Braves News:
Braves sign Bud Norris to major league contract
You wanted fireworks? The Braves brought you fireworks. That's right folks, it's not even December and we've already seen the biggest move of the 2015-16 off-season, and his name is Bud Norris. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating, but the Braves have began to, albeit very lightly, dip into their purse and take a look at free agent options. A 30-year old right hander, Norris posted a 6.72 ERA in 2015, splitting time between San Diego and Baltimore. It's an interesting move, given the depth Atlanta has n the mound, but there are worse ways to spend $2.5 million.
FoxSports creates composite Braves prospect list
There's been a lot of talk about the Braves' prospects as of late -- partially because of the Andrelton Simmons trade, and partially because of FanGraph's heavily criticized rankings -- so FoxSports South created a composite ranking using five sources (MLB.com, Baseball America, FanGraphs, Minor League Ball and of course, Talking Chop). Their No. 1? The newly acquired Sean Newcomb. Shortstop phenom Ozzie Albies rolled in at Here's what they said about Newcomb:
This makes sense. Considering his club control, productivity and ceiling,Andrelton Simmons was expected to bring back the best haul of the Braves' rebuilding process. When general manager John Coppolella labeled theAngels' offer too good to pass up, this is the type of top-tier prospect you'd expect to see.
It's a new day, which can only mean one thing: Shelby Miller news. Possibly the most talked about player in the trade market not named Jose Fernandez, Miller has been looked at by a number of teams, including the San Francisco Giants and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Well, as it turns out, that number is more than just two. A reported 20 teams have checked in on Miller. 20. Now I'm no math major, but I do believe that's two-thirds of the entire league. Following the Simmons and Maybin trades, the rest of the league must be able to smell blood in Atlanta, and the vultures are starting to circle to pick at any last piece of meat they can from a team in sell-mode.
MLB News:
Cubs make a move for Rex Brothers
The off-season is still young, and the stove is just beginning to warm up, but it's clearly there's been an early emphasis on relief pitching in these first few weeks. The Boston Red Sox made a move for Craig Kimbrel, the Detroit Tigers dealt for Francisco Rodriguez, and a litany of other relievers have been in rumors. The latest team to go after bullpen help? The Chicago Cubs. They made a move on Wednesday to acquire former Colorado Rockies reliever Rex Brothers. The 27-year old posted a 1.74 ERA in just 10.1 innings last year for Colorado, but he holds a 3.42 career ERA.
Could baseball be making a leap across the pond?
We're seeing it now in the NFL: regular season games being held in London. Could the MLB be the next league to showcase their product overseas? Per reports, London could be ready to host MLB games by 2017. The venue would most likely be Olympic Stadium.
"That stadium, the way it’s built, actually is big enough for a baseball game," MLB International’s Clive Russell said in 2012. "It’s not perfect, but it has some real potential."