The Baseball Historian’s Notes for August 19, 2013: All Hail the Hidden Ball Trick!

In a sport increasingly known for money, technology and deeds of avarice, the hidden ball trick has to be one of the rarest and time-honored plays in baseball. It’s something that has been utilized since the earliest days of the game, yet still has a place today. One blog post from several years ago reported […]

OOTP 13: Perhaps The Best Sports Simulation Game Ever

To paraphrase the words of the portly Simpsons character Comic Book Man, Out of the Park 13 is perhaps the “Best Game Ever” when it comes to sports simulations. Proclaiming OOTP13 as such doesn’t give the game enough justice. As awe-inspiring as last year’s edition was, producer Markus Heinson and his band of creative baseball […]

The Final Eulogy on the 2011 Phillies

I do not know where to begin, mainly because I cannot believe that it has come to an end.  A week ago I put up a post saying how Phillies’ fans needed to get behind the Yankees to make the World Series in order to seal a remarkable and, by most franchise standards, historic season.  […]

Clearing The Bases

The Rays’ magic ran out in the 1st round playoff loss to the Rangers.  They won the first game, but their lack of offense was a glaring weakness in three straight losses that sent them home. The Yankees had a disappointing end to their 2011 season with a Game 5 loss to the Tigers at […]

Clearing The Bases

Wow, what a last couple of days in the baseball season.   Hard to believe that both the Braves and Red Sox choked up huge leads in the month of September, but as everyone likes to say, “that is why they play the games”.  The playoff matchups in the Wildcard round offer up some intriguing possibilities.  […]

Change We Can Believe In

Turn back your clocks a little over a year to the 2009 American League Divisional Series between the Yankees and the Twins. The Yankees had home field advantage, and were heavily favored. They swept the series three games to none, but largely thanks to a disturbing phenomenon down the left field line at Yankee Stadium. […]

Reichert Vs. Yan Gives Atlantic a Major League Pairing

This is one of those abundant times when record-shattering performances, solid season-long attendance, and the playoffs collide for attention, but the postseason has to take center stage because it is what everyone has been striving for throughout the 140-game regular season.  Actually, the opportunity also is there to combine one of the Atlantic League-record-breaking players […]

The Cardinals’ Favorite Cheese

I’m not sure if he listed it amongst his many cheeses during his picnic with Libby two weeks ago, but Hurley really should have packed what is quickly becoming the cheese in Cardinal Nation. Colby Jack. Colby Rasmus was the no-doubter Hero last night.  Two home runs, an early one to give the Cards a […]