Winter Must Be Coming

[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></v:path> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></o:lock> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Image result for funny injury photos" style='width:450pt;height:300pt; visibility:visible'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\TIMDIL~1\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.jpg" o:title=""></v:imagedata> </v:shape><![endif][if !vml][endif]Chiraq – We may be heading into the dog days of the Professional Fantasy Baseball League season but it sure is getting chilly for some teams this week. Heading into the stretch run of the season, some injuries have plagued some big names. A whopping 55 MLB players have found their way to the disabled list already this month. Just within the last week both Clayton Kershaw (back) of the Oakland A’s and Stephen Strasburg (right elbow) of the Washington Nationals have found their way to the 10-Day DL.

“Never easy to lose your ace” said Oakland A’s Co-owner and President of Baseball Operations Steve Quarnstrom, “We trust the medical staff to take the right course of action and make sure Clayton is as healthy as possible as quickly as possible. When it comes to back injuries, it’s like a BBW, always weighing on your mind”

“…Tough to lose a guy like Stephen (Strasburg) but we don’t think the injury is too serious…” commented Nationals owner Kyle Jakowitsch. “Our front office has done a great job adding depth at the starting pitching position and will be looking for (those) guys…to step up and fill the void.”

David Price of the Blue Jays is the most recent pitcher to hit the DL, but it’s not just pitchers going down either, Detroit’s SS Carlos Correa (left thumb), Chicago Cubs’ 1B Justin Bour (oblique) and Los Angeles Dodgers’ OF Dexter Fowler (left wrist). “Dexter’s injury comes at a bad time while we are hanging in the wild card hunt, but our team plays with the next man up mentality…” LA Dodgers’ GM Andy (Bernard) Mason said. Sounds like a whose mans’ issue if you ask this reporter.

With the 2017 trade deadline three days away and the amount of injuries seen, league owners, similar to Smalls watching Benny “The Jet” dance on third, are expecting some fireworks. Rumors have been swirling for weeks with many teams, like those Rocky Mountain peaks trying to blockbuster anything possible, too bad it’s 2016 and not the ‘90s. The trading block is littered with almost anything you could ask for short of a rub and tug.

Tim Dillon owner of the Yankees chimed in on his thoughts of the craziness of the deadline and stated, “The deadline is what separates the men from the boys. You find out what teams are going for it all and what teams are going back to square 1. It’s going to get hectic a couple hours before the deadline comes, so strap down your shoes, put on your cleanest pair of underwear, and get ready for the shit storm ahead!”

P.S. Does Kershaw need to not throw no-no’s or perfect games anymore or do catcher’s need to learn how to give a celebratory hug better. Back when guys would just shake hands there weren’t back injuries, just sayin’…