There are two types of flawed selections that may occur in the All Star Game when the players are chosen by the audience. The first is the young player that is just playing in his first year to much acclaim and people tend to confuse with “another Willie Mays.” The other is a sustained star […]

Gimme That Ole Time Religion

When we were kids too long ago, we often came to the game of baseball through the morning paper, scanning the box scores to see whether our team had won and which of our heroes had done the deed. Doris Kearns Goodwin book, Wait Until Next Year, captures that ethos remarkably well as she tells […]

“The DH…and how it’ll never last!”

This year is the 39th anniversary of the American League’s adoption of the “designated hitter.”  Because of that, I wish that I still had my sophomore English report  that I in wrote 1972.  If my memory serves me, at the conclusion I predicted that “The designated hitter will never last!” For those who know me […]

Joliet Turns Windy Thunderstorm Into Its Latest Success With 550,110 You Tube Viewers

What is it some people say about all publicity being good? The Joliet (IL) Slammers hit the publicity jackpot, in a very unusual—and scary—manner this week, and more than half a million people have seen the visual evidence. Since no one was injured when a major thunderstorm hit Silver Cross Field in the suburban Chicago community, […]

Breaking Down the AL Cy Young Race

Having already profiled the Rookie of the Year races, it is time to turn my attention to the early showing in the arms race- the Cy Young Award. While the American League has had a number of stand-out pitchers this season, I am not as impressed with the logjam of candidates in the National League. […]

Clearing The Bases

Earlier this week we took a look at players that were snubbed from the 2012 All-Star game, tonight we will look at the opposite side of the spectrum, players that were elected or selected that shouldn’t be there.  In some ways I can understand players that are snubbed.  There are just to many great players, […]

Ansett and the Ridgemen beat Wellsville, 7-2

WEBSTER, N.Y. — Lake Ontario coach Taylor Hargrove has been looking for an angle to accentuate the positive. A new name and a clean slate might fit the bill. Spencer Ansett (Whitworth) tossed five shutout innings, and his offense got all the runs needed in their first at bat as the Lake Ontario Ridgemen defeated […]

First Pitch

July 3, 2012 In October, 1995 the musical farce Zombies From The Beyond opened to critical praise and joyous audiences off-Broadway in New York City. Zombies is the fantastically silly story of a Rubenesque alien named Zombina who has come from the deep reaches of space to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to steal men to be slave […]

Clearing The Bases

The 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star game will be held a week from tonight, but we do already know who will be playing in the game, for the most part anyway as there will be players who can’t make the game due to injuries and such.  While I am not a big fan of the […]

2012 All-Star Rosters: Analysis in the Context of the Process

As I did last year, in this article I will again analyze this year’s All-Star team roster selections — but do so in the context of the complicated process involved.

Joel Youngblood and a Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens penned his A Tale of Two Cities in 1859.  Joel Youngblood played his version of the classic on August 4, 1982. Before being traded to the New York Mets on June 15, 1977, Joel was an obscure baseball player.  He came up with the Cincinnati Reds in 1976 and batted .193 in 55 […]

Breaking Down the 2012 N.L. Cy Young Race

Pitching in the National League this season has seen its fair share of surprises; both the good and the bad. Former stalwarts have seen injury (Roy Halladay) and inexplicable decline (Tim Lincecum), but into those voids have stepped other hurlers looking to establish their own legacies. The result has been some inspired pitching, contributing to […]

Medio siglo del primer no-hitter de Sandy Koufax. (Half a century from Sandy Koufax’s first no-hitter).

Cualquier aficionado al béisbol tal vez recuerde este juego. Casi seguro cualquier fanático de los Dodgers si lo ubica en su memoria. Para un cultor de Sanford Koufax, al más genuino estilo de Humberto Acosta, resultaría un sacrilegio permitir que la amnesia borrara ese momento cuando Koufax empezaba a dar muestras contundentes de su presencia […]

‘Cookie-Cutter’ Approach Out the Window As Mark Mason Develops Pitchers

Mark Mason has been unusually busy in recent days as interim manager of the Atlantic League’s two-time defending champion York (PA) Revolution while Andy Etchebarren recovers from his latest back surgery, but with that stretch ending he will slide back into concentrating on being a pitching coach with a record most people can only dream […]

Clearing The Bases

With the season being a little less than 50% over we’ve decided to take a look at players who have played below expectations so far this season.  Once again I’m not looking to choose players that no one expected much out of anyway, but players who many thought would at the very least have a […]

Hornell continues streak; defeats Rochester, 9-4

WEBSTER, N.Y. – Hornell’s Dodgers came north on route 390 toting a four-game win streak along with them. The NYCBL Western Division leading club left town adding another victory to their streak. Matt Calhoun (Harding) connected for a three-run home run in the pivotal fifth inning as the Dodgers came from behind to defeat the […]

Two Roads Diverged

Seven years ago the Washington Nationals, during their inaugural season in 2005, stood atop the NL east to the surprise of everyone. They had a four-game lead and were playing in Toronto against the Blue Jays. It was the team’s first trip back to Canada and in the Montreal sports pages they celebrated their team’s […]

Clearing The Bases

With the season being a little less than 50% over we’ve decided to take a look at players who have played above expectations so far this season.  Now I’m looking at players who have the best value.  I know Joey Votto is having an MVP like season, but he was selected in the 1st or […]

El noveno juego sin hits ni carreras lanzado en Fenway Park. (The ninth no hitter hurled in Fenway Park)

Para ser un catcher convertido en pitcher Earl Lawrence Wilson lo terminó haciendo bastante bien. El nativo de Ponchatoula, Louisiana (02 de octubre de 1934) tuvo una meritoria carrera como lanzador de Grandes Ligas. Agenció ocho temporadas con más de diez triunfos, alcanzó su tope con 22 victorias en 1967 cuando jugaba para los Tigres […]

Jury Is Out On John Grisham’s Baseball Novel

“At long last,” it says on the back cover of John Grisham’s new novel,Calico Joe, “America’s favorite storyteller takes on America’s favorite pastime.” Calico Joe is a good story, smoothly and movingly told, although after page 19 I was able to predict most of what would happen the rest of the way. A bigger tipoff appears one […]

Looking Back on Kevin Youkilis’ Career with the Boston Red Sox

Baseball trades often leave fans feeling reflective; in the way one may have felt after having a good friend move away during grade school. Sunday’s announcement that the Red Sox had sent corner infielder Kevin Youkilis to the White Sox in a glorified roster purge to get full time at bats for rookie phenom Will […]

The Broken Thumb of Fate, the Collapse of the ’64 Phillies

Frank Thomas and I have been faithful friends for nearly twenty years.  I am referring to the “Original” Frank Thomas who was a rookie for the Pirates in 1951 and an original New York Met in 1962; not to confuse him with the White Sox slugger of the nineties. I met Frank at a Pirates’ […]

The Glory Days: Six Pitchers with Hall of Fame Credentials

Okay, I’m just going to throw some numbers out there for you. They are pitching numbers, the heart of them etched in the 1960s and 70s. Before we start, keep in mind that three of the six pitchers statistically chronicled here are in the Hall of Fame. (a) 14 years, 209-166, 2.95, 49 shutouts, 3432 […]

There Are People Who Confused Things…

I am one of those who felt (I wrote it in the article concerning the Bonds trial that it was a monstrosity to serve time in jail to any accused for offences arising from the use of steroids. When I read of the dismissal of all charges against Clemens, I felt relieved, because there was […]

Adirondack continues dominance of Geneva

An efficient Adirondack offense took advantage of six Geneva errors, and three pitchers combined for a shutout as the Trail Blazers downed the Red Wings 10-0 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action, Friday night. Adirondack pushed runs across the plate in each its last four at bats to put the contest out of reach. […]

Charlotte Knights Get New Home

Since early 2012, the Charlotte Observer has published a series of articles about negotiations, proposals, and strategies to move the minor-league AAA Charlotte Knights baseball franchise fromFort Mill,South Carolina to a site somewhere in theCharlotte metropolitan area. Besides effects on the team and its fans, these articles discussed such matters as whether to fund the […]

Hombres de Negro, 1969, los Milagrosos Mets y aquel Magallanes. (Men in Black, 1969, the Miracle Mets and those Magallanes Navigators)

En la entrada del cine insistí varias veces para que viéramosLa Isla Misteriosa.Miguelín se quedó mirando los lagartos y abejas gigantes. Sus ojos exploraban el cartelón adyacente y repitió todas las veces, que prefería Hombresde Negro 3. Desde el miércoles me había dicho “Quiero ver esa película contigo papá” y me abrazó. En la puerta nos dieron los […]

Indy Domination? It Was in This Eastern League Game With Mates Getting Win, Save and All Six RBI

Independent Baseball players who have had their contracts purchased by major league organizations seem to understand what a neat little fraternity they have.  They are in the minority on affiliated minor league rosters with the norm probably only a couple of hopefuls on a 25-man team. Longtime Can-Am League first baseman Chris Colabello knew all […]

Swinging Out of the Box: The Case For Alphonso Soriano

With more Kevin Youkilis trade rumors today, and teams scrambling for productivity at third base, I have an easy, but controversial idea for the Cubs to move the huge contract of Alphonso Soriano. The best thing for Alphonso Soriano, and the Cubs for that matter, would be to start playing him at third base. I […]

Olean Oilers dismantle Rochester AIA

WEBSTER, N.Y. – The Olean Oilers scored 19 unanswered runs en route to a 20-7 victory over the Rochester Athletes in Action in New York Collegiate Baseball League play at Basket Road Field, Wednesday night. Olean sent 14 batters to the plate in a 12-run seventh inning to blow the game away. Seth Heck (Tacoma […]

The Clemens Verdict

The Clemens trial played out over the long weeks here in DC. Eight weeks is a lot of billable hours for a top tier criminal attorney. Roger Clemens may have been acquitted by a jury of his “peers,” but there are few in DC who show up for jury selection that could sustain an attorney […]

Clearing The Bases

I was supposed to write this column last week, but ended up spending way to much time on another project, so I apologize, but here we are with news and notes from the National League.   New York Mets:  Well, 1B Ike Davis may have awoken from his season long slump.  His average is close […]

A Unique Walk-Off

I attended a SABR meeting of the Connie Mack Chapter in June of this year.  It was held at Waterfront Park in Trenton, New Jersey.  This is home to the Trenton Thunder, the ‘AA’ affiliate for the New York Yankees.  That day one of the presentations was about players that had hit over twenty triples […]

Lou Criger Monument Dedication.

Sunday June 3, 1912marked the 100-year anniversary of Lou Criger’s final baseball game played. It was the perfect day to honor him on a monument along with his family, admiring fans, and residents of his hometown of Elkhart, Indiana. Family members traveled to Riverview Park from Arizona, Louisiana, North Carolina and various places in Indiana. […]

New Grip Helps Brock Peterson Slug Eight Homers in Nine Games And Climb to Top of Atlantic League Ladder

Brock Peterson remembers one time when he banged out something like 17 consecutive hits. But that was as an American Legion player, and he was using a metal bat. His latest streak was much more vital to his career because eight home runs in nine games in a 10-day period in the Atlantic League is […]

« Previous Page — Next Page »