After moving on from a potential effort to buy the Marlins, Mitt Romney and his family are eyeing the purchase of a share of the Yankees, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. In this case, though, the high-profile politician and businessman would only be looking at obtaining a small portion of the franchise’s highly valuable ownership stake.
Here’s more from the American League:
- There’s ongoing concern in the Indians organization regarding the health of outfielder Michael Brantley, Heyman futher reports. Though Cleveland is expressing at least some degree of optimism publicly, the most important steps remain to be taken. Hopes that Brantley could be ready to take the field on Opening Day “have waned just a tad,” says Heyman, though clearly the most important issue isn’t so much when he’s ready as it is ensuring that there isn’t another major setback when he does return to action.
- It seems that Josh Hamilton will be able to resume his quest to crack the Rangers roster, as he T.R. Sullivan was among those to tweet that a knee exam yesterday revealed no new structural damage. For the time being, it seems, the discomfort will slow him down somewhat, though presumably he’ll be back in action as soon as the oft-injured joint allows.
- The Orioles continue to receive positive signs on two key pitchers who are dealing with some early-spring health questions, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports (Twitter links). Though Zach Britton still has “a little discomfort in [his] left side,” he says it’s getting better. And starter Chris Tillman says that his right shoulder “feels great” as he continues to throw long toss. It’s not yet clear when the two hurlers will get back on the mound.
- White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier, meanwhile, is dealing with what he describes as a minor oblique issue, as Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago reports. Frazier, who is considered day-to-day for the time being, says he’ll likely just sit for a few days while the tightness hopefully subsides. “It’s something I’ve dealt with before,” says Frazier, who remains a potential trade chip in his final year of team control. “But at the same time, from what I’ve heard they’re not anything to mess with. So let’s take a couple days and see how it is after a couple days and go from there.”
- As the Red Sox have moved to cash in prospect assets for talented major leaguers since the arrival of president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, the remaining young players have seemingly taken on added importance to the club’s future. As Rob Bradford of WEEI.com writes, the Sox refused to part with third baseman Rafael Devers in the deal that ultimately netted Chris Sale. He and first baseman Sam Travis — who missed a significant chunk of 2016 due to knee surgery — aren’t expected to head north with the club out of camp, but could play a major role not long from now. As Dombrowski observes: “The best clubs are constantly breaking in young players on a consistent basis, year in, year out. And you also need it from a cost basis perspective.”
partyatnapolis
sadly, brantley has become the next grady sizemore
em650r
Brantley is all that’s left from the CC trade
Polish Hammer
Just think of all the money they saved over the years from the locker room spread? CupCake Sabathia used to put quite a dent in that budget.
Polish Hammer
He didn’t quite reach the level of Sizemore IMO.
Solaris611
I hate to agree, but it’s true. Tribe fans spent year after year hoping for Sizemore’s healthy return, and the few times he did return he was injured again almost immediately. The feeling I’m getting about Brantley is all too familiar.
hoyce
Pretty sure u shouldn’t use crack and josh Hamilton in the same sentence.
arcadia Ldogg
That definitely wasn’t by accident.
Antdrew
dang, I wanted to be the first to notice that lol
start_wearing_purple
Be thankful the period was in the right place.
lesterdnightfly
“Pretty sure u shouldn’t use crack”
….is where you should have stopped.
Ry.the.Stunner
I told optimistic Indians fans after the WS that they shouldn’t put too much of their hope for 2017 into Michael Brantley returning to the field healthy and as productive as 2015. But nooooo…
Solaris611
Yeah, I got beat down regularly last year when it was clear to me by early May that 2016 was a lost season for Brantley. Now the odds of 2017 being any different seem to get shorter every day.
alexgordonbeckham
Probably good that the Red Sox cashed in on some. They usually hold onto them too long and they struggle and lose value. Not saying the guys they dealt will or won’t.
Travis’ Wood
Um… Ever heard of Mookie Betts? Jackie Bradley? Xander Bogaerts? Almost every top position player that Ben Cherington wasn’t willing to move turned out even better than expected. Imagine if the Red Sox had actually done that rumored Betts for Strasburg swap. Holding onto your top prospects is almost always the better strategy for sustained success.
alexgordonbeckham
Congrats. You named 3 guys.
adyo4552
Dont forget Pedroia, Steven Wright, Hanley Ramirez (sorta), ERod (sorta), Benintendi… Also Rizzo, if you want to stab my heart with a dagger. Disparaging the Sox farm system it plain stupid.
Austin0723
Wright came from the Indians not from us
dlevin11
ERod came from Baltimore not us
TheGreatTwigog
You need more sample size to be accurate. We’ve also had plenty of prospects that have failed.
jmi1950
Most prospects fail. These three were all stars last year. Name another team that had 3 young all stars drafted and developed by the team.
SamFuldsFive
The Royals?
McGlynnandjuice
The Giants: panik crawford posey bumgarner belt
jmi1950
Three drafted and developed 25 or under All Stars in 2016? Only Betts, JBJ & Boegarts meet that criteria. Philly was demanding two of them plus Swihart for Hamels. You get some right and some wrong. Most prospects fail. When the Sox traded Casey Kelly & Rizzo for A-Gone, Kelly was the top prospect in the deal.
WAH1447
The cubs Bryant schawber and you could say Russell even though he was traded also baez Wilson contreras and the braves have too with Freddie Teheran dansby kinda vizciano kinda albies will be a stud and will arrive this year. The Astros with springer correa altuve keuchel Bergman. The mets with wright harvey degrom comforto and wheeler kinda and Familia. The Dodgers with kershaw Jansen pederson seager. The dbacks with goldy pollack lamb Corbin. The jays have Sanchez stroman and osuna. The rangers have darvish odor Martin perez. Really the question should be which team hasn’t developed atleast 3 above average major leaguers maybe the tigers but they do have verlander nick C 3B and fulmer did finish his development in the tigers and minors. I mean you could say the padres or white sox don’t and maybe the A’s and they all suck anyways but have high quality talent right around the corner except for the A’s Bean trades everybody for nobody
WAH1447
And yes everybody I listed who hasn’t been an all star which isn’t really all that big of deal plenty of guys get MVP votes who didn’t play in the all star, bottom line in the next 3 years everyone who I named who hasn’t been an all star yet will perform at an all star level do I have a rebuddle?
jmi1950
I still haven’t seen any team with 3 All stars under the age of 25 both drafted and developed. As well as not traded away despite the fact that other teams –Phil wanted 2 of them plus Swihart for Hamels, Det wanted JBJ, etc. Just give the Sox management a little credit, all of them; Theo, Ben, DD, Mike Hazen, Jed Hoyer, Bill James etc. There is a reason why CHC, AZ etc have raided their front office people.
jmi1950
If you want to add the under 25 players who haven’t arrived yet Beneteni, Sam Travis & Devers. The prospects traded away for Kimbrel, Pomerantz & Sale include Margot, Espinoza, Moncada, Kopech and more. I think in 5 years the talk will be how truly deep that farm system was. If the Sox turned it into a solid core that competes at a high level for a number of years then it was a success.
alexgordonbeckham
They’ve been better lately, I will give them that.
User 4245925809
1st round pick failures, a lot of which has been when they insisted on drafting trash throwers in round 1, which happened in 2006 (2 1s failures) 2008 (1s) 2010 (1s) 2012 1st round and let’s not forget 1st round and 7th overall pick trey Ball from 2013.
Every single garbage thrower they have drafted in round 1 since ’06 has been a flameout.. What a track record!
vinscully16
I agree with Alex, the Boston press of recent years hyped every prospect they could – unrealistic. Glad to see the Sox balancing their approach between veterans and young talent. The Sale trade is outstanding.
jakem59
They hyped them just as much as every other locality hypes their prospects, Boston press is just nationally published so it shows up in more places.
start_wearing_purple
Show me a team, a fanbase, and a local press that doesn’t hype their prospects. I assume with the handle “vinscully” you could look back and many hyped Dodgers prospects that just never measured up.
san888
This Sale trade was one that is hard to argue with. If he stays healthy it could net them a championship or two.
sufferforsnakes
Well, if Dr. Smooth can’t make the opening day lineup, then I’m hoping Yandy Diaz does.
BrodiesHairisGreezy!
Mitt Romney. Yes the man who pulled a 360 on the Donald.
Trevor 3
I thought I heard that Jarred Kushner or one of the Trump kids wanted to buy the Marlins.
Polish Hammer
More like a 180…
san888
Yes 180. Though in Politics it may be a 360 soon.
kbarnoski26
josh hamilton comeback year, i think he can put up consistant numbers if he can stay healthy
Baseketfootball56
Mitt the Witt we don’t need him or his camp to have any say with the Yankees
Mattimeo09
1. Santana
2. Kipnis
3. Lindor
4. Encarnacion
5. Ramirez
6. Brantley
7. Chisenhall
8. Gomes
9. Naquin
Mattimeo09
Now that’s a deep lineup