Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy has suffered a fractured left rib that will sideline him for at least the next month, according to MLB.com. Murphy, in turn, will be unavailable when the Braves open their schedule on March 27 against the San Diego Padres.
Murphy, 30, is a former All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner coming off a dismal showing in 2024. He hit .193/.284/.352 (76 OPS+) with 10 home runs in 72 games, establishing new career lows in each of the triple-slash categories along the way. The Braves nevertheless parted ways with backup catcher Travis d’Arnaud (who subsequently signed with the Los Angeles Angels) to begin the offseason, paving the way for Chadwick Tromp to slide in as Murphy’s caddy — at least until top prospect Drake Baldwin was deemed ready for a more substantive role. Now, Baldwin seems poised to compete for the starting job.
Baldwin, CBS Sports’ No. 32 prospect, hit 276/.370/.423 with 16 home runs last season between Double- and Triple-A. Last week, we wrote about how Baldwin could crack Atlanta’s Opening Day roster:
As with Chandler, I think Baldwin’s chances of making the Opening Day roster hinge on the health of the players above him on the depth chart — or, specifically, starting catcher Sean Murphy. Were Murphy to go down at some point this spring, I would have to imagine Baldwin would take over behind the dish on a most-days basis until Murphy is ready to return from the shelf. I don’t believe the same dynamic would be true if the Braves lost backup Chadwick Tromp to the IL; rather, I assume Atlanta would turn to a veteran non-roster invitee like Curt Casali or Sandy León. All that to say: I think Baldwin’s debut will probably come later this season.
The Braves are also slated to enter the year without outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and ace Spencer Strider, both working their way back from major injuries. Veteran reliever Joe Jiménez is expected to miss most of, if not the entire year as well.
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred is reportedly reviewing a petition to reinstate Pete Rose. Hopefully that review doesn’t take very long and ends in a definitive “no,” because the league absolutely does not need to reinstate Rose, nor should it.
Rose died Sept. 30, 2024, which means there’s only one reason to reinstate him: To put him in the Baseball Hall of Fame. There is no other reason for reinstatement. And, no, he doesn’t need to be in the Hall of Fame.
First, let’s review. The facts of the case are these, and they are indisputable:
MLB Rule 21(d) states: “(2) Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared permanently ineligible.” That rule was instituted in 1921 and was posted in every clubhouse for decades. Pete Rose willingly violated the rule both as a player and a manager. In 1989, Rose was found to have violated the rule and was punished accordingly. In 1991, the Baseball Hall of Fame decided that players ruled permanently ineligible by Major League Baseball would also be ineligible for the Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rose — after years of lying about it — admitted that he did indeed bet on baseball. He willingly did something that carried the punishment of a permanent ban and was punished with a permanent ban. And yet so many people are outraged on his behalf. He did the crime and will continue to do the proverbial time.
The rule has colloquially been said to carry a “lifetime ban,” but take note that this isn’t true. The rule says permanently ineligible.
The institution of Rule 21 was necessary because of the Black Sox scandal, when eight Chicago players were found to have thrown the 1919 World Series. Any personnel taking part in the game itself who also gamble on the game became, correctly, the cardinal sin of baseball. If there’s any hint that a game’s outcome has been fixed or compromised in any way, the sport is tainted. It simply cannot be tolerated, which is why the punishment was so steep when the rule came about and why that punishment remains just as steep.
Rose chose to violate the rule again and again. The punishment for the crime was a permanent ban from baseball. Of course, he lived the rest of his life around baseball. He was on the field and introduced as a member of the All-Century Team at the 1999 World Series. There’s a street in Cincinnati named Pete Rose Way and there’s a statue of Rose outside Great American Ball Park. He was honored in Cincinnati multiple times.
This is to say that he hasn’t exactly been erased from the memory of baseball fans or from the history of the sport. In fact, he’s probably the single most talked-about former player. Putting him in the Hall of Fame wouldn’t change anything there.
Every argument that’s made in Rose’s favor is a deflection.
Players did steroids! Not the same thing and it doesn’t change that Rose violated the rule that carries a permanent ban.
The sign-stealing scandal! Again, it’s not the same thing and changes nothing about what Rose did to violate the sanctity of the game.
Fans can gamble on baseball and MLB has deals with gambling companies! And team personnel are still forbidden from gambling on diamond sports. This, again, changes absolutely nothing.
You aren’t perfect! Nope. I’m not. This has nothing to do with telling it like it is regarding Rose.
The biggest, overarching argument regarding Rose is that a full account of the greatest players in history is incomplete unless Rose is in there. That’s true. He was one of the best players in MLB history. He absolutely was not the greatest hitter ever — as many people like to say — nor was he a top-tier all-time great like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Babe Ruth. He was, obviously, though, a great enough player to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer based on his playing career.
He also violated the rule that carried a permanent ban from baseball.
You can’t tell the story of baseball without mentioning Rose and his hits record in addition to winning an MVP and three World Series titles? There’s an entire exhibit in Cooperstown on his hits record! It’s there! In the Hall of Fame! He’ll never be forgotten. He’s an immortal baseball talking point.
So, let’s be very clear about what reinstatement would mean: a posthumous honor. That’s it. An induction into the Hall of Fame would change nothing except there would be a ceremony where he would be recognized.
Does he really deserve that?
We’re talking about the guy who stained the game by gambling on it. He lied about it for well over a decade and then decided to come clean when he thought it would get him reinstated. And yet, he still justified his actions by explaining that he only bet on his team to win. Of course, there’s a wrinkle in there that needs our focus.
Rose didn’t bet on his team every single game as far as we know. If you only pick and choose which games upon which to bet, it’s easy to assume those are the ones he thinks his team is going to win. Maybe he just liked the odds better or thought some opponents were weaker than others. Maybe he tried harder some nights.
Is it really so necessary to honor him with a Hall of Fame ceremony?
Let’s also keep in mind that he was accused of statutory rape for an alleged relationship with a minor younger than 16 in the 1970s. When he was asked about it in 2022 in Philadelphia, his first response to a woman reporter was, “it was 55 years ago, babe.” Later, he said, “who cares what happened 50 years ago?”
So, again, I ask: Is this a man who really needs to be honored?
No, he doesn’t. If Manfred gets this right, he’ll keep Rose on the permanent ban list and ensure he doesn’t get into the Hall of Fame. He stained the game and doesn’t deserve it, even posthumously.
.Free-agent lefty José Quintana is signing a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, according to Robert Murray of FanSided.
Quintana, 35, compiled a 3.75 ERA (105 ERA+) in 170 ⅓ innings last season with the New York Mets. His contributions were worth an estimated 2.5 Wins Above Replacement. Perhaps concerning was the large jump in home runs allowed, as he coughed up 22, the most he’s yielded since 2018. His walk rate also increased. Still, there were some good runs in there. From May 16 to July 9, he had a 10-start stretch with a 2.77 ERA. He also had a 0.74 ERA in his last six regular-season starts before allowing only one unearned run in 11 innings in his first two playoff starts. That streak ended when he got shelled in Game 4 of the NLCS.
CBS Sports ranked Quintana as the No. 33 free agent available entering the offseason. Here’s what we wrote of him at the time:
Quintana has pitched in the majors for parts of 13 years now. Just once, back in 2021, has he finished a season with an ERA+ below the starting pitcher average (usually 93). He doesn’t have high-octane stuff, to put it kindly, but he locates well and uses his four-pitch arsenal to good enough effect. There’s always crater risk with these kinds of pitchers regardless of their age (he’s nearing his 36th birthday). Still, a team could do worse than counting on Quintana to be their No. 4 starter.
Quintana figures to compete for a spot in a Brewers rotation that already includes Freddy Peralta, Tobias Myers, Nestor Cortes, and Aaron Civale.
The Boston Celtics are one of the best teams in the league, and rightfully so. Their ability to be one of the most unselfish teams in the league makes them almost unstoppable. In an article by Celtics insider Noa Dalzell, multiple coaches couldn’t help but be impressed with their playstyle.
Erik Spoelstra, head coach of the Miami Heat, was impressed by their quick growth in between meetings. “‘They move the ball much better than they have in the past,’ Spoelstra said after the Celtics defeated the Heat earlier this month.”
Milwaukee Bucks and former Celtics head coach Doc Rivers was very impressed by their deep trust in one another to make huge, selfless plays. “They’ll pass until there’s one second on the clock to try to find someone. They did that a couple of times and that’s why they are what they are. That wasn’t them two years ago — and it is them now. That’s what makes them the champions.”
The final coach to sing praises of the Celtics was Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who had one thing to say: “They just seem like they care about winning more than anything else”.
The C’s are in second place in the East sitting at 20-5, and will face the Washington Wizards tomorrow at 6pm EST.
Anderson would provide great defense, and decent stats off the bench. For the Warriors, he’s averaging five points, three rebounds and two assists. Compared to Hauser, Anderson is also a better playmaker, which the Celtics like having.
Horford and the second-rounder would be near equal in salary to Anderson, and both teams could exchange some cash due to their huge payrolls. It would also help the Celtics get their young team even younger.
Should the C’s do this? Honestly, they probably should. They have the depth at center to lose Horford, and he’s only getting older. However, he is a fan favorite and still pretty efficient, so if they decide to not do it, it wouldn’t hurt them that much.
They have the supporting cast of a contender, just not the main piece. Embiid would be that guy for them.
FanSided outlined how a potential trade would work. It would most likely involve Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and Jalen Green. Of course, draft capital would have to be included. It would also take some more contracts to match, like Jeff Green’s and Steven Adams.
The problem with a trade with the Rockets While the Rockets boast some intriguing young talent, Sengun and Green have poison-pill contracts. In other words, their extensions kick in next season.
Green will start the first year of a three-year, $105 million contract while Sengun will start the first year of a five-year, $185 million contract.
Other factors would be at play in a potential trade with the Rockets. Embiid just got hurt again shortly after admitting to a “depressing” injury history. The Rockets would have to ask themselves if he’s worth the injury risk.
Embiid has familiarity with Rockets coach Ime Udoka from Udoka’s time as an assistant with the Sixers. Udoka has helped the Rockets find their groove, and Embiid would vault them up a level on paper.
A trade like this would make sense if the Sixers decide they don’t want to have Embiid anymore. A deal could be reached here depending on what else the Rockets would offer.
Currently, the Sixers won’t think about this because they’ve got more pressing immediate problems. If they put Embiid on the market, the Rockets are a realistic trade partner.
“This trade offer from the Houston Rockets is an ambitious move to catapult themselves into championship contention,” Fadeaway World’s Eddie Bitar wrote Thursday.
“Jalen Green, the centerpiece of the package, is a dynamic scorer with star potential (19.5 points per game, 4.7 rebounds per game), making him an appealing addition to the Lakers’ core while Dillon Brooks (12.8 points per game, 3.7 rebounds per game) brings elite defense on the perimeter.
“For Houston, acquiring LeBron James would pair him with a young roster including Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., and possibly Bronny James.”
“Adding LeBron’s leadership and championship pedigree could transform the Rockets into playoff threats instantly.”
“While losing Jalen Green stings for a franchise focused on the future, LeBron’s ability to elevate a team is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and expect head coach Ime Udoka to go after this trade at all costs if it is feasible.”
James will turn 40 on Dec. 30, but the four-time NBA champion still produces at an impressively high level.
In Year 22, James hasn’t lost the ability to overpower defenders in the lane, locate open teammates on the run, and occasionally drill nonchalant pull-back triples on the perimeter.
The 20-time All-Star averages 23.0 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.0 rebounds per game on a Lakers team attempting to turn the corner in mid-December.
With Green competing with D’Angelo Russell for the most erratic performer in the league award, it wouldn’t be asinine for the Rockets to enter win-now mode and trade for a franchise-elevating piece in James.
However, there’s a good chance the Rockets’ trade package for James wouldn’t move the needle for the Lakers, making it nearly impossible to complete a blockbuster deal.
“The Brooklyn Nets are facing a familiar conundrum when it comes to Ben Simmons,” Hoops Wire’s Sam Amici wrote Sunday. “His $40 million-plus expiring contract screams NBA trade chip, but actually moving it? That’s a different story.”
“According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Nets could explore flipping Simmons to a team looking to clear cap space for 2025. The idea? Sweeten the deal by attaching a promising young player or draft assets to entice Brooklyn into taking back a multiyear salary.”
“Sounds good in theory, right? But in practice, it’s complicated. Simmons has had flashes of his old self this season, but consistency remains the big question.”
“If you’re Brooklyn, you’re not just moving Simmons to move him. You’re looking for pieces that help you win now and keep an eye on the future.”
“The Nets are a team trying to stay competitive while building around a collection of solid role players. Taking on bad long-term contracts doesn’t exactly fit the script unless the sweetener is too good to pass up.”
“From the other side, teams looking to shed salary might find Simmons’ expiring deal attractive, but how many of those teams are willing to part with assets to make it happen?”
“Teams are already hesitant to move high-value picks or young players, especially with the new CBA tightening the screws on long-term cap management.”
“Bottom line: Brooklyn has options, but they’re not great ones. Simmons’ contract gives them some leverage, but not enough to expect a blockbuster return.”
“If a deal does materialize, it’ll likely involve Brooklyn absorbing some tough financial commitments. Whether that’s worth the potential assets coming back? That’s the $40 million question.”
“For now, the Nets will keep taking calls, but don’t expect fireworks unless someone blinks first.”
Before the start of the 2023-24 season, Simmons promised Nets fans he would eventually dominate opponents again.
Unfortunately, the 2016 lottery pick has been unable to replicate the success he enjoyed with the Philadelphia 76ers.
He’s averaging 5.1 points and 6.5 assists per game with the Nets this season and has sometimes looked out of place.
Simmons is still a decent playmaker who can quickly get downhill and force off-ball defenders to abandon their original assignments. Still, he isn’t the same player who was highly regarded coming out of college.
Expect the Nets to move on from the LSU product this season.
“The Knicks’ offer for LeBron James is a robust package of talent, defense, and draft capital,” Fadeaway World’s Eddie Bitar wrote Thursday.
“Mikal Bridges, a budding two-way star posting 16.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, gives the Lakers a player who can score efficiently, defend at an elite level, and fit seamlessly alongside Anthony Davis.”
“Josh Hart, with his hustle and versatility, brings energy and defensive intensity (13.9 points per game, 8.3 rebounds per game, 5.5 assists per game), while Mitchell Robinson provides rim protection and rebounding prowess to bolster the Lakers’ interior.”
“From the Knicks’ standpoint, this trade is the ultimate splash, pairing LeBron James with Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby to form one of the most stacked lineups in recent memory.”
“LeBron’s leadership and playmaking could unlock new dimensions for the Knicks’ offense while giving them a legitimate shot at Eastern Conference supremacy over the Boston Celtics.”
“It’s a bold move for New York, but it aligns with their appetite for marquee names and high-pressure situations.”
“While the Knicks would miss Bridges’ versatility and Hart’s heart-and-soul energy, bringing The King to Madison Square Garden might finally end their decades-long championship drought.”
James isn’t in the MVP conversation to start the 2024-25 campaign, but he certainly isn’t a weak link on the disappointing 13-12 Lakers squad.
As a physically imposing 6-foot-9 forward who puts instant pressure on defenses when the ball is in his possession, James can still elevate a franchise with his awe-inspiring play on the hardwood.
The 20-time All-Star is one assist and two rebounds short of averaging a triple-double this season.
Bridges, a lengthy 6-foot-6 wing who can take on various offensive and defensive roles, is having an encouraging season in his own right, netting 17.0 points per contest on 48.1% shooting from the field.
While it would be interesting to watch James team up with Towns, Brunson, and Anunoby in New York, the Knicks’ frontcourt depth and bench production need the most attention.
