caulfield12

2 years/$32M (2024-25) signed by Kansas City as a free agent 12/15/23 24:$16M, 25:$16M player option annual performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 150 innings pitche Michael Wacha is likely gone, as he's going to believe coming off his strong 2024 season that he can get a much better deal than just playing out the one remaining guaranteed contract year for $16 million. Ragans is currently their best starter, while his health lasts. Massey and Franco are going to be asked to do even more offensively, because the outfield's offensive contributions from Melendez/Isbel/Renfroe undoubtedly put them into the Bottom 3 in all of MLB. They will have to sign at least one FA here in order to compete in 2025. Salvy Perez is REALLY going to have a tough time repeating this year's offensive performance next season, same with Lugo (on the pitching side)...although Lugo's really impressed the last couple of seasons after converting from primarily a bullpen/swing guy. Pham likely gone as playoff teams have to aim higher...than him DeLong or Gurriel.

About the new Twins' 2025 TV partnership with games produced through MLB.com In-market: Twins fans in the market area (Minnesota, North Dakota and parts of South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin) will have two options. The first is a new, dedicated channel through cable or satellite television packages (the specific channels are TBD) that will primarily be dedicated to live coverage of Twins games, akin to similar arrangements in the three markets -- San Diego, Colorado and Arizona -- that had production and distribution agreements with MLB last season. For the 2024 season, the cost was $99.99 for a full-season plan or $19.99 per month in those markets. This is separate from the existing out-of-market MLB.TV subscription, which fans can choose to purchase separately or in tandem. “It will propel us into the future with a direct-to-consumer streaming option that our fans have been desperately asking for,” St. Peter said. Out-of-market: Out-of-market fans can continue to watch the Twins with normal MLB.TV subscriptions from outside the blackout regions, as has already been the case. Why choose league distribution? The Twins had been monitoring organizational and fan response in the Colorado, Arizona and San Diego markets as the early adopters to the MLB model last season, and St. Peter said the Twins were pleased with the way the league has continued to evolve its production and distribution model. Per the release, the Twins reached approximately 1.08 million households via their regional sports network last season, with that reach projected to expand to 4.4 million homes this season, an increase of 307%. “We think Major League Baseball has done a really good job in producing those games,” St. Peter said. “The distribution has been there, and frankly, the fan feedback has been really positive. We felt like clarity for our fans was the most important thing that we could bring heading into 2025, realizing the uncertainty that we’ve been dealing with, really, since Opening Day of ‘23.” https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/twins-broadcasts-distributed-by-mlb-2025

Very challenging to beat the Semien/Bassitt/Ravelo/Phegley for Ynoa and ONE YEAR of Samardzija Hahn special. KW's worst was probably Todd Ritchie for Kip Wells/Josh Fogg/Sean Lowe...then the Sox would go on for 2-3 seasons without a viable fifth starter (2003 still really strings, as MINN added Kenny Rogers and ran down the Sox in August/Sept. Or Jon Adkins/Durham.

The Royals are in a tough spot for an ascending team, as their farm system is considered below MLB average. The organization’s two most recent first-round draft picks, Jac Caglianone and Blake Mitchell, are the best prospects in the bunch. Unfortunately, neither player has made it to Double-A, and therefore they’re likely to spend all of 2025 in the minors. Right-hander Ben Kudma could find his way into the team’s rotation next summer. The 21-year-old has reached Double-A and makes up for a mediocre fastball with solid secondary offerings (slider, changeup). For now, though, his ceiling doesn’t seem to be especially high. Goals for 2025 The Royals are in a strange spot. At first glance, they are ready to challenge for the AL Central title. After all, they made major strides this season and have one of baseball’s best players in Witt. But there are significant holes on the roster and an overall lack of depth, with little immediate help from the minors on the horizon. By adding two or three free agents at positions of need, Kansas City could have as good of a chance of winning the division as the Guardians, Tigers or Twins. But if the front office sits on its hands and players such as Witt and Lugo experience regression after remarkable campaigns, Kansas City could be surpassed in an increasingly competitive division. Next year's Starting Rotation should be Ragans, Lugo, Singer, Alec Marsh/Kyle Wright (likely at least one FA pitcher needed with Michael Wacha opting for FA coming off a strong season.) https://sports.yahoo.com/kansas-city-royals-2024-offseason-preview-whats-next-for-bobby-witt-jr-and-co-as-the-royals-move-out-of-rebuild-mode-024658670.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9zcG9ydHMueWFob28uY29tLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAFrmvlQb7gUaEhVvjBPFSeJEJV2lGkGexEWKs-eZGNc1m3mgA3I3T0ylP9imNL50mPfWJrVRNwzQtbhKpqV9OX9pycy7jyKq9vaYz8UUNnlcn_cYGetpvxZsYoTkvQzCYVfdehW8pv5jCp8i2DFYjZHQ9lz_lixduiS8t1VYdUq6 2 hours ago Bummer. Was curious if Will Smith’s luck would continue. 3 consecutive years as a World Series champion with 3 separate franchises. On the verge of a 4th. That’s alright, with my team already not making the playoffs, I was personally hoping for a Yankees-Dodgers World Series. So far so good. 2 hours ago Yanks never would have won game 1 in NY, but the corrupt replay center cheated KC on the call. 5 camera angles proved Chisholm was out at 2nd base. Of course, the little cheat landed on the Yanks. His snotty attitude fits right in!

Momentum swinging back to Guardians? Tigers could have put the game away there.

Pohlad

"It’s complicated. When Carl Pohlad purchased the Twins for $44 million in 1984, he was viewed as a savior When the Pohlad family announced Thursday that it was looking into selling the team, folks acted as if they were being saved from low-budget baseball. It’s hard to determine what the family’s legacy in the game should be, because there’s evidence over 40 years to support both views. Here’s mine. The Twins won the American League Central last season and knocked off the Blue Jays in the first round of the playoffs, their first playoff series win since 2002. Fans were energized. A young core was coming together while established players in Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa made the lineup dangerous. They had the closest thing to an ace there is in Pablo Lopez to lead the rotation. It was a good time to push more chips into the pot. Add to the payroll, or just keep the payroll flat for 2024, and the Twins are still playing..." https://www.startribune.com/pohlad-sell-minnesota-twins-family-legacy-mlb/601160358

So Jose Contreras was not clutch because he lost to Paul Byrd even though he was the best pitcher in baseball heading into the 2005 post season? There's a lot more evidence against Clayton Kershaw. And there's a big difference starting against the Yankees or Dodgers versus the Tigers/Royals/Guardians. But sure, he's not Pedro Martinez or Jack Morris. Very few are.

Even if said government contractor "jokes" about why nobody is clamoring to assassinate the sitting president or VP?

https://x.com/emmabaccellieri/status/1844162878976471188?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^tweet The Mets have forced me to reconsider my stance that a team should only have one gimmick at a time. Coming around to the idea that actually the perfect baseball team is a tangle of fast-food mascots, roadside pumpkins, and journeyman infielders working on their music careers.

Feeling less and less confident about Royals... Also, Cleveland has to score at some point again...don't they?

aka the Gran Torino thread

https://www.cnn.com/shorts/events-mw-cnn-shorts?iid=vertical-video_entry "Surreal to see" Trop roof shredded, drone footage Good thing Rays are not currently alive in the post season...would have had to find a neutral site like Miami or Atlanta to play.

The GM is surely the one who made the call starting Cease on short rest when that has historically not worked out for him.

Portions of roof at Tropicana Dome in St. Petersburg ripped off (by Hurricane Milton) cnn.com

Or Balta, The Pro Bono Prosecuting Attorney Strikes Again

And Edwin Jackson played for an MLB record 14 different teams (46.7%), retiring at the age of 36 in 2019. Including the Dodgers.

This goes all the way back to the decision not to start him in 2020.

But who is LA going to start? SD has beaten up Yamamoto this season. London Knack? Probably Flaherty against Michael King on short rest.

Really thought Manaea was done after watching his stuff erode with SD but he has really bounced back this year. Alec Bohm the pick right before Madrigal. Castellanos discussed about as long as Joc Pederson.

Witt Jr. breaks his 0/12 post season slide and will have to steal second...and possibly third.

DCINAA In all seriousness, they should have started Martin Perez and let Cease have two more days of rest, but hindsight is always 20/20.

Royals are giving the Yankees a real battle. 2-2 going to the bottom of the 6th. Schmidt and Lugo both pitched pretty well.

Ooops...was simply thinking about Nola's role going forward and totally forgot about Zack. Well, they're going to have to get more production up the middle of the field, at SS/2B/CF. It's as simple as that. As far as Painter goes, their top pitching prospect, find it doubtful that Getz would take a pitcher so soon after TJS as the centerpiece of a deal, but that's probably the best time to strike with (relatively) depressed value. Same way the Sox were able to get Giolito, Lopez and Dunning in one strike, because of the fall in Lucas' standing after early big league struggles and concerns over mechanical adjustments after high school. If the White Sox were really creative, they'd sign Bieber but undoubtedly he'll get more guaranteed money elsewhere. It also seems like the kind of bet AJ Preller's going to make before he guts his farm system to acquire another front line starter.

Certainly the juxtaposition of lower budgeted Detroit/Benetti, Cleveland and KC getting so much national airtime isn't helping matters for Getz. The only team that came into 2024 spending a bit more than the White Sox in the AL Central was Minnesota, and they're still MUCH better off than the White Sox, but currently considering a rebuild nevertheless.