Quote of the Week
“ From outside they speak and talk like tiger but at the end they gonna be like little cat. ”
– Marcell Ozuna, Cardinals outfielder talking about the Cubs
This Week in Baseball
Rumor Has It...
With no end in sight to the free agency of Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, things are starting to get a little testy. Machado's agent Dan Lozano lashed out at "reckless" contract rumors being spread on social media by baseball journalists. He claimed their sources were actually violating the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Sorry, Dan, there's no crying in baseball.
Stocking Up...
This week the Yankees signed second-baseman D.J. LeMahieu to a two-year deal and reliever Adam Ottavino to a three-year deal. The addition of Ottavino gives that Yankees quite possibly the best bullpen in the history of the game. Meanwhile the divisional rival Red Sox are going with a combination Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier and Tyler Thornburg— a who's who of who the heck is that?
Tweet Revenge...
Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer got in trouble for his Twitter activities again. Afterward Bauer wrote he "will wield the responsibility of my public platform more responsibly in the future." This all came from an interaction with an Astros fan who jokingly posted that Bauer was her "new least favorite person in all sports.” Bauer definitely has a knack for getting under people's skin. But that seems a bit harsh coming from a fan of a team whose closer was recently arrested for domestic assault.
What's in a Name...
Outfielder Melvin Upton announced that he will once again use the name B.J. Upton. Not really a surprise move here since most guys prefer a "B.J."
Re-Lease...
The Angels and the City of Anaheim agreed to a one-year extension of their stadium lease through the 2020 season. The Angels have a negotiating advantage because the stadium would be hard-pressed to find new tenants. They would have to upgrade the appliances, slap on a fresh coat of paint and replace the infield with hardwood floors. Would be an interesting AirBnB listing.
On the Air
“ If it's an ice age, it's not going to wipe us out like the dinosaurs. We're smarter than dinosaurs. ”
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Episode 91: MLB Resolutions; Not-So-Great Lakes; ‘Holy Grail’ quotes; Machado-Harper-Realmuto News; Arbitration Paydays; GLASS; NFL Playoffs; Jeff Bezos
First and foremost, we decided we better address MLB resolutions in Around the Horn before January is over! Jed rapid fires through all 30 teams. It’s a treat for the ol’ earholes. Episode 91 of Foul Territory — the Tim …
Going Deep
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Baseball’s Blue Plate Special Tastes Pretty Darn Bland
When Baseball Got It Right Baseball got it right in April 1947 the moment Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers took the field against the Boston Braves before 25,000 fans at Ebbets Field. Branch Rickey’s bold decision to opt for …
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Will There Be a Baseball Strike?
Major League Baseball and its players have enjoyed over two decades of relative labor peace. That’s the good news. The bad news is that there are more and more whispers of the possibility of a work stoppage before the next …
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Hard and Harder: Must-Watch Television
This is a baseball column, but sometimes it’s easier to make a point by reaching outside the sport. And in this case, basketball’s version of must-watch television comes to mind. Especially, its 10-foot basketball hoop. Julius Erving’s Flight to the …
Off Base
