What Mets fans talk about when not talking about the actual games.
In retrospect, this cover is targeted at exactly me. In 1980 I’m more or less this kid’s age…and it has my hero Lee Mazzilli on the cover.
This was when baseball knew it was about the kids and the next generation of fans.
Look at the top left – “the People’s Team” – yeah, no. I get that it’s counterpoint to that Other Brand of NYC baseball, but that’s trying too hard.
I love this guy. If you weren’t around in 1986 you won’t get it, but if you were, you totally do. I was sad to see him go, but he did get us David Cone back.
And for those who don’t like the pick – hey Ed, show Mike and David your ring.
You are going to be reading many articles about how baseball should resume.
Maybe it should, maybe it shouldn’t. I personally don’t think we need it and there are lots of questions that remain.
Many of the articles will, without realizing it, take the owner’s side. The players will be seen as greedy, as the kindly old billionaires just want baseball to come back for the good of the country or something but those greedy baseball players who want the owners to live up to the agreed upon contract don’t love America or something.
Along the way there will be people like me who will be shouted down by the baseball mafia. Because I suggest that baseball NOT be played, I am automatically the worst.
All that is fine. But let’s factor this into the coverage.
People that cover baseball are paid to cover baseball. Were there to not be baseball, perhaps the bosses at the newspaper, or the national paywall sports site, or the television network start looking at financials and start laying people off. None of us want anyone to be laid off. But let’s not pretend that unless you have some iron-clad contract that it’s not better for you Mr. National Baseball Writer/Columnist/TV Personality for the sport to be active rather than on indefinite hiatus.
We all have biases, conscious and unconscious – myself included. But keep in mind when you read all these articles that few of those covering the sport are going to suggest the sport not be played.
We have now crossed the 90,000 death mark in the United States, down from 15 cases, soon to be zero, and Easter will be here soon anyway. Play ball.
We are now 6 weeks into this interesting but oh-so-obvious COVID-19 filler series and have named 27 players as inductees into the Smithsonian Baseball Hall of Immortals. I thought this would be a good time to recap what this is and who the first 27 players are.
The HoI honors the 100 greatest players in baseball history. No managers, executives, or any other non-players are included. The 100 players are not static – if a player comes along who is deemed to be one of the greats of all-time, they will be inducted. However, in order for a new induction, another player gets eliminated. The number of inductees can never surpass 100.
Players will be selected by a committee of baseball historians, journalists, and living members of the HoI. Historians and journalists have to be active in their career. Players become eligible 5 years after they have retired and are only eligible for 1 year. In order to be inducted they must reach a 90% voting threshold.
In no particular order, here are the first 27 Immortals:
27 down and 73 to go. Who should be included? Let me know your thoughts.
For some background on what this is, check out the introduction post here.
And there you have it….Matt Harvey with his 1000th Career Strikeout!
TD1000K t-shirts will be available after the game!
It’s garbage time as the Ducks finish off the regular season. Ducks win their 100th game begind MH’s 7 innings of 1 run ball.
Thirteen Strikeouts!
Sit down son!
Everything going super well in Ducks Land. Don’t forget, you can your playoff strips by agreeing to buying Season Tickets for 2021.
As for Matt, he plans to go spend the evening in Disney Land. He wants to check out Star Wars Land.