https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1224877820406648835

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1224878368216297472

But I’m cautiously elated.

Dodgers get Price and Betts
Sox get Alex Verdugo and a prospect pitcher from Minny
Minny gets Kenta Maeda

for Luis Rengifo

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1224888007809019904

They actually have the money, I'd have maybe preferred them acting as primary and doing - say Larnach and Graterol for Betts/Price - but I think I'm happy with Maeda. He's basically a strong #3, which means he's joining a rotation (Odorizzi, Berrios, Hill and Pineda eventually) full of those. That's proven to be a decent way to make the playoffs, but I think a big, mean ace is pretty necessary. Since they're not just giving those away, a deep rotation of guys who aren't too shabby looks like the best play - which actually sort of matches the lineup aesthetic.

I'm a bit concerned about his homer rate, which I doubt will improve in the AL. And his low innings totals, which MLBTR said maaaaaaaaay be the result of the Dodgers fucking with his load to avoid some contract incentives. But he's a good get.

I loved Brusdar Graterol though. The homers have been the funnest thing about the new Twins, but a close second is the advent of FASTBALLS from the farm system. Graterol was one of the surest signs of the death of the Brad Radke Clone Army, and on a sheer enjoyment level, I was really looking forward to shouting BRUSDAR! when he entered games. Though on that note, I'm guessing the reason he's available for a trade like this (since his stuff is definitely MLB-ready) is that the Twins don't think he's going to stick in the rotation. I sort of always expected that. We sort of pretended it was a real possibility, but guys built like him, guys who don't *really* have a third pitch, and who can top 100mph pretty often aren't really rotation pieces. Godspeed, Brusdar. I will miss shouting your unusual name.

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their run as owners has been wildly successful in spite of their many fuck-ups.

Their relationship with Theo Epstein was all over the place. Tough to read into it too much, but there was definitely something fishy there. This is ancient history now, but Theo threatened to leave baseball all together because of Larry Lucchino's shenanigans.

Then there was smearing Terry Francona as a pill addict on his way out the door. Never trusted them after that. The dude broke the curse for us and got another trophy on top of that. Even if it was time to part ways you should still be treating him like a saint for eternity.

Then there was randomly firing announcer Don Orsillo, probably just cause Jerry Remy never liked him. Jerry was the one they should've gotten rid of. He's a miserable fuck and no one likes him, but he's a former Sox player so he gets his way I guess.

Then, just months after winning a title in 2018, they decide cutting payroll is the most important thing in the world for some reason, so they fire the GM that helped build that title team. Unfuckingbelievable. We're not the Marlins, we have loads of cash on hand. Fucking use it!

Keep in mind this is a team that charges you an arm and a leg just to get into the stadium and cram into seats that point the wrong way and are designed for 1912-sized people. Then they charge another arm and a leg if you want to enjoy a hot dog and a 12 oz beer (If I'm paying more than $10 give me a tall boy or gtfo).

The stadium is classic and I still recommend it to every baseball fan, but after visiting a third of the stadiums in the league there are much better fan experiences out there and they cost a portion of the money you'd spend at Fenway. If you're bringing your family you have to say good bye to a whole goddamn paycheck, but they can't pony up to keep the best player they've drafted in years. Disgusting.

doesn't seem like it's had a huge impact on parity, and the haves will always do better than the have-nots.

and now it feels like a built-in excuse for rich organizations to milk profits. whether the Nats wanted to keep Rendon or not, they can win the World Series, let him walk, then cite "luxury tax penalties".

Yeah. Agreed. Classicism can only go so far when it comes to experience, especially when prices are being increased. Fans are definitely being shafted. Players get traded in baseball. That’s the business more than any other sport, because there are so many intricacies to each position.

But when owners have no intentions on creating a better fan experience, or keeping the stadiums up to date, well, that’s just pure robbery.

Fans really need to start divesting or boycotting in these situations. Just don’t go to the stadium and I guarantee you will see an immediate change.

The cubs have a 1914 stadium, but they knew they had to renovate to make the stadium more modern, and to create a better fan experience. They knocked that out with the quickness, and there are more changes to come.

especially the concourse. It has made for a better and more family-friendly fan experience, but the 2 things I mentioned (prices and small seats*) are an absolute killer. The prices almost completely negate the family-friendly thing.


*even my Mom is uncomfortable in those seats and she's like 5'3" and less than 100 pounds

Cool. I was going off your statement about the seats being old, and built for people from 1912.

for how mad LA fans have been since the Astros story broke, they now have their annual off-season hopes up.

P.S.

Fuck The Dodgers.

and will eventually break through. Organization is loaded from top to bottom and has been for almost a decade. Ain’t going away anytime soon.

Flash in the pan cheating franchises will fade back into irrelevance, with a fat ass asterisk disgracing their one fluke accomplishment for the rest of time.

because thats what we need. How many division titles do we have to win before we can trade up for a World Series trophy?