Almost Cooperstown

Larger bases, no infield shift, Limits on pitcher throws to 1st. The new rules are radical changes that MLB players and fans will experience in the 2023 season.  This does not even include the new pitch clock!  The revamped schedule is also a major change that's going under the radar.  But we have the most fun talking about are our suggestions for changing some old rules, updating old ones as well as some off-the-wall ones of our own!  

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! 

Baseball video games have been around not quite 50 years. Way back when there was Strat-0-Matic which people still play today. Are baseball video games more realistic than ever?  How is all the data crunched to make it more real?  We talk about early video baseball games and why people love playing them. Or don't!  

We even talk a little about baseball cards. 

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! 

We are very lucky to have had a great conversation with writer and BBWA writer Daniel Brown join us to discuss his 2022 ballot.  He voted for 10 players and feels that the some fellow BBWA voters might be coming a little too restrictive in their votes. 
 
Daniel was a beat writer for the SF Giants and writes now for The Athletic as well as other freelance work and he writes about much more than baseball and does it all really well. 

We ran out of time to discuss the impacts of the new rules in MLB this season so we'll hopefully have him back on the podcast.  Thanks Dan! 

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! 

We've wanted to talk about the idea that with all the changes in technology and player year-round training regimens, why does baseball continue to do things the same old way?  We explore the history of spring training and how much it is the same today as it was more than 150 years ago. But also how Spring Training is different for managers trying to build and maintain team chemistry.  

Correction: While the Yankees were in the WS in 1976-77-78 they won the Fall Classic in '77 and  '78 after losing to the Big Red Machine in 1976. 

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! 

We start the podcast talking about Carlos Correa and his finally-ending saga. But then we dive into a team that we didn't know all that much about until we went through the archives. 

After the Dodgers and Giants moved to California following the 1957 season it was only 4 years later that the Los Angeles Angels began playing as an expansion team in the American League. They were actually co-tenants with the Dodgers in the new Chavez Ravine stadium which opened in 1962. 

With only one World Series title in their history the Angels have suffered more than most teams. The awful playoff loss to the Red Sox in 1986 was one of the most difficult series losses of all time. But the Angels have had stars!  And HOFers passed through like Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, and even a late -career Reggie Jackson.  Mike Trout is a lock to be a HOFer as an Angel.  Vlad Guerrero Sr. is the only player to wear an Angel cap when inducted (and we think he was better as an Expo).  Gordon thinks Shohei Ohtani has a really good chance.  

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! 

It's our first episode of 2023!  With 25% of the votes for the 2023 induction of new Baseball HOF members in  we are amazed that there are still voters that vote in zero players.  In fact it's possible that there will not be any players voted in.  After getting that off of our chests we talk about how player definitions differ today from even thirty or forty years ago. A leadoff hitter is different today, so is a #8 hitter.  Gordon feels that players are held to a higher standard of expectation today than was formerly the case. The fact that the players are paid massively higher salaries compared to the past is also a factor.  

Are there still 'mop-up' pitchers?  'Long' relievers? Rabbits?  What exactly is meant by 'he's a professional hitter'?  We also add also a few interesting stat observations about the 2022.  Correction: Hanser Alberto played the entire season with the Dodgers and not with the Orioles. 

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! 

Of the 30 MLB franchises only one has never even been in a World Series.  What would the Mariners greatest moment be that raised their chances the most to win a WS?  How about the Rockies who've never won a WS?  How about the non-winning WS teams - Rays, Brewers? Padres, and Texas Rangers?  

We go through each of the 30 teams, review their WS winning seasons (if they had one) and what the greatest moment was per added win  probability added %.  Spoiler alert - it's not always the one you think it would be! 

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! 

We wish all of our listeners and friends a wonderful holiday season and for a healthy and happy 2023! We can't wait for Spring Training to start! 

We drop normally every other week in the off-season but could not resist the opportunity to talk about the money and the players moving around in and around the MLB Winter Meetings that ended December 8th.   As usual some teams sat out the proceedings - too rich for their blood probably.  

Did any team leap ahead of the pack at least on paper after the Winter Meetings?  We talk about that and marvel at who moved where!  

Correction - Kodai Senga did not require a posting fee for the Mets. Saving Steve Cohen $15M.  He did not get rich missing things like that! 

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! 

The last of our deep dives to feature a team that has not won the World Series.  Correction: The hockey Rockies were a Colorado hockey team that eventually moved to New Jersey in the 1980s. They were born as the Kansas City Scouts as an expansion team in 1974-75 not the Quebec Nordiques. 

Coors Field is a place where hitters thrive and pitchers struggle.  We struggle to pick the best Rockie pitcher in history. You will too! 

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! 

A day early for Thanksgiving, in this first episode of our 'off-season' we're joined by SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) membership ambassador Bruce McClure who's a baseball nut just like we are!  Bruce talked about why SABR is not what everyone thinks and is more than a number-crunching site for baseball nerds. 

We'll post every other week - at least since sometimes we just get the urge to talk about....baseball! 

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! 

Have a great Thanksgiving holiday everyone and thanks so much again for your support!