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Mariners Moose Tracks, 3/20/20: Chris Sale, service time, & Marcus Stroman’s World Baseball Classic hype

What a week.

Boston Red Sox v. Seattle Mariners Photo by Rod Mar/MLB via Getty Images

It may feel like days of the week have no meaning, but it is technically Friday.

In Mariners news...

  • Marco Gonzales (and Louie) offered words of support.
  • Mariners prospects are trying to pass the time like the rest of us - fortunately safely.
  • If you’re feeling short on baseball content, we’ve got a couple podcasts out this week. Our main broadcast features Matthew Roberson and our newest writer, Michael Ajeto (hard J sound) going through Michael’s bonafides and some magnificent recollection on 2001. We’ve also got a new episode from our prospects-focused pod, They Might Be Mariners, digging into our Top-30 prospects. Subscribing and downloading the pods directly puts a tiny bit of cash in our pockets for no cost to you, which we obviously would love.
  • Also, if you’re hankering for some Seattle Mariners video, MLB Network has it lined up today.

Around the league...

  • The Giants made a couple minor moves yesterday, optioning RHP Shaun Anderson and OF Steven Duggar to the minors.
  • Ben Koo of Awful Announcing sat down with Brockmire writer and producer Sheena Datt to talk about the unique baseball show’s upcoming final season.
  • MLB has put a moratorium on scouting activity, creating a bit of confusion and uncertainty for teams.
  • Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo thinks the odds remain long that the amateur draft does not occur.
  • The Astros gave RHP Jared Hughes his requested unconditional release.
  • Jonathan Mayo’s MLB mailbox included an aspirational question about prospects with Hall of Fame potential. There were usual names from the top 10, but one Julio Rodriguez made the list as well.
  • Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal ($) notes baseball’s service time rules make it a more complicated issue to unravel than other sports, with any number of peculiar potential outcomes, like Mookie Betts’ future.
  • Former Rainiers hurler Josh Osich was optioned to AAA-Pawtucket by Boston.
  • Reports seem to indicate that service time indeed - not pay - will be the trickiest thing to suss out for the union and the league.
  • That sentiment appears echoed across the league’s reporters, including Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, who goes into further detail for subscribers.

John’s picks...

  • Museums at least, are making the most of things.
  • The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum has a deep collection of oral histories (as in, actual interviews, not transcripted articles) with players, coaches, umpires, and other baseball notables throughout the game’s history that make for wonderful listening in this time. Check out Curt Flood, or Cool Papa Bell, or Bob Lemon, or Red Ruffing, or Minnie Miñoso, or Satchel Paige, or... you get the idea. The interviews range in time from under 10 minutes to over 30, and come with interview overviews to show what topics are discussed before you dive in.