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: Welcome back, Alex Rodriguez!
Tuesday morning’s baseball includes A-Rod’s return to the Yankees, Yoan Moncada signing with the Red Sox, and the market for the next Cuban free agent of note.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
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Spring training has begun, and Alex Rodriguez is back! He showed up unannounced, two days before position players had to report to Yankees’ camp, but don’t worry, someone will find a way to criticize him for that. He spoke to reporters for a few minutes, and it was about what you would expect if you read ESPN’s lengthy profile of A-Rod from last week: he knows he screwed up, he’s paid the price, and he wants to move forward and help the Yankees win. It will take more than simple words to convince most, but hey, A-Rod has had a year off to recover from injuries thanks to his suspension, and a cloud hanging over him has likely lifted, or at least dissipated somewhat. The 2015 season could be big for the 39-year-old.
The Yankees’ beat might want to chill a bit, though. Rodriguez took some grounders at third, which prompted reminders from too many of them that he was a designated hitter and the hot corner is Chase Headley’s. Listen, Derek Jeter stopped being a shortstop at least a decade ago, and the Yankees still let him play there in actual baseball games. A-Rod can take a few February grounders to keep sharp.
Then again, maybe trying to stir things up during infield practice is better than the beat taking the time to capture A-Rod in photographs like he’s a sasquatch.
A-Rod walking pic.twitter.com/706K0hYwuV
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) February 23, 2015 What’s worse, the photo quality or the reason the photo was taken in the first place?
- The Red Sox signed Yoan Moncada to a $31.5 million deal, which will actually cost them twice that much thanks to international spending penalties. Add all of that money to the hundreds of millions Boston has spent on offense since August as they try to corner the market on upside bats.
- Don’t think that signing Moncada means the Sox are going to trade for Cole Hamels, either. Moncada doesn’t make either Blake Swihart or Mookie Betts expendable, not with his being a prospect and Boston’s core reshaping itself over the next couple of years.
- The Dodgers didn’t go big on Moncada as expected, as they chose to keep their future international options open instead.
- The Yankees don’t have the same excuse, since they were already over their international budget and in like to be penalized just like the Red Sox. So, what are they going to use the money they didn’t spend on Moncada for?
- The Padres bid $25 million on Moncada but it wasn’t enough, but the existence of that bid tells you that they still have significant money to spend in 2015. Remember, that 100 percent penalty is a lump sum payment due this summer.
- New MLB commissioner Rob Manfred isn’t just interested in speeding up games, he’s also thinking of speeding up the season and reducing it to 154 games once more. Controversial take: MLB should go even shorter than that, then add more playoff teams. Call me, Rob, I have tons of ideas that will annoy people.
- Madison Bumgarner cosplayed Paul Bunyan, compete with enormous horned animal friend.
- The Phillies are going through a rebuild, so here are some rules to help explain that whole process and what to expect.
- The Rangers picked up Adrian Beltre’s 2016 option a year before they had to, in order to avoid making 2015 feel like a contract year. The sentiment is one you can appreciate, but they have to hope Beltre keeps up his high-quality play so they don’t regret this favor.
- The Dodgers still have Hector Olivera to go after, and won’t have to contend with the Red Sox to do it. The Padres and Yankees, who both missed out on Moncada, could be obstacles, though.
- The Braves haven’t traded Craig Kimbrel yet because they don’t want it to be that kind of rebuild, and want him to be around when they compete once more. This is all going to end with Fredi Gonzalez failing to use Kimbrel in a crucial spot, isn’t it? Again.
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