2020 Around the MLB Thread

[Derek]

If Bauer keeps $$ as his priority in free agency, it's easy to see him signing with the Yankees. They could
easily make him the highest paid per year player in the game and live with a short term deal that Bauer
has advocated.

Teams are going to love negotiating a 1-year deal. So little risk for them. Will be interesting to see how high he can get them to go.

 

[NorthCoastBias]

Bauer and Cole got along so well as rotation mates before, at UCLA

 

[Derek]

Bauer and Cole got along so well as rotation mates before, at UCLA

Also, I'm not sure if Bauer can even grow decent facial hair or if he's ever had long hair, but I'll damn sure bet he'd try it out just to rock the boat in NY.

 

[Huber.]

If Bauer keeps $$ as his priority in free agency, it's easy to see him signing with the Yankees. They could
easily make him the highest paid per year player in the game and live with a short term deal that Bauer
has advocated.

And it would be highly entertaining to watch his interactions with the fans and media during
the inevitable rough stretches. Could he toss a ball toward the bleachers and dent one of
the monuments?

He's advocated that he's only signing one year deals. If he signs a multi year deal his friend is going to get to shoot him in the nuts with a paintball from 10 feet away. This puts many teams outside of the large markets in the running.

 

[Derek]

IIRC, Donaldson's 1 year $23 million deal with Atlanta was the largest ever single-year contract.

Given that, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see Bauer go over $30 million.

The limited risk of a 1-year contract (for teams) will bring a lot more into play as well, which will help him drive bidding.

 

[jup]

Sounds like the Reds might have a Covid case.

And it wasn't an antigen test (rapid test), but the much more accurate molecular (saliva type) that gets sent out to the lab in Utah.

Early call in the morning for the whole team to get tested, and the game tomorrow doesn't seem like a sure thing at this point. Sucks for the players either way. Obviously a positive confirmation puts their season on hold, and even if they somehow play the game, the players are at the field 4 to 6 hours earlier than they would normally arrive for the scheduled game time. Sitting around waiting all day at the clubhouse is just not conducive to good on field performance

 

[LL3]

Sounds like the Reds might have a Covid case.

And it wasn't an antigen test (rapid test), but the much more accurate molecular (saliva type) that gets sent out to the lab in Utah.

Early call in the morning for the whole team to get tested, and the game tomorrow doesn't seem like a sure thing at this point. Sucks for the players either way. Obviously a positive confirmation puts their season on hold, and even if they somehow play the game, the players are at the field 4 to 6 hours earlier than they would normally arrive for the scheduled game time. Sitting around waiting all day at the clubhouse is just not conducive to good on field performance

If so, this will be the third team with an in season positive test...I am pleasantly surprised at how well this aspect has gone. Kudos to the players and the league for their discipline inside their protocols...probably some good luck, too.

 

[LL3]

@jup what are your thoughts on how the organization has handled the Clevinger/Plesac situation.?

 

[jup]

@jup what are your thoughts on how the organization has handled the Clevinger/Plesac situation.?

I am still trying to sort it out.

It depends on how they bring them back from the 10 day I guess. Next Sat (I believe) is the day that push comes to shove as far as needing a starter. And I will know then if sending them down was a real message, or just a convenient roster maneuver that could also pass for disciplinary action. So I will reserve my judgement until the move truly impacts the rotation.

Other than that, I think they had to do something, and none of the other stuff they did => the car service, driving themselves, the isolation, etc. => with the exception of sending them down is just following protocols and really means nothing. And I am running blind on this one, because whatever happened during the meeting on the road in Detroit, I have no insight into. The information about what went on, at least in the circles I have access to, is being held very tightly.

So next weekend I will have a fully formed opinion I guess. But for now, I would say they have handled everything well for this particular incident, and it is about time that they did something. Some of the "shenanigans" around Clevinger and his buddy needed to be reigned in for awhile, and this just made it impossible for management to turn a blind eye any longer.

 

[jup]

My guess is the Reds game gets postponed tomorrow.

Seems the whole team is giving samples in the morning, and the Commis is flying in his plane to give them first class service to the lab, so they can try and turn them around by Sunday. Can't imagine they would play the game tomorrow if they knew they would have further results by Sunday.

 

[LL3]

It certainly feels like management and perhaps more importantly their fellow players were not yet ready to forgive their behavior, responses included. Even if they bring them back after 10 days, and it is not certain that they will, I would think being demoted in this fashion should be some sort of jolt, but perhaps not.

 

[jup]

Weekend Reds series with the Pirates canceled.

May try to make up ground on Monday (scheduled off day) depending on the results of that private flight.

 

[Otsego Mar]

Weekend Reds series with the Pirates canceled.

May try to make up ground on Monday (scheduled off day) depending on the results of that private flight.

The Cardinals have played about 10 less games than most other teams.

I guess 3 weeks of double headers should do the trick.

 

[CATS44]

The 'punishment so far four miscreants has gone well past a wrist slap and won't be over even if they are reinserted into the rotation next weekend.

They could have been given the Reyes treatment and been back in fairly short order, which didn't happen...and it seems obvious that the players had at least some influence in the decision that was made.

No need to bring them to Detroit and further disrupt the team before a weekend series on the road otherwise.

*******(***

Bauer has been brilliant so far...absolutely brilliant. But he has had brilliant streaks before. 20 IP does not a season make.

There was a three month stretch in which Salazar would have won the CY, if the voting was done on July 1st.

He has certainly run into bad luck, though. A late call on a postponement...followed by his choice of pitching too soon after that followed by a severe drop in velocity, followed by the postponement today after seven days of rest.

 

[CATS44]

What I dont understand is why there isn't wall to wall baseball on TV on the weekends.

There should have been national games today at noon, 3PM 6PM and 9PM...and on Sunday too.