Will the Hall continue to shut out starting pitchers?
Only seven starting pitchers have made the Baseball Hall of Fame in the last 27 years. The game has changed, and it's time for voters to look at modern starters in a more metrics-minded manner.
Favoritessettings
Source: Harper gets raise to $13.6M with Nats
Bryce Harper avoided arbitration with the Nationals, agreeing to a one-year deal for $13.625M, a source told ESPN.
Source: Arrieta, Cubs agree to $15.64M deal
Jake Arrieta and the Cubs have agreed to a one-year, $15.64 million deal, a source confirmed to ESPN, a substantial increase from the $10.7 million Arrieta made last season.
Padres, Myers agree to 6-year, $80M extension
Wil Myers, a first-time All-Star in 2016, has agreed to a six-year extension with the Padres, club sources told ESPN's Jim Bowden.
Mets give Familia $3.3M raise despite uncertainty
All-Star closer Jeurys Familia got a sizable raise from the Mets on Friday while still waiting to find out whether he'll be suspended by MLB under the sport's domestic violence policy.
Tigers' Verlander: 'Too old' to be part of rebuild
Justin Verlander is glad the Tigers decided against blowing up the team this offseason, saying he's "too old to be part of a rebuilding process."
Schwarber wants to stay in Cubs' catchers mix
Kyle Schwarber is well aware that his place on defense with the Cubs is in the outfield. But the slugger remains steadfast in his desire to periodically play catcher.
Stardom is just the start for Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks
A fan favorite after his breakout 2016 season, Kyle Hendricks is getting ready for the next chapter in his career.
MLB Roundup: The truth from every team's front office
Are the Nats preparing to lose Bryce Harper to New York? Is Clayton Kershaw's injury a concern? Here's what executives would say -- if they could.
Top lineups: Which batting orders provide most pop?
The Red Sox and Indians were one-two in the AL in runs scored, but one of them misses the top five as an NL West team takes a big step in the survey.
![]()
Buster Olney's Top 10s for 2017
Cubs' Jason Heyward working overtime to recapture his swing
After struggling mightily at the plate in his first season with the Cubs, Jason Heyward got back to work soon after the World Series to find his form.
Does character count in Cooperstown? Hall of Famers weigh in
Jim Palmer, Tom Glavine and Craig Biggio are just a few of the enshrined players with strong opinions on how PEDs, sabermetrics and closers should be treated on today's ballot.
The vanishing role of the mediocre veteran
In today's free-agent market, instead of signing Brandon Moss, teams are looking for the next Brandon Moss.
Red Sox face steep climb out of Big Papi-sized hole
The Red Sox will miss David Ortiz. Will they miss the playoffs? We crunched the numbers to see how Papi's absence will affect Boston's offense.
Kyle Schwarber leading off? Good call, Cubs
More at-bats for Schwarber at leadoff should outweigh his poor speed. What other teams could benefit from an unconventional No. 1 hitter in 2017.
Regrets, Napoli and Trumbo have a few ... million
Mike Napoli and Mark Trumbo made big mistakes this winter: They said "no" to multi-year contracts with their old teams. Can they recoup on the rebound?
Anthony Rizzo on White House trip: 'It's going to be amazing'
Will Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo give President Barack Obama grief about being a White Sox fan? We asked him.
Has anyone had a crazier career path than Rich Hill? Maybe
Rich Hill's major league journey has been, um, unexpected. But the Dodgers pitcher does have competition when it comes to surprise stardom. Here are five challengers.
Baseball Hall of Fame ballot brawl (4:47)
MLB Roundtable: What does Hoffman need from voters? Mo magic
Among Hall of Fame voters, closer Trevor Hoffman's 601 saves might get him in. Does he belong in Cooperstown, or is he shy of the standard for relief greatness set by Mariano Rivera?
Players ready to take it up a notch
Breaking down which players deserve more at-bats and innings, and who will earn a larger role on all 30 clubs in 2017.
Source: Ross agrees to 1-year deal with Rangers
Free agent pitcher Tyson Ross has agreed to a one-year deal with the Rangers, a source told ESPN.
Can October glory put players over the Hall of Fame hump?
From so-so regular-season stats to PEDs, building a Cooperstown case for borderline ballplayers can be tricky -- but playoff performance could be more of a factor than ever. Here's why.
Mariners look like playoff team after adding Drew Smyly, Jarrod Dyson
Aiming to contend, Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto pulled off his second multi-trade day within a week to add speed to his defense and depth to his rotation.
Nobody hits 'em where they ain't like Mike Trout
Mike Trout's career batting average on balls in play trails only that of Ty Cobb, Joe Jackson and Rogers Hornsby. What gives him such an edge? We go on the hunt for all his extra hits.
A well-timed cut helped influence the Dodgers' winter
A few words from Kenley Jansen's barber in Curacao set in motion events that led to the Dodgers' keeping free agents Jansen and Justin Turner.
Vogelsong, Tepesch agree to Twins minors deals
Ryan Vogelsong and Nick Tepesch have agreed to minor league contracts with the Twins with invitations to major league spring training.
Putting the fame in the Hall of Fame
Debating a player's greatness shouldn't be a cold exchange of numbers; you have to feel like he belongs in Cooperstown.
Kellerman compares Jones to Steinbrenner (2:11)
Do Vlad, Edgar and Moose really have Cooperstown cred?
Was he ever the best player in the game? Was he even the best player on his own team? We ask 15 hard questions about Hall of Fame hopefuls Vladimir Guerrero, Edgar Martinez and Mike Mussina.
How to fix the broken Hall of Fame vote
The 10-man ballot is creating a logjam and keeping Hall-worthy players such as Jeff Bagwell, Mike Mussina and Roger Clemens out of Cooperstown. It's time to game the system.
Dodgers trying to inflict pain, not feel it in 2017
The injury bug seemingly couldn't hit the Dodgers any harder than it did in 2016, and they might have been suffering more than you thought.
When's the best time to move McCutchen, Dozier and Quintana?
Brian Dozier, Andrew McCutchen and Jose Quintana could all be dealt. When does it make the most sense to swap them, for what and with which teams?
Can Baby Birds carry the Cardinals?
With Matt Holliday gone and Yadier Molina getting older, St. Louis is counting on its young sluggers to help make it a World Series contender again.
Is Ivan Rodriguez the greatest catcher ever?
Would you take Pudge behind the plate over, say, Johnny Bench? Here's where soon-to-be-Hall of Famer Rodriguez ranks among baseball's best backstops.
National League MVP Kris Bryant marries his longtime girlfriend, Jessica Delp
A handful of Cubs players were in attendance to celebrate the high school sweethearts' big day.
Bucci and Maddon enjoy meal over baseball talk (4:55)
Manny being Manny, does he belong in the Hall of Fame?
Manny Ramirez has a place in the Cooperstown conversation. But where? From PED bans and beyond, two of our Hall of Fame voters discuss his complicated credentials.
Midwinter power rankings: Beasts of the East
No other division is as well represented in the top five as the NL East, but where in the overall rankings do the Mets and Nationals finish?
What if nobody wants Jose Bautista?
Being one of MLB's top power hitters hasn't helped Joey Bats find any suitors this winter. The biggest issue he is facing might just be himself.
Why the Blue Jays are doomed to fail in 2017
Edwin Encarnacion is in Cleveland, and Jose Bautista is in limbo. Where does that leave Toronto? In a heap of trouble.
Who will be the next Hall of Famer for each MLB team?
Some will send a star to Cooperstown very soon. Others will have to wait decades for their Hall call. Here are our best guesses for all 30 franchises.
Meet Rafael Devers, the last star in Red Sox's farm system
With Yoan Moncada and many other prospects traded away, Boston is betting hard on a 20-year-old who's fresh out of braces.
Make baseball fun again? Here's who made it happen
Bryce Harper's hat handed MLB a mission statement. The game has more than lived up to the challenge.
Legend of Vladimir Guerrero goes way beyond his numbers
The look of a velociraptor. Arms the size of four octopuses. Mere stats can't describe a HOF hopeful who turned bad pitches into dangerous projectiles.
![]()
Year of the Cubs
![]()
MLB Rumor Central
Now
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Ben Zobrist: "For everyone's stress levels let's do it in 4 instead of 7 next time."
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Ben Zobrist discuss their fav moments of 2016.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Fan asks Joe Maddon about using his pre game strategy for Game 7 instead of allowing the game to dictate moves: "The biggest difference was Jon Lester was available."
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
The Cubs coaching staff prepares to answer questions at the team convention.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Cubs GM Jed Hoyer on Kyle Schwarber returning: "No one believes us but we never had a discussion about him returning."
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Cubs owner Tom Ricketts says they'll "raise" a championship banner on opening night then do the ring ceremony before the next game.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said 4 days after the team won the World Series he had a nightmare they had lost Game 7. His wife said he had postseason traumatic stress disorder.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Day 2 of the Cubs convention has begun. The first panel features ownership. As you can imagine questions from fans are a lot less hostile than in most years.
ESPN Stats and Information
Wil Myers (who has reportedly agreed to an extension with the Padres) was 1 of 3 players with 25 homers and 25 steals last season. The other 2 finished 1st and 2nd in the AL MVP voting (Mike Trout and Mookie Betts).
ESPN Stats and Information
Rangers agreed to a 1-year deal with Tyson Ross. Ross made only one start last season due to an injury that required Thoracic Outlet surgery. In 2015, he had the third-lowest hard-hit rate in the majors (8.8%). The 2 pitchers who ranked better among ERA title qualifiers were Clayton Kershaw (8.3%) and Jake Arrieta (8.7%).
Scott Lauber ESPN Staff Writer
In exchange of 2017 salary figures, Red Sox offered $3.6 million to arbitration-eligible pitcher Drew Pomeranz, who is seeking $5.7 million. Sides have a few weeks to reach some middle ground and avoid a hearing, which would be scheduled in February.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
David Ross introduced last after Bryant and Rizzo at the Cubs convention. He comes on stage with the World Series trophy.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Watch Cubs fans as they hang out in a packed ballroom at the team's annual convention.
Mark Saxon ESPN Staff Writer
Trevor Rosenthal had easily his worst season (4.46 ERA and 1.909 WHIP) and lost the closer job, but got an $800,000 raise, to $6.4 million. Arbitration works well for players.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
It's a packed banquet room at the Cubs convention as fans await opening ceremonies.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Watch Cubs newcomer Jon Jay discuss replacing Dexter Fowler in CF and playing for the Cardinals and now the Cubs.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Cubs SS Addison Russell said he's not star struck by many people. Former running back Eddie George is one of them. George texted him after the WS but Russell said it took 4 days to text back because he wanted to craft his response. Another person Russell looks up to? President Obama. He'll see him in Monday.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Cubs hitting coach John Mallee discussing Jason Heyward's changes to his swing. They're going back to his 2012 season in Atlanta and trying to mimic his approach. Getting him in a better "hitting position" as the ball is thrown is a goal.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
Watch NL MVP Kris Bryant discuss the idea of complacency after the team won the World Series last season .
Scott Lauber ESPN Staff Writer
Xander Bogaerts' 2017 contract is worth $4.5 million. Here's the value of the other one-year deals for arbitration-eligible Red Sox players: Jackie Bradley Jr. ($3.6M), Joe Kelly ($2.8M), Tyler Thornburg ($2.05M), Brock Holt ($1.95M), Robbie Ross Jr. ($1.825M), Sandy Leon ($1.3M).
Adam Rubin ESPN Staff Writer
Mets right-handed prospect Gary Cornish, a 19th-round pick out of the University of San Diego last June, has been suspended 50 games for a positive test for an amphetamine, MLB announced. He made 14 relief appearances for Brooklyn after the draft.
Jim Bowden ESPN Senior Writer
The Padres have agreed to terms on a 6-year contract extension with Wil Myers pending a physical.
Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer
The Cubs have hired David Ross as a special assistant to baseball operations, the team announced in a press release. Ross will contribute to "all elements within the club's baseball operations department including player development, pro scouting and other work within the front office. He'll also assist in evaluating players leading up to the amateur draft. " Ross retired after hitting a Game 7 World Series home run and helping the Cubs break a 108 year championship drought.