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It is the end of the year and the hot stove has just started to heat up a little (thanks to the Padres). Yadier Molina has apparently been in talks with several teams, including the Cardinals, Yankees, Mets, Angels, and Padres. It is enough teams that Yadi wants to hear from us where he should play. That or he just needed a fun caption for an Instagram post. Either way...
what else is going on in baseball...
News story on the late-night blockbuster up (and unlocked) at ESPN: The San Diego Padres went out and got themselves a Cy Young winner, acquiring Blake Snell from Tampa Bay for a four-player haul that enriches what's inarguably the best farm system in MLB. https://t.co/hT5WFqyrzj
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 28, 2020
The Padres acquired Blake Snell and Yu Darvish while keeping six of their top seven prospects entering the day, all of whom will likely be on the 2021 @BaseballAmerica Top 100.
— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) December 29, 2020
what the cardinals are up to...
The @JimBowdenGM crystal ball has both Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina returning to the #STLCards https://t.co/DppetibxD4
— Mark Saxon (@markasaxon) December 27, 2020
Asked about the pace of Molina’s market, one source said: Could be fast or slow. Depends on the #Cardinals. “They could sign him fast. That’s where he wants to be.” Well, they haven’t — so slow it is.
— Derrick S. Goold (@dgoold) December 24, 2020
That’s one of the top stories of 2020.#stlcards https://t.co/bMi6Gwhglt
know thine enemy...
the nl central
Here's @craigjedwards' take on San Diego's second blockbuster in as many nights, what the Padres should expect from Darvish, and how the Cubs found themselves in this sad place https://t.co/RGJujE2ksa
— FanGraphs Baseball (@fangraphs) December 29, 2020
The Yu Darvish-to-the-Padres deal is on the verge of happening, sources tell ESPN. Darvish is expected to go with Victor Caratini to SD. Cubs' return is Zach Davies and four young prospects: OF Owen Caissie (18), SS Reggie Preciado (17), OF Ismael Mena (18), Yeison Santana (20).
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 29, 2020
This is what a salary dump in a pandemic looks like. The Cubs aimed to transfer debt.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 29, 2020
(I’m writing from my phone, so this post is a little different and shorter, sorry — should be back to normal next week!)