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A post-holiday weekend in the U.S. always feels a little anticlimactic, but it’s the weekend nonetheless!
In Mariners news...
- The latest episode of the Mariners interview series led by Julio Rodríguez is live, featuring guest Taylor Trammell. The atmlb link takes you straight to the full episode.
#VibinWithJROD is BACK!
— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) December 4, 2020
.@Taytram24 joins @J_RODshow in the most ⚡shocking ⚡ episode yet. Tune in today at noon on our YouTube channel.
https://t.co/lliTRX1Euo pic.twitter.com/HlYIDqR9vr
- Matt Wallach over at Pitcher List looked at the improvements and pitfalls of Justus Sheffield’s encouraging 2020.
- In local baseball news, our Joe Doyle interviewed one of the top prep prospects (in baseball and basketball) in the state of Washington yesterday for Prospects Live, UCLA commit Malakhi Knight, who plays OF at Marysville Getchell HS.
Around the league...
- Yankees 3B Gio Urshela will hope to be ready for Opening Day following surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow.
#Yankees announce Gio Urshela “underwent surgery today to remove a bone chip from his right elbow,” with an expected 3-month recovery timetable following the surgery. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 5, 2020
- Jake Mailhot looked at the news of Isiah Kiner-Falefa being Texas’ shortstop going forward, and the implications for Elvis Andrus and the moribund Rangers.
- To hopefully shake them out of their funk, Texas made a surprise hire, bringing on longtime MLB pitcher and recent MLB executive Chris Young to be their new General Manager, joining Jon Daniels.
Sources: Chris Young will be joining the Texas Rangers as GM. Jon Daniels will stay on as President of Baseball Operations
— Levi Weaver (@ThreeTwoEephus) December 4, 2020
- The Phillies appear adrift, reminding us that tanking is no guarantee of ultimate success. Erstwhile ESPN baseball writer Sam Miller went in depth on what went wrong in Philly and what it shows about the popular strategy.
- That sad departure however leaves one of the sport’s best writers out of a job.
Friends, it turns out this is my last week at ESPN. I am taking this 0 percent personally. My bosses, and bosses’ bosses, were constantly over-the-top encouraging to me. This is just a very large pandemic.
— Sam Miller (@SamMillerBB) December 4, 2020
- Highly regarded broadcaster Len Kasper has made a crosstown move, leaving the Chicago Cubs to join the White Sox.
- The market is uncertain for former Athletics SS Marcus Semien, but it appears teams are asking if he’d play different positions.
- He’ll have new responsibilities regardless, as one of the new executives for the MLB Players Association.
.@MLB_PLAYERS elect new representatives to the Executive Subcommittee pic.twitter.com/aRx7SWaVxd
— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) December 5, 2020
- You know FanGraphs, we know FanGraphs, but Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic goes to the roots of the site that has changed the way many fans evaluate the game of baseball.
- Twins GM Thad Levine appeared to float in and out of the Phillies hunt for a new baseball operations chief.
- Ronald Torreyes took a minor league deal with the Phillies.
- The NCAA is gearing up for another disrupted spring of baseball.
BREAKING: The @NCAA Committee for Legislative Relief has granted DI Baseball a blanket waiver that extends through 2022.
— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) December 4, 2020
In 2022:
* Rosters will be capped at 40 (unlimited ’21, 35 normal season)
* Counters stay at 32 (up from 27)
* 25% minimum scholarship rule gone yet again.
John’s pick...
- Still got it.
Carlos Peguero can still hit the ball a long way when he makes contact. Grand Slam for the former Mariner. pic.twitter.com/p7TqSJNwO8
— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) December 4, 2020