Jeff Mount – Call to the Pen

Rewriting the MLB rules: Making a case for trading draft picks

Jeff Mount — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 14:30:22 +0000

We’ve all had our share of fun roasting Alex Rodriguez and Colin Cowherd for not knowing that you can’t trade draft picks in Major League Baseball. The ridicule is well-earned: both of these guys make enough money pontificating on sports that they can hire someone to do some research for them. If they are making […]

Rewriting the MLB rules: Making a case for trading draft picks - Call to the Pen - Call to the Pen - MLB News, Rumors, Prospects, and more

A guide for Cleveland Guardians fans with eyes on 2024

Jeff Mount — Sun, 13 Aug 2023 11:00:53 +0000

For the 75th consecutive season (sigh), fans of the Cleveland Guardians are left to think about next year. It’s happening a little earlier this season than in some others, but the recent trades and injuries have rendered them ill-equipped to make a serious run in 2023. But where does it leave them for 2024? Much […]

A guide for Cleveland Guardians fans with eyes on 2024 - Call to the Pen - Call to the Pen - MLB News, Rumors, Prospects, and more

Is there a role for Noah Syndergaard with Cleveland Guardians in 2024?

Jeff Mount — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 15:30:43 +0000

Trading for Noah Syndergaard was sort of a Catch-22 for the Cleveland Guardians. The best-case scenario, in which he shows anything resembling the Thor years with the Mets, would probably make him unaffordable for Cleveland as a free agent in the offseason. The worst-case scenario, in which Syndergaard is never healthy enough to take the […]

Is there a role for Noah Syndergaard with Cleveland Guardians in 2024? - Call to the Pen - Call to the Pen - MLB News, Rumors, Prospects, and more

5 reasons for MLB owners to vote no on Oakland A’s move to Las Vegas

Jeff Mount — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 16:00:25 +0000

There is a widespread expectation that the relocation of the Oakland A’s to Las Vegas, in the eyes of many, is a done deal, and that the vote of approval from the MLB owners will be a mere formality. Because, after all, no owner will deny another owner the chance to boost his income, because […]

5 reasons for MLB owners to vote no on Oakland A’s move to Las Vegas - Call to the Pen - Call to the Pen - MLB News, Rumors, Prospects, and more

After Aaron Civale trade, Cleveland Guardians are punting on 2023 season

Jeff Mount — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 14:00:44 +0000

I don’t know anything about Kyle Manzardo. Well, I know he put up big numbers in Double-A last year, and was the third-ranked prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays farm system before this season. I also am reasonably certain that, if we went back and looked at the top 100 prospects for any year in […]

After Aaron Civale trade, Cleveland Guardians are punting on 2023 season - Call to the Pen - Call to the Pen - MLB News, Rumors, Prospects, and more

MLB trade deadline: What comes next for Chicago White Sox?

Jeff Mount — Sun, 30 Jul 2023 13:00:52 +0000

If I had told you before the season that nobody in the AL Central would be much above .500 by the end of July, you might not have been too surprised. You probably would have assumed, though, that the collective failure to break away from the pack would result in a cluster of teams near […]

MLB trade deadline: What comes next for Chicago White Sox? - Call to the Pen - Call to the Pen - MLB News, Rumors, Prospects, and more

Why there’s no reason for Cleveland Guardians to keep Amed Rosario

Jeff Mount — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 14:30:59 +0000

If you’re a New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers fan, these next two sentences probably doesn’t compute. Whether to keep or trade a player doesn’t depend on his salary. All that matters is whether he can help you win more than whatever you can get for him. That makes the trade deadline relatively simple. […]

Why there’s no reason for Cleveland Guardians to keep Amed Rosario - Call to the Pen - Call to the Pen - MLB News, Rumors, Prospects, and more

Why trading Shohei Ohtani is the quickest path to contention for Los Angeles Angels

Jeff Mount — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 13:30:34 +0000

If you’re the Los Angeles Angels’ front office, what exactly is your selling pitch to Shohei Ohtani when you begin contract negotiations? Money won’t even enter into the equation; Ohtani seems a lock to earn the largest contract in MLB history unless he just decides that’s not important. The Angels will have to convince Ohtani […]

Why trading Shohei Ohtani is the quickest path to contention for Los Angeles Angels - Call to the Pen - Call to the Pen - MLB News, Rumors, Prospects, and more

Even with Las Vegas move, there is a bright side for Oakland A’s fans

Jeff Mount — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 15:00:26 +0000

People who accuse Oakland A’s owner John Fisher of sabotaging his franchise in order to justify a move to Las Vegas should ask themselves one simple question: Why would he bother? Name the last professional sports owner who put a franchise move to a vote of his fellow owners and got voted down. I’ll wait. […]

Even with Las Vegas move, there is a bright side for Oakland A’s fans - Call to the Pen - Call to the Pen - MLB News, Rumors, Prospects, and more

Cleveland Guardians following usual pattern of early-season stumbles

Jeff Mount — Mon, 01 May 2023 17:00:41 +0000

We’ve been here before with the Cleveland Guardians. A year ago, to be precise, but it seems like we go through this every year. In 2016, they were 10-12 on the first of May, six games out of first. Five weeks later, they took over first place and were never caught until Game 7 of […]

Cleveland Guardians following usual pattern of early-season stumbles - Call to the Pen - Call to the Pen - MLB News, Rumors, Prospects, and more