Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times takes an interesting look at how Erik Neander came to land atop the Rays’ baseball operations department. Neander took an unusual path to his current position, with data providing his hook into the Tampa Bay baseball operations department — but only after a lot of hustle. At MLBTR, we often field emails and chat questions about how to break into the business; perhaps this article serves as something of a guide for what kind of effort it might take, even if you do have ability to go with the passion.
Here’s more from the AL East:
- While Neander will do all he can to squeeze value out of limited payroll resources, the Rays’ ongoing stadium efforts remain critical to the organization’s long-term viability. On the heels of recent news that the club has settled on a preferred site, Topkin and others at the TB Times have compiled a comprehensive look at the current state of play surrounding the proposed site in Tampa Bay’s Ybor City. Those with interest in the subject will need to read the full post for its many details; suffice to say that a variety of challenges still lay ahead to convert this idea into reality.
- Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks says he’s coming to camp with sights set on winning a starting job in center, as Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. The 28-year-old unquestionably impressed in 2017, with a surprising .266/.372/.475 batting line and 15 home runs. Of course, that’s the first time the switch-hitter has posted above-average offensive production and he has still yet to top four hundred plate appearances (due to performance issues and, more recently, injuries) in a given season. Plus, the Yankees have to consider Jacoby Ellsbury, who isn’t likely to find time playing in the corners with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on hand along with Brett Gardner. It’s certainly still possible that the Yanks will clarify the roster logjam before the start of the season. If not, though, it seems reasonable to anticipate that Ellsbury will at least take a fair amount of time against right-handed pitchers. (While Ellsbury has long thrived against righties, Hicks has traditionally been better against southpaws.)
- John Lott of The Athletic examines the seven recent PED suspensions doled out to Blue Jays Latin American farmhands in a subscription-only post. Of course, there are lots of difficult issues surrounding this subject, due in large part to the difficult incentive system facing these young players. In the case of the Toronto prospects, they were caught using the kinds of unsophisticated substances that MLB deputy commissioner Dan Halem says are easy to detect. Of course, this isn’t a problem facing only the Blue Jays. The Latin American signing and development system, which typically involves so-called buscones and very youthful players, has long been riddled with problems.
Houston We Have A Solution
Well since nobody in their right mind is touching the ellsbury and that contracr unless the yankees eat money and/or attach prospects might as well use him.
Ryan Tanana
The Yanks should do something positive for the man. He hasn’t been an idiot to the fans or organization
wrigleywannabe
Like what, pay him millions? Done.
dynamite drop in monty
Lolzykins!
costergaard2
Ellsbury has been a stand up guy. I wish he signed a Damon deal, then he’d have been more popular (and a free agent)
thegreatcerealfamine
Hicks won the job last year and will probably win again…
Adam6710
Guarantee you there’s a team out there that could use him regularly, but only if theYankees eat 75% of his contract and only if he agrees to waive his NTC.
In the meantime, he rides the bench, and earns 22M. Not the worst thing in the world for him. I certainly don’t feel bad for him, nor do I think the Yankees owe him playing time.
I don’t want to see him in the lineup or the outfield. On a team with Stanton, Judge, Gardner, and Hicks– 4 players all better than him– he has no place seeing regular playing time.
The Yankees gave him a stupid contract, so it’s their fault he’ll suck up a roster spot. If he refuses trades, its his fault that he’ll not get any playing time.
NoRegretzkys
One of the contracts that makes teams think twice this off season. This is what happens in a few years.
stymeedone
Yet, if they play him, and he looks like he could help someone, they might be able to move him. That wont happen if they sit him. Having some cap space at the deadline might be useful.
Adam6710
Yankees find themselves with expectations this season. They’ll surely showcase him in spring training, but I don’t think they would do it for that reason alone in-season at the expense of competing.
In blowouts he’ll get at-bats, but as a fan I don’t want him to be starting even if it helps the team move him.
Besides, he has a NTC– all the playing time in the world won’t helpif he won’t waive it. So far he has shown no interest in doing so, despite reported interest from the Giants, Rockies, Orioles, and Diamondbacks at various points this offseason.
mikeyank55
Peter Angelos will call the shot and absorb 40%.
He will have a typical jacoby season and the Yankees will win the AL east as the cap space comes in handy for Cash to pull off another amazing trade.
Bruin1012
Dream on
slider32
There is always a trade for Ellsbury, he is still a good player 1.6 WAR last year in only 400 abs. The thing is he is only worth about 10 to 12 million a year. The Yanks could package him to the D- Backs for Greinke if they were willing to give up some good players or prospects along with him. The D-Backs want Martinez bad but they need to dump salary. Yanks get Greinke and Corbin and the D-Backs get Ellsbury and Montgomery.. Another way woulld be trading for Kennedy bad contract for bad contract.
Bennybosox
You think Jacoby Ellisbury is worth $10-12M a year? I what world are you living in? Todd Frazier, who is a solid 3B/1B defensively, is younger, and has legit power just signed a 2/$17 deal…Ellisbury isn’t worth half that in this market. That he makes over $20M is the most obscene part of the equation, but the NTC and overall lack of skillset are also pretty big factors…
southbeachbully
What lack of skill sets do you see? He still has the ability to get on base(.348 OBP), is still an above average SB threat (22 SB on 88% success rate), can still play LF/CF at a decent level and can still draw a walk at 10%. He’s just vastly overpaid.
The real problem is there a lot of guys similar to him that are FA and available for 1 year deals around $4-$7 mil this winter. Granderson and Jackson are off the market but there’s still a few left.
Calvin M
Not so fast, Mr. Socks, Ellsbury is still a pretty good outfielder even if he is not worth the $21M that he gets. At $8-10M he may look pretty good to a team that needs somebody to patrol centerfield and has lost its starter to injury, especially if the Yanks throw in a decent prospect as a sweetener. Look for something like that to happen in spring training or early in the season.
mikeyank55
The problem w mr Sox is that his team is impotent and he is angry that the Yankees are so deep that they can afford a haircut and there will be a taker for a serviceable player.
The sourpuss is bitter that it’s jacoby—a good guy that is overpaid and attractive to some team, rather than say Hanley, overpaid and has a reputation like a wart.
Paul Miller
He might still be a decent player, a shell of his former self, but for how much he’s making and producing 1.6WAR? Yeah, not many takers.
iverbure
Slider if you haven’t been paying attention the Yankees need to stay below the 197 mil tax. So trading for Greinke and you say that so easily lol as if Greinke isn’t making 34 mil a season. D-backs and yanks might match up Ellsbury and something for Tomas. Yanks would get salary relief and just cut Tomas. Ellsbury isn’t bring any value back at all and he’s far more valuable playing on another team for the Yankees so they can use whatever money they save on other upgrades depending on how much money d-backs take.
bigcokeslushy
Ok hear me out…(lights illegal thing)…what if we put Gary Sanchez in CF? I mean his arm strength alone makes him a gold glove option when compared to Jacoby.
Real talk though, hoping Hicks can corral the job, and Gardner should stay on ball club, I can’t see Hicks, Stanton, and Judge all staying healthy all year
KnicksCavsFan
You wrote that before or after you took your first few pulls?
Ryan Tanana
bwahahaha
bigcokeslushy
I’m just on whatever Boras is on, so my brain is melting but it’s all good
mikeyank55
His slushy is made with French Champagne though.
thegreatcerealfamine
Lol
Deke
What’s Sanchez’s speed like? Ya gotta be fast to play CF and catchers are usually kinda slow.
Besides that it’s not easy to just play CF if you’ve never played there before.
albearrrr
He might be better at 2B
yeabro
I don’t know, it’s a decent idea. Gary’s bat plays well compared to other CF and he does have a cannon. He’s sneaky fast too – ppl just assume he’s slow he’s a young man.
wrigleywannabe
It’s idiotic.
McGlynn
If they put him in CF he would instantly be the slowest CF according to statcast. The man’s slow, even for a catcher.
bigcokeslushy
No NO this was a joke putting him CF would destroy his knees faster than catching 130 games a year for the next 6+ years. Which he won’t, he’s destined to become a DH, but that’s besides the point. Just making a crack at Ellsbury’s “attributes.”
Kslaw
Lol. I can’t believe you had to explain it was a joke.
yeabro
Joke or no it’s not so crazu
chino31
If Sanchez playing days are done as a catcher, it makes more sense to do what Todd Zeile did. Play either first or third. But since Bird is probably entrenched at first, Sanchez should try out at third.
mikeyank55
Hey Yea.
Hey Bro.
Bad idea all the way around.
Bruin1012
Please play Sanchez in Center field omg that would be awesome. He would be so bad defensively there it would be comical.
mikeyank55
Not as comical as you Bruin. So which team is yours, since you hate the Yankees so much?
No need for us to apologize for being hugely competitive again…
thegreatcerealfamine
God could you imagine Swihart in CF or for that matter at any position..now that’s GOLD
yeabro
I don’t know, it’s a decent idea. Gary’s bat plays well compared to other CF and he does have a cannon. He’s sneaky fast too – ppl just assume he’s slow he’s a young man.
thegreatcerealfamine
Just stop…
mikeyank55
Great point Yea.
You’ve now been promoted to assistant to the GM for the NY Mets. Your desk is in a shared office with another genius, “TC” who can help you keep Sandy Alderstein amused as he grabs as many lay checks as he can from the Coupons
Phillies2017
So I take it that that particular subscription is not highly recommended
CursedRangers
Ha! I actually signed up. Articles are pretty good. The problem is for $50 the number of articles are few and far between.
ducksnort69
I think putting Gary Sanchez in center is a fantastic idea(I also want the Yankees to lose as many games as possible). Tanaka should play second and pitch everyday while batting 3rd. I’d be the greatest Yankees GM the world has ever seen; my hands are quite large too.
mikeyank55
Well duck, you are certainly the greatest legend in your own mind. Maybe you should follow hockey instead. Baseball is too fast for you to follow and your ADD will be better served by a game that you really don’t pay attention to!
stansfield123
Plus, the Yankees have to consider Jacoby Ellsbury
—————
The Yankees will not consider Ellsbury for the starting center field job. That much has been made very clear.
nyy42
He is the starting CF
thegreatcerealfamine
I seriously hope you’re a Mets fan…
koz16
Cashman previously stated that Ellsbury was heading into camp as the 5th OF. Maybe that was a ploy to get him to drop his NTC or maybe it wasn’t.
Adam6710
If there were no ST and the season started today, I have to guess the outfield would be Gardner/Hicks/Judge/Stanton rotating between DH and the three spots.
stansfield123
I don’t get it. Why is the MLB helping another Florida team build a shiny new stadium no one’s gonna frequent? Isn’t one enough.
Move some place where you don’t have to live off revenue sharing, Rays.
Michael Birks
They’ll draw more in Ybor city, I live in Orlando and I only go over when the Red Sox are in town, Ybor city is a good 30 minutes closer to Orlando, I might go over for more games if they were there…Plus in the new location you would not have to deal with that I 275 traffic
darkstar61
“Ybor city is a good 30 minutes closer to Orlando, I might go over for more games if they were there…”
Think that is kind of his point, I believe – even you just *might*
Theoretically the new stadium *might* increase ticket sales, but its a huge undertaking just on the possibility some of the people who currently refuse to go slightly out of their way will all of a sudden start showing up.
If it turns out it isn’t as much the slightly longer drive and instead its the lack of real interest in going to see the club…
Or lets put it this way – many people probably have visions of what happened in San Diego here. That is, the Padres were drawing in the 2.2-2.5 million range the last few years at old in-the-middle-of-no-where Jack Murphy stadium. When the much easier to get to Petco opened it drew great numbers for a couple seasons, but now sits in the 2.1-2.2 million range most years.
Now that’s a baseball city, with the area supporting their club quite well going in. But making it much more accessible didn’t increase attendance – costs associated with said increased access actually means fewer people going
tylerall5
It also doesn’t help that the Padres have been quite bad in recent years. Nobody wants to pay to watch a team play bad in person when they can just watch it on tv.
MattyWil
At that point why don’t they just move to Orlando? Lol They need to get closer to Tampa not farther
Begamin
Ybor is closer to downtown Tampa than their current location in St. Pete.
Woodlawn
Trade Gardner problem solved. No need for that slap hitting mediocre OF on this team. It’s time to move on from him and his gigantic head.
MZ311
What?
stubby66
You know the Yankees should have thought it out more before they gave him all that money of course if the teams ever learn from this mistake could you imagine what might happen. We would probably be sitting on February 10 with like 100 free agents still not signed lol. Imagine the horror
thegreatcerealfamine
Where did these guys come from?
mlb1225
Gardner is at least playing to the rate he’s worth. Fantastic defender, a 20/20 guy. Ellsburry is getting paid 2x Gardner is making, for being the 4th outfielder.
Kslaw
Not a Yankees fan so this is a serious question.
Is Gardner not good enough to play CF? He is the 3rd best OF on the team and has decent speed but I’m not sure on his arm and D. Purely offense wise I would think he would be top option.
Yankeepatriot
Judge and Stanton split time at DH, keep Gardy in left (he’s godly in left field, trust me you wanna keep him there) and hicks in center
Problems solved. Stanton openly stated that he would gladly DH
chino31
Gardy is rated better as a left fielder. He still has above average speed. He doesn’t have a hose of an arm like Hicks but his throws are accurate.
MB923
He can play CF for sure , but Hicks (and Ellsbury, slightly if at all) are better in CF. As others have said, Gardner is better in LF than in CF
juicemane
I think half of these guys dont sign until after the season starts, and for a lot less. You wont get over 150 mil any more unless youre Harper, etc.
slider32
Things change quickly during the baseball season, depth is a must with teams. Ellsbury gives the Yanks good depth in the outfield, Cashman wants to trade him so he can get a top line pitcher without going over the cap. He’s tried all winter to make a trade for one.
mlb1225
Good depth, but at the price of $21 million? I don’t know if it’s worth that.
jmi1950
Ells (3yrs/68.5 MM) and $$$$ for Desmond (4 yrs 62 MM).
Ells waives NTC to be closer to AZ home. NYYs get Vet insurance for 2b/3b and give Bird or Didi a day off against a tough LHP. If the prospects all work out Desmond would still get plenty of AB’s as a super U especially in 2019 when Gardner will be gone. Col gets an OF who can help cover the Coors gaps. Even if the NYY have to throw in a prospect its worth it to have a much more flexible roster.
pjmcnu
Rays to Montreal! Expos 2.0!!