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I wrote this on my phone at 11:30 post tequila sodas so treat typos kindly thank you. -John
Don’t worry, it’s only 9:30 here so I will clean this up. Although I can’t say there were “no” tequila sodas involved. -Kate
In Mariners news...
- Baseball America ($) counted up all the players who got at least one Top-150 vote in the creation of their top 100 list. The Blue Jays, Braves, Indians, Rangers, Cardinals, Red Sox, Yankees, and Mariners all placed at least five players on the list. The Mariners had five: Justin Dunn, George Kirby, Kyle Lewis, Justus Sheffield, and Brandon Williamson. Of these five, however, only Kirby and Williamson are not MLB-adjacent/haven’t been on top prospect lists before. Noelvi Marte apparently didn’t receive any votes, which is something we expect to change by next year. Cal Raleigh also didn’t receive any consideration as a top-150 prospect, apparently. [Show me the people who voted for Cole Roederer from the Cubs and not Cal. I just want to talk.]
- Mariners prospect [Janet voice: not a prospect] Penn Murfee took a brief jaunt from Arizona up the coast to his alma mater, Santa Clara, to get in a little pre-spring training work. It’s exciting to see the players filtering into Arizona as baseball gets . . .slowly. . .closer.
Former #BroncoBoys @PennMurfee @Swilson2436 & @Mitchwhite19 getting final tuneups with @CoachFilter50 before heading to big league camp next week #BroncoUp pic.twitter.com/3kS8sc6zGa
— Sean McMillan (@SMcMillanSCU) February 8, 2020
- Meanwhile, Kyle Lewis is probably wishing he was headed to Arizona. Side note: “what going onnnnn?!” is my new favorite reaction gif.
Kyle Lewis me
— Lookout Landing (@LookoutLanding) February 8, 2020
outraged at snow’s audacity pic.twitter.com/M3kWWhiISK
In Astros cheating scandal news...
- (Yeah, I made a whole new category for this because this is the story that will not end, yes it goes on and on my friends.)
- Charlie Morton is sorry for not doing more to stop the sign-stealing scandal.
“I know what it’s like to struggle in the big leagues,” Morton said. “I know what it’s like to battle for a spot. So to know that was going on and guys were having to deal with that, pitching in the big leagues is tough enough. That part was difficult.”https://t.co/8nJBfP9ruj
— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) February 8, 2020
- Despite being present and in a leadership role in Houston for most of the known cheating timeline, Orioles GM Mike Elias is confident neither he nor other Orioles employees will be connected to the scandal.
- Technically Red Sox cheating scandal news, but notable since Peter Gammons suggested otherwise.
To be fair, have heard latest investigation into Red Sox will find far less serious transgressions than were found with Astros. Ruling could come next week (or perhaps slightly after)
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 8, 2020
In Moribund Red Sox trade news...
- Hopefully this one will be an equally short-lived category.
- Honestly, I’m not even sure where we are on this. The same place as Saturday, I guess? The Twins are out, except they aren’t officially out, and no amount of tweets is moving this process along, much to everyone’s annoyance.
- Look, Ken has been reduced to trying to solve the problem himself. Also, somewhere Brodie Van Wagenen read the last sentence of this tweet and emitted a gentle “ha.”
Real question is what #RedSox want. #MNTwins could send Graterol and lesser prospect to #Dodgers, then LAD could flip Graterol and a better prospect to BOS. But some in talks sense that negative media reaction to Verdugo-Graterol return for Betts-Price gave BOS ownership pause.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 8, 2020
- The trade has now dragged on long enough that MLB players like Justin Turner and Trevor Bauer are weighing in. I don’t always agree with Trevor Bauer, but on this thing I do: literally no one cares who had it first. [I guess I’m technically agreeing with Justin Turner, but I agree with the sentiment of both tweets.]
Great idea Justin. Just another example of how players are treated as characters on a screen or piece of paper, not as human beings with the same emotions and problems as every other human being on the planet. https://t.co/1kyWLkayZd
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) February 8, 2020
Around the league...
- The Rays had their FanFest yesterday, which must be fun, right? Anyway, that’s why the links are somewhat Rays-slanted today. Tyler Glasnow says he’s ready for spring:
#Rays Glasnow said Nov. wrist surgery was “super minor” and he feels 100 percent going into camp. Also of note, he’s ditching his changeup and working on a splitter as his third pitch
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) February 8, 2020
- While the Mookie Betts trade remains on life support, the Rays completed a trade of their own:
#Rays are trading reliever Emilio Pagan to the #Padres in exchange for outfielder Manuel Margot and prospect C/OF Logan Driscoll, sources tell @TheAthleticMLB.
— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) February 9, 2020
The Rays have relievers coming out of their ears so getting a position players makes sense, although many have pointed out that Margot, a defensive specialist and center fielder, seems redundant on a roster that also contains Kevin Kiermaier. Who knows, maybe the Rays have a plan to deploy a two-man outfield in 2020. Let’s get weird.
- Sean Gilmartin is not himself a memorable player, but makes an appearance in links today for being the one (1) player whose name Kate remembered and John did not. A former first-rounder escaped Dipoto’s clutches? Jerry, pal, you’re slipping.
Free-agent left-hander Sean Gilmartin signs minor-league deal with #Rays with invitation to major-league spring training, per source.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 8, 2020
- Who wants a little light cheating for brunch?
Source: The White Sox have a deal in place with Cuban RHP Norge Vera for $1.5 million for the 2020 signing class, beginning on July 2nd. More coming soon at https://t.co/0HUzWgNaJI.
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) February 8, 2020
- The Blue Jays are here to make sure the Rays don’t hog all the fringe signing news, as they’ve signed Rafael Dolis to an MLB deal:
Dolis had a 5.48 ERA for the Cubs in 40 appearances from 2011-2013 (and has not appeared in MLB since), but has been one of the best relievers in Japan for the last four seasons -- cool comeback story here https://t.co/85uRgEWDU8
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) February 9, 2020
- Tommy Hunter also has found a home, making him the 70th person in Phillies camp this spring, per Todd Zolecki.
- In sadder news, former Rockies and Cubs outfielder Angel Echevarria has passed away at the age of 48.
- Celebrate Black History Month with Marvin Freeman and “Team: The Fellas” (I know this isn’t how this is supposed to scan but I like the idea of a team called The Fellas better)
Wish I could have included ALL my Homies but ... next time! pic.twitter.com/DsbgTX6NUO
— FreemanBaseball (@marvinfreeman84) February 8, 2020
In other Seattle sports...
- So many new categories of links today! The XFL kicked off yesterday and while we did not ourselves watch it, it seemed to be a hit, judging from the buzz it generated over social media. The Seattle Dragons lost in the fourth quarter to the DC Defenders, but no one seemed overly worked up about it, and everyone seemed to appreciate the Defenders taking this victory lap. Low-stakes sports are fun! [I promise there is not someone from the Mariners FO pointing a gun at my head while I type that.]
DEFENDERS WIN! pic.twitter.com/ump7B3Mo3S
— DC Defenders (@XFLDefenders) February 8, 2020
Kate’s pick:
- UW Softball played a doubleheader yesterday with Georgia Tech and won both games. Sis Bates continues to play incredible defense at short:
B7 | SIS. BATES.#MightyAreTheWomen pic.twitter.com/GU1pXee4Nl
— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) February 9, 2020
B5 | This? It's good!
— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) February 9, 2020
UW 2
GT 0#MightyAreTheWomen pic.twitter.com/2etIBZEDri
She’s pretty good on both sides of the ball, actually, knocking in this walkoff single to secure Game 1 of the doubleheader:
Ballgame.#MightyAreTheWomen pic.twitter.com/NqJfGEqFDD
— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) February 8, 2020