This week in baseball blogs…
- Know Hitter argues that the Angels should go all-in during Mike Trout’s last two years of team control.
- Phillies Nation reacts to the team’s acquisition of J.T. Realmuto.
- Bronx to Bushville makes a case for the Brewers to sign Marwin Gonzalez.
- Redleg Nation remembers Frank Robinson.
- Clubhouse Corner’s Bernie Pleskoff, a former scout, ranks the 50 best prospects in baseball.
- Radio Scouts orders the Blue Jays’ top 50 prospects.
- The Point of Pittsburgh uses their internal metric, Stat Scout Line, to grade the Pirates’ farm into tiers.
- Foul Territory seeks a team for Craig Kimbrel.
- theScore details a week at umpire school.
- CheckSwings searches for players who could fill super-utility roles in 2019.
- MLB & Fantasy Baseball Analyzed lists five teams that should be trying to sign Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.
- STL Hat Trick examines each NL Central team’s situation at first base.
- Rising Apple makes five bold predictions for the 2019 Mets.
- Pinstripe Alley believes DJ LeMahieu could end up as the Yankees’ most important offseason signing.
- Getting You Through the Tigers Rebuild comes up with five bold trade-related predictions for Detroit.
- Rotisserie Duck opines on which hitters will have the best seasons in 2019.
- East Village Times writes that Mike Moustakas would be a solid Plan B for the Padres if they’re unable to sign Machado.
- Birds Watcher runs down the Orioles’ top 10 prospects.
- Bucs Dugout wonders if the Pirates can revive Francisco Liriano’s slider.
- Mets Daddy advises Jacob deGrom to hold out if the team doesn’t extend him.
- SportsRadio 94 WIP discusses Phillies manager Gabe Kapler with outfielder Roman Quinn.
- Jays From the Couch talks with Toronto right-hander Joe Biagini.
- Halos Heaven interviews Angels righty Noe Ramirez.
- Rox Pile predicts the Rockies’ Opening Day roster.
- The Runner Sports (links: 1, 2) doesn’t expect the Yankees to find a taker for Jacoby Ellsbury, and explains how Alex Bregman is built to hit.
- Reviewing The Brew dives into Corbin Burnes’ potential as a starter in this year’s Brewers rotation.
- Chin Music Baseball names one player from each team who’s worth watching during the spring.
- Call to the Pen (links: 1, 2, 3) has a piece on the five worst contracts in the league, explores options for the Phillies’ bullpen, and believes the Mets would benefit from the NL adding the DH.
- Statsswipe has hope for new Brewer Josh Tomlin.
- Chipalatta responds to the Astros’ signing of Wade Miley.
- Mets Critic looks at possible backup shortstops for the club.
- Wander Rays lists Tampa Bay’s top 10 shortstop prospects.
- Extra Innings (links: 1, 2) covered the Pan-American Games Qualifier, which featured 17 major leaguers and a few prospects, and released its annual calendar of international baseball tournaments.
- Jays Journal checks on where ex-Blue Jays have landed heading into the upcoming season.
- Around the Bases with Julian Bussells (podcast) recaps the Hall of Fame class and talks with Eastern Mennonite University graduate assistant coach Nic Love.
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Angels should offer Harper a crazy top heavy deal with an opt out after 3 years. That’s about as all in as you can get.
That would be insane , But the angels need pitching more then anything
What if Angels took that money and invested it in a superior player who’s already on their roster?
Because that’s not making them better. Defeats the purpose of “going all in”.
The Metsdaddy post suggesting deGrom hold out may be the most absurd thing you’ll read this year.
You must be related to the Wilpons
How can you hold out while under contract? That’s so dumb
When else can you hold out? You can’t hold out if you aren’t under contract… I swear some people are mentally deficient.
It would be a breach of contract
Hold out as in not sign an extension, not hold out in playing. You did t really think playing, did you?
He hasn’t signed a contract
Yes he has they agreed to 17 mil for 2019
That’s an arbitration settlement, not a contract..
He never went to arbitration
Hence settlement
There are a LOT of baseball blogs!!!
The Angels should’ve gone all in…this year. If they still aren’t competitive by the 2020 season then they trade Trout for a haul of prospects and some MLB players. Even Trout or Machado make sense in the scenario where they either trade Trout or he bolts in FA. By that time there would only be 1 year left on Pujols’ contract. Buuuutttt…. it’s Arte.
By that time the angels can offer him 10-12 years around 450 million. But they should of went all in this year.
Last time I checked Harper, Keuchel and Machado were still looking for homes. They don’t appear to be in but it’s clearly not too late.
Trout will NEVER be traded. No team has enough to make that trade a good one for the Angels. Trout knows the Angels have improved a lot. He’ll soon sign his final contract and be an Angel for life.
Mets need to finish a strong off-season and sign a back end starter, not a backup SS. Rosario can play every day though a vet on minor league deal is not a bad idea. Wouldn’t mind minor league deal on someone like Tillman. Would love Gio Gonzalez or Ervin Santana.
Tillman is finished my guy. There’s nothing left on his arm. It was sad to watch but he’s toast. They should be in on a guy like Bucholz if not Gio.
For every guy who elects to go year to year, go buy INSURANCE for yourself in case you get injured. NCAA players somehow do this, how can MLB players not?
deGrom has made $13M in career earnings to date + $17M this year on a guaranteed deal. He has one more year of Arb control in 2020 for his age 32 season, free agent at 33.
Go do a deal that is team friendly in guarantee but with escalators that he can get insurance on? That is if he wishes to remain a NYM, who knows.
That Blue Jays prospect list by Radio Scouts is pretty awesome! I’m gonna bookmark that site for sure.
Ok, Radio Scouts MLBTR burner account. Too obvious bro.
It’s a a well written article regardless.
The percentage outcomes for prospects make for a fun read.
What the author of the Trout article doesn’t seem to understand is going all in and trading away young players is what got in their “stars and scrubs” predicament in the first place. It goes beyond losing starting pitchers to major arm injuries. The common denominator in their perennial contention a decade ago was prioritizing their farm system, which is what they’re finally doing now. Even if that costs them Mike Trout, it will allow them to have a more solid and balanced roster rather than being so top-heavy. It could also be a factor in Trout choosing to stay. Continuing to try and “win now” is only going to sink them deeper into the hole they’ve already dig themselves into, even with Mike Trout.
I gave the article a chance, then this garbage of robbing Peter to pay Paul makes no effin sense. Eppler did a decent job in the offseason. They have talent a shot to be better than last year. I think as Ohtani stock rises, it will encourage Trout to stay on. They just have to get better. I think as the season goes along Epller will do more tinker and dumpster diving. But this notion of the Angels aren’t moving forward, and abandon ship, is just people trying to stir the pot.
Trout is the one who got Ohtani to pick the Angels. I’m sure he wants to stick around and see what happens. That blogger said to trade Jo Adell. Good grief. Baseball Prospectus said Adell is the second best prospect in baseball. He could be the next Mike Trout.
Trout is leaving after 2020 and the Angels know it. I would expect them to make any move necessary to try to contend while he’s still there
“Embarrassingly cheap” is right.. Liberty media needs to go away and pound sand!
Donaldson, McCann, and markakis is a laughable offseason after all the talk of how much money we had to spend this offseason.. Pathetic investments when you’re a few moves away. (Save the clubhouse and leadership chat..)
Liberty media is ALL about mediocrity and not about going for the kill. Then you have the whole other division going crazy to get better every other day it seems..
Braves fans deserve better than just hoping to get to the playoffs only to be way overmatched. We have waited long enough and it’s time to step up your game or get out.
You’re supposed to take advantage of the years when your young guys are playing for peanuts, not totally rely on them.
The Braves could still make a move for Harper — not that I think they will — but just to show how cheap they are let’s look at this. The Braves as it stands could afford a $35 million contract for 3 years. Work it out so that it’s front loaded with an opt out. But if the Braves want to go cheap on this, trade Teheran, O’Day and Inciarte which would save $25 million. I’m sure if Teheran was packaged with Inciarte and possibly a prospect then the trade would occur. I don’t believe Teheran is untradeable. No one ever said he wasn’t but it seems implied. Harper would go to left and Acuna to center. This would create a ridiculous lineup !
Trout is leaving Angels. Going to Phills, Ny or Boston. He wants to be a contender & live closer to home
Wrong. Stop spreading lies.
Too little too late imo. The Angels need to make a move for Harper, Kuechel, and Kimberl or just go home. Looks like they decided to go home. If I’m Trout… I’m looking at my hometown team.
Trout bounces if the Angels don’t add more. No playoffs for a guy you is a generation HOF talent? Stop wasting him LOs Angels Angels of Anaheim
The Phillies suck. If Trout was to go back there and play he’d never be left alone. He’d rather stay in southern California and play for the only team that believed in him in the draft.
The first link about the Angels needing to go all in is foolish. Why would they trade away Jo Adell? He could be ready for the majors this season. And trading Barria? Why would they do that? Trout isn’t telling the Angels to destroy their farm system to prove they want to keep him. He’d rather see they have several great prospects coming soon. As for what shape their system is in now, Keith Law ranks them 7th best. In a short time they went from Keith Law saying they have the worst farm system he’s ever seen to him ranking it 7th best. They need to keep developing their farm.