Draft Coverage The 2013 MLB Draft kicks off at 6pm on MLB Network. The first two rounds are tonight. Pre-draft coverage is already underway. Unfortunately, Greg Amsinger is hosting rather than Brian Kenny. And as always, it seems, the guys who really know what’s going on are more or less marginalized. Peter Gammons, Harold Reynolds, and John Hart are at the main table. …
2013 MLB Draft: Pre-Draft Rumor Mongoose-ing Thread
Schedule The 2013 MLB Draft starts at 6 pm CT, with coverage on MLBN kicking off an hour before that. The first two rounds take place today, with 3-10 coming tomorrow, and the remainder on Saturday. If this year is anything like last year, top players will go in the first few rounds, followed by a bunch of signable college seniors …
2013 MLB Draft: Jonathan Gray Tests Positive for Adderall
Does Adderall Add to the Fastball? Two days ago, the news broke that Jonathan Gray was one of two players to test positive for Adderall in tests administered by MLB to the top 200 propects in the draft. Adderall is an amphetamine. There is a decent chance (I would say in the neighborhood of one in three) that Gray is selected …
Cespedes, Darvish, and Puig, Oh My!*#&%!
Yoenis Cespedes hit two home runs for the A’s Tuesday night. Yasiel Puig hit two home runs for the Dodgers. Yu Darvish didn’t pitch, but no matter, he’s still on pace for 320+ strikeouts this year. The Cubs’ plan following the 2011 season was to make a run at a slew of international free agents. That started with Darvish, an Iranian-Japanese phenom …
Series Preview: Chicago Cubs (23-32) at LA of AAA Angels (25-33)
The Cubs head to LA for a short 2 game series against the Angels, who are fresh off being swept in a four game series by the Astros. I’m not kidding. Seven of the Astros’ twenty-one wins this year have come against the Angels, which tells you pretty much all you need to know about how their season has gone. …
Anthony Rizzo Signs Extension With the Cubs
Anthony Rizzo has signed a long term extension with the Cubs. Ken Rosenthal has the details. The deal is for at least seven years (including 2013) and $41 million, which includes what would have been Rizzo's first free agent season in 2019. In addition, it contains two club options which would bring the total contract to 9 years and $68 million, …
2013 MLB Draft: Could the Cubs Force the Astros to Pass on Appel?
Kiley McDaniel has posted his first mock for the 2013 MLB Draft and passes along some potentially interesting machinations from behind the scenes. Dmick has previously addressed the possibility that the Astros could once again pass on Mark Appel, but McDaniel doesn’t think it will happen: Last year, there was a large top group of talent with varying price tags that allowed …
A Banner Year For International Free Agents
If we are judging by their names, that is. And I definitely am. We’re still a couple of months away from the beginning of the signing period, but this fanpost over at the Minor League Ball/ MLB Bonus Baby juggneraut is well worth your attention, at the very least to bookmark now so you can convincingly scoff at Cub signings when they …
Cubs Groundball Rate: Snorting Bosio’s Magic Sinker Dust
Prior to the season, I was set to write about how the Cubs were gradually amassing a bunch of fly-ball heavy pitchers. I never ended up getting around to it, but I'm not one to let a mediocre (or wrong) idea die, so I'll give you the condensed version: From 2010 to 2012, among pitchers with at least 280 innings pitched, …
Jim Deshaies is Trying Not to Scare Anyone
Carson Cistulli has posted a short interview with new Cubs color commentator Jim Deshaies over at Fangraphs. In it, he talks about his transition to Chicago after 16 years in Houston and having to adapt to an audience that is unfamiliar with his style. He also talks about his philosophy in presenting analytics to a wide array of fans. …I think …