Hunt and Peck: Links of the Week

The subject of instant replay has been discussed here and around the world of Major League Baseball numerous times. MLB has finally agreed to begin the process of expanding video replay. The way I understand it, the MLB's version is very similar to that of the NFL. Beginning in the 2014 season, each manager will begin each game with a "challenge". He can only use the challenge on certain types of plays. If he wins the challenge he will get to keep his challenge and may use it one other time in the game. In the seventh inning and later (the two minute warning), the crew chief will institute a replay at his discretion. All replays will be reviewed in MLB’s command center in New York.

Here is the press release that further explains the details of the new replay system, the types of plays that are review-able, and the initiation of the replay.

Some Other Things Going On in Baseball…

• Apparently Pablo Sandoval has lost 42 pounds. That is pretty much all I have to say about that. - MLB
• It appears the Masahiro Tanaka saga is over: - MLB

BREAKING: Tanaka to #Yankees, seven years, $155M, opt-out after fourth year.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 22, 2014

• The new Hall of Famers have chosen their caps. Two have chosen to go blank. One might surprise you, while the other one might not. - Hardball Talk

What the Cardinals Are Up To…

• Remember when danup tried to convince us that Tim McCarver won't ruin the St. Louis broadcasts? Well... I hope he is right, because he will be there for 30 of them. - STLToday
• Poor Oscar Taveras and his violent swing violently slide and sprained his ankle... violently. He breaks his silence on his traumatizing injury and expresses his goals for the coming season... en español, por favor. - MLB (Video) - MLB
• Taveras was also ranked the number 2 outfield prosepect in all of baseball. - MLB
• Meanwhile, with Jedd Gyorko's promotion to the majors, Kolten Wong now sits as the number one second base prospect. - MLB
• Albert Pujols turned 34 (so they say...) on January 16. To this point, he has hit 492 homeruns, and if my math is correct, 445 while wearing the Birds on the Bat. Aqui El Hombre golpea numero uno. (Mabry sighting.) - CutFour
• Albert also did this once, in case you forgot. - CutFour
• The "mystery" that is Shelby Miller’s postseason disappearance still remains. Is he a victim of mismanagement? Was he eaten by wolves? Did he go on a tropical vacation? Is he a Texas Marshall? We may never know, but that won’t stop us from writing about it. - MLB - Hardball Times
• Arms Wars IV: Return of the Carp. You thought he was done? Not quite. - MLB
• Now we know why Yadier Molina avoids Winter Warm Up. He hates seeing girls cry. - CutFour
• How does one scout a wizard? Pretty accurately, I must say. - Scouts
• Cards minor leaguer, Andrew Pierce, was suspended 50 games for violation of the Minor League Drug and Prevention Program - By Gosh
• The wonderful people of Fangraphs weigh in on the Cardinals depth at starting pitcher. Look at tehzachatak's comment for a chuckle. - Fangraphs
• The magnificent Dan Moore looks at Molina's backups invited to Spring Training. While there is some potential... well, there is potential. - Mad Em Dashes

Know Thy Enemy…

• Theo Epstein and the Cubs have been hoarding prospects for years, waiting, waiting for the moment to strike the mighty Empire of the Cardinals. Soon, they will be on our doorstep. We must be ready.- Sports On Earth
• And here are their Steamer projections. - Fangraphs
• Dan Szymborski gives his ZiPS Projections for the Pirates. Andrew McCutchen and Russel Martin lead the way in zWAR and Liriano and Cole look to be a challenge near the top of their rotation. - Fangraphs
• Reports claim the Brewers have signed Matt Garza to a four year, $52 million contract to bolster a rotation of Kyle Lohse, Yovani Gallardo, Wily Peralta, Marco Estrada and Tyler Thornburg. Neither the Brewers or Garza have confirmed this, but if this deal goes through, this could make the Brewers a "deep sleeper" pick, or so I have heard. - MLB

Other Things…

• Oh my lanta, this happened Sunday and it was glorious. What caused it? I don’t know and I don’t care. - SBNation
• And after you watch that, you should read this, too. - SBNation
• One this note, the Seahawks and Broncos will represent the NFC and AFC, respectively, in the Superbowl on February 2. There will not be baseball yet. - SBNation
• 2016 might feature a hockey game at Busch stadium. - Sporting News
• In other non-baseball news, the Blues took on the New York Rangers last night winning with a score of 2-1. That is good. What is bad is that the team's leading scorer, Alexander Steen, left near the end of the second period with a lower body injury. - St. Louis Game Time

18 days until pitchers and catchers report, Yo!


Got links you want to share? Give them to me! Tweet me @lil_scooter93 or shoot me an e-mail at lil_scooter93@msn.com.