The Kimbrel-for-Pollock deal is straight up. No money exchanged. Kimbrel will make $16 million this season and should slide into the closer's role with the Dodgers. Pollock is making $10 million and has a $10 million player option that includes a $5 million buyout.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 1, 2022

To Clarify, the Yankees are appealing an appeal that didn’t go in their favor.

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) April 1, 2022

$10M relievers huh

EastCoastAgNc said:

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The Kimbrel-for-Pollock deal is straight up. No money exchanged. Kimbrel will make $16 million this season and should slide into the closer's role with the Dodgers. Pollock is making $10 million and has a $10 million player option that includes a $5 million buyout.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 1, 2022

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Basically replaced Jansen with Kimbrel...both potential powderkegs

I'd trust Jansen more.

Radio mentioned the possibility of rain about an hour after first pitch, so this will likely be a short one.

Farmer1906 said:

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LuACE strikes out the side and then Tuve leads off with a dinger.

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My man

Deluxe said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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LuACE strikes out the side and then Tuve leads off with a dinger.

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My man

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6k thru 3. 1 hit but faced the min.

Sheesh ⁦@Machete1224⁩!!! Throws him out at 2nd pic.twitter.com/dDLFnCarBj

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) April 1, 2022

helloimustbegoing said:

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April 10, 1968: Astros 5, Pirates 4 : The first walkoff opening game win in team history! Larry DIerker started at age 21 and went the distance. Down 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Astros got a single from whoever the hell Ivan Murrell is to get to 4-3, and a two-run triple from Bob Aspromonte to win it. Pirates lineup featured Maury Willis, Roberto Clemente, Matty Alou, Bill Mazeroski, and Willie Stargell.

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great stuff.

back when there were fewer teams...the rosters & lineups seemed more stacked.

with Jim Bunning on the mound...the Pirates actually started 4 future Hall of Famers in the game. Plus the following year's World Series MVP: Donn Clendenon.

sidenote...apparently MLK's funeral delayed the game by one day

In case anyone needs a good April Fools joke, I've hit a couple people with this one:

" Verlander said he's retiring. Arm never felt the same after Tommy John last year"

Happy trolling

New York Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom will miss Opening Day after imaging showed a stress reaction in his right scapula, sources tell ESPN. While the timetable for deGrom's return is unclear, he's expected to miss a significant amount of time to start 2022. Story soon at ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 1, 2022

Dusty Baker said C Jason Castro is going to catch four or five innings tomorrow.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 1, 2022

Just for fun, some 2022 positive hot takes:

1) Jeremy Pena is your 2022 AL Rookie of the Year
2) JV picks up right where he left off pre-TJ (maybe not CY level but bonafide ace)
3) Yuli has a big year and makes us wonder if age decline is even a real thing
4) Garcia, Valdez and Urquidy continue to be solid middle rotation starters/inning eaters
5) Whitley finally makes his debut

And negative ones so I can maintain a facade of objectivity:

1) Neither Jake, Chas nor Siri proves to be the answer in CF by the deadline. We either make a trade or give Leon a shot.
2) Wasted season for LMJ with lots of IL stints.
3) Brantley takes a step back and confirms that age decline can be a real thing. Possible we see more Yordan LF and Brantley DH by end of year.
4) None of Garcia, Valdez and Urquidy take the next step to a top-of-rotation guy.
5) Whitley doesn't stick on the big league roster (at least not this year)

White Sox reliever Garrett Crochet is likely facing Tommy John surgery.

“The preliminary MRI reading is not great,” GM Rick Hahn said. “There appears to be some damage to the ligament, which very likely will require Tommy John surgery.”https://t.co/q6EnZppLBJ

— Chicago Tribune Sports (@ChicagoSports) April 1, 2022

They announce this on the same day they trade kimbrel. They have a lot of bullpen depth as it is, but with the short spring training, they're bound to have some more injuries (same with every team).

2022 hot takes for me

1. Jeremy Pena goes hot and cold throughout year and drives Astros fans crazy. One day it's "Correa who"and the next it's "wow should have kept Correa". But overall is solid.
2. Yordan and Tucker get invited to 1st all star games
3. Siri has a breakout season and takes the CF position
4. Altuve has a bounce back season in regards to "batting average" with a .300 season
5. JV is an ace again

Bad takes
1. Bregman and Brantley get bit by the injury bug again
2. Maldonado hits poorly enough to not be kept in lineup by August
3. Whitley doesn't make impact this season
4. Back end of the bullpen has question marks up until the trade deadline
5. The Angels make the division VERY competitive up until the final weekend

I'll play

1. The Tucker and Yordan combo match Trout/Ohtani, Judge/Stanton, or any other high end duo.
2. Pena may not win the AL GG, but his OOA and DRS top Correa.
3. LuACE lives up to the name. His change-up and curveball become effective against lefties and his mid 3 ERA & FIP drop to borderline sub 3.
4. A blockbuster move is made at the deadline which leads to the Astros locking up a top 2 spot for the postseason
5. McCullers has a frustratingly short season, but recovers and is the ace of the postseason over JV.

1. Bregman cannot capture his 2019 magic. He's not bad, but he's the 4th or 5th best bat in the lineup.
2. Maldonado's defense and pitch calling no longer outweighs his black hole of a bat. Castro and/or Lee start to take over the lead role behind the dish.
3. No new minor league pitcher emerges as a true contributor.
4. Justin hits the market again this offseason. Astros must go over the top of the 25 M for 2023 to keep him.
5. Odo, Framber & Urquidy have frustrating up and down seasons. Not bad, just very inconsistent.

My critiques of yalls "takes" shouldnt they not overlap? Should it be like 5 good while having 5 bad, not a good or a bad take on the same guy?

Farmer1906 said:

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3. LuACE lives up to the name. His change-up and curveball become effective against lefties and his mid 3 ERA & FIP drop to borderline sub 3.

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Excellent prediction

Here are my 2022 Playoff Predictions

AL East: Blue Jays
AL Central: White Sox
AL West: Astros
Wild Cards: Rays, Red Sox, Angels

NL East: Braves
NL Central: Brewers
NL West: Dodgers
Wild Cards: Giants, Cardinals, Mets

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Major League Baseball did not join the Yankees in the latest appeal of the Yankees Letter’s release.

— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) April 1, 2022

This is hilarious

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We've reached a point where surely whatever is in the letter has to be "nothing." There's no way that the Yankees risk all of this and the bad PR to cover something up for it to come out and show that they were significantly worse about it.

If it's damning information…how does anyone in that organization come back from this?

They will have been the mouthiest organization toward Astros players and will never escape that hypocrisy as their legacy…on top of that, they'll be linked to a petulant campaign with MLB to cover it up.

If there's any significance to the allegations in the letter then I've gotta imagine that Cashman and Manfred are done, as a start.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Max Scherzer is said unconcerned about a hamstring “tweak.” Thought very minor at this point.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 1, 2022

All that money...

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Sounds familiar

Now they are looking at taking on Hosmer's contract to get Paddack from the Padres. Muts gonna mut

Aggie Pharmer said:

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1Mathguy64 said:

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I'm heartbroken for the Mets. It's devastating for them.

It tears me up.

Really.

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Never forget…1986….FTNYM

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What % of that team would have been suspended if they had drug testing back then?

Here's the second installment of my countdown to Opening Day.
The Astros' home openers from 1972-1981.

April 15, 1972: Giants 5, Astros 0: It started off lousy with 2 straight losses, but after that the team went on a 9-game win streak that included two walkoffs en route to its best season ever, an 84-69 campaign. Opening Day saw them dominated by Juan Marichal, who pitched 7 shutout innings and went 2-for-3 at the plate, besting Don Wilson. Astros got 2 hits each from Cesar Cedeno and Lee May.


April 6, 1973: Astros 2, Braves 1 (13 innings): The longest season opener to date was a win as Cesar Cedeno doubled in Tommy Helms in the top of the 13th for the win. Cedeno opened the season with two doubles and a triple and Dave Roberts pitched 9 innings of 1-run ball. The Braves' starting centerfielder went 3 for 6 that day; that being a 24-year-old Dusty Baker. Yeah he started for the Braves on Opening Day FORTY NINE YEARS AGO.


April 5, 1974: Giants 5, Astros 1: Baby Me cried in his crib during this disappointing showing. The \Giants roughed up Dave Roberts for 5 runs in 5 innings, including a two-run shot by Gary Madddox in the win. Eventual Rookie of the Year Greg Gross went 3 for 4 for the good guys. Giants cranking out 17,000 for their home opener.


April 7, 1975: Astros 6, Braves 2: A good start to a bad season that ultimately turned into something really special. Team started off 47-80, getting manager and star of the Addams Family Preston Gomez fired. But he was replaced by Bill Virdon, and on August 7, Tal Smith was hired as the general manager. Larry Dierker went the distance with a 4-hitter for the win beating Phil Niekro. Astros were led by Jose Cruz, who went 3-for-4 with a homer and racked up 14 hits total.


April 8, 1976: Reds 11, Astros 5: Nothing like starting off the year vs. the World Series champions, and man did the Reds look the part. They swept the Astros in three and outscored them 33-15. J.R. Richard started and didn't get out of the 5th inning. The Reds' lineup looks liked they had $300 million in free agency, except there was no free agency. Their lineup that day: Pete Rose, Ken Griffey, Joe Morgan, Johnny Becnh, Tony Perez, George Foster, Dave Concepcion, Cesar Geronimo that's four guys who had or would win an MVP award and three Hall of Famers (plus Rose). Meanwhile the Astros started someone named Wilbur Howard in left field and he went 0-for-5.


April 8, 1977: Astros 3, Braves 2 (11 innings): Beating the Braves on Opening Day was become a habit. New Astro catcher Joe Ferguson hit a walkoff home run in the 11th for the victrory on his way to a really nice year, hitting 16 HR and 61 RBI, then Tal Smith turned him around to LA the next year for Rafael Landestoy and Jeff Leonard, not bad! JR Richard pitched the first 9 innings, allowing 2 runs and striking out 7.


April 6, 1978: Reds 11, Astros 9: Another white-washing by the Reds, who beat the Astros 4 straight to start this season. Pedro Borbon, of "Airplane!" fame, got the win for the Reds. Good guys were up 5-1 at one point, then down 11-5 before scoring 4 in the top of the ninth to make it close. Lots of components of a famous Astro lineup now in place Terry Puhl led off the season with a first-inning home run off Tom Seaver and went 2-for-4. Cedeno went 2-for-4 and Cruz went 3-for-5. Seaver got ripped for 5 earned runs in 3 innings, unfortunately JR Richard gave up 7 earned runs in 4-2/3.


April 6, 1979: Astros 2, Braves 1: 4-0 vs. the Braves on Opening Day en route to a new team-record of 89 wins and missing the playoffs by one game. A two-run double by Enos Cabell in the first inning off Phil Niekro was all the Astros needed for the W. Niekro took a complete game loss. JR Richard got the win with 5-1/3 innings, and Joaquin Andjuar, my mom's second least-favorite Astro of all time, was great with a 3-2/3 inning, 1-hit save.


April 10, 1980: Astros 3, Dodgers 2: The first playoff season in club history started by taking 3 out of 4 from the mighty Dodgers. The only loss came in 17 innings. JR Richard set the tone for all future Opening Day starters, throwing 8 innings of 2-hit ball with 0 walks and 13 strikeouts. Puhl and Cruz both went yard off Burt Hooton in the first inning.


April 9, 1981: Dodgers 2, Astros 0: The lost season of the strike started with 4 straight losses for a team that wound up 61-49. Opening Day matched Joe Niekro vs. rookie Fernando Valenzuela on his way to Rookie of the Year and Cy Young honors. Niekro was good 7 innings, 2 runs; Fernando was better, complete game five hit shutout with 5 strikeouts. The Dodgers started one of the most punchable face lineups of all time, Garvey, Scioscia, Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero, and yes, your manager, Dusty Baker, who was an old man of 32 by then. For you young guys, Valenzuela was supposedly 20, but looked about 35. He had pitched 10 games out of the bullpen at the end of 1980 for LA with an ERA of 0.00 and 16 strikeouts in 17 innings. In the strike season of 1981, he went 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA and led the league in complete games (11), shutouts (8!), innings pitched (192) and strikeouts (180).

I forgot about this one.

Ryne Stanek made you cry real tears because he didn’t throw you a fastball and you struck out on three pitches, Timothy. pic.twitter.com/bxFV2Obnmt

— brandt (@nombreeschile) April 1, 2022

MaxPower said:

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Aggie Pharmer said:

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1Mathguy64 said:

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I'm heartbroken for the Mets. It's devastating for them.

It tears me up.

Really.

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Never forget…1986….FTNYM

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What % of that team would have been suspended if they had drug testing back then?

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Let's break it down:

Carter - only drug he took was probably whole milk
Hernandez - 100%
Backman - guilty by association
Santana - wasn't very good, so maybe not
Knight - probably not, too busy banging Nancy Lopez back then
Foster - played with Pete Rose, so at least on speed or something
Dykstra - 100%, probably taking drugs right now
Strawberry - absolutely
Mookie Wilson - too busy teaching his son to strike out 190 times a year
Kevin Mitchell - steroids
Tim Teufel - too busy fighting the HPD
Howard Johnson - too busy preparing his hotel chain empire
Danny Heep - weighed 80 lbs so maybe not

Dwight Gooden - 100%
Ron Darling =- admitted to taking amphetamines and drinking beer during games
Ojeda - definitely a drinker, probably sobered up after the boating accident that killed Olin and Crews
Orosco - **** you, Jesse Orosco, Don't swing at the slider, Bass! part of the "Scum Bunch" with Doug Disk and Heep who got as **** faced drunk as often as possible. But maybe not a druggie.
Sid Fernandez - Did coke in the clubhouse

Valdez-Ohtani
Odorizzi-Sandoval
Verlander-Syndergaard
Urquidy-Suarez https://t.co/SDojguR1S5

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) April 2, 2022