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Good morning afternoon, Athletics Nation!
It was a slow week around these parts. News tends to take a break around Christmas anyway, and this was already a sluggish winter even before that. Plus the injuries are piling up, as Nico is dealing with a wrist/elbow issue (no word yet on likelihood of Tommy John surgery) and my chronic lower back has flared up the last few days. Good ol’ 2020 is getting in those final punches on the way out the door.
But fear not! The show will go on here at Athletics Nation. There’s some more 2020 review to wrap up, and plenty of offseason musings and trade ideas and free agent profiles to go over. We can start the new Community Prospect List in early January, and take some more looks back at team history like we did during the summer shutdown. And as a trivia professional I can always come up with more quizzes to play around with.
For now, here are some links from the last few days. In particular, make sure to check out Susan Slusser’s column about the Codify pitching analytics firm, which has helped a long list of notable names over the last several years — including Dan Straily, Liam Hendriks, and Jake Diekman. It’s an interesting profile on one of the latest breakthroughs in pitching theory, and also the kind of story that might inspire you to reconsider how to approach other non-baseball projects in your life.
After today, there are only five more days until 2020 is over. We can do this, fam.
A’s Coverage
- Slusser: How a die-hard A’s fan is selling top pitchers intel not even MLB teams provide ($)
- Woo: Why Simmons might be good Semien replacement for A’s
- AN: Daniel Mengden considering Korea; Raul Alcantara to Japan; Dillon Overton signs in Taiwan
MLB News & Interest
- Clair: The weirdest baseball uniforms ever worn
- Kelly: These 9 won 20 games for last-place teams
- Today in Baseball History
Best of Twitter
Mengden to Korea is official
Merry Christmas KIA fans: KIA officially announces the signing of Daniel Mengden ($300K signing bonus, $425K salary, $275K option aka incentives) https://t.co/p1mWshmvVt
— Dan Kurtz (@MyKBO) December 25, 2020
Sigh
Marcus Semien would seem to be a fit @2B for Red Sox. Posts up, most G any MLB SS 2018-20. Bigtime Leader. Playoffs erased off-kilter 50 G season. 5th among SS in WRC+ 2018 among SS w/ 1500 PA. College roomie of scouting dir. Paul Toboni. Sox like him, but don't yet know $.
— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) December 23, 2020
OBVIOUSLY
One time Josh Bell told me Matt Chapman played like he was from Jupiter. I asked what Bell meant. He heaved a big sigh.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) December 24, 2020
“Well," Bell said, "OBVIOUSLY, If you’re born on a place with more gravity, and you get transported to a lighter gravity, then everything is easier for you.” https://t.co/KQUSB1BPE6
Another reliever off the board. There are more remaining, but they’re going fast
Matt Andriese’s one-year deal is for $1.85M with a $3.5M team option and $250K buyout (so one-year, $2.1M for CBT purposes).
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) December 23, 2020
He can earn up to $500K per year for innings (maxing out at 150IP).
2022 option salary can also escalate up to $1M based on innings.
A name that’s been mentioned in the AN comments this winter
Adeiny Hechavarria Signs With NPB's Chiba Lotte Marines https://t.co/qS1xxeGCTj pic.twitter.com/CXSGjYJGgx
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) December 25, 2020
Hope your Christmas/Friday went as well as possible!
Happy birthday to the pic.twitter.com/RtKO2e8EW0
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) December 25, 2020
