I’ve had the pleasure of meeting quite a few of you and we’ve had different skin tones, nations of birth, upbringings, and backgrounds. But we all had the shared love of baseball.
In many ways, we have Martin Luther King, Jr. and his peers to thank for this community. Just as we can thank him for so many of our loved ones being in our lives.
MLK thanked Jackie Robinson for paving the way. The two were close friends and over the years their paths converged in many ways. There’s no separating the Civil Rights Movement and baseball. Which is yet another reason to love this great game.
Getting to modern day baseball, the biggest news out of Anaheim this week was the signing of Brett Phillips to be the fourth outfielder. Phillips is hoping a lot of hard work with the same swing guru Taylor Ward used last year will pay off.
Nice little interview with Phillips here:
Yes, Angels players are going to a dude with a full time job who teaches hitting on the side to get better. Speaks volumes about our coaching and development staffs, doesn’t it?
Brandon Drury says he was destined to be an Angel.
Phillips solidifies the outfield and as of now completes the position player roster.
Sam Blum took a look at what the Angels off season might mean for Jo Adell. I think it means he gets a year to prove himself in AAA.
Blum wasn’t alone. There was quite a bit of interest in the futures of both Adell and fellow first round pick Mickey Moniak.
While neither has lived up to their draft day promise, the duo of Adell and Moniak in Salt Lake gives us the most player position upside we’ve had there in eons.
Last year’s starting left fielder is ticketed for AAA? Yes, I took a look at the depth Perry has and hasn’t built with the Swiss Army Team.
On the topic of depth, both Griffin Canning and Chris Rodriguez are throwing from the mound. If healthy, Canning could play a big role for the team. He’s only 26 and the team is still looking for a sixth starter.
The same could be said of Rodriguez, who was really good out of the bullpen a couple of year back.
The good news is the team isn’t relying on either to contribute Opening Day or really any other day. If they do, great, if not, we have options.
One option I hope to see this year is Ben Joyce and I think we see him in Tempe. Watch this just because.
I’ll get an article out on the three headed monster of Joyce, Luke Murphy, and Eric Torres and how they tore through AA last year. Add them to the outfielders and suddenly AAA is looking good.
Speaking of Tempe, the Angels announced all the important Spring Training dates.
My favorite master schedule for Spring Training games can be found here.
From around the league:
Carlos Correa heading back to the Twin Cities wrapped up this off season’s craziest saga. Take a look at all the twists and turns along the way.
Trevor Bauer will need to find a new place to troll for women online after the Dodgers released him yesterday. I’m wondering if he’ll move into Aroldis Chapman or Roberto Osuna’s old locker.
Of note, the LAT is reporting the Dodgers decided to cut bait on Bauer after meeting with him. That might explain the long delay between his reinstatement and DFA. Perhaps they tried to work out a way for him to stay, but Bauer is Bauer and plays by his own rules.
The Dodgers brought in a shortstop I was high on bringing in last year in Miguel Rojas. Immediately following the trade news was the follow up that Rojas needs yet another wrist surgery.
Probably the most notable part of the trade is the Dodgers are now over the luxury tax again. FanGraphs looks at their budget dilemma and options.
Oakland brought over Japanese hurler Shintaro Fujinami on a one year deal. He wants to start although several sites peg him for bullpen duty. Either way, the A’s became a little more interesting now.
Baseball has really become a global game in my lifetime. And a lot of global talent will be on display at the World Baseball Classic.
Here’s a link for the reporting dates, workout dates, and exhibition games for the WBC teams.
All 47 WBC games will be broadcast across various Fox Sports platforms. What a time to be alive.
It is a bit of a tradition of my own making. The only fitting way to end MLK Day Links is to watch a video of his most famous speech.
Please link what I missed below and enjoy your three day weekend.
