1776

Generally the states with the higher taxes (CA/NY) compensate the player through their salary to cover the higher tax burden. If I’m not mistaken, when Josh Hamilton was traded from the Angels to the Rangers there were some adjustments to his existing contract to consider the lighter tax burden in Texas as opposed to California. I don’t recall the details but thought that was an unusual circumstance.

The Dbacks have had some tough luck for several years with free agent pitchers. Bumgarner, Erod, and Montgomery all were/are busts to date. Maybe Burnes works out for them.

I read last night that the Giants had an offer on the table for Burnes for some time but were ready to move on because he wasn’t interested. I don’t know what the years/$ were.

That’s what I’m guessing. But is it worth a roster spot?

So, is Tork toast?

Harris and Hinch stressed culture and character considerations when adding players to the organization. Torres doesn’t impress me here. Apparently he refused to play 3rd base with the Yankees and was benched on an occasion or two for lack of hustle. I’m hoping that he will take advantage of the chance to redeem himself across several performance metrics and impress with his attitude.

From pitching chaos to infield chaos,nice! Spring training will be interesting.

Indeed, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to one and all!

I’m fine with that. However, if Cobb is the big signing this off-season, my expectations for 2025 won’t be very high. I don’t expect Skubal to duplicate 2024. He’ll still be ace but not the 2024 ace. Lightening in a bottle the last six weeks of 2024 isn’t going to happen again either. That storyline is a classic but won’t repeat this coming year. It’s early yet, but I’m not optimistic that things will be much different at this point. I don’t believe Tork will move the needle much. I am cautiously optimistic Baez might surprise to the upside. Enough to make a difference, who knows… I am suspecting Harris is quietly looking for a trade he likes. That’s about the only avenue left at this point for this team’s budget. That and a good bit of fortune from the minors.

I absolutely agree. My primary point was that Chapman looks like a bargain now, one year removed from the asking price of somebody like Bregman. It’ll be interesting to see where he and Burnes end up. I know the Giants want Burnes bad but I don’t know if ownership is going to pony up for the $$$.

"I suspect that Bregman and his agent, Scott Boras, are aiming higher — specifically, at a deal closer to the 11-year, $350 million extension Manny Machado signed with the San Diego Padres in February 2023," he wrote. I believe the above quote was by Ken Rosenthal. Doesn’t matter, it’s going to be close to this asking wise. I wouldn’t touch the guy. A year ago Chapman signed a six year $151 million deal with the Giants. The contract pays $25 million annually. I knew Detroit wouldn’t entertain signing him. With what he brings to the game, he looks like a bargain now.

Website vintagedetroit.com has some postcards like that. I believe they have the one you described here and others.

So, apparently Biden didn’t commute those that had been convicted of a hate crime. For what it’s worth, this decision doesn’t make a bit of sense.

Erie will be in Richmond the week of May 13th. Will Max Clark be with Erie then? The floor is open…

I’d guess Harris never considered the possibility. Heres hoping Cobb stays healthy and has a productive year.

Did we even try?

Flaherty also said he loved L.A., for what it’s worth. What kind of contract is he looking for? I liked the contract he signed last year but I don’t know that I’d be interested in committing to a high dollar deal with years and I’m sure that’s what he’s looking for. Harris signed his Jack Flaherty for 2025 with Alex Cobb. I’d be surprised if he does much more as far as pitching goes. There are several potential starters that pitched out of the pen last year. I think this is where he will fill out the rotation.

I’m about to believe that’s the case. I knew Harris wasn’t going to spend much but I’m a bit surprised just how little has been done to this point.

Walker to Houston is being reported. After hitting 26 home runs and recording 84 RBIs in 2024, first baseman Christian Walker reportedly signs with the Houston Astros

Minor league games are great! We try to visit MiLB parks every year that we’ve not been to before. Columbus, GA, Spartanburg, SC, and Knoxville, TN are all on the radar this year.

The Pinellas County Commissioners voted to approve the bonds tonight to move the needle forward on the Rays new park.

This would be interesting. He just turned 29 two months ago. He’d have to be asking more years this time around and more money per. I’m a fan of the guy but could the two parties find a contract suitable for each side?

Who says Harris isn’t working the market! The Tigers are in agreement with catcher Brian Serven on a minor league deal, reports Aram Leighton of Just Baseball (X link). Serven, a PRIME client, will be in big league camp as a non-roster invitee. Serven, 29, joins the fourth organization of his career. A fifth-round pick of the Rockies in 2016, he got to the big leagues six years later. The Arizona State product appeared in 62 games as a rookie, hitting .203/.261/.332 in a backup role. He only made 11 appearances the following season, spending the bulk of the year in Triple-A on optional assignment. Colorado placed him on waivers last winter. 😉

Twice in the past month, Donald Trump has singled out companies known as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), blaming them for high drug prices. “We’re going to knock out the middleman,” Trump told reporters in a press conference on Monday. He noted that “the horrible middleman…makes more money frankly than the drug companies, and they don’t do anything except they’re a middleman.” The comments came after he made similar remarks in a “Meet the Press” interview earlier this month following a dinner with pharma executives and RFK Jr. CVS Health was down 5.6% late Monday, UnitedHealth dropped 4.2% and Cigna declined 3%. The three insurance companies own the country’s three largest PBMs and collectively manage roughly 80% of U.S. prescriptions. These three stocks were already sharply down over the past month amid widespread public anger with the insurance industry, prompted in part by a debate about their role in society in the wake of the fatal shooting of a UnitedHealth Group executive. wsj

Tony LaRussa is also 80 years of age. LaRussa is showing his age more these days but several years ago you’d never have guessed they were the same age.