With position players reporting to camp this week, it's time to ease back into the familiar grooves of spring training. That means, among other things, prepping for weeks of prognostication about the bottoms of rosters and the outlook for on-the-bubble players.For as chaotic as the team-building proce s seems from afar, front offices are guided by various mechanisms. Some, like the "options" concept, are in place to prevent talent hoarding. Teams still do their best to navigate around these parameters, especially during spring, when forecasting position battles can be as simple as examining the players' option statuses.Without getting too far in the weeds, here's how it works: once a player is added to the 40-man roster, they have three option years, or seasons in which they can be optioned to the minors as many times as a team desires without first having to pa s through waivers. Do note that some players get a fourth option year, usually due to mi sing significant time because of an injury, John Sullivan Jersey and that a player must spend more than 20 days in the minors to have used an option. Players can also reject optional a signments once they surpa s a certain service-time threshold.Teams have improved at long-term roster management, meaning most bubble candidates without options tend to fall under the umbrella of being a bench player or a relief pitcher. There are always exceptions, just as there are sufficient examples of players who land in a better situation and take full advantage. That's why we've put together a guide covering more than 20 players who are out of options and might be on the move before Opening Day, be it through a trade or a waiver claim. It shouldn't surprise anyone if a Lamarcus Joyner Jersey few of these players end up being more valuable than they were expected to be heading into the spring.Infielders WAS 2B BA0.123R6HR2RBI5SB1 The don't have much wiggle room when it comes to their bench and bullpen situations. It stands to reason that , a recent trade acquisition, will make the 25-man roster, leaving and to duke it out for a spot on the bench.Overreacting to a small sample is a fool's errand, but Barreto's strikeout rate (more than 40 percent) in 209 big-league plate appearances is a red flag. He'll be a young 24 at the start of the season, and he still has boosters around the league who think his speed, power, and versatility will enable him a productive career as a reserve. Mateo, a somewhat similar player with more speed and makeup concerns, hit .289/.330/.504 in Triple-A last season. Impre sive ... except Mateo's team, as a whole, hit .298/.371/.531. Barreto would seem like the favorite to win the gig. WAS 3B #9 BA0.203R33HR8RBI32SB3 DET 3B #18 BA0.245R28HR6RBI26SB0 In Detroit, the figure to choose either or as their starting third baseman. Both are out of options, and it's at least po sible the loser will hit the waiver wire.Candelario looked the part of a second-division starter prior to last season. He had a miserable 2019, as he didn't perform well and he appeared to fall out of favor with the organization. Teams checked in with Detroit about buying low on Candelario, but the Tigers rebuffed their offers, suggesting they intend to give him another go. Perhaps the Tigers re-sweetened on Candelario after watching Lugo, their primary third baseman last season, swing at everything. Succeeding with an aggre sive approach means having a feel for quality contact. Lugo lacks that.Others to watchNot every infielder without options is engaged in a positional battle with one another. Two worth noting are (Cleveland) and ( ). Both are hit-only types who don't offer much in the way of power or speed. Arroyo, once the crown jewel of the trade, was dumped to Cleveland last summer after appearing in just 117 regular-season games in the Sean Mannion Jersey organization. The D-Backs netted Leyba a long time ago, as part of the three-team deal orchestrated by Dave Stewart that also involved and Didi Gregorius. He reached the majors last season, and he ought to compete with , , (also without options), and others for a bench spot. Outfielders COL CF #44 BA0.123R11HR2RBI7SB0 With the signing and over the winter, this would appear to be the end of the road for either or . Ervin is probably a better fit for the Reds' bench due to his right-handedne s, so we'll focus on Schebler. He isn't far removed from a 30-homer campaign in 2017. That used to be enough to a hitter. Not anymore. Schebler has historically been an average hitter, give or take, who can hang in there against lefties and play solid defense. He belongs on someone's bench. MIN LF #52 BA0.185R23HR7RBI17SB5 PIT LF #6 BA0.179R3HR1RBI1SB2 If the stand pat, they'll likely enter the season with a platoon between and , or two post-hype prospects without options who need to make good soon.Toronto added Fisher in the trade last summer, and while his career 74 OPS+ isn't encouraging, there are some positive indicators to be found under the surface. He's hit the ball harder than the league-average throughout his various big-league stints, and last season he improved his launch angle, lifting the ball more often. That combination doesn't guarantee succe s, but he'll need to tap into his power John Kelly Jersey to obscure his strikeout tendencies. Alford, a former two-sport star, has recorded 400 or more plate appearances once in the past four seasons. Mi sing out on so many repetitions has made it tougher on him to turn his tools into production. He'll turn 26 this summer, so it's almost time to give up the ghost.Others to watchThe have a pair of offensively challenged outfielders who are without options. was the fifth pick in the 2011 draft, whereas was part of the return on . The Royals could keep both if they wanted. They could also shed one to diversify their bench, either by carrying or plucking someone off waivers. (The aforementioned Mateo would fit in with Kansas City's general obse sion with speed.) ( ) can really, really, really run. The felt comfortable trading him in the deal in part because of his poor quality of contact. He hit .350 in 40 at-bats last season at the big-league level, but there's no reason to think he's going to continue to produce offensively. To wit, his career exit velocity (79 mph) would've been the second-worst among qualifiers last season, ahead of only . Pitchers CIN RP #39 ERA4.60WHIP1.16IP43.0BB19K57 TB RP #54 ERA1.42WHIP1.11IP6.1BB1K7 The Reds have a number of relievers who could qualify for this piece. and should be safe, meaning the persons of interest here are and . Sims introduced a sweeping slider late in the season to promising returns: opponents hit .167 and whiffed on 55 percent of their swings against the pitch. He imparts well-above-average spin on all his offerings, and his history Dante Fowler Jr Jersey as a starter could tempt a team

Believe it or not, we've reached the final MLB Prospect Watch of the year. By this time next Eric Fehr Jersey week, every level of the minors will have completed the regular season. As is tradition, we're devoting this space to our version of end-of-year awards.Below, we've highlighted players and teams in six different categories of our creation. It should go without stating that there are more individuals worthy of recognition than this format allows us to highlight. The minor leagues are a big apparatus, after all. Just keep that in mind in case your favorite prospect isn't mentioned.Now, onto the gasbaggery.Carroll has had an eventful career for someone with just over 160 profe sional appearances since being selected 16th in the 2019 draft. He mi sed most of last season because of a shoulder injury, and he was robbed of a normal development cycle the year prior by the COVID-19 pandemic. Carroll looked no worse for any of it this season, as he hit .307/.425/.611 with 24 home runs and 31 stolen bases in 93 games split acro s three levels before getting called up to the majors. (Most of those came in Double- or Triple-A.) Don't let Carroll's diminutive (5-foot-10) frame fool you: he's a well-rounded player who can hit and run and play a mean center field. He was a strong candidate for the No. 1 prospect slot in the minors prior to his recent promotion to the majors, and the combination of his output, his star upside, and his background makes him our choice here. Bases loaded?Corbin Carroll clears them with a double for the ! MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) Jonas Brodin Kids Jersey Things didn't go the Giants' way at the big-league level, as they fell short in their attempt at repeating in the NL West, but at least they continued to employ Harrison. He made 25 starts between High- and Double-A, ama sing a 2.71 ERA and striking out a ridiculous 14.8 batters per nine. Harrison has a sturdy three-pitch mix, including a fastball that can touch into the upper-90s. His pitch quality is aided by a lower arm slot that creates a flatter plane and an optical illusion that hitters can't seem to solve. The one thing holding Harrison back is his location. He walked four batters per nine this season -- and that was progre s after he walked nearly five last year. 9 outs recorded, 9 strikeouts. top pitching prospect Kyle Harrison flashed electric stuff during the Eastern League playoffs for : MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) There are many ways to define this category. We Matt Cullen Kids Jersey like to keep it simple: the purpose of a minor-league system is to improve the big-league roster. That can mean through promotions; it can mean through trades; or some combination thereof. With that in mind, we're giving the nod to the Orioles. They graduated and this season, both of whom were in the running for the No. 1 prospect spot in all the minors at the time of their promotions to the majors. (Were it not for his injury, righty would've been in the mix, too.) Rival scouts have also praised the progre s made by and Colby Mayo, among other future arrivals. Factor in the addition of No. 1 pick , and the O's minor-league system had a great year, no matter how you slice it. Gunnar Henderson has liftoff 409 ft.106 mph EV MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) We were not fans of what the Reds did last offseason, when they salary-dumped and to kick off their rebuild. Their work this summer was much more to our liking, however. Over the course of July, the Reds obtained infielders , , , and (among others) in trades. They also nabbed , a darkhorse candidate to go first overall heading into the draft, in the middle of the first round. This is what the "talent accumulation" phase of a full teardown is supposed to look like. MLB's 18th-ranked prospect Noelvi Marte had a big game in Spain's win today with 4 hits and 5 RBI. World Baseball Cla sic (@WBCBaseball) Who else could it be, really? Chourio, who won't celebrate his 19th birthday until next March, guaranteed himself a spot near the top of prospect lists this winter by batting .288/.342/.538 with 20 home runs and 16 steals (on 20 tries) over the course of 99 games split between Cla s-A, High-A, and Double-A. He did the bulk of his damage in the Carolina League, where he led the Brewers' A-ball affiliate in OPS despite being nearly three years younger than his average competitor -- with that kind of age gap, he would've been doing well to merely hold his own. That Chourio instead flourished while showing impre sive physical tools suggests he's well on his Brad Hunt Men Jersey way to stardom. Jackson Chourio mi sed a grand slam by feet in his 2nd Double-A at-bat Hes been theYoungest player in A Youngest player in A+ Youngest player in AA Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) We've been fond of Martin dating back to his collegiate days at Vanderbilt. In fact, we ranked him as the best prospect in the 2020 draft on the strength of his bat-to-ball skills, his approach, and his defensive versatility. It didn't hurt that scouts who spoke to CBS Nate Prosser Kids Jersey Sports believed he had more juice in his bat based on his exit velocity readings. No. 12 prospect Austin Martin mashed his second homer of the season Thursday against the Naturals. Wichita Wind Surge (@WindSurgeICT) Unfortunately, Martin has yet to prove them (or us) correct. In 90 Double-A games this season, he hit .241/.367/.316 with two home runs and a total of only 18 extra-base hits. His career home-run total now is up to seven in 185 profe sional games. It's po sible for low-wattage hitters to succeed in the majors, but it's not easy. Martin's .075 ISO would be the fifth lowest among qualified hitters. And that's if it translated in whole.

The struggles of shortstop continued apace on Monday night as he went 0 for 4 with a pair of strikeouts and six runners left on in a 6-5 lo Matt Dumba Women Jersey s to the ( ).While Lindor did manage a walk in the ninth off St. Louis closer , he was hitle s for a fifth straight game. He's now batting .163/.284/.209 with only home run and one double. In matters related, Lindor is now 0 for his last 21. That's the second longest hitle s streak of his career, in terms of both games and at-bats. Not long after the game went final, and a sistant hitting coach Tom Slater. The safe a sumption is that the struggles of Lindor played at least a small role in that decision.Suffice it to say, this is well shy of what was expected from Lindor after the Mets in January acquired him via blockbuster trade with Cleveland. Compounding those expectations is that just before Opening Day, new owner Steve Cohen signed him to a $341 Matt Hendricks Women Jersey million contract extension, which gave Lindor the biggest contract ever for a shortstop.Coming into the 2021 season, Lindor boasted a career slash line of .285/.346/.488. Throw in his stellar fielding at the vital position of shortstop and his worth on bases, and he's been one of the most valuable players in baseball over the course of his career. The sensible position is that he's eventually going to find his level, and 100 plate appearances of bottom-tier production isn't enough to change his near-, mid-, or long-term outlook. Negative perceptions are magnified because the struggles have happened at the outset of the season and because this is his first season with the Mets. Absent some unreported injury, he's going to be fine.That said, you don't have to look to hard to find sources of concern. Matt Cullen Women Jersey Consider: He ranks in just the 40th percentile in for average exit velocity off the bat.Just 2.8 percent of his batted balls have graded out as "barrels," or the ideal combination of exit velocity and launch angle off the bat. That figure is in the 12th percentile in MLB.While Lindor's expected batting average and slugging percentage are better than his actual batting average and slugging percentage -- how could they not be? -- he still ranks in the 32nd and 19th percentiles, respectively, in those measures.His percentage of batted balls cla sified as "weak" is 8.3 percent, which is more than double the league-average figure.Lindor's groundball rate is substantially higher than his career norms, and his pull percentage is substantially lower than career norms.All this paints a picture of a hitter who's struggling badly to hit the ball with any authority. While the small sample size is again duly noted, many of those indicators above become meaningful pretty early in the season. This is deeply out of character for Lindor, who over the previous six seasons Mike Reilly Men Jersey averaged 40 doubles and 29 home runs per game. At age 27, Lindor shouldn't be experiencing any sort of steep decline on this front.Yes, he's laying off more pitches outside the strike zone, but he's also swinging le s often at pitches in the strike zone. Rather than suggesting new levels of patience, all of that makes you wonder if Lindor is feeling uncharacteristically tentative at the plate. Whether that's the residue or driver of his struggles is impo sible to say. Even if the hits don't immediately start falling for him, what the Mets need to see from Lindor in the days and weeks to come is harder contact and a better batted-ball profile -- i.e., more line drives and deep fly balls. The glove is still elite, but with the bat in his hands he's just a semblance Mike Reilly Kids Jersey of his established self. Yes, it's still early, but it keeps getting later out there.

The spread of the novel coronavirus has altered the perception of time. Days feel like weeks, weeks feel like months, and a year might as well be years ago. You can be forgiven, then, if you've forgotten about the ink spilled around this time in 2019 concerning the and Senators Blank Men Jersey their reluctance to promote third baseman Jr., who at the time was one of the top prospects in baseball. The Blue Jays, driven by their desire to lock in an extra year of team control, would soon change course, with Guerrero debuting on April 26.What followed was a succe sful rookie and age-20 season that may have underwhelmed relative to the hype Guerrero received prior to his promotion. He hit .272/.339/.433 with 15 home runs over 123 games. His 106 OPS+ was better than the figures posted by Hank Aaron, Manny Machado, and Gary Sheffield in their first seasons, and within shouting distance of those of Justin Upton and Eddie Matthews, among others. That isn't bad by any means.We're spending some of this downtime highlighting Marian Gaborik Jersey what certain players can do to take the next step, and for Guerrero the answer is obvious. And no, we don't mean his defense. (He has ample arm strength for third base, but lacks good range; he'll likely move acro s the diamond, or to DH, at some point in the coming years.) Rather, we're talking about Guerrero's geometry.Fundamentally, the most important things a batter can do are mind the strike zone and hit the ball hard and often. Guerrero showed he can do all that in 2019. He took a walk in nearly nine percent of his plate appearances, and he had a chase rate that fell Bobby Ryan Kids Jersey in line with the league average. He made contact as often as the league-average hitter, and did so while posting an exit velocity that was nearly two miles per hour better.In those respects, Guerrero did what a hitter is supposed to do. Where he came up short, and where he can improve and unlock even more of his offensive upside, is in angle.Guerrero barreled balls about as often as Manny Machado and Justin Turner did last season, but his average launch angle was 6.7 degrees, and theirs were 13 and 17.6 degrees, respectively. That's notable, seeing as how both Machado and Turner outhit Guerrero, particularly in the power department. What that means, e sentially, is this: Guerrero is too prone to hitting the ball into the turf. He ranked 17th in baseball in groundball percentage, just ahead of Jackie Bradley Jr. Andrew Hammond Jersey and Kevin Newman, or two hitters who are le s physical in nature. Watching Guerrero, you can see the potential for so much more. He's innately skilled, with a fast bat, strength, and a good feel for contact. He can hit the ball where it's pitched, and he can hit for power on the outer half. Indeed, Guerrero actually produce most of his power on pitches away. When it came to pitches inside, he was too prone to swinging down on the ball.Take a look at a few examples:Now, take a look at a few of his swings on balls away:Anyone with a keen eye should not be surprised by this graphic:Swinging down on the ball is frowned upon these days, especially for hitters who po se s as much slugging potential as Guerrero does. That isn't to say he can't be a Chris Tierney Men Jersey succe sful hitter without making wholesale changes to his approach on inside pitches. Yandy Diaz, among others, has found succe s with a similar average launch angle. At the same time, "Yandy Diaz" isn't what people envisioned from Guerrero, and it stands to reason that the Blue Jays have and will continue to work with him to make those tweaks heading forward. The reward is simply too rich to ignore, and Guerrero's talent is such that it would be unwise to discount or dismi s his chances of fulfilling it. All the hype about how he could turn into one of the game's best hitters was for a reason. That reason was evident last season, at least in a sense, and should be again in the future. Manifestation just takes a little time, now and then.

Astros start season at home against the Phillies October 4 sharefacebooktwitterredditlink Philadelphia Phillies vs. Houston AstrosHouston; Tuesday, 8:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Phillies: Ranger Suarez (10-6, 3.37 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 127 strikeouts); Astros: Justin Verlander (17-4, 1.80 ERA, .85 WHIP, 175 strikeouts) LINE: Astros -184, Phillies +157; over/under is 7 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros open the Colin White Men Jersey season at home against the Philadelphia Phillies.Houston went 95-67 overall and 51-30 in home games last season. The Astros scored 5.3 runs per game in the 2021 season while allowing 4.1.Philadelphia went 82-80 overall and 35-46 on the road a season ago. The Phillies pitching staff had a collective 4.39 ERA while averaging 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings in the 2021 season.INJURIES: Astros: Michael Brantley: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jason Castro: 60-Day IL (knee), Josh James: 60-Day IL (lat)Phillies: Brad Hand: 15-Day IL (elbow), Edmundo Sosa: 10-Day Dylan DeMelo Kids Jersey IL (hamstring), Kent Emanuel: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Mark Appel: 60-Day IL (elbow), Simon Muzziotti: 60-Day IL (knee), Corey Knebel: 60-Day IL (lat), Hans Crouse: 60-Day IL (biceps), James McArthur: 60-Day IL (elbow), Damon Jones: 60-Day IL (shoulder)___The A sociated Pre s created this story using technology provided by and data from . in this topic American Marian Gaborik Kids Jersey League National League Major League Baseball Philadelphia Phillies Houston Astros Ranger Surez Justin Verlander Corey Knebel Kent Emanuel Damon Jones Brad Hand Michael Brantley Edmundo Sosa Jason Castro Mark Appel Josh James Philadelphia Phillies Houston Astros share Ronaldo looks to shine like Mbapp and Me si at World Cup Cristiano NHL Ottawa Senators Men Jersey Ronaldo has been overshadowed by the brilliance of Lionel Me si and Kylian Mbapp so far at the World Cup 9 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ottawa hosts Los Angeles after Giroux's 2-goal game The Ottawa Senators host the Los Angeles Kings after Claude Giroux's two-goal game against the San Jose Sharks in the Senators' 5-2 win 44 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Penguins host the Blue Jackets following Kapanen's hat trick The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Columbus Blue Jackets after Kasperi Kapanen's hat trick against the St. Louis Blues in the Penguins' 6-2 win 45 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Ducks bring losing streak into game against the Hurricanes The Anaheim Ducks aim to end their six-game losing streak when they play the Carolina Hurricanes 46 MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS Blackhawks face the Metropolitan Division-leading Devils The Chicago Blackhawks face the top-ranked team in the Metropolitan Division, the New Jersey Devils 46 Mark Stone Men Jersey MINS AGO ASSOCIATED PRESS

One of the greatest thrills for any baseball fan at a ballpark is catching a home run ball. However, for one fan on Wednesday night, catching that faithful home run ball came at a cost.During the third inning of Wednesday's Alexei Emelin Jersey 4-2 win over the , a fan was able to catch a home run ball from Dodgers third baseman past the left-center field wall. The problem was that the ball hit his nachos in the proce s. Me, confidently reaching out to seize life's opportunities: King Tufficult (@KingTufficult) It' Alexander Campbell Women Jersey s certainly not ideal to have nacho cheese splattered all over your clothes, but the fan didn't seem to mind. He ended up holding the ball up immediately, despite being covered in nacho cheese."I saw it kinda splatter up and when Philip Tomasino Men Jersey they went to look at it and showed the replay, I saw that it was nachos," . "I felt bad. I'm sure it wasn't a two-dollar tray of nachos, so I wanted to replace it for the guy." The fan was interviewed on SportsNet LA after the incident and showed off a complimentary World Series hoodie that the Dodgers had sent over to his seat for him. In addition, the fan received another order of nachos to make up for the ones that the ball destroyed.Turner himself replaced Calle Jarnkrok Men Jersey the nachos for the fan. Straight Cheesin cuz he caught the homerun ball Justin Turner (@redturn2) "I know Justin will trade a homer for buying a guy some nachos," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts added. "We can always replace nachos." It ended up being a very Matt Irwin Jersey important home run, as the Dodgers became the first to win 10 games this season.

Baseball is back, and those two words are some that fans Colton Sissons Jersey nearly thought they wouldn't hear this year. After months of negotiations, proposals and , this week. There will be a with "spring" training beginning on July 1 and the regular season beginning in late July.Starting a season amidst the coronavirus pandemic Scott Hartnell Men Jersey means new health protocols and safety measures for the managers, players, medical team and staff.And mascots.That's right, did not overlook these fan favorites in their new health and safety protocol. "Home Clubs may have their mascot in the ballpark if they choose, however under no circumstances are mascots permitted on the field of play or in Philip Tomasino Jersey any other Restricted Area on game days," the protocol reads.Games will certainly look a lot different this season, , but at least Ryan Ellis Women Jersey we will have some normalcy with the odd comedy often presented by mascots. They have been a staple at games since 1964, when Mr. Met was introduced for the at Shea Stadium. Currently, all but three teams have an "official" mascot: The , and . Steven Santini Women Jersey Meanwhile five mascots with connections to MLB have the honor of being in the Mascot Hall of Fame (yes that is a real thing): Sluggerrr of the , the San Diego Chicken, the Phillie Phanatic of the , Mr. Met, and Cleveland Indian's Slider.

The held off the , 2-1, Friday night, and Sox ace once again did the heavy lifting. Here's his work for the night: Jean-Francois Jacques Jersey CHW SP #84 vs. TEX, 8/5/22 IP6H2R1ER1SO5BB3 Of Cease's 91 pitches, 57 went for strikes. In addition to picking up his 12th win of the season against four lo ses, Cease lowered his 2022 ERA to 1.98. Brian Ferlin Men Jersey He's also got 166 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings this season. That's quite obviously excellent, and over his last 13 starts his excellence has been historic: Including today, Dylan Cease has gone 13 consecutive starts of allowing 1 or fewer earned runs.That breaks a tie with Jacob deGrom (2021) for the longest such streak since earned runs became official in 1913. ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) Indeed, Cease has not allowed more than one earned run in a start since the roughed him up for seven earned in three innings back on May 24. Over the course of this record streak Cease has allowed only 10 unearned runs, and despite the "unearned" designated pitchers do bear some culpability for those Jujhar Khaira Men Jersey runs allowed. That said, the record is for earned runs allowed, and Cease factually now owns that record.The 26-year-old right-hander, whom the Sox acquired from the cro stown in 2017, is legit. He broke out in 2021 with a 226- Olivier Rodrigue Jersey strikeout season, and in 2022 he's been even better -- he may even be in line for a high finish in the AL Cy Young balloting. This year, Cease has added a splitter to his pitch mix, and he's leaned even more on his wipeout slider. So far, that's yielded big results, and it could suggest Cease is ready to reach the next level and stay there for some time. That's important for a White Sox team that's been disappointing thus far but is still in the mix in the fairly weak AL Central. A suming he stays on regular rest, Cease Matt Benning Women Jersey will try to extend his record streak to 14 games against the on Wednesday, Aug. 10.