The National Pastime Almanac and the Joy of Numbers

This time of year is my favorite for obvious reasons: Spring Training is in full swing, newsstands are peppered with baseball preview magazines, and the weather starts to warm up, allowing me to hang out in my back yard with a good book or magazine, an adult beverage, a strong cigar, and, eventually, a Red […]

Random Thoughts from the Baseball World…

The MLB Network does an excellent job covering all the news from around the league. However, they miss a story here and there, so we’re glad to supplement their coverage with the following random thoughts. Michelle Damon has reportedly contacted Commissioner Selig and requested that Detroit be allowed to move its franchise to New Jersey. […]

Weber and Young Arms of Crow, Scheppers and Parise Making Their Mark in Spring Training

It would be much like splitting hairs if we tried to give a definitive answer as to who among the former Independent players hopeful of becoming a first time major leaguer is having the best spring training up to this point.  Jon Weber,  Aaron Crow and Tanner Scheppers certainly have offered up their work.  Pete […]

Roger Clemens Unplugged: The Rocket Breaks His Silence

“Jon, it’s Roger Clemens. Did I get you at a bad time?” It’s a phone call I’d been expecting for a couple of days—and a conversation I’d been trying to have for about a year—but yes, it was a bad time. Clemens had reached me as I was returning home on the Long Island Railroad. […]

Rambling on About My Glory Days – Spring Training: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times

“Jack, you are like a son to me, but we have to send you down.” If I heard those words from manager Tommy Lasorda once, it seemed like I heard them a thousand times. I wanted to respond with, “Could you consider me a distant cousin or something instead, and keep me on the team?” […]

Still Just Spring Training

At least there was a reason. Brad Penny was one of the most intriguing names brought into St. Louis during the offseason.  A lot of us were interested to see what this guy, who had been a very successful pitcher in the past, could do with Dave Duncan’s tutelage.  So seeing the results yesterday would […]

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 […]

Two-Thirds of Players Who Start in Independent Play And Reach the Majors Are Pitchers

Among all players who would like to be the next success story by playing their first professional game in an Independent league and later making it to the major leagues, pitchers Aaron Crow, Pete Parise and Tanner Scheppers have to be the three leading candidates. It is pretty basic reasoning since they are in big-league […]

Wade Boggs and Don Mattingly as Prospects

One of the major themes of spring training, of course, is the emergence of new stars: in some cases, they’re prospects who’ve been waiting impatiently for a chance to establish themselves in the majors. A while ago I looked up reports on Wade Boggs and Don Mattingly as they were exhibiting that mood of impatience. […]

Managing Service Time Vital For Indians And Other Teams

With the Indians making the announcement last week that with the signing of Russell Branyan he would become the everyday first baseman, it came as a surprise to many. As a result, it has sent a shockwave which is going to be felt by either first baseman/outfielder Matt LaPorta or outfielder Michael Brantley where one […]

It’s Like Being There

Maybe it’s just me, but with the coverage we are getting from Jupiter, it’s almost like being there.  After a session reading all this stuff in front of my computer, I’m bitterly disappointed to go outside to 30 degree weather.  Let’s bring on the spring already! Last night Andrew from Pitchers Hit Eighth and I […]

More Shame For Eric Gagne And Another Indy Shortstop Gets to a Big League Camp

Eric Gagne has spent a chunk of his early days back in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ spring training camp trying to explain his admitted “shame” at the use of human growth hormone (HGH). He needs to apologize on another front, too. The onetime record-breaking closer, who now is trying to get back to the major […]

Cardinals Getting Ready

Before we get to the news of the weekend, it’s just come across Twitter that the Cards have invited Shelby Miller and Sam Freeman into camp.  While it’s most likely to make sure they have enough arms for whatever drills and situations that they have in mind, it’s still interesting to see Miller get a […]

Looking Back at the 1990 Lockout

The spring training lockout of 1990 is one of the most obscure disputes in the long stretch of sharp bitterness between MLB players and management from the early ’70s through 1995. As Thomas Boswell wrote just after the lockout ended, “Can anyone remember the details of the baseball strike of 1985, which lasted two days? […]

A Hurler Who Hit Better Than The Rest

A look at Louisville Colonels’ pitcher Guy Hecker’s 1886 season, when he became the first and only pitcher ever to lead a major league in batting. In the winter of 1885, it looked like a good bet that Guy Hecker would not be suiting up in a Louisville Colonel uniform for the 1886 season, a […]

10 Championship Rings Should Help Jon Weber Get Over His Jitters in the World Champs’ Spring Camp

For a player who earned 10 championship rings during the decade just ended and has a world of confidence in his ability it would not seem that reporting to spring training would be any big deal. On the other hand, Jon Weber is not reporting to any ordinary training facility.  He will be at Camp […]

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 […]

Washington Snowmen Add Wang

The almost three feet of snow in front of the house is melting, but during the white out conditions last week the Nationals fought through it all to sign Chien-Ming Wang.  Were the Nationals snow-blinded to the big risks of signing Wang?  There is little chance they are getting the pitcher who won nineteen games […]

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 […]

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