Baseball Connection

After 15 years in the big leagues, Howie Kendrick has decided to hang up his cleats. Kendrick goes down as one of the most professional hitters of the generation and he has two of the biggest home runs in Nationals history. Yu Darvish's name has appeared in trade rumors, but it wouldn't make much sense for the Cubs to trade him now because they don't seem to be going for a full rebuild.

Ryan Zimmerman intends to play in 2021. He opted out of the 2020 season, making it the first ever season in Nationals history that he wasn't on the roster. Zimmerman is the face of the franchise, so it's hard to envision him playing elsewhere. Luis Castillo is an impact arm who might be available. Word on the street is that the Reds are shopping him.

We know who most of the game's Hall of Famers are. There are several players who have elite numbers but missed the cut for one reason or another. Let's take a moment to recognize them. Who is the best Non-Hall of Famer at each position?

Michael Wacha is coming off a forgettable year with the Mets. However, he's still been one of the more popular names on the market due to his age. Wacha has agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with the Rays. The Rays are known for getting the most out of their players, so could Wacha be in line for a big bounce back? His swinging-strike and chase rates are intriguing, as well as his strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Some teams will be getting key players back from season-ending injuries they suffered in 2020. These are All-Star players when healthy such as Matt Chapman, Noah Syndergaard, and Chris Sale. Although the pitchers who got Tommy John won't be ready until summer, some position players are ahead of their timelines and expect to be ready for Spring Training.

Anthony DeSclafani has agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants. A solid pitcher over the course of his career, he's looking to put an atrocious 2020 season behind him. The Giants have been able to revive a few pitchers' careers in recent years, leading them to a bigger payday. Mike Zunino is back in Tampa Bay on a small deal ($3M guaranteed) with incentives.

In a long overdue announcement Major League Baseball has officially added the Negro Leagues to official records. Approximately 3,400 Negro League players are now officially considered to be Major Leaguers. This will alter the history books. Ted Williams may no longer be the last man to hit .400 and Willie Mays will have some hits added to his career totals.

The Red Sox have signed Hunter Renfroe to a one-year deal. He'll and some thump to the middle of their lineup. Renfroe is a slugger, but don't be fooled - he's an excellent right fielder as well. The Padres want to sign Fernando Tatis Jr. to an extension. Tatis Jr is already one of the elite players in the game, so it's not going to be cheap.

After 105 years as the Indians, Cleveland will be changing their name. They've made efforts to shed the overall stigma over the years by changing their logo and using the Chief Wahoo caricature less. This is the final, and biggest, step of their rebrand.

The Mets have found their catcher. They have signed James McCann to a four-year deal worth around $40 million. It's a steep discount from JT Realmuto's asking price, but the Mets are still getting a top catcher. With space in their budget, New York is primed to make even more moves this winter.