Mack’s Apples - Mike Moustakas, Rece Hinda, Mark Vientos, Manny Machado, Mets Empty Bench.

Royals Now Shopping   Mike Moustakas - 

Having traded Jon Jay and Kelvin Herrera, the Kansas City Royals are now shopping Mike Moustakas.

The issue for Kansas City may be that third base isn't a position many contenders need to fill.

Moustakas, 29, is hitting .263/.319/.480 with 14 home runs, 48 RBI and two stolen bases.

2019 Prospects –

Rece Hinds   SS/3B Niceville Senior

           PG Grade: 10 - Rece Hinds is a 2019 SS/3B/OF with a 6-3 195 lb. frame from Niceville, FL who attends Niceville Senior HS. Excellent physical frame with strength throughout and room to add more to the build; outstanding athlete. Primary shortstop with excellent arm strength across the diamond. Quick release and good lateral movements with a clean glove. Arm strength plays from the outfield as well; up to 94 mph. Gains momentum and gets weight well behind throws. Tools and arm strength are there to be an impact defender. Righthanded hitter with quick hands and easy, explosive bat speed. Huge power potential and whips the barrel through the zone with natural life. Stays on plane with good balance and the ball jumps off the bat. High end offensive talent with a strong set of tools. Named to the Junior National Showcase Top Prospect List. Excellent student. Verbal commitment to Louisiana State.

My 1st look at Mark Vientos , 3B, Kingsport Mets –

        

   A lot of oppo pop.  He hit a ball to right center that didn’t appear to come off the bat very square and it one hopped the wall about 380′.  Not too many 18 year olds can do that.  I would put the raw power at 55 with the chance to get to 60 soon and maybe 70 at peak.   The game power will be dictated by swing plane.  With current swing the HR’s will likely top off in the low 20’s.  With lift it’s a legit 30 HR bat but that could come with more swing and miss.

He had a fairly quiet day at 3B but he did handle a hot shot cleanly and made a strong throw.  Plenty of arm for the position.

Not a runner.

Manny Machado's  sweepstakes are underway - and Dodgers are favorites to acquire him –

The Los Angeles Dodgers are playing it coy, acting as if they can’t take on money, won’t give up prized prospects, and aren’t hellbent on returning to the World Series again.

Don’t be fooled.

They are poised to land Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado.

The Mets And Pirates Managed To Empty The Benches For No Reason At All –

              

         In the top of the eighth inning, Pirates infielder Josh Harrison slid into second to try and break up a double play. His slide went directly over the base and forced Mets second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera to make a late throw to first. The slide was clean. Cabrera wasn’t even a little bit mad about it. Pitcher Jeurys Familia, however, was mad about it, and yelled something at Harrison as he tried to leave the field:

Harrison yapped back, which got both teams out of the dugout and both bullpens emptied, and led to a ridiculous scene in which Cabrera, the guy Familia was ostensibly sticking up for, gently hugging Harrison in order to protect him from his rowdy Mets teammates.