THE 2026 BASEBALL SEASON

[samhexum]

Harrison Bader, who absolutely NEVER gets hurt, crashed his scooter the day before he was to fly to a foot specialist regarding his plantar fasciitis, but he now has additional injuries to that foot.

[samhexum]

Baseball is good for one or two of these every year: In the middle of a game, some unsuspecting animal — usually a cat, but we’ve seen pigeons, snakes, geese, rabbits and even bees — causes play to screech to a halt.

You can’t blame the animals, who categorically do not comprehend even the simplest of baseball rules. They are innocent wanderers, out on a normal curiosity walk, and all of a sudden, here come a bunch of humans with towels and mitts, doing their best to restore order without injuring an animal on live television.

That was the task at hand for the Tigers grounds crew last night as they tried to evict a squirrel at Comerica Park.

Tigers play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti was absolutely up for the challenge of calling the squirrel’s action, including improvisations such as: “Hemmed in? NO! I won’t be hemmed in! I have freedom on my mind!” and “The force field is activated! Towels can’t stop him!”

The commentary highlights a video so weird it defies description. Watch Leody Taveras, surrounded by crew members in various states of discombobulation, use his glove to … flip the squirrel toward the stands?

“I just was trying to stop it. When it got into my glove, I don’t want to squeeze it, so I was just trying to bring it up. I wasn’t trying to do that,” Taveras told MLB.com reporter Jake Rill after the game, explaining the flip.

The squirrel was fine, by the way. They routinely jump from much higher heights, and for further evidence, it showed absolutely no ill effects as it proceeded to elude the crew.

Even stranger, after the interloper was apprehended, umpire Bill Miller used his field microphone to encourage Tigers fans to give the grounds crew a round of applause.

You can see their whole attempt in a video here (you owe this to yourself): 

https://x.com/JomboyMedia/status/2081910904602411420?s=20

[samhexum]

How will Mr. El-Moussa deal with being the second most famous Tarik in L.A.?

[samhexum]

Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing has a partial tear of the UCL in his right elbow, The second-year backstop landed on the 10-day injured list yesterday with what the team initially called elbow inflammation.

Rushing will continue to hit but is being shut down from throwing. That could last as long as 4-6 weeks and potentially threaten his ability to throw for the remainder of the season. Catching suddenly looks like a significant question mark for them with Will Smith on the 60-day injured list with a lingering neck issue, though he has resumed baseball activities
 

[samhexum]

The two most valuable players in baseball this season went at it...

Ohtani, who led off the game with a homer, just hit a two run shot to cap a five run eighth to bring LA within 7-6

Fortunately, PCA, who led off the bottom of the first with a homer, also had a 3 run shot (and a double) and the cubs held on.

PCA suddenly began taking A LOT of walks a couple of months ago and is looking like the superstar he appeared to be the first half of last season.  They signed him to an extension after the second half swoon that now looks like a mega bargain.

If Atlanta wins tonight they tie the Dodgers for the second best record, so the Dodgers MIGHT not get a first round bye.

[samhexum]

Last night, Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a fly ball to the wall in left-center field. Marlins outfielders Heriberto Hernández and Esteury Ruiz converged at the landing point, and …

This one was also ruled a home run in real time, and will probably stay that way, because who would you charge the error to? It hit both gloves! 

[samhexum]

World Series game 7 scheduled for Halloween.  Maybe the Yankees can go trick or treating dressed as competent major league hitters 

[samhexum]

email from brother in law:

Last nights final Jeopardy question.  No one got it right:
 

ME:  Tripping ...  so easy

My Sister:  The Jeopardy answer is easy for you. The nerds on Jeopardy have no idea about anything related to sports. That becomes a reality every time they have sports questions. 

Edited August 11 by samhexum
not for any reason in particular, just something to do on a lazy Tuesday afternoon…

[samhexum]

National League MVP PCA started tonight's game versus the White Sox with a lead off home run, and he just ended it with a walk off home run in the bottom of the 10th.

He also had a single and a double and his 31st stolen base earlier in the game.  The second Homerun was his 30th of the year, giving him a second straight 30/30 season.  And his defensive numbers are not just the best in the game this year they are among the best since Statcast started tracking those things.  He is 24.

The Mets need to go back in time and retroactively kill the person who made that trade.   Although their outfield is looking pretty good for the rest of the decade, it would look a heck of a lot better with Soto DHing and Ewing playing left.

Edited August 18 by samhexum
to maintain the incredibly high standards he has established here

[BuffaloKyle]

At least the Mets have Carson Benge who's killing it:

 

Edited August 18 by BuffaloKyle

[samhexum]

Gerrit Cole threw first pitch strikes to 22 of 23 batters he faced.  That's gotta be close to a record.

[samhexum]

Seattle SP Bryce Miller accomplished something yesterday that hadn't been done in 136 year.  He lost a second straight start by at least 17 runs.

Edited August 24 by samhexum
boredom

[samhexum]

Surprising stat of the day...

Since May 1, the top three wRC+ are PCA (who just hit #40 to pull within one of Schwarber), Yordan Alvarez (who it feels like hasn't homered since Memorial Day), and Rafael Devers (who was one of the worst offensive players through April 30).

It's crazy that PCA really has to step it up with his stolen bases if he's going to get 40/40.  I believe he has 33.

Edited September 6 by samhexum
because he had to say: Yordan goes yard! I am rooting for him to win the triple crown

[samhexum]

On 9/6/2026 at 3:06 PM, samhexum said:

It's crazy that PCA really has to step it up with his stolen bases if he's going to get 40/40.  I believe he has 33.

Got 34 & 35 today 

[Becket]

On 8/5/2026 at 4:46 PM, samhexum said:

The two most valuable players in baseball this season went at it...

Ohtani, who led off the game with a homer, just hit a two run shot to cap a five run eighth to bring LA within 7-6

Fortunately, PCA, who led off the bottom of the first with a homer, also had a 3 run shot (and a double) and the cubs held on.

PCA suddenly began taking A LOT of walks a couple of months ago and is looking like the superstar he appeared to be the first half of last season.  They signed him to an extension after the second half swoon that now looks like a mega bargain.

If Atlanta wins tonight they tie the Dodgers for the second best record, so the Dodgers MIGHT not get a first round bye.

Damn, PCA is a cutie.

[samhexum]

2 hours ago, Becket said:

Damn, PCA is a cutie.

He should try 80s hair like his mama had before he was born 

Edited September 8 by samhexum
boredom... a general feeling of ennui... who knows why? and who REALLY cares?

[Becket]

8 hours ago, samhexum said:

He should try 80s hair like his mama had before he was born 

so his mama was on a show called "PROBE." Is it irony to suggest that THAT is the exact thing I would enjoy doing with her son. 😁

[samhexum]

TAKE ME OUT AT THE BALLGAME...

The South Bronx is dealing with a breakout of Legionnaires’ disease that has infected eight and killed one New Yorker, and the Yankee Stadium cooling tower appears to be one of the possible sources. Ten different towers have tested positive for Legionella bacteria, and the City has ordered all of them to be cleaned and sanitized by Monday morning. Hopefully this will be enough to quell this outbreak, and nobody else will be at risk of being sick.

[samhexum]

Is it sacrilege to say that I have read enough things about goofy Peyton Tolle that I kinda like him?  He pitched an immaculate inning to start the game yesterday or Saturday) and had the biggest smile on his face before he threw the last pitch.

Two starts ago he did a push up on the mound and the one before that he hugged the runner when he fielded an easy comebacker and had to make a tag.

[samhexum]

On 9/6/2026 at 3:06 PM, samhexum said:

It's crazy that PCA really has to step it up with his stolen bases if he's going to get 40/40.  I believe he has 33.

42/37 with 11 games left.  

[samhexum]

Athletics prospect Ryan Lasko, an outfielder for the Double-A Midland Rockhounds who was paralyzed in a collision with a teammate in late June, was discharged from an inpatient rehab facility on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports. Lasko, 24, came to the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey in mid-July and will continue his recuperation at home.

On June 30, Lasko and teammate Devin Taylor collided after both dove for a ball hit into the outfield. Taylor quickly rose and continued the play as Lasko lay motionless on the field. Lasko was taken off the field on a stretcher and transported to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, where he underwent spinal decompression and stabilization surgery resulting from a C6-C7 vertebra fracture, the Athletics announced at the time.

According to the AP report, Lasko is paralyzed from the chest down with both arms impacted. However, he has regained some feeling in his legs.

“It’s gone by quick, but it’s also been the longest two months of my life,” Lasko told the AP. “They keep telling me that it’s only the beginning, so that’s where I’m trying to learn to have patience, because I expected it would happen overnight, and that’s really not how it works whatsoever. But I’m learning, slowly, it’s a very slow process with everything.”

Lasko is listed as the Athletics’ No. 18 prospect. He had 53 hits, 34 RBIs and 36 runs with a slash line of .209/.275/.360 in 253 at-bats this season before his injury. He was invited to the Athletics’ spring training on Jan. 28 but was later assigned to Double-A Midland. He reached Triple-A Las Vegas last season.

[samhexum]

On 9/15/2026 at 12:42 AM, samhexum said:

42/37 with 11 games left.  

Four plate appearances tonight and no stolen bases.  Just his eighth triple, homers 43 & 44, and a walk.  

MVP! MVP! MVP!

ADDED LATER:  The bum struck out with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth.  

Edited Thursday at 02:11 AM by samhexum
but there was absolutely no rhyme or reason as to why