Tuesday Newsletter time: Texas Rangers prospect Dustin Harris has this one thing in common with NBA legend Scottie Pippen
The organization's Minor League Player of the Year didn't hit a home run in high school or as a college freshman.
The clock is ticking toward a new episode of the Texas Rangers Baseball Podcast, which means the two-week run of the last episode of the 2021 is about to come to an end.
Dustin Harris was the player guest, and fittingly so as the Rangers Minor League Player of the Year in an episode that served as a year in review. Not much was known about Harris entering the season.
His performance, though, still has people talking. Baseball America selected Harris as the Rangers’ No. 5 prospect entering 2022. He wasn’t even in the top 30 entering 2021.
That’s quite a leap, but big changes are nothing new for Harris. For instance, he had one career home run entering last season but hit 20 across to A-ball levels.
Here’s another: He was just a scrawny infielder in high school who did not hit a home run as a prep. He didn’t even hit one as a college freshman.
“I was a little second baseman,“ Harris said. “I grew four inches after high school and I’ve put on 50 pounds since then.”
That’s not quite a Scottie Pippen growth spurt, but it has made a world of difference for the 6-foot-2, 195 pound Harris. He started lifting more after his freshman season at St. Petersburg Junior College in Florida and also put on more muscle during the COVID shut down in 2020.
He has maintained his athletic ability, though, stealing 25 bases in 2021 and convincing the Rangers that he might be a corner outfielder rather than a corner infielder. He’ll give the outfield a go in 2022.
It was a good chat with Harris. Give it a listen at the link below.
Rosenthal out
The biggest baseball news of 2022, albeit not even a week old, is that MLB Network did not renew the contract of reporter Ken Rosenthal in what reportedly was a decision made by a miffed commissioner Rob Manfred.
The New York Post’s ace sports media reporter, Andrew Marchand, broke the news Monday night. Rosenthal confirmed that he was no longer employed by MLB Network but did not offer any reason for the split.
Marchand did. According to sources, Manfred has held a grudge against Rosenthal since the spring of 2020, when in a column at The Athletic Rosenthal was critical of Manfred’s role in establishing a shortened season in the pandemic.
Marchand reported that Rosenthal was quietly booted from MLB Network for three months, but had been a regular contributor since returning.
His contract expired last year.
If this seems petty and vindictive of Manfred, well, it is. It also hurts the MLB product by not having one of the best reporters, if not the best, in the mix. Rosenthal said he will continue to write for The Athletic and appear on Fox Sports broadcasts.
(The episode reminds me: If anyone is looking for a good baseball book, check out Baseball Cop. It does not paint a rosy picture of Manfred.)
Some of the savvy baseball fans might have noticed over the years how nothing that might be deemed controversial or cast MLB in a negative light is ever reported on MLB Network or at mlb.com or by the reporters who cover each team.
It goes back to the launch of the website, and includes the Texas Rangers’ financial issues under Tom Hicks that led to him putting the club up for sale and filing for bankruptcy and the protracted legal battle that eventually ended in a courthouse auction.
The beat writers and likely the TV reporters want to cover these things, but they can’t because they might make MLB look bad or be a legal liability. And criticism of how MLB handles its business? No chance.
That’s not a policy that started under Manfred, but he apparently agrees with it wholeheartedly even if it means cutting ties with an all-time great reporter.
Meanwhile …
The reason Manfred has had so much time to stew is because there have been no meaningful discussions in the past month toward ending the lockout he imposed on the players, at the behest of club owners. And there are none scheduled.
That kick in the gut comes courtesy of Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The expectation throughout the industry is that the sides will attempt to address the core issues behind the labor strife now that the holidays are over.
There are still four weeks to go in the month and roughly six weeks until spring training is scheduled to begin. No one is losing any money right now, so maybe no one feels motivated to get to the bargaining table.
That’s not entirely true. The lawyers on both sides are losing money, unable to bill any hours. Maybe they will kick both sides into gear.
Doggy video!
This is the kind of assistant I’m looking for at the Texas Rangers Newsletter. Enjoy. See you Wednesday.
Commissioners of sports have a tough job. They are balancing owners and players and TV, or college presidents and coaches. It's a high paying thankless job. Manfred has made his share of terrible decisions - letting the Astros and Red Sox off practically scot free heads the list. Having a thin skin, as Manfred apparently has doesn't help. Ken Rosenthal is among the best and he will continue to be followed. That said, both sides in the current situation have a compelling interest to make a deal.
Just a guess but I bet the lawyers are still billing some hours