Follow All The Trades & Picks In Tonight’s NFL Draft With Pro Football Rumors
The NFL Draft is just hours away! Whether you’re a hardcore football fan or a casual Sunday watcher, you’re going to want to follow every draft pick, trade, and rumbling with Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors on Twitter).
So far, the Bengals have laughed off every trade offer for their No. 1 pick, but the Dolphins won’t take no for an answer. The ‘Fins are trying to trade for the Lions’ No. 3 pick, keep their own pick at No. 5, and ship both of ‘em Cincinnati for the top choice. The Bengals have been laser-focused on Joe Burrow for months, but the Dolphins believe they can change their minds with a ludicrous package.
Beyond that, practically every other pick is in play. The Dolphins, Falcons, and Tom Brady’s Buccaneers are all exploring aggressive leaps to move up the board. Meanwhile, the Lions, Panthers, and Jaguars are willing to part with their Top 10 picks, if the price is right. Oh, and tons of big-name veterans are on the block, too – Redskins left tackle Trent Williams, Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, and Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard, just to name a few.
For breaking NFL Draft news – without tipped picks, for your viewing pleasure – stay tuned to Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors on Twitter).
Follow Pro Football Rumors For The Latest News And Rumblings On Tomorrow’s NFL Draft
The NFL Draft kicks off tomorrow night. If you’re a football fan, it’s already appointment television. If you’re more of a casual NFL fan, you may want to tune in anyway. (Save the second watch of Tiger King for next week.)
To start your draft prep today and stay tuned for every pick, trade, and rumbling – visit ProFootballRumors.com and follow PFR on Twitter, @pfrumors.
Quarterback Joe Burrow – who threw for 60 touchdowns last year at LSU – is a mortal lock for the Bengals at No. 1. Beyond that, everything is up for grabs. The Redskins are reportedly listening to calls for the No. 2 pick, so they could conceivably be tempted enough to pass on a potential generational talent in Ohio State’s Chase Young. The Lions (No. 3) and Giants (No. 4) are also answering the phone, so this year’s top rookies could all be up for grabs.
Meanwhile, Rob Gronkowski is headed to Tampa Bay to rekindle his bromance with Tom Brady. Seven-time Redskins Pro Bowler Trent Williams could be the next superstar on the move.
That’s just a snapshot of what’s going on in the NFL right now. For the full scope of things, stay tuned to ProFootballRumors.com and follow PFR on Twitter, @pfrumors.
Seattle’s Struggling Center Fielder
Center fielder Mallex Smith was one of the majors’ breakout players in 2018, a year he spent with the Rays, but he was unable to build on that last season as a member of the Mariners. The two teams made a notable swap involving Smith heading into last season, though neither club has gotten much major league value out of it thus far. Smith fell flat in 2019, as did the Rays’ headlining acquisition, catcher Mike Zunino.
Just two years ago, Smith was a .296/.367/.406 hitter who, despite totaling only two home runs, posted an impressive 3.5 fWAR across 544 plate appearances. The Mariners were banking on Smith logging similar production when they acquired him, but it wasn’t to be last season. While the speedy Smith did steal a career-high 46 bases after swiping 40 bags in the prior year, his numbers with the bat cratered. He ended up with a .227/.300/.335 line over 566 trips to the plate, and even received a demotion to the minors early in the season. All said, Smith’s MLB output amounted to a nonthreatening 74 wRC+ (down from 118 in the prior year) and a replacement-level fWAR of 0.0.
With the Mariners still unlikely to contend in 2020, and with Smith still under cheap control (he’s not scheduled to become a free agent until after 2022), they can afford to take a patient approach with him. The question for now is whether there’s any hope for Smith to turn into a valuable M’s contributor. Based on what he did last season, it’s hard to be optimistic.
Compared to 2018, Smith’s strikeout rate climbed by almost 7 percent, his soft contact rate jumped by nearly 6 percent, his line drive rate fell by 6 percent and his fly ball rate increased by about 5 percent. Smith’s skill set indicates he should be hitting as few fly balls as possible because his power is just about nonexistent. With that in mind, it’s no surprise he was a Statcast disaster at the plate last year. Smith finished below the league’s fifth percentile in average exit velocity, hard-hit percentage, expected batting average, expected slugging percentage and expected weighted on-base average.
Smith may have been the worst hitter in the game last year – a far cry from his 2018 effort – but what of his defense? Well, it was a mixed bag. Smith earned good grades in terms of Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating before 2019, but he fell off a cliff in both categories last year (minus-13 DRS, minus-9.5 UZR). On the other hand, Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric was high on Smith, giving him a plus-10 mark that ranked eighth among 133 qualified outfielders.
Even if we take OAA’s word for it, and even if we consider Smith’s elite speed, it looks highly questionable whether he’ll hit enough to turn back into a valuable contributor. Smith’s still just 26, so it’s too soon to give up on him, but this season (if it happens) could wind up as a make-or-break year for him.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Follow Pro Football Rumors For The Latest NFL Draft Rumblings
There’s no stopping the NFL offseason. Whether you’re a hardcore football fan or a casual Sunday watcher, you can follow every draft pick, trade, and rumbling with Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors on Twitter).
The “fully virtual” NFL Draft is just around the corner with several potential superstars on the board. At No. 1, the Bengals seem keyed in on quarterback Joe Burrow, who threw for 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns (!), and just six interceptions in his final year at LSU. Then, at No. 2, the Redskins could snag Chase Young, an absolute sack machine who could be a generational talent in the making.
Beyond that, the draft is wide open: The Lions are listening to offers for the No. 3 pick and the Giants are “open for business” at No. 4. The Dolphins, at No. 5, are one of several teams that could be tempted to move up for their next QB, which could be Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon’s Justin Herbert.
For the latest on the draft, free agency, and more from this wild NFL offseason, stay tuned to Pro Football Rumors and follow along on Twitter, @pfrumors.
MLB Announces “The Show” League Featuring 30 Players
If you’re pining for some actual competition among baseball players, Major League Baseball, the Players Association and Sony are doing their best to accommodate. The trio announced in conjunction today the first “MLB The Show Players League,” wherein 30 big leaguers — one from each team — will square off in a month-long, online league in MLB The Show on PS4. Each player will each other player once in a three-inning game, and the top eight records will advance to the postseason.
Games, which begin tonight, will be streamed on MLB’s social media accounts, MLB Network’s Twitch channel and MLB The Show’s social media accounts. MLB, the MLBPA and Sony are donating $5,000 to the Boys & Girls Club in all 30 markets, and the winner will receive an extra $25,000 for his community’s Boys & Girls Club. Your 30 players are:
AL East
Bo Bichette, Blake Snell, Eduardo Rodriguez, Tommy Kahnle, Dwight Smith Jr.
AL Central
Lucas Giolito, Trevor May, Carlos Santana, Niko Goodrum, Brett Phillips
AL West
Joey Gallo, Lance McCullers Jr., Jesus Luzardo, Ty Buttrey, Carl Edwards Jr.
NL East
Juan Soto, Jeff McNeil, Rhys Hoskins, Ryne Stanek, Luke Jackson
NL Central
Josh Hader, Matt Carpenter, Amir Garrett, Cole Tucker, Ian Happ
NL West
Hunter Pence, Gavin Lux, Fernando Tatis Jr., David Dahl, Jon Duplantier
Watching players compete in a video game version of the sport we’re all craving might not be everyone’s cup of tea — but it’ll provide fans with the opportunity to see some of their favorite players interact with each other and can serve as a welcome, baseball-themed distraction at a time when those are few and far between.
Will you watch any of tournament? (Link to poll for Trade Rumors mobile app users.)
Will you tune in for any of MLB The Show Players' League?
-
Are you kidding me? No way. 50% (2,224)
-
Yes -- I'm desperate. 31% (1,371)
-
I'd watch this even if actual baseball were happening! 20% (872)
Total votes: 4,467
Klutch Sports Agency Expands Into Baseball
The Klutch Sports agency announced today that it has acquired the Tidal Sports agency. That’ll bring agent Brodie Scofield and his stable of clients into the growing multi-sport outfit.
Klutch and top agent Rich Paul are already well known in hoops circles. They represent LeBron James and other NBA superstars. A recent investment from United Talent Agency brought the promise of expansion into other sports, which is obviously now underway.
This acquisition comes at a moment when all professional sports are on hold. While NBA players had already earned most of their salaries for the 2019-20 season, MLB earnings are on hold pending the resumption of play. Under the deal agreed to between the league and union, ballplayers would collectively earn just $170MM (less than one-twentieth the expected tally) in 2020.
Of course, MLB players do stand to continue accruing service time even if no baseball is played this year. That’s of particular importance for some of the new Klutch clients, who’ll continue to be represented by Scofield — now the agency’s lead baseball representative.
As MLBTR’s database reflects, the baseball unit now housed at Klutch Sports features some rather prominent players. Astros star Alex Bregman is certainly the top client; he’s entering the first year of the extension he inked in the spring of 2019. Another client, Brewers infielder Keston Hiura, seems a potential extension candidate. Mets starter Marcus Stroman is slated to reach free agency in advance of the 2021 campaign. Other big leaguers on the client list include Kevin Gausman, Sean Newcomb, and Blake Swihart. And the Klutch stable now also features one of the game’s top prospects in Jarred Kelenic of the Mariners.
Orioles Notes: Mancini, Mountcastle, Hays
Here’s the latest from Baltimore…
- Orioles slugger Trey Mancini underwent surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his colon earlier this month. Fortunately, Mancini is recovering nicely. General manager Mike Elias spoke on the matter Thursday (via Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun), saying Mancini’s “doing really well” and “his physical condition is great.” That’s certainly welcome news for the Orioles and all of those who follow baseball, though it’s unclear when Mancini will be ready to take the field again.
- The Orioles have optioned first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, right-hander David Hess, outfielder Cedric Mullins and utility player Ramon Urias to Triple-A Norfolk, Joe Trezza of MLB.com writes. The most notable player there is Mountcastle, a 2015 first-round pick and current top-100 prospect who ranks as one of the Orioles’ best farmhands. Still just 23 years old, Mountcastle climbed to the Triple-A level for the first time last season and batted .312/.344/.527 with 25 home runs in 553 plate appearances, though that solid production came with below-average strikeout and walk percentages of 23.5 and 4.3, respectively.
- Outfielder Austin Hays figures to enter the season as the Orioles’ leadoff hitter, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com writes in a piece focusing on their roster. The 24-year-old Hays has dealt with injuries over the past couple seasons, but he racked up 75 plate appearances in the majors in 2019 and posted tremendous numbers. Hays slashed .309/.373/.574 with four home runs, a .265 ISO and seven walks against 13 strikeouts.
Check Out Pro Football Rumors For NFL Offseason Updates
None of North America’s major sports leagues are currently playing games, but the NFL is in the midst of one of its biggest weeks of the year, and Pro Football Rumors is covering all the action.
The NFL’s free agency period kicked off on Monday with a series of agreements on major deals, including the Texans trading DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals, the Vikings sending Stefon Diggs to the Bills, and Amari Cooper reaching a $100MM deal with the Cowboys.
Tuesday began with Tom Brady dropping a bombshell, announcing that his time with the Patriots has come to an end. Brady’s eventual landing spot is one of the biggest NFL offseason questions still to be answered, but Pro Football Rumors is keeping tabs on every potential roster move, big and small.
If you’re suffering from hot stove rumor withdrawal and you’re an NFL fan, be sure to follow PFR (@pfrumors on Twitter) for all the latest offseason updates.
Latest On MLB, Coronavirus
11:10am: Teams throughout the league have been sending scouts home this morning, and Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that “just about every team, if not every team” has taken this step. Meanwhile, in an unlocked article that is not behind the web site’s paywall, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal runs through several potential pandemic-related issues and courses of action for the league.
As for any actual action from the league, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that the league is likely to provide some clarity today. At this point, it feels inevitable that the league will make a statement on the status of Spring Training games and the regular season in the very near future.
1:55am: The coronavirus outbreak led the National Basketball Association to suspend its season on Wednesday. It’s unclear how Major League Baseball will react before its regular season is scheduled to begin March 26, but it’s becoming increasingly likely that the pandemic will have a sizable effect on its plans.
It’s possible, for instance, that some of the league’s teams will start 2020 by playing regular-season games outside of their normal home venues. That already seems to be the case for the Mariners, who are “likely” to host their season-opening series in the Phoenix area instead of in Seattle, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.com. But they may not be the only club in that situation. The state of California has recommended limiting public gatherings to 250 people for the rest of March, which means the Dodgers, Padres and Athletics could either play their initial series elsewhere or have those sets postponed, Passan tweets. All three of those teams are scheduled to play at home until early April.
For now, MLB executives aren’t slated to discuss how they’ll proceed until a Friday conference call, per Passan. However, with the NBA shutting itself down and the National Hockey League possibly poised to make a similar announcement on Thursday, perhaps MLB will reach a decision on how it will move forward sooner than expected. The hope is that the league will come up with a plan “within days,” three high-level team officials told Passan.
KBO Postpones Start Of Season; MLB Doesn’t Plan To Change Schedule
Major League Baseball decided Monday to close clubhouses to media members for an undisclosed period of time because of the coronavirus outbreak. Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball took the more drastic measure to postpone the start of its regular season.
The Korea Baseball Organization is now following the NPB’s lead, Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.Net reports (Twitter links). The league, which had already canceled preseason games, will hold off the beginning of its regular campaign until an April date that hasn’t been determined. It had been scheduled to kick off March 28. The KBO’s hope remains that it will play its typical 144-game season, Kurtz adds. Regardless, the league will notify its teams two weeks before it plans to start its regular season.
Unlike the Japanese and Korean leagues, MLB has no plans right now to make any changes to its spring or regular schedules, per the Associated Press. The league admitted, however, that it “recognizes the fluidity of this rapidly evolving situation.”
“The health and safety of everyone in our communities is of the utmost importance to us,” MLB continued. “We have been engaging on an ongoing basis with a wide range of public health experts, infectious disease specialists, and governmental agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to obtain the latest information.”
Commissioner Rob Manfred held a conference call Monday with MLB’s 30 teams to discuss the situation, according to the AP.