MLB Bullets Welcomes "Mr. 4000"

It seems that after over a year of working on it, ESPN is pulling out of a documentary done in conjunction with PBS's Frontline about the NFL and concussions called "League Of Denial." They claim they had a problem with Frontline maintaining editorial control about what appeared on PBS, although they would have editorial control on anything they decided to televise on ESPN's Outside the Lines. ESPN claims it has nothing to do with the NFL strongly disapproving of the documentary nor maintaining the relationship ESPN has with the NFL through Monday Night Football. In my opinion, Ryan Braun is a lot more believable than that.

• Let's start out on a positive note as Ichiro Suzukigot his 4000th hit on Wednesday, combining his totals in NPB and MLB. Jim Caple has an appreciation of his marvelous career.
• Pete Rose had to stick his nose into it to say that Ichiro's totals don't count towards taking the "hit king" title away from him and that if Ichiro gets credit for his hits in Japan, he wants credit for his hits in the minor leagues. My position on this is that Pete Rose needs to relax. First of all, comparing his hits in D Ball to Ichiro's in NPB is ridiculous. But more to the point, Rose is right. I'm fully of the opinion that had Ichiro played his whole career in MLB, he would have broken Rose's record. But he didn't and we can't rewrite history. But what we can do is take Ichiro's Japanese career and add it to our evaluation of what a truly wonderful ballplayer he is. That's a lot more important than some silly record. And mentioning that he now has 4000 hits is no threat to you, Charlie Hustle. Ichiro will still make it to Cooperstown before you.
• On to more serious topics, Jason Heywardwas hit in the jaw by a pitch from Jonathon Niese. Heyward had surgery to repair his jaw and he's expected to miss most or all of the rest of the regular season, although the Braves are optimistic that he'll be back for the playoffs.
• Obviously the Braves aren't going to need Heyward to make the postseason this year, but David Schoenfield says that they may be in trouble if Heyward isn't ready to go in October.
• Later in the day on Wednesday, the Astros Max Stassi was also hit in the face by a pitch.
• Gwen Knapp believes that hitting a ballplayer in the head with a pitch should be an automatic ejection and suspension, whether it was intentional or not. It's something to think about, at least. I would worry about the strategic use of a modern real-life Ernie Pantusso though.
• Getting back to the Yasiel Puig controversy from last time, Bill Plaschke thinks that the Dodgerssent the wrong message by letting Puig play in last Tuesday's game against the Marlins. Unsurprisingly to anyone who's ever read Plaschke before, he believes that Puig needs to behave better, even comparing him to a six-year old at one point.
• Jay Jaffee admits that Puig makes a lot of mistakes, on and off the ball field, but believes that everyone needs to remember that his positives outweigh the negatives.
• Tim Brown compares the young Puig to the young Vladimir Guerrero and thinks everyone just needs to give Puig some space. He's bright and he'll learn eventually.
• Craig Calcaterra says the debate about Puig says a lot more about us than it does about Puig,
• Ryan Braun issued a long apology and explanation for his PED use.
• Jon Heyman thinks Braun's statement is a good start, but not nearly enough.
• David Ortizcriticized his teammate Ryan Dempster for hittingAlex Rodriguez
• Doug Glanville says that Dempster has rallied the Yankees to ARod's side.
• Rodriguez told his legal team and other spokesmen to "stifle themselves" for the time being.
• A federal grand jury has received documents connected to the now-closed Biogenesis Clinic.They are more likely investigating the clinic than the players, but the players could be forced to testify under oath.
• Just a couple days after being claimed by the Nationals, the Tampa Bay Raysput in a waiver claim on David DeJesus. His stay in the nation's capital may be short-lived.
• Angels manager Mike Scioscia is pleased with his new second baseman, Grant Green, but says the Athletics never taught him to bunt. However, he does have 12 career sacrifice bunts in the minors.
• Dave Cameron asks "How much money would you offer Mike Troutto get him to sign a one year free agent contract. I'm thinking $35 million, but for that kind of money, he needs to be my butler on off-days,
• The Phillies decline is a result on them "Doubling down" on aging veterans, writes Joe Posnanski.
• The Rays, on the other hand, doubled down on youth and their decisions have paid off. I sure would like Chris Archer back.
• Cal Ripken Jr. is thinking about getting into managing. He'd probably be good at it, other than never letting his starters have a day off.
• Bruce Bochy can see Buster Poseyas a full-time third baseman sometime in the future.
• Both Barry Zito and Tim Lincecum will be free agents this winter, but their paths are likely to diverge after that,.
• Clayton Kershawcontinues to have a season for the ages.
• Daisuke Matsuzaka is joining the Mets.
• Dusty Baker has actually been properly managing a bullpen lately.
• Brandon McCarthy has found a mechanical flaw that may be the cause of his poor season. He believes it may be related to his concussion as well.
• Kolten Wong making the majors has a lot of people in his home state of Hawaii happy.]
• Baseball Prospectus looks at 11 plays from baseball history they'd like to see overturned on instant replay.
• Diane Pucin takes a look back at Glenn Burke, the first baseball player to announce he was gay. Many of his teammates on the Dodgers teams in the late-70s knew about his sexual orientation and didn't care.
• Finally, a must-read. In an article that only Jayson Stark could do, he traces the history of the secret baseball language of "Glove Talking."