With spring training beginning in less than two weeks, this is the time of year when MLB‘s top stars decide to work on a specific area of their game.
With their position on the roster secure, they have the luxury of concentrating on improving what they perceive to be a weakness.
Last month, I ranked the top 100 players in MLB today. Here are the goals for each of the top 25 players on that list as they enter spring training.
In 2012, new MLB PED revelations alarmed the baseball world. Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon and Yasmani Grandal were all handed 50-game suspensions for testing positive for banned substances.
Two of those players were mentioned in a shocking exclusive report published by the Miami New Times.
Biogenesis, a small medical clinic located just a stone’s throw from the University of Miami campus, was apparently just a front—they were, in fact, selling testosterone, HGH and other steroids.
Biogenesis closed its doors a month ago, and its owner, Anthony Bosch, completely disappeared at the same time.
A former employee of Biogenesis got their hands on several documents—the documents were clear in revealing that Biogenesis sold anabolic steroids and many other performance-enhancing drugs to dozens of athletes, including several MLB players.
We will take a look at some of the players who were mentioned prominently in the Biogenesis documents.
Note: All excerpts come directly from MLB.com or the report published by the Miami New Times. In addition, some players who have been mentioned in the report have never tested positive for PED use by MLB. Their inclusion in the report does not necessarily equate with guilt.
When MLB released its 2013 schedule last September, there were a couple of major changes.
With the Houston Astros moving to the American League West, each division in both leagues now has five teams. As a result, each team will play 76 games (19 each) against division opponents, 66 (six or seven each) against non-division league teams and 20 against interleague foes.
Another wrinkle is that there will be at least one interleague game every day of the season.
For various reasons, some MLB teams face more grueling schedules than others. Here are four teams that may not be smiling at the scheduling gurus.
On Jan. 18, arbitration-eligible players had until 1:00 p.m. EST to exchange salary figures with their respective ballclubs.
Many players avoided arbitration by coming to an agreement on the days prior.
Under the collective bargaining agreement, teams can sign players for any amount before salary figures are exchanged. However, after 1:00 p.m. EST, clubs can only negotiate between the two salary figures presented by both sides.
In all, 133 players filed for salary arbitration. That number has already been whittled down significantly within the past few days.
Here are 12 of the top arbitration-eligible players.
Dozens of MLB free agents have already signed new lucrative contracts this offseason, and others will likely sign on the dotted line before the start of spring training as well.
Some free agents, however, are still sitting at home wondering what went wrong.
While overpaying for free agents has been in vogue this offseason, several players turned down lucrative offers from their original teams, thinking their decision would pay off for them in the end.
Here are four such players who may now be regretting that decision.
As the offseason drags on, MLB teams are busy continuing to tweak their rosters, attempting to put the best product possible on the field for the 2013 season.
Some teams are likely done dealing, happy with the progress made thus far. Other teams continue to consider signings or possible trades they believe will work to their advantage.
Each deal, no matter its scope, is judged and analyzed ad nauseum by a bevy of pundits, writers and experts who will either pan or laud each transaction.
Here is a prediction of deals either made or not made by MLB teams that could turn out to be huge mistakes.
The top 12 MLB players got to where they are for one simple reason—great skill.
They took that skill and excelled on the diamond to the point that most of them are perennial All-Stars. Some could even end up in baseball’s Hall of Fame.
But even the best of the best have weaknesses. Opponents work to find those weaknesses and exploit them as often as they can.
Here is one skill that each of the top 12 MLB players need to work on in order to become even better. The top players are defined using a list I came up with on December 21, 2012.
Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference or ESPN unless otherwise noted.
The Los Angeles Dodgers introduced the newest member of the team on Tuesday afternoon.
Zack Greinke, with a freshly-signed six-year, $147 million contract in tow, was the guest of honor at Dodger Stadium. Greinke is expected to team with Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw to form a potent 1-2 punch at the top of the starting rotation.
Here are some pictures and quotes from Greinke, as well as from Magic Johnson and general manager Ned Colletti.
Note: Quotes transcribed from press conference via dodgers.com
In just three days’ time, many MLB rumors could become reality as the winter meetings get underway in Nashville.
Teams will be gathering at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, the host of the winter meetings for the sixth time.
Owners, general managers, managers, player agents and some players themselves will be on hand for the fun-filled and active four-day event.
And so too will the media—in droves.
Buyers and sellers will be out in force—the former looking for whatever they can find to fill their grocery list, and the latter hoping to unload pricey veterans or other under-performing stars.
Bleacher Report will use the rumor mill as the criteria for both the buyers and sellers, based on the chatter seen on the Web in recent weeks.
The MLB free agency class of 2013 features dozens of players with varying degrees of skill. Thus far, however, only a handful of those available have been signed.
That could change as soon as next week.
With the MLB annual winter meetings set to begin in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, teams will indeed be on the hunt for players that can address their needs.
Owners, general managers and many other team officials will be on hand, as well as the agents of players left on the open market. Opportunities will be aplenty as each team attempts to fill each available roster spots with the best possible choice.
We will take a look at each team as currently constituted and attempt to identify their biggest need. We will also offer up suggestions as to who may be the best logical candidate to fill that need.