The Red Sox had a flurry of activity at last Friday’s deadline with arbitration-eligible players, inking deals with 12 players (scroll through the history over at @RSNStats to see what transpired).
One name that doesn’t show up, however, is Mookie Betts, who is seeking $10.5 million for 2018 compared to the club’s offer of $7.5 million. The two are now heading for an arbitration hearing next month, though nothing stops them from agreeing to a deal before then. If it gets to the meeting, the three-member arbitration panel will choose either Betts’ number or the club’s for 2018, there’s no in-between. Evan Drellich at NBCSports Boston explains the process in depth, along with each side’s major considerations.
During the off-season you’ll always see deals involving Red Sox players on Twitter at @RSNStats (and @RSNStatsNews). To hear about other players of interest to Red Sox Nation (such as those involving former Sox players, or key players among Boston’s division rivals), follow the new @RSNStatsPLUS+ as well.
Now a few other notes of interest to Red Sox fans:
- Rusney Castillo, playing for the Criollos de Caguas in Puerto Rico on Sunday, was 3-for-4 (all singles) with an RBI. Castillo is slashing .294 AVG/.351 OBP/.500 SLG with two home runs over 10 games there, reports Massive.com.
- The Blue Jays will extend protecting netting to the outfield end of each dugout this season and increase the height of netting behind home plate by approximately 10 feet to 28 feet. Toronto joins the Red Sox, Brewers, Indians, Mariners, Padres, Reds, Rockies, Tigers, Twins, and Yankees among teams to announce expanded netting this year. At Fenway, the backstop netting that currently stretches to the inner edge of each dugout will be extended about 140 feet down the first- and third-baselines for 2018.
- Four minor leaguers, including one in the Red Sox organization, have been suspended for violations of Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Righty pitcher Antonio Police, currently on the roster of the rookie-level Dominican Summer League Red Sox, received a 72-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance.
- A quick note now to remember Hall of Fame Umpire Doug Harvey, who passed away this past weekend at age 87. Harvey, the last major league umpire not to attend umpire school, officiated in 4,673 National League games from 1962-92, the fifth-most games for all-time. An 18-year crew chief, Harvey worked five World Series and was even behind the plate for Kirk Gibson‘s legendary pinch-hit homer in Game 1 of the 1988 series. Curiously enough, though he ejected just 58 people in 31 seasons, his first and last ejections were both of Joe Torre—as a player in 1962 and as the Yankees manager in 1992. Harvey is one of just 10 umpires in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The others are Al Barlick, Nestor L. Chylak Jr., Jocko Conlan, Tom Connolly, Billy Evans, Cal Hubbard, Bill Klem, Bill McGowan, and Hank O’Day.