Did you see this?
Our weekly look at some of the best and most interesting things I've seen over the last 7 days
TicketRev is the presenting sponsor of VIEW FROM THE BLEACHERS. Click to learn more, and download the TicketRev app on the App Store and Google Play to save on tickets to see the Dolphins, the Canes, Inter Miami and the rest of the games and concerts you don’t want to miss.
NEW YORK MESS
The Athletic did a deep dive into how the $445 million Mets crashed and burned in 2023.
“SMART, EFFICIENT AND LACKLUSTER”
They’ve collapsed down the stretch, but the San Francisco Giants were in the thick of the National League Wild Card race for nearly the entire season. “If this is the future of baseball, I want no part of it,” writes Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci.
IS MLB COURTING DANGER?
In an important off-field story to keep an eye on, Evan Drellich of The Athletic asks if the Supreme Court may have a say on the future of Major League Baseball’s anti-trust expemption.
MAKING A LOT OUT OF A LITTLE
ESPN.com asks how good you can be with a sub-.200 batting average. The Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber is batting just .198, but he’s slammed 45 homers, knocked in 100, scored 105 runs and posted an .817 OPS.
I THINK HE WAS EXCITED
A home run celebration that might even make Jazz Chisholm blush.
CHANGE IN PLANS
Imagine going to the ballpark expecting to see a match-up of a couple of first-ballot Hall of Famers on the mound and having to settle for this (from September 7, 2008).
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Jay Jaffe of Fangraphs broke down how much impact rookies have made on every major league roster in 2023. Unsurprisingly, the Reds top the list.
Have a question for my next “Hey, Geff!” Mailbag? Submit it to me directly on the VIEW FROM THE BLEACHERS page on GlennGeffner.com.
ICYMI
In case you didn’t check out VFTB daily, here’s what you missed this past week:
***THE WEEK’S TOP READ***
***THE WEEK’S MOST-SHARED READ***
While you’re here…
Interested in advertising on VIEW FROM THE BLEACHERS? Contact me here to learn about opportunities to promote your business on a daily or weekly basis.
Learn more about one-on-one play-by-play coaching from Glenn Geffner via Zoom at glenngeffner.com.
Your feedback is always appreciated. Hit the “LIKE” button below if you enjoyed this post.
Speaking of bat flips and subsequent home run trots, I loved Tommy Hutton's "be professional" admonition to Ozuna dancing around the bases after a HR with the Marlins whomping his Braves 15-1. As for me, I think Ozuna and all the other dancing fools (Acuña comes to mind first) deserve sore ribs. They would have them with certain fearless pitchers, too. Those pitchers, we know who they are/were, are needed before baseball ends up with line dances at the plate after a HR. Oops, baby boomer talk in the house. I don't care. I am tired of the incessant demands to change baseball into the freaking XFL.
Verducci's "mutual fund if a baseball team" is funny. I also agree that the Giants tried hard to spend big money. However, they might have the last laugh by avoiding the horrendous long-term megadeals so many other teams are rueing. In fact, with Crawford and maybe Pederson gone next year, and a year left with Conforto (meh), I think they are poised for significant upgrades over the next couple of years. Attendance? No reason to worry because a resurgence will turn the spigot back in as sure as the sun shines. Verducci isn't wrong about the boring character of the team, but the playoff dearth happens to many teams. Forgot about the ridiculous 2020 episode - disgraceful. The Giants will offer Ohtani a huge deal, I wager, and although the FA position player class is otherwise thin, the Japanese star isn't their only target.