Top News:
ESPN:
Predicting every Hall of Fame class through 2045 — Only a fool would predict the future, although Jules Verne did pretty well in a science fiction book he wrote in 1863 (though it wasn't published until 1994) titled “Paris in the Twentieth Century,” in which he predicted such technological advances …
Discussion:
Baltimore Sun, FiveThirtyEight, CBS New York, Let's Go Tribe, Major League Baseball and Pirates Breakdown
RELATED:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
The number of players elected — Three would be good, four even better, five a cause for outright celebration. — That's right, I'm rooting for a big class, and not simply because the ballot remains overcrowded. — As sabermetric web sites such as Fangraphs and FiveThirtyEight first explained …
Discussion:
Fish Stripes
ESPN:
As snubs show, WAR won't carry you to Cooperstown — It has never been less clear what a Hall of Famer is. — Oddly, it has never been more clear what a Hall of Famer did. Wednesday, for instance, we nearly elected Trevor Hoffman, who missed by just five votes.
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing
NPR.org:
President Trump's Inaugural Address, Annotated — Donald Trump is now the 45th president of the United States. NPR reporters and editors across the newsroom have annotated his inaugural address.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
Roch Kubatko / School of Roch:
The Trumbo agreement, the ripple effect and what's next — The Orioles' mock lineup for 2017 contains fewer holes as the days tick down before spring training. — Seth Smith can be penciled into right field, at least in a platoon role, and Mark Trumbo can be tabbed as the primary designated hitter …
Discussion:
BaltimoreBaseball.com, Baltimore Sun, MLB Trade Rumors and baseballmusings.com
RELATED:
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Orioles Re-Sign Mark Trumbo — 11:20am: Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun reports that Trumbo will earn $11MM per season on the deal, and he'll also receive annual payments of $1.5MM from 2020-22 in the three years immediately following the completion of his contract.
Discussion:
Baltimore Sun, Beyond the Box Score, NBCSports.com, Camden Depot, Camden Chat, Bleacher Nation and Yahoo Sports
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
The Dodgers are looking all over the place for a second baseman — The Dodgers' pursuit of Brian Dozier isn't dead and won't be dead until another second baseman is in their uniform — and who knows, even then a trade with the Twins might be possible. — The stalemate over Dozier, however …
WDTN-TV:
Officials: ‘More would have been wounded’ in school shooting if not for staff, deputies — WEST LIBERTY, Ohio (WDTN) — The victim of a school shooting was not the intended target, officials say Friday afternoon. — Logan Cole, 16, was shot multiple times by the suspect, who has not yet been named.
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers sign Ross with goal of boosting rotation for stretch run — The Texas Rangers have put the finishing touches on what they believe will be their starting rotation for most of the season. — But general manager Jon Daniels on Friday wouldn't put a finger on when right-hander Tyson Ross …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, MLB Trade Rumors and Bleacher Nation
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Rangers To Sign James Loney — The Rangers have agreed to a minor-league deal with first baseman James Loney, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). The veteran will make $1MM if he can break onto the MLB roster. — Loney, 32, played an even 100 games last year for the Mets …
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
ESPN:
Farm system rankings: The top 10 — Eight of the top 10 teams could comfortably be called rebuilders, teams that traded away major-league talent in 2016 to add prospects. Even the Yankees, whether or not they used the term, were in rebuild mode last season, landing three top-100 prospects in their two big deadline deals.
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball, Bucs Dugout, Purple Row, Pinstripe Alley, Amazin' Avenue, Brew Crew Ball, redsminorleagues.com, South Side Sox and Talking Chop
Danny Ecker / Chicago Business:
Cubs, Sox games to be live-streamed in Chicago market — CSN Chicago's Cubs and White Sox games will be live-streamed online and on mobile devices this season, free to those who get the network in their cable package. — In a long-awaited deal between Major League Baseball …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Athletics Nation and CBS Chicago
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Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Athletics Sign Alejandro De Aza To Minor League Deal — The Athletics have signed veteran outfielder Alejandro De Aza to a minor league contract and invited him to Major League Spring Training, the team announced on Friday. — De Aza, 33 in April, posted underwhelming numbers with the Mets …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and Amazin' Avenue