caulfield12

Previous reports out of The Athletic claim that the Twins’ colossal-size debt was racked up by a combination of the shortened 2020 COVID season, baseball operations, the end of their TV partnership with Bally Sports North. Joe Pohlad added “investments in the fan experience” to that list, while talking to the Star Tribune. Pohlad acknowledged that the team has accumulated significant debt since the summer of 2020…That red ink totals as much as $400 million, according to a report published by The Athletic, through baseball operations, the expiration of their $54 million-a-year TV deal with Diamond Sports Group and “investments in the fan experience” at Target Field, Pohlad said. “As far as I’m aware, that debt was not a hindrance in this process,” Pohlad said. “But with this transaction, we’re going to be paying that debt down.” nypost.com/sports

https://nypost.com/2025/08/14/sports/angels-dodgers-fans-get-into-ugly-brawl-that-leads-to-two-arrests/ Terrible kicking a guy so viciously in the head over a freaking cap.

That's why they used weighted averages...let's say your #1 guy is worth 30 or 50 points and your 30 or 50 guy is just one point. You can have 3 top 15 guys like Boston coming into the season and that would out weigh a team with 5-6 but lower ranked Top 100 guys. Also, outfielders SS and C have the most trade value right now, so LAD having four outfielders in the Top 55 and a bunch of SS's is valued higher.

And Korean teenager LHP Jang is #22 in the #1 system (Sox sent LAD intl pool money) Jang struck out 41 percent of the batters he faced in his first taste of pro ball while displaying some of the best stuff in the system. He works with a 94-96 mph fastball that reaches 99 with good carry up in the strike zone, and he might have more velocity in his strong but still projectable 6-foot-4 frame. His tight mid-80s slider gives him a second plus pitch and he emphasized it last summer over his upper-70s downer curveball. His upper-80s changeup has been better than anticipated, featuring deceptive tumble. After a history of throwing strikes as an amateur, Jang issued 27 walks in 36 2/3 innings last year with a delivery that includes some effort and head whack. The Dodgers believe his issues were related more to targeting than mechanics and think his athleticism will help him improve in the future. He's a potential No. 2 starter if he can refine his control and command.

Booser for Fajardo...for example. At least the McCarthy/Fletcher miss hasn't turned out so definitively. Fajardo now in the Red Sox Top 25 Fajardo continually has added strength and velocity since turning pro, and he now works at 93-95 mph while touching 96 with his two-seam fastball and 97 with his four-seamer. He has a tight slider that ranges from 82-85 mph, and Boston is working with him on adding a sweepier version as well. He also has picked up an upper-80s kick-changeup very quickly, giving him the potential for at least solid offerings across the board. More advanced than most 18-year-old pitchers, Fajardo needed just six outings this spring before earning a promotion to Single-A. He has thrown strikes throughout his pro career and commands his fastball well. Though he'll need time to develop, he's a potential mid-rotation starter. mlb-pipeline-coverage.com

Not going to be helpful in pen at under 97-100 and without much control...they might just have to shut him down or try shoulder surgrry, which is always an iffy proposition.

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/dodgers-have-tumbled-out-of-first-place-but-their-season-starts-this-weekend-against-nl-west-leading-padres-225849085.html

AAA banners matter more to the minor league sales teams than they do the major league scouting and development people. Birmingham might have a really strong record...but there are hardly any legit prospects outside of Montgomery and MacDougal. Bergolla maybe a utility guy.

If Schultz can't physically go longer into games without breaking down, Taylor can't survive as a starter and Smith can't find his control...hard to say any of these things constitute success, either. Let's not forget that Rodon and Crochet only found themselves after battling back successfully through major injuries. Without those struggles...they wouldn't be the pitchers they have now evolved into.

Should keep a list of all those guys we can't seem to get rid of lol. Rojas Amaya Clevinger Julks Fletcher S.Wilson

??? One key point to remember is that none of Thorpe, Adams and I think the other guy was Juan Carela are/were typical 96-100 mph fb, high velo guys. All soft tossers, more or less. And even Bush after his injuries was more in the 93-96 touching 97 range.

Marlins' stadium doesn't have many fans, either, except for WBC and Caribbean series.

And Grant Taylor consigned to the reliever shelf. And all those pitching injuries to guys like Larsen and Thorpe, Iriarte imploding, etc.

https://nypost.com/2025/08/12/sports/with-rotation-in-shambles-mets-have-no-choice-but-to-turn-to-tomorrow-today/ Desperate Mets to call up McLean or Sproat this weekend. Anti-Stearns contingent horrified. Also, Colson will hit his rookie eligibility numbers in the next week or two...so they'll be down to five Top 100 with Hagen barely hanging in there for now. AFL will have a big impact on Schultz Smith and likely Braden...

SD must be elated to be 30th. In all seriousness, it's always about the ability to refill/recharge these lists. Last time the Sox were 1st, they followed up with Vaughn Madrigal and Burger. There was no so-called second wave. But yes, they key point is how OTHER organizations view or perceive your prospects when it comes to making trades.

https://www.mlb.com/news/biggest-breakouts-on-new-top-100-prospects-list-2025?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage Top Ten breakouts on the new Top 100 list...only one from the AL Central, CJ Kayfus.

Smith is turning 22 next week…for one thing. It’s not going to be easy to regain that lost prospect luster unless he can successfully undergo a Giolito-like transformation. And Lucas was the #1 RH pitching prospect in baseball when he was younger before his injuries/surgery.

Kenny Williams, Hahn and Haber are all out of baseball. Thinking that Sale Quintana Rodon Crochet and Schultz led directly to Hagen Smith and not a position prospect is going to haunt Getz. Luckily, Braden and Teel were acquired to cover up some of that loss, but Robert crashing also cost another injection of top prospects. Two steps backwards. We’ll see how Colson finishes.

Detroit being a Top Ten system now just makes it all that much harder to catch them. Need to wait for Skubal to move on to greener pastures, for one thing. And we could have drafted Riley Greene as well, for another.

What’s his current slump, something like 2/34 coming into yesterday’s games? He and Tucker have both just disappeared as offensive forces, except for a few walks. If both those guys were on the White Sox instead, probably ranked in the thirties or low 40s, lol.

Yelich is well past his 2019-20 prime, has had lots of injuries and Miz was barely in the Top 100 and could blow out an elbow at any time, but Chourio really could be great if he can stay healthy.

Soto, Juan. Oops

Dodgers swept 6-0 by Angels in season series At one point about a month ago the Dodgers were 24 over and SD just +6 and 9 games back. LA now 12-21 and Padres on a +11 stretch for a ten game swing. Three games in LA this weekend, three at PetCo next weekend with roughly 40 games remaining. Closest SD has been with LA this late in the season since before LA started their Puig charged playoff run in 2013.

Mod nomination forthcoming...

Beats Semien, TA and Tatis combined. Expected it to be Billy Carlson.