Hey Duda. The death spiral of relative values. | Rotoman’s Guide

This article is making me tier up.

Toronto Blue Jays want grass in the Rogers Centre: An inside look at the difficult growth process it requires | National Post

It’s really isn’t simple.

New Orioles hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh expects big year from Chris Davis - Baltimore Sun

Chris Davis is a good buy-low candidate.

“There were times when he hit [a bunch of] home runs in a month and hit .360, and it was like, this guy’s like Babe Ruth compared to Triple-A. I know it’s the minor leagues, but I’ve seen it on the baseball field, so when he hit 50-plus home runs, it wasn’t like, ‘Wow.’ And I don’t expect it every time, either, but at the same time, it’s something he’s capable of doing.”

While he understands that his connection with Davis will be a storyline, Coolbaugh ...

Document from ‘45 for sale, dismisses black baseball players - NY Daily News

The document, submitted by Yankee president Larry MacPhail to a committee appointed by New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in 1945 to study baseball’s color line, said black athletes simply didn’t have what it takes to play in the big leagues.

“There are few, if any, negro players who could qualify for play in the major leagues at this time. A major league player must have something besides natural ability,” MacPhail’s report said just two years before Robinson led the Dodgers to ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-14-2015

Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss quoted in the Pittsburgh Press, January 14, 1915:

“If Rube [Waddell] were living, he could go on the [witness] stand and swear that he was once traded for a Pittsburg stogie. Yes, it’s true.

“Rube was with the Pirates at the time, and we were tired of him. Clarke gave him to Chicago, and he came to the office to see me about it. He said he was perfectly willing to go to the Windy City, but he wanted half of the purchase money.

“‘Here, take it all, Rube,’ said I, ...

Changes coming to MLBPA agent certification | FOX Sports

I am not sure I get the bachelor degree requirement. What if a former player, who has MLBPA and CBA knowledge and experience, decides he wants to be an agent? He can’t? Does Dave Stewart have a degree?

But policing these rules has been a difficulty. Despite clearly stated rules that a bachelor degree is required for certification, there’s a high-profile agent that has recently been outed as lacking that all-important section on his resume. Perhaps he has demonstrated “sufficient knowledge” to be ...

Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart says he won’t add a catcher

From what I saw in AFL games, O’Brien has a long way to go to become a major league catcher.

After saying last week the Diamondbacks would be comfortable going into the season with their current catchers if a better option didn’t present itself, General Manager Dave Stewart took it a step further Tuesday, saying the club will not make an addition, in large part because of the development of prospect Peter O’Brien.

“I’ve decided that I’m not going to pursue another catcher,” Stewart said. “I ...

2015 FAN Projections! | FanGraphs Baseball

Here’s your chance to join the Fangraph’s human projection system and find out how it feels to be part of the machine.

Boston Red Sox may have to sell low on Jackie Bradley Jr. | masslive.com

The false urgency some writers try and project onto teams is seemingly everywhere. The Red Sox don’t *need* to do anything with Bradley this year. Doing so would be trading low on him. He can play in Pawtucket or make the team as a 4th/5th outfielder this year. The team can decide what to do with him in the future.

It’s too bad the Red Sox don’t have any room for him. He’ll show up to spring training and say that he’s fighting for a spot on the major league roster, that he has to show ...

Beyond the hot foot: Enjoy 10 of the greatest clubhouse pranks in MLB history | MLB.com

Baseball players have a lot of downtime.

Still no Angels in the Baseball Hall of Fame

“We don’t lose sleep over it,” said Mead, vice president for communications and a former assistant general manager. “But it would be nice to go to Cooperstown and see the A. That day will come.”

The day came for another early 1960s expansion team, the Houston Astros, when Craig Biggio was elected to the Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Biggio will be the first player to wear an Astros cap on his plaque, a long wait for a team that joined the majors in 1962, as the Colt .45s.

The Angels are ...

Charlie Day Says Wade Boggs’ Incredible Drinking Ability Has Been Grossly Underreported

LORD PALMERSTON!

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia finally makes its triumphant return tomorrow night, and since we’ve already over-analyzed the season ten episode titles and teaser clips, we know that the first episode, “The Gang Beats Boggs,” involves the gang attempting to beat Wade Boggs’ record of drinking an impressive 60+ beers on a cross-country flight.

Promoting the season premiere, Charlie Day stopped by The Tonight Show last night and revealed to Jimmy Fallon that they ...

Five reasons the Mets should sign Yoan Moncada

Reasons any team should sign Yoan Moncada: 1) he has talent; and 2) they have money.

New Red Sox scouting director on lookout for next Kevin Youkilis - Sports - The Boston Globe

With the 7th pick in the 2013 draft, the Red Sox selected P Trey Ball. To this point, the pick is questionable. He’s still early in his development, though, so maybe this will work out for them.

Of course, Rikard won’t just be in charge of searching for hidden gems later in the draft. For the second time in three years — but just the third time in nearly half a century, thanks to their dismal 2014 season — the Sox hold one of the top 10 picks (No. 7) in this year’s draft.

“It’s an ...

Kill the win - Beyond the Box Score

I am quite fond of the win; l don’t want it killed. It’s like viewing an old picture from a faded beauty. She may not be what she once was but I still remember her affectionately.

Early 2015 MLB Draft Rankings - Minor League Ball

An early draft list.

Diamondbacks still interested in James Shields, despite tight budget

As for Shields, Stewart said he has spoken multiple times with his agent, Page Odle, to “work on groundwork.” Shields’ market has been murky, although there was a report last week of him receiving a five-year, $110 million offer. On Monday night, FOX Sports reported that offer came from a team with which Shields did not want to sign.

Stewart said he believes Shields likes what the Diamondbacks are doing as an organization.

“I think James is a throwback guy by the way he goes about his ...

Additional Benefits to Brewers Timeless Ticket Announced

Doug Melvin: “I decided a long time ago that I had to find an adult. A very rich, extravagant adult, to whom I could tell all my most precious roster-making secrets.”

The Timeless Ticket consists of a brass ticket personalized with an engraving of the owner’s name. Only 1,000 of the items will be produced… The cost of the ticket (which includes the brass engraved ticket and the actual ticket to the game of the owner’s choosing) is $1,000.

This unique opportunity allows the owner to redeem ...

Turning Back the Clock – The Hardball Times

Game length is a problem. I work. Staying up late to watch a game is something I just can’t do on a regular basis. It’s even worse going to the ballpark. When the game gets done around 10 PM, I’m home from Fenway about 11:00-11:30 PM. Add in an extra hour, though, and I’m struggling to get up in the morning.

There is one matter, though, that was a problem when Selig became acting commissioner, and has grown unchecked into something approaching a crisis. The game on the field is taking too long, ...

A Quick Attempted Measure of Team Depth | FanGraphs Baseball

This has been a subject I’ve been looking at recently. It seems like it’s the new in thing in team building. Can’t get great players? Stock your bench with really good backups to try to pick up extra value when injuries crop up.

So if you’ve been wondering why Steamer seems to like the Red Sox so much, depth is a huge reason. It’s not just the talent at the top of the roster. It’s that, when a starter isn’t playing, someone else pretty good should be playing. Most obviously, you can see ...

Sabathia expects to be healthy for Spring Training | MLB.com

Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia, on the comeback trail from knee surgery, told the New York Daily News on Friday that he is experiencing no pain and expects to be ready for Spring Training. Sabathia was in New York attending a boxing event put on by Roc Nation Sports, the agency that represents him.

Diamondbacks Agree To Sign Yoan Lopez - BaseballAmerica.com

Cuban righthander Yoan Lopez has agreed to sign with the Diamondbacks for $8.25 million.

Lopez is 21, so he is subject to the international bonus pools. The Lopez signing puts the Diamondbacks well beyond their allotted pool space for the current 2014-15 signing period, which means that, along with a 100 percent tax on their pool overage, they will not be able to sign anyone for more than $300,000 for the next two signing periods, starting with the 2015-16 signing period that begins on July 2. ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-13-2015

Richmond Times-Dispatch, January 13, 1915:

Jim Bluejacket, the Indian twirler of the Brooklyn Federals, is the only pitcher in baseball history who ever got credit for a victory without pitching a ball.

It happened late last summer when the Brookfeds were playing the Pittsburg Rebels. Bluejacket was ordered to the mound as a relief twirler in the ninth inning, when his own club was behind.
...
Steve Yorkes [sic], the Pittsburgh second baseman, was on first. Bluejacket saw him taking a long lead ...

Full Count » Daniel Nava contemplating switch from switch-hitting

So he probably hasn’t seen a really nasty curve ever?

And now, with the Red Sox flush with righty-hitting outfielders, the 31-year-old is on the verge of embracing what is working for him.

“I have thought about it. Is it something I’m going to do? I don’t know. It’s a tough thing to do,” he said. “[Shane] Victorino did it a couple of years ago, just dropping it. It definitely runs through my head. It’s definitely something I’m considering doing, but at the same time it’s ...

Pirates’ voluntary minicamp opens up without Pedro Alvarez | TribLIVE

I sounds like the Pirates don’t love Pedro’s choice not to attend their minicamp.

Red Sox create new behavioral health department - The Boston Globe

The staff plans to place an emphasis on the emerging field of “mindfulness,” in which individuals consciously identify and take stock of the circumstances surrounding them to avoid getting overwhelmed or distracted. So, rather than getting distracted by a hostile crowd while batting in the ninth inning of a tie game, a player is trained through mindfulness to recognize that crowd prior to the at-bat and implement behaviors such as controlled breathing to manage his response to it.

Jayson Stark on Ryan Howard

Now they are getting desperate.

Teams in touch w #Phillies say they’re talking up what a great person Ryan Howard is. That’s true. But still sounds like they have no takers

The all-time all-underrated team - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN

Some good names on this list.

Ace Hamels still on Padres’ radar; Wil Myers not involved in talks - CBSSports.com

Can the Padres trade away every good prospect this off-season?

More cerebral LA development camp features top prospects | dodgers.com

This is Kapler’s debut camp and it is intentionally being run differently than previous ones. He said instead of splitting time on the field and in the classroom, this year’s camp will be overwhelmingly cerebral.

“We don’t want them ramping up in the middle of winter to impress physically,” he said. “We want them to be open-minded, nimble of thought and share experiences with a ton of interpersonal back-and-forth and talk shop.”

Kapler said player participants for the development camp were ...