Aaron’s death prompts call to change name: Braves to Hammers

Social media buzzed with calls to change the moniker to match Aaron’s nickname. There was even a fledgling online petition backing the idea.

“The renaming serves two important purposes: 1) It honors an icon who represented our city with grace and dignity for more than half a century, and 2) It removes the stain on the city of having a team name that dishonors Native and Indigenous people, especially given one of the greatest tragedies in American History, the Trail of Tears, began in the region the team calls home,” the petition said.

The Braves have steadfastly resisted calls to change their name, saying they view it as a tribute to Native Americans rather than a slur.

But the team did take steps during the 2019 playoffs to ...

MASN cutting on-air talent, reportedly slashing pregame and postgame shows for Orioles and Nationals

According to The Athletic, MASN is dumping pregame and postgame shows for the two teams, and is also cutting on-air staff covering both teams. Britt Ghiroli’s report notes that among those let go are Mike Bordick, Tom Davis, Rick Dempsey, Jim Hunter, Dave Johnson, and most notably, Gary Thorne. Davis, Dempsey, Hunter, and Thorne weren’t part of the team’s broadcast plans in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns, though Thorne eventually came to an agreement to return remotely in a limited capacity for 2020. Interestingly, The Athletic’s article about Thorne’s return pointed to a contract dispute, rather than the pandemic, as the reason he wasn’t involved in broadcasts.

Cuts on the Nationals side are still unclear at this point, ...

Garrett Richards, Boston Red Sox reach 1-year, $10 million deal, sources say

Starting pitcher Garrett Richards and the Boston Red Sox have agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Saturday.

The deal is pending a physical.

Richards’ biggest success during the pandemic-shortened season was staying healthy. The veteran right-hander made 10 starts for the San Diego Padres in 2020, going 2-2 with a 4.03 ERA, 46 strikeouts and 17 walks. He was moved to the bullpen late in the season and during the playoffs.

Sources: Boston Red Sox, Enrique Hernandez agree to 2-year, $14 million deal

The Boston Red Sox have agreed to a two-year, $14 million deal with Enrique Hernandez, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Friday.

Hernandez, originally acquired from the Miami Marlins as part of a seven-player trade in December 2014, was a key cog for the Los Angeles Dodgers over the past six years because of his infectious energy, defensive versatility and production against left-handed pitching.

Hernandez, 29, is a career .240/.313/.425 hitter, making him slightly below league average, but he can provide premium defense as a middle infielder and in the outfield. From 2016 to 2020, Hernandez compiled 5.7 FanGraphs wins above replacement.

Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman: Rejoining Nationals for 2021

Zimmerman signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Nationals on Friday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

The 36-year-old opted out of the 2020 campaign but will continue his career with Washington in 2021. Zimmerman appeared in 52 games during 2019 and had a .257/.321/.415 slash line with six home runs and 27 RBI in 190 plate appearances. Josh Bell is poised to handle the bulk of the reps at first base, while Zimmerman serves as the reserve option and potentially works as the designated hitter, if the National League adopts the position again this season.

Source: Jurickson Profar, San Diego Padres agree to 3-year, $21 million deal

Jurickson Profar and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on a three-year, $21 million contract, a source familiar with the deal told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Profar continues to show his versatility at a true utilityman, having played five defensive positions for the Padres last season while seeing most of his action in left field and at second base. He hit a career-high .278 with 7 home runs and 25 RBIs in 56 games during the pandemic-shortened season.

The 27-year-old Profar continues to get on track offensively as he gets more playing time, something he didn’t have during his first six years after the top prospect was called up by the Texas Rangers in 2012. He got off to a horrible start during the 2020 season, but compiled an .879 OPS ...

Hall of Famer Henry “Hank” Aaron dies at 86.

Hall of Famer and one-time home run king Atlanta Braves legend Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron passed away this morning at the age of 86, CBS46 has learned. He leaves behind an indelible legacy on and off the baseball diamond.

...

It was the 1974 season that saw Aaron smash his way into the national consciousness. On April 8, 1974 Hammerin’ Hank, as he was known, crushed a 1-0 pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing over the left field wall at Fulton County Stadium and broke Babe Ruth’s long-time home run record of 714 home runs in a career.

—and we’ve lost another one.

Kansas City T-Bones renamed Monarchs in move to honor Negro League team

The Kansas City T-Bones of the independent American Association are being renamed the Kansas City Monarchs after the team that played in the Negro Leagues.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum signed a licensing agreement with Mark Brandmeyer’s MaxFun Entertainment, owner of the minor league team.

The original Monarchs were founded in 1920 and won the first Negro League World Series in 1924. The team played in the Negro National League from 1920 to 1931 and the Negro American League from 1937 to 1961, with independent stints from 1932 to 1936 and 1962 to 1965.

“This exciting partnership celebrates Kansas City’s rich baseball heritage and becomes an important extension of the work we’re doing to educate the public about the history of the ...

White Sox’ Tim Anderson featured on cover of RBI Baseball 21

White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson has been selected as the cover athlete for R.B.I. Baseball 21.

Major League Baseball made the announcement Thursday, making Anderson the first White Sox to be featured on the cover of the popular baseball video game.

“Like a lot of kids, I grew up playing video games,” Anderson said. “When I couldn’t get outside to play ball or we had bad weather, that was a time to have fun with my friends and live out some fantasies. And it was always cool to see who was on the cover every year – those were guys I aspired to be. So now to see myself on the cover of R.B.I. 21 is really part of a dream come true. And I hope that kids will see my picture on the cover and realize they can do this, too. They just ...

Jason Castro, Astros agree to deal

Jason Castro, a former first-round Draft pick who ranks third on the Astros’ all-time games caught list with 572, will get a chance to add to that total after agreeing to a two-year deal to return to the Astros on Thursday, a source told MLB.com.

The deal, which is pending a physical and hasn’t been confirmed by the team, is worth $7 million, plus $2 million in incentives, sources told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.

Castro, 33, left the Astros in free agency following the 2016 season—the year before they won the World Series—and spent three seasons with the Twins (2017-19) and split last year between the Angels and the Padres. He played in 27 games in 2020’s shortened season and hit .188 in 80 at-bats.

Blue Jays may call Dunedin home to start season

The Blue Jays could join the Raptors as Toronto teams making their temporary regular-season home in the Tampa Bay area.

If coronavirus travel restrictions prevent the Jays from returning home for the start of the major-league season in April, their most likely option appears to be playing at their spring training stadium in Dunedin.

In doing so, the Jays would have use of TD Ballpark stadium, which re-opened in spring 2020 after extensive upgrades, as well as their recently completed state-of-the-art player development center, which has major-league training, medical and conditioning facilities and equipment.

The team has had preliminary talks about the plan with Dunedin officials, and the city is eager to help out if needed.

DORKTOWN: THE 1976 OAKLAND A’S STOLE NEARLY A MILE WORTH OF BASES VS. ONE TEAM

But one team in particular, way more than any other team, was the subject of their wrath. And the identity of that team — the Minnesota Twins — does not make a whole helluva lot of sense.

Across 18 A’s-Twins games, Oakland thrice stole at least seven bases. That was half of the entire MLB total:

The Minnesota Twins employed three catchers 1976: Butch Wynegar, Glenn Borgmann, and Phil Roof, and each of the three had one of those games done on their watch. In two of the three, the A’s reached nine stolen bases against ’em, which:

In one of those games, they stole twelve (12) bases. No one else in the live-ball era has ever stolen 11 bases in a game, and only twice (a 2000 Marlins game and a 1996 Rockies game) has a team stolen ...

Veteran LHP Happ, Twins have deal

The Twins moved to solidify their starting rotation on Wednesday, reaching an agreement on a one-year contract with veteran left-hander J.A. Happ, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The club has not confirmed the deal, which is pending a physical and was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

With Jake Odorizzi, Rich Hill and Homer Bailey all free agents, the Twins have been in search of depth to support a rotation that features Kenta Maeda and José Berríos at the top.

Happ brings no shortage of experience. The 38-year-old has spent 14 seasons in the Majors with the Phillies, Astros, Blue Jays, Mariners, Pirates and Yankees, amassing a record of 123-92 and an ERA of 3.98 over 324 games (298 starts).

Deal is pending a physical, ...

Busy Toronto Blue Jays add Michael Brantley after George Springer deal, source says

The Toronto Blue Jays had added their second former Houston Astros slugger in as many days, agreeing to a three-year contract with outfielder/designated hitter Michael Brantley, a source confirmed to ESPN.

The Jays reached agreement on a six-year, $150 million contract with former Astros center fielder George Springer on Monday night, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Jeff Passan…

In 46 games with the Houston Astros in 2020, alternating between left field and DH, Brantley hit. 300, with five homers, 22 RBIs and an OPS of .840.

In a 12-year career with the Cleveland Indians and Astros, Brantley has a .297 average, with 114 homers, 640 RBIs and a .794 OPS. He’s been an All-Star four times, and in 2014 finished third in the MVP voting.

...Read More...

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 20, 2021 at 12:22 PM | 10 comment(s)
  Beats: blue jays, michael brantley

Jose Quintana, Los Angeles Angels agree to 1-year deal, source says

The Los Angeles Angels, desperate to add starting pitching, agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract with veteran left-hander Jose Quintana on Tuesday, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Quintana, who previously pitched under current Angels manager Joe Maddon while with the Chicago Cubs, was limited to only 10 innings in 2020 largely because of thumb surgery. Prior to that, the 31-year-old averaged 32 starts from 2013 to 2019, putting together a 3.72 ERA with a 3.23 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Quintana joins a rotation that includes Andrew Heaney, Dylan Bundy, Griffin Canning and potentially Shohei Ohtani, slotting in somewhere near the top.

George Springer, Toronto Blue Jays agree to 6-year, $150M deal, sources say

Outfielder George Springer and the Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a six-year, $150 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Tuesday.

Springer is headed to the Blue Jays’ spring training facility in Dunedin, Florida, for a physical. If all goes according to plan, Toronto will get the star it has been looking for all winter.

The contract would be the largest given out by the Blue Jays in franchise history. Their only other contract that topped $100 million was a $126 million extension given to Vernon Wells in 2006.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-20-2021

Pittsburgh Press, January 20, 1921:

Buck Weaver, brilliant third baseman who was indicted with seven other Whitesox players for alleged conspiracy to “throw” the 1919 world’s series to Cincinnati, is certain he will play major league baseball next season and with the Whitesox.

Weaver, according to friends, has offered to bet $500 that he will be back with Kid Gleason’s crew when the 1921 season opens.

Dude. Buck. Stop with the betting. It isn’t helping.

Free-agent reliever Kirby Yates reaches deal with Toronto Blue Jays, per reports

Free-agent reliever Kirby Yates has reached agreement on a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, The Athletic reported.

The one-year deal has a $5.5 million guarantee, according to Sportsnet, and includes $4.5 million in performance bonuses for appearances and awards.

The deal is pending a physical, which Yates underwent Tuesday at the Blue Jays’ spring training facility in Dunedin, Florida, per The Athletic.

Yates, 33, pitched just 4⅓ innings last season for the San Diego Padres before undergoing season-ending surgery in August to remove bone chips from his right elbow. Before the surgery he struggled in his six appearances, going 0-1 with a 12.46 ERA and two saves.

Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton dies at 75

Don Sutton, the longtime Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander who won over 300 games in his Hall of Fame career, died Monday night, his son Daron announced on social media.

The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, said Don Sutton died at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, after a long struggle with cancer. He was 75….

Sutton’s career began and ended with the Dodgers, with whom he spent 16 of his 23 seasons—spanning from 1966 to 1980 and a final tour in 1988. He was a four-time All-Star and his 324 wins rank 14th in major league history.

He also pitched for the Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels. After his playing career, Sutton served as an analyst for the Atlanta Braves for 28 ...

MLB ‘motivated’ to hold scouting combine ahead of 2021 draft; here’s what the event could look like

MLB gained the right to host a combine or combine-like event in either 2020 or 2021 last March, as part of its agreement with the MLB Players Association. (MLB also gained the power to reduce the draft in both years, with last year’s checking in at five rounds and this year’s requiring at least 20 rounds.) The sources who spoke to CBS Sports in recent days provided an outline of the league’s vision and potential adjacent plans. Here are some details:

A 2021 MLB Draft combine would likely be hosted in Cary, North Carolina, home of the USA Baseball National Training Complex, and would take place in June.

The combine would allow for medical testing and some person-to-person interaction.

It’s unclear who MLB intends to invite to the event ...

NY Mets GM acknowledges sending unsolicited, explicit images while working for Cubs

New York Mets general manager Jared Porter sent explicit, unsolicited texts and images to a female reporter in 2016, culminating with a picture of an erect, naked penis, according to a copy of the text history obtained by ESPN.

The woman, a foreign correspondent who had moved to the United States to cover Major League Baseball, said at one point she ignored more than 60 messages from Porter before he sent the final lewd photo. The text relationship started casually before Porter, then the Chicago Cubs director of professional scouting, began complimenting her appearance, inviting her to meet him in various cities and asking why she was ignoring him. And the texts show she had stopped responding to Porter after he sent a photo of pants ...

Report: Jays, P Tyler Chatwood agree to deal

The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a deal with free agent pitcher , according to a report by Jon Heyman of MLB Network.  The deal is pending a physical.

Chatwood appeared in five games, all starts, last season for the Chicago Cubs and posted a 2-2 record with a 5.30 ERA in 18.2 innings.

After exiting an Aug. 30 start, he was forced to the injured list with a forearm strain that would eventually cost him the remainder of the season.

Nationals, Jon Lester agree to one-year deal, per report

The Washington Nationals have added a veteran southpaw with championship pedigree to the rotation. The Nationals have agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent lefty Jon Lester, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Financial terms are unknown. Washington has not yet confirmed the signing.

Lester, 37, struggled in 2020, throwing 61 innings with a 5.16 ERA with the Cubs. He has been a tick worse than league average the last two years, but did manage a 3.32 ERA in 181 2/3 innings as recently as 2018.

When do baseball players get the COVID-19 vaccine? How MLB will navigate the messy rollout

For the most part, baseball players and the younger team staff will fall into the last cohort to be vaccinated: young, healthy adults who don’t work in health care or essential frontline services. By then, vaccines should be available in the community from several sources including local pharmacies and mass vaccine sites (like the ones that have been announced at Dodger Stadium and Citi Field).

“But it’s still the plan when supply is robust to work with employers and to help employers to just vaccinate all their employees,” said Claire Hannan, head of the Association of Immunization Managers.

That’s a route MLB could go, essentially becoming a private provider that would receive the vaccine directly from local governments. It ...

San Diego Padres to acquire Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Joe Musgrove, sources say

The San Diego Padres are in agreement on a deal to acquire right-hander Joe Musgrove from the Pittsburgh Pirates, sources tell ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

The trade for Musgrove is pending medical reviews, per sources, and will be sending a large package of prospects back to the Pirates. Hudson Head, a well-regarded center fielder, is expected to be among the group heading to Pittsburgh.

Musgrove, 28, was 1-5 with a 3.86 ERA in eight starts for the Pirates in the coronavirus pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Full return for Joe Musgrove, per sources: Joey Lucchesi, Hudson Head, David Bednar, Omar Cruz, Drake Fellows.

— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) January 18, 2021

It is a three-team deal. LHP Joey Lucchesi is going to the Mets.
The other our ...

Reds wanted Gleyber Torres from Yankees in rumored Luis Castillo deal

No wonder the rumored Luis Castillo trade to the Yankees isn’t happening.

In exchange for Castillo, the Reds asked for Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres and more, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported on Monday.

The internet was abuzz over the weekend with erroneous reports of a trade involving Castillo, the Reds’ star pitcher, going to the Yankees for Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar. But Reds general manager Nick Krall strongly denied the reports, even addressing them publicly.

“[The rumors] are completely false,” Krall wrote in a text to MLB.com. “We intend to have [Castillo] as a member of our rotation for 2021.”

Former Oakland Athletics pitcher Dave Stewart bids $115 million on share of Oakland Coliseum

Former Oakland Athletics pitcher Dave Stewart submitted a $115 million bid to buy the city of Oakland’s share of the Coliseum with plans to develop the site, he told the San Francisco Chronicle.

With both the NBA’s Warriors and NFL’s Raiders leaving the site in recent years, the A’s are the last pro team using the Coliseum. The team has undergone steps to build a new ballpark at Howard Terminal, about seven miles uptown.

The A’s currently own the other half of the Coliseum.

In a Tweet on Saturday night, Stewart, who grew up in the area, said doing “right by our community” is the driving force behind the bid. He told the Chronicle he has ideas of developing the area and potentially building a new stadium there if plans for the Howard ...

LHP Martin Perez returns to Boston Red Sox on one-year deal, source says

Veteran left-hander Martin Perez has agreed to a one-year, $5 million guaranteed contract to return to the Boston Red Sox, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Saturday.

Perez’s agreement, which was first reported by The Athletic, includes a club option for a second year in 2022.

Perez gets $4.5 million with a $6 million option or $500k buyout for 2022. https://t.co/tmHZuuhIM3

— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) January 16, 2021

ValleyCats sue Major League Baseball, Houston Astros for $15M

The Tri-City ValleyCats have sued Major League Baseball and the Houston Astros for their unilateral decision to end their affiliation with the minor league organization. The suit seeks in excess of $15 million, ValleyCats chairman Doug Gladstone said Friday morning.

The team took the action after MLB decided to sever ties with the minor league team and a number of other affiliates around the U.S….

The ValleyCats filed suit Thursday night in the state Supreme Court’s commercial division for breach of fiduciary duty and tortious interference. Gladstone said the value of the franchise has been greatly reduced by losing affiliation.

The sharply worded 33-page complaint accuses Major League Baseball of using “bullying” tactics to pit minor ...

Yankees sign pitcher Corey Kluber, two-time Cy Young Award winner

Just hours after bringing back The Machine, the Yankees acquired a Klubot.

An incredibly busy 24-hour span for the Yankees — arguably busier than the previous 96 days of their offseason combined — concluded when they signed two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber to a one-year, $11 million contract, an industry source confirmed. “Talkin’ Jake” from Jomboy Media first reported the agreement.

Combined with the re-signing of top priority DJ “The Machine” LeMahieu to a six-year, $90-million pact and avoiding arbitration with eight players, the Yankees provided a great deal more clarity to both their roster and their payroll. If they are resolute on not exceeding the $210 million luxury-tax threshold, then they are ...