Also 100 years ago today, the Pittsburgh Gazette Times reports on Honus Wagner doing something that really should have ended with him getting flattened by the opposing catcher.

Hans [Wagner], during his lay-off, was thinking, as only a Dutchman can think, and he thought out some new plays. One of these Hans gave an airing in the second game. Raising a high foul fly he turned around, stepped on Catcher Archer's off foot and held him so that he could not go after the ball. These baseball tricks certainly keep the spectators guessing.

Alex Rodriguez approves.

the phillies have allowed 3.27 runs per game this season.

that would have ranked 5th in the 1968 NL. they would have been closer to the 1968 cardinals (who lead the league in the category--2.91) than they currently are to the 3rd ranked team in the NL this year (ATL--3.68).

Today at THT we remember the 40th anniversary of Larry Yount's career. He's not only the older brother of a Hall of Famer, he's also a man who essentially didn't appear in the only game he ever appeared in. One game pitched, no batters faced, no pitches thrown -- and no pick off or anything else like that either.

Then comes a list of other items having their anniversary today including: Mike Laga fouls one out of Busch, White Sox suspend announcer Jimmy Piersall for comments made about player wives, Earl Weaver forfeits, Steve Carlton loses while setting K record, Snuffy Stirnweiss (and others) die tragically, Early Wynn's pinch-hit grand slam, Flint Rhem disappears, a pitcher making his only career apperarance fans Joe Sewell - for what turns out to be the hurler's only K, & Nap Lajoie's 3,000th hit.

Do people still care about the batting title? I don't mean here as much as I mean baseball fans in general. Does the batting race still get a lot of play?

Last year, the Braves' radio announcers would often point out how many more plate appearances Omar Infante needed to qualify for the title (his batting average fell off like twenty or thirty points in September, but he did end up qualifying and I think finishing in the top five). I don't know if that's the sort of thing that would end up getting talked about anywhere else, except maybe in Colorado, where Carlos Gonzalez had been playing all season and was leading the race among qualifiers.

Anyway, Ryan Braun is just two points behind Jose Reyes in the NL. Neither man's team is really fighting for anything - the Brewers are basically in, and the Mets could be mathematically eliminated for all I know - so it's not like there are more important matters to focus on with either club. I didn't know about it before I looked it up just now. I'd assumed that Reyes had a decent lead over whoever eas in second, unless Reyes' injuries had cost him too much time. Are other people paying attention?

I think the batting title comes up whenever the local team has a player with a shot at getting it -- I vaguely remember hearing sports-talk buzz about Starlin Castro last year for a short period.

Chase Utley was voted the 2nd meanest player in baseball by his peers (behind Pierogi). Why?

Chase Utley was voted the 2nd meanest player in baseball by his peers (behind Pierogi). Why?

Is Pierogi generally considered mean by people other than Conte? I know he's a dick, delightfully so IMO, but I didn't know he had a reputation for meanness.

I know he's a dick, delightfully so IMO, but I didn't know he had a reputation for meanness.

It was a poll of randomly selected 2004 S.F. Giants.

I think the batting title comes up whenever the local team has a player with a shot at getting it

I recall that the radio broadcasters for the '69 White Sox dwelt on No-Neck Williams' chance to hit .300. It was all they had.

Do people still care about the batting title? I don't mean here as much as I mean baseball fans in general. Does the batting race still get a lot of play?

When I was at CitiField the other night, they would post Reyes' average as compared to Braun's (who was second, at the time) after every Reyes' AB and after (what I assume) were Braun's as well.

Is Pierogi generally considered mean by people other than Conte? I know he's a dick, delightfully so IMO, but I didn't know he had a reputation for meanness.

I assume mean is a being treated as the same as "a dick" in this context. I was surprised to see Utley on that list too. The top ten:

1. AJ
2. Utley
3. Milton Bradley
4. C. Zambrano
5. V. Padilla
6. A-Rod
7. Chris Carpenter
8. Pujols
9. N. Morgan
10. Youk

Of note: Four of the top ten--including #1 and 2, are white. Three Hispanics, two African-Americans. Pitcher (3) and third base (2) are the only positions with more than one player.

I assume mean is a being treated as the same as "a dick" in this context. I was surprised to see Utley on that list too. The top ten:

You're probably right. Looking at that list, there's only one I'd describe as mean (based on reputation, which may or not be accurate).

1. AJ (Troll)
2. Utley ?
3. Bradley (Unhinged)
4. Zambrano (Hot-Tempered)
5. Padilla (Genuinely Mean)
6. Arod (Odd)
7. Chris Carpenter (Dick)
8. Pujols (Sanctimonious)
9. N. Morgan (Obnoxious)
10. Youk (Overly Gung Ho)

How did Pieryznski not make the list?

He's #1.

Chase Utley was voted the 2nd meanest player in baseball by his peers (behind Pierogi). Why?

i don't quite get "mean", but chase utley does seem to be universally reviled. at least by the fans of other teams.


it's also quite possible that he's an astonishing jackass when talking to opposing players before the game, when he's at bat or running the bases or in the field. i would not at all be surprised if that was the case.


oh, and boo? #### you.

It actually makes me like him more. I always considered Utley the coolest player in the game. He maintains a laid back demeanor on the field, never is bothered by HBP's, has a beautiful brunette wife, gives money to animal charities, and lives in Center City instead of Cherry Hill, NJ.

The fact that he can do all that and be considered "mean" by his peers is pretty damn impressive.

Coincidentally (or not), Utley is the most loved ballplayer at Paddy's Pub.