MLBits: Various Injuries, Kang’s Chances for Opening Day, Fielding Stats, Greinke’s Velo, More

The final weeks of Spring Training are like the final hour before a test or an interview.

Your roster (knowledge) is mostly set, there are no new players (facts) coming in … basically, there’s not much more you can do, but wait.

And wait. And wait some more.

  • In case you don’t know, Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang is somewhat “stuck” in South Korea, after getting arrested for fleeing the scene of a DUI incident on December 2 (his third DUI). Although his sentence has been suspended, he’s still had difficulty obtaining a visa to enter the United States.
  • [adinserter block=”1″]

  • Because he’s “beyond the point of the mandatory reporting date” for Spring Training, the Pirates were able to place Kang on the restricted list, which could free up a roster spot. It’s now very much in question whether he’ll be here (America) on time to make the Opening Day (April 3 in Boston) roster. More at the Trib Live. Obviously he’s a very important member of the Pirates, so this bears watching.
  • Matt Szczur isn’t the only Chicago Cub on the 40-man roster without options (Mike Montgomery, Hector Rondon), but he is the only one who’s truly “on the bubble.” With that said, plenty of teams are facing similar issues throughout the league. At MLB Trade Rumors, Tim Dierkes runs down the list of players without options in 2017.
  • The new catch probability statistics continue to develop, most recently with Jeff Sullivan examining two years of catch data at FanGraphs. First he separated various catches into five buckets from Five Star plays (most difficult) to One Star plays (nearly routine). When evaluating the last two seasons by catches alone, it’s clear that there wasn’t much of a difference (overall) between 2015 and 2016 – although 2016 had a slightly lower catch% across the board.
  • But when he applied his statistics to the players, he was able to come up with more specific (and revealing) changes. For example, Jason Heyward (already a fantastic fielder) actually improved his catch probably by seven points from 2015 to 2016. That represents the 8th biggest improvement in baseball. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Mike Trout’s nine point loss stands out as one of the biggest declines in baseball. It’s a pretty interesting read of a relatively young set of statistics. Get ahead of the curve.
  • [adinserter block=”2″]

  • At MLB.com, Thomas Harding writes that Rockies’ first baseman Ian Desmond will undergo surgery today to repair the second metacarpal in his left hand. There is no timetable for a return just yet. Mark Reynolds, who had a similar injury last year, wasn’t cleared to swing a bat for three months. If Desmond has to take on a lengthy rehab, he might only just make it back before the All-Star break.
  • And that’s not all the bad news for the Rockies. According to John Schlegel (MLB.com), catcher Tom Murphy suffered a hairline fracture in his right arm when he was hit by Anthony Rizzo’s bat in Saturday’s game against the Cubs. He’ll reportedly miss four to six weeks.
  • Zack Greinke is still dealing with some velocity issues this Spring, but did say his stuff felt “crisper” during a recent side session:
  • [adinserter block=”3″]

  • The Indians’ Carlos Carrasco received an MRI on Tuesday, revealing some swelling (but no structural damage, thankfully) in his pitching elbow. Manager Terry Francona said (via Jordan Bastian, MLB.com) that they’ll probably skip his next start as a precaution. Carrasco missed some time last year as well, but is still a significant part of a very good Indians team. The AL Central is still their’s to take, but it’ll be a lot easier with a healthy Carrasco in the rotation.
  • At Cardinals.com, Jennifer Langosch runs through the Cardinals 25-man roster, predicting which players will make the team and at which positions. Yadier Molina is about to make his 13th straight Opening Day start for the Cardinals.
  • Tetsuto Yamada is a guy you should know, has homers you should watch, and he also has the best leg kick you’ve ever seen.
  • At Baseball is Fun, I pointed and discussed out how totally awesome MLB’s recent crop of shortstops has been:
  • [adinserter block=”4″]

    written by

    Michael Cerami began covering the Chicago Cubs for Bleacher Nation as a part-time contributor in 2015. One year later, he joined Bleacher Nation full-time, covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. Today, Michael runs Bleacher Nation, contributing as a writer (Cubs, MLB) and an editor for all sections of the site, including the Chicago Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks, as well as MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL. In 2019, Michael was the co-host of NBC Sports Chicago's Cubs Post-Game Show Outside the Ivy. You can find him on Twitter/X @Michael_Cerami

    more cubs news

    Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

    A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

    Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

    It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

    OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

    That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    *SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

    The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

    I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

    Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

    ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

    The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

    You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

    Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

    Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

    The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

    Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

    I’m Expecting More This Year, Cubs — It’s Time to Start Winning

    There's no way around it: The Chicago Cubs did *not* have the offseason we hoped they might after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in MLB history. Not that they did poorly, mind you. Cody Bellinger, Shota Imanaga, and...

    Latest News

    Cavaliers vs. 76ers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) are 8-point underdogs against the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Friday, March 29, 2024. The game starts at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup's point total is set at 212.5.Our computer predictions...

    Heat vs. Trail Blazers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) will attempt to end an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena as heavy, 14-point underdogs. The contest airs at 8:00 PM ET on...

    Rockets vs. Jazz Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Utah Jazz (29-44) will try to end a seven-game losing streak when they host the Houston Rockets (37-35) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Vivint Smart Home Arena as 7.5-point underdogs. The contest airs at 9:30 PM ET on...

    Bulls vs. Nets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Chicago Bulls (35-38) hit the court against the Brooklyn Nets (28-45) as 5.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under set at 214.5 points.Before you place an informed wager...

    Suns vs. Thunder Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder (50-22) are 2.5-point underdogs against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (43-30) Friday, March 29, 2024 at Paycom Center. The matchup begins at 8:00 PM ET on KSBI. The point total is set...

    Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22) are 6.5-point underdogs when they host the Denver Nuggets (51-22) in a battle between the top two teams in the Western at Ball Arena on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET on ALT. The...

    Knicks vs. Spurs Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The New York Knicks (44-28) will try to continue a three-game win streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center as big, 10-point favorites. The game airs at 8:00 PM ET...

    Kings vs. Mavericks Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Dallas Mavericks (43-29) will look to Luka Doncic (first in the league scoring 33.9 points per game) when they try to beat De'Aaron Fox (eighth in the NBA with 26.5 PPG) and the Sacramento Kings (42-30) on Friday, March...

    How to Watch Diamondbacks vs. Rockies: Live Stream or on TV

    On Friday, Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks (1-0) take on Nolan Jones and the Colorado Rockies (0-1), with first pitch scheduled for 9:40 PM ET at Chase Field.If you're trying to watch this game, keep reading for streaming and...

    Guardians vs. Athletics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Cleveland Guardians (1-0), led by Jose Ramirez, visit Brent Rooker and the Oakland Athletics (0-1) on Friday, with first pitch at 9:40 PM ET.Find out how to watch the Cleveland-Oakland matchup below.When is Guardians vs. Athletics and when does...

    more cubs news