Camp Notes

Been very, very quiet so far...

• CBS Sports agrees with the groupthink that pushes a Jamo extension as the logical move. 
• Bob Nutting visited camp and pitched the usual yada. He did say that the club doubled the size of the Dominican training facility, using some of last year's BAMTech money, and that minor league wages need "a fresh look," though he was way short of any specifics. He also wouldn't discuss the value of/competition for the team's media rights (which expire after this year) and stadium naming rights (which expire after 2020).
• Per Pirates medical chief Todd Tomczyk, Archie and Big Joe are progressing according to schedule and should be ready to rock when the season opens; Gregory is TBD. Chad Kuhl and Edgar Santana are both out for 2019; he doesn't expect them back even late in the year.

Mitch at camp (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

• MLB Pipeline has just released its most current Top 30 Prospects list. Mitch Keller keeps the top spot while pups Oneil Cruz, Calvin Mitchell and Luis Escobar are in the top ten. It's top heavy with position players, but 13 of the 30 are pitchers. It's homegrown, including 20 draftees, and features 13 players with an ETA of 2019.
• The Pirates have voided the contract of RHP Roberto Gomez, who apparently didn't pass his physical. He had been invited to camp as a depth player and was slated to start the year at Indy.
• Josh Harrison in agreement with the Tigers on a one-year/$2M + $1M in incentives contract, pending his physical, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. J-Hay is expected to their everyday second baseman, and gets to rejoin old middle-infield bud Jordy, who also moved on to Motown.
• Doc Emrick plans to visit the radio booth on Monday during the Red Sox game and will be with the boys for sure on Wednesday when the Blue Jays' game is streamed on Pirates.com . Both games have 1 PM starts. 

S-Rod...if it weren't for bad luck (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

• Sean Rodriguez has a tear in his right meniscus and a sprain in his right knee; TBD if he will need surgery. He had signed a minor league deal w/the Phils. 
• Prob worth the wait - Manny Machado inked the biggest FA sports contract in American history, signing a 10-year/$300M deal with the Padres. The White Sox made an offer that was potentially worth more, but through bonuses rather than guaranteed money. Now Bryce Harper has his target contract.
• 93.7 The Fan is carrying an AP story about how veteran salaries and the FA system may be altered in the upcoming CBA. Data crunching and a long lead-in time for cheap youngsters are having their effect on the middle class.
• Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated looks at the MLB's efforts to stamp out hi-tech sign-stealing, which has become a thing over the past couple of seasons.