Baseball Connection

Jake Odorizzi has finally found a team. He'll join the Astros on a two-year deal with a player option for 2023. Odorizzi can be an innings eater for Houston, and they'll really need it since Framber Valdez might be out for the year.

Eduardo Rodriguez took the mound in a game setting for the first time in 359 days. After a breakout 2019 season, Rodriguez was poised to make an Opening Day start for Boston in 2020. Will he get that honor this year? Lorenzo Cain will still be the Brewers' center fielder. Luis Severino should help the Yankees tremendously when he returns this year. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Jackie Bradley Jr. will be taking his talents to Milwaukee. He's the last big domino to finally fall as he secured a 2-year, $24 million deal with the Brewers. The Brewers already have a strong outfield, including another strong center fielder in Lorenzo Cain, so it's not quite clear exactly how they'll juggle the pieces. However, it is a good problem for them to have.

It's always exciting to catch a glimpse of the future as top young prospects take the center in the early days of Spring Training. We take a look at how the game's best prospects like Wander Franco, Jarred Kelenic, Adley Rustchman, etc. have fared in the early going.

Yoenis Cespedes hosted a showcase in front of eleven MLB teams. Cespedes could be a low-cost flyer for a team that doesn't have much to lose. Jarrod Dyson has signed with the Royals, the franchise he broke into the league with and made a name for himself after overcoming all odds as a 50th round pick. Dyson was a key part of the Royals' championship squad in 2015.

Tommy Pham had a tumultuous 2020. From missing several games due to COVID, to undergoing different surgeries for a broken hamate bone and a wrist injury, Pham's lackluster performance on the field could be attributed to an unfortunate stretch of injuries. Additionally, Pham was also involved in an offseason incident where he was stabbed. Doctors said his extra muscle may have saved his life. Looki...

Hunter Dozier has agreed to a 4-year, $25 million extension with the Royals. Dozier has shown loud tools and great results in the past and the Royals hope he can turn in strong numbers moving forward. Kansas City won't be competing for a division title this year but they've put together a strong core which they can add to in coming years.

Albert Pujols is entering the last year of his 10 year, $240 million contract with the Angels. He says he hasn't made a retirement decision yet, but we have to wonder when that announcement will come. What value can Pujols still provide at this stage in his career?

Brian Snitker has been with the Braves organization for 4 decades. He'll stick around even longer as he just agreed to an extension to manage the Braves through 2023. Kelvin Herrera has announced his retirement. Herrera was a key piece of the Royals' championship squad which had baseball's best bullpen for a brief stretch.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr has slimmed down. He's the talk of Blue Jays camp as everyone has noticed the stark contrast in his physique compared to the way he arrived at summer camp last year. The Phillies have checked in on Jake Odorizzi - he'd slot in nicely as their 4th starter. Is Jackie Bradley Jr. truly enough to turn a contender into a champion? All this on today's episode.

Scott Kazmir is still pitching. He's signed a minor league deal with the Giants as he attempts to make another comeback. Kazmir hasn't seen MLB action since 2016, but he's reportedly been up to 92-93 mph in bullpen sessions, which is around the velocity he had at his peak. Royce Lewis, the Twins' #1 prospect, has suffered a torn ACL. Lewis will likely miss all of 2021.

Yoenis Cespedes is eyeing a comeback. Cespedes played just a handful of games for the Mets before opting out last season. We haven't seen him healthy in a few years now, but a team might be willing to roll the dice after his upcoming showcase on March 2. Following heavy backlash after his recent comments, Kevin Mather has resigned as Mariners CEO. Shin-Soo Choo is heading to Korea. All this (and m...

Mariners CEO Kevin Mather joined the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club for a video chat where he revealed several details about the state of the franchise and their business strategies. Some of Mather's comments have sparked controversy. He admitted to service time manipulation last year and complained about Julio Rodriguez and Hisashi Iwakuma's English proficiency. All this (and more) on today's epi...

Ian Desmond has opted out of the 2021 season. After sitting out of last season, Desmond will stay away yet again as he's expressed a lack of desire for playing baseball under these circumstances. We saw over twenty players opt out of last season. How many more will follow in the coming weeks?

Nolan Arenado was dealt to St. Louis, Tony La Russa (76 years old) was hired to manage a bunch of White Sox young stars, San Diego became a juggernaut, the Red Sox and Yankees made a trade, and much more. We discuss the biggest surprises that happened this offseason.

Taijuan Walker has agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal with the Mets. Walker is entering his age 28 season and is a solid pitcher when healthy. However, he hasn't pitched a full season since 2017 so he does have something to prove. Brett Gardner is back in pinstripes on a one-year, $4 million deal.

Fernando Tatis is an elite player in today's game. Now he'll be paid like one. Tatis and the Padres have agreed to a 14-year extension worth $340 million. The deal comes with a full no-trade clause. This is a record deal for a pre-arbibration player and the third largest deal (in terms of new total money) in MLB history.

Cody Allen has called it a career. The righty reliever received interest from teams earlier this offseason, but he instead decided to hang up his spikes. Allen is largely known for his strong stretch with the Cleveland Indians, and was a huge part of their World Series run. Tim Tebow has also said farewell to baseball, ending his professional career with the Mets. Tebow's final line is .223/.299/....

The Mets have grabbed more depth for their outfield by signing Kevin Pillar to a one-year, $5 million deal. Pillar will probably place above Albert Almora on the depth chart, but the Mets still haven't grabbed anyone's attention with their outfield acquisitions. Edwin Encarnacion is hoping for another shot with a team as his career might be nearing its end.

The Minor Leagues have been revamped in an effort to modernize MLB's player development structure. Several changes have been made including league sizes, pay, and travel schedules. Most Triple A teams will now be closer to their MLB clubs, travel will be reduced, and salaries are increasing. We discuss all the major changes on today's episode.

The Dodgers are bringing back their guy. Justin Turner has agreed to head back to LA on a 2-year, $34 million deal. Turner is a fan favorite and should slot right back into the heart of their lineup as the Dodgers aim for a repeat title. James Paxton signed a 1-year, $8.5 million deal with the Mariners as he tries to prove his health.

Pretty much every player slows down and becomes less effective as they age past their prime. We take a look at three older pitchers (Jake Arrieta, Rich Hill, and Mark Melancon) who just signed to see if they still have what it takes to perform in 2021.

After being one of the game's prolific sluggers in 2020, Adam Duvall was still let go by the Braves because of a crowded outfield. He's heading south to Miami and will bring power to their lineup. After a bounce-back season with the Dodgers, Jake McGee secured a two-year deal with the Giants. Marwin Gonzalez joined the Red Sox.

The Red Sox have traded Andrew Benintendi to the Kansas City Royals in part of a three-team swap. The Mets are the other team involved in the deal. Boston will receive Franchy Cordero, Josh Winckowski, and 3 players to be named later. The Mets will receive Khalil Lee. Yet another piece of the Red Sox 2018 championship roster is gone. What's next for Boston?

When will Wander Franco and Adley Rutschman make their debuts? Neither has played past high-A, but as the top two prospects in baseball, they will be a big part of their teams' plans moving forward. Which JD Martinez will we see this year? Can Judge and Stanton finally stay healthy? We take a look at the biggest questions in the AL East this year.