Quote of the Week
“ Kluber's throwing down and away. If you're trying to get the ball up in the air, then the next thing you should start thinking about is exit velocity. And that's how fast you're going to leave the batter's box and go back to the dugout. ”
– Terry Francona
This Week in Baseball
Homeward Bound...
In the tradition of people going back to their roots in order to find themselves, the thin free agent market has compelled Carlos Gonzalez, Ichiro and Mike Moustakas to return to their original teams for deals far less than they were hoping for. Granted, they'll still be paid millions of dollars this year, but just not as many millions as they wanted. We hope they can find the strength to persevere.
The Verdict Is in...
Last season at the All-Star Break's Home Run Derby, Aaron Judge was the toast of the town as he crushed the competition to be crowned the champ. However he has called it one-and-done, announcing that he will not participate in this year’s Derby due to concerns about the effect it has on his swing. This will be a welcome relief to the fans in the bleachers who were tired of dodging baseballs.
Get Your Motor Running...
The Arizona Diamondbacks, in honor of their 20th Anniversary, are introducing the OnTrac Bullpen Cart to bring in relief pitchers from both home and road bullpens. The bullpen cart used to be a league-wide tradition that helped move the game along in a fun way. But, if they really want to speed things up, bring in those pitchers with drones.
Chill Out Man...
In order to regulate how baseballs perform at all stadiums, MLB is standardizing how its 30 clubs store baseballs and have mandated that all balls must be stored in “an air conditioned and enclosed room” this season. Teams are no longer allowed to do whatever they want with their balls – like when you get married.
Read the Fine Print...
One possible unintended consequence from the new tax law is currently occupying Major League Baseball’s attention. It appears that professional sports franchises may now have to pay taxes when players are traded from team to team. Teams will probably find a way around this – maybe just getting the players from Amazon Prime.
On the Air
“ As the millennial doth returneth to his parents' house, so doth the unwanted free agent to his former team. ”
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Episode 58: The Returns of Moose, CarGo & Ichiro; Aaron Judge; Bullpen Carts; Tax Laws; National Cereal Day; Stormy Daniels
First and foremost, Ichiro is back in Seattle! Moose is back in KC! CarGo is back in Colorado! Episode 58 of Foul Territory: A Baseball Podcast — the Jonathan Papelbon episode — kicks off with hosts Jed Rigney and Jon …
Going Deep
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Young Manager Movement Made for Millennials
Exploring how teams are currently being built is an exercise in math, psychology and talent evaluation. What is driving the sport of baseball: players or money? How do you maximize your return on investment? Is the key to the future …
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’70s-Born MLB Players Nearing Extinction
In case you missed it — and many people reading this probably did — the 1970s were a wild time. The decade gave us Star Wars and Space Invaders, The Fonz and Farrah Fawcett, Van Halen and Disco Demolition Night. …
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How to Be the Lord of the Fantasy Baseball Rings
In this modern world with all of the advances we’ve made as a society, one area that continues to fall quite short of civility is the acceptance of differences among people. While certainly some strides have been made, intolerance is …
Off Base
