Category: Baseball

What’s This Team’s Deal?

Last year, this article began with a picture of a completely disheveled Tropicana Field, still unusable six months after Hurricane Milton. After sustaining significant water and wind damage, the stadium has been renovated and the Rays will return to Tropicana Field in less than a month.

The capacity of this renovated Tropicana Field will be reduced due to the damage. But that’s nothing new to the Rays. For several years, the upper decks of Tropicana Field were closed off due to lack of interest. This lack of interest is almost entirely due to stadium’s location far from downtown Tampa, as has been addressed many times. The Bucs are closer to downtown and manage a near-sell-out crowd despite relatively similar recent performance (outside of a 2021 Super Bowl… I don’t want to talk about it.) But, looking at this year’s roster in comparison to the rest of the division, I don’t know how Rays fans could find too much intrigue in this team, which was hit hard by a fire sale in 2024. The storm before the storm, if you will.

The next storm the team has to weather is deciding whether to play baseball in Tampa or St. Petersburg. This decision will be tantamount to any other decision the team makes before the conclusion of the 2028 season, when the lease runs out.

How Good Are They?

They’re probably just fine. Which is best case scenario for a team that recently gave away a perennial All-Star and who’s marching out a guy straight off two serious arm injuries as their ace. Shane McClanahan was one of the best in the game prior to his Tommy John surgery, clocking elite velocity and extension, resulting in a top-eight percentile whiff rate among all pitchers. The problem for the Rays? His surgery was on August 15, 2023. A lot’s happened since then, but McClanahan is still just 29 years of age and shows a lot of promise to go with an 8.0 career WAR in fewer than 3 seasons.

Behind McClanahan in the rotation is Drew Rasmussen, who’s coming off of his first All-Star selection and first Cy Young vote (it was only one fifth-place vote, but still!) The 30-year-old stayed healthy, reliable, and kept innings short, tallying a WHIP of 1.02 over 150 innings. That’s all you can ask from a rotation pitcher, and McClanahan coming back takes some pressure off him. Ryan Pepiot, part of the return for sending Tyler Glasnow to LA to win a couple World Series titles, looks fine enough in the middle of the rotation, putting up an ERA+ slightly above average last year.

Offensively, the Rays are led by budding star Junior Caminero, who’s coming off of a 45 home run season and a berth in the Home Run Derby finals. Caminero, who’s still just 22 until July, had an OPS of .846 and the highest bat speed in baseball on his way to slashing .264/.311/.535. He can really spread the ball around with the best of them already… but don’t take my word for it, here’s his spray chart.

Elsewhere, Yandy Diaz is returning despite every talking head (and most of us on this site, including yours truly) booking his plane ticket at the trade deadline of 2025. Cedric Mullins, former Oriole, rejoins the division where he enjoyed a decade of very dependable play in Baltimore. Jon Aranda batted .316 and had an incredible Savant chart in his own right along with providing versatility by playing all over the infield. And while Gavin Lux may not have the shine as he did coming through the Dodgers’ farm, he’s still a good infield option for a team looking to replace the productivity of Brandon Lowe.

Outside of those stalwarts, though, the roster’s kind of a mess, having got there in the name of efficiency, with a front office eager to ship players out before big paydays in exchange for players who aren’t quite ready to appear on a Major League team yet. But if these aforementioned guys can contribute at close to their best, the team might be good. Good players performing at their best helps a team… who knew?

Most Likable Player: Junior Caminero

I was going to use Jon Aranda here because there’s a lot of value in a guy who can get on base as much as he does and play three positions. But I can’t deny a guy who placed sixth in baseball in home runs in a year that one of the top five was Aaron Judge, another was the best baseball player of our generation, and another was someone who left the stratosphere in catcher metrics. Caminero is good and it would be heartbreaking if Tampa decided to ship him off for prospects like the rest of their homegrown stars (besides one they did pay who will be on the restricted list for a very, very, long time).

Least Likable Player: DJ Kitty

I don’t have the heart to select former Red Sox reliever Steven Matz here because he was fine for the Sox and left on amicable terms. And Caminero is a Red Sox killer but he’s honestly an everyone-killer and so awesome to watch against any other team. But remember: it was DJ Kitty who was unable to pry Triston Casas’ first career home run from this Ryan Brasier lookalike.

Schedule Against the Red Sox

The Rays visit Fenway for a four-game series from May 7-10. A month later, on June 8-10, the Sox head to the Trop. Fenway then gets the first series post-All-Star game from July 17-19. Finally, the Red Sox travel down to Tampa in what could be an all-important series from September 18-20. It’s the Rays’ last home series of 2026 and the Red Sox’s last away series before heading back to Boston to finish the season out.

Season Prediction

Overall, this is probably a last place team, but they’re better than most last place teams and their overall result likely hinges on just how extraordinary their star power performs. No matter how good Caminero is, though, this team could use a Tyler Glasnow, or Randy Arozarena, or either Lowe, or maybe a half dozen more players that have graced the Trop — or Steinbrenner Field — in recent years. When the front office wants to ask why the team went from nearly 100 wins to to 77 in 2025, they only need to look within.

PREDICTION: 79-83, 5TH IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Tuesday night we saw two powerhouse teams go head to head in the World Baseball Classic Final as Team USA and Team Venezuela squared off to see who could call themselves best in the world. Team USA was always going to be a juggernaut, but Venezuela beat out several other teams that were predicted to do better in the series. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, though, considering the dominant talent that has come out of Venezuela for decades.

In the winner-take-all final, it was ultimately Team Venezuela that came out the champions. The final score was 3-2. Bryce Harper made a valiant effort to tie the game in late innings, but it wasn’t enough to keep Venezuela down. This is Venezuela’s first WBC championship.

With the WBC now finished, focus will return to the final weeks of Spring Training as teams gear up for Opening Day and the dawning of the new MLB season.

WBC years are always such a treat, getting to see the best of the best go head-to-head is a wonderful showcase for baseball talent on a broader stage.

Now let’s get into the rest of today’s links.

Detroit Tigers News

• We love a good stat.

• When Miguel Cabrera gives you advice, you take it.

• Hey, we know him!

AL Central News

• White Sox RHP Mike Vasil will miss the season following elbow surgery.

MLB News

• Some experiment rules we might see tested in the minors this season.
• How baseball really is sometimes just a children’s game.
• What can the Brewers expect from their new pitching rotation?
• Providing context for the Texas Ranger statue at Globe Life Field.
• Team Venezuela finally found their pitching groove, but was it in time to tackle their biggest rival?
• The Red Sox have signed old friend Tommy Kahnle to a minor league deal.
• All the previous MVP winners of past WBCs.
• Alex Rodriguez is very bad at making comparisons.
• A sweet moment between Clayton Kershaw and his son.
• Team USA were rocking a lucky charm on their way to the WBC final.
• The WBC has succeeded in creating a consistent buzz around baseball ahead of the regular MLB season.
• Shohei Ohtani will make his Spring Training pitching debut today.
• Gerrit Cole is also poised to make his return today for the Yankees.
• How much do WBC winner stand to make? ($)
• Why would Team USA lean on a rookie pitcher with the biggest game of the WBC on the line? ($)
• A very important update about the Mariners’ ferry boat.

• Some great moments from WBCs past.

• Oof, bring on the ABS, please.

White Sox fans are nothing if not optimistic. Every spring brings a new breakout candidate, every top prospect becomes the next cornerstone, and the most recent hot streak has us dreaming about what could be. Sometimes that hopefulness pays off. Other times, well, we’ve all been there before.

So, every fanbase has them — the players we hype up a little more than reality probably warrants. Sometimes it’s because of prospect pedigree, sometimes it’s a great half-season, and sometimes it’s just the hope that this guy will finally be the one.

South Side fans are no different.

Over the years, there have been plenty of players who captured the imagination of Chicago’s faithful. A big spring training, a loud tool, or a few memorable moments can turn someone into a fan favorite pretty quickly. But that doesn’t always mean the production matches the reputation.

So that brings us to today’s discussion question:

Who do you think White Sox fans tend to overrate?

It could be:

• A current player people expect too much from
• A recent prospect whose hype got a little out of hand
• Or even a former player that fans still talk about like a star

There’s no wrong answer here because baseball fandom is built on optimism, after all.

Who does this fanbase overrate, and why?

Last week I dug into the things we think we know at this point of the Orioles spring. We know that Tyler Wells is going to start the season in the bullpen because Craig Albernaz told us. We’re pretty sure that Coby Mayo is going to get a shot at third base with Jordan Westburg and Jackson Holliday sidelined, and we’re all but certain that the Orioles roster will not have room for a third catcher.

We know a lot more than that about the Orioles, but those were questions that followed the team to Sarasota. With those all but settled, I’m focused on a few things we still don’t know at this point of spring training.

What if Eflin is ready for Opening Day?

With Wells set to join the bullpen, a healthy Eflin would still give the Orioles six solid starting pitchers for the rotation. The Orioles resigned Eflin after an injury-filled 2025. Last year’s Opening Day starter tallied only 71 1/3 innings last year with an inflated 5.93 ERA.

Eflin underwent a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure to address prolonged back pain in the second half of last season. The surgery could have ended his tenure in Baltimore, but the organization brought him back on a one-year, $10-million deal that features a mutual option. At the time of the signing, it seemed unlikely that Eflin would be healthy enough to break camp with the team. Eflin has undergone a delayed ramp up this spring, but the team has yet to announce whether he’ll be ready in two weeks. Eflin has a pair of Grapefruit League starts under his belt in 2026.

If Eflin is ready to go, and the Orioles avoid any other injuries, he’ll join a rotation that features Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz, Chris Bassitt and Dean Kremer. A majority of Orioles fans recently came out in support of a six-man rotation, but the strategy would potentially weaken an already certain bullpen.

Who will set up Helsley with Kittredge sidelined?

Speaking of the bullpen, the Orioles are running it back with another pitcher that missed time with an injury last season. Baltimore re-acquired Andrew Kittredge from Chicago in exchange for cash considerations. Unfortunately, Kittredge will begin the season on the IL for the second consecutive year. The team announced that the veteran reliever had a “low probability” of making the Opening Day roster due to shoulder inflammation.

Kittredge and new closer Ryan Helsley are expected to anchor a bullpen with several unknowns. Wells could emerge as a multi-inning option, a high-leverage reliever, or anything in between. The same can be said for Albert Suárez. Yennier Cano and Keegan Akin have leverage experience but come with less certainty. Rico Garcia and Grant Wolfram have potential, while several others remain in the mix for a spot in the ‘pen.

Albernaz said that Kittredge was “on the right track” after he played catch earlier this week, but the skipper reiterated that the they are taking it one day at a time. The bullpen will need to tread water in the meantime. The roster will be set at the end of spring, but the hierarchy will remain fluid throughout the start of the season.

Which infielder takes the last spot?

There’s more room on the roster due to the Holliday and Westburg injuries. Holliday appears on track for a quick return, but Westburg’s status represents the greatest unknown of the Orioles spring. Westburg’s long-term availability will not be decided in the next two weeks, but Baltimore’s utility infield competition will.

Jeremiah Jackson, Luis Vázquez, Weston Wilson and Bryan Ramos all have a shot at making the team. Jackson could be considered a favorite after slashing .276/.328/.447 over 48 games in his debut season, but the 25-year-old still has minor league options. The 25-year-old looks like player that could carve out a Ramon Urías type role in Baltimore, but the Birds may be willing to stash him at Triple-A in an effort to keep another guy in the organization.

Vázquez is back in camp after representing Puerto Rico in the World Baseball classic. Vázquez appeared in 32 games for Baltimore last season. He slashed a discouraging .160/.208/.240 over 53 plate appearances, but his versatile glove proved valuable. The 26-year-old made 12 appearances at third, 11 at short, three at second, and he even logged an inning at first base. His four relief appearances won’t win him any prizes, but the ability to play shortstop holds real merit. The Orioles believe there’s at least a little more offensive upside than what he displayed last season.

Bryan Ramos is the flavor of the day after finishing a triple shy of the cycle yesterday. Ramos made his first start at second base and took future hall-of-famer Justin Verlander deep in a 1-1 tie. The Orioles DFA’d Wilson when they acquired Ramos from the White Sox. Wilson has big league experience at multiple infield positions and the corner outfield. He can match Vázquez with mop-up relief appearances too.

One possession from my childhood that is a continuous source of fascination is a Kansas City Athletics yearbook, the type that you used to be able to buy at the ballpark, or by sending in a few dollars to the club.  The yearbook looks to be from 1967.  It was given to me by a friend of my father’s, who attended a game.  The cover has been missing for years and the brittle pages are starting to show their age which is tragic, as the yearbook is a time capsule for that era.  Near the front, there are two pages dedicated to Charlie O. Finley, and his family.  No surprise there given Finley’s ego.  Towards the back, there are two pages dedicated to Charlie O., the mule mascot of the Athletics.

Overall, the publication is put together very well.  It has two pages of headshots of the players; all dressed in black suits and ties.  Very classy.  There are several pages dedicated to player profiles, talking about their careers, where they grew up and some tidbits about how they came to be Athletics, either through trades or free agent signings.  Since the player draft was new, no drafted players had yet made the Kansas City roster.  Rick Monday was the first ever choice of the Athletics and at this printing, he was still in the minors.

One player who figured prominently in the publication was a slugging first baseman named Ken Harrelson. 

Harrelson was born September 4^th, 1941, in Woodruff, South Carolina.  He grew up in Savannah, Georgia, where he was a star athlete in baseball, golf, football and basketball.  Like many young men from the south, he dreamed of playing basketball at the University of Kentucky.  Golf may have been his best sport, but his mother convinced him to pursue baseball as she thought the sport gave him the best chance for a long and lucrative career.  Harrelson listened to his mother and signed with the Athletics after graduating from high school, figuring correctly that the woebegone Athletics offered him the best chance of quickly making the majors.   The scout who signed him was the legendary Clyde Klutz. 

At the age of 17, Harrelson was assigned to the Olean A’s of the New York-Pennsylvania league.  He started to blossom at the age of 19, hitting .301 with 25 home runs and 114 RBI at Class C Visalia.  He followed that up with a .272, 38 home run, 138 RBI effort in 1962 at Class A Binghampton during his age 20 season.  His rapid ascension continued in 1963 as he started the year at AAA Portland.   He hit .300 with 9 home runs in 41 games for the Beavers.  That was enough to convince Finley to call up the young slugger.  Why not?  The Athletics weren’t contending and they needed fresh young stars to attract fans, and the somewhat flamboyant, talkative Harrelson was nothing if not fresh.

He made his major league debut on June 9^th, 1963, at the age of 21.  He got two pinch hit at bats before he got his first start on June 12^th against the Twins in Bloomington.  He collected his first major league hit with a first inning single off Hall of Famer Jim Kaat.  He collected his first home run, and RBIs, in the 8^th inning with a two-run shot off Bill Pleis.

The Athletics acquired veteran slugger Jim Gentile in the offseason, which left no position for Harrelson going into the 1964 season.  Gentile did what he was brought in to do, by hitting 28 home runs and driving home 71.  Finley went all in on power for the 1964 season.  Another off-season acquisition was Rocky Colavito.  The Rock was very popular with Athletics fans and his 34 home runs, and 102 RBI didn’t hurt his standing.

Harrelson started 1964 at AAA Dallas.  His batting average dropped to .232, but he still hit 18 home runs and drove home 52 in just 77 games.

The Athletics recalled Harrelson in July and gave him the start in leftfield on July 9^th against the Twins.  Facing Kaat once again, he smoked a 6^th inning pitch into the left field stands for a solo home run.  Welcome back to KC Hawk.  Why left field?  With Gentile entrenched at first, and regular left fielder Manny Jimenez only hitting .241, why not?

About that nickname.  Early in his KC career, someone started calling Harrelson “Hawk” due to the shape of his often-broken nose.  Harrelson wasn’t crazy about the name at first, but eventually it became his identity.  It rolls nice, Hawk Harrelson.  And Finley had a thing about nicknames.  He even tried to convince Vida Blue to change his first name to True. 

The Gentile/Colavito experiment only lasted one season (Finley had a history of being what you might describe as impulsive). 

The first base job was Harrelson’s in 1965, with Tommie Reynolds and Jose Tartabull moving to left, while Mike Hersberger manned right.

Harrelson hit just .238 but did lead the team with 23 home runs and 66 RBI.  Those totals don’t sound too imposing but remember, the Athletics finished with a 59 and 103 record.  They were not good.  Yet.

The team was starting to play some of the young talent they acquired.  Dick Green and Bert Campaneris made a solid double play combo.  Catfish Hunter and Blue Moon Odom both made their debuts in 1965.  This was also the year that 58-year-old Satchel Paige came out of retirement and threw three scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox.

Harrelson got off to a slow start in 1966 and in late June, the Athletics traded Harrelson to Washington for pitcher Jim Duckworth.  The trade didn’t make much sense, other than to fulfill the Athletics constantly churning roster.  Why trade a 24-year-old with power potential?  Duckworth appeared in eight games for Kansas City during which he compiled a 9.00 ERA.  He never appeared in another major league game.   

On June 9^th, 1967, the Athletics realized they needed Harrelson back, and with him Harrelson only hitting .237 with ten home runs during his 97 game Washington tenure, the cash strapped Senators gladly sold him back to Finley.  The reunion was not peachy.  After Finley fired manager Alvin Dark, Harrelson popped off to the media, calling Finley “A menace to baseball.”   Harrelson denied using the word menace, but even if he did, he wasn’t wrong.  The enraged Finley ordered Harrelson released, which was a major stroke of luck for the Hawk.  Three days later, he signed with the Boston Red Sox and made several key contributions down the stretch in the Sox Impossible Dream season.  Unfortunately, Harrelson had a miserable World Series, going 1 for 14 in the seven-game loss to St. Louis.

Harrelson had his best year as a pro in 1968, hitting .275 with 35 home runs and a league leading 109 RBI for Boston.  He made his only All-Star team and finished third in the leagues MVP vote.  That was Kansas City’s lot in life in those days, trade away or release a player and watch him become a star in another city.

Harrelson hit another 30 home runs in 1969, drove home 92 and drew a career high 99 walks. 

Just ten games into the 1969 season, the Red Sox shocked Harrelson by trading him to Cleveland in a six-player deal.  Harrelson then announced his retirement, saying that leaving Boston would cost him money from lost business interests.

Bowie Kuhn intervened, Harrelson relented and reported to Cleveland with a new contract in hand.  The Hawk slugged 27 home runs and drove home 84 which endeared him to the Indians faithful.  It was in Cleveland that Harrelson got his first taste of television, hosting a program called The Hawk’s Nest.

The Hawk broke his leg early in the 1970 season and when Chris Chambliss took over the first base job in 1971, Harrelson elected to retire and pursue a professional golf career.

Harrelson was a terrific golfer.  His KC bio says he won the Baseball Players Golf Tournament with a record score of 290 over the 72-hole event.  In 1972, he played in the British Open and missed the cut by one stroke.    

While he was still playing baseball, Harrelson strode to the plate once and with his hands blistered from playing golf and used his golf glove.  Some people credit Harrelson for introducing modern “batting” gloves to the sport.  Records show that other players used gloves periodically, especially in the 1950’s but Harrelson and Rusty Staub were the two modern era players who popularized the use of gloves.

In 1975, Harrelson went to work for the Red Sox as a TV announcer.  He jumped to the White Sox for the 1982 season.  He served in a variety of front office jobs for Chicago through the end of the 1986 season.

He spent a couple of years with the Yankees, before moving back to Chicago for the 1990 season.

Harrelson, an admitted homer, is one of those broadcasters that you either love or you hate.  He has a large collection of Hawkism’s such as “You can put it on the board” and “Mercy!”.  He had a long running feud with umpire Joe West and has been called to the carpet on multiple occasions by the commissioner’s office for his colorful remarks about other umpires.

Love him or hate him, Harrelson is never boring.    

MESA, Arizona — While most of you were watching Cubs closer Daniel Palencia close out the World Baseball Classic for Venezuela, Cubs catcher/DH Moisés Ballesteros and starting left-hander Shōta Imanaga put on quite a show in front of a festive St. Patrick’s Day full house at Sloan Park.

Ballesteros smashed two monster home runs to center field and Imanaga had his best outing of the spring, striking out eight and allowing just one hit over four innings (okay, it was another homer, but still, he was dominant). The Cubs defeated the Angels 8-6.

Imanaga struck out the side in the first, all swinging, and had two more K’s in the second before the Cubs offense got to work. Michael Conforto led off with a double and Carson Kelly gave the Cubs a lead with this two-run homer [VIDEO].

Ballesteros batted next and hit a baseball a very, very long way:

The Cubs loaded the bases after the homer but could not score again, leaving the second with a 3-0 lead.

Then Ballesteros smashed another homer to nearly the same spot in center field in the third. Here are both of the homers [VIDEO].

And remember, Ballesteros is just 22 years old. He usually sprays balls all over the field. This sort of power is something he’s developed more recently. I think he could be primed for a big season.

While this was going on, Imanaga was mowing down more Angels hitters. He didn’t allow a hit through four innings, just a walk and former Cub Jorge Soler reaching on catcher interference. Former Cub Jeimer Candelario homered off Imanaga leading off the fifth, the only Angels hit off the Cubs left-hander. It was a really good outing for Shōta, who struck out eight [VIDEO].

Here’s more on Imanaga’s outing [VIDEO].

And a bit more [VIDEO].

Imanaga threw 76 pitches (50 strikes). Seven of the eight strikeouts were swinging and he had 23 whiffs, which is the most by any pitcher in the Cactus League so far this spring. I’m really encouraged by this great outing from Shōta.

The Cubs scored three more in the fifth, highlighted by this double from Dansby Swanson [VIDEO].

Kelly drove in the Cubs’ eighth and final run with a single in the sixth. Most of the Cubs starting players stuck around until the top of the seventh. They likely won’t play in Wednesday’s away game and the team has Thursday off, so this is part of getting them ramped up for full games beginning next week in Chicago.

After that it got a bit sloppy, particularly in the ninth when Cubs minor leaguer Jackson Kirkpatrick walked in a run and Tyler Beede had to be called on to wrap things up.

I look forward, though, to more good games like this from Ballesteros and Imanaga. Also of note: Pedro Ramirez made a couple of really slick plays at third base and had two hits in this game. He’s a prospect to watch, for sure.

Attendance watch: First, an update on Sunday’s game, where the official attendance is now reported as 13,888. For Tuesday evening, a full house of 15,055 paid to see the Angels and Cubs. Many in attendance (myself included) were keeping track of the WBC game on their phones or at one of the ballpark bars that had TVs. The season attendance at Sloan Park is now 176,674 for 14 dates, or 12,620 per date.

Also, ICYMI (Bluesky link):

Hopefully it will be just a bit warmer in Chicago a week from tomorrow. It’s definitely going to be warmer for Friday’s game at Sloan Park. Forecast highs for Friday in the Phoenix area are supposed to reach 106, which is nearly 30 degrees above average.

The Cubs travel to Scottsdale to play the Diamondbacks Wednesday afternoon. Edward Cabrera will start for the Cubs and Merrill Kelly will go for Arizona. Game time is 3:10 p.m. CT and there will be a TV broadcast via the D-backs streaming service AZ Video.

George Lombard Jr. and Elmer Rodríguez are typically regarded as the two best prospects on the Yankees, but the next two are pretty much interchangeable. Some believe No.3 belongs to Carlos Lagrange and No.4 to shortstop Dax Kilby; others have them in the reverse order. In any case, the point stands: Kilby, last year’s first-round pick, is a top-five organizational prospect and a top-100 in all baseball per multiple outlets.

If Lombard is a glove-first prospect with developing offensive skills, Kilby is quite the opposite: the hit tool is impressive, and while he is not a disaster at shortstop, questions about his ability to make all the throws from the position remain.

2025 Stats (Single-A Tampa Tarpons): 18 games, 81 PA, .353/.457/.441 (159 wRC+), 0 HR, 9 RBI, 16 SB, 13.6 K%, 16 BB%.

So, what’s in store for Kilby in 2026? Nope, not the big leagues, if that’s what you are thinking. The most likely answer is a months-long date with High-A pitching. There might be a quick stop at Low-A to open the year, though.

If the Yankees are aggressive, they will have Kilby spend most of the season in High-A Hudson Valley and see if he can consistently produce against more polished pitchers. If his 2025 performance is any indication, he most likely can.

Last year, the Yankees sent Kilby to the Low-A Tampa Tarpons, and he hit .353 there over 81 trips to the plate, with an elite .457 OBP and a .441 slugging percentage. He had more walks (13) than strikeouts (11) and added 16 stolen bases in just 18 games. His 159 wRC+ tells you everything you need to know: he was a mismatch for Low-A pitchers.

Kilby has the tools to keep advancing. MLB Pipeline wrote the following about him and his offensive gifts:

“Kilby employs a quick and relatively compact left-handed stroke that stays in the hitting zone for a long time. He makes advanced swing decisions, rarely misses fastballs, and focuses on driving balls from gap to gap. While he stands out most with his hitting ability, he also has the bat speed and projectable strength to develop plus raw power. Add in plus speed and an aggressive nature on the basepaths, and Kilby has 20-20 potential.”

With 100 games played, he could push for 30 or 40 steals if he stays aggressive on the basepaths. There is still work to do to tap into his power, though.

In the 18 games Kilby played last year, he didn’t homer. He did have two doubles and two triples, a sign that the gap power is there and the potential for some of those balls to clear the fence remains, but he seems to be a swing change away from becoming a 20-homer guy, as many predict. He had a healthy 28.1 percent line drive rate per FanGraphs, but his 54.4 percent ground ball rate will have to come down, and his 17.5 percent fly ball rate will need to increase if he wants some balls to leave the yard.

Still, the 19-year-old Kilby might not be done adding to his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. More power should be on the way if he works for it.

The 2026 campaign will be a pivotal one for his development. If he dominates High-A as he did in Single-A, there is a chance we see him in Double-A Somerset at some point in the season.

Kilby is, without a doubt, one of the best and most exciting prospects on the farm, but he hasn’t scratched his ceiling yet. He probably won’t see the majors this year, but if he’s brought along slowly and the organization lets him develop at his own pace, he could become a franchise cornerstone in 2027 or 2028.

See more of the Yankees Previews series here.

There was a hint of optimism after Roki Sasaki struck out nine Chicago White Sox hitters in a “game B” outing last week. After Tuesday’s performance, the struggles that Sasaki has experienced throughout most of spring have returned.

Sasaki was finally able to throw at least half of his pitches for strikes on Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals— 71 pitches, 38 strikes— but was wildly inconsistent over 3 1/3 combined innings, as he walked the bases loaded in the third inning and was forced to be relieved by Nick Robertson. Sasaki came back out to the mound in the next two innings, allowing a two-run home run in the fourth inning and was again relieved after allowing a double to Starling Marte to begin the bottom of the fifth inning.

Sasaki now carries an ugly 13.50 ERA over 6 2/3 innings, and although he has struck out 10, he has walked nine hitters over that span. Sasaki is cognoscente that his spring training numbers don’t ultimately matter, but Dave Roberts has expressed repeatedly the urgency for him to be a quality starter, especially as Blake Snell and Gavin Stone nurse injuries, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com.

“I have a lot of things I need to work on,” Sasaki said through an interpreter. “But it’s just Spring Training, so just keep continuing to work on that. The results in Spring Training don’t really matter.”

“I think there’s progress in the sense that we got him into the fifth inning. The stuff was good, so that’s continued progress. Pitch count we got up,” Roberts said. “But I think the thing with Roki is, again, you’ve got to be efficient, you’ve got to be able to take down innings and be able to make adjustments sooner.”

Links

After a down second half last season that bled into the postseason, Blake Treinen has yet to get over his obstacles on the mound. He is posting a 10.80 ERA across five innings of work, with his latest meltdown coming on Monday’s 24-9 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers where he allowed two runs over 2/3 of an inning.

Dave Roberts noted a lack of confidence and conviction from Treinen this spring, but isn’t concerned about opening up a potential roster spot in lieu of the veteran reliever, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

“I don’t see confidence,” Roberts said. “Obviously the execution is not there, with the sinker, the sweeper is a ball. It’s been a few, three or four outings consistently not throwing the baseball the way we expect. But for me, off the top, there’s no conviction. I see a lack of confidence.”

For the first time in his big league career, Yoshinobu Yamamoto will kick off the Dodgers’ regular season in Los Angeles, as he is slated to start the team’s home opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Yamamoto spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA on Tuesday about the significance of having his name called to begin the season.

Per interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda: “It’s an honor for me, and it’s opening day at a Dodger Stadium home game. It’s an honor for me and I also feel the responsibility.”

Build Your Winning Bracket!

SB Nation’s CBB expert Mike Rutherford and resident bracketologist Chris Dobbertean will answer all your questions this week and help guide you to bracket glory! Drop in SB Nation’s March Madness Feed all week long and we’ll have both on hand! (All times ET)

• Sun 4-7pm: Chris Dobbertean
• Mon-Wed 7-10am: Mike Rutherford
• Mon-Wed 2-5pm: Chris Dobbertean
• Thursday 6-9am: Chris Dobbertean and Mike Rutherford

Hello Bluebird Banterers and welcome to my first post, formally known as nute39jays I will be trying to help out the two Tom’s with some posts.

It is the time of year where a career minor leaguer can look like an All Star and a unknown prospect can put themselves on the public’s radar but, as most know, you can never believe anything that happens in Spring Training what with the small samples and veteran players working on certain aspects of their games. However that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun to take a look around the Jays Spring Training stats and ask what if this was sustainable or do deep dive to look for signs of actual improvement instead of small sample size noise.

I will be digging thru some batted ball data and underlying metrics on a few Blue Jays who have had some interesting starts to their Spring Training to see if even in this small sample there could be something to be excited for or if their current production has been more of a mirage that is likely to fall off more towards their expected production moving forward.

Daulton Varsho

First up is Daulton Varsho who in his first two seasons as a Jay hit 217/289/398 with 38 HRs, a 24.9% K rate and a 8.5% BB rate for a 91 WRC+ over 1094 PAs.

Varsho went into last season coming off a off-season shoulder surgery and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried as historically shoulder surgeries have had a major impact on a player’s offense the following season but Varsho bucked that trend and put together easily his strongest season as a Jay despite the should surgery and another two months missed due to a hamstring injury Varsho hit .234/.284/.548 with 20 HRs, a 28.4% K rate and a 6.3% BB rate for 123 WRC+ over 271 PAs.

Last season, Varsho had career highs in AVG EV, Max EV, Barrel rate, Hard Hit Rate, Fly Ball rate and K rate so looked like a batter selling out for power and well it worked for him he had the lowest Zone Contact and total Contact rates of his career but when you are hitting a HR every 14 PAs while being one the best defensive CFs in MLB that is going to provide a ton of value.

Going into Spring Training, the question was what would Varsho do this year would he still be hitting HRs at 44 per 600 pace and so far in a very small sample he is hitting .432/.475/.946 which of course is not going to last but for me when I dug thru the data there is one stat that I can’t ignore, not only is Varsho carrying forward the power from last season but he is doing so while improving his contact rate and striking out at ridiculously low 2.5%!

Obviously this level of hitting is not sustainable for anyone but a Varsho who hits for power like he did last season while improving his contact rate and while still playing his customary high end defense in CF would be on the verge of at least an All Star season if not an MVP level type of season.

It is Spring Training so my first thought was he is feasting on minor leaguers and his opponent quality has been roughly between AA and AAA level according to Baseball Reference but he has also hit very well against some known pitchers having HRs off Skubal, Abel as well as a 2B off Vest, a 3B off Warren and base hits off Abel, Chandler and Alvarado.

I also considered maybe he is just not striking out because it is Spring Training and the lesser quality of pitching but his lowest K rate in Spring Training since 2023 was 15% from the 2024 season, that regular season his K rate did jump to 26.7% but his Called+Swinging Strike% that Spring Training was 21.5% which means he was likely heading to a regression in K rate as CSW% tends to a decent job predicting future K rates although like most stats needs more data than Spring Training provides in order to stabilize.

Varsho was never going to sustain a 2.5% K rate, but like his 2024 season the bad news for the sustainability of his K rate improvement is also going to be dampened a lot by his CSW% so far in Spring Training as he is massively out performing his 18% CSW.

The improvement in his CSW% is mostly on the contact portion of the stat and that tracks with his Contact rate being 88.2% this Spring but like the CSW% he has also shown higher Contact rates in past Spring Trainings but also again like the CSW% it has never been quite this good before.

Prior to this Spring Varsho’s best Spring CSW% was 21.5% and his best Contact rate with regular at bats was 84.3%, this Spring his CSW% is 18% and his Contact rate is 88.2% so even if Varsho could make enough contact to get his K rate to the lower 20% range that paired with last season’s power and his glove could be enough for a 2026 All Star season.

With Spring Training the sample is too small to make any sweeping judgements but what do you think, is Varsho about to have a career season by striking out less and hitting 35+ HRs are is the extra contact all a Spring Training mirage.

Let me know in the comments what do you predict for Varsho this season.

With so many Kansas City Royals at the center, Craig Brown looks at what made Venezuela-Italy so joyous.

Was this what is was like when Richard Williams watched Venus and Serena square off in a tennis tournament? Truly, I could not bring myself to root for either team, yet I was transfixed, hanging on every single pitch. I just wanted a good showing from the boys. I feel bad for Lorenzen, but good for Garcia. It’s too bad that Vinnie and Jac aren’t going to play in the final, but I sure hope Salvy gets in the lineup. I loved those espresso-chugging Italians. I don’t think they were underdogs. This was a legit team with plenty of talent.

But those Venezuelans…they make you feel something. You knew they had a run in them. You knew they were going to make things very uncomfortable for Italy. That game should’ve been the final.

Anne Rogers talks with new Royals pitcher Nick Mears about joining the team and the changes in store.

“If we’re looking at my pitches, it’s four-seam up, slider away, curveball down,” Mears said. “It’s moving away from a righty. If it’s away, they’re committing to away. With the two-seam, it’s taking advantage of that commitment to the outside, and it just goes, ‘Whoosh,’ inside. It’s not like a metrically glorious pitch. It’s a different look from everything else that I’m throwing.”

Mears wasn’t as sure about a changeup because he had tried to throw one in 2019 and “it was bad, just being blunt,” he said. He also tried a splitter a few offseasons ago, and it looked too much like his gyro slider. But then the Royals brought up a kick-changeup. The R&D department had scoured through video and data to find pitchers similar to Mears — who throw from the same slot and release point, along with a similar repertoire — who also throw a changeup. There were a few different grips they brought to Mears, including a splitter, a three-finger change and a kick-change.

Derek Jeter caught some flak for asking Maikel Garcia to compare the World Baseball Classic to Kauffman Stadium.

You could say Garcia has been Captain Clutch for Venezuela, which has enjoyed a decided home advantage in games played in Miami during the WBC. Captain Clutch was one of the nicknames Yankees fans gave Derek Jeter, who is now a broadcaster for Fox Sports. After Venezuela defeated Italy, Jeter asked Garcia about the enthusiastic pro-Venezuela crowd. “Take a look around, does it remind you of Kansas City?” Jeter asked. Garcia replied: “Not even close.”

David Lesky looks at the pitching rotation and the resumed depth ahead of 2026, but let’s remember just how healthy the 2024 rotation was.

In 2024,as we all remember so well, the Royals got 151 starts from the original five-some, and then six more from a guy they traded for to replace one of the original five. That left five starts to be made by someone else. Five! One of the five was a true bullpen game. Daniel Lynch IV started three of the other four and then Jonathan Bowlan started the last one. Those four starts for Lynch and Bowlan marked the end of their careers as starters, for whatever that’s worth. It was pretty magical.

FanGraphs’ positional power rankings were not kind to the Royals on Tuesday. Both first base and second base earned below-average rankings from the site, including a 28th-place rank at the keystone.

The Athletic looks at how the world off the diamond causes “complicated feelings” from Team Venezuela fans ahead of the WBC final.

Andscape looks at Dusty Baker’s time and energy managing Team Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic.

Is college baseball focusing too much on velocity? Baseball America breaks down how that correlates to success in collegiate action.

Famed sportswriter Joe Posnanski ponders what the humanity of umpiring is in 2026.

Lance Brozdowski has updated rankings and data for 40 top pitching prospects.

Under the Knife has some updates on two veteran Toronto Blue Jays starters.

Shohei Ohtani is set to make his spring training pitching debut today.

Gerrit Cole is also scheduled for his first spring game since Tommy John surgery.

Seiya Suzuki suffered a ligament strain in the World Baseball Classic, casting doubt on Opening Day availability.

The Denver Broncos traded for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.

Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg admits Kentucky offered him “$7 (million) to $9 (million)” when he was in the transfer portal.

How is F1 staying on the leading edge with global brands?

Heed the letter X.

Nicole Kidman returns to streaming in new Prime Video series Scarpetta.

Story time. I had the better part of a year between when I graduated high school in May 2014 and shipped out to basic training in January 2015. I found ways to pass the time, but the most important thing I did during that time was be a friend to someone. My mom was a special education teacher for most of my life, nearly 20 years in all. She had a student, let’s call him T, who loved to go to school sports games. Did not matter the sport, T always had a friend there or a great time at least. But T was raised by a single dad, and that made getting to these events, with no post-event travel provided, hard. There was a program in Kansas that paid very little, enough for gas, snacks, and admission, in our case, for me to be there for T. That fall, we went to every game we could. It was amazing, honestly. But more often than not, we had to leave early because T was overstimulated by the environment. It was just part of the deal. So that is why, when these sensory areas became more popular, like what the Omaha Storm Chasers are doing with Autism Action Partnership for the 2026 season, I love it. You may never need it, but this makes a world of difference for those who need it.

Today’s song of the day is Could Have Been Me by The Struts.

Good morning, baseball fans!

Boy, do I have great news for you today. We are officially one week away from Opening Day 2026! That’s right, the San Francisco Giants will be playing meaningful baseball exactly one week from today!

So today, I wanted to check in with you all to see what you’re watching for from the team over the last few days of Spring Training games and exhibition play.

Personally, after the potentially devastating injury news facing Hayden Birdsong, I’m really just hoping everyone can stay healthy and not get hurt before the season starts. Baseball injuries suck no matter when they happen, but there’s something that feels even more cruel about injuries happening before the season can even begin.

Of course I’ll also be keeping an eye on the roster, and the pitching depth, etc. But at this point, I’m mostly just hoping everyone stays healthy!

What will you be keeping an eye on over the last week of pre-season play?

Friends, we are just a week away from Major League Baseball returning in full force and the Colorado Rockies opening up the season in Miami on March 27. Camp is winding down, which means the team will have to start making decisions about who will be on that plane to Florida. So, without further ado, let’s predict what the Opening Day roster could look like. For a further exploration of each position, be sure to check out our State of the Position series.

Catcher: Hunter Goodman, Brett Sullivan

It’s no surprise that we can pencil in Hunter Goodman as the Opening Day catcher for the Rockies. After a breakout All-Star season in 2025, Goodman more than earned his spot heading into the offseason. Yes, Goodman hasn’t had the best time in Cactus League play, slashing .147/.225/.324 with two home runs in 40 plate appearances, but he’s earned the benefit of the doubt for the time being. Can he replicate last season?

As for the backup catcher spot, I’m going with Brett Sullivan over Braxton Fulford. Sullivan has had a phenomenal time at the plate in camp and presents a left-handed alternative to Goodman. Additionally, much like Fulford, Sullivan isn’t too bad on the base paths, presenting the athleticism this team appears to be valuing. Despite having roughly the same number of big league games under their belt, Sullivan edges out Fulford as someone with plenty of professional experience and has shown a keen ability for game calling and working with the pitchers. Fulford would then get the chance to play nearly every day in Triple-A to continue developing.

First Base: T.J. Rumfield, Edouard Julien

T.J. Rumfield has made the most of the opportunity to win the first base job since coming over from the New York Yankees. His lengthy minor league experience back to 2021 has left him with nothing else to prove, and now he looks to finally get his shot at the big league level. His solid defense and contact-heavy bat with some power potential harkens back to a certain Hall of Famer for the Rockies.

There are a few other options worthy of a first base spot, but I’ll give it to Edouard Julien. Acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Twins, the Rockies seemed intent on bringing in Julien and using him in some capacity, and he is out of options. Julien has shown in the majors and the minors that he can be a good addition to the lineup, even though he has struggled at the plate over the last two seasons. High contact with some power mixed in against right-handers is great, and his ability to play second base rounds out some depth. Of course, Charlie Condon (No. 1 PuRP) and Troy Johnston are also right in the mix at the time of writing.

Second Base: Willi Castro

For a brief moment, it seemed that Willi Castro could be taking over third base while someone like Julien took over at second base. However, due to developments at the hot corner, Castro is poised to handle second base regularly. This is the best-case scenario, as the middle infield is more in line with Castro’s natural abilities, but he’ll still have his chances to show off his versatility around the diamond. He’s looked good at the plate in Cactus League play as well as in the World Baseball Classic, and could end up being an incredible first position player free agent signing by the Rockies’ front office.

Third Base: Kyle Karros

There were some questions about whether Kyle Karros would be able to make third base his own, and he has provided plenty of answers in spring training. There was no doubt he could handle the position defensively, but whether or not the bat would follow was an entirely different matter. Through his own determination and adjustments over the offseason, both mechanically and physically, Karros has left little doubt he is ready to take on a full season of Major League Baseball.

Shortstop: Ezequiel Tovar

Injuries hindered Ezequiel Tovar in 2025, preventing him from ever finding an offensive groove and doing anything close to what was done in 2024. Tovar has only played five games with the Rockies in spring training because he’s been part of Team Venezuela in the WBC. Tovar has looked like his old self in the atmosphere of the WBC, which will hopefully carry into the regular season. Gold Glove defense and the All-Star potential if he can refine some of his offensive follies could result in the best season yet of Tovar’s young career.

Outfield: Jake McCarthy, Brenton Doyle, Jordan Beck

At first, it was unclear exactly why the Rockies acquired Jake McCarthy from the Arizona Diamondbacks, but as spring training has progressed, it has become quite clear. The Rockies are hoping that McCarthy can tap back into the things that made him successful at times in Arizona and be a spark on offense. They want him to get on base by any means necessary, steal bases, and score runs. They are also banking on his center fielder pedigree to aid in covering the expanse of left field at home, while also serving as a more reliable back-up to Brenton Doyle in center field.

Doyle faced ups and downs in 2025, both on and off the field, but started to look like the breakout player from 2024 in the latter part of last season. He has battled a few things in camp already, namely a sprained wrist, but he has looked excellent in the games he has played. Of course, he’ll look to reclaim his Gold Glove title in center field after failing to become a finalist last season.

Jordan Beck will be making the move to right field on a more regular basis, at least while the Rockies are playing at home. Beck showed flashes of his potential in 2025 and will need to find more consistency at the plate this season to take the next step forward and prove to the Rockies he can be a long-term answer in the outfield corners.

Designated Hitter: Mickey Moniak

Mickey Moniak will get plenty of time in the outfield, but it looks like he’ll also get the majority of at-bats as the designated hitter. Moniak put up a career year last season with the Rockies and will get the chance to replicate and build upon it this season. The Rockies will also use the DH spot to cycle in other players to get them off their feet in the field and give other players chances to play.

Utility: Tyler Freeman, Ryan Ritter

Tyler Freeman took up quite a few games as the Rockies’ DH and right fielder in 2025, but looks to move around a bit more and perhaps use his infield abilities a bit more. He proved a lead-off revelation for the club last season, so manager Warren Schaeffer needs more options to plug him into the lineup.

Ryan Ritter showed some flashes during his big league stints last year and has impressed in spring training this year. Ritter has been learning the outfield in camp to go along with his infield experience. Two super utility players in Freeman and Ritter give the Rockies some versatility around the diamond to mix and match and try to put forth the best lineup each game.

Starting Rotation: Kyle Freeland, Michael Lorenzen, José Quintana, Tomoyuki Sugano, Chase Dollander

Kyle Freeland continues to be a rock in the rotation and will be the Opening Day starter once again. The free agent additions of Michael Lorenzen, José Quintana, and Tomoyuki Sugano bring much-needed experience, and all had some inspired outings in the WBC. The final rotation spot looks to be coming down to Ryan Feltner and Chase Dollander. I’ll go with Dollander since being around the other veteran pitchers could go a long way in helping his development, and he does have some excellent raw abilities; it just needs to be refined still. It’s also possible that Feltner could stay on the big league roster in the bullpen.

Bullpen: Jimmy Herget, Antonio Senzatela, Zach Agnos, Juan Mejia, Victor Vodnik, Seth Halvorsen, Brennan Bernardino, Parker Mushinski

There are plenty of options for the bullpen, so it’s a bit easy to pick and choose what arms to put into the mix. Senzatela will look to thrive as a long reliever, while Jimmy Herget, Victor Vodnik, and Seth Halvorsen will fill in the mix at the backend of the bullpen. Juan Mejia was excellent last season and has had some good moments with Team Dominican Republic in the WBC. Zach Agnos has looked excellent in spring training with a new sinker he’s been working on. Brennan Bernadino has quietly had a good spring with the Rockies and Team Mexico and represents the de facto lefty in the pen. I added Parker Mushinski since it would give the Rockies another lefty in the bullpen, and it feels like either him or fellow non-roster invite John Brebbia could make the roster.

Closing thoughts

We’ll start to hear more about roster decisions in the coming days, and there could always be more twists and turns and surprise moves before the 27th. Is there someone you think will make the roster instead? Be sure to carry on with your thoughts below!

‘We’re obsessed with it’: Rockies aiming to ‘elevate’ team atmosphere | MLB.com

The goal of the Rockies’ leadership this year is to change the atmosphere surrounding the team. The club is hoping to improve every aspect of how they operate as a team in preparation, performance, and overall environment in the clubhouse.

Brecht, Herring highlight talented Rockies pitching prospects | MLB.com

Jim Callis breaks down a pair of exciting arms in the Rockies system, with Brody Brecht and Griffin Herring wielding plenty of upside.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

As we are in the final stages of spring training, that limbo where you think you know what’s going to be the final roster but not quite, I am sort of at a loss on what to write about. So I’m going to provide some links to Cardinals-related news around the world wide web.

As it turns out the Opening Day roster is far from set. Brandon Glick observed that, according to Derrick Goold, Ramon Urias has some soreness in his elbow while swinging, and that Ivan Herrera has a little soreness in his knee, which won’t prevent him from seeing some time at catcher before spring training ends.

It sounds as if Herrera will be more of a third catcher, and that the Cardinals will be having him occupy the DH position mostly. I’m a little surprised by this, because it seemed that they had every intention of having him catch more often earlier in the year, but if he is an easily injured player, I suppose his playing time must be limited while catching, the main goal being to keep his bat in the lineup as much as possible. If there’s a knee involved, catching doesn’t seem ideal.

Urias’ injury seems to be a bit more of a mystery at this point. He will need to swing the bat again to see if it is ready to go. Maybe this is what brings Saggese back into the fold.

Bill Ladson at MLB.com gives us a good article on Herrera. He provides a little more detail on the injury. Ivan says he’s not sure how he got an inflamed knee, speculating it could’ve happened while running and then while being in a car for a long ride back to Jupiter. But it wasn’t swollen until he woke up the next day. This was back on March 6th. He has resumed baseball duties for a week now and will see playing time soon in spring training.

It’s interesting to see how DriveLine improved Herrera’s offense. On such a young team, Herrera ends up being both a team leader and a cheerleader, saying not to write them off because of their talent. I see a lot more talent than what a sub-70 win team would show. I still think the projections are lowballing the Cardinals because there isn’t enough data, and when looking at the various projection systems there is a ton of variance in projecting this roster. This is because Chaim Bloom has built in so many players with a higher ceiling and lower floor. 2026 is a gamble. But also a way to find which players are best, there is some depth there in the farm system.

Patrick McAvoy at Sports Illustrated sounds a little wowed by the potential of the future of the Cardinals middle infield. I concur! Masyn Winn hitting 16 home runs while playing some of if not the best defense in the NL sounds very much ok to me, and JJ Wetherholt being potentially one of the best hitting second basemen in the game is a future to build around. Winn’s only spring malady was some mild elbow soreness early in March. Sounds like early March was not very nice to our team. But I’m glad Winn and Herrera are feeling better.

Alec Burleson is 3 years older than Winn and 2 years older than Herrera, and is also a new father. So he seems like an elder of the clubhouse at this point. Are you worried about Burleson playing first base? Well, think again! I just had a random thought: how will Burly’s good throwing arm be a part of the infield defense?

Here is Masyn Winn talking about Burleson stealing 18 bases! And Burleson goes 3-3 with his new son in the stands. Here is Burly way back at Winter Warmup.

JJ Wetherholt is definitely generating a buzz! It would appear that JJ is probably a lock to be the opening day second baseman, and possibly leadoff hitter, at least to start the season. It is certainly possible they will make him work his way up the totem pole of the lineup order, but I’d be fine letting him lead off each game, especially since he’s sort of used to it anyway. Let’s not forget he is one of the overall top prospects in MLB. This is very exciting!

Over at third base things weren’t so clear until Nolan Gorman had a resurgent spring training. He is finding his groove at the hot corner, at least on offense, because of studying with the other Nolan’s (Arenado) hitting guru. That could prove to be a difference maker, or the end of the Gorman experiment. Because he has surely been tested with erratic playing time, moving around the infield, and just having a propensity to strike out as a major feature of your game. Maybe he can get the Ks down and the HR back up, because he did hit 27 home runs one season, and could hit 30 without too much trouble because he has always had massive power potential.

For more on Nolan Gorman, I encourage you to read this in depth article. Perhaps the most interesting takeaway is Gorman referencing Barry Bonds:

“When you can control your body in the box (it’s great),” Gorman explained. “I think Barry Bonds says it a lot. ‘Just control everything.’ The move. The strike zone. Everything. When you can do that and be in a good position to hit, you’re going to have a lot more success.” _{(Nolan Gorman quote stltoday linked above)}

Is Barry Bonds the mystery baseball guru working with the two Nolans? I hope so! I don’t really think so. Another big takeway is that it sounds as if Gorman is now able to make mid swing adjustments. I think it’s the same as last year, if one of Gorman or Walker can figure out how to hit home runs, we might stand a chance. Add Baez to the equation and who knows. Maybe Velazquez ends up good too. Might as well enjoy the hope for now.

Victor Scott II short interview

Jordan Walker is a mystery wrapped inside an enigma proposed as a riddle and we will not speak of him here

Nelson Velazquez gives me a sense of vague hope. If we can convert an ex-Cubs/Royals player into a good player, that would be very cool. It would appear that we may have caught lightning in a bottle, but I remain skeptical because it seems most people are. From what I’ve seen, though, Velazquez has made me a spring training believer. And he did have some potential in the past.

Do you think that the Cardinals could’ve found a diamond in the rough with Nelson Velazquez? I certainly do. And that excitement is palpable.

Make Viva El Birdos your hub for entertainment!

1982

Ok so I have been going off about every year about my life. I was born in 1975. This is my 8th week in a row and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon! To change it up this week, I am going to list my top albums of 1982 first, and go back to the Top 10 format for now.

1. Prince – ‘1999’ I definitely have a soft spot for this album because it was one of the first tapes I owned, and I was just starting to get into music at this age. I had a cassette copy of this album from my sister, which I played through a Walkman gifted to me by my sister’s Japanese foreign exchange student, and it was twice as loud as American portable cassette players. Purple power forever.
2. Captain Beefheart – ‘Ice Cream For Crow’ the Captain’s last musical adventure before he became a fine artist/painter. I feel like this one is a bit overlooked in his catalog. It may not be him at his peak, but he wraps up the musical adventure of the Magic Band very nicely here.
3. Chrome – ‘3rd From The Sun’ The top three I have outlined for 1982 could go in any order, in my opinion. This one is a little more raw and bursting with new ideas than the first two, but Damon Edge and Helios Creed are piloting uncharted territory here, influencing others in the THE FUTURE. The original industrial metal band, but with a psychedelic punk edge.
4. Sonic Youth – ’Sonic Youth’ only reason this isn’t any higher is that this is pretty much their demo, they’re super young *literally youth, and yeah it’s not a whole album of material. But what we hear here is a glimpse into their future as well as the future of music. They’re babies here but still a leap forward in the realm of musical expression. One of my favorite bands.
5. Allan Holdsworth – ‘i.o.u.’ absolutely also deserving to be in the top 5 is this early Allan Holdsworth album, a guitarist who redefines music in my opinion. Jazz fusion for the early 80s, but this album was recorded years earlier, in the 70s, and not distributed until 1982. Some say Holdsworth played while drunk as part of his style, but whatever his secret was, he was a guitar legend. Another guy ahead of his time.
6. King Sunny Adé & His African Beats – ‘Juju Music’ one of the most magical psychedelic albums I’ve ever heard. I look forward to hearing this album more, always. What a discovery!
7. SPK – ‘Leichenschrei’ at the inception of the industrial music genre and still at the top, total experimental cyberpunk genius, listen to the whole thing, don’t give up. Another very interesting discovery. Uneasy listening, though!
8. X – ‘Under The Big Black Sun’ another album that could easily be #1… X covers all the bases and becomes one of the most important rock n roll bands of all time, if never making it big they were originators… their variety in songwriting, and ability on all approaches make them a most definitive punk rock band to remember!
9. Oppenheimer Analysis – ‘New Mexico’ actually listened to this album while moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico. For fans of new wave and goth! And early industrial dance.
10. Junior Delahaye – ‘Showcase’ one of the most intense dub reggae productions you’ll hear in the early 80s or anytime, really… lovely genius. Red tape dub sound delivered with unique vocal stylings.

Honorable mentions to The Cure, Duran Duran, Michael Jackson, Kate Bush, The Clash, Bad Brains, etc. Not hating on them, I am just into these ten albums more, what can I say…

1982 Playlist

What was happening in 1982?

• Ozzy Osbourne was treated for rabies after biting the head off a bat. There’s a pizza bar that plays heavy metal music in St Louis called The Headless Bat! They have really good pizza. Maybe I’ll join you.
• The first computer virus was invented by a 15 year old. It effected Apple computers, oddly enough.
• First emoticons posted.
• E.T. blew away the competition at the box office, what would be controversial today, Tootsie, was the second highest-grossing movie of 1982, An Officer and a Gentleman, Rocky III, and Porky’s rounded out the top 5. My favorite flick of ‘82, Star Treck 2: The Wrath of Khan was 6th at the box office, and don’t forget 48 Hours and Poltergeist, a movie which scared the absolute shit out of me for at least a whole year after seeing it.
• Delving a little more obscure, you had some amazing movies like Basket Case (one of my favorite b-movies!), Conan the Barbarian, Firefox, Bladerunner (!), Tron, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, and The Beastmaster.

And of course, to wrap up, 1982 in Major League Baseball was the year I became a Cardinals fan. Obviously, the Cardinals won the World Series over the Brewers that year, but what else? Cal Ripken Jr and Steve Sax won Rookie of the Year in 1982. Dale Murphy and Robin Yount were the MVPs. Steve Carlton and Pete Vuckovich won the Cy Young Award in their respective leagues. The Brewers were really good that year with both and MVP and a Cy Young Award winner. But the Cardinals still were able to take them down.

Keith Hernandez and Ozzie Smith won Gold Glove Awards on the Cardinals. The Cards were first in the NL East winning 92 games, while the Brewers had won 95 that year. To reach the World Series, the Cardinals swept the Braves while the Brewers had a tougher path through the California Angels who had won 93 games that season.

Milwaukee would not return to the World Series until 2008, so this was the last AL postseason appearance by the Brewers. They were also in the postseason in 1981. For the Cardinals, it was their first postseason appearance since 1967! And just imagine going all the way to the World Series after 15 years! That must’ve felt quite nice. The Braves had had a nearly as lengthy postseason draught, since 1969. 1982 was the 9th World Series Championship for St Louis.

The World Series itself was a battle between two very, very good teams and went 7 games. The Cardinals overtook the Brewers at the end, winning by 12 runs in Game 6 and then the 1982 Cardinals lineup took out the Brewers bullpen and won Game 7. Had the Brewers manager kept starter Pete Vuckovich in the game, who know who what would’ve happened. Vuckovich also played for the Cardinals during the years 1978-80, and was later cast as slugger Clu Haywood in the movie Major League.

Last night we got to see the epic conclusion of the World Baseball Classic, as two powerhouse teams went head to head in the final. Team USA and Team Venezuela squared off to see which epic roster of superstar talent could call themselves best in the world. While Team USA was heavily favored from the offset to be a juggernaut, Team Venezuela beat out several other teams that were predicted to do better in the series, taking their place in the final. Considering the dominant talent that has come out of Venezuela for decades, their rise to the top of the WBC should come as no surprise.

In the winner-take-all final, Team Venezuela emerged victorious. The final score was 3-2. Despite the best efforts of Bryce Harper to tie the game in late innings, Venezuela came out on top, winning their first WBC Championship.

With the WBC now finished, focus will return to the final weeks of Spring Training as teams gear up for Opening Day. Years with the WBC are always such a treat, as we get to see the best of the best go head-to-head, but also it serves as a tremendous platform for baseball on a more global scale. The more eyes on the sport the better.

Let’s get into the rest of today’s links.

• Eric Longenhagen breaks down some experiment rule changes we might see in the minors this season.
• Davy Andrews tries to provide context for the Texas Ranger statue at Globe Life Field.
• Max Ralph looks at all the previous MVP winners at past WBCs.
• Team USA were rocking a lucky charm on their way to the WBC finals. Story by Kristen Wong.
• Shohei Ohtani is slated to make his Spring Training pitching debut today. (AP)
• Gerrit Cole is also poised to make his return today for the Yankees. (AP)
• Yikes, bring on the ABS, please.

• Davy Andrews looks at how baseball sometimes really is a children’s game.
• Anthony Castrovince looks at how Team Venezuela managed to find their pitching groove just in time for the biggest test of the WBC.
• Jimmy Traina looks at how the WBC succeeded in creating consistent buzz about baseball ahead of the regular MLB season.
• Alex Rodriguez is bad at comparisons. Story by Andy Nesbitt.
• Evan Drellich looks at how much WBC winners stand to earn. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Some big moments from WBCs past.

• Michael Baumann takes a look at what the Brewers can expect from their new pitching rotation.
• The Red Sox have signed Tommy Kahnle to a minor league deal. Story by Manny Randhawa.
• Madison Williams looks at a sweet moment between Clayton Kershaw and his son.
• White Sox pitcher Mike Vasil will miss the season due to elbow surgery. (AP)
• Andy McCullough looks at why Team USA would lean on rookie pitcher Nolan McLean to start the biggest game of the series. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• A very important update about the Mariners’ ferry boat. (Here’s a direct link to the BlueSky post for anyone reading on Apple News)

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.

Samuel Basallo is 21 years old, under contract for the next seven-plus years, and widely regarded as one of the most exciting young hitters in baseball. After a brief debut in the MLB last season, he heads into 2026 as Baltimore’s everyday designated hitter and heir apparent behind the plate. So: what should we actually expect from him this year?

In 2025, the numbers Basallo put up in the minors were legitimately eye-popping. In 76 games at Triple-A Norfolk, he slashed .270/.377/.589 with 23 home runs and a .966 OPS—all at age 20. Named an International League All-Star at catcher, he ranked among IL leaders in OPS (first), SLG (second) and HR (tied for second) at the time the Orioles selected his contract.

His short stint in the MLB was, predictably, a much rougher ride. In 31 games between August and September, he hit .165/.229/.330, with nearly a strikeout per game. But he did go deep four times, including a walk-off homer on September 5 against the Dodgers, the youngest player in Orioles history to do so. Moments like this served as a reminder of the raw tools that led Baseball America to name Basallo the best power hitter in the Orioles organization last season.

Struggles to adjust at the plate are entirely unsurprising for a 21-year-old seeing big league arms for the first time, which makes the question this season: how quickly will Basallo’s adjustment cycle play out? Spring stats are notoriously unreliable, but in 11 Grapefruit League games he’s hitting .310 with a .946 OPS. That includes a double off future Hall-of-Famer Justin Verlander on Tuesday, which elicited a “Nice hit” from the veteran (who is also more than twice Basallo’s age). This suggests, at least, that the swing and the approach are in a good place heading into the year.

To judge Basallo’s potential from his existing track record, he enters the major leagues a career .283/.366/.498 MiLB hitter with an .864 OPS. But those numbers hide the fact that each time Basallo climbed a level, his numbers dipped for a bit, then leapt. Take OPS: an .887 OPS at Single-A Delmarva in 2023 foresaw a 1.167 mark in Double-A Bowie the same year, and a .637 OPS at Triple-A Norfolk in 2024 was followed by a jump of 300 points the next season. What’s more, Basallo’s minor league walk rates (around 12-13%) speak to genuine plate discipline, and his scouting hit grade (55) implies scouts believe he can make enough contact to let the power play.

Here are a pair of predictions for what the youngster might do in 2026:

• ZiPS: 122 G, 493 PA, 24 HR, 39 BB, .238/.304/.457, 2.3 fWAR
• Baseball Reference: 259 PA, 9 HR, 20 BB, .231/.301/.406

I find these numbers decidedly meh, maybe with the exception of the nice slugging percentage and 24 home runs from ZiPS. BRef, in particular, expects limited playing time for the O’s catcher/DH. While it’s true Basallo isn’t going to catch every day so long as Adley Rutschman is healthy, with any luck, he’ll make up a full season’s worth of at-bats at DH, which is fine. Basallo’s bat should be an everyday part of the lineup.

There remain questions about his ability to handle a full load at catcher. And while his defense behind the plate is still a work in progress, it was better than most expected in his debut. A 38% caught-stealing rate is legitimate, driven by what Baseball America grades as a 70 arm. Framing and blocking still need work, but “not a liability” is already ahead of where some projected him defensively, and continued improvement only strengthens the case for giving him more games behind the dish over time.

To sum up, Basallo’s 2025 MLB debut was short enough and rough enough that there’s real uncertainty about the timeline for his development this season, but the underlying gifts (elite power, plate discipline, improving defense) point toward a player who will take a significant step forward this year. Whether that step looks like a .231/9 HR “still figuring it out” season (BRef), a .238/25 HR one (ZiPS), or better than either of those seemingly stingy projections probably comes down to how quickly he makes adjustments to the breaking ball. Whatever happens, Basallo’s 2026 is going to be one of the most-watched stories in Baltimore baseball.

So what are your expectations for Samuello Basallo in 2026? Is this a full breakout year, or more of a transition season before he really arrives in 2027?