#Silver Slugger

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Carlos Baerga always had time for reporters when he played for the Indians. Now he's become one. Baerga, who spent 14 years in the big leagues, hosts a popular podcast in Puerto Rico called "I Love Sports with Carlos Baerga and Friends." During the winter meetings in December, Baerga was first with the news that Cy Young winner…

On January 24th, the Baseball Writers' Association of America will unveil what players they've chosen for Cooperstown. Whoever gets the nod will be inducted, alongside Fred McGriff (more on him later), on July 23rd. This year's ballot has 28 names on it, half of which are first-time nominees. To get elected, a player's name must appear on at least…

The Toronto Blue Jays continue to try and break out of the giant shadows cast by the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the AL East ahead of the 2023 season. While general manager Ross Atkins and president Mark Shapiro have undergone heavy criticism for not pulling the trigger in the past, they have made some solid moves this winter, ahead of a…

The Boston Red Sox and star third baseman Rafael Devers are finalizing an 11-year, $331 million contract, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan and Joon Lee. Devers and the BoSox agreed to a one-year, $17.5 million deal for the 2023 campaign on Tuesday to avoid arbitration. Per ESPN, Devers' 11-year deal will go into effect this year and run through the…

Jose Ramirez is MLB.com's early favorite to win American League MVP next season. As most of the high-impact free agents have signed with their new teams and organizations begin to set their focus on 2023 Spring Training, we can finally start to make predictions and guesses on how players will perform next season. One player that is expected to have…

For the second straight offseason, A's general manager David Forst is having serious discussions with multiple teams about trading his best young player - catcher Sean Murphy this time. That doesn't necessarily mean it will be business as usual for the frugal A's at the Winter Meetings, though. Forst heads to San Diego Sunday with the hope of…

Mookie Betts is a multi-position baseball player who has played at second base, right field, and center field as well. Furthermore, he is an extremely talented batter who knows how to hit the ball well. But you may not know that Betts is a multi-sport athlete as well. The Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder is a professional bowler as well. Furthermore,…

Time is running out for the Boston Red Sox to extend the contract of Rafael Devers. The third baseman, who is set to become a free agent after the 2023 campaign, "will not entertain negotiations with the Red Sox during the season," and an extension would need to be agreed upon by the end of spring training, sources told Alex Speier of the Boston…

The Boston Red Sox have traded Mookie Betts and allowed Xander Bogaerts to depart in MLB free agency within the last three years. All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers, the last of Boston's homegrown stars, could be next out the door. Devers, age 26, emerged as an AL MVP candidate this past season. He posted a.295/.358/.521 slash line with 88 RBI…

There's no lineup hotter in baseball than the one Toronto has, and tonight it'll get a look at the veteran Adam Wainwright. Can St. Louis split the series? Find out in our MLB betting picks and predictions for Cardinals vs. Blue Jays. The Toronto Blue Jays post-All-Star game onslaught continued last night, as they blasted the St. Louis Cardinals…

The Minnesota Twins signed two-time All-Star and all-or-nothing slugger Joey Gallo on Friday. Clearly, there will be a trickle-down effect on the Twins' current roster, but which players will be most impacted, finding themselves in a new role - or perhaps, even a new city - by the time the regular season kicks off on March 30? It was only a week…

Texas sports betting is not yet legalized, albeit there was a big push to get it a bill passed through the Lone Star state's legislature in 2021. As the Texas legislative session only occurs in odd years, the next realistic push can only happen in 2023. Since Attorney General Ken Paxton presented an opinion in 2017 citing that wagering on Daily…

Ned Yost famously said " there is no third baseman tree ", which seems apt today as the Royals have a barren orchard at the hot corner. Bobby Witt Jr. began last year at third base, but the Royals sound pretty committed to him at shortstop next year despite some poor defensive metrics last year. That leaves a pretty big opening next to him at…

What do you do when you've already reached the pinnacle of your career as a baseball player? When you've won the World Series twice, you've won an MVP Award and finished second two other times, you're a six-time Gold Glove winner and five-time Silver Slugger, and you've already earned more than $100 million with more than $300 million still to come…

The Boston Red Sox open up the 2022 regular season with high expectations.The team overachieved a year ago and surprised many by making it all the way to the American League Championship Series. The signing of Trevor Story this offseason only raises expectations higher. Let's preview the Boston Red Sox season and consider the projected lineup, the…

Reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge put an exclamation point on MLB's 2022 Winter Meetings with the largest free agent contract in MLB history, a nine-year, $360 million deal to remain with the New York Yankees through his age 39 season in 2031. As per MLBTR, "The $40 million average annual value on the contract establishes a new record among position…

We have four former Blue Jays having birthdays today. Josh Donaldson turns 37 today. We picked up Josh in trade from the A's for, what turned out to be, a handful of magic beans. In his four seasons with the Jays he hit.281/.383/.548 with 116 home runs in 462 games. He won an AL MVP award and finished 4th and 22nd in voting the next two seasons. By…

SAN DIEGO - The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a one-year deal with free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, major league sources tell The Athletic. Here's what you need to know: The Dodgers declined to tender a contract to Bellinger last month. He had been with the organization since being drafted in 2013. Bellinger won the National League MVP award…

The Cleveland Guardians have agreed to a two-year, $33 million deal with first baseman Josh Bell that includes an opt-out clause after the 2023 season, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Bell, 30, spent the first five seasons of his career with the Pirates before playing for the Nationals in 2021 and both the Nationals and Padres last season after…

With the 2022-23 MLB offseason in full swing, questions surrounding the futures of many of the game's best will finally be answered as clubs reload their rosters in preparation for another run at the World Series in 2023. A few notable free agents have already landed contracts in the early stages, but with many big names still available, it'll be…

Though we're still waiting on the biggest, Aaron Judge-sized domino to fall, there have already been quite a few lucrative deals handed out in this year's MLB free-agency cycle. Eleven players have agreed to contracts worth at least $10 million per year, and there could be as many as 40 more at that price point when all is said and done. Not all of…

In what was a largely successful season for the Atlanta Braves, there were still a few disappointments for the squad. One of the biggest disappointments for the squad this past season was the injury-riddled season that was Ozzie Albies. Coming off of a great season in 2021 which garnered him a Silver Slugger and All-Star nod, many were expecting…

With all 30 teams in action today, there's no shortage of props to choose from. For today's MLB player prop picks we'll be looking at a pair of pitchers to bring their best stuff to the mound, and a Jays' slugger to keep mashing. It's an absolutely jam-packed day of action on the diamond with all 30 MLB teams taking the diamond, which means there…

What are the chances of Xander Bogaerts re-signing with the Boston Red Sox? Well, based on the latest reports and information over the last 24 hours, the odds of him staying in Boston don't seem very good. Longtime MLB reporter Peter Gammons tweeted Wednesday morning that he's been told by multiple people that Bogaerts, who is an unrestricted free…

The Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals open an important NL Central showdown on Thursday when the division rivals face off at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Brewers (28-16) lead the NL Central by 3.5 games over the Cardinals (24-19). Milwaukee's Eric Lauer (4-1, 2.16 ERA) takes the mound against St. Louis' Adam Wainwright (5-3, 2.87). St.…

The St. Louis Cardinals' season begins today! Jack Flaherty is set to take the mound at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Once Luis Castillo delivers the first pitch to leadoff man Tommy Edman, the division race will be on. Opening Day is my favorite day of the year, so I hope everyone out there is able to take some time to enjoy a little…

Happy Opening Day, Federal Baseball-ers! At times this offseason, it looked as though this day may not come around until sometime deep into the summer, so we're very grateful to have a 162-game slate that's only a little fashionably late to cover this year. As has now become a tradition at FBB, we've got our annual predictions piece where we, as a…

Nationals Park showcases an interesting NL East matchup on Sunday afternoon. The Philadelphia Phillies visit the Washington Nationals for a series finale, and Washington is in search of a victory to avoid a sweep. The Phillies won Saturday's matchup by a 2-1 margin. Philadelphia has 15 wins in its last 17 games, including five straight, while…

LoanDepot Park hosts an evening clash between the Miami Marlins and the Washington Nationals on Tuesday. The Marlins welcome the Nationals to town to begin a midweek series, and Miami enters with a 22-30 record. Both teams enjoyed an off day on Monday. Washington is on a three-game winning streak with a 21-35 overall record. Caesars Sportsbook…

There are so many unknowns when it comes to the 2023 Rockies. Who will make up the rotation and can it improve? How can the Rockies hit more homers? Who will play center field? How can the bullpen be more effective? Who will be on the 2023 roster? Who will the hitting coach be? It's overwhelming and we've got all offseason to analyze and fantasize.…

The Boston Red Sox have plenty of work to do this offseason, but finding a way to keep Xander Bogaerts is priority No. 1. That won't be an easy task. Bogaerts reportedly has already received interest from a number of teams in free agency including the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and San Diego Padres. Chaim Bloom and the Red Sox front…

Bobby Witt Jr. is enjoying a solid rookie season, becoming the fifth player to hit at least 20 home runs and steal at least 20 bases in his very first season. He has had some ups and downs but it is clear he at least has the skillset to be a cornerstone player for this franchise, if not a league star. Having made the Opening Day roster, Witt is…

The Toronto Blue Jays turn 45 in 2022. They open the season Friday night at Rogers Centre, just four days after legal went live and mobile. It's a good time to be an fan in Toronto. The Blue Jays have eight former players in Cooperstown. But not all had Hall of Fame careers while playing for Toronto. Which players would make up the Toronto Blue…

The Minnesota Twins enter the 2021 offseason with numerous questions across the board, and with a large number of positions with major question marks, it's not so easy for Twins fans and writers to make real predictions at what could happen. With that being said, we're going to give it our best at breaking down each position on the roster and what…

The Toronto Blue Jays hope to build off a dominant 8-1 win on Friday with another decisive win over a weakened Kansas City Royals team. The pregame narrative: Teoscar Hernandez is the Blue Jays' hottest hitter, and should stay that way. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in a good spot to go deep, and Bo Bichette looks to thrive in his new role. Teoscar…

Markus Lynn Betts, popularly known as Mookie Betts, has become a famous face in the MLB World. He has had a career spanning more than eight years. In that short time itself, the 30-year-old has been able to notch up plenty of awards and become a two-time World Series winner. Mookie Betts was born on 7th October, 1992. He was born in Nashville,…

Often the best MLB prop values lie in lesser-known players, but every now and then, the stars' lines are just too tempting to ignore. Such is the case tonight as we back some of the MLB's best - including Jose Ramirez - with our player prop picks. We've got a packed night of baseball this Friday with 15 games on the MLB betting board and the first…

For the second successive offseason, the shortstop market in free agency is absolutely stacked, with Trea Turner joined by Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa after they both opted out of their contracts. With all due respect to Dansby Swanson, those three are in another tier based on their overall tools, past production and expected earning power,…

The Minnesota Twins will find themselves up against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night. Both teams are fresh off some big-time offseason signings and acquisitions. The Twins are 4-8, putting them second from the bottom of the Grapefuit League. The Red Sox, meanwhile, sit at a more respectable 7-5. The game will take place at JetBlue Ballpark in…

While the Toronto Blue Jays possess a rock-solid 17-13 record, there's some justified concern about how well the team is playing. After going all of April without losing a series, the club has dropped two in a row, and their negative run differential (-10) is difficult to ignore. A team projected to absolutely mash the ball entered the week 17th in…

Welcome to my series of Report Card postings for individual members of the 2022 Cardinals. I strive to present a thorough profile for each player, and that takes time because I'm also writing about other topics. Today, this one is pretty simple and easy. Next Up: Paul Goldschmidt. I figured it was appropriate to highlight his 2022 season on Nov.…

Rumors have been floating since the middle of the summer, but after a miraculous run to the World Series, the Phillies will definitely be looking to upgrade through free agency in an effort to make it back. Consistent through all the whispers and speculation over the past several months is shortstop and the two biggest available names to play…

The trade deadline has passed, and the race to the MLB postseason is heating up. But there are still some lingering questions about the future of a few of baseball's biggest stars and where they'll play in the future. Last winter, the lockout shook up free agency. Lucky for baseball fans, the labor strife is behind us, at least for now, and some…

2022 was a season of a lifetime for both the Philadelphia Phillies and Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge. The Phillies went on a miracle run to the World Series, and the team has recaptured the hearts of Philadelphia. The team won the National League even after finishing with just 87 wins during the regular season. The club went to the big dance, but…

This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson's Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, . And to get it regularly in your inbox. The biggest decision facing the Blue Jays this offseason is what they do with their talented trio of young catchers. It's a rare and fascinating problem to have, with three starting-calibre options…

The Cardinals are in the market for a catcher. Hopefully they'll be smart about this and view the opening as an opportunity to upgrade their offense. Defense must be a consideration, which doesn't really need to be stated. But in this case the defensive requirement has been overstated, with too much attention being paid to the standard established…

Now that the Major League Baseball lockout has ended, it's time to look ahead to the 2022 season. The Boston Red Sox, who reached the American League Championship Series last season, figure to be a title contender. Boston plays in the loaded AL East, which features projected heavyweights clubs, including the reigning division champion Tampa Bay…

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reports the Cardinals named Matt Holliday the club's new bench coach. He takes over for Skip Schumaker, who left to replace Don Mattingly as manager of the Miami Marlins. Goold reports "Holliday joins the stuff run by a close friend, manager Oliver Marmol. " "When I think about what am I going to do with…

The Dodgers have a proud history, with dozens of division titles and seven World Series (to date). Among the contributors to their success are various players from Canada. Here's a look at some of the best Canadians to play for the Dodgers. First on our list of great Canadians who have played for the Dodgers is first baseman Freddie Freeman, who is…

Last week, we kicked off our A's offseason outlook series with the infield and outfield groups. Next up, we take a look at the A's catching situation. Overview: In a season filled mostly with gray skies, the A's catching group was a ray of sunshine. It was the only position group worth positive bWAR (0.6) and was the ninth most valuable catching…