Which Players Participated In The Highest Percentage of Their Teams’ Runs?

If you guessed Matt Holliday, you’d be right!

Saint Roberto Clemente?: Former Pittsburgh pastor seeks sainthood for the Pirates great | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Would this lower or raise the bar of sainthood?

‘Percival’s Lonesome Foursome’ heard - The Orange County Register

I heard the interview with Stern and Bowden. It’s wasn’t flattering to any of the participants.

No, my vote wasn’t an attention-getting ploy, nor a protest over the 10-man ballot. It was simply a sincere expression that a guy who finished his career with 358 saves and a World Series ring and was a lockdown closer in his prime with the Angels deserved to at least remain in the conversation.

Instead, Sirius/XM talk-show hosts Casey Stern and Jim Bowden challenged me to explain why I felt ...

Ian Desmond, Ben Zobrist were part of Nationals-Mets-Rays trade discussion | FOX Sports

The Nationals would have sent Desmond to the Rays for Zobrist and Escobar, the two players the Rays traded to the Athletics on Saturday. The Rays then would have flipped Desmond to the Mets.

The roadblock was the Rays’ request for two top Mets prospects from a list of three – a price the Mets considered too steep for Desmond, who is entering his free-agent year.

The Rays’ wish list included right-hander Noah Syndergaard, the Mets’ No. 1 prospect according to Baseball America. The ...

This fan was wearing a Roy Halladay shirsey and didn’t notice Halladay standing right behind him | MLB.com

This guy has to know about this by now.

Phillies should be able to find a taker for Ryan Howard | FOX Sports

Would the Phillies really kick in that much?

So, let’s say fair market value for Howard is somewhere in the $7 million to $10 million range annually. That means the Phillies would need to kick in between $40 million and $46 million in any trade – an exorbitant sum. Still, as GM Ruben Amaro Jr. repeated Saturday, “We know that we have to subsidize this. We know the level of prospect or the level of player we get back will be limited. We haven’t been unrealistic on it. We’ve been very ...

SF Craigslist:  Derek Jeter Sex Parting Gift basket - $1950 (mission district)

Ex-Red Sox setup man Daniel Bard healthy, ready to bounce back - Sports - The Boston Globe

Rose knew the consequences of his gambling should he get caught. He got caught.

More than 25 years have passed since Pete Rose was banned from baseball by commissioner Bart Giamatti for betting on baseball games.

The all-time hits leader never got on the Hall of Fame ballot.

I’ve always agreed with Giamatti’s decision of the lifetime ban, and with his decision to allow Rose to apply for reinstatement at some point. After all, gambling on baseball games while you’re uniformed personnel is ...

Sling TV to Launch Live, Over-the-Top Service for $20 Per Month; Watch on TVs, Tablets, Computers, Smartphones, Game Consoles

Sorry about the lame, week-old press release, but the ever-so-slight move towards a la carte programming seems like a big deal:

Priced at $20 per month, “The Best of Live TV” core package includes 12 Nielsen-rated sports, lifestyle, family and news networks: ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, ABC Family and CNN.

My understanding of baseball economics is that teams make large sums of money effectively by charging every ...

Sunday Notes: Archer’s Innings, Boston’s Backstops, much more | FanGraphs Baseball

David Lauria’s Sunday notes.

Padres ownership deserves major credit | UTSanDiego.com

Like the Diamondbacks, the Padres ownership seems impatient. They want results now, but don’t have an overriding philosophy themselves. Although Preller has been very creative, he hasn’t won anything yet. So, if this plan fails to live up to expectations, don’t be shocked if Preller’s time as a GM in San Diego is short-lived.

More GM fingerprints on this Yanks’ offseason than years past | New York Post

Brian Cashman has a plan.

Red Sox payroll on track to be larger than ever to start season

Even before the addition of Craig Breslow to the roster this week on a $2-million contract, the Red Sox already appeared to have pushed past the luxury-tax threshold of $189 million. Their payroll as constituted has pushed past $193 million, which would be an all-time high for Opening Day — well beyond the $175 million with which they started the season in 2012.

(Bolstered by the signing of Carl Crawford, Boston’s payroll wound up at $189 million for luxury-tax purposes in 2011, earning ...

Herzog calls 1985 team his best as Cards manager

Whitey Herzog talks about the 1985 World Series team.

More moves must be made by Rockies before spring training - The Denver Post

Brittle talent.

“It would be easy for somebody in my shoes, a brand-new GM, a young GM, to want to come in and make a splash, do something sexy,” Bridich said this winter. “I fought that urge, but I’m not going to say it wasn’t there.

“We’ve been close-ish to a few things. But it hasn’t happened, hasn’t worked out. We’re not going to panic. ... We have to remember the type of talent that we have here.”

A look at the A’s deal for Ben Zobrist, Yunel Escobar

Another slow news day and BOOM!

With the additions of Ben Zobrist, who will become Oakland’s primary second baseman, and shortstop Yunel Escobar, the A’s are likely done assembling their 2015 team – and there is little doubt they plan to contend.

Zobrist was hotly pursued by numerous teams this winter, including the Giants, but the fact that Oakland could also find a spot for Escobar probably helped the A’s complete the deal.  The A’s will send catcher John Jaso to the Rays along with ...

Has Josh Donaldson reached his peak? - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN

David Schoenfield takes a look.

Kang and Pirates are close to a pact; expected to be four-year deal - CBSSports.com

The Pirates and Korean shortstop Jung-ho Kang are moving close to a deal, sources said.

The sides have been talking about a four-year deal for the power-hitting infielder who had a monster year for the Nexen Heroes last year, hitting 40 home runs and batting .356 in 117 games. Both sides appear intent on getting a deal done.

Judge to MLB: Turn over Bosch payment documents - NY Daily News

A federal judge in Miami ordered Major League Baseball to turn over documents detailing any payments it may have made on behalf of Biogenesis founder Anthony Bosch to an attorney representing Lazaro Collazo, the former University of Miami pitching coach accused of distributing testosterone and human growth hormone.

Delgado deserved far better in HOF voting - Jayson Stark - ESPN

1B: Carlos Delgado
2B: Lou Whitaker
SS: Tony Fernandez
3B: Matt Williams
LF: Brian Giles
CF: Kenny Lofton
RF: Moises Alou
C: Ted Simmons
DH: Andres Galarraga
Pinch-hit specialist: Julio Franco
Opening Day starter: David Cone
Closer: Jesse Orosco
Beat writer: Jose Canseco

These three NL teams will make a leap in 2015. | SportsonEarth.com : Tracy Ringolsby Article

The Dodgers should be able to keep pace with last year. The Brewers, though, will probably be heading in the other direction.

Fans come out to celebrate Biggio | astros.com

The video is worth watching.

WaPo - Bryce Harper Back On the Market

The best is yet to come!

Brandon McCarthy: PED users shouldn’t be kept out of Hall

The pitcher admits that he’s struggled with what side of the issue he falls on, calling it a “mess,” but writes that ultimately the Hall is better off creating a “comprehensive, all-encompassing look at the history of baseball,” one that includes PED users if they deserve to be enshrined on the merits of their play.

  From a historical perspective, both the good and the bad of the sport should be acknowledged. The rich tapestry of ups and downs, heroes and villains, scandals and rebirths ...

Delgado deserved far better in HOF voting

Carlos Delgado is the best player in history to get booted off the Hall of Fame ballot after his first year.

There are some excellent contenders for that honor, too: Lou Whitaker, David Cone, Andres Galarraga, Kevin Brown, Kenny Lofton, etc. But it’s incredible to think that a guy couldn’t make it to even a second ballot after doing all this:

Curt Schilling: Bonds should get in HOF; Clemens, A-Rod shouldn’t

Follow the logic. I dare you.

Schilling said that Barry Bonds, baseball’s all-time home runs leader, should be elected. Bonds hit eight of his 762 home runs off Schilling in his career. Schilling said that he think Bonds was a Hall of Famer before suspected PED use.

On Roger Clemens, winner of 354 games and seven Cy Young awards, Schilling said, “No, he cheated.”

He also said that New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez should not get into the Hall. “Oh God, no. I think there is a ...

Rockies want Dan Haren even though Haren knows it’s a terrible idea - SBNation.com

What is Jeff Bridich thinking?

Visualizing 2015 Mookie Betts vs. 2015 Javier Baez | FanGraphs Baseball

Two prospects enter, one prospect leaves.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-9-2015

Milwaukee Journal, January 9, 1915:

That the proposed tour of South America by major league baseball teams during the winter of 1915-16 will be a financial success and boom for the sport south of the equator is the confident prediction made by several American business men conversant with conditions throughout the southern continent. Baseball is frequently played by Americans residing in the principal cities of Chile, Peru, Argentina and other South American countries.
...
The younger ...

Angels acquire third-base prospect from Braves | angels.com

Kubitza: The highest drafted position player in Texas State history, Kubitza has steadily ascended through the Minor Leagues. He had the best season of his career in 2014 with Double-A Mississippi. He hit .295/.405/.470 with eight home runs and led the Southern League in on-base percentage. While he is a patient hitter, his swing has a tendency to get long, leading to a lot of strikeouts. His swing is geared more to hitting line drives than home runs, which produces a lot of doubles, but ...