New Grip Helps Brock Peterson Slug Eight Homers in Nine Games And Climb to Top of Atlantic League Ladder

Brock Peterson remembers one time when he banged out something like 17 consecutive hits. But that was as an American Legion player, and he was using a metal bat. His latest streak was much more vital to his career because eight home runs in nine games in a 10-day period in the Atlantic League is […]

Sally League Showdown (Almost) Matches the Hype

The showdown between two of the South Atlantic League’s best teams just about lived up to all the hype that preceded this week’s four game series as the Delmarva Shorebirds sandwiched two victories around two defeats to the Hagerstown Suns. Manny Machado, the Orioles top selection and 3rd overall in the 2010 draft was on […]

Let’s Play Two

The Sunday doubleheader was a staple of baseball in the Golden Era of the game, you know, when the World Series was played in the first half of October and kids listened to Don Larsen’s perfect game on the radio in Ms. Hill’s sixth grade class.  The Nationals and Brewers played a Sunday doubleheader today. […]

A Good Old Fashioned Mano a Mano Fight in Milwaukee

Baseball fights still occur, but very seldom are they only a two-man affair. It seems the entire team has to show up now. But in baseball’s Deadball Era I have come across a number of one-on-one fights. One of the nastiest occurred in Milwaukee on May 8, 1913. The press coverage gives us the feeling […]

For a Few Dollars More

Cliff Lee is the best hired gun since Clint Eastwood starting taking himself too seriously. The Texas Rangers, born the expansion Washington Senators in 1961, went almost fifty years without winning a post-season series. Then like poor campesinos faced with hired guns from the hacienda, they brought in Cliff Lee. Cue the music as Cliff […]

Jim Lonborg: Coming Close

On Wednesday, Don Larsen was joined by Roy Halladay as the only two pitchers ever to throw a no-hitter during the postseason in MLB history. Back in 1967, Larsen almost had company in that group. Jim Lonborg was having a fantastic season for the Boston Red Sox. The third-year pitcher lead the American League in […]

Nidiffer making good on his chances

It was just a matter of time before Marcus Nidiffer earned a promotion. After leading the Houston Astros affiliate, Greeneville, of the rookie Appalachian League with 11 home runs, Nidiffer needed a new challenge. The former Kentucky Wildcat and Webster Yankee got his new assignment late last week. Judging by his early returns, Nidiffer is […]

Word Gets Around

There’s a bruhaha brewing in Los Angeles, where GM Ned Colletti called center fielder Matt Kemp on the carpet this week and told the press it was because he wondered whether Kemp was resting on his laurels after signing a long-term, eight-figure contract, rather than giving 100% effort on the field. The esteemed ESPN.com columnist […]

Long Night’s Journey Into Nothingness

As I sat through last week’s 20-inning marathon between the Mets and Cardinals, I couldn’t help thinking “I’ve been here before.” The Mets have played a disproportionate number of 20-inning games, and I’ve watched all of them, starting with that ridiculous doubleheader in 1964 in which the Mets lost a 23-inning dandy to the Giants […]

Jimmie Foxx Pitching in 1945: A Surprising Story

Back in July 1980, the Boston Globe recalled that Jimmie Foxx’s “final appearance in the majors was as a pitcher. “In 1945, when he was 37, Foxx had slipped badly and was hanging on by his fingertips with the Phillies. One day, Ben Chapman, Phils’ manager, came to Jimmie.” Chapman told Foxx, “We’re desperate. Would […]