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I'm optimistic for the Jays this season. Maybe a wild card.Comment -
Can teams travel to Canada this summer?Comment -
In February, just over a month after the Mets acquired him from the Indians, shortstop Francisco Lindor said he would not be willing to discuss a contract extension during the season. That continues to be the case, the four-time All-Star told Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News and other reporters Tuesday.
“Like I said earlier, I will not be negotiating during the season,” Lindor stated. “I will go to free agency. If something carries on during the season, it’s not fair for me, it’s not fair for the team. I got to give everything I got into winning baseball games. So if it doesn’t happen in spring training, I will go to free agency. We’ll talk in November, December, whenever free agency starts.”
Based on his deadline, New York only has two more weeks to extend Lindor – a pending free agent who was its crown jewel offseason acquisition – but he revealed that the two sides have begun preliminary talks. The club gave up a package consisting of young infielders Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario, right-hander Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene for Lindor and righty Carlos Carrasco as part of an aggressive winter.
With Lindor on track to lead next offseason’s free-agent class, the Mets knew when they swung the deal that it would be a challenge to prevent the 27-year-old from testing the open market several months from now. However, considering the Mets have the majors’ wealthiest owner in Steve Cohen, they have a realistic shot to retain Lindor for what’s likely to be a long-term contract worth at least $300MM. Lindor noted Tuesday that he’s “very comfortable” as a Met, which should only increase their chances of reaching a new deal with him before the month is out.Comment -
Ohtani is crushing it this spring.
Love to see the Angels pitching overachieve and get to the postseason.
It would be nice to see Albert one last time in October along with that Trout guy.Comment -
Teams already announcing their opening day starting pitcher.Comment -
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MadBum struck out looking against his former Giants teammate Sergio Romo on a fastball on the outside corner when the Arizona Diamondbacks faced the A’s on Tuesday in spring training.Comment -
Sergio definitely under the radar reliever. Does it without velo too!Comment -
C.J. Cron appears to be the favorite to claim the Rockies’ open first base job, writes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post as part of a reader mailbag. Signed to a minor-league deal in February, Cron is competing with Josh Fuentes and fellow non-roster invitee Greg Bird. Installing Cron at first would allow Fuentes to see action at multiple corner positions off the bench. That might make it tough to also carry Bird as a lefty bench bat, although Saunders notes there’s a chance all three players make the season-opening active roster, particularly if Brendan Rodgers is forced to start the year on the injured list after straining his hamstring. Cron and Bird would each need to be added to the 40-man roster if they make the team, although Colorado currently has one open 40-man spot.
More from around the sport:
- Athletics left-hander A.J. Puk made his Cactus League debut today. He threw approximately 30 pitches this afternoon and plans to toss around 45 in his next outing, writes Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle. Manager Bob Melvin has mentioned Puk as a potential option for the season-opening rotation if Mike Fiers, suffering from hip inflammation, isn’t ready by the first week of April. It remains to be seen if Puk will have enough time to sufficiently build up strength for the start of the season himself.
- The Brewers placed Mark Mathias on the 60-day injured list yesterday to create roster space for Travis Shaw. It seems Mathias will be on the shelf for significantly longer than that two-month minimum. The utilityman suffered a posterior labrum tear, he told reporters (via Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Mathias is awaiting a second opinion on the possibility of rehabbing the injury without surgery; even if he can avoid going under the knife, the 26-year-old says he’s likely looking at a three to four month layoff. Mathias made his MLB debut last season.
- Today’s news that Felix Peña likely won’t be available for Opening Day leaves the Angels’ bullpen down an important arm. After the injury, general manager Perry Minasian acknowledged the club might now go outside the organization to acquire additional relief help, Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic was among those to relay. Free agency still offers a few possibilities, with 32-year-old righty Shane Greene arguably the top arm available. Greene’s market has been rather quiet all offseason, but he continues to throw in anticipation of an opportunity, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link).
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Read an interesting piece yesterday in one of my KC insider sites.
Matheny is going to use Mondesi Jr. as a wildcard in a lot of lineups/
Leadoff against certain teams, seventh against other pitchers etc..
He's going to be a jack rabbit, green light him on the base paths a ton.
I see some projections where he'll swipe 60 bags.
Not just straight steals, but hit and runs...
I wish more teas would get away from the long ball and pay more 'keep the line moving' offense.
Seems to me that's how a certain team won it all six years ago.Comment -
No, Whit is signed through 2023.
He's not going anywhere.
He's the face now (and Sal Perez) of the team, management loves him so does the city.
Plus he's cheap, this year and 2022 his money is incentives (like Dozier's new contract)
Now at the end of 2023 that's another story.
2023 Whit gets the 10 million, could be more but 10 mil is guaranteed, in October 2023 that's when he can flee for FA.
Club has the option at the end of 2023.
But he's a Royal for the next three years (Thank God)
Club is set.
Benintendi is the everyday LF, Michael Taylor won the CF everyday job, no more super utility for Whit (unless emergency) Whit is the everyday RF.
Alberto is the 2B (Remember Omar Infante?) Same exact type of 2B
Carlos Santana at 1B, Mondesi SS , Dozier 3B,
Soler DH (raw power plus)
Sal Perez C (remember now Perez is only 30) he was a kid on the championship teams.
He's 100 percent healthy and is one of those rare catchers that catch 140 games. He is by all accounts the second best catcher in the game.
Defense, arm, calls a great game, hits for power...
This team can score runs, probably one of the top 3 teams in the majors regarding team speed.
Has four players that can approach or hit over 30 HR's.
The 3-4-5 starters keep me awake at night though.Comment -
He's got the July stroke in March.
Great to see but sometimes that can backfire when the bell rings.
Whit is to KC what DJ is to the NYY.
Mondesi is really stroking too, he's like .429 for the spring so far.
Did you see Bobby Witt Jr. moonshot the other day.
Almost 500 feet.
And my worst nightmare, Chi-Sox lit up the bottom of our rotation this afternoon.
I'll say it again, if KC gets pitching I'm going to party like it's 2015.
Dodgers first three starters in the rotation are flying off the board.
Buehler, Bauer, and Kershaw are all gone by pick 20 in the second round.
I draft next week.
14 DAYS UNTIL OPENING DAY
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I thought the balls weren't juiced this season..Comment -
Whit is so under the radar in KC. Dude can play.Comment -
Thanks in part to his ability to play both the corner outfield and first base, Jay Bruce has put himself in the running to make the Yankees’ roster, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News writes. The Yankees may have to decide in the next week whether to give a spot to Bruce, who can opt out of the minor league contract he signed on March 25. Bruce isn’t on the Yankees’ 40-man roster, which is full, so they will have to make a corresponding move if they do add him. That could spell bad news for another outfielder, the out-of-options Mike Tauchman. While Tauchman unexpectedly thrived as both a hitter and defender in his first year as a Yankee in 2019, his production dipped on both ends last season. Tauchman did post a .342 on-base percentage in 111 plate appearances, but it came with a .242 batting average and almost no power (.305 slugging percentage, .063 ISO and zero home runs). Then again, Bruce didn’t exactly hold his own as a Phillie last year, when the veteran power hitter slashed .192/.252/.469 with six HRs over 103 PA.
- Good news for the Reds’ bullpen: Left-hander Amir Garrett will pitch in his first spring training game of the year Saturday, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic tweets. Forearm soreness has slowed Garrett, perhaps the favorite to close for the Reds if he’s healthy. The 28-year-old notched a 2.45 ERA/2.82 SIERA and fanned hitters at a massive 37.7 percent rate across 18 1/3 innings in 2020.
- With Carlos Carrasco reportedly to miss six to eight weeks because of a torn hamstring, the Mets are stretching lefty Mike Montgomery out and considering him as a swingman, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com relays. Montgomery, whom the Mets signed to a minors pact, has racked up 183 appearances and 70 starts since he debuted in 2013. The former Mariner, Cub and Royal has combined for a respectable 3.84 ERA during his 541-inning career, though his ERA hovered around the 5.00 mark in each of the previous two seasons.
- Mariners reliever Andres Munoz suffered a “little setback” in his recovery from Tommy John surgery a few weeks ago and hasn’t taken the mound since, manager Scott Servais told Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times and other reporters. Munoz underwent the procedure almost exactly one year ago (March 20, 2020), and the Padres then dealt him to the Mariners in a seven-player trade last August. Considering how long it takes to return from TJ surgery, Munoz wasn’t likely to debut with the Mariners until sometime this summer, but now it appears they may have to wait a bit longer. Still just 22, Munoz impressed in his first season, 2019, when he pitched to a 3.91 ERA/3.72 SIERA in 23 innings, struck out 30.9 percent of batters and averaged 99.9 mph on his fastball.
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