MLBTR Originals

A roundup of MLBTR’s original content from the past week:

• MLBTR contributor Brett Ballantini (links here) spoke with new Diamondbacks senior vice president and assistant general manager Jared Porter, who previously worked in the front offices of the Red Sox and Cubs. Porter discussed what it was like to be a member of those two organizations during their championship-winning, drought-breaking campaigns, and he addressed various subjects relating to the Diamondbacks, among other topics.
• Another MLBTR contributor, former Cubs front office member Chuck Wasserstrom, chatted with ex-Blue Jays scouting director Tim Wilken about the team’s impressive 1997 draft haul. First-round pick Vernon Wells headlined the class for the Jays, who also selected three other players who became successful big leaguers in Michael Young, Orlando Hudson and Mark Hendrickson.
• This year’s Offseason In Review series continued with Mark Polishuk analyzing the Red Sox’s winter and Charlie Wilmoth doing the same with the Brewers’.
• Jeff Todd explained that this could be a make-or-break year for Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda, while I took a look at what’s at stake for Diamondbacks righty Shelby Miller.
• Lastly, Jeff polled readers on which team will sign arguably the best free agent pitcher left on the board, righty Doug Fister. Out of the six clubs listed, the plurality of voters see the Yankees as the likeliest landing spot. However, “Other” has gotten the most votes so far.