Book Review: Imperfect: An Improbable Life

After reading Jim Abbott’s book, it became obvious that it was not just a baseball biography.   Sure its initial appeal is to baseball fans, especially those of the Yankee persuasion, but it is much more than that.  I would recommend that anyone who has ever felt self-pity to make time and read this.  After reading […]

Baseball Notes for May 6, 2013

Cheating has a long and interesting history in baseball. From sharpened cleats, corked bats, banned substances and doctored pitches, players and teams are seemingly always in search of an edge. As former Chicago Cubs’ first baseman Mark Grace once famously said, “If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying.” That being said, there can be a […]

Stash for a Smash

We are now into the Sweet Spot time period starting in May and going through June where impact rookies will get called up from the minor leagues. Guys that will make an impact both for their team and YOUR team. Here are four guys who haven’t seen the majors in 2013 that could be starters […]

My First Ever Movie Review

Hey baseball fans! I’m sure you’ve all heard about the movie “42” that recently came out in theaters. Well, I decided to do a movie review of it! The movie “42: The True Story of an American Legend” is the story of how Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and joined the major leagues, the first black […]

“Take Me Out to the Ballgame”

There are three songs that put a smile on my face.  They are “Happy Birthday,” “It’s a Small World” and “Take me out to the Ballgame.”  When you sing or hear “Happy Birthday”, the smile is expected.  After all it is all about you.  When I hear “It’s a Small World,” it’s normally when traveling […]

Astros Off to Rough Start in April

The first month for the Astros in the American League was not a good one.  There were a few bright spots such as a 9-1 win in Yankee Stadium and taking two series from the Seattle Mariners but the Astros were on the losing end in most of the other games, finishing with a record […]

Mike Augliera: Boston Red Sox Pitching Prospect Talks Baseball

The Boston Red Sox have some of the better-known pitching prospects in baseball with Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster and Matt Barnes all leading most peoples’ lists. It turns out that they are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Boston’s farm system, as there are a number of other promising […]

Half a Dozen Bridgeport Players Had a Year Off, Yet Fulchino, Krum and Bluefish Are Doing Well

The roster the Bridgeport (CT) Bluefish are using to dominate the early going in the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League has a rare twist to it.  Nearly one-fourth of the team—six of the 26 players—were virtually nowhere to be seen one year ago. Such former Independent players as Seattle closer Tom Wilhelmsen and newly-prized […]

Clearing The Bases

Arizona Diamondbacks: Seems to be only a matter of time until closer J.J. Putz loses his job even though manager Kirk Gibson has come out and said he is safe for now. Problem for fantasy owners is the, who is next in line, David Hernandez or Heath Bell. Hernandez is the better pitcher at this […]

Jackie Robinson Glove Auction Hits $310K In First Hours‏

Spirited Bidding in First Four Hours of Auction… High Bid Already At $310,835 On Authentic Game-Worn Glove Used By The Immortal Jackie Robinson At Steiner Sports (http://auction.steinersports.com) “Ground-Breaking Auction”; Continues Through June 2 ***Only Known Rawlings From 1955-56 Seasons Authenticated by Dennis Esken*** New York, Wednesday, May 1, 2013—Let the bidding war begin! In the […]

So Much Theft He Should Be Arrested

This year Yahoo! leagues have added a new NA spot to their rosters. Much like adding a player on the DL, fantasy owners can pick up Minor Leaguers and set them aside, making zero impact on their roster size. Up until this season, if you wanted to stash a top prospect he had to take […]

Clearing The Bases

Baltimore Orioles: Well I guess the news about SP Dylan Bundy is good, he had a platelet rich plasma injection earlier this week and has been advised to rest his pitching arm for six weeks. That takes us to early June and he will certainly need some kind of rehab stint before he is ready […]

The Case for Denard Span

Denard Span is no Michael Morse. Morse had the Kung-fu warm up cut–immortalized in his bobble-head doll—and there was his A-Ha walk-up music. Denard Span had large shoes to fill on many levels. It did not get easier when Morse ripped up the Cactus League for 9 home runs and a .357 batting average in […]

The Baseball Historian’s Notes for April 29, 2013.

The length of a baseball team’s disabled list can have such a strong impact on the outcome of their season. Injuries not only deprive teams of talented players, but alter the chemistry that was so carefully constructed during the offseason and spring training. The ability of backup players, minor league prospects and the length of […]

The Stamp of Disapproval

Usually I’m calling out players and giving them my stamp of approval, but not today. There are four guys I talk about who might be on your team that are sure to disappoint you in the very near future. Two of them are pitchers that you can hear me rant on in the podcast and […]

Through the Eyes of a Somerset Patriots Fan: From the Press Box, Part II

It is a Thursday evening (4/25/2013) and once again, I am sitting up in the press box of the Somerset Patriots.  Tonight is the final game of the series between the Sugar Land Skeeters and the Patriots. Our Patriots dropped the first two of the series, so the hometown fans are anticipating a much-needed victory […]

DYNASTY League Baseball: Where Heroes Come Back To Life

A while back I was invited to play in a DYNASTY League online baseball league with fellow baseball fanatics such as MLB Network’s Brian Kenny (1942 Cardinals), former National League All-Star Brian Jordan (1999 Braves), Steve Gardner, Senior Fantasy Editor at USA Today (1970 Orioles), Mike Wilner of Toronto’s The Fan 590 (1993 Blue Jays) […]

Lee Elia’s Rant: 30 Bleepin’ Years Later

WARNING: ADULT CONTENT BELOW (SERIOUSLY) For those who are not familiar with the history of Chicago baseball it will likely come as a surprise to learn that there was a time when Wrigley Field was not so cool, fun, and controversial. Thirty years ago Wrigley was considered by most to be a baseball cemetery.  The […]

A Conversation with Lew Ford

Author’s note: On the same day we interviewed Dan Duquette for the video “A Conversation with Dan Duquette” printed and seen here last week, we spoke with Lew Ford who, at that time, was vying for the 5th outfielder spot on the Oriole’s opening day roster. While the Duquette portion of the article remains the […]

Some Independent Leagues Have Vanished, But They Still Leave Reasons to Be Remembered

It is only natural that some leagues would vanish since the experiment that turned into today’s successful modern day Independent Baseball is now 21 years old.  No one could have expected more than two decades to pass without the landscape of cities, teams and leagues being altered. But even though such leagues as the Northern, […]

NJBM Kids’ Hot Korner: Phil Niekro

Hey baseball fans! I just put up my latest post in the Kids’ Hot Korner section of New Jersey Baseball Magazine. This one is about Phil Niekro, the Hall of Fame pitcher with the famous knuckleball pitch. If you want to read more about Phil, just click here. Check back in a couple of days for more of […]

The Bull-Moose Juju

As the first month of the baseball season drew to a close in 2012, the Gio Gonzalez trade looked like an inspiration. Stephen Strasburg was back and the Nationals had the best pitching in the National League. Davey Johnson was looking for offense and summoned Bryce Harper. Everything Mike Rizzo touched in 2012 turned to […]

Lewis Brinson is Up Next for the Texas Rangers

When star outfielder Josh Hamilton left the Texas Rangers to sign with the divisional rival Los Angeles Angels this past offseason, it was believed the team would struggle to find his replacement. After all, the former MVP has 162 game averages of .320 with 35 home runs and 120 RBI during his career.  While it may take […]

SABR, Bud Fowler and a Taste of Cooperstown

Last Thursday I made my way to Upstate New York for the fifth annual Frederick Ivor-Campbell 19th Century Base Ball Conference. I have gone each year so that means it has been five times that I have attended if my math is correct. Driving to Cooperstown can be challenging since I cannot wait to get there and […]

Clearing The Bases

Arizona Diamondbacks: Starting pitcher Randall Delgado, you know, one of the key pieces in the OF Justin Upton trade, is off to a rough at AAA and may not be the first call up once the Dbacks need help in the rotation, that may go to Tyler Skaggs. Good thing that Upton fellow isn’t off […]

Through the Eyes of a Somerset Patriots Fan

A View from the Press Box Most Somerset Patriots fans are aware of the significance of June 7, 1999.  It was the team’s first home opener at their present ballpark.  This was after spending their 1998 inaugural season, on the road.  When the gates were lifted, it ushered in the fruition of Steve Kalafer’s vision […]

Clearing The Bases

Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles sent down SP Jake Arrieta to AAA after another subpar performance on Monday. Arrieta has good stuff but doesn’t seem to have figured out how to control it within the strike zone…..Speaking of SPs, Dylan Bundy is going to get a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews about his ailing elbow. […]

A Life Saved By a Beaning

During my travels through baseball history, I have joined many other historians in a fascination with so-called “cup of coffee” players who played just a game or two or a few in the major leagues, or sometimes only one inning. Archibald “Moonlight” Graham’s one inning captivated Ray Kinsella enough to make him a major part […]

Baseball Notes for April 22, 2013

Other sports like football and basketball may have infringed on the popularity of baseball over the years, but make no mistake about it, the game is still America’s National Pastime. Baseball personifies Amercianism and is often seen as an example of what is right and good in the country. While that may be a Pollyanna […]

Toeing The Rubber/Riding The Pine: 4/22/2013‏

Toeing The Rubber/Riding The Pine Week four is a wrap around week in fantasy baseball. Most aces from week #1 have their second two start weeks of the season this week so pitchers like David Price and Felix Hernandez have two starts with one very notable exception, Justin Verlander.  Adding to the aces in this […]

A Kid in the Hall of Fame

Hey baseball fans! I realize I haven’t blogged about actual baseball history in about a week and I apologize for that. Today, I will be blogging about one of my favorite catchers of all time. Yes, I am a Yankee fan, but I’m not talking about Yogi Berra or Bill Dickey. I’m also not talking about Mike Piazza, who […]

The Daily Stream Saturday Version 4/20/2013‏

#BOSTON STRONG The Daily Stream — Saturday Version Hello fellow fisherman, it is time for The Daily Stream – The Saturday Version.  This week has been a fantasy week filled with mid level double starts and more than your fair share of bad pitching. Matt Cain owners, people that owned and started David Price, Brett […]

Sweet 60: The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates

For those who have known me for longer than fifteen minutes, learn that I am a ‘Die hard’ Pittsburgh Pirates fan.  The 1971 team is my favorite Pirates’ team of all-time.  But I have a strange relationship with the 1960 version.  One might describe it as destiny, like the Pirates beating the New York Yankees […]

Fort Worth Could Be Among Additions to Atlantic League, Montreal to the Can-Am

It is sounding more every week, as least so it seems, that the Atlantic League may be more than an eight-time league by next season.  Peter Kirk, whose Opening Day Partners already own four teams in the league, confirmed to veteran writer Jim Seip for his Revs Inside Pitch blog that his group is in […]

Clearing The Bases

Arizona Diamondbacks: Pretty tough week for the DBacks as they lose 2B Aaron Hill until June with a broken hand. Hill suffered the injury when he was hit by an Edwin Jackson pitch. Tried to play with it over the weekend but just couldn’t do it. Outfielder Jason Kubel was also placed on the DL […]

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