Jays unfairly ripped by media for Halladay negotiations; more notes … The Blue Jays came out of the trading deadline with the best pitcher in baseball, not only for the rest of this season but also next, and yet the consensus among media pundits was to assign them to the “losers” column in their unofficial scorekeeping.

Minor League Update  —  Just confusing  —  Drew Stubbs, OF, Reds (Triple-A Louisville)  —  Monday's stats: 3-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB, SB  —  So the Reds keep throwing Willy Taveras out in centerfield pretty much every day, despite the fact that he's pulling off the rare double treat …

Florida Marlins Team Report  —  INSIDE PITCH  —  The Marlins are hoping their two most recent wins showcased the way they'll play into October.  They got the wins with big hits by players not named Hanley Ramirez.  —  On Friday it was clutch hits by catcher John Baker and pinch-hitter Wes Helms.

Against All Odds, Nats Rally for a Win  —  Fangraphs.com is a Web site that specializes in seamhead mathematical analysis; it is the left hemisphere of a baseball nerd's brain.  During games, as innings roll, the site tabulates something called Win Expectancy, which is fairly self-explanatory.

Does God Think Using Steroids Is Wrong?  —  If I'm lucky, when I ask my undergraduate students why you shouldn't punch a stranger in the face, I hear “because it's wrong” rather than “because I'd get in trouble.”  In either case, though, that question is enthusiastically answered.

Cubs closer Kevin Gregg admits he has tired arm  —  Piniella says he'll try to give closer a few days of rest  —  CINCINNATI — If Cubs manager Lou Piniella knew Sunday what he knew on Monday, he probably wouldn't have used Kevin Gregg in the ninth inning of the finale of the Marlins series.

Confidential, With an Asterisk  —  I can understand why there are so many calls for the heads of the 104 players on the so-called “list” that marks them as guilty for testing positive in the 2003 survey drug test.  It seems that publishing this list once and for all would make us all feel better.

Derek Jeter for MVP  —  This is a guest post by Rebecca from This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes.  —  His .322 average leads all Yankees, and small sample size doesn't apply — only one other player has amassed more plate appearances this season.  —  His .396 OBP is by far the highest among starters.

First in his class: Mark Teixeira is the majors' good-hands person  —  Range-wise, “He probably helps out Robbie (Cano), I would think,” Derek Jeter said of allowing Cano to occasionally cheat toward the middle.  —  A vital side benefit for infielders is the mental aspect of having a sure-handed first baseman.

Staying Alive: Who Has the Advantage After Fouling Off Multiple 3-2 Pitches  —  You've probably heard your local announcer say it at one time or another after a hitter has fouled off pitch after pitch on a 3-2 count: As the at-bat is extended the pitcher has to show more of his arsenal, and the advantage shifts to the hitter.

Castillo convicted for throwing at fan  —  DAYTON, Ohio — A judge has convicted a minor-league pitcher of injuring a fan when he threw a baseball during an on-field melee in Dayton last year.  —  Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Connie Price found Julio Castillo guilty Tuesday …