Major League Baseball – The Capital Sports Report

Baseball lost a chance to shine during COVID-19

June 23, 2020June 26, 2020 by Anthony Caruso III, posted in Major League Baseball

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

Baseball had a chance to be one of the sports back following the coronavirus outbreak. Instead, two sides agreed to disagree.

And agreed to disagree…. For months. On Monday night, the Major League Baseball put forth their agreement from March.

Yes, March. Baseball players could have been playing baseball since at least April. However, the players wanted more money.

As a result since the players refused to take less, the sides went three additional months before MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred forced the MLBPA’s hand. And the players are expected to agree to the terms on Tuesday by 5 pm.

Thus, we’re going to have a 60-game season. Far less than what we could have seen had they just agreed to the March terms earlier.

At one point, there was a 100-plus game season being discussed. Now, with the 60-game season, we’re going to have baseball through at least September, before the playoffs start.

We’re going to continue to have baseball games without fans for the foreseeable future. Who knows if there will fans in attendance with some locations still in lock down.

And with the spread of the coronavirus in other states, there may be restrictions in place, as well.

Without an MLB agreement in place, ESPN went elsewhere for their baseball fix. They reached an agreement in May to broadcast the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) in the early morning hours.

Baseball will have a problem on their hands when they do return in July. A lot of the sports will be back at that time. The question will become, will anybody care?

They missed a real good opportunity to bring people to the American Pastime. Likely the fans, who disagreed with the 1994 strike, will likely to refuse to come back to the sport this time around, as well.

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Rob Manfred forces MLBPA’s hand on 2020 season

June 22, 2020June 22, 2020 by Anthony Caruso III, posted in Major League Baseball

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

Major League Baseball is not playing around. They are going to force the MLBPA’s hand.

The owners want there to be a season in 2020. However, Tony Clark’s led players claim that they want to play.

Yet, while they insist that they want to play, Clark and his group has rejected all of the MLB offers. Sadly, nobody could have gotten their act together.

This is America’s Pastime. Yet, since the 1994 strike, baseball has not been America’s sport anymore. The NFL is the premiere sport in the United States.

If you are not aware, the 1994 strike started August 12, 1994 and began through the rest of the 1994 season. This including the postseason, which was the first-time since the 1904 World Series that there was no Fall Classic.

The strike lasted 232 days, before ending on April 2, 1995.

Major League Baseball is asking the players to give them an answer on Tuesday, June 23rd, by 5 pm. If they do respond, then there will be baseball beginning in July.

Like the rest of the sports world, the coronavirus has caused havoc. As a result, the original 162-game schedule has been ripped up.

Now, we’re looking at a 60-game schedule that will potentially start in July. If the MLBPA agrees to the health protocols, we’re going to have baseball at some point in the end of July. The projected starting point of the season will be the weekend of July 24-26.

Also, MLB will not be playing in a bubble like other sports teams, like the NBA and MLS, who will be operating in Orlando, Florida. It was first believed that Florida and Arizona would be the bubble locations for MLB.

However, it appears like the teams may play in their home locations without fans. Without fans in attendance, these owners are taking a huge loss as there are no ticket sales, concession sales, approx. 50% loss in merchandise sales compared to home games, and parking.

All that lost money traditionally has went to paying for the players salaries.

Major League Baseball has asked the MLB Players Association if players can report to camp by July 1 and will sign off on health-and-safety protocols. The union has been asked to respond by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

In other words: MLB is planning on a season.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 23, 2020

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American Addison Russell signs with the KBO for 2020 season

June 20, 2020June 22, 2020 by Anthony Caruso III, posted in Major League Baseball

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

Addison Russell took a prove-it deal. However, the offer did not come from Major League Baseball.

He received the offer from the Korean Baseball Organization. It is a one-year deal worth $530,000 with the Kiwoom Heroes.

The KBO has been going on for nearly a month and has been featured on ESPN. All of their games are on in the early morning hours on the Worldwide Leader in Sports.

Russell will not be allowed to join his team right away. Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, he will have to self quarantine for 14 days before he will be able to join his new teammates in July.

The Heroes may play Russell at third base, as they already have two talented infielders at second base and shortstop.

Presently, Kiwoom is fourth in the standings. They are 24-17 on the season— four games behind the league-leading NC Dinos.

The 26-year-old Pensacola, Florida native previously played with the Chicago Cubs in the MLB. His career has been going downhill since his lone All-Star appearance in 2016.

He appeared in 82 games last season. Also, last season, he served a 40-game suspension for violating the MLB’s domestic violence policy.

During the 2019 season, Russell had a .237 batting average with nine home runs and 23 RBIs through the aforementioned 82 games.

Russell has four hits and one triple in 51 hits over 215 at-bats.

In his five-year MLB career, he had a .242 batting average with 60 home runs and 253 RBIs in 615 games. Russell also had 100 doubles and nine triples in 480 hits over 1,987 at-bats.

He also struck out 532 times and 186 walks.

MLB is nearing an agreement with the MLBPA for 2020 season

June 17, 2020June 17, 2020 by Anthony Caruso III, posted in Major League Baseball

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, Major League Baseball will have a season after all in 2020. After the bickering between the MLB and MLBPA over money, Heyman is reporting that the two sides are ‘nearing’ an agreement.

The baseball insider is reporting that the players will have a pro-rated pay for the season. Also, there will be an extended playoffs.

In addition, Heyman is reporting that the players are not allowed to file any grievances against the MLB with this agreement.

Manfred flew to Arizona on Tuesday night to meet with MLBPA President Tony Clark, a former MLB player, to talk. Before this latest meeting, the two sides have been attacking each other through the press.

Also, several players have complained about taking a pay cut in their huge contracts – some nearly $40 million for the 2020 season. But that’s been a problem, as people have been without jobs and out of work for weeks due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

MLB is one of the last leagues, who announced their return to play. They did not begin their season and was in spring training when the sports world went on a hiatus due to the virus.

The players have clearly been delusional on the money part, as they claim that they should earn their full contracts. However, here is the problem. There likely won’t be any fans in the stands – at least for a while and potentially the entire season.

Therefore, the money to pay off their gigantic salaries are just not there with no ticket sales, concessions, parking and other revenue that owners receive from fans in attendance.

As a result, the players will likely need more time in spring training before an actually season may start in July or August. It’s very unlikely that MLB will have a traditional 162 games for this season due to the virus.

It’ll be interesting to see where Manfred and Clark agree on the schedule for each teams. Will teams also play at home and on the road? Or will it be in a bubble in one city? We’ll have to wait and see what the two sides agree upon.

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Hackenberg attempting to be the next NFL-to-MLB signee

June 13, 2020June 14, 2020 by Anthony Caruso III, posted in Major League Baseball

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

Christian Hackenberg will attempt to be the next Tim Tebow. The former Florida Gators legend briefly played in the NFL before changing course to be a baseball player.

Hackenberg is attempted to convert to a baseball player, according to NBC Philadelphia. The report suggests that Hackenberg is been throwing a baseball as fast as 90 mph.

“I’ve had my trials and tribulations with the NFL,” Hackenberg said, according to John Clark. “I’m sitting here at 25. I feel like I have a lot left in the tank”

Hackenberg played two seasons with the New York Jets after being their second round draft pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He played for the team in 2016 and 2017.

After bouncing around and failing to make an NFL roster, he signed with the Memphis Express in the defunct Alliance of American Football. He struggled in his three games with the Express.

Tebow is the latest example of an NFL player to sign with an MLB team. He signed with the New York Mets.

He has made it up to the Triple A level last season. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, there may not be a minor league season for Tebow to perform this season.

Tebow signed with the Mets in Sept. 2016 after trying out for 28 of 30 MLB teams. He tried out as a pitcher and hitter, but has been primarily a left fielder and designated hitter in the minors.

It’ll be interesting to see if a team will give Hackenberg an opportunity to play baseball next.

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Doctor: Less than 1% of MLB has traces of coronavirus

May 11, 2020May 11, 2020 by Anthony Caruso III, posted in Major League Baseball

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

According to San Francisco Chronicles’ Susan Slusser, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya revealed that less than 1% of MLB has had traces of the coronavirus. Members of the MLB workforce was tested with an antibody, beginning in Mid-April.

There were 5,603 people tested in the study. From the data, 0.7% had traces of the coronavirus in their body.

Major League Baseball has not begun their season yet. But there has been some rumors that the league could begin around July.

This is possible news, as it shows MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association that they can continue in their pursuit to begin the season. While this is a positive, there are still things that need to be done as the league wants to play.

Each host city has different restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, some areas are starting to open up, while others are on lock down.

This also signals that the baseball community has not been hit hard with the virus like the rest of the virus.

There has been a variety of speculation on how MLB will resume. There’s been speculation that teams play be split in Florida and Arizona.

While there’s been a lot of speculation, nothing is confirmed yet. MLB has not announced a revised schedule.

But one thing is clear, they may have to begin their season with no fans in attendance for the foreseeable future. The Korean Baseball League has begun their season with no fans in attendance.

Sports may have to be held with no fans for a while until the coronavirus cases slow down around the country. The UFC held UFC 249 on Saturday with no fans in attendance and have more events planned with no fans.

Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner has passed away at 63

April 14, 2020April 14, 2020 by Anthony Caruso III, posted in Major League Baseball, New York Yankees

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

New York Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner has passed away. He was 63.

An official cause of death has not been released yet. He had been ill for a long-time before his passing, according to the New York Daily News.

He was one of two brothers, who took over as the owner of the Yankees in 2010 when George “The Boss” Steinbrenner passed away. Hal Steinbrenner is now the only brother in charge.

Hal is the managing principal of the team. He was already the more visible of the two brothers before Hank’s passing.

“It’s with great sadness I share the news of the passing of my father, Henry George ‘Hank’ Steinbrenner II,” George Michael Steinbrenner IV, Team Principal, Steinbrenner Racing, an NTT IndyCar Series team. “Every since I can remember, my dad has always been my biggest supporter. He taught me determination, confidence, and the desire to win above all else. Being a massive racing fan himself, when I sought to start a racing team, he stood in my corner the whole way. I will forever be grateful for all the lessons he taught me.

“I look forward to the day we are able to return to the track and race to win in his honor. Until then, my heart is with my family, our race team and the entire Yankees organization. Thank you to all for your kind words and support in this time.”

Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale throws a baseball during spring training during camp

Red Sox’s Sale expected to have Tommy John surgery

March 19, 2020March 19, 2020 by Anthony Caruso III, posted in Boston Red Sox, Major League Baseball

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

Published on Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 6:58 am EST

The Major League Baseball season has not even begun yet. But they’re already without the ace of their rotation.

The Red Sox announced that starting pitcher Chris Sale will have Tommy John surgery. He will miss the entire 2020 season — whenever it starts.

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the entire sports world is on hold. This may have played a huge part in Sale’s decision to have the operation now.

Once he finally has the procedure, he will miss the entire 2020 season. The likelihood of a return is in April or May of the 2021 season.

He is coming off what may be the worst season of his career. The 30-year-old was hampered by by elbow pain for a significant part of last season.

The team eventually shut him down following his August 13th start. He made 25 starts before the two sides decided he needed to stop pitching for the rest of the season.

He received a no decision in his final start of the 2019 season. He went 6 2/3 innings in a 7-6 win over the Cleveland Indians.

Sale allowed five runs, including three earned runs, on five hits, including two home runs. He also struck out 12 batters and walked two batters.

In 2019, he went 6-11 with a 4.40 ERA over 147 1/3 innings. Sale allowed 80 runs, including 72 earned runs, on 123 hits, including 24 home runs. He also struck out 218 batters and walked 37.

Before last season, it was the first-time that he did not win 10 or more games since the 2011 season. Sale went 2-2 that season in 58 relief appearances and 17 games finished in 71 innings.

In his career, including the last three with the Red Sox, he has a 109-73 record with a 3.03 ERA in 312 appearances, including 232 starts. He also has 25 games finished, 16 complete games, three shutouts and 12 saves.

He has allowed 590 runs, including 548 earned runs, on 1,312 hits, including 172 home runs, in 1,629 2/3 innings. He also struck out 2,007 batters in his career with 374 walks.

Mariners forced to move two series due to coronavirus

March 11, 2020March 16, 2020 by Anthony Caruso III, posted in Major League Baseball, Seattle Mariners

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

The Seattle Mariners are forced to play their first two home series not at Safeco Field, according to ESPN.com. They are working with Major League Baseball to play elsewhere.

The Mariners were forced into this decision as state officials have banned mass gatherings of 1,000 or more people. This impacts their series with the Texas Rangers and the Minnesota Twins.

The Rangers were supposed to visit the Mariners between March 26-29. Then, the Twins were supposed to visit between March 30 and April 1st.

No alternative plans have been made at this time.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee banned mass gatherings of 1,000 or more people in three counties on Wednesday. This includes the county that has Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field.

With state officials issuing this mandatory ban on mass gatherings, there’s little the Mariners can do besides lose money. They’ll hopefully recoup it down the road or through their sponsorship rights.

“While we hope to be back to playing baseball in Seattle as soon as possible, the health and safety of our community is the most important consideration,” the Mariners said in a statement.

Seattle will now issue refunds to fans, who bought tickets to those two home series. Season-ticket holders will receive credit towards future games. This may also go into the 2021 season.

Washington State has been a hotbed for the coronavirus, as there’s been several deaths in the state due to the disease. Inslee believes that there may be 64,000 cases of coronavirus in the State by May.

This is not the only games being affected in Seattle. The Seattle Dragons game against the Los Angeles Wildcats this weekend will be played without fans.

The Seattle Sounders FC are also impacted, as they had to postpone their March 21st game.

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Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich reacts during a spring training workout

Brewers officially re-sign Yelich through 2028 season

March 6, 2020March 6, 2020 by Anthony Caruso III, posted in Major League Baseball, Milwaukee Brewers

By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher

The Milwaukee Brewers have officially re-signed outfielder Christian Yelich. He has signed a seven-year, $188.5 million deal.

This contract extension will kick in following the 2021 season. He is slated to make $12.5 million in 2020.

“He definitely deserves it,” Brewers center fielder Lorenzo Cain said to the Associated Press. “The guy’s definitely the best player on our team. He rakes. Like I said, he got a deserving contract for sure.”

His old deal also has a $14 million salary for the 2021 season. This new deal will now run through the 2028 season after beginning with the 2022 season.

At the tail end of this deal, he will have a $20 million mutual option for the 2029 season. If the Brewers — or another team if he is traded — elects not to pick up this option, he will receive $6.5 million in a buyout.

The deal will be worth $228.5 million if the 2029 option is exercised. Plus, this means that Yelich will play nearly the rest of his career with the Brewers barring a trade.

The deal will through his age-36 season. It’ll be his age-37 season should his option be exercised.

This is the largest deal for a player in Brewers history. Yelich has proven to be an MVP candidate when he has been healthy.

The 28-year-old Thousand Oaks, California native has spent the last two seasons with the Brewers. In his first season with the team in 2018, he won the MVP.

Yelich missed the latter part of the season following an injury. This caused him to finish second behind Los Angeles Dodgers star Corey Bellinger, who won the award in 2019.

Yelich had a .329 batting average with 44 home runs and 97 RBIs in 130 games. He also had 29 doubles and three triples on 161 hits in 489 at-bats, while also scoring 100 runs.

“Christian in his first two years here, you know he has done incredible things,” manager Craig Counsell said, “and I think he’s taken this challenge, and took a trade that was probably to a place that he wasn’t sure about at the outset of it and made the best of it and found a place that he really likes to play.”

In his seven-year career, he has a .301 batting average with 139 home runs and 500 RBIs in 920 games. He also has 209 doubles and 24 triples on 1,067 hits, while scoring 587 runs, in 3,541 at-bats.

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News

Category: Major League Baseball

Baseball lost a chance to shine during COVID-19

Rob Manfred forces MLBPA’s hand on 2020 season

American Addison Russell signs with the KBO for 2020 season

MLB is nearing an agreement with the MLBPA for 2020 season

Hackenberg attempting to be the next NFL-to-MLB signee

Doctor: Less than 1% of MLB has traces of coronavirus

Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner has passed away at 63

Red Sox’s Sale expected to have Tommy John surgery

Mariners forced to move two series due to coronavirus

Brewers officially re-sign Yelich through 2028 season

More News