A FEBRUARY FUNDAY
THERE WILL BE BASEBALL THIS MONTH
FINALLY, FEBRUARY IS HERE
Look what awaits us: the Olympics on February 6, the Super Bowl on February 8, and, on February 20, Spring Training begins.
DID YOU KNOW?
Because this month begins on a Sunday in a non-leap year, the entire month fits perfectly into 4 clean weeks. No extra row. The next time this will happen is 2037.
THEN, WE MARCH AHEAD
March 5, 2026: World Baseball Classic begins
March 13-14, 2026: World Baseball Classic quarterfinals
March 15-16, 2026: World Baseball Classic semifinals
March 17, 2026: World Baseball Classic Final in Miami
March 25, 2026: Opening Night of 2026 MLB season - Yankees at Giants
March 26, 2026: Opening Day of the 2026 MLB season for all other teams
ARRAEZ AND SHINE
The Giants have signed Luis Arraez to a one-year, $12 million contract to be their second baseman. San Francisco reportedly explored trades for the Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan, the Cubs’ Nico Hoerner, and the Nationals’ CJ Abrams before settling on the 28-year-old Arraez, who leads active players with a .317 career batting average over his seven seasons with the Twins, Marlins, and Padres. He has no power and no speed to speak of, is a poor defender, and finished last among qualified hitters with a 16.7% hard-hit rate in 2025. But, he doesn’t strike out, and he should get on base enough to enable third baseman Matt Chapman, shortstop Willy Adames, and first baseman Rafael Devers to drive home more runs.
QUICK QUIZ
Luis Arráez won the American League batting title with the Twins in 2022, hitting .316. He then won back‑to‑back National League batting titles: 2023 with the Marlins (.354) and 2024 with the Marlins/Padres (.314)
Who is the only other batter since 1900 to lead each league in batting average? The answer is below.
ROBERTSON WAS THE LAST OF HIS KIND
David Robertson has announced his retirement after 17 seasons, one All-Star selection, and a 2009 World Series championship with the Yankees. Robertson pitched in the postseason in 10 of his 17 seasons. Robertson was the last active player to have won a World Series as a New York Yankee.
THE DODGERS’ CURSE OF #23
What do Michael Conforto, Jason Heyward, and Steven Souza Jr. have in common with Kyle Tucker? I’m so glad you asked.
Like Tucker, Conforto, Heyward, and Souza Jr. were brought aboard by the Dodgers since 2021 to solve the third outfielder slot on the Dodgers. You didn’t think the Dodgers had any problems, did you? Whether it has been left field or right field, there has been an open outfield spot for the Dodgers that they have been trying to fill, particularly since Mookie Betts became a full-time infielder.
But it turns out the connection is even a little more obvious. Each of these guys was blessed/cursed with uniform number 23: Michael Conforto (2025), Jason Heyward (2023-2024), and Steven Souza Jr. (2021). It has not been a magic number for any of Tucker’s predecessors.
Conforto played 138 games for L.A, and hit .199 with an OPS+ of 79 (100 = league-average for that season).
Heyward played 187 games for L.A. and hit .249 with an OPS+ of 110.
Souza played 17 games for the Dodgers and hit .152 with an OPS+ of 46.
So, it would seem that the last number Tucker would want is 23. He would be very happy with the #30 he wore with the Astros and the Cubs, which helped him secure a $ 60MM-a-year contract and “breaking baseball.”
One problem: Maury Wills. Well, actually, Dave Roberts.
