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.
A Red Sox homegrown former All Star retires, Trevor Bauer goes-back on his ‘only one-year deal’ mantra, and the Rockies pay a team to take one of the best players in baseball.
News & Notes
$199 - Million dollars owed to Nolan Arenado over the rest of his contract. Arenado was dealt from Colorado to St. Louis just two years after signing his eight-year deal, much to the chagrin of Rockies’ fans and the MLB community alike. Despite his not getting off-the-ground in the COVID shortened 2020, Arenado still has top-five skills and it’s a shame Rockies ownership is prioritizing profit margins over fielding an exciting franchise player.
3 - Year, $102 million contract Trevor Bauer agreed to with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Mets were in the running but came up short as Bauer decided to return closer to home. The former UCLA Bruin will likely feel quite at home with a star-studded Dodgers’ team.
3 - Teams that have a lower payroll than the $45 million Bauer is to receive from the Dodgers. The Pirates, Indians, and Orioles all have current payrolls less than Bauer’s 2021 salary.
2.5 - fWAR in only 60 games for Marcel Ozuna who will return with the Braves on a four-year $65 million deal. Despite being a bat-first player with no guarantee of a National League DH, Atlanta added the outfielder on a long(ish) term deal.
10th- Most-bWAR in Red Sox franchise history by Dustin Pedroia who announced his retirement last week. It wasn’t exactly unexpected, as Pedroia was sidelined with various ailments over the last two years, totaling just nine games combined in 2019 and 2020. Pedroia was always a fan favorite in Beantown, as he was a homegrown star who won the 2008 American League Rookie of the Year award and the 2009 AL MVP award. The Red Sox acquired Kiki Hernandez as a replacement for Pedroia.
52 - Days until the planned Opening Day 2021...though Major League Baseball is proposing a month-long delay, so it’s anyone’s guess whether or not Spring Training and the season will start on time.
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Steven Martano is an Editor at Beyond the Box Score, a Contributing Prospect Writer for the Colorado Rockies at Purple Row, and a contributing writer for The Hardball Times. You can follow him on Twitter at @SMartano