Take the pledge: Let’s banish pitcher wins, losses from baseball conversations

So let’s stop talking about pitcher wins and losses, OK? Please? Let’s be better. Baseball statisticians have spent the past few decades giving us better options, and the tide has been turning. Advanced statistics are more a part of the baseball conversation now than ever before. But we haven’t wiped out the individual W/L quite yet. 

And, look, I’m not under any delusions that these blights of baseball statistics are completely going away. They’ve long been ingrained in baseball ...

Brock Holt goes to the disabled list with vertigo

The Red Sox activated Jackie Bradley Jr. from the DL today. The corresponding move: putting utilityman Brock Holt on the disabled list. But it’s not due to a hamstring or anything like that. It’s due to vertigo.

Vertigo is a medical condition where a person feels as if they or the objects around them are moving when they’re not. A spinning, swaying or dizziness. It can be caused by an infection, a concussion or any number of other things and the severity can vary as well.

Major League Baseball in Las Vegas? Commissioner says it’s an option

Major League Baseball would be open to having a team in Las Vegas, Commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday.

With two existing franchises — the Oakland A’s and the Tampa Bay Rays — struggling to secure financing for new stadiums, the option of relocating a team to Las Vegas is very much on the table.

“If we were looking at relocation,” Manfred said, “Las Vegas would be on the list.”...

Manfred didn’t rule out the possibility of an expansion franchise in Las Vegas, but added ...

A’s president Dave Kaval zeroed in on four sites for Oakland ballpark

“We’re down to three to four sites. They’re all in Oakland, but they are in different locations,” Kaval said. “I think baseball needs some new energy, and I think Oakland can be kind of the shining star for that new model.”
No word on whether one of those sites is on the water, an idea a fan floated last month.

A major announcement on the stadium can be expected this calendar year, Kaval said.

“We’re spending a lot of time on the transit and traffic plans, making sure any site ...

Rangers release Josh Hamilton following another knee injury

It appears the baseball career of Josh Hamilton is, once and for all, done.
Hamilton, rehabbing from a left knee surgery, injured his right knee during rehab and will undergo surgery to repair it. The Rangers on Friday released him from his minor league contract.
Hamilton did not say he definitively planned to retire, but the reality is he will be a free agent at the end of this year, 36 years old and without a major league at-bat for two full seasons.
“I am disappointed but not discouraged ...

Jon Lester offers Cubs fan his seats at Wrigley Field | SI.com

Oh, so his dad’s seats aren’t good enough!!

Favorites to sign Cuban outfielder Luis Robert | MLB.com

Out of the running
The Angels, Blue Jays, Cubs, D-backs, Dodgers, Rays, Red Sox, Royals and Yankees are limited to signing a player for $300,000 or less during the current signing period, putting those teams out of the running for Robert.

What’s Wrong With Carlos Martinez? It Ain’t The Hair. He Isn’t “Disinterested.” Two Words: Throw Str

Hint: It isn’t because Martinez is “disinterested.”
Over Martinez’ last two starts, we’ve heard team TV broadcasters refer to him as “ambivalent” and “disinterested.” During Martinez’ poor start against the Brewers Thursday night, Al Hrabosky said something about “slapping” Martinez to “wake him up.”
This is so awful on so many levels, it just about leaves me speechless.
But not quite speechless.
Disinterested? In his last two starts Martinez has struck out 33.3 ...

Francisco Lindor turned down Indians’ offer | MLB.com

According to a report by Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci on Thursday, the Indians’ offer to Lindor during the spring was around $100 million, but the rising star turned down Cleveland’s proposal. There have been no indications that negotiations have continued into the season.

The Indians have the 23-year-old Lindor under contractual control through the 2021 season. The shortstop will not be eligible for arbitration until 2019, putting him on target to hit the open market ahead of his age-28 ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 4-21-2017

Chicago sportswriter Harry Neily, quoted in the Pittsburgh Press, April 21, 1917:

Last winter [Honus Wagner] got married. Reports are conflicting, persons friendly to the owners saying that Honus went into the club’s offices and announced in loud voice that he couldn’t take so much money from the club because he couldn’t earn it, due to the infirmities of old age. Others declare that Barney Dreyfuss, president of the Pirates grew frugal and cut Wagner’s pay. Whichever is correct, Wagner quit.

...

Thank God It’s OMNICHATTER

Brewers’ Eric Thames adjusts to attention | MLB.com

He is used to this kind of attention. In South Korea, where Thames averaged 41 home runs over three seasons, fans nicknamed him “God.” He still has a pile of T-shirts somewhere with that word written on them in Korean, a gift Thames sheepishly accepted. He went on a date one night and was out on the street kissing a girl when a fan tapped him on the shoulder and asked for an autograph.

Why MLB’s best young stars will strike it wildly rich in ‘resetting of the market’

The Cleveland Indians tried to extend the contract of shortstop Francisco Lindor before Opening Day, but not even dangling what one source said was a package around $100 million did the trick.

The Chicago Cubs made runs at extending several of their young players this winter, including third baseman Kris Bryant, but according to one source, every one of those efforts “got nowhere.”

A Creative Theater Production Knits Baseball and Politics

Safe at Home is a unique production, staged at St. Paul’s CHS Field, home of the St. Paul Saints, an independent baseball team known for its creative and wacky promotions and for being one of the best fan experiences in baseball. The Saints lent their three-year old park in the heart of St. Paul for Safe at Home. Groups of roughly 25 audience members were brought through nine areas of the stadium, with a seven-minute scene unfolding at each stop along the way. I attended the production ...

Brad Ausmus: Tigers fielders to blame after being confused by fan

Two seemingly harmless fly balls fell for hits in the first three innings of the Rays’ 8-7 victory as Tigers center fielder JaCoby Jones, right fielder Tyler Collins and second baseman Ian Kinsler were confused by the shouts from the Tropicana Field stands.

The source of the Tigers’ confusion wasn’t miscommunication between the fielders. If anything, it was overcommunication on the part of a fan in the Tropicana Field stands yelling “I got it!”

“It’s fair game, if you’re a fan. I’m not the ...

Cubs’ John Lackey and Chris Bosio imply Eric Thames is using PEDs

In his post-game press conference, Lackey said (via the Chicago Tribune) that Thames’ home run was “kinda one of those things that makes you scratch your head.” Lackey seemingly very intentionally winked at the reporter who asked him the question.

Bosio appeared on the Mully and Hanley show and was asked about Starling Marte‘s recent suspension after testing positive for Nandrolone. Chris Cwik of Yahoo Sports provides the transcript:

Well, the bottom line is [Thames] has hit the ball ...

David Freese, World Series hero, finds greater triumph in depression battle

He may forever be a hero in these parts, but during a time he should have been basking in glory, he instead was a tormented man who battled just to get out of bed.

He would wake up mornings, slam his eye lids shut, wishing he were dead.

“I was depressed. I was always depressed,’’ Freese tells USA TODAY Sports. “I never tried to do anything to myself, but I didn’t care about my life. I didn’t care what would happen to me. It was almost to a point that if this is my time, so be it? ...Read More...

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: April 20, 2017 at 05:41 PM | 6 comment(s)
  Beats: cardinals, david freese, depression, mental health, pirates

Q&A: Daniels on meteoric rise with Rangers

A lot of good stuff in this one.

MLB.com: You let Josh Hamilton leave as a free agent and traded both Mark Teixeira and Michael Young, all three very popular players. Is it difficult—yet necessary—in your job to not let emotion get in the way of making what you feel is the right baseball move?

Daniels: Absolutely. Anybody would agree with that; every team would have to agree with that. It is hard, man, especially when you’ve had success as a group and you want to keep the team together. John ...

How is free swinger Eric Thames crushing his second act?

The problem? He swung at everything. And it almost cost him everything. But he’s back and emerging as the biggest surprise of the 2017 season. How did he climb back for this second act that most players never get?

“Plate discipline,” Thames said, simply. “I learned in Korea that they won’t challenge you as much as they do in the minor leagues and [majors]. And maintaining the strike zone and swinging at strikes, that’s like the ultimate goal for everybody.”

Thames signed with the NC Dinos of ...

Rob Manfred has a vision to improve baseball and it’s more radical than you think

Maybe the major leagues can borrow from the more joyous fan experiences in Asia and Latin America, even at the risk of adding five minutes to the game. Maybe television broadcasts can shorten commercial breaks by adding ads to a corner of the screen during play. And, yes, maybe the players and coaches could cut back on the in-game caucuses.

“The stuff where nothing is going on – Yadi Molina is making his 93rd trip to the mound, or whoever the catcher is, I don’t mean to pick out a guy ...

Luis Robert Declared A Free Agent - MLB Trade Rumors

The next big thing is going to the last international player to get paid.

Robert, a 19-year-old outfielder, has reportedly drawn wide interest from around the league. Last we checked in, a variety of organizations were planning to take closer scouting looks. If there’s a favorite at this point, it could be the White Sox, though they’d be entering the penalty box by striking a deal with Robert. Numerous other organizations have already blown past their bonus pools, so going on to sign Robert ...

Full Count » It doesn’t look like Hanley Ramirez will be using his first baseman’s glove all that much

Is this really a problem?

This royal throne of kings, this sceptered OMNICHATTER

Sale and Syndergaard pitching on the same day? Somebody pinch me!

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 4-20-2017

Pittsburgh Press, April 20, 1917:

Manager Mitchell of the Cubs has ordered the discontinuance of the hit and run play. “I’ll fine anyone who tries it,” says Mitchell—“fine him $100 for the first offense and fire him the second time. I’ve studied that play thoroughly. The odds against its bein a winner are about 70 to 1, and I don’t propose to lose out on the 69 extra chances.”

On one hand, it’s pretty cool and a bit unexpected that managers were studying success rates of plays like this. On the ...

WashEx: Jeb Bush looks to Derek Jeter to help buy Miami Marlins

What a team: Jeter couldn’t go to his left; Jeb! couldn’t go right. Sad!

Once rivals in their pursuit to purchase the Miami Marlins, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is teaming up with retired New York Yankees star shortstop Derek Jeter to bid for the baseball team.

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria has been entertaining offers for the team, which moved to Miami in 2012 and changed its name from the Florida Marlins to the Miami Marlins. With Jeter and Bush, New York financier and manager of Quogue ...

Angel Pagan to sit out 2017 season

Free-agent outfielder Angel Pagan will sit out the remainder of the season instead of signing with a club, he told Yamaira Muniz Perez of El Vocero on Wednesday. Pagan plans to spend time with family.

Pagan, who turns 36 in July, went unsigned all winter despite rumors of interest from multiple clubs including the Blue Jays, Braves and Nationals. He was connected to the Pirates earlier in the week as a potential replacement for outfielder Starling Marte, who was suspended 80 games for ...

Josh Harrison Got Hit Four Times in a Row

No major-league player, since at least 1974 — not just the Pirates — but no major-league player has been hit by pitches in four straight plate appearances. Anthony Rizzo the last to be hit by pitches in three straight plate appearances.

The CB Bucknor Experience | FanGraphs Baseball

Let’s get rid of replay and bad umpires.

In His 50th Year with the A’s, Steve Vucinish has a lifetime of tales

“Player requests — or, in some cases, demands — are the bane of any clubhouse manager’s existence. Most are accommodated, including the time Red Sox star Clemens asked for a birthday cake for his wife “in the fifth inning!” Vucinich said. When Carl Yastrzemski and Dwight “Dewey” Evans were with Boston, Coors was unavailable east of the Rockies, so they’d have Vucinich pack the luggage truck full of cases.

“One time a couple of equipment guys in Boston drank half of it when ...

Is that an OMNICHATTER in your pocket or are you just glad to see me, April 19, 2017

I’m just glad to see you.