JFtC Presents The MLB Minute

Jays From the Couch brings you the MLB Minute, a weekly collection of the goings on across Major League Baseball

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Join us every week for the MLB Minute. We’ll bring you news, information and other juicy tidbits from across Major League Baseball. Sure, we’re Blue Jays fans at heart, but it is always good to keep on top of other teams, their stars and the league in general. This weekly feature will bring you the opportunity to keep up with postseason chances, league leaders in key categories, injuries, trades and a whole lot more.

* Obviously, it makes a whole lot of sense to begin the MLB Minute with the latest on the negotiations between MLB and MLBPA, who have been under a lockout since December 2. The Player’s Association will present their response, asks, etc to MLB on Monday. It is interesting to note that, of all the items that go into asking packages and final agreements, MLB is digging their heals in over the years of team control for players. They’re willing to pay more via the increased tax threshold and increasing minimum pay. If that is the case, it stands to reason that owners have done some calculations and decided it is in their best interests to keep young players longer and pay more overall. With a game that features stars who are younger and younger, it certainly makes sense.

* MLB will begin its foray into ‘modernizing’ the game with the use of electronic ball/strike calls at AAA. There are likely many fans who would be happy with this getting closer and closer to being used in big league games. How many times have we wanted to throw something through our TVs at Angel Hernandez and others? However, one has to wonder if this is something that traditionalists may not welcome with open arms. Baseball is a human game being played by humans with humans making the calls. Taking the human element out of the game may ruffle feathers. But, it is worth mentioning that those on either side of this debate would agree that they want the calls to be correct. Depending on how CBA negotiations go, robo umps could become a point of discussion in the near future.

* At ESPN, David Schoenfield writes a little factoid for each MLB team. Some are not all that noteworthy, like Cedric Mullins and his 30-30 season. Though, I suppose, being the first one to do so in Orioles history makes it kind of neat. But, check out this: if you ever wanted proof that you can never have enough pitching, the Diamondbacks provide it for you. They used 41 (!) different pitchers last season. Also important: staying healthy. The Pittsburgh Pirates may have a star in Bryan Reynolds as he put up a 6 WAR season. Too bad they lost 101 games in 2021. The factoid for your Toronto Blue Jays is that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. joined the .300/.400/.600 club at age 22.

* Bleacher Report has an interesting piece up. Zachary D. Rymer selects a breakout candidate for each team in 2022. He’s chosen Nate Pearson for Toronto, which is a safe bet, for sure. All he has to do is stay healthy and he can pitch his way into a break out season. The Red Sox are represented on this list by Tanner Houck, who scares me. He’s very much at the beginning of his career, but I have this bad feeling he will cause a lot of problems for the Blue Jays. And, surprise, surprise, the Rays have an electric arm in Shane Baz. Rymer suggests that Baz could be Rookie of the Year.

* Finally, Mike Axisa of CBS Sports has an interesting look at each team’s best free agent signing ever. It’s got a number of obvious ones like Ichiro Suzuki and Seattle. A team like the Pirates, who have a longer history than Seattle, may surprise you with the selection of Russell Martin for 2 years in 2012. Think about all of the money the Yankees have thrown around over the years and you could likely field and All Star team with the talent they’ve landed. However, Axisa selected Reggie Jackson for 5 yrs/$2.9M in 1976. For your Toronto Blue Jays, Axisa says that the signing of Paul Molitor in 1992 for 3yrs/$13M. It’s tough to argue that the Blue Jays didn’t get their money’s worth out of Molitor, but Roger Clemens (4 yrs, $40 million in Dec 1996) provided two Cy Youngs. I guess the difference is Clemens’ time in Toronto did not amount to anything close to a championship.

Feel free to weigh in on any of these subjects or selections on the lists in the comment section. The goal of the MLB Minute is to bring discussion topics from around Major League Baseball to our readers. So, let’s discuss.