Why Is Julio Urias So Awesome? - Minor League Ball

What’s the fuss about Julio Urias?

Prospect projection smackdown: Mookie Betts vs. Kris Bryant - Beyond the Box Score

Two great prospects.

Alex Rodriguez Is Not Going Away. Sorry.

We get it. Alex Rodriguez is worse than Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, and Idi Amin combined.

A-Rod issues hand-written apology letter to fans

Alex Rodriguez released an apology letter Tuesday addressed to fans, in which he says he takes “full responsibility for the mistakes” that led to his yearlong drug ban.
The humiliated slugger goes on to say he regrets his antagonistic stance toward Major League Baseball and his Yankees bosses, though he said he would decline their invitation to use Yankee Stadium for an apology press conference.
“I accept the fact that many of you will not believe my apology or anything that I say at this ...

Stark: Best and worst of an active off-season

Great trade, who’d we get?

BEST FREE-AGENT SIGNINGS
Russell Martin (Blue Jays)—11
James Shields (Padres)—11
Jon Lester (Cubs)—8
Adam LaRoche (White Sox)—7
Pablo Sandoval (Red Sox)—6
Andrew Miller (Yankees)—5

Russell Martin
Martin
The votes in this sector of the survey zigzagged in all directions, with 33 different players collecting at least one vote—including two Cubans (Yoan Moncada and Hector Olivera) who haven’t even signed yet. Oh, and one fellow who isn’t a player at all—Joe Maddon—got ...

Former Cubs coach Wendell Kim dies at 64

RIP Windmill.

Former Cubs coach Wendell Kim died Sunday near his home in suburban Phoenix after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 64.

Kim’s widow, Natasha, confirmed her husband’s death on Monday.

Kim was a major league coach for 15 seasons with four teams — the Giants (1989-1996), the Red Sox (1997-2000), the Expos (2002) and the Cubs (2003-04). Kim was known for his aggressive style as the Cubs’ third-base coach and was dubbed ‘Wavin’ Wendell.”

Although Kim’s tactics ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 2-17-2015

Washington Times, February 17, 1915:

Fans [in Philadelphia] stand amazed at the official announcement from Connie Mack that J. Franklin Baker, the famous home run slugger, hero of every world’s series he has played in except the last, has quit baseball.
...
[Connie Mack says] “There has been no disagreement over salary terms with Baker. He has just simply decided to quit, that’s all.”
...
Baker’s real reason for quitting baseball is that he prefers to remain on his big farm at Trappe, Md. Mrs. ...

Zito back with A’s part of Beane’s next movie plot | CSN Bay Area

Here’s your feel good story of the spring.

The FanGraphs Top 200 Prospect List | FanGraphs Baseball

Kiley McDaniel’s Top 200 list. Some good work. I particularly like the grouping presentation.

Bob Feller Museum in Van Meter, Iowa will become City Hall

“Some people would show up, but not that many, not enough to run the museum,” said a board vice president, Steve Feller, the oldest of Bob’s three sons and an architect who designed the museum. “We tried to get football players, baseball players, guys we thoght would draw people from Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota. It just didn’t work.”

So last fall, the museum’s members - including Feller’s widow, Anne - unanimously approved a plan by the board to close the museum and sell the building to the ...

After 20 seasons, Giambi calls it a career

On Monday, the 44-year-old Giambi took the final step in a storied career, announcing his retirement from the game of baseball. The former designated hitter and first baseman had stints with the A’s, Yankees, Rockies and Indians, evolving from an MVP-caliber slugger in his prime to a clubhouse leader and bench player in his final two seasons in Cleveland.

Farewell to the Giambino…

The Summer of Bill Murray

If you didn’t know better, you wouldn’t believe it all happened in the space of about five weeks in the summer of 1978. But it did happen. In those five weeks, Bill Murray played professional baseball and established himself as a bona fide movie star and the Grays Harbor Loggers – representing the twin cities of Aberdeen and Hoquiam, Washington – posted the best winning percentage in America and won the Harbor’s only professional sports championship in living memory.

Fun oral ...

ESPN: Maier’s Glove Is Up For Auction

Unique memorabilia opportunity:

The glove Jeffrey Maier used to catch Derek Jeter’s tying home run against Baltimore in the eighth inning of the 1996 American League Championship Series opener at the original Yankee Stadium will be auctioned. Heritage Auctions said Monday the glove will be put up for bids on Saturday in New York. The company did not identify the current owner, who it said had purchased the glove from Maier.

Top 200 Prospects: The Process and Introduction | FanGraphs Baseball

Kiley McDaniel is doing some good prospect work over at Fangraphs. In this article he discusses his process of building Fangraphs’ Top 200 list.

Munenori Kawasaki on mission in Blue Jays return

The always quotable Munenori Kawasaki had an interview in the Star today.  Highlights:

“I’ve been really working on my lower body — not my butt, but the area around my hips and hip joints. The idea is to increase the range of motion so I have the foundation to make better plays on defence and take better at-bats. The result might be a bigger looking butt, but you should stop looking there and watch the way I am moving now.”

[...]

“No one in Japan has ever heard of Indianapolis, but ...

With 2017 All-Star Game in Miami, Baltimore’s conspiracy theories need re-examining

...So I’m not buying what MLB is selling: the idea that the Orioles’ legal entanglement over Mid-Atlantic Sports Network TV-rights fees with the Washington Nationals and MLB is not at least a contributing factor to their wait to host the All-Star Game again. That just doesn’t ring completely true to me…

The full meaning of signing a minor-league deal | FOX Sports

CJ Nitkowski talks about what a minor-league deal really means.

Yankees should get behind their biggest star | FOX Sports

There is one way for A-Rod to save face…hit. I know it’s not likely but, if he does, Yankees fans memories will be short.

Playing with ‘Moncada money’ | FOX Sports

While I agree $20-$30 million is where Moncada’s value should be, all it takes is one team to go big.

Just the other day, an executive told me that he expected Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada to receive a signing bonus of $40 million to $50 million—€“ meaning that the total outlay, including a 100 percent tax, would be $80 million to $100 million.

Other executives, however, doubt the numbers will go that high. And when you do the math, a $40 million bonus does sound like a stretch for a ...

Derek Jeter won’t attend Yankees’ Opening Day

Because he will be attending Bob Sheppard’s funeral instead.

The captain won’t be tossing this year’s ceremonial first pitch. Derek Jeter plans to be far away from the Bronx when the Yankees begin the regular season against the Blue Jays on April 6.

“I think actually I’ll be out of the country,” Jeter told SiriusXM on Saturday, when asked where he’d be for the Yanks’ opener.

In an interview launching a new weekly satellite radio show dedicated to his venture, “The Players’ Tribune,” Jeter ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 2-16-2015

New York Tribune, February 16, 1915:

“Don’t look any further, for I am the mascot you want,” wrote Babe Shiels, of The Bronx. The committee appointed by Damon Runyon, of “The American,” took the advice and Shiels was chosen yesterday to help Bill Donovan revive the Yankees.

There will be no trouble in distinguising the players from the mascot next season. Shiels is very small. He is shorter than [5 foot 7] Fritz Maisel.
...
[Third place finisher Joseph] Livingston’s statement of his ...

Ranking Major League Baseball’s managers entering 2015 season - The Boston Globe

Nick Cafardo ranks the managers.

Vote now for 2015 SABR Analytics Conference Research Award winners | SABR

Tonight is the deadline. Last chance to vote!

ESPN: Yankees To Retire Andy Pettitte’s Number

Some Core Four ceremonies coming up:

Andy Pettitte will have his No. 46 retired by the New York Yankees and receive a plaque in Monument Park, a source confirmed to ESPN.com. Pettitte will become the 18th member of the Yankees to have his number retired. Pettitte was known for his big-game performance, helping the Yankees win five championships during his career.
.  .  .
Pettitte finished his career with a 256-153 record and 3.85 ERA. With the help of the expanded playoff format, he has won more ...

Victor Sanchez, Mariner prospect, has been seriously injured in a boating accident

This news has also been confirmed by the Tacoma News Tribune, also by Jeff Passan via Twitter. Most sources seem agree he is in ICU and it was a head injury. Apparently he was hit by a boat while swimming in the ocean. Best wishes to Mr. Sanchez and his family.

The 50 most fascinating figures in baseball | New York Post

Joel Sherman makes a list.

Could Alex Gordon have scored in the World Series? Watch our re-enactment of the play

The rewind: Giants center fielder Gregor Blanco misplayed Gordon’s base hit and the ball rolled to the wall at Kauffman Stadium, where left fielder Juan Perez complicated matters by mishandling it. Gordon kept running, not always at full go, until given the stop sign by Royals third-base coach Mike Jirschele.

What if Gordon had kept motoring and tried to score from third?

The answer remains forever unknown. But the wondering will never cease.

In that spirit, the Rockhurst University ...

A Yankees target, Cuban star Yoan Moncada nearing decision | New York Post

I will be shocked if Moncada doesn’t end up with the Yankees.

Preller follows his own map | UTSanDiego.com

Winners never sleep.

The strategies and secrets of a five-time fantasy baseball experts-league champ - Fantasy Baseball - ESPN

A lot of good advice for fantasy players.