After a lost 2020, free agent José Quintana needs a reset
Quintana threw only ten innings last year, though his ceiling as a four-win rotation anchor is tempting.
Morning Mound Visit: Mariners acquire Rafael Montero
Jerry Dipoto awakens; MLB’s minor league culling will lose fans; James McCann’s improvements
Rays’ loss of Hunter Renfroe is the Red Sox’ gain
Renfroe’s arbitration eligibility down year ended his time in Tampa Bay, but he’ll find a fit in Boston.
Morning Mound Visit: Cleveland acknowledges nickname is racist, will continue to use it in 2021
Cleveland will keep its name for another season; millions of people will lose access to live baseball; Atlanta could be the next to change its name
Kirby Yates is ready to swallow up the competition again
There’s little reason to suspect Kirby Yates won’t be a dominant arm out of the pen for whichever team signs him.
The Latest
Where Baseball Could Line Up In A Time Of Change
Its not about being "woke", but finding were you can start to do the work.
Hey, Ballplayer! You’ve always challenged the norm
Speaking out is always been a part of the National Pastime
When expectations aren’t low enough
Ursula Parson on MLB, Black Lives Matter, and performative activism
Marty’s musings: a big week for the Mets, a bigger week for Cleveland
A big week for the Mets and the Cleveland Baseball Team is set to undergo a name change
Morning Mound Visit: Phillies finalizing deal to hire Dave Dombrowski
Phillies apparently have their president of baseball ops; Rangers acquire Nate Lowe; the Rule 5 Draft
Taijuan Walker is a low-risk, average-reward free agent
On the free agent market, there’s Trevor Bauer, Jake Odorizzi, and everyone else. Walker is perhaps the best of everyone else.
Morning Mound Visit: 119 minor league teams receive invitations to keep affiliation
The future of MiLB becomes clearer; James McCann gets hot ‘n’ heavy; distrust between MLB and the union
Morning Mound Visit: Carlos Santana signs with the Royals
Carlos Santana stays in the AL Central; Adam Eaton returns to the South Side; A breakdown of the Lance Lynn trade
Nelson Cruz: coveted 40-year-old free agent
Nelson Cruz is still a productive player, but with no DH in the National League, his options are limited.
Morning Mound Visit: Dick Allen passes away at 78
Dick Allen should have already been in the Hall of Fame; the Raisel Iglesias trade; leaguewide fastball trends
Mel Rojas Jr. is ready to leave his mark
Mel Rojas Jr. has spent the past few seasons dominating in South Korea. He wants another crack at the big leagues and he’s certainly earned a chance.
Marty’s musings: an ice-cold stove
Unsurprisingly, this year’s free agent class is slow to sign.
Despite a down year, Joc Jams are coming
Pederson is a solid player with or without the DH.
Morning Mound Visit: Staten Island Yankees cease operations
A lawsuit against MLB, Yankees; the Corey Knebel trade; MLB nearing decision on who keeps affiliation
Morning Mound Visit: Kyle Schwarber headlines list of non-tendered players
A beef lord set free; linear thinking in Sabermetrics; José Iglesias is now an Angel
Marcus Semien missed a major free agency payout by a year
Teams need to assess whether free agent shortstop Marcus Semien can repeat a remarkable 2019.
Morning Mound Visit: Mets sign Trevor May
The first multi-year deal of the Steve Cohen era? It’s gonna be May.
Tomoyuki Sugano is ready to take MLB by storm
Tomoyuki Sugano has been an ace his entire career in Japan. Now that he’s coming to MLB there’s no reason to doubt he will keep up his ace status.
Morning Mound Visit: MLB announces wood bat league for draft eligible players
The MLB Draft League; MLB’s hostile takeover; What changed for Mike Minor?
Justin Turner is the best third baseman money can buy
There are better third basemen available, but those will cost humans.
MLB news & notes: a cold stove through Thanksgiving weekend
An arrest, and a signing. A light week in MLB news.
Michael Brantley’s consistency makes him a solid free agent play
Even as he ages, Brantley should continue to provide considerable value with the bat.
Morning Mound Visit: Charlie Morton signs with the Braves
Charlie Morton comes home; the lack of Latino coaches; Blake Snell to the Mariners?
The sun is setting on Jon Lester’s career
Jon Lester has played the role big-game pitcher his entire career, but he’s not that pitcher anymore and if he wants to continue to play, he’ll have to accept a much lesser role.
Liam Hendriks deserves more than whatever he’ll get
That’s true for just about every free agent this winter but especially so for the best reliever available.
Morning Mound Visit: Rays open to trading Blake Snell
Rays want that sweet, sweet financial flexibility; What to do with non-tender candidates?; Hard hit metrics for pitchers
Jake Odorizzi’s inconsistency makes it hard to project his free agent value
Jake Odorizzi had a great 2019 but injuries cost him 2020. What does it mean for his free agency this offseason?
Marty’s musings: for very different reasons Robinson Canó and Theo Epstein won’t be around in 2021
Robinson Canó is going on a very lengthy ‘vacation’.
The road ahead for Gary Sánchez
Gary Sánchez’s time in New York is likely coming to an end. The question is whether that end will happen this offseason or next.
Will Yankees’ starter Masahiro Tanaka remain in pinstripes?
This offseason Masahiro Tanaka gets his first taste of a traditional free agency after being posted from the NPB in 2013.
Morning Mound Visit: Francisco Lindor trade rumors are relentless
Lindor isn’t going to the Phillies unless he is; Our responsibility regarding substance abuse; Jeff Mathis wasn’t totally awful at the plate
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BREAKING: Per source, 3B Josh Donaldson has agreed to a four-year deal with the Minnesota Twins.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 15, 2020 -
Gabe Kapler has been hired as manager of the San Francisco Giants, sources tell @MarlyRiveraESPN and me.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 13, 2019 -
For the first time in 95 years, the #WorldSeries champions are from Washington, DC.#STAYINTHEFIGHT pic.twitter.com/wxYc9XbQYo
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) October 31, 2019 -
In a statement announcing the firing of Brandon Taubman, the Astros admitted their initial accounting of the incident in the clubhouse was incorrect — “We were wrong,” it says — and offered an apology to @stephapstein, the reporter who first wrote about it. pic.twitter.com/5yjRrmvVVl
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 24, 2019