When addressing his workforce’s acquisition of Garrett Crochet on the Winter Conferences, Craig Breslow mentioned that the 25-year-old southpaw’s relationship with the Crimson Sox’ analytics group might be necessary, in order that he “can proceed to grasp how he can get one of the best out of his stuff.” I subsequently requested Boston’s Chief Baseball Officer if, primarily based on their pre-trade homework, they’ve recognized any particular changes Crochet may need to make, or in the event that they plan to largely simply let him preserve doing what he does.
“I believe the reply might be each,” replied Breslow. “Proper? We need to lean into what he does notably nicely, and he does a whole lot of issues actually, rather well. You take a look at the strikeouts, and particularly the strikeouts relative to the walks; that’s a fairly good underpinning for a extremely profitable beginning pitcher. As soon as we now have an opportunity to get to know him, have conversations with him, we’ll lean on [pitching coach Andrew Bailey] and the remainder of the group. However it’s in all probability not honest to speak about what changes we would make earlier than we’ve had an opportunity to have that dialog with him.”
Crochet is wanting ahead to the dialog. He expects it to happen within the coming week, and he’ll go into it with ideas he’s been formulating since final summer season. After I talked to Crochet in late August, he spoke of utilization percentages and the way he’d begun tinkering with a sinker. I reminded him of that earlier alternate when he met with the Boston media over Zoom on Friday, then proceeded to ask about his forthcoming discussions with the Crimson Sox pitching division.
“I’ve completed just a little little bit of considering on it, alone, simply by way of [having] integrated the sinker later within the yr,” replied Crochet, whose repertoire additionally features a changeup and a slider. “I really feel like I actually have 5 pitches that I can throw at any second, so it can undoubtedly be a fine-tuning sport. There are a whole lot of methods to pores and skin the cat in that regard. In the end, I don’t assume I’ll change the fastball-cutter utilization an entire lot — that’s form of my bread and butter, and an enormous cause I had success final yr — however the addition of the sinker is a dialog value having.”
The conversations that occurred between Breslow and White Sox GM Chris Getz are additionally value mentioning right here. Additionally they date again to final summer season.
“These are the forms of issues the place conversations form of ebb and move,” Breslow mentioned of the commerce speak. “There’s a whole lot of checking in, a whole lot of feeling such as you’re getting momentum and traction, after which issues begin to diverge or diminish a bit, [or] actually begin to choose up once more. Over the previous couple of days, the final ideas possibly had all been mentioned, it was only a matter of determining how we may put the items collectively.”
In line with Getz, the Crimson Sox had been considered one of “in all probability 5” groups within the operating to amass the All-Star left-hander. Boston’s pursuit was particularly earnest. It started previous to the commerce deadline, recommenced after the season, then got here to fruition on Wednesday afternoon in Dallas.
“Discussions actually heated up final evening with the Crimson Sox,” Getz mentioned after the deal was introduced. “We took that into the morning, and it was very clear that they had been motivated. They needed to get one thing completed, and we made a match. Each golf equipment ought to really feel actually good in regards to the return.”
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Nomar Garciaparra went 1 for 20 in opposition to Brandon Webb.
Elias Díaz is 1 for 22 in opposition to Logan Webb.
Spider Jorgensen went 4 for 7 in opposition to Elmer Riddle.
Freddie “The Flea” Patek went 6 for 7 in opposition to Paul Thormodsgard.
Craig Grebeck went 8 for 14 in opposition to Matt Younger.
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Tyler O’Neill has been Baltimore’s most notable acquisition up to now this offseason, however he isn’t the one probably impactful participant approaching board. Gary Sánchez has additionally been inked to a free agent deal, giving the Orioles a power-hitting backstop to caddy for Adley Rutschman, and infrequently function a right-handed-hitting DH. Mike Elias addressed the acquisition when he met with a small group of reporters in Dallas.
“Frankly, we wanted one other catcher, with James McCann being a free agent,” the Government VP and GM defined. “I believe it’s a superb profile to match with Adley. He’s a man that throws nicely. It’s good to have a Spanish-speaking catcher to pair with an American catcher. There are a whole lot of optimistic issues about bringing him into the combination. He’s a veteran… who [was with] Milwaukee final yr, and drew a whole lot of good evaluations from their gamers and training workers.”
Energy has lengthy been Sánchez’s calling card — his résumé contains 33- and 34-home-run seasons — whereas his work behind the plate has by no means been considered as a power. That in thoughts, I requested Elias if he may elaborate on the optimistic evaluations.
“I believe his protection has been bettering constantly, particularly in the previous couple of years, as he form of matures right into a veteran catcher,” Elias replied. “He modified a few of his receiving ways a couple of years in the past. He’s attending to be a better, savvier participant. We heard actually good issues about the best way he was working with pitching staffs. And like I mentioned, it’s not one thing that you simply at all times should do, but it surely’s at all times good when you could have one English-speaking catcher and one Spanish-speaking catcher. It’s a pleasant function.”
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Scott Harris is bullish on the Tigers’ catching combo. Jake Rogers and Dillon Dingler aren’t precisely juggernauts with the stick — the previous logged a 71 wRC+, the latter a 37 wRC+ in his first 87 big-league plate appearances — however their total skillsets are to the chief’s liking.
“It’s honest to say that we really feel actually good about our catching group,” mentioned the workforce’s President of Baseball Operations. “I believe Jake and Ding evaluate very favorably to most catching tandems within the league from a blocking, framing, game-calling standpoint. Defensively, I believe they’re nearly as good, if not higher, than the catching tandems across the league. Offensively, they will each change the rating with one swing, which is one thing you’ll be able to’t actually discover at that place very repeatedly. I believe they’re each bettering offensively.
“Ding’s efficiency in Triple-A didn’t fairly translate to the large leagues, nevertheless, we threw quite a bit at him,” continued Harris. “He got here up in the midst of the season and needed to immediately handle a significant league workers, name a significant league sport, deal with main league stuff behind the plate, and hit one of the best pitching he’s ever seen earlier than. I’m not shocked he struggled, however that have will enable him to regulate for subsequent yr. I really feel actually good about these guys.”
Dingler had 17 dwelling runs and a 139 wRC+ with Triple-A Toledo previous to getting known as up on the finish of July. Rogers has gone deep 31 instances in 702 plate appearances with the big-league membership over the previous two seasons.
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A quiz:
The Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays have every had only one participant win an American League batting title. Who’re they?
The reply will be discovered under.
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NEWS NOTES
The Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame introduced this week that Tom Hamilton is that this yr’s recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence. The 70-year-old “Hammy,” who grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, has been within the Cleveland radio sales space since 1990.
Thomas Boswell is the recipient of this yr’s BBWAA Profession Excellence Award. Now retired, the longtime Washington Submit scribe is the creator of seven books, together with “Why Time Begins On Opening Day” and “How Life Imitates the World Sequence.”
Minor League Baseball honored Raquel Ferreira with this yr’s Sheldon “Chief” Bender Award, which is introduced to a person with distinguished service who has been instrumental in participant improvement. Ferreira joined the Boston Crimson Sox group in 1999 and now holds the title Government Vice President and Assistant Basic Supervisor.
Merv Rettenmund, an outfielder who performed for 4 groups over a profession that spanned the 1968-1980 seasons, died final weekend at age 81. A local of Flint, Michigan who gained World Sequence rings with the each Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds, Rettenmund logged 693 hits, together with 66 dwelling runs, and a 128 wRC+. He was a prolific pinch-hitter towards the tip of his big-league tenure.
Rocky Colavito, an outfielder who logged a 132 wRC+ and made six All-Star groups whereas enjoying from 1955-1968, died earlier this week at age 91. In April 1960, the slugger was concerned in considered one of baseball’s most well-known trades when he went from the Cleveland Indians to the Detroit Tigers in alternate for Harvey Kuenn. The earlier season, Colavito led the American League in dwelling runs, whereas Kuenn gained the batting title.
SABR might be internet hosting a dwell oral historical past interview with Frank Viola on Tuesday, December 17 at 7:30 EST. Will probably be held over Zoom and you’ll register right here.
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The solutions to the quiz are Frank Robinson, in 1966 (his Triple Crown season) with the Orioles, and John Olerud, in 1993 (his .363/.473/.599 season), with the Blue Jays.
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Which workforce would get the higher deal in a one-for-one Triston Casas–Luis Castillo commerce? I requested that query in a Twitter ballot on Friday, and the outcomes had been extra one-sided than I’d anticipated. Of the 1,149 votes forged, 75.0% went to the Seattle Mariners, who could be receiving a slugging, soon-to-turn 25-year-old first baseman, whereas the Crimson Sox, who could be getting a just-turned 32-year-old right-hander, obtained simply 25.0%.
A complete breakdown the professionals and cons of the rumored deal would require extra phrases than we now have room for right here in Sunday Notes, however I’ll say that I agree with the bulk… albeit with a caveat. Beginning pitching is invaluable, and Castillo is a three-time All-Star who has averaged 3.3 WAR over the previous 4 seasons. He would comfortably slot into any workforce’s rotation. Even so, I’d be disinclined if I had been the Crimson Sox. Casas has a vivid future with the bat.
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What recommendation would Roki Sasaki’s agent give the 23-year-old Japanese right-hander as he ponders which MLB workforce to signal with this offseason? Joel Wolfe was requested that query on the Winter Conferences.
“Go into it with an open thoughts,” replied Wolfe, who represents the high-profile flamethrower for the Wasserman Media Group. “With Yoshinobu [Yamamoto] final yr, that was the very first thing I mentioned to him. Your whole preconceived notions, the whole lot you’ve seen on TV. Attempt to put it out of your thoughts and actually hearken to what the groups are going to current to you, and what they should say. Discuss to different gamers and listen to what they should say from their experiences. Put all of it into the stew and kind your personal opinions. I believe [Yamamoto] did a extremely good job of that.
“Belief your intestine,” continued Wolfe, who has negotiated among the baseball’s greatest contracts. “What I inform all my gamers is, ‘I would like this to be your resolution. You may have lots of people providing you with recommendation, together with myself, however on the finish of the day, you realize it if you see it. If you see it, inform me. That’s the course we’ll go.”
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Yuto Akihiro is slashing .319/.390/.478 with two dwelling runs in 80 plate appearances for the Australian Baseball League’s Adelaide Giants. The 22-year-old outfielder, who at 6-foot-6 is likely one of the tallest gamers in NPB historical past, performed in 26 video games for the Yomiuri Giants this previous season, and in one other 96 for the membership’s prime farm workforce.
Franchy Cordero is slashing .279/.429/.508 with two dwelling runs in 77 plate appearances for the Dominican Winter League’s Leones del Escogido. The 30-year-old former MLB outfielder spent this previous season with NPB’s Seibu Lions.
Renato Núñez has a circuit-best 19 dwelling runs and a .309/.405/.691 slash line over 205 plate appearances for the Venezuelan Winter League’s Navegantes del Magallanes. The 30-year-old first baseman has performed in Japan, and extra lately Mexico, since seeing motion with three MLB groups from 2018-2021. Nuñez went deep 31 instances for the Baltimore Orioles in 2019.
Braden Nett has 23 strikeouts to go along with 11 hits and two runs allowed over 17-and-two-thirds innings for the Puerto Rican Winter League’s Senadores de San Juan. The 22-year-old right-hander within the San Diego Padres system had a 3.88 ERA, a 3.98 FIP, and a 25.5% strikeout price over 65 innings between Excessive-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio.
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The Kansas Metropolis Royals had 52 wins after I talked to Matt Quatraro in mid-July, actually double the quantity that they had on the identical time the earlier yr. How was his workforce, which was eight video games over .500, performing relative to it’s true expertise degree? Quatraro opted to not reply that query immediately, saying as a substitute that the main target was on staying within the second and placing as many constant video games collectively as they might. At season’s finish, the Royals had been 10 video games over .500 and had edged out the Mariners for the junior circuit’s last wildcard berth.
With the 2024 season now within the rearview, I requested the Kansas Metropolis supervisor the identical factor I’d requested on the eve of the All-Star break.
“It’s an attention-grabbing query, as a result of I actually assume at instances I used to be upset that we hadn’t gained extra,” Quatraro instructed me in Dallas. “If you look again and consider the place we had been, to the place we had completed the yr, total it was an enormous optimistic. However I do assume we left some video games on the market, particularly with how nicely our beginning pitching did. We may have gained extra video games, however everybody can say that. Proper? You really should exit and execute it.”
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Milwaukee’s Pat Murphy selected to not give a definitive reply after I posed the query to him on the Winter Conferences.
“I don’t take a look at it that approach,” mentioned the 2024 Nationwide League Supervisor of the 12 months, who led the Brewers to a 93-69 document and a playoff berth of their very own. “That’s for different folks. I’m simply pleased with the fellows, the best way they competed. I don’t know what folks thought to start with, but it surely appears like no person thought we may win the division, and we did. May we now have completed higher? Yeah. All people can do higher in something. There are methods to get higher, and we plan on that, however what occurred in 2024 serves as a reference to how we are able to study from some issues and transfer on, and get higher. That’s it.”
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A random obscure former participant snapshot:
Chicago White Sox infielder Tony Cuccinello fell share factors wanting profitable the American League batting title in 1945, ending at .30845771144, whereas New York Yankees infielder Snuffy Stirnweiss completed at 30854430379. The circumstances had been controversial. The White Sox had been rained out on the ultimate day of the season, whereas Stirnweiss went 3-for-5, with considered one of his hits initially dominated an error, solely to be modified to successful by the Yankee Stadium official scorer. Cuccinello, who turned 38 a month later, was subsequently launched and by no means performed once more.
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
Barry Bloom’s relationship with Ichiro Suzuki was removed from pleasant, however he nonetheless put a checkmark subsequent to the long-lasting participant’s title on his Corridor of Fame poll. The veteran scribe wrote about it at Sportico.
Andscape’s Sridhar Pappu wrote about how Dave Parker is a father determine to Black MLB legends.
Detroit Tigers pitching coach Chris Fetter was named Baseball America’s 2024 MLB Coach of the 12 months. The publication’s J.J. Cooper has the story.
At Our Recreation, John Thorn wrote about the historical past of the sacrifice-fly rule, together with how Ted Williams would have batted .413, and never the at the moment acknowledged .406, below todays’s guidelines.
The Scout of the 12 months program celebrated its fortieth anniversary Wednesday night, and in doing so honored six folks for his or her contributions to the sport. Jim Callis has the story at MLB.com.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
David Wright is the New York Mets’ all-time chief in hits, singles, doubles, whole bases, instances on base, walks, runs scored, RBIs, and WAR. He’s second in dwelling runs, behind solely Darryl Strawberry.
CC Sabathia had 251 wins, a 116 ERA+, and 66.5 WAR.
Andy Pettitte had 256 wins, a 117 ERA+, and 68.2 WAR
Tommy John had 258 wins, a 111 ERA+, and 79.4 WAR.
Pokey Reese and Dmitri Younger went a mixed 0 for 23 with 17 strikeouts versus Billy Wagner.
The Boston Crimson Sox signed Hideo Nomo as a free agent on at present’s date in 2000. The best-hander proceeded to throw a no-hitter in his first sport along with his new workforce, then go on to complete the season 13-10 with a 4.50 ERA.
On at present’s date in 1900, the Cincinnati Reds traded Christy Mathewson to the New York Giants in alternate for Amos Rusie. The latter, who’d averaged 29 wins over his earlier eight seasons, pitched in three video games for the Reds, then retired. Mathewson, who was 0-3 in his younger profession, went on to win 373 video games, all however considered one of them with the Giants. His last win got here in 1906… with the workforce that had dealt him away 16 years earlier.
Gamers born on at present’s date embody Ken Crosby, a right-hander who gained his lone resolution whereas showing in 16 video games for the Chicago Cubs throughout the 1975-1976 seasons. A local of New Denver, British Columbia, Crosby went 1-for-2 on the plate, his base knock coming in opposition to San Diego Padres southpaw Brent Strom.
Additionally born on at present’s date was Doug Rau, who logged 81 wins whereas showing in 219 video games for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1972-1979, and in three video games for the California Angels in 1981. A left-handed starter on three Dodgers groups to achieve the World Sequence solely to lose, Rau had his finest yr in 1976, going 16-12 with a 2.57 ERA over 231 innings.
William Thomas went 383-347 whereas pitching for quite a few groups over a minor league profession that spanned the 1926-1952 seasons. The best-hander’s time on the farm included stints with the Beaumont Exporters, Charleroi Babes, and Wheeling Stogies. He was suspended for alleged playing in 1946, a season through which he went 35-7 with the Houma Indians. Thomas by no means pitched within the majors.
