Reposted by R.J. Anderson
last effort: I run a baseball site with some of my best, smartest, and most talented friends. we do fun and engaging work all year long, and it's about to get more expensive to read that work as of 1/1. I'd much rather you get in the door as cheap as possible. It also makes for a great gift:
Premium Gift Subscription
Fill out the information above to purchase a gift subscription. An email will be sent to the recipient within two weeks letting them know. Complete access to BP’s premium editorial content Dozens of a...
baseball-prospectus.myshopify.com
December 23, 2025 at 11:46 PM
last effort: I run a baseball site with some of my best, smartest, and most talented friends. we do fun and engaging work all year long, and it's about to get more expensive to read that work as of 1/1. I'd much rather you get in the door as cheap as possible. It also makes for a great gift:
Nearly every recent NPB hitter to transfer has seen their strikeout rate increase 1.5 percentage points (from their final NPB season to their first MLB campaign). If Murakami follows suit, that would put him over 31%. He’ll need his elite strength to play, and immediately, to provide value.
December 21, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Nearly every recent NPB hitter to transfer has seen their strikeout rate increase 1.5 percentage points (from their final NPB season to their first MLB campaign). If Murakami follows suit, that would put him over 31%. He’ll need his elite strength to play, and immediately, to provide value.
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
The Astros, Pirates and Rays are in serious discussions about a trade that would send right-hander Mike Burrows to Houston, infielder Brandon Lowe to Pittsburgh and involve multiple other players, sources tell
@ken-rosenthal.bsky.social and me.
@ken-rosenthal.bsky.social and me.
December 19, 2025 at 4:57 PM
The Astros, Pirates and Rays are in serious discussions about a trade that would send right-hander Mike Burrows to Houston, infielder Brandon Lowe to Pittsburgh and involve multiple other players, sources tell
@ken-rosenthal.bsky.social and me.
@ken-rosenthal.bsky.social and me.
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
Initial news story on the WNBPA voting to authorize a strike "when necessary": www.espn.com/wnba/story/_...
WNBPA members vote to strike 'when necessary'
The WNBPA announced Thursday that its members have voted overwhelmingly to authorize calling a strike "when necessary" during the ongoing negotiations between the players association and the WNBA on a...
www.espn.com
December 18, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Initial news story on the WNBPA voting to authorize a strike "when necessary": www.espn.com/wnba/story/_...
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
Processing my feelings about umpires closing their eyes
pebblehunting.substack.com/p/fright-eyes
pebblehunting.substack.com/p/fright-eyes
Fright Eyes
Even umpires must flinch.
pebblehunting.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Processing my feelings about umpires closing their eyes
pebblehunting.substack.com/p/fright-eyes
pebblehunting.substack.com/p/fright-eyes
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
White Sox are close to adding former Rays assistant general manager Carlos Rodriguez to their front office. Sounds like he’ll also be an AGM with the Sox.
soxmachine.com/2025/12/whit...
soxmachine.com/2025/12/whit...
White Sox finalizing hire of former Rays executive Carlos Rodriguez to assistant general manager role - Sox Machine
The White Sox are in the final stages of hiring former Tampa Bay Rays assistant general manager Carlos Rodriguez to a role in their front office, sources confirmed to Sox Machine. When his hire is com...
soxmachine.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:07 AM
White Sox are close to adding former Rays assistant general manager Carlos Rodriguez to their front office. Sounds like he’ll also be an AGM with the Sox.
soxmachine.com/2025/12/whit...
soxmachine.com/2025/12/whit...
My favorite novel.
Checking in as yet another person who became obsessed with Lonesome Dove after thinking no way I would ever care that much about a 900-page cowboy novel 🫡 Sucker! I was so wrong!!! This was perhaps the most enjoyable reading experience of my adult life and I am so grateful I finally picked it up
Lonesome Dove and a Dr Pepper
two great tastes that taste great together
www.soda-fountain.com
December 16, 2025 at 4:46 PM
My favorite novel.
Bell is more interesting than his career suggests. He added bat speed and deepened his point of contact, leading to more pulled balls in the air—a combo that tends to result in more power. Target Field is more home-run-friendly than the average park. Sneaky overperformance candidate if it all holds.
Source: Twins sign switch-hitting slugger Josh Bell to fill first base void
www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...
www.nytimes.com/athletic/678...
Twins to shore up offense at first base by signing Josh Bell: Source
Bell was arguably the best free-agent hitter fit for the Twins.
www.nytimes.com
December 15, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Bell is more interesting than his career suggests. He added bat speed and deepened his point of contact, leading to more pulled balls in the air—a combo that tends to result in more power. Target Field is more home-run-friendly than the average park. Sneaky overperformance candidate if it all holds.
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
Friday news dump? I was recently laid off by McClatchy/Fort Worth Star-Telegram. I loved expanding into politics/policy reporting, and pursuing stories about communities underserved by their local paper.
Eager for correspondent-level work? Or, have something else in mind?holler@bwd.nyc
Eager for correspondent-level work? Or, have something else in mind?holler@bwd.nyc
December 12, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Friday news dump? I was recently laid off by McClatchy/Fort Worth Star-Telegram. I loved expanding into politics/policy reporting, and pursuing stories about communities underserved by their local paper.
Eager for correspondent-level work? Or, have something else in mind?holler@bwd.nyc
Eager for correspondent-level work? Or, have something else in mind?holler@bwd.nyc
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
Moving things I liked this year
pebblehunting.substack.com/p/beautiful-...
pebblehunting.substack.com/p/beautiful-...
Beautiful In 2025
The living; the miraculous task of it.
pebblehunting.substack.com
December 11, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Moving things I liked this year
pebblehunting.substack.com/p/beautiful-...
pebblehunting.substack.com/p/beautiful-...
Pete Alonso joins the club.
Josh Naylor will join Freddie Freeman as the only free-agent first basemen since 2018 to sign for more than four years. Others to do it over the past decade: Eric Hosmer, Chris Davis, and Ian Desmond, per MLB Trade Rumors' contract database.
December 10, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Pete Alonso joins the club.
The White Sox just won MLB’s draft lottery. UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky will enter spring as the favorite to go No. 1. Could be a good class for shortstops overall, though, with prepsters Grady Emerson and Jacob Lombard and Alabama's Justin Lebron in the running for top-five selections.
December 9, 2025 at 11:01 PM
The White Sox just won MLB’s draft lottery. UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky will enter spring as the favorite to go No. 1. Could be a good class for shortstops overall, though, with prepsters Grady Emerson and Jacob Lombard and Alabama's Justin Lebron in the running for top-five selections.
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
Things I Tagged Fundies This Year pebblehunting.substack.com/p/the-fundie...
The Fundies Wrap
I'm probably just being unfair.
pebblehunting.substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Things I Tagged Fundies This Year pebblehunting.substack.com/p/the-fundie...
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
ICYMI: Our rates our going up as of 1/1, making now through 12/31 the absolute best time to lock in a year subscription. You can extend a subscription via the BP360 promotion that's currently available, but that's the only way.
hey everyone, today we're announcing something at BP that is both long overdue and something I wish we could keep holding off on, but the reality is we can't: a price change to our subscription.
We'll continue to provide one of the best value props out there, and keep earning your support.
We'll continue to provide one of the best value props out there, and keep earning your support.
BP Announcement: Forthcoming Price Change for BP Memberships | Baseball Prospectus
Membership prices will increase starting on January 1, 2026.
www.baseballprospectus.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:55 PM
ICYMI: Our rates our going up as of 1/1, making now through 12/31 the absolute best time to lock in a year subscription. You can extend a subscription via the BP360 promotion that's currently available, but that's the only way.
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
Just ordered mine. I know how much work Matt put into this, and I know how thorough he is. Can't wait to dig in.
I have written a book! It is available for sale now. It's a bunch of fun discussions about the leadoff man, including interviews with big names (Johnny Damon, Joe Mauer, John Smoltz, Mookie Betts, Kyle Schwarber and more), fun stories, best moments and, of course, rankings. Pick one up!
The Leadoff Man: The history of, the evolution of, and fun with the greatest catalyst in sports
The Leadoff Man: The history of, the evolution of, and fun with the greatest catalyst in sports [Snyder, Matt, Snyder, Matt, Willis, Ava] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Leadoff Man: The history of, the evolution of, and fun with the greatest catalyst in sports
www.amazon.com
December 7, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Just ordered mine. I know how much work Matt put into this, and I know how thorough he is. Can't wait to dig in.
Ferrer is an interesting addition for the M's. Throws hard, throws strikes, and generates grounders by the bushel. Easy to envision him making the leap with Seattle.
December 6, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Ferrer is an interesting addition for the M's. Throws hard, throws strikes, and generates grounders by the bushel. Easy to envision him making the leap with Seattle.
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
Josh Byrnes was the assistant GM with the Rockies from 1999-2002, but also was GM and/or EVP with the Padres and D-backs, in addition to th last 11 years as SVP with the Dodgers
He's a Giants stint away from pulling a front office Herges/Finley
bsky.app/profile/purp...
He's a Giants stint away from pulling a front office Herges/Finley
bsky.app/profile/purp...
The Colorado Rockies plan to hire Josh Byrnes to serve as their new general manager, reports to Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin
December 3, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Josh Byrnes was the assistant GM with the Rockies from 1999-2002, but also was GM and/or EVP with the Padres and D-backs, in addition to th last 11 years as SVP with the Dodgers
He's a Giants stint away from pulling a front office Herges/Finley
bsky.app/profile/purp...
He's a Giants stint away from pulling a front office Herges/Finley
bsky.app/profile/purp...
Between Ponce and Ryan Weiss (Astros), the top two members of the Hanwha Eagles rotation both landed MLB contracts today. KBO continues to be a legitimate way forward for pitchers who want to reestablish themselves.
December 3, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Between Ponce and Ryan Weiss (Astros), the top two members of the Hanwha Eagles rotation both landed MLB contracts today. KBO continues to be a legitimate way forward for pitchers who want to reestablish themselves.
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
@daynperry.bsky.social wrote about Rob Manfred. www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/rob...
How Rob Manfred shaped his legacy: Rule changes, cheating scandals, Pete Rose, more
A year before the CBA is set to expire and with his term winding down, let's look at more than a decade of leadership
www.cbssports.com
December 2, 2025 at 3:15 PM
@daynperry.bsky.social wrote about Rob Manfred. www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/rob...
Here's the nerdy argument for a Devin Williams rebound:
December 2, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Here's the nerdy argument for a Devin Williams rebound:
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
Wrote about the long history of baseball’s salary cap fight, which dates back to the 1800s:
www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb...
www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb...
What MLB's salary cap history can tell us about the upcoming CBA negotiations
For almost as long as baseball has existed as an organized sport, team owners have been trying to suppress payrolls
www.cbssports.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Wrote about the long history of baseball’s salary cap fight, which dates back to the 1800s:
www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb...
www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb...
Wrote about the long history of baseball’s salary cap fight, which dates back to the 1800s:
www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb...
www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb...
What MLB's salary cap history can tell us about the upcoming CBA negotiations
For almost as long as baseball has existed as an organized sport, team owners have been trying to suppress payrolls
www.cbssports.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Wrote about the long history of baseball’s salary cap fight, which dates back to the 1800s:
www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb...
www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb...
Can’t explain why this exchange has stuck in my head for 14 years, but happy anniversary to those who celebrate Brian Cashman responding to a reporter with "blog it." www.espn.com/blog/new-yor...
November 21, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Can’t explain why this exchange has stuck in my head for 14 years, but happy anniversary to those who celebrate Brian Cashman responding to a reporter with "blog it." www.espn.com/blog/new-yor...
Reposted by R.J. Anderson
Little surprise here: Kelsie Whitmore, who helped make history when she debuted with the Sonoma Stompers in 2016 before going on to play for the FerryHawks, Ballers, and Savannah Bananas, is first off the board.
She'll rep SF next year.
She'll rep SF next year.
November 21, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Little surprise here: Kelsie Whitmore, who helped make history when she debuted with the Sonoma Stompers in 2016 before going on to play for the FerryHawks, Ballers, and Savannah Bananas, is first off the board.
She'll rep SF next year.
She'll rep SF next year.
Rolison is a more interesting addition than his numbers suggest. No guarantees he sticks on the roster all winter, but underlying traits suggest he should be able to add more swing-and-miss to his game. Landing with an org that has a better handle on that stuff should help.
November 19, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Rolison is a more interesting addition than his numbers suggest. No guarantees he sticks on the roster all winter, but underlying traits suggest he should be able to add more swing-and-miss to his game. Landing with an org that has a better handle on that stuff should help.