Matt Breen

Colorado is like that as well. New car can cost you $800-1000 (and that's just the first year) to register. I had a Ford Escape that cost me around $850 the first year. The next year it was $600+.

Didn't you just answer your own question? Wanted a lot more money than Kirk and he couldn't pass a physical. Those are two good reasons he's unemployed. Add in playing time. Pagan might simply be looking for a situation that will get him more playing time (not to mention money). I think it's pretty simple.

Rickie got plowed over by a base runner in fair territory the other day... http://www.draysbay.com/2017/4/12/15278064/yankees-brett-gardner-rays-rickie-weeks-jr-collision-first-base Look at the picture of Gardner in the article. He looks like he's wearing a fake skull cap in a crappy movie.

Sox Clinch Series With 5-1 Win Hader one-hits Nashville for second win of 2017. By Robby Veronesi / Colorado Springs Sky Sox Josh Hader threw a one-hitter against a PCL opponent for the second time in 2017 and earned his second win at Nashville Sunday afternoon. (Photo: Paat Kelly) Colorado Springs Box Score In six innings of work, Josh Hader gave up one run, one hit and four walks while striking out five to lead the Sky Sox to a 5-1 victory over the Nashville Sounds. In 14 innings this year, Hader has given up just seven hits - but walked 11. Hader was ably supported by Stephen Kholsheen, Tyler Cravy and Rob Scahill, none of whom gave up a run in relief. Lewis Brinson (2-5) and Brett Phillips (3-5) lead the Sky Sox hitters, who managed nine hits and drew three walks. After a rough start in 2017, Phillips has raised his batting average to .278. Garrett Cooper (1-5) extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the 5th. The team was 3-16 with runners in scoring position. Colorado Springs Game Log The Sky Sox scored twice in the 5th and then the 8th. Col. Springs Top of the 5th Kyle Wren pops out to shortstop Franklin Barreto. Lewis Brinson singles on a ground ball to shortstop Franklin Barreto. Lewis Brinson advances to 2nd, on a throwing error by shortstop Franklin Barreto. Eric Sogard walks. Ryan Cordell grounds into a force out, third baseman Renato Nunez to second baseman Melvin Mercedes. Lewis Brinson to 3rd. Eric Sogard out at 2nd. Ryan Cordell to 1st. Garrett Cooper singles on a ground ball to center fielder Kenny Wilson. Lewis Brinson scores. Ryan Cordell to 2nd. Brett Phillips singles on a line drive to center fielder Kenny Wilson. Ryan Cordell scores. Garrett Cooper to 2nd. Nate Orf flies out to left fielder Matt McBride. Col. Springs Top of the 8th Pitching Change: Ross Detwiler replaces Chris Jensen. Brett Phillips singles on a ground ball to second baseman Melvin Mercedes. Nate Orf walks. Brett Phillips to 2nd. Andrew Susac bunt pops out to catcher Ryan Lavarnway in foul territory. Yadiel Rivera strikes out swinging. Kyle Wren singles on a ground ball to shortstop Franklin Barreto. Brett Phillips scores. Nate Orf to 3rd. With Lewis Brinson batting, Nate Orf steals (1) home. Lewis Brinson flies out to right fielder Mark Canha.

Toronto had five starters make 29 or more starts. Happ and Estrada are older guys who had their best - or near best - season of their careers. That was a recipe for regression - at least on the pitching staff. They've got a 34 year old catcher, a 36 year old outfielder, a 32 year old SS, a 34 year old DH, and a 31 year old 3B - something is bound to break. Again, all of it is a recipe for an implosion. Honestly, I'm not blaming the Blue Jays for giving it a try. It's just a risky proposition with so many older players. And it's still really early - so they could get it together yet.

The more I look at this, the more curious this acquisition becomes because we have to use this by June 15. First thing, most of the major international players have already signed. As someone noted, are there really that many quality prospects still available during this signing period? Perhaps there are - I just don't know the rules of who becomes eligible and when. I do know that some guys become available at odd times - specifically the Cuban players who have had to take up residency in another country. It just takes time for them to get their residency, and then MLB to recognize them. Luis Robert is probably the most talented of these players. He's hoping to be cleared by June 15 by MLB to sign - thus he won't be subject to the new international spending limits. However, he'll get a ton of money if he's declared a FA prior to June 15. Thus, it's likely that a team like San Diego - which has already committed $70-80M during the past year to international players - will just bite the bullet, give him $10M or $15M or whatever - and take the penalty. The extra $885,300 isn't going to land us a guy like Robert. Again, are there other quality players that just haven't signed? And if there are, is the $885,300 really going to get them? Again, let's say there is an international player or two the we really like. Why isn't a team like the Padres (or whoever) just outbid us? I mean, they've blown through $80M - why not $85M at this point? So I'm not sure what the $885,300 does for us. Maybe it just allows us to add a bunch of lower ranked guys - but again, who are these players? If they were that good, why haven't they already signed? My only guess is that some players just emerge over the course of the past year, and we can use the money to try and get a few of them. I'm assuming we have a plan of some kind - so it will be interesting to see what we do. It would have been nice if this had been for the next signing period - but such is life.

Suter Silences Sounds, 6-1 Sox offense scores four runs in the final three innings to blow open pitcher's duel. By Robby Veronesi / Colorado Springs Sky Sox Brent Suter went five innings in an efficient 2017 debut for the Sky Sox, throwing 74 pitches (47 for strikes) at Nashville Saturday night. (Photo: Paat Kelly) Colorado Springs Box Score Ryan Cordell (1-4) smacked a 2-run homer (his 3rd of the season) in the first inning, giving the Sky Sox a lead that they would never relinquish. The Sky Sox pitchers, lead by Brent Suter (5 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, 2BB, 3K), Andrew Barbosa (2 IP, 0 ER, 5K), and Wei-Chung Wang (1 IP, 0 ER, 1K), limited Nashville to just one run on six hits and five walks. In addition to Cordell's home run, Brett Phillips (2-3, BB) and Tyler Heineman (2-4) each had a pair of hits. Garrett Cooper had a single in the 8th inning to extend his hitting streak to nine games. The team again struggled with runners in scoring position, going 2-12. The Sky Sox are now 6-3 for the season. Colorado Springs Game Log

Sky Sox One-Hit Memphis, 3-1, To Secure Series Split Woodruff, Archer, Blazek, Scahill combine for the feat. By Robby Veronesi / Colorado Springs Sky Sox Brandon Woodruff, Tristan Archer, Michael Blazek and Rob Scahill combined to throw the fourth nine-inning one-hitter in Sky Sox history Friday night in Memphis. (Photo: Paat Kelly) Colorado Springs Box Score Brewer pitchers allowed just one hit and one unearned run - while Ryan Cordell (2-5, HR, 2RBI) mashed his second home of the season - as the Sky Sox scored a 3-1 victory over the Memphis Redbirds. The Sky Sox hitters kept the Memphis pitchers on the ropes all night, collection 10 hits, but they could only manage to plate three runs as they left 10 runners on base. In addition to Cordell’s heroics, Ivan De Jesus, Jr. (4-4, 3B) had four hits, and Eric Sogard (2-5, 2B) had two. Garrett Cooper (1-4) had a single to extend his hitting streak to eight games. Cooper and Brett Phillips each struck out three times. Despite only giving up only one hit all night, the Sky Sox pitchers gave the Redbirds their chances thanks to two hit batsmen, four walks, a wild pitch and an error. Brandon Woodward overcame a some early wildness to get the win. Woodward lead off the game by hitting the first Redbird batter, then walked a pair. He almost escaped unharmed except for an error by Garrett Cooper allowed an unearned run to score. For the game, Woodward didn’t allow an earned run in five innings. He walked three and allowed only one hit, while striking out five. Tristan Archer and Michael Blazek handled innings six, seven and eight to perfection - allowing no runs, hits or walks. Rob Scahill would make thing interesting in the 9th - picking a bad time to get wild. He would walk one, then hit a batter, and then add a wild pitch, before settling down and closing out the game for his second save of the season. Colorado Springs Game Log The Sky Sox started off the game with three consecutive hits, loading the bases. But strike outs by Garrett Cooper and Brett Phillips - followed by a fly out from Andrew Susac - ended the scoring threat. Col. Springs Top of the 1st Lewis Brinson singles on a line drive to center fielder Harrison Bader. Eric Sogard singles on a ground ball to right fielder Tommy Pham. Lewis Brinson to 2nd. Ryan Cordell singles on a fly ball to right fielder Tommy Pham. Lewis Brinson to 3rd. Eric Sogard to 2nd. Garrett Cooper strikes out swinging. Brett Phillips strikes out swinging. Andrew Susac flies out to right fielder Tommy Pham.

Colorado Springs starts out with three hits to load the bases in the 1st inning - then strikeout, strikeout, flyout. Brutal.

Wow. Says that Mets 1B Dom Smith has dropped 24 lbs in the off season.

I've never studied this. I assume if a team trades for a pick, you also add the value allocated to that pick to the team's total money available for the draft. That is correct.

http://deadspin.com/matt-adams-defeated-by-fly-ball-1794087534 Video is priceless.

I've said Buehler was the guy to target since last summer. Supposedly the Dodgers really love him - so I doubt it happens.

To echo jerichoholicninja, Magnifico had a great arm - but the command was spotty. Also, the fastball didn't seem to have much movement on it. The 100 mph fastball is great, but without much movement or control, he was questionable. I'm a little surprised it happened so quickly this year. I mean, they knew what they had last fall, so why take up a roster spot if you really never believed in the guy? Perhaps they were hoping to see something in spring training - something that never occurred. Goforth is another guy in this same mold. Good heat, but lack of control, and the fastball doesn't seem to do much.

oliver drake nesting doll giveaway has just been announced for 31 august vs. the washington nationals. Doah. Bad guy in a Bond movie.

Oliver Drake sounds like a British spy name. Or the snooty bad guy in a Bond movie (British, of course).

Cooper, Espino Lead Sox To First Road Win, 8-2 Sox offense erupts as Cooper records four-hit, four-RBI night. By Robby Veronesi / Colorado Springs Sky Sox Garrett Cooper singled in the first inning to extend his season-opening hitting streak to seven games. (Photo: Paat Kelly) Colorado Springs Box Score Garrett Cooper must be mad that BF.net readers have ignored him in the Top 25 prospect poll. But I promise, more days like this will get him noticed. Cooper pounded out four of Colorado Springs 10 hits in an 8-2 victory over the Memphis Redbirds. Cooper (4-5) had a double and a home run while driving in four runs. The other exciting news from Memphis was the return of Lewis Brinson (1-5, HR), who had missed five games with a dislocated finger. Brinson hit a home run to lead off the game. On the mound, Paolo Espino threw six solid inning, surrounding two earned runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out six. Tyler Cravy and Wei-Chung Wang would work the final three innings without surrendering any hits, walks or runs. Nice job, gentlemen. In other news, Andrew Susac (1-4) saw his first action of 2017. He had a single in four at bats - as well as an RBI - but he did strike out three times. Colorado Springs Game Log The Sky Sox just kept the pressure on the Redbirds all game, scoring in four different innings. They had 10 hits, a pair of walks, and capitalized on two Memphis errors.

Do people - at all levels of baseball - seem to be getting hit more and more? More power pitchers. More wildness. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like more and more guys are getting hit by hard pitches (not talking about 81 mile curveballs).

Copy and paste error. Has been fixed.

Kirby is in extended Spring Training as well - if I am correct.

Nice that Arroyo still can serve up so many tatters. They be tasty.

Hah! I do that every time. For some reason I get something stuck in my head like that and don't bother to check it. I think I made Medeiros a right hander one time.

Sad to see that Hall of Famer Lou Brock has bone cancer. http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/cardinals-announce-hall-of-famer-lou-brock-has-cancer/

Notes from the 2017 pre-season poll: - All opinions in the write ups are my own. - I noticed a distinct tier of players. They went as follows: -- Tier 1 - Brinson, Hader, Diaz, Erceg, Ortiz, Ray, Woodruff -- Tier 2 - Clark, Dubon, Diplan, Bickford, Phillips -- Tier 3 - Ponce, Cordell, Lopez -- Tier 4 - the rest - Former NY Jet quarterback Chad Pennington received a vote. - I am sorry to say that I had to look up who Thomas Jankins and Jean Carmona were. - Brent Suter is at 25 innings pitched as he inches toward losing his prospect status - I think Jacob Barnes got forgotten by many since he is in the big leagues. - Sad to see Tyrone Taylor get one vote.

The 2017 Pre-Season BF.net Community Top 25 is complete. We had 36 ballots. Thanks very much for everyone’s input. Lewis Brinson took the top spot on 27 of the 36 ballots. Josh Hader, Isan Diaz, Lucas Erceg and Brett Suter each had one. Newcomers to Top 25: Mauricio Dubon (new at #9), T. Williams (re-entry at #22), Orimoloye (re-entry at #25) Exited the Top 25: Wei-Chung Wang (fell to #33), Brent Suter (fell to #27), Delvin Williams (fell to #37) Number of ballots: 36 Number of players on ballots: 59 Mr. Irrelevant (1 point): Luis Aviles, Jesus Aguilar, Thomas Jankins, Dustin Houle, Adrian Houser Risers: Taylor Williams (12 spots), Erceg (7 spots), Cordell (3 spots) Fallers: D. Williams (15 spots), Wang (8 spots), Bickford (6 spots), Medeiros (6 spots), Phillips (6 spots) Players with a decent chance to be ineligible for the next poll: Jacob Barnes, Brent Suter If you see any mistakes, please let me know. Sometimes autocorrect will trick me. Other times I just mess something up. I will update as needed. We'll likely do a new list after the trade deadline.