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 okay, 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.
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Before spring training of 2014, we tried to find a scenario in which Giancarlo Stanton would sign an extension with the Marlins, and came up almost empty. The Marlins were still not far removed from spending buckets of money on free agents only to sell them all off a year later, so Stanton going out of his way to become a permanent fixture for an organization that couldn’t be trusted just seemed unbelievable. After the season ended Grant Brisbee explained that if only the Marlins were a normal franchise instead of a wholly evil entity, they would be a perfect fit for a Stanton deal.
Just a few weeks later, Stanton did end up extended, for 13 years and $325 million, with the explanation being that this was the deal the Marlins needed to make as a sign that they were serious about ditching their awful reputation as miserly tricksters. They have other kids to extend, you know.
One such youth signed his own extension recently, with Christian Yelich agreeing to a seven-year, $50 million deal with a lucrative option for an eighth attached. This is unlike anything the Marlins had done before, as Yelich was nowhere near arbitration eligibility yet, but the Fish chose to pay him anyway. The deal was only possible because of the one Stanton signed, too: Yelich had been approached before by Miami about an extension, but told his agent to wait to see how they handled the Stanton negotiations. Impressed by the size and scope of their commitment to Stanton, Yelich agreed to sign away a couple of years of free agency, and he might not be the last one to do so, either: the Marlins have also approached Marcell Ozuna and Jose Fernandez about settling down in Miami.
- MLBPA head Tony Clark is not about to endorse an international draft, as in the end it’s just one more way for MLB to limit the size of player contracts. Current player and Red Sox union representative Craig Breslow agrees, saying that in the end, what matters is players getting close to their free agent value, as Yoan Moncada managed. Of course, this could all end up being bargained away in the next collective bargaining agreement negotiations, in order to solve the service time riddle.
- Joe Maddon was at Peak Dad on Sunday, wearing high socks and short shorts.
- We were treated to a pair of inside-the-park homers on Sunday, one from Mookie Betts against a Phillies’ team that wants him for their own, and another from Juan Lagares against a CC Sabathia who would like to start pitching well again.
- Brett Cecil was named the Blue Jays’ closer, which seemed obvious the moment Aaron Sanchez was pushed into a rotation battle for Marcus Stroman’s vacated spot. But hey, now it’s official!
- The Cardinals have had some tremendous players in their 133-year history, so it’s no wonder their all-time 25-man roster is loaded.
- The Rockies released Jhoulys Chacin, who was fantastic for the Rockies whenever he was healthy. The concern is that he’s just not going to be healthy enough going forward, but someone out there will take that risk.
- It could be the golden age of third basemen in the AL East, thanks to the introduction of Chase Headley, Pablo Sandoval, and Josh Donaldson to a division that already had Evan Longoria and Manny Machado.
- Andrew McCutchen is amazing, but does his greatness on the diamond grant him a pass for his questionable taste in sandwiches?
- The Mets hoard their pitching prospects rather than trade them for things they need -- like, say, an actual major-league shortstop -- because they know that pitching prospects get hurt. This is brilliant or foolish, depending on your perspective.
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