La Stella has been off to a productive start at the plate in 2020 slashing .277/.368/.447 with a .354 wOBA, .345 xwOBA, and 126 wRC+ across 44 games. La Stella hasn’t hit for much power in 2020 (.170 ISO) but he makes himself a tough out at the plate by only striking out at a 4.3% (100th percentile) clip. If he is able to keep up his current production at the plate, La Stella will set up his teammates by giving more opportunities with runner(s) on base. This forces opposing teams into high leverage situations earlier and more often.

Due to the struggles of Marcus Semien (whole season) and Ramon Laureano (since returning from his suspension on August 18th), La Stella will be a very important bat at the top of the A’s batting order. Semien, one year removed from a season in which he had a 7.6 fWAR placing third in the AL MVP voting, has really struggled at the plate in 2020. Semien is slashing a mediocre .227/.299/.392 with a .301 wOBA, .290 xwOBA, and 91 wRC+. Even though he’s been struggling, Semien has still found himself in the top third of the A’s batting order. In 19 games before he was suspended, Laureano was off to a hot start at the plate slashing .262/.398/.462 with a .370 wOBA and 140 wRC+. Since returning from his suspension Lauerano hasn’t been nearly as good as he was before his suspension slashing .202/.321/.315 with a .291 wOBA and 84 wRC+ across 26 games. Unlike Semien, Laureano has been moved down to the bottom third of the lineup.

La Stella’s importance to the team became more apparent than ever when it was announced star third basemen Matt Chapman was placed on the IL and would miss the rest of the 2020 season. Due to his ability to play third base, La Stella could find himself starting at the hot corner in the playoffs depending on how Jake Lamb, Tony Kemp, Chad Pinder (assuming he returns off the IL), and Vimael Machin finish their seasons and how manager Bob Melvin decides to align his players.

Tampa Rays showing interest in Christian Vazquez

The Tampa Rays have expressed interest in acquiring catcher Christian Vazquez from the rival Boston Red Sox. Up to this point in the season, the Rays have hardly received any offensive production from catchers Mike Zunino and Michael Perez who have a combined .160/.241/.340 slashline, .254 wOBA, .274 xwOBA, and 60 wRC+. Vazquez would be an immediate upgrade as he currently sports a .260/.294/.423 slashline, .307 wOBA, .263 xwOBA, and 88 wRC+. Vazquez hasn’t been nearly as good in 2020 as he was in 2019 when he had a .276/.320/.477 slahline, .331 wOBA, .317 xwOBA, and 102 wRC+. Vazquez is under contract through the 2021 season with a $7 million team option for the 2022 season.

Blue Jays have inquired on Andrelton Simmons

A couple of weeks ago, the Blue Jays placed rising star and starting shortstop Bo Bichette on the injured list. With the Angels off to a disappointing 2020 season, it’s been rumored that the organization will look to sell before the trade deadline. Last night, the Angels made their first move by shipping Tommy La Stella to Oakland in exchange for former top prospect Franklin Barreto. Simmons’ contract expires at the end of the season so it would make sense for the Angels to at least explore potential trade packages for the shortstop. Simmons has been a below average hitter since the start of the 2019 season with a .263/.308/.358 slashline, .288 wOBA, .274 xwOBA, and 79 wRC+ but he is arguably the best defender in all of baseball. From 2017-2019, Simmons has 75 DRS, a 47.7 UZR, and 42 OAA at the most important defensive position in baseball. If the Blue Jays were to acquire him, Simmons would most likely take over as the everyday shortstop but the Blue Jays’ defensive alignment could be interesting if/when Bichette returns from the injured list; Simmons would probably start at shortstop with Bichette sliding over to second base and Cavan Biggio moving over to the hot corner.

Asking price for Mike Clevinger is “ridiculous”

After he lied to the Indians organization about breaking COVID-19 protocols, Mike Clevinger has been the biggest name known to be discussed in trade talks. Since the start of 2018, Clevinger has pitched 348.2 innings to a 2.92 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 3.64 xFIP, and 3.71 SIERA while striking out 10.38 and walking 2.87 batters per nine innings. Clevinger is widely regarded as one of the best starting pitchers in all of baseball and his team friendly contract through the 2022 season makes him an even more appealing trade target. With or without Clevinger, the Indians have one of if not the best rotations in all of baseball but it should be interesting to see whether or not Clevinger is indeed traded.

Reds are not planning to sell at the trade deadline

Heading into today, the Reds are currently 14-17 and would not be in the playoffs if the season had ended last night. Despite the Reds not in current possession of a playoff spot, they’re only .5 GB of the Cardinals for second place in the NL Central (second place team in each division automatically receives playoff berth) and 1.5 GB of the Phillies/Rockies for the eighth and final National League playoff spot. This upcoming offseason, Trevor Bauer, Wade Miley, Anthony DeSclafani, and Freddy Galvis are all set to be free agents while Nick Castellanos could join them if he declines his player option. If the Reds do change their mind and decide to sell, Trevor Bauer would be one of the hottest names discussed between the Reds and rival teams. In 32.2 innings of work in 2020, Bauer has a 1.65 ERA, 2.76 FIP, 2.90 xFIP, and 2.66 SIERA while striking out 13.50 and walking 2.48 batters per nine innings.

Due to a right calf strain, on Friday, August 14th, the New York Yankees placed star outfielder Aaron Judge on the Injured List (IL). Judge had been off to a hot start in 2020 with a .290/.343/.758 slash line, .450 wOBA, .432 xwOBA, 192 wRC+, 1 OAA, and 1.0 fWAR in 17 games played prior to his injury. Unfortunately, for both Judge and the Yankees, this will be Judge’s third consecutive year landing on the IL. When healthy, Judge is arguably a top 3 player in all of baseball; but, he’s yet to stay healthy for a full season since the 2017 campaign. Although the loss of Judge is a huge blow to the Yankees, the team still has some very good replacement players.

Mike Tauchman

Just before the start of the 2019 MLB season, the Yankees acquired Mike Tauchman from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league pitcher Phillip Diehl. At the time of the acquisition, Tauchman was seen as nothing more than additional outfield depth for the Yankees; but, he proved himself as a valuable asset for the team in 2019. In 87 games played last season, Tauchman had a .277/.361/.504 slash line, .364 wOBA, .331 xwOBA, 128 wRC+, 9 OAA, and 2.6 fWAR. Although Tauchman was great last season, he has struggled to find playing time this season due to his place on the depth chart behind the likes of Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, and Aaron Judge. With Judge now sidelined, Tauchman seems to be the next man up in the Yankee outfield. One of Tachman’s best attributes is the ability to play all three outfield positions at an above-average level, which will lead him to be the everyday right fielder until Judge is ready to return to action.

Clint Frazier

Before the conclusion of the 2016 MLB trade deadline, the Yankees traded star relief pitcher Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for a four player package headlined by outfielder Clint Frazier. Frazier has always been regarded as a top prospect but injuries and the outfield depth of the Yankees have held him out of major league action over the past few years. Although Frazier hasn’t seen as much major league playing time as he’d like, he’s performed well at the plate in his limited opportunities. In 123 games played from 2017-2019, Frazier had a .254/.308/.463 slash line, .322 wOBA, .327 xwOBA, 100 wRC+, -15 OAA, and -0.3 fWAR. As seen by his stats from 2017-2019, Frazier has been far from a good defender. Due to his well below average defense, Frazier will most likely see most of his time as a DH but could slide into either right or left field when one of Gardner, Hicks, or Tauchman needs to rest.

Gameday situations

Due to Tauchman being a far superior defensive player compared to Frazier, he will likely take over as an everyday outfielder whether it be in right or left field.

Assuming all of the active Yankee outfielders are healthy and playing, Gardner will most likely start in left field, Hicks will most likely start in center field, and Tauchman will most likely start in right field with either Ford or Frazier as the DH.

If one of Hicks or Gardner has an off day, Tauchman will most likely start in left field, one of Gardner/Hicks will most likely start in center field, and Frazier will most likely start in right field with Ford as the DH.

If Tauchman has an off day, Gardner will most likely start in left field, Hicks will most likely start in center field, and Frazier will most likely start in right field with Ford as the DH.

Featured image via bleacherreport.com

Breakout Player #1 (@mlbthrone): OF Willie Calhoun, TEX

This first pick of mine may come as a surprise to many as Calhoun isn’t a big name to the majority of Major League Baseball fans. If we take a look at the standard stats, Calhoun finished with a decent slash line of .269 AVG, .323 OBP, .524 SLG, and a .848 OPS. This doesn’t look like a fantastic year to many so that poses the question: why did I pick him? Well, Calhoun put up 21 HRs and a .848 OPS in only 83 games. Considering that the 2020 MLB season will only be 60 games, those stats line up very well. It’s also worth mentioning that Calhoun did outperform his expected stats by a fairly large margin indicating there could be regression coming. But, this doesn’t take away from the fact that Calhoun would have put up crazy numbers in 2019 if the season was shortened to 60 games. 

Breakout Player #2 (@mlbthrone):  SP Mitch Keller, PIT

My last pick is another unpopular name, which makes a breakout player a breakout player right? Anyway, Mitch Keller’s stats in 2019 on paper look horrendous as he posted a horrific 7.13 ERA and 1.83 WHIP in 48 IP. If you look at the advanced stats though, Keller shines in the majority. He posted a 3.19 FIP, 3.47 xFIP, 4.38 xERA, 12.19 K/9, 1.13 HR/9, and a 3.78 SIERA. Once you look deeper into Keller’s 2019, you c

an see that he got extremely unlucky. His 3.19 FIP was 14th in the entire MLB which is very promising for the young right hander. Keller also ranked 6th in strikeout rate ahead of all-star pitchers like Justin Verlander and Mike Clevinger. The main reason Keller is on here is because of how unlucky he got in 2019 when he only pitched 48 innings. If you take into account his expected stats in the amount of innings he pitched,Keller will have a very stellar 2020 campaign with the 60 game season.

Breakout candidate #3 (@mlbzone_): 1B Christian Walker, ARI 

After the Arizona Diamondbacks traded their former face of the franchise first basemen, Paul Goldschmidt, during the 2018-2019 offseason to the Saint Louis Cardinals, Christian Walker took over as the everyday first basemen in 2019. Walker made the best of his new role as he had a .346 wOBA, 112 wRC+, 112 DRC+ along with a .259/.348/.476 slash line over 152 games. On top of being a decent hitter, Walker showed he’s an outstanding defender as seen by his 9 OAA, 11 DRS, and 2.0 UZR. Although it may seem as Walker has already broken out, he underperformed his expected statistics which leads me to believe he could become an even better hitter in 2020. Walker’s xBA-AVG was .001, his xSLG-SLG was .037 and his xwOBA-wOBA was .014. Another reason I believe Walker could breakout is because he had very good batted ball data. In 2019, Walker’s exit velo was in the 84th percentile, barrel% was in the 90th percentile, and hard hit% was in the 96th percentile. 

Breakout candidate #4 (zone): SS Dansby Swanson, ATL:

Dansby Swanson was the first overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft but he’s yet to establish himself as an all star caliber player. Although Swanson has yet to live up to his hype, he made a significant offensive jump from 2018 to 2019. In 2018, Swanson had a .238/.304/.395 slash compared to a .251/.325/.422 slash in 2019. Swanson’s advanced stats also improved as seen by a .021 point increase in wOBA, 12 point increase in wRC+, 6 point increase in DRC+, a .038 point increase in xBA, a .117 increase in xSLG, and a .065 point increase in xwOBA. Similar to Christian Walker, Swanson underperformed his expected statistics which leads me to believe he could become an even better hitter in 2020. Swanson’s xBA-AVG was .018, his xSLG-SLG was .055 and his xwOBA-wOBA was .028. One final reason I believe Swanson will breakout is because he’s already a good defensive shortstop. Over the past two years combined, Swanson has 12 DRS, a -1.1 UZR, and 4 OAA. Swanson is relatively established as a defender and I believe he will be a breakout hitter; because of this, Swanson will start to gain recognition as one of the better shortstops in all of baseball.

July 16, 2020

In January of 2018, the Pirates traded Cole to the Astros for Joe Musgrove, Colin Moran, Michael Feliz, and Jason Martin. After arriving in Houston, Cole became a star; but how?

Although Gerrit Cole was an ace in Pittsburgh, he wasn’t a star until he was traded to Houston. With the Astros, Cole made a drastic change, featuring his curveball as his tertiary pitch compared to his sinker that he used with the Pirates. In 2016/2017, Cole threw his sinker 14.8% (2016) and 13.1% (2017) of the time, compared to only throwing his sinker 6.0% (2018) and 2.4% (2019) of the time in 2018/2019. Although Cole featured his sinker as his tertiary pitch in both 2016 and 2017, he achieved little success. In 2016, opposing batters had a .359 xwOBA against Cole’s sinker while Cole was only able to generate an 11.5 whiff%. Even after Cole featured his sinker less in 2017, opposing batters still had a very good .345 xwOBA against the pitch. Cole had even less success throwing his sinker, only generating a 10.0 whiff%. Although Cole only threw his curve 9.8% and 12.1% of the time in 2016/2017, he had a lot of success with the pitch. In 2016, opposing batters had a .186 xwOBA against his curve while Cole was able to generate a whopping 40.0 whiff%. Cole’s curve didn’t nearly have the same amount of success in 2017 as it did in 2016 as seen by opposing batters having a .239 xwOBA against the pitch and Cole generating a 25.5 whiff%, it was still very effective. As a result of throwing fewer sinkers, Cole increased the use of his curveball by throwing it 19.2% (2018) and 15.4% (2019) of the time. In 2018, opposing batters had a .243 xwOBA against the pitch while Cole was able to generate a 33.9 whiff%. In 2019, opposing batters had a .251 xwOBA against the pitch while Cole was able to generate a 31.9 whiff%. It’s evident that Cole’s curve in 2018/2019 was more dominant than his sinker in 2016/2017.

The most important adjustment Cole made with the Astros was increasing the spin rate (RPM) on both his four seamer and slider. With the Pirates in 2016/2017, Cole’s four seamer had an average RPM of 2183 (2016) and 2164 (2017) compared to his average RPM of 2379 (2018), and 2530 (2019), with the Astros. Cole also increased the average RPM of his slider with the Astros, with an average RPM of 2571 (2018) and 2622 (2019) with the Astros. Now compare this with his average RPM of 2287 (2016) and (2417) with the Pirates. By increasing the RPM on both pitches, both Cole’s four seamer and slider started to have more rise. Cole utilized his newly created rise by attacking the upper and outer parts of the strike zone. This adjustment helped Cole go from a solid rotational pitcher to a formidable pitcher.

In 2016, opposing batters had a .325 xwOBA against Cole’s four seamer while Cole was only able to generate a 14.0 whiff%. In 2017, opposing batters had a .364 xwOBA against Cole’s sinker while Cole was able to generate a 19.8 whiff%. In 2018, Cole had more success with his four seamer as opposing batters had a .299 xwOBA and Cole was able to generate a 29.7 whiff%. Cole saw improving results with his four seamer as opposing batters had only a .245 xwOBA against the pitch while generating a whopping 37.6 whiff%. With the Pirates, Cole had a phenomenal slider, but the pitch saw major improvements once Cole arrived in Houston. In 2016, opposing batters had a .284 xwOBA against Cole’s slider while Cole generated a 34.6 whiff%. In 2017, opposing batters had a .247 xwOBA against Cole’s slider while Cole generated a 34.3 whiff%. In 2018, opposing batters had a .236 xwOBA against Cole’s slider while Cole generated a 36.2 whiff%. In 2019, opposing batters had very little success against Cole’s slider as seen by a .215 xwOBA while Cole generated an insane 39.9 whiff%.

July 3, 2020

On the evening of June 23, Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) announced the principles for the 2020 MLB season. Major League Baseball has made a tremendous effort to ensure the safety of the players in an over 100 page health and safety protocol. Although Major League Baseball has made a tremendous effort to ensure the safety of the players, it may not be enough. 

As part of Major League Baseball’s attempt to limit COVID-19 cases throughout the league, games will only be played regionally. For example, teams in the East Region (AL East and NL East) will only play against each other in the regular season to limit travel. Even though all teams will be playing within a regional zone, there is still a very good chance multiple players will attract the COVID-19 virus. We don’t yet know each team’s schedule, but a team could potentially be in up to four states over a two week span interacting with hundreds of people who may have had contact with COVID-19. Major League Baseball has stated that players will be tested and have temperature regularly but it’s been proven that not all testing is accurate. If a player has COVID-19 and the test inaccurately shows they test negative and that player is asymptomatic, there is a very high probability that the virus could spread within the organization and infect the opponent of that organization.

If there is an eternal outbreak within an organization, each organization submitted a roster with up to 60 players just in case players need to be called up to the active roster. If 75% of an organization’s original active roster tests positive for COVID-19, those players would need to sit out for at least two weeks. In that minimum of two weeks, an organization could go on a losing streak essentially eliminating themselves from playoff contention. If the organization is essentially eliminated from playoff contention, the 75% of the players apart of the organization who have been out for a minimum of two weeks with COVID-19 have no reason to return to the field. If the 75% of the players apart of the organization don’t return, TV ratings will drastically fall for that team because nobody likes seeing their team continuously lose, especially if their favorite players aren’t even playing.

Even if a separate organization doesn’t have an eternal outbreak but the team is struggling, players may start to sit out for the rest of the season potentially causing a domino fall. If the Angels are struggling and have no playoff hopes, Mike Trout could potentially feel it would be better to stay safe by sitting out. If players on another team see the face of the sport sitting out, they may follow. If a domino effect starts, more and more star players will start sitting out driving TV ratings down even further. Because Major League Baseball has already lost millions or even billions of dollars without starting the season in March like it usually does, the league wants to make as much money back as they possibly can; more and more players sitting out would not help that cause.

Featured image via twitter.com/yankees

June 25, 2020

At long last, the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) and MLB have agreed to the principles for a 2020 season! After more than 3 months of negotiations, the MLBPA finally agreed that they would accept MLB’s final proposal by accepting their health and safety protocol as well as agreeing to report to Spring Training 2.0 on July 1st!

Due to a recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in both Florida and Arizona, MLB teams will be holding Spring Training 2.0 at their home ballparks. Before players report to Spring Training, every organization must submit a 60 man player pool. An organization can invite all 60 players from their pool to Spring Training or send up to 20 players to an alternate site. Similar to a normal Spring Training, pitchers and catchers will report first followed by position players.

After about 3 weeks of Spring Training, regular season baseball will start the weekend of July 24th. To start the season, organizations are permitted to have up to 30 players on the active roster; After 2 weeks, organizations will be permitted to have a maximum of 28 players on the active roster followed by a maximum of 26 players on the active roster 4 weeks later.

The regular season will be 60 games that will take place over the course of 66 days. The trade deadline will be August 31st and for a player to be eligible for the playoffs, they must be on their organization’s active roster by September 15th.

The regular season will end on September 27th and 10 teams will compete to win the World Series. Although there were talks of a potential expanded postseason, MLB decided they would implement the traditional postseason format with 3 division winners from both the AL/NL and 2 wild card teams from both the AL/NL.

What’s new for the 2020 season?

• Universal Designated Hitter
  • For the first time in MLB history, both the American League and National League will have a DH!
• Games will only be played within a regional distance.
  • In an attempt to limit travel, games will only be played within a regional distance. Each team will play 40 games against teams in their division and 20 games against teams within their region that are in the opposite league. For example, the Cubs will play 10 games against each the Brewers, Cardinals, Reds, and Pirates (40 games against teams in their division). In addition, the Cubs will play 4 games against each the Twins, Indians, White Sox, Royals, and Tigers (20 games against teams within their region that are in the opposite league).
• If a game goes into extra innings, a runner will be placed on second base at the start of each half inning until the game is over.
  • In an attempt to keep games as short as possible, MLB will be implementing the runner on second rule that MiLB has been using for the past two seasons. The player who is listed in the batting order ahead of the leadoff hitter in the extra-inning will be placed on second base at the start of the extra inning.

Health and safety protocols:

• There will be a COVID-19 specific inactive list.
  • Any player who shows symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19 will be placed on this list. The COVID-19 specific inactive list and Injured List are two separate inactive lists.
• Players who are deemed as “high risk players” will be able to sit out the season receive their salary and service time.
  • MLB has defined high risk players as players “who, by virtue of their age and/or medical history, are at a materially higher risk of developing severe illness or complications from COVID-19 exposure.” 
• Players can sit out, but lose their entire salary.
  • Players who are not classified as “high risk players” still have the ability to sit out, they just won’t get paid. Although these players will not get paid, they will still receive 1 year of service time.
• Social distancing (sort of).
  • Players on opposite teams are not allowed to be within 6 feet of each other during pregame warmups, in between innings, or after the game; When a manager challenges a call or confronts an umpire, they must be 6 feet away from the umpire; During the singing of the National Anthem and God Bless America, players must be 6 feet away from each other.
• Spitting is prohibited.
  • Players and coaches will not be permitted to spit saliva, sunflower seeds, peanut shells, tobacco, etc.
• Players must use and retrieve their own equipment.
  • Jayson Stark of The Athletic stated, “All hitters will now have to bring their own pine-tar rags, bat donuts and other equipment to and from the on-deck circle — and will have to retrieve their own caps, gloves and sunglasses from the dugout if an inning ends with them on base or batting. All pitchers will now have to bring their own rosin bag to the mound and use only their own baseballs for bullpen sessions. And baseballs used in batting practice can be used only that day, then need to be cleaned and sanitized, and not be re-used for at least five days. So one thing is clear: Teams are going to have to have thousands of baseballs in the old storage closet.”

Featured image via wamu.org

June 13, 2020

Earlier today, Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported that a judge (Jed Rakoff) has ordered a 2017 letter written from MLB to the Yankees to be unsealed and that the letter may detail sign stealing. In wake of the sign-stealing scandals in both Houston and Boston, daily fantasy sports contestants have filed a lawsuit against MLB in regards to the 2017 Yankees. On Friday June 12th, Judge Rakoff ruled that the letter sent from MLB to the Yankees should be unveiled. Evan Drellich’s report states, “MLB and the Yankees may submit a minimally redacted version of the letter ‘to protect the identity of the individuals mentioned’ by noon ET on Monday… The Yankees argue the letter would cause ‘significant reputational injury,’ Judge Jed Rakoff said in his order, and the letter is not to be unsealed until June 19, so the team has enough time to make an emergency appeal. People with knowledge of the case said it is likely the Yankees will do so.” This is concerning because if the league and the Yankees organization are both focussed on protecting the identities of players, it can only be assumed they’re hiding something. MLB will do anything possible to not penalize the Yankees because they’re the face of the sport and bring in the most revenue; the Yankees obviously don’t want their players to be mentioned for the wellness of their own organization. No matter what you think of the allegations, it’s at the very least suspicious that both MLB and the Yankees are hiding information and identities from the public. It’s also important to note that the Yankees emergency appeal will likely include revised information of the letter to not reveal identities nor specific details of sign-stealing which won’t be much of help for an investigation.

Judge Rakoff wrote, “Plaintiffs alleged that the 2017 Press Release falsely suggested that the investigation found that the Yankees had only engaged in a minor technical infraction, whereas, according to plaintiffs, the investigation had in fact found that the Yankees engaged in a more serious, sign-stealing scheme.” Assuming the Yankees did engage with a “more serious, sign-stealing scheme,” there is likely strong evidence of it as well as the members within the organization involved in MLB’s letter to the Yankees. In addition to likely finding strong evidence and members within the organization involved, it will prove Manfred has been deceiving all other 29 organizations and every single MLB fan. This will greatly hurt Manfred’s already dreadful reputation because when conducting future investigations, Manfred will not be seen as reliable nor truthful.

On September 15, 2017, the Yankees were fined an undisclosed amount of money for violating a rule governing the use of a dugout phone. It’s important to note that the Yankees violation took place in 2015 and 2016; not 2017. Although the violations were not committed in 2017, the punishment and letter were both issued in 2017. It’s very important to know that the Yankees are not being investigated for what they did in 2015 and 2016, they’ve already been fined for that. The Yankees are being investigated for the letter that MLB sent to the Yankees in 2017 that allegedly discusses the 2015 and 2016 violations in addition to a more serious sign-stealing scheme that was not released to the public and is only in the letter. The letter is the most important aspect of the allegations because if it does contain information and identities of members within the organization, the Yankees could be looking at advanced disciplined but if nothing is found, the Yankees will clearly be proven innocent.

Jonathan Schiller, a lawyer representing the Yankess claimed, “There is no justification for public disclosure of the letter. The plaintiff has no case anymore, and the court held that what MLB wrote in confidence was irrelevant to the court’s dismissal of the plaintiff’s case. Under established law, this supports the Yankees’ right to confidentiality required by the Commissioner of Baseball.” In response Judge Rakoff wrote, “The Yankees argue that they have a strong privacy interest because public disclosure of the Yankees Letter would cause the Yankees significant reputational injury. While this may be the case, the gravity of this concern is again lessened by the fact that the contents of the Yankees Letter have already been discussed in some form by the 2017 Press Release.” In short, the Yankees obviously don’t want the letter to be revealed because there is most likely confidential information about a serious sign-stealing investigation and their image will be damaged, as Rakoff wrote. When Rakoff wrote, “the contents of the Yankees Letter have already been discussed in some form by the 2017 Press Release,” he is mentioning what the Yankees did in 2015 and 2016, which they have already been disciplined for.

Featured image via oregonlive.com

Works cited: https://theathletic.com/1870649/2020/06/13/judge-orders-2017-mlb-letter-to-yankees-unsealed-plaintiffs-say-it-details-sign-stealing/ and https://www.mlb.com/press-release/commissioner-s-statement-regarding-red-sox-yankees-violations-254435818

May 20, 2020

Although the MLB season was supposed to start on March 26, not one person knows if or when baseball will return. On March 12, MLB announced that the 2020 season had been delayed by at least two weeks and further Spring Training games had been canceled. More than two months have passed and MLB and the MLBPA are in the beginning stages of negotiating terms that would allow a 2020 season. On May 11, MLB Owners approved a proposal that commissioner Rob Manfred then presented to the MLBPA on May 12. Unfortunately, some players have taken to social media to show their dissatisfaction with MLB’s proposal. The good news is that since negotiations have started, we will soon know if baseball will be played (or not) in 2020, and New York, California, Florida, and Texas are all moving towards a return of professional sports. The bad news is that MLB and the MLBPA still have a lot of ground to cover in order to reach an agreement. Below, I will analyze one specific detail MLB and the MLBPA must agree to in order to have a season.

Players must be satisfied with their salary

When MLB and the MLB owners leaked their proposal on May 11, their goal was to make headlines for themselves and make the players look greedy, selfish, and viewed as villains. In MLB’s proposal, they have players taking a 50% salary cut off their original salaries, an additional 33% salary cut off of the 50%, and on top of all that; player salary is still taxed. For example, if a player’s original contract had them making $10 million, 50% would be cut from their salary now leaving them with a $5 million salary; From the $5 million a player is now supposed to make, an additional 33% will be taken off now leaving that player with a $3.33 million salary for the season before the player is even taxed. In short, an MLB player would lose 66.7% (plus additional money to taxes) of their original salary to play about 50% of a season. Unfortunately (but expectedly), MLB owners have received backlash from both players and agents regarding their salary proposal.

When MLB’s proposal first became public, super agent Scott Boras urged players not to take MLB’s proposal. A couple of days later, Rays star pitcher Blake Snell said, “No, I gotta get my money. I’m not playing unless I get mine, OK? And that’s just the way it is for me. Like, I’m sorry you guys think differently, but the risk is way the hell higher and the amount of money I’m making is way lower. Why would I think about doing that?” In response to Snell, Phillies superstar Bryce Harper stated, “He ain’t lying. He’s speaking the truth bro. I ain’t mad at him. Somebody’s gotta say it, at least he manned up and said it. Good for him. I love Snell, the guy’s a beast. One of the best lefties in the game.”

The media did not react well to the claims made by Snell and Harper as many stated they are being greedy and they will still earn more than what essential workers will make. This prompted ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith to say, “What are you doing? You shut the hell up and let your player’s association speak. You shut the hell up. You signed a $50 million contract. You can’t tell people at a time when 33 million people-plus are on unemployment, you can’t sit up there, ‘Oh, I’ve got to get mine.”

After hearing the public’s perception, Snell doubled down on his earlier statement by saying, “I want people to understand, what I’m saying is real. I’m concerned just like everybody else about the virus, and I want to make sure me and my peers are taken care of. We want to play under circumstances that we agreed upon as a group. I will play if I get 50 percent and we play 50 percent of the season. But to accept making less than that and with more risks for our health, it’s not fair to the players.”

In addition to Scott Boras, Blake Snell, and Bryce Harper; Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer and his agent Rachel Luba have also publicly criticized MLB’s proposal. Bauer stated, “The ask is basically take more risk by getting back sooner and take less pay than we’ve already agreed. We’ve already agreed to take … a 50 percent pay cut and now they’re asking us to take another pay cut. (A 50-50 revenue split) has never been done in baseball. It’s not collectively bargained. It would just be for this season. It doesn’t sit well with me. Slightly lighthearted, but if I’m gonna have to trust my salary to Rob Manfred marketing the game to make more money for the game, I am out on that.”

Although MLB owners certainly don’t want to way their players, they might just have to. During a CNN appearance on May 14, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred stated, “If we don’t play a season, the losses for the owners could approach $4 billion.” Due to owners potentially at risk of losing $4 billion, they are clearly in need of a season more than the players are. This benefits the players because the owners will eventually have to work towards a deal that would pay the players around 50% of their supposed salary for playing roughly 50% of the season. I don’t see anyway players will accept anything under 50% of their original salary because assuming only half a season is played, players should earn half of what they would’ve earned. Although players may be seen as greedy, they will be risking their lives to play baseball and if they don’t feel what their earning is what they deserve, players will have no motivation to get back on the diamond.

May 8, 2020

A couple of days ago, I had my followers ask me some questions about the 2020-2021 Duke Men’s Basketball Team! Below, I will answer each question with a full analysis on why I feel that way.

How many points will Jordan Goldwire average per game?

Jordan Goldwire will average around 6.0 points per game. From his Sophmore season to his Junior season, Goldwire averaged 3.8 more points per game (0.9 –> 4.7), 15.5 more minutes per game, his field goal percentage increased by 21.4%, his three point percentage increased by 23.4% while taking 2.5 more shots per game. While I do expect Goldwire to get about the same amount of playing time as he had last season (24.1 MPG), he will (most likely) be a Senior captain next season which means he will be relied on more than ever. Because of the leadership Goldwire will bring to the team next season, I believe his points per game will slightly increase from 4.7 to about 6.0

What is your projected starting lineup?

My projected starting five is Jeremy Roach, Wendell Moore Jr, Jalen Johnson, Matthew Hurt, and Patrick Tapé. Although I believe there will be many different starting units throughout the season (similar to 2019-2020), I think this is the best starting 5 in terms of a mesh with experience/skill. The obvious first question many will have is: why are you starting Tapé over Mark Williams? I would start Tapé because he would bring experience to the starting unit. Although I would start Tapé, I would have Williams play starter minutes off the bench with Tapé playing about 10-15 minutes. Another question I could see many people having is: what about D.J. Steward? Similar to how I would give Williams starter minutes, I would give Steward similar minutes. I believe Steward could have a similar impact off the bench that Devin Booker brought Kentucky in the 2014-2015 season. Although I don’t have Mark Williams, D.J. Steward, Jordan Goldwire, or Joey Baker in my starting 5, I fully expect that they will all at least start one game. The only player that I would call a starter lock for every game is Jalen Johnson.

What are your stat predictions for the Freshman?

Jalen Johnson: 16.0 PPG, 3.5 APG, 6.0 RPG, 46% FG, 30% 3PT

Jalen Johnson will be the Blue Devils go to scorer next season. Although he isn’t a great perimeter shooter, Johnson is an excellent slasher and is magnificent finishing through contact. Johnson is also a sneakily good passer. I expect him to play some point forward throughout the season and pick up additional assists by grabbing defensive rebounds and immediately taking the ball coast to coast. Additionally, Johnson has excellent length and is extremely athletic which will help him be a key rebounder for the Blue Devils.

Mark Williams: 7.0 PPG, 0.5 APG, 7.5 RPG, 60% FG, 15% 3PT

Mark Williams is one of two players that is capable of playing center so he’s due to get a lot of playing time. While Williams is extremely talented, he most likely won’t have the type of interior scoring that Vernon Carey Jr brought to Duke last year. Williams will most likely get most of his points on lobs and a few interior touches but I doubt that he’s going to be a first, second, or third option on the court due to the talent of the returning players and that Johnson, Steward, Roach will likely see the ball in their hands more than Williams. Although I don’t expect Williams to have a huge role on offense, I expect him to still rack up about 7 points per game. Williams isn’t much of a playmaker but he should still pick up a few assists here and there. Where Williams should be phenomenal, is on the boards. Williams will be by far the best rebounder on the team next year due to his elite size, strength, and athleticism. Williams should be a force on the glass gaining the Blue Devils additional offensive possessions and keeping the opposing team’s best rebounders off the glass.

D.J. Steward: 12.0 PPG, 3.0 APG, 1.5 RPG, 47% FG, 40% 3PT

DJ Steward will be one of the Blue Devils’ most important offensive players next season. Steward’s unique combination of athleticism, finishing through contact, perimeter shooting and playmaking will be a vital piece of Duke’s success next season. Due to the depth that Duke posses for the 2020-2021 season, I expect Steward to be a reliable shooter from the perimeter and get buckets around the rim. Although Steward is a combo guard, I see him mainly playing shooting guard but still being a capable ball handler/facilitator when on the court. Steward most likely won’t be much of a factor on the boards but due to his athleticism, he might be able to snag a few rebounds every game.

Jeremy Roach: 11.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, 2.0 RPG, 49% FG, 42% 3PT

Jeremy Roach will be the Blue Devils lead guard next year. Roach is a phenomenal three point shooter, has a high offensive IQ, and most importantly is durable. Durability is exactly what the Blue Devils will need next season due to Tre Jones’ departure to the NBA. Last season, Jones averaged the most minutes per game (35.4) and Roach is certainly capable of filling in for Jones. Roach will be one of Duke’s most dangerous three point shooters which will help him drive to the rim as well as dishing to open teammates to pick up assists. As well as being a good three point shooter, Roach is an underrated finisher and is very capable of finishing through contact. Roach will most likely be the primary ball handler and by constantly putting the ball in his hands, he will definitely rack up assists. Because he’s a point guard and isn’t overwhelmingly athletic, I don’t think Roach will be a huge factor on the board but could see him getting a couple of boards per game.

Henry Coleman: 2.0 PPG, 0.5 APG, 2.5 RPG, 55% FG, 15% 3PT

Jaemyn Brakefield: 3.5 PPG, 1.0 APG, 2.0 RPG, 45% FG, 37% 3PT

At the moment, it seems as if Coleman and Brakefield will either be fighting for minutes or sharing a limited amount of time which is why I don’t have them posting any crazy stats. Coleman’s strengths are slashing/rim running, while Brakefield’s main strengths are perimeter shooting/slashing. I feel Coleman will get slightly more playing time because he’s a better rebounder and defender. Duke has many players that are threats from beyond the three point arc which doesn’t help Brakefield’s case because he might just be buried on the depth chart. Once the season starts and we know about how many minutes Coleman and Brakefield are each playing, I will be able to make a better projected stat line for them; but at the moment, I’m just taking an educated guess.

What are your expectations for Duke next year?

My expectations for the 2020-2021 team is at the very least, an Elite 8 appearance. Instead of relying on mainly Freshman the past couple of seasons, Duke has a great mix of returning players and incoming recruits. I’m expecting Matthew Hurt and Wendell Moore Jr to take major strides in their second years; Jordan Goldwire, Joey Baker, and Patrick Tapé to provide great leadership and production; and that the incoming Freshman are going to be successful players. Although it has been fun to watch extraordinary one and done prospects come through Duke, it has been very rare to see Freshman carry a team to a National Championship. Due to the overall talent of the roster and the leadership/experience that the returning players will bring, I fully expect Duke to be one of the best teams in the country and definitely make a run for a National Championship.

Who will be Duke’s x-factor next season?

Next season, Duke’s x-factor will be Matthew Hurt. In his Freshman year, Hurt averaged 9.7 PPG, 0.9 APG, 3.8 RPG on 48.7% FG, and 39.3% 3PT. Although Hurt put up solid numbers, you could argue it was a disappointing season for him and there was no doubt that he was extremely inconsistent. Hurt will be Duke’s x-factor because if he is able to take the next step in his game by becoming confident, taking smart shots, and adding muscle; he will be one of the best players in all of college basketball. As his three point percentage from last year indicates, Hurt is an excellent stretch four who has the ability to create excellent floor spacing which results in better shots for himself and the team. If Hurt is able to improve his game over the offseason and become consistent, it will propel next season’s Duke team from good to great.

Who was the most underrated signee?

The most underrated signee was Jeremy Roach. Although Roach isn’t underrated as a player, what he’s bringing with him to Duke is exactly what the team needs. Roach is a durable, smart, good all around player which is a great addition to any team but an especially great addition to a team that just lost their starting point guard. If you’ve watched a Duke game the past two years, you would know that Tre Jones played virtually the whole game (unless it was a blowout) and Roach is the perfect point guard to fill Jones’ shoes. When talking about Roach, nbadraftnet.com states, “Roach is a true lead guard with advanced play-making skills. He plays with his head up, has great penetration ability and excels at finding his teammates.” From this description and watching his highlights, Roach’s playstyle reminds me of Jones’ playstyle which is exactly what Duke needs in their point guard for the 2020-2021 season.

Follow me on Instagram @dukembb.report for more Duke Basketball content!

Featured image via starnewsonline.com