MLB Bullets Changes Its Sox

Go Zags.

• Eli Saslow has a magazine-length profile of White Sox phenom Yoan Moncada and how he’s adjusting to life in America and the change of Sox.
• It’s a detailed article, but all anyone seems to notice is Moncada’s crazy love of Twinkies. (Seriously, this is one of about a half-dozen articles that link to Saslow’s piece and only mention the Twinkies.)
• Craig Edwards explains why we’re not going to see Moncada in the major leagues before May 15, if then. Let’s see if we get the same number of articles ripping the White Sox as we did for the Cubs after they kept Kris Bryant in the minors for 10 days in 2015.
• The Rangers have agreed to a six-year extension with Rougned Odor.
• Catcher Yadier Molina says that if the Cardinals want to sign him to an extension, they need to get it done before Opening Day. He won’t negotiate once the season starts.
• Did the six-year-old son of Indians GM Mike Chernoff accidentally reveal that the Indians are working on a contract extension with Francisco Lindor?
• Not a secret: the Indians are close to agreeing to a four-year extension with Jose Ramirez.
• Cliff Corcoran looks at which other players are likely to sign extensions in the near future.
• Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang was denied a visa to enter the country. His 2017 season is in jeopardy.
• Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says that Scott Kazmir will not start the season in the starting rotation.
• And Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier will miss the first week of the regular season.
• Red Sox ace David Price may not pitch until mid-May.
• The Mets are worried about the health of starter Steven Matz and he will start the year on the disabled list.
• Twins pitcher Jose Berrios will start the season in the minor leagues because he didn’t get enough innings in pitching for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
• Despite this, Berrios has a lot of talent and Eno Sarris breaks down what Berrios will need to do to become an ace.
• Ben Lindbergh writes that Twins outfielder Byron Buxton is finally ready to live up to the hype.
• Jerry Crasnick talks to several scouts and asks if White Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito is still a future star?
• With Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius out for 4-to-6 weeks, it seems like there are a lot of shortstops rumored to be going to the Bronx in trade.
• Stacey Gotsulias looks at who will be the next “face of the Yankees” and comes up with two candidates. And neither one is Gleyber Torres, oddly enough.
• Jonah Keri finishes his piece on the top 50 MLB players ranked by trade value.
• Bradford Doolittle continues his early preview of the trade deadline with the teams likely to be buyers.
• Richard Justice looks at current trends in analytics in baseball.
• The Blue Jays have taken some criticism for signing Kendrys Morales as a free agent this winter, but Mike Petriello thinks that the Blue Jays may have seen something in the analytics that others have missed about Morales.
• Cardinals infielder Kolten Wong is not happy that he may no longer be the team’s starting second baseman and he’s not shy about saying so.
• Cards outfielder Stephen Piscotty has a degree in engineering at Stanford, and he uses that analytical mind in his approach to hitting.
• Cubs pitcher David Rollins went through this over the winter as well, but Jeff Passan traces third baseman Richie Shaffer’s trip through DFA hell this past offseason.
• Mark Simon explains why Buster Posey is the best defensive catcher in the majors.
• Mike Trout proposes a change in the way umpires work Spring Training games. Buster Olney talks to some front office executives and they all think it’s a great idea.
• The Angels had a Spring Training no-hitter over the weekend against the Mariners, if anyone cares.
• The Alex Rodriguez redemption tour continues. When asked why he vehemently denied PED use in past interviews, Rodriguez replied “I was just a really big jerk.”
• The Tigers are converting outfielder Anthony Gose to a pitcher. He was also a pitcher in high school and a lot of people at the time thought he should have stayed one.
• Michael Martinez will always play a big role in Cubs history, even if he’d rather not. Anthony Castrovince talks to him about moving on from a slow roller to third base.
• Brewers announcer Bob Uecker has no plans to retire.
• The Braves are banning outside food in their new stadium and, laughably, argue that they are doing so for security reasons. Because of all those recent attacks by people wielding ham sandwiches.
• Mike Oz continues his series of opening 25-year-old baseball cards with Kyle Hendricks. At least Hendricks got a Dale Sveum.
• And finally, here’s some highlights from Taiwanese baseball. Or maybe a lowlight as a pair of outfielders juggle a pop up until neither one catches it and an infielder stands around and watches.

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