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, and trying to find all of it while on your way to work or sitting at your desk 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.
Say hey, baseball: Yoan Moncada bidding starts now
Wednesday morning’s baseball includes the official start of the Yoan Moncada market, the Padres’ rebuild and the latest with A-Rod and the Yankees.
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We won’t have to wait very long to find out where Yoan Moncada is going to sign. The most recent Cuban free agent -- who has experience at shortstop, second base, and could also play in the outfield -- is going to use the next two weeks to collect bids from interested teams, and then make a decision shortly after in order to participate in spring training with his new club. While everyone in the game would like to have Moncada in their organization, the likeliest candidates, in no particular order, are the Dodgers, Red Sox, Yankees and Tigers -- four teams which could pay both for Moncada’s bonus and the identical, lump sum tax they will have to pay on it. Don’t count out the Padres, though, as even after signing James Shields to a $75 million deal, they’re expected to be aggressive in their pursuit of Moncada.
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Ken Rosenthal does warn that Padres’ ownership might have a hard time finding money for that lump sum payment, but it’s worth remembering team owners have far more money than they invest into their teams on an annual basis -- yes, even the Rays’ owners. If Ron Fowler wants to dip into his own pockets because he thinks it will pay off for the Padres and therefore Ron Fowler, then he will. Whether he’ll do so is another question entirely, but every owner in baseball who hasn’t lost their fortune to a pyramid scheme in the last few years has that option.
So, just how good is Moncada? MLB.com’s Jim Callis thinks he would rank within the top 10-15 prospects in the game once he’s part of it. Baseball America’s Ben Badler believes Moncada is a top-20 prospect who has a chance to sneak into the top-10, depending on what we see from him once he arrives. Fangraphs’ Kiley McDaniel believes Moncada would be ranked between the fifth and 12th best prospect in baseball. The 19-year-old might not make an immediate impact, as he could use some time in the minors a la the Cubs’ Jorge Soler, but this is a serious talent we’re talking about, one many teams believe is worth the added cost.
- A number of 2014’s bad baseball teams spent their winters spending and trading for a better 2015. Let’s take a look at their chances.
- Alex Rodriguez apologized to the Yankees for missing all of 2014 with a suspension handed down by Detective Bud Selig.
- The Marlins will host the 2017 All-Star Game, and this is the greatest possible All-Star Game news. Don’t you see? That gaudy and amazing home run sculpture in the outfield will be part of the Home Run Derby! We are truly blessed.
- A.J. Preller rebuilt the Padres in a single offseason. No, seriously, just three of last year’s lineup members are in 2015’s lineup, and one of them is in a platoon. Dude got things done.
- Boston has received more than one Dustin Pedroia worth of snow this winter. He might even be buried under all of it for all we know. This mostly means he’s talking trash to the snow instead of his television, his trainer, his family, people he sees at the grocery store, cars in traffic or pretty much anyone in his daily life.
- The Reds traded Mat Latos in part because he was going to be too expensive to re-sign, so what’s the superior Johnny Cueto still doing in Cincinnati?
- The Red Sox didn’t get an ace this offseason, but if Clay Buchholz can return to form, they won’t need one. Turns out, that might be more realistic than believed.
- The 2015 Orioles are going to look far different than the 2016 version. Thanks, free agency!
- Masahiro Tanaka’s elbow is still in one piece and where it’s supposed to be, so maybe the Yankees’ rotation will be okay. Wait, they have four other major question marks in it? Never mind.
- Felix Hernandez is only 29, but he’s just 49 strikeouts shy of 2,000 for his career. The most impressive thing about this is he’s managed it all without ever getting to face the Mariners.
- The Padres helped the Yankees by signing James Shields, as it took him out of the AL and lets the Yankees draft earlier.
- While we’re on the subject -- no worries, fatigued reader, Shields will be a non-topic soon enough -- the Giants actually offered Shields four years and $80 million earlier this winter, but it was when Shields’ agent was looking for nine figures and five years. And that’s how Jake Peavy and Ryan Vogelsong returned for 2015.
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