Hometown Heroes
*This article first appeared in the IBWAA Here’s the Pitch Newsletter. In the lead-up to the 2024 World Series, much was made about the sign Gerrit Cole made and brought with him to the 2001 fall classic. Although he was born and raised in Southern California (but considerably closer to Angel Stadium than Dodger Stadium),…
Kiké Hernández Shines When the Lights Are the Brightest
In 2012, I took my son’s travel ball team to a Lancaster Jethawks game. I had arranged for each kid to run out on the field with his positional counterpart in the top of the first inning. As the kids gathered, the second baseman circled the boys up and told them to sprint to the…
Bring Socialism to the Ballpark
Color me a socialist. Not in the political sense, but in the idea that people who come to sporting events should, by and large, be treated equally and fairly. It truly bothers me when – at the ballpark – the rich only get richer. I certainly understand that the more you pay for your ticket,…
Dave Roberts’ Savvy Strategy Pays Off
If you are a regular listener to the Effectively Wild podcast, or if you are a fan of college baseball, you know there is one strategy that is available to major league managers, but that is rarely utilized. There are multiple (potential) reasons this strategy is avoided: To avoid embarrassment; to give pitchers “clean” batters”;…
Web Gems & Premier Plays Induce Strong Feelings
In the interest of full candor, I have an addiction. I am addicted to great defensive plays. Sure, most of us are. We baseball fans delight in watching highlights of a home run robbery or a player diving into the stands to make a great catch. But my compulsion runs deeper. For instance, I can…
Living My Dream
My nephew is living my dream. Unlike me, who – many, many years ago – had to walk on, he was recruited to play Division I baseball. He did a workout for the coaches, and joined the team. It wasn’t that easy – most things never are. He – like me – had to endure…
Passing The Torch: Part II
I have written here and elsewhere – as recently as a few weeks ago – about the family aspect of my baseball fandom. My grandfather passed along his love of the game and the Red Sox to my father, who bequeathed it to me; I, in turn, gave it to my son. Four generations, more…
Passing the Torch
This article first appeared in the IBWAA Here’s The Pitch newsletter on April 11, 2024 I have written many times in this space about my family connection to baseball. My grandfather, the stalwart Max, lived in Boston and was a Royal Rooter. My father, Saul, grew up in Beantown, sneaking into Fenway (but no hot…
The Swallow Before the Choke
We are deep into Spring Training, which got me thinking about a trip to Arizona we made about six years ago. While visiting Sloane Park in Mesa, I was lucky enough to meet Bill Buckner. Billy Buck, he of the 2,715 hits and career .289 batting average, but also he of the “slow roller up…
Francisco Lindor Is Primed To Be Even Better
*A version of this article first appeared in the IBWAA “Here’s the Pitch” Newsletter on February 16, 2024. Please don’t allow us to forget about or overlook the splendor and greatness of Francisco Lindor. When Lindor was in Cleveland, his brilliance was appreciated. In fact, he was beloved, but always with the jaundiced eye of:…