Jay Mariotti: Bill Simmons and the Death of Sports Media

Thick and zesty…It’s in there.

A fanboy should not be a sports columnist, a TV analyst and a website editor. A fanboy should remain a fanboy, root vacuously for his teams and leave the serious work to the trained journalists. Several years ago, ESPN turned a fanboy named Bill Simmons into a blogging cartoon character — the Sports Guy, he was called — who was cast as a role model for legions of other fanboys unqualified for professional sports media and used by the network to generate ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-22-2014

Salt Lake Tribune, January 22, 1914:

[Tigers] President Navin received a letter today from Pitcher Edgar Willett, who yesterday jumped the Detroit team, to sign the [sic] St. Louis Federals, in which the erratic blonde hurler explained why he deserted. He resents the bonus clause which is annually put into his contract, the same stipulating that if he treads a straight line all summer he will receive $1500 more than otherwise.

The Tigers didn’t lose much. Willett went 6-20 with a 4.35 ERA (76 ...

Ron Davis not happy with the way Mets have treated his son Ike

I like Ike…but button up!

Ike Davis’ father thinks the Mets have mishandled his son by putting their wishes to trade him so out in the open.

Ron Davis, who pitched for 11 years in the majors, said Tuesday the Mets “screwed up” this offseason and should have gone about their business “quietly” if they wanted to trade Ike.

“They’ve publicly done so much it’s saying to my son, ‘Hey, we don’t want you anymore,’ ” Ron Davis said before a Baseball Alliance Team (B.A.T.) charity function Tuesday ...

Bud Selig to win first Bud Selig award

What can you get that retiring commissioner who already has everything? An award named after himself, of course.

MLB announced on Tuesday, Jan. 21 that current commissioner Bud Selig will be the first recipient of the Commissioner Bud Selig Leadership Award, per SportsCenter:

No announcement yet on who will be given the Award for Outstanding Achievement in the field of Excellence.

B.A.T. program walks Redmans through adversity

Ten years ago this season, Tike Redman was living the dream. He played center field and led off for Lloyd McClendon’s Pirates on Opening Day in 2004 at PNC Park, going 2-for-4 and doubling off Kevin Millwood to score Craig Wilson with the first run of the season in a 2-1 victory over the Phillies. It was the first of 155 games Redman played that year.

“It was my total dream,” Redman recalls. “I felt like I was really on top of the world then.”

Those are the kinds of stories that a Major ...

Phillies sign Bobby Abreu

Abreu Not at the Wall: A Novella

The Phillies are bringing back an familiar face.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that the Phillies have signed Bobby Abreu.

“We’re looking at all the left-handed bats still out there and he’s one of them,” Ruben Amaro told CSN’s Salisbury. “Bobby has had a nice winter season. We have decent reports on him.”

Abreu, 39 years old, was never a fan favorite in his time with the Phillies. In his nine seasons with the team, he hit .303 with 195 home ...

Mariners to screen fans with metal detectors in 2014

And the Steinbrenners have won.

Beginning on Opening Night, April 8, against the Los Angeles Angels, all fans passing through the gates of Safeco Field will be screened with metal detectors. This complies with Major League Baseball’s mandate that all teams implement a screening program by the start of the 2015 season.

The increased security measures are the result of MLB’s continuing work with the Department of Homeland Security designed to elevate and standardize security practices across ...

Union would expel A-Rod if it could

“When he comes up to bat, you can hit him and hit him hard,” one player on the conference call told Yahoo Sports. “That’s what I’d do.”

Anyone want an OBP machine?

Derespina: Masahiro Tanaka derby: Reading the tea leaves

Masaography at its finest.

Here’s what we officially know about the Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes: Very little.

Five teams have reportedly submitted formal offers for the highly-coveted Japanese righthander. The Yankees and Dodgers are viewed as the front runners in that group with the Cubs, Diamondbacks and White Sox bringing up the rear (likely in that order).

Now let’s get into the tea leaf reading:

(1) Living near a large Japanese community is apparently important to Tanaka (or at ...

Red Sox pitchers visit Caroline Kennedy in Tokyo

Warm. Touching. Warm.

Boston Red Sox pitchers Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa met with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy on Tuesday during a tour to share the 2013 World Series trophy with baseball fans in the country.

“This is a great event,” Kennedy said at a reception at the Embassy’s residence. “Last fall’s victory would not have happened without these two players here tonight.”

Earlier in the day, the two pitchers presented Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with a Red Sox jersey and ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-21-2014

Richmond Times-Dispatch, January 21, 1914:

Remember seeing in the papers some few days ago that George Cowan was to join the Feds? Well, here’s the way the story got breezed about: George suffered the misfortune to lose his father-in-law, and while napping after an all-night vigil, was awakened by an energetic young man, who wanted to ask him whether he was not going to “jump” the the Feds. “Sure,” said George, anxious to get in a few more winks before being up for the day.
...
As a matter of ...

Bourjos says he would like 40 stolen bases

Yeah, and I’d like “40 Steps of Revenge” on DVD.

New Cardinals outfielder Peter Bourjos said he didn’t expect to be designated a regular just yet but he had a lofty goal if he received significant playing time this season.

“I’d like to be in the 40s,” said Bourjos, referring to his potential stolen-base total as he was interviewed at the Cardinals’ Winter Warm-Up, which wrapped up Monday.

“It’s all about how you’re swinging the bat,” said Bourjos. “In the minor leagues, I ...

Alan Hirsch & Sheldon Hirsch: How to Handle Steroids in Hall of Fame

Funny…I thought there was only one Hirsch conjecture.

An anti-steroids stance need not involve controversial moral judgments, much less sanctimony. Users risk major health problems and even death. If steroids were allowed, all players would be confronted with the choice of taking life-threatening substances or losing competitive ground (perhaps not even having a major league career). This situation would be intolerable.

The serious health risks distinguish anabolic steroid use (and growth ...

Zuckerman: Roster preview: Bryce Harper

Harper’s unforgotten realms…

2014 outlook: Harper’s 2013 hardly was a disaster — he did post the 9th-highest OPS by a 20-year-old in MLB history — but it was a disappointment, mostly because he was plagued by injuries throughout. After knee surgery in October, the Nationals expect Harper to report to spring training 100 percent healthy. Now it’s up to him to keep himself healthy all season. Harper may have to alter his game a bit to avoid major collisions, but more importantly, he’ll ...

MLB analyst Gammons slams hockey after Flames-Canucks brawl

I once sat next to Rod Gilbert at a goofy Father/Son Dinner. The rubber chicken looked tougher than Gilbert.

Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseball’s network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before.

“Calgary and Vancouver last night reiterated why the NHL is a minor sport,” said Gammons ((at)pgammo) from his verified Twitter account.

...Criticism of Gammons’ tweet came quickly ...

THT: Revisiting the Shelby Miller “mystery”

Months after the 2013 postseason concluded with another Red Sox victory, it has emerged that the Cardinals never communicated with young phenom Shelby Miller about his lack of use in the postseason. In an interview with the Associated Press, Miller elaborated on the topic and made it clear that he did not know why pitched just one postseason inning.

The Cardinals and manager Mike Matheny were roundly criticized during the playoffs for rostering two players that they did not use despite plenty ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-20-2014

New York Sun, January 20, 1914:

Organized baseball has made still another attempt to wreck the Federal League. It was aimed directly at the Chicago team. A strip of land sixteen feet wide and 100 feet long was needed in connection with the lease for the ball park at Addison and Clark streets. Representatives of organized baseball offered the owners $25,000 in cash for the strip, but the majors failed to come through in time with their option to block the Federals.

Man, if that had happened, we ...

Perry: Justin Verlander: Richard Sherman would get thrown at in MLB

If the NY Super Bowl crowd doesn’t break into a “Goodbye Allie” chant against Richard Sherman, I’ll be very disappointed.

Seahawks corner Richard Sherman (forbearance please: there’s a baseball hook forthcoming) announced names and shouted nice things about himself following his team’s victory over the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. It was a soliloquy of triumph normally associated with the gentleman’s pursuit known as “professional wrestling,” which led some to wring hands over the ...

Daugherty: Have-not Reds can’t keep up with Baseball’s haves

Daugherty v. New Vanguard.

Money prompts the need for reassurance. Money talk in Baseball is boring, depressing and makes you want to lie down in a cool place. I’d rather take a Chappy fastball to the tear duct than talk about money, which really is the root of all hardball evil. And unfortunately, most hardball success.

The dirty little secret behind Bud Selig’s noble effort to climb the parity ladder is, it can’t be done. The outgoing commissioner of Baseball can talk all he wants ...

Cubs’ Epstein defends Ricketts

The Chicago Cubs’ thrifty offseason doesn’t mean that President Theo Epstein has lost faith in the ownership of the Ricketts’ family, which hopes to make more progress with the rooftop owners that will enable them to move forward on improvements at Wrigley Field and increase funds.

“They know they’re doing the right things to lay the foundation to get this right, to turn this into a franchise they can be proud of for generations and generations,” Epstein told a group of fans ...

A-Rod no Hall of Famer: Paul Molitor

Pot/cocaine calling the kettle…

Is suspended New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez a Hall of Famer?

“No,” said Hall of Famer Paul Molitor.

“I don’t think he was overly targeted by Major League Baseball,” Molitor said. “I don’t think they would impose such a severe suspension.

“I know that there was not a positive drug test, but there was just cause. So, no, I don’t think he belongs.”

“I don’t envy the job that the voters have,” said Molitor, inducted 10 years ago along ...

Madden: A-Rod ban may close door on his career while bringing climax to Selig’s crusade vs. PEDs

At least maybe Madden’s still a hero in Branson.

Barry Bonds (“I thought it was flaxseed oil) and Roger Clemens (“This man has never given me HGH, growth hormone or steroids of any kind”) both lost ground in the Baseball Writers Association Hall of Fame ballot and will likely never see their plaques in Cooperstown — certainly not in the near future.

Rafael Palmeiro (“I have never used steroids!”) fell off the Baseball Writers Association Hall of Fame ballot entirely and will ...

Remorseful Peralta: ‘I know I can play baseball naturally’

It was a baseball Peraltamont!
It was a baseball Peraltamont!

Appearing at the Cardinals’ 18th annual Winter Warm-Up on Saturday at Hyatt Regency at the Arch, Peralta expressed remorse for his mistake.

“I’m trying to put it in the past,” Peralta said. “I’m trying to look forward and forget about it. ... I know I can play baseball naturally. I have to show people that I can do it and that I can help.

“I’m going to try to do the best I can do and try to help the Cardinals go to the World ...

Could Yankees retire the numbers of Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada in 2014?

Jumpin Jerzembecks! Paul O’Neill? (kicks menu)

By the end of 2014, could the Yankees have retired more than Joe Torre’s No. 6?

Hal Steinbrenner has hinted at the possibility.

Toree’s number likely will be retired sometime this season. The longtime Yankees manager was voted into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in Decemebr. He’ll be inducted in July.

Torre “may not be the only one” not see his Yankees number retired, though, Steinbrenner told the New York Post’s Ken Davidoff. “We ...

Brewers sign Mark Reynolds to minor-league contract

The Brewers have signed 1B/3B Mark Reynolds to a minor-league contract that includes an invite to major-league spring training, the team announced on Friday. CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman first reported that the Brewers were angling to land Reynolds.

Heyman adds that Reynolds’s deal is for $2 million plus $500,000 in possible incentives if he makes the roster. As far as making the roster goes, Reynolds is, according to Heyman, “all but a lock” to be on the Brewers’ 25-man.

Reynolds, 30, hit ...

Minihane: Time for Jenny Dell, NESN relationship to end

Our Miss Middlebrooks...or something.

Dell is hugely popular both among fans and people at NESN, and Middlebrooks has done much charity work in his short career with the Red Sox. And this is, last we checked, a free country. So let’s allow the kids some fun, stay out of the way, and see how it ends. Usually, I’m on board with that. As a libertarian that is exactly what I believe—I’m going to stay out of your business and you should stay away from mine.

Except there’s the issue of conflict of ...

Schoenfield: The problem with the Hall of Fame

I guess my point is this: It was easier to elect guys such as Drysdale or Perez because they still managed to stand out among their peers; there were fewer great players simply because there were fewer teams. As the talent level in baseball gets more compacted (17 of the 31 players with 100 career WAR began their careers before World War II), it’s more difficult to put up numbers that separate you from your peers.
...
I’d like to see more Hall of Famers. I have to assume that’s what most of the ...

Kent Sterling: Cubs – Reason for Bidding on Masahiro Tanaka Even More Nefarious Than I Thought

Sterling…blowing harder than Lester Sterling.

The Chicago Cubs are supposedly putting their best foot and checkbook forward in trying to lure Japanese hurler Masahiro Tanaka to ply his wares on Chicago’s North Side, but there is no chance at all that he accepts – and the Cubs know it.

On its face, the bidding is idiotic.  The Cubs have no chance to win in 2014 and 2015 – zero.  Why would the Cubs spend $20+ million per year for a pitcher who might help them win 73 games instead of 64?

...

Leitch: 30 Stadiums in 30 Days

Given unlimited money I’d not only do this but drag other people along with me. I’d definitely just use a private jet, though.

Thursday, April 10: Minnesota. Red-eye! It’s impressive it has taken us this long to hit a red-eye flight. The next couple of days are going to be exhausting, so hang in with us. Because there are again no Western games today, we’re going to zip over to the Twin Cities real fast for an afternoon game, then zip right back out. If you’ve made it this far, you know you ...

Jeopardy! Hall Of Fame Answer Goes Horribly Wrong

354 wins did not overcome the controversy as this ex-Red Sox pitcher didn’t make the Hall of Fame cut in 2013. Who is Mark McGwire? (Trebek snorts mockingly.)

The other contestants responded with “Who is Pete Rose?” and “Who is Curt Schilling?” Hey, at least one of those guys was an ex-Red Sox pitcher. Or a pitcher at all! [WABC]

I lost on Jeopardy, baby…