Top News:
J.J. Cooper / Baseball America:
Start of Minor League Season At Double-A And Class A To Be Delayed — Major League Baseball sent a memo to minor league teams on Monday informing them that the 2021 minor league season at Double-A and the Class A levels will be delayed. — MLB told minor league teams that spring training …
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Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
MLB threatens harsh discipline for teams violating facility access protocols before spring training — PHOENIX — Major League Baseball sent a detailed memo to its 30 teams Monday restricting access to their facilities and limiting voluntary workouts before the start of spring training …
Discussion:
Plain Dealer, NBCSports.com, Royals Review, Bleacher Nation, Lookout Landing and MLB Baseball News …
Evan Drellich / The Athletic:
Why MLB's 2021 spring training is still likely to start on time — As the new year begins, spring training for the 2021 Major League Baseball season remains on schedule. Camps in Arizona and Florida are slated to open in the middle of February, just six weeks from now, and teams and their players have begun to prepare.
Ken Rosenthal / The Athletic:
Lindor trade market; digging into the Darvish, Snell deals; more notes — The Mookie Betts trade, a rival executive was saying on Tuesday night, amounted to a perfect storm. The Dodgers had a win-now mentality, the money to absorb Betts' original $27 million salary for 2020, and interest in signing him long-term.
Jeff McLane / The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Eagles players, coaches were shocked by Doug Pederson's QB switch, resulting in sideline confrontations — When Doug Pederson pulled Jalen Hurts for Nate Sudfeld early in the fourth quarter in Sunday's season finale against Washington, many Eagles players and coaches were shocked and outraged, team sources told The Inquirer.
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Kyle Koster / The Big Lead:
Sal Paolantonio Wants Roger Goodell to Investigate the Philadelphia Eagles — NFL teams have been trying, well, not quite their hardest to win football games for a long time. Something about the way Philadelphia Eagles went about that process last night, though, feels different and has ignited some strong opinions.
Discussion:
Pro Golf Now and SideLion Report
Stephen Douglas / The Big Lead:
The NFL Must Protect the Cleveland Browns' Playoff Game at All Costs — The Cleveland Browns are the latest NFL team to face a COVID outbreak. The timing could not be worse for the Browns as they have a playoff game on Sunday night. They will be without their head coach Kevin Stefanski and their All-Pro guard Joel Bitonio.
Discussion:
Blue Line Station, Hardwood Houdini, Newcastle Toons, ProFootballTalk, FoodSided and Guilty Eats
al.com:
COVID-19 concerns threaten to disrupt national title game — In the latest twist of a season full of disruptions, there are COVID-19 related concerns that threaten to disrupt Monday's national championship game between Alabama and Ohio State. — There are concerns related …
Discussion:
Land-Grant Holy Land, The Big Lead, ProFootballTalk, Bleacher Nation, UPROXX, DraftKings Nation and Roll 'Bama Roll
Jeff Passan / ESPN:
Five things Jeff Passan is hearing: The slowest MLB offseason ever, who could sign next and more — The MLB trade market got the offseason moving thanks to A.J. Preller and the Padres trading for both Yu Darvish and Blake Snell in the same week. The free-agent market? Well, that's another story.
Discussion:
Union-News, MLB Daily Dish, Pinstripe Alley, BoSox Injection, McCovey Chronicles and Beyond the Box Score
Shi Davidi / Sportsnet.ca:
Star closer Liam Hendriks seen visiting Blue Jays' complex in Dunedin — TORONTO - Closer Liam Hendriks, the top reliever available in free agency, was seen Monday visiting the Toronto Blue Jays' new complex in Dunedin, Fla., according to a source. — The recruitment visit …
Discussion:
CBSSports.com, NBCSports.com, True Blue LA, The Good Phight, MLB Trade Rumors and MLB Baseball News …
Eno Sarris / The Athletic:
Why missing in-game video meant a poor season for Christian Yelich (and others) — He predicted his own demise. Christian Yelich was talking about the natural variance that a short season provides, but maybe he had an idea of what was coming for him in the 2020 season when he said in July that we were …
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes, Cubs Insider and Bleacher Nation
Carlos Collazo / Baseball America:
MLB Mock Draft — With 2020 finally behind us, it's a good time to take an early look at the 2021 draft and forecast how the talent will line up on July 11. — As always with mock drafts this early, it's important to note this is more of a guessing game and general preview of how the draft class is shaping up.
Discussion:
PBN Pirates, True Blue LA, Halos Heaven, Bless You Boys, Over the Monster and Talking Chop
Buster Olney / ESPN:
A blockbuster for an elite shortstop? Why Colorado Rockies might need to trade Trevor Story now — Because of Francisco Lindor's rapid ascension on Major League Baseball's stage, and because of Cleveland's long-standing payroll limitations and its history of dealing its biggest stars …
Discussion:
Purple Row, Bluebird Banter and Bleed Cubbie Blue