Sully Baseball

On Valentine's Day, I take a look at the Mets whose 2017 is totally uncertain and Terry Collins is about to have an unusual title in the team's history.

The Astros need to go all in. And that means taking Zack Greinke off of the Diamondbacks' hands. Meanwhile I have all sorts of tech issues.

SUNDAY REQUEST - @rybrooks26 asks me about the proposed rule change where a runner is put on second base to start extra innings. Man alive is that idea stupid!

Mike Ilitch passed away, ending a proud era in Tigers history and opening up a new day filled with questions and possibly not as much spending.

Will Jeffrey Loria sell the Marlins? It looks like he might! And if it happens, maybe the Marlins will finally have a chance to grow a fan base.

The Giants wonderful bullpen was kept together for probably one season too long. But as it is broken up, salute the 4 rings of Javier Lopez, bid farewell to Sergio Romo and possibly welcome back Brian Wilson.

The Cardinals may have missed the post season last year (barely) and have flown under the radar this off season. But sleep on this team at your own peril. They have a combination of veterans, young players, and a bunch of comeback candidates poised to make 2017 fun for the Red Birds.

Atlanta has become a city synonymous with sports suffering, especially after this Super Bowl. Maybe a rebuilt Braves team can turn that around.

The Super Bowl was so boring and such a blow out that I decided to do the dishes and record a podcast while my sons made their lunch. With such a lackluster post season, I realized that baseball's worst post season in MY lifetime was 1989. Little did I know that while I was recording that, the Patriots were staging a comeback for the ages.

SUNDAY REQUEST - @thestartingbloc wondered if I spent too much time focusing on the negative with Aroldis Chapman in the World Series as opposed to accentuating the many positive stories. Sometimes shedding light on the negative is important.

One of the most intriguing "What Ifs" in baseball history is the question "What if the Reds did NOT trade Frank Robinson to Cincinnati?" Truth be told, while it was a HORRIBLE trade for the Reds, it is hard to see them having a BETTER decade in the 1970's with him as they had without him.

For some reason, my kids love the Star Wars prequels. But my being incredulous to liking The Phantom Menace et al made me realize I was doing what I hate when I hear it from baseball fans: I was discounting what they loved based on MY Nostalgia.

Tom Brunansky made a great catch to clinch the 1990 AL East Division for the Red Sox. I remembered looking for a place in New York to watch the game. And comedian Mike Donovan recorded the catch on video. Today those two actions would be taken for granted. In 1990, they took determination to do.

The A's in Oakland have a history of innovation on and off the field. Their new stadium should reflect that. And Las Vegas should rig a few games to make sure the Raiders move out to give the A's room to build their park.

The World Baseball Classic is going on again this year. I am not a big fan of it, but it SHOULD be a gateway to bring the best and most talented from all over the world to compete on the American stage.

The Houston Astros must be considered one of the most tortured fan bases in baseball. A closer examination at their post season past shows a huge number of games that could have been theirs with a bounce here or there.

SUNDAY REQUEST - @thestartingbloc wonders who is the best hitter of this generation: Cabrera or Pujols.

The San Diego Padres can be a unique fan base if 35,000 people can show up to PetCo Park a day. Why not? It is a fun time at the ball game!

Rich Gossage is one of the greatest relievers of all time. But he almost became an All Star workhouse starter. Why? Because he was one.

It is the 10 year anniversary of the Red Sox second championship this century. The legacy of the team is not a cute and cuddly one.