The club’s sudden and unexpected upturn is a serious threat to American League powerhouses, and confirmation of one man’s skillsBilly Beane, the executive VP of baseball operations and resident mad scientist of the Oakland Athletics, is back disrupting American League powerhouses, safely ensconced beneath 50 feet of crap. After four losing seasons the ballyhooed Beane, made famous around the globe thanks to his portrayal in Moneyball, has his A’s on the brink of bringing Hollywood storylines back to the Bay Area. And only now, after nearly two months of piling up victories, is the baseball world finally taking notice. Related: 'It was intentional': Braves and Marlins brawl after Urena hits Acuna with 97mph fastball Chaptain America has a PSA for...
David Lengel puts MLB’s 30 local telecasts to the test as he takes a tour round baseball’s broadcast boothsWith baseball’s lengthy regular season stretching from April to October, it’s not uncommon for fans to have the game on every night. Naturally, with 162 games, the broadcasters themselves become an enormous part of the fan experience.The hyper-local model which defines Major League Baseball also means that most fans have little idea what other local broadcasts are like outside their baseball bubble. Luckily MLB Advanced Media are the owners of what is probably the most comprehensive live streaming service on the planet, and I took a tour of all 30 commentary teams. Related: What's wrong with the Cubs? A backslide to mediocrity...
Kansas City drafted two hall of famers in the 1979 MLB draft. They just happened to excel in a different sportThe 1979 Major League Baseball Draft was not particularly prosperous for the Kansas City Royals. They did not find their next great shortstop or big first baseman. Their top choice was a pitcher named Atlee Hammaker whose best years were as a San Francisco Giant. Most of their other picks were young men who would never breathe the air of a big league clubhouse.And then there were those two Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Related: The forgotten story of ... pushball, a game for giants that bewitched Britain Related: The forgotten story of … Muammar Gaddafi's German ice hockey team Continue...
MLB experienced both celebratory and tragic goodbyes this week with the retirement of legendary broadcaster Vin Scully and the death of pitcher José Fernández. Plus, a review of Major League Baseball’s have notsOn Friday night in Los Angeles, I sat next to my father inside Dodger Stadium. My dad, Mike Lengel, is a 75-year-old lifelong fan of the Dodgers, who grew up in New York city watching Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider and the team of his childhood play in Brooklyn: until that night, he had never been been to LA or visited Dodger Stadium, where the team landed after leaving in 1957. Related: José Fernández: a smiling star whose death leaves baseball bereft Continue reading...