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The Baseball Newsletter • December 7, 2020

December 7, 2020December 8, 2020 The Big InningBaseball Newsletter

1. Dick Allen Passes Away at 78

 

Rest in peace, to a legend of the sport (1972 AL MVP, seven-time All Star, 58.8 WAR)

A man who had maybe the smoothest, swaggering look in baseball history:

 

Rest in peace to Dick Allen who looked cool as hell on the South Side of Chicago smoking a cigarette and juggling baseballs in the dugout pic.twitter.com/pGbapjatU5

— Richard Staff (@RichardStaff) December 7, 2020

 

He once hit a mammoth home run over the Coca-Cola sign on the roof of Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia (est. 529 feet), prompting the great Willie Stargell to say: “Now I know why they boo Richie all the time. When he hits a home run, there’s no souvenir.” 

 

 

2. Ronald Acuña Jr. Visits Venezuela

 

One of the coolest never forget where you came from videos ever.

The kids. The bat flip. The ball landing on a rural mountainside approximately… 650 feet away.

 

.@ronaldacunajr24 desapareció esta pelota de La Sabana. ¡Clase de tablazo!

Vía: @Johnhawy. #ElExtrabase⚾️🇻🇪🔥 pic.twitter.com/AuMEm7cENM

— El Extrabase ⚾️ (@ElExtrabase) December 7, 2020

 

 

3. Family Guy Mocks the Astros

 

About a year late, but hey—the subject remains evergreen.

 

Family Guy just clowned on the Astros

You have to imagine at least one player was watching and promptly turned it off lol pic.twitter.com/tBV2MFGZyL

— 2020 Astros Shame Tour (@AsteriskTour) December 7, 2020

 

 

4. MLB Sues Insurance Companies

 

The league claims (not kidding) that coronavirus droplets have caused property damage to ambient air at MLB stadiums.

Here’s the best quote from the lawsuit:

“The presence of the coronavirus… including but not limited to coronavirus droplets or nuclei on solid surfaces and in the air at insured property, has caused and will continue to cause direct physical damage to physical property and ambient air at the premises,” the suit says. “Coronavirus, a physical substance, has attached and adhered to Plaintiffs’ property and by doing so, altered that property. Such presence has also directly resulted in loss of use of those facilities.”

 

MLB sues insurance providers to cover billions in losses due to COVID-19 pandemichttps://t.co/AhgCTzdQtO

— CBS Sports MLB (@CBSSportsMLB) December 6, 2020

 

 

5. The Greatness of the Dominican Winter League

 

Postgame celebration? Roasting a fake bull’s head in the clubhouse.

 

today @EscogidoBBClub snapped a 12-game regular season losing streak vs. Toros del Este and celebrated postgame by pretending to roast the head of a bull 😂

(via @durosdematar1 on IG) pic.twitter.com/Ix17dOTUIj

— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) December 7, 2020

 

 

6. Michael Kay: “A Met Fan Would Assassinate Me”

 

Cubs TV broadcaster Len Kasper recently announced an intra-city switch to take the White Sox radio job, a move Michael Kay thinks wouldn’t quite work out in New York.

“If I switched from the Yankees to the Mets… on Opening Day at Citi Field, a Met fan would assassinate me.”

 

 

 

7. No DH in the NL Next Year, Again

 

Rob Manfred’s reign of terror upon the baseball community continues.

 

MLB told clubs to assume no DH in NL next year https://t.co/7LApYKTsHC

— Rotoworld Baseball (@Rotoworld_BB) December 7, 2020

 

 

8. Zack Wheeler > Babe Ruth?

 

We need those kids from The Sandlot to come bully the Phillies owner.

“The Sultan of Swat! The King of Crash! The Colossus of Clout! Babe Ruth!”

 

Phillies owner John Middleton to @Buster_ESPN: "If they offered me Babe Ruth, I wouldn't trade" Zack Wheeler: https://t.co/ETB9KWo3Uq

Zack Wheeler, unlike Babe Ruth, is alive, so this tracks, but as far as rhetorical devices go, this is quite something for an owner to say.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 6, 2020

 

 

9. 1,000 MPH Baseball

 

Watching a baseball get launched at 1,000 MPH in slow motion is absolutely mesmerizing 🤯

(📹 via https://t.co/P4zfoZ9KsX) pic.twitter.com/svzJy0YDiJ

— MLB (@MLB) December 6, 2020

 

 

10. Chris Young Hired as Rangers GM

 

Remember him? 

6’10”. Once got in a fight with 6’5″ Derrek Lee:

 

 

OFFICIAL: Chris Young has been hired as Executive Vice President & General Manager.

Young, a Dallas native and @MLB's SVP of On-Field Operation, will work under Jon Daniels, President of Baseball Operations, in all areas of the department.

Welcome home, Chris! pic.twitter.com/wkkZDb9WHm

— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) December 4, 2020

 

Former GM Jon Daniels stays on board, as the President of Baseball Operations.

 

 

11. Trade: The Angels Get Raisel Iglesias

 

The Reds primary closer the past few years, solid numbers (8.5 WAR, 3.15 ERA).

And the Angels send Noe Ramirez to Cincinnati, above-average relief pitcher.

 

OFFICIAL: The #Angels have acquired RHP Raisel Iglesias from the Cincinnati Reds.

Welcome to the Halos! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ka5XxQub4o

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) December 7, 2020

 

 

12. Offseason Baseball: Today’s Throwback Video

 

Jackie Robinson on the Ed Sullivan Show (1962):

 

Jackie Robinson talks with Ed Sullivan pic.twitter.com/i73uHsczhh

— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) December 7, 2020

                                       

 

13. Adam Wainwright Wins Clemente Award

 

Just announced this afternoon (2:45 ET).

The award recognizes a player each year community involvement, character and philanthropy.

 

Congratulations, Adam Wainwright.

Today, longtime @Cardinals pitcher @UncleCharlie50 won the 2020 Roberto Clemente Award.

His @BigLeagueImpact is why. 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/jyDfWFqht3

— Infield Chatter (@InfieldChatter) December 7, 2020

 

 

14. The Happiest Pitcher in Baseball

 

Knowing absolutely nothing about this guy, he’ll make your day better:

 

2020 PitchingNinja Happiest Pitcher Award. 🏆

Winner:

Kim Tae-hoon pic.twitter.com/nwV5F6KwpK

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) December 7, 2020

 

 

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