Baseball Stadium A Fine Wintry Fling
ALSO: BRAVES YIELDED FUTURE HALL OF FAMER FOR J.D. DREW
THE FIRST 2026 BASEBALL BOOK — CLICK HERE TO ORDER:
https://actapublications.com/here-s-the-pitch-2026
SABR Analytics Research Awards voting is open through February 6! Vote for your favorite analytical baseball research and commentary from 2025. Everyone is welcome to vote to determine the winners. You can vote each day at ibwaa.com/sabr-voting.
Pregame Pepper
Hall of Famer Frank Robinson was the first player picked unanimously as both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player . . .
Hard to believe the Yankees yielded four prospects to get Ryan Weathers from the Miami Marlins . . .
Traders have extra time this year, with the trade deadline moved back to Aug. 3 . . .
Pete Alonso and Kyle Tucker were teammates at Tampa’s Plant High School, with the first baseman two years ahead of the outfielder . . .
Injuries have held Tucker to 214 of 324 games the past two seasons but the Dodgers were not dissuaded from doling out a deal worth $240 million over four years — with opt-outs after the second and third year.
Leading Off
Baseball Stadium Tour: Perfect Winter Remedy
By Allen Settle
I recently found myself in the city of Boston during the MLB off-season. Nothing would have brought me more joy than catching a game at the legendary Fenway Park. Unfortunately, winter baseball isn’t much of a thing, and I wasn’t sure how—if at all—I could satisfy my baseball appetite.
On a whim, I looked into whether there was a way to see the inside of the park and stumbled upon the option of a stadium tour. At the last minute, I booked a spot, not fully understanding what I was in for.
What followed was a baseball fan’s dream.
I was greeted at the Red Sox team store by a longtime stadium employee and baseball historian who led a small group of us through Fenway’s inner sanctums. We walked the halls. Sat in the best seats atop the Green Monster. Stepped into the visitors’ locker room. We even spent time in the press box (an area only accessible to the public on a tour).
Along the way, our guide explained details and intricacies of the park that I had previously been completely unaware of. The tour crescendoed with a walk through a hall of baseball history: Gold Glove and Silver Slugger trophies, benches from the original ballpark, and a display containing baseballs autographed by every member of every World Series–winning team in history.
Since that initial experience, I’ve also completed a tour at Daikin Park in Houston That somehow raised the bar even higher. Our guide led us into the visitors’ dugout while live, pre–Spring Training batting practice was taking place. When there was a brief pause in the action, he walked me onto the warning track, where I stood on an MLB field for the first time.
Manager Joe Espada was talking with an agent near home plate. Newly acquired pitcher Mike Burrows was warming up alongside ace Hunter Brown. And there I was, standing on the same field.
As the tour wrapped up, a team employee dismissed us by handing out baseballs labeled “practice” that had just been used by players on the field. It genuinely made me feel like a kid again, experiencing a ballpark for the very first time.
I already have another tour booked at the Miami Marlins’ loanDepot park, with hopes of many more to come.
If you’re a baseball fan who’s unaware of this option, let me plead with you: consider diving into the world of ballpark tours. Whether it’s a historic cathedral like Fenway or Wrigley, or a smaller-market park like loanDepot, these experiences are some of the hidden treasures of the baseball world.
Most clubs offer official tours through their websites. So if, like me, you ever find yourself in a baseball city during the off-season, or even on an off-day, do yourself a favor.
Experience an MLB ballpark tour for yourself.
[Editor’s Note: I loved the Dodger Stadium tour even though I am not a fan of that team. — D.S.]
Allen Settle is an IBWAA member who has never given up on his passion for the beautiful game of baseball! He has worked as a contributor for the Fansided network, covering both the New York Mets and the Miami Marlins. Currently, Allen covers baseball prospects at Prospects1500.com. You can connect with him on X at @AllenSettleMLB.
Cleaning Up
Braves Gave Up Hall of Famer for J.D. Drew
By Dan Schlossberg
Gary Sheffield’s decision to leave Atlanta via free agency left a huge void in right field.
The search ended on Dec. 13, 2003 when the Braves landed lefty-hitting slugger J.D. Drew, along with catcher-outfielder Eli Marrero, for pitchers Ray King, Jason Marquis, and Adam Wainwright.
Drew proceeded to have the best season of his career, reaching career peaks with 31 home runs, 118 runs scored, 93 runs batted in, and 118 walks in 145 games.
The 6-1, 200-pound Georgia native thrived in his new home. But that was before free agency beckoned.
He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, lasted two seasons, and then moved on to the Boston Red Sox, also as a free agent.
Although Drew had the best season of his career for the 2004 Braves, the pitchers who went to St. Louis provided a much more lasting return.
Wainwright, once considered Atlanta’s top pitching prospect, won 200 games, all with the Cardinals, and established himself as a Cooperstown candidate — a distinction that eluded Drew.
The portly King, a left-handed reliever who worked often, was a valuable set-up man in the St. Louis bullpen.
And Marquis enjoyed some success as both a starter and reliever.
The other man who went to Atlanta, Eli Marrero, was a bat-first catcher capable of playing several other positions and pinch-hitting.
Considering the long-term Wainwright influence, the Cardinals won the trade. It wasn’t even close.
A 6’7” right-hander, Wainwright did for the Cards what the Braves thought he would do for them. He won 20 games twice and 19 once. In 18 years, he had a winning percentage of .610 (200-128) and twice led the National League in innings pitched.
Now he’s on the cusp of Cooperstown, with 2029 his first year on the ballot. When he gets there, he’ll reunite with Yadier Molina, another St. Louis icon, with whom he formed a long-standing, highly-successful battery.
Drew’s one-year tenure in Atlanta’s outfield was taken by Brian Jordan.
HtP weekend editor Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ was sitting at a winter meetings press conference when the Braves announced the Drew deal. He covers the game for forbes.com, Memories & Dreams, USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Sports Collectors Digest, and other outlets. His email is ballauthor@gmail.com.
Timeless Trivia: Andruw’s Overdue Election
Because of his strong throwing arm, Andruw Jones was a catcher and third baseman during his amateur days in Curacao . . .
Jones negotiated his own contract, without using an agent, prompting GM John Schuerholz to say, “I can’t remember the last time I dealt directly with a player. Even guys in the minor leagues have agents.” . . .
Once pulled in mid-inning because Braves manager Bobby Cox thought he was loafing, the determined Jones blossomed into a center-fielder without peer . . .
In 2000, Chipper and Andruw Jones hit 36 homers apiece and joined Atlanta teammate Andres Galarraga with 100 RBIs as all three hit .300 . . .
During their record 14-year title streak, Atlanta reached triple digits in wins three straight times — a feat matched previously only by the Philadelphia Athletics of 1929-31, St. Louis Cardinals of 1942-44, and Baltimore Orioles of 1969-71. The Yankees of Babe Ruth / Lou Gehrig vintage never did it.
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.