The Baseball Historian’s Notes for July 15, 2013: Is it Time to Change the All Star Game?

Despite making his major league debut on June 3rd and only playing in 37 games, 23-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers rookie sensation Yasiel Puig received a huge surge of support to make this year’s National League All Star team. The outfielder has done his best Roy Hobbs impression by hitting a blistering .392 with eight home […]

Rose & Reggie: 40 Years Later

Rose & Reggie: 40 Years Later Reggie Jackson and Pete Rose are two of baseball’s all-time iconic figures, having put together nearly unparalleled careers in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Jackson and Rose played on piles of All-Star teams, won multiple World Series, earned millions on and off the field and were often loved and […]

American Association Playoffs Have a Different Look

Not one single hint of disrespect is intended toward the four teams in the American Association playoffs because they earned their opportunity during the grind of the 100-game regular season, but there are some unusual sideline observers for the championship run. The playoff field, which was not finalized until the very last day of the […]

2011 All-Star Rosters: Analysis in the Context of the Process

Each year casual and serious baseball fans alike enjoying critiquing the selections for the MLB All-Star game. Most often these amount to “snub lists” or selecting preferred rosters without consideration of the process that is in place for choosing the actual all-star squads. It is a separate matter to debate the pros and cons of […]

Rico Petrocelli to Appear on “View From the Lone Red Seat” Tuesday

Two-time American League All-Star shortstop and long-time member of the Boston Red Sox, Rico Petrocelli, will appear on Tuesday night’s episode of “View From the Lone Red Seat” to discuss Red Sox baseball and his career.  Petrocelli was named to the A.L. All-Star team in 1967 and 1969, a year in which he established a […]

Can you buy wins in baseball?

New York Rangers – New York Islanders = $32,265,000 Los Angeles Lakers – Sacramento Kings = $47,539,063 New York Yankees – Pittsburg Pirates = $171,390,389 Above are three simple equations showing the range of team salaries in the National Hockey League, the National Basketball Association, and Major League Baseball respectively. Clearly, Major League Baseball takes […]

1990 Baseball Predictions: How Did They Turn Out?

When I was a teenager February meant two things: the start of spring training  and my annual trek to the supermarket to load up on baseball preview magazines.  Back then, you could score a handful for about $15.  These days, at $8-$9 a pop (or even $12.99; I’m talking to you Maple Street Press), I […]

Cuban Relaxation

Cuba and Puerto Rico are never as close as when Pudge and Livan Hernandez are Nationals battery mates.  Rockies’ manager Jim Tracy said watching the two seasoned pros, “It’s like they are playing catch in the park.”  They are two of the most senior players in the game and still two of the most fun […]

Touring the Bases With…Ed Herrmann

The grandson of pitcher Marty Herrmann, Ed, a catcher, debuted with the Chicago White Sox in 1967, then spent 11 years in the majors before ending his career with Montreal in 1978 as Gary Carter’s backup.  In 1972, Herrmann caught all 49 of Wilbur Woods’ starts, the most for a battery since 1884 when Sam […]

Book Review: “The Baseball Talmud”

Howard Megdal’s The Baseball Talmud: The Definitive Position-By-Position Ranking of Baseball’s Chosen Players was a joy to read, even for an Agnostic like me.