After chronicling some Blue Jays notes earlier today, let’s take a look around the rest of the American League East…
- “Unless something completely unanticipated happened,” Dave Dombrowski figures the Red Sox will halt all extension talks by Opening Day, the team president of baseball operations told the media (including Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com). Most players like to have any negotiations wrapped up before the actual games begin, with Dombrowski also citing his preference for a lack of distractions. Xander Bogaerts, Rick Porcello, and potentially J.D. Martinez (if he exercises an opt-out clause) are all scheduled for free agency after the season. Talks with Bogaerts earlier this winter failed to materialize into an extension, while the Sox hadn’t yet discussed a new contract with Porcello as of late February. Of course, the Red Sox already took care of one major 2019-20 free agent by inking Chris Sale to a new deal that will keep the southpaw in Boston through the 2024 season.
- Rays third baseman Matt Duffy is likely headed to the IL to begin the season, manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including Eduardo A. Encina and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). Duffy has been bothered by a hamstring problem for much of the spring, and will have tests done after he was a late scratch from today’s game lineup. The versatile Rays shouldn’t have much of a problem filling in for Duffy in the short term, as Joey Wendle, Yandy Diaz, and Daniel Robertson are all options at third base. Encina and Topkin also think that Duffy’s injury could open the door for Guillermo Heredia to break camp with the team, unless the Rays choose to use the roster spot on an extra pitcher.
- The Yankees are considering including C.C. Sabathia on their Opening Day roster in order to immediately get the veteran lefty’s five-game suspension out of the way, George A. King III of the New York Post writes. Sabathia is already slated for a stint on the injured list as he recovers from an offseason angioplasty and a knee operation, though he would head to the IL after the first five games are up. The downside for the Yankees is that they would have to play with just 24 active players during the course of Sabathia’s suspension, though there is an off-day within those first five games if any pitchers need some early recovery.
Rest of Boston’s made no sense unless it was with Benintendi, or rodriquez. Bogaerts wasn’t extending unless an overpay. martinez wants to opt out of 2/50m and take a chance as a virtual DH? Walk right on and see what Boras can do for u.
Porcello only made sense if he was willing to take a LOT less than 20m AAV and doubt any 30YO that puts up fair-decent numbers is ready for a pay cut until reality hits them in the face.
What world are you living in? Rodriquez? What makes you **in the know** about JD? I agree about Bogaerts, he has Boras n you know what that means? Porcello I agree too, but I think Porcello likes it in Boston. If I were DD I would sign Benni n not wait for the Evil Empire signs him since they signed the last 2 outfielders that hit FA. I am very happy they signed my 2 faves, Sale n Eovaldi.
The Red Sox have been outspending the Yankees the last couple of years by quite a bit. Yet, some of you still refer to them as the “evil empire”. I am afraid the shoe is on the other foot now. Of course, that comment came after assuming the Yankees plan on signing another OF. The Yankees have no need for any high priced OF additions for the next 4-5 years minimum. In 2020 and beyond their OF will consist of Frazier, Hicks and Judge. With Stanton rotating around as well. They will spend on pitching and maybe a 1st baseman.
Um the Red Sox have outspent the Yankees in 2018 and now 2019 the previous 20 years at least the Yankees easily outspent the Red Sox. I would Boston has a long way to go to catch the Yankees in spending. They did manage to turn the year they were highest in baseball into a World Series so at least they spent the correct way and with the right timing.
@ thecoffinnail,
Frazier will be off the team within 18 months, and bounce around for a few years.
At best he’s a 5th OF (a corner, cannot play CF). It’s questionable that he’ll have a career as good as the recently twice-released Matt Joyce – 14.1 WAR over 11 seasons – who could at least be an almost average ML bat vs. RH pitching.
Thank Bruin… you nailed it there. Yankees were top in MLB payroll every year from 2010-2017 and have nothing to show, Red Sox were top in 2018 and won the World Series. So they’ve outspent the Yankees 1 year ever
Hicks will be constantly on the shelf with that back, and Frazier is on his way to AAAA.
Pretty sure you’re the only person pencilling in Frazier to be a start OF going forward. Sure there’s a chance but no one is planning on it, Yankees included.
Bruin, you said that very well.
Boston should thank the slacker Panda for forcing them up there. He should’ve had a claus in contract if he came to camp in that condition to pay it all back.
Or JD!
The Yankees haven’t had the highest payroll since 2013. Learn what you’re talking about before posting.
Rmullig2 you are right the Dodgers has the highest payroll for quite a few years but if you looked at my post I said the Yankees outspent the Red Sox for the last 20 years except last year and this year. Those are facts and they are indisputable so you should probably learn to read before calling someone out on there post.
“Had”
Sure pasha. Blame it on Panda for not negotiating a fat clause in his contract. Makes sense that you need to make the players responsible to balance out a dumb front office, right?
Martinez makes $23.4 mill in 2020, and then has 2years left with roughly $38mill total. Given how slow the market has been the past two off-season, especially for players over 30, I would expect Martinez to delay his opt out until after 2020…
Not sure how but they need to fix the rules if an injured player can avoid a suspension. Thankfully they went back to a fifteen day IL after the obvious misuse last year of the ten day DL.
Did they go back to the 15 day? I heard that was up for discussion, but I didn’t think confirmed/passed.
How can they allow someone to serve a suspension, never play and then go in the IL? Makes no sense that that would be allowed. Wright could have done that last year if that was an option.
… here’s the number for complaints 1-800-WannaCry
You sound triggered. Have you tried dialing that number yourself?
Because it is the team’s choice in how they choose to use a roster spot. If they want to waste the 25th spot on an injured player so be it. Not sure why it’s such a big deal to you. Players play through injuries all the time. Maybe, the commissioner’s office should give you a job and you can go from team to team deciding who should be on the DL and who can play.
It’s more about the fact that suspension is supposed to be a punishment. MLB leaves a lot to be desired in that department. Carry on with your nonsense though.
He’s been Crispy Crittered
He’s not getting paid and the team loses a player. Those are the things that are supposed to happen with a suspension.
Where was this complaint last year with Cano?
It all makes sense when the Evil Empire owns the MLB office!
The Red Sox own the MLB office? I hadn’t heard that. Thanks for the heads up!!
I see what you did there! Clever
Can someone tell me what Sabathia’s suspension is for. I dont,remember him getting a suspension
He intentionally plunked a guy in his last start. Cost him his IP bonus (Yanks paid him anyway)
CC was cruising in that game and if he went another two innings, it would’ve trigger a $500k bonus. He selflessly sacrificed it to protect his teammates. Awesome that the Yankees still paid him.
Definitely a nice gesture by the FO brass.
It takes a hero to throw at someone in a league where pitchers don’t have to hit.
How is throwing a ball at a defenseless batter protecting his teammates? “Selflessly sacrificed” that would of been getting treatment after the playoffs when they needed him most.
You actually think that money means anything to a player like him? A player who can’t possibly spend all the money he’s gotten in his looooong ML career.
Oh yeah, I remember that now. Thanks for the info!
Matt Duffy is a “tin man”. Too much time injured. Needs to take up professional chess.
CC is anything but selfless. I can rennet him crying after one game cuz Peddy bunted n everyone knows he had a bad knee.
You’ve got a warped memory.
The arbitrary end of the extension talks to day 1 of the MLB season is just that based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system. (arbitrary defined).
I expect the talks to be ongoing.
As they should be.
It’s in everybody’s interest to do so.
I wish these negotiators “on both sides” would stop playing these games and shut up and work things out or not talk about it if they haven’t accomplished anything.
We don’t need to know if they have decided to stop talking.
It just makes them look foolish for saying so.
PS – An MLB player can’t hit, field or pitch, I’m guessing, if they have to think about their contracts for the future during the regular season …. LOL. According to DD.
If I were an MLB player I would simply “ignore” that comment by DD 100% as BS.
And if I were John Henry I would be upset that DD is so closed minded to say that.