SPRING TRAINING NEWS/RUMORS Thread

@CodifyBaseball
10 MLB teams have finished between .500 and 4 games below .500 in the last 4 years and 4 of those teams were the Giants.

 

How they won 107 games in 2021 is one of baseball's great mysteries of all time.

 

@DMAC_LA
Hyeseong Kim could start at second base with Edman out, and will get time in center:

"Hyeseong is in the mix at second base. Hyeseong is going to play some center field, because I want to get him some at bats. I expect that he's going to have more opportunities this year."

 

@FabianArdaya · 34m
The Dodgers signed Santiago Espinal. Infield depth.​

-1.8 war the past two seasons
but i’ve long ago stopped questioning our FO’s moves



Chris Taylor and Justin Turner like this.
___

 

Makes sense to see what he's got. The Padres (now ATL) Kim doubled his WAR and added almost 100 points to his OPS from his first to second season. The Gnats Lee also added 100 to his OPS in season two. They say it takes a year for Koreans (wow, racist) to get used to pitch speeds here. Best case scenario he runs away (no pun intended) with the opportunity and Edman becomes a great utility piece off the bench.

 

Haha, never heard of him but he was an AL all-star one year. Nevertheless ugly numbers the past two years and the key here is it's a minor league contract. Hopefully there won't be a need to call him up.

 

@MLBONFOX
The Padres are signing Walker Buehler to a minor league deal, per @sdutKevinAcee

 

Praise from….Manny Machado?!

Respect to Harper

https://x.com/dodgernate/status/2023646856069398655?s=46

 

Thought I'd take an early look to see what the Dodgers are dealing with in regards to narrowing down their pitching staff over the course of the preseason.

Currently, the team has 24 pitchers on the 40-man. As we know, the limit each team can carry is 13 on the active roster.

* Once again, the Dodgers get lucky as Ohtani doesn't count towards that 13.

Probable starters
Yamamoto
Snell
Ohtani *
Glasnow
Sheehan
Sasaki

Relievers sure to make the opening day roster, barring injuries
Diaz (R)
Scott (L)
Treinen (R)
Vesia (L)
Graterol (R)

That makes ten in, which leaves 14 vying for the final three spots.

Relievers who barring unlikely circumstances will likely NOT be on the opening day roster
Gervase
Knack
Kopp
Miller
Phillips (60-day IL)

Starters who could fill Snell's spot if he's not ready, otherwise likely start season in AAA
Stone
Ryan

That whittles it down to seven trying to get the final three pen spots
Casparius (R)
Dreyer (L)
Henriquez (R)
Hurt (R)
Klein (R)
Stewart (R)
Wrobleski (L)

I think Dreyer gets the nod based on his strong rookie season and the need for a third lefty. After that, I have no idea how the final two will be selected. I'm sure how they look in ST will play a big role. I know Henriquez continues to be a player that they see being a high leverage guy at some point down the road. How do you not give Klein a shot for what he gave the team in the WS, but you could pretty much say the same for Wrobo? Hurt has only allowed 1 ER in his small sample of 8.2 IP, and Casparius in a way carried the pen early last year before running out of steam due to overuse. It could turn out to be a very tough decision for Roberts, but nevertheless I'm sure all these guys will get their shot at some point during the season. One thing for sure is, that's a pretty solid group of seven from which to choose three - Dodgers are fortunate to be in that position.

One more thing for sure... I'm glad they DFA'd/traded Banda. He had his moments for the Dodgers, but with no options left, he'd have taken a spot which will now go to someone likely to contribute more.

 

great post

imo the three additions should be klein, wrobleski and dryer — with henriquez and casparius next if anyone goes on the IL

 

@TalkinBaseball_
Tony Clark has resigned as executive director of the MLBPA after an internal investigation revealed he had an inappropriate relationship with his sister-in-law, per @JeffPassan. Clark also hired her to work for the union in 2023.

that’s going to be an interesting conversation with his wife…