Baseball is back! Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into spring training:
1. Pitchers and catchers begin reporting:
The Cubs kicked off spring training officially yesterday when their pitchers and catchers reported to camp. With yesterday’s report date came a number of interesting comments from club officials, including president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and manager Craig Counsell, about the state of the roster headed into the season and whether or not there may be more left to do as spring training begins. As the rest of the league begins to filter into camp throughout the week, starting with the Dodgers tomorrow, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see more illuminating comments from other teams’ officials that help set the tone for the coming spring.
2. Extension season begins?
With the start of spring training also begins the start of extension season around baseball. While extensions can and do happen at any point in the calendar, spring training is generally regarded as the most natural time for those negotiations to occur and is frequently utilized as a window to hammer out those deals where club budgets are mostly set and players have not yet turned their attention fully to the day-to-day grind of the regular season. Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will get the most attention over the coming days after he set a deadline for contract talks with Toronto that is now just over a week away. The Rockies are reportedly weighing the possibility of extending center fielder Brenton Doyle, and the Phillies and J.T. Realmuto could discuss an extension sometime this spring as well. There will be dozens of negotiations around the league, and at least a few extensions are completed every spring. Last February/March brought long-term deals for Bobby Witt Jr., Jose Altuve, Mitch Keller, Zack Wheeler, Brayan Bello, Ezequiel Tovar, Will Smith and Ceddanne Rafaela, as shown in MLBTR’s Contract Tracker.
3. 60-Day injured list opens:
When each team’s pitchers and catchers first report to spring training, their club will also unlock access to the 60-day injured list. That “60-day” term is relative to Opening Day, not the point at which the player is placed on the IL (though teams can backdate the initial placement up the to maximum three days allowed by league rules). Players on the 60-day injured list do not count toward a 40-man roster. That’s a hugely valuable roster construction tool for teams with full 40-man rosters. In the days/weeks ahead, several teams will move a player to the 60-day IL to finalize agreed-upon deals that have not yet become official (e.g. the Dodgers’ reunion with Enrique Hernandez). The presence of some 60-day IL candidates on a team’s roster can also allow that club to get more aggressive with waiver claims or signing remaining free agents. MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald recently laid out a comprehensive list of likely 60-day IL candidates for each team, though of course it’s always possible more long-term injuries could pop up as players filter back into camp for the start of spring training.
60 DL day, Kike’ & Kershaw Day one in the same
Happy Spring Training, y’all!
Good luck to all teams, may no one get injured, positive vibes to all 30 teams!
Nice words but impossible to achieve as to no injuries. Line on Stanton injury rumors the first week he reports? Don’t mean to pick on him but he was the first player that came to mind.
dewey – Last year Stanton played his most games since 2021, so he’s on the upswing to good health ;O)
My pick for Comeback Player of the Year is Yoshida, he got really muscular over the offseason and you can see the fire in his eyes!
Stanton doesn’t usually get injured until the games matter. You need to postdate your comment, @Dewey!
@FPG He was very noticeable slimmer last season while maintaining a high batted ball exit velo. Hopefully, it’s a trend.
YBC – That’s what I’ve been saying for years about players who are overly muscular. Lose some of the mass without losing the tone, and you’ve got a player who can avoid injuries better.
Hopefully O’Neill will learn that lesson eventually.
Humor or serious? I’m assuming humor, given your post about O’Neill and muscles. Also I think RSN would as a whole be pleased with a 4-year Bregman contract, even if the price is “uncomfortable.” Maybe even 5 max. Who would you say are best Bregman comps—Sandberg? Utley? Pedroia? Mike Lowell? Arenado?
stel – Nothing humorous about O’Neill, I’ve been saying for a while if he eased up on the weightlifting he’d be less stiff and would suffer fewer injuries, It should be all about conditioning, not massive muscles.
As for Bregman, the need is not there for 4 years and even if he signs a 1-year contract to play 3B we can’t presume Devers will move right now. Red Sox Nation would much rather see if Campbell or Mayer can eventually take over 3B longterm.
For comps do you mean Bregman’s career vs those guys career? Or just how I think Bregman will perform the next 4-7 years?
FPG: How can you see anything in his eyes before spring training opens and any games have been played?
I always like when the Super Bowl is over, as that is the unofficial start to the baseball season…
I don’t watch the Super Bowl, but I do pay attention to it only because baseball starts right after lol
March madness is mine.
@deweybelongsinthehall
That’s a good one, too.
dewey – Safe to assume you’re a UConn fan …. I hope?
March madness or the Daytona 500, if I’m too impatient because Detroit is gonna be good, lol.
I usually just watch the Puppy Bowl. Much more entertaining than football.
@Joe says…
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t even watch the Super Bowl. I’m just glad when it’s over as I know baseball season starts.
Me too Old York. Though I do watch watch some college football. Usually my ECU Pirates suck so bad I can’t say I’m exactly entertained.
Joe – You should try your hand at a Superbowl pool sometime …. makes the game much more fun to watch, especially when it’s as bad as light night’s.
And the commercials are excellent too …. Terry Tate Office Linebacker!!
FPG I do sometimes go to Super Bowl parties but avoided any this year due to knowing politics was going to be front and center.
Joe – I totally understand. Fortunately the party I attended everyone was talking about spring training, especially with the first reports coming in from Ft Myers.
Have you been to Steinbrenner Field? I plan to go there in April, but have never been so not sure about parking or sightseeing.
I’ve never been there before but I do hear good things about it. Hope you enjoy everything but the game. LOL
York – For Red Sox fans the unofficial start is Truck Day ….. last Monday.
It’s unique to Red Sox Nation though.
77 here in North Port, Florida. Hoping for a healthy Braves season.
Sky – Did you know Gabby? The Netflix documentary is coming out.
And yes I’ve been to CoolToday Park, that’s a great stadium.
Fever – I didn’t know Gabby, but I struck up several conversations with her as she worked at the pharmacy at the Publix down the street from me. I even ran into Brian a couple of times while shopping as he worked there too.
Cooltoday field is awesome for sure.
Weird game – most guys never even come in contact with ball.
So, most guys don’t catch the ball and then grab it with their hand to throw it?
It’s the only pro sport where defense controls the ball.
YBC – Let’s not forget Kickball ;o)
AHHH the best time of the year, Spring Training when every team is a viable 1st place team and Canada is about to come out of it’s deep freeze!!!
GO JAYS GO!!!
FEAR THE TRUE NORTH!!!
A question: Can the White Sox put all 40 players on the 60-day IL? It can only help.
jays – OK! OK!
Blue Jays! Blue Jays!
Lets!
Play!
Ball!
@jaysfansince1977
Jays look pretty bad this year. Fangraphs expects them to be a .500 ballclub this year.
Stick a QO on JT and let him walk. No need to extend a soon to be 35yr old catcher making almost 24m a year.
He’s not eligible. Received one in 2020.
Thanks for the intell @geo. Didn’t know that. Still should let him walk IMO.
Not too many things more optimistic than “pitchers and catchers report”
Any more news on Alex bregman? He wouldn’t want to wait too long and get a really slow start
On Boras’ advice, Bregman is waiting for an offer of twenty years and two billion.
@sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Bregman is cooked. All the teams know he won’t age well. Actually, not all the teams. Tigers are the type of teams that likes to buy high on declining players.
York – It’s a rare occurrence, but Red Sox fans are united in their desire to not have him sign with the Sox.
He’s not a 7-year or $200M player. Heck, he’s not even among the Top Two infielders in the state of Texas, let alone the AL West division.
Now that the IR comes into play, Bregman can now sign with the Dodgers for 7 years 200 million with 180 M deferred from 2045 – 2055 or 18M a season. He can be at third and Muncy can become a bench player. The Dodgers will also sign Pinetta, plus the remaining free agents on the market, having an 80 player roster and Manfred will approve it. Meanwhile, the other teams will be handicapped by a 40 man roster. Why not as they signed everyone else this year. Satire! lol
Good thing you said satire or we would have never known. I like what LA is doing. I’m interested in seeing just how good an MLB team can be (as long as they’re not in Detroit’s division). Plus, it makes the other owners look terrible. Considering that many aren’t even doing a tenth of what they’re doing. By the way, LA would put Muncy at 2B and slide Kim to a utility role if they signed Bregman.
Muncy as a bench player would be an absolute crime
He would be batting 3rd on most teams even the Yankees
Especially in the wake of his poor 2024 start when he had a full spring training. I suspect he will sign in the coming week or two, perhaps by February 18th when all positional players are due in camp.
Aaron – Not the Cubs, they are all due on Valentine’s Day because their regular season begins March 18th.
As stated, I suspect Bregman to sign BY FEBRUARY 18th “when all positional players are due in camp”. Most teams have 2/17 and 2/18 as their arrival dates for positional players. The exceptions are the Cubs (2/14) and Dodgers (2/15) due to their early season start in Tokyo. 🙂
Aaron – I totally agree, I don’t expect him to sign with the Cubs either. I’m sticking with either Detroit or Houston.
I’m still hoping that Alex Bregman joins Astros pals Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly on the Cubs opening day roster.
As an optimist, I’m also hoping that Jed Hoyer can work out a sensible deal with the Padres that brings former top prospect Dylan Cease to the northside to fill the role of a true power ace which has been missing since Jake Arietta and Yu Darvish. Cease can also offer better balance to a rotation that currently features 3 southpaws among their top 4 starting pitchers.
Sure-take this update to the bank. Houston is still the one willing to offer the biggest guaranteed $$, but it is tens of millions below 200 and they won’t outbid themselves (like Mets wouldn’t w/Alonso). The ball is in his court to go back or take a higher AAV w/opt out deal elsewhere.
He’ll do just fine in the end, but clubs are bored with the stall and no one desperate.
Quiet means something will happen soon.
Happy Spring Training. Can’t wait to head out there.
Pitchers and catchers report, the most beautiful phrase in the English language!