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Willson Contreras has a broken arm, Ken finds out about a late spring trade story, we have a disturbing story on Perfect Game and Fanatics and Jarren Duran is doing something special in Boston. I’m Levi Weaver, here with Ken Rosenthal — welcome to The Windup!
Contreras injury deals blow to Cards’ struggling offense
It’s already been a pretty miserable season for the last-place Cardinals. Things only got worse.
Last night in the second inning, the Mets’ JD Martinez threw a pitch and connected hard – but not with the ball. His bat nailed the left forearm of catcher Willson Contreras, who immediately reacted and showed that he was in great pain. X-rays later showed a fracture in his arm.
It was a gruesome injury, and it’s especially bad for the Cardinals, whose already struggling offense is losing its best hitter this season. Coming soon for Tuesday’s match. Contreras led the team in bWAR (1.7), home runs (6) and all three slash lines, except for batting average. His .931 OPS was nearly 200 points better than the team’s second-best (Nolan Arenado, .740).
For now, backup catcher Iván Herrera will be pushed into regular playing time. He’s hitting .232 (.653 OPS) after 69 at-bats this year. They also have Pedro Pagés, who should be called up today. He was briefly in the big leagues last month and went 0-for-2 with a walk in limited action.
After the game, Contreras expressed optimism that he would return before the All-Star break (July 15-18).
Oh, and if all that wasn’t enough, the Cardinals – who led the Mets 3-0 at the time of the injury – gave up six runs in the fifth inning and lost 7-5.
Ken’s notebook: Doing business over coffee
General managers rarely negotiate face-to-face. Trade conversations and negotiations with free agents take place primarily via text, email and phone. Even at winter “meetings,” in-person discussions are often the exception, not the rule.
On March 27, the day before the season opener, Tampa Bay Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander and general manager Brian Cashman got together the old-fashioned way. The result was a three-team trade: the New York Yankees landed infielder Jon Berti from the Miami Marlins, the Rays acquired catcher Ben Rortvedt from the Yankees, and the Marlins were left with a player minor leagues of each team.
Cashman’s spring home in Tampa, site of the Yankees’ training facility, is directly down the road between Neander’s house and the school one of Neander’s sons attends. After dropping his son off, Neander called Cashman and told him he would drive by his house. Negotiations between the three teams have stalled. Cashman invited Neander over for coffee.
The Yankees were already in Houston. Rortvedt, who was one of the club’s 26 players among three receivers, was at the team hotel. Cashman, however, had remained in Tampa and made it clear to Rortvedt that teams were interested in trading for him. If a rival club came up with something that, in Cashman’s words, “stirred things up”, Rortvedt would disappear.
The Yankees, knowing that DJ LeMahieu would start the season on the injured list, needed an infielder. Earlier, they pursued free agents Amed Rosario, who signed with the Rays, and Kiké Hernández, who returned to the Dodgers. The Rays, meanwhile, had two catchers, Rene Pinto and Alex Jackson, but were looking to improve. Jackson only had one minor league contract.
Sipping their coffee, Cashman and Neander worked on the framework of the deal, bringing in Marlins general manager Peter Bendix. Jackson, who thought he had been one of the Rays’ two catchers, was stunned to learn after the team’s final practice that he was being sent to Triple A. Opening Day was less than 24 hours away.
A little over a month later, things have changed again. Rortvedt proved to be one of the Rays’ best hitters early in the season, hitting .333 with an .813 OPS in 74 plate appearances. Jackson joined him on the team’s roster last Friday, replacing Pinto, who was sent to Triple-A. The next day, Berti rejoined the Yankees after missing three weeks with a strained neck. left groin.
Good thing Neander called Cashman after dropping his son off.
“He’s a good host,” Neander said.
Perfect Game, Fanatics deal worries agents
Britt Ghiroli’s story is worth highlighting today, but if you have young baseball players in your life, it’s a must-read. The short version: An expected licensing deal with Fanatics raises concerns that Perfect Game is forcing players to sign away their NIL rights in perpetuity to participate in the program.
For those who don’t know Perfect Game, it’s a storefront that allows parents to pay to have their child baseball prospects ranked and/or scouted. Many great players are alumni, including Mike Trout, Mookie Betts and Bryce Harper.
Here is an excerpt from Britt’s story:
In a release form on Perfect Game’s website – whose title, “participantrelease2019”, suggests it is at least five years old – there is a section titled “Press Release”. In this context, participants are informed that their signature at the bottom of the document grants Perfect Game “the absolute and irrevocable right” to use their name, signature, likeness, image, voice and/or appearance in any photos, videos, audio , digital. images or cards on behalf of Perfect Game or its affiliates, at any present or future event related to Perfect Game.
The section also states that participants will not receive any compensation for the use of these materials and releases Perfect Game from any claims and demands related to the use and ownership of the name, signature, plausibility, image, voice and appearance of the participant.
It makes sense that Perfect Game needs these rights to post highlights on its website and sell ads. But here’s the plot twist.
First of all, a perfect game agreed to a licensing agreement with Fanatics to produce merchandise, including baseball cards, featuring PG players. The waiver gives them the right to do so without any further authorization (or compensation paid) to the players or their parents. Additionally, players now sign hundreds of items, including stickers that can then be added to baseball cards.
Where this starts to seem exploitative is that there is no expiration date on this waiver, raising concerns that Perfect Game and Fanatics will hold these rights throughout a player’s career , even in the major leagues. And as the story goes, “even when that player retires, Perfect Game owns the rights he or she has assigned to any Perfect Game event or signed memorabilia.” NIL players’ rights have received more attention lately as they are now allowed to profit from them as NCAA athletes.
Perfect Game and Fanatics declined to comment on the story, but a number of anonymous agents (and Scott Boras, officially) are quoted unequivocally stating that the form players sign is predatory.
It’s worth reading, especially if you’re a parent of a big league prospect.
Jarren Duran on a triple record
If your brain works like mine, I’m about to plant a seed that will never go away. Earlier this week, I saw a video describing Jarren Duran as being in the running.like an angry lizard.”
Now you’ll think about it every time you see him run, and if his first 36 games are any indication, you’ll have a plot of opportunities. He hit his sixth triple of the year last night, most in baseball, and putting him — we’re getting closer to those words that mean something — “on pace” for 27 triples this year.
The last player to hit more than 25 in a season was Kiki Cuyler, who had 26 for the Pittsburgh Pirates…in 1925.
In the split era (1969 to present), there have only been six seasons with more than 20 triples. The last two came in the same season, when Jimmy Rollins had 20 for the Phillies and Curtis Granderson hit a division-record 23 for the Tigers.
If you’re wondering, the all-time record was set by Owen Wilsonwith a wwwowww-worthy 36 triples for the Pirates in 1912.
More Red Sox: Following our discussion yesterday about the surprising success of Boston’s pitchers this year, Jen McCaffrey takes an in-depth look at how new Director of Baseball Craig Breslow and pitching coach Andrew Bailey have revolutionized the pitching staff.
Handshakes and High Fives
We spoke too soon. The Twins’ lucky (and at this point, possibly disease-ridden) sausage was not eliminated after the winning streak ended. They are now 1-1 since his comeback.
No Trea Turner. A free evening for a few beginners. Against the league leader in ERA (José Berríos, 1.44). No problem for the Phillies, who won 10-1 to extend their winning streak to seven games.
Astros’ JP France is going to be out for “a while” with a shoulder injury, further highlighting the Astros’ lack of pitching depth. Cristian Javier should be back soon, but even a healthy Justin Verlander can’t stop the Astros’ hemorrhaging 12-23.
Carson Fulmer was expected to be a star after being taken 8th overall in the 2015 draft by the White Sox. Today, after 29 months of absence, he is back in the big leagues with the Angels. Sam Blum has the story.
Cody Bellinger is back from the IL. What is Pete Crow-Armstrong’s plan?
David O’Brien highlights how Orlando Arcia’s defense made him a more than adequate replacement for the departed Dansby Swanson.
Eno Sarris says there’s another element to consider when looking at a player’s “luck”: his team’s schedule.
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(Top photo: Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)