Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye out for around the baseball world throughout the day:
1. World Baseball Classic kicks off:
The World Baseball Classic is officially kicking off in Tokyo later today. At 10pm ET, Australia will face off against Chinese Taipei. Team Australia features White Sox infielder Curtis Mead and Guardians top prospect Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2024 draft. Outfielder Stuart Fairchild, righty Chih-Wei Hu, and infielders Tsung-Che Cheng, Yu Chang and Tzu-Wei Lin are all current or former big leaguers representing Taiwan. Prospects Hao-Yu Lee (Tigers) and Yu-Min Lin (D-backs) are on the roster as well, and fans surely recognize bullpen coach Chien-Ming Wang.
At 5am ET tomorrow morning, Czechia will face off against Korea. Of the four teams kicking off the WBC in these first two games, South Korea’s roster carries the most familiar names to the average MLB fan. Former All-Star Hyun Jin Ryu, now 38 years old, is one of the leaders of the pitching staff. Right-handers Dane Dunning and Riley O’Brien have considerable big league experience as well. Position players with major league experience include Hyeseong Kim, Jung Hoo Lee, Jahmai Jones, and Shay Whitcomb. Czechia’s most recognizable player for MLB fans is former Orioles infielder Terrin Vavra.
2. Suspensions impacting the NL East:
Yesterday, it was announced that Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension for performance-enhancing drug use. Phillies center fielder Johan Rojas reportedly faces an 80-game suspension for failing a PED test of his own. Profar served an 80-game suspension for PED use last year. This is the first offense for Rojas. Both suspensions are expected to be appealed.
The pair of suspensions leaves both Atlanta and Philadelphia somewhat in limbo regarding their outfield plans. For the Braves, Profar’s likely suspension opens up DH at-bats for a non-roster invitee like Dominic Smith, Ben Gamel, or Tristin English. The Phillies will now lean even more heavily on top prospect Justin Crawford ahead of his likely big league debut on Opening Day, with Pedro León and non-roster invitee Bryan De La Cruz among the possible fourth outfield options.
3. Could Profar’s suspension change things for Atlanta?
The Profar suspension could have significant ramifications in Atlanta. Profar wouldn’t be paid his $15MM salary, and the Braves would also be spared another $3MM in luxury taxes as a result. With early injuries to Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep, Atlanta is running low on starting pitching. They haven’t been inclined to pursue right-handers Lucas Giolito and Zack Littell yet, but perhaps the sudden influx in cash would change that approach. Both seem like a better bet to provide stability in the rotation than current fifth rotation candidates like Bryce Elder, Joey Wentz and José Suarez. It’s also possible the Braves could look to bring in another bat to help with the DH and corner outfield mix in the wake of Profar’s likely removal from the roster.
Tsung-che Cheng, that’s my guy!!
I am expecting another gambling issue to come out before the season as well.
It would surprise me if there is not be multiple.
With at least two MLB players involved. That’s usually the pattern. Meanwhile…
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You forgot to post the odds.
shocked the Aussies are that far down- they have a few big leaguers. Also netherlands normally was better i think due to Cuasuo (sp) giving them i think Machado.
York – How can Italy have the same odds as Cuba?
Even better question, how is Jorge Posada on the Italian team?
“Just let them bet on their games”
So if ‘insert star’s name’ wants to throw a game and make an extra million, he should be allowed (as long as he gave 100%)?
It would be the ruin of baseball.
Old York — Please elaborate on Baseball being rigged? What method/how do you see rigging being done by MLB?
Just curious, seems everyone has a boogie-man on this site from greedy owners, deferments, etc… how do you see it being rigged? No shortage of theories around here.
With the income disparity from local TV deals creating a now huge payroll disparity and pricing two thirds of the league out of getting the high end guys, many think that is a rigging in favor of the large markets.
Why do you think they put sportsbooks in six stadiums (so far)? It makes it easier for the players to just pop in before heading to the clubhouse.
anyone can do that now with Kalshi and other bet anythings apps.
Players get paid enough to not have to be doing that sort of thing. Make the punishments even worse (not sure how) and make it very public.
even the ones without a sports book you can still bet on your phone very easily.
Everyone wants to make money the easy way- so there is nothing we can do short of voting for it to be gone to get rid of sports betting. It is the only place with inclination to advertise heavily in sports specifically.
Not being allowed to bet in a state that betting is legal is discrimination.
Slider:
Its not like we let Politicians invest in companies that they active vote to help or hurt. Oh wait, thats a bad example, there no corruption in politics.
Reds – Those who think the current ‘rigging” is something new are sadly mistaken.
From 1936-1964 (a 29-year span) the Yankees won the AL pennant 22 times and the WS 16 times.
And the odds were much longer back then, as MLB had between 16-20 teams throughout that time period and only two teams made the postseason (10%-12% odds compared to today’s 40% odds).
Money was just as much a factor back then as it is now.
slider – No player is dumb enough to make bets on baseball in person or using their name online or with a bookie.
They will always use a third party, like a distant relative or a friend ….. or a translator.
slider – Is it discrimination that insiders can’t buy and sell their own stock using insider information?
A lot of employers won’t hire you if you smoke pot even if it is legal in that state.
This one:
Youre killin my buzz.
Come on Atlanta–give McCutchen a job!
He would be a decent replacement, but I really don’t think he would play for anywhere besides Pittsburgh at this point. Who knows though, the way they treated him he may have a change of heart.
Cbraves are you saying they mistreated him? Paid him millions and millions of dollars for not much production. All the perks of being a professional baseball player. What else do you think they should’ve gave him and don’t start that he’s the face of the franchise garbage. He hasn’t been good in years and years.
Steinbrenner at one time yeah. Not what I was talking about. Why don’t you try going back and reading it again, especially the first three sentences.
As a Braves fan I wouldn’t give McCutchen more than $3mm. If he sees that as an insult so be it.
Maybe 2 million with incentives (via ABs) to push it to 4?
Hoping I can catch most of the WBC this time, even though I fully support it (big World Cup fan) I tend to somehow always miss most of the games.
Low key rooting for Team Italia! 😀
And Japan, because I’m a fan of all things Japanese!
And USA of course…
Great highlight of 23! lol
Sal – Jorge Posada on Team Italy is just plain wrong!!!
Eh, I don’t think coaches are mandated to be of that descent. World Soccer managers aren’t.
Sal – Yes of course it’s allowed, but why would Posada coach any team other than PR? If Italia plays PR, he would be coaching against his own country?
There’s a sushi pizza for you, my friend.
I want Pedro Leon to unlock all his potential with the Phillies because I was a big fan of him in Houston and I was quite sad to see him go. He still has options left.
His biggest Option is to not juice!
When the baseball gods hand you lemons, to squeeze or not to squeeze the question becomes.
Is there a difference between organic homemade lemonade and psuedoepheredenlemonade? Asking for a friend…
50% of Bryce Elder’s starts last year were quality starts. I think that is very good for a 5th starter…and he makes less than $1 million.
When Elder is on, he’s good, but the problem is the inconsistency and when he’s bad, he pitches BP. I’m not kidding. His stuff is so hittable that the game gets out of hand in a hurry, going to your ‘pen. I’d be fine with less QS if it meant he could work through those bad IP.
I agree. The Braves are better off using him or Wentz than overpaying for one of those two.
Someone on here said it perfectly a few months ago and sorry without the hat tip to who it was….Elder will give 10 stellar starts, 10 Losses and 10 absolute blow ups. Maybe they can platoon the 5th starters. Wentz had a nice run last few weeks, but he’ll most likely return back to the means after a couple on months.
Twins legend Tzu-Wei Lin
Dylan Moore can platoon vs lefties. They probably go with Leon though.
Going to see Team USA vs the Rox today. Should be a fine day at Salt River Fields.
Zack Littell to the Braves feels like a big win for the Braves if that happens, a straight up trade of Profar for Littell would be a great trade for ATL. I suppose it is a potential silver lining to the Profar drama?
Littell’s a free agent. Nobody has to trade anything for him.
I’m assuming he meant “trade off” so to speak…
yup- not paying profar 15m this year due to the suspension, so give 15m to littell. I think you may be able to get him marginally cheaper than that too.
I think you’re probably right about that G. That occurred to me after the edit window passed. My bad………
What’s the timeline on Profar’s appeal? That process would need to play out before Atlanta knows for certain whether it has any payroll savings available to reallocate.
Littell is a soft tosser. No thanks.
How stupid can you be? Eat the wrong cereal this time? Use the wrong toothpaste? Jerkoff……
(Angry Braves Fan)
Maybe he is just best friends with a WWE wrestler. They spend a lot of time hanging out at the beach together. Rubbing oil on each other and practicing wrestling moves. The juice just got into his system via osmosis from all the skin on skin contact.
Obligatory post recommending Yoshida for another team’s OF need
How do odds work?
If there’s a negative sign in front of the number , it means it takes that amount to win $100. So if the Red Sox are -300 to win, it means it would take $300 to win $100 if you bet on the Red Sox to win. Alternatively if the odds say +300 to win, it means you would win $300 for every $100 you bet.
Ok I understand. So a negative would mean that team is probably going to win. For example-300 Dodgers and +300 for Rockies…..?????
Exactly , the negative sign means they are favored to win, the positive sign means they are underdogs. Those amounts can be scaled up or down as well with the decimal point too, so +300 means $3000, $300, or $3.00. I’m in the last category, betting $1.00 to win $3.00 lol.
Dude, I hear you loud and clear on the last sentence lol
I think Profar should be banned for life it seems he didn’t learn his lesson the first time and was suspended a second time for a different substance I wonder what his excuse will be this time I have no sympathy for him and to think he was supposed to be a top prospect for the Rangers many years ago
Dbrass – Banned for life is meaningless, there have players banned for life for PED’s who were allowed to play anyway.
It was never proven that Bonds or Clemens used PED’s but I got to tell you that Bonds head became a lot bigger when he left the Pirates and joined the Giants back in 93 but both him and Clemens can get voted into the hall of shame and now that Pete Rose is dead there’s no reason why he can’t be elected to the HOF as a player not as a manager but I feel like I’m about to open a Pandora’s box on this subject so I will leave it alone it’s just a opinion anyway enough said but you and the others here are free to express your own opinions on this subject
Are there any other professions where you’re banned for life for using drugs? I could see maybe that would be appropriate if you fly an airplane or drive an ambulance. Athletes use PEDS these days to stretch their earnings window a little farther out or to bounce back from injuries faster in order to stay on the field for their team and fans. I don’t necessarily see that as a reason to ban someone for life.
If the substance is banned in baseball why take the risk of ruining your career I’m sure if you look at the other 3 major sports you will find the samething about PED’s that they’re banned every one is different about the suspensions it’s according to how severe the penalty it should be but if you break the rules more than once you should be banned for life Profar will receive a 162 game suspension without a appeal he should be a man and serve his suspension
I’m a driving instructor and do drugs all the time lol. Puff puff pass……
But are you a professional athlete if not I would hate to be a student learning how to drive from you lol
I’m super fun lol
A real barrel of laughs you are as yoda would say
How about this one Lance Armstrong was banned for life for using PED’s during the tour de france and if I recall he won the event at least 5 times maybe more
Shay whitcomb Korean?
I think Elder and Wentz both make the team. Profar did the Braves a favor.
Does McCutchen in Philly make sense? With Rojas on the juice?
He may still see himself as a big dog. He can be that in the Pirates clubhouse but not so much in the Phillies clubhouse. He would be JAG.