Ricky Renteria’s road to the big chair

Positive coronavirus tests create urgency in MLB’s 2020 negotiations
Bob Nightengale, USA Today

The resumption of spring training now will be no earlier than June 29, with the season starting July 26.

Warning, Bob Nightengale content above. But pro-, pro-, pro-owner be his tilt, credit due, Bob has been on top of this coronavirus offseason.

2020 OOTP sim: Trade mania
Brett Ballantini, South Side Hit Pen at Sports Illustrated

Before the opener of a series against first-place Cleveland there was an additional roster shakeup for the Chicago White Sox.

Apparently Brett’s remedy for flagging interest in the 2020 White Sox sim season — the club is better than .500 and in the playoff hunt despite significant injuries at various points to Edwin Encarnación, Luis Robert, Leury García and Lucas Giolito — is to establish himself as a budding GM. This mess of deals (with San Diego, Boston and the Dodgers), shedding a bit of salary and head cases and yielding sneaky-good additions like All-Star closer Kirby Yates and two-way catching powerhouse Luis Torrens, are pretty good. You should be so lucky, White Sox.

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Rising MLB Players on the Cusp of Superstardom in 2020
Jacob Shafer, Bleacher Report

If there is a 2020 MLB season, it will feature a shortened schedule, possibly an expanded playoff format and the odd sight of mostly empty stadiums.

It will also be a showcase for some exciting young players on the cusp of superstardom.

Here’s a look at 10 guys who fit that description and have the tools and opportunity to break out—assuming they get a chance to take the field this year.

Ignore the headline, Luis Robert is in there. Somewhat pedestrian article, but still, it’s sweet to see Luis.

All 30 MLB teams to train at home facilities
Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times

According to a report, the players’ vote on the owners’ proposal was delayed while the union gathers information on safety and health protocols because of the positive tests for the coronavirus and the shutdowns of camps.

This “report” has probably changed a bit, given coronavirus outbreaks in Florida shutting camps down. I’m guessing teams in Arizona, Texas and Florida won’t be playing in their home parks this season.

'A cry for correction': Rick Renteria on fatherhood, his Mexican roots, and racism
Adam Hoge, NBC Sports Chicago

Baseball purists can relate and be envious at the same time. Renteria is living the dream of every little leaguer. He grew up playing baseball in local parks, was good enough to play professionally, made it to the Majors and is now the manager of the Chicago White Sox.

Strong deep dive from Adam. Very much worth a read. Renteria may just be an average manager at this point, but he’s well above that as a human being.

Projecting Team Payrolls for the 2021 Season
Craig Edwards, FanGraphs

What this winter’s free agent market ends up looking like — and how lucrative it proves to be for players — is unsurprisingly very much in flux. The 2020 season is still in flux, and how it plays out, or if it ends up being played at all, will have a significant affect on the offseason. If there’s no season, we know that players will still receive service time, making guys like Mookie Betts, James Paxton, and J.T. Realmuto free agents. Players will receive raises in arbitration. For competitive balance tax purposes, no season would mean no tax payments. The Red Sox would still need to stay under the $210 million tax threshold in order to reset their tax amount, though with 2021 being the final season of the current CBA between the players and owners, the ramifications of such a move are very much unknown and could end up being completely nullified by a new deal.

If you want to look ahead to the next possible truly “new” season, 2021, Craig seems to see quite a bit of space still remaining in the White Sox payroll!

Morning Music
If there was a video for “Is She Really Going Out With Him?” it would be here now, because I sang the hell out of that song as a kid. But let’s go instead with a smooth opening to the week, a song that really rushes a wave of comfort over me. I’d like to live in that building.