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Established in 1962 (like the Mets) the Astros were originally the Houston Colt 45's and played in Colt Stadium. The Astrodome opened in 1965 as the self-proclaimed 8th wonder of the world.   The first 20+ years of the franchise did not go very well but since 1997 things have gone better and the 'Stros have only missed the playoffs once since 2015.

We've added a YouTube Channel and are still working out our own kinks.  No videos yet but if you care to listen from YouTube here is the link to the Almost Cooperstown channel.

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on Twitter @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  If you can please give the podcast 4 or 5 star rating! 

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We spent the entire episode calling him I-Rod without ever mentioning Ivan Rodriguez by name!  We didn't mention a few catchers like Carlton Fisk and Gary Carter who were close.  We also did not talk about Josh Gibson who may have been the best of all time?!

We've added a YouTube Channel and are still working out our own kinks.  No videos yet but if you care to listen from YouTube here is the link to the Almost Cooperstown channel.

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on Twitter @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  If you can please give the podcast 4 or 5 star rating! 

www.almostcooperstown.com

www.almostcooperstown.com

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Most baseball fans know the Dodgers have the most Rookies of the Year, 18, since the award now named for the 1st winner Jackie Robinson in 1947.  Jackie was the 1st Dodger with Cody Bellinger being the most recent. The Yankees are 2nd with 9. 

Are some teams better at handling rookies? Is it an organizational thing? Or are some teams luckier than others. It's interesting that most of the teams with the most ROYs have been more consistently in contention than the others.

We've added a YouTube Channel and are still working out our own kinks.  No videos yet but if you care to listen from YouTube here is the link to the Almost Cooperstown channel.

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on Twitter @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  If you can please give the podcast 4 or 5 star rating! 

www.almostcooperstown.com

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All 30 MLB teams will play on Opening Day March 30 - the day this podcast drops! We were lucky to be joined by Michael Ortman  to talk about his book Opening Day 50-for-50, One fan, One game, A half century of baseball stories.  The history of what was going on at the time of each Opening Day in baseball is woven into his book in a very compelling way.  This season's Opening Day debuts new rules that will make watching baseball in 2023 faster and we think better.

We've added a YouTube Channel and are still working out our own kinks.  No videos yet but if you care to listen from YouTube here is the link to the Almost Cooperstown channel.

To learn more about the book visit Michael Ortman's website: https://www.openingday5050.com/

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on Twitter @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  If you can please give the podcast 4 or 5 star rating! 

www.almostcooperstown.com

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Here we go with season 4!  This is our longest episode ever which we really did not expect since we talk fast. But when you talk about all 30 teams it takes awhile.  And we make our picks for division, playoffs, and the World Series.

We've added a YouTube Channel and are still working out our own kinks.  No videos yet but if you care to listen from YouTube here is the link to the Almost Cooperstown channel.

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on Twitter @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  If you can please give the podcast 4 or 5 star rating! 

www.almostcooperstown.com

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It was not as easy to drop the Indians nickname when talking about the team before, well last season!  Old habits die hard but we're fine with the team having changed its name as it was overdue. 122 years, an original member of the American League with 16 playoff appearances, 2 AL pennants and 2 WS championships. It ain't easy being a fan of the Guardians, Indians, Naps or any other Cleveland baseball team nickname! 

Jacobs Field opened in 1994 - the strike year. Mark had a little trouble with that. And we got through an entire podcast without mentioning 'Super' Joe Charbonneau.  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on Twitter @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page.  If you can please give the podcast 4 or 5 star rating! 

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We've been asked by listeners about who we'd take out of the HOF since we want to add players and managers. In truth, we don't feel any player elected by whatever means should be 'removed'.  Sure there are some head scratchers and guys that under today's standards should not have been voted in.  But that's reductive and we don't feel it's at all necessary.  

But we do come up with 10 total players that we feel could have been bypassed and we also discuss the long list of players and owners who are often mentioned as being 'undeserving'.  A few of those names are also head scratching!  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on Twitter @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page.  If you can please give the podcast 4 or 5 star rating! 

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Finally we're getting back to baseball games that actually count!  Spring Training games don't and are played like they don't count. But 4 games against pool members followed by one and done quarters/semis/finals makes the WBC a very tidy yet exciting tournament. 

Do we think the WBC determines the best baseball nation?  Hardly, but it is fun and of course bragging rights do go along with winning. The U.S. has won only once in 2017 & is the defending champ. Other teams are loaded too. We talk about it all in this week's podcast. Could baseball ever be in the Olympics?  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on Twitter @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page.  If you can please give the podcast 4 or 5 star rating! 

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HOFers Brooks Robinson and Carl Yastremski lead the pack playing 23 years for only one franchise. Playing 20 years in MLB surely indicates an excellent player. 15 years with the same one team also contains only great ballplayers although not necessarily a Hall-of-Fame career. But how about 10 year players for one team and one team only?  Playing 10 years is special but does not mean the player was a great or even very good player!  

We talk about the coolness of playing for one franchise and how free agency took away that chance since players finally had some negotiating power. Retire after 11 years with one team? Not if another came calling and could pay that player! Before 1975 that was not the case. There are also some interesting player stories about these special players that played their entire 10+ year with one team. 

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on Twitter @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page.  If you can please give the podcast 4 or 5 star rating! 

www.almostcooperstown.com

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Having completed their Silver anniversary season, the D'backs franchise  got off to a quick start winning 100 games in their 2nd season and a WS in their 4th (fastest all-time).  While the early years were good overall the past 13 have not been nearly as good.  We talk about the greatest players in D'Backs history and even get into their prospects for the 2023 season since there is not as much to talk about with a relatively 'young' franchise. 

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on Twitter @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page.  If you can please give the podcast 4 or 5 star rating! 

www.almostcooperstown.com