MLB Bullets is looking at serious time

Can we go back to last season when the big scandal in baseball was the collusion against signing free agents?

• Commissioner Rob Manfred said that the accusations of sign-stealing by the Astros are a “most serious matter” and that the punishments handed out could be severe and record-setting. Manfred also said that he had no reason to believe the problem extends beyond the Astros at this time.
• Ken Rosenthal urges Manfred to not just look at the Astros and to investigate the issue of electronic sign stealing throughout the game. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Craig Calcaterra thinks that it’s ridiculous to think the Astros are the only team stealing signs electronically and that MLB is trying to sweep the scandal under the rug.
• Gabe Lacques wonders how far and how deep this scandal will go.
• Former commissioner Fay Vincent stresses that what the Astros are accused of is cheating, plain and simple, and remembers other episodes of cheating in the history of the game.
• Ben Frederickson writes that the accomplishments of Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow look very different now and that Cardinals fans should be glad he’s not their GM.
• Then there is the scandal about the ball and whether or not it’s “lively.” Hannah Keyser reports that MLB is not confident that it can produce a consistently-lively baseball under the current manufacturing conditions. So get used to wild swings in home run numbers going forward, at least until they can come up with a different way to make the balls.
• Rustin Dodd looks back at the original “rabbit ball” controversy of the 1930 season. (The Athletic sub. req.) That was the year the Phillies finished with a team ERA of 6.71. Only Washington had a team ERA under 4.00 and that was just barely at 3.96. It was also 421 feet to center field at Griffith Stadium and 388 feet down the left field line.
• Members of congress wrote to Major League Baseball expressing their opposition to the plan to radically reduce the Minor Leagues. MLB wrote back and told Congress to mind their own beeswax.
• Michael McCann writes about the considerable legal obstacles MLB would face in executing their plan to cut the minors.
• More sad news as Twins minor leaguer Ryan Costello was found dead in his hotel room in New Zealand. Costello was playing in the Australian Baseball League this winter.
• Mexico beat the United States in the Premier 12 Tournament in Japan and qualified for the 2020 Olympics. The US still has two more chances to qualify.
• Andrew Baggarly has more on Mexico’s big upset win. (The Athletic sub. req.) Also, 14 of Mexico’s 28 players were born in the US, which indicates that maybe the people picking the roster for Team USA didn’t do a very good job. Many of these players played for Team USA on the youth level.
• The Brewers unveiled their new uniforms for 2020 featuring a return to the “M-B ball and glove” logo, or more precisely, a modernized version of it.
• The widow of the man who designed the original “ball and glove” Brewers logo said her husband would have been thrilled by its return.
• Today is deadline day to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. Jonathan Mayo lists what players on each team are most likely to be added.
• There’s a rumor that free agent pitcher Stephen Strasburg could sign a deal to return to the Nationals before the beginning of the Winter Meetings.
• Mike Petriello ranks every MLB team by how well free agent catcher Yasmani Grandal would fit on their roster.
• Craig Edwards has a list of free agents that may struggle to get a contract this winter. (ESPN+ sub. req.)
• The Braves re-signed free agent reliever Chris Martin to a two-year deal. Martin was traded to Atlanta from the Rangers in July.
• Yomiuri Giants pitcher Shun Yamaguchi will be posted to MLB this winter.
• Former (and I think we can say former at this point) Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez was charged with 21 new felony counts related to the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl.
• Emma Baccellieri warns that the game will change when MLB finally welcomes our new robot umpire overlords.
• Sam Miller grants one magic wish to every major league team’s fanbase—with a catch. The Cubs offer basically comes down to whether or not you think the Cubs win the World Series sometime between 2004 to 2008 with a healthy Mark Prior.
• Bill Baer argues that Bobby Abreu has a much better case for the Hall of Fame than you might think. Abreu was one of my favorite non-Cubs from the past 20 years, so no argument from me.
• Former NBA executive Pat Williams will announce a campaign to bring an MLB franchise to Orlando. Because the other two MLB teams in Florida are working out so well. (Well, the Rays are terrific on the field at least.)
• And finally, I always try to find a funny or uplifting story to end Bullets on to sent you out on a better mood. These pictures from the baptism ceremony for two of Cole Hamels’ children was the best I could find today. It’s been a rough week for baseball and the world in general.

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