S1P16 - Baseball - Spring Training 2019

Baseball News Since About 02/11/2019

Rangers

• New manager Chris Woodward. 
• 02/13 - Rangers pitchers and catcher report to spring training in Surprise, AZ.
• 02/18 - First Rangers full-squad spring training workouts.
• 03/02 - Adrian Beltre visits the Rangers camp.
• 03/06 - Rangers sign Jose Leclerc (25) to a four-year extension worth $14.75 million with two additional option years for $12.25 million. A total of $27 million. Leclerc receives a $2 million signing bonus and a $1 million salary for 2019. He will receive $2.25 million in '20, $4 million in '21 and $4.75 million in '22. The options are for $6 million in '23 and $6.25 million in '24, with $750,000 in buyouts.
• Some more info and renderings of the Rangers new Globe Life Field. 
• Predicted roster.
• Joey Gallo, OF - "If you had to sum up the modern game in a single player, it’s probably Gallo, he of the Babe Ruthian power and the Bob Ueckerian batting average."

Other MLB

• 02/18 - Most teams have full squads reporting today and still free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado have not been signed. MLB owner collusion or are the stars asking for way too much?
• 02/19 - Manny Machado (26) finally signs with the San Diego Padres. It's a record-setting 10 year, $300 million deal. Word is he will play third base. Since it's the Padres, we probably won't hear much about Manny for a couple of years. They are a bad team with a good farm system.
• 02/19 - Don Newcombe died at age 92. He was the MLB's first Black ace pitcher. He was NL Rookie of the Year in 1949. In 1956 he won the NL MVP and Cy Young awards. He as the first Black pitcher to start a World Series game. 
• 02/26 - The Rockies sign third baseman Nolan Arenado (27) for $260 million for eight years. That's $32.5 million/year. The largest per year position player salary. 
• 02/28 - Bryce Harper (26) signs a $330 million 13 year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Less per year than Machado and Arenado but more total dollars.The largest total contract in MLB history. In my opinion, this is the worst of the big three contracts for the team. Harper is overrated and not worth the money. Average or below defense, erratic offense. 
• Mike Trout becomes the highest paid MLB player with a 12 year $426.5 million contract. That's $35.54 million/year. No opt out.
• MLB is using the pitch clock in spring training games but it will probably not be used in the 2019 regular season. Why not? Will be part of a new MLPA contract, implement in 2022. 
• Tom Seaver (74), Tom Terrific, diagnosed with dementia. 1967 ROY, 12-time all star, 3 time Cy Young winner, 5 time K leader, 311 wins, 3,640 Ks, HOF.  
• A $1 million bonus for the home run derby winner in 2019.
• Rule Changes:
• Inning breaks reduced to 2 minutes in 2019, maybe 1:55 in 2020.
• A single trade deadline for 2019, 7/31.
• All-star voting in 2019, a primary fan vote then a top 3 runoff 1-day fan election.
• Mound visits reduced from 6 to 5 in 2019.
• Active rosters will rise from 25 to 26 in 2020. September rosters capped at 28.
• The three batter minimum for a pitcher will go into effect in 2020.
• The minimum DL stay will be returned to 15 days
• Continuing talks between now and the end of the current MLPA contract in 2021.
• Red Sox & Yankees will play a 2 game series in London in June. 
• Is it time for MLB to expand? If yes, where?
• 03/20 - The 2019 season officially started with the Mariners beating the A's 9-7 in Tokyo. Ichiro (45) started in right field and went 0-1 with a walk.  
• 03/21 - Ichiro retires after the game. Cooperstown in five years. 
• We have reached a new salary plateau for baseball stars. It is now $30+ million/year.

Other Baseball

• 02/15 - The #6 Florida Gators open their regular season against Long Beach State. The Gators are ranked from #3 to #6 in the various pre-season polls.
• The independent Atlantic League to experiment.  A Three-year partnership with MLB
• Trackman radar to help call balls & strikes
• 62'6" pitching distance in the 2nd half of the season
• No shift. Two infielders on each side of 2nd
• Three batter minimum for pitchers
• No mound visits except to change pitchers or injuries
• Increase base size from 15" to 18"
• Reduce time between innings and pitching changes from 2:05 to 1:45
• Some college teams are using a walkie-talkie and a catcher earpiece to call pitches. 

The pretend games are over. The regular season started today. Just a short 162 games from now we will be ready for the postseason.

Let the games begin. Play Ball! Batter Up!

wjh