MLB News and Views from Toronto's #1 Cubs Fan
In June 2019, ten-time All-Star slugger and 2013 World Series MVP David "Big Papi" Ortiz was shot in the back outside a bar in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The incident was first characterized as a "mob hit" on Ortiz. A Dominican source of the New York Post described as "close to the investigation" claimed the…
Continue reading ➞ “Operation Barbershop” and the David Ortiz Shooting
With Saturday's walkoff victory by the Astros over the Yankees, the field is now set for the 2019 World Series starting on Tuesday night. While both teams are known for their pitching, the respective League Championship Series MVPs were position players. How do these two players compare over the 2019 regular season and in the…
A positive drug test is one of the worst things that can happen to an elite athlete. Use of performance-enhancing drugs will not only result in loss of earnings from inability to compete, but it will also brand the athlete as a cheater, permanently damaging their reputation. This means athletes will often provide very creative…
Continue reading ➞ What’s the Worst Excuse for a Positive PED Test?
Over one year after the strange spectacle at Miller Park when then-reliever Adrian Houser of the Milwaukee Brewers tossed fastballs and cookies TWO TIMES against the Philadelphia Phillies, it happened AGAIN in the Brewers' 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday. With two outs in the first inning, Houser failed to pick up a comebacker hit by…
Continue reading ➞ I Said There’s No Puking in Baseball, Godammit!
My first video blog is here (please excuse the noises from my canine "co-host")! I talk about the World Series hangover and its effects on Red Sox SP Chris Sale. https://youtu.be/J_RJQIubb28
As a distraction from the Cubs' poor play on Friday, I decided to ask my Twitter followers their opinion on the best pitcher out of some of MLB's active strikeout leaders. They overwhelmingly voted for Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals. https://twitter.com/farnorthsider/status/1155321987281108992 But is he really the best? Let's put this to the test by…
Continue reading ➞ Who’s Your Ace? Let’s Rank the Active Strikeout Leaders
In 2018, the Milwaukee Brewers, fueled by a 19-7 run in September and the efforts of eventual National League MVP Christian Yelich, surged past the Chicago Cubs to win the Central Division thanks to a victory in a Game 163 tiebreaker, going on to lose the National League Championship Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in…
The first half of the year is over, so let's check in on the status of PED suspensions throughout MiLB and MLB so far this year. This is an update on my previous edition posted this spring. MiLB Suspensions 1/25: Junior Harding, CIN P (Methylphenidate, 50 G) 1/25: Alex Schick, MIN P (Amphetamine, 50 G)…
Continue reading ➞ MiLB and MLB PED Suspension Rundown: 2019 All-Star Break
Former Chicago Cubs IF and 2016 World Series champion Tommy La Stella, now of the Los Angeles Angels, has been selected to the All-Star Team in 2019, his first career appearance. La Stella's breakout season and power bat have taken MLB by surprise since he had been a role player for the Cubs with only…
Continue reading ➞ Tommy La Stella is a First-Time All-Star!
Earlier this week, national baseball writer Jeff Passan published news that the Tampa Bay Rays had received permission to explore becoming a dual city team, playing half of their home games in Florida and half in Montreal, returning baseball to Montreal after a years-long absence. https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1141761834434871297 This news prompted many jokes about the team being…
Continue reading ➞ How Do Taxes Work for American Pro Athletes in Canada?