Batting Practice with the Z-Man

There are so few players who can lift the average fan from his seat during batting practice. It most commonly takes one of those leviathan sluggers like a Frank Howard or Mark McGwire to send ball after ball rocketing into the stands. So I was taken aback when in Kissimmee, Florida for a game between […]

Just Another Gated Community

We arrived back from Spring Training last night, three games in three delightful mad dash days that left us wishing there was time for one more. When I got home there was a wonderful surprise: a copy of the new biography of Bill Veeck by Paul Dickson. I went to sleep reading it. Yes I […]

IBWAA Selects No One In 2012 Hall Of Fame Vote

The alternative Baseball Hall of Fame vote came up a little different than the Official Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). The official group for Cooperstown election came back with only one inductee—lifelong Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin. I would like to congratulate Mr. Larkin as well on a stellar career that I was able […]

Rating the 2012 Hall of Fame Candidates Based on Win Shares

One of the first items of business in baseball each year is the announcement of players elected to the Hall of Fame.  This leads to lots of speculation and a little analysis prior to the announcement which is scheduled forJanuary 9, 2012. Many systems exist for evaluating player performance.  One such system, the Win Shares […]

Fun With Retrosheet: Nelson Cruz Made Me Do It

Normally, I try to find someone else to blame for suggesting one of these posts, but this silly one is all mine. After noticing that Nelson Cruz had seven RBIs in the eleventh innings of Texas’ playoff series with the Tigers, I wondered what player had the most extra-inning HRs and RBIs in a season […]

A New “Rule of Thumb” – 300 Win Shares

When fans talk about who belongs in the Hall of Fame, mention is often made of the three “rules of thumb” that have been around for some time.  That is, a player “deserves to be in the Hall of Fame” if he Has 3000 hits or Has 500 home runs or Has 300 wins as […]

Fenway Park’s 100th Anniversary: There’s Nothing Like Being at the Game

I’ve never considered myself religious by any means. Yet, I’m a believer that everyone has some place where they just feel at home, or safe. A sanctuary, of sorts. To some of the more religious types, a church. Baseball stadiums are my church. There is just something about passing through the gates and walking into […]

The Calm After The Storm

Yesterday’s deadline came and went.  Albertageddon peaked yesterday morning, but by the end of the day had calmed back down.  Life goes on. The man himself showed up today at camp.  He spent a good half an hour talking to the press, in a situation reminiscent of Mark McGwire’s address to the media last spring training.  McGwire spoke […]

With great power comes great responsibility

September 24, 1988: While pointing his finger to the sky and staring tauntingly at rival Carl Lewis of the United States, Ben Johnson of Canada crosses the finish line as he breaks the 100-meter world record at the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. Three days later, Johnson is stripped of his gold medal and […]

The 2011 HOF Ballot – How Many REAL Hall of Famers?

The BBWAA 2011 Hall of Fame Ballot contains the names of thirty-three players that the baseball writers may vote for if they feel they belong in the Hall of Fame.  Of the thirty-three players, I view sixteen position players and four pitchers as “serious candidates.”  They are mentioned below. As we all know, the writers […]

Triples: The Forgotten Base

The art of the triple sculpted by the master, John “Chief” Wilson in 1912.

The Ultimate Seven-Game Fall Classic: Game One

With all due respect to the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers, the 2010 World Series wasn’t exactly one for the ages, although I’m happy for the city of San Francisco, the Giants and their fans. Don’t get me wrong, I commend both teams for their efforts, but the 2010 Fall Classic had me scouring […]

Shouldn’t 1987 Raise Eyebrows Too?

There has been an increased raising of eyebrows when looking at or comparing statistics of players in the “steroid era,” which began in the early 1990s. Look no further than Mark McGwire to see how these allegations have hurt one’s Hall of Fame chances. We’ll get another example of this in the upcoming election as […]

Pete Rose: Justice Delivered, But Only Temporarily And Only In Theory

Twenty five years ago today one of the most hallowed records in baseball history was broken when Pete Rose singled to left field against San Diego Padres pitcher Eric Show (who’s tumultuous life and death were chronicled by ESPN’s Outside the Lines) for career hit number 4,192, passing the legendary Ty Cobb. Fireworks instantly went off […]

Steroids and Kids: Trying to Answer the Unanswerable Question

It started with an innocent question, as are all questions which come out of the mouth of an 8-year-old. Except this question cut at the heart of Major League Baseball – past, present and future. I was at Miller Park, attending a Brewers-Cardinals game with my wife and two sons. Up to the plate stepped […]

Just How Good is Jim Thome?

Jim Thome recently passed Mark McGwire for the #9 spot on the all-time home run list with 584 round trippers.  So, an obvious question arises: Just how good is Jim Thome?  Or, better yet, does his career really reflect Hall of Fame numbers? The answer is Yes.  At the end of the 2009 season, Jim […]

Hall of Fame’s Best Outsiders

the best team composed of non-Hall of Fame players who have been eligible for at least one HOF vote

Roger Talks, and the Seamheads.com Team Responds

After new Seamheads.com writer Jon Pessah sat down and talked with Roger Clemens last month, he polled his fellow Seamheads for their take on the Rocket and his place in baseball. Here’s the transcript of the conversation that followed. “I used to be the biggest Roger Clemens fan alive. Then he left the Sox and I […]

Stumbling Out of the Gate

Well, that wasn’t the way Cardinal fans wanted to see things get started. OK, let’s put in the usual disclaimers.  It was a spring training game.  Most of the regulars weren’t in there, and you can’t take a lot away from one game, especially the first of the year.  So I’m not drawing any conclusions […]

Starting the Routine

Things are starting to get established down in Jupiter. Yesterday, it was Tony LaRussa’s time in front of the media.  You can hear some of his remarks here.  A lot of what you’d expect out of TLR, a lot of working hard, have a chance to compete, etc.  Tony’s not likely to tip his hand […]

Talk and Action

As everyone knows by now, the pitchers, the catchers and other assorted players and Cardinal brass showed up in Jupiter yesterday. The hitting coach dwarfed them all. Mark McGwire came to camp yesterday and, as he often does, stole the spotlight.  This time, in my mind, it was in a positive way, as he talked […]

Those Sweet Words

What did you say? I know what you were singing But my ears won’t stop ringing Long enough to hear Those sweet words And your simple melody I just have to hear Those sweet words Spoken like a melody I just want to hear Those sweet words –Norah Jones, “Those Sweet Words“, Feels Like Home […]

One Day Away

Pitchers and catchers “officially” report tomorrow.  In actuality, almost the entire team is already in Jupiter or doing prep work before getting there.  Still, sitting here with 19 degree temperatures outside this morning, waking up to read about spring training is just about glorious.  There’s magic in “pitchers and catchers report.” I believe that Brad […]

The Week We’ve Been Waiting For

As people continue to deal with snow, ice, and arctic temperatures, a nation’s eyes turn to the states of Florida and Arizona, desperate for relief and for the magical words of “Play ball!” It is that time of year again, thankfully, when the baseball news starts flowing and the excitement starts building.  The scribes are […]