Did you see this?
Our weekly look at some of the best and most interesting things I've seen over the last 7 days
Don’t forget, today’s your last chance to vote in our latest VFTB poll, 10 questions to take the temperature of Marlins Nation at the start of Spring Training.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming…
MEMORABLE DEBUT
One of the great moments of the opening weekend of the College Baseball season was Friday night’s collegiate debut of Parker Byrd. The East Carolina University infielder, who lost his right leg in a boating accident 19 months ago, became the first player with a prosthetic leg to ever appear in a Division I baseball game. Entering the game as a pinch hitter in ECU’s opening night victory over Rider, he received an extended standing ovation before drawing a walk.
Among those who took notice of Byrd’s debut was 10-year major league veteran Jim Abbott, who—despite being born without a right hand—appeared in 263 games, earned 87 wins, worked nearly 1,700 innings and threw a no-hitter while pitching for 4 clubs, primarily the Angels and Yankees, between 1989 and 1999.
HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT
Also of note in the world of College Baseball, Sacramento State outfielder Matt Masciangelo had 8 plate appearances in a Friday doubleheader against Loyola Marymount, and he was hit by pitch 7 times.
Masciangelo left the 2nd game of the doubleheader for a defensive replacement in the 9th inning, and when his replacement Brett Ott came to the plate in the 10th inning…he was hit by a pitch.
LMU pitchers hit 11 Sac State Hornets in the 2 games.
FASHION FAUX PAS
As The Athletic’s Stephen J. Nesbitt wrote, many players around the major leagues have spent the early days of Spring Training criticizing “the poor fit, cheap look, inconsistent quality and small lettering” on new uniforms, designed by Nike and manufactured by Fanatics.
After seeing his new jersey Angels outfielder Taylor Ward said, “It looks like a replica.”
The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner hit a grand slam with his assessment of MLB’s “fashion flop.”
LESSONS LEARNED
Bob Nightengale of USA Today writes that the Padres learned valuable lessons from last year’s disastrous and disappointing season.
THAT’S NASTY
MLB.com’s David Adler identifies the nastiest pitch on each big league club’s pitching staff.
WHO’S IN CHARGE?
The Athletic’s Zach Meisel wrote about the road traveled by Guardians rookie manager Stephen Vogt, who played his final big league game in 2022 and this season replaces future Hall of Famer Terry Francona in the Cleveland dugout.
A 2-time All-Star, Vogt played 10 big league seasons with 6 clubs and was known as a tremendous clubhouse leader and also as one of the game’s funniest players. His humor is on display in this 2015 appearance on MLB Network’s Intentional Talk.
TALK THE TALK
Want to talk like a scout? Tess Taruskin of Fangraphs wrote a terrific visual scouting primer, explaining some of the terminology scouts use to describe what they see when watching pitchers.
AN UNCOMFORTABLE UNION
I wrote in August about Stephen Strasburg’s 7-year, $245 million contract with the Nationals proving to be the worst deal handed out in major league history.
Derailed by a laundry list of injuries, the 3-time All-Star and 2019 World Series MVP has gone 1-4 with a 6.89 ERA in 31 1 /3 innings over the last 4 seasons since signing the deal shortly after leading the Nationals to their first World Series title. He’s thrown a total of 528 pitches, not one in 2023.
He’ll never pitch in another big league game, and yet the Nats still owe him more than $100 million.
Last summer, the 35-year-old appeared on the verge of coming to agreement with the club on terms of his retirement. The Nats’ expectation was he’d agree to forego some of what he’s owed between now and 2026. But when that deal fell apart, the Nats—as is their right—decided to play hardball. If they were going to have to pay Strasburg, he’d have to show up.
And that brings us to this spring, when the team is expecting Strasburg to report to West Palm Beach for Spring Training even though he will not a participant. If they’re going to have to honor the contract and pay him, they expect him to honor the deal and show up.
MASN.com’s Mark Zuckerman wrote about the incredibly awkward situation.
ICYMI
In case you didn’t check out VFTB daily, here’s what you missed this past week:
Today’s your last chance to vote in our highly scientific 10-question VFTB poll, taking the temperature of Marlins Nation during the opening days of Spring Training.
On Valentine’s Day, I wrote a very personal Baseball love story.
While you’re here…
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Learn more about one-on-one play-by-play coaching from Glenn Geffner via Zoom at glenngeffner.com.
