, OF Mark Canha was traded to the Giants, another old friend C Carson Kelly and LHP Andrew Chafin were both traded to the Texas Rangers.

The Tigers acquired power-hitting C/1B prospect Thayron Liranzo and MLB SS Trey Sweeney, Minor league RP Eric Silva, RHP Joseph Montalvo, and C Liam Hicks.

The Cardinals could follow this “recipe” by trading impending FA Dustin May, OF Lars Nootbaar, C Pedro Pages/Jimmy Crooks, and RP JoJo Romero/Ryne Stanek. I’m slightly more optimistic about the Cardinals’ chances to get better upside in return than the Tigers were able to, given that Nootbaar and the Catchers have control remaining beyond this season.

Reinforcements for St. Louis are ready to backfill the roster if President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom chooses to execute this strategy. LHP Quinn Matthews has been on a HEATER at Memphis over the last month plus, Hunter Dobbins has already shown an ability to get big league hitters out, Memphis OF Joshua Baez has been making Triple-A pitching pay all season with his thump and prodigious right handed power, Catcher Leonardo Bernal has been a steady force behind the plate with no glaring flaws in his game as a switch hitting Catcher with a minor league gold glove to his name to boot. LHP Brycen Mautz and RHP’s Hancel Rincon and Cade Winquest offer upside out of the pen. As with the Jack Flaherty trade as the example above, don’t discount the Cardinals’ ability to get MLB-ready talent in return.

The biggest question on the roster would be what to do with All-Star Closer Riley O’Brien, and has been for this topic for some time now. The return would have to be overwhelming, but, at 31 years old, a serious case could be made that this is peak value for O’Brien, and with reliever volatility, there is no guarantee he ever performs at this level again, so the opportunity to maximize on the asset would appear to be now, despite the remaining 4 years of control. According to MLB.com, as many as 7 teams are in the primary pursuit of relief help. The Orioles, Twins, Mariners, Rangers, Nationals, Phillies, and Pirates. Among those teams exist a plethora of exciting prospect talent that the Cardinals could use to really set themselves up as they appear on the cliff’s edge of perennial contention once more.

But the approach to this year’s deadline has the potential to be more complex than we’ve seen in St. Louis. Cardinals President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom has a history of a hybrid approach to the deadline where he both buys and sells. I do believe that there could be an opportunity to add a young controllable reliever, and there are teams on the West Coast that are defined sellers that could contribute to what has evolved as the Cardinals’ biggest, most glaring weakness. Since May 1st, the Cardinals’ bullpen ranks 20th in FIP (4.26), 17th in Win Probability Added (WPA) at 0.89, and 23rd in K% at 20.5%. Those are the 3 primary stats that I look at when trying to evaluate the effectiveness of relievers. How would they perform in a defensive neutral environment? Do they positively contribute to their team’s ability to win? Do they have the capability to get a strikeout when a ball in play could dramatically swing win probability in high-leverage situations?

As I’m prone to do, I have 3 names to watch that could fit as pieces that could contribute to the next winning Cardinals team.

RHP Ryan Zeferjahn – Los Angeles Angels

The Angels ascended closer Ryan Zeferjahn since June 1st; in his last 20.1 IP has a 3.30 FIP, 40.0 K%, and +0.99 WPA. Zeferjahn comes with 5 additional years of control and 3 options remaining, and won’t be a free agent until 2031. It’s a 5-pitch mix for the Halo righty: Sweeper, 4-Seam, Sinker, Slider, Curveball. 34% Whiff rate and .160 xBA (expected batting average) are both elite performance markers. I won’t speculate on cost because it’s so hard to be predictive of what value they have internally on an emerging closer on the verge of entering a true long-term rebuild, assuming John Mozeliak can effectively persuade Arte Moreno that the good of the long-term health of the Angels organization is to take a step back, sell, and build up their pipeline.

RHP Elvis Alvarado – Athletics

Another young emerging back-end option on the West Coast, Elvis Alvarado is 6’6 253 lbs, a true mountain of a man. He throws that classic 100 MPH heat we’ve come to expect from late-inning relievers, with 5 inches above-average arm-side run. Alvarado also throws a slider and a sinker and a very scantily used Splitter. The 5.14 FIP is not all that encouraging, though the xFIP is 3.54, but that’s probably me cherry-picking, so do with that what you will. 30.4 K% on the season gets us tethered back to why he is so intriguing, and the win probability added of -0.77 isn’t all that encouraging, but also taking into account that it’s likely a combination of poor defense and ball park effects of a minor league stadium working against him, I’m willing to look past some of those struggles and would be fascinated with getting him in St. Louis, much like the George Soriano situation from the spring, to see what this big league pitching staff and development staff can get out of this really encouraging ball of clay. You have essentially 6 years of control with Alvarado, only 2 option years remaining, and Alvarado is already 27, so the player acquisition cost for Alvarado would likely be relatively low, but presents exciting upside.

LHP Erik Miller – San Francisco Giants

This one admittedly is the most far-fetched; however, there likely wouldnt be a more impactful and immediate boost to the Cardinals bullpen than Erik Miller. It’s a 4-pitch mix, primarily Sinker/Slider, which he throws about 85% of the time. He will mix in a 4-Seam and Changeup against right-handed hitters. At 6’5 269 lbs, another gigantic human, I guess, emerging closers is the true theme of these guys, as well. 32.3 k%, 3.42 FIP, and a +0.10 WPA. Miller comes with 4 additional years of control and would be the true lefty weapon the bullpen is missing to pair with Riley O’Brien at the back end of games to give them a legitimate back end of games that would create heartburn for the opposition who would have the misfortune of facing them on any given night. This cost would likely be for players that the Cardinals wouldnt want to part with. More of a dream than a reality, I surmise, but Miller is 100% the ideal trade acquisition for the Cardinals at the 2026 deadline.

Ultimately, the Cardinals’ roster has 2 weeks to make its case not to engage in a significant sell-off. Things have been trending in the wrong direction for some time now, and the NL Wild Card race has muddied itself to the point that “clear and convincing evidence” against following through on the initial plan coming into the season becomes harder and harder to justify. That’s not to suggest that a Cardinals team that has been spiteful in the face of adversity wouldnt be capable of sneaking their way into the final spot even if they sell off short-term players and promote from within more exciting upside talent from this percolating Cardinals farm system. Key ingredients are missing from this recipe before it takes its final and most flavorful form of “deadline soup.” The Cardinals are running out of time, and Chef Bloom is ready to cook. What comes to boil could still be anyone’s guess, but our appetites for answers continue to increase with each passing day. I, for one, with spoon and bowl in hand, am ready to eat it up!

Let me know in the comments your thoughts on the direction you think the Cardinals will go. Who would you like to see them acquire? Who would you try to move out to try and extract value from? I’m eager to see where everyone’s palate for change is driving their craving!

-Thanks for reading

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Phillies news: Field of Dreams, trade deadline, Seth Halvorsen

Phillies News:

MLB News:

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Wrigley Rooftop-View Case Raises Proximity Issue Across Sports

The Chicago Cubs playing games in an “open-air stadium” doesn’t “transform the view” from a neighboring rooftop into Cubs property, Wrigley View Rooftop and owner Aidan Dunican argue in a recent court filing. And if it did, other teams, leagues and sports organizers could allegedly demand payment from neighbors who currently watch for free.

Wrigley View Rooftop and Dunican hope to persuade U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman to deny the Cubs’ summary judgment and a permanent injunction in the team’s misappropriation, trademark infringement and unjust enrichment lawsuit. The case, which began in 2024, centers on Wrigley View Rooftop selling access to a rooftop building where fans can watch Cubs games in person without paying the Cubs.

Wrigley View Rooftop maintains the Cubs seek a “new property right” in the form of “visibility of a live sporting event from neighboring private property,” with sightlines converted into property rights. The rooftop company asserts that if this “theory” were validated by the court, it would lack a “limiting principle” and its “consequences would extend far beyond Wrigley Field.”

To that point, Wrigley View Rooftop warns homeowners who live next to a golf course used for a PGA Tour tournament, restaurants overlooking a marathon route and bars along a NASCAR street race “could all be required to pay royalties merely because they profit from proximity to an event visible from their property.” 

There are counterarguments to this ominous prediction. There’s no reason to believe organizers of PGA tournaments, marathons, NASCAR races and similar sporting would ever demand payment, and thus the hypotheticals are arguably scare tactics rather than realistic consequences. 

A few months ago, Judge Coleman ruled that the Cubs’ claims are plausible. She stressed the team, which depicts Wrigley View Rooftop as illegally free-riding off the team’s financial investment in the playing of games, enjoys a property right in the product of live Cubs games produced at Wrigley Field.

In that discussion, Coleman referred to a court ruling from 1938 in which the Pittsburgh Pirates successfully blocked a radio station sending “observers” to watch games from a rooftop of a building adjacent to Forbes Field and using their observations to transmit an unauthorized radio broadcast of games.

The Cubs now seek a judicial finding from Judge Coleman that no reasonable jury could side with Wrigley View Rooftop, and a permanent injunction to effectively shut down Wrigley View Rooftop.

Through a brief authored by Matthew De Preter and Gary P. Hollander of Aronberg Goldgehn Davis & Garmisa on June 30, Wrigley View Rooftop insists the Cubs’ legal arguments should strike out.

Wrigley View Rooftop asserts its business model is straightforward and lawful. The company sells tickets to patrons who—unlike the observers in the Pirates case—don’t “record, retransmit, rebroadcast, report or relay” Cubs games but instead watch “live, in-person and in real-time” baseball games that the Cubs “choose to expose to public view.”

Along those lines, Wrigley View Rooftop stresses that people watching Cubs games from across a street aren’t engaged in a broadcast or other professional activity. Their watching of games shouldn’t “threaten the existence of Cubs baseball” or “undermine” the team’s “incentive” to stage games.

Wrigley View Rooftop also cites a section of the City of Chicago’s municipal code titled, “Rooftops in Wrigley Field Adjacent Area,” that contemplates rooftop seating as a lawful activity under certain conditions.

Further, Wrigley View Rooftop takes issue with comments by Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts, who, in a related litigation about a decade ago, compared people in the rooftops watching Cubs games to one neighbor looking through a second neighbor’s window to watch the hit show Homeland on Showtime, a premium-pay TV network.

“If Ricketts did not want anyone looking through the window,” Wrigley View Rooftop argues, “he should install curtains, and if the Cubs do not want anyone looking at Wrigley, they should install screens.”

Wrigley View Rooftop maintains the Cubs are not really opposed to rooftop seats, only to others owning those seats. 

In 2004, the Cubs and Wrigley View Rooftop resolved an earlier litigation over the same basic issues by entering into a 20-year revenue sharing agreement in which Wrigley View Rooftop shared a cut of its profits. The agreement, as described in court documents, prevented the Cubs from trying to block views from the rooftop seats with screens, obligated the Cubs to provide marketing and allowed Wrigley View Rooftop to use Cubs trademarks.

The two businesses couldn’t agree to new terms and their deal expired on Dec. 31, 2023. But Wrigley View Rooftop keeps selling seats and, the Cubs contend, continues to use trademarks of the MLB team. Wrigley View Rooftop argues it undertook substantial efforts to remove those trademarks from its marketing, website and brochures, though in court documents the Cubs have pointed to what they describe as continuing violations. 

The Cubs are also described as installing semi-transparent mesh screens “to obstruct the view” from the rooftop seats, which in turn caused Wrigley View Rooftop “to advise customers of the obstruction.”

In addition, Wrigley View Rooftop complains Cubs owners have known what they were getting into when they bought the team. Wrigley Field is a ballpark in the middle of a large city surrounded by tall buildings and “numerous rooftop businesses.” Over the years the Cubs have purchased some of those rooftop businesses, but not Wrigley View Rooftop.

Attorneys for the Cubs will have the chance to try to rebut these and other arguments in a reply filing that is due on Aug. 10.

No trial date has been set for the case, which could end in a settlement at any point. Given that the two sides are familiar to one another, there’s a chance they could strike a deal similar to the arrangement they negotiated in 2004.

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2026 Brewers Minor League Roundup: Week 17

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Manager Shane Victorino #11 greets Jesus Made #12 of the National League Futures team during the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Welcome back to the Minor League Roundup!

None of the Brewers’ minor league affiliates played more than three games this week because of the All-Star break, so this week’s roundup is going to look a little different. Rather than breaking down each affiliate individually, I’ve grouped together this week’s standout performances to highlight everything that happened around the farm over the last few games without getting repetitive. Let’s get into it.

Standout Performances:

Coleman Crow: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Tyson Hardin: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Josiah Ragsdale: 4-for-11, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K
Blake Burke: 4-for-12, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K
Jesús Made: 3-for-11, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K
Bishop Letson: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Travis Smith: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Josh Adamczewski: 5-for-12, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
Luis Peña: 3-for-10, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K
Braylon Payne: 3-for-13, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 6 K
Brady Ebel: 3-for-9, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K

Biloxi (AA) was the only Brewers affiliate to have a winning record this week, while the other three affiliates combined for just one win. That win came from the Nashville Sounds (AAA), who scored just eight runs in three games against the Norfolk Tides but pulled one out in the finale after Coleman Crow delivered a gem.

Crow, making his first non-rehab start in Triple-A since suffering a right forearm flexor strain over a month ago, certainly looked healthy, tossing six shutout innings while striking out six and allowing just one hit. Tyson Hardin didn’t quite match Crow this week, but he put together a quality outing of his own, allowing three hits and one earned run through six innings.

While no Nashville hitter had enough plate appearances to produce eye-popping numbers, the Sounds received contributions from a variety of players. Luke Adams, Jeferson Quero, and Brock Wilken homered, while Tyler Black, Jacob Hurtubise, and Darrien Miller chipped in with extra-base hits. Black led the Sounds with four hits in twelve at-bats.

Down in Biloxi, the Shuckers put together their 2-1 week largely thanks to the offense. Biloxi scored 21 runs in three games and still managed six runs in its only loss. The offense was led by Josiah Ragsdale, who reached base seven times in fourteen plate appearances and homered. He’s hitting .322 this year and .298 in fourteen games since being promoted to Double-A, although his 1.037 OPS with Biloxi is actually higher than it was with the Timber Rattlers.

Ragsdale, a seventh-round pick last year who has played himself into legitimate prospect status, just continues to stack good week after good week at the plate. He also has a solid glove and 70-grade speed. This is what 70-grade speed looks like:

Blake Burke continued to do what he’s done for almost a full year now: hit for extra bases. Burke collected three extra-base hits this week, including another home run, although six strikeouts in twelve at-bats isn’t exactly what the Brewers organization wants to see. Still, like with Andrew Fischer, it’s hard to complain too much as long as Burke remains one of Biloxi’s most productive middle-of-the-order bats.

Josh Adamczewski rounded out another productive week, leading the Shuckers with five hits. Since earning his promotion to Double-A earlier this summer, he’s done little to slow the momentum that’s made him one of the fastest-rising prospects in the Brewers’ system. Also — I didn’t include this video last week, but it’s worth watching:

Although Adamczewski led the Shuckers in hits, Jesús Made was probably the offensive standout, homering on the way to a six-RBI week. Baseball’s top prospect also walked three times while striking out only once, another reminder of just how advanced his approach is for a player his age.

Unlike most of the Brewers’ prospects, Made didn’t get much of a break, either. He and Luis Peña also represented the organization at the 2026 All-Star Futures Game, where Made went 1-for-3 with a single and drove in the National League’s lone run.

The pitching was just as encouraging. Bishop Letson tossed five scoreless innings, allowing only two hits while striking out four. Overall, Letson has now been pitching well for the better part of two months, which is great to see from the Brewers’ super-talented No. 9 prospect. Travis Smith also turned in a solid outing, allowing three hits and one run over four innings.

Neither High-A Wisconsin nor Single-A Wilson won a game this week, but a few of their top prospects are still worth highlighting. Braylon Payne struck out six times in thirteen at-bats, but he also added another home run, giving him eighteen on the season.

Luis Peña, the Brewers’ No. 2 prospect, went 0-for-3 in the Futures Game, but 3-for-10 with a pair of doubles this week. It’s great to see him back on the field — and producing — after the health scares that interrupted his season. Also, I wasn’t going to name a Play of the Week this week, but this is such an awesome play from Peña that it wins anyway.

Brady Ebel, the Brewers’ 2025 first-round pick, hit two home runs in one game on the way to a 3-for-9 week in Single-A. If you like meaningless stats, Ebel is hitting .348 with a 1.239 OPS since the Brewers drafted his brother. Jarrette Bonet (5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) turned in the best start of the week for the Warbirds.

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Orioles news: A brutal loss in Boston

Jul 20, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) reacts to striking out during the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Happy Tuesday, Camden Chatters! Did you watch last night’s baseball game between the Orioles and the Red Sox? It was pretty dumb. It’s not that the Orioles lost, which was disappointing but not that surprising. It was the way in which they lost. They made four errors!

A Jeremiah Jackson throwing error allowed a baserunner in the third inning, who later came around to score. Gunnar Henderson also made an error in the inning and didn’t catch a line drive that he probably should have gotten. Shane Baz pitched pretty well, but in the sixth inning, his throwing error allowed a runner to reach second. That runner ended up scoring. Taylor Ward made an error in the seventh inning that didn’t result in a run, but did cause Jim Palmer to exclaim disgustingly that they were playing terrible baseball.

The sloppy play aided in the loss, which actually saw some pretty good offense from the Orioles. They outhit the Red Sox, 11-10. Henderson doubled thrice. Tyler O’Neill had two hits and two RBI. The new guy, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, had a home run and an RBI single. The biggest disappointment on offense was so-called lefty killer Coby Mayo. Mayo managed to strike out three times against lefty starter Payton Tolle. Come on, Coby! That’s supposed to be the one thing you can do!

Probably the dumbest thing on the basepaths was when Pete Alonso was hit by a pitch and immediately got thrown out trying to steal second base with Henderson on deck. Henderson has his troubles, but he’s already doubled twice against Tolle in the game.

It’s a credit to the lineup that they were able to score five runs without Blaze Alexander, Adley Rutschman, or Samuel Basallo. But since the defense didn’t do its job and the relief pitching wasn’t perfect, it just wasn’t quite enough.

One thing I’ll say is that over the last year I had forgotten what it was like to care so much about baseball game. I like caring, even if it backfired on account of the Orioles playing dumb baseball. I will care again tonight, when the Red Sox try to win their 15th game in a row and the Orioles try to start a new streak.

The newly extended Kyle Bradish is pitching tomorrow for the Orioles. For the Red Sox, it’ll be another tough lefty in Ranger Suarez. Gulp. Game time is 7:10

Links

Orioles battle against red-hot Red Sox, but their 4 errors prove costly – The Baltimore Banner
This is what I’m saying!

Jon Meoli: Kyle Bradish’s extension adds to the good vibes around the Orioles – The Baltimore Banner
I sure hope Bradish brings those good vibes to the ballpark tomorrow.

Orioles place Rutschman on injured list with wrist injury, Basallo day-to-day – Baltimore Baseball
Rutschman is on his third trip to the IL and Basallo is day-to-day with a sore shoulder. Not great, Bob!

AL East Notes: Bassitt, Rodon, Scherzer, Santander – MLB Trade Rumors
I’ll be honest, I forgot Chris Bassitt was on the team. He could be back in mid-August. Great?

Birthdays and History

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have five Orioles birthday buddies, including Wei-Yin Chen, who turns 41. Chen was signed to a four-year contract after pitching in seven seasons with the Chunichi Dragons in Japan. He made 117 regular-season starts with the Orioles from 2012-2015 and got a very memorable win against the Yankees in game two of the 2012 ALDS.

Also born on this day in history are former Orioles Willie Eyre (48), Mike Bordick (61), Mark Williamson (67), and Moe Drabowsky (b. 1935, d. 2006).

On this day in 1990, Ben McDonald made his first major league start, and did so in style. Big Ben pitched a complete-game shutout against the Chicago White Sox. He allowed just four hits and struck out five. The Orioles won 2-0. It wasn’t his Major League debut; McDonald started his career with 12 games in the bullpen.

On this day in 1996, the Orioles traded Kent Mercker to Cleveland in exchange for Eddie Murray. Murray returned to Baltimore with 491 career home runs. He hit #500 on September 6th. It would have been cool if he ended his career in Baltimore, but he played in 55 games in 1997 for the Angels and Dodgers.

In 2000, the Orioles beat the Blue Jays, 8-5, in Toronto. Per Baseball Reference, this ended a 20-game Canadian losing streak for the Orioles in games against both the Blue Jays and Expos. Their last win in Canada came in June 1998.

One year ago today, the Orioles lost to the Guardians 10-5. Tomoyuki Sugano got knocked out in the fourth inning after allowing four runs, and relief pitcher Grant Wolfram later let things get out of hand. He gave up four runs in the seventh to make it a blowout. Ramón Laureano had two hits, including a home run, and four RBI.

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Tuesday Posted & Toasted Notes: Human Towns and pregame meals

A Brahminy kite eagle is pictured at KL Bird Park in Kuala Lumpur on December 27, 2023. (Photo by Mohd RASFAN / AFP) (Photo by MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

Don’t start reading this with high hopes. It’s July 21, so as much as I try, it’s not that I can gather a lot of links and put together tons of notes. Bad times ahead for a workaholic like myself.

  • Karl-Anthony Towns opened up about the emotional aftermath of winning the NBA championship during his appearance on Jay Shetty’s “On Purpose” podcast, how the achievement passed far quicker than he ever imagined, and admitted he struggled with suddenly having no basketball left to play after the Finals.
  • Kris Pursiainen of Daily Knicks only sees one LeBron James destination that could help the Knicks, or at least not hurt them too much.
  • Speaking of James, no decision arrived on Monday, only to shut Pat Bev’s mouth.
  • The Knicks, meanwhile, keep searching for a third-string center after Dallas matched their offer sheet for Moussa Cisse. Could SummerKnick Liam Robbins get the nod? Daily Knicks’ Kenny Kluska thinks so.
  • Josh Hart shared his pregame meal (not Mikes and Ikes). Could you guess it? Answer here.
  • Yes, it’s a slow day. What did you expect?
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Open Thread: Brent Barry has two NBA records for shooting percentages

INGLEWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 14: Brent Barry looks on during the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest as part of the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

I found this posted by the aptly named “Crazy Stats.”

“Brent Barry is the only player in @NBA history to lead the league in two-point percentage (58.8% in 2001-02) and in three-point percentage (47.6% in 2000-01).“

In back-to-back years Barry notched the best three-point shooting percentage followed by the best two-point shooting percentage while playing with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Add the 1996 Slam Dunk Contest and you’ve got some interesting trivia.

Barry, along with his father Rick Barry, were the second father-son duos to independently win NBA titles. The younger Barry earned his rings with San Antonio in 2005 and again in 2007.

Barry rejoined the Spurs from 2018-2024 in the front office as their vice president of basketball operations.

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

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Benches clear in Pirates-Yankees game after Santana shouts at Caballero

NEW YORK — Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Dennis Santana said he yelled at José Caballero for taking too long to get ready in the batter’s box, triggering a heated altercation in Monday night’s 8-5 loss to the New York Yankees.

Both benches and bullpens emptied after Caballero bounced into an inning-ending double play in the eighth. Santana got angry following the play, gesturing and shouting a few times at Caballero on the field.

“Just don’t (take) that long (at) home plate and that’s it,” Santana said when asked what he said to Caballero.

The right-hander was restrained by teammates Rafael Flores and Bryan Reynolds before order was restored after a few minutes without any punches or ejections.

“Dennis just got frustrated by something,” Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said. “Thankfully it didn’t end up being a big deal.”

Since the pitch clock was implemented in 2023, hitters are required to be in the batter’s box and facing the pitcher with eight seconds remaining on the clock. Caballero was trying to wait until the last second available during his at-bat, which lasted three pitches.

“I just grounded into a double play, turning my back to the coach at first base to give my guards to him, and he was chirping at me,” Caballero said. "I was a little bit surprised about it.”

Caballero had two hits, including a two-run double, before his at-bat against Santana, who has a 6.05 ERA in 44 appearances and gave up a game-ending two-run homer to Cleveland rookie Travis Bazzana on Saturday.

“At this point, he’s lucky he doesn’t get a ball right away because at this point, it’s been four years with the same rules, which we all should know about the rules,” Caballero said. “The whole league should know who I am, what I do (in) the box, and they should be aware of it. For you to get mad at something that the league’s implementing — you shouldn’t be mad at me, you should be mad at someone else.”

During New York’s 8-3 win in Toronto on June 14, Caballero was issued a warning for intentionally delaying an at-bat. He was warned by plate umpire Stephen Jaschinski that he would get an automatic strike called if it happened again, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke to Major League Baseball officials about it the following day.

“I know he does it every pitch. It’s his thing,” Reynolds said.

Caballero’s deliberate style in the batter’s box has periodically irked opponents, including the Yankees, who acquired him from Tampa Bay on July 31 last year.

As a rookie with the Seattle Mariners in June 2023, Caballero annoyed Yankees ace Gerrit Cole so much the right-hander threw a 97 mph fastball to him that landed high up on the backstop.

Cole’s pitch was in response to Caballero stepping out repeatedly during his first two plate appearances until the pitch clock was down to the eight-second requirement to be in the batter’s box and alert.

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LeBron James selects his next team: Latest updates, rumors, news

Any moment now we could be receiving alerts from X, formerly Twitter, about where LeBron James chooses to play next season.

We know the teams involved in the conversation surrounding James' decision: Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Multiple reports have concluded that there are truly three teams in contention between the Cavs, Sixers and Heat.

The Warriors feel like a pipe dream but also remain a team to look out for that could really shift the narrative. James and his camp have all the information they need, according to USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes. Now, he just weighs out all of his options.

As James continues to breakdown those options and select his team, rumors are still flying. Speculation is rampant.

Here's the latest news, updates and whispers about the LeBron James Decision 4.0:

Rich Paul: LeBron James won't be rushed

06:44 AM ET, July 21 2026, Marcus D. Smith

After NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed his desire for LeBron James to make his decision so the league can finish its schedule for the regular-season, it fell on deaf ears.

Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, James' agent. told Max Kellerman during their Game Over podcast that James won't "be rushed" into making a free agency decision.

"I saw Adam in New York and we discussed it," Paul said. "If (LeBron) doesn’t know – you can’t rush it … we’re not going to be rushed. It’s his choice to make.

"There’s been several people who called and said ‘hey Rich is there anymore that we should be doing?’ And my answer is no. We don’t need you to go above and beyond."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: LeBron James selects his next team: Latest updates, rumors, news

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Draymond Green clarifies comments about Warriors' offense with LeBron James

Draymond Green clarifies comments about Warriors' offense with LeBron James originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green doubled down on his vision for a LeBron James-led Warriors offense.

After stating in a reply to a fan’s post on Threads on Sunday that James would be the leader of Golden State’s offense if he were to join the team in NBA free agency, Green expanded on his expectation for the offense on the latest episode of his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show.”

“I’m gonna go be P.J. Tucker and become the greatest corner 3-point shooter of all time,” Green said after stating he would give the keys to the offense to James.

Green added that while he would remain open to being involved in the pick and roll, he recognizes there might not be much opportunity with James and Steph Curry on the floor together, which does not seem to bother him.

“If you cannot figure out how to play a role, you usually fail,” Green said. “And so for me, I know what spot would be open, is the corner.”

Green’s best 3-point shooting season came in 2023-24, when he shot 39.5 percent, followed by 2015-16, when he shot 38.8 percent. Throughout his 14-year NBA career, Green is a 32.1-percent 3-point shooter.

James has been one of the league’s most coveted free agents this offseason since announcing on June 30 that he would not return to the Los Angeles Lakers upon the expiration of his contract. The Warriors are among the potential suitors for the all-time great, and reportedly are competing with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers for his services.

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Mavericks need consistency from Morez Johnson Jr.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 15: (Editors Note: Tonal effects have been applied to this image) Morez Johnson Jr. #14 of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at UNLV on July 15, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Dallas Mavericks rookie Morez Johnson Jr. is leaving the Las Vegas Summer League with a mixed bag of tape to look over until the start of training camp.

Johnson started off hot in Las Vegas but eventually cooled down, which isn’t what Mavericks fans want to see. ESPN analyst Ben Golliver listed Johnson as the most inconsistent rookie at the Las Vegas Summer League.

“Johnson’s debut was a sight to behold: 27 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks against the Golden State Warriors. As that line suggests, the No. 9 pick was a wrecking ball on both sides of the court. To top off an excellent showing filled with above-the-rim highlights on both ends, the 6-foot-9 forward even stepped out to hit a 3-pointer. This was everything Dallas could have wanted to see: physicality, energy, versatility and a stretch element on offense,” Golliver wrote.

“Unfortunately, Johnson looked like a completely different player in the Mavericks’ next game, a loss to the Lakers. He committed seven fouls in 28 minutes, looked a step slow to react to the action in the paint and finished with just 10 points and five rebounds as the Mavericks were outscored by 22 points in his 28 minutes.”

Johnson will get opportunities to compete for minutes in his rookie season, especially with his former Michigan head coach Dusty May now leading the Mavs. There won’t be as much breathing room in Dallas as there was in Ann Arbor. There are other players who bring a lot to the table that could challenge Johnson for minutes, including the team’s newest trade acquisition, Zaccharie Risacher, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.

Johnson showed the best of what he can bring, along with the worst. He is coming into the league as a rookie, and that will come with its fair share of growing pains, but he needs to learn how to move on from those quickly.

Johnson’s role likely won’t feature him as much offensively as he played against Golden State, which means he has to learn how to fit in alongside Cooper Flagg as a role player. If he can find his lane, he’ll be just fine, but he needs to figure out how to complement his teammates while using the elite energy and physicality that made him a top-10 pick to begin with.

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What kind of Trade Deadline will the Yankees have?

Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Yankees general manger Brian Cashman before game two of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

We’re within two weeks of the MLB Trade Deadline, and things are pretty unsettled across the league. In the 12-team, three-Wild Card playoff era, it gets harder and harder to discern buyers from sellers, with so many teams within striking distance of a postseason spot. This year, a number teams that many figured would be also-rans, like the Cardinals and Marlins, are contending, while some presumed contenders, like the Mets and Tigers, are fading. Some teams that looked sure to sell not long ago (looking at you, Boston), look like they might buy, while other teams that perpetually seem to go all in (hello, San Diego, might now need to sell.

We have little idea what anyone’s going to do over the next couple of weeks, and that includes the Yankees. The baseline assumption is that they’ll buy, because of course they will, they’re the Yankees. But beyond that, exactly what kind of deadline New York has is an open question.

To my eye, the last decade of Yankees’ trade deadlines gives us a few archetypes. There’s the most flashy one: the full-scale renovation, the deadline that sees the Yankees part with buckets of prospects for several major-league contributors. Seasons like 2025 and 2017 come to mind for this archetype, and 2022 also might fit the standard as well. After that, there’s a deadline of still-impactful but more measured buying, where Brian Cashman makes a few significant moves, without overhauling a third of the roster at once. Years like 2018, 2021, and 2024 are probably the best examples here. And then there are the years where the Yankees mostly stand still, content to make one or two moves without really shaking the boat; think 2019, 2020, and 2023. There’s also, lastly, the Selling Deadline, which the Yankees have pursued just once this century in 2016, though the odds of that kind of deadline are low (but not zero with Aaron Judge still hurt!).

Which type of deadline do you think is most likely in 2026? For my money, the solid deadlines of 2018, and 2021, and 2024 feel like the best analogs. 2018 saw Cashman add a few pitchers (J.A. Happ, Lance Lynn, and Zack Britton), while taking a flyer on a bat in Luke Voit. In 2021, he brought in Anthony Rizzo, Joey Gallo, and Andrew Heaney, while in 2024 it was Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Mark Leiter Jr. That kind of deadline, where the Yankees target a few legitimate big-league contributors but don’t go crazy, generally feels like the median outcome for a Cashman deadline.

But there’s always a chance things go off script, in either direction. Maybe the Yankees see fit to turn over the roster like they did last year, or maybe they’ll make like 2023, the last time they entered the deadline with an injured Judge, when Cashman added an interesting relief arm in Keynan Middleton before calling it a day.

What do you think? Which route is most likely? And which do route do you think would be best for the Yankees with the roster in its current state?

On the site today, our Trade Deadline target series rolls along, with John analyzing Luis Arraez, a player the Yankees were often linked to a couple years ago. John will also profile Carsten Charles Sabathia on the occasion of his 46th birthday, while Matt will hand up the day’s Rivalry Roundup. Later, Michael recaps the last week of action down on the farm, and Peter delivers his At-bat of the Week.

Today’s Matchup

New York Yankees vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Time: 7:10 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, SportsNet Pittsburgh

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

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Wilt Chamberlain Lakers jacket found by teen at thrift store fetches over $89,000

Wilt Chamberlain Lakers jacket found by teen at thrift store fetches over $89,000 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

A warmup jacket worn by Wilt Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals that was bought by a teenager for $3.07 at an Oregon thrift store sold for $89,600 at auction on Monday.

Quinn Brown had been eyeing a massive bin of clothes at a Goodwill store outside Portland in January when he saw someone toss a Lakers jacket with Chamberlain’s name on it back on the pile. Brown, who resells used clothes online, quickly grabbed it.

The jacket was auctioned by Sotheby’s, which had estimated its value between $150,000 and $250,000 before bidding closed Monday. It received a total of 48 bids, according to the auction house.

Wilt Chamberlain Lakers jacketSotheby’s
This Wilt Chamberlain jacket worn by the Lakers star during the 1972 NBA Finals was auctioned off by Sotheby’s.

Described on Sotheby’s website as an “extraordinary piece of memorabilia,” the short-sleeved yellow warmup jacket was worn by Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals, in which the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks.

“I didn’t even think that finding something like this was possible,” Brown said. “I got very, very lucky.”

Chamberlain, an NBA Hall of Famer viewed as one of the all-time greats, played in the league from 1959 to 1973. He won two championship rings — one with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967, and another with the Lakers in 1972. He holds the record for most points scored by a player in a single game, netting 100 points in a 1962 match.

For the past three years, Brown has been reselling clothes online after finding them in thrift stores. The most expensive item he had sold previously was a T-shirt of Sub Pop Records, the indie label that signed Nirvana in 1989 and released the band’s first album. It went for $250.

After buying the Chamberlain jacket back in January, Brown searched online to see if it was worth something. He found a picture on Google of Chamberlain wearing such a jacket and compared it to the one he had.

In examining the Lakers patch on the front, he noticed certain small stitching details that matched the photo. He also looked up the measurements of a different jersey worn by Chamberlain, a towering figure at 7-foot-1, and discovered that they nearly aligned.

“I really just wanted to make sure, because it was so hard to believe at the time,” he said, adding that he had only ever read about such serendipitous thrift findings.

When he posted a photo of the jacket on social media, Sotheby’s contacted him about consigning the jacket to the auction house. Brown agreed, and an armored van came to pick it up.

Sotheby’s then did its own photo verification and determined that the jacket was worn by Chamberlain during the 1972 Finals, in which he was named the Finals MVP.

“Photomatching a piece of game-worn clothing to a specific Finals series, for a player of this era, is genuinely exceptional,” Sotheby’s website says. “As photomatched items worn by Chamberlain become exceedingly rare, this jacket is a piece of sports history.”

It is not the first Chamberlain item from the 1972 Finals to fetch a hefty sum under the hammer: A game jersey he wore during the series sold for $4.9 million at Sotheby’s in 2023, the fourth most expensive NBA jersey ever sold by the auction house.

As for his thrifted find, Brown said: “That was as good as it gets.”

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YouTube Gold: An HD Look At Larry Bird

BOSTON - 1990: Isiah Thomas #11 of the Detroit Pistons passes against Larry Bird #33 and Dennis Johnson #3 of the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1990 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1990 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

We’ve talked a lot about Larry Bird in this space, largely because Bird had a genius for basketball that is exceedingly rare. A lot of people think that Bird was too slow and couldn’t jump, and that he wouldn’t be able to play today.

People like JJ Redick, for one, who really should know better (Redick said that he didn’t think Bird was a top-five all-time three-point shooter).

Redick was born in 1984, so he was too young to see Bird in his prime, and may not have watched him much in his later years either to understand why he was such a feared shooter. That’s hard to know. However, the idea that Bird would struggle in today’s game is ludicrous, and this video partially demonstrates why.

You’ll see several things repeated here. For one, Bird on several occasions is on the floor and nonetheless still delivers pinpoint, lethal passes.

You’ll also see him make several passes to players behind him that he cannot possibly see. Nonetheless, he knows where they will be and delivers perfect passes for easy baskets, sometimes with 2-3 defenders in the way.

You’ll also see plays where he just touches the ball long enough to direct it to a teammate. It’s not exactly a pass; it’s more like a redirection.

As the narrator notes, Bird has superb situational awareness, and perhaps the best hand-eye coordination in the history of the game. But he also played as hard as anyone, and with an amazing amount of self-confidence.

This is a guy who said that he knew, on his third day of practice as a rookie, that he would dominate the NBA.

There are Larry Bird trash talking videos out there on the YouTubes, where he told his defenders exactly what he was going to do, and then did it.

And then there’s this: Bird played in an era when guys sometimes tackled each other in the open court and pulled each other down like they were in WrestleMania, not the NBA.

In this era, where you can’t defend physically as you could in the 1980’s, no one could have stopped Bird. He might have averaged 40 points in the modern NBA.

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LeBron James' agent stresses patience amid client's ongoing NBA free agency saga

LeBron James' agent stresses patience amid client's ongoing NBA free agency saga originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It is all quiet on the LeBron James front, and there is not much clarity on when the 22-time NBA All-Star might make his free-agency decision.

Which might make things difficult for the Warriors and James’ other reported suitors who still are looking to round out the top of their rosters this summer.

James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul addressed the ongoing standstill in his client’s free agency on the latest episode of his “Game Over” podcast with co-host Max Kellerman, which released Monday.

“We’re not going to be rushed,” Paul told Kellerman. “We’re not going to be rushed. It’s his choice to make and when he makes the choice, he’ll make it.”

Paul added that teams have circled back with him, asking if there is anything they can do to improve their standing in the race to sign James, to which the agent assured them his client has all the information he needs to make a decision.

“There’s been several people to call and say, ‘Hey, Rich, is there anything more we should be doing? We could be doing?'” Paul said. “And my answer is, ‘No. We don’t need you to go above and beyond about anything. We understand it. It’s clear. All the messages have been sent.’ “

While some have likened the spectacle surrounding James’ suspenseful free agency this summer to his free-agent experiences in the past, Paul clarified that the lengthy, ongoing wait for the 41-year-old’s decision this time around is not an intentional effort to generate attention.

“I think it’s important for people to understand: We’re not making this about attention and a spectacle,” Paul clarified. “It’s not about a ‘Decision’ or anything like that. He has a choice to make. He has a business choice to make. We’re not going to sit here and decide or allow someone else to decide when he makes that decision. … It’s a business choice that he’s making. And I think as an athlete, why is it that an athlete has to rush his choice?”

With teams like Golden State still needing to fill multiple roster spots at this point in the offseason, Paul urges those front offices to go about their business and do so as they wait for James’ decision.

“There’s roster spots that’s not filled,” Paul added. “If they want to fill their roster spots, we’re not saying don’t fill your roster spots.”

While some NBA insiders, and even former players, are reporting that James’ decision is imminent, Paul poured cold water on the notion that anyone knows what his client will do.

“These people don’t know anything,” Paul said. “I don’t know when his choice is going to be made, but it could be 48 seconds [from now]. It could be 48 minutes. I don’t know. Again, you can’t make somebody know something that they don’t know.”

Until we hear it from James himself, it is safe to assume his decision on where he will play his 24th NBA season, and perhaps longer, will remain a mystery.

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