8th? BBTF Central Park Softball Game: SEPT 18, 2021

Let’s start planning for this year’s game. First questions:

1. Who is submitting the permit request? (Answer: Hysterical & Useless)

2. What dates should we aim for? (Answer: July 25 October 3 Saturday, September 18, 2021)

3. Where is the post-game destination?

Angels infielder Luis Rengifo reportedly charged with falsifying documents in Venezuela

Angels infielder Luis Rengifo has been charged with falsifying divorce documents and selling property without the consent of his ex-wife in his native Venezuela, according to multiple reports from that country.

The Angels have not issued a comment on the report.

Rengifo has been playing for the Angels all month, and he was in the lineup on Tuesday night in Chicago.

Rengifo allegedly forged divorce documents in July 2019 and they were legalized in December 2020. Using those false documents, Rengifo’s father reportedly arranged for real estate and vehicles to be sold to Rengifo’s sister, without the consent of his wife, Alba Marina Gonzalez Pinto.

Rengifo’s wife reportedly learned of the transactions and filed a complaint on Sept. ...

Does Javier Báez’s enigmatic nature make his impending free agency messier?

What is so extraordinary about Javy is the concept of what we can quantify out of a baseball player and what we cannot. What we can quantify is that Báez has had a five strikeout game and a pair of three strikeout games in barely more than a month in Mets uniform. He’s also hit eight home runs, which trails Pete Alonso by just one over that time for the team lead. In fact, his offensive numbers during his tenure in Queens might be mildly shocking, considering the narratives and said thinkpieces swirling around him thus far.

As of this writing, Báez has registered 119 plate appearances in a Mets uniform, having been limited by injury for a very short stretch. In that time, he’s slashed .300/.353/.582/.935, with a .282 ISO, a 153 ...

The Storyteller of the White Sox

“OK,” he says. “This is years ago — maybe 2011, I think — and I’m doing a double-header of high school basketball games in East Syracuse.” (Jason triple majored in broadcasting, economics, and psychology at Syracuse University and got his start in sports broadcasting there.) “It’s toward the end of the first game, and a kid gets off the bench wearing big plastic protective goggles, like lab safety goggles, and me and my partner — he was actually the mayor of East Syracuse — we joke about it, saying things like, ‘Hey, looks like that kid knows his way around a Bunsen burner.’

“Soon as that first game is over, my producer comes over to me and says, ‘There’s a parent here who wants to talk to ...

There are only about 3-to-5 candidates to run Mets—here’s who we think they are

According to people with direct knowledge of the team’s plans, there are only three-to-five people who could potentially fit the bill. And that list could be further whittled down, as it was last offseason, by difficulties obtaining permission to interview potential candidates.

Alderson will continue to run baseball operations into October, and then the process of asking permission to talk to top executives and interviewing them will begin.

The team is tight-lipped about identifying those individuals, at least to a nosy reporter. But conversations with other league sources leave us feeling confident about publishing educated speculation regarding the following names:

Chris Antonetti
The Cleveland president of baseball operations has a ...

The Past, Present, and Future of International Scouting

When discussing the international scouting scene, the conversation inevitably shifts toward the future. Apart from the possibility of a draft, there’s another big question: Where will the next great baseball hotbed be?

There are already a few candidates. Perhaps the most obvious one is Europe, which has produced several big leaguers over the last decade. While the domestic leagues around the continent are tiny, the sport itself is slowly but steadily growing. One source was excited about the prospect of a super league, a sort of Champions League of baseball that would pit top teams from various countries against each other, as a sign of the game’s burgeoning interest and competitiveness in Europe. A small handful of teams already have ...

Dodgers playoff-bound for 9th straight year

Winning back-to-back titles served as enough motivation for the Dodgers heading into this season, but the lack of normalcy in 2020 certainly fueled their desires to try to win another title and do all the things they weren’t able to do last year.

With an 8-4 win over the D-backs on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium, paired with losses by the Padres and Reds, the Dodgers took their first step in their quest to repeat, clinching their ninth consecutive postseason berth.

“It’s a special moment, to be able to get to the postseason for, what is it, nine years in a row now?” said Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy. “It’s quite an accomplishment. You can’t take the postseason for granted. It’s a special moment, and everyone’s excited ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 9-15-2021

Babe Ruth on being studied by scientists to see how he’s able to hit so many home runs, Pittsburgh Press, September 15, 1921:

“Some time back I was invited to the experimental laboratories of Columbia university and, man, what those experts didn’t make me do.
...
“They harnessed me with wires and tubes until I felt like a cross between a fire horse and a deep-sea diver. The professors were terribly serious and seemed to have a lot of dope I never thought possible. But many a time a doctor says you have lumbago and it turns out to be nothing but chilblains. So with all due respect to my learned friends, I do not agree with all the reasons and theories they evolved about my home-run hitting.

My theory is that Babe Ruth was ridiculously ...

KC Royals ‘need to start thinking’ about a new stadium, possibly downtown, owner says

The idea of a new downtown baseball stadium for the Kansas City Royals gained the owner’s voice on Tuesday.

John Sherman, the Royals’ primary owner, said in a news conference that the Royals “need to start thinking about our plans for a stadium over the next five to 10 years.

“Wherever we play, the criteria will be that the process will result in meaningful community impact that is real and measurable. It will result in economic growth and economic activity that benefits this region also in a real and measurable way.”

Left unanswered was a specific location of a new stadium. But Sherman provided this clue:

“We need to have a positive impact in the quality of life for our citizens in Kansas City with a particular focus on ...

Kansas City Royals promoting Dayton Moore to president and JJ Picollo to GM

After 15 years under Dayton Moore’s leadership, the Kansas City Royals will have a new general manager. However, Moore isn’t going anywhere.

Royals CEO and chairman John Sherman will promote Moore, who has officially held the title of senior vice president of baseball operations/general manager, to president of baseball operations. JJ Picollo will move from assistant general manager for player personnel to general manager.

The Royals have not officially announced the promotions yet, but a news conference including Sherman and Moore has been scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. A source confirmed that the promotions were coming, as first reported by MLB Network insider and Audacy Sports host Jon Heyman.

Moore became the the sixth general ...

Ryan Braun retires after 14 seasons

On May 25, 2007, Ryan Braun began his journey as a Major League Baseball player for the Milwaukee Brewers. Today, more than 14 years later, that journey officially comes to an end.

The Brewers all-time franchise home run leader, six-time All-Star and 2011 National League MVP, Braun has announced his retirement as an active player. Braun, 37, played his entire 14-year Major League career with the Milwaukee Brewers from 2007-20 and is among the franchise leaders in nearly every offensive category.

Brewers fans will have the opportunity to celebrate with Ryan and those close to him as the former MVP will be honored in a ceremony on the field prior to the Sunday, Sept. 26 game against the New York Mets.

“I have weighed this decision for ...

Seattle Mariners to host 2023 MLB All-Star Game, sources say

Seattle has been chosen to host Major League Baseball’s All-Star week in 2023, sources familiar with the decision told ESPN.

Plans to bring the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby back to T-Mobile Park, which last hosted it in 2001 when it was known as Safeco Field, are being finalized, according to sources. MLB declined comment and said it would not confirm that Seattle was the choice.

MLB had two future All-Star sites on the books already: Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles next year, and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia during the 2026 season. The league moved the 2021 All-Star Game from Atlanta to Denver following Georgia’s adoption of new voting laws.

Athletics Hall of Fame inducts 10 members of Philadelphia A’s

As for the 2021 class, all 10 inductees are also members of baseball’s overall Hall of Fame. Click each name to read their full biographies from SABR, or click here for concise capsules from the A’s official site.

Owner/Manager Connie Mack
RHP Chief Bender
LHP Lefty Grove
LHP Eddie Plank
LHP Rube Waddell
C Mickey Cochrane
1B Jimmie Foxx
2B Eddie Collins
3B Frank Baker
OF Al Simmons
Mack spent a half-century as the A’s manager, from their first season in 1901 through 1950, which is the longest stint for any coach with the same team in North American pro sports history. He was also a part-owner of the club for their entire tenure in Philadelphia.

Is it already time for another WEEKLY OMNICHATTER?, for September 13-16, 2021

The remarkable story of Robin Yount’s brother Larry

Yount, wearing No. 31, was in the bullpen when he was told to start warming up. He was going to pitch the ninth inning with the Astros trailing, 4-1.

“I remember going down and warming up, and as I was warming up, my elbow was pretty sore because I missed some days because of the military,” Yount says. “I [hoped] the adrenaline would kick in and it wouldn’t feel like my elbow was falling off. They called me in, and I decided to go out there and see what happens. After I threw a couple of pitches, I realized, ‘This isn’t going well.’

Though only 21, Yount was wise beyond his years. His arm didn’t feel right, and he decided not to push it.

“I decided to pull myself out of the game, and that was that,” he said. “Never ...

Who will be the first to wear a Rays, Marlins, or Nationals cap to Cooperstown?

The Montreal Expos had three players enter the Hall wearing their cap, but no one has gone in wearing the curly W since the franchise relocated and rebranded in 2005. There are a few former and current Nationals on track for Cooperstown, though. Bryce Harper is well on his way with 38.4 bWAR through his age-28 season, but at this point, it seems unlikely Harper would choose to wear a Nationals hat on his plaque. Two injury-marred seasons have derailed Stephen Strasburg’s chances, but he still has time to correct course.

Neither is as likely as Max Scherzer, though. Scherzer has already amassed 66.8 bWAR, and he’ll more than likely reach 3,000 strikeouts in his next start. He has three Cy Young Awards, eight All-Star appearances, and a ...

Benches clear in Yankees-Mets game over alleged whistling drama

The Yankees whistled while they worked, and the Subway Series turned testy as a result.

It came to a head during the seventh inning of Sunday’s 7-6 Mets win, when Giancarlo Stanton hit a game-tying, two-run home run and slowed down after he passed second base to exchange words with Francisco Lindor, leading to the benches clearing before Stanton even touched home.

Lindor had jabbered at the Yankees as he rounded the bases during his second home run of the night in the bottom of the sixth, delivering a whistling gesture towards their dugout and then appearing to do the same toward pitcher Wandy Peralta.

“Over the past couple days — I can’t accuse them of whistling for the signs because I’m not 100 percent [sure],” Lindor ...

DeSean Jackson = Mookie Betts? Rams receiver was once a sure-thing MLB prospect

“You just kind of looked at him and went, ‘Wow, it’s too bad he’s not going to play baseball,” said George Horton, former coach at Cal State Fullerton and Oregon. “There was a little bit of raw tools there that made you go back and envision the way Bo Jackson and Anthony Davis played baseball.

“It wasn’t necessarily the smoothest skill and swing and different things like that… The strength and explosion were stuff you can’t teach. And that’s what DeSean was. He was as quick as a cat.”

Had Jackson committed to baseball, he might have been a 2005 first-round draft pick, White said. Jackson said that several teams, including the Tampa Bay Rays, expressed interest.

“They wanted me to like give up football and I ...

Vlad Jr. ties MLB HR lead, eyes Triple Crown

The Triple Crown watch is officially on for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who slugged his way into a tie for the MLB lead in home runs on Sunday with his 44th of the season against the Orioles.

Now tied with Shohei Ohtani of the Angels, Guerrero has breathed life back into his season with an incredible two weeks at the plate, including eight home runs over his last 14 games. The 22-year-old took a dip in August, leading to some worry after he had run out of gas late in the season as a rookie and in 2020, but Guerrero is back to powering one of baseball’s most dangerous offenses.

“He’s learning,” manager Charlie Montoyo said. “This is the first full year for a lot of these guys, so they need to make an adjustment when they’re tired ...

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Max Scherzer reaches 3,000-strikeout milestone, pitches immaculate inning

Scherzer retired his first 22 batters, including Fernando Tatis Jr. just before Eric Hosmer doubled to deep right with one out in the eighth. The crowd of 42,637, including his wife, three children and parents, saluted Scherzer with a standing ovation after he finished the inning, his second of the day.

“I knew Tatis and Hosmer were going to be tough at-bats,” Scherzer said. “Hosmer, we’ve done so many battles over the years. I pulled a changeup down and he was able to put a barrel to it.”

Scherzer reached 3,000 career strikeouts in the fifth when Hosmer went down swinging for the second out of the inning. The crowd roared long and loud for the 37-year-old All-Star, who doffed his cap and threw the historic ball toward the dugout.

“To ...

Milwaukee Brewers’ Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader combine for MLB’s record ninth no-hitter

In a sometimes sticky season, Corbin Burnes got a grip on history.

Milwaukee’s ace combined with reliever Josh Hader to pitch baseball’s record ninth no-hitter this season, breaking a mark set when pitchers began throwing overhand in 1884 as the Brewers beat the Cleveland Indians 3-0 on Saturday night.

Months after Major League Baseball clamped down on pitchers’ use of illicit foreign substances following a rash of early no-hitters, Burnes cemented 2021 as the Season of the No-No with just the second no-hitter in Brewers history.

“It was a masterpiece,” Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.

Burnes (10-4) struck out 14 with a career-high 115 pitches over eight innings, taking a perfect game into the seventh while overpowering the ...

MLB denies telling Red Sox to stop COVID testing following Hunter Renfroe’s comments

As the Red Sox tried desperately to keep a COVID-19 outbreak contained as best they could over the last few weeks, the MLB handed down a mystifying recommendation, according to outfielder Hunter Renfroe.

Renfroe, who appeared on WEEI’s Merloni and Fauria show Thursday following his heroic performance in Wednesday’s win over the Rays, said the league told the Red Sox to stop testing in the middle of their outbreak.

“The MLB basically told us to stop testing and just treat the symptoms,” Renfroe said. “And we’re like, ‘No, we’re going to figure out what’s going on and try to keep this thing under control.’”

The hosts called Renfroe’s attention back to his comments to confirm, which he did twice.

The MLB quickly ...

WEEKEND OMNICHATTER for September 10-12, 2021

Source: Los Angeles Dodgers P Trevor Bauer’s season is over as MLB administrative leave extended through postseason

What had evolved into an inevitability became an official ruling on Friday, when Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association agreed to extend Trevor Bauer’s administrative leave through what remains of the 2021 season, a league official told ESPN.

Bauer, who has been away from the Los Angeles Dodgers since MLB first began a separate investigation on July 2, will remain on administrative leave for the rest of September and all of October. MLB is not expected to decide on a potential suspension until the offseason, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

As part of a statement, Bauer’s co-agents, Jon Fetterolf and Rachel Luba, wrote: “Today Mr. Bauer agreed to extend his administrative leave through the playoffs in ...

Cubs playing their best baseball in months as rookie sensations provide energy boost

It looked like the Cubs were in for a long final two months after all their roster turnover at the trade deadline. Indeed, things started out rough and headed toward rock bottom — including a 12-game losing streak to go along with an 11-game skid earlier in the season.

But then something happened. A group heavy on unknowns and first-time major-leaguers began to show life and started playing good baseball.

The recent success of players such as first baseman Frank Schwindel, outfielder Rafael Ortega and infielder Patrick Wisdom isn’t just having a positive impact on the Cubs as a whole — it’s also establishing them individually as potential pieces for 2022.

“The best way to press forward is to continue to push guys who are ...

How One Padres Reliever Is Plunking His Way to an Unlikely HBP Record

Despite little name recognition, Austin Adams is one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. Among all pitchers with at least 40 innings pitched in 2021, the Padres’ right-handed reliever is allowing the lowest slugging percentage (.201) and the third-lowest batting average (.149), behind only Jacob deGrom and Josh Hader.

Adams has come by those numbers honestly: Statcast’s “expected” statistics show that based on the exit velocities and launch angles of batted balls allowed, he ranks first in expected slugging percentage allowed and tied for second in expected batting average. He boasts the lowest hard-hit rate for any pitcher with at least 50 batted balls against, and he’s thrown by far the most innings for any pitcher who ...

The Rays’ Unique Ability To Mitigate Risk

Indeed, the Rays as a whole avoid disastrous reliever outings better than anyone in the league thanks to great scouting, impressive analytical work, talent-enhancing coaching and development, and a manager who knows exactly when to use each player based on matchups and game situations. These lower percentages lead to much smaller overall risk. While the Yankees would be nearly even odds to get a disastrous relief outing out of their five most-used ‘pen arms, the odds of this Rays group getting through a game en masse without a CTB outing are nearly three-fourths. By developing this pitching staff, along with strategies to maximize performance, the team has positioned themselves to survive postseason games with a ‘pen game strategy at ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 9-10-2021

Indiana Daily Times, September 10, 1921:

“Six more and maybe a dozen,” Babe Ruth, baseball’s champion slugger, said [in Philadelphia] today, in talking about a home run record.

Ruth equaled his 1920 mark of 54 when he hit one off Naylor in yesterday’s game with the Athletics…He has twenty-two games in which to make a new record, the majority of which are to be played in New York, where he has the range on the short right field stands.

As it turned out, six more than 54 was exactly Ruth’s single season limit.

Braves’ Ozuna agrees to diversion program in domestic violence case

Braves outfielder Marcell Ozuna on Thursday entered into a negotiated resolution that could result in his domestic violence charges being dismissed.

The 30-year-old was arrested in May after Sandy Springs officers reported seeing him choke his wife, throw her against a wall and strike her with the cast on his broken fingers. Felony charges were later dropped against Ozuna, but he instead faced a pair of misdemeanors — family violence battery and simple assault.

Ozuna appeared in court virtually Thursday morning and agreed to enter into the negotiated resolution. The conditions require the Major League Baseball star to be placed on six months of supervision, undergo a 24-week family violence intervention program and complete at least ...

Red Sox OF Hunter Renfroe delivers throw of the year to beat his old team

Hunter Renfroe was already having a career year. He added a career night on Wednesday.

The Boston Red Sox outfielder delivered the throw of the year — and possibly the decade — to seal a 2-1 win against his old team, the Tampa Bay Rays. There’s really nothing else to add until you see the throw.

From a step in front of the warning track in center all the way to third base in one hop. Poor Rays infielder Joey Wendle couldn’t have possible expected that to come after his fly ball got past center fielder Danny Santana.

That was not the extent of Renfroe’s contributions, as he was also the reason the Red Sox were ahead after crushing a two-run homer in the eighth inning.

It's 2021 and people are still running on Hunter Renfroe. ...