Notes: B-Rey, Solometo, RIP Gene, Moves, HoF, CBA Meetings

Hey, they're meeting!

Notes:

• Mike Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors writes that the Marlins still have interest in Bryan Reynolds, with perhaps a couple of side pots simmering.
• MLB Pipeline picked a potential Top 100 guy to watch for each team; if you're not adverse to some long distance scrolling, the Bucco bambino they selected is lefty Anthony Solometo.
• OF Gene Clines passed away on Thursday at the age of 75 in Bradenton. “Little Angry” was always noisily pushing for time in his five years (1970-74) with the Pirates, but never reached 350 PAs during any of his Pittsburgh seasons. Still, he was a valuable 10th man - he hit .287 over that span with 51 stolen bases, played all three outfield positions well, was part of four division-winning powerhouse clubs and a World Championship squad along with being a member of the first all-minority lineup in MLB history. He played through 1979 in the show before retiring to become a coach, and was a regular sight at Pirates camp and team reunions in his later years.

Gene Clines - 1973 Topps

• The Rangers signed RHP Nick Tropeano to a minor league deal. Nick has tossed for five MLB teams, including the Bucs in 2020. 
• Lloyd McClendon is back, kinda - he was named the manager of the Tigers' AAA Toledo Mud Hens.
• David Ortiz was the only player voted into the Hall of Fame this year. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling and Sammy Sosa saw their 10-year window expire and moved on to the tender mercies of the Today's Game Committee, one of the old Veteran Committee's splinter groups. 11 other guys dropped off after tallying less than 5% of the vote. Big Papi will join Golden Days Era Committee selections Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Miñoso and Tony Oliva along with Early Baseball Era Committee electees Bud Fowler and Buck O'Neil at the July 24th Induction Ceremony.
• The MLBPA and MLB sat down again for a couple or three days. The union pulled their free agency timetable, so six years of service time will remain the standard. MLB bumped their offer to increase the minimum salary (it's at $570K now) a smidge from $600K to $615K; the MLBPA proposal is for $775K. Still ahead: luxury tax cap, payroll floor, revenue sharing (MLBPA moved incrementally closer toward MLB's proposal), arb eligibility/bonus pool (MLB has dropped its opposition to Super 2 status), expanded playoff/scheduling, draft pick compensation for FAs (MLB has offered to eliminate it) and a draft lotto, plus the non-economic issues, but some headway was made during this session.