This post is part of a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.
Which Mets player could surprise us with a 3-4 win season?
Dave Gasper, Contributor
Hey everyone, my name is Dave Gasper and I’m incredibly excited to be joining the staff at Brew Crew Ball ahead of the 2026 season. Prior to this, I spent seven years as the Editor-in-Chief over at Reviewing the Brew, covering the team from the 2018 run to Game 7 of the NLCS through so many more moments that this team has made over the years. I’ve always strived to be a trusted voice on the Milwaukee Brewers, bringing in-depth analysis from my knowledge of the game and passion for this organization.
You may also know me from my work on what was formerly 97.3 FM The Game here in Milwaukee and state-wide on The Game Radio Network of stations. There I was the producer of No BS with Billy and Armen and then co-host and producer of D.N.D. in the mid-days.
Growing up, going to Brewers games with my dad, my Brewers fandom started in the lean years of the early 2000s, watching Richie Sexson and Geoff Jenkins be the best players on some really bad teams, losing 100 games a year. That’s made this run of success the team has had over the last several years that much more enjoyable not only to watch but to be able to cover as a member of the media.
I’m excited to bring you content going inside the Brewers clubhouse as well as diving into the farm system and providing my prospect rankings.
I’ve covered this team and been in the clubhouse through a couple of champagne celebrations already the last few years and hopefully there are a couple more champagne celebrations this year.
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
You wouldn’t know it from the current weather on the East Coast, but baseball season is fast approaching. In just one week, all Orioles pitchers and catchers will have reported to Sarasota for the start of spring training. The first workout is in eight days. Soon we’ll be inundated with reports of how every Oriole is in the best shape of his life and that it’s a great group of guys and the team is destined for glory. It’s the time of year that optimism abounds and there’s no evidence to the contrary (yet).
Even with the start of camp so close, it doesn’t feel like the Orioles are done tinkering with their roster, nor should they be. The bullpen, in particular, is one unit that doesn’t currently inspire confidence. The O’s did jump early this offseason to fill their closer spot, signing former All-Star Ryan Helsley, and reacquired Andrew Kittredge after dealing him last July. But ever since the Helsley signing, which was more than two months ago, the Birds have yet to add any other notable relievers.
The O’s, at the moment, seem set to rely on many of the journeymen and unproven arms who comprised their bullpen after the trade deadline last season. And that’s a major risk. Can the Orioles rely on the well-traveled Dietrich Enns and Rico Garcia to be as effective this season as they were in a two-month sample size last year? Will a guy like Kade Strowd take a step forward or be overexposed in regular duty? What happens if Helsley gets hurt or pitches like he did with the Mets (7.20 ERA)? Who would replace him as the closer? If Kittredge is injured or ineffective, who takes over the eighth-inning role? The Orioles might not be prepared for every contingency, but bringing in another reliable arm or two would go a long way to strengthening the whole bullpen.
The Orioles’ offseason got off to a fast start but has slowed to a halt as spring approaches. There’s still a little bit of time for Mike Elias and his staff to acquire a reliable reliever or starting pitcher. But if they want a new pitcher to be able to have a full spring training of preparation, they’d better act sooner rather than later.
Putting together the Orioles’ 2026 bullpen – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Rich Dubroff maps out a potential Opening Day bullpen, and it reinforces the point I was just making. If Yennier Cano is penciled in for a spot, then I’m sorry, but that’s not a particularly good bullpen.
Orioles position preview: Rutschman, Basallo form high-upside catching duo – The Baltimore Sun
The key word here is “upside.” If either or both of them play like they’re capable of, the O’s could have the best catching situation in the division. But their 2025 performances for the Orioles don’t exactly inspire confidence.
As the Framber Valdez saga drags on, these are alternatives for the Orioles – The Baltimore Banner
Update: Framber Valdez still is not an Oriole. Will the O’s pivot for someone like Zac Gallen, Chris Bassitt, or Lucas Giolito, or will they roll the dice with the pitchers they’ve already got?
Orioles spring camp is near! Here’s what to know – MLB.com
Are you planning to attend O’s spring training but don’t know where or when the Orioles play or who’s on the team? That’s…a little weird, frankly, but this article will answer your questions.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Seven former Orioles were born on Feb. 3, including second baseman and vibes guy Rougned Odor (32); right-handers Brooks Kriske (also 32) and Don Welchel (69); outfielder Fred Lynn (74); and the late righties Scott Klingenbeck (b. 1971, d. 2025) and Harry Byrd (b. 1925, d. 1985) and outfielder Jim Dyck (b. 1922, d. 1999).
On this date in 1994, the Orioles re-signed reliever Mark Williamson. The righty had spent his first seven years with the Orioles as a workhorse in the bullpen, throwing more than 80 relief innings in six of those seasons, including 100+ each from 1987-89. His career lasted just one more year, with 28 appearances in 1994.
And on this day in 2021, the O’s signed Mariners legend Félix Hernández as a minor league free agent. The former Cy Young winner, who hadn’t played since 2019, was a favorite to break camp in the Orioles’ rotation, but he got injured in his final spring training start and never pitched again. He became Hall of Fame eligible in 2025 and received 20.6% of the vote in his first year followed by 46.1% in his second, so he seems to be making progress toward induction.
You want links? You can’t handle the links!
Phillies News:
MLB News:
DRaysBay works best as a place for community and conversation. Accordingly, in the lead up to the new season, we are posting “Daily Questions” in the month of February. I look forward to seeing you in the comment section!
Which player has your unwavering belief? Forget the performance on the field yesterday, you have your eyes set on tomorrow, knowing they can deliver if given the chance.
As the offseason winds down and early-arriving players begin ramping up for the 2026 season, it’s your turn, once again, to ask us at VEB your most pressing questions as we head into spring training. The Cardinals were able to move all of their no-trade-clause-wielding players on the roster and added a couple of veteran pitchers with high-octane stuff, and there were many other small moves in between. What position battles are you most intrigued to watch unfold in spring camp? Who is going to hit lead off for the Cardinals in 2026? Which Cardinals have the most to prove in 2026? We’re eager to hear from you, and we haven’t completed a reader mailbag episode since the end of October, when Cardinals assistant GM and head of player performance Rob Cerfolio joined us to answer your most pressing offseason questions.
Leave your questions in the comments section, and we will be sure to answer them on the next episode of the Viva El Birdos Podcast! This post will also act as an open thread for the day.
-Thanks for participating…?!
1988
Helping to spur an upset in the 1988 Caribbean Series, José DeLeón started the Series-opening win for his Escogido Leones. Just six days later, the White Sox traded the right-handed workhorse to St. Louis for Lance Johnson, Ricky Horton and cash.
1996
To help fortify a comically-thin rotation (of the four core starters in 1995, just Wilson Alvarez and Alex Fernandez would remain with the team/stay healthy through 1996) the White Sox signed righthander Kevin Tapani to a one-year, $1.5 million deal.
After seven years in Minnesota compiling 19.1 WAR, Tapani was dealt to the Dodgers to help a playoff run. However, Tapani was horrible in the stretch for L.A., culminating in an NLDS that saw him appear in two games with just one-third of an inning pitched, scarred by three earned runs and four walks.
With Tapani’s value at low ebb, the White Sox struck with an extreme value signing — and it paid off wonderfully, as the righty put up a 13-10 record and a 3.2 WAR (tied for second-best of his career) in spite of some sloppy peripherals (4.59 ERA, 4.85 FIP, 1.385 WHIP).
Tapani’s relative success as a White Sox reclamation made the path forward even more curious. Despite not missing a start (he had 34, while No. 1 and 2 starters Fernandez and Alvarez finished with 35) and once pitching on three days’ rest, Tapani was accused of faking a hand injury by GM Ron Schueler, assuring the starter would not return.
Driving away Tapani and even the higher-profile hit of losing Fernandez to the Florida Marlins in free agency forced what would become the worst free agent pitcher signing in White Sox history: Jaime Navarro for four years and $20 million.
Tapani ended up signing a five-year, $23.5 million deal with the Cubs and put up a modest 7.2 WAR over the contract. Navarro would last just three years with the White Sox, compiling a catastrophic -3.7 WAR.
2011
The White Sox announced the signing of Alexei Ramírez to a four-year, $32.5 million contract extension covering 2012-15, with a team option for 2016.
Ramírez was coming off of what would stand up as his greatest MLB season in 2010, with 5.6 WAR and his first career Silver Slugger. His defense comprised almost half of his WAR value; Derek Jeter winning the Gold Glove at shortstop that season further cemented the need for a change in the determination process there.
The Cuban Missile would go on to have four very productive seasons of the five his extension covered, making this a rare “perfect” meld, where performance largely matched compensation.
2023
In a trade that stuck a blow against the Chicago trades, the White Sox sent reliever Theo Denlinger to Boston for reliever Franklin German. German had thrown in five games for the 2022 Red Sox, getting blown up for an 18.00 ERA. The 25-year-old nudged that ERA down a smidge in Charlotte for nine early appearances (7.15 ERA) but was waived on May 8; though catching on with the Reds and then again the Red Sox later that year, 2023 would be German’s last season of pro ball.
Denlinger, a blacksmith, struggled in Double- and Triple-A for the Red Sox and was released during the 2024 season. He surfaced for the Tecolotes de Los Dos Laredos of the Mexican League in 2025, putting up a 6.46 ERA there.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Pirates fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Last week’s question asked about the record for the Buccos. The last time the Pirates were .500 or better was 2018. However, the Bucs have one the league’s best pitching staffs, and after finally adding some offense, the Bucs seem poised to actually score some runs this season as well. Will all of that add up to finally getting over the .500 hump? Here’s what you had to say:
A full two-thirds of voters are taking the over .500 for the Bucs. Add in the 10 percent of you who think the team finishes right at .500, and that’s 77 percent of voters who think the Bucs will be .500 or better this year. That’s more optimism than we’ve had in a long time. Let’s hope the Bucs can meet our expectations.
Thanks for voting. We’ll be back soon with more Reacts.
Hello everyone! Welcome to our new Daily Question series for the month of February. With Spring Training around the corner, we want to hear what you think 2026 holds for your Minnesota Twins. Let’s get excited for baseball!
Here’s the problem with trade articles. Because you can target nearly anybody, I end up spending hours just going through realistic possibilities. Rather than doing that this time around, let’s leave it up to you and see who you have in mind.
The way I see it, the Twins have two main needs with a few weeks to go. The bullpen is the glaring and most obvious one, but they also need a right-handed outfielder to pair with their bevy of lefties incapable of hitting a left-handed breaking ball.
Last note! Ideally, these trades need to remove some assortment of Trevor Larnach, James Outman, Matt Wallner, or Alan Roden from the roster. Those four are incredibly redundant and each has different strengths, but they all have the exact same weakness: they can’t hit lefties. Larnach is the one most likely to go, but Wallner has good trade value and could be the centerpiece for a team that is low on outfield power. Outside of that, you’re probably looking at a deal centered around a starting pitcher (or two) with one of the outfielders as a throw-in.
I’ll cover the more boring, but still distinct upgrades, options first. Here are a few teams and players that could work as trade partners off the top of my head:
Let’s hear it: who (realistically) do you want the Twins to trade for? Dream big. Or small. The world is your oyster, and hopefully Jeremy Zoll’s too.
We’re three days into February, and by now you’re likely familiar with our new format to kickstart our days. The Yankee rotation was one of the focal points of the offseason right after the No. 1 priority of dealing with the outfield, and while they ultimately didn’t do much outside of adding some depth arms the starting staff will look a little different in 2026.
So with that being said, who will end up performing the best out of all of the Yankees’ options to start this season? They’re getting back their staff ace Gerrit Cole who could theoretically slide right back into the role, but there’s a couple of caveats. First, Cole is coming off of Tommy John surgery that cost him the entirety of last year, and he missed the first half of 2024 as well — you can hope that he merely avoided the surgery that he inevitably needed the next year, but none of that bodes well for Cole’s durability in the back half of his contract. So Cole is entering 2026 needing to get back into game form after a long time on the shelf, and he’s also going to miss at least the first month of the season to complete his recovery. That isn’t going to help his counting stats for an end of the year comparison, even if he does jump right back into Cy Young form when he does return to the mound.
That gives Max Fried a decent shot at taking the mantle for another year. The team’s big offseason signing last year delivered in Cole’s absence, finishing in fourth-place in the Cy Young voting after posting a 2.86 ERA and 4.8 fWAR over 195.1 innings. He’s the frontrunner to be the most valuable arm on the staff again as he enters 2026 healthy, though his performance last year was just a touch below the best of his career so it may be difficult for him to replicate that level of success in back-to-back seasons.
Similar to Cole, Carlos Rodón is starting the year on the shelf, giving him a bit of a disadvantage after he needed surgery in the offseason to remove some bone spurs. He is coming off of his best year in pinstripes in 2025, however, so he can’t be fully discounted should momentum carry him to new heights in his fourth season in the Bronx. Finally, the dark horse candidate to showcase a monster year is Cam Schlittler, the team’s breakout star at the end of last season. Schlittler impressed in his rookie campaign, posting a 2.96 ERA and earning 1.3 fWAR in just 73 innings of work, and his big coming out party came in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series where he delivered eight shutout innings to secure the victory. With the prospect of a full year on the roster coming up, Schlittler is poised for a strong sophomore season, and the delayed starts for some of the stalwarts of the rotation could guide him to the top should he remain healthy.
There’s no bad answer to have as your No. 1 entering October based on the resumes we’ve seen from each of them, but the tantalizing potential of a homegrown ace makes me lean me towards predicting Schlittler to top the list. Who would you say has the best chance to lead the pack this year? Let us know below.
On the site today, we’ve got Nolan running through the state of the Yankees’ outfield depth entering this year, with the scale tilting heavily towards the major league and upper minors side of the system. Matt wishes a happy birthday to a man with an incredible name in Chicken Hawks, Jeff previews Cody Bellinger’s season with him back in the fold in left field, and Peter reflects on the strange circumstances that led to Rafael Soriano’s signing with the Yankees after the 2010 season.
Continuing our February Daily Question series, we’re beginning today’s conversation with the question, “Which prospect are you most looking forward to seeing this spring?”
Adam gave a minor league season preview yesterday, and just last week I covered some of the non-roster players the Brewers are inviting to spring training, including top prospect shortstop Jesús Made.
While everyone will certainly be watching to see how Made matches up with other big leaguers, is he the prospect you’re most looking forward to seeing? Or is there another name on the list — Luke Adams, Tate Kuehner, Luis Lara, Brock Wilken, Cooper Pratt, and Jett Williams, just to name a few — who you’re more excited about?
What about players on the 40-man roster who we haven’t seen yet? Jeferson Quero? Brandon Sproat?
There are plenty of names to keep an eye out for come spring training in a few weeks. I personally am most excited to see Pratt and Lara, specifically for their defensive prowess.
Weigh in in the comments, and join us throughout the month as we keep these conversations rolling into spring training. Have a question you’d like to ask in a future BCB Daily Question? Drop one in the comments and we may use it later this month.
In the professional era, there is a common denominator that suggests France and Ireland might be worth backing
All that performance data, all those fixture permutations. All the gym sessions and marginal selections. Not to mention all those finger-in-the-wind tournament previews. But what if identifying the winner of the 2026 Six Nations basically involves overlooking all of that – and is shaped by an underlying factor so simple that it is staring everybody in the face?
Interested in finding out what this magic bullet might be? OK, here goes. Without cheating (or consulting your new friend Monsieur AI), spot the common link in the following sequence of years: 2022, 2018, 2014, 2010, 2006, 2002, 1998, 1994, 1990, 1984, 1981, 1978, 1975, 1972, 1969 and 1967? Tricky, isn’t it? Even years, odd years, irregular gaps … if you were a statistician seeking a mathematical pattern you would be sat there gazing at the numbers for a long time.
Continue reading...Will Arsenal regret Nwaneri move? Have Sunderland traded brilliantly again? We run the rule over every team’s business
The foot injury sustained by Mikel Merino made the last few days of the window a bit more interesting for Arsenal supporters, although in the end there was no big signing. Deadline-day links to Sandro Tonali of Newcastle and Leon Goretzka came to nothing, and Arsenal missed out to their north London rivals Tottenham on the 18-year-old Scotland striker James Wilson. They did sign the England Under-19 defender Jaden Dixon from Stoke but will Mikel Arteta regret allowing Ethan Nwaneri to join Marseille on loan with Merino poised to be out for at least two months? Ed Aarons
Continue reading...Minnesota Timberwolves (31-20, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Toronto Raptors (30-21, fourth in the Eastern Conference)
Toronto; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Timberwolves take on the Toronto Raptors in non-conference play.
The Raptors are 14-11 on their home court. Toronto is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference shooting 34.0% from 3-point range.
The Timberwolves have gone 14-12 away from home. Minnesota ranks sixth in the Western Conference with 44.9 rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 11.3.
The Raptors average 113.6 points per game, 0.9 fewer points than the 114.5 the Timberwolves allow. The Timberwolves average 14.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Raptors give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Brandon Ingram is averaging 21.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Raptors. Scottie Barnes is averaging 19.6 points over the last 10 games.
Gobert is shooting 70.3% and averaging 10.7 points for the Timberwolves. Donte DiVincenzo is averaging 3.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 6-4, averaging 112.4 points, 43.2 rebounds, 29.3 assists, 7.8 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.6 points per game.
Timberwolves: 4-6, averaging 115.8 points, 45.6 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 9.3 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.4 points.
INJURIES: Raptors: Jakob Poeltl: day to day (back).
Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr.: day to day (foot).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Utah Jazz (15-35, 13th in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (13-37, 15th in the Eastern Conference)
Indianapolis; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Pacers -3.5; over/under is 236.5
BOTTOM LINE: Utah aims to stop its six-game skid with a victory over Indiana.
The Pacers are 10-17 in home games. Indiana is 9-18 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 13.6 turnovers per game.
The Jazz have gone 5-18 away from home. Utah gives up 127.0 points to opponents and has been outscored by 9.0 points per game.
The Pacers average 110.7 points per game, 16.3 fewer points than the 127.0 the Jazz allow. The Jazz average 118.0 points per game, 0.4 fewer than the 118.4 the Pacers give up.
The two teams square off for the second time this season. The Jazz defeated the Pacers 152-128 in their last meeting on Nov. 12. Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 35 points, and Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 27 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Siakam is averaging 23.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and four assists for the Pacers. Andrew Nembhard is averaging 15.1 points over the last 10 games.
Markkanen is averaging 27.4 points and 7.1 rebounds for the Jazz. Ace Bailey is averaging 15.3 points and 5.1 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 4-6, averaging 110.3 points, 43.9 rebounds, 29.3 assists, 7.3 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.5 points per game.
Jazz: 1-9, averaging 113.0 points, 41.1 rebounds, 30.4 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 127.1 points.
INJURIES: Pacers: Obi Toppin: out (foot), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).
Jazz: Keyonte George: out (ankle), Georges Niang: out (foot), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic: out (rest).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.