MLB news & notes: a death, a trade, and a signing
The Dodgers lose a legend. The Mets continue to get better.
Welcome to ‘Marty’s Musings’, my weekly column of numbers summarizing the happenings in the baseball world. I am your guide for taking an analytic look at the news and notes throughout the game, and highlighting key pitching matchups.
Last week the Dodgers franchise lost an icon with Tommy Lasorda’s passing. On the hot stove front, the Dodgers ink one of the best relievers on the market, and new Met’s owner Steve Cohen continues to show he is serious in his commitment to make the Mets immediate contenders.
News & Notes
71 - Years Tommy Lasorda worked in the Dodgers’ organization. The 93-year old Lasorda passed away last week of a heart attack after suffering from COVID-19 the week prior. Lasorda is a Dodgers’ legend, who served as a player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, then a coach and eventually a manager for Los Angeles. His run-ins with the Philly Phanatic are legendary, as was his presence behind the plate at Chavez Ravine. He earned entry into the Hall of Fame in 1997 as a manager, and has been an icon for the franchise basically since the 1950s. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Jo.
5+ - Win player Cleveland parted-with, when they sent homegrown Francisco Lindor to the Mets along with Carlos Carrasco. Like too many teams, Cleveland is prioritizing payroll reductions in lieu of winning, sending their beloved shortstop to the Mets. Carrasco meanwhile is one of the best stories in baseball, as he made his journey from leukemia to being on the field in an amazingly short time. Cleveland’s loss is New York’s gain in a sport where maybe half-dozen teams are trying (maybe!) and the rest are content with limiting expenses.
In exchange for Lindor and Carrasco, Cleveland received the Mets’ primary shortstop Amed Rosario, and infielders Andres Gimenez, in addition to prospect pitcher Josh Wolf and farmhand outfielder Isaiah Greene.
2 - Year, $17.5 million deal the Dodgers doled out for reliever Blake Treinen. A 2018 all-star, Treinen was one of the best relievers available on the free agent market.
80 - Days until Opening Day 2021...maybe. Whether or not there will be fans in the stands and whether or not MLB starts as scheduled is yet to be determined.
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Steven Martano is an Editor at Beyond the Box Score, a Contributing Prospect Writer for the Colorado Rockies at Purple Row, and a contributing writer for The Hardball Times. You can follow him on Twitter at @SMartano