As the 2024 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. MLB at Rickwood Field to Honor Willie Mays:
The Giants and Cardinals are set to face off this evening in a game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama scheduled for 6:15pm local time. The game, which will be televised nationally on FOX, was initially scheduled as a tribute to the Negro Leagues and their storied history but has taken on additional meaning after the recent passing of MLB legend Willie Mays earlier this week. Mays briefly played a professional in the Negro Leagues during the 1948 season as a member of the Birmingham Black Barons, appearing in 13 games for the club as a 17-year-old in the midst of a season where the Black Barons went on to capture the NAL pennant before losing the final Negro League World Series to the Homestead Grays in five games.
The Black Barons (and, by extension, Mays) called Rickwood Field their home ballpark. First established in 1910, it’s the oldest professional ballpark in the US and two years older than Fenway Park in Boston. More than 75 years after the last Negro League game was played there, Major League play returns to Rickwood Field tonight as St. Louis and San Francisco face off with right-handed youngsters Andre Pallante and Keaton Winn on the mound. Tonight’s game will (as relayed by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal) feature the first entirely black crew of umpires in AL/NL history and figures to celebrate not only the storied history of the Negro Leagues, but also the life and career of Mays.
2. Abrams to undergo MRI:
Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams was scratched from yesterday’s lineup against the Diamondbacks due to what manager Davey Martinez told reporters (including those at MLB.com) was being termed discomfort in his left wrist. Martinez went on to add that Abrams wasn’t sure what was causing the discomfort, and that the club planned to send their young star for an MRI to ensure all was well. The 23-year-old Abrams has enjoyed a breakout season with the Nationals this year as he’s slashed an impressive .261/.313/.478 with 10 stolen bases and 11 home runs in 66 games this year. That strong slash line comes in spite of a difficult month of May where Abrams hit just .205/.216/.304 in 27 games.
Abrams’s breakout campaign has helped the Nationals to be surprisingly competitive this season, as the club is currently tied with the Cardinals for the second of three NL Wild Card spots despite a lackluster 36-37 record. A significant stretch of time without Abrams would be a brutal blow to the Nationals’ odds of holding onto that position, as his 1.2 fWAR leads the club’s positional corps. Nasim Nunez took over for Abrams at shortstop yesterday and could be the club’s top option to fill in if Abrams requires a trip to the injured list.
3. Toro battling shoulder soreness:
A’s infielder Abraham Toro is dealing with a bout of shoulder soreness, as noted by MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos yesterday. The issue first cropped up during Oakland’s doubleheader against the Twins on Sunday and has caused him to miss each of the past two games. As relayed by Gallegos, Toro was scheduled to meet with team doctors to discuss how to handle the injury but manager Mark Kotsay told reporters after the game that he had no update on Toro’s status and that more information about the infielder would be available today.
Toro, 27, has had a decent season with the A’s this year. He’s posted a roughly average slash line of .256/.298/381 in 71 games for the club this year while splitting time between first base, second base, third base, and left field throughout the year. In the aftermath of the club’s decision to designate J.D. Davis for assignment earlier this week, it appeared likely that Toro would be handed the keys to third base full time, although with Toro now possibly injured, Oakland will have to find a new solution at the hot corner. Infielder Tyler Nevin has handled third base duties so far during Toro’s absence and could be the club’s long-term answer there if Toro misses further time, although rookie third baseman Brett Harris is also on the 40-man roster after getting a 17-game cup of coffee in the majors earlier this year.
How appropriate that MLB is playing a game at Rickwood Field. I was a kid at the end of Willie Mays’ career, but was lucky to get his autograph (although I understand that he would sign for anyone who asked politely). I’ll be watching the game tonight for sure!
FLotG: Mays was my idol growing up. I waited for the day when he broke Ruth’s all-time HR record. Then my older brother told me that Aaron will probably get there first. I said “Who’s Aaron?” We were Giants fans and those were the only players I knew. I was lucky enough to see Mays in person at a game at Wrigley Field when he was with the Mets. Cherished memory.
I can understand the Giants being invited but the Cardinals may just be the whitest team in MLB.
What should cause issues from fans is the drop of US players and US blacks in general in the game, not amount of so called white players (racist perhaps?).
maybe take 2 teams which have the most US born players and let them play, or better? most US born black players.
john – I too have called out MLB for the sharp decrease in African American players, at least partially due to the widespread PED usage of players from other countries which MLB has done little to address.
Make no mistake, MLB is trying to expand their revenue with their recent emphasis on the Negro League. With MLB it’s always about money.
Including the Giants in the game was a no-brainer based on Willie’s history with the team. It would have been impossible to select tonight’s teams based on race or nationality, as the schedule was finalized about a year ago.
What ped usage are you referring to that’s so wide spread that nobody bt you knows about it lol? Also, you’re mad that a business is trying to make money? I mean, I’d rather them peddle mystical negro nonsense than put more ads on everything.
Burn – Au contraire, it seems like only you are the one who doesn’t know about it. LOL!
thebulldogsjournal.com/2023/03/27/the-dark-side-of…
nytimes.com/2022/11/04/sports/baseball/jenrry-meji…
foxnews.com/sports/dominican-republics-desperate-b…
espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2763194
npr.org/2013/08/08/210218257/dominican-players-and…
The first link is a blog written by a 10th grader
Mejia was suspended for life many years ago, so idk what that proves
3rd link is 11 years old
4th link is from 2007
Last one from 2013
So, you’re saying this stuff is relevant how? Players are tested and punished, from the DR or elsewhere. None of which has any impact on black participation. You failed miserably at this own and you should feel bad
Burn – Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you are mentally challenged and can’t comprehend articles.
Here, let me help you. This is the NY Times headline from November 2022. The Times is a highly reputable institution that’s been around since 1851 .
“The Dominican Republic Loves Baseball, but Steroid Problems Run Deep”
Okay here’s your first lesson: The Dominican Republic is where Dominican players come from, it’s a country.
Steroids problem means steroids are widely used by Dominican baseball players in the Dominican Republic.
Runs deep means it’s ingrained in Dominican Republic culture, players get exposed to it from a very early age.
I won’t repeat the numbers, since you can’t even handle the words, but failed PED tests are hugely comprised of players from the Dominican Republic.
Here’s another highly respected institution stating what every other media outlet has stated over and over, doping is an epidemic in the Dominican Republic.
Now apologize, and never again post something so ignorant. Learn to educate yourself, so that everyone else doesn’t have to support you throughout your adult life.
sandiegouniontribune.com/2022/08/16/fernando-tatis…
Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. becomes the 58th player hit with a doping ban of at least 50 games since the advent of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment program in 2005. He’s the 33rd born in the Dominican Republic, or 57 percent, and that doesn’t count Alex Rodriguez, who was born in New York to Dominican immigrants, spent part of his formative years in the DR and had a father who played in the island’s baseball league.
It’s even more striking in recent years. Since 2017, there have been 20 sanctions. Sixteen, or 80 percent, are Dominicans.
Eighty percent.
Number of Dominican players on opening day rosters this season: 99, or just over 10 percent.
Houston … and New York … and Pittsburgh … and San Diego … and everywhere else with a major league franchise, we have a problem.
Doping cultures grow and thrive in specific ecosystems. You need abject poverty. You need sport to offer a financial Xanadu. You need cheap, effective, accessible drugs. You need lax oversight. You need unscrupulous guidance.
Check, check, check, check, check.
The Dominican government reports 24 percent of its 10.7 million people live below the poverty line. International development organization USAID estimates it at closer to 30 percent. The World Food Program says it’s 40.4 percent.
Average hourly wage: $2.
Average annual household income (for 3.2 residents): under $10,000.
Now take an island full of athletic boys and pair them with buscones, the street agents who take them from their tin shacks as young as 12, feed them, clothe them, house them, train them and place them in one of the dozens of baseball academies churning out major league hopefuls that sign six- and seven-figure contracts at 16 — generational money to most families. The catch: You sign away 20, 30, 40, even 50 percent of your future earnings.
Now pair that dog-eat-dog scramble with the ability to buy testosterone and other anabolic steroids at the local farmacia, sometimes even in the local bodega on the shelves next to milk and bread, sometimes veterinary grade.
“Everyone knows the problem that exists in the Dominican Republic,” Erick Almonte, a minor-leaguer from the DR who had a steroid suspension overturned, told Fox News-Latino a few years ago. “You can get these substances without a prescription. I know there aren’t that many opportunities in our country, and although we know they’re prohibited, we keep trying to cheat the system. I hope that our mentality changes.”
Major League Baseball tried in 2009, when a committee headed by New York Mets (and former Padres) executive Sandy Alderson toured the DR in search of solutions. Alderson reported that PED use represented a “serious problem” and “the role of buscones facilitating drug use by players remains an impediment to further progress.”
MLB increased testing and got the Dominican government to circumvent labor laws precluding suspensions in its winter league. It also created mandatory educational sessions at youth academies and ran PSAs about the evils of drug use on TV.
The result: Sixteen of the last 20 major league players sanctioned are Dominicans.
“If anything, it’s gotten much worse,” Arturo Marcano, who has written extensively about the globalization of baseball, told the Seattle Times in 2018. “When they see they’re competing for these contracts against players all taking drugs, they feel the need to take drugs themselves. Sometimes the buscones and the player agents are forcing them to take drugs. And when they start taking PEDs at 12 and 13, it’s hard to get them to stop.”
There are two reasons, one psychological, one physical. The drugs become a mental crutch because they work, making them bigger, stronger, faster. And if you keep juicing, your body halts its natural production of testosterone like a house’s thermostat shuts off central heating when you light the fireplace.
Stop doping, and you don’t immediately revert to normal levels of strength. You often go below normal, because you no longer have the assistance of the ‘roids and your body isn’t making its own testosterone anymore. You’re trapped.
When MLB sanctioned 14 players in 2013 for their role in Biogenesis, a Florida health clinic surreptitiously selling human growth hormone and other PEDs, nine were Dominicans who had left the island but hadn’t left behind their drug habits (10 if you count ARod).
@johnsilver
Considering how the Negro Leagues took tons of black Latinos from Cuba and other Caribbean nations (Minnie Miñoso comes to mind) I think it’s very appropriate to think not just about African Americans but also include Afro Latinos
They’ve NEVER had an all black umpiring crew before? How the heck doesn’t that happen soone
It always surprises me how white the Dodgers teams typically are considering they might play in the most culturally diverse city in the country. It’s gotten better in recent years now than that Betts and Ohtanj are there but I always found in strange how almost all of their best players were white and how at any given time there could be 9 white guys on the field at once.
That racism logic is what my school district is actually teaching kids now
On to baseball yeah I don’t know of many black players on the cardinals right now but the race of teams doesn’t matter for the rickwood field game
It would be racist to select teams based on race
Does skin color matter? No. It doesn’t matter what teams are playing, it’s great that they’re playing at such a place. Ridiculous that people still talk black and white.
Since the mainstream media forces it down our throats daily to keep us divided its not that ridiculous
The media is the problem, not the racism. Got it.
The Cardinals had both Victor Scott and Jordan Walker on their team in April. Their top prospect is Tink Hence who is black. Their best player in 2024 is Masyn Winn who is half black.
Stop looking at skin color we all bleed red and all are God’s children created equally
Stop pretending this is some perfect world where skin color doesn’t matter. When there are still morons like you actively trying to keep another race down, we elevate the ones who bass ackward dinguses like you think don’t deserve reparation. Hilarious that you think we’re all from the 40s and 50s. We’re talking about a ceremonial crew and you think we’re trying to exclude white umpires from jobs.
We believe that anything in America where blacks are underrepresented proportionally to their population is in fact racist. If there are fewer black doctors than 13% overall,the medical field is racist. CRT gets it right on the money
You might believe that. I don’t.
Name checks out…
Wow such a hilarious parody! Thanks for clearing it up that racism isn’t real. God dang dude, I honestly can’t imagine being this much of a dork.
No ballpark factor data yet? Looks like the ball could fly out of that park, given the weather conditions and the fact that the two pitchers are not great at their craft.
Old – I totally agree with you, Park Factor is crap and this is just one reason why along with the London Series and Seoul Series and Field of Dreams and minor league parks the jays played in because of Covid etc etc.
Not to mention the Mexico series where I believe they played in similar conditions to the moon. Just another case of MLB trying to expand their fanbase instead of taking care of their already loyal fans. It’s just like being with a phone company. Get taken for granted too long and before too long your longtime customer is an ex-customer.
I walked away from the NFL after 25 years of being a fan because I was sick of the all the changes which felt like pandering. Haven’t watched a game in around 10 years now. Can’t really say I feel like I am missing it either. I am just one person and the NFL will obviously not crumble without me, but it still makes no sense to drive away a core long time fan in order to get new fans that might even like the actual product.
Sorry for the rant, but I was just feeling it this morning.
I hope it’s not a one time game. Would love to see the Royals in the Monarchs jerseys play a game in that park.
Now that Willie Mays has passed, who is the greatest living ball player?
I say Barry Bonds, but understand why many will disagree.
I’m definitely going with Johnny Bench on that one.
solaris – I’m going with Mookie or Ohtani because of their diverse talents.
I won’t be surprised if Ohtani isn’t roundly considered the greatest of all-time when he retires.
Betts is this generation’s Ken Griffey, Jr., just a pure pleasure to watch every day.
Scott – With Ohtani I think it’s contingent on whether he can resume his Cy-caliber pitching for many years. If not, I wouldn’t rank him as the greatest.
As for Mookie, his GG-caliber OF defense combined with his solid play at SS/2B is what sets him apart from Jr.
Jr. and Betts aren’t similar in style or skills, but share being the most respected players of their generation.
WHat does diverse talents have to do with anything? If Adam Dunn hits 200 homeruns in a year, he is the best player alive
Steve – It’s all about value based on supply and demand.
There’s only a dozen guys putting up a greater than .890 OPS right now, and only one of them has proven to be an elite RF/CF and solid 2B/SS. Being able to move him around 4 of the most difficult positions within the same game is extremely valuable.
When a player hits at least 75 homeruns a year, then I’ll change my mind.
Ken Griffey jr is up higher
Pete rose as a player is top 5 in living
Sandy Koufax has the best talent but not enough seasons
Junior was just such a joy to watch in the 90’s. Most beautiful swing since Ted Williams.
I think junior is higher than people put him at because when I look at his awards and stats and then memorable moments, it is remarkable compared to other living players
13 all stars where you couldn’t be selected to the same game twice
10 gold gloves and the defensive WAR to back it up
600+ home runs
The home run derby’s and the famous Camden yards hit
The home run robberies
This isn’t biased because I only remember the really old Griffey that was just a veteran but these awards should be considered higher than he is
“This isn’t biased”
It very much is. You just picked random things. Bonds was double the player that Griffey was.Even pre roids
Steve – Yes, Bonds had double the hat size as Junior. That’s because his head was twice the size, for multiple reasons.
Interesting choice. I personally don’t consider him THAT good, but he certainly had a stratospheric peak.
Comment is regarding Johnny Bench.
Scott – Bench had the biggest hands in MLB history, perhaps the greatest quality a man can have. LOL
@Scott Kliesen
Luis Aparicio – Greatest player ever to step foot on a major league field. Even better than Ruth and Mays.
That’s a bold statement. If even close to true, than he’s the most underrated player of all-time.
@Scott Kliesen
I know it’s not true but I might as well give some support for the guy. I await the random users coming on to tell me how I’m a moron.
Old – Why?
Choosing the best of anything is more art than science, so let those comments roll off your back like water on a duck.
@Fever Pitch Guy
Because baseball is more than just offense and it’s very much ignored for the most part in our modern day game. All our analytic discussion are about what his wRC+ is and WAR but rarely do we include the discussion about the players defensive value to the team. Sure, someone can create runs but if they are a net negative on defense, it doesn’t help the team. Sadly, this is why we now see the DH in both leagues, as we want more focus on offense.
Lol. I think you need to update your windows 95 to show you that “WAR” does in fact include defense. There is 0 argument that Luis A is a top player. If you ran a business with that silly thinking, you would be bankrupt in 3 weeks
@Liberalsteve
Sabermetrics has acknowledged that defense is still a tough thing to evaluate in the formulas so any current attempts are still missing a significant amount of the value added to WAR. It’s coming along but WAR is heavily weighted on offense.
I gotta go with Rickey Henderson. Although I could see Bonds or maybe Greg Maddux.
Ken Griffey, Jr. is the greatest living ball player!
Speed, power, glove. the swing. and you have to respect his refusal to Roid.
Doesn’t hurt that I was 7 years old when he debuted for the hometown nine lol
2 false things in your post. Can you pick out the 2?
Steve – You’re saying he was older than 7 when Ken debuted?
1. Greatest living ball player.
2. Refusal to roid. No way we know for sure who didn’t take PED’s in that era.
Still gotta respect that his name is clean from the peds
I feel like it would have made more sense to play the game yesterday but also feel it would have made more sense to include the Royals as i think many people associate Kansas City with Negro League Baseball.
Can’t expect MLB to get even the simple things right.
Rsox – Why yesterday? The Giants play the Royals in September, it’s really hard to do an interleague for this game. And the Royals weren’t even around until 1969.
The Giants began in 1883 and the Cards began in 1882, they make the most sense.
Y’all know this game counts, right? This isn’t an exhibition game that was just thrown together recently.
Yesterday being Juneteenth and the fact that this game is meant to celebrate the Negro Leagues. As for the match-up, i would imagine this was not a spur of the moment decision and that such a thing couldn’t have been scheduled with more forethought. The Giants aspect in all of this comes from the passing of Willie Mays.
Rsox – Yeah I agree it would have been nice if it was scheduled yesterday for the holiday, but that would have involved major scheduling changes for the Cubs, Mets, Marlins and Rangers and the logistics wouldn’t have worked.
Also it’s a 3-day celebration at the field, yesterday was the Barnstorm event which featured a celebrity softball game and concert.
As someone who has done scheduling in the past, I can understand the challenges of essentially putting together 30 jigsaw puzzles all at once, and the new every-team-must-play-every-other-team rule makes it even tougher.
ScottII is up as 27th man for this special game.
TIME TO CLOSE COMMENTS.