Here we are … the end of the road. The last day of All-Star Week before we head into a “normal” baseball weekend.
Yeah, I know, I know — there were games yesterday, but it takes a bit for stuff to settle after all the Midsummer Classic festivities.
And, truth be told, baseball stuff won’t settle down to the pennant races proper for at least another week or so.
Why? Well, because it’s Trade Deadline Season, that’s why!
In this era when more teams have a shot at the playoffs as August rolls around than Ted Kluszewski had disembodied shirt sleeves in his clothes hamper, that makes for some interesting rumors and rumblings.
And, just maybe, actual deals.
I mean, it would be pretty wild to see Juan Soto hit the road just days after he played in the All-Star Game and won the Home Run Derby, wouldn’t it?
Yet, that’s one of the more prominent rumblings making the rounds right now.
It wouldn’t be completely unprecedented for an All-Star to find himself in new climes not long after big game, though. Bert Blyleven, for one, pulled off the feat in 1987 (with some help from the Indians and Twins).
Of course, Be-Home didn’t win a Home Run Derby, though his performance on the mound sometimes devolved into that — dude gave up 430 gopher balls in his career.
Ratcheting up the stakes a bit, there have also been plenty of other Hall of Famers traded at or near a trade deadline (though not necessarily in the year they were All-Stars).
We ran through some of those jettisoned legends over on the blog awhile back — fun list to put together … hope you enjoy it, too! You can read that one right here.
Now, back to the grind (in a good way) of the baseball season.
Before I go, though, a question …
Have you enjoyed this All-Star week here at the newsletter? Would you like to see other “theme” weeks down the road?
Enjoy the rumor mill … it’s gonna be fun!
Thanks for reading.
—Adam