Emma Baccellieri – Sports Illustrated: The little nuances that go into the game of baseball never cease to amaze me. That somehow only mud gathered from an unknown location along the Delaware River can give the baseball the grip that pitchers want is one such nuance. It’s not surprising then that after years of using this magic mud Major League Baseball is now trying to replace said mud with a lab concoction. There’s no reason to other than it may save MLB a few dollars and give them even more control over the baseballs they use. It’s a minor issue really, but I’d prefer if the little guy wins this battle and the magic mud stays on the baseballs for as long as the game is played.
Gabrielle – Girl at the Game: I’ll never get off this soapbox until MLB and Minor League Baseball makes extended netting in every stadium a reality. There’s no reason not to do it, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is a coward for saying it’s an individual club issue. How many more people need to get hurt or die before the nets are extended? Apparently, that answer is a lot, and thus I’ll keep highlighting articles that attack the issue because someone needs to hold MLB, MiLB, Manfred, and any baseball league that doesn’t have extended netting accountable for the harm they are allowing to occur.
Cody Stavenhagen – The Athletic ($): Baseball is a game with rich history and tradition. In the case of MLB and most affiliated leagues that history has been accurately kept throughout the years. There may be some gaps and missing pieces, but it’s still relatively all present and accounted for. The same can’t be said for unaffiliated ball, especially the Negro Leagues. Hamtramck Stadium in Detroit is a vital part of baseball’s history, and though it was neglected for years it’s in the process of being saved. I plan on visiting next year, seeing where the great Detroit Stars and Detroit Wolves players took the field is important to me. Whether people donate to the cause or not, the fight to restore this important piece of baseball history needs to be heard by all.
Lead photo courtesy of Jessica J. Trevino – Detroit Free Press
