Cuban outfielder Ángel Scull died 21 years ago today. Vibes for days on this guy, absolutely love him. He was supposed to integrate the Senators (even got a Topps card!) but was injured in Spring Training and never made it. He had at least 3445 pro hits with 434 steals. darowski.com/outsider/scu...
I’m thrilled to share that I am officially working with McFarland & Company on a book (working title): “Salón de la Fama: Immortals from Latin America’s Baseball Halls of Fame.”
My baseball research journey over the last 20 years has been an evolution.
…
New from me:
I answered your Hall of Fame questions
Pettitte vs Bonds/Clemens
Hamels vs Felix
Rollins vs Abreu
Schilling, Whitaker & 3 more players we've whiffed on
The All One-Vote-for-the-HOF team
And lots more!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...
New Crush City Territory episode
- FanFest recap
- Connecting the dots in some trade speculation
- Carlos Correa's comments
- Cold
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/6u4j...
YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xIv...
Unless he opts out on his contract, the Miami Marlins will pay Giancarlo Stanton $5,000,000 in cash on these dates:
July 1, 2026
October 1, 2026
July 1, 2027
October 1, 2027
July 1, 2028
October 1, 2028
Most Home Runs In A Single MLB Season
(Minimum of 3 Games Pitched That Season):
55 - Shohei Ohtani (2025)
46 - Shohei Ohtani (2021)
44 - Shohei Ohtani (2023)
34 - Shohei Ohtani (2022)
29 - Babe Ruth (1919)
22 - Shohei Ohtani (2018)
Minneapolis is the capital of the U.S. right now. Random middle aged aunties on the ground there are showing more physical and moral courage in one volunteer shift than Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries have in their entire lives combined.
Snowed in and looking for something to watch?
The Sports Reference YouTube channel has everything from stories about the greatest MLB comebacks to behind-the-scenes looks at how your favorite stats sites operate!
Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/@sportsreference
my dog, piper, looking guilty af, but also contrite, and perhaps worthy of a second chance
took a picture of my dog that looks like a New Yorker profile about her getting her life back on track after she was cancelled for calling basset hounds "lazy" and "unnecessary"
¿Qué hace falta para llegar al HoF? ¿Estadísticas acumuladas, premios individuales, lealtad a una franquicia? José Ramírez, la superestrella de los Cleveland Guardians, está escribiendo una de las historias más extraordinarias y subestimadas del béisbol moderno.⚾ www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2AA...
Major free agents continue to attract strong interest. After Kyle Tucker’s signing with the Dodgers, Bo Bichette became a top target. Here, I analyze the Mets’ strategic gamble—an enticing or chaotic verdict, depending on expectations and key predictive metrics. yirsandy.substack.com/p/was-it-eno...
The risk is glaring: -32 DRS, -27 OAA career at SS. Mets will try him at 3B, a position he’s never played.
They’re not paying for a glove. They’re paying a superstar premium for a singular, volatile skill. High-reward. Monumental risk.
The Mets’ $126M question mark.
New York pivots hard from missing Tucker to landing Bo Bichette on a 3-year, $42M AAV deal. Opt-outs after years 1 & 2.
The profile is clear: elite pure contact (.294 career AVG, .311 in ‘25), patient ‘25 approach (14.5% K), and proven rebound ability.
So he'll be boring but consistent. I'll take it
🔥The Dodgers didn't need a long saga. They saw the best player available and signed him. This is what they do.
Tucker is among the top 3 OF in fWAR since 2021 (22.7), trailing only Judge & Soto.
🔓More in my new column. 📌Subscribe if you haven't already.👇
yirsandy.substack.com/p/the-big-hit
The Dodgers didn't just add an All-Star. They plugged a proven, top-3 positional asset into the middle of their order. The data has spoken for years. Now the league has to deal with it.
Soto's OBP is a superpower that almost single-handedly creates his value.
Judge exists on another planet. The gulf between 1 and 2 is as big as between 2 and 8.
13. Mookie Betts (13.9 fWAR): The WAR/162 here is still elite. His ranking is a function of games played, not decline.
The Takeaways:
Tucker's separation from the pack (3+ WAR over Julio) is massive and underscores his staggering consistency.
4. Julio Rodríguez (21.6 fWAR): The engine. Historic power/speed combo with durability. The floor is a star.
The "When Healthy" Superstars (Tier 2)
5. Ronald Acuña Jr. (19.4 fWAR): The 2023 MVP peak is the highest of anyone here. The 5-year WAR is just a calendar testament to injury.
The Franchise Pillars (Tier 1)
3. Kyle Tucker (22.7 fWAR): The new Dodger is the model of complete, consistent elite production. Power (127 HR), speed (96 SB), elite contact skills (14.6% K%), and plus defense. No weakness.
The Untouchables (Tier S)
Aaron Judge (33.9 fWAR): A statistical singularity. A 196 wRC+ is video game stuff. He laps the field.
Juan Soto (29.7 fWAR): The offensive foundation. An .418 OBP is his floor. A category of one...
The Elite Outfielder Tier System, Defined.
Looking at the Top 15 in fWAR over the last 5 seasons (2021-2025) reveals the clear, unassailable hierarchy of modern outfielders. Here’s what the data screams:
“I cannot wait to get to work,” new Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman said. “Hopefully, we win a lot of baseball games and build something really special for a long time together.”
Isaac Paredes' home run spray chart gets me every time
4/20/2023 <--- Cody Bellinger homered
4/20/2024 <--- Cody Bellinger homered
4/20/2025 <--- Cody Bellinger homered
