News and Notes for Tuesday, December 10th, 2024
With Juan Soto signing as the Winter Meetings open, the transaction wire has gone mostly quiet for the time being. Here are the only two items of note I’ve found:
Free-agent catcher Carson Kelly and the Chicago Cubs are making progress on a contract, according to sources familiar with the situation.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) December 9, 2024
Closer Jordan Romano and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a free agent contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. Romano, 31, was nontendered by Toronto earlier this offseason and joins a Phillies bullpen that lost Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez to free agency.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 9, 2024
The Astros are “open” to trading starting pitcher Framber Valdez and right-fielder Kyle Tucker, both of whom are all-stars under control for one more season. Both would make sense for the Guardians, neither will come here this winter because Cleveland isn’t paying the necessary prospect costs to have one year of a player they have no hope of extending. If both are with Houston in July and the Astros somehow fall out of contention, then it could be more of a possibility… but still remote.
Stephen Vogt had a little hit on MLB Network:
“Every lesson you learn, everyday brings new challenges… try to learn as much as possible.”
AL Manager of the Year Stephen Vogt discusses what he learned in his first year with the @CleGuardians and what’s in store for 2025.
#MLBTonight presented by @CohnReznick pic.twitter.com/zq1Ju5BNIr
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 10, 2024
The big news from yesterday was the poorly thought-out decision by Guardians’ ownership to make Guards Fest a once-every-three-years event and blame it on fan surveys only to see 99% of fans on social media wonder which fans said they wanted less interaction with their favorite players and team officials. I wrote about this short-sighted stupidity yesterday. I feel sorry for the Guardians officials who care about fan engagement and community involvement because I’m sure they didn’t ask for this and for whatever my inside sources are worth, I gather it was primarily a cost-saving measure by ownership. Bleah.
MLB Draft lottery is tonight. Here’s a preview of it.