By Ken Napzok The sounds we love are silent. The dugouts are bare. The fields are empty. There is no crack of the bat, the smack of ball hitting glove, no roar of the crowd. Baseball, like most of the world, has been put on hold. As the worldwide situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic exploded around all of us, baseball followed the NBA and NHL … Continue reading The Fields are empty
by Ken Napzok No one should take joy in the injury of a player, so there is no suggestion here that these young Yankee arms are. However, the sad tale of Luis Severino’s struggle to get back to top pitching form took a turn for the worse this week when it was discovered that he needed Tommy John surgery and would miss all of 2020. … Continue reading The Future Could Be Now In New York
by Ken Napzok “I’m out it for a little while and everybody gets delusions of grandeur.” – Han Solo, hero and scoundrel. My apologies. I was a little out of sync and finished the month’s third column a little later than planned due to an illness and a car accident. I’m fine. My 2004 Camry is not. I returned to the fold having missed most … Continue reading THE BIG HIT | Punishment Time
by Ken Napzok Ha. I mean, really now. Haha. The most bizarre and troubling baseball offseason in most recent memory has finally come to a close. Pitchers and catchers have reported to camps. Yasiel Puig is still looking for work. And it’s time to not just look ahead — but move ahead. But… yeah…. wow. The crown jewel trade of Mookie Betts and David Price … Continue reading THE BIG HIT | What The Forkball?
by Ken Napzok Have you ever heard that ole’ proverb about the two bulls standing on a hill? You know the one. The two bulls are staring down into a pretty green pasture full of beautiful cows. So, like, the young bull says to the old bull… what does he say… oh yeah… I want to run down this hill and f**k one of them … Continue reading THE BIG HIT | Dodgers Win the Offseason
One vote. One. Vote. Derek Jeter is going into the Hall of Fame one vote short of being the second player ever unanimously sent into immortality. He would have joined his teammate Mariano Rivera. Yet one person decided to make a statement about Jeter. A protest? Maybe. An oversight? Nah. A Red Sox fan? Possibly. Right now, we don’t know because Major League Baseball hasn’t … Continue reading THE BIG HIT | Derek Jeter… One Vote.
by Ken Napzok “That escalated quickly.” – Ron Burgundy, legendary newsman. We all saw this storm forming far off the coast, but we just didn’t know how hard it was going to smack the shoreline. Then it hit and the winds of scandal, drama, gossip, and good ole fashion conspiracy theories slammed into the sport with the speed and ferocity of Pete Rose breaking Ray … Continue reading THE BIG HIT | So Much for a Quiet Offseason
Cody Bellinger signed a one-year deal with the Dodgers for 11.5 million dollars, avoiding arbitration, and setting a record for first year arbitration eligible players. Mookie Betts signed a one-year deal with the Red Sox for 27 million dollars, avoiding arbitration, and setting a record for arbitration eligible players. Kris Bryant signed a one-year deal with the Cubs for 18.6 million dollars, avoiding arbitration, and … Continue reading THE BIG HIT | Offseason Moves
by Ken Napzok It’s that time of the year again! Sing it with me, friendos. “Should old… errrr… auld acquaintance be… forgot? (Is it forgot?) For days of bald land signs… hum hummm hum huuuum.” Or something. I’ve only ever heard that song while drunk and watching for a clock to count down. Point is here we are again at the big turning of the … Continue reading THE BIG HIT | New Year’s Resolutions for an Old School Baseball Fan
by Ken Napzok Whelp. The Winter Meetings have come and gone. Another General Manager’s Prom is in the books and there were some big… giant… epic moves that really turned heads and inspired think pieces and lil’ think Tweets while getting many fans excited for the new season while causing a little balls of stress to form in the chests of others. So, you know, … Continue reading THE BIG HIT | Winners and Losers of the Winter Meetings
