http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/01/what-a-2024-baseball-hall-of-fame-ballot-might-look-like/ Interesting speculation of who might be on it in 2024. If Jim Thome is still on in 2024, but Frank Thomas got in on the first time, that would be a bit unjust, IMO
Big Unit and Pedro get my votes, hands down. Thome belongs. And I'd like to see Edgar Martinez in there, too.
Arbitrator's Ruling Banishes Yankees' Alex Rodriguez for a Season - N.Y. Times http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/12/s...kees-alex-rodriguez-for-a-season.html?hp&_r=0 Times Q&A: How Arbitration Worked, and What Happens Next - N.Y. Times http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/11/sports/baseball/q-and-a-alex-rodriguezs-suspension-appeal.html
Kershaw to Get $215 Million - ESPN http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/...dgers-agree-seven-year-deal-worth-215-million Clayton Kershaw at Baseball Reference: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kershcl01.shtml
Good! Some people complain this will make games longer. Well, there are many factors for that nowadays -- starting with endless commercial breaks between innings, so blame TV and radio broadcasts first and foremost -- but the reduction in blown calls overcomes that in my book. Owners Approve Expanded Replay - ESPN http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10305223/mlb-owners-ok-expanded-replay-2014 In addition to home runs, expanded replay was unanimously approved by MLB owners for the following plays: • Ground-rule double • Fan interference • Stadium boundary calls • Force play* • Tag play • Fair/foul in outfield only • Trap play in outfield only • Batter hit by pitch • Timing play • Touching a base (requires appeal) • Passing runners • Record keeping *Except fielder's touching of second on double play
I predict replay won't make the games longer. Yes it will take time to review the play, but that time is already wasted by a manager arguing the call. One form of delay replaces another form of delay. In the end it is a wash.
MLB Players Association Would Expel Alex Rodriguez, If It Could - Yahoo! Sports http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mlb-players-association-would-expel-a-rod-if-it-could-171857810.html
MLB Stadiums to Have Mandatory Metal Detection Security by 2015 - N.Y. Daily News http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mlb-metal-detection-stadiums-2015-article-1.1587239
Tanaka sweepstakes over. The Yankees pull it off! Yanks Reach Deal with Japanese Pitcher Tanaka - N.Y. Times http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/s...anese-pitcher-masahiro-tanaka.html?ref=sports
How's that going to work? Folks can't bring their car keys and pocket knives in? Or we all have to use a belt-and-basket system and arrive an hour early?
The news you've all been waiting for... --Joe Torre enters the Hall of Fame as a Yankee --Tom Glavine and Bobby Cox as Braves --Frank Thomas as a White Sox --Greg Maddux and Tony LaRussa will have no cap logos on their plaques(!!) Hall of Fame Class Chooses Logos - ESPN http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...ny-la-russa-enshrined-hall-fame-logos-plaques
Well, LaRussa's explanation makes some sense, unlike some of his managerial decisions and strategies.
Pitchers' Protective Caps Approved - ESPN http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_...rotective-caps-approved-major-league-baseball McCarthy, Struck in '12, Won't Wear New Cap - ESPN http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...diamondbacks-wear-mlb-approved-protective-cap
A couple of follow-up questions and concerns, I have: - Is this a comprehensive list of new reviewable incidents? - Seems odd that they would not review 'fair/foul infield'. What's the rationale? Does that mean a ball hit over the 3rd/1st-base bag is not reviewable? That seems to be a more difficult call for the umpire than an outfield fair/foul call. - Is reviewing a 'hit by pitch' really necessary? That's something that could take some time to review and isn't a very important call. I mean, not important compared to reviewing 'fair/foul in the infield' which could mean extra bases + RBIs. Reviewing hit by pitch is one step away from reviewing balls and strikes. - What happens when a call is reversed? Lets say a ball is ruled foul in the outfield but replays showed it was fair. Then what? How is it scored? You will still have the complaining because there is only one challenge allowed per game by each manager. In a way, this encourages managers to complain more than before because now they can actually win the argument (ie. convince the umpires to review it). At least from the 7th-inning on.
1. A ball hit past the 1st/3rd base bag is an outfield call. The infield call is basically whether a fielder touches the ball in foul ground before it gets to the bag. 2. When reviewing hit by pitch is necessary, it is really necessary-- bases loaded situation for example. We can hope that we'll see more "no effort to avoid" calls as a byproduct. 3. Calls have been reversed for many decades. There's already a procedure. 4. I imagine the league office will have plenty to say to managers who lose/use their challenges and then want to argue later on. (BTW if a challenge is upheld, I believe another will be allowed.) And managers have been able to argue umps into conferring on calls for years now. They already have hope of winning the argument...
Practically everything but balls/strikes is reviewable -- assuming it is challenged. Fair/foul needs to be challenged for the on-field decision to be overturned. As to you're last question about an overturned fair/foul or other calls and how they would be scored, the article I linked states: "The replay official, and not the umpires working a game, would determine where to place runners following an overturned call." Concerning hit by pitches, I disagree with you. It IS an important call. Anything that can put a runner on base is important.
Thanks, but are they really going to review whether or not the batter made any effort to get out of the way? I assumed it was only to review whether the ball made contact with the batter.
A couple of veterens retirements announced over the last week... Michael Young Retires as Ranger - ESPN http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/_/id/10384957/michael-young-officially-retires-texas-rangers Michael Young on Baseball Reference: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngmi02.shtml *** Lance Berkman Decides to Retire - ESPN http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/_/id/10372160/lance-berkman-decides-retire-15-year-career Lance Berkman on Baseball Reference: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/berkmla01.shtml
"Going, going, gone, Goodbye" to Hall of Fame slugger and long time announcer Ralph Kiner (91)... http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/s...o-became-a-voice-of-mets-dies-at-91.html?_r=0 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Kiner http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kinerra01.shtml 369 home runs in a 10 year career. His power served me well on my dice and spin-board baseball games when I was a kid.
A-Rod gives up. Maybe he got a load of his lawyer's bill. He also will not be showing up at Yankee spring training as he had threatened to do. Guilty as charged! I'm hearing on the radio that one of the reasons he's yielding is because he doesn't want to end up like Pete Rose -- totally ostracised. He wants to remain involved in the game after he retires. Fat chance, fool! A-Rod Drops Lawsuits, Accepts Ban - ESPN http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/sto...yankees-withdraws-lawsuit-overturn-suspension
Another retirement announced... Oswalt Decides to Retire Following 13 Seasons - ESPN http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10437267/roy-oswalt-decides-retire Roy Oswalt on Baseball Reference: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oswalro01.shtml