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SPORTS & RECREATION
SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | FEBRUARY 16, 2020
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Cactus League will feature new and old faces BY HALEY SMILOW Progress Contributor
F
ried food, the crack of a bat, and home runs are back. Spring Training kicks off with a full slate Saturday, Feb. 22, in the Valley. New and old faces will return and we’re looking forward to all of them.
Arizona Diamondbacks 2019 record – 85-77 A few games short of a wild card spot in the 2019 season, the D-backs are looking to return to the playoffs. General Manager Mike Hazen made sure the team would have the players to get there. In October, Hazen signed Stephen Vogt to a one-year, $3 million contract with a vesting option for 2021. In 2019, Vogt was consistent for the San Francisco Giants. At the start of the off-season it wasn’t in the D-backs’ plan to find a replacement for Zack Greinke, but not too long after, priorities shifted, and Madison Bumgarner found his place on the Diamondbacks’ roster. The 11-year veteran enters Chase Field as the ace and comes to the team for $85 million. The D-backs looked to improve the corner outfield spots when they signed Arizona native Kole Calhoun and traded for Starling Marte. Calhoun will add a little bit of lefty power in the outfield and will give the D-backs more flexibility in its lineups. Chicago Cubs 2019 record – 84-78 The Cubs avoided arbitration for the eight year in a row this offseason. By extending one-year contracts to players
like Kris Bryant and Javier Baez, the Cubs are sitting pretty for next offseason. The Cubs were able to hold onto three-time all-star Anthony Rizzo with a $16.5 million deal. But the Cubs still took some hits this offseason. They lost ace Cole Hamels, power bat Ben Zobrist and a reliable bullpen arm in Steve Cishek. The team picked up CD Pelham off waivers and traded for Travis Lakins, Casey Sadler and Jharel Cotton. Chicago White Sox 2019 record – 72-89
Rick Hahn, the Chicago White Sox’s general manager, is rebuilding his team. On Halloween, he traded Welington Castillo to the Rangers to free up space on the roster – and money. Without a catcher, Hahn went straight for the top. He brought in all-star Yasmani Grandal, who inked for $18.25 million. As a backup, Hahn went for Brian McCann, whose role will be to provide leadership to younger players and play behind the plate when needed. On the mound, Hahn signed Dallas Keuchel for $18 million and Steve Cishek for $6 million. Hahn added the power bat of Edwin Encarnacion on a one-year deal for $12 million and extended a deal with Jose Abreu for $17.8 million. The final move this offseason was signing the No. 3 prospect in baseball, Luis Robert, for six years with a $50 million contract.
Cincinnati Reds 2019 record – 75-87 The Reds stepped up their game, landing plays who could make a playoff push in 2020. The Reds started the offseason by the signing strong bats. Mike Moustakas signed a $64 million contract, a record for the Reds. Where Moustakas is going to play is still a bit of a question, but for that sum, it is sure that he will be a starter. They also signed the nine-year outfield veteran from Japan, Shogo Akiyama. Over his career, Akiyama has acquired 1,405 hits, 116 homeruns and a .301 batting average. In addition, the Reds finished out their rotation by adding former D-backs pitcher Wade Miley. He agreed to a twoyear, $15 million contract, and is getting the call for the final spot in the Reds rotation. In the offseason the Reds traded for Jose De Leon, Justin Shafer and Travis Jankowski, and picked up Nick Martini and Freddy Galvis off waivers. Cleveland Indians 2019 record – 93-69
The Indians are trying a new formula to return to the World Series. After losing Jason Kipnis and Corey Kluber to injuries at the end of last season, the Tribe did away with them. Kluber was shipped off to Dallas, and Cleveland welcomed relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase and the speedy outfielder Delino DeShields. Replacing Kipnis is former Phillies
second baseman Cesar Hernandez. Entering his eight season of professional baseball, he landed a $6.25 million deal. The Tribe acquired catcher Sandy Leon through a trade with the Boston Red Sox for Adenys Bautista. Colorado Rockies 2019 record – 71-91
The Rockies will be looking to close the gap in NL West. The team was quiet this off-season, but MLB veteran Yonder Alonso left the team. The Rockies also picked up a couple of minor league arms. The biggest signing the Rockies made was extending a deal with the righty reliever Scott Oberg. The deal will see Oberg on the Rockies for three more years for $13 million and it avoids arbitration. The Rockies may have made a risky move in signing ex-Rays player Jose Mujica, who sat out last season due to Tommy John surgery. Kansas City Royals 2019 record – 59-103
After back-toback 100-plus losing seasons, things aren’t looking too good for the Kansas City Royals. Rather than trying to rebuild the team, the Royals are taking it one step at a time. In early December, the Royals resigned right-hander Jesse Hahn for
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