Around Baseball 2019

[King]

Spring training injury news:

 

- Kershaw shut down indefinitely. Something is off with his arm.

 

- Mike Soroka shut down due to shoulder troubles.

 

- TJ Zeuch not going to pitch at all this Spring Training due to a lat strain

Soroka is heading down the wrong path with multiple shoulder injuries in the last year.

[Ray]

Soroka is heading down the wrong path with multiple shoulder injuries in the last year.

 

Pitching prospects suck

[King]

Jeff Passan

@JeffPassan

 

The use of a 20-second pitch clock for spring training games is going to be announced today, league sources tell ESPN, and the rule will include ball-or-strike penalties for violations after an easing-in period early in the spring.

- Clock is not used on the first pitch of PA

- Pitcher needs to begin his motion -- not release the pitch -- before the clock expires

- Batter must be in the box with five seconds left on the timer

- Clock starts when pitcher gets ball from catcher

[Abomination]

Jeff Passan

@JeffPassan

 

The use of a 20-second pitch clock for spring training games is going to be announced today, league sources tell ESPN, and the rule will include ball-or-strike penalties for violations after an easing-in period early in the spring.

- Clock is not used on the first pitch of PA

- Pitcher needs to begin his motion -- not release the pitch -- before the clock expires

- Batter must be in the box with five seconds left on the timer

- Clock starts when pitcher gets ball from catcher

 

I'm not sure about this part. Seems to me that could really prevent pitchers from controlling the running game. Maybe the pitcher can start their motion 10 seconds before the timer whether the batter is in the box or not would make more sense.

[Spanky__99]

Haniger just went yard! http://www.worldcupfootball.me/mlb/568310/h

[L54]

I'm not sure about this part. Seems to me that could really prevent pitchers from controlling the running game. Maybe the pitcher can start their motion 10 seconds before the timer whether the batter is in the box or not would make more sense.

 

They should just expand on the rule so that being in the set is a part of the motion towards home.

[Brownie19]

Jeff Sullivan is leaving Fangraphs for the Rays

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/farewell-one-good-place-on-the-internet/

[Bobthe4th]

I'm glancing over the Twins depth chart right now, and I wouldn't be surprised if they win the division over the Indians this season. Their lineup besides Lindor, Ramirez, and Santana is not that good, and Lindor will likely start the beginning of the season on the DL.

 

Cleveland has a weak outfield and they’ve been really cheap this offseason. They must be hoping to get something out of the recent minor league signings of Dioner Navarro, Ryan Flaherty, and Matt Joyce, haha.

[Laika]

Jose Iglesias signing a minor league deal is insane.

[Pendleton]

Jose Iglesias signing a minor league deal is insane.

 

It just doesn't seem right at all.

[jaysblue]

They have the #1 projected rotation in baseball though. Carrasco, Kluber, Clevinger, Bauer and Bieber is pretty filthy.

 

Also, Salazar in the wings if one of those guys go down.

[jaysblue]

Cleveland has a weak outfield and they’ve been really cheap this offseason. They must be hoping to get something out of the recent minor league signings of Dioner Navarro, Ryan Flaherty, and Matt Joyce, haha.

 

That OF has to be one of the worst in baseball in terms of a contending team. You would think considering how slow the FA market has been, they would have been able to sign some guys on the cheap in order to patch up their lineup.

 

Carlos Gonzalez is still a FA and I'm sure if you offer him a MLB deal, he'll sign for $2-3 million. Heck even Adam Jones is still available and would be a nice fit on that team. Or even Denard Span.

 

Forsythe would be a nice pickup on a MiLB deal as a utility guy in case Kipnis continues to struggle with the bat at 2B. I would even sign Evan Gattis as a DH for $2-3 million.

[Deadpool]

Apparently the O's just traded away Int'l signing money for David Lebron. So much for their desire to FINALLY start spending in that department.

[Bobthe4th]

Apparently the O's just traded away Int'l signing money for David Lebron. So much for their desire to FINALLY start spending in that department.

 

WTF are they doing?? What's the point of changing the front office personnel if they're just going to keep ignoring internationals?

[Laika]

International spending requires an entire infrastructure that Baltimore is probably only starting to put into place.

[Deadpool]

International spending requires an entire infrastructure that Baltimore is probably only starting to put into place.

 

But... for a 25 year old reliever who hasn't played above high A and was a 26th round draft pick? Odds of him having a career in the MLB has gotta be ridiculously small.

[King]

But... for a 25 year old reliever who hasn't played above high A and was a 26th round draft pick? Odds of him having a career in the MLB has gotta be ridiculously small.

 

Teams make trades to fill out minor league rosters. There's also no $$$ information given - it could have been $10,000, in which case who cares.

[Spanky__99]

Indians, slugger Ramirez agree to minor league contract

Feb 24, 2019

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) Free agent first baseman Hanley Ramirez has agreed to sign a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians.

 

Ramirez, a former National League Rookie of the Year, will sign with the three-time defending AL Central champions and join them in camp once he passes a physical.

 

The Athletic was first to report the deal.

 

Ramirez, 35, played in just 44 games last season with Boston before he was released in May. He hit .254 with six home runs and 29 RBIs for the Red Sox, and did not sign with another team.

 

"Good for him," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sunday. "He's an everyday player. If he gets at-bats he might be able to produce. He's still young enough."

 

A three-time All-Star, Ramirez is a .290 career hitter with 296 career home runs. He might be able to bring some pop to Cleveland's lineup, which needs some power following the trades of slugger Edwin Encarnacion and first baseman Yonder Alonso and after outfielder Michael Brantley signing with Houston.

 

Ramirez was the NL's top rookie in 2006 with Florida. He signed a four-year, $88 million contract with Boston in 2015, but fell way short of expectations and the Red Sox let him go after he batted just .254 last season.

 

---

 

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

[Spanky__99]

Marlins rookie Victor Victor Mesa strains hamstring

an hour ago

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Miami Marlins outfield prospect Victor Victor Mesa strained his right hamstring Sunday in a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

 

Mesa pulled up and grabbed his hamstring after beating out a groundball and avoiding a double play in the sixth inning. He was removed from the game.

 

Mesa was to return to the Marlins’ camp in Jupiter on Sunday rather than accompany the team to Port Charlotte for a game Monday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

 

“I was running very fast to break the double play and I felt pressure in my leg,” Mesa said through a translator. “Obviously, there was a small amount of pain, but I felt more pressure than pain in the muscle and hopefully I’ll be back very soon.”

 

The Marlins signed the Cuban native to a $5.25 million bonus last October. The 22-year-old Mesa had not played in a game in nearly two years following his defection from Cuba.

 

___

 

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and

[King]

 

the media is so dumn sometimes

[King]

Trout

Harper

Vlad Jr.

 

>>

 

May as well bring Vlad Sr. out of retirement

[Slade]

Can't wait to see that Harper contract. Harper had absolutely no leverage and still going to get a $300MM contract.

[Terminator]

 

the media is so dumn sometimes

 

Buster Olney SUCKS

[Boxcar]

Buster Olney SUCKS

 

How does Buster Olney get paid for this garbage?

[jaysblue]

Buster Olney SUCKS

 

ESPN has really gone downhill.

[TheHurl]

Harper does remind me of a guy that would love to miss Spring Training. He might drag things out for weeks still

[Angrioter]

Aaron Hicks and Yanks 7Y/70M deal

 

7 years?...really?

[Laika]

Aaron Hicks and Yanks 7Y/70M deal

 

7 years?...really?

 

Strange!

 

I don't think there is any precedent for that many years with an AAV that low. Is there?

[Brownie19]

LGJ technically

[bendera3]

Strange!

 

I don't think there is any precedent for that many years with an AAV that low. Is there?

 

Maybe he is seeing how free agency is changing and would rather secure money and stability rather than ending up getting one or two year contracts.