After Major League Baseball faced scrutiny after announcing their new rules, but they recently announced that they have a few additions that they are hoping will eliminate fans’ anxiety.
1. RELIEF PITCHERS MUST FACE TWO BATTERS: This rule comes along with the rule about starters, which we’ll call the “Brandon Woodruff Rule,” which states that starting pitchers must face three batters before being pulled. This rule is really a win because it gives previously one-batter pitchers a second chance to prove their arms and take down batters they would never have been expected to face. This also creates more skilled, seasoned pitchers with that Mariano Rivera flare, where they can demolish right-handed hitters equally as they can left-handed hitters. 2. BASERUNNERS MUST TELL FIELDER THEY’RE STEALING: This rule adds more strategy to the game and encourages a new focus on the speed of a baserunner. Baserunners must indicate to the fielder pre-pitch if they’re stealing. They can do this as close to the pitch as they would like, as long as they convey the message before the pitcher releases the ball. The fielder has this time to call out to the rest of the field that the runner is stealing, so they can jump into order and prepare to catch the speed-demon. This ingenious addition to the rulebook prevents big and slow players from risking injury and it prevents pitchers from ruining the game on wild pitches. 3. PLAYERS MUST PLAY THROUGH STREAKING FANS: With baseball trying to speed up the game, this rule is a definite time-saver. Fans often try to get themselves on camera and mess up the field of play, but now they won’t be able to get that attention, as players will just continue with business as usual. So there will be no more Jeffrey Maiers, no more Steve Bartman’s, and no more of those Astros’ fans interfering with Mookie Betts robbing a home run. The game will just have to continue and the fans will just have to sit back and accept that they can’t mess up the game. 4. DEFENSE ADDS FOURTH OUTFIELDER, OFFENSE CAN ADD SECOND BATTER: This evens the playing field. With baseball’s new rule allowing the defense to add a fourth outfielder in certain situations, the offense will be allowed to bring up a pinch hitter to stand in the batter’s box opposite the scheduled batter. When the Baltimore Orioles put their tenth player in the field to combat Aaron Judge, the Yankees will be allowed to put Brett Gardner directly opposite him and make the field an equal place. 5. ANNOUNCERS CAN DECIDE ONE CALL PER GAME, POST-SIXTH INNING: This rule has taken far too long to come into effect, now announcers can decide one call per game after the sixth inning. This rule ensures that both sides get a fair input on the game. The radio broadcasters for each team will have an opportunity to call down to their team’s dugout to tell the manager to inform the umpire when a call must be reversed. They have to do this quickly, though, as the defense can get the ball back to the picture and start the next play, rendering the announcer’s opinion on the last call a moot point, causing them to waste that call. These rules are truly wins for baseball and will be implemented this season. Of course, now it’s time to reverse this article as it is clearly fabricated, ridiculous, and a product of this insidious day known as April Fools’ Day. Jesse A. Cook “Baseball Implements Surprise Rules” April 1, 2019
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Infielders dominate the MLB Trade Deadline, such as Manny Machado, Nolan Arenado, Rafael Devers, and Jose Abreu. Other commodities outside of the infield are Bryce Harper, Jacob DeGrom, J.A. Happ, Billy Hamilton, Blake Treinen, and Jon Gray.
MANNY MACHADO: For months, people have been asking where Machado will end up and it looks like the options have been narrowed down to a few teams. Boston, New York, and Arizona look like the best targets for the shortstop. As for the Red Sox, there’s a small chance that Machado would play short because Xander Bogaerts occupies the position, however who’s to say that Baltimore doesn’t want a slightly younger player guaranteed to stay with them for two more years, such as the X-Man? We’ll tackle Devers’ possibilities in this potential trade later on in this article, but Boston’s pitching prospects like Jay Groome, Tanner Houck, and Bryan Mata make other pretty targets for the Orioles. The Bronx looks like a team better suited for Machado, rather than more suited for Baltimore, because the Yankees’ third baseman, Miguel Andujar, is hitting better than their shortstop, Sir Didi Gregorius (Andujar is batting .283 with 12 home runs and a .830 OPS, while Gregorius is batting .259 with 15 home runs and a .804 OPS.), so Machado would play shortstop instead of third. Baltimore could also use some of New York’s talent, including any of their top prospects, but the Yankees’ poor rotation indicates that they would not be so willing to trade away young pitchers. Of course, Baltimore might not want to trade the star within their division, so instead of Boston or New York, maybe they will consider someone in the other league or even on the other side of the country. The Diamondbacks are another good location for the former third baseman because they need someone other than Nick Ahmed at short because his .218 batting average, 10 home runs, and .682 OPS do not boast as well as Machado’s .305 batting average, 20 home runs, and .931 OPS. The Orioles also are interested in D-Backs’ prospects Jon Duplantier and Taylor Widener. NOLAN ARENADO and JON GRAY: Arenado’s contract expires after next season, so any team lucky enough to snag the future Hall of Famer will have him for the rest of 2018 and all of 2019, which possesses an opportunity for two championship runs. While it may seem unlikely for Colorado to trade their best player, they’re at the point in the season where they have to decide whether or not they want to try to make it to the playoffs. If they do, they probably won’t make many big deals, but if they don’t they will have to think about the future and trade Arenado and Gray for a bunch of prospects to bring up at the same time in the fashion of the Red Sox or Yankees (or now, the Blue Jays, too). Gray’s another Colorado commodity coming clean off a good season, and who doesn’t want an ace pitcher to join their ranks with Chris Sale, Justin Verlander, or Max Scherzer? If Colorado decides that they are not all in (just like Washington they’re a third place team that was expected to be better) then Gray and Arenado should be the first to go, for each will reap huge rewards in the prospects’ category. RAFAEL DEVERS: It seemed, up until recently, like a foregone conclusion that Devers would end the season outside of Boston, but he’s hit .385 with two home runs and seven RBIs (including a 5-5 night at New York) in his last seven games, which means either that he’s more valuable to Boston or he’s a more valuable trade target. Boston ideally wants to trade Devers for Machado, but with a desperate need for good starting pitching, they might look to Colorado for Gray, or possibly to San Francisco for Madison Bumgarner or Los Angeles for Clayton Kershaw. (Both teams’ failures indicate that they need good, young, cheap talent like Devers.) He makes a great trade target, however his recent success indicates that he might be a really helpful piece in a World Series run for the Red Sox. JOSE ABREU, BRYCE HARPER, and BILLY HAMILTON: Power and speed are greatly needed in the postseason. (Boston and San Diego’s manager, Dave Roberts, can attest to speed being a necessity) Abreu and Harper’s obvious power (they’ve hit a combined 32 home runs) and Hamilton’s speed and improved hitting (he’s hit .400 over the last two weeks with four steals and four RBIs) make them prime targets for teams like the Mariners or Braves who have low power or Yankees and Phillies with low speed. JACOB DEGROM and J.A. HAPP: Two excellent starters on two failing teams are great targets for teams such as the Indians or Angels who are both fighting for first place in their division. DeGrom, with a 5-4 record, the best ERA in baseball at 1.84, and 134 strikeouts has been a trade topic since he beat Hamilton out for Rookie of the Year in 2014 and teams such as the two mentioned earlier in this article and the titans in the East, the Red Sox and Yankees, would be more than happy to give up half their farm systems for the starter, so he can bring them a World Series this year. Since he’s under contract until 2021, a team like the Reds or Rays who are seemingly on the rise would pay a high price for the star. Happ is no small player either because he will prove instrumental in the formation of a championship season for whichever lucky team acquires him. He’s 10-4 with a 4.03 ERA and 110 strikeouts and he’s an unrestricted free agent in 2019, so he’s perfect for one championship season. Virtually every team that’s not the Houston Astros needs more good starting pitching, so Happ will be a prime target come the deadline. BLAKE TREINEN: The Oakland closer is an important target because the Athletics are a losing team, so they don’t have much use for a quality closer. He’s signed through 2020, so whoever wins the bid will have him for future runs for a championship and his 21 saves, 0.91 WHIP, and 0.89 ERA definitely do not hurt his reputation. This is the only area of pitching where the Astros might be in need of improvement because the team has a total 19 saves, two less than Treinen has by his lonesome on a failing ballclub. Jesse A. Cook “Infielders Headline Deadline” July 2, 2018 The last 50 years have given us some great Mid-Summer Classics, but what are the best moments? There are many fantastic instances, but to fit in as many as possible, a few have to be combined.
Don’t be alarmed if your favorite moment is missed: plays like Chipper Jones’ last hit won’t be included because incredible players retire every year, and in Chipper’s case, he got aboard on Ian Kinsler letting a ground ball get by him for a “hit.” If you really feel as if a moment that should’ve been here wasn’t, remember that this is only a review of the last 50 All-Star Games, from the 38th in 1967 in Anaheim to last year’s 87th in San Diego. If you still feel left out, feel free to leave a comment about it and there will either be a response in the comments, or, provided there are enough requests, they will be responded to in another article. 5: Torii Hunter robs Barry Bonds 2002 in Milwaukee In the 7-7 tie, the Minnesota Twins’ Torii Hunter was to take part of the blame for the draw. If it were not for his first inning play, robbing the San Francisco Giants’ Barry Bonds of a solo shot, the game would have ended in a National League victory. Of course, in the 2013 American League Championship Series, the Boston Red Sox David Ortiz and bullpen cop, Steve Horgan, made Hunter’s robbing a home run look like a fevered dream. 4: Randy Johnson vs. John Kruk and Larry Walker 1993 and ‘97 in Baltimore and Cleveland These two count as one because both involved the Seattle Mariners’ Big Unit, Randy Johnson, embarrassing a National League left-handed star. In ‘93, the Philadelphia Phillies’ John Kruk took the stand and after Johnson fired one over his head, Kruk’s one hope was to not get killed at Camden Yards that day. The next few pitches, which led to a strikeout, involved spinning, twirling, and, yes, even some dancing as after he thankfully “swung” at strike three he promptly and joyfully tossed his bat and helmet aside with a major grin spread across his face. It was a similar case with the Colorado Rockies’ Larry Walker in ‘97 when Johnson threw one over his head in Cleveland, only Walker took a different stance… literally. Walker, a lefty, took initiative and went to the right handed batter’s box. Walker only spent one pitch with his helmet backwards on the right side of the plate before going back, but thankfully for him, Johnson walked him. 3: Cal Ripken Jr. Homers In Final ASG 2001 in Seattle Under different circumstances, such an occasion as a hit in a player’s final ASG would not be mentioned, but the Baltimore Orioles’ Cal Ripken Jr. went out in pretty historic fashion. The first pitch from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chan Ho Park looked good enough, and Ripken sent it into the left field stands. Ripken’s third inning shot stands above Hunter’s home run robbing grab and Randy Johnson making Kruk and Walker look silly at number 3. 2: Pedro Martinez Fans Five And The All-Century Team 1999 in Boston The two great events at historic Fenway Park are combined into one unbelievable moment for this list. The pregame began with Red Sox’ Hall of Famer Ted Williams touring the field that he played on just over 50 years before and shaking the hands of all the all-stars on either team and with the present members of baseball’s “All-Century Team.” It was an incredible sight to see the greatest players in the world congregate around the then greatest living player inside baseball’s greatest ballpark. Sox future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez started the game by doing the seemingly impossible: with the first four batters in the NL lineup being future Hall of Famers (in order) the Cincinnati Reds’ Barry Larkin, the Rockies’ Walker, the Chicago Cubs’ steroid age power hitter, Sammy Sosa, and the St. Louis Cardinals’ steroid age power hitter, Mark McGwire, getting through even a small portion of the lineup without a scratch looked to be a daunting task for Pedro. Pedro amazingly cut down Larkin, caught Walker looking, pushed another K past Sosa, and started off the second by making McGwire look like a Little Leaguer. While the next batter, the Arizona Diamondbacks Matt Williams reached base when the second baseman, the Cleveland Indians’ Roberto Alomar, made an error, Pedro lucked out when Williams was caught stealing second and the next batter, the Houston Astros’ Jeff Bagwell, struck out; an inning-ending double play. 1: Pete Rose Collides With Ray Fosse 1970 in Cincinnati Imagine, if you will, you’re set and ready to receive the throw from the Kansas City Royals’ Amos Otis in the bottom of the 12th inning as the Cincinnati Reds’ Pete Rose barrels around third. You’re the Cleveland Indians’ catcher, and friend of Rose, Ray Fosse, and just as you’re about to put your glove on the ball to get ready to tag Charlie Hustle, he trucks you and steps on home plate as the walk-off, winning run while you topple backwards, doubled-over in pain. The hometown Cincinnati crowd was excited to see their beloved Rose hustle his way to the winning run for the NL over the AL in the 1970 All-Star Game at Riverfront Stadium, but concern quickly arose after seeing Fosse be hurled backwards. Fortunately, he played another nine seasons, so he turned out to be okay, but every baseball fan knows about this historic moment. Rose’s collision with Fosse to win the ‘70 ASG in extra innings is not only the greatest and most famous All-Star Game play from the last 50 years, but perhaps the greatest and most famous All-Star Game play of all-time. There have been many, many incredible plays, events, and moments in MLB ASG history and these are the top five from just the last 50 years; the first 37 All-Star Games aren’t even represented, here. Keeping that fact in mind, if you feel that an important moment was left out, please make yourself heard in the comments! Your feedback will be appreciated. The next Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be on Tuesday, July 11, 2017 at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida. Who knows, maybe there will be something from the game twelve days from now to report on net year’s list… Jesse A. Cook “The Five Greatest MLB ASG Moments In The Last 50 Years” July 1, 2017 |
AuthorJesse Cook: High school junior. Does play-by-play for the Sharon Varsity Eagles softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, and football teams. Fanatic of the Boston and Cincinnati teams in the Big Four sports. Designs graphics of athletes, politicians, and musicians at Picsart.com. Archives
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