We miss you, A-Rod. More than you can ever know. Sincerely, the media

By Craig CalcaterraSep 2, 2014, 4:00 PM EDT
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Meanwhile, in New York:

Actually, not that hard to wrap my head around at all. There are now several more Yankees players on the team thanks to expanded rosters and the space in the Yankees clubhouse, however copious, is finite. That and the fact that A-Rod’s locker is not some ancient Indian burial ground upon which no one dare tread. Probably.

I guess this is just a preview for next year when someone gets Jeter’s locker. Unless of course it is called up and out of this world in some sort of rapture situation come the first of October.

Report: Major League Baseball bans transactions with Mexican League teams

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By Craig CalcaterraJun 22, 2018, 10:10 AM EDT
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Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that Major League Baseball has banned all transactions with Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB), popularly known as the Mexican League. As of now, all 30 teams are prohibited from signing players under contract with LMB teams. The ban was issued due to Major League Baseball’s contention that “corruption” and “fraud” run rampant in the player acquisition process.

Passan describes the issues in detail, and they sound pretty compelling. The upshot: LMB clubs — which have full control over their players — are taking advantage of them, taking most if not all of the signing bonuses MLB teams give them after negotiating for their rights. Mexican teams often sign players when they’re 15 years-old so that, once they are old enough for American teams to approach them, they’re in the position to take a usurious cut.

Passan says Major League Baseball is demanding greater transparency from LMB before it’s willing to lift the ban. He also says that the MLBPA is in “lockstep” with Major League Baseball on the matter, which makes sense given that, if MLB’s claims are accurate, players are being exploited here. He also says that if LMB does not change its ways, there is a “Plan B,” though it’s not clear what that is.

There aren’t a ton of Mexican players signed by MLB teams each year, but there are enough to make this a significant issue that is worth watching.