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07/15 23:14 CDT Futures Game a showcase of potential Machado trade chips
Futures Game a showcase of potential Machado trade chips
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Sports Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) --- Touki Toussaint was about to settle down for his pregame
nap when Atlanta Braves director of player development Dom Chiti called.
"When I saw his name pop up, I did kind of get nervous," Toussaint said. "You
see that name pop up, you're like, 'Oh, snap.'"
Chiti was calling earlier this weekend to ask the highly touted pitching
prospect if he'd like to play in the All-Star Futures Game. But this time of
year, Toussaint and minor leaguers all over baseball are right to wonder when
the phone rings.
Before Manny Machado arrived for the All-Star Game, the Futures Game on Sunday
was a who's who of prospects bandied about in trade talks for the Baltimore
Orioles shortstop and others expected to be moved before the July 31 non-waiver
deadline. New York Mets prospect Peter Alonso hit one of eight home runs in the
game as the United States beat the World 10-6, a three-hour respite from the
rumors.
"There's definitely a lot of talk going around with trades and all that," said
Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Keston Hiura, who has been mentioned as
possible trade chip for Machado. "There's always questions of who's getting
moved and all that. ... Whatever happens talking wise or behind the scenes,
that's out of our control."
A couple players in this game already know what these guys are going through.
Luis Basabe went to the Chicago White Sox in the trade that netted the Red Sox
lefty starter Chris Sale, and Dawel Lugo was part of the haul the Detroit
Tigers got from the Arizona Diamondbacks for J.D. Martinez.
Alonso's seventh-inning home run came off Philadelphia Phillies right-hander
Adonis Medina, whose wild pitch on a strikeout allowed the go-ahead run to
score. Medina has also been linked to Machado with the Phillies showing serious
interest.
New York Yankees pitching prospect Justus Sheffield allowed a home run and had
a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings of work. Sheffield is considered untouchable even
with the Yankees trying to catch the Boston Red Sox in the AL East.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have plenty of prospect ammunition to get in on the
Machado sweepstakes, including catcher Keibert Ruiz and outfielder Yusniel
Diaz. Ruiz and the Dodgers got a scare when he injured his right hand on a foul
tip in the seventh inning, but he said X-rays showed it was not broken.
"I was very worried," said Diaz, who hit two home runs for the World. "He's a
good teammate and at this point we're almost like brothers, so I was very
concerned."
Injuries are reason for concern, but Brewers pitching prospect Luis Ortiz
doesn't worry about being traded after going from Texas to Milwaukee at the
deadline two years ago.
"Being traded the first time caught me really off-guard, especially when I was
with Texas, 19, 20 years old in Double-A," said Ortiz, who got the final out
for the U.S. on Sunday. "But now that (there's) another trade talk and my
name's getting brought up more and more in trades and Keston, it's more like
you want to keep an eye on it, but then at the same time you've got to let it
go, do your thing."
A conversation with Matt Garza also settled Ortiz's mind when the longtime
major leaguer told him to pitch for the Brewers and any other teams watching.
His advice to Hiura is to ignore social media, but players know that's easier
said than done.
"I get tagged on Twitter 24/7," said Toussaint, who was traded from Arizona to
Atlanta three years ago. "I don't pay attention to it. I just go out there and
try to win games for my team."
While U.S. manager Torii Hunter was beating close friend, former teammate and
World manager David Oritz , he was so impressed by Alonso's home run that he
invoked another retired power hitter.
"That is some Mark McGwire-type stuff," Hunter said. "I won't forget that name."
Cincinnati Reds prospect Taylor Trammell had a home run and a triple and was
picked as the MVP. His bat is going to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New
York.
With the Mets and Reds looking to sell and get younger, Alonso and Trammell can
breathe easy for the next couple of weeks. Prospects playing for contenders try
to look at is as a positive that they're sought-after commodities.
"It's always good when a team values you, whether it's your team or another
team," Hiura said. "Being in that position, it definitely helps your confidence
and it helps you want to play and improve every day."
