Here’s the latest chatter from the AL East …
- So, that whole Red Sox sign-stealing saga is over with now … right? Not entirely, as Evan Drellich and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic write (subscription link). The determinations of commissioner Rob Manfred create quite a few questions — not least of which involving his decision to focus the brunt of his punitive power on one Red Sox employee (replay operator J.T. Watkins). Manfred’s actions haven’t sated MLBTR readers, at least, according to the early results of our poll on the punishments. Perhaps the most interesting issue, from a broader perspective, involves the league’s responsibility for managing all this. As Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom puts it: “I also think structurally we ought to do everything we can to make sure that confusion can’t occur and that these aspects of our game are beyond reproach.” Another way to frame the matter: the rules and enforcement regime needs to be set up to ensure results rather than dealing with fallout on an ad hoc basis.
- It seemed the Yankees were going to spend the early part of the 2020 season dealing with another odd slate of injuries before the season went on pause. Now that star outfielder Aaron Judge has had plenty of time to figure out what was bothering him (rib stress fracture) and to recuperate … might that be avoided? MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch writes that Judge is working out at the Yankees’ spring complex and taking his time to avoid any unnecessary complications. Judge says he expects to be ready for “doing a little more here in about a week or two,” at which point he can hopefully begin building towards baseball readiness. There’s still nothing close to a clear starting point for the 2020 season, so there’s obviously no rush.
- Alex Cobb’s signing is one of several big-contract misfires that have hamstrung the Orioles over the years. But he had seemingly fully recovered from the hip problem that plagued him last year, MLB.com’s Joe Trezza writes. Cobb had a rough 2018 season and made only three starts last year, but there’s still time for the 32-year-old to provide at least some value. The best-case scenario probably would’ve been a bounce back during the first half of the 2020 season, potentially setting the stage for a mid-summer deal. Perhaps now the O’s will end up attempting to move Cobb — who’s owed $14MM in 2020 and $15MM in 2021 — over the ensuing offseason, depending upon what (if anything) he’s able to show this year.
TheSilentService
Drellich is just mad he lost jobs in Houston and Boston.
What MLB should have done is investigate every team with regards to the replay. Boston was not the only team that was mentioned at first, it was just the only team that had a disgruntled journalist on his way out.
joshua.barron1
You realize he got a promotion when he went to the athletic, right?
pasha2k
The reporters are just spewing guesses…..where’s their proof? No proof than they need to shuddup till they find proof.
pasha2k
I feel badly for Judge, as a RS fan I like to see good opposing players at full strength. Cashman is masterly the way he patched up the team, but you gotta wonder how many times he can do that.
DarkSide830
i feel bad for the handfull of guys that wolnt get drafted with the shortened draft now that Boston and Houston lost picks. the absurdly minuscule UDFA allowances are laughable.
MLB-what-ifs
Darkside – the draft picks after the 20th round almost never even play a single game in the MLB and make very little in bonus money. These players would be way better served by taking scholarships to a university and using the education to make way more money than they will ever make in baseball. 97 percent of professional baseball players never play even a single game at the major league level !!!
dany8484
Manfred should be fired Sox and asstros are cheaters always will be
pasha2k
Get real pluuieeezzze.
yankeeempire123
You are right. Should strip titles too. Not earned.
dynasty in boston
The Yankees are known cheaters. Let’s take away some of their titles too
brucenewton
Yanks possibly earned a clean title ‘78
4WSsince04
A-rod, Giambi, and Clemens all were known steroid users. Yanks were cheaters…..
greatgame 2
Cobbs contract with the Orioles is horrible and they are stuck with it. One of the three worst contracts ever. At least they will save a few million of salary from this shortened year.
John Kappel
Ever? That’s not the case.
Sarasotaosfan
While the Rays were adapting to the economics of pitching, the O’s were stubbornly stuck on stupid. And they continue to be.
Don’t have pitchers capable of pitching in a rotation? Force them to anyhow.
If they needed a surgeon they would name somebody as one. They simply refuse to acknowledge reality and act on it.
hOsEbEeLiOn
Ever in Orioles history? Maybe. Davis is worse.
In MLB history? Not even close. Bobby Bonilla is far and away the worst one ever.
Last 10 years? No. Yasmany Tomas and Rusney Castillo come to mind. Pablo Sandoval too.
jbigz12
Albert Pujols, M-Cab, Phil Hughes was just as bad, Hosmer, Davis, Homer Bailey. There’s plenty of others as well.
Some of those guys may have been more productive than Cobb but due to the sheer amount of dollars given they were clearly worse deals.
wild bill tetley
Ubaldo signing is on-par or worse than Cobb’s contract. An argument can be made for and against.
pasha2k
You can NOT measure the RS wrong doings compared to Houston’s brazen display of cheating.
Royalrooter
Sox were exonerated, no player or management suspensions and no team fines by mlb. These 2 disgruntled reporters trying to make a name for themselves had nothing but a cockamamie story from some loser ballplayer. Investigations dig for evidence and none was found. No advantage was found no conspiracy, no trash cans no nothing but a legal view of video tape that all teams have a right too.
hOsEbEeLiOn
Watkins tried to steal signs and passed that info along for players to use.
Players from the astros and red sox should be suspended. It’s sad the Mlb puts money before integrity and sad the Mlbpa objects to cheaters getting suspended.
Saying other teams cheat doesn’t justify your team cheating.
Pete Rose should be reinstated and allowed in the HOF immediately.
pasha2k
Hos, where is your proof other than what little the investigation turned up? The 2 teams can’t be bunched together, the wrong doings are too far apart. This article is crap, also blaming the NYY too just cuz they think they were, or someone on the team cheated, all hog wash. All lies spewed as investigating reporting. Show us the proof truth!
luckyh
@pasha google Paul O’Neil’s comments. Yanks did the same sign stealing using the replay as the Sox. He of course didn’t partake. LOL