The Braves long road to .500
On the final day of the 2011 season the Atlanta Braves experienced heartbreak. Their loss, coupled with a victory by the St. Louis Cardinals, cost the Braves the wild card spot that More »
Ozzie is a far better manager than he was a player
There’s a saying in baseball: “His mouth is writing checks his ass can’t cash.” It might have been invented with Ozzie Guillen in mind. As a player, Ozzie was a fine defensive More »
Gibson’s winning attitude rubs off on Diamondbacks
Kirk Gibson takes competition seriously. In his first spring training with the Dodgers in 1988, Gibson famously erupted when teammate Jesse Orosco painted eye black in the band of his cap. Gibson’s More »
The Braves long road to .500
On the final day of the 2011 season the Atlanta Braves experienced heartbreak. Their loss, coupled with a victory by the St. Louis Cardinals, cost the Braves the wild card spot that they had held for much of the season. But last season wasn’t a complete loss for the Braves. In fact, in terms of
Ozzie is a far better manager than he was a player
There’s a saying in baseball: “His mouth is writing checks his ass can’t cash.” It might have been invented with Ozzie Guillen in mind. As a player, Ozzie was a fine defensive shortstop for a few years, until an injury robbed him of his range, and then he stuck around the big leagues for several
Ty Cobb sold me a soda pop
The year 1886 proved to be a productive one for the state of Georgia. In the “Peach State” on May 8, one of the most popular beverages in history was first concocted, and on December 18, a legendary ballplayer was born. As a result, Coca-Cola became a household name and one of the most profitable
Gibson’s winning attitude rubs off on Diamondbacks
Kirk Gibson takes competition seriously. In his first spring training with the Dodgers in 1988, Gibson famously erupted when teammate Jesse Orosco painted eye black in the band of his cap. Gibson’s intensity drove the Dodgers to an improbable World Series championship that season. This year, in his first full season as manager of the
How the 2011 Detroit Tigers are like the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies
As the 2011 season begins to wind down, the Detroit Tigers are perched atop the American League Central division, precariously some might say. Despite the fact that the division is one of the weakest in baseball. The team seems to be pulling away from the pack these days, but it remains to be seen whether
Sportswriter forever tarnished Cobb’s legacy
When Ty Cobb died only two men from baseball attended his funeral. Ty Cobb sharpened his spikes until they were razor sharp and hurtled himself maliciously into the legs of opposing players. Did you know that Ty Cobb killed a man? All of these statements are part of the legend of Ty Cobb, the greatest
Do managers have obligation to make their best players available for the All-Star Game?
Ever since Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announced in 2003 that the winning league of the All-Star Game would gain homefield advantage in the World Series, experts have debated whether he made the right decision. That decision has led to other intriguing dilemmas for big league managers, too. At what point do managers have
Why the Giants can win the World Series again
No National League team has repeated as World Series champion since Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine 35 years ago. The only team that has a chance to end that drought is the San Francisco Giants. Here’s why they can do it. As Warren Spahn once said, “Hitting is timing, and pitching is upsetting that timing.” Spahn
With Avila: Father Knew Best
In the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft, the Detroit Tigers selected a catcher from the University of Alabama with their pick in the 5th round. That news wasn’t all that noteworthy, but the catcher sure is. The catcher was Alex Avila, the son of Tigers assistant general manager Al Avila, a close friend of GM
Five biggest surprises of the 2011 baseball season
Here are the five biggest surprises so far in the 2011 season. 5. Tribe Revival The 2010 Cleveland Indians had their share of problems: they were one of the worst hitting teams in the league, their pitching staff gave up the most home runs in baseball, and they also walked more batters than any other
Manny doesn’t belong with baseball’s greats
It’s fitting that on a night when the federal government narrowly averted a shutdown, Manny Ramirez announced his retirement from baseball. The half-assed deal to keep the government going is a cop-out, and much of Manny’s career was also half-assed. To say that Ramirez leaves the game under a black cloud is like saying Japan
The year Derek Jeter took a giant step toward the big leagues
In his second season in the Yankee organization, Derek Jeter committed 56 errors at shortstop for the Greensboro Hornets of the Sally League. Given his shoddy work with the leather, Jeter’s future as a professional ballplayer was uncertain. To top it off, the teenager was having a hard time dealing with life away from home.
