I don't have one of those gigs that defaults to taking off today in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Living in California, it's on my list of three optional personal holidays but this is an awkward time for me to stake a claim. That is true for the main gig, AND also true for MondoLinks. So here we are. I will enjoy the lighter traffic while commuting between accounts while I fulfill my obligations, but I won't forget MLK - neither the man nor his mission.
I would encourage you all to do likewise. But before you do, dive into these Links:
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Everywhere In Baseball
Cespedes: The tide is turning, ebbing away from a buyer's market as the winter season fades before our eyes. Cespedes, he of the 6.7 fWAR in 2015 (highest among all qualified left fielders) and no draft pick at stake, is now the hot commodity (hell, even free crab cakes???). So hot that the chance of getting him for a short deal are now at zero. And he is lining up to exceed Chris Davis' $161 million...........
Howie: The Dodgers are really pulling for a Howie Kendrick contract...BUT...they don't care as much about having a Howie come back to play second base for them as they care about winning the draft pick in the compensation round once Howie signs someplace else.............
Arbys: The MLB arbistration numbers filed by players and teams have been released. Locally, Garret Richards is hoping for $7.1 million in 2016 whereas Arte is pulling for only $5.3 million, and Kole Calhoun is asking for $3.9 million agains the Angels' plan for $2.35 million. Josh Donaldson, who earned $4.3 million last season as Donaldson was gathering up the AL MVP award, and the Blue Jays, are only 4% apart and Josh is due for a large bump (from $4.3MM to at least $11.35MM) but, because he got torched in last year's arb process the AL MVP is now starting out so low. That's why his player's request ($11.8MM) is merely tied for 3rd highest behind Aroldis Chapman ($13.1MM) and Jake Arrieta ($13.0MM), alongside Neil Walker ($11.8MM)...........
Designated History: One of the byproducts of having so much mobility by Front Office personnel between franchises is that the end up with a people running National League clubs who have a lot of past history working and competing in the American League. Which then leads to this: "At the Cardinals' Winter Warm-Up event, general manager John Mozeliak was asked if he senses momentum shifting toward a universal DH. 'I get that question every year here, and I do feel like there were times I could look all of you in the face and say, 'That's a non-starter; it's not being discussed at owner level or GM.' But over the last year, it has."..........
Vlad is Back: Somebody needs to find this once it gets recorded and posted on the Internet. Vlad Guerrero is picking up his bat once again to take part in the Caribbean World Series Home Run Derby. Mark your calendars for February 3rd, then start googling..........
Boras: Chris Davis, who most rational people would think thrice about touching within this Free Agent market, ended up with a killer contract equla in AAV to that of Jason Heyward. That's the same Heyward who is 2 years younger and with 7 more bWAR over the past 4 seasons, and the same Heyward who didn't break down just 2 seasons ago. The demand for Davis was nowhere near that of the demand for Howard. And, yet, $161 million! How did this happen? Scott Boras, that's how............
Promises, Promises: Draft order is pretty important, as is having high draft opportunities. But they guarantee nothing. Not even drafting first overall. Of course, it's not so much about guaranteeing a Hall of Famer, as it is having an incredibly high chance of nabbing a player who yields a very solid career..........
World View: Isn't it interesting that in the same era when MLB is working hard to reach out to markets beyond the US borders, Arte has contracted into a domestic shell? Do the people in the MLB New York offices fail to consult with Moreno and company out here in Anaheim?..........
Newbies: Old guys who don't know how to edit their base instincts as stupidity races from their brains to their fingertips, well, they make for the very best twitter fodder imaginable. Take, for example, Todd Rickets, who serves on the board of the Chicago Cubs. So, yeah, you just know how that is going to work out...........
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