Lookout Linkage, 7/6/14

Here are your links as you prepare for another morning game for the M's:

• Chance Ruffin, who was the PTBNL that came back for Doug Fister in 2011, has retired.
• Contrary to what had originally been reported, it appears there have not been serious talks between the Mariners and White Sox about Dayan Viciedo.
• Bob Dutton goes over the Mariners' likely all-stars. The rosters will be announced later today.
• Larry Stone of The Seattle Times speaks to team president Kevin Mather about contention and possible roster moves.
• Tyler Carmont of Prospect Insider thinks Corey Hart's next couple of weeks could really impact what the M's do at the trade deadline.
• Jonah Keri of FiveThirtyEight has a very fascinating article on the Seattle Mariners and luck. A must-read.
• Kind of sad to report that Cole Gillespie has been claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays.
• Baseball's best soap opera, the Oakland A's stadium drama, has had a new plot twist.
• David G. Temple of Fangraphs takes a look at how Astros' pitchers are evolving.
• Mike Petriello of Fangraphs analyzes the A's-Cubs blockbuster trade.
• The Angels and Diamondbacks also pulled off a trade involving major league players, though not exactly a blockbuster.
• Lone Star Ball's Adam J. Morris discusses Alex Rios and what the Rangers could get back for him.
• Neftali Feliz of the Rangers is now back in action with the big club.
• Crawfish Boxes wonders how the Astros could fix their strikeout problem.
• CC Sabathia is likely out for the year, which could change the dynamic of the trade market.
• Tony Blengino at Fangraphs wonders who the best pitcher of this era might be.
• Weird things tend to happen around the trade deadline.