Next year it's the Braves for one year, $11 million. How many free agents this winter wouldn't love to sign for that?

Mike Clevinger to have Tommy John surgery after re-signing with Padres ... Padres trying to make lemonade ...

What an interesting career!  That's an impressive streak of 200+ IP seasons!

Clearly his peak was 2005 ... but then followed that with his *only* season with a losing record in 2006 ...

Any ideas for who else might have had a better "worst season" than this guy (min 3000 IPs)?  Does that make him HOF worthy?  Doubt it ... I'm shifting from being a small-hall guy to a large-hall guy ... so ... maybe he'd get my vote ... certainly first-ballot hall-of-very-good :-)

He's on the HOF ballot.  It doesn't feel like 5 years.  I was also surprised he didn't stick around after a successful contract with Toronto.  Seemed like he was on a Jamie Moyer career track, pitching forever.  Always one of my favorites and always a guy I would grab for $4-8 in the mid-end game of pitching.  

Bernie Pleskoff should read our board.

Luis Campusano, C, BR, Padres

Campusano was drafted by the Padres in the second round in 2017 out of Cross Creek (Georgia) High School. He signed for $1.3M, a hefty sum.

Campusano saw action in one 2020 game, getting four plate appearances and hitting a home run.

We often hear about the Padres pitching prospects, but Campusano should get as much love.

He's a solid hitter with above average power. 

An average defender, Campusano's arm strength is superb. His strength is in his bat, which is what we want from fantasy catchers.

Think of the prototypical catcher's frame, and that's Campusano. He has a thick frame with strength and power throughout his body. He has slimmed down recently, but his strength cannot be denied. He is an aggressive hitter capable of punishing the ball by finding the barrel and hitting the ball hard.

I think we can draft Campusano in keeper leagues for sure. Watch the catching corps for the Padres this spring. They may want more defense than he provides for their young pitchers. But I really think he has a chance to contribute. GRADE: 55

rotowire.com

Not sure what Daza did this summer but imagine he's back home playing now.

Bernie Pleskoff at Rotowire:

Yonathan Daza, CF, BR, Rockies

Daza is on the Rockies' outfield radar because of his solid contact rate. He has an above average hit tool, but like many centerfielders, he doesn't bring much power to his game.

He feasts on fastballs.

Daza is an outstanding defensive outfielder with a cannon for an arm. if he ends up making the Rockies, it would be as a defensive specialist or as a platoon player in general.

A line-drive hitter, Daza is patient at the plate and uses the entire field with a measured line-drive stroke. He has enough speed to be dangerous on the bases

Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela, Daza hid not make the 2020 big league roster, and as such, he didn't play this past season. He did, however, get a brief look in 2019, but it wasn't much to write home about. But remember, this is a guy who hit .364 at Triple-A.

Now 26, Daza will have to dazzle in spring training to earn a role on the club.

Proceed with caution, but he could be a late flier in a National League Only league.

GRADE: 45

Bernie Pleskoff at Rotowire:

This week I begin a three-week series of articles about prospect players who don't get the headlines but could see their roles increase in the 2021 season.

Each of these players is among the organizations' better prospects.

Given salary issues and the potential roster vacancies if veterans aren't retained, these players should be thoroughly considered for the near future.

Scout Grades:

45 = utility, part-time player with a platoon possible
50 = a regular player in the lineup daily with less probability of being platooned
55 = an above average player with multiple skills

Corbin Martin, RHP, Diamondbacks

Martin was a 2017 second-round draft pick of the Astros out of Texas A&M. He was traded to the Dbacks with 1B/OF Seth Beer, infielder Josh Rojas and P J.B. Bukauskas for Zack Greinke in 2019, during his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery. The trade may have helped both clubs. 

Martin was always a high-velocity pitcher, but since he was still recovering from surgery, he did not pitch at all in 2020. He has to prove he can still bring the heat. 

Martin has a wide range of velocity on his fastball and should hit 98 mph if he returns healthy. But he normally sits in the 94-95 range. He also throws quality breaking balls including a slider and curve. His changeup is a work in progress, but given his high velocity, that pitch could be a winner.

Most scouts feel Martin has to improve his command and stamina to land a spot in the Dbacks rotation. Most like him best in a set-up role. I still think he has a shot at starting for a Dbacks club that will always need pitching.

I say proceed with caution, but give Martin a look in spring. If he's healthy, he should make a contribution to the big league club.

 GRADE: 50

https://nypost.com/2020/11/15/trevor-bauer-throws-shade-at-yankees-in-mets-cohen-love-letter/

https://nypost.com/2020/11/15/yankees-cant-trade-clint-frazier-after-total-role-reversal/

Historically, his best comps are almost all players of recent vintage - Josh Hamilton is the most interesting and most similar, because Hamilton's career started later.  We all know his story.  But, I think Abreu is more like a Negro Leagues player who came up after integration began.  He joined MLB as a rookie in his age 27 season through no fault of his own and immediately was a star.  He won the Rookie of the Year, leading the league in both SLG and OPS+.  Over the years he's been a great power hitter, leading the league in TB at age 30 and again this year at 33, when he also led in H, RBI, and SLG.

Roy Campanella didn't come up until age 26.  He's not a comp because C and 1B are so different.  Monte Irvin wasn't permitted to play in MLB until age 30.  Jackie Robinson made his debut at age 28.  The next wave of stars were all young.  Aaron, Mays, Banks, Frank Robinson.  It's the players who were Jackie's age who, for the most part, were considered too old and never given a shot.

Lots of interesting comparisons here.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/sports/baseball/mvp-jose-abreu-freddie-freeman.html

Also a big difference: how awful Freddie felt at the start of the season.

He makes a great suggestion at the end for the writers.

https://nypost.com/2020/11/14/yankees-face-unfamiliar-problem-finding-gerrit-cole-rotation-help/

Mike Soroka (P) ATL - Nov. 13

https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/player.php?id=761517

Soroka (Achilles) has been throwing off flat ground, Arash Madani of Sportsnet reports.

ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Soroka tore his Achilles in early August and eventually underwent surgery. The fact that he's already throwing in some capacity is certainly a good sign, though he has a long wait to go before he's up to full speed. Whether he's at that point by Opening Day remains to be seen. 

Picks up an inadvertent MVP 10th place vote that was meant for Trea Turner.

This is big news today. First female GM in baseball. Kim Ng had previously interviewed for the Dodgers several years back.

Dan Martin reminds us LeMahieu was hitting .429 on Aug. 15, when he was injured.

https://nypost.com/2020/11/11/yankees-dj-lemahieu-hits-abnormal-mlb-free-agency-market/

He won't be cheap next year.

But he still might be a bargain.

AL MVP: José Abreu

Longest hitting streaks of 2020

See the full list at Stathead.com's Batting Streak Finder

Bieber came in 4th for MVP just ahead of Trout.

He had an inconclusive test before game 5. Then had a positive at game 6 then they double checked his game 5 test and it was positive.

Is Turner the only who tested positive before Game 6?