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By the time the next series of links is posted, the season will be underway. Crazy, huh? Links:
- The sorta-kinda-Opening Day starts sorta-officially tonight (this whole Australia thing makes everything so confusing!) with the Dodgers squaring off against the Padres in San Diego. Here is a schedule of the week's games.
- U.S.S. Mariner helps you get to know new Mariner Chris Young.
- U.S.S. Mariner also discusses Randy Wolf, Chris Young, and the 45-day clause.
- Jason Churchill at Prospect Insider compares the opening day rosters of the 2013 and 2014 Seattle Mariners.
- The Indians and catcher Yan Gomes have agreed to a 6-year, $23MM extension.
- The Angels and Mike Trout agreed to a 6-year, $144.5MM extension that locks him up through his age-28 season and allows him to hit free agency in 2020.
- Miguel Cabrera also just signed an extension, but this one for 8 years and $292MM. However, Dave Cameron understands why the contract had to be made even though it's pretty bad.
- Which state should get the next MLB team? David Roth argues that New Jersey is the place.
- The Dodgers are the favorites to win the World Series this year, and the Mariners apparently have the same odds as the Phillies which makes me sad.
- It's prediction time and everyone's got theirs. Here is Grant Brisbee's, Fangraphs' (2 parts), and Chris Cotillo's.
- Could ballparks have an effect on ball-strike calls? Jeff Sullivan tries to figure this out.
- MLB has tightened its rules on PED violations, as now the first offense calls for an 80-game suspension, the second calls for 162-game suspension, and the third is a life ban from the game.
- Matt Swartz of The Hardball Times has a great piece on how to predict contract inflation and salary growth.
Sorry, pretty short linkage post today. Feel free to add any of your findings from the last few days in the comments!