Good morning.
Here are several links from the past week that will make your Monday at the office a bit more bearable:
- In Cooperstown yesterday, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas, Bobby Cox, Tony LaRussa, and Joe Torre were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Wayne Epps Jr. of USA Today provides readers with a generous helping of memorable moments featuring the Braves aces and White Sox slugger. Thomas’s emotional remarks, lasting nearly 18 minutes, may be viewed here:
- The Yankees acquired Chase Headley early last week in exchange for Yangervis Solarte and a minor-league pitcher, prompting Fangraphs’ Mike Petriello to write that the Padres dealt away Headley two years too late.
- On a related note, Jack Magruder of Fox Sports Arizona reports on the cut-fastball controversy involving Brandon McCarthy and his former skipper in Phoenix, Kirk Gibson.
- Pat Jordan of USA Today’s Sports on Earth profiles 40-year-old “Idiot in Exile” Johnny Damon:
He still looks like the same man who “partied” with his teammates all night long after each glorious victory. When Damon signed with the Yankees and learned that Alex Rodriguez worked out every morning at six, Damon told the press that there were a lot of mornings “when I might not have been in at six in the morning.” Damon thought that “partying” would never end, but it did. He hasn’t partied with teammates in two years. He hasn’t played a game in two years, since the Cleveland Indians released him after three months of the 2012 season. Damon’s agent, Scott Boras, who once demanded an $85 million contract for Damon, now offered him around both leagues. “One team offered me $50,000 to teach their minor league players how to run bases,” said Damon. “Come on! $50,000 for eight months! I won’t beg for a job.” Which is not quite true. He begged the Yankees for a job last year, when Curtis Granderson got hurt. He told the Yankees, who once paid him $13 million a year, that he would play for the league minimum until Granderson returned. The Yankees didn’t want him at any price. “I wasted two years waiting for a call,” Damon said. “Now I don’t expect one.”
- Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com explains why the Phillies need to bite the bullet and discard Ryan Howard, never mind the $60-73 million remaining on his contract.
- According to Alyson Footer of MLB.com, advanced metrics, such as WAR, BABIP, and FIP, have made their way into the lexicon of the Astros broadcast team.
- Writing in ESPN’s SweetSpot, Anna McDonald discusses how the Braves emphasize defense. However, I’m pretty sure Andrelton Simmons would have made the spectacular play above regardless of what his coaches were preaching.
That’s it. Have a walk-off week!