Justing Verlander comes oh-so-close to a no-hitter

The Pittsburgh Pirates have just broken up a no-hitter bid by Justin Verlander, who held the Buccos hitless for 8 and 1/3 innings tonight. A solid hit up the middle by Josh Harrison broke the spell. Verlander was able to wrap up the game and finish a one-hitter as the Detroit Tigers won easily, 6-0. […]

Another magic night in Baltimore: Josh Hamilton clouts four home runs

When I heard last night that Josh Hamilton had hit four home runs in Baltimore, the Cleveland Indians genetic coding in my brain lit up. It was in Baltimore back on June 10, 1959, when Rocky Colavito knocked out four homers against the Orioles at old Memorial Stadium. Hamilton homered twice, doubled, then homered twice more […]

Getting the number right on the uniform

Something’s been bugging me this season about the San Francisco Giants, and I finally figured it out while watching the game tonight. Brandon Crawford wears No. 35, and that’s wrong for a shortstop. A shortstop ought to have a number in the teens or single digits. The mid-30s? No. Give that to an outfielder or […]

A great night with the Modesto Nuts

I caught my first ball game of the year at John Thurman Field in Modesto, watching the hometown Nuts defeat the Stockton Ports 4-0. It was a special night, hanging out with a couple of buddies from work and getting an unexpected tribute from the ball club. Before the game along the concourse I came […]

Gomer Hodge and other forgotten baseball heroes of Opening Day

Opening Day in baseball always brings up memories for me, most of them taking me back to the finger-stinging cold that usually accompanied an Indians opener on the shore of Lake Erie. And somehow this week popped into mind Gomer Hodge, a utility infielder who was the toast of Cleveland in April 1971. Keep in […]

My National League West prediction for the 2012 season

With a heaping helping of faith and wishful thinking, I’m picking the San Francisco Giants to win the National League West this year. Even as I typed that sentence, the nagging voice in my head was saying, “What about the Diamondbacks?” The pick comes down to arms versus bats, and the Giants have the better […]

Paving the way for women sports writers in the locker room

The Baseball Hall of Fame saluted a pioneering female sports reporter the other day in noting that a couple of her press passes from the late 1970s will be on display in a new exhibit on women in baseball. The reporter was Melissa Ludtke, who was writing for Sports Illustrated during the 1977 World Series […]

A great day for the Irish (baseball player)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone, and the top o’ the inning to you. I’m heading to the California gold country today, where I’ll be out of cell phone range much of the day. So no listening to baseball via my MLB app. I have to content myself with starting my day by taking a quick […]

Hank Aaron to be Marquette University’s graduation speaker

Via an alumni newsletter I learned today that Hank Aaron will be the commencement speaker at Marquette University on May 20. Aaron is a wonderful choice for the Milwaukee campus, which this time of year is preoccupied with basketball. Aaron spent much of his Hall-of-Fame career in Milwaukee with the Braves and even returned there for the […]

Not to blaspheme against spring training, but I’m still waiting for the real baseball season

The sun was shining and baseball was on the radio again this weekend, and that’s marvelous. But it’s not the real thing. I listened to bits of a couple of games, and I enjoyed hearing the sounds of the ballpark again: the crack of the bat (yes, the Giants got some hits!), the banter of […]