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In the last 35 years, only 10 different teams have won an NBA title. In MLB, there have been 10 different World Series champs in the past 16 seasons...

So I guess you don’t count the additions of Yonder Alonso, James McCann, and Ivan Nova fornthe White Sox? They may not be adding the bigger names you like, but they have been active, which goes for a few teams on that list. San Diego is somewhat hamstrung in their ability to trade for bigger names, since most teams won’t look past Tatis. This does happen, as you Yankee fans know - teams only focusing on a top prospect in a trade. Gerri Cole went to Houston because Pittsburgh was unable to pry Gleyber Torres from New York. San Diego has at least 10 prospects ranked higher than anyone in the Sox system, but if both teams inquired about the same player and they offered their #10 and the Sox offered Chavis or Hernandez, we get the player. But bottom line - there are teams making zero effort to get better. But half of those 8 teams (at least) are making effort, just not with the results right now. If/when Harper and Machado actually sign somewhere, the fallout will become more attention to Keuchel and Kimbrel. Expect Chicago and San Diego to be involved in one of those waves. But yes, Baltimore, Detroit, and Miami and maybe a couple others are a disgrace right now...

What do you mean by tried to get better? The White Sox and Padres have been connected to Machado and Harper, and so far the White Sox are the only team with a public offer to either. In fact, the White Sox entire off-season seems to be built around courting Machado, as they traded for his brother-in-law and signed his winter workout partner. Both these teams have been very public in their pursuit of big money free agents, that one or both might sign Keuchel or Kimbrel as a consolation prize. The Rangers and Royals have both been active this off-season as well, just not in the pursuit of the bigger names. Don’t go writing off signings like Jesse Chavez, Lance Lynn, Billy Hamilton and Brad Boxberger as “not trying” and lumping them in with completely inert/legally dead franchises like Baltimore and Detroit, who could not have done less to improve their teams...

MLB tried to contract several years back, with the two franchises being the NExpos and the Twins. The Expos have since relocated and become very competitive in Washington and the Twins were the first franchise to draw 3 million fans , prior to that organization being ruined by notorious cheapskate Carl Pohlad. The MLBPA vehemently opposed the contraction...

Think Feller equals him if he doesn't take time off for military service?

It's not as likely, simply because the season already runs into November...

If career ERA is all that matters, Ryan was 248th all time. It's too easy to name pitchers who did better that no one considers an all time great...

Let's not get into using no-hitters as a measure of greatness. Hideo Nomo had two. Pedro, Clemens and Maddux combined for 0. And any argument about a dominating pitcher is incomplete if Pedro never gets mentioned...

Baseball has more parity than any other sport. How many other sports see all the teams win between 40% and 60% of their games nearly every year? And when teams fall outside that range, it usually isn't by much. Ever seen a season in the NFL when every team was between 10-6 and 6-10? Or the NBA where every team was between 49-33 and 33-49?

For all the talk about Machado and/or Harper, the Phillies could probably just go sign Keuchel and Kimbrel together for the cost of one of those two players. And it would be smarter - consider this. Manny Machado through age 26 - 30.4 fWAr in 6 seasons. Evan Longoria through age 26 - 28.6 fWAR in only 5 seasons Afer his age 26 season, Longoria signed a 19-year %135mill contract. Evan Longorai ages 27-33 - 19.7 fWAR This kind of drop is what scares teams...

There... that only took a short 16 months....

Does it make baseball any different from any other sport?

That feels so PC. But then again, having a ligament strain is by no means a disability...

Is it the Apocalypse?

The thing is, last year most people would have told you Oakland was eliminated in March and same thing with Minnesota the year before. In fact, despite acquiring Yelich, Did Milwaukee look like that great of a team one year ago? They came within one game of the World Series. One of these teams you listed will surprise you this coming season...

There was a brief time when Ryan and Steve Carlton kept leap-frogging each other for the All Time strikeout lead. Each would hold the lead until the other’s next start. Until Ryan pulled away. Also Bert Blyleven is like fifth all time with 3,715 strikeouts, I believe. How did it take so long to get him into Cooperstown?

They’ve been connected to Machado, which would be a great move for them. But I have my doubt that Machado or Harper sign or Realmuto gets traded anytime before the Earth crashes into the sun...

3+ years of Brad Hand, who was valued at 3.3 fWAR total in the two previous season was traded with Adam Cimber gor a two time top 3” prospect Francisco Mejia. Two years of Kirby Yates, valued at 2.3 fWAR over the two previous seasons, won’t get you anywhere near a top 30 prospect, unless they drastically up the additional piece over Adam Cimber. The Padres could use a 3b, but the Sox are a tough match. Devers is worth far more than Yates, Dalbec isn’t a major leaguer and might not be as good as a few Padre infield prospects. And Chavis is a butcher at third. San Diego also isn’t looking for prospects as far as anyone can tell. They have those by the bushel. They would probably prefer a third team involved who might have interest in Chavis’bat and a 3b they can move. Matt Duffy of Tampa might be a good fit if 1) Tampa had some interest in Chavis, which they might since he can hit and doesn’t make much money, and 2) Tampa was willing to be involved in a trade with Boston. One thing we have learned about Tampa is, they do seem to like 3 team trades...

I’m actually surprised the Sox still have Chavis. Dalbec looks like Russell Branyan 2.0. Is he really so untouchable?

I see you’re continuing as President and all the members of the Marco Hernandez Fan Club...

As Spring Training nears, it starts the Annual Question - who will win the Jeff Bailey Award this year? The Jeff Bailey Award goes to that one player that has an outstanding spring, spurning much debate over whether or not he should make the opening day roster, despite a lackluster career before. I nominate Sam Travis for this spring. Thoughts?

Kimbrel’s second half was worse than his postseason, made from a bigger sample, and probably a bigger issue on his signability...

I am starting to wonder what “close to signing” really means. Are the two sides even close to an agreement? Or are they just struggling to find a pen?

Digressing from baseball a bit, but to be fair, this off-season does encourage that. Anyway, you’d be surprised how little actually gets recycled.

How about robot pitchers? Then you could program them when to pitch...