Around the League: Chapman, Extending Prospects, Harvey Rehab, Drafting on Revenue, More

mlb logoThere is actual, it-really-counts baseball about to be played! The opening series in Australia between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks kicks off at 4am tomorrow morning (which, if my calculations are right, is 7pm last Tuesday in Australia – wait! who won?).

  • The biggest news is some pretty scary news, as Reds closer Aroldis Chapman took a line drive off of the face earlier this week. It was a grim scene, but the good news is that testing yesterday showed he has no brain damage, and mostly just has some facial injuries. It’ll take him six to eight weeks to recover, and, assuming that goes all right, he’ll be able to pitch a little while after that. There’s no real rumor-y impact here, just baseball impact, and, well, human impact. Glad to hear that he’s going to be OK.
  • Ken Rosenthal reports that the Astros last year offered prospect George Springer – the studly-but-swing-and-miss-prone AAA center fielder – a seven-year, $23 million contract. That would have been a pretty significant deal, the first Evan Longoria-like extension since the Rays gave their third baseman $17.5 million after just a week in the big leagues. It’s a huge risk/reward deal, both for the team and the player, and it makes you wonder if these kind of pre-debut extensions are on the way. (You’d think, by the way, that someone like Javier Baez – and a team like the Cubs – would be a prime candidate.) Rosenthal’s main point is that it’s silly that the Astros won’t open the season with Springer in the big leagues if they were willing to make him that offer (which he declined), and he criticizes the service time games that teams play. Shrug. That’s the system, though.
  • Jonah Keri writes a fantastic piece on the men in charge of the A’s and changing nature of baseball. In it – and this is a relatively minor point, considering the scope of the article – Billy Beane offered an interesting, and unlikely, suggestion: “I ultimately think what replaces the draft should be based on revenue, and that you shouldn’t be rewarded for poor performance. If you think about it, the draft is the only time that a team like Tampa, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, or us, the draft is the only time these teams have access to the really star-caliber players. Because the industry is much better now at selecting the star players. They come at the top of the draft. We win the division, but it would be nice to still be in the top 10, to draft where the Lincecums come, and the Poseys come.” You don’t need me to tell you that, until the Cubs are better able to leverage their market financially, such a system would be a disaster for the Cubs.
  • An absolutely crazy read on the Mets and stud Matt Harvey, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery and isn’t exactly feeling the love from his organization. The main thrust is that Harvey wants to be able to rehab in New York this year, with his teammates, rather than staying in Florida at the Mets’ Spring Training complex. It also sounds like the Mets don’t want Harvey talking to the media about the issue, but he decided to do it anyway. Like I said … crazy read.
  • Ben Lindbergh with a wrap-up from the recent SABR Conference. Far more interesting nuggets than I could even try to list here.
  • Jeff Passan on the blight of pitcher injuries, and the mysteries we may never solve.
  • Lip-reading and GIF’ing umpire arguments from last year? Holy yes please, BP.
  • The Diamondbacks will be serving an 18″ corn dog stuffed with cheddar, bacon, and jalapeños. Hope you got yourself some Obamacare before digging in to one of these bad boys:
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson with Back-to-Back Slick Defensive Plays

    With a lefty Marlins starter on the mound this afternoon, Nico Hoerner lead off today's game for the Chicago Cubs. And he did it in style, ripping a leadoff double to the left-center field wall, before coming into score a...

    Pre-Gamin’: Marlins at Cubs – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *The Cubs were rained out yesterday, but today? Today, we've got a Friday 1:20 start at Wrigley Field, and that means all is right in the world. Before you take a look at the Cubs lineup against Miami, check out...

    MLBits: The White Sox Might be the Worst Team Ever, What Games I’m Watching this Weekend, More

    Happy Friday! Well, for everyone except for the pilots who were supposed to be manning the Colorado Rockies flight last week but instead allowed a member of the Rockies coaching staff to hop in the pilot's seat for a fun...

    Can I Interest You in a Positive Injury-Update on Justin Steele?

    Justin Steele, arguably the single most irreplaceable player on the Chicago Cubs 2024 roster, went down with a hamstring injury just 4.2 innings into his Opening Day start against the Rangers on March 28. In his place, the Cubs sixth...

    FAA Reportedly Investigating How a Passenger on Colorado Rockies Team Flight Was Seen Accessing the Cockpit

    If you do this job long enough, it's really wild to see the range of topics that can somehow become attached to sports. That is to say, I did not envision myself at some point writing about flight safety, cockpit...

    Cubs Farm Report | April 19, 2024: Kevin Alcántara is Heating Up!

    The Iowa Cubs were rained out, but the rest of the farm was in action, and so was Kevin Alcántara, who picked up four hits and now has seven in his last three games as he breaks out of an...

    It’s Not Kyle Hendricks Last Chance (But…), Ben Brown, Jameson Taillon, and Other Cubs Bullets

    Well, the rain stole one from us yesterday, which is a blessing and a curse. On the bright side, the bullpen gets an extra day of rest (on top of the day Hayden Wesneski bought them). But on the flip...

    The Chicago Cubs Are Not Stealing Bases So Far This Year

    The Chicago Cubs are against theft. Of bases: https://twitter.com/codifybaseball/status/1781046629103231339 The Chicago Cubs this year have stolen just three bases, the fewest in all of baseball. Dansby Swanson has stolen two bases, Nick Madrigal has stolen one. That's it. I don't...

    Cubs Roster Moves: Wisdom and Taillon Are Back, Wesneski and Mastrobuoni Are Out

    Even with tonight's rainout, the Chicago Cubs are still making some roster moves. When Patrick Wisdom was removed (perfectly healthy) from the I-Cubs game in the 4th inning on Wednesday, we had an idea of what was coming next. When...

    Tonight’s Cubs-Marlins Game Has Been Postponed

    The weather wasn't going to cooperate for Jameson Taillon's season debut, and tonight's Cubs-Marlins tilt has been postponed. The game will instead be part of a split-doubleheader this Saturday, with the first game at 1:20pm CT and the second at...

    Latest News

    Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson with Back-to-Back Slick Defensive Plays

    With a lefty Marlins starter on the mound this afternoon, Nico Hoerner lead off today's game for the Chicago Cubs. And he did it in style, ripping a leadoff double to the left-center field wall, before coming into score a...

    Blue Jays vs. Padres Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, April 19, 2024

    The Toronto Blue Jays (10-9) will look to Daulton Varsho, who is coming off a two-homer game, to lead them in a matchup with the San Diego Padres (11-10) Friday at 9:40 PM ET on SDPA. The Blue Jays are...

    Giants vs. Diamondbacks Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, April 19, 2024

    Jung Hoo Lee will look to extend his 10-game hitting streak when the San Francisco Giants (9-11) take on the Arizona Diamondbacks (9-11). The Giants are listed as -130 favorites on the moneyline for the contest, which starts at 10:15...

    Dodgers vs. Mets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, April 19, 2024

    The New York Mets (10-8) will vie for their fifth straight victory when they visit the Los Angeles Dodgers (12-9) on Friday at 10:10 PM ET on MLB Network. The Dodgers are listed as -200 favorites to stop the streak,...

    Jonas Valančiūnas Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Kings – Friday, April 19, 2024

    At 9:30 PM ET on Friday, in the NBA Play-In Tournament, it'll be the New Orleans Pelicans against the Sacramento Kings -- with Jonas Valančiūnas needing to score just once from beyond the arc to beat his 3-pointer over/under.Jonas Valančiūnas'...

    Brandon Ingram Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Kings – Friday, April 19, 2024

    Brandon Ingram's New Orleans Pelicans face the Sacramento Kings on Friday at 9:30 PM ET in the NBA Play-In Tournament, and to beat his 3-point prop, he must make two from beyond the arc.Brandon Ingram's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the...

    CJ McCollum Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Kings – Friday, April 19, 2024

    CJ McCollum needs to make four 3-pointers to beat his prop when the New Orleans Pelicans face the Sacramento Kings on Friday at 9:30 PM ET, in the NBA Play-In Tournament.CJ McCollum's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the KingsCJ McCollum's over/under...

    Domantas Sabonis Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pelicans – Friday, April 19, 2024

    The Sacramento Kings meet the New Orleans Pelicans at 9:30 PM ET on Friday, in the NBA Play-In Tournament, and one of the 3-pointer props available for this matchup requires only one make from Domantas Sabonis.Domantas Sabonis' Three-Pointer Prop Odds...

    De’Aaron Fox Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pelicans – Friday, April 19, 2024

    De'Aaron Fox must make three 3-pointers to beat his prop when the Sacramento Kings face the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday at 9:30 PM ET, in the NBA Play-In Tournament.De'Aaron Fox's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the PelicansDe'Aaron Fox's over/under for...

    Can I Interest You in a Positive Injury-Update on Justin Steele?

    Justin Steele, arguably the single most irreplaceable player on the Chicago Cubs 2024 roster, went down with a hamstring injury just 4.2 innings into his Opening Day start against the Rangers on March 28. In his place, the Cubs sixth...

    more cubs news