MLBTR Originals: 3/16/20 – 3/22/20

Even with the baseball world shut down, MLB Trade Rumors is still covering any breaking league and transaction news, while also exploring some other topics.  Here’s the roundup of the week’s original content from the MLBTR staff….

• Jeff Todd profiled different topics every weekday on MLBTR’s YouTube series, with this week’s entries looking at such diverse topics as the Cubs’ quiet offseason, as well as some noteworthy disappointing free agent signings from Orioles, Cubs, and Yankees history.
• The Offseason In Review series continued with entries on what the Mets, Angels, Red Sox, and Phillies all this winter.
• Plenty of players are looking at the 2020 season as an opportunity to make up for shakier performances last year.  Connor Byrne cited nine NL Central pitchers, 10 NL West pitchers, and six NL West hitters all looking for better things this season.  Along those same lines, Steve Adams and Anthony Franco profiled some rebound candidates, as Steve looked at the Pirates’ Chris Archer while Anthony delved into newly-signed Giants righty Kevin Gausman.
• With other league business on hold, could some teams and players take this extra time to work out contract extensions?  Jeff thinks it could potentially happen, and lists some extension candidates within both the NL Central and NL East.
• All extensions carry risk, however, and Mark Polishuk looked back at a couple of major contracts that might serve as cautionary tales.  We just passed the ten-year anniversary of Joe Mauer’s precedent-setting extension with the Twins, while the Red Sox are only a year removed from their already-problematic extension with Chris Sale.
• Speaking of looks back at the past, Connor revisited Andy Pettitte’s successful return from retirement to pitch for the 2012-13 Yankees.  Jeff also dove down the rabbit hole of alternate baseball realities to explore what might happened if the Cubs hadn’t signed Jason Heyward, and if Heyward had instead signed with one of four other teams who were reportedly part of his free agent market.
• After missing all of the 2018 season due to Tommy John surgery, Padres right-hander Dinelson Lamet returned to action in 2019 and now could be a prime breakout candidate, Connor writes.
• Are the Mets ready to make the postseason?  MLBTR readers were pretty split in our poll, though 54% of respondents felt the Amazins were indeed headed for the playoffs.
• Over the coming weeks, we’ll look at how the extended delay to the 2020 season will impact specific teams.  Connor began the series by exploring how the injury-riddled Yankees suddenly have more time for their stars to get healthy.