Baseball Connection

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. Looking ahead to 2021, Pham is glad to be in camp and looks to have a strong contract year for the Padres.

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 more) on today's episode.

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 episode.

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?