With the World Series match up now set in stone, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Freeman nursing ankle injury:
Star first baseman Freddie Freeman was not in the Dodgers’ lineup for the club’s series-clinching win against the Mets last night as he continues to struggle with a sprained ankle that’s limited his availability all throughout the postseason. Even when he’s been healthy enough to take the field, Freeman has looked nothing like himself at the plate with a paltry .219/.242/.219 slash line in the postseason, including a .167/.211/.167 slash line during the NLCS. As Freeman looks to rest up over the next four days before World Series rosters are due, a major question figures to face both him and the Dodgers: is he healthy enough to participate, or would the club be better served using his roster spot another way?
2. Are any front office hires on the horizon?
As we enter a brief stretch of days without baseball before the World Series, it shouldn’t be a surprise if teams begin to make announcements (which are often held back to accommodate a focus on the postseason) regarding some personnel decisions this week. There’s been quite a bit of buzz regarding a handful of potential front office hires in recent days, in particular. The Red Sox appear to be on the cusp of hiring another assistant GM, which could be coupled with them promoting internally for their currently vacant GM role. Additionally, the Giants’ search for a GM to serve as a second-in-command to newly-minted president of baseball operations Buster Posey figures to continue in full force this week. The field of potential candidates still appears to be expansive, though one name pulled himself from consideration over the weekend.
3. Mets head into the offseason:
After their club’s run to the NLCS, Mets brass will have little opportunity to celebrate as they turn their attention toward an offseason where a massive number of their current players are slated for free agency. That group is led, of course, by longtime first baseman Pete Alonso. But other key players who are ticketed for free agency this winter include J.D. Martinez, Luis Severino, Jose Quintana, Sean Manaea (who has an opt-out in his deal he’ll surely exercise), Jose Iglesias, Jesse Winker, and Harrison Bader. Under the ownership of Steve Cohen, the Mets have run top-of-the-line payrolls and shown a willingness to sign players even with free agency just around the corner, as they did with Edwin Diaz during the 2022-23 offseason. With more than half a dozen key players headed to free agency this winter, could the club make another surprise preemptive strike?
They might have to let Alonso’s market play out before signing him. Manaea makes sense to bring back. Bader makes sense as a 4th OFer. I can see them going big on Burnes.
They should definitely go big on Burns. Other than Diaz the entire bullpen needs to get re-built and even Diaz has been suspect. I can see trying to hang onto Stanek but that’s all. Butto likely goes to the rotation. They should try to keep Manaea. If they ended up with Burns, Senga, Manaea, Peterson, Butto that wouldn’t be bad. But they need a top notch bullpen but historically it is always their Achilles heel and it always sinks them.
Burns,manaea, bullpen… resign winker as a 4th outfielder/ DH…Winker brings energy…If you don’t resign Alonso, may need another hitter( Soto?)…. Acuna would be an awesome center fielder, play utility infielder, like Tommy Edman….
I’d be shocked if they went all in on Burnes. Declining numbers and offering a long term deal to a FA pitcher doesn’t appear to be their MO. Stearns doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy to do that.
Sterns never had big money to play with at Milwaukee. Remains to be seen what he will do when he gets a shot at a few FAs with uncle Steves cash.
@Sgt, good point re: Stearns. That said, I agree with @rct. Burnes seems to be going into decline despite his solid results. Underlying metrics are painting a different picture.
No reason to wait till Friday. They should start tomorrow just to get it over with and give the Yanks and the rest of the world some extra days to celebrate championship #28
Had the Dodgers won the NLCS in 4 or 5, the World Series would’ve started on Tuesday. As the NLCS went 6 the World Series starts Friday — and the real reason may surprise you.
ChuckyNJ: I’m kind of glad they’re waiting until Friday. Gives the pitchers a chance to rest and be ready for the WS so there won’t be any excuses. By the way, enlighten us please as to the real reason the WS starts on Friday. It makes more sense to start Saturday. That way Monday would be a travel day instead of Sunday.
MLB avoids Sunday games like the plague. Can’t compete with King NFL
This is the correct answer.
ChuckyNJ: The schedule has been set for a while. MLB doesn’t change it on the fly as you describe.
That’s enough of you Baron. Sell crazy somewhere else
Well you missed something there Blue Baron. They absolutely set the schedule “on the fly” this year. MLB announced that if both leagues finished their LCS in four or five games, the World Series would have moved up three days, starting tomorrow instead of Friday. This uncertainty was kind of a pain in the neck for those of us with tickets.
Remember when I asked for your opinion? Me neither.
Are you always such an idiot, or are you just showing off today?
It isn’t an opinion, it’s a fact. Last I checked, facts don’t change depending on whether you believe in them or not. So you might want to be more careful about who you call an idiot.
BlueSkies: I wasn’t addressing you, sorry you had that impression.
I was addressing Terry Turnbuckle after he gratuitously attacked me.
Don’t address me again.
You addressed me first, shmucko.
I treat people the same way they treat me. Don’t start if you can’t handle it.
Brock Louis: There are some amazingly dumb people in this world. Thanks for helping me understand that.
Not many people like you, do they?
That’s enough of you Baron.
Cancel my subscription to your issues, and don’t address me again.
Yep, and they also scheduled NLCS Game 1 on Sunday at 5 PM local and Game 2 Monday at 1 PM local, when just the opposite made more sense for both attending and watching on TV. The reason seemed to be the football broadcast schedule. The fans who had to exit Dodger Stadium at the peak of rush hour on Monday afternoon thank the Powers that Be.
Yeah that kinda dumb to play a WS game on a weekday afternoon. Killing ratings either way….
Looks like all the World Series games are scheduled for 5 PM PT (8 ET).
Prime time in the east. That makes sense.
They’re not going to schedule them at 8 pm Pacific time.
@TerryTurnbuckle
Start it today. No point waiting. It’s not like teams don’t play 162 games in a season. Now we’re waiting weeks just to play 1 game?
Old York: Logistics such as travel, TV scheduling, and tickets don’t allow for such a quick turnaround.
@LordD99
Appreciate the Mets lose the Verlander & Scherzer money off the budget, but what is their payroll in 2025 already? Cohen has been quoted as saying high draft picks cost 20% of their actual value. If you add Alonso, Manaea, Burnes & Bader, how much change are you getting out of $100 million a season for those four?
In other words, how much tax & and how many picks is Cohen going to want give away…
The Mets have approximately 68 million before the first luxury tax threshold. That is not including an option on Maton. With the option declined, the Mets can have over 75 million to spend while resetting luxury tax.
The Mets could address their needs, and could theoretically splurge past the luxury tax threshold should an opportunity, such as Burnes AND Soto being courted.
Hypothetically scenario:
Trade Marte and 9.5 million for bullpen/prospect
Decline Maton option
Sign Burnes and Soto
Delusional off a run that won’t happen again for another 40 years.
If the Mets win the Soto sweepstakes, I don’t see a world where they reset the Luxury Tax. Instead, they probably push towards a $300M payroll because they will have a lot of other holes to fill.
If they miss out on Soto, I think they force themselves to reset the Luxury Tax. They can then be in a great position for next years class headlined by Vlad and Tucker.
They’re going to give a QO to Alonzo, Manaea, and wouldn’t be surprised if they did that for Severino and/or Quintana. Severino and Quintana are probably both looking for multiple year deals so it wouldn’t hurt to offer them QO’s. If they accept it the Mets would only be locked into a one year $20+ M deal on SP’s they know. If they only sign 2 or 3 of them they will get picks for the ones they lose. So the picks of signing a Burnes and another player will balance out.
@Kenny: There is no chance on earth they offer Quintana a QO. Also Quintana is not necessarily looking for a multi year deal. He’s thinking about retirement and running it back for one more year.
Question: How does Yankees catcher Austin Wells get away with having a mustache? I see a big fine coming his way for this heinous act.
The Yankees have always allowed players to have a mustache. I’m pretty sure Wells’ mustache is a tribute to Thurman Munson
I don’t want to see Nestor Cortes without a mustache.
RunDMC, you could run for office on that platform and win by a landslide.
See: Reggie Jackson
@Ronk – don’t understand how the vets committee always seem to avoid Munson on the ballot…. Especially with the verdant 3-4 WAR moustache…
The team that throws the Roger Beshens Football Slider the best, secures the World Series since the 2017 Astros.
Inside the lines it’s well known, outside there’s no reason to give away secrets. Strom was in contact all 2024 with Beshens. No pitching lab or technology needed there, just how to shape etc. Jimmy Lambert was asked how he shapes it, he had no clue, he just knew arm angles dictated the break but no clue how to shape it. Imagine the analytic dept suggesting cutters over the RB Football Slider when they don’t even know if the PC and pitchers are talking shaping. That’s how secretive the RB Football Slider is.
What
You didn’t know Strom was talking with Roger Beshens Football Slider in the Dbacks Clubhouse May 23 2024? You want to see the 48 minute video?
You didn’t know Nelson after the Padres game was told NOT to throw the Roger Beshens Football Slider? LOL Roger has 120 emails from Strom, you never got the Stroms email? Roger Beshens was working all season with Strom with Pfaadt, Nelson, Cecconi, Walston.
Putz, There’s stuff that Dback pitchers did you would never guess in a million years. Roger knows the book on Walston, Cecconi, Pfaadt, Nelson. Remember when Walston said Strom worked on this CU and SL release? That’s Roger Beshens influence. That’s why Roger was in the sanctuary Dback Clubhouse, teaching techniques others’ didn’t know.
Putz, Dbacks should hire Roger Beshens ASAP in ONE month he could have A ball pitchers throwing PUK, Ginkel sliders, which are Roger Beshens Football Sliders, so good, Hughes, Henry, Walston would be put to shame.
Strom didn’t have any say it was the Front office and analytic dept calling the shots. Huge mistake.
Who’s this Roger Beshens Football Slider guy? I want him.
Grip, Tilt, Wrist action, On center grip, throw like football, stiff wrist, arm angle dictates the break and he will tell you how to shape it? I just watched a teaser video on you tube… Dback’s pitchers learn the Roger Beshens Football Slider. I want this guy, I’ll hire him and in the contract, no social media for him and everything would be kosher,
So many shills so little brains
Hazen: Who’s this guy Lubenesky?
This may be the weirdest account on this site, bar none.
And this is the third different name I’ve seen him with this week.
Lubenesky, you seem rather high strung and strangely focused on some kind of a mystery pitch. Relax and get some help.
Friend Carlton was throwing that slider before you were born.
Why since 2018 are hundreds throwing it as good or better than Carlton and Guidry.
Remember Andrew Miller, Brad Hand, in 2017, they were the best slider pitchers. Roger Beshens exposed to ML pitchers in May 2018 how Carlton, Guidry, Miller, Hand threw their slider.
Roger Beshens Grip, Tilt and Wrist action is On center grip, throw like Football, Stiff wrist. Arm angle dictates the break and if you want to learn how to shape it. Watch Roger Beshens show and tell Brent Strom about it in the Dbacks Clubhouse May 23 2024. See the 48 minute video yet?
300 plus wins I say Nobody and I repeat nobody threw that slider like Carlton. I’ve watched the videos. Read the article where Carltons slider is mentioned as the template. Guidry blew his arm out eventually because he couldn’t handle the stress. Lefty,went 20 years making fools out of some of MLBs greatest hitters, his conditioning was legendary . Brent Strom was a bum
It’s clear that Carlton and Guidry’s slider requires the Football Tilt, a 90 degree angle tilt, with an on center grip and the stiff wrist as described by Roger Beshens. All three are necessary for optimal performance,
Roger Beshens revolutionized the MLB scene starting in May 2018 by advising pitchers to adopt his grip, tilt and wrist technique.
So in essence you agree. Please stop comparing guidrys or in fact anyones sliders with Carltons. My friend, obviously grip is just 1 factor that affects the slider as it leaves the pitchers hand Release point? Spin rate? Velocity? Guidry 6 ft maybe Carlton 6 ft 4 huge difference in release points. my friend no more copy and paste.
Grip, tilt and wrist action is all a pitcher needs to know to throw the RB Football Slider. Once the shaping is learned and where to attack on the rubber everything you say means nothing. A pitcher doesn’t need a pitching lab or technology to throw the RB Football Slider at an elite level.
You think Steve Carlton cared if he pronated or not after release or his slider was 40 vertical 3 horizontal?
As others on MLBTR have asked, here’s why the World Series won’t start till the weekend.
Fox carries the World Series. Fox’s owned-and-operated stations also have the linear simulcasts of Thursday Night Football from Prime Video. TNF this week is Minnesota-Los Angeles Rams while TNF on Halloween is Houston-New York Jets — and Fox owns stations in all 4 cities. In 2022, a rainout in the World Series led to a conflict with TNF; the Series aired on the Fox-owned stations with football farmed out to other stations. (Astros-Phillies clashing with Eagles-Texans.)
For this year’s Fall Classic, Fox knew it’d go up against the NFL on Sunday night (Dallas-San Francisco) or Monday night (New York Giants-Pittsburgh). The Series starting on Friday means Game 3 at Yankee Stadium will be opposite what looks to be a mismatch on MNF.
In other words, TV networks dictate everything.
Sadly, yes.
Hopefully Freeman can channel Kirk Gibson with the bum ankle and stick one to the Yankee$.
Hindsight is 20-20 but putting Freeman back in for game 5 after sitting game 4 was odd. 3-1 series lead, could have given him three days off until potential game 6 or even more if they won. Oh well. Next man up would be Outman or an also-injured Rojas, so I’d probably just roll with Freeman.
Freeman would do anything in his power to get on the field if he were still a Brave and Atlanta was in it. Since signing with LA, he’s been miserable, lazy, and not even close to the player he was. Looks like he sits this one out.
You sure?
Avg fWAR as a Dodger – 5.8
Avg fWAR last four seasons as a Brave – 4.1
I’m sure.
How has he not been the player he was in Atlanta?
Freeman played in 159 games his first year in LA and 161 games in his second. This season he missed a chunk of time tending to his seriously ill son Max. Or isn’t that a good reason?
Please don’t feed the trolls.
Enough out of you, Turnbuckle. Try to have a clue before running your mouth.
LOL Mets.
Dump Alvarez while they’re at it. What a bust!
Eddy Alvarez was dropped from the Mets roster October 3rd.
I guess you haven’t been watching baseball recently.
@Citizen1
I told them 10 months ago that he’s a DFA candidate but all the Mutts fans were defending him. Alvarez is cooked, regardless of your feelings
mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/francisco-alvarez-open-…
you don’t DFA power hitting catchers like that. He’s too young and needs to mature. What’s going to happen? same as TDA regret…
@zer09
Based on what data or facts? Your argument is feelings.
@Old York: one of the dumbest opinions I’ve ever seen on this site when you originally said it. The passage of time has not diminished its stupidity.
He’s a 23 year old catcher with league average bat and solid defense under cheap control for several years. If you don’t see the value in that you don’t know anything about baseball. And that is a fact, regardless of your feelings.
Below average hitter whose aaa numbers hardly translate to the majors. Leads the league in passed balls 2023 & 2024. Stick em in left field.
@Citizen1: “Below average hitter”
He’s literally been average by OPS+ despite his young age and hand injuries this year. Passed balls, fine. But his framing and game-calling were great. You don’t discard solid hitting from a very young player at the catcher position.
@rct,
I agree. Alvarez is only 22 and was MLB Pipeline’s #1 prospect at the start of the 2023.season. Alvarez’s hitting brain hasn’t caught up yet to his talent, but he’s shown glimpses. And he’s already proven big league power with 25 homers as 21 y.o. rookie.
Blocking balls in dirt should be an offseason focus of improvement. We’ve seen improvement in his plate approach and mechanics, and blocking in his last few postseason games.
Spends more time on the workout bench than the bat. Reminds me of starlin Castro and all those errors
Rays would take Alvarez and trade you Pinto (and Jackson if he weren’t a free agent) for him. We could even throw in Siri for a spare Centerfielder.
I am not healthy. Replace me on the roster.
The playoffs have really turned into spring training games where they are bringing pitchers in to pitch 1 inning each and substituting guys in all the time Seems like an embarrassment to the game that our SPs can’t go past 3 or 4 innings in the biggest games of our season.
So do you love the analytics game more or less now?
@BlueSkies_LA
When did I not?
Irony alert. This is the game you are watching and seem to dislike.
@BlueSkies_LA
Irony alert. Has nothing to to do with analytics. Are you watching the same game or are you watching a different sport?
It has everything to do with analytics. They are playing to the matchups and these moves are driven by data, not some manager’s wild hare. Puzzles me how you can watch this game, see how it’s changed in the analytics era, and not have the slighted idea about what is going on.
@BlueSkies_LA
If you’re telling me they’re using analytics to end up with football scores when they bring their bullpen in, clearly, it’s not working. That’s not analytics. That’s just bad baseball.
Baseball is a game of probabilities, meaning, nothing works every time — as I hope anyone who watches this game has already figured out. But if you seriously believe that starters now go shorter than ever, and relievers are being used more and more, has nothing to do with statistical matchups, then I really don’t know what to tell you. If so, you are not living on Planet Baseball.
Maybe if he watches a debacle of a Rays game with Kevin Cash dragging out another platoon lineup with a bullpen game he will understand. I’d be willing to bet if Cash would use the same lineup 100% of the time and pitch guys past the 6th inning he would see more wins and have a healthier bullpen. That is, as long as the pitchers don’t focus so hard on maximum spin rate and blow their elbows out and if the hitters don’t concentrate on exit velocity/launch angle and focus on making contact.
The new game (even without Manfruad’s dumb rules) is totally driven by all this BS computer data. That’s why you see bullpen games, guys blowing arms out trying to spin the ball at 3,000 RPMs and throw 106 MPH fastballs, and hitters getting 240 Ks a year trying to hit 60 degree launch angle/1000 MPH exit rate homers.
Front Office Clearing, If you Cleared the Front Office of lousy GM shapiro and his carry on baggage the useless lackie atkins, Toronto would be a MUCH BETTER team !!
Anyone else curious to see if the Mets make a move for Williams to really strengthen their bullpen? He’s only got one year left on his contract, which is reaching uncomfortable amounts for a thrifty Brewers team, and besides, he has history with Stearns. A move like that wouldn’t only improve their bullpen to quite possibly the best 1,2 punch late in games, but it would likely also increase their chances of landing another ex-Brewer in Burnes through free agency – which would totally transform their rotation.