Category: Baseball
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Why I Don’t Bother with Phoenix Baseball
Phoenix seems like baseball paradise—Spring Training, beautiful weather, a World Series team. But it’s pointless to support the Diamondbacks. This is Cubs and Dodgers country. Chase Field becomes “Dodger Stadium East.” The Cubs outdraw the hometown team at Spring Training. Most residents already have a team. There’s no draw, no…
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Preemptive Mourning in Detroit
Detroit fans endure the emotional toll of “preemptive mourning.” We develop highly touted prospects—like Max Clark, Max Anderson, and Kevin McGonigle—only to lose them to high-spending clubs. This cycle, fueled by ownership unwilling to commit to long-term extensions, strips the team of continuity, leaving fans exhausted and yearning for the…
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Why We Still Need Sports (Even If Zappa Called It Phony)
Frank Zappa dismissed sports as “phony,” but he missed their deeper truth. Sports are rhythm and ritual—a safe arena for rivalry and belonging. From Fernandomania to Jackie Robinson to Luis Tiant’s reunion, they show how games can unite us, heal divides, and remind us what shared joy still feels like.
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It’s Okay to Be Late
Missing the rookie chase for legends like Kershaw and Miggy taught me an essential lesson. I cannot possibly track every farm system, so I focus only on the Tigers farm system. I skip the rest—I can always pick them up later. It’s ok to be late.
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How Slumps and Blunders Blur Perception—and Why I Misjudged Dillon Dingler
I wasn’t evaluating Dingler—I was filtering him through the 2024 lens. The early 2025 slumps didn’t just reinforce the narrative—they cemented it. I stopped tracking. I stopped adjusting. And even when his numbers stabilized, I didn’t recalibrate until postseason reflection.
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Why Whatnot is a Boom for New and Returning Card Collectors
Whatnot pulls collectors back in with low-cost nostalgia and instant community, then tempers them into disciplined hobbyists. For both newcomers and returnees, it transforms the thrill of junk wax into a gateway—rekindling old passions, sparking new ones, and proving the hobby is still alive and communal.
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The Catcher’s Catcher: Dingler and the Lineage of Quiet Architects
Dillon Dingler doesn’t flash. He orchestrates. Behind the plate, young arms, live stuff, and raw energy find focus in his glove. Like Sundberg, Boone, and LaValliere before him, his impact isn’t in the slash line—it’s in the sequencing, the mound visits, the calm presence that turns potential into wins.
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The Set Is Complete—So Why Am I Breaking It Up?
I built the 1975 Topps set to own it—but learned I only cared about the chase. The final card wasn’t a trophy, it was a reminder: collecting is about stories, not completion.
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Five Players You Didn’t Respect Enough (But Should Have)
These players were often overlooked, but their quiet brilliance and consistent numbers tell a different story. They remind us that true greatness isn’t always about the spotlight—it’s about earning respect one game at a time.
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Two Players Who Didn’t Need to Hit to Win Games
In a hobby that often chases sluggers and stat lines, it’s easy to overlook the players whose value came from the glove. This isn’t about highlight-reel home runs or gaudy batting titles. It’s about two shortstops who changed games without changing scoreboards—who proved that defense, positioning, and presence could be…
El Cardquistador 