Around Baseball 2020

[TheHurl]

https://jaysjournal

 

Report: Blue Jays interested in Springer, hope to bolster center field

https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/2050102

 

So looks like we're getting Lindor, Springer and Bauer this offseason. Cant wait lol.

 

Please refrain from posting Jays Journal articles here

[TheHurl]

Jays are talking to the Cubs. Baez and Heyward?

[Brownie19]

Jays are talking to the Cubs. Baez and Heyward?

 

Is Heyward finally fixed? I know it's only 50 games, but he was awesome at the plate last year. The type of player the Cubs thought they were getting when they signed him as a FA.

 

Heyward in CF and Bryant at 3rd would be a pretty sexy upgrade. I'm fine with Baez too though...as exciting as he is to watch, I suspect it's extremely frustrating to watch him day in and day out.

[TheHurl]

Is Heyward finally fixed? I know it's only 50 games, but he was awesome at the plate last year. The type of player the Cubs thought they were getting when they signed him as a FA.

 

Heyward in CF and Bryant at 3rd would be a pretty sexy upgrade. I'm fine with Baez too though...as exciting as he is to watch, I suspect it's extremely frustrating to watch him day in and day out.

 

There is a near zero chance that Heyward performs to his contract (and it is questionable if he could even part-time in CF). I mentioned him more along the lines of reducing the trade return for a Baez. Cubs do not want to rebuild but they also don't want to get nothing for their 5 major FA's. MLB network guessed that it was Guerriel or Teo they were looking at as they think Schwarber is on the move. In rethinking things Jays and Cubs are not the greatest fit

[Jimcanuck]

Cubs declined option on Lester. Although 2020 was mediocre, he returned 2 WAR or more the previous 12 years. Think he has anything left in the tank, a fit for the Jays?

[Brownie19]

Marcus Stroman indicated on his Twitter account on Tuesday morning that he has ruled out signing with the White Sox as long as Tony La Russa is manager.

"No amount of money honestly," when asked by a fan about the possibility. "Peace of mind is always priority." La Russa's hiring came under fire for his previous comments on race and the decision by the White Sox is being scrutinized even more after it was learned late Monday that the Hall of Famer was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol on October 28.

 

I wasn't familiar (or had forgotten) what LaRussa said about race, so I googled it and came up with this:

 

Former Major League Baseball manager Tony La Russa says he recognizes there are issues that affect the black community in the United States but takes some issue with what Baltimore Orioles star Adam Jones said and questions the motives ofSan Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

 

Appearing on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on ESPN Radio on Wednesday, La Russa said that while he respects Jones as a person and a player, the Orioles outfielder was off base when he said baseball is a "white man's sport."

 

"When he says it's a white, like elitist, kind of sport, I mean how much wronger can he be? We have tried so hard, the MLB, to expand the black athletes' opportunity," said La Russa, who spent two years working for Major League Baseball. "We want the black athletes to pick not basketball or football, but want them to play baseball; they should play baseball. And we're working to make that happen in the inner cities. We have a lot of Latin players. We have players from the Pacific Rim."

 

Jones' opinion on the lack of African-American players in MLB is supported by the league's demographics. Only 8 percent of the league classifies as African-American, according to USA Today, with a total of just 69 black players being on the Opening Day rosters of the league's 30 teams.

 

La Russa agreed that there is an issue but said effort is being made. "It's very difficult in the inner cities to get black athletes to play the game," La Russa said. "So what [MLB is doing is] expanding the opportunity so the black athlete gets a chance." La Russa further said baseball is the smart choice for young athletes, regardless of race.

 

Is that the quote he's referring to? I found more stuff about him not supporting players kneeling, but he has since said his views have changed (since his initial reaction) over the past 4 years.

 

Am I too white to see what he said wrong?

[z3r0s]

Don't go against the narrative or you're a Nazi. That's basically what he did wrong.

[connorp]

“Am I too white to see what he said wrong?“

 

Of course you are. It’s called white privilege. You cant just go around speaking the truth when it’s not what people want to hear

[Carlos Danger]

Marcus Stroman indicated on his Twitter account on Tuesday morning that he has ruled out signing with the White Sox as long as Tony La Russa is manager.

"No amount of money honestly," when asked by a fan about the possibility. "Peace of mind is always priority." La Russa's hiring came under fire for his previous comments on race and the decision by the White Sox is being scrutinized even more after it was learned late Monday that the Hall of Famer was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol on October 28.

 

I wasn't familiar (or had forgotten) what LaRussa said about race, so I googled it and came up with this:

 

Former Major League Baseball manager Tony La Russa says he recognizes there are issues that affect the black community in the United States but takes some issue with what Baltimore Orioles star Adam Jones said and questions the motives ofSan Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

 

Appearing on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on ESPN Radio on Wednesday, La Russa said that while he respects Jones as a person and a player, the Orioles outfielder was off base when he said baseball is a "white man's sport."

 

"When he says it's a white, like elitist, kind of sport, I mean how much wronger can he be? We have tried so hard, the MLB, to expand the black athletes' opportunity," said La Russa, who spent two years working for Major League Baseball. "We want the black athletes to pick not basketball or football, but want them to play baseball; they should play baseball. And we're working to make that happen in the inner cities. We have a lot of Latin players. We have players from the Pacific Rim."

 

Jones' opinion on the lack of African-American players in MLB is supported by the league's demographics. Only 8 percent of the league classifies as African-American, according to USA Today, with a total of just 69 black players being on the Opening Day rosters of the league's 30 teams.

 

La Russa agreed that there is an issue but said effort is being made. "It's very difficult in the inner cities to get black athletes to play the game," La Russa said. "So what [MLB is doing is] expanding the opportunity so the black athlete gets a chance." La Russa further said baseball is the smart choice for young athletes, regardless of race.

 

Is that the quote he's referring to? I found more stuff about him not supporting players kneeling, but he has since said his views have changed (since his initial reaction) over the past 4 years.

 

Am I too white to see what he said wrong?

 

Marcus Stroman is a twat. He seems to have an issue with a lot of people/teams now. He has ruled out the WS, Jays, doesn't like so and so.. I think it will end up hurting him in the long run. If a Team is assessing two players they deem equal for apprx equal $, I think Stroman's attitude and history will come back to bite him. Regardless of what we think of Shapkins, they are well respected in the game and if they thought he was an issue, I am sure others will also.

[Jimcanuck]

I probably wouldn't want to play for La Russa either. Doesn't seem like it would be much fun. Plus, I wouldn't respect a guy with multiple DUIs.

 

Agreed. Stroman's only problem is he is not afraid to speak his mind. For sure he is not alone on this.

[RobinThicc]

Who would want to play for la russa in 2020?

 

Feel bad for their current players

[glory]

I probably wouldn't want to play for La Russa either. Doesn't seem like it would be much fun. Plus, I wouldn't respect a guy with multiple DUIs.

 

Yeah I don’t think it’s a race issue exclusively when it comes to TLR. I’d imagine most of the young players on that team are disappointed. This is going to be a trainwreck.

[connorp]

Yeah I don’t think it’s a race issue exclusively when it comes to TLR. I’d imagine most of the young players on that team are disappointed. This is going to be a trainwreck.

 

How so? He’s not a football HC, he doesn’t mean much. It’ll only be a story if they aren’t winning but not liking Tony won’t make them try less hard

[King]

[BTS]

 

I feel bad for Chicago fans. They have an exciting young team on the brink of great things, and their owner meddles and hires a 76-year old ******* to manage them.

[connorp]

I feel bad for Chicago fans. They have an exciting young team on the brink of great things, and their owner meddles and hires a 76-year old ******* to manage them.

 

Maybe they thought it was best to go with someone that wasn’t warm and fuzzy. You don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors.

[Carlos Danger]

Regardless of ones thoughts on TLR: To me it is not smart when you are a FA to basically eliminate 2 of the 30 teams right off the bat with your comments.

 

Those guys all talk and you are eliminating possible leverage to use against other teams in FA. Not a smart business move IMO with the timing by Stroman to make his opinion public.

[BTS]

Maybe they thought it was best to go with someone that wasn’t warm and fuzzy. You don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors.

 

Regardless of what's going on behind closed doors, I suspect that a 76-year old alcoholic with multiple DUIs isn't the solution.

[Jimcanuck]

Maybe they thought it was best to go with someone that wasn’t warm and fuzzy. You don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors.

 

Well if La Russa was hired with the expectation he would "get the players in line", it will indeed be a trainwreck in Chicago in 2021.

 

It's 2020, not 1960.

[burlingtonbandit]

If they didn't want someone warm and fuzzy, they definitely shouldn't have hired an alcoholic.

 

Theres so many alcoholics in MLB. Not to mention the amount of players that are cokeheads.

[connorp]

Well if La Russa was hired with the expectation he would "get the players in line", it will indeed be a trainwreck in Chicago in 2021.

 

It's 2020, not 1960.

 

You don’t have to take that as a military drill sergeant. Just spitballing obviously but say Renteria was a cool guy and he buddies up with Moncada and he’s known as paying favorites... leads to some locker room discord.. then you decide to go with another personality type.

[Carlos Danger]

 

Try repeating everything TLR said in the voice and mannerisms of Hulk Hogan and it is kinda funny....

[glory]

Maybe they thought it was best to go with someone that wasn’t warm and fuzzy. You don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors.

 

He was hired because Jerry Reinsdorf felt his biggest regret as an owner was firing TLR 34 years ago. That was legitimately the reason he was hired from what the media is saying.

[connorp]

He was hired because Jerry Reinsdorf felt his biggest regret as an owner was firing TLR 34 years ago. That was legitimately the reason he was hired from what the media is saying.

 

I’m not so sure we know the actual reasons Renteria was fired. It’s certainly not out of the realm that some/or most of it came from non-baseball reasons like the clubhouse etc. Then they go out and hire a polar opposite so its weird situation

[TheHurl]

Am I too white to see what he said wrong?

 

Likely that is the issue. It was dismissive. It is the assumption that baseball has actually done a damn thing to get to get blacks to relate to the game. It was the "I have a black friend so I am good in the black community, I mean I welcome more black friends but I am not going to be around blacks so they have to find me" of responses

[TheHurl]

Regardless of ones thoughts on TLR: To me it is not smart when you are a FA to basically eliminate 2 of the 30 teams right off the bat with your comments.

 

Those guys all talk and you are eliminating possible leverage to use against other teams in FA. Not a smart business move IMO with the timing by Stroman to make his opinion public.

 

Free agency...this is your time to choose your location. If it costs you a million or 2, oh well. I don't agree with much of what Stro says online but telling a fanbase that may have wanted him to sign there that they lost out because he doesn't agree with a hire they made...total respect.

[Carlos Danger]

Free agency...this is your time to choose your location. If it costs you a million or 2, oh well. I don't agree with much of what Stro says online but telling a fanbase that may have wanted him to sign there that they lost out because he doesn't agree with a hire they made...total respect.

 

TLRs comments are not off base. MLB has had the RBI program for a long time, done a lot for years to try and attract more blacks to the game. Ironically the White Sox VP is black. Many of the games top upcoming stars are black, Jo Adel, Devin Williams, Jeter Downs, Josiah Gray, Austin Martin etc. The % is rising due to MLBs efforts. You can argue numbers and %, but to say they have not done anything is not accurate.

 

Stroman is going to FA in 2020, coming off an injury. He is a short, little guy who is a SP. This will probably be his one and only legit FA opportunity. He is not Colin Kapernick, he has burnt bridges with the Jays and the White Sox now. He has the right to say what he wants as a FA and if $1-2 million is not a big deal to him then so be it. However, as any player will tell you baseball is a business first and foremost, and it is a stupid business decision at this point in his career by any objective standard.

[Krylian]

Marcus Stroman indicated on his Twitter account on Tuesday morning that he has ruled out signing with the White Sox as long as Tony La Russa is manager.

"No amount of money honestly," when asked by a fan about the possibility. "Peace of mind is always priority." La Russa's hiring came under fire for his previous comments on race and the decision by the White Sox is being scrutinized even more after it was learned late Monday that the Hall of Famer was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol on October 28.

 

I wasn't familiar (or had forgotten) what LaRussa said about race, so I googled it and came up with this:

 

Former Major League Baseball manager Tony La Russa says he recognizes there are issues that affect the black community in the United States but takes some issue with what Baltimore Orioles star Adam Jones said and questions the motives ofSan Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

 

Appearing on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on ESPN Radio on Wednesday, La Russa said that while he respects Jones as a person and a player, the Orioles outfielder was off base when he said baseball is a "white man's sport."

 

"When he says it's a white, like elitist, kind of sport, I mean how much wronger can he be? We have tried so hard, the MLB, to expand the black athletes' opportunity," said La Russa, who spent two years working for Major League Baseball. "We want the black athletes to pick not basketball or football, but want them to play baseball; they should play baseball. And we're working to make that happen in the inner cities. We have a lot of Latin players. We have players from the Pacific Rim."

 

Jones' opinion on the lack of African-American players in MLB is supported by the league's demographics. Only 8 percent of the league classifies as African-American, according to USA Today, with a total of just 69 black players being on the Opening Day rosters of the league's 30 teams.

 

La Russa agreed that there is an issue but said effort is being made. "It's very difficult in the inner cities to get black athletes to play the game," La Russa said. "So what [MLB is doing is] expanding the opportunity so the black athlete gets a chance." La Russa further said baseball is the smart choice for young athletes, regardless of race.

 

Is that the quote he's referring to? I found more stuff about him not supporting players kneeling, but he has since said his views have changed (since his initial reaction) over the past 4 years.

 

Am I too white to see what he said wrong?

 

If you're not drinking the Black koolaid you're racist.

 

Stroman can suck my white dick.

[L54]

Why doesn't anyone ever mention the disproportionate representation of African Americans in the NBA and NFL when talking about diversity and inclusion in sports?

 

What have the NFL and NBA done to grow the game within the white community?

 

Maybe sports are more closely correlated with culture and not race.

[Krylian]

Why doesn't anyone ever mention the disproportionate representation of African Americans in the NBA and NFL when talking about diversity and inclusion in sports?

 

What have the NFL and NBA done to grow the game within the white community?

 

Maybe sports are more closely correlated with culture and not race.

 

f*** you, you racist. How dare you bring that up.