Expansion: Where To and When.

November 9, 2023

For quite some time we have heard rumors that MLB wants to expand to 32 teams. It makes sense. Instead of uneven leagues, you would have 16 in each league, which would allow you to have four 4-team divisions. That also fixes some of the problems with the way the playoffs are set up now. Four division champs in each league. You could also if you liked, do some re-alignment….

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Be Careful What You Wish For!

November 8, 2023

Right about now… not the same as last season; Dodger fans are foaming at the mouth for the Dodgers to sign a slew of starting pitchers. They routinely talk like Andrew Freidman, and the front office is devoid of any common sense. They would be happy if the Dodgers signed Aaron Nola, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Sonny Gray, Eduardo Rodriguez, Marcus Stroman, Lucas Giolito, Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Yoshinobu Yamamoto,…

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HOT STOVE IS HERE

November 7, 2023

Now the fun really starts. Every day the free agent list will grow as players are non-tendered or options are not picked up. The trickle becomes a deluge. And sometime over the next couple of weeks, after the season ending awards are handed out, players will begin the negotiation process with teams that are interested. There has been one trade so far involving a major league player as Mark Canha…

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Is There a Draft in Here?

November 5, 2023

NOTE: There was recently some discussion about the Rule 5 Draft, so we will discuss it right about now. On Tuesday, November 14, 2023, teams must add eligible minor leaguers to their 40-man rosters or risk losing them in the Rule 5 Draft by 5 p.m. CT. Every December, the Rule 5 Draft allows clubs without a full 40-man roster to select certain non-40-man roster players from other clubs. Clubs…

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Moe Berg: The Catcher Was a Spy

November 5, 2023

Casey Stengel once said that Moe Berg was the strangest man to ever play baseball. Berg was born in New York on March 2nd, 1902. His parents were Russian-Jewish immigrants. His father, Bernard Berg, was a druggist. He arrived from the Ukraine in 1894 and found work ironing in a laundry. Rose Tashker, arrived two years later when Bernard saved enough money. Bernard also put aside enough money to open…

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Shohei Ohtani and Nincompoops

November 4, 2023

Why Shohei Ohtani is not Coming to the Dodgers It is fun to think about Ohtani in the Dodgers lineup. There is a lot of talk about marketing opportunities, reaching the Japanese population, and jersey sales. However, let us not forget that the Dodgers put more butts in seats than any other team and already are a marketing dynamo. I seriously doubt that signing Ohtani will improve the bottom line….

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The News Gets Worse for MLB

November 2, 2023

I personally believe that TV viewership of the World Series is indicative of fan interest and manifests the health of the game. If so, baseball is dying a slow and untimely death, and Rob Manfred is standing on its neck! In 1961, the American League established the 162-game schedule. As a result, the National League followed suit in 1962. Before that, teams played 154 games. Then, when it was all over, the winners…

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If Not Baseball: Then What?

November 2, 2023

Most of us who love and played the game had those dreams when we were young. We were all going to play for our favorite team and hit a homer in the 9th inning of the seventh game of the World Series. Marry the most gorgeous girl in high school and be the envy of all of our friends. That kid in the photo had those dreams. I also wanted…

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Prospects: Let’s Get One Thing Straight!

November 1, 2023

A few years ago, a player was called up by the Dodgers, and in his first call-up, he hit .143 with a .250 OB%. It was just eight plate appearances, so there was not much to go on. In his second season, he had 239 plate appearances and hit .215 with a .272 OB%. Well, like many of you would be quick to do, the Dodgers traded him, and that…

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Baseball Takes a Backseat to Life

October 31, 2023

What a day it has been. Cold weather, no games, and snow, lots of it. I haven’t watched a single inning of the World Series. I am pulling for the Rangers simply because they have a few former Dodgers on the team, and I dislike Arizona immensely. I lived in Phoenix for about 12 years. I moved there to be close to my daughter and my grandkids. I also went…

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