The Promising Life and Tragic Death of Austin McHenry

(Editor’s Note: The following was originally posted on November 30, 2008.) By the time he was 25 years old, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Austin McHenry was considered one of baseball’s best outfielders and hitters, especially after enjoying a 1921 season that saw him finish with a .350 batting average, second only to teammate and future […]

Ernie Banks Leaves A Powerful Legacy

Ernie Banks, one of the brightest personalities in Major League Baseball history, passed away Saturday, January 26 at the age of 83 from a heart attack. Best known for his sunny optimism and the catch phrase “Let’s play two,” the Chicago Cubs icon is hardly remembered outside of Chicago for his graceful glove at short […]

My Top Five Favorite Cardinals Hall of Famers

Hey baseball fans! The 2013 World Series week has officially started! This year’s contenders are the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals. Considering that I’ve already done a top five favorite Red Sox HoFers post, I decided that the time is right to post my top five Cards Hall of Famers of all […]

NJBM Kids’ Hot Korner: Ozzie Smith

Hey baseball fans! I just put up my latest post in the Kids’ Hot Korner section of New Jersey Baseball Magazine. This one is about Ozzie Smith, one of the greatest defensive shortstops ever and a Hall of Famer. If you want to read more about Ozzie, just click here.   Thanks for reading the article. I hope you […]

Strasburg Redux

Washington has many fine sportswriters. Atop the list are Tom Boswell, Tim Kurkjian, and until recently John Feinstein. Last season Feinstein was one of the louder voices calling for the Nationals to keep sending Strasburg out every five days in September. And now he is using the failure of the Nationals to make the playoffs […]

The Seventh Game of the 1926 World Series: Was it Hollywood or Reality?

I can still remember seeing the 1952 film “The Winning Team” starring Ronald Regan and Doris Day.  Of course my knowledge of Grover Cleveland Alexander was non-existent until then.  In fact, I might have checked with my father and asked if it were a true story.  Which he informed me that Alexander was one of […]

Through the Eyes of a Patriots Fan: The Infield Fly Rule and the Somerset Patriots

The Infield Fly rule is defined in rule 2.00 by describing it, and then later on to explain the reason(s) the batter is out is stated with rule 6.05e.   I have been coaching for many years, starting with the T-ball level up to Babe Ruth League.  At one time I was also responsible for assigning […]

Halfway Home and Competitive Balance is Winning With Pitching

The first half of the 2013 season is in the record books and surprises abound. Chris Davis is quietly on a pace to hit 62 home runs when most were predicting an end to the offensive surge of prior years. The Boston Red Sox team that unraveled under Bobby Valentine has vaulted to the lead in […]

Book Review: Drama and Pride in the Gateway City

When Mike Lynch asked whether any of his website contributors were interested in reading and writing a review of Drama and Pride in the Gateway City, I jumped at the chance. First off, I love to read, and read a lot.  Second, I love baseball.  Lastly, I have never been asked to give my opinion […]

All-Around Athletes

Hey baseball fans! As I promised in my Booming Batters post, today I will be blogging about some of the greatest all-around athlete nicknames in baseball history. Hope you enjoy: Stan the Man - Stan Musial From 1942-1963 with the St. Louis Cardinals, Musial had one of the best careers of all time. With 475 homers,  3,630 hits, and […]

Clearing The Bases

With the season being a little less than 50% over we’ve decided to take a look at players who have played above expectations so far this season.  Now I’m looking at players who have the best value.  I know Joey Votto is having an MVP like season, but he was selected in the 1st or […]

Interview with Richard Giannotti of the Independent Leagues

It used to be that the United States was home to dozens of professional baseball leagues. As Major League Baseball grew and honed its empire, that number reduced dramatically. Proving how much Americans love the national pastime there are still some independent professional leagues that have persisted and continue to pump out a competitive and […]

Mr. President, Baseball Lasts Til Almost November

The St. Louis Cardinals are in the Rose Garden soon for the customary victory lap stop-over at the White House. It will be a rare baseball event for President Obama, and that is a sad commentary for both the game and for a president whose political advisors are so clearly asleep at the switch. Presidents […]

Predicting Where the Top Free Agents Will Land

Now that the 2011 World Series finished its exciting conclusion, baseball fans everywhere turn to the hot stove league to give them their fix of baseball until spring training begins in February. As with every year, there are many interesting free agents who could change the fortunes of any number of teams. Before the actual […]

Clearing The Bases

    Well the 2011 season has successfully come to an end with an unlikely champion, the St. Louis Cardinals.  Who saw that coming?  Manager Tony LaRussa goes out on top as he retired a champion, have to wonder if his retirement will push free agent Albert Pujols towards another team.  That is a perfect […]

Greensboro’s Cardinal Finally at Peace

GOSHEN COMMUNITY – Thomas Edison Alston is buried within sight of first base, resting peacefully after the tumultuous life of a baseball player who never quite lived up to his potential. At least, that’s how the story goes now. The story is a lot more complicated than that. Edison was the first African-American to play […]

World Series 2011 Observations

The 2011 World Series will be remembered as a great one despite an anti-climactic Game 7.  Before that there were 4 nail-biters plus Albert Pujols epic game and an unforgettable game 6. If ever there was a team of destiny, it’s the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals. Future regular season and World Series comebacks will be […]

Clearing The Bases

The 2011 World Series is upon us with the Texas Rangers representing the American League, not a shock, and the St. Louis Cardinals doing the same for the National League, quite a shock.  The Rangers were considered the best all around team in the AL for most of if not all of the season.  Yes […]

Rickey was Right On

In teaming with Jackie Robinson to break the color barrier, Branch Rickey helped make Barack Obama’s presidency possible. That’s one reason why Jimmy Breslin decided to write a biography on Rickey. One could surmise Rickey’s decision to team with Robinson was about morality. After all, he broke the news in a pulpit. In truth, this was […]

What To Do About Jerry Meals

I feel compelled to write a few thoughts about the controversial call made by 14 year umpire Jerry Meals in the 19th inning of the Braves and Pirates 19 inning game that concluded early in the morning on July 27th. Baseball has had an ongoing debate about the use of instant replay and the reliability […]

Clearing The Bases

Last week we discussed the most disappointing players at each position, this week we’ll go with the most surprising, players who are playing well and above what we thought they might in spring training.  Some of the players listed are no longer playing at that position but that is where they qualified at coming into […]

Boston Sweeps Yanks but Playoff Hopes Remain Dim

Boston has finally reached .500 this season but now midway through May it’s a likely bet the Red Sox playoff hopes in this overly-hyped season remain iffy at best. Their position in the standings is certainly not bleak, however, for the Red Sox to have any chance of reaching the playoffs, the team would have […]

No. 10 Most Quotable Figure in Baseball History

In the first of a 10-part series, I’ll look at the ten most quotable baseball figures in baseball history. The list includes one owner, three players-turned-announcers, and five players-turned-managers.  So longevity has a lot to do with it. Late Show host David Letterman had enough quotes to crack the list, but since he’s not directly […]

“Gorgeous George,” a Beauty

Doling out compliments is not one of the first qualities that springs to mind when one thinks of Ty Cobb. Yet Cobb went way beyond that when he lauded George Sisler. Cobb called Sisler the “œnearest thing to a perfect ballplayer.” (5, Sizzler). Cobb didn’t exude praise, so there had to be a reason for […]

Clearing The Bases: Outfielders

Outfield seems to be a jumbled mess of players once you get thru the first dozen or so.  This position is nowhere near as deep as it once was, and even most of the top ten players come with question marks, whether it be their injury history or resume.  This list assumes you are playing […]

2011 Pre-Season Preview: NL Central – St Louis Cardinals

Could 2011 be Albert Pujols’ last season in a Cardinals uniform? St. Louis Cardinals (2010 record: 86-76) As spring training got underway a few weeks ago, the Cardinals were a serious threat to win the NL Central division title. But with the Albert Pujols contract situation hanging like The Sword of Damocles above everyone’s head […]

Clearing The Bases

Clearing The Bases                                                                                                                                          March 9, 2011 By George Kurtz Today we will go over our top 20 First Basemen.  This is a loaded position with some of the best hitters in the game.  Generally I like to wait to grab a 1B seeing as though the position is so deep.  That being said there will […]

Schuerholz Headlines Week of New Seamheads Podcasts

I’m happy and proud to announce that we’ve successfully launched the Seamheads National Podcasting Network sponsored by Big League Chew on Blog Talk Radio and we’ll be bringing you four new podcasts in the coming week in addition to those that recently debuted and those we’ve been doing since May and September, respectively.  Our goal […]

When Twelve Weren’t Enough

Where were you on the afternoon of April 17, 2010? That afternoon the Cardinals and Mets embarked on a 20-inning game that lasted close to seven hours. On the way to their 2-1 win, I wonder if anyone on the Mets had epiphanies of Harvey Haddix. Haddix pitched a perfect game for 12 innings in […]

One Gets Look from Cards While Other Star Waits

     The stories of players who have come through the Independent Baseball ranks and show some major league promise are forever fascinating.  Will they get a break by being in the right organization at the right time and make the most of the opportunity or have to settle for a decent minor league career?       […]

2011 World Baseball Coaches’ Convention to Feature Garciaparra, Leiter, Valentine

For Immediate Release Contact: Rick Orluk (o) 860.674.1770 (c) 860.670.2905 Rick_Orluk@GoldOrluk.com NOMAR GARCIAPARRA, AL LEITER, KEVIN LONG, AND BOBBY VALENTINE HEADLINE 2011 MOHEGAN SUN WORLD BASEBALL COACHES’ CONVENTION UNCASVILLE, CT – The 2011 Mohegan Sun World Baseball Coaches’ Convention will take place at the spectacular Mohegan Sun Convention Center in Uncasville, Connecticut, from January 20 […]

2011 MLB Power Rankings, The Ides of January Edition (Part II, #11-#20)

  With most of the top free agents now signed and teams starting to take shape as we approach spring training, I thought I would share my pre-pre-season perspective on the relative strengths (and weaknesses) of all 30 major league teams. I have broken the article down into three installments, and will publish one of […]

A Cardinal Christmas Carol

“Merry Christmas, Mr. Mozeliak.” The general manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, John Mozeliak, looked up from the paperwork on his desk.  Running a baseball team might be enjoyable and have great perks, but it never stops. “Thank you, Molly.  I hope you have a nice holiday as well.  Are you visiting family?” Molly nodded. […]

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 […]

Costas, Olbermann, Schilling, Firestone Head All-Star Cast of Replay League Participants

Recently Seamheads.com partnered with Strat-O-Matic to run season replays and serve as their official podcast, and when I learned that Strat was going to be celebrating its 50th anniversary early in 2011, I decided to pull out all the stops, figuring what better way to celebrate than to run a replay league with teams run […]

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