A lot of interesting things out there today...
MLB generated more than $6 billion in revenue last season, and early indications are that baseball will surpass that figure in 2008. The numbers of teams that are truly dependent on the goodwill of the commissioner, which can result in the awarding of discretionary funds or future All-Star Games, isn't anywhere close to the number of the teams that continue to adhere to slotting. MLB can't significantly punish clubs that break from the ranks, yet most of them toe the line. In 2007, the Nationals, Orioles, Rangers, Red Sox, Tigers and Yankees aggressively signed draftees, while the other 24 teams, for the most part, acceded to MLB's wishes.
Keith Law has a chat session up, and says, among other things, the Rangers should call up Nelson Cruz and give him one last look, and that Neftali Feliz has a reliever's delivery and a starter's arsenal...
Jayson Stark's Rumblings and Grumblings revisits various offseason trades, including the Josh Hamilton/Edinson Volquez deal, which seems to be panned because both teams are "disappointing" this season...
Buster Olney runs down players expected to be available via trade this summer, with both Frank Catalanotto and Gerald Laird making this list...I wouldn't be surprised if both of those guys are dealt in July, and I think both will bring a pretty decent return...
Nate Silver takes a look at how PECOTA rates third base prospects, and Chris Davis and Johnny Whittleman are both pretty far down the list, although Silver says he likes Davis more than PECOTA does.
Ken Tremendous hates SportsCenter...
And everyone's favorite ChiSox pitcher, Mark Buehrle, flipped out last night...