MLB

MLB: Players aiming for a 162-game season; planning to show up to spring training on time

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Here we go again! The 2020 campaign was unusual every way you look at it. It only had 60 regular-season games, the playoffs were expanded, the designated hitter was used in both leagues and, most importantly, MLB teams had to deal with coronavirus and all of its consequences.

But over the spring and part of the summer, there was an ugly dispute between MLB and the players’ association on several sensitive subjects, most notably compensation and revenue share. Sadly, since COVID-19 hasn’t gone away, the two parties still need to come up with solutions to play the 2021 season, and they are already having differences.

On Tuesday, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that several anonymous club executives expressed a desire to delay the 2021 season until sometime in May. That way, players and staffers would have the opportunity to be vaccinated for COVID-19. The measure could also result in a safer environment for fans and, with luck and proper planning, maybe welcoming them in stadiums at some point.

MLB and MLB PA want different things… again

However, according to Evan Drellich of The Athletic, the MLB Players Association is “planning for a 162-game season and plan to show up to spring training on time.” Of course, why would they want to play anything less than 162 games and risk further pay cuts after they already lost so much money in 2020?

Drellich is reporting that if it means forfeiting any salary, the players have no interest in MLB’s latest idea (more like a desire than a formal request) to start in May.

Bruce Meyer, the MLB PA’s senior director of collective bargaining and legal, said to Drellich: “To be clear, and as we’ve made clear to the league, players are planning on showing up for spring training on time for a full 162-game season as set forth in the collective bargaining agreement and the league’s previously issued schedule.”

It’s still early and a compromise could be reached at some point. But it’s very worrisome that the two sides are already having such different stances.

MLB News/Rumors: Baseball owners asking for a shortened season for 2021

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Possibly the New York Yankees and definitely some MLB team owners are asking MLB to shorten the 2021 season so that most players could be vaccinated before the start of the season. They are proposing a 140 game season that would start during May. This according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Last season Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred shortened the season to just 60 games because of the coronavirus surge. That move and the health protocols put in place allow the season to be completed almost unscathed. However, the season was completed until the World Series with no fans in the stands causing all teams to have huge revenue losses. With the upcoming season, there is no clarity as to what a season will look like and if fans will finally be allowed in the stands somehow.

The MLB Players’ Association does not approve of this tentative plan; as they hope to start on time and play the entire 162-game slate, they obviously want full pay after having their pay prorated this past season. However, even though the MLBPA says they can start safely on time, the owners are skeptical and do not want to risk teams becoming infected before players have been vaccinated.

“I don’t see a snowball’s chance in hell that spring training can start with protocols in place,” an anonymous National League owner told USA Today. “I think there will be significant pressure for players to get the vaccine first before they go to spring training, and if that has to be moved back to April and play 130 games, so be it. But to have 162 games, and start spring training at the normal time without players being vaccinated, that’s just crazy.”

With the coronavirus running ramped across the country, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel. One vaccine against the deadly virus has been approved, and one is close behind. The CDC guideline says that health care and nursing home workers and patients should be first to get the vaccine. That to be followed by front-line workers and those older Americans with pre-existing conditions to follow. Young, healthy baseball players will likely near the last to get the vaccine.

 

Report: 2021 MLB season could be delayed

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According to a report from Bob Nightengale (USA Today), the start of the 2021 MLB season could be postponed. League owners and executives want players and staff members to take the COVID-19 vaccine once its readily available, and that may not be until after the scheduled start to Spring Training.

“I don’t see any way spring training starts in February. Zero chance of that. I don’t care if we play 140 games, 120 games or 80 games, we have to make sure everyone is safe to do this right.’’ — said an American League owner

Shortening the 2021 season would mean more financial losses for teams, something executives are willing to deal with to keep everyone safe.

In contrast, the MLBPA believes the season should start on time using many protocols from the shortened 2020 season. Major League Baseball doesn’t want to place a private order of COVID-19 vaccinations to allow frontline workers and high-risk individuals to get it first.

“Knowing what I know about last season, I feel that the 2021 season can be played in full. I’m hopeful for that. I’m just proud of everyone in the industry, from top to bottom, made that adjustment and made it work. We got to the finish line, there was a world champion for the 2020 season.” — Torey Lovullo, Arizona Diamondbacks Manager

By spending less time at the field, wearing masks, social distancing, and getting tested frequently, it led to a shortened but safe 2020 season. Players feel that by readapting these practices, a full season can be completed safely despite COVID-19 spiking throughout the country.

Right now, the NBA is beginning their 2020-2021 campaign in home arenas, mainly without fans. The outcome of their plan could help sway Major League Baseball’s decision on whether to postpone the start of the season, since the NBA is planning to play regardless of outbreaks. Like Major League Baseball, the NBA isn’t planning on any private orders of COVID-19 vaccines.

The hope is that by early spring, the COVID-19 vaccine will be available for anyone to take. If the start of the MLB season is postponed, it likely won’t be postponed nearly as long as it was in 2020.

DJ LeMahieu is the priority, but the New York Yankees can’t forget about their other needs

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New York Yankees

Over a month through the off-season, the New York Yankees have remained extremely quiet. They’ve denied options to Brett Gardner and JA Happ, tendered Gary Sanchez, and brought back Nestor Cortes Jr., all of which were not surprising.

The Yankees haven’t made a signing early on in the free-agency period, but have been in negotiations with DJ LeMahieu.  LeMahieu is asking for five years and $100 million, while the Yankees are more interested in four years and $75 million (per NJ Advance Media).

Signing LeMahieu is the Yankees obvious priority. The two sides are currently a ways apart, meaning it’ll take some time and effort until an agreement happens.

That being said, the Yankees can’t forget about their other needs. In addition to retaining LeMahieu, the Yankees need starting pitching, relief pitchers, a left-handed bat, and potentially both a backup catcher and left fielder.

Pitching:

We haven’t heard much of anything about Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton, two members of the 2020 team who are free-agents. The Yankees have expressed interest in free-agent Trevor Bauer, the best available free-agent starter. Additionally, the Yankees have talked to the Pittsburgh Pirates about trading for Jameson Taillon.

In terms of relief pitchers, we haven’t heard anything. Tommy Kahnle elected free-agency after undergoing Tommy John surgery, leaving an empty spot in the bullpen. However, even before the Kahnle injury, the Yankees were still expected to pursue relievers in the off-season.

Position players:

Both Clint Frazier and Brett Gardner are both logical candidates to play left field in 2021. Frazier had a breakout 2020 season, showing he’s capable to start for the Yankees. Gardner, despite the Yankees declining his option, could still be re-signed on a cheap deal. The team has also shown interest in signing veteran Michael Brantley, a lefty who spent the past two seasons in Houston.

The Yankees will also look into Kyle Schwarber, formerly of the Chicago Cubs. The 27-year-old can play both left and right field, and can also catch if needed.

Another lefty that the Yankees are reportedly interested in is first baseman Josh Bell. Currently a Pirate, his name came up in discussions for Jameson Taillon.

As important as signing DJ LeMahieu is for the New York Yankees, the team can’t forget about their other needs. If the Yankees wait too long to fill other positions, all of the big names could be off the board, and things could backfire badly.

Sources: New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates in discussions about Josh Bell and Jameson Taillon

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New York Yankees

Multiple sources have reported that the New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates have discussed a potential trade involving Josh Bell and Jameson Taillon of the Pirates.

The Yankees are in need of starting pitching and a left-handed hitter, and a trade could take care of those needs. However, it could come at the expense of Yankee first baseman Luke Voit.

Bell, a first baseman himself, is a left-handed power-hitting first baseman. He was an all-star in 2019, hitting 37 home runs, driving in 116, and recording an OPS of nearly .950. Bell struggled in 2020, hitting just eight home runs with an OPS well under .700. Many of baseball’s stars struggled in 2020, so it’s not something that could be a dealbreaker.

The big issue with Bell is his defense. Since his 2019 debut, Bell has a -7.0 dWAR and -37 defensive runs saved. In short, he’s a horrendous defender.

If the Yankees were to acquire Bell, they would have to make a decision: either play Bell at first, or DH him. Right now, the Yankees are planning to DH Giancarlo Stanton, but that could change if Bell becomes a Yankee. If they were to play Bell at first, it would likely be the end of the Luke Voit era. Bell would be the starter, and Voit doesn’t deserve to be on the bench. With the value that Voit provides, it makes you wonder what the Yankees are thinking by potentially pursuing Bell.

On the other hand, acquiring Jameson Taillon could help fill one of the spots in the Yankee rotation. Taillon has been on the IL since May of 2019, undergoing Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career.

But when healthy, Taillon is a very steady pitcher. He has a career 3.67 ERA, 3.55 FIP, and 1.247 WHIP. His fastball velocity sits around 95mph while his off-speed pitches average around 88mph.

Taillon could be a solid option for the Yankees in the middle of the rotation. He has two more years of team control, and makes a lot of sense for the Yankees.

MLB News/Rumors: Some wild and not so wild predictions for Winter Meetings week

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New York Yankees, DJ LeMahieu

For the New York Yankees and the other 29 MLB teams, an extraordinary Winter Meetings week will start tomorrow. The event for owners, general managers, and field managers, this is a week that is normally as much social as it is filled with serious baseball meetings. This year there will not be deals done in the bar over a Martini, no late-night talks between GMs in posh hotel rooms. No, this year, the whole event is going to be done virtually. The talks will start tomorrow and go on until December 10th.

Nevertheless, you can count on more acquisitions and trades made this week than the whole time since the World Series ended. However, don’t expect as much activity as in a normal offseason set of meetings. Teams don’t have the money this year than they normally have after huge losses caused by the coronavirus and do not have the revenue stream they usually have from fan-generated funds.

New York Yankees:

The New York Yankees may be one of the hardest teams to predict for two reasons. They have many needs, but owner Hal Steinbrenner has already said he wants to keep the payroll below the luxury tax threshold. You probably won’t see much action from the Yankees during this entire week until they have some idea what’s happening with star second baseman DJ LeMahieu. The Yankees want DJ back for sure, but they have continued to wait to see how much interest develops for his service. I guess that if the Yankees don’t act, the Toronto Blue Jays will swoop in and offer him the money he can’t refuse.

Everything with LeMahieu is contract length; he is fixated on security and will not accept a short contract unless it’s in an amount equivalent to what he would like to earn for five years. The Yankees won’t do that; they might compromise and give him four years with an option based on performance. Regardless they will do everything they can the keep the baseball batting champ in pinstripes.

Prediction: DJ LeMahieu remains a New York Yankee.

New York Mets:

New New York Mets owner Steve Cohen will make a name for himself this week, like outspending any other MLB team. Cohen wants to be in the spotlight and wants to be seen as a winner, and he has the money to do it and do it big. I guess Cohen will try to rebuild the team in just one season to become the predominant New York team.

Predictions: The Mets, unlike the Yankees, have made a bevy of moves already; they haven’t wasted any time signing no less than 15 signed players, including minor league signings. They will make a lot more this week.

  • J.T Realmuto will become the Mets starting catcher.
  • George Springer of Jackie Bradley Jr to the Mets.
  • James Paxton and Taijuan Walker bolster the Mets rotation.

The Los Angeles Angels:

The Los Angeles Angels are tired of losing with a big name like Mike Trout on the team. They paid big for Trout and basically have wasted all that money by not giving him around him to win.

Prediction: Coveted pitcher Trevor Bauer signs with the Angels.

Philadelphia Phillies:

The Phillies is a sad story this year. Even with new manager Joe Girardi, the team will do little to improve their place in the NL East. The Phillies lost a lot of money this past season, not as much as the Yankees, but they also don’t have the Yankees’ resources. They will cost cut at every turn; they have already said they don’t have the money to re-sign J.T. Realmuto. They will somehow find the money to resign Didi Gregorius to a three or four-year deal.

The Toronto Blue Jays:

The Toronto Blue Jays are on the cusp of greatness with all their young, energetic players. They will definitely make a play for DJ LeMahieu but will fall short to the Yankees.

  • Yoenis Cespedes will go to the Blue Jays a small risk one year deal for about $10 million with a team option.
  • If Taijuan Walker doesn’t go with the Mets, the Blue Jays are next inline for the quality pitcher.
  • Shortstop Andrelton Simmons to the Jays
  • Brad Hand the new Jays closer

The Tampa Bay Rays:

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the pants off the New York Yankees this past season and went on to complete in the MLB World Series but fell short to the Dodgers. The Rays have a pretty good team as it is. But they have holes to fill. Primarily to bolster and already excellent pitching rotation of Blake Snell, Ryan Yarborough, and Tyler Glasnow. But they have lost Charlie Morton to the Braves after refusing his 2021 option. They also are in dire need of a catcher. The Rays don’t spend big to don’t look for them to make a play for Realmuto.

  • Willson Contreras the Rays new catcher.
  • Kevin Kieirmaier will be traded off to save money.
  • Left-hand pitcher Matt Moore to the Rays

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers:

The MLB World Series Champion Dodgers won’t do much to fix a team that doesn’t have much to fix. But also don’t look for them to sit on their hands.

  • Dodgers sign Mookie Betts to a record 8-10 deal.

 

 

 

Could Eddie Rosario fit with the New York Yankees?

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New York Yankees

Wednesday’s 8pm MLB non-tender deadline has passed, and there were a few surprises on the list of players outrighted to free agency. One of the bigger surprises was Eddie Rosario, former Minnesota Twins outfielder. Could Rosario potentially be an outfield target for the New York Yankees?

Rosario can do a little bit of everything

An advantage of signing Rosario would be that he provides a little bit of everything. Rosario is a slightly above average hitter, batting .257 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs in 2020. His OPS was just shy of .800 while his OPS+ was at 115.

Defensively, Rosario is solid when he’s at his primary position, left-field. He has a career 9 DRS in left, while his DRs in both right and center are negative. His career dWAR is at -1.5, anchored by poor defensive showings in 2017 and 2019.

Additionally, Rosario has a little bit of speed, totaling three stolen bases in 2020 and 39 on his career. His 2020 WAR was just shy of 1.0 while his career WAR sits just below 12.0.

The aging Brett Gardner

Yankees veteran left-fielder Brett Gardner is a free agent this off-season, and there’s a serious possibility that he won’t be back in pinstripes in 2021.

Gardner, 37, saw 2020 be the worst performing season of his career. He bat just .223 with a .747 OPS and a 108 OPS+. Gardner still provides defensive value, but his offense could be enough to turn the Yankees away.

That being said, Rosario could be a solid option to replace Gardner in left. That’s if the Yankees don’t have faith in Clint Frazier.

Frazier had a breakout 2020 season, batting .267 with eight home runs and 26 RBIs. His OPS was over .900 while his OPS+ was nearly 150. Frazier’s defense saw improvements, even being nominated as a Gold Glove award finalist.

Signing Eddie Rosario could help bolster the Yankees outfield. But first, the team needs to decide whether they are ready to give up on Gardner and Frazier.

New York Yankees: What will Tyler Wade’s role look like in 2021?

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New York Yankees, Tyler Wade

Since his debut in 2017, Tyler Wade has been a household name for the New York Yankees. Although he’s seen his fair share of struggles, he’s managed to find himself on the Yankees roster for at least parts of last four seasons, even seeing action in 52 of 60 games in 2020. What will his role look like in 2021?

Wade’s 2021 role is highly dependent on whether the Yankees re-sign DJ LeMahieu, and whether they acquire someone like Francisco Lindor. If neither of those happen, there’s a chance he could start games unless the team manages to sign someone else.

However, the chances of Wade becoming a starting middle-infielder are slim to none, but that would be the best case scenario for him. The most realistic scenario for him is if the Yankees keep the same starting infield as they did in 2020. That would make him the back-up middle infielder, getting occasional starts. He’d have a similar role if the team acquires Lindor but fails to retain LeMahieu.

In those scenarios, we’d likely see him the most in late game scenarios. Wade is one of the fastest players in all of baseball, making him a valuable option as a pinch-runner. Additionally, we could see Wade as a defensive replacement for Gleyber Torres. Wade’s 0.2 dWar is better than Torres’s at -0.3, as Torres isn’t a natural shortstop unlike Wade.

Wade is also very versatile, as his abilities allow him to play second-base, third-base, and all three outfield positions in addition to shortstop.

If the Yankees re-sign LeMahieu and manage to land Francisco Lindor, his role would likely shrink. Gio Urshela would play third, Lindor would take shortstop, Torres would slide back to second with LeMahieu moving over to first. Lindor and LeMahieu are workhorses, and rarely miss any games. Urshela and Torres do occasionally get injured, but when they are healthy, they don’t need much rest.

With a more well-rounded infield, Wade’s situational appearances along with starts would shrink.

Regardless of how the Yankees organize their infield, Tyler Wade is likely to see some time on the field in 2021. The moves they make will depend on how much he plays, but he should be a roster lock next season.

 

New York Yankees: Does Domingo German deserve a second chance?

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New York Yankees, Domingo German

With the MLB off-season now in full-swing, the New York Yankees have yet to make any significant moves. They declined a couple options (Brett Gardner and JA Happ), and added a few players to their 40-man roster. However, the team is expected to make some big decisions this winter regarding their starting rotation.

In addition to Happ, incumbent starters Masahiro Tanaka and James Paxton are free-agents. Both players careers in pinstripes are at risk, as the Yankees have some serious talent in-house. Jordan Montgomery, Deivi Garcia, and Clarke Schmidt are all young stars with high ceilings looking for a starting spot. They have Gerrit Cole locked up for eight more years, and will have Luis Severino off the IL towards the middle of the season.

The other pitcher in the picture is Domingo German. After seeing brief stints in 2017 and 2018, he had the opportunity to start games in 2019 and took full advantage of it. He pitched to an 18-4 record with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.147 WHIP, striking out 153 over 143 innings.

However, German’s impressive 2019 season came to a halt when a domestic abuse case against his wife surfaced, suspending him through the 2020 season.

A lot of teams would move on from a pitcher like that right away, but over a year later, he’s still a member of the Yankees. Does he deserve a second chance?

According to NorthJersey.com, German donated to domestic assault non-profits and completed a MLB associated training and evaluation since the incident. He accepts full responsibility for the incident and no charges resulted from the incident.

On the baseball side of things, German has been playing in the Dominican Republic winter league along with teammates Gary Sanchez and Miguel Andujar. He pitched four no-hit innings in his first start, while tossing five, one-run innings his second start.

It all seems like positive news for Domingo German. But the question is, do the Yankees trust him enough to bring him back?

New York Yankees: Buck Showalter recommends that the rotation should “go young”

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New York Yankees, Deivi Garcia

On YES Network’s “Hot Stove”, analyst Buck Showalter suggested that the New York Yankees rotation should “go young”. The Yankees rotation is in a roster turnover, with many of their arms from 2020 hitting the free agency market this winter. They could choose to go to free agency to staff the rotation, or focus on in-house options.

Some of those in-house options include Jordan Montgomery, Deivi Garcia, and Clarke Schmidt. All three of these guys have had opportunities in the majors, with Montgomery being on the roster since 2017.

Montgomery pitched to a 9-7 in 2017, his rookie season. He had a 3.88 ERA 144 strikeouts and a 1.230 WHIP over 155.1 innings, finishing sixth in Rookie of the Year voting.

He would make six starts in 2018 before injuring his arm and being forced to undergo Tommy John surgery, sidelining him until the end of the 2019 season. Montgomery appeared twice leading up to the 2019 postseason to shake-off the rust, beginning his 2020 comeback.

His first full-season back saw him finish with a 2-3 record and a 5.11 ERA in 10 starts, slowly returning back to his normal self and showing glimmers of success.

Garcia and Schmidt, on the other hand, have far less experience. While Garcia made six starts in 2020, Schmidt appeared just three times. Garcia posted a 4.98 ERA, while Schmidt held a 7.11 ERA to his name.

If the Yankees were to focus on in-house options filling the rotation, it would be a high risk, high reward scenario. The team would save a lot of money by pitching young guys who have a lot of potential. On the other hand, the Yankees are one of the best teams in all of baseball, and not going after veterans could hurt their postseason chances.

Veterans provide experience with proven talent, something you won’t see in young pitchers. For the Yankees to have the most success, they may be better off mixing in-house guys with veteran free-agents.

Showalter’s proposal of the Yankees rotation going young sounds like a good idea, but won’t work. With how competitive the Yankees are, the can’t afford to stay away from high-profile, proven veterans. Having a mix of young pitchers may help the team, but focusing solely on young-guns will hurt the Yankees.