January 3, 2022

1. Happy baseball New Year, folks

In case you’ve forgotten the new year numbers while writing down the date, take a bit of help from the great Mike Trout.

And here was the line of the weekend:

2. Highlights from the coldest NHL game on record, played at Target Field (home of the Minnesota Twins)

Minneapolis. January. At a baseball stadium. -8 degrees.

Cold? Who said that was cold? That’s shorts and t-shirt weather.

3. The celebrity sports fan at a baseball stadium of the day: Jon Hamm

New, obscure, possibly one-time-only category debuting in today’s newsletter.

4. The Yankees weren’t happy about a “Pizza Rat” promotion

In case you haven’t heard about the pizza rat, it’s that clip from a few years ago, filmed on the streets of New York — a rat, on the steps of a building, scurrying off with a slice, that became a very symbol of life in the city.

And now it’s come out that the Yankees had “absolute disdain” (article link below) about their minor-league affiliate temporarily becoming the “Staten Island Pizza Rats” in 2018.

5. There are no meetings scheduled to resolve MLB’s lockout

No news is good news, as they say? Maybe? Maybe not this time?

Here’s a good piece in the LA Times about the standstill:

6. And baseball reporters have very little to write about

Here’s what Jon Heyman is posting, during the lockout:

7. On this date, 49 years ago: George Steinbrenner buys the Yankees

For the measly sum of $8.8 million.

8. Today’s highlights in vintage baseball photos

From two highly recommended Twitter accounts to follow.

9. Another interesting baseball fact prompted by Betty White’s passing

If you saw Friday’s newsletter, there was a bit about how Babe Ruth hits 500 something home runs after she was born — and today, another little interesting bit of history (the World Series was best-of-nine at various times pre-1940):

10. The official MLB Twitter account hasn’t tweeted in two weeks

This is what a lockout looks like, people. Though their last tweet is a nice gesture, teaming up with the American Red Cross for tornado disaster relief:

11. And here’s what the MLB Youtube channel has been posting

Videos of rugby and cricket players trying baseball.

The shelves are empty, the cupboard is bare.

12. And lastly, a Yankee Stadium wedding cake has been made

Is it unpatriotic to eat the flags, assuming they’re edible?