Did you see this?
It's the Sunday tradition that's sweeping America, a look at some of the best and most interesting things I saw over the last week.
QUICK! BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE
Today’s your last chance to vote in our latest VIEW FROM THE BLEACHERS poll. We’re looking for your thoughts on the Marlins’ season to date and what lies ahead the rest of the way. Also, now that we’re more than half-way through the season, our VFTB panel of experts wants to hear your opinion of the MLB rule changes.
NO IFS, ANDS OR BUNTS
If Monday’s night’s All-Star Home Run Derby isn’t your thing, maybe you’d prefer the Korean Baseball Organization’s 2012 Bunt Derby.
The Athletic took a behind-the-scenes look at how Jorge Mas and Inter Miami attracted Lionel Messi to South Florida and the MLS. Reading the story, I couldn’t help but think about what the Marlins might have accomplished over the last 6 years, and where they might be today, had the aggressive and determined Mas been successful in his bid to buy the team in 2017.
As I’ve explained previously, Rob Manfred wanted the Marlins sold to whatever ownership group included Derek Jeter. Jeter demanded 100 percent control of the operation. Mas would not make that commitment; Bruce Sherman did. If he were being honest, even Sherman would have to admit Mas made the right call.
Since being denied the Marlins, Mas has founded an MLS franchise, has a 100 percent privately funded state-of-the-art stadium on the way and has now signed the greatest player in the history of the sport to a deal that has the potential to transform the future of soccer in the United States.
But Inter Miami doesn’t wear teal pinstripes on Friday nights.
FEELING A DRAFT
MLB.com provides a look inside last week’s MLB Draft. 13 players were selected off of LSU’s National Championship club. The Rangers didn’t draft an infielder, while the Pirates and Brewers didn’t select a single outfielder in the 20-round draft.
Could Virginia high schooler Bryce Eldridge be baseball’s next 2-way star? (Video and audio courtesy of Calvin Kaplan).
WHO ARE YOU WEARING?
MLB announced the 10 most popular player jerseys sold in the first half of the 2023 season, and, Shohei Ohtani was not #1.
LET’S SLOW THINGS DOWN A BIT
Player’s Association chief Tony Clark has asked Commissioner Rob Manfred to change the pitch clock rules for the postseason, giving pitchers more time.
If someone can prove the pitch clock has led to pitcher injuries, as some have suggested, I’d be supportive of permanent change. Otherwise, I see no reason to change something that seems to have been a huge success for the Game.
Does the NBA extend the shot clock in the playoffs? Does the NFL adjust the play clock? I get it. Some pitchers might want another few seconds to slow things down, to consider what they’d like to do next in a big spot in the postseason. But wouldn’t Patrick Mahomes?
MODEL FRANCHISE
Have we mentioned the Braves aren’t going away any time soon?
THEIR LUCK HAS SHIFTED
Mike Petriello looks at what major leaguers have gained and lost the most from the newly imposed shift restrictions in 2023.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Reaching 10 years of major league service is a significant accomplishment, and there is a celebration in big league clubhouses any time a player achieves that feat, which has been attained by fewer than 10 percent of the players who’ve played in the majors all-time.
In Milwaukee, the Brewers saluted former Marlin Christian Yelich, who hit the 10-year milestone this week.
I remember Yeli’s first big league game, at Coors Field, like it was yesterday. He left the ballpark that night having joined his manager, Mike Redmond, and his teammate, Giancarlo Stanton, as the 3rd player in Marlins history to record 3 hits in his big league debut. But the next day, his 3rd hit was changed to an error charged to Rockies second baseman D.J. LeMahieu.
WORLD TRAVELERS
In addition to opening the season with the Padres and Dodgers in Seoul, South Korea as announced this past week, MLB will play regular season games in London and Mexico City as well as exhibitions in Santo Domingo, DR in 2024.
I wrote about the globalization of Baseball in April.
ICYMI
This past week on VIEW FROM THE BLEACHERS…
We broke down which teams are getting the most bang for their buck in 2023.
We took a look around Major League Baseball at the All-Star Break.
The AL and NL league-specific uniforms at Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Seattle were a stain on a jewel event and a slap in the face to one of the Game’s traditions.
With the MLB draft completed last week, we shared some Marlins-themed historical draft information.
While you’re here…
Learn more about one-on-one play-by-play coaching from Glenn Geffner via Zoom at glenngeffner.com.
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