The Day “Sunny Jim” Made History
One of the great things about going to a baseball game is you’ll never know what you will see. Perhaps you might witness a no-hitter or a triple play. Or, as was the case for roughly 8,000 fans in...
View ArticleJimmie 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...
View ArticleWade 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...
View ArticleNaming Wrongs
Shortly after I started working at the Hall of Fame library, I discovered a wonderful book published in the 1990s by Peter Filichia, titled Professional Baseball Franchises. It lists every minor-league...
View ArticleTouring the Bases With…Carmen Fanzone
A former versatile infielder turned accomplished musician who once played the “Star Spangled Banner” before a game at Wrigley Field, Fanzone–a flugelhorn player–was originally signed by the Red Sox...
View ArticleIt Is Easy to Tell How Much Sparky Lyle Loves Managing and the Atlantic League
It only takes a few minutes with Sparky Lyle to understand how much the Somerset manager thinks of the Atlantic League. It is equally impressive that the 65-year-old, who was a major league star as...
View ArticleA Capps-i-tal Idea
The Washington Nationals have a negative run differential of minus fourteen, yet a winning record at 12-10. Â When they have been bad they have been horrid, but give their bullpen a lead into the late...
View ArticleChasing Down Dutch (Hub) Leonard
What do Ubaldo Jimenez and Dutch (Hub) Leonard have in common? Nothing and everything. Jimenez is a big, strong, “black”, right-handed power pitcher who features a 95-97 MPH fastball that sometimes...
View ArticleHow To Be An Idol
I met a great man last month. Doug Harvey visited the Hall of Fame for the day-long orientation given new electees, including a tour of the museum and collections and a staff reception. At these...
View ArticleTouring The Bases With…Randy Jones
Former major league hurler Randy Jones spent only 10 years in the bigs and lost more games than he won, going 100-123 for the San Diego Padres and New York Mets, but for two magical seasons, he was...
View ArticleAre Innings Limits Here to Stay?
If Hamlet had been a modern general manager in Major League Baseball instead of the tragic heir to the Danish throne, the doomed Dane would have morosely uncovered the reports on his young talented...
View ArticleCan Dan Haren be the game-changer the Angels need?
The Angels swooped in to acquire one of MLB's best in Dan Haren. Seamheads writer Jess K. Coleman wonders if he can he the season-changer that the Angels need.
View ArticleTouring the Bases With…Dave Baldwin
The confrontation between batter and hitter defines baseball. Â No one understands the scientific dynamic of those opposing forces better than Dave Baldwin, late sixties bullpen stalwart for the...
View ArticleThe Yankees’ future is grid-locked
Remember a couple of months ago when Stephen Strasburg was ready to advance to the majors? The anticipation was as high as ever before: Nationals Stadium was sold out within hours of the announced date...
View ArticleTaking the Challenge, Both Harper and the Nationals
Bryce Harper’s new teammates challenged the young man to fish or cut bait in the days before the August 16 signing deadline. Â Stephen Strasburg said, “If he doesn’t want to play here, we don’t want...
View ArticleDickey, Wakefield, and the Not-So-Lost-But-Sorta-Lost Art of the Knuckleball
With roughly six weeks remaining in the 2010 season there are a number of bloggers, writers, and analysts that have started looking ahead to the offseason. While the writing itself hasn’t actually...
View ArticleTouring The Bases With…John Castino
John Castino was selected co-rookie of the year (with Toronto’s Alfredo Griffin) in the American League for 1979 after batting .285 with eight triples. Due to the tie, the voting process (and point...
View ArticleCC Sabathia Does Not Deserve Cy Young
The 2010 Cy Young conversation had been a fascinating debate. It had raised questions about how to determine if a pitcher is successful, and the value of certain statistics. But, unlike other years,...
View ArticleSincerely, Adrian Gonzalez
What if you broke into the hotel room of Adrian Gonzalez, looked through his things, and found a diary? What would it say? Here is a possible answer: June 2000 I DID IT!!!! Today is a day I will never...
View ArticleBorn in August? Welcome to the Majors
Fun fact: since 1965, players born on July 31 have spent a combined 30 years in the Major Leagues. Fast forward 24 hours to August 1, where players born that day have spent a combined 71 years in the...
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