In an article at The Athletic, Sahadev Sharma makes five predictions for the 2022 Cubs, including one that Craig Breslow will emerge as a candidate for a future team president role. Breslow retired from pitching and joined the Cubs’ front office prior to the 2019 season as director of strategic initiatives and was promoted to assistant general manager after the 2020 campaign. Sharma points out that Breslow is from the same area of Connecticut as Mets’ owner Steve Cohen, which could have made him a nice fit for the lengthy front office search the Mets’ underwent in recent months, which concluded with the hiring of Billy Eppler as general manager. However, the Mets never actually reached out to Breslow, according to Sharma.
Some other notes from around the league…
- The Orioles announced in November that they would be hiring two co-hitting coaches, Matt Borgschulte and Ryan Fuller. Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun profiled both of them this week to discuss their respective journeys. Borgschulte spent some time at Southeast Missouri State, where he worked with Dillon Lawson. The two will now be division rivals in the MLB, as Lawson recently became the Yankees hitting coach. During their time there, the school’s program developed a reputation as being at the forefront of using technology to improve pitch recognition using occlusion training, “where video of a pitch is cut off after around 20 feet, forcing a hitter to use that early portion of the ball flight to decide what type of pitch it is and whether to swing,” as Meoli describes it. Fuller, meanwhile, has been largely focused on biomechanics and swing planes. He was hired by the Orioles prior to the 2020 season with the aim of being the hitting coach in Low-A. However, after the pandemic wiped out the minor leagues that year, he ended up at the Orioles’ alternate site, working with players who were on the cusp of the majors. Successful showings from players like Cedric Mullins, DJ Stewart, Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays helped Fuller’s approach take hold in the organization, leading to his new position working with the big league club. The ability to maximize the potential of their young hitters figures to be an important detail for the Orioles in the coming years. The club has had five straight losing seasons and is firmly in the basement of the AL East, with their four division mates having each won at least 91 games in 2021. However, their rebuilding process has led to stockpiling young talent, with Baseball America placing them second only to the Mariners in their most recent Organization Talent Rankings. Turning those prospects into productive major leaguers will be key to helping the club climb out of the AL East basement.
- Terry Francona stepped away from his managing duties for health reasons in July but seems to be on the path to return to the dugout to helm the Guardians in 2022. He recently spoke with Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe and provided some more details about his situation. “I had my hip replaced in August. That was a piece of cake. Four weeks later, they went in and redid my toe,” Francona said. “They put a rod in, two pieces of bone and eight screws. Technically, I’m still on crutches, but I haven’t been using my crutches for a while. I’m in a boot.” Tito then goes on to detail how he’s been managing this multitude of injuries since chasing down a fly ball as a 22-year-old and has since had over 40 surgeries in the subsequent 40 years. “Twelve on each knee. That’s the majority,” he said. “I’ve had my toe done twice. Both hips. Both shoulders twice. Left elbow. Hernia. Neck. Back. Disk surgery. I’ve had four or five surgeries on my wrist and fingers, but they are just little ones. I don’t count those. Then I had the blood clot procedures. The last surgery, they put two stents in my legs and one in my stomach and I have better circulation now than I have in a long time.” Despite all of that, Tito played parts of 10 seasons as a player and has now managed parts of 21 seasons. And if all continues according to plan, he should be back for a 22nd.
Orioles are going to be good in the years ahead. Lots of talent throughout now but also a very integrated system to help that talent develop.
You’re joking right? The Chris Davis contract depleted their funds for one thing……
Well if you miss the playoffs like the Padres just did, having spent as much as they did, are they really any better off than the Orioles?
I mean at least the Orioles are saving tons of money with that payroll, not to mention the higher draft picks than San Diego.
Nj Birds fan. I see where you are coming from in terms of the payroll comment, but the problem is y’all spent almost 30 mill per season over multiple seasons on a player with a 100 batting average. To compare Davis to our big contracts (Hosmer or Machado) would be silly as neither of those players ripped off the club anywhere near what Davis did to your bottom feeder of a team….I know it and you know it…and bc of him the Orioles are going NOWHERE.
Boy Diehard from 619, you sure seem to be the edgy sort!!! Plus you set pretty low standards. Appropriately so, I believe.
Not so much edgy as brutally honest. Something many people have a hard time doing, or even accepting ……
@ DiehardFriarsFanFromThe619;
Have you taken into consideration that the current Orioles Baseball Operations head Mike Elias was hired in 2019, and he hired new staff at that time?
The Davis contract was negotiated in 2014.
The current Oriole organization is far changed from 2014, and the Davis contract is a primary reason why.
You’re demeaning people that are working their way out of a situation not of their making. Since you continue to post, it’s clear that you’re ignorant of the situation, a cheap shot artist, or both.
Has their payroll issue been smoothed out though from that Samuel? (Serious question not being a jerk)
Also many of those in the Native American community agree with what I’m saying. Don’t put everyone under the same umbrella, just bc one is Native American. They feel even more demeaned bc of the name change. Not everyone wants to feel pitied it can make things worse…Start reading.
@ DiehardFriarsFanFromThe619;
What the heck does smoothed out mean?
The new management was left with a fixed cost. They’re aware of it and working around it.
That’s the real world. The adult world. Anyone that goes to work at a business inherits limitations that have to be worked through. The Orioles are a small market team (since the Nationals took more than half of their fanbase) and they have to work around those limitations. The Rays, Brewers and a number of other small market teams have been far more successful than the Padres that have been spending money like drunken sailors for years now.
Fair enough response Samuel.
The Chris Davis contract is over. All contracts have a finite length and only affect the team during that time. It’s not as if the Orioles spent every penny they will ever have. The contract only ran through next year and he retired a year early. The bad part is they deferred a lot of it so the slate won’t be wiped totally clean. By 2023 the cost will be minimal though compared to how it has been.
The sun is on the horizon for the Orioles. That contract is finally ending. They have been so terrible for so long partly because of that contract that they have been able to draft a lot of great players. Players like Adley Rustchman. Those players are starting to get to be major league ready and by the time they are the Chris Davis contract will be totally in the rear view mirror. The Orioles will have more money to spend as a result. They can add the players they buy to the players like Adley Rustchman who they drafted with all those high picks.
You can’t act as if one 8-year contract can permanently ruin a team. It can only hurt for 8 years. Next season is year 8.
The Orioles biggest obstacle in the future has nothing to do with Chris Davis. The biggest obstacle is that they play in a division with 4 other teams who all won over 90 games last year and 3 of them made the playoffs.
It’s going to be very hard and take a long time for the Orioles to be able to overtake those teams. However the period of time that Chris Davis hurt the organization is basically over.
I have to admit I really wanted to see Chris Davis play every day next season. With 2022 being his last contract year I figured it would be his worst. I was really looking forward to seeing what could be the worst ever season for any player. He already went 0-54 once. It could have gotten even worse. It’s a shame he retired.
No the Orioles FO is weak and gutless.They could have been much, much better all throughout this abhorrent, vicious “tank”, but instead chose to lose as many games as humanly possible for draft picks. It’s this type of ridiculous losing on purpose strategy that has the players association up in arms and for good reason. It’s selfish, and heartless as well.
Where did the Orioles head of baseball ops come from? What organization did he cut his teeth with?
Sorry but it’s hard to take your views seriously qith a name like Bud Selig Fan. If you’re a fan if the ex-Commissioner’s work, then that doesn’t say very much about your baseball acumen.
Have they really been losing on purpose though? Or are they just that bad. They got the #2 in 2020 and spent it on Kjerstad. They could have had that guy in the 2nd and or 3rd round. Maybe later. Do you really think the Orioles tanked to become one of the worst 2 teams in baseball so they could get Kjerstad? They even admitted they drafted Kjerstad because he was cheap and they wanted to spend more down draft. They could have done that no matter where they drafted. Even if some other team fell in love with Kjerstad there is no way he even goes in the top 15. The Orioles knew they could have had him even if they were a .500 team.
Losing on purpose for sure. That FO can waiver claim/cheap smart FA sign/trade to improve to become tolerable to watch vs throwing batting practice to teams like the Yankees, Rays and other teams from the east 19 games every year. Really makes one yearn again for the balanced schedule, just for fairness sake, jeesh.
@ rememberthecoop—
Don’t let the mistake of collusion in the mid-eighties sour you on Mr Selig. His ideas of revenue-sharing & new stadiums of the late-nineties through the turn of the century saved virtually every small-market team including his own and my team the Brewers. It was no easy feat convincing the Steinbrenner’s & O’Malleys to share their revenue for the good of the game.
20+ years of labor peace under his leadership. Worked his butt off getting Donald Fehr and his stonewalling tactics to finally relent for drug testing. Helped increase baseball’s revenues 1,000% under his watch as well. I could go on, but I’ll stop there.
His book “for the good of the game” is an interesting and informative read and I highly recommend it. I’m in awe of what Mr Selig accomplished in his incredible life, and when correct information is realized about what he’s done for the game it’s really quite astounding. The longer Rob Manfred is the commissioner the more people should appreciate Bud Selig.
“Where did the Orioles head of baseball ops come from? What organization did he cut his teeth with?”
@ Bud Selig Fan;
LOL
I like you but I thought you knew more about baseball……
Mark Elias was a principal assistant to Jeff Luhnow during the Astros rebuild. That franchise built a technical and teaching infrastructure that took years, and has resulted in a team that has been a sustainable contender since the rebuild ended, and went to the WS again this past year.
@ Please, Hammer. Don’t hurt ’em.;
No, the Chris Davis contract is not over. He’s receiving deferred descending payments through 2037. He be getting $9m in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Then the payments drop to $3m for some years.
Obviously the Orioles structured them to pay the bulk of the money before they enter contention, at which time they’ll be spending high.
@Samuel: My point was that the @DieHardFriarsFan guy said, “the Orioles are going nowhere” because of the Chris Davis contract. That contract was terrible but it’s not as if it permanently ruins the franchise. It wasn’t even $200 million. One bad contract isn’t an eternal death sentence for a team.
Like I said, the contract wasn’t even $200 million and the vast majority of it has been paid off. The Braves paid Bruce Sutter of all people over $10 million last year and still won it all. The Davis contract is not going to continue to ruin the Orioles future as much as that guy insinuates. The biggest problem they face is dealing with the teams in their division. They are finally getting to the easiest part of the Davis contract.
At this point, the Strasburg, Corbin and Heyward contracts are all far worse than the remaining Davis contract. Same with Miguel Cabrera and Madison Bumgarner. Those guys are all terrible and they are all owed a lot more money. The idea that one 8 year contract for less than $190 million is the reason any team is “going nowhere” 7 years later is ludicrous.
@ Samuel
I was being facetious. He cut his teeth on the tank mentality, which I abhor. I respect the brilliance of Luhnow & co, just not the character. Same with Crane.
@Hammer
Kjerstad was a consensus top 10 talent, frequently mocked there and with the college track record. He would have been taken in the first 10 picks easily. He was far better than a 2nd or 3rd round talent.
Brutally honest or over-exaggerating? He was paid almost 2/3 of what you’re claiming and had a batting average double what you stated. No he wasn’t good…in fact, he was abysmal. That said, he isn’t blowing their budget any longer. They’re growing the farm and growing the overseas operations. The Padres tried to spend their way to success and couldn’t make it over .500.
Kjerstad was slated to go 17. O’s made nice picks lower in draft because they were able to pay overslot. I am still waiting for an intelligent or informed conversation re the O’s on this thread (but perhaps that explains why I rarely read MLBTR comments anymore).
@Dimitri. My point was they didn’t have to tank all the way down to the #2 pick to get him. They could have done a lot better and still drafted him as well as paying over slot down draft. The Orioles didn’t have to tank that far to get Kjerstad or the overslot guys they drafted.
There is no indication (and this is coming from someone who literally follows them every day of the year) that this is a team that was tanking. It is true to say that they did not go out and pursue high and overpriced free agents. But nor should they. They are in a phase of rebuilding. Leaving aside the tremendous talent in the minor-league system, they have a pretty good core at the major-league level (some of whom underachieved last year, some like Mullins who blossomed) but throughout the year every player was giving effort. In fact one of the things that Brandon Hyde was praised for by other managers was the effort that the Orioles gave, despite accumulation of losses.
You are way off on Kjerstad. He was a top 15 prospect in the draft. He was also immediately a BA top 100 prospect before having to miss 2 seasons from Myocarditis.
Maybe I’m just spoiled having David Stearns leading my team the Brewers out of the darkness without tanking, but he was able to roster a semi-competitive team even in his re-build year.
Either the Orioles FO is incompetent or are doing everything they can to lose baseball games or both. And looking at where their architect came from I’m leaning toward him rostering a team that can’t win and on purpose.
Sign a couple of $10MM starters and stop throwing batting practice. That wouldn’t even take the payroll up to $70MM. When the young pitching are truly ready, trade the veterans, but not before. At least get below 100 losses, thank you.
@Dimitri: I agree. I was responding to @Bud Selig when he was saying the Orioles were tanking and trying “to lose as many games as possible” for their draft picks.
My point was: did he really think they intentionally lost all those games to get the #2 pick when they were going to spend it on Kjerstad anyway? It didn’t make sense. They could have won a lot more games and still drafted Kjerstad. I don’t think they were losing on purpose. It wouldn’t make sense to lose on purpose all the way down to the #2 pick if they were going to draft Kjerstad. I just think they were that bad. I’m sure they would have loved to win more games because they still could have gotten Kjerstad noticably later than #2 overall. He was acting as if the Orioles decided to make sure they went all the way down to the #2 pick because they thought Kjerstad wouldn’t be available at #3 or something.
The Chris Davis contract is off the books. They have money to spend if they wanted too.
No, unfortunately it’s not. The contract had significant deferred money. Not Bobby Bonilla bad, but a lot nonetheless. The Orioles have more than a decade of payments due to Chris Davis.
That must have been one hell of a fly ball catch when Tito was 22. 40 surgeries from chasing down one fly ball? Holy cow.
Context from the column:
“Francona’s long trail of surgeries and hospitalizations started in his rookie season in the majors when his right knee exploded on the warning track in St. Louis’s Busch Stadium when he was chasing down a fly ball hit by Julio Gonzalez.”
Surprised the video tech on pitch recognition is not more long-standing a device.
So, Cedric Mullins has Fuller to thank for his breakout season? Mullins is one of my FB keepers.
Mullins can thank them some. But these coaches have had a major impact on the progress of players throughout the system. More to come. (It’s worth reading both of the articles linked above to get a sense of this.)
Mullins can thank them some. But these coaches have had a major impact on the progress of players throughout the system. More to come. (It’s worth reading both of the articles linked above to get a sense of this.)
Hearing about everything the man has gone through, it’s no wonder he got addicted to pain meds. Guardians are not my team but I wish him well – Tito is a great manager.
“The Guardians”…how F-ing stupid. Snowflakes have even ruined sports tradition (See- Redskins)…I would be outraged if I were a (real) Cleveland fan from Ohio….
Get over it.
“The Indians”…how F-ing stupid.
Ghandi was their best hitter.
Namaste.
Ghandi. Very patient at the plate.
Sherm:
Takes a lot of walks, but he has a low WAR.
I heard he was their worst hitter. Bad contact skills.
Thinking the tradition of insulting a race Western Europeans virtually wiped from existence is something that should continue, now *that* is, in your terms, F-ing stupid.
Mostly only virtue signaling white people are offended.
Your logic (such as it is) is found wanting, as both ptremises are false.
You’re not a real cleveland fan…nothing is ruined.. get over yourself.. it’s just a name..
I’m a real Tribe fan. Everything is ruined. I look forward to the day when the Dolan family sells the team.
“Everything is ruined.” How? Hyperbolic much?
Ooh, hyperbolic. Is that your big word for the day?
It’s one of them. How’s this? Why are you so upset about a name change? The team still made it to World Series Game Seven in both 2016 and 1997, still went 100-44 in ’95, and still won titles in 1920 and 1948. None of that has been ruined.
You had to look it up, right?
Diehard:
I don’t know if you are a true bigot or just a troll, but either way you are just trying to stir the pot and get attention.
I understand the Native Americans were divided in their opinion of the name, but I am guessing that YOU are not a Native American so why can’t you just let it go.
Baseball is a business and the smart owners are going to change with the times.
Are you a native American or a virtue signaling cracker?
Nothing “Diehard” said was bigoted, not even close.
Look, I don’t like it either but that’s their name now. So just get over it. We don’t have to agree but can’t do anything about it. Save it for the statues being torn down.
That is fine if you don’t like the name but aren’t you the snowflake here? You are so offended by this name change.. for some reason you think that your opinion on the topic is so extra-super-special that the rightful owners of the team cannot pick their own name.
@Diehard….Outraged? Perhaps your brittle spirit needs moisturizer.
Had Terry Francona (“Tito” was his father, also a fine player) avoided all the injuries, he would have had an incredible career. While he didn’t have as much pop as his dad, Terry could spray balls all over the field and could easily have been a career .300 hitter.
Yes…..
But Terry is going into the HOF as a manager.
Tito is a family nickname, passed down from father to son. Both are Tito.
Hey Steve, I’m from CT, you’re from CT. I played baseball, you tweet about baseball. I work in a front office. You don’t listen to your front office. It’s a perfect fit.
Mets FO application:
What’s your drink?
How do you feel about women?
Is your last name Alderson?
Found this for you
RunDMC – I had the same take!
Did you play professional baseball? And if you don’t mind, let us know what team you work for. You can’t just make a statement like that and leave people wondering. Well, I guess you can, but it’s not cool.
I guess I needed to put it in quotes to make it obvious.
I’m a SEMO alum, and it is very cool to see members of the baseball program not only contining their careers in major league baseball, but being meaningful contributors to major league coaching staffs. Best of luck to both of them.
Are these jobs that would normally go to ex major leaguers?
Seems like MLB teams are embracing technology more in coaching.
Yes, technology in coaching has been widespread for quite some time.
Today it’s teams that can break down a players mechanics and work to play off his strengths that make many successful. Every year people go gaga over the available FA’s – the teams that make the big moves the following year are those that turn around players via coaching – players they had on the roster as well as players they acquire – many off the waiver wire and in low-visibility trades / signings. The 2021 Giants winning 107 games are the best example; Rays and Brewers have been overperforming for years by getting production out of players that are dismissed because their previous overall stats or level of play on the field wasn’t eye-popping.
–
As for Mr. Breslow – the problem the Cubs and Red Sox had with Theo Epstein was his inability to work with pitching. He pretty much overpaid for guys that were hot, got a year or so out of most of them, than they deteriorated. He responded by firing the pitching coach and signing more high priced FA’s. He brought Mr. Breslow to the Cubs in early 2019, and we shall see what affect he has on the pitching since his promotion.
–
FYI – MLB and it’s fans owe Trevor Bauer a lot for this. While he may not be the best human being, he and a few others (particularly ex-Astros GM Jeff Luhnow – an engineer by trade) were responsible for viewing pitching differently. They brought in theories and technology that some around the country were dabbling in, and made them mainstream MLB processes.
When Cleveland acquired Bauer instead of playing psychological games with him (as his previous team did), they asked about his training methods and theories. In turn he told them of some, and Mark Shapiro sent Assistant Chris Antonetti and manager Terry Francona to independent pitching facilities one offseason. That started Cleveland on the road to reworking how they brought along and maintained pitchers. Bauer also helped numerous teammates in Cleveland (most notably Shane Bieber) and Cincinnati with suggestions on their approaches and pitches they were throwing.
Craig Breslow dodged a bullet.
Stop watching the Mets play then, neophyte.
Steve Cohen should keep an eye on the White Sox front office. Look at the wonderful job they’ve done building this dynasty. Rick Hahn, and Kenny Williams make a formidable duo – with input from the one and only Steve Stone of course. There are only a couple of teams from within their own division that have appeared in the World Series, since the last time the Chisox got there. Plus their rebuild only took about 12 years.
Dynasty? A little ahead of yourself there, aren’t you? That said, I agree the Sox have done a good job but it’s nothing new – they basically copied what the Cubs did. Tanked a few years, got solid draft picks, made good trades and then finished it off with some free agents.
@remember the coop: Coop, sorry but this was totally tongue in cheek. Sox ‘dynasty run’ is very close to have run it’s course.
Alright you guys you win. Perhaps I need to work on my “banter” didn’t mean to cause any problems.
Scouts honor I will pipe down and I’m not being sarcastic. Sorry sometimes I get too excited about my club. No excuses guys and gals, I know. My fault.
Wow. First time I have ever read a heartfelt apology on this site. Good on you my man.
Craig Breslow will be the next “Boy Wonder”, this one with actual experience as an MLB player.
How are the O’s ranked prospect wise? I wouldn’t mind making a trade for Mancini and one of your better outfield prospects.
Hosmer and top prospect in exchange for Mancini and a top prospect, Orioles fans?
Diehard:
Are you a troll or just not informed about contracts?
Mancini is one year at $12 million, a reasonable contract but nothing to write home about. And an inspirational story.
Hosner is four more years at $60 million and limited to 1B. A contract that no one wants.
Orioles have their own problems, they are not taking the Padres mess. Unless the Padres attach CJ Abrams to the deal as the sweetener, which they will not and should not do.
Just dreaming man. Take it easy.
@Diehard – Orioles not interested in trading away any prospects, but are definitely interested in acquiring more specs to add to the minors pipeline.
Mancini can be traded for, and would be a good match with the Padres as their 1B. But the O’s would only want specs in return.
If you have two hitting coaches you actually have none.
Desert:
What if you are a switch-hitter? (Just kidding.)
You need a “take” coach and a “swing” coach. There, mystery solved.
Hey, if you go both ways that’s really none of our business…
People who think baseball is easy or criticize players all day need to read the laundry list of procedures Tito’s had. These guys get beat up.
On another note for MLBTR: please link his baseball reference page even if he’s a manager these days. My curiosity is piqued.
“Successful showings from players like Cedric Mullins, DJ Stewart, Ryan Mountcastle and Austin Hays helped Fuller’s approach take hold in the organization”
Ummm….DJ Stewart’s performance is a success?
I started laughing the moment I saw Stewart mentioned in the same success that references the hitting successes of Mullins & Mountcastle. It would seem the author dropped Stewart’s name into the piece on the word of somebody else. Nobody who watched Stewart the last few years would say he showed success at the plate.
Terry Francona’s surgeon has made enough money to buy the team.
Apparently so has his pain management doctor.