2020-21 Baseball Offseason Thread

Zero leverage when your ownership starts splitting the ply of its toilet paper to save money. All but announcing you have to trade a guy before a certain date is about what you can expect from the Dolans.

A first-rate front office and piddly-ass ownership. Sell the team already.

 

Remember the Angels clubhouse guy who was fired for doctoring baseballs? He’s naming names.

A REVEALING TEXT message from star pitcher Gerrit Cole has been submitted as evidence in Brian Harkins' quest to prove he was unfairly made a scapegoat when the Los Angeles Angels fired him as their clubhouse attendant for supplying ball-doctoring substances to pitchers.

The message -- dated Jan. 17, 2019 -- was filed in Orange County (California) Superior Court on Thursday as opposition to a request to dismiss the original lawsuit submitted by Harkins' attorneys in August.
…

The opposition also includes a declaration from Harkins in which he recalled a March 26 interview with attorneys from MLB and the Angels. During the interview, Harkins claims, he identified Cole, Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson, Max Scherzer, Felix Hernandez, Corey Kluber, Joba Chamberlain, Adam Wainwright and Tyler Chatwood among the pitchers who previously asked for his specific blend of pine tar and rosin, which became popular throughout the league after he made it for former closer Troy Percival more than 20 years ago.

Harkins also named several current and former Angels -- Percival, Brendan Donnelly, Kevin Jepsen, Cam Bedrosian, Keynan Middleton, Yusmeiro Petit, Luke Bard, Matt Andriese, Dylan Peters, Jose Suarez, Kaleb Cowart and Dylan Bundy -- who used the blend.

Spokespeople for MLB and the Angels declined comment, citing pending litigation.​

Fired Los Angeles Angels clubhouse attendant names pitchers in ball-doctoring case — ESPN

 

Lifetime baseball fan (as you can see); doctoring baseballs is against the rules, yes, but its jaywalking IMHO compared to electronic/video sign stealing (murder). Getting a slight edge with the baseball, its only good until the next ball comes into play. Its not like the baseball becomes a wiffle ball (I don't think so but maybe wrong).

 

Baseball cherishes tradition. A ball was probably first doctored in the third game of the sport ever played, so that trick is full of lore. It's seen as genial rascality. Using video and electronics to steal pitching signs is newfangled and hence threatening. Note that sign stealing itself by non-electronic means is about as old a practice as doctoring the ball.

 

Hitters aren’t so against this type of ball doctoring. It allows the pitchers more control over their pitches. Which means fewer balls coming at the hitters.

 

This is all why I thought the gnashing of teeth over the Astros was a bit much.

 

Schwarber to the Nats.

 

Very few balls come at hitters.

 

Yanks ink LeMehieu to a 6-year, $90M deal and nab Kluber, too (terms not announced yet).

I’m stunned LeMehieu couldn’t get $20M AAV somewhere.

Sources: Yanks, LeMahieu finalizing $90M deal

 

That does seem a bit low given his last two seasons.

 

Kluber deal is 1-year, $11M. Cashman had a good day.

 

Cashman is real good at his job.