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Agree with both of you. Your first 2 picks are safe and are the backbone of your team.Comment -
went to make a parlay bet on Hockey and saw baseball odds for tomorrow...... wow...I'll watch....Comment -
There was a brief flurry of speculation about Albert Pujols’ future earlier this week when Deirdre Pujols, the Angels veteran’s wife, created an Instagram post that seemed to hint that the future Hall-of-Famer would call it a career after the 2021 season. Deirdre clarified her online statement soon after posting, and her husband also addressed the matter in speaking with media (including The Associated Press) today at Spring Training.
“This thing just got blown out of proportion,” Pujols said. “My mind is not even there. My mind is on staying focused, healthy, and hopefully trying to help this ballclub win this year, and that’s it. If I feel at the end of the year that that’s it, I’ll announce it [and] go home. But I’m not even there yet.”
Pujols is entering the final season of his ten-year, $240MM deal with the Angels, and 2021 will be the slugger’s 21st MLB campaign. After four years of subpar offensive production, it would certainly seem like the 41-year-old is nearing the end of the line, though it seems we won’t know for certain until the season is through.
More from around baseball…
- George Springer will surely play every day in the Blue Jays’ outfield, so his addition means the team’s other starting outfielders from 2020 will see their playing time either reduced or somewhat altered. Both Randal Grichuk and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. told reporters (including Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith) that they wondered if they’d be traded, yet as Spring Training continues, that duo and Teoscar Hernandez are all still on the roster. It remains to be seen exactly how the Jays will arrange their lineup to get everyone at-bats, though Gurriel could find an opening with a return to part-time infield duty, as manager Charlie Montoyo is having Gurriel work out as a first baseman and third baseman. The Jays already have Cavan Biggio lined up for the bulk of the action at the hot corner, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also hopeful of getting some third base time while sharing first base/DH duty with Rowdy Tellez. Getting at least one other position under his belt can only help Gurriel, however, especially after his defensive struggles as an infielder earlier in his career.
- Ian Kennedy debated signing with two other teams before settling on the Rangers’ minor league offer, per Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). The Royals, Kennedy’s former team, were one of the two other suitors, though Kennedy seems to have a clearer path to regular bullpen work in Texas. A starter for all but two of his first 291 MLB games from 2007-18, Kennedy enjoyed a stellar season as the Royals’ closer in 2019, but he is out to re-establish himself after a difficult 2020. Kennedy posted a 9.00 ERA over 14 innings before a left calf strain brought a premature end to his season.
- Danny Santana is also coming off an injury-plagued season, as the super-utilityman amassed just 63 plate appearances over 15 games with the Rangers. After undergoing elbow surgery in September, Santana is now set to hold a showcase for scouts on Thursday, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link) reports, and Santana has also been holding private workouts for teams. The 30-year-old has played all over the diamond over his seven years with the Twins, Braves, and Rangers, and was a revelation for Texas in 2019 — he hit .283/.324/.534 with 28 home runs, with by far his best wRC+ (111) since a 132 wRC+ over 430 PA as a rookie with Minnesota back in 2014.
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Any good futures bets in baseball??Comment -
Everyone still in the race right now! (Except the Pirates)Comment -
9:51AM: Dozier and the Royals are in agreement on a four-year, $25MM guarantee with a $10MM option for 2025, per Jeff Passan of ESPN (Twitter link). If Dozier reaches all available escalators and bonuses, it could max out at $49MM, Passan reports.
9:35AM: While the deal isn’t yet complete, there’s “optimism” it’ll get over the finish line, per Alec Lewis and Andy McCullough of the Athletic (via Twitter). If finalized, the guarantee is expected to land in the $25MM range, report Lewis and McCullough. The 2025 option would be worth $10MM, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link).
8:59AM: The Royals are finalizing a four-year contract extension with Hunter Dozier, reports Robert Murray of FanSided (Twitter link). The proposed deal would also contain a club option for 2025, per Murray. Dozier is a client of The L. Warner Companies, Inc.
As a player with three-plus years of MLB service, the 29-year-old wasn’t set to reach free agency until after the 2023 season. Rather than proceed year-by-year through arbitration, the parties are locking in some cost certainty over the next three seasons while lengthening their relationship by at least one year. The deal will buy out Dozier’s first year of would-be free agency, while the club option adds a second additional season of team control.
Despite being selected eighth overall out of Stephen F. Austin University in 2013, Dozier had something of a slow ascent through the minors. He made his MLB debut as a September call-up in 2016, but it wasn’t until the middle of the 2018 season that he had established himself as a big league regular.
Dozier struggled down the stretch as a rookie but seemed to break out as a middle-of-the-order bat in his sophomore season. The right-handed hitter popped 26 home runs and hit .279/.348/.522 across 586 plate appearances in 2019. Dozier’s batted ball metrics reinforced that power output. His 91.1 MPH average exit velocity placed him in the 83rd percentile league-wide; Dozier’s hard contact and barrel rates were similarly impressive. A higher than average 25.3% strikeout rate and .339 BABIP hinted at some potential regression in future seasons, but Dozier’s power and decent plate discipline positioned him as an above-average offensive performer nonetheless.
The shortened 2020 season, however, proved a difficult one for Dozier. That was the case for plenty of players, but Dozier was one of the players most directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. He tested positive for the coronavirus last July and was forced to start the season on the injured list. Upon his return, he lacked the same power he’d shown the season before. Whether because of his bout with COVID-19 or merely due to the season’s small sample size (he tallied just 186 plate appearances), the Royals clearly feel Dozier’s .228/.344/.392 line was anomalous.
Regaining his footing at the plate is critical for Dozier, who’s rather limited defensively. He broke in as a third baseman, but defensive metrics panned his work at the hot corner from 2018-19. After signing Maikel Franco last offseason, Kansas City mostly limited Dozier to first base and the corner outfield in 2020. Franco is back in free agency, possibly bumping Dozier back to third this year (and perhaps beyond). At his age, it’s doubtful he transforms into an above-average defender at the position.
Last November, Dozier agreed to a $2.72MM deal to avoid arbitration. It remains to be seen if this extension changes that figure. At the moment, the Royals have around $90MM on the books for the upcoming season, right in line with last year’s payroll. Besides Dozier, only Whit Merrifield and recent free agent signees Carlos Santana and Mike Minor have guaranteed money on the books beyond 2021. That should leave plenty of long-term payroll space for the Royals, who will see Salvador Pérez and Jorge Soler reach free agency (barring extensions of their own) next offseason.Comment -
I’ll be in Arizona to catch the end of spring training. I’m hoping fans are allowed.Comment -
And this is the first box score I looked at all year.
March is getting off to a good start.
Whit doing what he does, hitting (and fielding six different positions)
Whit is my guy.
KC 3
Tex 2
.https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=401288370Comment -
Who are some teams to bet on and fade this season??Comment -
The Mets were a popular pick for outfielder George Springer before he signed a six-year, $150MM contract with the Blue Jays in January. Team president Sandy Alderson “suggested” on Monday that the Mets were willing to sign Springer for five years, not six, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Alderson added that New York likely wouldn’t have been able to extend outfielder Michael Conforto had it signed Springer. “At some point, even Steve Cohen runs out of money,” Alderson said of the team’s owner. Conforto, who turned 28 today, is three years younger than Springer and coming off an even better season at the plate. He’s due to become a free agent next winter, but the Mets expect to begin talks on an extension sometime soon.
- With Springer no longer in Houston, the Astros appear likely to turn to Myles Straw at center field to open the season. If the Straw experiment doesn’t work out, though, it’s probable that Chas McCormick will be their fallback plan at the position, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic writes. The 25-year-old has a better chance to make the team than veteran outfielder Steven Souza Jr., whom the Astros signed to a minor league deal, as he’s already on their 40-man roster and capable of playing center, Kaplan notes. McCormick impressed during his most recent minors action in 2019, when he slashed .269/.386/.432 with 14 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 448 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A.
- Sticking with the Astros, ace Zack Greinke is entering the last season of his contract – his age-37 campaign – but is not thinking retirement, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com relays. Based on his performance in 2020, Greinke has plenty left in the tank. Although he posted a 4.03 ERA – one of the highest figures of his potential Hall of Fame career – Greinke registered a better 3.72 SIERA with a 24.5 percent strikeout rate and an elite 3.3 percent walk rate. Greinke also induced a fair amount of weak contact, evidenced in part by the 86.8 mph exit velocity hitters mustered against him.
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Jake Odorizzi, the best in-his-prime free agent starting pitcher still available, is thought willing to wait into spring for the right offer. This can pay off for good starters. Kyle Lohse once signed for $33M over 3 yrs and Alex Cobb $57M over 4 in mid/late spring.Comment -
Odorizzi Was an all-star in 2019. Had some injuries last year, but I think he should be good this year for sure!Comment -
New mercy rule bails RHP Garrett Richards out of first-inning jam in spring debut for Boston Red Sox
Garrett Richards had gotten only one out during his first spring training start, loading the bases and walking in one run before the Red Sox stopped the inning after 23 pitches.
Then he went back out for a 1-2-3 second inning.
"It's building blocks man," he said after being rescued by the new rule this spring training that allows managers to end an inning after a pitcher has thrown 20 pitches, regardless of how many outs or runners on base there are.
"Obviously, you want to finish it and you want to make all the outs that your outing requires," he said. "So, yeah, it was a little frustrating."
Richards told reporters from Fort Myers, Florida, that his pitches were moving well, but he just struggled to keep them in the strike zone. He allowed two runs, three hits and two walks in the first inning before it ended.Comment -
AAA season delayed by at least a month. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/...th-sources-sayComment -
Yeah, perfect deal for both sides.
The deal prevents Dozier from bolting for free agency the second he is eligible.
Good deal for the new ownership, that new group knows exactly what they are doing, where as the late Mr. Glass treated his baseball business like his Wall-Mart business. (Glass's gazillion dollar estate is Wal-Mart money, he was their to the Wal-Mart empire.
When Mr. Walton died Glass takes over ownership of that box store empire.
His Royal he bought from Mr, Kaufman was Wal-Mart money)
Sorry you don't run a big time sports franchise like a big time retail business.
Yes they are business, both giant corporation but it's comparing apples and oranges.
The reason for the Royals success in the middle of last decade can be summed up in two words. "Dylan Moore"
Moore was to the Royals last decade what Cashman was to the Yank's from 1996-2001.
Home grown.
The Yankees 'core four' all came up from Columbus AAA
The Royals 'core four' all; came up from Omaha AAA farm system.
The only key player not home grown was Lo-Cain, he came via trade in the Greinke deal from Milwaukee.
KC traded Greinke to the Brewers for Lorenzo Cain, Escobar and Odorizzi. Kc then flipped Odorizzi to Tampa Bay for Wade Davis.
Who won a ring last decade?
Wade Davis, Escobar, and Lorenzo Cain.
Who did not win a ring last decade?
Greinke and Odorizzi did not.
That deal was all engineered by Dylan Moore.
People don't notice how good a GM Moore is.
Perez, Gordon. Hosmer, Moose (the other one, not Mike) and others came up from Omaha.
Cueto was a midseason trade.
And on the surface it looks like Dozier got short changed
He did nor, Hunter is very satisfied in that contract, sure the guaranteed money pales in comparison to what other young stars from other franchises get, if you dig deep into that contract it is loaded with incentive cash. Loaded.
You ever watch Dozier hit?
Incredible raw power.
It's a win-win
Ownership and athlete came together.
Dozier got his up front money in a contract that I classify as "you do right by the Royals and we'll take care of you with tons of cash in incentives"
Player really likes the deal
Ownership likes the deal as they lock up a big piece of the future.
Plus Dozier is a good kid.
Win-winComment -
I’m all in on the Royals after reading this. World Series or bust!!!Comment
