At the outset of every season, fans of Major League Baseball are consumed with bold predictions, rankings, ball players to watch, and important milestones. While conversations on who will surpass Mike Trout as the games best ball player or will the Los Angeles Dodgers repeat as World Series champions are always fun in nature, let us not forget there are many interesting personalities throughout the game who will make headlines throughout the 2021 season. In fact, four fascinating individuals immediately come to mind on the eve of Opening Day.
After a three-decade journey in Major League Baseball beginning with a Chicago White Sox internship in 1990, Ng persevered and finally broke through to become the sports first female general manager in November 2020. She is also the first female general manager in a major North American mens professional sports league. After years of rejection and being overlooked because of gender, Ng is likely the most overqualified first-time general manager in baseball history. The Miami Marlins will richly benefit from her experience, integrity, passion, and strength.
As a young and exciting ball club, Ng joins the Marlins at a pivotal time in their development. Besides qualifying for the 2020 postseason after a drought that began at the conclusion of the 2003 World Series, the Marlins farm system is loaded with a treasure trove of quality prospects. Ng will firmly press her fingerprints on a franchise that has diligently worked to change its losing culture.
Ng has immersed herself in learning all aspects of the Marlins baseball operations while developing relationships with new colleagues. She has already demonstrated a penchant for pitching and the importance of building a quality bullpen. Ng will experience many firsts as a general manager this season headlined by the Rule 4 Draft and trading deadline. In what seems to be an ideal situation for both parties, there is great interest as to how the Marlins will continue to improve under Ngs leadership.
Minor League Baseball has undergone dramatic changes this past offseason. It began with the expiration of the Professional Baseball Agreement between Major League Baseball and the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues according to the Associated Press. Major League Baseball has taken control of Minor League Baseballs governance and is implementing a modern approach to conducting business while identifying areas of improvement.
Woodfork was named Senior Vice President, Minor League Operations and Development in November 2020 after two decades of experience with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, and various roles within the office of Major League Baseball. He will oversee a vastly different structure for player development. According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline, the total integrated player development system covers 179 ball clubs from 17 leagues spread over 43 states and four provinces. If you were to add the Arizona and Gulf Coast Leagues, the actual numbers are 209 ball clubs from 19 leagues over 44 states and four provinces.
The new business model will attempt to address key issues such as compensation for minor league ball players, modernizing facilities, scheduling, travel, and technology. Woodfork will be instrumental in governance, compliance, and maintaining productive relationships with licensed affiliates. Major League Baseball will also use all levels of the minor leagues to experiment with various changes to rules. Depending upon the league and level, expect to see larger and less slippery bases, pitch clocks, and an automated ball-strike system. There will also be new rules for pickoff attempts and defensive shifts as well.
La Russa had publicly announced his retirement shortly after winning Game Seven of the 2011 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. He had won six pennants, four Manager of the Year Awards, and three world championships over 33 seasons as a manager for three ball clubs. In the summer of 2014, La Russa was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. His 2,728 victories as a manager currently ranks third on the all-time list. He only needs 36 victories to move into second place and surpass the legendary John McGraw of the New York Giants.
At 76 years old, La Russa returns to the dugout amid a new baseball landscape vastly different than the one he had left in the Cardinals champagne-soaked clubhouse. Over the past nine years, La Russa has not strayed far from the game as he has held various front office and advisory positions for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and Major League Baseball. However, there seems to be unfinished business with the Chicago White Sox. He managed 1,035 games for the ball club over parts of eight seasons (1979-1986) before being fired in June 1986 after posting a 26-38 record.
La Russa is not a stranger to bad decisions with two arrests for driving under the influence in Florida (2007) and Arizona (2020). His most recent arrest made headlines around the time he was announced as manager of the White Sox. There have also been concerns as to how La Russa will connect with a new generation of ball players whose youthful exuberance and bat flipping might conflict with his laser focused and intense managerial style. The White Sox have embraced the high expectations placed upon them and La Russa intimately understands there are legitimate questions as to whether he is ready for the challenge.
Pujols is in the final year of his 10-year, $240 million contract with the Angels. He will earn $30 million in his age 41 season according to Cots Baseball Contracts. Pujols also has a 10-year, $10 million personal services contract with the Angels at the conclusion of his contract. Even though Pujols has yet to decide his future plans beyond the 2021 season, speculation has already begun thanks to an Instagram post by his wife that has been misinterpreted as a retirement announcement.
Pujols is one of only three ball players in baseball history who have surpassed 600 home runs, 2,000 runs batted in, and 3,000 hits. The other two are Henry Aaron and Alex Rodriguez according to Stathead Baseball. This season, Pujols will likely move up on the all-time career lists in statistical categories such as hits, runs, base on balls, and total bases according to Baseball-Reference.coms MLB Milestone Watch.
Pujols could also achieve two additional milestones with an outstanding season. He is in striking distance of 700 home runs and 700 doubles. Pujols would need 38 home runs and 31 doubles to achieve both feats this season. The last time Pujols hit at least 38 home runs in a season was 2015 and last surpassed 31 doubles in 2014 during his age 34 season. A more realistic goal for Pujols is to raise his career batting average over .300. He currently sits at .299 with 10 consecutive seasons of hitting at least .300 (2001-2010) on the back of his baseball card. Pujols posted a career high .359 batting average during the 2003 season.
In the spirit of bold predictions, Kim Ng will be a superstar general manager for the Miami Marlins who will continue to develop into a highly competitive ball club. Peter Woodfork will experience growing pains this season across Minor League Baseball, but rest assure the new player development system will produce endless excitement with a modern approach. Tony La Russa will successfully adapt to the current rhythms of the game while leaving the Chicago White Sox in awe on several occasions. Albert Pujols will fall short of achieving both 700 home runs and 700 doubles, but he will become only the fourth ball player in baseball history to eclipse 6,000 total bases.
