Glory days: Former major leaguers win the NBC World Series

The Kansas Stars won the National Baseball Congress World Series, defeating Everett 7-1 in Sunday’s championship game at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Let’s talk about how strange that is.

Ben Sheets was the winning pitcher. Seventeen years ago, Sheets was the winner in the United States’ Olympic gold-medal winning game over Cuba. He had an entire major-league career in between and probably became the only person ever to be the winning pitcher in Olympic- and NBC-clinching wins.

Ryan ...

SABR: Cool Maps of MLB Radio Networks

These maps give you a pretty decent visual of each team’s sphere of media influence, with the occasional entertaining outlier (e.g., not just one, but two Cardinals radio affiliates in Hawai’i!

I’m not sure the Red Sox are broadcast in Wyoming and New Mexico any more. Still, interesting maps.

FTW: Noah Syndergaard’s ‘Game of Thrones’ cameo finally happened and it was glorious

After the battle, the Mets trainer treated Thor Lannister and, wouldn’t ya know, he’s now unavailable to battle the White Walkers.

Syndergaard appeared as a Lannister soldier in the climatic battle scene (which led to a fire-breathing cliffhanger), and of course, he got a chance to show off his arm.

It turns out that Syndergaard’s super-human arm strength makes for a deadly spear throw. While we only got a quick glimpse at Syndergaard, the injured Mets pitcher confirmed that it was indeed his ...

OTP 7 August 2017: Women’s Rights, Baseball And Politics: 12 Talks Not To Miss At Martha’s Vineyard Book Festival

“Tweets, Leaks, and Turmoil: Covering the Trump White House”

This sold-out opening panel (the only event that requires paid tickets) features the subject that has embroiled the nation and every corner of social media: the White House.

Ashley Parker (Washington Post) and Glenn Thrush (New York Times), highly regarded White House correspondents from dueling papers, will discuss covering the administration in a period of uncontrolled leaks, Twitter feuds and shake-ups. Specific details will ...

Ex-Phillies star Darren Daulton dies at age 55 of brain cancer

Darren Daulton, the All-Star catcher who was the leader of the Philadelphia Phillies’ NL championship team in 1993, has died. He was 55.

Daulton had battled brain cancer since 2013. He had two tumors removed during brain surgery July 1, 2013, but nine days later was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer that also took the lives of his former teammate Tug McGraw and former coach John Vukovich.

Gary Sanchez gets day off, challenged to improve defense

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi benched All-Star catcher Gary Sanchez on Sunday because of his failures on defense this season.

Girardi is starting usual Yankees backup Austin Romine even though they are playing a day game after a night game. Girardi had said that Sanchez would be behind the plate Sunday, but the manager said he changed his mind after seeing how well Romine caught on Saturday.

“The start is not the message,” Girardi said. “The message came from us verbally that, ‘Your ...

Steve Lyons’s absence from NESN is due to domestic battery charge

Former Red Sox utilityman and current NESN analyst Steve Lyons has been missing from Red Sox telecasts in recent weeks because he’s dealing with a domestic battery charge after an incident at his Hermosa Beach, Calif., home in January.

Lyons was arrested and charged with domestic battery assault and would likely go to trial in September if attempts to have the charges dismissed are not successful.

A redacted police report provided by the Hermosa Beach police does not include the name of ...

Mariners acquire first baseman Yonder Alonso from the Oakland A’s

The Mariners acquired the veteran left-handed hitting first baseman from the A’s on Sunday morning in waivers trade, sending outfielder Boog Powell back to Oakland in return. A 25-man roster move will have to be made to add Alonso on Tuesday. It’s likely the Mariners’ extra reliever they are carrying — Casey Lawrence — will be sent out.

The 30-year-old Alonso is a rental bat for the final two months since he will be a free agent after the season. He made his first All-Star game this ...

Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager keeps quiet, but his excellent play speaks for itself - LA Times

Know it all computers. Pfft!

Cody Bellinger has made headlines with his prodigious power, Justin Turner has become the people’s champion, but it’s Seager who remains the team’s best position player. He continues to bat second in the order — “according to my computer, the most important spot in the lineup,” half-joked general manager Farhan Zaidi.

Mastrodonato: Dave Dombrowski ahead of the count on his trades with the Red Sox | Boston Herald

Jason Mastrodonato evaluates Dombrowski’s trades, so far. His timeline, however, is useless. We’ll see how things look 10 years from now.

Baseball dismissed Leo Mazzone and Johnny Sain — the Hall of Fame doesn’t have to | MLB | Sporting News

On the great Leo Mazone.

Cash Considerations: Did Kevin Cash just “white flag” a 1-0 game? - DRaysBay

Something for our Rays fan.

D-backs’ rotation has made huge 2017 rebound | MLB.com

My $100 100-1 bet on the Diamondbacks in February still has a chance. Go D’Backs!

Rick Hahn, Ben Cherington, and Others from Saber Seminar | FanGraphs Baseball

“From time to time, you think you’re potentially getting away with something by picking out a guy out of low-A, or the DSL (Dominican Summer League) or rookie ball,” said Hahn. “Inevitably, the other GM will say to you, ‘That’s some good scouting. He’s under the radar, and our guys really like him.’ Whether that’s true or not, you get that a lot. When you get, ‘Ooh, that’s good scouting,’ it’s either A: good scouting, or B: the general manager never heard of that ...

Olney: What should the Mets do with Matt Harvey? - Buster Olney Blog- ESPN

Over 2016 and 2017, Harvey has allowed 97 runs and compiled 130 strikeouts in 163 innings. I asked some evaluators and agents this week: If Harvey didn’t throw another pitch this season, what could he get as a free agent on a one-year deal? Most of the projections were in the area of $10 million, with some as high as $12 million, with incentive clauses based on games started. That’s more than what he’ll make with the Mets through his last round of arbitration, so he continues to be seen ...

Gary Sanchez has to grow out of his bad habits | New York Post

“He needs to improve,” the Yankees manager and former catcher said of Sanchez, who was charged with his industry-leading 12th passed ball and failed to block two wild pitches.

Before the Yankees’ 2-1 win on Saturday night, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told The Post’s George King that Sanchez’s effort to gain muscle last winter has backfired, as it has hindered the catcher’s flexibility.

“It was good intentions and bad results,” said Cashman, who dismissed the notion ...

The Dodgers’ catchers will help Yu Darvish in a specific way - Beyond the Box Score

Nice detailed look at the change.

Here are two things we know about the 2017 Major League Baseball season:

Jonathan Lucroy (formerly of the Rangers) has gone from one of the best framing catchers in baseball to literally the worst in baseball.

The Dodgers starting and backup catchers are two of the best framers in baseball.

That’s simple enough. It doesn’t take any more information than that to conclude that Yu Darvish will almost definitely benefit from throwing to his new Los Angeles ...

BR | Dodgers Complete Best 50-Game Stretch in MLB Since 1912 with Win vs. Mets

With a come-from-behind 7-4 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday, the Los Angeles Dodgers have completed the best 50-game stretch in Major League Baseball since 1912 by going 43-7.

A’s outfielder Matt Joyce apologizes, is under MLB investigation after shouting gay slur

After a heated eighth-inning exchange with a fan in Friday night’s game that prompted Oakland A’s outfielder Matt Joyce to yell a gay slur, the team says the commissioner’s office has opened an investigation on the incident.

Joyce also took to Twitter Saturday to apologize.

“In regard to last night’s incident, I first and foremost want to sincerely apologize to the fans, the Oakland A’s, MLB and the most importantly the LGBTQ community for my comments and actions,” he said in a string of ...

PBS to air Ted Williams documentary as part of American Masters series

MLB announced Friday that PBS will profile Red Sox legend Ted Williams as part of its acclaimed American Masters series. The film, co-produced by MLB, Albert M. Tapper, David Ortiz’ Big Papi Productions, and Nick Davis Productions, will air next summer in recognition of the 100th anniversary of Williams’ birth.

“A major American cultural figure whose story has never been properly told, Ted Williams is a fitting first,”American Masters series executive producer Michael Kantor said in a ...

Under-radar MVP pick? Consider Andrelton

What if Andrelton Simmons is having the quietest great season in years?

Simmons checks off all the boxes to be overlooked, doesn’t he? He generates value more from defense than his bat, never once having had a full season as a league-average hitter. The best player on Simmons’ team (Mike Trout) also happens to be the best player in baseball, taking most of the Anaheim spotlight. The Majors are currently stacked with great young shortstops, like Carlos Correa and Corey Seager. Plus, thanks to ...

BlueClaws to Become Pork Rolls on August 18th

Pork Roll or Taylor Ham? At the Jersey Shore, we’re all Pork Roll, and on August 18th, the BlueClaws become, for one day only, the Jersey Shore Pork Rolls for their game against the Delmarva Shorebirds.

Arizona Diamondbacks’ Paul Goldschmidt earns his MVP moment

Really, it’s about time. Goldschmidt has twice been runner-up for the prestigious award. He has no holes in his game. He’s currently ranked as the sixth most effective baserunner in the National League. He’s among the most underpaid, under-appreciated superstars on the planet.

SO Many good and Closely Bunched Candidates, Goldy, Harper, Rendon, Arenado, Seager, Turner, and of course Scherzer, but probably too many strong position player candidates for pitcher to take it this year ? ...

I am a strong, beautiful, independent OMNICHATTER, for the weekend of August 5 & 6, 2017

Fay Vincent says legalized sports gambling coming soon

“In July, Vincent wrote a letter to the editor in The New York Times, responding to a story about the ongoing effort to sell the Miami Marlins. He noted that the story “doesn’t report the possibility that legal betting on all major sports is not far off. The anticipated flood of revenue to baseball team owners may explain the price being asked, $1.2 billion.”....

I know that [gambling] is precisely why these prices are going up,” Vincent told ESPN in a phone interview this week. “I’ve been ...

Handful of MLB pitchers using protective cap insert

Last Friday it happened to Robbie Ray of the Arizona Diamondbacks after a ball left the bat of the Cardinals’ Luke Voit at 108 mph. The left-hander received stitches and went on the seven-day concussion disabled list, but it was thought early in the week that he might pitch in the team’s weekend series in San Francisco. Midweek, however, Ray was sent back to Phoenix from a road trip for further testing.

The overwhelming majority of major league pitchers, presumably including Ray, wear no ...

Phillies’ Dick Allen belongs in the Hall of Fame

They booed Allen every night, threw pennies, bolts, or beer bottles at him whenever he played the outfield, and sent him hate mail. Philadelphia’s sportswriters launched their own character assault, painting the beleaguered star as a rebel who expected special treatment.

When his repeated requests for a trade were rejected by Phillies owner Bob Carpenter, Allen, who did not enjoy the luxury of free agency, tried to force a deal by resorting to unexcused absences, arriving late to games and ...

The sickly stench of OMNICHATTER was everywhere, for August 4, 2017

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 8-4-2017

Chicago Eagle, August 4, 1917:

Chinese ball players are breaking into the minor leagues and taking jobs away from regular Americans.

Ayau, who is starring for Spokane in the Northern league, is the furthest advanced of the athletes who formerly played with the All-Chinese team which toured the United States during the last three seasons.

Vernon Ayau was born in Hawaii and served in the U.S. infantry during World War I.

If only he had been a regular American.

Summary of Free Agent Market Trends | FanGraphs Baseball

Entertaining series. Be sure to read the comments as well.

In general, the bigger picture is that the low-hanging fruit has mostly disappeared. It has become harder to identify undervalued players using simple data, which means that teams will have to continue to innovate if they want to get good bargains on free agents. Some of this is simply better forecasting of performances, but it also requires better forecasting of free-agent markets. Being able to identify what types of players end up ...