With just over three weeks until Opening Day, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. World Baseball Classic Begins
The first game of the WBC is scheduled for tonight at 10pm CST, where Team Netherlands will face off against Team Cuba. Per the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s World Rankings, the Netherlands is the 7th ranked country in the world for their baseball program, whereas Cuba is the 8th ranked country. In 2017’s Classic, Cuba was eliminated in the second round while the Netherlands made it to the semifinals before falling to Puerto Rico in a 4-3, 11 inning loss. This year, Team Netherlands is highlighted by Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts, while White Sox center fielder Luis Robert highlights Team Cuba. Tonight’s game will be aired on FS1.
2. Mets’ fifth starter up in the air:
Given the news that Mets lefty Jose Quintana suffered a stress fracture in his fifth rib on his left side, it seems likely that the Mets will need to begin exploring alternatives for the fifth slot in their rotation behind Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Kodai Senga, and Carlos Carrasco. The top option for that role appears to be left-hander David Peterson, who posted a 3.83 ERA (101 ERA+) in 105 2/3 innings last year. Other options include right-hander Tylor Megill and fellow southpaw Joey Lucchesi. Megill excelled early last season with a 1.93 ERA in his first five starts of the season but began to battle injuries as the calendar flipped to May, spending most of the rest of the season on the injured list an struggling badly when he was able to take the mound. Lucchesi, meanwhile, missed almost the entire 2022 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery.
3. MLBTR Chats Today
Following yesterday’s chat with former Cubs GM and major-league pitcher Ed Lynch, the transcript of which you can read here, MLBTR is excited to welcome former major-league catcher Gary Bennett for a chat with readers. The journeyman catcher suited up for the Phillies, Mets, Rockies, Padres, Brewers, Nationals, Cardinals, and Dodgers during his 13-year career, which included a World Series championship with the Cardinals in 2006. Bennett appeared in 587 games at the big league level and slashed .241/.302/.328 (64 OPS+) over the course of his career. Be sure to tune in later this morning at 10am CST for Bennett’s live chat!
Other live chats today include Steve Adams’ weekly Tuesday chat — open for advance questions right now and kicking off at noon CT — as well as Darragh McDonald’s Orioles-focused chat, which is being held in conjunction with the Orioles offseason review he published yesterday. You can ask a question in advance for that chat as well.
Who’s going to be the Mets 6th man in the rotation?
If they go to a 6th man, which they should being their two aces are 40ish, I imagine we’d see some combination of Peterson and Megill/Lucchesi.
The Mets also have Elieser Hernandez who could work himself into the conversation.
As neither Verlander or Scherzer have shown any reason to take them out of the 5 day routine, why would you want to pitch them less often? Did the METS pay them that much because they thought them to be fragile? 40 ain’t 60.
Verlander pitched on extra rest often in 2022 and won a Cy Young. The Astros were very particular in their Verlander usage and even with all that rest, he looked a bit shaky in the playoffs. Even his WS win was quite a rollercoaster with the Phillies getting plenty of runners on base, but just not delivering the big hit.The 6-man rotation saw Verlander have a fantastic season and helped lead the Stros to another WS ring.
As for Scherzer, he clearly ran out of gas last season, falling apart in a late season game against the Braves and then again in the playoffs against the Padres. This in a season where he already missed significant time due to injury.
Also let’s keep in mind Senga pitched in Japan, where he was used to more days rest as well.
Right there you have 3 very logical reasons to occasionally use a 6-man rotation.
Agreed. They’re better served resting the old guys as much as it sucks with all the money that’s being paid out to them. Peterson deserves a spot and they’re still two deep to backup.
Scherzer hasn’t thrown 180 innings since 2018.
He cannot handle a regular workload at this point.
@VonPurpleHayes The Mets wont make the playoffs with Luchessi in the rotation, they need Bauer
SP5 ain’t making or breaking the Mets. They’ll coast into the playoffs this year barring 3-4 of their starting 5 going down.
I don’t think anyone is coasting in the NL playoffs this year with teams like the Padres, Braves, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies…etc. That being said, I completely agree that the 5th starter isn’t making or breaking the Mets. I cannot imagine a scenario where the Mets don’t win 89+ games.
Does the site have a dedicated page with all the player/coach/scout chats on it? I found this, but it hasn’t been updated in a year.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/03/list-of-mlbtr-player-chats.html
Try changing 2022 to 2023 in the address. Might work or not, but worth a try.
If you go here you should get the entire archive:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/mlbtr-player-chats
Even though the category is Player Chats, it does include our chats with execs who were not MLB players, for example Tim Kissner.
Who says Jurickson Profar doesn’t have a team yet? See him tonight taking on Team Cuba!
He should stay there and finish his career there. MLB teams apparently don’t want him. I hope he never plays in MLB again.
Did he do something to your family?
He ruined my childhood by being such a bust and a crybaby. He is the reason they traded my favorite player, Ian Kinsler, for Prince Fielder. Look how that turned out. Also, they could have had Justin Uptob, Zach Greinke, Cole Hamels (before the extension), Carlos Gonzalez, and so many other guys for Profar, but they choose to keep him and ruin him. I blame him more for his poor attitude and entitlement that he was owed a starting shortstop role without any MLB results. Attitude and performance mainly
Ruined your childhood, seriously? You should grow up and learn not to take so seriously events beyond your control. Rest assured, nobody meant you any harm.
I’m exaggerating. That guy is compemptible, though, and I have plenty of reasons to hate him.
I understand your frustrations with him but you should be prepared to get prolonged stints on the IL for deGrom. He’s always presented a “team-first” attitude but frustrating with his recent inability to stay healthy. I hope he stays healthy, if he does he’s the best out there but don’t hate dude, life is too short.
Substitute “anonymous mlb trade rumor comments” for “events beyond your control” and see how the shoe fits.
Huh?
Do some guests not like questions in advance! Because sometimes that function is not there! I blame bird flu……
If I don’t send out advance notice to subscribers with the chat links, it means I didn’t have enough confirmation that the chat was actually going to happen.
If we’re going back and forth and he’s getting set up on Jotcast and we have a time set, then I feel pretty good. If I have multiple set up for a coming week I’ll email subscribers the links.
Sometimes someone will agree to do it, but I’m not sure it’ll actually happen until about 10 minutes beforehand.
Other people cancel, reschedule, stop responding, all kinds of things.
Stop responding lol
The pitches thrown by the Mets #5 starter are expected to be…..
“Up In The Air” !!
Baseball creates a bogus tournament thinking people will care. Fans won’t care and the risk for players is certainly not worth the apathy for this so-called event.
I think it’s a much bigger deal outside of the US. Personally, I wish this tournament was held before spring training even started.
Pretty sad that a hockey fan thinks he’s the voice of baseball fans throughout the Western Hemisphere.
mario, if you don’t care, don’t watch. Many people around the world are interested.
Chances that Mike Trout (fragile guy) will be injured during the World Baseball Classic: 31%.
Chances that he will miss 40+ games this season: 89%.
I’ll solve your problem:
Straight up trade, your choice of Verdugo or duvall.
Then you can stop complaining about trout.
-It wasn’t a complaint.
-Trout is now worth less than the lowest rated prospect in baseball for a trade, because it would be crazy to take the remainder of the contract for the soon to be 32 year old broken down Mike Trout (who has only averaged around 4 WAR per year for the past 3 years- and that also factors the pace he was playing at in 2020- and is only getting more injury prone and now has a permanent back issue), even if he were given away for nothing.
Chances you’re a hater? 100%
Chances that I have more than 4,000 AB in MLB and also have a ring? 99%.
Yeah you a hater
egter,
– Congratulations on what certainly was a successful MLB career.
– “only averaged around 4 WAR” is an odd complaint because not many players reach that level each season. Even at >$37M per year for the next eight seasons, I’m sure several teams would trade valuable assets for him.
Given Trout’s decline over the past 3 years, age, permanent and largely untested back issue and fragility in general, it would be stupid to give him an 8 year, $300 million contract at this point (what he is still owed). If they had traded him prior to the 2020 season, they could have largely restocked the farm system. Now, it’s an albatross contract and he is worthless on the trade market to any intelligent GM (unless Anaheim covered a large % of his remaining salary). Even if he were given away for nothing at this point, it would be stupid to pick up the remainder of his contract. It would be insane to not only pick up the remainder of his contract, but also give up any talent for him in a trade.
Chance Trevor Bauer is the Mets’ #5 starter?
0%.
No one is touching Bauer this season.
When I first skimmed the article, I read it as former catcher Gary Sanchez. It just seemed so natural.
For Pete’s sake, start the sentence with “meanwhile,” don’t throw it in the middle.
You knew the Quintana signing was questionable from the start, especially when there were starters with better resumes on the board. No way could he repeat his last season. In the end this is a blessing in disguise. Rather see Peterson/Megill get a crack.
Ironically, he was likely signed because of his durability. They needed a reliable innings eater to take some stress of their top 3.