Issue #558

The goal with The Baseball Buffet series is to provide the best daily dose of relevant baseball info in a smart-brevity format (mostly short bullets, getting to the point, with quick analysis/insights.) Think of it like what baseball fans of a certain age would look forward to in their morning newspaper’s sports section each day!

⚾ Welcome! ⚾

Yesterday included another full slate of games, but before I get to those, we also had two more free agent signings:

Cubs sign OF Michael Conforto. According to an article by Brian Murphy at MLB, the Cubs are signing OF Michael Conforto (terms not yet disclosed).

  • Conforto was the Mets’ first-round draft pick (10th overall) in 2014. He was an All-Star for them in 2017, and has hit 20+ HR four times in his career, including as recently as 2024 when he hit 20 HR with 66 RBI for the Giants.

  • While he played CF some earlier in his career, he is now primarily a corner outfielder. In 2025 he struggled at the plate, batting .199 with only 12 HR in 138 games, though he walked 56 times so had an OBP that was over 100 points higher at .305.

  • Outlook: Conforto turns 33 years old on March 1st. The Cubs’ starting OF is set with Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Seiya Suzuki, but Conforto would be a solid veteran backup, and could see at-bats at DH along with Moisés Ballesteros, Matt Shaw, and starters getting a day of rest from the field.

Guardians sign 1B Rhys Hoskins. According to an article by Tim Stebbins at MLB, the Guardians are signing 1B Rhys Hoskins to a Minor League deal with an invite to Spring Training. If he makes the Opening Day roster, it would be worth $1.5 million.

  • Hoskins will turn 33 in mid-March, and so far has played eight years in the majors. Although he missed all of 2023 due to injury, he came back in 2024 with 26 HR and 82 RBI (though only a .214 average). That was one of five seasons in which he has hit 25+ HR.

  • In 2025 he batted .237 with a .332 OBP, 12 HR, and 43 RBI in 90 games for the Brewers.

  • Outlook: Hoskins is a right-handed batter, while incumbent 1B Kyle Manzardo hits left-handed—and doesn’t hit LHP as well as RHP. So if Hoskins makes the roster, there could be some platooning at 1B, or the two could largely share 1B and DH responsibilities, with David Fry also being in the mix.

Highlights from yesterday’s games

As I noted yesterday, my approach to spring training games will be to share things that catch my eye in reviewing the box scores, whether really impressive performances, or important news for key prospects or guys competing for a role like a fifth rotation spot or the like. So here is a link to all of the games from yesterday, and then here are some highlights:

  • The Giants pulled of a triple play unlike any I’ve ever seen before. See and read about it in the MLB article by Maria Guardado.

  • BAL 1B Pete Alonso hit his second Spring Training HR in as many games—a good way to start for his new team.

  • HOU SP Mike Burrows, acquired in a trade this offseason with the Pirates, had a good first outing (2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)

  • PIT SP Mitch Keller did well (2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K), while another of their starters, Braxton Ashcraft (2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) gave up a HR to PHI DH Kyle Schwarber

  • PIT #1 prospect SS Konnor Griffin went 0-3, but PIT OF prospect Esmerlyn Valdez went 2-2 with a grand slam

  • BOS SP Brayan Bello struggled (1.1 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)

  • TOR veteran DH Eloy Jiménez, hoping to win a roster spot this spring, went 2-3 with a HR and a double

  • MIN second-year OF Alan Roden went 2-3 with a grand slam

  • MIN SP Taj Bradley gave up 5 hits but also struck out 5 over 3 IP

  • ATL SP Chris Sale did well (2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K), and ATL C Drake Baldwin went 2-2 with a HR

  • NYY SP Luis Gil struck out 4 (2.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)

  • MIA SP Sandy Alcantara had a rough inning (1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 K)

  • WSN second-year 3B Brady House went 2-4 with 2 HR and 4 RBI

  • ATH SP Luis Severino did well (2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)

  • CIN SS Elly De La Cruz went 2-3 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI

  • TEX SP MacKenzie Gore gave a up a few hits in his debut for Textas (1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K)

  • Two SDP SP competing for a rotation spot pitched, with Randy Vásquez doing well (2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K), but Triston McKenzie struggling (0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K)

  • KCR lefty SP Bailey Falter, who is competing for either a rotation or bullpen spot, did well (2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K)

Second Prize Winner for February!

One of the benefits for readers who are All Star Subscribers of The Baseball Buffet is the chance to win a monthly drawing for baseball memorabilia from their favorite team. This is new for 2026, and I did the three drawings of lucky winners in early January (two Royals fans, one Giants fan), and one earlier this month (a Brewers fan).

For February, the second winner is Keith A. of Stratham, New Hampshire. He is a Red Sox fan, so as shown in the photo below, here is what he will be getting soon in the mail:

  • 2007 World Series Champions Red Sox Gnome statue

  • 2004 Sports Illustrated World Series Commemorative issue

  • Ted Williams - Baseball Legends Comic

  • 1992 Beckett magazine with Robin Yount cover

  • 1988 Wade Boggs Starting Lineup figure

  • Roger Clemens mounted card wooden plaque

  • (6) 1984 Fun Foods Buttons

  • (5) different oversized cards

  • (8) different 1980s team stickers

  • (52) all different Wade Boggs cards

  • (46) all different Roger Clemens cards

  • (30) all different Jim Rice cards

  • (38) all different Dwight Evans cards

  • … and several other miscellaneous items!

60-Day IL Players

About a week ago I shared a list of the players that teams had placed on the 60-day IL. Since then, many more have been added, so I though I’d share out the current list again. These are mostly pitchers, many still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery or other injuries from last season. Regardless, these are all guys who will definitely not be ready for opening day, with some not coming back until mid-season or later (see this page at FanGraphs for more information):

American League:

  • BAL RP Félix Bautista

  • BOS SP Tanner Houck

  • CHW SP Ky Bush

  • DET SP Jackson Jobe

  • DET SP Reese Olson (out for the season)

  • KCR SP Alec Marsh

  • NYY SP Clarke Schmidt

  • SEA SP Logan Evans (out for the season)

  • TBR RP Manuel Rodríguez

  • TOR SP Bowden Francis (out for the season)

National League:

  • ARI RP Andrew Saalfrank (out for the season)

  • ARI SP Corbin Burnes

  • ARI RP Justin Martinez

  • ARI RP A.J. Puk

  • ARI RP Colin Selby

  • ATL RP Joe Jiménez

  • ATL SP Spencer Schwellenbach

  • COL RP Jeff Criswell

  • COL 1B/OF Kris Bryant

  • MIA RP Ronny Henriguez (out for the season)

  • LAD RP Evan Phillips

  • LAD IF/OF Kiké Hernández

  • WAS SP DJ Herz

  • WAS SP Trevor Williams

  • NYM SP Tylor Megill (out for the season)

  • NYM RP Reed Garrett (out for the season)

  • NYM RP Dedniel Núñez

  • PIT SP Jared Jones

  • SDP RP Jhony Brito

  • SFG RP Randy Rodríguez

  • SFG RP Jason Foley

  • SFG RP Rowan Wick (out for the season)


Today’s Trivia Question

One of today’s Birthday Boys (see below) is Bobby Bonilla. In the ten-year period from 1986-1995 he had 217 HR. Who had the most HR during that ten-year stretch, with a total of 299?


On this day in baseball history…

Here is what stands out to me for this day in baseball history. All quoted descriptions are from baseball-reference.com.

📅 On February 23…

  • 1934: Casey Stengel starts his MLB managing career. “Replacing skipper Max Carey, Brooklyn coach Casey Stengel signs a two-year deal to manage the Dodgers.”

  • 1960: Ebbets Field is no more. “Demolition of Ebbets Field begins. Lucy Monroe sings the National Anthem, and Roy Campanella is given an urn of dirt from behind home plate.”

  • 1986: Wade Boggs loses, but still sets a record. “Although he loses his arbitration case, Boston Red Sox third baseman Wade Boggs receives the largest amount ($1.35 million) ever awarded by this process.”


🎂 Today’s Birthday Boys 🎉

Row 1: Ray Brown, Elston Howard, Bobby Bonilla
Row 2: Rondell White, Ron Hunt, Roy Johnson

Ray Brown (1908-1965)

  • Hall of Famer

  • 14-year major league pitching career in the Negro Leagues, spanning from 1931-1945, mostly with the Homestead Grays

  • According the data available at baseball-reference.com he led his league in wins six times, and led in ERA twice. Those two seasons came in 1938 with a 14-0 record and 1.88 ERA, and in 1940 with a 17-2 record and 2.07 ERA.

  • He also did well in the postseason, with a 1.32 ERA over 7 games (4 starts) and 47.2 IP

  • He was also a capable batsman for a pitcher, sometimes playing OF when not on the mound. He had a .266/.332/.417 slash line, a 101 OPS+, 25 HR, and 197 RBI in 1,260 AB

  • Overall he had an impressive 119-46 (.721) record, a 3.12 ERA, and a 147 ERA+

Elston Howard (1929-1980)

  • 15-year major league career, spanning from 1948-1968, mostly with the Yankees

  • Played briefly in his age-19 season in 1948 for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro American League before the Yankees signed him and he spent several years in the minors

  • All-Star in nine consecutive seasons, and won two Gold Glove Awards as a catcher

  • Hit 15+ HR five times, including in 1961 when he hit .348 with 21 HR, and then in 1963 when he won the AL MVP Award after batting .287 with 28 HR and 85 RBI

  • Overall had 168 HR, a .274/.321/.427 slash line, and a 107 OPS+

Bobby Bonilla (1963)

  • 16-year major league career, spanning from 1986-2001, mostly with the Pirates and Mets, but with some seasons spent with six other clubs

  • Six-time All-Star

  • Played a mix of 3B, RF, LF, and 1B

  • Had 20+ HR seven times, including a high of 34 HR in 1993, and 100+ RBI four times, with a high of 120 RBI in 1990 when he came in second in the NL MVP voting

  • Led the NL with 44 doubles in 1991 and scored 100+ runs three times

  • Overall had 287 HR, 1,173 RBI, a .279/.358/.472 slash line, and a 124 OPS+

  • As described at Wikipedia, "After being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers partway through the 1998 season, he was traded back to the New York Mets before the 1999 season. When the Mets wanted to release him at the end of the year, he negotiated a settlement whereby the Mets would pay him $1.19 million on July 1 every year from 2011 through 2035, a date that has become known in Mets fandom as "Bobby Bonilla Day". He is also paid $500,000 by the Orioles every year from 2004 to 2028 due to them also having a deferred contract with him."

Rondell White (1972)

  • First-round draft pick (24th overall) in 1990 by the Expos

  • 15-year major league career, spanning from 1993-2007, playing the first seven years with the Expos and then the rest spread across six different clubs

  • Had 20+ HR three times, with a high of 28 HR in 1997, and then 22 HR in 2003, his one All-Star campaign

  • Had some speed on the bases early in his career, with 14-25 SB in four consecutive seasons

  • Defensively he played a mix of LF and CF

  • Overall had 198 HR, 94 SB, a .284/.336/.462 slash line, and a 108 OPS+

Ron Hunt (1941)

  • 12-year major league career, spanning from 1963-1974, as a 2B mostly with the Mets, Giants, and Expos

  • Came in second in the NL Rookie of the Year vote after batting .272 with a modest 10 HR and 28 doubles in 143 games for the Mets. That would be the most HR he would hit in a season, as he retired with 39 HR in 6,158 plate appearances.

  • Two-time All-Star

  • Had a knack for getting hit by pitch, and led the NL in HBP for seven consecutive years from 1968-1974. He had 50 HBP in 1971, which is by far the modern-era (post-1901) record, with Don Baylor's 35 HBP in 1986 in second place.

  • Overall had a .273/.368/.347 slash line and a 105 OPS+

Roy Johnson (1903-1973)

  • 10-year major league career, spanning from 1929-1938, playing mostly RF and LF for the Red Sox, Tigers, Yankees, and Braves

  • Had a strong rookie season for the Tigers in 1929, batting .314 with 10 HR, 20 SB, 14 triples, 20 SB, 128 runs, and a league-leading 201 hits

  • Led the AL with 19 triples in 1931

  • Scored 100+ runs three times, and had another fine season in 1934 with a .320 average, 43 doubles, and 119 RBI

  • Overall had 135 SB, a .296/.369/.437 slash line, and a 108 OPS+

An active player who was born on February 23 is ATH Elvis Alvarado.


Baseball Quote of the Day

Back in 2019, Anthony Castrovince at MLB wrote an article called "The top 15 clichés in spring camp are...". Here is the list, but read the article for his comments on each:

  • "He got his work in."

  • "The ball's coming out of his hand well."

  • "The ball's coming out of his hand well."

  • Any reference to working hard on controlling the running game, pitchers' fielding practice, infield work or bunting drills.

  • "It's a great group of guys. It's a nice mix of veterans and young guys."

  • "General soreness."

  • "Player X had LASIK surgery."

  • "We're going to be more aggressive on the basepaths."

  • "We're going to surprise some people."

  • "We have great chemistry."

  • "I'm finally healthy."

  • Any reference to the game-time temperature vs. the temperature up north.

  • The weird injury.

  • "[Pitcher X] is learning a new [cutter, changeup or otherwise diabolical delivery]."

  • "Best shape of my life."

⚾ I hope you enjoyed the newsletter today! ⚾


Today’s Trivia Answer

Joe Carter. Here is the HR leaderboard for the ten-year period from 1986-1995:

  • 299 - Joe Carter

  • 295 - José Canseco

  • 292 - Barry Bonds

  • 289 - Fred McGriff

  • 277 - Mark McGwire

  • 246 - Cecil Fielder

  • 232 - Danny Tartabull

  • 231 - Andre Dawson

  • 225 - Matt Williams

  • 221 - Eddie Murray

  • 220 - Ruben Sierra

  • 220 - Kevin Mitchell

  • 219 - Cal Ripken Jr.

  • 219 - Gary Gaetti

  • 217 - Bobby Bonilla


Good Reads

Here I am providing one or more links to baseball articles I’ve enjoyed recently, whether by writers at MLB.com or elsewhere.

See recent issues of The Baseball Buffet for more recent good reads!

Did you know? I wrote a 600+ page book with the same title as this newsletter/blog? Now Taking the Field: Baseball’s All-Time Dream Teams for All 30 Franchises was published in early 2019, by ACTA Sports. It is available at Amazon and most other major booksellers.

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