MLB News (non-Phillies) 2026 Season

[andyb]

I am guessing Robert gets through waivers. Just too much money.

As a free agent it would be more possible on the pro-rated minimum, but I don't think the Phillies see him as much better than what they are getting from Hill and De La Cruz and probably will not want to upset the current chemistry. So my guess is they don't have interest.

[Philsmania]

in this case the Indians clearly didn't have a choice, and the guy didn't just lie about his age, h**e lied about who he i**s,

Reminds me of some of the things I heard about regarding those two infamous Korean pitchers the Phillies signed back in 2001, namely how one of them upon arrival in the United States looked entirely different than the guy the Phillies FO people back in Philadelphia saw on video.

Oh, and they're the Guardians now.

[BostonRoss]

Would Robert have to be activated before rosters expand? Not sure when he was waived, but he’d also have a little time to report.

[andyb]

One needs to be part of the organization by September 1, not activated. So maybe a waiver claim would be quick enough but a FA signing would not.

[zambonir]

Haha oops on the Cleveland team. Funnily, the team under its former name was the one that had Fausto Carmona.

I don't think the Mets will release Robert if no one claims him Just wouldn't save them that much money. Unless he's just playing so well that it costs them lottery position.

[zambonir]

Hoby Milner is also apparently on waivers.

Royals Place John Schreiber On Waivers

[zambonir]

Well, that seems like a team that is looking to find out whether his option is worth picking up.

Orioles To Claim Luis Robert Jr.

(Though since it is the AL, they are also in the playoff race).

[Philsmania]

I just read in the MLBTR article that Robert's recent DL stay was the result of a herniated disc in his back. As we've discussed here regarding Adrian Miller, spine/disc problems aren't something that goes away or gets cured. You can only learn to manage them which I got to imagine is more difficult if you are a high--performing professional athlete.

[zambonir]

They just need him to not break again for a month or six weeks. Overall, he's had an awful season and an awful career since his peak at 25, though he still had a better campaign this year than Adolis Garcia, Harrison Bader, or Johan Rojas (all of whom have also been capable of all-defense positive WAR). But he got hot in August and can still hit the ball out of the park, so O's will see if they can ride that to the 6th wild card as a .500 team. They also have a GM who probably thinks he's smarter than everyone else, but so do the Mets (they both worked for the Astros under Luhnow).

[Philsmania]

It looks like the Rays new ballpark in Tampa is actually going to happen.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49758819/rays-set-23b-stadium-project-county-city-ok-financing-plan

Question I have--will the Yankees need to relocate the Tarpons and their Rookie League team which basically play across the street?

[andyb]

31,000 seats seems really small. Guessing the luxury box/club suite ratio is pretty high and that is a shame. There is little reason any major league park should be much below 40,000 in capacity.

[Philsmania]

It also means that once the CBA is resolved, the expansion derby will be on. Probably one in the West and one in the East, most likely Southeast and, obviously, one in the NL and one in the AL. Salt Lake or Portland in the West, Nashville, Raleigh or Charlotte in the East, I'm guessing. The new Rays park probably knocks out Orlando. Two teams in Florida have had enough trouble getting traction so I doubt they add a third. Orlando might be a good location for the Rays' AAA team (while Oakland would be a good spot for the Giants' AAA team).

[Pat_Burrell]

Jeff Pasan recently spoke and said Nashville was a lock. Personally, living near Charlotte I would hope an expansion team would come here, but they don’t have a viable and willing ownership group expressing interest. The owner of the Panthers David Tepper, apparently was only interested in bringing a soccer team to Charlotte and now that they are here, I don’t believe he has any interest in baseball

[Philsmania]

Jeff Pasan recently spoke and said Nashville was a lock. Personally, living near Charlotte I would hope an expansion team would come here, but they don’t have a viable and willing ownership group expressing interest. The owner of the Panthers David Tepper, apparently was only interested in bringing a soccer team to Charlotte and now that they are here, I don’t believe he has any interest in baseball

Charlotte blew it by building an unexpandable ballpark for the Knights. It looks gorgeous but they shot themselves in the foot. And, a friend of mine who went to the SABR convention said he heard some inside talk that Nashville's momentum maybe stalling.

Yeah, it won't be all that long until we are debating here who should be on the Expansion Draft Protected List. During the last two expansion drafts, the Phillies were not picked on too badly, only loss of note being Andy Ashby and came out with Danny Jackson and Bobby Abreu in draft day trades.

[Philsmania]

31,000 seats seems really small. Guessing the luxury box/club suite ratio is pretty high and that is a shame. There is little reason any major league park should be much below 40,000 in capacity.

I guess, for a change, the Rays won't have a hard time selling the place out. Or, maybe not. It will be bigger than Tropicana (25,114) but still the smallest in MLB.

[zambonir]

While I realize it's a bit chicken/egg, the Rays haven't topped 19,000 since 2011, with quite a few sub-15,000 seasons, even not counting COVID and the loss of the stadium. Even the Phillies can't draw 25,000 when they aren't good, and there's usually a few thousand no-shows/empty seats when the place is ostensibly sold out. However nice the new ballpark is it just can't offer that ideal summer baseball experience, nor the fact that so much of the region's fan base still roots for other teams.

Hopefully it does not skew towards overpriced club/luxury, but I'm sure the deliberate scarcity is meant to have that effect either way.

[andyb]

I guess, for a change, the Rays won't have a hard time selling the place out. Or, maybe not. It will be bigger than Tropicana (25,114) but still the smallest in MLB.

Though conversely if it is mostly luxury seating then a huge portion of the seats will be empty even when they DO sellout. Fans in the bleachers usually sit in their seats most of the game. I really hate when the seats behind home plate are connected to some luxury club and are empty all the time.

[zambonir]

Angels being sold to Stan Kroenke who already owns Denver NBA and NHL teams plus the Rams and Arsenal. He will probably want a salary cap.

[zambonir]

That's what the waiter service is for!

[Philsmania]

I guess that eliminates Kroenke as a potential Dodgers purchaser if Walter continues to need to unload assets (he recently sold the Lakers after owning them only for a year). Kroenke will be the first simultaneous owner of an MLB and NFL franchise since Wayne Huizenga owned both the Dolphins and Marlins.