MLB whiffs by banning competitors’ pink bats on Mother’s Day

What started off as a wonderful tradition and homage to breast cancer survivors everywhere, the use of pink bats on Mother’s Day, has turned into another ugly example of corporate greed. Hopefully sometime between now and Sunday, Major League Baseball and Louisville Slugger will realize there are few greater sins than monetizing disease, and fix that.

Baltimore outfielder Nick Markakis and Minnesota third baseman Trevor Plouffe, both of whose mothers are breast cancer survivors, received ...

OMNICHATTER for MAY 11, 2013

BBTF Productions presents OMNICHATTER, a Primate joint. Starring Pete Kozma, Clay Buchholz’s arm, Justin Verlander, Yu Darvish, Manny Machado, Francisco Liriano (making his Pirates debut!), Andrelton Simmons, Angel Hernandez as “The Root Of All Evil” and many more!

Alex Cobb fans 13 in 4 2/3 innings

Harold Reynolds: “This is what happens when the umps start calling the high strikes!”

Alex Cobb struck out 13 in fewer than five innings and Ryan Roberts and Ben Zobrist drove in two runs apiece to help the Tampa Bay Rays rally for a 6-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday night.

Cobb became the first pitcher in major league history to fan that many batters and fail to make it through the fifth. The right-hander left after throwing 117 pitches. He recorded 12 of 14 outs on strikeouts ...

Astros investigating fan who pretended to expose himself during broadcast

Is that an Altuve in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

The Astros said that the fan who stood up and pretended to expose himself while inside Minute Maid Park’s exclusive Diamond Club is not a season ticket holder and that the team would work with “the proper authorities” to investigate.

Sitting in the section that became famous as the seats for former President George H.W. Bush and first lady Barbara Bush, a fan appearing to hold either a cigar or a hot dog weiner stood up ...

Kettmann: The S.F. Interview: Bruce Bochy

Ever since Michael Lewis’s Moneyball came out in 2003, there’s been this conception that baseball managers’ hunches and instincts don’t matter that much. But it seems to me that in your managing during last year’s postseason, you were definitely following a few hunches, weren’t you?

Sure. [Laughs] All the information you can get, it’s critical to your decision making. We have great advance scouts and an operations staff who really do a tremendous job of helping me. But at the ...

Harper’s: Lucas Mann on hope and change in a minor-league-baseball city

There are thousands of young men on minor-league baseball rosters working toward a spot in the majors. Most of them won’t make it. With this in mind, essayist Lucas Mann spent the 2010 season in Clinton, Iowa, watching the city’s Class A team, the LumberKings. In his new book, Class A: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere (Pantheon), Mann writes about becoming intimate with the players, the fans, and the town, and explores the themes of nostalgia, failure, and hope.

The link is a question ...

MLB.com: Umpires disciplined for misapplying rule

Umpire Fieldin Culbreth, the crew chief in Thursday night’s game between the Angels and Astros at Minute Maid Park in Houston, has received a two-game suspension and a fine for the misapplication of Rule 3.05(b) in the top of the seventh inning, Major League Baseball announced Friday afternoon.

The other members of Culbreth’s crew—Brian O’Nora, Bill Welke and Adrian Johnson—received fines stemming from the same sequence of events. Culbreth’s two-game suspension will be served at a date to be ...

Keidel: Should Derek Jeter Retire?

And I was the shortstop for the New York Yankees! But like the rest of you I’ve outlived my usefulness! No one wants me around any more!

Father Time is finally throwing Jeter some serious chin music, snapping his ankle in October, and then taunting him back to practice before chipping it again. But Jeter is the Bernard Hopkins of baseball, swinging until he’s literally carted off. The Yankees surely hope he makes that decision before they have to.

“Jeter’s not a quitter!” you bark. ...Read More...

Repoz Posted: May 10, 2013 at 05:32 PM | 50 comment(s)
  Beats: yankees

Posnanski: Warren Spahn and the Brooklyn Dodgers

I thought this was sorta common knowledge…

Brilliant Reader Wendell has wandered through some baseball numbers and comes up with what seems a fascinating question, at least if you’re kind of a crazy baseball history buff.

From 1954-1957, Warren Spahn started 136 games—fourth-most in baseball. He pitched 1,081 innings—second only to Robin Roberts. He won 79 games, more than any pitcher over that time. Well, that was Warren Spahn, right? Hall of Famer. A workhorse. A constant force. He was a ...

WSJ: Robinso Cano: 1,501 Hits Down, 1,499 to Go

Not to dump water on this…but he’s tied with Tim McCarver.

Jeter has long been known for his ability to rack up 200-hit seasons, the hallmark of any 3,000-hit campaign. Cano, with only two 200-hit seasons, and perhaps because of his status as an elite power hitter, has often been left out of the discussion of players who could reach 3,000.

But Cano isn’t far off Jeter’s pace. Jeter notched his 1,500th hit at age 29, in his ninth season. Cano hit the mark at age 30, also in his ninth year. It ...

Frustrated by low attendance, Indians players give out free tickets on Twitter, team president follows

The Cleveland Indians have the lowest average attendance in baseball. Lower, even, than the Miami Marlins, who most people would assume own that dishonor. In fact, Miami is only fifth worst.
Cleveland’s average of 14,205 makes places like Miami, Tampa Bay and Kansas City look somewhat decent. The Royals, in fact, are second worst in baseball and average 4,000 more per game than the Indians.

On Monday and Tuesday, the Indians drew 9,514 and 9,474 with the Oakland Athletics in town. This was ...

Catellier: Baseball HOF Discussion: Gil Hodges, Los Angeles Dodgers

Plus he’d wait on line for an Ebinger’s black-out cake just like the rest of us!

Is former Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers great Gil Hodges the best eligible position player not in the Hall of Fame? No, Barry Bonds is…or maybe Jeff Bagwell. But five years ago, the answer very well may have been “yes”.

Without all this newfangled steroid nonsense clouding the picture, Hodges’ case depicts perhaps the most lopsided argument in history regarding a player’s Hall of Fame merit. It seems ...

Curt Schilling: ‘As a player, this is our fault’ that players like David Ortiz face PED questions

Next he’ll be spray painting “Aus der Traum!” on the ESPN studio wall!

“I love David. I love him to death. And I think a lot of what Dan has done in his life has been personally driven. But he didn’t ask a question that people aren’t asking themselves,” Schilling said. “And I keep going to back to, as a player, this is our fault. We did this. We let this happen. We had a chance to stop it and we didn’t. I think the way it was done was kind of cheesy. But there are people asking ...

Baseball America: Jim Callis: Mock Draft 1.0

More like a Hunter’s guide for big game…

15. DIAMONDBACKS: After an early run on pitchers, position players will be the strength of the middle of the first round. Count Arizona as one of several teams in this area who would love an unexpected shot at Meadows. Renfroe and California high school shortstop J.P. Crawford are better bets to be available.

PROJECTED PICK: HUNTER RENFROE.

30. RANGERS: Since 2006, Texas has used eight of its nine first-round picks on high schoolers. Most of the best ...

School teacher dies after choking on hot dog at Wrigley Field

Maureen Oleskiewicz, a 28-year-old middle school teacher, died on Sunday after choking on a hot dog at Wrigley Field, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Oleskiewicz and her brother, Martin Oleskiewicz, were eating before the game started when she fell to the floor choking. CPR was administered, but she died after undergoing cardiac arrest.

Maureen Oleskiewicz, a 28-year-old middle school teacher, died on Sunday after choking on a hot dog at Wrigley Field.

Before Oleskiewicz passed away, ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 5-10-2013

Washington Times, May 10, 1913:

The United States League will have its formal opening at Union League Park today, when the Brooklyn team meets the Washington team. There will be no admissions charged, Manager Carsey throwing open the gates to the fans and offering the first engagement between the clubs gratis.

The 1913 US League season lasted two days. New York and Newark folded up shop after 100 people showed up to their season opener, and the other six teams gave up after the second game.

ESPN Boston: David Ortiz says PED suggestions discriminatory

“Yesterday, the guy came to see me and asked some questions about steroids, and when you see the writing, it basically focuses on the fact that I’m Dominican and that many Dominicans have been caught using steroids. And what about the Americans?” Ortiz said.

“If you’re from the Middle East, because there are some people there who put bombs and terrorize civilians, I have to see you like that, as well? If you are a white American, I have to call you a racist because white Americans were in the ...

J.R. Gamble: Chill With The Pitcher’s Helmet Talk

Hey, take it easy…probably only Scott Radinsky and Jack McDowell ever discussed early Amphetamine Reptile sides.

The average pitcher is more likely to die in a car crash over his lifetime then get hit in the head by a line drive during his MLB career.

If this is where society is going, then we have a lot of other culprits to fix before we start imposing more safety legislation on baseball.

Let’s ban the X-games, where Snowmobiler Caleb Moore died in January, as a result of injuries he ...

Simers: Josh Hamilton smiles, but he doesn’t care what fans think

As Alfred, Lord (The Human Eyeball) Tennyson once said about smile splits…“A smile abroad is often a scowl at home.”

Dwight Howard, meet Josh Hamilton.

“I’ve had people screaming at me when I’m at the plate, ‘Wipe that smile off your face,’‘’ said the Angels bust. “If I’m not smiling, you don’t want me out there. I want to play the game how I’ve grown up my whole life playing it, and that’s with a smile. You do your best when you’re relaxed.’‘

Hamilton gets any more relaxed and he really ...

mlb.com: Angels file protest after pitching change

[Angels’] Manager Mike Scoscia argued Astros skipper Bo Porter wasn’t allowed to make two pitching changes before the first reliever fired an official pitch.

However, since the Angels came back to win, 6-5, the protest is essentially a non-factor. [...] Rule 3.05(b) states: If the pitcher is replaced, the substitute pitcher shall pitch to the batter then at-bat, or any substitute batter, until such batter is put out or reaches first base, or until the offensive team is put out, unless the ...

OMNICHATTER for MAY 10, 2013

15 games today, and I can’t come up with anything witty to say right now. Sorry. I’ll make sure to have something ready for Saturday.

Sims: Don’t Count On Roy Halladay Pitching Again This Season

Will the rotator cuff tear be repaired, or will the joint just be cleaned out, referred to as a debridement? The thickness and location of the tear will likely be the determining factors. If the labrum shows degenerative wearing at the edges, it may only require a bit of smoothing out. If a labral tear is evident once they are in the joint, Halladay will require a more robust surgery.  [...]  It is likely that Halladay is looking at a minimum six-month recovery if more than a simple debridement ...

Washington Post: Red Carpet Rewards Loses Its Luster For Some Nationals Fans

But with no preseason notice, the Nationals front office for the 2013 season significantly diluted the Red Carpet Rewards program, and the number of points needed to buy extra benefits increased dramatically. For example, a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday, May 25, costs 1,000 Red Carpet points for a field MVP or club seat, which is 10 times what it cost last year. The Nationals also shortened the window in which tickets can be redeemed ahead of time to one month; last year ...

Former Cardinals OF Fernando Tatís Is Good at MS Paint… No, Really

Former Cardinals outfielder Fernando Tatís once famously hit 2 Grand Slams in one inning and set a Major Leage record with 8 RBI in one frame but that may not be his biggest feat. Lately it seems that Fernando has been lighting up the world of graphic design and his all original creations are truly a sight to behold and the world needs to stand up and take notice.

McCain Introduces Cable, Satellite A La Carte Legislation

Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) on Thursday unveiled legislation that would upend the cable and satellite business, forcing them to let customers pick-and-choose which channels they would like to get rather than take programming in bundles.

“The video industry, principally cable companies and satellite companies and the programmers that sell channels, like NBC and Disney-ABC, continue to give consumers two options when buying TV programming: First, to purchase a package of channels whether you ...

ESPN: Simon: Andrelton Simmons makes all the plays

Entering Wednesday, Simmons had played 680 innings in his major league career and the Baseball Info Solutions (BIS) numbers have him with 30 defensive runs saved. He had 19 in 426 innings last season and already has a major-league best 11 in 254 innings in 2013.

For a little perspective, that’s an incredible number for what amounts to less than half a season’s worth of play. No shortstop has had 30 defensive runs saved in a full season since Troy Tulowitzki had 31 in 2007.

Simmons has been ...

The Read Zone: On Matt Harvey’s Tuesday Night Brush With Perfection, Was It The Best by a Met All Time?

#8 Johan Santana, 2012 – Game Score: 90

#4 Al Leiter, 1999 – Game Score: 86
Leiter threw 135 pitches that day — he threw 120+ pitches eleven times in 1999 — in a performance that should go down as one of the Mets’ best all time.  He was never pretty, walking four, but he sure got the job done.  A little more than a year later, he would throw 142 pitches in Game 5 of the 2000 World Series.

#2 David Cone, 1991 – Game Score: 99

U.S.S. Mariner (Jeff Sullivan): Felix Hernandez and Learning to Pitch

Jeff Sullivan enjoys his semi-retirement with some thoughtful musings on the maturation of Prince Felix into King Felix:

There are throwers, and there are pitchers. Felix has been amazing as both of them.

This is all to set up just a few factoids. The following, courtesy of Baseball Info Solutions, won’t take you by surprise:

2005: 96mph average fastball
2013: 91mph average fastball

Every so often Felix used to rush it up there in or near the triple digits. Somewhat alarmingly, now I feel ...

Cole: How Much Rope Does Don Mattingly Have Left?

11   13-20   5/09   Blue, pan up from lid of ball cap   End of manager

Exactly how much rope does the Dodgers’ skipper have left? Probably not the best choice of words there, because whatever you think of the way Don Mattingly is going about his business, any and all rope is best locked away safe and sound.

Rope, sharp objects, plugged-in radios near bathtubs, adjacent medicine cabinets, tall buildings, you name it. Not for Mattingly, necessarily, but for the inconsolable fan, because ...

Glassey: Wannabe Scouts: Show Some Respect

Conor Glassey explains the difference between what writers do and what scouts do:

Yes, we often will write about players we’ve seen and we’ll tell you how fast a pitcher was throwing, what kind of offspeed pitches he throws, or how fast an outfielder got from home to first. That’s not scouting, that’s just reporting. Anybody can sit at a game and hold a radar gun or click a stopwatch.

However, there’s a growing number of people online who think the opposite. It’s baffling to me ...