So the first weekend of Spring Training games are finishing up. How do you like your team so far?
How can one view the spring training games?
MLB network is showing 2-3 a day. They had my Yanks at Phillies today.
Also Yes (regional sports network) is carrying some of the games, I had recorded Friday’s 1pm game and watched it after work. I understand that is very common for regionals.
The Dodgers are looking good. We are favored, we have a plethora of outfielders to handle the inevitable stupid injury the first game of the season, and the rotation looks solid.
The question that is going to hang over the entire season is “Will Kershaw go for the opt out, or stay in LA next season?”
I’m hoping that what happened to Grienke is in the back of his mind. He’ll never be the “face of the franchise” if he goes to Texas. Not like he is in LA.
Still tons of free agents so I guess there will be a lot of forced retirements. Some of the more notable names still available:
Jake Arrieta
Neil Walker
Lance Lynn
Jayson Werth
Andre Ethier
Melky Cabrera
Brandon Phillips
Carlos Gonzalez
Lucas Duda
Greg Holland
Mike Moustakas
Alex Cobb
Yunel Escobar
Danny Valencia
Logan Morrison
Steve Cishek
Mark Reynolds
Koji Uehara
Ok, I’m sick of making this list. There are tons more.
MLB.tv has spring training games as well. It is a subscription service, I’m not sure if they’re charging during spring training. I have an annual subscription so it auto renewed this week.
During the regular season, they make one game per day available for free for non-subscribers, I assume they do something similar during spring training.
If he has another excellent year, his agent will strongly encourage him to opt out or at least hold the Dodgers up for a nice extension. He’ll be 30 at the end of the season and it will be far easier to get the big contract at 30 then 32 after 2020.
He also needs to consider how Chavez Ravine has been very very good to him.
Given that the Dodgers made great strides to get under the luxury cap this year, I think management is giving themselves a cushion for an extension for Kershaw. Especially if we win it all this year. (Hot potato, orchestra stalls, Puck will make amends!)
I think Adam Lind is still out there. He would make a great DH for some AL squad.
The Dodgers would be silly to let Kershaw slip away. They’re probably positioning themselves to make him a great offer, he certainly deserves one, but I can also see the Red Sox or Yankees throwing big bucks his way.
I watched a couple of the dodger games over the weekend and it sure was fun seeing Kemp back in blue. I hope he makes the team. The outfield is so stacked I’m not sure where you could put him.
The Kershaw thing is going to be tough hopefully he has a good back year so managememt has no reservations about him being the best pitcher on earth and there is a deal everyone is happy with.
Saw a little of the Yankees Friday and Sunday. No Judge or Sanchez yet. The third string catcher Kyle Higashioka looks good but what’s he gonna do? He can’t bump Sanchez and I don’t think he can bump Romine.
The most impressive thing about Friday’s game against Detroit as that Cabrera came to bat with Romine catching and they didn’t throw any punches. They totally ignored each other.
Higashioka needs to be in a different uniform. He’s already 27 and he’s a good ballplayer who deserves, and needs, a chance this season.
Austin Romine is awful. I’d rather see someone else get a shot, or pick up a guy Lucroy who can also back up Bird at first.
I liked Logan Morrison and it’d be cool if Lomo went back to the Mariners.
Looks like he’s a Twin:
The Red Sox finally introduced JD Martinez today. Martinez can opt out after year 2, 3 or 4 of his 5 year contract. So I guess maybe he’s not so confident that he’ll feel at home in Boston.
Such reservations currently exist? 
Sox fan. Trade Martinez for a middling starter and considerations, take a loss if necessary, and sign LoMo (ETA reaction to earlier post/link: Dammit! Hey Logan, please fail the physical, then miraculously recover next week just before Dombrowski offers you a contract.)
Well, we now have an answer to the trivia question, what do Tim Tebow and Mickey Mantle have in common?
Getting injured stumbling over a sprinkler head.
(unfortunately for the Mets, Timmy is just day-to-day)
But I don’t think anyone can ever match Vince Coleman’s record of being run over by the tarp.