MLB Bullets decided to shave

I wish you a merry last weekend before Christmas. Hopefully Brad Pitt will show up at your door and ask you to play for the Athletics next year.

• Since this is kind of my thing, and because there aren’t any other real big stories today, let’s start with Neil DeMause explaining that MLB’s plan to contract Minor League Baseball is “an act of collusion.” Some teams want to spend less money on the minor leagues, but they don’t want other teams to get an advantage because they’re spending less.
• John Lott explains how the threatened contraction of the Bluefield Jays would have a major impact on this coal-mining community that has been experiencing hard times for many years. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Several lower profiles signings over the past few days. The Angels got one pitcher after agreeing to a one-year deal with right-hander Julio Teheran. Teheran will be paid $9 million.
• The Angels got more good news as Shohei Ohtani has completed his Tommy John surgery rehab and is cleared to pitch again in 2020.
• The Royals have signed third baseman Maikel Franco to a one-year, $3 million deal.
• The Brewers have signed infielder Eric Sogard to a one-year, $4.5 million deal.
• Milwaukee also signed first baseman Justin Smoak for one year and $5 million.
• The White Sox signed free agent left-hander Gio Gonzalez.
• The MLB Players Association has filed a grievance over the Yankees decision to not pay outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury the remaining $26 million on his contract.
• With his contract restructured, the Mets have gotten some trade interest in outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. Thomas Harrigan looks at which five teams are the best fit for Cespedes.
• Richard Justice explains why teams should be more interested in signing free agent outfielder Corey Dickerson.
• Mark Feinsand reports that the Reds have approached the Indians about a trade for shortstop Francisco Lindor. That’s all the NL Central needs.
• Jesse Rogers looks at what’s left of the free agent market for relief pitchers. Salt!
• Craig Edwards places the monster contract signed by new Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole in the context of other monster MLB contracts, once adjusted for inflation.
• In order to sign Cole, the Yankees literally “wined” and dined Cole, finding the very same (and very expensive) bottle of wine that he had enjoyed with his wife on his anniversary in Florence, Italy.
• Cole brought the very same Yankees sign he took to the 2001 World Series to his press conference. Or did he?
• To sign with the Yankees, Cole had to have his hair cut and his face shaved. Here’s some before and after pictures of some major leaguers who got the Bronx makeover.
• Mike Petriello has the ten biggest MLB trades of the past decade.
• David Schoenfield has the biggest, the best and the worst free agent deal that each team has made since 2010.
• If you’re wondering why every MLB team has a Nike swoosh on the front of their jerseys this year, there are about $1 billion reasons that they’re doing this. Also, they say the young kids like the branding of the Nike swoosh, which surprises me even though I absolutely know it shouldn’t after a trip through the young men’s department at any store.
• So Gerrit Cole now has $324 million, but that won’t buy him a place to live in parts of Manhattan. So Matt Monagan goes looking for a place to live that Cole can afford in New York.

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