Category: Uncategorized
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Raise one to Harry!
Forget the lousy impressions and the oversized glasses, sidle up to a bar (real or imaginary) and toast Harry Caray for the 25th time. That the big celebrations are taking place at his various namesake establishments is perfunctory. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 25 years since Harry passed away, and yet it makes…
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Surprise, surprise!
Even the best ML teams are surprising their fans with some last minute roster decisions. It’s not just the middle of the pack teams with flexibility that leave key veterans off their 26-man roster in March. Cubs starting right fielder, Seiya Suzuki begins the season on the IL, but it’s unclear which of three surprises…
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A great send off..
Usually spring training is all about careers taking off, but occasionally veterans learn their careers are coming to an end. More often than not, players are left scrambling to find alternative jobs. The prospect of a minor league contract doesn’t appeal to players that have spent years in the big leagues. The decision to retire…
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Earning it…
It’s not the job of a ML team to announce open competitions to the media before spring training. However, experienced reporters can tell when something is up at camp. The front office does have a duty to tell specific players if they are competing for a job at the ML level. Every situation is different…
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A sense of humor…
There’s no evidence connecting success on the field with silly promotions, However, clever promotions that make fans happy isn’t the worst thing to hit baseball, minor or major league. The Tulsa Drillers have stepped back in time and resurrected Oily the Oiler, the iconic mascot from the 50’s. I’m happy that the Cubs didn’t go…
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Dodger blues…
The Dodgers enter the 2023 with the fifth highest payroll in the game. At first glance, I’m not sure they are getting their money’s worth at $217 million+. They’ve been among the biggest spenders over the past decade, but I don’t think sentiment will win the NL. Heading into the season, the Mets $335 million+…
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Take the over..
At some point in the next week, family and friends will begin asking me how the 2023 Cubs will fare. I won’t feign ignorance because I didn’t spend time in Arizona this spring, nor will I use that as an excuse when my predictions fall short. Call it coincidence, but I’ve only seen the Cubs…
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The most epic at-bat?
I don’t know if Japan’s victory over the US last night in the championship game of the WBC cast a pall over Chicago or Mother Nature is just playing with us, but the weather (lack of sunshine) stinks on toast. Whether this is meant to foreshadow what next Thursday will look like worries me a…
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Game 7
If you’ve been paying attention to the WBC at all, you know tonight is the big magilla, the winner takes all between Japan and the US. I know that the WBC isn’t everyone’s thing, but the last few games have been exciting. The fans in attendance, and the players are certainly enjoying themselves. Team USA…
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Should the Cubs take a chance?
As is always the case with MSN headlines, the one about the Phillies parting company with a first-round draft pick was misleading. While Mark Appel made his ML debut with Philadelphia last year, it was the Astros that drafted him with the #1 overall pick. Appel’s journey hasn’t been easy-whether of his own doing or…
I'd rather be sitting in a ballpark. 