Jan 22, 10:17 AM EST Newsletter Signup BusinessTechnologyWorldNationalMedia & CultureOpinionSportsLuxury Sports By Anthony Riccobono @tony_riccobono 01/22/19 AT 10:11 AM The idea that a “mystery team” could sign Manny Machado seems more and more realistic the longer the infielder’s free agency lasts. The superstar met with the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox a month ago, but there is a rumor that another organization has made him the most lucrative offer.There are plenty of guesses as to which team might be going after Machado, though we might be able to cross one possibility off the list.According to Fancred’s Jon Heyman, the Pittsburgh Pirates are not attempting to acquire the 26-year-old. Heyman dispelled rumors that Pittsburgh might trade Starling Marte to the Los Angeles Dodgers and try to sign Machado.There are no legs to the Pirates rumors today. They are not trading Starling Marte to the Dodgers, and they are NOT … [Read more...] about Manny Machado Rumors: Pittsburgh Pirates Not A Mystery Team For MLB Free Agent
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The Yasmani Grandal signing shows why the Brewers might be the most opportunistic team in MLB these days
The signing is just another case of the Brewers pouncing on the moment conditions turn in their favor by Jonah Keri @jonahkeri 1m ago • 8 min read The Milwaukee Brewers struck a one-year, $18.25 million deal with All-Star catcher Yasmani Grandal, filling one of the team's biggest needs and cementing the Brewers' status as arguably the most opportunistic team in the majors over the past couple years.Despite reports that the Mets offered him a four-year deal worth more than $50 million, there are multiple factors which could help you understand why Grandal couldn't find any other takers anywhere near that universe of bidding. It starts with the qualifying offer tendered to Grandal by the Dodgers, which would automatically force the team signing the veteran catcher to give up a high draft pick to acquire his services. That qualifying-offer system is one of many subtle ways in which teams have successfully tamped down player salaries in recent … [Read more...] about The Yasmani Grandal signing shows why the Brewers might be the most opportunistic team in MLB these days
Yankees and Dodgers hinting at staying under MLB’s luxury tax threshold for second consecutive season
The Yankees and Dodgers both slashed payroll in 2018 by Mike Axisa @mikeaxisa 49s ago • 4 min read By any measure, the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are powerhouse teams. The Dodgers have won six straight NL West titles and back-to-back NL pennants. The Yankees went to Game 7 of the ALCS last year and won 100 games this year. Both teams are loaded with young talent too. They are on the very short list of the best teams in baseball.Both the Dodgers and Yankees experienced their 2018 success -- neither won the World Series, of course, but they had strong seasons -- despite slashing payroll. Baseball's two financial powers were able to stay under the $197 million luxury tax threshold in 2018 to reset their tax rate and reap other financial benefits. The payroll numbers:Team2017 Payroll2018 PayrollDifferenceDodgers$253.6 million$194.5 million$59.1 millionYankees$226.4 million$192.1 million$34.3 millionKenley Jansen $11.3 million in actual … [Read more...] about Yankees and Dodgers hinting at staying under MLB’s luxury tax threshold for second consecutive season
How to fix baseball? Two ways MLB can improve its product without changing the game on the field
The best thing MLB can do for baseball is make it more accessible by Mike Axisa @mikeaxisa 35s ago • 4 min read Let me start by saying baseball is not perfect. It never will be perfect because everyone has a different idea of what perfect is. Some like small ball. Some like dingers. Some want to return to the glory days when starting pitchers finished what they started. Some like the widespread bullpenning we see today. Everyone has their own platonic ideal of baseball and that is totally cool.And yet, there seems to be a prevailing narrative in the sports corner of the internet that baseball needs to be saved, or at least fixed. A lot people seem to think something is wrong is baseball. Plug "how to fix baseball" into the ol' Google machine and you get over 90 million results. Ninety million! That's a lot of fixing. As long as there is baseball, there will be people trying to fix it.I come here to tell you baseball -- the actual game on the … [Read more...] about How to fix baseball? Two ways MLB can improve its product without changing the game on the field
Blue Jays headed for dramatic payroll cut
By Richard Griffin Baseball Columnist Tues., Sept. 11, 2018 Since 2013, the Blue Jays have featured opening day team payrolls that were each more than $115 million, the highest six totals in franchise history. The 2018 Jays payroll in April stood at $164.1 million, second-highest in team history and ninth in all of MLB among 30 teams, according to figures by USA Today. That streak of free spending by the Jays is coming to an end. At a media session late last week at the Rogers Centre, team president Mark Shapiro emphatically spoke of going young for a couple of seasons, of finding out who can play at this level and who can contribute to a winner whenever it is that the Jays turn the ship around. Best guesses internally were 2021. Only when the time is right will the Jays reach to collect expensive help in the form of top-tier free agents or trades for high-priced pieces. This is how rebuilds happen. “When you enter into these junctures, usually your … [Read more...] about Blue Jays headed for dramatic payroll cut