It was on this day in 1908 that one of baseball’s great slang terms was coined. In a story by the New York Globe’s Peter Morris about an 8-2 Giants win over the Pirates, Morris wrote “It isn’t often that [umpire] Hank O’Day is caught napping‚ but a young player just getting his cup of coffee in the league put one over on Hank and [umpire Bill Klem] yesterday.” This was reportedly the first time that “cup of coffee” was used to describe a short stint in the big leagues, and it has been part of the game’s vernacular ever since.
Some news as we head into the weekend…
- Dusty Baker’s desire for a contract extension is “not going [to] be an issue” for the Nationals, GM Mike Rizzo told the Washington Post’s Jorge Castillo and other reporters. “We’re not going to let it be an issue. Dusty’s a true professional. He’s been through this, the rigors of the regular season, a million times. I’ve been through it a million times. It’s suffice to say there’s great communication, great respect between the front office and the manager’s office.” Baker has been open about wanting to remain with the Nats beyond the end of his current contract, which expires at season’s end, and Rizzo has himself recommended to ownership that Baker be extended, though there hasn’t appeared to be any movement towards a new deal.
- Cody Reed has been pitching well since his demotion to Triple-A, but Reds manager Bryan Price tells the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Zach Buchanan and other reporters that the club has no plans to bring Reed back up to the Show in the near future. Reed, ranked by Baseball America as the #2 prospect in the Reds’ farm system, has a 7.15 ERA over 61 2/3 innings in the big leagues — a 10-start stint in 2016 and seven outings (six relief appearances, one start) to begin this year. “I don’t want to take another step back with this kid. He’s doing too well in Triple-A to feel like we’ve rushed him back and if he has a setback up here we feel like we’re back to square one,” Price said.
- Jay Bruce has gone from offseason trade chip to a hugely valuable piece for the Mets, Mike Puma of the New York Post writes. There was some question as to whether the Mets would exercise their $13MM club option on Bruce last winter given his struggles after joining the team in a deadline trade, and the Mets also shopped Bruce after they re-signed Yoenis Cespedes. Bruce has rebounded to hit .250/.322/.514 with 15 homers in 242 PA, helping stabilize an outfield that lost Cespedes to the DL and Curtis Granderson to an ugly early-season slump.
- David Price’s issues with the Boston media have added a new wrinkle to his contract’s opt-out clause after the 2018 season, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal writes. Price may be tired of pitching in Boston, yet he realistically isn’t going to opt out of the four years and $127MM remaining on his deal unless he feels he can find as much or more money in free agency at age 33. So Price now has perhaps even more incentive to pitch well for the Red Sox, though in this situation’s odd catch-22, better performance would likely alleviate the media pressure. With over a season and a half to go before Price has to face his opt-out decision, it’s probably too early to speculate about his current thought process, especially when so many other factors (Price’s health, the team’s performance, etc.) are also in the mix.
- Baseball America’s Ben Badler (subscription required) looks ahead to the next international signing period that opens on July 2, profiling five highly-touted young players from the Dominican Republic who are already rumored to be signing with the Mets, Pirates, Rockies, Twins, and Yankees.
Price has always been even tempered and put up with reporters.
I can’t blame him for his anger against a dying press and insignificant bloggers who never even picked up a ball in their weak little lives.
Media the last 10-15 years: No story? Invent one. Someone lets you know something in confidence? Write about it anyway.. Difference in today’s world and reporting of yesteryear..
today’s writers are nothing but useless vultures.
What an insult to David Price. This is an example of why the majority of this country now distrusts and/or hates the media. To suggest that such a quality person such as David would be more motivated to succeed because of some headline chasing bloggers or columnists is an insult to his professionalism. David Price is one of the few really good guys in this sport, and Boston deserves to lose his talents if they continue to badger him. Disclosure – I am a Red Sox fan who happens to also be a Vandy fan. Best of luck to the Sox and David.
That’s what I just said.
I hope the rest of the team rallies around Price. Don’t talk to anyone whithout a camera crew.
I remember when Adrian Gonzalez went to the Dodgers, he said that he hadn’t been asked a baseball question in two years. Or something like that. Boston media sucks.
Both Price and Gonzalez are one in the same. They are both spoiled athletes that tuck tail at any sign of adversity. If you’re from the Boston area, it’s the fans that got on both players, not the media. Yes, Evan Dreilich is a Comcast Sports reporter but the dude was doing his job and Price acted like a petulant child.
Not to mention, Price has demonstrated he has no ability to turn off trolls. He cares too much about what people think of him.
Boston media heckles their own team so much..I will never understand it.
Wow… you’re not paying attention. Gonzalez and Price “spoiled athletes”? SMH
Agreed, they are the absolute worst and Price deserves better
Majority? I think not.
The Mets are rumored to sign a high profile international player?! That’s more surprising than Harvey throwing five shutout innings.
Don’t believe rumors like that Frank. The Mets are cheap and don’t cough up cash unless their back is to the wall.
Mike, that’s just not an accurate comment.
He come on here to only bash the Mets and he’s really bad at it too. Never funny, never accurate either.
He certainly wasn’t accurate in his comments. like there was clear Mets bashing from chest-thumping Yankees fan with an agenda dismissive of facts.
Example – Amed Rosario 2017 Top 5 MLB prospect from the D.R. signed to 1..75 mil deal in 2012 as 16 year old.
Yeah, it sucks how thru didn’t re-sign Cespedes in the off season because they were cheap.
Baker’s leash is pretty short and the expectations are sky high in Washington. If the team doesn’t go deep in the playoffs, maybe even go to the WS, he is gone.
WOW! You have it ALL figured out. I glad I read this!
Having a rough morning?
I wouldn’t say Bruce has “rebounded” this year, considering his slash line is almost identical to his combined slash from last year, and not much higher than his career line. He’s always been a very good player, he’s just never going to be a superstar.
and he has always been terribly streaky. One month of mashing, two plus months of 0-4 and 1-5 crickets with a K every 3 ABs..
He had a hot start, and now, the two months of crickets. He’ll end up same as always, near 30 HRs, .230 or worse average and lots and LOTS of LOB.
I have often thought that the DFW media has been the same way with Darvish. The most talented long-term pitcher we’ve had since Nolan Ryan and Kevin Brown, and the last half-decade I’ve read numerous articles titled: Yu Can’t Pitch the Big Game, Darvish Doesn’t Give a **** About the Rangers, Yu Darvish Can’t Keep Lead and Rangers Lose 2-1, etc… Yu uses a translator because his English is good, but he’d hate for something to be lost in his translation or taken wrongly(his words), and they even use that against him. I’d love to see him stick around, but can’t blame him if he heads out West… By the way, I truly do not believe that all media is that way, it just seems to happen more often in the “click bait” world that we live in now.
You go to Boston, you get Boston media. Part of playing for a big market team is that they’ll shower you with adoration and name babies after you when you win, and berate you as a useless overpaid pile of crap when you lose.
Exactly. These guys keeps signing with Boston and NY and then are shocked that media is scummy.
True but at the same time, it still doesn’t justify the words written in that article.
The way they turned of Nomar, and even Papi when he had that off year, was horrible- Boston sports writers need to grow up
But what if Price thinks, “I hate it here, and I’m already rich…”. Not likely, but not impossible for him to opt out.
He won’t. Not the way he’s currently been playing, and especially not if he gets hurt again.
He just wouldn’t be able to find that AAV anywhere else. If I were him, I would play out the contract and if I’m still any good afterwards, sign the best deal I can then. Nobody will pay him $30 a year if he opts out.
You missed his point. The OP was suggesting that Price could come to the decision that he is already rich enough and thus the amount he is making each year is less important for him personally than pitching in a city where he actually enjoys his time.
The Sox media are the Joe West of umpires, they try too hard to be noticed. I’m a lifelong Sox fan that has grown tired of the Boston media. Frankly, I prefer reading the informed comments of MLBTR contributors and readers, the result is a far more reliable accounting of Sox news than offered by the Boston press. Price should opt out, he seems unhappy with his present dealings and having already earned $114 million will make such a decision easier to accept.
Isn’t the Price situation solved from all points of view if he pitches to his historical numbers? This is very overblown.
If Price wants out of BOS it may be worthwhile for the front office to consider a potential deal that would send him to TEX for Darvish. Sox get an ace, albeit a rental, Price gets out of Bean Town, and Rangers give Price the opportunity to build value for a potential opt out after ’18. It’s a complete long shot, but it would work in theory.
All this because John Henry wouldn’t pay Jon Lester. I’d rather have Lester at 20M– 5yrs, 100m probably would have gotten an extension done– than whatever version of David Price this is for 31.
Has any former Ray done well in Boston?
You guys rode Lester hard as well!
No argument here, but we knew he could handle it.
I like the idea of slow-playing Cody Reed. He’s got good stuff but he’s been beat around too much to risk hurrying back up. He needs confidence and no pressure at this point.
“Baseball America’s Ben Badler ….July 2, profiling five highly-touted young players from the Dominican Republic who are already rumored to be signing with the Mets, Pirates, Rockies, Twins, and Yankees.”
Not the PHILLIES?????
I’m shocked!
I guess “highly touted” means they won’t sign for McDonald’s meal money. How on earth could the Phillies ever afford to pay market rates?
Felger and Mazz, and a couple of of other booger eaters rode Beckett, Lackey and Ghomes every day till they left Boston and now they have targeted Price. The ones that need to leave Boston is the so-called reporters that believe that they are the story not the athletes
Team needs to stand with Price….but Price needs to learn to deal with the media. By deal with them, it may be just to answer questions and ignore what they write. Boston media is garbage, always has been. It is hard to ever take them serious because of how they treat stars in bad years.
I just want the guy to be a serviceable pitcher for the team. I have no problem with how he acts on or off the field. With that being said, I wouldn’t be shocked if he left.