Written by: Ray Butler
Follow us on Twitter! @Prospects365
With the start of Spring Training right around the corner, we’ve arrived at one of the most exciting times of the year.
No, I’m not talking about the Super Bowl. I’m not talking about the crack of the bat or the pop of the glove we’re beginning to hear more frequently in videos posted on Twitter and elsewhere as players begin to really rev up their preseason training regimen.
Instead, I’m obviously talking about the vaunted quotes we’re beginning to see pop-up on our timelines. You know the ones. “________________________ says he lost _____ pounds this offseason. ___________ says he’s focused on being more athletic in the field and on the base paths while maintaining his power at the plate.”
Ah, yes. It’s ‘he’s in the best shape of his life’ time!
To commemorate this wondrous time, I’ve decided to created a lighthearted log of players/prospects who meet this criteria this winter and spring. Tweets from a beat writer? Add it to the log! Pictorial proof? Even better! I NEED YOUR HELP WITH THIS! Please feel free to keep your eyes peeled and tag me (@Prospects365) when a new report/picture of a slimmed-up, muscled-up player surfaces! There’s also an already-existing Twitter account dedicated to tracking #BSOHL players. Make sure you’re following @BSOHLTracker if this phenomenon interests you in any way, shape, form or fashion. Let’s have fun with this!
Below is a live, chronological log of every player and prospect who appears to have put in a little extra work this offseason #BSOHL:
- There’s no denying Vladimir Guerrero Jr. put in the work this offseason. He looked slim in a video posted on the Team Guerrero Instagram a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving. (November 14th)
Skinny Vlad Guerrero Jr. From Instagram pic.twitter.com/2mCx8Pznau
— Clint (@DiamondHoggers) November 14, 2019 - Gary Sanchez appears to be a bit slimmer and in better shape entering Spring Training. A more athletic Sanchez is a scary thought for opposing teams opposing fantasy players. Joe Randazzo of the Bronx Pinstripe Crew had the pictorial proof. (January 19th)
Gary Sanchez looks like he spent the off-season training with Thor. pic.twitter.com/0NANGpdMTI
— Joe Randazzo (Bronx Pinstripes crew) (@deflategator) January 19, 2020
- Nicky Lopez committed himself to the Whit Merrifield 2015 offseason workout regimen this winter, and he’ll enter Spring Training ~20 pounds stronger than his playing weight from 2019. MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan had the news. (January 23rd)
Nicky Lopez told https://t.co/6TSm0LErFq last August he was considering implementing the legendary Whit Merrifield body makeover this off-season. Lopez didn’t follow that script exactly but he has added 18 pounds of upper body muscle. The story: https://t.co/21ZGVFdOEb via @MLB
— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) January 23, 2020
- Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star reported Salvador Perez lost 22 pounds this offseason while preparing for the upcoming season at his offseason Miami home. (January 25th)
Royals GM expects Perez and Mondesi to be ready for opening day, writes @lworthysports. https://t.co/FQM05vRxFb
— Jeff Rosen (@jeff_rosen88) January 25, 2020
- Mike Puma of the New York Post reported Mets reliever Jeurys Familia lost thirty pounds this offseason in a bid to benefit from a bounceback campaign in 2020. (January 30th)
Mets’ Jeurys Familia sheds 30 pounds as he eyes 2020 bounce-back https://t.co/uDMBKxZMxJ pic.twitter.com/ZeFIfBbmJ5
— New York Post (@nypost) January 30, 2020
- @Tiger_Lifer noted Daniel Norris appears to have hit the weights hard this offseason. (January 31st)
Daniel Norris has arrived in Lakeland. And he looks JACKED.
Photo credit @NterriA pic.twitter.com/d8VfZOmo1O
— Detroit Tigers Minor League Tracker (@Tiger_Lifer) January 31, 2020
- MLB.com’s Jake Crouse says Will Craig dropped 25 pounds this offseason in hopes of claiming an everyday spot in the Pirates’ lowly lineup. (January 31st)
Today’s Pirates links…
— Adam Berry (@adamdberry) February 1, 2020
JT Riddle signed: https://t.co/95SmhjjHhx
Another round of non-roster invitees, led by Derek Holland: https://t.co/hj0c060S90@JakeCrouseMLB on Will Craig, who dropped 25 pounds and says he’s “not the same guy” he was last year: https://t.co/AZUOoupGL5
- The Athletic’s Zack Meisel reported Franmil Reyes slimmed up a bit this offseason. (February 1st)
Franmil Reyes says he’s lost 18 pounds, feels more agile in the field, but also has never felt more powerful at the plate.
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) February 1, 2020
- Luke Voit is in the best shape of his life, according to NBC Sports’ Craig Calcaterra (February 3rd)
Luke Voit is in The Best Shape of His Life https://t.co/Ln02tUyhPw via @HardballTalk
— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) February 3, 2020
- I, uh. I don’t know if Yoenis Cespedes is in the best shape of his life, but this video is absolute must-include material on a log like this. (February 6th)
New Beginnings. #LGM pic.twitter.com/A9UrDuBuEp
— Yoenis Cespedes (@ynscspds) February 6, 2020
- Much like his fellow first baseman Luke Voit, Jesus Aguilar will enter Spring Training in the best shape of his life. The new Miami Marlin lost 20 pounds this offseason. (February 7th)
#Marlins First Baseman Jesus Aguilar on joining the Marlins & his 2019 season. He also told me afterward he lost 20 pounds this offseason. His weight was as high as 296, now about 270-275. pic.twitter.com/2eOSpUEZs4
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) February 7, 2020
- Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times had this—interesting—quote from Angels GM Billy Eppler on the new and improved Justin Upton. (February 11th)
Good news on #Angels OF Justin Upton (returning from knee injuries): A couple of coaches told Eppler, “Wait til you see him.” Eppler said, “It sounds like he’s a prize fighter.”
— Maria Torres (@maria_torres3) February 11, 2020
- So the Phillies posted some pictures of their players arriving at Spring Training, and GOOD GOD SCOTT KINGERY. (February 11th)
And we thought Scott Kingery looked big last year… this guy shows up to camp looking absolutely MASSIVE.
— Alex Carr (@AlexCarrMLB) February 11, 2020
I’m expecting big things from him this year. pic.twitter.com/OVuCygXIng
- It’s spring and everything can be spun into a positive light, so I’ll just leave this as ‘everyone on the Rays‘. Hat tip here to Josh Tolentino. (February 12th)
#Rays weight changes from 2019-’20, according to spring roster
— Josh Tolentino (@JCTSports) February 12, 2020
Blake Snell gained 10 lbs
Brendan McKay up 8
Austin Meadows up 5
Willy Adames up 5
Ryan Yarbrough up 5
Oliver Drake up 5
Yonny Chirinos lost 15 lbs
Nick Anderson lost 10
Colin Poche lost 10
Tyler Glasnow lost 5
- Specifically, I found this anecdote from Marc Topkin on Yonny Chirinos interesting. One of my perennial, favorite end-game SP targets might kick it up a notch in 2020. (February 12th)
#Rays RHP Yonny Chirinos was noticeably in “the best shape of his life,” having dropped 15 pounds while working out at home in Venezuela. Also, by changing his diet. His keys? Less rice and fewer arepas. “One, not two,” he said.
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) February 12, 2020
- 90% of the content in this article will probably be meaningless throughout the 2020 season, but I think this nugget from Alex Speier on Andrew Benintendi could be important. In my opinion, the 25-year-old overbulked last season in hopes of maxing out his power potential, and the outcome was overwhelmingly disappointing. Benintendi is a prime bounce-back candidate this season. (February 13th)
#Rays RHP Yonny Chirinos was noticeably in “the best shape of his life,” having dropped 15 pounds while working out at home in Venezuela. Also, by changing his diet. His keys? Less rice and fewer arepas. “One, not two,” he said.
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) February 12, 2020
- Dave O’Brien tweeted a video of Johan Camargo, stating the utility player lost 18 pounds this offseason as he prepares to do-battle with Austin Riley for the Braves’ third base job. For what it’s worth, Camargo looks much thinner than he did last summer when I witnessed a Braves batting practice from behind home plate.
Johan Camargo went from 205 pounds to 187 and looks great. He’s among early arriving #Braves position players. pic.twitter.com/GbtZ39IdM8
— David O’Brien (@DOBrienATL) February 14, 2020
LET’S LEAVE NO STONE LEFT UNTURNED! TAG US IN TWEETS! LET ME KNOW WHEN I NEED TO #UPDATETHELOG!
Follow us on Twitter! @Prospects365
Featured image courtesy of photographer Kevin C. Cox and Getty Images