12/31/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

The year-end edition is always fun as there are so many summary articles available looking back on highlights and oddities from last season. Then throw in more Hall of Fame discussion and plenty of miscellaneous stats and facts.
In Longer Reads — Orioles ownership and Mike Garcia, forgotten 1950’s Indians starter.
Who needs to celebrate New Year’s? We are past the ‘baseball solstice’—more than half way between the end of the World Series and Opening Day.
We added 36 new subscribers this year—more are welcome, send your friends. Keep those ideas and your feedback coming.
Happy New Year.

12/24/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Abbreviated Christmas edition.
This week money-money-money–the Dodgers spend a quick $1 billion on two Japanese stars, highest paid players, luxury tax.
A Longer Read thinking about the Dodgers.
Pour a coffee, buzz through some fun baseball stuff and go enjoy family and friends.

12/17/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

In this issue lots of stuff about Shohei Ohtani’s contract, celebrating Yankee trades, more unbreakable records
In Longer Reads remembering the Japanese players who paved the way for Ohtani, and who recalls the Continental Baseball League? (I didn’t).
Enjoy your Sunday.

12/10/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Shohei Ohtani pulls in a cool $700 million to move down the street to the Dodgers. Yankee fans are celebrating Juan Soto—will he last longer than the 16 months he was a Padre?
In this edition draft notes, the phantom IL, bizarre contract demands and another expensive Babe Ruth baseball card.
Hall of Fame section—your votes, your editor’s picks and Joe Posnanski continues our series on ballot reviews by prominent writers.
Winter has arrived in Maine—sipping coffee while looking out at snow on the ground. Enjoy your Sunday.

12/03/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

I’m eagerly awaiting a block-buster coming out of the winter meetings.  In this week’s edition a base running rule change, who knew NFL Hall of Famer Ernie Nevers pitched to Babe Ruth?, $80 million for a kid with 6 games above AA?.
More Hall of Fame discussion including re-considering ‘one and dones’, an argument for David Wright and a (long) analysis of why Joe Mauer should get elected—your ballot is below. Please send me your votes this week (thank you to those who already did). I’ll highlight your expert responses next week.
In Longer Reads Ichiro Suzuki Keeps Rolling, the Hall of Fame drum via Cleveland, Frank Crosetti and 17 World Series Rings
Grab a cup and enjoy.

11/26/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

 A week of fun trivia lists, the day Ted Turner managed the Braves.
In Longer Reads more on the late Padres owner Peter Seidler, How Post-Season Shares are Distributed and the Hall of Fame case for Bill White (remembering Yankees broadcast trio of White, Phil Rizzuto and Frank Messer makes me feel young again).
The 2024 Hall of Fame ballot came out this week. Take a look at the 26 names below—who do you think belongs? You have up to ten selections. Later in this issue the start of nine weeks of thoughts and analysis about who makes it to Cooperstown. You have two weeks to ponder your selections—email them when you’re ready and I’ll roll up our expert subscribers’ results.
Pour yourself a cup and enjoy.

11/19/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Busy week as managers come and go. Also in this edition Awards Week, a great explanation of how StatCast works, RIP Padres owner Peter Seidler, rules changes from this season and those under consideration, an how much does Gerrit Cole get paid per pitch.
In Longer Reads: How pitchers keep getting better and better through analytics, Free Agency Risks, and a $10 million baseball card?
Got an idea to improve Sunday Baseball Tidbits? The off season is the time to try new stuff so please pass along your suggestions. One request already received—rules quizzes/you be the ump. I’m searching for the best source.
Meanwhile, here’s a couple of cups of coffee worth of interesting stuff—enjoy.

11/12/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

This week more managers come and go, if you don’t know Yoshinobu Yamamoto you soon will, salaries through the years, and a lookback on the 2018 fight between Tigers announcers.  With the off-season upon us, anecdotes slow down so it is an opportunity to offer more Longer Reads. This week Gold Gloves then and now, a fun story about Geddy Lee of the band Rush and his baseball memorabilia collection, the day Juan Marichal and Johnny Roseboro fought, and Lou Piniella’s Hall of Fame case.
Its 27 degrees in Maine this morning. Pour yourself a hot cup and enjoy. Thanks for reading.

11/5/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

I hope you got to enjoy the World Series. Not my teams but some fun games.
This week lots of Post-Season notes, R.I.P Frank Howard, the D’backs swimming pool, agenda for the GM meetings in Scottsdale.
In Longer Reads Team Records broken in 2023, MLB Offseason schedule for contracts, awards and free agency, All Post-Season Team.
Its raspberry/white chocolate scones this morning here in Maine. Grab a coffee and dive in.

10/29/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Pre-season Vegas odds of a Rangers/Diamondbacks World Series were 1790-1.
Unexpected pairing but two entertaining games. Adolis Garcia of the Rangers sure has a knack for performing on the big stage but the D’backs refuse to go away.  This week lots of post-season notes, welcome to Boston Craig Breslow and a Rogers Hornsby record.  In Longer Reads the Battle for the Top of the Strike Zone, a fun story about relief pitcher Jim Kern and broadcasters nominated for the Hall of Fame.
Pour yourself a cup and enjoy

10/22/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

In today’s issue Playoff notes, Career Post-season homers leaders, who is Matt Kata?
In Longer Reads – Two excellent pieces: the Voice pitchers hear over PitchCom, and the never-ending discussion on whether “clutch” exists.
Grab a coffee and enjoy.

10/15/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Good morning baseball fans. A short edition this week thanks to a strained back—typing isn’t pretty. So please be patient with any typos.
Lots of playoff notes, your favorite baseball names, Baker vs Bochy.
In Longer Reads Pitchers Sandy Alcantara, volume and injuries.
Please grab yourself a coffee and enjoy.

10/01/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

One eye on the Ryder Cup as this week’s edition comes together, every damn Europe putt seems to go in.
As the baseball playoffs start, a week to salute greatness—RIP Brooks Robinson and Ronald Acuna Jr. reaches 40 HRs-70 SB.
Who made the post-season tournament came down to the penultimate day. Once my Yankees collapsed I was pulling for the Mariners — maybe next year.
In this week’s edition Ozzie Virgil, Walter Alston, stolen bases (Trea Turner) and strikeouts (Kyle Schwarber).
In Longer Reads Brooks Robinson, and pitchers’ elbows,
Kick back with a cup of coffee and enjoy.

9/24/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

THE AL west is giving the Lords of Baseball what they wanted – its anybody’s division and the wild cards aren’t decided with a week to go.
For those of you of a certain age, it has a 1967 feel to it (the Sports Illustrated description of that battle is included in this week’s Longer Reads).
It was a transformative September ‘67. I was an 11 year-old 5th grader when the Red Sox outlasted the Twins, Tigers and White Sox. My father and I tracked the standings every day in The New York Times—no MLB network to watch the games or ESPN for highlights. He taught me the concept of games back and how to calculate it. I also
Later I wrote a book report on Veeck as in Wreak, Bill Veeck’s autobiography. Between the 1967 pennant race and the book, I was hooked, and here we are.
This week Ronald Acuna Jr. continues his amazing season, Tony Lazzari, Cal Ripken Jr.
In Longer Reads, to celebrate “The Saint of Second Chances” on Netflix, a profile of the Bill and son Mike Veeck plus Rip Sewell and the eephus pitch.
Pistachio muffins here in Maine.

Enjoy yourself a coffee and dig in.

9/17/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

We are just a couple of weeks away from the playoffs. You could throw a blanket over the Giants, Reds, D’backs and Marlins. The AL west has been back and forth, and we don’t know who from the Astros, Rangers, Mariners and Blue Jays will be going home.
In this week’s issue—bouncing a home run over the fence, history of the mlb.com domain, blunders, two Albert Belle sightings, and reviewing some Rickey Henderson career highlights. In Longer Reads the epic failure of the 2023 Padres, a Red Smith column and remembrance.
Grab yourself a Sunday morning coffee and enjoy.

9/10/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Crazy week with fun golf trip to Nova Scotia and my grandson’s 5th birthday party. So an abbreviated Tidbits this week, maybe just one cup of coffee.
A reminder that just getting into the field gives you a decent chance at playing for a while. In 2022, a #6 seed and a #5 seed won their first-round matchups. A #6 seed got up 2-1 in the World Series. In 2019, 2014, and 2011, a wild-card team won the World Series, and in 2014, both pennant winners were wild-card teams.
In this week’s issue the Martian has landed, a batch of trivia questions, BIB-BIG-BIG, Joe Sheehan on pushing rookies to the majors, lots of steals and a Fenway send-off for one of our subscribers.
In Longer Reads—a fun piece on Baseball Reference.com.
Enjoy.

9/3/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Greetings from Nova Scotia. Abbreviated edition next week as I head to Cabot Links for golf
with good buds—if you are a golfer enjoy some eye candy at
https://cabotcapebreton.com/golf.
This week waivers and call ups, more Braves home runs, lots of Freddie Freeman doubles and
how ‘bout those Mariners?
In Longer Reads a fascinating piece lifted from Ron Neyer’s book “Baseball Blunders” on Charlie
Finley’s insights on free agency (you will never think about free agency the same way again), a
passionate appreciation of Stephen Strasburg, and batting gloves.
Less that 30 games to go. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy

8/27/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Two months to go—first game of the World Series is scheduled for October 27. It has to be brutal to be an Angels fan—Trout back to the IL and Ohtani facing Tommy John surgery and a 5-16 start to August. Ugh.
Happy Birthday to my son-in-law Rob. He is a bigger Cardinals fan than I am a Yankees fan. Back at Christmas we were saying how good it would be to have a Cards-Yanks World Series. How’d that work out?
In this week’s edition surges and collapses, Luis Urías is Mr. Grand Slam, Manny makes a Hall of Fame.
In Longer Reads: Where have all the errors gone (and is the pitch clock impacting official scorers?), what to throw with a 3 & 2 count, the Tall and the Short of it, roster games between the Giants and the Dodgers.
Grab a coffee and enjoy.

8/20/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

In this week’s edition: high schools cranking out major leaguers, big trouble in the Bronx, Babe Ruth’s bat and the awesome 1-2 punch of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
In Longer Reads: Impressive Braves lineup, Hall of Famer Jesse Haines, Tom Carroll-Yankee and Spy.
Raspberry & almond scones here this morning. Grab yourself a coffee and enjoy.

8/13/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

In this week’s edition Free Kevin Brown, Another No-Hitter, Vic Wertz, Moonlight Graham, Fernando mania.
In Longer Reads Comparing pitching mounds, The HOF case for Zack Greinke, Never got an At Bat.
Enjoy.
Some interesting responses to last week’s request for improvement ideas:
– Links to highlights – the challenge is how to keep yahoo mail from thinking I am a spammer
– More classic columns from sports writers—first one is this week
– You make the call (rules situations and what the right call is) – upcoming.

8/06/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

In this week’s edition a bonus 4th trivia question, another no-hitter, Icebox Chamberlain, lots of
Asian players.
In Longer Reads the History of the Walk, the amazing 1909 Pirates, Intentional Foul Balls.
Time for Reader Feedback. Every week I try to balance anecdotes, trivia, history, analysis. What
would you do to improve the newsletter? What sources would you suggest for more interesting
content? We now have 150 subscribers. It’s your valuable time—what would you find more
interesting? I will share your best ideas in future editions.
Its peach & almond scones with coffee this morning in Maine. Pour yourself a cup and enjoy.

7/30/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Two days away from the trade deadline. The Mets just paid over $35 million for Max Scherzer to go away—think about that.
In this edition more Amazing Shohei Ohtani facts, Hall of Fame notes, a 200 game schedule?
In Longer Reads a fun challenge from the Joe Posnanski newsletter—pick four teams by uniform number (1-9), (10-18), (19-27), (28-36). Fill every position, use each number once.
Plus a profile of baseball writer Peter Gammons and Strange Trades.
Grab a coffee and enjoy.

7/23/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Hall of Fame induction day. Congrats to Fred McGriff and Scott Rolen. Both played for at least four franchises and made at least five All-Star teams. Both reached the World Series twice, winning once. McGriff is the 26th first baseman in the hall. Rolen is the 16th third baseman.
In this week’s edition—a great pitch clock idea, Tommy John for the Hall of Fame? the Reds and the Orioles continue to excite, Nicknames, Balls in Play.
In Long Reads a fun Hall of Fame quiz, Carl Erskine of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Ghost Runners.
Pour yourself a cup and enjoy.

7/16/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

This week lots of All-Star game notes, rooting for Drew Compton (see draft notes) and Lou Gehrig on the run.
In longer reads, old guy stories about Stan Musial and John Montgomery Ward, plus Immaculate Grid.
Grab yourself a coffee and enjoy

7/9/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Some recurring themes this week—Shohei Ohtani, Braves, chasing .400. Plus All-Star game facts and today’s MLB Draft. And four trivia questions.
In longer reads two history pieces: Hurricane Hazle of the 1957 Braves, the Cape Cod League is growing future front office execs as well as players and analysis of pickoffs under the new rules.
A subscriber asked me this week “what’s with 50 pages, how am I supposed to read it all?” Every week I try to include some history, some analysis, trivia and anecdotes. The goal is within two cups of coffee for you to find a few things each week that get to “that’s interesting”. Just skip over what’s not your thing, enjoy the rest.
Homemade peach-blueberry cobbler and coffee here this morning. Kick back and enjoy.

7/2/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

 Luis Arraez wrapped June batting .390.
In this week’s issue: Domingo German’s perfect game, historic power in Atlanta, Freddie Freeman and the milestones parade, LSU wins the College World Series.
In longer reads what its like to be a pitch clock operator, can Chicago support two teams?
This morning it’s a bear claw with my coffee. Enjoy.

6/25/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

 In this week’s issue–Posnanski on Joey Votto, streaks, Lou Gehrig’s run as RBI champ.
In Long Reads groundskeeping and two pieces on equipment—evolution of catcher’s gear and the latest thing in bat grips.
Before you watch the Cards and the Cubs this morning (10:10 am eastern time start from London), pour a quick coffee and enjoy Tidbits

6/18/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

 A Happy Father’s Day. This week Corbin Carroll is hot in Arizona, a catcher hits for the cycle, whoopie pies, a rain out in Hoston?
In longer reads father-son rankings, pitch clock vs. injury rates, crazy high school field dimension, more thoughts on records that may never be broken.
Pour yourself a coffee and enjoy.

6/11/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

 A third of the way through the season. If you bet Rays, Orioles, Rangers, Marlins, Pirates and D’backs would be the teams exceeding Vegas win total projections, so far so good, but you’re a long way from cashing those tickets.
In this week’s edition… Luis Arráez and the pursuit of .400, adios Bartolo Colon, photos of subscribers in action, and R.I.P. Roger Craig who started the first Mets game.
In longer pieces Hitting science vs. strikeout pitching, throwing technology at tipping pitches, best players who never made the All-Star Game.
So grab a coffee, kick back and enjoy.

6/04/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

 Today’s edition is sent to you from Los Angeles where I am on a bucket list adventure following the Yankees in Seattle against the Mariners, and now the Dodgers. Some photos and observations from the trip are later in this issue.
In today’s edition Unassisted triple play, All Star game streaks, Jayson Stark’s wonderful weird stats.
Longer pieces include broadcast troubles in San Diego, Aaron Boone’s ejection habit and What if Moneyball was in 2022? Enjoy.

5/28/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

 This week Ronald Acuna Jr.’s great start, how bad are the A’s?, blown save of the week in which Kenley Jansen walked a batter on three pitches and one was a strike.
And longer pieces on Starting pitching’s downward spiral, Active players headed to Cooperstown, Best forgotten seasons.
Kick back and enjoy.
Next week’s edition will be from my west coast Yankees adventure—delivery timing tbd.

5/21/23

Good Morning Baseball fans, 

Mets roster construction, robo umps, dead singers at Yankee Stadium, the re-birth of Hinchliffe Stadium plus the regular weird and interesting stuff.
Enjoy.

5/14/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

In this week’s edition—R.I.P. Vida Blue, Kenley Jansen reaches 400 saves, who is the best
pitcher to never win a Cy Young award?
Plus a couple of longer pieces– struggles with Negro League stats, history of the baseball cap.
Pour yourself a coffee and dig in.

5/7/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

hile Yankees and Cardinals fans whisper to themselves “it’s a marathon, not a sprint” and the
world is a little upside down with the Pirates in first and the Yankees in last, welcome to this
week’s edition.
This week Happy Birthday Willie Mays, Tom Verducci on Velocity, Workload and Injuries; an
Unbreakable Record, Mexico City, just how Bad are the A’s?, R.I.P. Mike Shannon.
Pour yourself a cup and enjoy.

4/30/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

 Grab a coffee and enjoy the usual jumble of interesting stuff. From Clayton Kershaw’s 200th win
to celebrating Yogi Berra. Cheers,

4/23/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

A shorter edition this Sunday morning as I got to hang with good golf friends for the past week
in sunny Tucson. In this morning’s edition TV blackouts, A’s to Vegas, ball doctoring, great
Yankee Stadium moments and once again Amazing Ohtani. Please grab a coffee and enjoy

4/16/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

In this issue a fun profile of RetroSheet, who will reach 500 HRs?, Tom Verducci argues to keep the pitch clock in the post season, pickoffs and game theory from WSJ, horizontal sliders. Grab yourself a coffee and enjoy.

4/9/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Adding the finishing touches awaiting resumption of round three of The Masters. The Yankees are 5-3. So it’s a good Sunday.
In this issue, unbreakable college baseball records, Theo Epstein on rule changes, more pitch clock notes, bad contracts. Pour yourself a coffee and enjoy.

4/2/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

The adventure has begun. In this issue the future of pitch framing in a robo ump world, Vegas predicted win totals, tons of Opening Day notes, impact of shift rules on the Dodgers, Rube Waddell.

3/26/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Starts for real this week. In this morning’s edition–WBC notes, more on rules changes, a backup catcher’s favorite pitchers, rules changes’ impact on betting, how many feet between bases? Grab a coffee and enjoy.

3/19/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Good morning baseball fans,
The WBC has been entertaining. Heck of a USA lineup but can the pitching get us through the final four? In this edition–the impact of the pitch clock on announcers, R.I.P. Joe Pepitone, Joe Sheehan on Regional Sports Networks, Smokey Joe Williams, a Bob Feller record that won’t be broken, WBC notes. Enjoy.
I have mentioned the Joe Sheehan newsletter. An example is included below—interesting/dark piece on upheaval in Regional Sports Networks and the potential impact on MLB. He publishes daily stuff from inside the game loaded with analysis. If you are interested in a subscription let me know—he is offering a discounted year for $20 in a friends & family deal. I also have 5 free one-month subscriptions to The Athletic if anyone is interested.
Follow-up to the invitation to join me to see the Yankees on the west coast. Two subscribers will meet me at Dodger Stadium and one subscriber who has season tix to the Mariners invited me to see the Yankees in Seattle May 31 before they head down to L.A. Should be fun.

3/11/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Try to see some WBC baseball—the enthusiasm last night for Venezuela’s win over Dominican Republic was crazy. I am recovered and we have plenty of interesting stuff this week: Leo the Lip, a deep dive into how Spencer Strider thrives with just two pitches, Todd Helton, greatest lineups of all time.
And we wrap with Jayson Stark’s take rule changes (mound visits, the wind, how to score a strikeout on a non-pitch? bat boys on the road?). Enjoy.

3/5/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

An abbreviated edition as your faithful editor (and my wife) recovers from Covid. It has made it hard to read-concentrate-remember, but here’s what I could come up with.
Old guys, odd award winners, happiness in San Diego, bring back pitching phenoms, miscellaneous stuff and trivia.

2/26/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

More opinions on rule changes, will Justin Verlander be the last 300 game winner?, Wee Willie Keeler, sticky stuff and trivia. Kick back and enjoy.
Editor’s Note – I plan to knock off a bucket list item this summer and visit Dodger Stadium the first week of June when the Yankees are in L.A.. I will be buying tickets next weekend. Please let me know if you’d like to join me on a west coast adventure and I’ll grab tickets.

2/19/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Good morning baseball fans,
This week R.I.P. Tim McCarver, rule changes commentary, Hank Aaron, triple crowns, Joe Namath, more two sport athletes and trivia.
So please grab a coffee and enjoy.

2/12/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

The trucks have been unloaded at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., awaiting the arrival of Yankees pitchers and catchers this coming week.
In this edition the science of choosing a bat, thoughts on re-alignment as part of expansion, World Baseball Classic preview, remembering the Philadelphia A’s and the 118 year-old hitless streak record.
So grab a coffee, get the day started with some baseball and then enjoy tonight’s game (may all your squares hit).

2/05/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Yes, it is freaking cold in Maine. Friday night we hit -17 last night with wind chill under 30 below. The Red Sox trucks have left for spring training. In this week’s edition—more Hall of Fame notes, trends in season tickets, lots of switch hitters, Billy Martin, the balanced 2023 schedule, Anti-trust plus trivia.
Two corrections—Lance Berkman (46 in 2008) should have been included with Mickey Mantle, Ken Caminiti, Chipper Jones and Todd Hundley as switch hitters who hit 40 HRs in a season. And Caminiti’s 40 HR/MVP season was 1996 (not 1997). Thank you to the keen-eyed subscribers for the corrections.

1/29/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Bravo Scott Rolen, newest Hall of Famer. This week plenty of Hall of Fame stuff and of course, trivia. Enjoy.

1/22/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Something to make you feel good on a cold winter morning–23 days ‘til pitchers and catchers report.
This week an excellent piece from Jayson Stark on the impact of new rules, Hall of Fame stuff as we come up on Tuesday’s announcements, stolen bases by decade and trivia.
Enjoy.

1/15/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

This week lots of Hall of Fame stuff (including your ballot opportunity) as we approach vote results, expansion thoughts, unbreakable records, more about Nap Lajoie than you ever wanted to know, and trivia.
It’s a long issue. Read what you like, skip what you don’t. Enjoy.

1/08/23

Good Morning Baseball fans,

Coffee and a bear claw looking out at fresh snow in Maine.  This week another piece on the Dominican Republic, the ventriloquist pitcher and trivia (easy, medium and hard). Enjoy.
If you did not receive last week’s issue please email me. It seems the Yahoo mail algorithm didn’t like the combination of a long recipient list and the embedded links of the highlight plays, decided I was a spammer and shut me down for a couple of days.

1/01/23

Happy New Year baseball fans,

 I hope 2023 brings you good health and much happiness. 88 days ‘til opening day.
Many thanks for a fun 2022. Curating my favorites from each week’s baseball reading is now in its 4th year and has produced over 5,000 pages. Thank you for reading, thank you for sending ideas (and corrections), thank you for referring new subscribers (a community of 120 friends and friends of friends), thank you to Todd Mogren for creating sundaybaseballtidbits.com to archive it all. The goal each week is to give you 2 cups of coffee worth of interesting stuff and a couple of “wow, that’s interesting” moments.
This week Jayson Stark’s wonderful 2022 recap of weird plays, Tom Verducci on predicting performance of players pushing 40, Mark Buehrle, 2022 highlights and lowlights, RIP to those we lost and trivia. Enjoy your first coffee of 2023 with baseball.

12/25/22

Merry Christmas baseball fans,

I hope Santa was as good to you as he was to Scott Boras.
This week Moe & Moe (Moe Drabowski and Moe Berg), 2022 season highlights, first of two pieces on young players from the Dominican Republic, two light hearted pieces (Uniform numbers ranked by WAR and players with holiday names) and trivia.
Pour yourself an eggnog and enjoy.

12/18/22

Good morning baseball fans,

The free agent dollars just keep on flowing. Funny what $11 Billion in revenues will do for an industry.
This week those long free agent contracts, Scott Hatteberg hit into a triple play and hit a grand slam in the same game, Old Hoss Radbourn and a season on the mound—60 wins, 73 complete games, 678 2/3 innings pitched. Grab some coffee and also enjoy miscellaneous stuff and trivia.
If you find yourself in mid-cost Maine any of the next three Wednesdays, I will be hosting sports trivia at the Newcastle Publick House at 6 pm. Sadly, no ESPN or web-simulcast.

12/11/22

Good morning baseball fans,

 Fred McGriff and the Veterans Committee, big dollar free agents, traded twice for Rickey Henderson, long time Yankees, miscellaneous stuff and trivia. (don’t forget to check out sundaybaseballtidbits.com). Enjoy.

12/04/22

Good morning baseball fans,

Please take a moment and check out sundaybaseballtidbits.com
Thanks to Todd Mogren, who was a much, much better baseball player than I was at Wesleyan,
we now have a place to stash things. Over 5,000 pages of back issues. All the trivia questions
(and answers) in one place. Recommended web sites and books.
At a bar and want to challenge someone on baseball trivia? Need the perfect book as a gift to a
super fan? Too much time on your hands and want to scroll through back issues? That’s what
the new site is for. I’d appreciate your feedback.
In this week’s issue: RIP Gaylord Perry, hardest hit home runs of 2022, Hall of Fame chatter on
the day of the Veterans Committee vote, a 17 player trade, plenty of miscellaneous stuff and
two trivia challenges testing your knowledge of MVPs.
So pour yourself another coffee and enjoy

11/27/22

Good morning baseball fans,

123 days ’til Opening Day. Easiest way to know that? Baseball-almanac.com. From lists of players who have been suspended for PEDs to baseball stamps to players who homered in their last at-bat, it is full of fascinating stuff. Over half a million pages, millions of facts. Definitely worth a look.

How did you do on last week’s bonus trivia question—players with over 200 HRs, played for only one team, not in the Hall of Fame. It’s a question that makes you think. Wish I could take credit for it—came from the Baseball Trivia and Statistics Facebook page. Re-run of the answer at the bottom of this week’s edition in case you missed it.

This week: would you choose Jacob deGrom or Justin Verlander?, ranking the best 10 hitters, predicting the impact of banning the shift, Hall of Fame discussion, miscellaneous stuff and trivia. Pour yourself a coffee and enjoy.

11/20/22

Good morning baseball fans, No controversy for Awards Week. Today we take a look at the role of Wins in Cy Young votes through the years, MVPs over age 35, Peter Gammons on culture plus expanded trivia.
Grab a coffee and enjoy.

11/13/22

Good morning baseball fans,

I hope you are managing withdrawal. Let the hot stove season begin.

You’ll see a newsletter shift from game anecdotes to more analysis, Hall of Fame discussion and history stuff. Tidbits will try to keep you entertained through the long, dark winter.

This week Hall of Fame committee, everything you ever wanted to know about Qualifying Offers and the Rule V draft, an argument not to give Aaron Judge a huge contract, miscellaneous anecdotes and trivia.
THISive HRs off one pitcher. Phillies up 2 games to 1. Maybe emotions would win over talent? Nope. Four pitchers combine for a no-hitter, some Verlander history, a 450 foot Yordan Alvarez blast, more great pitching and that was that. I was rooting for the Phillies but the better team won.

Probably a couple of cups of coffee this morning. World Series facts and anecdotes, the lady who helped bring the Dodgers to L.A., 2023 free agent class, automating balls & strikes, “state of the game”, history of World Series home runs, robot umpires and trivia.

11/06/22

Good morning baseball fans,

Five HRs off one pitcher. Phillies up 2 games to 1. Maybe emotions would win over talent? Nope. Four pitchers combine for a no-hitter, some Verlander history, a 450 foot Yordan Alvarez blast, more great pitching and that was that. I was rooting for the Phillies but the better team won.

Probably a couple of cups of coffee this morning. World Series facts and anecdotes, the lady who helped bring the Dodgers to L.A., 2023 free agent class, automating balls & strikes, “state of the game”, history of World Series home runs, robot umpires and trivia.

The state of the game section brings together pieces by Joe Posnanski (former Kansas City Star columnists/now great newsletter publisher), Dan Shaughnessy (Boston Globe) and Tom Verducci (Sports Illustrated and author partner Joe Maddon’s autobiography).
Enjoy.

10/30/22

Good morning baseball fans,

Every year I complain about how late these World Series games go. Too much money on the line with all those commercials and west coast eyeballs to care about me.
Entertaining first two games. Off we go to Philadelphia for now a best-of-five.
Grab a mug and enjoy lots of World Series stuff, PitchCom, Gammons on bullpens and trivia.
THIS WEEK’S

10/23/22

Good morning baseball fans,

Sipping coffee this morning and thinking about last night’s Yankees-Astros game 3. Brutal for Yankee fans. Astros pitching has been impressive.

This morning enjoy Peter Gammons on building this dominant Astros pitching staff, the future of ash baseball bats, debating the structure of the playoffs, two history lessons–Joe Posnanski takes us back to the 1986 Mets and Joe Sheehan on post season scheduling back to the first World Series, lots of random and miscellaneous stuff and of course, trivia.

10/16/22

Good morning baseball fans,

Sorry to be behind schedule this morning. Up a little late watching Padres stun Dodgers. What a night with brutal Yankees loss one strike away (while watching 18 innings Mariners-Astros on my phone).
How much would the boys at Chrones Tavern have made if they plopped down $1K betting both Phillies and Padres would win?
This morning tons of playoff facts/stats/weirdness, 100 innings in Boston, Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci on playoff pitching. Enjoy.

10/09/22

Good morning baseball fans,

How ‘bout those Mariners, Guardians and Phillies?
We enjoyed a regular season that saw Miguel Cabrera get his 3,000 hit, Albert Pujols hit his 700th HR, Aaron Judge hit 62. Now on to the expanded playoffs.
Grab a coffee and enjoy a bunch of Aaron Judge, thoughts on Judge and Bonds and the “true” HR record, surprising playoff heros, lots of miscellaneous stuff and of course, trivia.

10/02/22

Good morning baseball fans,

I managed to dodge most of hurricane Ian on run to NC—house cleaned out and I made my hotel in NJ driving north to see last few innings of Braves win over Mets. (bet the Dodgers miss Kelly Jansen—he was throwing smoke closing out the Metropolitans and pushing the Braves into first place in the NL east).
As I head back to my rented truck grab yourself a coffee and enjoy Aaron Judge, Posnanski on big offense seasons, Peter Abraham on free agent hits and misses, and of course, trivia.