December 31, 2021
1. Thanks for a great first year reading the Baseball Newsletter
This is the last newsletter of the year, with the 2022 edition starting up on Monday — and I just wanted to say thanks for following along, and a major thanks to those supporting on Patreon. It means a lot, and going into year two I’m eager for things to keep rolling along, and deeply hoping baseball returns soon after the lockout.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the content, and that it saved you some time by having your baseball news and highlights all in one place — instead of clicking around different sites and Twitter accounts.
So, thanks again, and now on to the rest of the newsletter! :)
2. Here are two highlight videos from the year in baseball, 2021
The top 100 plays, and the unforgettable moments:
3. Harold Reynolds is advocating for a very cool “Field of Dreams” game at an old Negro Leagues ballpark
A great idea, and let’s hope it comes to fruition.
4. The odd, possibly-in-poor-taste stat of the day
Sometimes Twitter is just a weird place — who thinks of these things?
PS: Rest in peace, to the great Betty White.
5. The baseball highlight of the day: Robinson Cano going yard in the Dominican Republic
These Caribbean league clips really have the knack for keeping us sane up north this winter.
6. Now the question you’ve all wondered for years: Who is Hyun-Jin Ryu’s best friend?
This is peak offseason breaking news material, folks. And congrats to Justin Turner on the accolade.
7. All-Star NBA guard Donovan Mitchell has a Mets prediction
The Steve Cohen Era hype is at fever pitch.
And he went on to make quite an agreeable point, here — and nice to see baseball talk get out into the rest of the sports mainstream, among fans who might not otherwise follow it.
8. Checking in with some more Caribbean players in the offseason
Island life seems hard to beat.
9. Justin Morneau has an ice hockey rink in his backyard, playing with former MLB guys
Maybe island life has nothing on Minnesota life, after all?
10. An indie rocker wrote a song about having a crush on Ronald Acuña Jr.
Sort of an odd story, here — from ESPN:
And here’s the song + video:
11. Here are the top 10 wiffle ball plays of 2021
I’m going to be honest, I didn’t watch this — but if you’re bored out of your mind this weekend, and craving summertime again, well here’s your fix:
12. The vintage baseball video of the day: Bill Murray as Joe DiMaggio on SCTV
Never knew he was on that show, but apparently he joined as a guest for one episode — playing DiMaggio at his restaurant in San Francisco:
13. Buster Olney thinks the Yankees will make a big trade with the A’s
14. And lastly, a great act of generosity from the Iowa Cubs
And a great way to end the year.
