MLB Bullets is a legend in these parts

We interrupt your regularly scheduled off-season deals and rumors fest for this special report from Arlington, Texas.

• It wasn’t unexpected, but Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre called it a career after 21 seasons. If I’m correct, I believe this means that Bartolo Colon is the only remaining active player from the 1990s.
• As Tim Kurkjian writes, no one had more fun playing baseball than Adrian Beltre.
• Benjamin Hoffman calls Beltre the “all-time great that you didn’t notice.”
• Except, as Grant Brisbee notes, you probably did. Brisbee calls Beltre the favorite ballplayer of the baseball internet bubble. Brisbee notes that while the public at large may not have been aware of Beltre’s greatness, those of us who live in a world where we regularly read about baseball on the internet (and that means you, because you’re here reading this) were hip to the greatness of Adrian Beltre. I mean, you know that Beltre has a higher career WAR than Brooks Robinson, George Brett and Wade Boggs, right? That’s what makes you (and Beltre) special.
• The other thing that made Beltre special was how much fun he had at the game and Emma Baccellieri writes that the game is now less fun without Beltre in it.
• Bill Baer explains why Beltre is a no-doubt Hall-of-Famer.
• Here’s a collection of memories from Beltre’s career.
• Perhaps no one will miss Beltre more than his friend and teammate Elvis Andrus who posted a tribute about what Beltre meant to him.
• The Yankees and Mariners made a major deal as the Mariners sent pitcher James Paxton to New York in exchange for pitchers Justus Sheffield and Erik Swanson along with outfielder Dom Thompson-Williams.
• Jeff Sullivan breaks down the deal for both sides.
• Travis Sawchik writes that the Yankees got the best pitcher available this winter and he may only get better in New York.
• Zach Kram explains why Paxton really is an “ace” pitcher and possibly one of the ten best pitchers in the game today.
• Jonah Keri looks at the deal as well and concludes the only thing that could keep Paxton from being one of the best in the game is questions about his health.
• Grant Brisbee has some rules for how to take this blockbuster trade in.
• Jeff Passan writes that with the Paxton deal, the Yankees sent a message to the Red Sox (and the rest of the American League) that the Yankees aren’t to be ignored. Passan also writes that the consensus within the game is that the Mariners return for Paxton, while not bad, is “a little light.” Many of the other commentators linked to above came to similar conclusions.
• Mike Axisa points out that the Yankees aren’t done this winter with the Paxton deal and explains what they still need to accomplish.
• The Mariners aren’t done yet either and there is a rumor that the Mariners are discussing a deal with the Padres that would send Jean Segura and Mike Leake to San Diego for Wil Myers.
• Staying with the Padres, they have designated third baseman Christian Villanueva for assignment and he is expected to sign with NPB’s Yomiuri Giants. Villanueva, a former Cubs farmhand, was the National League Rookie of the Month for April, but the rest of his 2018 season didn’t live up to its first month.
• We spent most of yesterday at Bleed Cubbie Blue tracking Cubs roster moves before rosters froze for until the Rule 5 draft. But other teams had interesting day as well. For example, the Rays DFA’d C.J. Cron, who hit .253/.323/.493 with 30 home runs for Tampa Bay in 2018. This puzzling move was made to protect more minor leaguers from the Rule 5 draft, but some are pointing Cron being arbitration-eligible this winter. Still, it seems like even the Rays could easily afford Cron.
• The Marlins designated Derek Dietrich for assignment, who had been the team’s longest-tenured player.
• The Mets released reliever Jenrry Mejia, who hasn’t pitched since 2015 thanks to three PED suspensions.
• The Nationals got a catcher as they signed free agent Kurt Suzuki to a two-year deal worth $10 million. It’s Suzuki’s second stint with the Nats.
• Jon Paul Morosi has seven MLB storylines as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday.
• Bradford Doolittle writes that we’re going to find out this winter if MLB has established a de facto salary cap. (ESPN+ sub. req.)
• Ken Rosenthal writes that MLB and the MLB Players Association need to put aside their differences and come to an agreement to fix some of the problems facing the game today. (The Athletic sub. req.) And yes, Rosenthal means a pitch clock and I’m telling you it’s a good idea. Watch a minor league game if you don’t believe me. I did and it changed my mind.
• Jon Tayler has one free agent that each NL team should sign.
• Jonah Keri explains why the Brewers should spend big this winter. Big for Milwaukee, at least.
• Jeff Sullivan explains why free agent pitcher Nathan Eovaldi is a unicorn and everyone wants a unicorn for Christmas this year.
• One of the biggest issues surrounding free agent Bryce Harper this winter is his defensive play, which by all measures was frankly terrible in 2018, but not bad at all in every year before that. This piece by Mike Petriello is the best that I’ve seen that explains what went wrong with Harper in the field in 2018 and why the defensive metrics were so hard on him. Unfortunately, you can see what you want to see in the details. There are many that suggest that it was a momentary blip in Harper’s career and others that are more troubling.
• Ben Lindbergh does a similar dive into Harper’s defense. Lindbergh also goes deep into the details and seems to conclude that Harper was “Roger Dorn-ing” it (perhaps subconsciously) so as to not get hurt before his impending free agency.
• Here’s good news. Indians outfielder (and former Cub) Leonys Martin has been cleared to begin baseball activities with no restrictions. Martin was hospitalized at the end of last season with a potentially life-threatening infection.
• More good news from Cleveland. The Indians revealed their new red alternate home jerseys, which are the first Cleveland uniforms in 70 years not to feature Chief Wahoo. (Unless you count their trip to Toronto last summer where they just removed the patches.)
• The new Pioneer League team in Colorado Springs have declared themselves to be the “Rocky Mountain Vibes” and have a roasted marshmallow/s’mores theme. This one is a bit too wacky for even me, but maybe you like it. It’ll probably sell a lot of merchandise, which is all that really matters.
• Two pitchers, David Price of the Red Sox and Jonny Venters of the Braves, were named Comeback Players of the Year.
• There is nothing scarier in baseball than a comebacker to the mound and Sam Miller breaks down the scariest comebackers from 2018.
• Finally, if you need cheering up this holiday season, check out Cardinals outfielder Harrison Bader playing with the new puppy mascot of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Have a happy Thanksgiving from everyone at BCB.