MY BASEBALL BIAS

Baltimore (49-55, 22-31 away) @ Boston (64-41, 34-19 home)
Starters: BAL: Bedard (10-4, 3.05 ERA) vs. BOS: Beckett (13-4, 3.27 ERA)

White Sox (48-57, 24-29 away)@ NY Yankees (56-49, 32-20 home)
Starters: CHW: Contreras (5-13, 6.22 ERA) vs. NYY: Mussina (5-7, 4.77 ERA)

Toronto (52-53, 21-33 away)Tampa Bay (40-65, 24-30 home)
Starters:  TOR: Litsch (3-4, 4.01 ERA) vs. TAM: Jackson (2-10, 7.00 ERA)

The Boston Red Sox bolstered their bullpen today by landing closer Eric Gagne of the Texas Rangers. In return, the Red Sox will send left-handed pitcher Kason Gabbard and Minor League outfielders David Murphy and Engel Beltre to Texas.

Upon hearing the news of the trade, Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon said, “Pretty amazing day, isn’t it?”

A few things had to happen in order for Gagne to join the Red Sox:

1. He had to waive his no-trade clause. It is believed that he will be compensated financially for waiving his no-trade.
2. He had to agree to become the set-up man. Many thought this would be the major hang-up in any deal with Boston because Gagne has made it perfectly clear in the past that he only wanted to be a ninth inning guy.

So the Red Sox lose a spot starter and a few prospects for a two-month rental which undoubtedly gives them the leagues most dominate bullpen. Gagne has been having a strong year in Texas (2-0, 2.16 ERA and 16 saves) and seems to have regained his past form which made him a Cy Young award winner with the Dodgers in 2003. That year he saved 55 games and struck out 137 batters in 82.1 innings. From 2002-2004 , he set a MLB record of 84 straight converted save chances.

This deal makes the Red Sox the trade deadline winners. There will be no need for any Red Sox starter to pitch more than 8 innings anymore with Hideki Okajima, Gagne and Papelbon closing out games. It will allow them to be ultra-conservative with their pitching core as we approach the home stretch of the season.

In the deal, the Red Sox gave up pitcher Kasson Gabbard who was stepping in for the injured Curt Schilling. Gabbard posted a 4-0 record in 7 starts with a 3.73 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP.

David Murphy has been with AAA-Pawtucket and posted pretty good numbers batting .289 with 9 HRs and 47 RBI. He was on track to be no more than a fifth outfielder however in the organization.

Steve from Sox and Dawgs has this on Engel Beltre:

Beltre, a 16-year-old prospect from the Dominican, is a left handed hitting outfielder with some power, a strong throwing arm and plays exceptional defense. He signed last year with the Red Sox as an under 17 year old free agent for a reported $600,000 dollars. Beltre participated in extended spring training and then was playing this year in the Dominican Leagues.

Expect the Gagne fireworks to begin tomorrow night. If he’s late for some reason, expect another police escort from the airport, similar to the one Mirabelli got last year.

Gordon Edes is reporting that the Jermaine Dye to Boston deal probably won’t happen.

With an hour before the trade deadline, indications are that a deal that would bring Jermaine De to Boston is increasingly unlikely. Word out of New York was that Dye’s agent, Robert Bry, was working on a contract extension with the Chicago White Sox.

I don’t think the Red Sox ever had the right package put together for White Sox GM Kenny Williams.

Ken Rosenthal is breaking the news again. Jesus, does this guy sleep?

The Red Sox are on the verge of winning the Eric Gagne sweepstakes, pending his approval and a review of his medical records, according to major-league sources. Gagne must waive his no-trade clause to Boston for the deal to be completed. It is possible the Red Sox will allow him to share the closer’s role with Jonathan Papelbon. The Rangers would receive right-hander Kason Gabbard and an additional player or players in the deal, sources say.

Before reaching agreement with the Red Sox, the Rangers had discussed trading Gagne to the Mets, Yankees and Brewers. He could have been sent to each of those teams without his permission.

Gagne could reject the deal because of his desire to remain a closer with the Rangers rather than share the role with Papelbon or become his setup man.

The Red Sox also could attempt to persuade him to waive his no-trade protection by guaranteeing all or part of his remaining $3.65 million in potential bonuses for games finished.

If Gagne agrees, the Red Sox will be dominate after the sixth inning.

Picture this:

• 7th inning: Hideki Okajima
• 8th inning: Eric Gagne
• 9th inning: Jonathan Papelbon

That will be an almost unstoppable bullpen. The only thing the Red Sox should be cautious about is Gagne’s injury history.

3B - Wilson Betemit

Scott Proctor is gone.

The Dodgers and Yankees have agreed in principle on a trade that would send reliever Scott Proctor to the Dodgers for infielder Wilson Betemit, sources told ESPN The Magazine’s Buster Olney.

The Dodgers, who have a 5.61 bullpen ERA since the All-Star break, have been in on a number of trade discussions involving relievers but zeroed in on Proctor over the last 24 hours.

The Yankees view Betemit as another first-base/DH/bench option for this year, and a potential third-base replacement for Alex Rodriguez next year.

Betemit is batting .231 with 10 home runs and 26 RBIs this season off the Dodgers’ bench. Proctor is 2-5 with a 3.81 ERA, and his 54 1/3 innings out of the Yankees’ bullpen are tied for fourth-most among AL relievers.

Yankee fans will soon be seeing Joba Chamberlain in the bullpen probably by the weekend.

Now if they can only find a team to take Kyle Farnsworth.

Also… it doesn’t look like the Yankees are very optimistic about acquiring Eric Gagne reports Ken Rosenthal.

Baltimore Orioles

Roch Kubatko who writes Roch around the Clock for the Baltimore Sun reports that ” the Orioles don’t appear to be close to making a deal right now”.  He also gives his opinions on Mark Teixeira and Eric Bedard, saying, the he would not even consider trading away the staff ace.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays 

Marc Topkin writes The Heater for the St. Petersburg Times and he reports that nothing much is happening at the moment.  A few relievers, Al Reyes and Dan Wheeler, might still be moved by the 4:00 p.m. deadline. Johnny Gomes and catcher Josh Paul could help teams as well.

Toronto Blue Jays 

I am hearing nothing from the Blue Jays.  The Troy Glaus rumors are probably just that, rumors.

RHP Jeff Niemann

One of the Devil Rays top pitching prospects was removed last night from his minor league outing after just five pitches.

The Rays said he was removed from the game “as a precaution due to right shoulder fatigue.” He will be examined further but the Rays said “early reports are fairly positive.”

Niemann had an 11-5 record and 3.82 in what had been his first injury-free pro season, and recently had the honor of not only being selected for the All-Star Futures Game but starting for the U.S. team.

This doesn’t seem to be too serious, but it may disrupt his call to the majors come September.  We’ll see.

RHP Joel Piniero

From Gordo Edes at the Globe:

The Red Sox today traded righthanded pitcher Joel Pineiro and cash considerations to the St. Louis Cardinals for a player to be named later.

Pineiro was 1-1 with a 5.03 ERA in 31 relief appearances with the Red Sox this season before being designated for assignment on July 23. He accepted an optional assignment to Triple-A Pawtucket on July 25.

The “Joel Piniero Experiment” is now “officially” over. Red Sox nation will probably sleep easier tonight.

Here’s the latest on the trade front:

• The Yankees are still trying to put together a deal to acquire Eric Gagne. Of course we all know by now that they aren’t giving up pitchers Phillip Hughes, Joba Chamberlain or Ian Kennedy, but may feel comfortable parting with pitcher Alan Horne and another prospect. The Yankees are really in the driving seat on this one because Gagne can’t nix a deal with his limited no-trade clause. He can say no to the Red Sox however, who are said to be interested as well, although, Gordon Edes reported this morning that the Rangers may be trying to sign Gagne to an extension.

• A possible Scott Proctor for Wilson Betemit deal may get done by the deadline reports ESPN’s Buster Olney.

• Kyle Farnsworth has pretty much written his own ticket out of town with his comments after Sunday’s game against the Orioles. He showed up manager Joe Torre earlier in the season and did the same with cathcer Jorge Posada this past weekend. I guess the Yankees are “begging” teams to take him. The Tigers are a real possibility.

• Jermaine Dye is still on the Red Sox radar and have made their final offer putting the ball in the court of the White Sox. The White Sox may be trying to sign Dye to a contract extension reports Ken Rosenthal. Dye does have a no-trade clause and can nix the deal to Boston if he feels his playing time will be reduced.

I’ll be here all day updating as news becomes available.

at Tampa Bay 5, Toronto 4 - W: Dohmann (1-0) L: Wolfe (2-1)

Crawford sinks Jays [Toronto Star]
Crawford Hits A Magical Winner [Tampa Tribune]

Game Notes:

• Carl Crawford returned from a wrist injury and hit a walk-off home run in the 11th inning to lift the Rays to victory.

• Johnny Gomes and B.J. Upton also homered for the Rays.

• Blue Jays start Dustin McGowan allowed two runs and four hits in six innings.

• Newly acquired relievers Grant Balfour and Dan Wheeler made their debuts for the D-Rays last night. They combined to pitch 2 innings of 1 hit ball.

• Ray’s starter Andy Sonnanstine allowed four runs and six hits in six and two-thirds innings.