MLB

When it comes to unanimous Hall picks, Jeter could be No. 2.

January 20, 2020 Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — When it comes to unanimous picks for baseball’s Hall of Fame, Derek Jeter quite appropriately has the chance to be No. 2. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera became the first player to appear on every ballot when he swept 425 votes in last year’s election. Ken Griffey Jr. was three votes short […]

MLB

To stop sign stealing, MLB could fight tech with more tech

January 16, 2020 Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — If Major League Baseball really wants to stop its teams from electronically stealing signs, it might consider fighting technology with more technology. In a sport that’s increasingly driven by analytics and advancements, the majority of signs between players and coaches are still transmitted by low-tech hand signals that have been used for […]

MLB

AP source: Twins, 3B Donaldson agree to $92M, 4-year deal

January 14, 2020 Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins and 2015 AL MVP Josh Donaldson have agreed to a $92 million, four-year contract, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal had not been announced. The contract includes a club option for […]

BREWERS

Blue Jays agree to sign former Brewers’ infielder, Travis Shaw, to 1-year deal

December 30, 2019 Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $4 million, one-year contract with free agent infielder Travis Shaw on Monday and designated infielder Richard Ureña for assignment. Shaw hit .157 with seven homers and 16 RBIs in 86 games last season for the Milwaukee Brewers. The 29-year-old has a .243 career batting average […]

MLB

Average MLB salary drops for 2nd straight year

December 22, 2019 Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The average salary in the major leagues has dropped in consecutive years for the first time since the players’ association started keeping records more than a half-century ago. The 988 players on Aug. 31 rosters and injured lists averaged $4,051,490, the union said Friday, down 1.1% from $4,095,686 last year. The […]

MLB

Future sign: Cole arrives with old placard of Yankees fealty

December 19, 2019 Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — On his first day in pinstripes, Gerrit Cole admitted to stealing a sign — no, not those signs. Cole affixed his signature to a record $324 million, nine-year contract at 10:45 a.m., walked into a news conference at Yankee Stadium and pulled out the crinkled placard he took to one of […]

MLB

Boras’ billions: baseball agent creates free-agent flurry with $814 million in contracts over 3 days

December 19, 2019 Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Scott Boras showed up at the winter meetings with his own press conference backdrop. How appropriate, given his banner offseason. Beloved by his high-profile clients, courted by powerful owners and a polarizing figure for fans, baseball’s most famous agent negotiated $814 million of contracts in little over three days last week. […]

MLB

Mighty Bernie at bat? Sanders makes pitch for minor leagues

December 16, 2019 Associated Press

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Take Bernie out to the ball game? Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator and Democratic presidential candidate, is aggressively opposing a Major League Baseball plan to cut 42 minor league teams across the country after 2020. Among the targeted are the Vermont Lake Monsters, the Single-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics in […]

BREWERS

Union exec Marvin Miller, Simmons — who played for Brewers — elected to Hall of Fame

December 8, 2019 Rick Solem

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Marvin Miller, the union leader who revolutionized baseball by empowering players to negotiate multimillion-dollar contracts and to play for teams of their own choosing, was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame on Sunday along with former St. Louis Cardinals catcher Ted Simmons. After falling short in his first seven times on […]

BREWERS

First Grandal, now Moustakas leaves Brewers for big money, long-term deal

December 3, 2019 Rick Solem

After two, one-year contracts with the Milwaukee Brewers, third baseman Mike Moustakas is headed to a rival. The Cincinnati Reds signed a four-year, $64-million contract, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Moustakas will likely play second base for the reds after 999 starts at third base over his career, including all 40 in two years with […]