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Bringing you the best and brightest that BtBS has to offer over the last few days.
Previously on Beyond the Box Score
Jason Kipnis Becoming a Great Second Baseman - By Ben Horrow - Beyond the Box Score
Ben takes a look at Kipnis being on the verge of proving himself a great second baseman. I have to agree because the first month and a half of the season was not kind to Kipnis but he has turned it around in a major way. Personally, I'm inclined to prefer him over the next six years than Robinson Cano but that's just me.Dodgers face tough decision with Crawford and Ethier in outfield - By Ben Horrow - Beyond the Box Score
The Los Angeles Dodgers are in a bit of a predicament with their outfield. Andre Ethier probably isn't going to bring a huge return for the team in a trade but they also don't have much use for him at this point. Whoever they trade him to could be getting a pretty good deal as he's a player that I wouldn't be surprised to see have an Alex Rios type rebound with a change of scenery.MLB Trade Rumor Analysis: Matt Garza - By Ken Woolums - Beyond the Box Score
Now that Ricky Nolasco has been traded and the Cubbies have already traded one starter in Scott Feldman it only seems likely that Garza will be on the move very soon. Where though? Ken gives us a solid run down of the teams interested and that have a need.MLB All-Star Game 2013: The 2013 BtBS NL All-Star Starters by Bryan Grosnick | Beyond the Box Score
The All-Star rosters have been announced, save for the final roster spot for each squad, but we here at BtBS did our own little bit of voting for the All-Star rosters so you should check them out.
Around the Sabersphere
The Marlins and Minimum Payrolls | By Dave Cameron | FanGraphs Baseball
This is one of those things that tends to grind my gears (pretend I'm saying that as Peter Griffin). The Miami Marlins have continued to skate by for years just barely operating a franchise that is floundering and the owner doesn't really care. He does what he needs to in order to make a buck and get what he wants. Dave takes us through how they operate and a minimum payroll floor tucked away in the CBA.Manny Machado leads youth brigade headed for All-Star Game - MLB - Joe Lemire - SI.com
Giving us a run down of some of the latest happenings around baseball, Joe walks us through the All-Star Game being headlined by some pretty young stars, looks at some of the biggest snubs, and even takes a look at what's happening to complete games.2013 All-Collapse All-Stars | By Chris Jaffe | The Hardball Times
This is a fun little piece by Chris that gives us a list of players that have gotten old very, very quickly this season.
Around SB Nation
When a double isn't a double at all - By Rob Neyer - Baseball Nation
As usual Rob brings us the unusual calls that occurred recently and I have to say, Buster Posey hitting a double that wasn't a double and getting to hit twice in a row is a pretty odd call. Gotta love the hidden gems that are the rules of baseball.Some Thoughts on Plate Discipline - By John Sickels - Minor League Ball
This is an interesting piece on plate discipline and the different types of players concerning it. John comes up with, and expands upon, five different categories to show a difference between different types of players.Getting to know the newest O: Scott Feldman - By punkrawka - Camden Chat
The Baltimore Orioles trading for the Chicago Cubs Scott Feldman was one of the first trades of importance that occurred leading into this thing we call the trade deadline. Feldman had a solid debut but there wasn't a whole lot of analysis on the trade itself so here you go.
