OMNICHATTER is what you fall back on when you run out of inspiration, for June 16, 2017

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 6-16-2017

Harrisburg Telegraph, June 16, 1917:

Club owners in the Three-I League met [in Chicago] yesterday for the purpose of discussing the course to be pursued during the remainder of the baseball season. So far the season has been disastrous from a financial standpoint, due to the war and unfavorable weather, and some action must be taken at once to avoid further losses, according to President A.R. Tearney.
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President Tearney has sent telegrams to thirteen minor league [sic] in various parts of the ...

The Era of Position Players Pitching

Some interesting numbers in this article:

Yesterday, toward the end of an absolute thrashing at the hands of the Twins, the Mariners sent Carlos Ruiz to the mound… The day before, the tables were turned, and as the Mariners were maiming the Twins, the Twins sent out Chris Gimenez to pitch. A few days before, the Padres used Erick Aybar. The day before that, the Phillies used Andres Blanco. The day before that, the Twins used…Chris Gimenez…

Baseball right now finds itself within a number of ...

Nowadays, Top Draft Picks Almost Always Sign | BaseballAmerica.com

Data and more info at the link.

There should be few nervous moments for teams, draftees or fans leading up to this year’s July 7 draft signing deadline.

Not long ago, it wasn’t unusual for a team to fail to sign a first-, second- or third-rounder. The Blue Jays, for example, did not sign first-rounders Tyler Beede in 2011 or Phil Bickford in 2013. Now, that almost never happens. Most of the top 10-round draft picks will announce deals in the next week or two, and even the few that wait ...

Inside Baseball NL Notes | Dodgers Could Surprise For Quintana

Heyman’s latest.

AL Notes.

Heyman | Could Marlins Consider Trading Stanton?

A $100 million offset? If that’s what’s needed, he will never be traded.

One rival GM says flatly that the record contracts means they are surely “stuck with it,” but several others suggest that a $100-million (or so) offset could be appropriate and make a trade work. One rival GM also suggested it’s possible the Marlins could even try to pair a much more cost-efficient player, such as J.T. Realmuto or Christian Yelich or Marcell Ozuna, with Stanton, to make accepting his contract more ...

Dodgers minor leaguer Jair Jurrjens suspended 80 games after testing positive for exogenous Testoste

Major League Baseball announced on Thursday evening that Dodgers minor league pitcher Jair Jurrjens has been suspended 80 games after testing positive for exogenous Testosterone.

Jurrjens, 31, signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers at the end of March after pitching for Team Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. At Triple-A Oklahoma City, the right-hander compiled a 4.64 ERA with a 44/18 K/BB ratio in 54 1/3 innings.

A’s will let Trevor Plouffe go to make room for Matt Chapman

With top prospect Matt Chapman set to be officially called up on Thursday, the A’s are preparing to designate third baseman Trevor Plouffe for assignment, The Chronicle has learned.
Plouffe, signed to a one-year, $5.25 million deal during the offseason, is batting .214 with seven homers and 14 RBIs and six errors in 58 games and his playing time had been diminished the past two weeks. He started just one game on the team’s just-completed road trip to Tampa Bay and Miami.

Athletics fire pitching coach Curt Young, hire Scott Emerson

The Athletics announced on Thursday afternoon that pitching coach Curt Young has been relieved of his duties and replaced by Scott Emerson.

The Athletics’ pitching has been among the worst in baseball, carrying an aggregate 4.83 ERA. The rotation ERA is 4.66 while the bullpen ERA is an unsightly 5.07. While Jesse Hahn and Sean Manaea have had decent results, Jharel Cotton has struggled mightily and Sonny Gray hasn’t quite returned to 2015 form.
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How Baseball Prospectus Stumbled Into Its Uncertain Future

Just before the 2016 MLB playoffs, Baseball Prospectus emailed its staff and contributors to tell them that they would not be paid for work they did in August and September until January 2017. The costs of a website redesign and the collapse of daily-fantasy ad spending, the email explained, led to the payment freeze.

Within the company, there was more than just frustration over the missed payments—there was fear that BP could be headed toward bankruptcy. The beloved baseball analysis and ...

SABR 47 - NYC

The lineup for SABR 47 - which is just two weeks away has continued to be added to.  If you haven’t signed up, please consider it - even for the day.  Across the street from Grand Central makes this hotel perfect for anyone to spend a day.  The ballpark event on Friday is a phenomenal time. This year’s speakers is jammed pack with favorites: Jim Bouton and Keith Olbermann are a couple of exciting names.  El Duque is scheduled to speak as well.

Every evening will be terrific - come out and join ...

Luke Heimlich Will Not Pitch In College World Series

Oregon State lefthander Luke Heimlich, who was not drafted following a report that as a teenager he pleaded guilty to sexually molesting a 6-year-old female family member, will not pitch in the College World Series.

Brad Ausmus on Analytics, Closer Mentality, and Pitch-Framing

Ausmus on analytics (intro): “Analytics are ubiquitous. I think the dangerous mistake people make — some member of the media make — is believing that they can’t be flawed, because they’re based on numbers. That’s absolutely false. Numbers do not always tell us the whole story. And there are certain things in baseball, because it’s played by humans, that numbers will never be able to put a value on.”

On leverage and closer mentality: “A lot of people in the analytics world ...

New owner enters Marlins sale picture

While people involved with sale talks involving the Marlins continue to suggest that one of the two leading groups – the Derek Jeter group and the Tagg Romney-Tom Glavine group – are “most likely” to win the team through negotiation, sources suggest that at least one other viable prospect owner has entered the picture.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred this week suggested there could be a sale in place by the end of next month (and Marlins current higherups share that optimism, ...

Baseball Hall of Fame reaffirms Pete Rose ban

National Baseball Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson told Outside the Lines on Thursday that in December, the Hall’s board of directors decided to uphold its rule that has effectively prevented consideration of Pete Rose, the career leader in hits, for induction.

According to a statement from the Hall regarding its board’s decision, “After extensive discussion, a vote was taken in which the Board ratified the resolution that was passed on February 4, 1991, known today as Rule 3(E) in the ...

OMNICHATTER makes love out of nothing at all, for June 15, 2017

Hall of Fame denies Pete Rose’s request to stand for election

When Rob Manfred succeeded Selig as MLB commissioner, Rose got to make his case. Rose also got his answer: No.

Your lifetime ban for betting on baseball still holds, Manfred ruled. You still cannot work in baseball, he said, but the Hall of Fame can deal with you however it wants.

So Rose got to make his case to the Hall: put me on the ballot, and I’ll live with the results.

In December — in a decision not made public before now — Rose got his answer: No.

No reinstatement. No chance ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 6-15-2017

Pittsburgh Press, June 15, 1917:

“The amount of money that is wagered on baseball,” says Arnold Rothstein, “is grossly exaggerated. I find that there is little real betting on the daily games.”
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“Baseball is not a good betting proposition, which may be just as well for the game.”

Rothstein went on to remark, “Please disperse. There is nothing to see here.”

MLB Draft Day 3 | MLB.com

It’s always interesting to see which teams strike it big later in the draft by managing their bonus pool well.

Highly-rated prospects, particularly high school players, frequently drop due to signability concerns. Teams tend to take more chances on players during Day 3 of the Draft, because there is no penalty for failing to sign a player after Round 10. If a team doesn’t sign a player it selects in the first 10 rounds, it loses the bonus pool allotment for that round.

The question for most ...

All-Undrafted Team includes many star players | MLB.com

Third base: Toby Harrah was passed over in the 1966 Draft because scouts assumed he was going to go to college. Phillies scout Tony Lucadello, however, found out Harrah was working in a factory and signed him for $500. Harrah wound up playing 17 years in the big leagues—2,155 games, ranking 165th on the all-time list. A five-time All-Star who also saw regular duty at shortstop and second base, Harrah hit .264 with 195 home runs and 918 RBIs.

There’s a guy with ‘Jeff Passan’ in his name that’s actually good at baseball

Mr. Irrelevant.

Report: A’s to promote Chapman on Thursday | Pacific Coast League News

While Chapman’s plus power is impressive, scouts rave about his defense at the hot corner, and he has a 75-grade throwing arm with a plus-plus glove. His plus range and smooth hands make him a potential Gold Glover at the position and a necessary improvement for the A’s, who rank last in the Majors with 62 errors and a .974 fielding percentage.

Dodgers’ Julio Urias to get shoulder examined; Yasiel Puig appeals MLB punishment for gesture - LA Times

This is not good.

A fitful season for Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias took a concerning turn this week, and now the left-hander is headed back to Los Angeles so team doctor Neal ElAttrache can examine his sore left shoulder.

The triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers placed Urias on the disabled list Wednesday. Urias mentioned to the medical staff that “he wasn’t feeling right” a few days ago, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. The team shut him down from throwing. When his condition did not approve, ...

EL notes: Indians’ Mejia has glove to match | MiLB.com News

How soon before the best catching prospect in baseball gets promoted, at least to AAA?

Mets’ Matt Harvey concerned about arm fatigue | MLB.com

He looked awful.

Can a brain ‘zapping’ device improve San Francisco Giants’ performance?

Electrodes hidden inside a $750 headset are placed above the area of the brain responsible for controlling movements — the motor cortex. The brain region sends electrical signals from neurons to targeted groups of muscle fibers, causing them to contract.

KEVIN COONEY: Matt Klentak has to walk fine line between honesty and complete truth | Phillies Talk | buckscountycouriertimes.com

Every time I read “carrying 13 pitchers” I want to scream, “Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”

“We have alternatives if we need to go get somebody at Triple-A,” Klentak said. “That too may come at some point. But right now, with how the roster’s going, with us carrying 13 pitchers and with Daniel Nava playing well, this is a perfectly fine setup for right now.”

BOX SCORE ART

IT IS ART.  ABOUT BOX SCORES.  MAINLY LINES AND THINGS?

Memo: MLB players can use nicknames on back of jersey, wear bright-colored shoes during ‘Players Wee

He hate me!

Major League Baseball will relax its uniform rules for a weekend later this season, allowing players to put nicknames on the back of their jerseys, wear fluorescent-colored shoes and personalize a patch paying tribute to someone instrumental in their development, according to a memo obtained by Yahoo Sports.

The event, called Players Weekend, is planned for Aug. 25-27 and was negotiated between the league and MLB Players Association. Players long have sought to express their ...

The Juiced Ball Is Back – The Ringer

STOP THE PRESSES!!