It's not a secret that the Dodgers are after 3B Nolan Arenado and pitcher Blake Snell. They're offering prospects from the most loaded farm system in MLB, including switch-hitting catcher Keibert Ruiz, who homered in his first MLB at-bat last year, then was sent back down the next day...
Justin Turner became 36 yesterday. He wants to stay, but the only jobs open are DH and utility player. The Blue Jays want him, but the Dodger front office has been receiving death threats not to let him go. While he's certainly one of the most popular players ever to play here, his age puts him at the end of his career and he can probably make a lot more money somewhere else.
A wood bat minor league? Interesting concept, not really sure why 60+ games with top eligible prospects using wood bats changes much in terms of evaluation for the draft though. What do you guys think? ___________________________________________________________ NEW YORK -- Major League Baseball is creating a minor league for top eligible prospects leading to the summer draft. The wood-bat MLB Draft League is launching with five teams and could add a sixth, MLB said Monday. Teams will play a 68-game regular season that includes an All-Star break that would coincide with the draft in early July. Teams are being awarded to communities that lost franchises as MLB moved to shrink the affiliated minor leagues from 160 to 120 teams this offseason following the expiration of the Professional Baseball Agreement, which governed the relationship between the majors and minors. MLB has planned to eliminate the separate governing body of minor league baseball. MLB launches wood-bat league for prospects
There's a huge difference between metal bats and wooden bats, the feel of the bat, the feel of the swing, how the ball comes off the bat (I'm told this by some older kids I know who have played at a high level with my grandsons and have used both.). IMO it makes sense to see how the top prospects adjust physically and mentally to using a wood bat.
With the Jif sighting over on the Politics board, I wonder how many days till Spring Training? He always knew when the rSox pitchers and catchers report. With Covid, bet nobody does.
The Yankees are rumored to be in the process of tendering yet another contract offer to Gary Sanchez. So if any of you guys want your team to have a catcher you can't catch, call a game, hustle, run or make contact with RISP or hit his weight..... well, this may be your last chance.
Glad he's gone from the NLC. Even though his 2020 stats are unimpressive after missing 2019 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, his past performance vs. the Cubs and Dodgers is impressive. I'm guessing that's what the Dodgers are counting on:
RIP... Allen put up with a lot from Phillie fans who booed Santa Claus, the new football stadium has it's own jail to put fans who go over the line during games, no other stadium has that. "Dick was a sensitive Black man who refused to be treated as a second-class citizen," Schmidt said in a speech. "He played in front of home fans that were products of that racist era [with] racist teammates and different rules for whites and Blacks. Fans threw stuff at him, and thus Dick wore a batting helmet throughout the whole game. They yelled degrading racial slurs. They dumped trash in his front yard at his home. In general, he was tormented, and it came from all directions. And Dick rebelled." Schmidt pointed out Allen didn't have a negative reputation playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox. He also campaigned for Allen's induction into the Hall of Fame.
The Meadowlands has an in house jail and court for preliminary legal actions. Giants Stadium had the same thing before that. Jets fans are arguably as unruly as Philly fans. My son worked the games with the NJSP and he said the jail in the Meadowlands is always packed like a sardine can. Dick Allen was a tremendous natural talent but there always seemed to be controversy swirling around him. My dad took me to a Reds v Phillies game in the late 60s at Crosley Field and Allen was having a bad night. He was making u-turns half way to first base on ground balls and while playing 1B that game he would write curse words in the infield dirt in big letters in between pitches. Pete Rose cued a little looping line drive in his direction that could have been caught but Allen did not move form his stance. It landed right at the edge of the outfield grass behind him and spun toward the grandstands in short right foul territory . He never even turned around. By the time his startled team mates could recover Rose was standing on third with what was in effect an infield triple. I think Gene Mauch was the manager and he yanked Allen out of the game immediately, then went to the mound to settle his pitcher down. Another thing Allen was famous for was chain smoking throughout the game, sometimes even on deck. Odd character to say the least. RIP.
A Japanese pitcher has been listed as available for bidding by MLB teams. NEW YORK -- Japanese star pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano has been posted by the Yomiuri Giants and is available for bidding to major league teams. The bidding starts at 8 a.m. ET Tuesday and runs through 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 7. A right-hander who turned 31 on Oct. 11, Sugano was 14-2 with a 1.97 ERA and three shutouts in 20 games last season, striking out 131 and walking 25 in 137 1/3 innings while allowing 97 hits. He is 101-49 with a 2.32 ERA over eight seasons in Japan.
Astros could use a starting pitcher, but I doubt if we'd get into a bidding war for a Japanese pitcher.
Cleveland is dropping the ‘Indians’ nickname. Cleveland Indians to change nickname the franchise has used for more then a century
Not surprising, the current climate is just too difficult to continue with the nickname. I won't be shocked if others follow suit.
Ridiculous. Cleveland Candy Asses has a suitable ring to it. But perhaps the Cleveland Pronouns would be the safest course of action.