Marty’s musings: an active hot stove week in Philadelphia

Welcome to ‘Marty’s Musings’, my weekly column of numbers summarizing the happenings in the baseball world. I am your guide for taking an analytic look at the news and notes throughout the game, and highlighting key pitching matchups.

The Hall of Fame inductee names were announced last week in a pretty big bust. Meanwhile, the hot stove season continues with numerous players inking one year deals, and a former number one starter going to Japan.

News & Notes

0 - Players who received the requisite 75 percent of votes to earn induction into the Hall of Fame. The log-jam of Steroid Era players will end in 2022, when Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, and Sammy Sosa reached their ten-year max on the ballot.

7 - Years Masahiro Tanaka gave the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball. Tanaka left New York and the US to sign a deal with the Rakuten Eagles. Per Tanaka’s interview with the Japan Times, it sounded as if he wanted to return to the Yankees, but wasn’t offered a deal to his liking, if he was offered one at all.

“When I became a free agent, honestly I wanted to sign another contract with Yankees and play there,” Tanaka said. “Then as I heard different things, I thought I might have to take a different road and considered various things.”

2011 - The last time the Phillies had a winning record, and the last time they made the postseason. Philadelphia made two big moves last week en route to a rebuilt team around star Bryce Harper:

• Philly agreed to a five-year $115.5 million deal with catcher J.T. Realmuto. The contract is record-setting for a catcher from an average annual value perspective. Since breaking into the league as an everyday catcher in 2015, Realmuto has been one of the game’s best backstops.
• Soon-to-be 32-year-old Didi Gregorius and the Phillies agreed to a two-year $28 million contract, cementing their shortstop position for the nearer-term.

7 - One year deals throughout the game that were inked last week:

• Marcus Semien and the Blue Jays agreed to an $18 million deal, after he didn’t
• receive as much as a qualifying offer from the Athletics.
• The Twins and Andrelton Simmons agreed to a $10.5 million deal.
• The White Sox inked Carlos Rodon, their former number three pick to a one-year $3 million deal. Rodon has shown signs of being a preeminent starter but injuries have derailed his career.
• Darren O’Day and the Yankees agreed to a one-year $2.5 million contract.
• Veteran Adam Wainwright will suit-up for the Cardinals for his 17th season in 2021, as he and St. Louis inked an $8 million contract last week.
• Right-handed pitcher Trevor Williams and the Cubs agreed to a one-year last week as well

59 - Days until Opening Day 2021. It will be different, no doubt, but it looks like the season will start on time with limited capacity seating to begin the season.