MLB - NEWS & NOTES

MLB orders Josh Hader to sensitivity training, participation in diversity initiatives

Major League Baseball released a statement about Josh Hader a few minutes ago. Here it is in its entirety:

“During last night’s game we became aware of Mr. Hader’s unacceptable social media comments in years past and have since been in communication with the Brewers regarding our shared concerns. After the game, Mr. Hader took the necessary step of expressing remorse for his highly offensive and hurtful language, which fails to represent the values of our game and our expectations for all those who are a part of it. The Office of the Commissioner will require sensitivity training for Mr. Hader and participation in MLB’s diversity and inclusion initiatives.”

People can parse Hader’s apology if they want to — I wrote about what I feel like Hader needs to say and do to show that his tweets truly are not representative of who he is now — but this is probably about as well as Major League Baseball can do with this. The tweets in question occurred years ago, before Hader was in professional baseball. They even occurred before Major League Baseball had a formal social media policy. MLB attempting some sort of way-after-the-fact punitive action on Hader like a fine or a suspension would (a) be met with some understandable resistance by Hader and the union; and (b) would look more like the league trying to deal with a P.R. crisis more than dealing with the player.

That being said, the sensitivity training and diversity initiative participation makes loads of sense. If, as Hader said last night, he’s a different person now than he was back in 2011-12, he should embrace such activities. They’re positive ones and, hey, who couldn’t use a brush-up? If his claims of being a changed man were merely a reaction to a social media firestorm, well, that’ll be dealt with pretty well in those arenas as well. Either way, this gives Hader an opportunity to put his money where his mouth is.

If you think making Hader do such things is “punishment,” well, that opens up another conversation altogether I suppose. (Craig Calcaterra; NBC Sports)

 

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/...-expands-to-32-teams-names-potential-markets/

commish talks expansion...

 

Nailed it

 

Dodgers land Machado in blockbuster with O's
Four-time All-Star goes to Los Angeles for five prospects...

LOS ANGELES -- Ten years ago, the Dodgers traded for Manny and it was epic. On Wednesday, they did it again.

If new Dodgers shortstop Manny Machado can make a fraction of the breathtaking impact Manny Ramirez made after his 2008 acquisition, it will be worth the five Minor Leaguers the Dodgers sent to Baltimore on Wednesday for the 26-year-old, who, like Ramirez in 2008, is a rental eligible for free agency after the season.

"We're in first place by the slimmest of margins [half-game] and four teams are within a few games," general manager Farhan Zaidi said on Dodgers station AM 570. "We felt improving the team in this period was imperative, and we think Manny Machado is the best target out there."

After a Wednesday delay necessitated by physical exams, trading for Machado cost the Dodgers only one of their top prospects: Cuban outfielder Yusniel Diaz. In addition, the Orioles received right-handed pitchers Dean Kremer and Zach Pop, third baseman Rylan Bannon and infielder Breyvic Valera. Diaz is the club's No. 4 prospect and No. 84 in MLB, according to MLB Pipeline. Kremer is No. 27 and Bannon No. 28 in the organization.

Baltimore hopes the deal can be transformative, offering both quality and depth to a system in need of both.

The 21-year-old Diaz is the centerpiece for the O's, and the Dodgers spent $31 million in bonus and taxes to sign him out of Cuba. Two homers in Sunday's SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game showed that his one lagging tool, power, is not so lagging.

The 22-year-old Bannon is hitting .296 with a .961 OPS at Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga and is a plus defensive third baseman. The 22-year-old Kremer was just promoted to Double-A after striking out 114 in 79 innings at Rancho Cucamonga. Pop, a seventh-rounder last year from Kentucky, was recently promoted to Double-A after dominating at two Class A clubs. Valera has had three big league cameos with the Dodgers, and his departure clears a 40-man roster spot for Machado.

The trade is the latest reaffirmation by president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman's front office of a commitment to land the franchise's first World Series ring since 1988.

"It's a means to an end," said Zaidi, saying this was no time for a victory lap. "We're trying to win a World Series every year, but this year in particular. We think it's a big stepping-stone to get to that point." (MLB.com)

 

^^LA kept 2 of their bigger prospects. seems light for Machado. I don't trust or can assume the phils can or will sign him this off-season. i think he goes elsewhere or somehow stays in LA after they make room under the luxury tax.

 

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/...cism-about-marketing-says-everything-is-cool/

Trout taking highroad. Manfred needs to shut up and mind his own business.

 

The Cleveland Indians bolstered their struggling bullpen on Thursday with the acquisition of San Diego Padres closer Brad Hand.

The Padres will also send reliever Adam Cimber to Cleveland and will receive highly touted catching prospect Francisco Mejia.

 

so much for the phillies trading franco to sd for hand rumors...

 

I read this article and still don't know what it means.

 

The Phillies could really use a third baseman or a shortstop, so expect them to bid hard for Mike Moustakas or Eduardo Escobar should the Twins make him available... that's the latest in the rumor mill.

 

t

they had their SS. his name was MAnny Machado. LA only offered up 1 stud and not the 1-2 more that were rumored to get him. now it's second fiddle time for Moose and Escobar. I think they need both, trade Hernandez and let Kingery play 2b. That's just me.

 

just like u see Peyton Manning doing a lot of commercials to get himself out there. Trout is like Tom Brady. Quiet and doesn't want any attention. he wants to play baseball, sit in his new house in NJ and earning millions upon millions of dollars. the Commish is saying Trout should or could be like Manning if he wanted too, but doesn't. that's all.

 

The Cubs announced on Thursday evening that the club acquired pitcher Jesse Chavez from the Rangers in exchange for minor league pitcher Tyler Thomas.

Chavez, 34, has pitched out of the bullpen for the Rangers this season, compiling a 3.51 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 12 walks across 56 1/3 innings. The veteran right-hander inked a one-year, $1 million deal with the Rangers in February, so the Cubs are on the hook for the prorated remainder — a little less than $600,000.

Thomas, 22, was selected by the Cubs in the seventh round of the 2017 draft. The lefty has made 14 starts and one relief appearance for Single-A South Bend, putting up a 2.88 ERA with an 81/14 K/BB ratio in 75 innings.

 

Carpenter makes history with 3 HRs, 2 2Bs

CHICAGO -- An afternoon that opened with Matt Carpenter tying Lou Brock in the record books ended with the Cardinals' first baseman rewriting them.

Carpenter became the first player in franchise history -- and just the second in Major League history -- to hit three home runs and two doubles in a game. Carpenter did it all in the first six innings of Friday's game against the Cubs, too, along with scoring four runs and driving in a career-high seven. The Cardinals won, 18-5. (MLB.com)

 

Athletics acquire Jeurys Familia from Mets...

The Athletics have acquired closer Jeurys Familia from the Mets, per official announcements from the teams. The Mets will receive minor league right-hander Bobby Wahl and third base prospect William Toffey in the deal, as well as $1 million in international slot money.

Familia, 28, has drawn significant interest from as many as seven or eight teams over the last week or so. While the right-hander hasn’t hit any career-best marks this season, he’s more than held his own with a 2.88 ERA, 2.54 FIP and 1.2 fWAR over 40 2/3 innings in 2018. He’s positioned to enter free agency at the end of the year, and the A’s are expected to absorb the remaining $3 million on his contract before he does so. (NBC Sports)

 

Those Hand and Familia trades are killers for my fantasy team

 

and pisses me off that the phils wanted either and got neither !

 

On the plus side Allen's been terrible this year and it was reported Familia would've been used in a save situation yesterday, so there might still be a fair amount of chances for those two to continue racking saves.

 

Turner right back on the DL, so Machado moves to 3rd base tonight.

 

hamels got hammered last night. losing value by the day.