RIP to Al Holland, a former All-Star closer for the Phillies. He died on July 4 at age 73. www.qcitymetro.com/people/phill...

Happy Fourth of July from foggy Chicago… or possibly London.

First time in 15 years since I’ve been at Wrigley Field for a game, and…

Has a team ever scored 20+ runs in one game and then had 20+ runs scored against them in the very next game? Just askin’.

RIP to Wes Gardner, who pitched for 8 years in the majors in the 1980s & '90s. The 1st draft pick to come from the University of Central Arkansas died on June 10 at age 65. Gardner played for the New York Mets (1984-85), Boston Red Sox (1986-90), San Diego Padres (1991) & Kansas City Royals (1991).

RIP to Wes Gardner, who pitched for 8 years in the majors in the 1980s & '90s. The 1st draft pick to come from the University of Central Arkansas died on June 10 at age 65. Gardner played for the New York Mets (1984-85), Boston Red Sox (1986-90), San Diego Padres (1991) & Kansas City Royals (1991).

John Kruk interviewing an astronaut is A+ content, good job Phillies. We now know that the moon landing wasn’t faked and dehydrated rice pudding is pretty good.

My Cubs conspiracy is that the guy wearing Dansby Swanson’s uniform for the first couple months of the season was actually Charlie Culbertson, and the real Dansby didn’t show up until that Mets series.

Please let this be Travis & Taylor, please…

The weather last weekend was a little rainy for the formal dedication of Frank “Slivers” Oakley, so attendance was limited to a couple hearty souls. But we can officially bring the 19th Century Grave Marker Project’s latest case to a close, which makes me happy.

When a spring training injury left the Philadelphia Athletics short a catcher, manager Connie Mack stole the starting quarterback at Auburn University. His name was Charlie Gibson, and his career lasted for 12 major-league games and 6 seasons in the minors. Read this new Grave Story for details:

Bob Horner was drafted first overall by the Atlanta #Braves in the 1978 June Amateur Draft from Arizona State University.

Bob Horner spent 10 seasons in the majors, and four of them ended early because of severe injuries. When he was healthy, Horner was one of the most dangerous sluggers of the late 1970s/early 1980s, and he slammed more than 200 home runs. The third Atlanta Braves icon to die in May was just 68.

Ben Brown to the IL, Edward Cabrera to the IL. The Cubs’ only healthy starting pitcher is Javier Assad. At this point, they need to investigate their medical/training staff for Brewers fans.

You wouldn’t expect a group called Blood Sucking Maniacs to have a baseball song, but the band is actually Texas legend Terry Allen and his family. “Red Leg Boy,” is about Terry’s father, Sled Allen, who had a cup of coffee with the St. Louis Browns. youtu.be/Imv4sTKd_8M?...

The Atlanta Braves' 14 consecutive first-place finishes were accomplished with Hall of Famers all over the field, but it was the Hall of Famer in the dugout who kept things running smoothly. This second "In Threes" feature is about Bobby Cox, the best manager in Atlanta Braves history.

The Atlanta Braves lost three major parts of their team's history this year. The first was Ted Turner, former Braves owner, CNN founder, environmentalist, champion yachtsman, and one of the most influential people of the 20th Century. But he was 0-1 as a Braves manager in 1977.

Bob Skinner was known for having the prettiest swing in baseball, and he hit well over 1000 hits and 100 home runs in his 12-year career in the majors. He won 2 World Series, appeared in 3 All-Star Games and served as a coach, manager and scout following his retirement. Skinner, 94, died on May 4.

On this date in 2019, I wrote about one of baseball’s many “could’ve beens.” Jeff Peeples was a star pitcher at Vanderbilt and had 29 wins & a 1.68 ERA. Injuries from a car accident shortened his career in the Cardinals organization, and he was just 46 when he died. ripbaseball.com/2019/06/06/g...

The 1974 California Angels had a total of 17 saves, thanks to innings eaters like Nolan Ryan and Frank Tanana on the team. Who led the club in saves that year? A guy who didn't join the club until September and had 3 saves... in 4 appearances. Check out our latest Weird Stats column from Al Doyle.

Saddened to learn of the loss of Pacific Head Baseball Coach Reed Peters. Reed was a sincere, heartfelt guy who wanted to improve people’s lives through baseball. Thinking of his family tonight and praying for them. 🙏 #NCAABaseball pacifictigers.com/news/2026/6/...

At one point in time, the most famous clown in the country was Frank "Slivers" Oakley, and his most famous bit was a pantomime of a baseball game. This incredibly influential entertainer died in 1916 and was buried in an unmarked grave. After more than a century, SABR has given him a proper marker.

Corky Withrow was a high school and college basketball legend in Kentucky, but his professional sports career amounted to a handful of games with the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals. Withrow was a prodigious slugger and hit more than 200 homers in the minors. He died on April 22 at the age of 88.

Ellie Rodriguez worked at baseball and boxing in his youth, and he used both skillsets in the majors. He became a 2-time All-Star, a pioneer among Puerto Rican catchers, and part of a long-running, violent feud with Bill "Spaceman" Lee. Rodriguez died on April 22 at the age of 79.

Imagine you're 19 years old, fresh off pitching at West Chester State Teachers College, and now you're in the majors facing Roy Campanella & Jackie Robinson. That was the debut for John Edelman, a bonus baby with the 1955 Milwaukee Braves. He died on April 9 at age 90. His MLB career lasted 5 games.

Martina McBride was likely chosen because of her song “Independence Day,” which is about a woman who burns down a house with her abusive husband inside. But the chorus has the phrase “Let freedom ring” and has a bell ding-donging away, and dopes like Sean Hannity just assumed it was super patriotic.

Chuck Nieson's major-league pitching career lasted for just 2 innings, but he did something that nobody else has ever done. He recorded a total of 6 outs for the 1964 Twins, and 5 of them came via the strikeout. Nobody else has fanned so many in so few innings. Nieson died on April 7 at age 83.

The Atlanta Braves just posted that Bob Horner has passed away. Horner, a slugger for the early 1980s Braves teams, was the first player I can remember hitting 4 home runs in a game. He was also one of the first players to head to Japan while still in the prime of his career. (Photo by the Braves)

You might think that Mike Trout is #1 on Angels career leaderboards, and you'd be right... in some instances. But the all-time Angels leader in games played, hits, doubles and RBIs is Garret Anderson. The quiet Angels Hall of Famer died at the shockingly young age of 53.

Long time Milwaukee Brewer Charlie Moore has died at 72. HIs final MLB year in 1987 was as a catcher with the Jays. One night at legendary Toronto pub The Wheat Sheaf, a piece of the ceiling fell on him. A plaque was erected “Charlie Moore got plastered here”#RIPCharlieMoore

Normally, batting .362 in the high minors all but guarantees you a trip to the major leagues. But when it's 1949 and you are 35-year-old Negro Leagues great Ray Dandridge, the only thing it guaranteed was another year in the minors. Our latest Weird Stats column looks at the HOFer's late career.

Chicago Cubs record in 2026: April 14-24: 10-0 April 28-May 8: 10-0 Every other game: 9-23 That’s a .290 winning percentage outside of the two winning streaks. Ouch.

Between a 16-year playing career, a 15-year managerial career, World Series championships, leading Houston to its first pennant, a legendary moustache and a great nickname, Phil Garner had just a tremendous baseball life. Baseball doesn't exist without lifers like Scrap Iron.

2 dollar garage sale find that I just couldn’t pass up.

RIP to Billy Bryan, who spent most of the 1960s working as a backup catcher in the KC Athletics, Yankees & Senators. He topped double digits in homers twice in 1964 & '65 with the A's. Bryan died on April 9 at the age of 87.

This is the best, most complete thing I've read on Davey Lopes' time as Brewers manager, complete with a wonderful anecdote from that time at the end.

It’s been rough going for the Atlanta Braves. First Ted Turner, and now Bobby Cox has passed away. RIP to the Hall of Fame manager.

Davey Lopes didn't reach the major leagues until he was 27 years old, but he played into his 40s, setting several records for stolen bases along the way. Lopes spent 16 seasons in the majors with the Dodgers, A's, Cubs & Astros and managed the Brewers as part of a 30-year coaching career.

We are saddened to relay the news of the passing of former Pirates outfielder and coach Bob Skinner. Skinner was a member of the 1960 World Series Championship Pirates and a coach on the 1979 World Series Championship team.

I admire the fact that Nabisco, in today’s environment, said “Shove your food dye bans up your MAHA ass, we’re making blue Nilla Wafers and the people are gonna love ‘em!”

Good morning. But it's not. We lost John Sterling and that really, really stinks.

John Sterling died this morning. Reupping this from his retirement: defector.com/john-sterlin...

Bob Duliba spent 20 years in professional baseball, including parts of 7 seasons in the majors. He pitched in 176 games, all in relief, for the Cardinals, Angels, Red Sox and Athletics. He died on April 4 at age 91 in his native Pennsylvania.

Tom Nieto won 1 World Series, played in another, caught for 4 MLB clubs and suffered at least 3 season-shortening injuries -- all in a 7-year career as a backup catcher. He later had an extensive managing/coaching career in the minors. Nieto, 65, died of a heart attack on March 27.

We mourn the loss of the first-ever Royals All-Star, Ellie Rodríguez, and send our condolences to his family and loved ones.

I was at yesterday’s game with the Lancaster Stormers and Long Island Ducks. I regret to inform you that Trevor Bauer is popular, and I don’t doubt that a major-league team will sign him if he’s successful with the Ducks.

Ken Clay's career got off to a great start, as the pitcher was a part of championship Yankees teams in 1977 & '78. He then endured George Steinbrenner's wrath, trades and a career-ending arm injury in his 5-year career. THEN there's the matter of his post-career legal woes. Clay, 71, died March 26.

Cubs record while starting the season against the Nationals, Angels & Guardians: 4-5 Cubs record while playing a long string against the Phillies & Mets: 7-1 with 2 more games to go. Just as we figured.

Another completed set in the books… er, binders. Only took me 41 years to complete my 1985 Fleer set!