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★★★
The ageless and rotund wonder Bartolo Colon will officially be returning for the 2016 season after he recently signed a one-year deal to return to the New York Mets. Colon has become quite the reliable innings-eater for the past two seasons, and I'm sure that any team would take a pitcher who can still go for nearly 200 innings a season and compile an ERA of 4.16, a FIP of 3.84, and a fWAR number of 2.5. Colon will turn 43 during the 2016 season, and yet there's still barely any signs of the round righty showing any indications of a slowdown.
Meanwhile, there's an interesting clause in Colon's new contract with the Mets. Of course there are typical bonuses for achievements such as the Cy Young, Gold Glove, and an All-Star appearance. What isn't typical is that Bartolo Colon — who is a career .093/.100/.102 hitter — has a $50,000 bonus waiting for him if he wins the National League Silver Slugger award for pitchers this season. Yes, we're talking about the same Bartolo Colon whose "swing and pray" routine at the plate earned him a two hits in 2014 and a whopping eight hits in 2015. This man now has legitimate incentive to go for a Silver Slugger award!
Personally, I hope that he actually goes for it. Of course, pitching should always be the No. 1 priority here, but how awesome would it be to hear of a report of Bartolo Colon spending hours upon hours in a batting cage so that he could make an improbable rise from hilariously cute pitcher who is only batting because he has to, to becoming a feared secret weapon at the plate for the Mets. Colon's probably way too far in his career to pick up a new trick like this, but it'd be one of the best stories in baseball if he magically transformed into a legit threat at the plate. Until then, we still have plenty of gifs and videos of him being adorably inept at the plate to keep us fans warm.
- The Nationals and Reds have been tantalizingly close to completing a trade centered around Brandon Phillips, but now that deal could be on its deathbed.
- The Mets are planning to engage in talks with free agent OF Denard Span pretty soon.
- Bronson Arroyo plans to make a return to pitching after missing the entire 2015 season, and the Pirates (among many other teams) are showing interest in the 39-year old pitcher.
- St. Louis is apparently in the market for a pitcher, and Tampa Bay could be a potential trade partner.
- Speaking of the Cardinals, there have been rumors that Matt Holiday could be moving to 1st base. Cardinals GM John Mozeliak squelched those rumors in a hurry.
- If the Tigers are going to make a return to contention after an extremely disappointing 2015 campaign, it appears that all the stars will have to align correctly in order for it to happen.
- Jorge Soler's name has been bandied about in plenty of Cubs trade rumors lately, but it doesn't appear that Chicago is willing to move the outfielder.
- Meanwhile, the Cubs may have their eyes on a super-lucrative TV deal in 2020, which would go a long way in giving them even more financial power.
- On a recent episode of Jeopardy!, a sabermetrics question absolutely stumped the trio of contestants. Honestly, it may have stumped a fair number of baseball front office executives as well.