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The MLB lockout is in full swing and whether the sides can negotiate a mutually beneficial agreement in the near future is anyone’s guess. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t some major signings before the owners padlocked the stadium gates. Below we will discuss which players are changing uniforms this season and who will have the greatest impact.
But before we discuss the retooled lineups, let’s chat a bit about the lockout and where it currently sits. At 12:01 AM on December 2nd, Major league Baseball owners imposed the lockout, the first time in 26 years that the league has had a work stoppage. The two sides are at loggerheads and it will likely be sometime next month before the owners and the union meet again for any substantive meetings.
The short-term deleterious effects manifest in the social media pages of each team being devoid of any of the players’ images and likeness. As other leagues are getting all the press, Major League Baseball stands alone in the dark, waiting for something to materialize without exerting any effort to effectuate that end.
The question all baseball fans are asking is will this stalemate last until February, impacting spring training, or worse, delaying the start of the regular season? As of this moment, the season is not in jeopardy but if negotiations become protracted it could mean the Boys of Summer will be on the shelf instead of on the diamond.
As of this writing, the MLB odds at the best online sportsbooks are still posting odds to win the 2022 World Series. And it is rather surprising that the reigning World Series champs, the Atlanta Braves are not listed at the tippy top of that list.
The consensus odds are as follows: Los Angeles Dodgers +600, Houston Astros +850, New York Yankees +1100, Atlanta Braves +1200, New York Mets +1200, Toronto Blue Jays +1200, Chicago White Sox +1200, Tampa Bay Rays +1400, San Diego Padres +1600, and the Milwaukee Brewers +1600 to round out the Top 10.
And it should be noted that over $1.5 billion was committed to offseason signings after the end of the 2021 season and before the lockout. Some pricey free agents were inked and watching these superstars in their new uniforms should be exciting…if we ever get there.
Sizzling Signings
Thirty-seven-year-old Max Scherzer inked a three-year, $130 million, pact with the New York Mets and if he pitches as he did with the Dodgers last year then Father Time will still be chasing the perennial All-Star. Over 11 regular-season games with Los Angeles last year, Scherzer posted an immaculate 7-0 record with a 1.98 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP.
Scherzer commented on why he signed with the Mets, “(Mets owner, Steve Cohen) looks at this as he wants to win a championship, and he’s going to do whatever it takes to win. You don’t hear that from owners too often these days. When you can finally hear an owner want to do what it takes to win, obviously that piqued my interest.”
And getting to be one half of the two-headed monster at the top of the Mets’ rotation with Jacob deGrom also played a part, “The dream of pitching with him — we can do some great things together.”
As for the sky-high expectations in New York, Scherzer replied, “The pressure of this is a privilege, it’s not a problem.”
New York also bolstered their lineup with outfielders Starling Marte (.308, 12 HR, 55 RBI) and Mark Canha (.231, 17 HR, 61 RBI) in addition to infielder Eduardo Escobar (.257, 28 HR, 90 RBI). Owner Steve Cohen has already busted through the luxury tax cap and has over $266 million committed to the 2022 season and counting.
But the Mets weren’t the only ones making headlines as the Texas Rangers signed former LA Dodgers’ shortstop, Corey Seager (.306, 15 HR, 57 RBI), to a 10-year $325 million pact. And they didn’t stop there as the Rangers also wooed second baseman Marcus Semien (.265, 45 HR, 102 RBI) to a seven-year, $175 million deal before signing pitcher John Gray (8-12, 4.59 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) to a four-year pact at $14 million per annum.
Seager remarked that it was the front office, Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels, and general manager Chris Young, that sold him on the club.
“Just the people in general here. Knowing Woody from L.A., getting in the meetings with C.Y. and J.D., and really understanding where they’re coming from and knowing where I’m coming from, the stars just aligned and it’s a great fit. … They’re ready to go. They want to start building this thing and they wanted us to be a part of it. Proving they’re ready by going out and getting guys like Semien, Kole, and Gray, and not being done yet. That’s really exciting as a player and it’s something you want to be a part of.”
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