When To Wed Without Missing Games
ALSO: PEDIMENT'S HARDCOVER 'YEARBOOKS' THRILL FANS THIS WINTER
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Pregame Pepper
Did you know…
Look up the word “greed” in Webster’s Dictionary and you just might find a picture of Corbin Burnes . . .
Goaded by money-hungry agent Scott Boras, he is trying to parlay a single Cy Young Award into a contract that matches the $245 million Stephen Strasburg deal that went belly-up for the Washington Nationals in the wake of their wild-card world championship in 2019 . . .
It would be the third-largest signing for any pitcher after Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($325 million) and Gerrit Cole ($324 million) . . .
This winter’s winner among pitchers has been Max Fried, whose eight-year, $218 million bonanza beat the predictions of MLB Trade Rumors by two years and $62 million . . .
The only logical way to stop the runaway salary spiral is to stop announcing contract terms of every signee. Otherwise, the game seems headed for a serious work stoppage on or before Dec. 1, 2006, when the current Basic Agreement expires . . .
No wonder A’s president Dave Kaval quit Friday after a nine-year tenure to pursue “other business opportunities” in California.
Leading Off
On Weddings And Baseball
Lean into the skid, get married during the World Series?
By Tani Levitt
There is a movement, these days. A movement to set certain expectations about what a “good fan” is supposed to watch. How many times each season she should be at the ballpark, or watch her club play on TV.
The expectations, largely a product of easily accessible (illegal) streams of every single game, state that you need to watch a lot of games, and especially the most important games, even if your team isn’t involved. I have written on this matter for this newsletter in the past, and as I approach the day of my wedding, I feel the need to push back once again.
R/weddingplanning is chock-full of posts worrying about the conflict between someone’s nuptials and someone else’s big game.
“Groomsman not participating in rehearsal, going to baseball game instead,” reads one worried post. “Anyone else hoping for their home team to lose games?” asks a St. Louis Cardinals fan. (Fortunately for this poster and unfortunately for other Cardinals fans, the Cards bowed out of the 2022 playoffs in their first series, easing the poster’s concern for parking issues on their wedding day.)
This tradition is far from a baseball problem. Publications as varied as SFGate, HuffPost, and DNAInfo Chicago have all spilled ink suggesting people do their best to avoid scheduling weddings on the same days as major sports events.
My former colleague Josh Pate has made a career off of (hard work, immense skill, and) telling people not to get married during football season, unless strategically scheduled during a bye week!
Wedding planners and sports fans alike seem afraid to share, as if the sanctity and memorability of the big wedding day/game rests upon that date being theirs and theirs alone. I disagree.
Traditionally planned over months, weddings and their dates are meticulously chosen, often long before it is clear when other events will take place. Calendars are cross-referenced, and the betrothed choose as best they can a date that will be theirs forever.
For my cousin Jeff, his date of November 4, 2001 would have met all criteria for “safety.” Past October baseball and well before basketball or football seasons pick up steam, November 4th would never have featured on The Knot’s “Dates to Avoid at All Costs, 2001” had the website been around at the time.
The vagaries of life in America in 2001 being what they were, Jeff learned that come November, his wedding date would unfortunately be shared. MLB postponed games for most of the week of September 11 and moved the delayed games until the end of the season, extending the baseball season into November. When the Diamondbacks and Yankees split the first six games of the World Series, Game 7 was set for — you guessed it — November 4th.
Jeff was safely married and food was being served when my parents and little 8-year-old me began to sneak away to the bar to check up on the pitcher’s duel in Phoenix. Other family members began to join us after the Diamondbacks opened a late 1-0 lead, ace Curt Schilling stuck on the mound.
Schilling soon ceded the lead, an uncomfortable situation for me, a Red Sox fan, as the newcomers were the one section of my extended family that cared for the Yankees. Their team came as close as two outs away from another World Series title, and just before the Diamondbacks would steal away the title, I asked my great-uncle with deep sincerity, “Why couldn’t you have been Mets fans?”
Had I understood the implications and obnoxiousness of the question at the time I would never have asked it, but I remember it, decades later, clear as day.
This Sunday, my family of (majority) Red Sox fans will have space to discuss the (good) 1-year contract signed between the Sox and Walker Beuhler, and maybe even get an (unlikely) push notification from Jeff Passan that our club has signed Corbin Burnes.
Some might think that such a blockbuster signing would distract from my day. Far from it.
Just as I cannot think of Luis Gonzalez’s wonderful bloop single to win the 2001 World Series without thinking of Jeff and my family, a December 29 Burnes-to-the-Sox announcement would mean that my family would be reminded of my wedding once every five summer days for the next seven years. Works for me.
So lean into it, I say. Get married on the same day as the World Series. Well, you do it. I’m ready to be married already, and, besides, I want to watch the games.
Tani Levitt is a freelance journalist and podcast producer based in DC. He enjoys baseball, beatboxing, and breathing, roughly in that order. You can find him on Bluesky and all other social media platforms @hateitorlevitt.
Cleaning Up
Pediment Publishing Produces Keepsake Baseball Books
By Dan Schlossberg
For baseball purists like me, who regard the time between the World Series and spring training as a black hole for sports, nothing beats the winter blues better than a baseball book.
In addition to Here’s the Pitch 2025, containing 35 essays written by members of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, the newest and best baseball books of recent vintage are the oversized illustrated volumes of Pediment Publishing.
Among its latest are tributes to Pete Rose and Willie Mays plus keepsakes on the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers and their biggest star, unanimous National League MVP Shohei Ohtani.
Pediment, which also produced books on Vin Scully and Fernando Valenzuela, hit a literary home run with Blue Bloods — not to be confused with the Tom Selleck police procedural that just signed off after a long run on CBS.
The 160-page hardcover, slightly larger than 8 1/2 x 11 inches in a horizontal format, features glossy color photography and serves as a post-season yearbook, even including the five-game World Series win, parade pictures, and stories and illustrations by the sports staff of USA TODAY.
Another gorgeous Dodgers chronicle produced by Pediment is called Blue Heaven — not to be confused with the song. Both books are collectors’ items that will live long after the echoes of the championship season have faded into the sunset.
Both are a bargain at $39.95, a few dollars less than Ohtani’s Journey, produced in cooperation with writers and photographers of The Los Angeles Times. That book showcases the first 50/50 season in baseball history but starts at the beginning, with Ohtani’s meteoric rise from Japan to the Angels and finally the Dodgers — resulting in a trio of MVP trophies.
Like Ohtani, Vin Scully was a Dodgers icon, spending parts of seven decades not only broadcasting games, frequently without a partner, but establishing a reputation as the poet laureate of baseball. Opening this handsome volume is almost as good as listening to Scully’s tapes. Its most-appropriate title is The Voice.
As for Rose, whose gambling addiction killed his sure shot at Cooperstown, and Mays, both were larger-than-life personalities with great baseball abilities. But I can’t agree with the latter book’s title, which reads Willie Mays: a Tribute to the Greatest Player of All Time. Maybe the publisher never heard of Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron.
For fans of America’s national pastime, however, purchasing multiple Pediment titles would be a great way to start or enhance a baseball library. And with another six weeks of dead time before pitchers and catchers report, there’s no better way to satisfy the gnawing need for baseball stories, past and present.
For further information, see www.pediment.com/products.
Here’s The Pitch weekend editor Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ has never seen a Super Bowl, Stanley Cup playoff, March madness basketball game, or Kentucky Derby. But he has an enormous baseball library that keeps his Hot Stove League warm all winter. Dan’s email is ballauthor@gmail.com.
New Year’s Extra
UPDATED TOP 20 PICKS FOR YOUR FANTASY DRAFTS
By G.M. Pibro
Here are my updated top-20 first round choices, in order, of my personal preference for the 2025 season. Of COURSE things change during the season—players get hurt, suspended, depressed, overwhelmed, distracted, mentally ill, etc.—that is why you have to have a good backup at every position AND why trades or drop-adds during the season are allowed in almost all fantasy leagues. For example, if Rhett Lowdar starts the season or gets promoted to the Cincinnati Reds, he could be a Top-20 starting pitcher by mid-season and you might grab him in the late, late rounds.
(Note, qualified positions eligible for drafting each player are listed in parentheses).
#1. Shohei Ohtani (DH, SP) Tough to take any DH-only hitter this high, but then he IS Shohei Ohtani. Per at bat, not a better hitter in baseball. Only hesitation here is that when he pitches, he will only DH 5-6 times per 7 days. The add-on is that he will pitch twice, maybe once or twice a month. Still, he’s a 50-homer, 50-steal guy who can also pitch for you. Gotta take him #1.
#2. Aaron Judge (OF, DH) If the baseball gods could guarantee you a 150-plus game season for Judge, you could make an argument that he should go #1 overall. That being said, I am an Agnostic (but not an Atheist) when it comes to baseball gods. With or without Soto as his batting partner, expect large numbers in 2025 from Judge (especially with lefty-hitting Cody Bellinger batting behind him).
#3. Bobby Witt (SS, DH) Still only 24 but already a seasoned veteran. He was a top-5 fantasy player playing at a premium position. I project him to be a 40-homer, 40-steal guy in 2025. He could be #1 in the very near future.
#4. Juan Soto (OF, DH) Is such a consistent high performer and is still only 26 for the 2025 season. If you are looking for as close to a guarantee that you can get, choose Juan Soto!
#5. Ronald Acuña (OF, DH) After a monster fantasy year in 2023, Acuña went down early with a season ending injury in 2024. He is expected back early 2025. If healthy, Acuña should be more like the #1 he was in 2023.
#6. Mookie Betts (2B, SS, OF, DH) Betts looked like he was in for another high- performing year until an injury seemed to sap his production for the second half of the season. Betts qualifies at 2B, SS, and OF. Qualifying for 2B, a position with little fantasy high performers, makes him extremely valuable and puts him at #6.
#7. Jose Ramirez (3B, DH) Ramirez again had a well-above-average fantasy season. After a slight lull in 2023 (no supporting offense on the Guardians), Ramirez excelled with the fifth-most fantasy points amongst batters in MLB in 2024. If you want a consistent high performer, Jose is your man.
#8. Gunnar Henderson (SS, DH) Gunnar Henderson is young and rising fast. Slotting in with the 7th most fantasy points in 2024, he is poised to ascend even further in 2025 as he is part of a lineup that will continue to hit up and down the order. Forty homers is in site as well as a 100 Runs and 100 RBIs. He will steal 20+ bases too.
#9. Yordan Alvarez (OF, DH) If Alverez ever plates 600 ABs, he will be the league MVP. The problem is that he takes time off each year due to injury. Alvarez played 53 games in the outfield in 2024 (previously a DH only in years past), which makes him a top-10 pick fantasy pick for me. Sky is the limit on Yordan.
#10. Elly De La Cruz (SS, DH) Elly made it into the top-10 because I predict he will increase his home runs to 35 and continue to steal bases at a 60-plus rate. He is the most exciting player in baseball right now, and he is young. A little raw but boundless in his upward trajectory.
#11. Bryce Harper (1B, DH) Well, he IS Bryce Harper. He played in 145 games in 2024, the most since 2019. But he IS Bryce Harper! Production per AB, he is one of the best.
#12. Kyle Tucker (OF, DH) Pretty much a 30-HR / 30-SB candidate every year, Tucker is the hallmark of consistency. He is only 28, so I think he might even move into the top-3 hitters with the Cubs this season. He was injured for the first time in 2024. At #12, I’d be happy if he just does in 2025 what he did in 2023 with the Astros. I think he will.
#13. Corbin Carroll (OF, DH) The old sophomore slump seemed to take hold of Corbin the first half of 2024. Then in the second half, he ascended to the stud performer that he is. Some people might be falling asleep on him in 2025. Don’t be one of them.
#14. Fernando Tatis (OF, DH) Came off a monster year in 2021 at age 23 and then was injured in 2022, only to be suspended for 50 games at the end of the 2022 season and 20 more into the 2023 season. He was out with injury for 10 weeks again in 2024. But Tatis is only 26 and the sky is still the limit for him. A bit of a gamble, but definitely worth a #14 pick.
#15. Matt Olson (1B, DH) Olson had an off-year in 2024. He had gotten better just about every year previously, and since he is only 30 years old, I am confident he is worth this pick. He bats in the middle of a very strong Braves lineup and should keep the high level from previous years going strong. Remember, first base is not a strong position for good fantasy picks this year after the first five or six first basemen are off the board.
#16. Freddie Freeman (1B, DH) going back to ancient fantasy baseball times, 1B was the strongest position for offense. That has faded as years have gone by, and there are now only maybe six top-tier first basemen. Freeman’s mix of power (HR), speed (SB), and clutch hitting (RBI) sets him apart. In 2024, Freeman saw the first crack in the armor. Whether he was maybe playing injured or is showing first signs of aging, if 2024 was only a slight aberration, you need to pick him here! And don’t forget his game-winning World Series grand-slam.
#17. Trea Turner (SS, DH) A top-10 pick in years past, the last two years have been a little inconsistent per a small 2023 slump as well as a six-week injury in 2024. He should bounce back to his highest level this year, showing those signs at the end of 2024.
#18. Tarik Skubal (SP) One of the two elite pitchers from a fantasy baseball perspective. If you are going to pick a pitcher this high, Skubal would be the man. He put up Cy Young-type numbers in 2024 and seemed to carry the Tigers on his back en route to their playoff appearance. He has been a rising star for some time now and he could be the best of the best in 2025.
#19. Paul Skenes (SP) The other elite pitcher is Paul Skenes. I put few pitchers in the top 20. I have never put a rookie pitcher in the top 20. Paul Skenes is that special. Since he came up on May 11, he was the most dominant pitcher in the National League; he had 170 strikeouts in 133 innings in 2024. That was impressive!
#20. Corey Seager (SS, DH) Although shortstop is a deep position for fantasy talent, there’s no denying what Seager can do. His per-AB sting is amazing and no one is more clutch. If he could play 150 games consistently, he would be in the top 10. So he is rather injury-prone, but absolutely worth it when in the lineup.
#21. Gerrit Cole (SP) IF you’re going to pick a pitcher in the top 20, there is none better than Gerrit Cole. Year in and year out, he performs as one of the top-3 pitchers in the league. He has had minimal missed time from injuries until this past year, and he flat-out knows how to dominate hitters. I can almost guarantee Cole to be a top-3 pitcher again this season. As for me, as I explained above, I lean in towards offense and would not pick him here unless everyone above him is already chosen…and maybe not even then. But don’t quote me on that.
G.M. Pibro is the pen name of one of the members of the IBWAA.
Timeless Trivia: Niekro’s Knuckler Did Fine Job
“There’s only one way to get the job done — get in front of it and hope it hits the mitt.”
— Hall of Famer Joe Torre on trying to catch Phil Niekro’s knuckleball.
Bob Uecker, the catcher-turned-broadcaster, had a record 28 passed balls in 1967 after the Braves acquired him specifically to catch Niekro . . .
Two-time MVP Dale Murphy, who made his fortune as an outfielder, not only came up as a catcher but once caught a Niekro one-hitter . . .
Niekro won 318 games, more than any knuckleballer, and teamed with brother Joe for 539 victories, a record for a fraternal tandem . . .
Released by the Braves, Niekro got his 300th win at age 46 1/2 while pitching for the New York Yankees . . .
Joe Niekro not only hit his only career home run against Phil but cost him a win . . .
The brothers were teammates briefly with the Braves and Yankees, early and late in their respective careers . . .
Phil started his career with the Milwaukee Braves but ended it with the Atlanta Braves.
Know Your Editors
HERE’S THE PITCH is published daily except Sundays and holidays. Benjamin Chase [gopherben@gmail.com] handles Monday and Tuesday editions, Elizabeth Muratore [nymfan97@gmail.com] does Wednesday and Thursday, and Dan Schlossberg [ballauthor@gmail.com] edits the weekend editions on Friday and Saturday. Readers are encouraged to contribute comments, articles, and letters to the editor. HTP reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, and good taste.