Baseball Connection

Masahiro Tanaka has come to the conclusion of the 7-year, $155 million deal he signed with the Yankees. It's not often that a Yankee flies under the radar, but Tanaka was a steady force in that rotation for the better part of the last decade. If he doesn't re-sign with New York, he would consider returning to Japan. Is a Boston reunion in the cards for Jackie Bradley Jr?

Trevor Bauer and George Springer are the best pitcher and hitter on the free agent market, respectively. Rumors have been thrown around regarding their slowly developing markets. Some believe Bauer is looking for $35-40 million per year. He's not worth that. Springer supposedly already has offers north of $100 million. What will it take to sign these players?

The Phillies had a historically bad bullpen in 2019. They had the worst bullpen ERA the MLB has seen in 90 years. Jose Alvarado is a left-handed reliever with a strong fastball, cutter, and slider. He's heading to Philadelphia in a three-team deal between the Phillies, Rays, and Dodgers. After not playing in 2020, Ervin Santana has signed a minor league deal with the Royals.

San Diego has suddenly become the center of baseball's spotlight. The Padres have now traded Yu Darvish. Darvish finished second in this year's NL Cy Young voting and is one of the game's best pitchers. The Cubs received Zach Davies and 4 middling prospects. Expect the Cubs to have a massive sell-off as they try to cut costs.

The Padres are here to stay. Blake Snell is heading to San Diego in a blockbuster deal between the Padres and Rays. Going back to Tampa Bay is an elite prospect package including Luis Patino, Francisco Mejia, Blake Hunt, and Cole Wilcox. Snell comes with 3 years of control, which opens up a wide window of contention for the Padres. The Rays stick to their script of developing long term, cost-controlled assets.

Who hit the longest home run in 2020? The hardest-hit ball? What about the fastest throw or the least-likely hit? We take a look at the most memorable plays of the past season.

The Rangers have added another pitcher. They've signed Kohei Arihara out of Japan for a two-year $6.2 million deal. Is Arihara any good and can he be a reliable starter? With a low-90s fastball and standard three-pitch mix (fastball, curveball, changeup), it's fair to wonder if Arihara's stuff can make a real impact at the MLB level.

Tommy Kahnle will likely miss 2021, but he'll suit up in a Dodgers uniform in 2022, thanks to his new two-year deal. Aaron Brooks found success in Korea this past season, so he re-signed for another year. Daniel Mengden, his former teammate from the A's, is now also heading to Korea on a one-year deal. Is this a new trend for pitchers who need to recapture some of their value?

The Nats have traded for Josh Bell. As a traditional first baseman and middle-of-the-order bat, Josh Bell is exactly what Washington needs. In exchange, the Pirates are receiving RHPs Will Crowe and Eddy Yean - two top prospects who could make their way to the MLB soon.

Sam Fuld made a name for himself as one of the more likeable players in the league over his eight MLB seasons. His next chapter will be as the General Manager of the Phillies. Fuld is being promoted after 3 years in the Phillies front office. Yoelqui Cespedes (the younger brother of Yoenis) has signed with the White Sox. Cespedes is the #1 international free agent and gives the White Sox another potential Cuban star.