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Mets 5, Marlins 1: Bay Hits Grand Slam(?)

Final Score: Mets 5, Marlins 1

Player of the Game: Jason Bay- 2-for-4, first-inning grand slam

Goat of the Game: Scott Hairston- 0-for-4, 2 K

Jason Bay hit a grand slam. I know, I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it actually happened! The struggling Bay, who was hitting .152 coming into today’s game in Miami, had been hitting .120 since returning from a concussion in July and lost a big chunk of his playing time. Normally on days when Bay is playing I can pencil him in the “Goat of the Game” section, but the grand slam came as a huge shocker.

Bay’s grand slam was part of a five-run first inning off Mark Buehrle, who just had a rough inning. Before Bay’s home run, David Wright grounded out with Ronny Cedeno scoring on the play. After the first, the Mets were in control with the five-run lead.

What Will The Rest Of The NL East Be Doing At The Deadline?

Well, it’s not just transaction season for the Mets. The rest of the National League East may also be wheeling and dealing towards the deadline. Here’s a team-by-team breakdown.

Nationals- buyers

With an excellent first half and nowhere to go but up, the Nationals will surely be looking to upgrade their lineup as the trade deadline approaches.

The Nationals’ pitching staff is fine. They’re first in baseball in ERA, WHIP, and Batting Average Against, as well as third in quality starts. They have a dominant rotation and a stellar closer in the back of their bullpen. That’s not what needs help. It’s the lineup that has people questioning the legitimacy of the Nationals.

There are definitely some veteran bats on the market. With Steve Lombardozzi and Michael Morse both struggling in the corner outfield spots, the Nationals could look to add a power bat to a home run-hungry lineup. Who knows? Maybe they could even be involve in the Justin Upton sweepstakes.

Braves- buyers
The Braves will be big-time buyers this summer. With Randall Delgado and Mike Minor struggling this season, their clear weakness is the starting rotation. They did recently get Jair Jurrjens back after a lengthy stint in the minors and he seems to be back to his old self, but they still need another starter or two.

The Braves seem to be looking at an impact player to add to their roster. If they add a starter, it will likely be one of the better ones on the market, such as Zack Greinke, Matt Garza, or Cole Hamels. An ace at the top of the rotation could put the Braves over the top.

Atlanta is another team that could be involved in Justin Upton trade talks. Buster Olney yesterday suggested (on Twitter) that the Braves would be a good fit, as Upton would provide payroll stability and would balance the lineup. He said if the Braves would make a move for Upton, it would be centered around Martin Prado and pitching prospects.

The biggest buyers in the division may just be the Atlanta Braves. They certainly have the pitching and desire to make some big deals.

Marlins- staying put

The Marlins may be stuck in the middle. After making some big-money deals this summer, signing Heath Bell, Mark Buehrle, and Jose Reyes to huge deals, Miami may not be able to afford to acquire too much later this month.

However, with a young nucleus of players and a brighter (f only slightly brighter) future ahead of them, the Marlins probably won’t be sellers either.

There haven’t been too many trade rumors surrounding the Marlins so far and there probably won’t be anytime soon. I epect them to stay put at the deadline and make a run next year.

Phillies- sellers

Oh how the tide has turned! After a terrible first half in which the they fell to 13 games under .500 and 14 games back in the division, the Phillies have no shot at the playoffs this year. They will be sellers.

The Phillies certainly have a lot to dump on their roster. If contract negotiations fail with Cole Hamels, he will surely be traded. They also have Shane Victorino, another upcoming free agent with some value.Both could fetch a decent price in the trade market.

I think the Phillies really got unlucky this year. Had Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Roy Halladay been healthy all season, we would be talking about them as buyers. However, they weren’t and their future is at risk now if they have to deal Victorino and Hamels. Even with a healthy team next year, I doubt they can even make the playoffs without those two returning.

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