With talks no longer ongoing, royals big-4 free-agents-to-be look primed for the open market: https://t.co/NXoHprbq0w
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 5, 2017
Hosmer seems to be their top priority but his agent Scott Boras has set the asking price relatively high.
The premium associated with 27-year-olds are very different than metrics associated with 32-year-olds, especially when it’s a widely known Gold Glove franchise-type player who also has the ability to perform at extremely high levels in big situations and on big stages. You’d have everything you’d want in a free agent Eric Hosmer.Scott Boras
The Royals, Mets and Blue Jays are interested in Brett Lawrie, who would be a nice fit in Toronto as he is from Canada and played there from 2011-14
The starting rotation in Arizona finished last season with a 5.19 ERA, last in the National League and second only to the Twins in all of baseball. Patrick Corbin, Shelby Miller and Taijuan Walker have given Diamondback fans a ray of hope.
Reynaldo Lopez had a 4.91 ERA over six starts for the Nationals last season with his fastball topping out at 95.8. The White Sox radar gun hit 100 mph Sunday, when he allowed one run on three hits, walked one and struck out three over three innings pitched. MLB Gameday had him topping out at 96.
The Cubs have not looked to Hector Rondon to close out games when Wade Davis isn’t available, which leads us to believe they do not have much confidence in him.
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Michael Brantley has yet to hit off live pitching, which gives us no timetable for a return yet.
Tyler Naquin, Lonnie Chisenhall and Brandon Guyer will see a rise in playing time with Michael Brantley’s status up in the air.
Joe Ross could be a potential closer for the Nationals.
- Has never pitched a full season as a starter
- His numbers are much better the first time through the lineup
- Only uses two pitches – Sinker 93 mph, Slider BAA .173
Garrett Richards has made great progress after choosing stem cell therapy over Tommy John surgery back in June 2016.
Yesterday, in his first outing of the spring, Richards gave up three runs over two innings with two strikeouts and no walks, and his fastball reached 97 mph. Only four starting pitchers over the past ten years have averaged a harder fastball than Richards.
Richards made some changes to his pitching repertoire:
- The changeup he used some last season is gone
- Will be more aggressive with his curveball, throwing it early in counts and in strikeout situations
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Every few years, a relatively unknown player emerges who is so compelling you have to take a second, and third, look. This year, it’s 24-year-old Mariner reliever
Pay attention to Mariners Righty reliever Thyago Vieira from Sao Paulo, Brazil.
- 6 ft 2in and 235 pounds
- 101 mph this spring
- 103 mph in Arizona Fall League
Last pitch of Vieira’s session pic.twitter.com/u7s4xwUdvk
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) February 17, 2017
Johnny Peralta is likely to start the season as the Cardinals starting third baseman and Jedd Gyorko will fill in based on matchups. Peralta doesn’t hit lefties well
Both hitters are right-handed, but consider that Gyorko hit 23 of his 30 homers last season against righties. And yes, now is a nice time to point out that Gyorko’s 30 homers came in just 400 at-bats, a tidy tidbit complemented by this stat:
In baseball history, only Gyorko in 2017 and Mark McGwire in 2000 ever hit 30 or more home runs, while having fewer than 10 doubles in 400 or fewer at-bats.
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