In other deals, the Royals sign free agent P Edinson Volquez for two years and $20 million after a great comeback season with the Pirates and the Marlins add OF Michael Morse for two years and $16 million.

ByTom

In other deals, the Royals sign free agent P Edinson Volquez for two years and $20 million after a great comeback season with the Pirates and the Marlins add OF Michael Morse for two years and $16 million.

2015 – The Dodgers acquire 3B Todd Frazier from Cincinnati for three prospects, the most heralded being IF Jose Peraza, then flip him to the White Sox for three other prospects, all with major league experience: Micah Johnson, Frankie Montas and Trayce Thompson.

ByTom

2015 – The Dodgers acquire 3B Todd Frazier from Cincinnati for three prospects, the most heralded being IF Jose Peraza, then flip him to the White Sox for three other prospects, all with major league experience: Micah Johnson, Frankie Montas and Trayce Thompson.

Major League Baseball’s goodwill tour to Cuba, the first official MLB visit to the country since 1999, opens with a news conference at Havana’s Hotel Nacional. Players participating in the four days of children’s clinics and charitable events include White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu and Dodger outfielder Yasiel Puig, who both defected from the island nation to play baseball in the United States.

ByTom

Major League Baseball’s goodwill tour to Cuba, the first official MLB visit to the country since 1999, opens with a news conference at Havana’s Hotel Nacional. Players participating in the four days of children’s clinics and charitable events include White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu and Dodger outfielder Yasiel Puig, who both defected from the island nation to play baseball in the United States.

|

Lacking a closer, the Astros deal former overall number one draft choice Mark Appel, along with Brett Oberholtzer, Vincent Velasquez and two other prospects to Philadelphia for closer Ken Giles and infield prospect Jonathan Arauz. While sometimes shaky in relief, Giles has proved more reliable than anyone the Astros gave up for him. 

ByTom

2015 – Lacking a closer, the Astros deal former overall number one draft choice Mark Appel, along with Brett Oberholtzer, Vincent Velasquez and two other prospects to Philadelphia for closer Ken Giles and infield prospect Jonathan Arauz. While sometimes shaky in relief, Giles has proved more reliable than anyone the Astros gave up for him. 

The Phillies and Astros swing a seven-player trade, with closer Ken Giles going to Houston, while the Phillies land the number 1 pick in the 2013 amateur draft, P Mark Appel, along with Ps Brett Oberholtzer and Vincent Velasquez headed the other way.

ByTom

The Phillies and Astros swing a seven-player trade, with closer Ken Giles going to Houston, while the Phillies land the number 1 pick in the 2013 amateur draft, P Mark Appel, along with Ps Brett Oberholtzer and Vincent Velasquez headed the other way.

At the Winter Meetings in Nashville, TN, the Pirates trade 2B Neil Walker to the Mets in return for P Jonathon Niese; the Yankees send reliever Justin Wilson to the Tigers for prospects Luis Cessa and Chad Green; and the Athletics send 3B Brett Lawrie to the White Sox for two prospects.

ByTom

At the Winter Meetings in Nashville, TN, the Pirates trade 2B Neil Walker to the Mets in return for P Jonathon Niese; the Yankees send reliever Justin Wilson to the Tigers for prospects Luis Cessa and Chad Green; and the Athletics send 3B Brett Lawrie to the White Sox for two prospects.

Graham_McNamee_1924

Broadcasting pioneer Graham McNamee is named the posthumous winner of the annual Ford C. Frick Award

ByTom

Broadcasting pioneer Graham McNamee is named the posthumous winner of the annual Ford C. Frick Award. He described every World Series from 1923 to 1934 for a national audience, as well as the first four All-Star Games

Amanda Hopkins is hired by the A’s as a full-time major league scout, becoming the first female to hold that position in over seventy years. The 22 year-old former Central Washington University softball captain, whose dad is a scout, joins Edith Houghton and Bessie Largent, who held similar positions with the Phillies and White Sox, respectively, in the 1930s and 1940s.

ByTom

Amanda Hopkins is hired by the A’s as a full-time major league scout, becoming the first female to hold that position in over seventy years. The 22 year-old former Central Washington University softball captain, whose dad is a scout, joins Edith Houghton and Bessie Largent, who held similar positions with the Phillies and White Sox, respectively, in the 1930s and 1940s.