The Full Story Behind the 1999 AL MVP Vote is Even Worse Than You Thought

You know part of the story - but not the most galling part.

David Dahl, Rockies outfielder, dealing with rigors of longest season of his career

Through it all, Dahl has played in 138 games, 19 more than he has during any other season in his professional season. And the 22-year-old outfielder is discovering the physical toll a full season can take.

“The last couple weeks, I’ve lost some weight, bat feels a little heavier, stuff like that,” Dahl said. “It’s just something that I’ve got to get used to, especially if I want to play here in the big leagues and play that long of a season.”

Dahl was out of the lineup for the ...

OMNICHATTER 9-15-16

Of Mice and OMNICHATTER

Wrigleyville - Baseball Prospectus

Statcasting the Cubs.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 9-15-2016

Guess who’s back? Back again. Tubby’s back. Tell a friend. Toledo News-Bee, September 15, 1916:

Tubby or Hack, or Edward Spencer, to give his true moniker, undoubtedly is the most remarkable comeback in the history of baseball.

Ten years ago [Spencer] donned a St. Louis uniform. He was a star from the initial bell. Two years later he was traded to the Boston Americans. There he became a great favorite. Popularity ruined him. He neglected training, grew immensely fat and was of no use to the ...

Orioles’ Mark Trumbo hits 42nd home run | MLB.com

A nicely pitched game by both teams. One big blast makes the difference.

Yasiel Puig of Los Angeles Dodgers meets with fan who lost tooth via ball toss

So this does happen.

Yasiel Puig has met with the Los Angeles Dodgers fan whose front tooth was knocked out when the outfielder tossed a ball into the stands at Yankee Stadium as a souvenir.

Alyssa Gerharter also came away with a busted lip from Puig’s throw, which followed the final out of a Dodgers win Monday night in the opener of a three-game set in the Bronx.

Puig made amends with Gerharter and tweeted a photo of the meeting Wednesday.

Yankees agree to deal with Billy Butler, source says | Newsday

If they wanted an old washed up guy, why didn’t they just keep Arod?

Doing What it Takes to Keep Players Healthy – The Hardball Times

So bloodletting is no longer in vogue?

Shohei Otani Sets NPB Record For Fastest Pitch—Again - BaseballAmerica.com

This guy is special.

Shohei Otani threw the fastest pitch in Nippon Professional Baseball history on Tuesday as he was clocked at 164 kph (101.9 mph) on a third-inning fastball to Orix right fielder Yoshio Ito. Impressively, Ito turned on the inside pitch and lined it to right field for a single. Three major league pitchers have thrown a pitch of 102 or faster this year–Aroldis Chapman (179 pitches of 102+), Mauricio Cabrera (61 pitches of 102+) and Arquimedes Caminero (1 pitch of 102+).
... ...

MLB player survey: The challenges of mixing baseball and activism

What is most unfair about criticism of players who do not speak out?

Just because an athlete isn’t speaking publicly to the masses doesn’t mean it’s not important to them or that they aren’t doing anything to help resolve it. I heard something recently about how it’s a professional athlete’s responsibility to speak out about police violence. I disagree strongly with that statement. For example, I have teammates from other countries that have pressing issues such as having enough food for their ...

The hypocrisy of Tony La Russa and the understandable fears of black baseball players

I might as well keep the “moralist” chain alive. Agree or be branded!

Tony La Russa, a convicted drunk driver who managed one of the most steroid-addled clubhouses in modern baseball history and today oversees an organization that at the trade deadline passed along to multiple organizations private medical information about a player it wanted to deal, spent Wednesday playing moralist, a role that suits him about as well as chief baseball officer for a major league franchise.

The impetus behind ...

Astros’ Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman exit series finale against Rangers - Houston Chronicle

The Astros aren’t dead yet but they are hurt and limping toward the end.

Altuve left with right oblique discomfort. The American League’s leading hitter flied out in the third inning, with replays showing him grimacing after a swing during the plate appearance.
Bregman departed after pulling up in the sixth inning while running to third base. He walked gingerly to the Astros dugout before heading straight to the clubhouse.

Mariners win eighth in a row, besting Angels 2-1 in another fine pitching performance | The Seattle Times

The Mariners will not die.

“We were just focusing on the one game,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “When we got on the plane and we were thinking — just keep winning series and winning series. Then you win the first couple of games and you think, ‘Why not sweep it?’ That’s been our attitude. Everybody’s doing their part.”

Mariners pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. credits Taijuan Walker’s success to embracing mechanical changes | The Seattle Times

“At that point, he decided it was time to make some adjustments and changes,” Stottlemyre said.

The following day the two were out early before the game, playing catch and working on the changes that features a different leg kick and more hip turn to help him use his legs more and drive down the slope of the mound. It’s been a daily routine since then. They’ve spent hours together going over the changes. They were inseparable on the field, in the weight room and in front the video ...

Bill Murray not feeling fan selfie at Yankee Stadium | theScore.com

You want a selfie now???

Steven Wright injury: Headed to Fort Myers to initiate throwing program; Red Sox regular season in jeopardy | masslive.com

Dumbest move ever?

Wright originally injured his shoulder in early August while diving back to a bag as pinch-runner on the west coast. He landed on the disabled list, but upon his return in late August, Wright still felt symptoms and was not nearly as effective on the mound as he had been during his All-Star worthy first half.

Wright went for a second opinion on the shoulder in Los Angeles while the club was on its most recent west coast road trip. There is no structural damage, however, the ...

West Coast trip will show what Blue Jays are made of: Griffin | Toronto Star

“We have to start winning some games,” Gibbons said, stating the obvious. “We played good out there. I remember Donaldson had a big, big series. The West Coast has never been friendly, really, for anybody. It’s going to be a big test for us and Seattle has always been tough. They’ve got a good ballclub too. This next road trip will say a lot, I would say it determines what happens to us.”

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on display at showcase | MLB.com

The next, next big thing.

Scouts in attendance were impressed with Gurriel’s physique and overall strength. They also noted good arm strength on defense. However, there is a belief is that he could use more at-bats against live pitching.

“What I showed today was a product of all of the hard work I have put in since I got here and in Miami,” Lourdes Jr. said. “I had trainers working really working hard from the beginning.”

Major League Baseball is co-producing a baseball drama aimed at Generation Z

Today, AwesomenessTV and Major League Baseball announced that their new scripted series “Out of My League” will premiere on September 19th on AwesomenessTV. The series features an all-star cast featuring Lauren Elizabeth Luthringshausen (3M fans) and Brian Redmon (654K fans) with Caeli Santa Olalla (16.9M fans) and Ryan Abe (857K fans). Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star center fielder, Joc Pederson (439K fans) also makes a special appearance.

Shot in and around legendary Dodger Stadium, “Out ...

MLB: Cherington Joins Blue Jays Front Office

The Blue Jays hired former Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington to be their vice president of baseball operations on Wednesday… He will report to executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager Ross Atkins.

VP of Baseball Ops sounds closer to the role I thought he wanted in Boston (President of Baseball Ops), but it’s one step further away. Per TFA the VP of Baseball Ops reports to the Executive VP of Baseball Ops, which is the GM in Toronto. So he’s an Assistant GM, ...

MLB announces 2017 regular season schedule

The Atlanta Braves will open SunTrust Field, their $1.1 billion home in suburban Cobb County, on April 14, 2017 against the San Diego Padres, Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday.

The 2017 season will begin for the second consecutive year with a Sunday tripleheader, as the New York Yankees will play at the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Arizona Diamondbacks will play host to the San Francisco Giants on April 2. A third game, yet to be announced, will be moved to the Sunday night slot.

The ...

Mike Trout’s real MVP problem? He’s just not that interesting

We take Mike Trout’s greatness for granted.

How one World Series play 30 years ago shaped a beautiful baseball bromance | For The Win

Thankfully, I can now laugh at 1986.

All things considered, Astros superior to Rangers - Houston Chronicle

OK, this was pretty silly.

(Read the Google cache version.)

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 9-14-2016

Harrisburg Telegraph, September 14, 1916:

Denied admission to the baseball park by officials of the Petersburg Virginia League Club, Umpire Buckley, assigned to officiate at yesterday’s game with Newport News, crawled through a hole in the fense, declared the game forfeited to Newport News, and then was taken to jail on a trespass warrant sworn out by the city collector…The incident caused a near-riot among the fans.

I should say so. That’s not something you see every day.

Cody Allen on His Weird Year (2016 Version) | FanGraphs Baseball

On bullpen usage and leverage: “The way Tito has been doing it… he hasn’t just gotten crazy to where it’s the fifth inning and he puts in Andrew Miller. He knows he can’t warm up Andrew every time a hairy situation comes up. But I think [using your best relievers in high-leverage situations] provides value to a club. That’s especially true when you have a couple of guys willing to do it.

“Of course, Andrew matches up well against anybody, whether they’re right-handed or ...

Texas Rangers: Rangers’ belief in each other allows them to keep winning games they shouldn’t win | SportsDay

Ya gotta believe!

So, if you are looking for the secret to the approach, it starts with belief.

“I think that’s the No. 1 asset you can have beyond talent,” Banister said. “There has got to be belief and buy-in. It sure looks like our guys have bought in.”

Jacoby Ellsbury’s overpaid on many nights but not this one | New York Post

Here’s what it says: Ellsbury gets too big a paycheck for what he contributes to the team. He’s a B- player with an A+ salary. It says that Girardi wisely doesn’t concern himself about dollars or reputations. Starting the righty-swinging Refsnyder in left field, with Brett Gardner sliding over to center field, was the proper move with Urias on the hill.

Braves’ Freddie Freeman reaches 500 RBIs | MLB.com

“I didn’t really think [hitting 30 homers] would happen, especially after the start [of the season] and obviously coming off an injury. You don’t know how it’s going to hold up,” Freeman said. “Just to stay healthy for a whole year is a big enough accomplishment for me. It just eases everything for me going forward into my career.”

Having just celebrated his 27th birthday on Monday, Freeman is surging into what might be his prime with the confidence he has gained while hitting .334/.434/.632 ...