Spring training workouts to begin with uncertainty
Approximately 100 free agents still waiting to sign.
The Boston Red Sox plan to print 5,000 copies of their media guide during the final week of February. Their opening-day roster could include several players who won’t make the deadline.
Approximately 100 free agents still seek contracts as the start of spring training workouts Wednesday draws near, a group that includes J.D. Martinez, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Jake Arrieta and Yu Darvish.
In a historically slow market, players and management are feuding publicly about riches and rules, and teams seemingly are seeking bargains like shoppers awaiting a closeout.
“Some guys feel like they’re worth a little more than maybe what they’re being offered,” All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen said ahead of his first spring training since Pittsburgh traded him to San Francisco. “It’s just all about being fair.”
As soon as the Houston Astros won their first World Series title in November, attention turned toward 2018 and the start of stretching in Scottsdale, catching in Clearwater and bunting in Bradenton. But there will be two camps in Bradenton — in addition to the Pirates, based there for the 50th consecutive year, the Major League Baseball Players Association is setting up a free-agent workout facility at the nearby IMG Academy while players wait for the market to thaw.
Job-seekers include: pitchers Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn; reliever Greg Holland; infielder Eduardo Nunez; outfielders Carlos Gomez and Carlos Gonzalez; and catcher Jonathan Lucroy.
“There are always going to be some big names available at the beginning of spring training, but there’s an exorbitant number this year,” New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said.
With Cincinnati, Detroit, Miami, Oakland, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay in the early stage of rebuild mode, and Atlanta, the Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia starting to emerge, it appears about one-third of the 30 teams have little chance for this year’s 10 playoff berths. For their fans, hope and faith are longer-term emotions going into opening day on March 29.
Union head Tony Clark labels this offseason a “race to the bottom.” Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto thinks more clubs may be competing for the top 2019 draft pick than for this year’s title.
“There is an element or a percentage of the league that’s not particularly into signing players that might help them win, but prefer the go the other route,” he said. “You have a number of teams that have through the course of the last few years built up to what we have now referenced as super-team status. They may not need to fill those holes, which leaves a team in the middle, let’s call it eight to 12 teams, of which we are one, who are surfing through the markets.”
And many of the perennial big spenders are cutting back, too. The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees want to get under the $197 million luxury tax threshold, putting them in better position for a free-agent class next fall that could include Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Josh Donaldson and Clayton Kershaw.
The Yankees did make the splashiest move of the offseason, acquiring big league home run champion Giancarlo Stanton from the Marlins when former New York captain Derek Jeter took over as Miami’s chief executive and started a payroll purge.
After losing to the Astros in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series, New York fired manager Joe Girardi and replaced him with Aaron Boone, who has never managed or coached at any level. Other new managers include the Mets’ Mickey Callaway, Boston’s Alex Cora, Detroit’s Ron Gardenhire, Philadelphia’s Gabe Kapler and Washington’s Dave Martinez.
Rays: Tampa Bay’s lead owner wants to make a historic neighborhood in the city of Tampa the team’s next home.
Stuart Sternberg said at a news conference Friday the team would focus its new ballpark search on a 14-acre site in Ybor City that sits just north of Ybor Channel.
It’s the first time the team has publicly stated its preference for Tampa over St. Petersburg, its home for more than 20 years. A new ballpark will likely cost more than $700 million.
Thursday’s Games Friday’s Games
(At) Islanders 7, Red Wings 6 (OT): Brock Nelson scored his third goal of the game 3:15 into overtime. New York trailed 5-2 with 6:33 left in regulation when Detroit’s Tyler Bertuzzi was assessed a major game misconduct for slashing, and New York scored four power-play goals in 3:37.
(At) Capitals 4, Blue Jackets 2: Fourth-line center Jay Beagle put Washington ahead for good with his 50th career goal. Washington won its sixth straight against Columbus.
(At) Rangers 4, Flames 3: Mika Zibanejad scored the goahead goal on a power play as New York snapped a four-game skid. Lundqvist replaced Ondrej Pavelec, who injured a knee.
Kings 3, (at) Panthers 1: Jonathan Quick made 35 saves as Los Angeles won its third straight.
(At) Hurricanes 4, Canucks 1: Brett Pesce, Phil Di Giuseppe and Sebastian Aho scored in the first period as Carolina stopped a three-game slide.
Blues at Jets: Late
Penguins at Stars: Late
Oilers at Ducks: Late
NHL note
Former player facing sexual assault charges: Dave “Tiger”Williams was arrested by military police in Ottawa, Ontario, two days after the NHL penalty minutes king was charged with two counts of sexual assault and assault for incidents on a Canadian Forces aircraft.