MLB Bullets is looking for 2020 players

Welcome back. At least there’s been some news over the past week.

• Darwin Barney has been named the manager of the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate Nashville Sounds. I thought you’d like to know that.
• The Nationals have signed free agent reliever Will Harris to a three-year, $24 million deal. Harris is already a hero in DC as he gave up the big two-run home run by Howie Kendrick in Game 7 of the World Series.
• Shogo Akiyama, the Japanese outfielder whom the Cubs were reportedly interested in, has signed a three-year deal with the Reds. The contract is reportedly for more than $20 million in total value for the three seasons.
• The Twins took a step towards bolstering their pitching staff by signing free agents Rich Hill and Homer Bailey to one-year deals. Bailey’s deal is for $7 million and Hill’s is $3 million with incentives. Hill is not expected to pitch until mid-season.
• Ben Clemens evaluates the two new Twins pitchers.
• White Sox rookie outfielder Luis Robert has signed a six-year, $50 million deal with two team options. So the Pale Hose’s top prospect should be in the starting lineup on Opening Day.
• Mike Axisa lists five more prospects who could sign long-term deals before making their major league debut.
• The staff at MLB Pipeline pick one prospect from each team to break out in 2020. If Brennen Davis breaks out more than he did last year, look out. I suppose he could stay healthy.
• The Angels have a new catcher as they’ve signed Jason Castro to a one-year, $6.85 million deal. Castro is well-known for his pitch-framing, which should help the shaky Angels staff.
• Yankees pitcher Domingo German has received an 81-game suspension for a violation of MLB’s domestic violence policy. He’s already served 18 games of that suspension.
• Michael McCann looks at German’s punishment and why he might have decided to not appeal the suspension.
• Mike Axisa has a New Year’s Resolution for each MLB team.
• Andy McCullough also has a New Year’s Resolution for each MLB team. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Now on to the rumors. Jon Paul Morosi reports that the Dodgers are engaging in “frequent” negotiations with the Red Sox on a trade for outfielder Mookie Betts. Morosi reports that the Dodgers negotiations with the Indians on a Francisco Lindor deal are at a standstill, leading LA to turn to Boston and Betts.
• Morosi also said that there is a “50/50 chance” that the Rockies trade third baseman Nolan Arenado.
• Eric Stephen is upset that teams are trying to deal homegrown superstars.
• Sarah Langs has “ten historic performances” from the 2019 season.
• Bradford Doolittle and Sam Miller hand out end-of-the-decade awards.
• Tim Brown looks back at the decade that was.
• Gabe Lacques wonders if Derek Jeter is MLB’s last “celebrity” and if baseball is losing its relevance.
• Free agent pitcher Edwin Jackson has not signed with anyone yet, but he wants to. Eric Stephen hopes that Jackson pitches forever, or at least for as long as Jackson wants to pitch. Stephen has a lot of admiration for any player (like Jackson) who is determined to play until absolutely no one wants him anymore. I know Jackson was awful during his time with the Cubs, but I never thought he wasn’t out there giving it everything he had. He could have just given up and cashed the checks but he never did.
• Al already wrote a piece on the death of former Yankee (and briefly Cub) Don Larsen. Tim Brown writes that Larsen was a humble man who, for one day on the biggest stage, was perfect.
• Joe Posnanski looks back at Larsen’s career and the one perfect game that made him famous. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Matt Gelb profiles Sean Forman and Baseball-Reference as it turns 20. (The Athletic sub. req.) It’s hard to overstate how much Baseball-Reference has changed the way that fans interact with the game and statistics.
• And finally, with it being 2020 and all, Danny Vietti ranks the top 10 players who wore number 20. Excuse me? You couldn’t rank the top 20 players who wore number 20?

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