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By Mark Polishuk | at
Click here to read the transcript of tonight’s baseball live chat
MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com
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The Wander Franco situation just ruined the season. Hopefully the Rays miss the playoffs.
What exactly did he do? Everything I’ve read has been pretty vague.
A YouTuber just told me he was supposedly in a relationship with a 14yo girl. She told him she was 18. Mum approved of the relationship so he believed her. He moved on. They hit him up for cash. Mum went public.
fopp – Important question, where was the relationship?
If the Dominican or the US, he’s screwed (no pun intended).
If it was in a country where the age of consent is 14 or less, like Brazil/Colombia./Ecuador/China/etc then he did nothing legally wrong.
As they say, the Devil (Rays) is in the details.
Not clear what he did (if anything) but he was accused on Instagram of having a relationship with a 14 y/o girl.
He seems to have been dating a 14 year old.
Naive young man (who just happens to be one of the best ball players on the planet) gets caught in a honey trap. I think that this woman is trying to blackmail him and wreck his career.
Tell that to the Rays, who foolishly had a snapback hat “giveaway” to all kids 14 and under on his “day off”. You cannot make this stuff up. LMAO. Couldn’t have happened to a better organization, with their noses high in the air and the “novel” baseball concepts. How about you don’t let your star player mess around with a 14 year old girl?
Yeah I mean they totally should have known about that and stopped it right?
And they’d know that how?
If the Rays had detectives following their players around reporting on what their players were doing in their private lives, I’ll bet you be on here campaigning that the organization had no right to interfere in their players personal lives.
As for the hat giveaway – it was planned long ago. Should MLB ban them to keep cheap shot artists like you happy?
Do we hold your parents, teachers and employers responsible for your lack of judgement?
I’ll let you borrow my tiny violin, I’ve never used it.
Not all you have that’s tiny.
What an odd and uninformed comment to make, which can only be attributed to psychological projection. MLBTR is indubitably your medium and stream of consciousness.
briar-patch thatcher;
Golly, thanks!
Does it work better than your tiny brain? Or haven’t your used that either?
briar-patch thatcher;
Come back when your maturity level hits 14 years-old.
And if you’re going to use big words in the wrong context, post your email in case ‘All In The Family’ is brought back to TV and they need writers for Archie’s dialog.
Samuel- Waste of time explaining anything to that guy. If you have a tree near you go talk to that, More entertaining.
For ATL ques, I see them declining Rosario’s option with interest in a deal with an option for Duvall in LF. And Sonny Gray makes sense. Unique situation of big market teams being hesitant with him, while coming closer to home as a Vandy Boy and being insurance for Fried’s trip to FA. It’d bring another Oakland A into the fold and be a great epilogue to MONEYBALL.
how long is wander gone for ?
The Rays gave him today ” Off” Calling it normal. If they’re going to keep giving him ” Off Days” Until MLB finishes the investigation, I figure he’ll be off until the Brewers lease is up.
If it was the NFL I’d say after that.
Probably suspended for life to please cyberbullies
You heard it here first. Thinking it’s wrong for an adult to sleep with a 14 year old makes you a cyberbully now.
Well I’ll wait until more facts are known. Is it wrong for him to sleep with a 14 year old? Duh. Is it OK if a mom throws her 14 year old at a young rich guy to blackmail him? Also Duh. Does it happen? Yeah. Do Young rich guys need to think with something akin to common sense? Again, Duh. I’ll just wait for the facts. But if the mother did that I’d say call the FBI, She needs to go either to jail or worse.
If Franco knowingly slept with a 14 year old, they won’t suspend him because he’ll be serving jail time. I don’t even think MLB handed Felipe Vasquez a suspension because he was thrown in prison. Even once his sentence is up, there’s no way that an MLB team would even consider the thought of taking on a registered sex offender, and even in the near impossible scenario where Franco goes to jail, gets out, and an MLB team attempts to sign him, MLB would likely step in and say “HeII no” and suspend him for life then.
mlb – Life suspension is meaningless.
Jenrry Mejia was banned for life in 2016. MLB lifted the ban 2 years later.
That’s comparring apples to oranges. Mejia took steriods, he didn’t sleep with a middle schooler. Lifting a lifetime ban for someone who took PEDs is one thing, lifting it for someone who might end up on the sex offender registry list is a completly different story. They may have gotten criticized for lifting Mejia’s suspension. They’d get absoutley crucified if they lifted a lifetime suspension for a literal child preadator.
He Vazquezed his life up.
That’s semantics, either way there was no wrongdoing found in Bauer’s situation.
Just a slightly different situation.
Is the Rays’ hat day promotion for kids 14 and under the most ironically timed promotion in the history of promotions?
Given most teams have many such giveaways a year, no.
Plus I’ll take Spotrac’s word about Ian Happ’s contract over Joel Sherman’s. I’ll keep checking around but nothing was said about it when he signed it, And if it doesn’t happen in NY then Sherman’s opinion means squat to me. In fact his opinion means squat to me period, I’m not sure why the Cubs would give Happ AND Suzuki no trades, When they have talent coming. I doubt they’ll get into a bidding war for Bellinger, Which is too bad unless they are trading Mervis. If say Happ hasn’t got a no trade it would still be hard to trade him but not impossible. They’d have to eat some of it probably or take another bad deal back, Which they absolutely shouldn’t do. Why I was totally opposed to giving him an extension in the first place.
I remember Happ having a NTC in his deal, at least it being reported he did.
Also, Happ isn’t a bad contract either (not sure why some fans don’t like him) he’s posting a 2.2 fWAR valued at 17.8 million this season so far. That’s right on par with what he is getting paid. Given the age and length of his extension, 18 million is a bit of surplus value because you’re not tied into a post-prime player.
I fully expect the Cubs to be among the finalist for Bellinger. I could see him starting in CF, then maybe move to first or RF when PCA comes up. Suzuki could move to the forth outfield/dh role.
Drascoo- Once again I don’t dislike him. I just like what’s coming a lot more. Caissie and Canario should be at AAA next year. Let’s not forget, Canario trashed his shoulder so we could have another Bellinger situation. He’s been back a month but I’m just happy if he plays and keeps it up this year. After a rough start he’s starting to hit again. PCA already there. I wouldn’t mind them signing Bellinger but then you either block PCA or Mervis, One or the other. Maybe both. Plus building a Farm System, Means YOU DON’T HAVE TO BUY EXPENSIVE THINGS! That was the plan, They should stick to it. It’s been like 2 years and the plan is out the window already. Not to mention they still have to find somewhere for Morel to play.
Drascoo- Happ might have a NTC, But if he does I can’t find any article or site that deals with contracts or even Wikipedia as lame as that is. That says he does. So if somebody has something other than Joel Sherman said so, I’d love to see the link cause I can’t find it. But I’m not trying real hard either. The whole extension makes me want to hurl, with or without an NTC. I still don’t like it but I guess we’ll live with it. Just if it doesn’t work out remember who said it first. And if it does work out I’ll be glad to eat crow.
Every article I read says a full no trade clause and a hotel suite.
Happ is a fine baseball player, he’s a good defender and a good hitter… apparently good is good enough for a 20 million aav in todays game.
I think the Cubs were betting on upside with Happ, he keeps improving his game but I think they were expecting his power to rebound in addition to the improvements he made to his game last year. Imo, he’s a solid two hole hitter or somewhere in the 5/6 range. Definitely not a middle of the order hitter or a guy you build a line up around. Neither is Suzuki.
PCA SHOULD be ready at some point next season but nothing is a given and I really have no issues with “blocking” Mervis if we re-sign Bellinger and PCA forces a move.
Canario, imo, is going to need a year in AAA after coming off his injury. You mention Bellinger as an example and Madrigal is another example you can use. Missing so much time with an injury is going to affect his game and shouldn’t be rushed.
Caissie is striking out at an epic rate. He isn’t going to be banging on the door at Wrigley for a couple more years.
Cubs have some intriguing prospects but that doesn’t mean they should no re-sign Bellinger. Some of that talent will be moved to add pieces to a championship roster in time. Some of those pieces won’t work out and if we have more pieces than places to play them, then it’s a great problem to have and someone more expensive can be moved, NTC or not. At least that is my opinion.
Striking out at an epic rate? I watch as many of the minor league games as I can. I don’t see that and even if it were true nobody in baseball seems to care less about that. Nobody has cared about that since Sammy Sosa and McGwire. This isn’t my daddy’s baseball anymore.
I think a 40% strike out rate in AA is reason for concern.
I also vaguely remember you complaining about Wisdom striking out too much… I mean if he was striking out 40% of the time and jacking 40 bombs it would be different I’m sure (as well as walking) but let’s not pretend like strike outs do not matter
Cubs fans love of Wisdom never ceases to amaze me. Then you bash a guy like Caissie who is a just turned 20 year old playing against much older competition. I see Caissie’s K rate going down and Wisdoms going up. I’m quite sure they’ll work with him next spring and if they can get him to stop chasing like they did with Morel in Iowa he’ll be fine. Wisdom is a lost cause and DFA waiting to happen. Bring up Perlaza and give him Wisdoms 40 man spot. Should of happened already.
Wisdoms k rate was around 30% in the minors.
I’m not saying Caissie is a lost cause but the Cubs window is opening now, so to suggest the Cubs shouldn’t sign a guy like Bellinger because we have Caissie, PCA, Mervis and Canario in the system is flat out flawed.
Bellinger is an elite defensive center fielder, right fielder and has all the makings of a gold glove caliber first baseman. The above fore mentioned are prospects with only PCA being a high floor guy because of his defense. Bellinger comes from a winning organization, is young and has shown a team first attitude, signing him should be a priority regardless of pipeline.
Wisdom has proven to be a fine back up player. There is no “love affair”, he can play all four corners and has game power. He’s also a guy who doesn’t need to play everyday because his power plays.
I’m not going to sit here and suck d on potential when I see the Cubs for who they are and what they need. Prospects are prospects, they haven’t proven anything. Caissie and Alcantara are two year away most likely at least, PCA midway through 24 and none of them have earned a spot. Bellie is a priority but be the guy that didn’t want him in the off-season still. Die on that hill. I couldn’t care less
I thought it was technically 19 in the USA to be a legal adult.
As far as I know it was always 18. Unless you live in Kentucky then it’s 12. But you have to be related I think.. This is where the smiley face would go.
Or 17 if you’ve graduated High School or are legally emancipated from your parents. Then you’re on your own.
Hey Mark. The bees/beads running joke is not “beloved”. It is stupid. Beyond stupid actually. STOP IT! Cuz your baseball knowledge is much more worthy of the 30-45 seconds or so (maybe more?) of you reading it and replying to it. It is more idiotic than me spending time to write this comment. Ugghhh…..
This bothers you that much? How about when someone asks him what music he’s listening to?
Go read a FanGraphs chat where food, board games, computer games, and cats are discussed regularly. It might make your head explode.
Wow, I think the Cat took a dump in your cornflakes. I don’t particularly understand it or need it, But if the guys who put in the time to do this enjoy it, Then I say more power to you. Bees , Beads, Beans.
Hopefully talks are already on going between Orioles and Rutchman’s agent.
Henderson? Maybe next year? Get that 30% k rate down in to Adley territory then talk? For now, in clutch moments, give me veteran guys like Urias and Frazier at the plate before him.
Only stat geeks would want Roberts, Jr on their favorite team. His lackadaisical play has been contagious in the clubhouse and field. Only TA has been a larger contributor to the White Sox disappointment. Louis is Mr. Solo HR. Don’t expect him to hit in the clutch.