November 8, 2021

1. Brett Phillips wins the Balk of the Year award

The offseason is truly here, and it’s alandmark day for sport — as everyone’s favorite baseball player takes home a much-deserved crown.

Here was the performance, the glory of which extended well beyond that wonderful balk-of-the-year highlight moment:

2. A very cool video to tide you over, in case you’re missing baseball

Here’s the great Honus Wagner as an older man (in 1933), speaking, running infield drills and most importantly, the footage is colorized.

More videos like this to come, throughout the offseason.

3. Albert Pujols is playing in the Dominican Republic, celebrating and dancing in the clubhouse

His major-league career isn’t over unless he decides to retire, but he looks like he’s having the time of his life this winter down in the Caribbean:

4. Gold Glove winners were announced yesterday

Here’s the National League, including World Series Game 6 hero Max Fried, and the Cardinals setting an all-time record:

And the American League:

5. MLB free agency has officially begun

Some highlights on what’s gone on over the past few days:

And this afternoon, the Dodgers signed Andrew Heaney, after a poor second half of the season with the Yankees:

Lastly, here’s the Braves’ GM on hoping to resign Freddie Freeman:

6. The top 40 free agents this offseason, according to the NY Post

The top of their list:

Carlos Correa

Corey Seager

Freddie Freeman

Max Scherzer

Marcus Semien

7. A brawl broke out in the Arizona Fall League

Minor-league prospects preparing for major-league fights:

8. An awesome photo recreation, from the World Series

1995 and 2021. That one is hard to top.

9. Justin Verlander held a pitching workout today in front of many teams and scouts

He missed the past two seasons after having Tommy John surgery following his first start of 2020, and now (at age 39) he’s hoping to find some suitors.

From the New York Post article:

“The Yankees and Mets were among 15–20 teams to watch Justin Verlander work out on Monday in Florida, The Post’s Joel Sherman reports.

Verlander threw about 25 pitches during the workout, clocking in between 94–97 miles per hour. The workout was held at Yankees director of player health and performance Eric Cressey’s facility.”

10. A redesign idea for a new Blue Jays stadium, to replace the much-maligned turf-and-dome Rogers Centre

11. The Rangers have a new hitting coach

A good hire (“hyer”?) for the Rangers, after he decided to leave the Red Sox with a great final season of production.

More on the move here:

12. Joc Pederson (and his brother) went to the Georgia football game

The undefeated number-one team in the nation, and Atlanta-area sports might just be back.

13. Recent ex-Padres manager Jayce Tingler is now the bench coach for the Twins

I guess you could say he’s been… benched.

14. Matt Carpenter says goodbye to the Cardinals

The team declined his his contract options last week, and so one of the best Cardinals of the past decade’s time comes to an end.

15. And lastly, an absurd bat flip from the Japanese league

Remember Adeiny Hechavarría? Now he’s playing in Japan, launching his bat into the stratosphere.