Fan Interference

There are about 6 weeks left in the season. It’s still too soon to talk about clinching the playoffs or division titles, or magic numbers. However, there are what I call “black magic numbers”—thresholds of ignominy, guarantees of failure for the season. There are teams rapidly approaching some of those. Let’s look at a few.…… Continue reading Black Magic Numbers

The Padres have been in a slump the past two weeks and have now fallen a game behind the Reds for the second wild card spot. Obviously it is time to panic. At least the Padres seem to think so, as they used their patellar tendon and fired their pitching coach, Larry Rothschild. He was…… Continue reading Padres Fire Pitching Coach

After dropping the first game of the series in St Pete on Friday, 7-5 in 11 innings, the Rays won yesterday 8-4 and today 9-0. They’ve also now scored at least 8 runs in 12 of the last 16 games. Overall the Rays looked good in what could be an October matchup. Regarding today’s game:…… Continue reading Rays Took 2 of 3 from ChiSox

Today Miguel Cabrera became the 28th major leaguer with 500 home runs. It was a 400 foot solo shot in the 6th that brought the Tigers into a 1-1 tie with the Blue Jays. The Tigers ultimately won 5-4 in 11 innings. With 46 more hits, he will become just the seventh member of the…… Continue reading Cabrera Slugs #500

Why?

A new record was set over the weekend for the most money ever blown on a small rectangular bit of cardboard. Someone actually coughed up $6.6M for a T206 Honus Wagner card. Actually, I love baseball cards. I got into collecting them as a child. I thought it was neat having pictures of my favorite…… Continue reading Baseball Cards

Tyler Gilbert’s first major league start ever was tonight. His father was there. He took the hill for the Arizona Diamondbacks against the San Diego Padres. 9 innings later he had completed a no-hitter, becoming only the fourth pitcher to make his debut that way. Almost a Maddox as well, he used 102 pitches to…… Continue reading Gilbert Tosses 8th (10th) No-Hitter of the Season

Tonight MLB put on a game in Dyersville, Iowa between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees. A stadium for 8,000 was built on the property where the Field of Dreams movie was filmed, adjacent to the field built by Ray Kinsiella for the ghosts of his father and the Black Sox. https://a2-espncdn-com.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/AW/s/a2.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2021%2F0813%2Fr895092_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&w=750&cquality=40&format=jpg…… Continue reading Field of Dreams Game

In the gold medal baseball game at the Olympics, Japan beat the USA 2-0. Japan also beat the USA earlier in the Olympics for the softball gold medal to reign supreme in the bat and ball sports. It was a mild upset in softball; in baseball it was not. The baseball tournament involved 6 teams—USA,…… Continue reading Japan Defeated USA for Baseball Gold

Several prominent players currently on the IL have stated they plan to be back for the season’s stretch run. Reigning AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber is hoping to return before season’s end, even if only in relief. He has begun throwing. The Cleveland Baseball Team is below .500 and looking up at several teams…… Continue reading Some IL Players Eying Returns

A’s outfielder Ramon Laureano tested positive for nandrolone, an anabolic steroid, and has been suspended for 80 games accordingly. It also means he is ineligible for the playoffs. Remember, under baseball’s joint drug agreement, a first offense gets 80 games, a second a full year, and indefinitely/permanently for the third. For his part, Laureano has…… Continue reading A’s Laureano Suspended 80 Games

Astros great, JR Richard, has died. He was 71. The 6’ 8” righty made his major league debut in 1971. He was on a Hall of Fame trajectory when a stroke at age 30 in 1980 cut his career short. I remember him well. In 1980 he complained a number of times about a dead…… Continue reading JR Richard Passed Away

In June Glasnow hurt himself putting a death grip on the ball trying to recreate the spin on the baseball that using sticky foreign substances can. On Wednesday he will undergo Tommy John Surgery as a result. It’s theoretically possible he could be back in August next year, but spring 2023 is more likely. Hopefully…… Continue reading See You in 2023, Tyler Glasnow

Last month the Mets used the 10th pick of the first round of draft on Vanderbilt star pitcher Kumar Rocker. They had 3 weeks to sign him. They never offered a contract, claiming he’s injured after his physical with the team. His agent, Scott Boras, says he’s not. So now the Mets will get the…… Continue reading Mets Don’t Sign Kumar Rocker

I wrap up the wrap up with the NL West… Los Angeles Dodgers—They sent out multiple valued prospects to the Nationals but landed the biggest fish of trade deadline week in Max Scherzer and also got Trea Turner to boot. They also traded for Danny Duffy even though he’s currently injured. Presuming he and Clayton…… Continue reading Trade Deadline Wrap VI