How Data Transformed the Angels’ Rule 5 Pick | FanGraphs Baseball

A great example of how teams can translate data for individual player improvement.

An inside look at Matt Olson’s hitting mechanics — the art, the adjustment and all those home runs – The Athletic

Some good stuff on Matt Olson making a needed adjustment.

Mets Matt Harvey debuts strong at camp | MLB.com

Will he be any good this year?

The Rays Ditched Their Bad Fastball Hitters | FanGraphs Baseball

An alternative explanation for the Rays deals.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 2-28-2018

Washington Times, February 28, 1918:

INTERNATIONAL IS SURE OF QUITTING FOR 1918 SEASON

A definite decision on the part of the International League to close its parks for the season of 1918 is expected soon, it was said [in New York] today.

Almost daily indications of a collapse of the league are found in the sale of players by the various clubs. In many cases the clubs are selling their best men.

Seems like this is the sort of thing you’d want nailed down before March. Anyway, the IL didn’t go ...

Engel: Rangers, please don’t do this to your best arm

Mac Engel on converting reliever Matt Bush to starting duties:

Bush has electric stuff that belongs in the back end of a bullpen, not as a starter every fifth day. Sorry, sixth day. He is willing, and he has the talent, but he is not built for the role.

Asking a power arm on a 5-foot-9, 180-pound frame is asking for an injury. He generates most of that power from his large trunk, but this is a guy who battled through shoulder and knee injuries last season when he pitched 52 1/3 innings.

Both ...

THT: Mike Norris on Billy Martin, Jesse Jefferson and Complete Games

“Now, it wasn’t so much his confidence growing each inning, but man, his chest started to poke out more, and I think he had this curve he was breaking off; he was unhittable that day. He became more erect on the mound, standing straight up and then later in the game, after finishing an inning, he’d look into our dugout at me with this cool little smile. Heh-heh, he sure had a little pimpin’ going on out there.”

What you need to know about the injury that delayed J.D. Martinez’s Red Sox contract

Some details about the new clause in his contract.

Players union files grievance vs. Rays, Pirates, Athletics, Marlins over revenue-sharing spending

The Major League Baseball Players Association has filed a grievance against MLB, claiming that four teams - the Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Oakland Athletics and Miami Marlins - have not spent revenue-sharing money in the fashion intended by the collective bargaining agreement….

“The MLBPA’s grievance against the Pirates is patently baseless” said Pirates president Frank Coonelly in a written statement. “We look forward to demonstrating as much to the arbitrator if the MLBPA ...

Engel: Rangers need to do right by Adrian Beltre and trade him

Mac Engel on his high horse:

Hopefully the Rangers do Beltre better than the Dallas Mavericks did to Dirk Nowitzki.

Much like the Mavs with Dirk, the Rangers sold Beltre a bag of hope when it’s more of a prayer, and made him believe they had a shot at the one thing he covets, a title, when we know they don’t.

Beltre doesn’t want to think about it, or talk about it, so let us do it for him.

The second before it becomes apparent this team can’t win the World Series, the Rangers need to ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 2-27-2018

New York Sun, February 27, 1918:

Some years ago [recently deceased professional boxer] Terry McGovern had an idea that he was a first class baseball player. He did perform with several semi-professional clubs, and got to putting in his mornings working out with the Superbas at old Washington Park. One morning Charley Ebbets found Terry coming out of the clubhouse, and Charley evidently did not like the idea of having strangers about the sacred diggings.

“Don’t you know that clubhouse is only ...

Drafting Negro Leagues

We each drafted a sort of mini-team—eight position players, one utility player and three pitchers. This is not unlike the makeup of some actual Negro Leagues team rosters. Teams had to be lean, players had to play every day (often two or three times every day), they had to play multiple positions and so on.

The only rule for our draft was that we were taking players based entirely on their performance in the Negro Leagues. That is to say we weren’t interested in taking Henry Aaron or Willie ...

Let’s hope this is not the last year of Clayton Kershaw in a Dodgers uniform

How will his back hold up this season?

Sarris: How useful are team projections? – The Athletic

Are team systems better? You would think the additional info they possess would produce better results. I doubt they are substantially better on the team level, however.

MLB Fines Julio Pablo Martinez $100,000 | BaseballAmerica.com

MLB has no issues regarding Martinez’s age or identity. The league did not determine that Martinez traveled anywhere illegally or falsified his residency in Haiti. On Feb. 20, MLB cleared Martinez to sign beginning on March 6. However, MLB determined that Martinez had spent more time in the U.S. and Canada than the information he had submitted on forms to the commissioner’s office, which prompted the $100,000 fine.

Rockies Face Talented Challenge in Roster Decision — Inside the Seams

The Cowboy breaks down the Rockies roster options.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 2-26-2018

Washington Times, February 26, 1918:

“Irish” Meusel, the young outfielder once with the Griffmen and now on the reserve list of the Philadelphia Nationals, is due to receive his third contract in a day or so. He’s in the contract-receiving business.

The first contract he got from Colonel Baker angered him because of the low salary mentioned and he threw it away. Back again went another contract, calling for the same old figured. Meusel tore that up and mailed the pieces to the classical leader ...

OTP 26 February 2018: Hope springs eternal in baseball and politics

This is a special time for baseball fans. Major league baseball is ready to begin another season, with spring training officially opening this week. With some exceptions, fans in most cities can at least dream of watching their team play in the postseason and maybe even compete for the World Series championship. For them, hope springs eternal.

Ditto for the Democratic Party. 2018 appears to be a “wave year,” with an opportunity to win control of the House of Representatives, maybe even the ...

That guy standing by Cash in the dugout? All part of Rays’ plan

J-Money made a really good point in that he couldn’t believe how fast the game was. He just couldn’t believe the reactions, the decision-making. And I think he also valued watching the guys coming off the mound like if a guy struggled or didn’t make a play. That’s a perspective they’re going to value maybe a little bit more.”

Rays Lack Of Spending Makes It Hard To Compete | BaseballAmerica.com

J.J. Cooper says Rays are just cheap.

Mets wondering if Amed Rosario will ever live up to expectations - NY Daily News

Player development is not linear.

Twenty things to watch this baseball season

One of these things is not like the others.

11. Wondering which young player will emerge as baseball’s next superstar. Our candidates include Rafael Devers (Red Sox), Christian Arroyo (Rays), Gleyber Torres (Yankees), Ronald Acuna (Braves).

Where Defensive Opportunities Have Declined Most | FanGraphs Baseball

This needs a larger study before conclusions can be drawn.

Keston Hiura makes a successful debut

The next big thing in Milwaukee.

Two-fer homers? That, and other radical ideas to keep MLB fans engaged | New York Post

No thank you. Baseball doesn’t need radical changes; it just needs to pick up the pace to get back to the pace of the 1980’s.

Lovullo adjusting to new mound-visit rules

Some interesting points here about the impact to the game of this new rule

Angels two-way player Shohei Ohtani has mixed results in 1 1/3 innings on mound | LA Times

“It’s still too early to tell, but I think I’m going in the right direction,” he said through an interpreter. “It’s just the first start.”

Ohtani struck out two Milwaukee Brewers and had one strike back, Keon Broxton homering to lead off the second inning. His fastball regularly reached the mid-90s, with a top-end speed of 97 mph.

He also gave up an unearned run, a ground-rule double, walked one batter and mostly fell behind hitters, fighting his control. One of his pitches was officially ...

Kurkjian: The Most Unappreciated Baseball Trait? Strength.

The strength of the players, especially in their hands, wrists and forearms, goes largely unappreciated: I’ve never met a position player who wasn’t really strong in those areas, even dinky, little middle infielders. Indeed, after Michael Jordan’s one year in baseball in 1994, one of his many observations about the game was that virtually every player on his Double-A team was stronger than him from the tips of their fingers to their elbow.

Awesome MLB Feats of Strength anecdotes at link. ...Read More...

Picking the best MLB over-under bet for 2018

Grant Brisbee’s latest.

The first step is to rummage through and get some quick thoughts. The Dodgers and Astros being at 96.5 seems high, just because it’s hard for any team to count on 97 wins. On the other hand, both teams are loaded and deep, and if something breaks, they’ll trade prospects for glue. The Marlins seem like a lock to lose 100 games, except it’s really, really hard for teams to lose 100 games. Baseball doesn’t like extremes.

I would like to take a break and point out ...

Arizona Diamondbacks analysis: Yasmany Tomas contract keeps hurting

But a lot could happen between now and Opening Day. It’s possible Tomas could put together a huge spring training performance and compel the Diamondbacks to keep him on the roster, hoping he could provide right-handed power off the bench, something they could use. Or an injury or two could open the door.

But if the Diamondbacks get to the end of camp, decide they don’t want Tomas on the roster and need a 40-man spot, he might wind up being designated for assignment.

Even that, though, ...