iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Christopher Harris @harrisfootball.com · 18/09/2026

A FRIDAY podcast! In which we will: 🏈 Talk to @jeff-erickson.bsky.social about players we've already changed our minds on 🏈 Review the Bills being a machine 🏈 Review the Lions having real problems 🏈 Walk through W2 injury news It's very fun! (link is 👇)

static.klipy.com

NFL Player's 'Too Small' Gesture

ALT: NFL Player's 'Too Small' Gesture

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Martin Sekulski @mski22.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Beyond honored to join my guy @jeff-erickson.bsky.social live at 5EST to prepare dynasty managers for a very busy offseason! x.com/jeff_erickso...

x.com

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

What a day. All four matches have delivered.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

After Wednesday, I was hoping for a little more Morillo. Selfishly, of course.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Juan Morillo is pitching the seventh inning for the Diamondbacks today against the Astros. At least he's protecting a two-run lead, but projecting closers this time of year is a tough challenge. Kevin Ginkel pitched in the 7th yesterday, too.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Yep, "when healthy" is carrying a lot of weight here.

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Mike Gianella @mikegianella.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

has missed 31% of ATL games since his debut. Aaron Judge at the same point in his career had missed 19% of all Yankees games.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Ronald Acuña Jr. just turned around a 101 mph fastball at the top outside of the strike zone, 400+ feet. What a player when he's healthy.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Pat Murphy is really letting Kyle Harrison wear it tonight. Second time in a month. I get saving the bullpen, but with your No. 2 starter who has already spent time on the IL?

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Christopher Harris @harrisfootball.com · 25/08/2026

It's a TUESDAY PODCAST! Big fun today with @jeff-erickson.bsky.social as we each count down Five SAFE Player for 2026... ...it's a convo about safer floors, but it's also a convo about roster construction. We think you'll like it! Plus the news of the NFL *and* the Portland meet-up! (link is 👇)

static.klipy.com

Schwartzj Allbetter Marked Safe Flag

ALT: Schwartzj Allbetter Marked Safe Flag

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

“Now pitching, Number 53, Jeff Hoffman.” Some audible “no’s!” From some of the crowd.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Dang, we almost manifested Vladdy’s first home homer.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

I’m getting there myself in a couple of leagues.

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Mark Sheldon @msheldon.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Lodolo gave up a game-tying HR in the 6th inning and just left the game. Looked like something with his finger again, but no word yet. #reds

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Guess that answers my question!

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

I came to your page just to see if you've changed your no-Skubal stance!

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Aaron Gleeman @aarongleeman.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Almost halfway through the season, 12 of the 15 teams in the American League have a negative run differential.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

With Scott Jenstad jumping into a last-minute Wimbledon qualifier, @jasoncollette.bsky.social is going to join me in hosting the @rotowire.bsky.social MLB podcast tonight. Did we land Cooper Pratt or Tony Santillan? Is there a Cubs RP we trust? Join us, 10:30 ET: YT: www.youtube.com/live/YQyUXIf...

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

This is the most anyone has been disappointed in (a) Turkey since Dr. Johnny Fever in WKRP in Cincinnati.

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Reposted by Jeff Erickson

Craig Calcaterra @craigcalcaterra.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

I wrote about the league's salary cap proposal in today's newsletter. It was not a serious proposal, nor do I think it was intended to be. It was designed to set the groundwork for stories like that horseshit Sawchik wrote. www.cupofcoffeenews.com/cup-of-coffe...

The league is touting this as a plan that would share revenue 50/50 with the players and it and its surrogates will make such an assertion to every single reporter who will listen. Importantly, however, the 50/50 proposal does not define what revenue actually is for these purposes, beyond saying that it'd be calculated in the same way other leagues calculate it. Which isn't helpful given how wildly different the other leagues' and the teams within those leagues have structured their businesses and their television contracts over the past several decades. And that's before one acknowledges that, historically, the league and its owners have routinely sought to classify all manner of money they make as something other than "baseball-related revenue" for purposes of calculations that affect players. You cannot agree on a figure about revenue splits if you don't first precisely define revenue, and that's something the owners have simply never, ever wanted to do and don't seem all that eager to do now.

That aside, if such a cap and floor plan were activated now there are 12 teams who would need to increase their payrolls to reach the floor while eight teams would have to shed payroll to get under the ceiling. It would, at least according to one calculation I saw, require those eight above-cap teams to slash $578 million in aggregate salary while requiring the 12 below the floor to increase their payroll by a combined $617 million. That may sound like a pretty good deal overall, but it only takes a moment of thinking to appreciate how such a plan might prove seriously unpopular with people.

I say that because while, sure, a majority of baseball fans and observers may truly believe that the Los Angeles Dodgers have an unfair advantage, how many believe that the Astros, Blue Jays, or Atlanta as they currently exist, are somehow operating unfairly and should be forced to slash their payrolls? Because all of those teams, the Mets, the Phillies, the Yankees and the Cubs would have to do so. The league's spokesman Glen Caplin said yesterday that "fans overwhelmingly support a salary cap and floor," but I don't think that stands up once one starts to actually look at what is being demanded here.

That whole statement from Caplin:

"Fans overwhelmingly support a salary cap and floor like in the other leagues because they don't believe a $446 million spending gap from top to bottom is a fair fight. Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together."
Caplin deployment of that "$446 million spending gap" figure echoes Rob Manfred's use of that figure while making the media rounds earlier this week. It's a completely disingenuous figure, however, in that it includes current payroll plus whatever a team is paying in Competitive Balance Tax. That despite the fact that Competitive Balance Tax money does not go to players and does not improve a team. It's a figure that was concocted to mislead fans and the commentators into believing that the Dodgers are able to put a nearly half-billion dollar more expensive team on the field than the Marlins are, and that's not at all what is reflected in that figure.

MLB routinely pulls that kind of crap in negotiations and in the communication of its positions in order to get the generalist press and less-than-savvy sports fans to rally to their side (tellingly, Manfred introduced that figure on the Pat McAfee Show, not in a serious interview with a serious reporter) but anyone who cares about this stuff knows that's an inflated figure arrived at in bad faith, which only serves to kill the league's credibility. That, most importantly, includes its credibility among the people with whom the league is negotiating: the players and their representatives.

MLBPA Executive Director Bruce Meyer certainly clocks the disingenuousness at play here:

"Billionaire owners are not seeking to cap their profits or asset values, only player salaries. This isn't out of generosity or a desire to protect the game's well-being. It's a play to control costs, increase profits and maximize franchise values – all at the expense of players past, present and future."

I saw someone online wondering why Meyer's statement only rejects the league's idea of a cap rather than offer anything positive. One could just chalk that sentiment up to people, generally, disliking the players union. But I think it's important to understand something important here: the players, in their proposal, are merely seeking to adjust the figures in a well-established system that everyone has known and operated under for nearly a quarter of a century. It's the league that is pushing for radical change here, and when one is pushing for radical change it is incumbent upon them to make the case for it. It is not the job of those who are generally happy with the status quo to concoct some radical plan of their own. Again, this is something that gets lost in the coverage, in large part because everyone's been so conditioned to believe that unions and workers are the radicals, seeking to ruin a good thing. In this case the situation is pretty clearly reversed.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Coming up at 9:15p CT, the great @dvr.bsky.social from @theathletic.com joins me on the @rotowire.bsky.social MLB livestream! We'll discuss Colt Emerson, the Memorial Day week slate, and the wild closer environment among many topics - join us! www.youtube.com/live/0tyvBDI...

youtube.com

11 Players experts are adding on the fantasy baseball waiver wire

YouTube video by RotoWire

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Aaron Gleeman @aarongleeman.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

My big news: I've left The Athletic because they wanted me to stop covering the Twins. I refused to give up my dream, so I'm betting on myself and returning to my independent roots. I need your support to make it work. Join me and let's do this together: www.aarongleeman.com/welcome-to-t...

aarongleeman.com

Welcome to the new AaronGleeman.com (and why I left The Athletic)

I refuse to stop covering the Twins, so I'm betting on myself and returning to my independent roots. Let's do this together.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

Jose Siri challenged strike 2 here. Even the Angels announcers said "... Siri may have to go to ABS detention ...." Impressively he still drew a walk.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

I need to remember next time to fade a pitcher the start after he throws a no-hitter or a near no-hitter, especially if he extends his pitch count. Ginn tonight, Messick earlier this season. Unfortunately that wasn't actionable in the leagues where I had him, so we're basically talking Picks.

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Andy @atk825.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Also one of 14 relievers with a save on the 2024 Dodgers.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Anthony Banda also recorded a save for the 2020 Rays, who had 12 different closers in a 60-game season - 40 wins for them, though.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Absolutely. I think it's a fascinating topic.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

It's seriously only five? It feels like five on the current road trip!

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

I seriously want the bases to be empty whenever Ke'Bryan Hayes is at the plate. That way he can't ground into yet another double play. It's uncanny how often he does it.

static.klipy.com

Smart - Roll Safe Meme

ALT: Smart - Roll Safe Meme

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

What else can we do? Yeah … just holding.

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Bobby Nightengale @nightengalejr.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

The Twins like the way Connor Prielipp is pitching. But they’re going to ask him to pitch less frequently to manage his innings this year. Derek Shelton: “Moving forward, I think any chance that we can give him a day or two, we’ll do that.” www.startribune.com/twins-to-pus...

startribune.com

Twins to push back Connor Prielipp’s next start to manage innings

Connor Prielipp, a 25-year-old lefthander, has a 3.32 ERA through four big-league starts with the Minnesota Twins.

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Bobby Nightengale @nightengalejr.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Zebby Matthews is starting Thursday vs. Marlins, manager Derek Shelton confirmed.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

To be honest, I think there's no change other than availability for AZ, MIL, or TB. I'm most worried about Latz, and King isn't even a made guy yet. The problem with HOU is that there isn't anyone really banging on the door.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

So many blown saves tonight!!! Baker (and Brooks for extra measure for the Rays), Uribe, Latz, Sewald, King A lot of "right answers" were wrong ones tonight.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Thanks! Good show - Todd and I got to talk about a lot of live baseball tonight, only two day games! Agree with you about the decision to leave him in there.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Even when you're not on the show, it's still Framber Night!

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Really good depiction of what a big mess the Imai situation is right now.

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Jeff Erickson @jeff-erickson.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Also, my bigger problem was keeping Lowe out of the lineup for the second day in a row. Hayes's GIDP in the fourth was a total killer.

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