S1P10 - Baseball

Baseball News Since About 12/01/2018

Rangers

• The Rangers announced that they will retire Adrian Beltre's number (29) at a ceremony in June. Good move. 
• The Rangers are considering both grass and artificial turf for the playing surface at the new Globe Life Field. I'm rooting for grass (pun intended). The Dallas Morning News had an interesting article on the options and decision process. 
• Have the Rangers already conceded the 2019 season? They have scheduled a Billy Joel concert at Globe Life Park for October 12, 2019. That is smack in the middle of the MLB 2019 playoff schedule. Guess they figure to be through with baseball at the end of the regular season. 
• 12/05 - Not exactly baseball, but related to the Texas Rangers. Beginning in February 2020, the "old" Globe Life Park will become home to a new XFL football team. There will be eight XFL teams. No word on the Dallas/Arlington team name or if Globe Life will remain as part of the stadium name. The Rangers will move to the new retractable roof Globe Life Field for the 2020 baseball season. 
• The Rangers sign free agent RHP Lance Lynn (31) to a three-year deal.  
• 2018 stats: WL 10-10, ERA 4.77, IP 156.2, K 161, BB 76 
• Career stats: WL 82-57, ERA 3.57, IP 1134.1, K 1080, BB 445
• Elvis Andrus (30) does not exercise his opt-out option on his contract. He remains a Ranger for the next four years with a club option fifth year. I'm glad to see Elvis will be around. 
• The Rangers avoid arbitration with Nomar Mazara and Delino DeShields. Each signed a one year contract. 
• 12/21 - The Rangers trade Jurickson Profar (25) to the A's for four minor league prospects, three pitchers and one infielder. They also gained $750K in their international bonus pool number. Profar is a premier utility player. He can play every position except pitcher and catcher. Profar's 2018 slash numbers were .254/.335/.458, OPS - .793, HR 20, RBI 77 in 146 games. He can be a free agent after the 2020 season. 
• Adrian Beltre's retirement and Profar's trade leaves third base a question mark for 2019. 
• The Rangers sign RHP Shelby Miller (28) to a one year $2 million plus incentives contract. Another reclamation project. He was 0-4, 10.69 ERA last year with Arizona. He was on DL about half the season with elbow inflammation. He missed all of 2016 after Tommy John surgery. 
• The Rangers sign Asdrubal Cabrera (33) to a one year $3.5 million deal. He is the prime candidate to be the starting 3rd baseman. A switch hitter, his 2018 numbers were .262/.316/.458 with 36 doubles, 23 home runs, and 75 RBIs.
• Joey Gallo will be a fulltime outfielder in 2019. No more first base or third base. So, who will play first? 
• 01/30 - The Rangers load up an 18-wheeler with equipment heading to spring training.
• Rangers pitchers and catchers report to spring training on February 13th. The first full-squad workout is February 18th.

Other MLB

• Mariano Rivera is the first baseball player to be unanimously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The rest of the 2019 class is Roy Halliday, Edgar Martines, and Mike Mussina. Lee Smith and Harold Baines were previously voted in by the "oldies" committee. Induction ceremonies will be July 21, 2019. I have no real problem with any of the inductees although as a Texas Rangers fan, I would not have voted for Harold Baines. He was a complete bust as a Ranger. Roid Boys Bonds and Clemens still not close to getting enough votes. 
• 12/14 - The Orioles name Brandon Hyde as their new manager. He is 45 years old and most recently was a first base and bench coach for the Chicago Cubs. This will be his first MLB manager position. 
• 12/19 - MLB, the MLB Players Association, the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) and the U.S. government reach an agreement for Cuban baseball players to be signed by MLB clubs. The agreement is similar to those with Japan and Korea baseball. 
• 12/21 - Dodgers and Reds make a seven-player deal. The Reds get outfielders Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, left-hander Alex Wood and infielder/catcher Kyle Farmer to the Reds in exchange for right-hander Homer Bailey and a pair of prospects in infielder Jeter Downs and right-hander Josiah Gray. This appears to be mostly a salary dumping deal for the Dodgers. The Reds have upgraded their roster. 

Other Baseball

• The 2019 NCAA College Baseball preseason rankings are out. Vanderbilt is #1, Florida is #6, TCU is #19 according to the D1 Baseball poll. There are eight SEC, six ACC, and 5 Big 12 teams in the top 25. The same power conferences as usual.
• Baseball America has the Gators at #4.
• The Florida Gators open their baseball season at home on February 15th against Long Beach State. 

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