Yesterday (April 3), Baseball Roundtable took part in what has become a Roundtable rite of spring – the Twins’ Annual Food and Beverage Preview. Sponsored by the Minnesota Twins and Delaware North (the team’s food and retail partner), this annual media event features a look at (and taste of) the upcoming season’s new Target Field food and beverage offerings.

The Twins Keep Raising the Bar

As I’ve noted here before, when I first began attending MLB games, standard fare consisted of (not always piping-hot) hot dogs and (not always ice-cold) beer and soda.  For those wanting to step outside the box, there were peanuts, popcorn and Cracker Jack® (which was, of course, in the box and with a toy).  For the really adventurous, there were frozen malt cups (with a wooden spoon after taste).  When pizza and burgers arrived on the scene, we all thought baseball’s culinary landscape was complete.

Side note:  I must admit, I do miss in-the-stands vendors who had mastered the art of applying decorative ribbons of mustard and/or ketchup to a steamed hot dog.  Those days, however, are past. 

The 2023 Target Field Food and Beverage Preview (like those that went before it ) brought home how wrong we were about reaching the ultimate in ballpark fare – and how committed the Twins are to continually raising the ballpark food and beverage bar, while also  building an ever-stronger Minnesota connection.

Here are a few of Baseball Roundtable’s favorite new Target Field offerings for 2023 – as judged by super-taster Bob King and me.   Those items that are Minnesota made are identified.  I attempted to include prices and locations wherever possible. Note:  Many, not all, of the photos show the sample size from the Food and Beverage Preview, rather than full size offering  (generally, if the descriptive sign is in the photo, it’s a full -size offering).  And of course, prices and availability  are subject to change. 

Let’s start with the Baseball Roundtable Taste Team’s  top-six new items.

Number One … Jr.  Gong Jerk Chicken Bowl (Minnesota made), Soul Bowl, Section 113, $14.50.

Roasted jerk chicken thighs, glazed with pineapple jerk sauce and served with sweet plantains and yellow rice.  Bob and I both rated this number-one among the new tastes of the Twins.  The chicken was both spicy and juicy (take an extra napkin), with just enough sweet in the pineapple and plantain to balance the “heat.”

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Number Two … Cochinita Sliders, Truly on Deck.

Pork wrapped in banana leaves and braised in adobe sauce, with habanero pickled red onions and tequila pickles – served on a Sweet Hawaiian Roll.  Bob rated this as “the most unique and original offering.” He liked the combination of the braised pork flavor and  the “tang” of the tequila pickles.  This one really wakes up the taste buds.

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Number Three … Summer Strawberries and Cream Waffles, Waffles and More, Section 114.

Need desert?  We were both impressed by the Summer Strawberries and Cream Waffles.  Waffles crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside – topped with true summer sweetness.  The stand also offers Chicken and Waffles and Belgian Waffles with locally-sourced maple syrup.

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Number Four … Legacy Salad (Minnesota made), Roots for the Home Team, Look for the concession cart.  (In recent seasons, near Gate 34 on weekends).

Lighter Fair?  A salad of brown rice, pickled vegetables, edamame, snap pears and bok choy. Crisp, fresh with just the right level of zip in the dressing. Good food for a good cause. Roots for the Home Team works with area young people  participating in community garden programs to cultivate personal and professional growth.

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Number Five … Banh Mi Sandwich … Sous vide pork belly served on a hoagie roll with dark soy aioli, picked vegetables add sweet soy caramel. Bob noted that “This is a winner for me.  Nice and meaty.  The pork belly has a nice crunch and the hardy bun holds up to the sandwich.” Truly on Deck.

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Number Six … Chicken Sandwich (Minnesota made), Official Fried Chicken, Section 133, $8.99.

Official Fried Chicken offers a Chicken Sandwich ($8.99), as well as four- and eight-piece bone-in chicken and chicken tenders and fries ($12.99-$27.99). All the chicken was tasty, so it’s a matter of personal preference as to how you like your fowl served.  Bob and I both preferred the Chicken Sandwich – juicy broasted chicken in a sandwich that was just spicy enough.    Also, worth a try for the technology.  You order put in your at a kiosk, leave a phone number and then receive a text when it ready.  You’ll find it in one of the convenient heated pick-up boxes (see photo), ready to go.  No fuss, no lines.

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Three Adult Beverages We Think Would All be

a Refreshing Way to Lift Your Ballpark Spirits.

Lovejoy Bloody Mary

Bomboozled … Bomba Juice (Strawberry/Lemonade Hard Seltzer) with an extra kick (60-Proof Strawberry/Basil/Chili Muddle). Gray Duck Deck, left field corner.

Lovejoy Thai Basil Bloody Mary (Minnesota made), garnished with Lovejoy-seasoned Minnesota Duroc Pork Belly.  Gate 34 Pub.

Double Play … (Minnesota made), Keeper’s Heart Rye and Keeper’s Heart Bourbon with pineapple and cranberry juice. Truly on Deck.

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A  few other items to consider:

Hmong Sausage and Khao Sen/Rice  Noodle Bowl (Minnesota made) …  Seared Kramarczuk’s Hmong Sausage, served with chilled rice noodles, fresh herbs, cabbage, and vegetable slaw in a sweet chili vinaigrette.  Union Hmong Kitchen, Section 127.

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Loaded Potatoes … Looking for some comfort food at the ballyard? Fried baby red potatoes topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon and scallions, Truly on Deck.

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T-Rex Cookies (Minnesota made) … These sweet treats (Chocolate  Chip and Monster Flavor) are the size of a catcher’s mitt (or, at about 8-inches across, seem nearly so).   A chewy-chocolaty dessert to share or, given the new pitch-count rules, one that should last a full inning or more. Multiple locations.

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Mrs. Parker Donut Peach Cobbler (Minnesota made) … Feeling the need for something super sweet?  A yeast donut topped with sweet peach cobbler, caramel drizzle and crushed vanilla wafers. Truly on Deck.

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Jonny Pops (Minnesota made)  … Summer Strawberries and Cream, Chocolate Fudge and Oat Milk, Rainbow Fruit Snacks, Watermelon, and Red, White and Boom.   Section 126.

Beer Bats … Souvenir bat filled with ice-cold beer. This bat should be a hit with fans of beer and baseball – you pick the order. Multiple locations.

Wine Carafes … Wine, champagne, Mimosas and more in a unique carafe you’ll probably want to take home.   Section 114.

This is just a sampling of the new items for 2023.  Many favorites from past seasons will also be back: like Hot Indian Chicken Tikka, Kramarczuk’s Sausages, Tony O’s Cuban Sandwich, Murray’s Smoked Beef Sandwich and more.  And, don’t forget more traditional ballpark favorites like the Twins Big Dog, Nachos Grande in a helmet, bratwurst, pizza, peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and ice cream in a helmet.   The point is, when you head into the Target Field, you have plenty of choices when it comes to food and beverage.  Enjoy – and try not to spill on your scorecard.  (Okay, I’m old school, I still keep a scorecard.)

For a full listing  of concession  offerings, locations and prices, click here to go to the Twins Concession page.

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Marcus Stroman – called for the first-ever regular-season pitch clock violation.

Opening Day (as I begin putting together this post) is upon us (as you read this, it will be behind us). As has been usual in recent seasons, the day is marked by change in MLB.  This year it’s shift-restricting regulations, a strictly enforced time clock, limits on pickoff attempts, a revamped schedule (each team will face all 29 other MLB teams at some point in the schedule, which means 24 fewer in-division games) and permanency for the extra-inning “ghost” runner.  As baseball fans we will, of course, learn to live with these changes.  (Well, most of them anyway. I remain steadfast in refusing to recognize ghost runners on my scorecard.)

In this post, Baseball Roundtable will look at a different kind of annual change.  The change we see in each season’s Opening Day lineups. Consider.  Of the 299 players who found themselves in the 2022 Opening Day lineups  (Shohei Ohtani is the reason the total is one short of ten per team), just 183 (61%) found themselves among the 2023 Opening Day starters.  Further, less than half (135/45 percent)  of 2023 Opening Day starters found themselves on the field to start Opening Day for the same team they “opened” for in 2022.

The highest number of repeat  Opening Day starters was six – by the Yankees, Rays, Orioles, Guardians, Tigers, Astros, Mariners, Braves, Mets, Marlins and Giants.  The fewest number of repeat Opening Day starters was two – Athletics, Pirates, Reds and Diamondbacks.

The Brewers had the highest number of 2022 Opening Day starters appearing in the Opening Day lineups of a new teams in 2023 at five:  2B Kolten Wong (Mariners); DH Andrew McCutchen (Pirates); RF Hunter Renfroe (Angels); C Omar Narvaez (Mets); 3B Jace Peterson (Athletics).  The Cardinals, Rockies and Astros had zero 2022 Opening Day starters appearing in another teams 2022 Opening Day lineup.

So, how does all this lineup change come about? Several ways:

• Trades:  Think the Twins/Marlins trade that made former-Twin and AL batting champ Luis Arreaz (who started Opening Day 2022 for the Twins) the first player to come to the plate  for the Marlins this season and made former-Marlin Pablo Lopez the first pitcher to take the mound for the Twins in the 2023 campaign.
• Injuries:   Think players stepping in for Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins of the Phillies or Jose Altuve of the Astros (all of whom were Opening Day 2022 starters).
• Free Agent signings:  Think Jose Abreu , who started at 1B for the White Sox  on Opening Day 2022 and at 1B for the Astros this Opening Day – or Trea Turner, who started at SS for the Dodgers on Opening Day 2022 and at the same spot for the Phillies this Opening Day.
• Players getting their first Opening Day start:  Think players  like Yankees’ SS Anthony Volpe and Cardinals LF  Jordan Walker,whose first Opening Day starts were also their MLB debuts. 

In the remainder of this post, Baseball Roundtable will take a look at the 2023 and 2022 lineups, in the order I predict  the teams will finish.  And, for those who are a little more nostalgic, I’ll toss in a look at team lineups from five and ten years ago.

Before we get started, for Roundtable readers from warmer climates, here’s ho we approach the home opener in Minnesota (at least this season).

Now for those lineups (and predictions).

–NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST–

First Place … Atlanta Braves

Second … New York Mets

Third – Phillies

Fourth … Marlins

Fifth … Nationals 

–NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL–

First Place … Cardinals

Second – Brewers

Third … Cubs

Fourth …. Pirates

Fifth … Reds 

–NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST–

First  Place… Padres

Second … Dodgers

Third … Diamondbacks

Fourth … Giants

Fifth … Rockies

–AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST–

First Place …. Yankees

Second … Blue Jays

Third … Rays

Fourth … Orioles

Fifth … Red Sox

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

First Place … Twins

Second … Guardians

Third … White Sox

Fourth … Royals

Fifth … Tigers

–AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST–

First Place… Astros

Second … Mariners

Third … Angels 

Fourth … Rangers

Fifth … Athletics

Primary Resource:  Baseball-Reference.com

Coming Soon: The Roundtable picks one player from each team for its 2023 “One to Watch List.”

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With Opening Day 2023 on the horizon, I find myself looking forward to the months ahead and  reflecting on why I love baseball.  With that in mind, I’ll dedicate this post to a review of the ten top reasons I love the national pastime – and also include links (at the end of this post) to posts on the topic of “Why I Love Baseball” from  guest writers ranging from Grammy nominee Leonard Eckhaus to 2013 MLB Draft sixth-round pick John Micheal Murphy to sportswriter and author Larry LaRue.

Let’s start with Baseball Roundtable’s ten Reasons to love the national pastime.

1.  Baseball comes along every spring,  accompanied by sunshine and optimism.

Baseball is the harbinger of better times.  It signifies the end of winter (not a small thing if you’re from Minnesota) and the coming of spring – a season of rebirth, new life and abundant optimism.   Each season, you start with a clean slate.   Last year’s successes can still be savored, but last year’s failures can be set aside (although rival fans may try to refresh your memory), replaced by hope and anticipation.   On Opening Day, in our hearts, we can all be in contention.

People ask me what I do in winter, when there’s no baseball. 

I’ll tell you what I do.  I stare out the window and wait for spring.

 Honus Wagner, Hall of Famer

 2.  The pace of the game invites contemplation.

Between innings, between batters or pitchers, and even between pitches, baseball leaves us time to contemplate what just occurred, speculate on what might happen next and even share those thoughts with nearby spectators.  Baseball is indeed a thinking person’s game. (Side note:  I am waiting to see what impact the new pitch clock rules will have on this aspect of the national pastime.) 

3.  Baseball is timeless and, ultimately, fair in the offering of opportunity.

The clock doesn’t run out.  There is no coin flip to determine who gets the ball first in sudden death overtime.  No matter what the score, your team gets its 27 outs and an equal opportunity to secure victory.  What could be more fair?   And then there is the prospect of “extra” innings, bonus baseball for FREE.

When I was young my heroes didn’t wear capes or cowboy hat. They wore stirrups and baseball caps. Many still do.

4.  Plays and players are distinct (in space and time).

Baseball, while a game of inches, is also a game of considerable space.   The players are not gathered along an offensive line or elbow-to-elbow under a basket. They are widely spaced, each with his own area of responsibility and each acting (as part of a continuing play) in their own time frame.  (On a 6-3 play, for example,  first baseman can’t catch the ball for the putout until after the shortstop throws it.)   This enable fans to follow, understand  and analyze each play (maybe not always accurately) in detail.   And, baseball’s distinct spacing and timing makes it possible to see the game even when you are not there.  A lot of people grinned at President Gerald Ford’s comment that he “watched a lot of baseball on the radio.”  In my view, he was spot on.  You can see baseball on the radio – you can create a “visual” of the game in your mind with minimal description.    That’s why on summer nights, in parks, backyards and garages across the country, you’ll find radios tuned to the national pastime.

 5. The scorecard.

Can there be anything more satisfying than keeping an accurate scorecard at the ball park?  It serves so many purposes.  The keeping of a scorecard ensures your attention to the happenings on the field.

Photo by mwlguide

Maintaining the score card also makes you, in a way understandable only to fellow fans, more a part of the game.   That magical combination of names, numbers and symbols also enables you to go back and check the progress of the game at any time.  “Oh, Johnson’s up next.  He’s walked and grounded out twice.”  It’s also a conversation starter, when the fan in the row behind you asks, “How many strikeouts does Ryan have today?”   And, it leaves you (if you choose to keep it) with a permanent record of the game, allowing you to replay it in your mind (or share it with others) at will.  Ultimately, a well-kept scorecard enhances the game experience and offers a true post-game sense of accomplishment.

6.  The long season.

Baseball, so many have pointed out, is a marathon rather than a sprint.  It’s a long season with ample opportunity to prove yourself and lots of chances to redeem yourself.  For fans, the long season also represents a test of your passion for the game.  Endurance is part of the nature of the true baseball fan.  And, and in the end, the rigors of a 162-game season prove your mettle and that of your team.   Not only that, but like a true friend … baseball is there for you every day.

 7.  Baseball invites, encourages, even demands, conversation.

Reason number two hinted at the importance of conversation, noting that the pace of the game offers time to contemplate the action (past and future) and share those thoughts with others.   I love that about the game, but I also love the fact that whenever baseball fans gather, their passion comes out in conversation – and they find plenty to talk about:

•  Statistics,  statistics, statistics.  Baseball and its fans will count anything.  Did you know that Yankee Jim Bouton’s hat flew off 37 times in his 2-1, complete-game victory over the Cardinals in game three of the 1964 World Series?  More seriously, statistics are part of a common language and shared passion that bring baseball fans together in spirited conversation.  As best-selling author Pat Conroy observed “Baseball fans love numbers.  They love to swirl them around in their mouths like Bordeaux wine.”  I agree, to the fan, statistics are intoxicating.

• Stories, stories, stories.  Baseball and its fans celebrate the game’s history.  And, I’m not talking just about statistics.  I’m talking about the stories that give this great game color, character and characters.  Ty Cobb sharpening his spikes on the dugout steps, Babe Ruth’s called shot, Louis Tiant’s wind-up, Willie Mays’ basket catch, Dock Ellis’s LSD-fueled no-hitter.

• Trivia, trivia, trivia.  This may fall close to the “stories, stories , stories” category, but fans cherish the trivia that surrounds our national pastime – whether that trivia is iconic or ironic.  For example, t’s ironic that the iconic Babe Ruth holds the best winning percentage against the Yankees of any pitcher with 15 or more decision against them (17-5, .773). And, it’s ironic that the more recent player to steal home twice in one game (Vic Power, August 14, 1958) did it in a season when he only stole a total of three bases).  Then there is the iconic performance of Ralph Kiner, who led the NL in home runs as a rookie in 1948 – and successfully defended that title in each of the next six seasons – the most consecutive home runs titles by any major leaguer ever.

Basically, I took a long time to say I love the fact that baseball fans will talk with passion about something that happened in today’s game, yesterday’s game, over time or even in a game that took place on May 30, 1894 (Bobby Lowe of the Boston Beaneaters records MLB’s first four-homer game).  And, as a bonus, all this conversation – all the statistics, stories and trivia – make the games, moments within the games and the characters of the game (heroes, goats and mere participants) as timeless as baseball itself.

 8.  The box score. 

Today’s box score – a thing of beauty.

BBRT editor’s  mother used to refer to an accordion as “an orchestra in a box.”  That’s how I view the daily box score – the symphony of a game recorded in a space one-column wide by four inches deep.   Some would say the box score reduces the game to statistics, I would say it elevates the game to history.  What do you want to know about the contest?   Who played where, when?  At bats, hits, stolen bases, strikeouts, errors, caught stealing, time, attendance, even the umpires’ names?   It’s all there and more – so much information, captured for baseball fans in a compact and orderly space.  I am, of course, dating myself here, but during baseball season, the morning newspaper, through its box scores, is a treasure trove of information for baseball fans.

 9. The irony of a team game made up of individual performances.

While baseball and baseball fans live for individual statistics and, while the spacing of the players drives individual accountability, the game is, ironically, deeply dependent on the concept of “team.”

Consider the offense.  Unlike other sports , where you can deliver victory by giving the ball or puck – time and time again (particularly as the clock runs down) –  to your best runner, skater, receiver or shooter, in baseball, your line-up determines who will be “on the spot” and at the plate when the game is on the line.  It may be your .230-hitting second basemen, rather than your .320-hitting outfielder.  Yet, even as the team depends on the hitter, he is totally alone in his individual battle with the pitcher.  And, achieving individual statistics that signify exceptional performance also demands a sense of team.  You don’t score 100 runs without a team mate to drive you in (although the statistic remains your measure of performance) …  and, you don’t drive in 100 runs if no one gets on base in front of you.   And, can you think of any other sport that keeps track of – and honors – the team-oriented “sacrifice.”

On defense, the story is the same.  A ground ball pitcher, for example, needs a good infield behind him to optimize his statistical presence in the “win” column.  And the six-four-three double play requires masterful teamwork as well as individual performance –  duly recorded in the record books as an assist for the shortstop, a putout and an assist for the second baseman and a put out for the first baseman.  Then there is the outfield assist – a perfect throw from a right fielder to nail a runner at third earns an assist – even if the third baseman drops the ball and earns an error.  Two individual results (one good / one bad) highlighted, but without the necessary team work – a good play on both ends – a negative outcome in terms of the game.

Ultimately, baseball is a game of individual accomplishments that must be connected by the thread of “team” to produce a positive outcome.

10. Baseball’s assault on the senses.  (Indoor ballparks fall a bit short here).

The sight of a blue sky and bright sun above the ballpark or a full moon over a black sky above a well-lit stadium.  The feel of the warm sun or a crisp evening breeze.  The scent of freshly mowed grass or steaming hot dogs.  The taste of cold beer and peanuts.  The sound of the crack of the bat, the cheers (or moans) of the crowd, the musical pitch of the vendors.  Baseball assaults all the senses ―  in  a good way.

The ballet of the double play … a beautiful thing.
Photo by roy.luck

Now, I could go on and on, there are lots more reasons to love this game: its combination of conformity (all infields are laid out the same) and individualism (outfield configurations not so much); its contributions to culture (literature and movies); its strategy (hit-and-run, run-and-hit, sacrifice bunts, infield / outfield positioning, pitching changes, etc.); triples; the 6-4-3 double play; knuckleballs; and more.  But to protect myself – and BBRT’s readers – I’ve limited myself to ten.   I probably could have saved a lot of time and words  had I just started with this so-perfect comment from sportscaster Bryant Gumbel, “The other sports are just sports.  Baseball is love.”  That says it all.

Bonus Reason to Love Baseball – Opening Day

In the words of Joe DiMaggio:

“You always get a special kick on Opening Day, no matter how many you go through. You look forward to it like a birthday party when you were a kid. You think something wonderful is going to happen.”

Now. here are links to guest posts on “Why I Love Baseball.”

• For a post from author, poet and Grammy nominee Leonard Eckhaus (that includes an original poem) click here.
• For a post from John Micheal Murphy, Yankees’ sixth-round pick in the 2013 MLB draft, click here.
• For a post from Jason Love, author of “Slices of Americana – A Road Trip Through American Baseball History, click here.
• For a post from sportswriter and author Larry LaRue, click here.
• For a post from college football coach Alex Smith, click here.
• For a post from baseball blogger Bill Ivie (I70baseball.com), click here.
• For a post from dedicated autograph seeker Scott Perry, click here.
• For a post from lifelong baseball fan Tom Cuggino, click here.

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Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary. 

 The Baseball Roundtable polls are closed and the results of the reader survey on MLB rules changes for 2023 (and one possible future change) are in.  The winners – at least among the 118 respondents to the Roundtable fan poll – were  the Shift Ban and the Pitch Clock, while the changes respondents loved to hate were making the Ghost Runner in extra innings permanent and the Limit on Pick-off Attempts.

Note:  Baseball Roundtable will repeat survey at the All Star break – after fans have had a chance to see the new rules in action.

Notably, while there were a few, “leave the game totally alone” responses, most appeared to evaluate each rule change on its own merits.

Before we look at the 2023 Rules Survey results, here’s a snapshot from an early 2022 Baseball Roundtable survey on factors affecting readers’ decisions to attend an MLB game.  I’d note here that In-Game Downtime and Amount (lack) of On-Field Action both far outpaced Length of Game.

With that bit of background, Let’s look at the final results of the 2023 rules change survey.

—-Shift Ban—-

Two infielders must be on each side of second base and within the boundaries of the infield as a pitch is thrown.  Also, infielders may not switch sides during a given inning (you can’t move your best infielder to the opposite side of the second base bag for a specific hitter).  Side note:  A team may still choose to bring an outfielder into the infield as a fifth infielder. Penalty:  A Ball is called.

Angels infield sift during 2015 Spring Training; Photo: Jon Gudorf Photography, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

This rule  change saw  48.4 percent  of respondents Loving or Liking it and 39.2 percent  Hating or Disliking it.

 Love it … 15.3%

Like it … 33.1%

Hate it … 13.7%

Don’t Like it … 25.5%

Neutral/No Opinion … 2.5%

Note: In an early 2022 reader survey, 55.9% liked the prospect of a shift ban; 35.1% disliked it.  To view the full 2022 survey (which deals with a wider range of MLB rules), click here. 

Baseball Roundtable Take:  I like the restrictions (shifts seem way overused to me), but would have preferred allowing teams to use the shift a specific number of times per game (say three) – forcing managers to make a strategic decision on when to use a shift.  (The shift has long been a part of the game, just not to the extent we see it today).

—–Base Sizes—–

The size of bases is  increased from 15 x 15 inches to 18 x 18 inches.

Neutral/No Opinion was the leading answer here, with 35 percent of respondents in that category. Those Hating or Disliking the new base size did outnumber those loving or liking it by a 41.0 percent to 23.9 percent margin.

Love it … 9.4%

Like it … 14.5%

Hate it … 20.5%

Don’t Like It … 20.5%

Neutral/No Opinion … 35.o%

Baseball Roundtable Take:  If you consider this a safety issue, giving fielders and runners more space to operate in, I’m on board.  If the argument is that it will increase action on the base paths, my answer is “Yawn.” Baseball may be a game of inches, but I don’t think six fewer  inches between the outside edge of the bases is gong to make much difference.

—–Pitch Clock—–

In 2023, there will be 30-second time limit between each batter, 15-second pitch clock with bases empty (pitcher must deliver the ball within 15-seconds of receiving it), 20 seconds with runner(s) on base.  Also, batters must be in the batter’s box and ready by the time there are eight-seconds left on pitch clock.  Note: Here’s where it gets sticky for me.  With runners on base, the timer resets if the pitcher steps off the rubber or attempts a pickoff (these are  “disengagements), with a limit of two disengagements per plate appearance (more on that later). The timer is also reset  if a baserunner advances  during a plate appearance. In addition,  batters are allowed one time out during a plate appearance.  Penalties: Pitcher violation- called Ball; Batter violation – called Strike.

A  majority of respondents fell into the Love It-Like It cadres (56.8 percent to 38.9 percent in the Hate It/Don’t Like It groups).

Note: In the early 2022 Roundtable reader  survey,  55.5% of respondents liked the idea of a strictly  enforced pitch clock; 31.4% disliked it. Both the supporting and opposing numbers increased in the new survey, while there were fewer neutral responses.)

Baseball Roundtable Take:    The jury is still out for me on this one. I’m fine with a pitch clock with the bases empty, as well as with the one batter’s time out per plate appearance. I’m not sure about the limit on “disengagements”  with runners on base.  I tend to enjoy the pitcher-base runner “cat-and-mouse” game.  Also, the “disengagement” limits (more on this in a later question), at least in my mind, complicate the experience for the average fan trying to follow the game. So, I’m in a “wait-and-see” mode on that portion of this change.

–—-Limiting Pick-Off Attempts (disengagements) During a Plate Appearance—–

Pitchers will be allowed just two “disengagements” (pick-off attempts, fake pick-offs, stepping off the rubber, defensive time out) per plate appearance – with the disengagement count reset if a runner advances a base within the plate appearance. No penalty on a third pick-off  attempt if it produces an out. Penalty: If a pitcher steps off or attempts a pick-off a third time, it is treated as a Balk (runners advance) – unless the pick-off is successful (an out is recorded), then there is no penalty.

Interestingly, while a majority (56.8 percent) of respondents Loved or Liked the pitch clock, an ever larger majority (68.9 percent) hated or dislike the limiting of pick-off attempts (which , in part, prevent pitchers from circumventing the pitch clock with actual or feigned pick-off attempts).

Love It … 6.0%

Like It … 19.7%

Hate It … 49.2%

Don’t Like It … 23.1%

Neutral/No Opinion … 5.1%

Note: In the  2022 reader survey 72.5% disliked the idea of limiting pickoff attempts; 14.3 percent liked it.

Baseball Roundtable Take: Again, I like the pitch clock with no runners on base. I do not, however, support limiting pick-off attempts.  As noted earlier, I like the pitcher-base runner “cat and mouse” game – and consider pick-off plays to be on-field  “action.”  I do appreciate the third pick-off not being a violation if an out is recorded (which prevents runners from taking extraordinary leads after the allowed two pick-off attempts/disengagements).

Still, I’d feel better with just eliminating or restricting “fake” pick-offs (stepping off the rubber and “looking” the runner back).  My preference would be, if the pitcher disengages, he has to take the risk of making the throw. 

—–Extra-Inning Ghost Runner—–

The rule placing a runner at second base at the start of each extra inning is now permanent.  This is the rule change that respondents really loved to hate – with 75 percent responding they Hated or Did Not Like it (63.6 percent in the “Hate It” group).

Note; Compared to the 2022 survey, reader opposition, while still strong, was down from 82.4% to 75%, while support was up from 14.3% to 19.5%.

Baseball Roundtable Take:  Totally agree with the bulk of  survey respondents.  To me this rule change is a step too far. My stance is that  “earned” runners not “gift” runners should decide a ball game.  Yes, it will shorten extra-inning contests (I’m not convinced that’s a good thing). However, it also changes the basic structure and strategy of the game. 

—–Restrictions on Position Player Pitching—–  

Last season, position players could only be brought in to pitch in extra innings or if the player’s team was trailing by at least six runs. In 2023, the restrictions will be in extra innings or if the players’ team is trailing by at least eight runs (at any time) or ahead by at least ten runs in the ninth inning.

Well, 17.8 percent Love or Like this change, 53.4 percent Hated of Disliked it and 28.8 percent were in the Neutral/No Opinion group. .

Love It … 3.4%

Like It … 14.4%

Hate It … 27.1%

Don’t Like It … 26.3%

Neutral/No Opinion … 28.8%

Baseball Roundtable Take:  I was surprised  to see 30 percent with strong (Love It or Hate It ) opinions.  I did not expect strong opinions either way on this one.  This difference, really makes no difference to me.

—–LOOK TO THE FUTURE … Automated Strike Zone—–

Readers were asked about their opinions on the possible use of electronic devices to determine balls and strikes. Give a bit of an  edge to the umpires – even with their shortcomings – here. The Hate It and Dislike It groups had a 54.3 percent to 38.1 percent edge.

Love It … 12.7

Like It … 25.4

Hate It … 39.0

Don’t Like It … 15.3

Neutral/No Opinion …  7.6

Note: In the 2022 reader survey 54.1 % disliked the idea of an electronic strike zone, while 32.7% liked it.

Baseball Roundtable Take: Not a fan of this potential  change.  I do like to watch those pitchers with the skills to “expand” the strike zone at work. Still, if it comes to this, I can live with it. I do miss the days, however, when the philosophy was that – whether at the plate or on the basses” – the umpires “call” would even out.

————————————–

READER COMMENTS: 

Now, for a sampling of reader comments.

Automated Ball and Strike Calls

Regarding the automated strike zone, I don’t support a 100% computer-controlled system. However, I would support using it for “challenges” on balls and strikes, so long as it could be done with limitations on when or how many challenges can be used.  CHRIS (did not give a state)

_____

I like the balls and strike rules used in AAA last year. If I remember right, the batter, pitcher, catcher or either manager can ask for a very limited review of a pitch, then they show one of the computer generated views of where the pitch was. If the pitch is not reversed, the team that requested the review loses one of their appeals. EDDIE (California)

_____

LOVE the Robo Umps w/ balls & strikes. You simply can’t continue to track pitches with a computer, show the fans the real location in real time, and have umpires blow the call. Research shows 34,000 missed calls in a season. Each game averages approximately 300 pitches. That is 113 FULL games worth of missed balls and  strikes. Unacceptable. The hitters are the best in the world and can discern with expert precision. You can’t allow a bad ump to take that expertise away, while simultaneously showing the fans at home the truth. Since the chances of success vary so wildly between starting 1-0 or 0-1, we cannot allow bad umpiring to continue to cause this unnecessarily.  No Name Given, but noted permission  to use the comment.

Limit on Pick-Off Attempts

Instead of limiting pickoff attempts, I would ban leading off first base. Treat it like tagging up on a fly out. I’d also require mid-inning relievers to enter from the dugout, and no warm-up pitches.  My pitcher friend hates my reliever proposals! RICHARD (Minnesota)

Pitch Clock

I went to a minor league game last year. Went to the concession stand to pick up food and beverages……..missed about an inning and a half or so. Pitch clock was too fast.  RON, North Carolina

General

Certain things baseball needs to do to modernize the game as well as to cut the length of games and make the games more appealing.  However, some of these rules changes are just stupid and don’t address the real issues. DAN (no state given)

—–

I think that we have to allow ourselves to see how the game might improve for the greater good, despite my misgivings or questions about whether the changes are consistent with the spirit of the game.  STEVE (Michigan)

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The Greatest Summer in Baseball History:  How the ’73 Season Changed Us Forever

By John Rosengren

Sourcebooks, Naperville, IL

$16.99 

(To be released April 1, 2023 … May be pre-ordered at indiebound.org and amazon.com)

In  1973, Major League Baseball appeared to be at a crossroads.  The game was facing the blowback from 1972’s first-ever players’ strike; the balance of power between players and owners had changed dramatically; the American League had adopted a controversial rule change (the Designated Hitter); racial animus was coming to the forefront as Henry Aaron closed in on the iconic Babe Ruth’s career home run record; Reggie Jackson was redefining the image of the baseball superstar; and George Steinbrenner and Charlie Finley were breaking the norms as baseball owners.  Forbes Magazine, in fact, predicted major league baseball “could well vanish from the scene in twenty years.”

In The Greatest Summer in Baseball History: How the ’73 Season Changed Us Forever, award-winning author John Rosengren gives readers a vivid picture of the forces and individuals that helped redefine baseball in 1973 – putting the game on a new, more colorful (and, at times. more controversial) path.

In his well-researched and well-written book, Rosengren provides the expected descriptions of the on-field action in pennant races, post-season games and record-chasing endeavors. He also takes readers behind the scenes (into the dugouts, clubhouses and executive offices), examining the personalities who were reshaping the game. He also ties the course of the baseball season with the events of the times (like the Watergate Scandal, the withdrawal from Vietnam, the Billy Jean King/Bobby Riggs Battle of the Sexes and George Steinbrenner’s legal troubles.

Rosengren tells the tale of the 1973 MLB season without pulling any punches. For example, he details how  a resurgent Orlando Cepeda successfully put his mark on the Designated Hitter position, as well as how a declining Willie Mays struggled through his final MLB season (with the Mets). When recounting Reggie Jackson’s 1973 season, Rosengren reports that Reggie Jackson led the American League in home runs, RBI and game-winning hits, but also notes that Jackson was a new kind of superstar, one who played for the ego and the money.

With his usual thoroughness, Rosengren traces the development of Jackson’s ego all the way from his high school days (football scholarship offers from 48 colleges) until his trade to the Yankees, when he  announced “I did not come to New York to be a star, I brought my star with me.” As he describes Jackson’s approach to stardom – often irritating and even offensive to many (even his teammates) – Rosengren notes that Jackson also added a new level of excitement to the game.

“Jackie Robinson changed the color of the game; Reggie infused it with color. He broke the duller barrier.”  

                                                               The Greatest Summer in Baseball History

Baseball Roundtable Note: “The Greatest Summer in Baseball History: How the ’73 Season Changed Us Forever” was first published in 2008 under the title “Hammerin’ Hank, George Almighty and the Say Hey Kid: The Year that Baseball Changed Forever.”  The book is being re-released this year, the 50th anniversary of the 1973 season.

Without giving too much away, let’s take a look at a few examples of how Rosengren approaches the stories of the 1973 season.  We’ll start with Hank Aaron’s 1973 season, unfolding as he approached the iconic Babe Ruth’s hallowed 714 career home runs (Aaron would close 1973 with 713 regular-season long balls). Rosengren details Aaron’s on-field accomplishments, as well as the stress of the pursuit and the mountain of racially-based  threats against not just Aaron himself, but also his family.

“It (the pursuit of Ruth’s record) should have been the most enjoyable time of my life, and instead it was hell.”

            Hank Aaron, noted in The Greatest Summer in Baseball History

What intrigued me was that Aaron was nearly as disturbed by Atlanta’s indifference to his pursuit of the record as he was by the race-based hate mail. For example, on Hank Aaron Poster Day at Atlanta Stadium (April 29, 1973) – when the Braves planned to give out posters to the first 20,000 youngsters –  a total of only 12,152 (youngsters and adults) were reported in attendance. After the game, Aaron commented that  “Atlanta overwhelmed me with its indifference.” Later in the season, when Aaron popped his 711^th round tripper (September 17), only 1,362 fans showed up in Atlanta. “That was a pretty strong statement of what Atlanta though of me and my record,” Aaron observed.

There were, of course, positive moments – and Rosengren shares those as well. On August 6, “Hank Aaron Day” was held in the former home of the Braves, as Aaron’s Atlanta squad took on the Brewers in an exhibition game in Milwaukee. There, Aaron basked in an extended standing ovation from more than 33,000 fans. There was a similar response at the 1973 All Star Game and Atlanta fans did come around, putting 40,000 plus in the seats (and out of their seats for a five-minute  standing ovation) for Atlanta’s final home game of the season.

The point here is that – as with other topics in the book – Rosengren enables us to relive the significant events of 1973, the good and the bad.  And, he does it with detail and accuracy, as well as with entertaining and active prose.

Rosengren also gives readers a look at the Mets, who made won the NL East title and made it to the World Series, despite being in last place on August 30 and not topping .500 to stay until September 22.-

“Excitement for the Mets in New York seemed directly proportional to disgust for the Nixon Administration.”

                                                        The Greatest Summer in Baseball History

Rosengren shares a game-by-game account of the of the 1973 Mets/Reds NL Championship Series – identifying the heroes and the goats.  Part of the tale that particularly grabbed me took place in Game Two.  In the fifth inning of that contest – with the  Reds up 9-3 – Pete Rose (breaking up a  double play) took out Mets’ shortstop Buddy Harrelson.  The action resulted in a bench-clearing brawl.  It was not your usual push-and-shove in-field match, but one marked by some pretty heavy punches. (Rosengren includes a blow-by-blow account, including Reds’ pitcher Pedro Borbon’s taking a bite out of a Mets player’s cap.)  Once the field was cleared, the excitement was far from over. When Rose took his place in left field the next inning, the fans greeted him with what Rosengren terms ”a barrage of insults and an artillery of garbage.” It took more than ten minutes and a visit to the outfield by peacekeeper Willie Mays to quiet the crowd.

“I’m no damn little girl out there. I’m supposed to give the fans their money’s worth and try to bust up double plays – and shortstops.  I’ll be honest, I was trying to knock him into left field.”

                          Pete Rose, after his NLCS collision with Bud Harrelson

Rosengren tells the story of the 1973 World Champions A’s  and the deep rift between the players and owner Charlie  Finley.   A rift so deep that, at one point, the A’s players discussed going on strike during the 1973 World Series. Rosengren shares the story of Reggie Jackson flipping the bird at owner Charlie Finely after delivering a pinch-hit home run and gives readers a look at Finley –  defying post-heart attack doctors’ orders – and continuing his meddling ways from a wheelchair (with a bottle of yellow heart pills in his pocket).

And, there’s much more in the book, including (but, as they say, not limited to):

• Orlando Cepeda overcoming gimpy knees to be named 1973’s first-ever Outstanding Designated Hitter of the Year;
• The rift(s) between, Hank Aaron and Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn; Willie Mays and Mets’ skipper Yogi Berra; George Steinbrenner and the Federal Court system;
• The forces behind, skepticism surrounding and impact of the Designated Hitter rule;
• George Steinbrenner’s zealous efforts to prove Gaylord Perry was throwing spitballs;
• Willie Mays’ moments of struggle and moments of glory in his final season.

Ultimately, The Greatest Summer in Baseball History is a highly informative and entertaining look at a watershed year for baseball. If you’re a baseball fan, you’ll enjoy the action and  John Rosengren’s take on the people, events and social forces that shaped the season and the future course of the National Pastime.

____________________________________________________

About the Author

John Rosengren is an award-winning journalist and author, whose articles have appeared in more than 100 publications, ranging from The Atlantic to Sports Illustrated. He is a lifelong baseball fan and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research.

He has written ten books including:

The Fight of Their Lives: How Juan Marichal and John Roseboro Turned Baseball’s Ugliest Brawl into a Story of Forgiveness and Redemption

Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes

Classic Baseball: Timeless Tales, Immortal Moments

Blades of Gory: The Story of a Young Team Bred to Win

Alone in the Trenches:  My Life as a Gay Man in the NFL. (With Esera Tuaolo)

Life is Just a Party (short story collection)

Clean Heart (Novel)

Rosengren is a Pulitzer Prize nominee.  Among his many awards is the 2017 Donald Robinson Award for Investigative Journalism.

___________________________________

A Brief Interview with the Author

Roundtable:    When did you first develop your passion for baseball?

Rosengren: I fell in love with baseball as a young boy. My father took me to Twins games at Met Stadium and passed along his love for the game through his stories and explanations of how the game was played. That love grew with my collection of Topps baseball cards, which I still have tucked into a few shoe boxes in my basement.

Roundtable: Did you ever play organized ball … from Little League on?

Rosengren: I started playing T-ball in as a six-year-old and continued playing until my junior year of high school when I was an outfielder on the JV team. I returned to the game in my 40’s, playing catcher and outfield for the Richfield Rockets in the 35-over wooden bat Federal League.

Roundtable:  What spurred you to delve so deeply in the 1973 season?

Rosengren: I wanted to write a book that chronicled a season and figured the ’73 season, with all of the events that happened that year, was one of the most formative years in the history of the game. It also happened to be a significant year in the history of our country, so 1973 was a rich subject. It helped that I remembered the season fondly from my youth, because that increased my interest in learning more about it.

Roundtable:  How long did the research for The Greatest Summer take and were there any specific challenges to getting the full picture?

Rosengren: I spent about two years researching the season until I got to the point where I felt I could tell its story with authority.

Roundtable:  Is there a specific goal or philosophy you bring to your efforts when putting together  a book?

Rosengren: I want to be able to tell a story in a compelling way and to write about substantial subjects. The racial injustice exposed by the opposition Hank Aaron faced in his pursuit of Ruth’s career home run mark is an example of the gravitas that makes this more than simply “a baseball book.”

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Pitch clocks, Banned Shifts, Ghost Runner Permanency, Electronic Strike Zones and more … Baseball Roundtable Wants Your Opinions on new MLB Rules for 2023 and a couple of changes that could be on the horizon.  Click here for the survey.  We’ll keep it open until the end of February

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Bronx Epitaph – How Lou Gehrig’s “Luckiest Man” Speech Defined the Yankee Legend

By Steven K. Wagner

State University of New York Press (2023)

$27.95

Whether you are a fan of Lou Gehrig, a follower of the Yankees or just would  like to know the back story behind one  of baseball’s most iconic  moments, Steven Wagner’s “Bronx Epitaph – How Lou Gehrig’s ‘Luckiest Man’ Speech Defined the Yankee Legend” has something for you. It is a well-researched and well-written  tale that uses the words of Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Speech to lead us through the story of the Hall of Famer’s Life and the relationships that led him to his luckiest man conclusion.

The speech was  made (between games of a doubleheader) on Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day (July 4, 1939) – an event honoring a Yankee legend, a true “Iron Man,” then facing a debilitating, career-ending and life-threatening disease (Gehrig would live only 698 more days).  It was a speech  the humble Gehrig was reluctant to deliver and one that did not  receive extensive coverage at the time.  Yet, Gehrig’s remarks, which opened with “For the past two weeks, you’ve been reading about a bad break. Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth”  and the  image of a tearful Gehrig at the microphone, are considered among the most iconic moments and images in baseball lore.

His (Gehrig’s) speech was a baseball moment that had nothing to do with playing.  It was baseball ‘s Gettysburg address.

                                                                    Marty Appel, Baseball Historian

In Bronx Epitaph, author Steven  Wagner presents what is clearly  the most deeply researched and best-documented version of Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech.  Only four sentences of the speech captured on film are known to be available  and there is no known complete audio recording of Gehrig’s remarks. In his research, Wagner used not only available film and audio, but news accounts from a wide range of publications – giving particular credence to quotes or paraphrases that appeared in multiple stories.  In fleshing out the story of the speech and Gehrig’s life, Wagner also interviewed a host of players – all former Yankees – and even a fan who was in the stands that day. In the process, Wagner developed not only the most in-depth accounting of Gehrig’s farewell speech, but an equally in-depth look at Gehrig’s life and character.

Using the Farewell Speech – and filling in the back story of each sentence – Wagner tells the tale of Gehrig the ballplayer and Gehrig the man. We see a fierce and talented competitor, a dedicated teammate, a humble and caring person, an individual of great integrity and a man who recognized and was thankful for all those who contributed to what he saw as a great and ”lucky” life.  In Yankee manager Joe McCarthy’s words, as quoted in Wagner’s book, Gehrig was “the finest example of a ball player, sportsman and citizen that baseball has ever known.”

The emotional nature of Gehrig’s speech (and the day itself) may be reflected  in the fact that the speech almost didn’t happen. Here’s how Wagner describes it,  “As Gehrig stood on the grass that day, struggling to hold back his tears,  Mercer (sportswriter Sid Mercer, emcee of the event) announced that the Yankee was too overcome with emotion and would not be speaking. He then thanked the crowd for coming out to honor the man. Unfortunately for their quiet hero, those in the crowd would not be dismissed lightly and they quickly and collectively took over, rising to their feet and chanting his name over and over. Finally, (Joe) McCarthy, a father figure to the slugger, put his hand on Gehrig’s back and gently ushered him over to the microphone, urging him to speak.” The rest, as they say, is history.

In the introduction to Bronx Epitaph, Wagner takes the reader through Gehrig’s childhood, when his family often faced economic challenges; through his high school years,  when he excelled at both baseball and football (and, as Wagner reports “At first declined to play on the baseball team because he was shy about appearing in front of crowds;” through his years at Columbia University (where he was a fullback on the football team and a pitcher/first baseman on the baseball squad;  and on to highlights of  his Hall of Fame career as a Yankee.

But the story really starts when Wagner begins to recreate and analyze Gehrig’s farewell speech – made at a time when Gehrig was facing the toughest  challenge of his life and still thought of himself as the luckiest man on the face of the earth. Gehrig went on to cite the reasons why he felt that way, and those reasons  had nothing to do with fame, fortune, Most Valuable Player Awards or championship rings, but rather were based on the  people and relationships that had built his character and shaped his life.

In his remarks Gehrig thanked the fans;  his teammates; Yankee owner Jake Ruppert; Yankee executive Ed Barrow; Yankee managers Miller Huggins and Joe McCarthy; his Yankee roommate Bill Dickey; the  rival New York Giants; stadium vendors, groundskeepers and office staff; sportswriters; his mother-in-law; his parents; and his wife.

“He (Gehrig) was a beloved player, because of who he was, not just because of how he played. What he spoke that day came from his heart. When the people who in your heart are your mother-in -law and ticket takers, that says a lot about your character.”

                                                 Former Yankee Mike Buddie

In his book, Wagner outlines Gehrig’s relationship with each of those he thanked in that speech – telling Gehrig’s  life story along the way. And – as the humble Gehrig would have preferred – also provides  insight into the lives, careers and accomplishments of each individual or group included in his list of thank you’s.

Wagner writes about Jacob Ruppert’s commitment to building the Yankee franchise; how and why Ed Barrow signed Gehrig to his first baseball contract; Gehrig’s relationship with his teammates, particularly roommate Bill Dickey (nicknamed The Man Nobody Knows); Gehrig’s family life and the positive impact that Gehrig’s parents, wife and mother-in-law had on building his “lucky life;” and much, much more. Readers even get a glimpse of Gehrig’s challenging life after he left baseball and some insight into the Gehrig-Ruth rift.

I found Bronx Epitaph to be a great read. As I’ve often said of Baseball Roundtable research “one thing always seems to lead to another.” That’s also true about Wagner’s Bronx Epitaph – one story from Gehrig’s life leads to another and, then, another  – and in the end, they lead to the tale of a great ballplayer and a great person.

Other books by Steven K. Wagner include:

• The Four Home Runs Club: Sluggers Who Achieved Baseball’s Rarest Feat. Review here.
• Perfect: The Rise and Fall of John Paciorek, Baseball’s Greatest One-Game Wonder. Review here.
• Game Won: How the Greatest Home Run Ever Hit Sparked the 1988 Dodgers to Game One Victory and an Unlikely World Series Title. Review here.
• Seinsoth: The Rough and Tumble Life of a Dodger. Review here.

BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE TALKS WITH STEVEN WAGNER

Roundtable: What prompted your decision to tackle the Luckiest Man speech as a book topic?

Wagner: I’ve always been intrigued by Lou Gehrig, not only his greatness but his squeaky-clean persona. However, it’s The Speech that I found most intriguing – how a man near the peak of his athleticism could have everything taken away from him and still consider himself lucky. As I looked into the speech and read assumed transcripts, I decided to put together a more likely transcript and look into exactly why he said what he did on that warm summer day.

Roundtable: How long did the research take and what was the most challenging aspect?

Wagner: I probably spent six months researching for the book. I think the most difficult part was searching for quotations from publications that haven’t existed for decades. I then compared quotes from one news source to another to determine what Gehrig truly did say and what he didn’t say.

Roundtable: Were there any surprises along the way?  Things you didn’t expect to learn about Gehrig or any of the other principals in the book?

Wagner: I didn’t realize at the outset that Gehrig had no interest in speaking that day, that manager Joe McCarthy actually patted him on the back and encouraged him to talk, which he only reluctantly did. I really think McCarthy understood better than anyone the mark that Gehrig would have on history by speaking. I also didn’t realize that earlier in the day a little-known player named Johnny Welaj was honored at home plate in similar fashion. Before it was Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day it was actually Johnny Welaj Day.

Roundtable Note:  In true Baseball Roundtable fashion,“one things always leads to another” and you’ll find more about Welaj at the end of this post.

Roundtable:  If you had to sum up Lou Gehrig in a single sentence, how would you do it?

Wagner: No player in major-league history had the impact on baseball that Lou Gehrig did, and The Speech played a big role in the legacy he left.

Roundtable: You’ve written about one game careers (Paciorek): the Gibson World Series home run; Four-Homer Games; and Bill Seinsoth’s career.  How do you select what players, events or topics you are going to explore?

Wagner: I always choose topics that I know I’d enjoy writing about and that I believe others would enjoy reading about. If I can’t enjoy working on a book project, it’s unlikely I can put enough into it to make the reader enjoy it.

________________________________________________

One Thing Leads to Another  … J0hnny Welaj Shares Lou Gehrig’s Day

In traditional  Roundtable “one thing leads to another” fashion, one of author Steven Wagner’s answers led me to look deeper into Johnny Welaj – who also had  a “Day” on July 4.  Welaj, it runs out was a Washington Senators’  rookie outfielder, with 31 MLB games under his belt. The 25-year-old was in his fourth professional season.

As David E. Skelton reports in his Society for American Baseball Research Johnny Welaj biography, Welaj was born in Pennsylvania, but grew up  in Manville, New Jersey (40 miles from New York City) – and was “a standout athlete in football, basketball, and especially baseball,” at Bound Brooke High School (and later in semi-pro baseball in the area). Signed by the Senator in 1936, the speedy Welaj, as noted, made his way to the major leagues by 1939. With the senators visiting nearby New York City on Independence 1939, Skelton reports that hundreds of Welaj’s friends, relatives and neighbors traveled from Manville to Yankee Stadium to celebrate “Johnny Welaj Day” before the first game of the twin bill. Reportedly, Welaj was not aware that the Gehrig appreciation event would be taking place between games of the doubleheader.

Welaj played in just four MLB seasons (1939-41, 1943), hitting .250-4-74, with 36 steals in 293 games. (His MLB career was uninterrupted by military service.) He played in 15 minor-league campaigns – the final one in 1956  at age 42. A true baseball lifer, Welaj spent seven decades in the game as a player, coach, manager and front office executive (including a ten-year stint as the Texas Rangers’ Director of Stadium Operations).

______________________________________________

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Scott Rolen, top vote-getter in Baseball Roundtable Readers’ Hall of Fame Balloting. Photo: User Darwin’s Bulldog on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons

The Baseball Roundtable (unofficial) Fan Hall of Fame Balloting is closed and the  votes are counted.  The end result? Roundtable readers threw a shutout – with no player reaching the 75 percent support needed for induction in the official balloting.

In this post, I’ll pass on the results of the reader voting, as well as share a few observations on the differences between the Roundtable fan ballots and the publicly announced (to date) Baseball Writers Association of America official balloting (as reported by the Baseball Hall of Fame Vote Tracker).

For those interested in a deeper dive into Hall of Fame voting, I would recommend the BBHOF Vote tracker (at bbhoftracker.com). The site offers an updated listing of public votes (total and individual ballots), as well as commentary on voting trends and implications.  All of the official ballot  totals used in this post are as of January 14, with 39.4% of ballots made public.

Roundtable Side Note

Roundtable reader (and voter) Ralph from North Carolina won the randomly drawn Fan Ballot prize package, which included: a complete 1993 Topps set (with Derek Jeter’s rookie card); a Bob Gibson replica Cardinals jersey; a Tony Oliva HOF bobblehead; a replica Ernie Banks Wrigley Field flag; and a Bert Blyleven HOF “How to Throw a Curve Ball” baseball. 

So, on to a few observations. No player received the necessary 75 percent support in the fan ballot, while Scott Rolen and Todd Helton have each drawn more than 75 percent support among the official ballots made public (again via bbhoftracker.com) as of January 14.

As you can see, the top five in the fan ballot mirrored the top five in the public official balloting (to date). The only exceptions being that fans placed Jeff Kent in the top five, while Gary Sheffield was  the top five in the BBWAA public ballots.

Voting percentages tend to fall in the official balloting when final results are reported.  At this point, it appears Rolen has the best chance of making it into the Hall in 2023, while Helton may end up very close.  Below are the full results of the Baseball Roundtable reader voting.

Overall, readers tended to spread out their ballots among more players (some home-team bias, perhaps). Reader voters cast votes for 6.23 players per ballot, as opposed to 6.42 among the writers. Thirteen players on each ballot did not receive enough votes to remain on the ballot for 2024.  However, only two players received  zero votes on the fan ballot, as opposed to 12 on the official ballot (again, that is on ballots made public to date).

Carlos Beltran, top vote-getter among first-timers.  Photo: Jeffrey Hayes, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The strongest newcomer to the ballot (among both groups) was Carlos Beltran – at 53.5 percent (sixth) among readers and 57.1 percent (sixth) in  the official balloting. Reader votes and the public official votes to date indicate only two ballot first-timers will carry over to next year (Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez) on the ballot (5 percent minimum support).

Among the  biggest differences (beyond Rolen’s and Helton’s totals) between the reader ballots and the public  official ballots to date are:

• Gary Sheffield (29.3% among readers; 65.4% among writers);
• Francisco Rodriguez (41.4% among readers; 9.0% among writers);
• Torii Hunter (26.3% among readers; 1.9% among writers).

Again, thanks to all the readers who voted.  And, remember bbhoftracker.com is a great source for more in-depth information on the official balloting.

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