Listen, we know it’s tough to catch up on everything happening in the baseball world each morning. There are all kinds of stories, rumors, game coverage and Vines of dudes getting hit in the beans every day. Trying to find all of it while on your way to work or sitting at your desk just isn’t easy. It’s OK, though, we’re going to do the heavy lifting for you each morning, and find the things you need to see from within the SB Nation baseball network as well as from elsewhere. Please hold your applause until the end, or at least until after you subscribe to the newsletter.
Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
* * *
The Red Sox need a starter for the top of the rotation. They have plenty of arms to fill out the other four spots between Clay Buchholz, Wade Miley, Eduardo Rodriguez and Rick Porcello. They also have the depth to replace any of them should there be an injury or two thanks to the presence of Joe Kelly, knuckler Steven Wright and prospects like Henry Owens and Brian Johnson. There is no clear number one starter, though, and new president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has made it clear they intend to get one.
What is not clear is just how they will do it: owner John Henry does not like the long-term pitcher contracts of the day -- not because they cost money, but because compared to other things the Sox can spend their money on, they are a poor investment. Boston certainly has the prospects to deal to acquire that kind of pitcher from a team looking to rebuild, but in an offseason with David Price, Johnny Cueto, Zack Greinke and more available, it seems the Sox should just use their considerable financial clout to sign one of them, even if the last few years of the deal won’t be wonderful.
The rumor is Henry will let Dombrowski spend what needs to be spent to acquire “one big fish,” so maybe his stance has softened or he trusts Dombrowski to pick the right pitcher. (Price seems like the guy, especially given Dombrowski traded for him in 2014 when he ran the Tigers.) Yes, these deals can be a bad investment, but with the young core already in place and the kids they would hold onto by signing a deal, they have enough inexpensive talent to help balance things out. It’s unlikely we know until the Winter Meetings just which direction they’re taking, but at least there isn’t a path that seems closed off just yet.
- No one knows where Korean first baseman Byung-ho Park is going. The winning bid was posted for his services on Friday, but the team who submitted it has yet to be revealed. This is the list of teams we know did not win the bid, per multiple reports.
- The Pirates aren't on that list, and C.J. Nitkowski reported they had the winning bid. Don't start ordering custom jerseys yet, though, as ESPN's Buster Olney stepped in shortly after to report the opposite. Monday is going to be fun!
- Free agent predictions are in, and no one expects the Braves to do much of anything. Then again, no one expected them to sign Nick Markakis last year, either, so all this means is that the unexpected potentially awaits.
- The Arizona Fall League had its All-Star Game, and you can catch up on all you need to know thanks to Christopher Crawford.
- Pablo Sandoval's declining plate discipline could be the start of a disturbing trend for the third baseman.
- The GM Meetings begin on Monday, which could plant some of the seeds for next month's Winter Meetings.
- The Phillies hosted a sleepover in their clubhouse for Philadelphia-area children, getting them out of the hospital for a night.
- The Diamondbacks want to rebuild their rotation through free agency, which would probably be a lot easier if every other free agent pitcher didn't receive a qualifying offer.
- The Orioles like to sneak a reliever onto their roster through the Rule 5 Draft, but with Dylan Bundy out of options, they will probably have to skip that plan this year.
- The Mets still want to bring in a new outfielder to replace Yoenis Cespedes, it's just not going to be someone who costs anywhere near what Yo will.
See More:
