Current Diamondbacks special assistant, ex-major league right-hander and former MLBTR contributor Burke Badenhop is among those leading a spirited effort to save baseball at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. BGSU dropped its baseball program in a cost-cutting measure May 15, which sparked some of its ex-players – Badenhop and Indians Triple-A manager Andy Tracy, to name a couple – to begin raising funds to revive it, as Jack Carle of the Sentinel-Tribune and Jordan Strack of WTOL have covered. In the past few days alone, 120-plus people have contributed a total of $1.2MM over a five-year commitment, Badenhop informed MLBTR. The goal is to come up with at least $3.5MM, Strack reports. “There’s a lot of people that played Bowling Green baseball,” Badenhop told Strack. “While we’re not LSU, and we’re not a top program in the country, there’s a lot of people that have gone through and played at Stellar Field that Bowling Green baseball means a lot to them.” We at MLBTR wish Badenhop, Tracy & Co. the best in what’s certainly a worthwhile endeavor.
Now to check in on a few MLB teams…
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people over the age of 65 and cancer survivors are among those who are at the highest risk of contracting the coronavirus. With that in mind, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times wonders if it will be safe for the Angels’ Joe Maddon (66) or the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts (Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivor) to manage during a pandemic-shortened season. Maddon, who has lost 15 pounds via diet and exercise, explained to DiGiovanna he’s “on a mission” to get healthier. Roberts, meanwhile, received the go-ahead from one of the Dodgers’ team physicians, Dr. John Plosay, to continue in his current position. “I asked [the doctor] if I were to go back, does that put me in any different [risk] category, and he said absolutely not,” Roberts told DiGiovanna. “He didn’t really give me any details, and I didn’t really ask.”
- Yankees mainstay Brett Gardner could become a free agent next winter, at which point he’ll be 37, so could this be the outfielder’s last season (if there is one)? Not likely, especially if the season’s canceled, George A. King III of the New York Post writes. For his part, Gardner doesn’t sound like someone who’s nearing the finish line. “In a perfect world for me, I stay healthy and have a good season, and they pick that option up and I come back and do it all over again,” Gardner said of his $10MM option for 2021 during spring training. New York can either exercise that option or buy Gardner out for $2.5MM, but the $10MM price tag doesn’t look unreasonable when considering what he brings to the table. The longest-tenured Yankee put up 3.6 fWAR last season and hit .251/.325/.503 (115 wRC+) with a personal-high 28 home runs in 550 plate appearances.
- With catcher Yadier Molina potentially months from free agency, the Cardinals may soon have to find a long-term replacement for the franchise icon. That could one day be prospect Ivan Herrera, whom Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch profiles. Set to turn 20 on June 1, Herrera – the Cardinals’ fourth-ranked prospect at MLB.com – spent the majority of last season in High-A and batted .286/.361/.423 with eight home runs in 291 plate appearances. Although he’s not as advanced as a defender, there’s optimism he’ll keep improving that aspect of his game, as Goold writes. “We hear he has the aptitude to go along with the game plan behind the plate,” manager Mike Shildt told Goold.
Dusty Baker is another elder manager
Even as a RS fan I loved Popeyes play. I hope the Evil Empire signs him again.
I’m certain they will. there won’t be any standouts for callups/drafts given those leagues are shut down.
Fundraising for a college….really?! poor choice on the college’s part but a dumb effort/cause in this scenario.
What’s wrong with trying to save a college baseball team? I see no reason to complain about it. It gives more young players an opportunity to keep playing, it gives the area another sport to watch, and it could even lead to a few more pro ballplayers (even if the draft still gets drastically shortened).
If every mid-major program was cut, you’d miss out on a ton of talent.
Have you ever watched, been around or known anything about college athletics? Every school has entire staffs dedicated to fundraising for the athletic department.
In some (if not all) schools, boosters even have a say in things such as athletic directors and coaching hires. They donate the millions, so they get an informal say in.
The issue with this trend to “save” cut programs is you need funding every single year. What they raise this year, may not be enough to sustain the number of programs for the next several years. Combine with having to be in compliance with things like Title IX, and it’s a long shot at best (though I’m sure places like Bowling Green are happily depositing the checks.)
Anywho, I’m sure eventually these programs will be reinstated once athletic departments recover post-COVID. Another unfortunate casualty of the pandemic.
That above was directed at fair-critic, btw.
Colleges are constantly “fundraising”. There’s the whole concept of wealthy boosters but alumni are called constantly to donate money to their former college. Schools offer jobs to students where they literally just run down a list of alumni, call them and ask for money
Except for a very few low quality school, most colleges are non-profits and their business models have always depended on fundraising.
To not extend Yadi after this mixed up season for at least one more is disrespectful. He’s establishing his cred (beyond Cards fans) for the HOF. He could use a full season. Besides, Yadi is never going to suck. He wouldn’t allow himself.
He doesn’t suck but he certianly is not a top catcher anymore. The Cards need to move to their future C already and stop giving Molina contracts based on the past. They already messed up by getting rid of Carson Kelly. Andrew Kninzer is where their attention should be after 2020.
He and Wainwright are still the leaders of the Cardinals. Even though their abilities are not in the top 5 at their position anymore, both are still way above the average players in MLB.
It is, and always has been, all about Yadi. Cut the cord and move on. He’s way past his prime. Handing out another contract to a catcher going on 38 years old is the dumbest thing ever.
Except for the fact that he continues to prove that he’s an exception to the rule. And that he is a rare player on that he still provides a ton of value beyond what he does on the field, particularly in the mentorship of Herrera, who’s bat is well ahead of his defense. The Cardinals would be dumb to “cut the cord” if they can resign for a reduced contract to start splitting time with a young catcher.
Yeah, whatever
The big question is, would Molina be willing to hang around on a reduced contract and be a mentor sharing time? If we are answering the post that @RedbirdJodetta has above, what you would be describing would not be what @RedbirdJodetta is asserting should happen. Based on the post, it appears that he/she thinks that the Cards should pay Molina whatever he wants and allow him to play the majority of the games to help bolster his HOF credentials before he retires. That is all done under the name of respect. Not thinking what you describe (what you describe is what I would offer Molina as well) would be respectful by @RedbirdJodetta above.
Yadi is still a top ten catcher in the game…sorry but give him another year and let him coach Herrera
Name 10 good catchers in the game.
I can name one…Yadi Molina…what do you want to do? Replace a top 10 catcher in the game with a not top ten catcher in the game? I know what you are going to say…there are no good catchers in the MLB right now…that has no relevance to the fact that Yadi is still a top ten catcher…so you want the cardinals to regress at the catcher position because you don’t like Yadi…great idea
Carson Kelly. League Minimum. 2019. 1.7 WAR. .826 OPS. 112 OPS+. 32% CS.
Molina. $20M. 1.3 WAR. .711 OPS. 85 OPS+. 26% CS.
Now, tell me again what “you know I’m going to say.” By all means, sign Molina to another extension and kick another prospect to the curb.
Numbers are almost identical…and with so many intangibles that Yadi brings its tomato, tomatoe…I get what you are saying about letting the young guys play because the cardinals have such a great farm…but Herrera isn’t ready and Yadi would be a great coach…plus he won’t be getting the same salary…good for Kelly, another great cardinals prospect but he still isn’t Yadi
The numbers are almost identical??? In what way? Not by OPS. Not by OPS+. Not by pay. Not by age. By the way, Yadi was no star his first 2-3 years either. Yet they let Matheny go to give him the chance to GROW. They must not think much of the farm if Kelly and Knizner weren’t/aren’t in their plans.
Dude…the numbers balance out and if you can’t admit that then no point in debate…Yes, the pay of course was not but Kelly hasn’t exactly proved anything and the cardinals payed for what Yadi has done for the cards…which is very respectful…plus if they resign him it won’t be as close to what he was getting…that is not a dig on Kelly I hope he does well…but like I said the intangibles of a catcher Yadi Is still considerable concerning Yadi is more than a veteran of the league…was letting go of Kelly a mistake…maybe…but with they said they like Knizner better and plus now they have Herrera…I understand that Kelly did well and just as good as Yadi…but the value of both catchers are about the same
@RedbirdJodetta–disrespectful is a a term thrown around loo much these days. I am sure the Cards will offer something to Molina to extend him for another year or too. That is all the respect that a player should be owed. No way should any team have to overpay any athlete in the name of respect after they paid the player market price for years already. The Cards should offer a deal for an extra year or two max based on what they feel he still can offer the team. If he declines, that is his right to do so and no “disrespect” shown by either side. Your last line is laughable. Father Time does not give athletes the ability to not allow themselves to suck. Father Time only has that ability. Many great players in many sports thought they had a few years still left at the ends of their careers. Many realized too late that they were wrong and had horrible ends to their careers. If Molina has not made a case for the HOF by now, he never will make it on the basis of a couple of years of average play at best to end his career.
Molina has been disrespected to the tune of $155M in career salary from the Cards. He should really be ticked off. What a slap in the face. Mr. DeWitt should be embarrassed how he’s disrespected Molina. Insert eye roll here for the sarcastic impaired readers.
To be honest, I am surprised that Bowling Green has recovered from the shooting rampage.reported by Kellyanne Conway.
Bowling Green Strong!!
Hey, the death toll in the Bowling Green Massacre was just as bad as that from Obamagate.
Alternative facts rule!
To be clear, these medical conditions do not represent an increased risk of contracting the virus, they pose an increased risk of dying from it.
Love Gardner, but the man cannot hit in the playoffs I’m sick of seeing him get overmatched against good pitching.
The Cardinals don’t seem like the sort of team that will let a rookie lead their pitching staff. Major league catching is way more difficult and overwhelming than anyone can possibly comprehend without walking through all they do. Yadier handles the pitching staff, knowing hitters tendencies and his pitcher’s abilities to combats them on an elite level. Better strategy is letting the youngster prove he is as capable or better than their legend. It isn’t likely to come without several growing pains, a sit took Molina time before he was great. Molina is a hall of fame catcher, proven by several championships, several gold gloves, and his team’s pitching ranks, not to mention an above average hitting catcher for a good part of his career. I am sure Yadier will gladly coach him if he has the skills to learn, as he has always been a great teammate.
If Yadi is willing to accept a pay reduction and also accept that he may lose his job to this guy he’s teaching then it is a great idea to resign him. I get the feeling that he doesn’t have the personality to accept those things though. If not then there are plenty of veteran catchers that they can sign for cheap who can show the young guy(s) the way
Andrew Knizer no longer viewed as the long term answer at catcher for the Cardinals?
Was hard to gauge Carson Kelley cause of Molina. Cardinals seem to have let a long term building block escape. Hopefully they don’t give up on Knizer too soon as well.
The MAC schools are smart for cutting athletics programs – it bleeds them financially and they should drop from Div 1 in most cases. I just wish that they would handle things different (ie honor scholarships for those students affected)
Bowling Green is honoring scholarships.
That’s good. Thank you for letting me know, I had assumed that none of them were after seeing how Akron was managing things.
Start building the Vettes
again, as i said on the hockey site, none of these schools should be cutting sports programs. they charge these kids so much money and have so much in the bank, they dont have any good justification for this.
Many smaller schools don’t have the money Alabama, UNC and LSU et al have. Big basketball and football programs float other sports that don’t produce revenue.
Heartwarming and devoted make BG Baseball continuation extra special. As a Bobcat, I would hate to see any sport cut and respect the leadership of former players and fans. Who could ask for more?
Thanks so much to MLBTR for bringing to light our cause to keep baseball at Bowling Green State University
For more information or to pledge support to the effort you can email: savebgsubaseball1@gmail.com.
To update the articles mentioned, the campaign to save BGSU baseball has raised over $1.3m in less than a week thanks to donations from over 140 alumni/former players. 10% of that total is coming from current players and their families. We hope that BGSU will recognize our support as we try to save the over 100 years of baseball on the Bowling Green State University campus.
Thank you for the BGSU pledge information. I played college baseball for a 2D and a 3D school here in Socal and understand the value of boosters and alumni funding. Heres to hoping BGSU baseball goes for another 100 years.
Bowling Green will have a baseball team next spring. 1.5 million was raised.