A happy Valentine’s Day to the lovers among you. We tend not to do too much around here, but I should’ve gotten The Wife some chocolates for me to steal.
• More pitcher reunions – James Paxton has finally signed, inking a one-year deal with his former club:
Left-handed James Paxton and the Seattle Mariners are in agreement on a one-year deal for $8.5 million. Has some reachable bonuses that could take it to $10 million.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 14, 2021
The Mariners drafted James Paxton in 2010, traded him for prospects in 2018, and signed him as a reclamation project free agent in 2021, and it was all part of the same rebuild. Kinda amazing.
— Mike Axisa (@mikeaxisa) February 14, 2021
• Paxton, 32, and trying to come back from a range of injuries, is not getting the contract he reportedly sought (more than the $11 million Corey Kluber got from the Yankees). Paxton isn’t even getting that much more than, for example, Jake Arrieta ($6 million) is getting in his reunion with the Cubs. Given his injuries and back surgery – but arguably greater upside – you wonder if maybe he didn’t look great in his scouting sessions this offseason?
• When Jack Flaherty beat them in arbitration yesterday, it was the first time the Cardinals had lost against a player in 27 years, per Derrick Goold.
• Just as soon as the Cardinals move one beloved former Cubs outfielder out the door, they bring another one in to give us cognitive dissonance:
Excited to start a new chapter with the @Cardinals!
— Matt Szczur (@superSZCZ4) February 13, 2021
• In all seriousness, good for Matt Szczur, and all the best to him. Szczur, 31, hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since 2018, though he hit quite well at AAA for the Diamondbacks in 2019. May he do great things this year, but things that don’t actually help the Cardinals supplant the Cubs.
• With the deadened ball arriving (returning?) to MLB this year, some calculations on the hitters who could be most impacted – no Cubs:
Since reading @enosarris' article about MLB deadening the ball in 2021, I've done some work exploring who this (likely) impacts the most. I won't bury the lede by describing the method up front, let's start with the juicy stuff: From left to right, the 30 greatest HR reductions. pic.twitter.com/JHXooTZNHO
— Choice Fielder (@choice_fielder) February 9, 2021
• Among pitchers who could benefit, only Trevor Williams shows up on the current Cubs:
Here are the relievers whoa re predicted to see >= 10% reduction in HRs. The top names make so much sense.
Note: You will see some starters (also some air quotes "starters") in here, because my categorization was crude, as I said earlier. pic.twitter.com/jZxxcwWKO8
— Choice Fielder (@choice_fielder) February 10, 2021
• I would speculate, based on how few current and former Cubs appear on either list, there might be something about Wrigley Field that impacts home run rates so much more than the ball calculations, so changes to the ball would be theoretically less impactful at Wrigley? It’s just weird to see so many names, and no Cubs batters, and just Jose Quintana and Tyler Chatwood showing up among all those starters and relievers (Jeremy Jeffress, too, but he was only barely with the Cubs in the partial 2020 season).
• The Reds are bringing some minor leaguers to Spring Training during “big league” Spring Training, but they aren’t non-roster invitees:
The Cincinnati #Reds have invited 18 players out to Goodyear for spring training, but this is for a camp alongside spring training and not an invite to big league camphttps://t.co/mTEKEqCULS
— Doug Gray (@dougdirt24) February 13, 2021
• Best I can figure, since the Reds don’t have a total of 75 at big league camp (40-man roster plus non-roster invitees), they have “room” under the health and safety protocols to bring in some minor leaguers early? And if that’s the case, could the Cubs (who’ll have 10+ spots available, too) do the same?
• New and old Jake shirts are back at Obvious Shirts:
👀🔥Now available and officially licensed by @MLBPAClubhouse! Support Jake! #JakeisBack #JakeArrieta pic.twitter.com/ONeBSIm4nM
— OBVIOUS SHIRTS® (@obvious_shirts) February 13, 2021
• Some fun trivia from Jordan Bastian about the best Illinois-born Cubs players in history, and it’s actually a surprisingly thin list. Phil Cavarretta obviously takes the top spot, but by number five, you’re down to … Warren Hacker? I mean, looking the gentleman up, Hacker was … OK? Like, appears to have been a useful pitcher for a little while, but something far short of “good.” With all appropriate respect, when Randy Wells is on the very short list of “notables,” you know there just haven’t been many elite Illinois-born Cubs.
• This cracked me up:
Looks like Sut’s gonna be getting the corners today … pic.twitter.com/LeoeXMCgWc
— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) February 12, 2021
• This is the way:
The question has finally been answered: What if Anthony Rizzo was the Mandalorian, and Kevin was Baby Yoda? pic.twitter.com/mzt0GkLtd1
— Jon Teegarden (@JonTeegs) February 13, 2021
• The raises are good in isolation, but they also mostly underscore how atrociously these players were paid, and how still-poorly they are paid:
How much more will minor leaguers be paid in 2021 per week?
Rookie ball: $290 ➡️ $400
Class A: $290 ➡️ $500
Double A: $350 ➡️ $600
Triple A: $502 ➡️ $700One of several key things to know entering 2021: https://t.co/IdiLXSAHZf pic.twitter.com/XudyRCPBAZ
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) February 12, 2021
• Head over to Twitter if you want a chance to win the signed card Fergie Jenkins is hooking us up with:
Want a beautiful signed card from Cubs legend Fergie Jenkins? All you have to do is follow @fergieajenkins and @BleacherNation and smack that RT button.
Winner announced Monday, and Fergie will mail it out to you! pic.twitter.com/Oy8E09rGfP
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) February 13, 2021