Author Archive
Ben Gibbard, Dick Manitoba & Real Fans Hate the »
Craig Calcaterra of HardballTalk reported that Rolling Stone asked some rock stars to reveal their favorite ballpark. Dodger Stadium and Wrigley Field were the winners. Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie, who sang the National Anthem before the third game of the 2010 NLCS in San Francisco, said that PNC Park in Pittsburgh is his favorite. [...]
Mantle, Ruth, Foxx and Wilson Had at Least 50 HRs and »
Twenty-six players have hit at least 50 home runs in a season, but only Babe Ruth, Hack Wilson, Jimmy Foxx and Mickey Mantle batted at least .350 while reaching the 50 mark. Yes, Mantle, not Willie Mays, Hank Aaron or Barry Bonds is in that group. PLAYER HR AVRRuth [...]
George Steinbrenner Kept Billy Martin Hidden from »
Marty Appel, in his must-read book, Pinstripe Empire, provides great insight into Billy Martin's comments that forced the New York Yankees to fire him in 1978. After Reggie Jackson's suspension was lifted on July 23, Martin didn't put him in the lineup. Speaking to reporters Murray Chass and Henry Hecht, Martin explained that if Jackson didn't [...]
Mark Teixeira’s Measured Intensity Will Win Out »
Mark Teixeira is not having a good season, with health problems contributing to his lack of production.Last season (.248/.341/.494 but with 39 home runs) was not one of Teixeira's best years. It was good because the power was there, but Teixeira is more than a .250 hitter. After he failed in the clutch against the Seattle Mariners in Andy [...]
Johnny Damon’s Delusional Belief That He Belongs »
Johnny Damon considers himself a future Hall of Famer. Speaking to Tyler Kepner of the New York Times, Damon claimed his statistics merit election to the Hall. “I think even if you look at my numbers now, how high I am on the runs list, how high I am on the doubles list, and you also have to take into account the ballparks that I’ve [...]
Maris and Mantle: Back-to-Back and Wall-to-Wall Home »
The New York Yankees were hosting the Chicago White Sox for a twi-night doubleheader on July 25, 1961. The second-place New Yorkers trailed the Detroit Tigers by one game. The fifth-place White Sox were 13 games behind despite having a respectable 50-47 record. Whitey Ford (17-2) faced Frank Baumann (7-7) in a battle of left-handers in the [...]
Rafael Soriano Will Close Because the Yankees »
Joe Girardi thinks that he didn’t tip his hand when he used Rafael Soriano to close out the final game of the series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Girardi is an excellent baseball man and can spot talent: Soriano will be given more chances to be the New York Yankees' closer. Forget about Dave Robertson leaving his role as the set up man. [...]
Hall of Fame’s Rule 5 Must Be Used to Make Tommy »
One of the guidelines for Hall of Fame voters is Rule 5, which states, "Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played." Rule 5 will prevent Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens not only from being elected in their first year of [...]
Mike Lupica’s Disingenuous Attack on Andy »
Mike Lupica is right. Andy Pettitte can’t have it both ways because it is impossible to have it both ways when the same testimony is presented each time. Craig Calcaterra of HardballTalk saw it coming. On May 2, 2012, Calcaterra wrote that some individuals would accuse Pettitte, either directly or implicitly, of damaging the [...]
Mariano Rivera: Greatness, Respect, Desire and Future »
Marty Appel, in Pinstripe Empire, makes an understatement that sadly will never be more appreciated than it is today. Appel relates how, when New York Yankees closer John Wetteland signed with the Texas Rangers, the team turned over the closer’s role to Mariano Rivera, “…confident that his spectacular work as a setup man in [...]