Snake Bytes: 12/07 - The Pick That Will Stick

Around The MLB

[MLB] 10 names to watch ahead of the Rule 5 Draft

Jonathan Mayo comes up with 10 names that might be worth the $150,000 investment.

[CBS Sports] MLB Rule 5 Draft 2020: 17 names to know, including former top-five pick, pair of Yankees prospects

A different list on CBS Sports, but with no D-Backs either so we would not have to worry about seeing the next Brad Keller go.

[Sports Illustrated] Making Sense of This Year’s Record Number of Non-Tendered Players

An executive in search of a justification for these moves does not have to rely on the pandemic. The current structure of baseball itself will work just as easily. As teams have focused more on trying to find value as cheaply as possible, non-tenders have increased, and this winter has just continued that dynamic. [...] the core of the situation here is that this trend was already happening. Even if there had been no coronavirus, with a full season under regular financial conditions, 2020 still might have set a record with 59 non-tenders, anyway.

[NBC Sports] Zaidi reveals Giants being told to plan for no DH in 2021

“We’ve been told to plan as if we’re not going to have it,” Zaidi said of the designated hitter. “Again, it was really something that was just put in place for 2020 given the unusual nature of the season. We weren’t planning for a DH in 2020 and we actually wound up getting pretty good production out of the position, so I think the plan would be the same.

“Hopefully we’re ready with it but we’re planning and I think we’re assuming it’s not going to be in place. At least for one more year, we may be back to old-style NL baseball.”

[CBS Sports] MLB sues insurance providers to cover billions in losses due to COVID-19 pandemic

Major League Baseball and its 30 teams are suing insurance providers to cover billions in losses as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, reports the Associated Press. The lawsuit, which was filed in California in October, claims pandemic losses should be covered under “all-risk” policies. The insurance companies have refused to pay out thus far.

[LA Times] Astros owner Jim Crane wins first round in Mike Bolsinger’s lawsuit

Houston Astros owner Jim Crane does not have to testify under oath about his team’s sign-stealing scandal, a judge ruled Friday. That might happen later in pitcher Mike Bolsinger’s lawsuit against the Astros, if the lawsuit goes forward. But first the court must decide whether the case should be thrown out or transferred to Texas, and Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Draper said Friday that Bolsinger’s attorney had failed to show why sign-stealing questions would be relevant at this time.

Across The Wall

[Dominican Republic] Sammy Sosa and his brother mentioned in corruption file

Once a cheater, always a cheater.

[Dominican Republic] Major League Baseball allocated more than half of the international money in the Dominican Republic

The 30 organizations recruited 1,022 players trained outside the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico between July 2, 2019 and October 15, 2020, according to a detailed report published on their website. Of that group, 507 are Dominicans, that is, 49.6%. Venezuela followed with 375 for 33.6%. Those two markets accounted for 83.2% of new recruits, a group that the pandemic has prevented from making their professional debut. Dominican players received a total of $87,288,300.

[Dominican Republic] LIDOM signings

Old friend alert with the Toros del Este signing Yasiel Puig who is looking to improve his free agent value, the Águilas will sign Richard Rodriguez, Gregory Soto and Jonathan Villar while Yankee catcher Gary Sanchez reinforced the Toros.

And did you know that the Diamondbacks...

Are also a baseball program for youth and kids in Dorchester, Ontario, Canada?