Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully has announced his intention to return for the 2016 season. He expects it to be his final season as a broadcaster, writes Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. It will be his 67th season in the booth. As Sportsnet Stats tweeted earlier today, Scully has announced games involving A’s manager Connie Mack (born 1862) and Cubs shortstop Addison Russell (born 1994). He’s likely to see a couple even younger players including Julio Urias (born 1996).
Here’s more from around the league:
- Phillies starter Aaron Harang was not claimed on waivers, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. As Heyman notes, Harang has a 7.09 ERA since the All-Star break. He has about $1MM remaining on his $5MM contract and is a free agent following the season. The Cubs and Pirates are among the contenders in need of rotation depth, but it’s unclear if either team would view him as an upgrade over internal options. It doesn’t seem as though the Phillies could acquire much more than some financial relief or a non-prospect in a deal. As such, a trade may be unlikely.
- Former number one prospect Jurickson Profar could work his way back onto the Rangers roster, writes Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The 22-year-old is rehabbing from multiple shoulder injuries. He won’t play the field this fall. However, he could help the club after rosters expand as a pinch-hitter or runner while working directly with the major league training staff.
- Brewers prospect Nathan Kirby is likely to undergo Tommy John surgery, writes Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The 40th overal pick of the 2015 draft led the University of Virginia Cavaliers to the 2015 World Series. An undisclosed medical issue -presumably the elbow issue – led the club to reduce the lefty’s signing bonus from $1.545MM to $1.25MM. Kirby will miss the entire 2016 season.
Some day we will deeply miss the wit and knowledge of Vin Scully, but fortunately not quite yet.
Wish they just bring him back for the post season. Less Joe Buck more Vin Scully is a win for everyone
Darn straight. I have great memories of Vin working the postseason during the ’80s and have always been puzzled by why he never did it again. If the Dodgers make the series this year it would be a fitting tribute to Vin if he was allowed to call one of the home games. But they probably would not do it if only because it would remind everyone about how much better he is at his work than any of the fungo bats they put into the booths at ESPN and TBS.
Scully is an icon, but baseball needs a more humoristic approach. Scully has his stories, which are wonderful, but the current world is beyond his reach.
he has always seemed boring to me, and i know i will get craaap from that, but his views are from the past. Include 2 at the very least and all will be well
Philly would be smart to get anything out of Harang. A Warm Body is better than nothing.
All depends what way you look at it. Phillies already have 4 rookies in the rotation (Nola, Morgan, Eickhoff, Asher). And if the goal is to go for the 1st pick while the young kids are getting experience, Harang helps a lot. Granted, they should have kept Jerome Williams in the rotation if that was the goal.
I would not say the Bucs are in need of rotation help. Cole and Liriano are as good a 1-2 punch as you can find, Charlie Morton has been excellent this year minus one terrible inning in DC, JA Happ has a sub-2 ERA as a Pirate, Vance Worley and Radhames Liz have pitched well at AAA and can join the team Tuesday, and AJ Burnett should be back in a week or two.