Topps—which produces Bowman cards—began creating “parallel” cards in 1992, short-printed versions of base cards that are rarer and more valuable. The Superfractor version of Trout’s Bowman Draft autographed rookie card—a shimmery gold edition that was limited to just one copy—set the record for highest card sale until it was eclipsed several times in 2020 and 2021.
And here is a different list of the top 50 with some different results. Not sure why
The most traded player in MLB history is on the move again, back with the Braves for his fourth stint there. It was a waiver claim this time rather than a trade, but the Braves did just trade him less than a month ago as part of the package to get Iglesias: Who is most traded player ever?
Rule change proposals. Vote if you agree (or at least don’t mind it)
I split the shift into two issues and the clock into two issues
If you like something partially, like the clock, but not the time allowed, or the base, but not the size, or not including 2nd, vote yes and explain
0 voters
Fielder placement rules are stupid. Hit it where they’re not. Yeah, you won’t get a home run. So what? If everyone learned to bunt, the shift would be lessened, if not stopped. I, for one, would greatly enjoy a 4-run inning where every single batter poked the ball toward the hole.
Bigger bases is OK, but really doesn’t address the problem of forcing the batter to run in fair territory. Extend the bass into foul territory and force the runner to stay in foul territory after a few steps. It gets rid of the injury problem and the inconsistent interference calls.
I’m coming around to banning the shift but not requiring 4 IF to start in the dirt. I mean all these changes are to do 2 things - quicker pace of play, more offense. So sure go for it. Football has been making rules to encourage offense since as long as I can recall, basketball mostly too.
when you have a guy like McNeil you pray for the other team to shift. Less offense does speed up the game.
I don’t get the OF grass one, for a hard hitter, especially a slow one, that has been going on forever
I watch very little BB, I liked the more physical game before the changes.
With the football injuries I can’t say much, I do like they try to readjust when they feel they got it wrong
Those games have a clock. Increasing offense doesn’t affect the game’s length of time. They have other issues that lengthen their games (injuries, TV time-outs, etc.)
Increase the offense in baseball, and the game is longer, time-wise. That is the opposite of quickening games.
Shorten time between innings, shorten warmup times for new pitchers (warm up in the bullpen).
Put a limit on the number of foul balls allowed with two strikes.
Change the balls or bats so that home runs are more difficult.
Make parks bigger, including foul areas, so outs are more frequent per plate appearance.
How will the 2 time step off work? If you check on a runner twice in an at bat does he then get to take as large of a lead as he wants? I feel like there has to be something about this rule that I am missing.
You can throw over a third time. But if you don’t get him out, there’s a penalty. So they get to extend their lead, but can’t be dumb. I don’t like this one at all.
I guess it’s more “quickening the pace of the game”. I heard some stat that I’ll probably misquote but it was something to the effect that 10 years ago a ball was put into play every 2.3 minutes, now a ball is put into play every 4.2 minutes. It’s not just length of game, it’s more about pace of play and creating more action in (hopefully) less time.
If you want to quicken the pace of the game, you cut the strikeouts, which means you cut the home runs. I’d be for that. I’ve said it before - I’d like to see anything over the outfield wall be an out. If you want a home run, you’d better run really fast. That would also likely solve the shift problem.
Dodgers in the post-season! Pour the sparkling wine make a toast…
Oops.
Remember the crack down on spider tack that made spin rates for many pitchers suddenly plummet? Apparently pitchers found something that is nearly as good as spider tack, as spin rates are back up:
Full article discussing is behind a paywall, but the basics are that spin rates are almost back where they were but the very highest ones are still down from their peak. Also, whatever substance is being used hasn’t been identified in any searches yet.
Speculation: they are using a drug that makes sweat sticky.
How is that going to work in October?
Dry sauna between innings.
The data does strongly suggest that something is afoot.
Haven’t read anything in here
However, i just want to say that i have really enjoyed reading the Maeiners box scores every morning again.
I haven’t done this regularly in well over a decade.
Julio is a lot of fun to follow. I love that they already locked him up.
And these starting pitchers have been lights out.
Hopefully they can maintain this pitching into the postseason.
Team is fun again.
You might have read that MLB is going to “fix” some things in order to make more money.
Next up for MLB: Make pitchers throw more fastballs!
Follow-up today on ESPN.com, a great story IMO:
The Aaron Judge home run that changed a kid's life
