MLB fired an umpire. And ZiPS REALLY likes D-backs pitching in 2025.
Diamondbacks News
Resolving Diamondbacks Starting Pitching Glut No Easy Task by Jack Sommers [SI]
But over one month later, a trade has not transpired. It still could of course, after all there are just over seven weeks left to go before opening day on March 27. But what happens if they don’t make a trade, and all seven front line starters make it to the end of spring training healthy? As unlikely as that may seem, it’s worth contemplating that scenario.
Location, location, location: The D-backs’ leg up on free agent competition by Steve Gilbert [Dbacks.com]
“It’s been really awesome this offseason just being around the guys,” Thompson said. “I’m not with two guys from the Orioles, two guys from the Blue Jays, two guys from the Tigers and that’s my training group. My training group is the Diamondbacks, so it’s been pretty awesome.”
Projection Systems Love Diamondbacks Pitching by Jake Oliver [SI]
2025 Projected ERA+
Projections: ZiPS DC by Dan Szymborski (@DSzymborski) pic.twitter.com/zWl705KE78
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) February 3, 2025
My thoughts on the Dodgers and what is “Bad for Baseball” by Michael McDermott [Mike’s Hardball Talk]
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the model franchise, especially for a big market club, as they’ve been able to assemble quite a roster and won the 2024 World Series. They’ve done so with every part of team building: trades, free agent signings, and internal development. They’re constantly near the top of payroll figures and farm system rankings every year. However, the fan sentiment across all of baseball seems to be the Dodgers are the problem when in fact they’re not.
2 non-roster invitees who should make Diamondbacks’ Opening Day roster by Michael McDermott [Venom Strikes]
The Diamondbacks announced 19 non-roster invitees to big league Spring Training on Friday. Those 19 players will compete with the players on their 40-man roster for the 26 roster spots on the Opening Day roster. The list of non-roster players include long-time veterans and top prospects competing for the final spots on the roster.
These two non-roster play.ers have the best chance to make the club out of spring.
Around the League
MLB Fires Umpire Pat Hoberg For Violation of Gambling Policy by Darragh McDonald [MLB Trade Rumors]
Per the statement, Hoberg has “adamantly denied betting on baseball directly or indirectly (i.e., through his friend), and the data provided by the sportsbooks does not show any baseball bets from his own electronic devices.” It goes on to state that the league “found no evidence that Hoberg or anyone else took any action to manipulate the outcomes of any games, and an analysis of the betting data did not show any discernible patterns indicative of an integrity risk.”
Mariners Sign Jorge Polanco, Condemn Themselves to Competence by Michael Rosen [FanGraphs]
As a franchise, the Mariners seem hellbent on leveraging an excellent cost-controlled core to win exactly 89 games every season.
Everything to know about the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers starting Feb. 21 by Michael Clair [MLB]
Four teams — the hosts Chinese Taipei, Spain, Nicaragua and South Africa — will play in a round-robin to determine the first team to qualify. There will then be a second-place playoff between the second- and third-place teams to determine the second team to advance. This tournament will be followed by a second qualifier tournament in Tucson, Ariz., to fill out the final two teams in the bracket.
Alex Bregman’s strengths, concerns, best fits by David Schoenfield [ESPN]
Going into the offseason, Kiley McDaniel had him at No. 5 in his free agent rankings with a projected contract of six years, $187 million.
Yet, it’s February, with spring training just around the corner and Bregman remains unsigned, a little perplexing for a player with his credentials. Of course, teams are paying for what Bregman is going to do in the future — and there are some red flags for a player who reportedly turned down a six-year, $156 million offer from the Astros in December. Those have perhaps made teams hesitant to match Bregman’s asking price.
Question of the Day