Outside The Confines: All that Jazz

Feb 1, 2023 - 1:00 PM

Good morning. It’s that time of year when video games top the MLB news.

• Marlins outfielder (I guess he’s an outfielder now) Jazz Chisholm Jr. was named the cover athlete for this year’s MLB The Show 23 video game.
• Chisholm spoke about what it means to him to be on the cover and what it will mean for kids playing baseball in the Bahamas. Chris Cwik also reports on what Chisholm said about his transition to center field this year.
• Bob Nightengale spoke with newest MLB umpire Malachi Moore, who became the first umpire to reach the majors from the MLB Youth Academy in Compton, CA. Moore was convinced into taking up umpiring by now-retired crew chief Kerwin Danley, who told him that if he wanted to make the majors, he needed to try becoming an umpire.
• Sad news as legendary Dodgers scout Ralph Avila died at 92. Avila was partly responsible for turning the Dominican Republic into a hotbed of MLB talent as he set up the first Dodgers baseball academy in that country. Also he was a revolutionary in Cuba in the 1950s who turned against Castro and ended up in the Bay of Pigs invasion. Also, he was the father of former Tigers general manager Al Avila and catcher (and former Cub) Alex Avila. A life well-lived. (This article is from 2006, but it goes into much more detail on Avila’s role in Dominican baseball.)
• Also passing away at 71 was John Adams, who was famous for being the drummer in the stands at Municipal Stadium for Indians/Guardians games.
• There was a trade as the Red Sox sent right-handed reliever Matt Barnes to the Marlins for left-handed reliever Richard Bleier.
• The Blue Jays signed free-agent right-hander Chad Green. It’s a complicated contract with a couple of options because Green is still recovering from Tommy John surgery.
• The Rays signed infielder Yandy Díaz to a three-year, $24 million deal, avoiding an arbitration hearing.
• Justin Choi praises the contract extensions the Rays gave to Díaz and right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks.
• Speaking of the Rays, there has been some movement towards a new ballpark for the team in St. Petersburg.
• MLB seems happy with the proposal for a new ballpark in St. Petersburg.
• Daniel Frankel reports that a possible consequence of the looming bankruptcy of the Bally Sports regional sports networks is that teams will “cry poor” and try to raise ticket prices and cut payroll.
• Ben Clemens explains why the Bally RSN’s are in such poor financial shape. No, it’s not about cord-cutting, although that didn’t help. It’s mostly about Sinclair loading them up with debt.
• The United States Justice Department asked a federal appeals court to not “extend” MLB’s antitrust exemption to a dispute between MLB and former minor league affiliates who were contracted in 2021.
• In an excerpt from his new book, Evan Drellich explains how he and Ken Rosenthal broke the Astros sign-stealing scandal story. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Reliever Darren O’Day announced his retirement.
• Will Leitch has six players set for bounceback seasons in 2023.
• Thomas Harrigan looks at teams that most-improved on weak spots in their lineup from a year ago.
• Jake Mailhot examines the decline and more decline of the left-handed reliever.
• Anthony Castrovince ranks each position by how strong they are throughout MLB.
• Joon Lee looks at the Yankees options in left field this season.
• Grant Brisbee reports that Giants fans are angry, and what might make them happy. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• David Schoenfield has each team’s player who is most likely to be traded by the deadline. (ESPN+ sub. req.)
• Nick Groke has everything you need to know about the Caribbean Series. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• And finally, Anthony Castrovince thinks the pitch clock will help players stay healthy—by letting them get more sleep.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.