Garrett Jones is, in fact, the guy NYY want in any Burnett deal with the Pirates,but PIT not interested in moving Jones. No traction so far.

Yankees know they will have to eat a huge portion of $35 million owed to Burnett in any deal -- maybe in $25m to $27m range.

IMO: If the Pirates negotiate NYY down to where they pay $8mish total to Burnett over next two years, they could get really good return.

"Total speculation: I wonder if a Garrett Jones/A.J. Burnett swap might make sense, with the Yankees eating about 90 percent of owed Burnett."
From Buster Olney's Twitter

#Pirates inquired about Roy Oswalt and were willing to jump into bidding, but were rebuffed.

Why two points for a sacrifice bunt or fly? That’s as many points as a double.: Well, if I were creating the system I might not have given two points for a sac bunt or fly, but Clint Hurdle once told me the most important thing you can do as a manager is convince 25 guys that the team is more important than they are. Once you do that, amazing things are possible.

I can almost see the Orioles or Pirates going there if the price is right, even on a four-year deal.

Should we have any interest in detwiller now that Nast have gio?

All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder confirmed Wednesday what Milwaukee Brewers fans have feared -- that this season is "probably the last year" with the Brewers.

McCutchen has been hit by a pitch nine times this year, which is two more beanings than he got in his first year and a half in the majors. He said both left- and right-handed pitchers are coming inside against him more often.

"That's their game plan -- not necessarily to throw at me, but to come in for a purpose," McCutchen said. "I'm really starting to see it a lot more as the season goes on. And when they're missing in, they're hitting me."

9/2/11 Cubs v Pirates thread????

Kevin Correia to the DL