MLB Bullets rings in the new

Just to let you know, there won’t be an MLB Bullets on Wednesday—both because there probably won’t be many stories and because we’re limiting the number of articles I write as the new California law kicks in. Hopefully there will be one on Friday.

• So the one bit of news is that the Marlins have signed outfielder Corey Dickerson to a two-year, $17.5 million deal.
• Eno Sarris has what we learned about baseball in 2019. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Jay Jaffe looks at the Mets signing of Dellin Betances and what it means for the Amazin’s bullpen.
• One thing it means, according to Matt Kelly, is that the Mets are now projected to have the best bullpen in the National League.
• David Schoenfield predicts where the remaining free agents will sign.
• Buster Olney reports that there is a belief among agents that MLB is only spending money this winter in order to calm the anger in advance of the upcoming collective bargaining agreement. (ESPN+ sub. req.) The theory is that once a new CBA is agreed to, the teams will stop spending again.
• This Associated Press article started a few Twitter thread reactions. In this piece, Commissioner Rob Manfred says that MLB is committed to keeping minor league baseball everywhere it currently exists.
• Craig Calcaterra writes that MLB’s statement on the minor leagues is straight out of 1984, (Twitter thread) where up is down and freedom is slavery.
• And Daniel R. Epstein builds on that by pointing out that Manfred and the owners are so focused on maximizing short-term profits that they’re in danger of destroying the game (Twitter thread) we all love.
• Dayn Perry notes that the excuses that small-market teams have for not spending money are nonsense.
• On the other hand, Peter Gammons likes the off-season moves of the Rays, Marlins and Diamondbacks. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Mike Lupica argues for the Dodgers to make a big move (like trading for Francisco Lindor or Mookie Betts) if they want to end their World Series drought in 2020.
• Former manager Dusty Baker decries the lack of African-American managers in the game today.
• Mike Rosenbaum has the five most improved farm systems in 2019.
• Ben Clemens examines the Tigers signings of Jonathan Schoop and C.J. Cron.
• MLB’s “Cut4” site is rerunning stories you may have missed this summer. Matt Monagan profiles José “Jordan” López, the New York barber to the baseball stars.
• And finally, in another rerun, Eric Chesterton looks at a New York league of “Beep Baseball” for the blind.

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