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

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

In Mariners news...

• The Mariners have closed both their Peoria, AZ and their Boca Chica, Dominican Republic facilities, asking all players who are able to return home. The team flew their Dominican-native players home together to the DR, while players from less secure situations are being kept in Arizona, housed and fed, per MLB’s Greg Johns.
• The Mariners have added a minor league hitting coach from JUCO powerhouse Howard College in Big Spring, TX. Welcome to Edward Paparella!
• Longtime prospect expert Jon Sickels offers a take on Mariners RHP prospect Juan Then.

• 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.

• Jesse Sanchez of MLB explored how the delayed start to the season impacts the AL West.

Around the league...

• The Red Sox announced LHP Chris Sale will undergo Tommy John surgery, though no date to have the surgery has been scheduled.
• Matt Eddy of Baseball America ($) looked at which farm systems since the 1990s have both reigned supreme in the minors and the majors.
• The Diamondbacks-Padres series scheduled to be played in Mexico City in mid-April has been canceled, though the clubs and MLB intend to make it happen in a subsequent season.
• MLB announced a baseline compensation set up for minor leaguers, providing the typical spring training allowances of $100-200 per week until April 8th, at which point the compensation will shift to $400 per week.
• Garrett Broshius, Ty Kelly, a “current longtime MLB player who wishes to remain anonymous”, and several other activists and former minor leaguers have created a non-profit advocacy group on behalf of minor league ballplayers.

• 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.

• JJ Cooper reports that many minor league teams are in significant danger of shuttering without financial support as the revenue from the season doesn’t trickle in.
• Marcus Stroman is attempting to recruit fellow high-profile U.S. MLB players for the 2021 World Baseball Classic.

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.