Cooperstown Honors Controversial But Colorful Broadcaster Joe Buck
ALSO: BETTER TO TRADE A GUY NOW THAN LOSE HIM FOR NOTHING
Pregame Pepper
Because they believe Harrison Bader violated his contract by riding a scooter that crashed and caused injury to his left foot, the Giants won’t pay his salary until he proves healthy — which may not be before next season, according to manager Tony Vitello . . .
Interim manager Don Mattingly was doing a fine (and calming) job steering the Philadelphia juggernaut until Bryce Harper popped off about the team needing more offense . . .
The Phils closed to within two games of the front-running Braves in the NL East before a team slump, coupled with an Atlanta surge right after the All-Star Game, widened the lead to eight through last night . . .
In the AL East, oft-injured Tampa Bay ace Shane McClanahan, 29, exited his last start after three innings with discomfort in his lower back — after missing the 2024-25 seasons following UCL surgery . . .
The Yankees are a different team without former MVPs Aaron Judge and Gioncarlo Stanton in their lineup . . .
The return of injured catcher Travis d’Arnaud made Logan O’Hoppe expendable, prompting his trade from the Angels to the Rangers . . .
With trades apparently imminent, Freddy Peralta (Mets) and Casey Mize (Tigers) were pulled from starts last night . . .
The last-place Mets have informed all other teams that 21 of their 26 rostered players can be had in trades . . .
If they only had pitching — especially in the pen — the heavy-hitting Washington Nationals could be much closer to the top of the NL East . . .
Talk about bad breaks — literally: on the day Curtis Mead played his first game for the Red Sox, he suffered a wrist fracture likely to idle him well into September . . .
With Harper ready, willing, and able to return to right field, the Phillies are trying to trade for a regular first baseman.
Leading Off
MLB Hall of Fame Welcomes Joe Buck, Super Villain
By Benjamin Chase
Last Saturday, July 25, the award winners of the Baseball Hall of Fame weekend were honored. Longtime National League President Bill White was recognized with the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award while the BBWAA Career Excellence Award went to Paul Hoynes, longtime Cleveland baseball beat writer. The Hall also recognized Rick Monday on the 50th anniversary of his “rescue” of a flag that was being lit on fire on the field during a Dodgers game.
Finally, on Saturday, the Hall of Fame recognized Joe Buck with the Ford C. Frick Award. The award is given annually to a broadcaster who has made “major contributions to baseball.”
The award is named after a former MLB commissioner who was also known for being Babe Ruth’s ghostwriter in the 1920s.
The first recipients of the award, created in 1978, were Mel Allen and Red Barber. Such luminaries as Ernie Harwell, Vin Scully, Jack Buck, Harry Caray, Harry Kalas, Bob Uecker, Jon Miller, Dick Enberg, Bob Costas, and many, many more have been recognized in the past.
Certainly, the Hall of Fame was mistaken to select Joe Buck to join such a prestigious crowd. A guy who only got his job because of his famous father, Joe Buck, his primary sports impact is calling football. Joe Buck seemngly hates every team.
That guy was honored at the Hall of Fame?!
Of course he was, and quite bluntly, his speech was one of the highlights of the weekend.
Buck’s Baseball Merits
Yes, Jack Buck is one of the all-time legendary sports announcers. In his generation, only possibly Chip Caray (interestingly now doing play-by-play for the same Cardinals that Joe grew up cheering for and eventually covered) had more family lineage that likely led to advantages and jobs in the industry.
Joe recognizes that, and he has explained in multiple interviews, in his book (a great read, by the way) and during his speech on Saturday that the education he received as “Jack’s son” was invaluable to his ability to do what he has done for nearly 40 years.
Buck began his play-by-play career in the minor leagues, calling Triple-A Louisville games. He was bumped up to the big leagues with the Cardinals in 1991 and he worked for the Cardinals through the first few years of his time as the national play-by-play voice for Fox Sports. But he left that position in 2008.
Buck was hired in 1996 as the lead play-by-play guy for Fox, teaming with Tim McCarver, a former boothmate of his father. In his time with Fox, Buck was able to be the man at the mic for multiple huge baseball moments:
- Sept. 8, 1998, when Mark McGwire hit his 62nd home run to break Roger Maris’ single-season record. Buck’s famous line, “Touch first, Mark, you are the new single-season home run king!”
- The end of three World Series droughts: with the 2004 Red Sox, 2005 White Sox and 2016 Cubs.
- A total of 24 World Series and 22 All-Star Games, the most of any play-by-play announcer on network television.
Buck left baseball in 2021 and in his speech, he cited his reason why. During his first marriage, which ended in 2011, Buck was working as the lead play-by-play guy nearly year-round while his two daughters grew up. After remarrying in 2014, he had twin sons, and he discussed his desire to be more present in their lives as a father.
On top of his regular chops as a play-by-play guy, Buck has appeared in multiple timeless commercials and even poked fun at himself on the short-lived baseball announcer comedy Brockmire.
Certainly, the title of his autobiography, Lucky Bastard, is apt, but Buck is also a guy who left an indelible mark on the game, and for that he was rightly recognized in Cooperstown.
Ben Chase is a co-director of the IBWAA, which produces Here’s the Pitch, and a former editor of the newsletter.
Cleaning Up
Expiring Contracts Grease Skids to Exit Ramp
By Dan Schlossberg
Baseball wisdom suggests it’s best to trade a player before he waltzes into free agency and brings no return.
That’s why it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the myriad of men with expiring contracts — from Tarik Skubal to Luis (Line Drive) Arraez.
Skubal, 29, has won consecutive American League Cy Young awards but missed time this season with a minor elbow procedure. He’s due $9.5 million from the Aug. 3 deadline to the end of the season but even the normally-frugal Milwaukee Brewers said they’ll assume that financial burden.
The toothless Tigers are also likely to pare the payroll further, unloading No. 2 starter Casey Mize, a right-hander on an expiring $6.15 million salary. Despite groin issues, he’s having the best year of his career.
Both Mize and Mets pitcher Freddy Peralta were pulled from planned Friday night starts in order to protect them from potential injury — and hurt their trade value.
Peralta earns $8 million but has pitched poorly this year, thanks to the defensive ineptitude of his teammates. He was among the National League’s top five Cy Young Award finishers last season, when he worked for the Milwaukee Brewers.
It’s worth noting that Peralta was already traded once because of his contract status and now it could happen again less than a year later.
Another cellar-dweller with pitching to sell, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are getting calls about Jose Soriano, the American League’s Pitcher of the Month in April, and Reid Detmers, one of a handful of active hurlers whose resume includes a no-hitter. The hard-throwing Soriano, a ground ball specialist with a hard sinker, came through in a timely fashion, doing his best work in the month of July.
The best available closers are Mason Miller (Padres) and Aroldis Chapman (Red Sox). The former not only has the best velocity of any reliever but also is arbitration-controlled through 2029. Chapman, who throws almost as hard despite his age, has an expiring pact that may be too rich for the Red Sox despite their recent resurrection in the title race.
A middle reliever with several suitors is San Diego’s Adrián Morejón, coveted by Atlanta since the unexplained injury to Robert Suarez.
Among other potential pitchers on the trading bloc are lefty Foster Griffin, Washington’s sudden star starter, and fellow southpaw Robbie Ray, a former Cy Young Award winner who now works for San Francisco.
Griffin, 31, is a control artist who pitched in Japan last year, while Ray will earn $7.4 million for the rest of the season no matter where he lands. He’s been on a roll for the last two months.
The Giants could also move Arraez, a versatile contact hitter; double-play partner Willy Adames; and third baseman Matt Chapman. The Atlanta Braves might take all three if they’re willing to sacrifice incumbent third baseman Austin Riley, the highest-paid player in team history, plus a couple of arms. Arraez would be a far better DH than journeyman Dom Smith.
The top catcher on the market is Ryan Jeffers, whose expiring pact called for $6.7 million. The Yankees love his bat.
Look for lots of surprises before the door slams shut on the 2026 trade deadline at 6 p.m. EDT Monday. It happens every year.
HtP weekend editor Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ loves the trade deadline. But he liked it better before a plethora of weak teams with eyes on playoff spots decided standing pat was better than building for future contention. Dan’s email is ballauthor@gmail.com.
Extra Innings
They don’t call them “cardboard gold” for nothing; a Shohei Ohtani 2026 Topps Chrome Dual Gold Logoman autograph card found by collector Matthew Allen in Florida sold for $11 million, a record for modern baseball cards . . .
After missing the world championship by an eyelash last October, the Toronto Blue Jays are expected to be active traders this year, with Kevin Gausman and George Springer among players who could be moved . . .
Toronto, last in the American League East, has been handicapped by an underwhelming offense all season . . .
Colorado could bring in a haul for homer-hitting catcher Hunter Goodman, an All-Star backup this season . . .
The deal that sent A.J. Minter to Minnesota brought the Mets a familiar name: Bruin Agbayani, like father Benny a lefty hitter with pop.
Know Your Editors
Here’s the Pitch is published daily except Sundays and holidays. Benjamin Chase [gopherben@gmail.com] handles the Monday issue with Dan Freedman [dfreedman@lionsgate.com] editing Tuesday and Jeff Kallman [easyace1955@outlook.com] at the helm Wednesday and Thursday. Original editor Dan Schlossberg [ballauthor@gmail.com], does the weekend editions on Friday and Saturday. Former editor Elizabeth Muratore [nymfan97@gmail.com] is now co-director [with Benjamin Chase and Jonathan Becker] of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, which publishes this newsletter and the annual ACTA book of the same name. Readers are encouraged to contribute comments, articles, and letters to the editor. HtP reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, and good taste.