Back again with my second installment about the 10 men in the hall who were umpires. Looking back and remembering some of the umps I do, I cannot help but wonder what has kept guys like Augie Donatelli and Shag Crawford out of the hall. Only the Vets committee knows for sure. But today’s story profiles a couple of pretty good umps and one really versatile one who excelled in…
Starting Pitching
Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, David Price, Julio Urias, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Josiah Gray. It sure seems like the Dodgers are loaded with starting pitching. But are they? Outside of Walker Buehler, which of the above pitchers is a lock to being a top of the rotation starting pitcher. Clayton Kershaw? Sure fire HOF pitcher, and should end his career as a Dodger. There is no question in my mind…
AC’s Musings
We need to end this myth that Mookie cannot hit LHP. Over his career, against LHP, Betts is slashing .297/.379/.509/.888. Mookie’s career against RHP – .302/.372/.526/.897. Those seem like even splits to me. Over his career, Mookie has faced RHP 76% of the time. I think it is more likely that Betts was unfamiliar with NL LH pitchers, and after a year on a new team and a new league,…
The Stuntmen in 2021
Of course, Kike was a defensive wizard while Mickey was a defensive liability, thus the large glove. Mickey was a better hitter… for average, while Kike had a lot more power. Both were great teammates and the clubhouse was better with them. In Hatcher’s 12 years in the Majors, he put up 2.9 WAR. In 7 seasons, Kike Hernandez put up 10.2 WAR in half the AB’s as Hatcher.
What Will Dodger Baseball Look Like in 2021?
NOTE: This coffee cup was given to me by a very special friend who is now fighting cancer. I pray that you beat that bastard, Bob! Thanks for the mug. I think that the mug pretty well sums me up! There is a lot of time between now and Spring Training and it could be a cold, contentious Winter on the labor side as MLB and the MLBPA continue to…
The State of Minor League Baseball
Late last week, I listened to a podcast on the state of MLB and MiLB from Baseball America’s Kyle Glazer and JJ Cooper. Baseball America has some of the best baseball journalists anywhere, and I have not yet found any baseball journalist who is more up on the subject of the state of MLB and MiLB than JJ Cooper. I try to read everything he publishes. The National Association of…
Men In Black – Part 1
Well I am back. Hope you are all basking in the glow of the Dodgers World Series win. I know for me it will always be a great memory. So, my tale today is about the men who umpire our great game. Specifically 5 of the 10 men who are in the hall. The second half will be in the next installment. Think about that. Over 130 years of professional…
Upcoming MLB vs MLBPA Negotiations
Yes, baseball is a game played by a bunch of kids. In MLB, they are very rich kids paid by very rich owners. As much as most of us want it to remain strictly a game, we cannot. MLB is a business played at a very high stakes level. While the face of MLB (Rob Manfred) and MLBPA (Tony Clark) are problematic (and I am being kind), the high priced…
Corey Seager – Dodger Legend
def: short·stop/ˈSHôrtˌstäp/ noun BASEBALL a fielder positioned between second and third base. The position is called a “stop,” the word “short” merely describes his physical stature; stops are always short Of course, that is not the real definition of “shortstop,” but since I am on such a sarcastic roll, why stop? Corey Seager is a 6′ 4″ tall, 215-pound shortstop, and after all, everyone knows that players that tall can’t…