On the heels of last night’s massive extension for Vladimir Guerrero Jr, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Cardinals 40-man roster move incoming:
After catcher Ivan Herrera went down with knee inflammation that will require a trip to the injured list yesterday, it was reported that the Cardinals are selecting the contract of catcher Yohel Pozo to backup Pedro Pages behind the plate while Herrera is on the shelf. The Cardinals have a full 40-man roster, however, and as such they’ll need to create space for Pozo by designating one of their players for assignment in order to add their new backstop to the roster. The decision to add Pozo rather than simply call up a position player already on the 40-man like Michael Helman or Jose Fermin is a notable one because the Cardinals could theoretically just use first baseman Willson Contreras, who spent his entire career as a catcher prior to moving to first this offseason, as the backup for Pages. Instead, however, they’ll bring in a back-up from Triple-A to allow Contreras to continue focusing on first base.
2. Jansen ties Smith:
Yesterday, Angels closer Kenley Jansen recorded the 1,225th strikeout of his career in a scoreless ninth inning against the Guardians. With that punchout, Jansen tied Hall of Famer Lee Smith for fifth all-time on the strikeouts leaderboard as a reliever. The 37-year-old righty’s next K will give him sole possession of fifth on the all-time leaderboard, with fellow relief aces Aroldis Chapman (1,250) and Craig Kimbrel (1,265) currently sitting in the next two spots ahead of Jansen. Both are active players, but given that Kimbrel is on a minor league deal with Atlanta and has not yet pitched in the majors this year both Chapman and Jansen stand a solid chance of passing him at some point this season.
3. Reds, Giants scheduled for a pitchers’ duel:
The Reds are headed to Oracle Park in San Francisco for a three-game set against the Giants that begins this evening, with tonight’s game scheduled for 6:45pm local time. In a clash of pitching styles, Cincinnati is poised to send hard-throwing righty Hunter Greene to the mound opposite Giants sinkerballer Logan Webb. Both hurlers are among the best in the game at what they do, with Greene sporting a sterling 2.72 ERA in 28 starts dating back to last season thanks in large part to a 28.2% strikeout rate and his triple-digit fastball. Webb, meanwhile, is entering his fifth season as a front-of-the-rotation arm in San Francisco despite a far more pedestrian 22.4% strikeout rate due primarily to his phenomenal 59% groundball rate since the start of the 2021 season.
I laugh at those who talk about pedestrian strikeout rates of effective pitchers. The love of the radar gun overshadows good sense. They puld probably say the same of Maddux today. Webb is a legit front of the rotation guy despite not piling up Ks.
I agree. It plays perfectly into the “let’s make our kids throw harder” narrative.
All everyone looks at is velocity and spin rate. How about having pitchers have great command of the strike zone first.
Yeah-pitching now has a spreadsheet dehumanizing element like many businesses. So many in HS/beyond are blowing out their arms. Just numbers and disposable…… It comes down to owners allowing their FO’s some rope to not fire them if they go against the groupthink mentality and “tolerate” developing pitchers who may not miss enough bats as the saying goes.
Did anyone else see the Dodgers/Phillies game yesterday?
Twelve pitchers in some terrible weather, and the two highest paid of the twelve, Tyler Glasnow ($32,500,000.00) and Kirby Yates ($13,000,000.00) were the only two that threw fits over rain, the mound dirt, and the rosin bag.
Both make entirely too much money to be throwing tantrums like that.
Glasnow was begging for strikes that were clearly 1 to 2 baseballs off of the plate. $32,500,000.00 and he’s mad that the strike zone wasn’t ankle-to-shoulder tall and batters-box-to-batters-box wide. Unreal.
Shoutout to Nick Castellanos for hitting a grand slam immediately after Roberts gave Glasnow a binky and told him to go lay down in his crib.
@Troy: The look on Glasnow’s face when the reliever gave up the grand slam to Castellanos on his first pitch was priceless. Thought he was going to cry. “Boo hoo there goes my ERA……..”
I hope the Cards can keep Pozo from clowning around.
I’m proud of Red Sox fans for booing their mayor.
Kenley Jansen has looked pretty darn good! Happy he’s an Angel picking up meaningful saves (for now 🤞) and strikeouts while providing some veteran presence for the young fireballers in the pen.
Believe it or not, the Yankees haven’t played an American League opponent until today when they start a series in Detroit. Another reason to dislike the balanced schedule.
And what a pitcher’s duel it was, that is until Headcase Doval single-handedly ruined it all. This loss is on the front office for not dumping him, and BoMel for bringing Crazy Camilo into such a nailbiter, especially the day after he blew a save in what is now typical Camilo fashion..
DFA this mental case before he costs us the season!
“Meanwhile” has to start the sentence, not come in the middle between commas.