Baseball Connection

The Blue Jays have been known for their offensive prowess in recent years. All of a sudden, they've beefed up their rotation too. Yusei Kikuchi just signed with them to round out the back of their staff. The Mets traded for Chris Bassitt and the Twins traded for Sonny Gray. All this (and more) on today's episode.

We're off to the races to close out the offseason. Spring Training has begun but there are still several players without a team. Carlos Rodon signed with the Giants for 2 year, $44 million. He's an upside arm but health will be key. National League teams are interested in Albert Pujols. After all, they have a designated hitter spot now. The Dodgers re-signed Clayton Kershaw and joined the bid for Freddie Freeman. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Baseball is back. MLB and MLBPA came to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement that will cover the 2022-2026 seasons. Plenty of changes are coming, including an expanded postseason, universal DH, pitch clocks, increased pay for players, and much more. Opening Day is on April 7 and it will be a full 162 game season. All this (and more) on today's episode.

MLB has pitched the idea of an international draft and Latin players do not like the sound of it. Under the current system, there is no draft and international players can sign as free agents as early as age 16. This gives players significant leverage and flexibility to sign with multiple teams who makes offers. With a draft, this leverage disappears and players would have to take it or leave it. Is this fair? All this (and more) on today's episode.

Get ready for Friday Night Baseball. Apple TV+ will carry two Friday night games each week as part of the new streaming agreement between MLB and Apple. We celebrate International Women's Day by reflecting on the various women coaching, managing, or working in pro baseball today. It might not be long before we see a woman managing at the MLB level.

Latest news coming out of the negotiations between players and owners suggest we might see shift bans, pitch clocks, and bigger bases as soon as 2023. Max Muncy missed the Dodgers' 2021 postseason, but he'll be ready to go once the season begins. The Rays made an offer to Freddie Freeman before the lockout. All this (and more) on today's episode.

Roger Clemens is one of the greatest pitchers to walk the face of the earth. The Rocket was a dominant force from two-plus decades. He's heavily decorated in accolades, including 7 Cy Young awards and an MVP. What were the best, most memorable moments, of Rocket's career?

The MVP award has been around since 1931. It's the ultimate award that can be bestowed upon a position player for a given season. Because there can only be one MVP per league each season, some all-time greats never won this award. Including several Hall of Famers. Who are they and how close did they get?

Baseball's next young star might make his debut this season. There are a few top prospects who could make their team's Opening Day roster. One player, in particular, might be the next big name we'll all rave about. MLB Spring Training is delayed, but the minor league season is not. This means there will be some overlap between the two, which could impact some prospects. All this (and more) on today's episode.

The Rockies are looking to add pop to their lineup and Michael Conforto has joined the list of free agent outfielders they're looking at. Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber are other players they like. Plenty of teams are looking at Pittsburgh's Bryan Reynolds as a trade target. Reynolds hasn't had any extension talks with the Pirates yet but the team should hold onto the star outfielder. All this (and more) on today's episode.