Having just watched the MLB Network's Harry Caray special, I was left wondering why in the world has Skip Caray not won the Ford C. Frick Award as well? I understand the desire to honor the living, but Graham McNamee won it this year and he died before the Battle of Midway. (Not related events) Skip was an institution for TBS for years when the Braves games were on every night in homes throughout the country.
Chip can wait a while.
- Just in case you were wondering how much major league ballplayers make, Yahoo! Sports estimates that the players will earn close to $4 billion this summer.
- As far as the tanking issue goes that Al posted a front-page story on yesterday, Craig Calcaterra points out that it's the owner's own fault for insisting upon hard limits to signing bonuses for drafted players.
- Jon Paul Morosi points out that while the MLBPA isn't going to strike over the fate of Dexter Fowler, Yovani Gallardo and Ian Desmond, fixing the qualifying offer system is the key to maintaining labor peace over the next few years. Morosi also points out that it's ridiculous that the Dodgers valued Hector Olivera three times more than they did Howie Kendrick.
- Sam Mellinger points out the ways revenue sharing in baseball allowed the Royals to put together a World Series-winning team.
- Craig Calcaterra points out some issues in Mellinger's article that may have bearing on the upcoming collective bargaining talks.
- The MLB Players Association has banned three MLB players from competing in the Caribbean Series Home Run Derby out of fear of injury.
- And MLB has banned the Cuban National Team from practicing at any of the MLB-affiliated academies in the Dominican Republic. No reason was given.
- Funding has been procured to develop the site of the former Tigers Stadium. The plan is to turn it into a youth sports academy and if they're going to build on it, that's as good a choice as any.
- Getting away from the administrative business and back to the hot stove, Grant Brisbee has a chart to determine where your team is on the "Win now" or "Win later." axis.
- Andrew Simon looks at how all the teams with new GMs did this winter.
- Speaking of that, here's video of new Mariners GM Jerry DiPoto striking out new Mariners manager Scott Servais. However, over the course of their careers Servais was 3 for 5 with a walk and a HBP off of DiPoto.
- Chris Bahr has the 5 teams that won the offseason. (Slideshow)
- Add Cliff Corcoran to the list of writers who think the Diamondbacks made a bad trade in getting Jean Segura.
- However, Ken Rosenthal explains why he thinks Segura is a great "change-of-scenery" candidate.
- David O'Brien has an update on the Braves rebuilding efforts this winter.
- Speaking of which, the Braves are making a big push to sign Cuban outfielder "Lazarito."
- The first butcher's bill of the season. Yankees first baseman Greg Bird will miss all of 2016 with a shoulder injury.
- Andrew Marchand explains why losing Bird is a big loss for the Yanks plans.
- Mark Saxon thinks the Cardinals hopes this season rest on the shoulders of Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty.
- Trade rumors have the Orioles interested in Padres pitcher Andrew Cashner. The Orioles don't have Anthony Rizzo to trade, though.
- The White Sox are considering making an offer to the Dodgers for outfielder Andre Ethier.
- Greg Maddux and Raul Ibañez will join the Dodgers front office. After state government, the Dodgers front office is the largest employer in the state of California.
- But Clayton Kershaw in the "No DH in the NL" camp. He's also in the "Pluto is a planet" camp as well.
- David Schoenfield thinks the Angels are wasting Mike Trout.
- Mark Buehrle is not officially retiring, but he's not going to sign with anyone this offseason either.
- Carlos Quentin has come out of retirement and signed a minor-league deal with the Twins.
- The Giants have signed Miguel Olivo to a minor-league deal. Olivo hasn't played since taking a bite out of a teammate's ear in 2014.
- Al does this every year for the Cubs, but here's the Orioles lineup as anagrams.
- Tommy Bahama is going to make a limited-series David Ortiz silk shirt. Oh, how I want one of those with Kyle Schwarber on it.
- And finally, to celebrate their World Series title and advertise their upcoming season, the Royals unveiled a 3D billboard with Salvador Perez tossing ice water on passers-by.
And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.