VOLUME:XLIX ... Dec 1, 2022
LATEST NEWS
COMMISSIONER NOTES:
APBA has delayed their release of the APBAGO cards until early December so we still don't know what hitter cards look like or pitching grades. In case you missed seeing it, the cards are scheduled for Jan 6th release and BBW disc on Jan 18th... Trading is rolling along at a pretty good clip. We've made 41 deals and last year at this time we had 23... I should say that I've updated the RCMBA Record Book Lifetime Stats but you probably have already noticed that. I can say that we are going into a third season with no manager changes. I think we all like that. I can also say how much I'm looking forward to seeing some of you at Lancaster this year after a forced two year break. Anyone watching World Cup? Sorry, never mind. That's about it for this month.
One more thing... I hope you, your family and your friends have a great, healthy and wonderful Christmas along with a Happy New Year.
... IMPORTANT DATES ...
- Jan 31 (Tue) 11pm EST: Cut down to 30 and end of draft pick trades
- Feb 3-5: Lancaster meeting
- Feb 4 (Sat) noon EST: Free Agent Draft
- Mar 31 (Fri) 11pm EST: Cut down to 36 and end of trading
- Apr 1 (Sat): Opening Day Season 49
THE SHOW
The Hall of Fame season is here. Coming up in early December is the "Contemporary Baseball Era" committee aka "The Good Ole' Boys Club" will soon tell us who among the rejects will be forced into the Hall in 2023. Albert Belle, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly, Fred McGriff, Dale Murphy, Rafael Palmeiro and Curt Schilling.
Belle, a man who forced the Orioles to pay him meal money on top of his millions of dollars salary when on the disabled list, for years. Bonds and Clemens who never failed a PED test and should have already been voted into the Hall. Mattingly, McGriff and Murphy who should be in the Hall of Very Good. Palmeiro "I never used illegal drugs" and busted for doing so. Then there is the douche bag Schilling. His claim to fame is painting blood on a sock, getting bailed out by Randy Johnson when he was about to blow a World Series, saying evolution is a myth, said it would be awesome to see some reporters hanged, equating Muslims to Nazi's, saying states should be allowed to fly the traitorous Confederate flag, moved from Massachusetts because "they aren't nice people" and said he didn't want to be on the regular Hall of Fame ballot because he doesn't repect baseball writers opinions. I bet the feeling is mutual.
The real Hall of Fame announcement will be coming up in January. That ballot has these players and who I'd vote for:
The impact of bigger bases: Increasing the size of bases from 15 inches to 18 inches was sold to us as a means to reduce injuries and perhaps to increase base-stealing. According to Baseball America, when this was tested in the minors, “the stolen base rate and success rate skyrocketed, but that had much more to do with the other rules tweaks than it had with the larger bases.” Regardless, the running distance from first base to second base (and second to third) was shorter by four and one half inches (or 11.43 centimeters for Blue Jays fans). Logic says that must have had some effect.
Units of measure can be abstract concepts without some real world examples. So for perspective and context, here are everyday items that are about 4.5 inches (11.43 cm) long:
- The diameter of a compact disc
- The longer side of a household sponge
- A can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup
- And here are things that are slightly longer than 4.5 inches:
- An uncapped Bic pen
- Two stacked baseballs
- A Pete Alonso bobble-head
So, is the length of a soup can enough to make a difference in stolen base attempts and successes? Will it help all runners equally? Will it increase the rate that runners attempt to steal? Or will baserunners whose SB success rate was on the fringes of acceptability get more of a boost? Chicken soup cures all ills, so it is said.