A rousing World Series hasn’t come without its controversies. On the field, questions have arisen about the baseballs themselves, as SI.com’s Tom Verducci discusses. The balls being used for the series are slicker than regular season ball, some players and coaches say, with some even feeling there have been differences through the postseason. This follows on a long-running debate over “juiced” balls in the regular season. It’ll be interesting to see whether and how the league addresses the subject over the winter.
Here are some notes from out west:
- The Athletics may be putting out trade feelers on young power hitter Ryon Healy, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. As she notes, he mostly fits in a DH capacity on the current roster, but the team may prefer to bump Khris Davis into that slot. The 25-year-old Healy isn’t considered much of a defender, and only posted a .302 OBP last year, but has already blasted 38 home runs in 888 MLB plate appearances. Slusser suggests that the A’s might attempt to draw back some relief pitching in a hypothetical trade.
- Slusser also has the latest on Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell. He was arrested for “allegedly waving a gun at a food delivery person” in a troubling incident that Slusser details. It’s not yet clear how the matter will impact Maxwell’s status with the team, but it seems he will be referred to MLB’s Joint Treatment Program, as Slusser notes. Maxwell, 26, is expected to play a significant role for the A’s next year as part of the club’s youth movement, but it seems he’ll have to address some other matters before the spring.
- Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News takes a good look at the Rangers’ possibilities in left field, a position in quite some flux for the team. It may be that it ends up featuring a “cast of characters,” as Grant puts it. Slugger Joey Gallo and speedster Delino DeShields could see time in left if they aren’t used as primary options elsewhere. And top prospect Willie Calhoun, the main piece acquired in the Yu Darvish deal, could run with the position but may first need to iron out his glovework at Triple-A. What’s most interesting here, perhaps, is that the range of options seemingly leaves the club with some flexibility as it enters the offseason.
It wouldn’t be too surprising if The A’s do dangle Healy in trade, The Red Sox show some interest. He’d be a cheap source of power, something The Red Sox need.
Healy wouldn’t be an everyday player in that lineup, IMO. Can’t see the Sox giving up much.
They don’t have much left to give up..,
He’d DH, when Hanley is playing 1B, and vice versa.
Cheap source of power? He is under control for 5 years. Thats far from cheap. If you want him that will be one Jayson Groome.
Cheap is different from long term. Yea, it might be for 5 years, but it might not cost them much.
Groome for Healy?? Dave Dombrowski, is that you?? Not gonna happen DD
Healy is an established big leauger hitter under control for 5 year. It will cost a big return. Sure it might not be groome but you get the point. Its not going to be Sam travis, Josh Rutlege and call it a day like red sox fans believe.
Established big leaguer……….. 1 year of service time………. wat…….
Eduardo Rodriguez for Healy makes sense for both sides, especially if Boston are going to be players in the FA SP market (Darvish?).
I would make the Healy for E-rod trade in a heartbeat. But would A’s trade for a pitcher who just had reconstructive knee surgery?
We traded Sonny Gray for two injured players, one of which had an open rupture of the right patellar tendon that required surgery. Our rehabilitation system is pretty solid.
Billy Beane says ““Give me your injured, your poorly paid, your huddled masses yearning to traded to a contender at the trade deadline, the wretched refuse of your DFAs.”
LOL
I’d rather keep Healy he fits in with the young guys, lots of control left, and Davis is only going to get more expensive in arbitration. I’d trade Khris Davis over Ryon Healy and it’s a no brainer
Healy for Joe Kelly and a mid to low level prospect? To much or to little going to the A’s?
Not much team control on Kelly. The A’s would want somebody with 4 or 5 years of team control.
Kelly would make sense with more control, but I don’t see OAK biting on that since he doesn’t have a ton of control.
A’s can get more than that
I would be interested to know the food that person was delivering.
Chinese food isn’t worth the gun-wave, but if someone delivered a cold plate of pad-thai — you could make an argument.
Or if the pizza was super late and the wrong toppings lol
Typical..Rehab solves everything!!
maxwell’s days with the A’s are numbered. Beane has never liked players who are not very smart. Unfortunately he has a negative trade value and they have not much options. A’s will sign a catcher in the off season and that will signal his end is soon.
Might want to check out their Acquisitions/Drafts? Not V/smart, just like your statements. Yah, I know, they made a movie, the guy across the street has 3 rings, but no sag card
The Giants would have zero titles if the Rays drafted Posey #1 like they were supposed to. Beane has 8 postseason years out of 17 with minimal budget. One got lucky, the other is actually talented – that’s why he has the “SAG card” – although Beane doesn’t even have one of those and isn’t even in the actual movie and didn’t write the book, but sure, keep on with the fake news.
But Justin the Giants DID get Posey so stop crying
I’d disagree with that, he hired Bob “I can only win when I have talent” Melvin. Uhh Girardi got the Yankees to 84 wins with no talent, Melvin isn’t what a good/plus manager is.
I wouldn’t say the Yankees are ever “talentless”. If you spend that much money on your team there’s gotta be at least a little bit of talent, and if that isn’t the case I would be supremely disappointed in whoever is running that show.
The A’s have limped along with career AAAA players and washed up veteran players for 2 years. There’s talentless, and then there’s that. It would take a miracle to get that mess from 2015/2016 above .500.
It would be great if MLB looked deeply into the slick/juiced ball issue, instead of the Chief Wahoo non-issue.
That’s assuming MLB doesn’t want a juiced ball. One would think in their efforts to make things more exciting for young fans, all these homeruns help.
it would explain the amount of walks being issued as well
Why can’t they do both? The ball issue is pretty obvious – there are at least three studies that one can easily find showing the difference in the seams during the 2017 baseballs and previous years, although none have been done since the postseason. The Chief Wahoo issue is pretty obvious too, and pretty easy to solve, except apparently nobody in baseball has the courage to stand up for what’s right.
$$$
Quite true, sadly. If Native Americans actually had any political or economic power in this country that was stolen from them…but that’s not a baseball conversation.
As so often, David, you’re spot on. It shouldn’t be a right/left thing, everyone should be able to move on and make the sport better and more welcoming for everyone.
Where’s the evidence that anyone is unwelcomed?
But the natives aren’t true Americans , Europeans set on America log before them
look up the word “natives” for me please.
You think racism is a non-issue, huh? Interesting you’d be so open about it.
Oh But Chief Wahoo IS an issue. Much more an issue then a juiced ball. Chief Wahoo must go!
I know it’s in the Division. But I wonder if the A’s would send Healy to the Angels
A’s never shy away from dealing within the division, but Healy’s not going to necessarily be dirt cheap.
Aren’t Healy and Cron basically the same player? Pujols is locked into the Angels DH spot for the next 4 years, there’s not a lot room for all 3.
Maxwell, disrespects the flag, and disrespects other people, allegedly. What a surprise.
He didn’t disrespect the flag
How do you still not understand what these players are protesting? Is it just willful ignorance?
I find it more disrespectful to wear the flag as clothing. Like shirts, head wraps, pants, bikinis, pants, and ect… Kind of how that talking head on fox news wore it as a dress. How about having a flag up when it rains or at night? That is against the flag code too.
Or like when Olberman called that disrespectful and then the cover of his book is him draped in the flag?
The “whataboutism” is strong with this one!
Fire and ban Maxwell for life,there’s no place in baseball for that trash he did. And for as the Rangers well they are desperate anyways and want low budget players so they are screwed until John Daniels gets fired and ran off
I guess we should ban Matt Bush too then
Lol
Aroldis Chapman did something far worse and received what, a 30-day suspension? Last time I checked Jose Reyes was still playing too.
Miguel Cabrera fell out of his car blacked out literally holding a tequila bottle – he could have killed so many people. Ban him too?
No, ban the guy because RWNJs think these players are “terrorrists” – they’re okay with abusers – look no further than the White House. It’s called a double standard.
I see DeShields in CF and Gallo at 1b to start the season. Obviously that could change. Gallo could be starter at 3B in 2019 to replace Beltre who would be 40 years old and is a FA at the end of next year.
Guzman is ready to play 1B in the majors. I think Gallo in LF makes a lot of sense
Healy/Munoz for Danny Duffy.
Jeff Hoffman for Healy. Healy plays 1st