Opening a ’91 Donruss Wax Box
The joy of opening junk wax in search of Elite inserts. At least I got a Willie Stargell puzzle from the effort.
Set Collecting
Fonzie Trivia
Here’s a bit of baseball bar trivia to store away: Infielder Edgardo Alfonzo put up more wins above replacement for the Mets than either Mike Piazza or Keith Hernandez.
Plan A: Play Baseball; Plan B: See Plan A
Education. Health. Duty to one’s country. These are the demons you must slay to be a baseball player if your name is Hoot Evers.
A Player Agent That Can Say “I’ve Been There”
Reggie Jefferson had several formative run-ins with MLB roster management led to his career as a sports agent.
2001 Finest Origins Scott Rolen
Playing an entire career with a single team does something to break the brains of baseball fans. Guys with “team loyalty” are given way more leeway and ranked higher than similar performers with a few more airline miles under their belt. I’ve always preferred it when players shuffle around more, going to where they can best perform and leaving dysfunctional organizations. That makes me a Scott Rolen fan.
Trade Bait in the Biggest Ever Transaction
Imagine a player trade so large that it makes more sense for the general managers to just switch caps rather than move the underlying players. The thought must have run through the minds of Yankee and Oriole fans alike in 1954 as the teams swapped 17 players after more than two weeks of negotiations.
The Invisible Line Between Good and Great
Just how far can a baseball player decline from peak performance before fans begin sounding like Ray in Field of Dreams? The career arc of Andruw Jones may provide some insight into where this invisible border between peak and longevity lies.
Dynamite and Middle of the Rotation Pitching
This pitcher once blew off part of his hand with explosives he found on the road outside his house.
Taking a Swing (and Hitting) Any Ball Within Reach of a Bat
The strike zone is whatever size you want it to be.
Wait, You Can Just Try Out for the Astros?
Joining the Astros the way I joined my Little League team.