TARIFF FREE THURSDAY
87 WINS FEELS LIKE A MAGIC WIN TOTAL
WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
Let’s assume (and let’s not be nitpicky) that a record of 87-75 (.537) will either get you to the postseason or get you close enough that you will be playing competitive ball down the stretch. It’s early, but not too early, to bring a little reality into each team’s chances of reaching 87 wins. Let me reiterate that it is early (there are now about a hundred games to go), and many more trips to the IL are likely to change things; nonetheless, let’s take a look. Hey, Billy-Ball is free today; this is only costing you your time.
PETE ALONSO MOVING ON UP
Pete Alonso hit two more homers last night as the Mets topped the Dodgers. The Mets have now clinched the season series (4-2), with one game to play. Griffin Canning once again pitched well for New York with six shutout innings. He is a difference maker.
Back to Alonso. He is off to the best 62-game start of his career.
And, he is moving up the Mets franchise lists.
REST IN PEACE, SHIGEO NAGASHIMA
I often tell you to judge me by the company I keep, so it’s time to drop a name that you should be impressed with: Joe Posnanski. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to help Joe with some research for his terrific book, WHY WE LOVE BASEBALL.
To be honest, Joe is such a dynamic individual as a writer, I’m not sure how much I actually helped him, but it was a distinct honor for me to work with him.
I mention this work, not just to humble brag, but because Joe asked me to do some research on Japanese baseball. That’s how I learned about Shigeo Nagashima, considered by many to be the greatest player in the history of Nippon Pro Baseball (NPB). Nagashima was the star third baseman for the Yomiuri Giants from 1958 to 1974. He was named league MVP five times.
Nagashima had a trademark hard swing, the follow-through of which left his legs and arms crossed and his helmet often flying. He produced 444 home runs and a lifetime .305 batting average. He won six Central League (CL) batting titles, was the RBI leader four times, and won the CL home run crown twice. Nagashima would have won more home run titles, but teammate Sadaharu Oh emerged as the home run king every year between 1962 and 1974.
The Sadaharu Oh-Nagashima combo would become the most famous in Japanese baseball history, and they became known as the "ON" power attack. They hit back-to-back homers 29 times and homered in the same game 106 times, both records in the NPB.
The Oh-Nagashima Giants were unstoppable in their prime, winning a record nine straight Japan Series from 1965 to 1973. Nagashima ranks first all-time in the Japan Series in hits (91), total bases (184), and RBI (66).
In terms of raw numbers, Nagashima’s career is somewhat reminiscent of two American third basemen Hall of Famers who excelled both at the plate and in the field: Mike Schmidt and Brooks Robinson, though Nagashima was a better hitter.
In terms of cultural impact, the closest American comparison would be with Joe DiMaggio. Like DiMaggio, Nagashima's fame extended far beyond the field. He was a household name, a media darling, and a symbol of national pride during Japan's economic rise.
DiMaggio had a lifetime .325 BA, and Nagashima hit .305. Shigeo outhomered Joe 444 to 361. Nagashima won five MVP awards, and DiMaggio won three. They each led their teams to nine titles.
SPEAKING OF BOOKS
It was a thrill a few years ago when I got to write with the legendary Bob Ryan on our book, IN SCORING POSITION. Bob, who is in the Basketball Hall of Fame, is one of our great baseball writers as well. He has become one of my dearest friends, and I feel fortunate to have worked with a writer of his caliber.
Obviously, I am not the only reader of Bob’s work in the Boston Globe and his work on Around the Horn on ESPN, who is a huge fan of Mr. Ryan.
Please enjoy “The Ballad of Bob Ryan” as performed by the talented Jake Hudson.
https://buymeacoffee.com/plowdawg26i/the-ballad-bob-ryan-verse-1-in-heart-old-new
It’s sung well and written even better. Buy the man a cup of sweet tea when you’re there.
IT’S BEEN A GOOD HUNDRED YEARS (for the most part)
Goodyear, the Akron-based tire company, is celebrating the 100th anniversary of “Pilgrim,” its first blimp to take flight just outside of the city on June 3, 1925.
The Goodyear Blimp has been a regular at major sporting events since flying above the 1955 Rose Bowl. The folks at SABR shared that The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company’s original airship, the Wingfoot Air Express, could have become the first to pass over a baseball game at Comiskey Park when it made its maiden voyage on July 21, 1919, in Chicago. Instead, tragedy struck when the blimp exploded in midair and crashed into a crowded downtown bank, killing 13 people in America’s first civil aviation disaster. If it had finished its voyage, Goodyear’s airship likely would have passed directly over Comiskey around the 4th or 5th inning.
THE ALL-STAR BALLOTS ARE OUT AND ABOUT
Major League Baseball launched the All-Star Ballot for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, which will be held on Tuesday, July 15th at Truist Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves. During the initial voting period from June 4th to 26th, fans can submit up to five ballots each day on MLB platforms. I believe that if you choose to vote, do it as close to the deadline as possible to ensure the most complete statistics for the players.
GONNA BLOW FOR YOU
COMING TOMORROW IN BILLY-BALL
A fan salutes my friend, the legendary Bob Ryan, in a song.
Thanking you, sir
Great title.