MLB Bullets Has Big News

Good morning. Today’s Bullets have as much action going on as a Murray Chass Hall of Fame ballot. Speaking of that, here’s Patrick Dubuque’s take on Chass’ decision to leave his ballot blank.

• I’ve really come to dislike the Hall, because it now appears to be more about being a sideshow for clowns like Chass than actually honoring ballplayers. Whether a player gets inducted or not has no impact on what they did on the field. But it’s all anyone is talking about so here is Bradford Doolittle making the Cooperstown case for three borderline candidates: Vladimir Guerrero, Edgar Martinez and Mike Mussina. I’d vote for all three.
• Jayson Stark and Tim Kurkjian debate whether Manny Ramirez belongs in the Hall. I’m more interested in knowing if Manny getting a Cubs World Series ring.
• Tom Verducci explains why he will never vote for PED users for Cooperstown. I am curious to know how Verducci knows that Fred McGriff never used steroids. I don’t think he did, but I certainly don’t know that.
• David Schoenfield compares Ivan Rodriguez to Johnny Bench for the title of greatest catcher ever.
• I wonder if Tom Verducci is going to vote for David Ortiz for the Hall. In any case, Ortiz got all of Boston going crazy with a cryptic Tweet.
• Maybe Ortiz meant to say he was going to play in the World Baseball Classic. Jon Paul Morosi thinks that Ortiz should play for the Dominican Republic this March. Morosi also thinks it’s possible that he does.
• Max Scherzer has withdrawn from the WBC because of a stress fracture in his finger. Seems like a valid excuse to me. He does think he’ll be ready for Spring Training though.
• Team Israel met with fans in Israel and it was a big success.
• Here’s the big Tepid Stove News: Outfielder Colby Rasmus has signed with the Rays.
• I take that back! After finishing this piece, the Athletics agreed to a deal with Trevor Plouffe. Is that bigger news than Colby Rasmus signing with the Rays? I think so. It’s close, in any case.
• The news on Brian Dozier trade to the Dodgers is looking a lot like Murray Chass’ Hall of Fame ballot. However, the other news in that article is that the Twins are looking to add another bat and they have talked to Jose Bautista. That would be a shocker, but the Twins could use a bat. Of course, they need about 15 other things as well and I’m sure Bautista would hate hitting at Target Field.
• Anthony Castrovince thinks the Rockies should put together a deal for Jose Quintana.
• Max Rieper at Royals Review finds the transactions that the Royals have made this winter to be confusing.
• The Dodgers goal for 2017 is to stay healthy. Or at least healthier than they were in 2016.
• The Cardinals are counting on their young players in 2017.
• Manny Randhawa has a prediction for each MLB team for the rest of the Tepid Stove. Travis Wood re-signing with the Cubs? I can see it.
• Mike Axisa expects some changes in the top of the Yankees lineup this upcoming season.
• Alex Smolokoff thinks two surprising players will be the key to the Yankees 2017 season.
• Travis Sawchik thinks that baseball was about to experience a revolution in the way that teams utilized their bullpens. Then game 7 of the World Series happened.
• Speaking of which, Grant Brisbee ranks the most tortured franchises in baseball. Guess who, for the first time since 1980, is no longer the most tortured franchise in MLB? (I will give the pre-1980 title to the Phillies.)
• Cliff Corcoran list five players who should get massive contract extensions. Jake Arrieta is on the list.
• Paul Lebowitz thinks that Padres general manager A.J. Preller has a lot to accomplish if he wants to keep his job. It is surprising he still has it.
• Bob Nightengale takes a look a high school pitcher Hunter Greene, who may be the first pick in the draft next summer.
• Outfielder Luis Robert has left Cuba to sign with an MLB team. When he becomes eligible to sign could have a major impact on how big of a bonus he gets.
• Minor League umpires will get a modest pay increase and better accommodations. Good. Now how about something similar for players?
• Finally, the father of Carlos Gomez tried to break a bat over his knee like his son does. It didn’t go well.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.