pper hand over prospects"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Angels PregameAngels PostgameGamethreadsHalos Heaven PodcastsShohei OhtaniMinor LeaguesInterviewsHALOLINKSTuesdoLinks: Murray Re-Writes The RulesNew http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-nick-markakis-jersey ,154commentsKyler Murray exposes how MLB works hard to hold the upper hand over prospectsPSTShareTweetShareShareTuesdoLinks: Murray Re-Writes The RulesWe need to book mark this whole Kyler Murray episode. For a long time, I think it is going to serve as a valuable touchstone into how MLB and MLB owners act aggressively to write rules that control payroll costs at the youth end. And that their willingness to re-write those rules when it serves their own needs shows just how weak are the fundamentals are that justify those rules. More below.Still fighting a head cold. NyQuil —> DayQuil —> NyQuil = that’s the end up of Big Thinking to open the Links today. You guys go to it, though,with these Rainy-Day--HaloLinks:A Little Bit Of Angels NewsZack Cozart. Don’t forget about Cozart...........Bourjos/Grichuk for Freese/Salas? Yeah, a fair trade among middle-of-the-road players. Because of their being middle-of-the-road............Sheryl Ring of FanGraphs reviews the extension between the Angels and the City of Anaheim, wondering why the extension is so short? The theory is that this is plenty of time, now that there is a more friendly city government. But Anaheim is not going to give anything away, nor are they going to pay for any new stadium. And, as the article points out, over the past few years Arte has been surrounded more and more by other ventures eating into his potential upside.I find it interesting that Ring closes with the same thought experiment I had: all this just in time for Arte to exploit the Portland opening?............Everywhere In BaseballKyler Murray did the obvious thing, filing to enter the NFL draft. This means nothing to his MLB options other than continuing to hold Oakland’s feet to the fire. It has more to do his being a redshirt Junior at University of Oklahoma. He is officially foregoing his senior year of college, is all that Monday meant. And that was of zero surprise.....What I did NOT realize yesterday, was that the MLB Front Office sent a contingent right along that of the A’s to chat with Murray and talk him into sticking with his baseball future. Now THAT is very interesting. First, it shows how much leverage a prospect really can have once you strip away all the controls that ownership has created over their inventory of 27-year old and younger employees. We have talked a lot on these pages about the recent tide of moving money away from players with seniority (mostly 30-something Free Agents looking to get paid for what they no longer are, or won’t be for much longer) over to that large groups of 20-somethings that are locked up in underpaying contract structures. Kyler Murray is exhibit B as to what the true value of a 20-something should be (Exhibit A was Rick Reichardt, whose auction caused the whole draft system in the first place.)..........Quick factoid: Kyler Murray’s uncle was the batter at the plate when Randy Johnson destroyed a bird..........So, yes Scott Kazmir Jersey , we do need to brainstorm our way to a better acquisition, development, and compensation system for Major League Baseball......Too bad the players are far, far from being prepared with any ideas about this right now.....I’ll get right on that............Up until a couple of weeks ago, the idea that Russell Martin is HoF worthy would have made me chuckle. But then Harold Baines happened...............MLB is still working on diversity in hiring. I keep writing that line. I wonder what year it will be when I get to stop writing that line?.........Broadcaster Rod Allen takes down broadcaster Mario Impemba over the use of a particular chair, and it’s nothing more than “a baseball brawl”............Yeah. This is the way an information services becomes “legitimate”: shutting down comments from the readership, as Barstool is doing. “Legitimate”, my ass. From my POV, writing without feedback merely allows the writer to live in a world without challenge, convincing that writer that they are immutably correct. That’s the MSM ego and arrogance that has felled the newspaper industry. You guys keep doing you...........Rest In Peace, Mel Stottlemyre...........Hot StoveAs I led with yesterday, the Manny Machado and Bryce Harper signing processes are nearing a conclusion, and things are getting hot and heavy. The information being bandied about can be conflicting and rumors are not to be trusted. But we can get a general sense. The notion that the Nationals went to Vegas and upped their offer for Harper has been refuted. The Nats are sticking to their original offer, considering it fair.......The same can be said of the White Sox and Machado, with the ChiSox sticking to the offer they made to Manny two weeks ago.....That offer could be for 8 years. Or maybe it was just for 7 years. But note how details are now starting to get out into the public airwaves. That is a sign of crunch time..........Avisail Garcia is getting signed by the Rays.....About $6 million, all in.......And the Giants are hanging on to Derek Holland.....And Derek Holland might be decent again..........Deadspin wants to remind everybody that The Man is evil, leading off with a pretty mind-numbing stat that “league-wide revenues hit a staggering $10.3 billion last year Kurt Suzuki Jersey , nearly quintupling since 1992 even after accounting for inflation”. Yeah, let’s go back nearly 40 years to figure out a large net growth. And, to be frank, the company I work for, all by it’s lonesome, generates 8 times what MLB does. So $10 billion does not impress me. But don’t give up. Keep reading! Because the author actually goes on to point out that there are rational factors behind the players’ payroll challenges today. Sure, we have to think about them and figure them out, but they don’t need to add up to “collusion”...........Unless you are a player agent. Then everything is collusion............The Duffle Bagreddit gives us the alert that a new high quality video of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig was posted on YouTube. It IS brilliant..............Job postings! Sports Info Solutions needs a video intern. Isn’t that code for “watch TV”?...........The Tampa Bay Rays are looking to hire an R&D slave intern...........If you have ever been to a Phillie’s Best sub shop and spent time reading the decor, you know that this list of Philadelphia-themed stuff is severely lacking............If Kyler Murray can play NFL and MLB, why can’t Baker Mayfield?........... The Fall League is one of baseball’s best semi-kept secrets"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Angels PregameAngels PostgameGamethreadsHalos Heaven PodcastsShohei OhtaniMinor LeaguesInterviewsMinor LeaguesWhy you should go visit the Arizona Fall LeagueNew,5commentsThe Fall League is one of baseball’s best semi-kept secretsByJessica DeLine@abaseballchickOct 25, 2018,9:00am PDTShareTweetShareShareWhy you should go visit the Arizona Fall LeagueSurprise StadiumPhoto: Jessica DeLineMany baseball fans will tell you that if you love baseball, then you need to go to Spring Training. They aren’t wrong. Spring Training is pretty great and has become and annual tradition for us. It’s a great way to sit up closer to the action, potentially get better access to your favorite players, and enjoy some beautiful weather in the process.But have you been to the Arizona Fall League?? Sure these guys aren’t big league players but many of them WILL be. There are some details about the Fall League you should probably know. For instance, the players are almost all at the AA and AAA level. Only one player below AA is allowed per team and no player with more than 1 year of major league service time is eligible. There are 180 players total who participate - 30 players per team who are placed on 6 different teams.While they don’t all make the big leagues http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-nick-markakis-jersey , around 60% of AFL players WILL make it and among AFL alumni there have been 212 All Stars, 12 MVPs, 4 Cy Young winners, and more over the 27 year AFL history.Player like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Mike Piazza, Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, Kris Bryant, Giancarlo Stanton all went through the AFL at some point in time.Besides all that great talent - why should you go??Beautiful weatherArizona is in the fricking desert but October and November bring very pleasant weather. It won’t be too hot or too cold and you may spend your days in a tshirt and nights in a light jacket.Player AutographsIf you are a fan of autographs - you are in luck!Almost all these guys are willing to sign, even the big stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Sometimes you have to know where the players exit, or you can just line up on the first or third base line before and after a game. Don’t be like those annoying kids though who hang over into the dugout and ask for autographs during the game. Where are their parents??Souvenir BallsThanks to the smaller crowd size, you are much more like to pick up a free souvenir in the form of a foul ball (or even home run). There are better places than others to sit, but we even snagged one sitting directly behind home plate (and behind the net) when it was fouled up and over and rebounded almost right to us. The player who hit that foul ball was Angels prospect Jahmai Jones.No FrillsYou aren’t going to get walk up songs or fancy scoreboard graphics. There is no pitch clock. There is usually just one line to get in to the stadium. One ticket taker, one open concession stand. This is simple baseball without all the other distractions. It’s laid back. It’s fun, it’s JUST baseball.Up close and personalWe saw 3 games and all had an “official” attendance around 1,000. It felt like 500 people. Gates open 1 hour before the game starts but you can really show up at any time and still sit in the front row http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-nick-markakis-jersey , behind home plate, right behind the dugout, etc.Pretty much wherever you want. For our second game (of 3), we sat right behind the dugout and before the game, Pirates #5 prospect Cole Tucker walked over to the dugout and said to me “hey, what’s up?”. When was the last time that happened to you at a baseball game? Incidentally, keep an eye on Tucker - he looked super impressive and polished in this game. Speaking of impressive and polished, we had front row seats to Vladdy Jr. for both games and you don’t get much more of a real deal than that dude. He knows his game, is mature beyond his years and is going to be mashing in MLB next year. Thanks Dipoto.Cheap TicketsOne game will set you back $9. Try to beat that price in spring training. Tickets go on sale 1 hour before the game starts and the line is pretty short. Season ticket options aren’t bad either if you plan on spending more time in Arizona and you can get a season family pass for only $120.Here is a small picture gallery from our recent trip to the AFL. Grid View Largest stadium in the cactus league Jahmai Jones on deck Home of Rangers and Royals Spring Training Vlad Jr! Night game at Sloan Park Just some of the autographs we got Two dude with legendary fathersAngels NotesWe saw the Mesa Solar Sox play twice - it’s the team that holds all the Angels prospects playing in the AFL. We got to say hi to Jahmai Jones (and get him to sign a foul ball) and I also said hello and go an autograph from Brett Hanewich whom I interviewed last month.Unfortunately, none of the Angels position players were in the lineup for the first game we saw, but they did all start in the second one.Brett Hannewich looked strong. He didn’t strike anyone out and gave up a hit but allowed zero runs or walks over 1 inning of relief.Jahmai Jones notched his second 2-hit game of the AFL, going 2 for 5 with 3 RBIs and two Ks. We didn’t get to see him play in the field as he was the DH for the night.First baseman David MacKinnon had a walk, run, and hit in his 4 ABs. It’s the only hit he’s had in the AFL (so far).8 million dollar man Roberto Baldoquin had a hit, RBI, and a run. His single was one of only two hits he’s had all fall.Jesus Castillo started the Saturday game and did not look sharp at all. The Glendale Dessert Dogs were teeing off on him and knocked 7 hits and 5 run over Castillo’s 3 innings. Castillo’s stuff didn’t look real sharp and he couldn’t locate well.