Grading EVERY MLB Team's 2024 OFFSEASON...Who Gets an F!?!? - TIER LIST

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and Opening Day is only a few days away, so today we’ll be grading the off-seasons of all 30 MLB teams as we prepare for the 2024 season. This includes trades, free agent signings, extensions, coaching moves, and anything else that was done to improve the team going forward.

Latest update: 3/18/24 - SF Giants Sign BLAKE NELL - Grade promoted to an A

Los Angeles Angels

Grade: D

It’s obviously been a tough offseason for the Halos, losing the biggest superstar in the game with Ohtani heading across town to the Dodgers. Offensively, they really didn’t do anything to replace him, picking up a few role players like Ehrie Adrianza and Aaron Hicks. They did a decent job of fortifying the bullpen with a several arms like Adam Cimber, Robert Stephenson and Luis Garcia, but unless they sign Blake Snell at this point, it was definitely a disappointing offseason and I gotta give them a D.Houston Astros

Grade: B

This is a team that didn’t need a ton of help, but they did lose a few mid-tier bullpen arms, so they signed a top-tier arm in Josh Hader, who joins Ryan Pressly and Rafael Montero in a very impressive looking pen. They gave a 5-year extension to Jose Altuve and signed Victor Carintini to help make up for lost depth at catcher with Martin Maldonao heading to to the White Sox. And of course they hired a new manager in Joe Espada. Overall, the team doesn’t have ton of holes, so they did what was needed to to stay competitive but they didn’t really make any major splashes with the rotation or lineup, so I’ll put them in the B tier.

Oakland A’s

Grade: D

The A’s are obviously in a crazy situation right now with the move to Las Vegas and the uncertainty of where they’ll be playing next year, but on the field they didn’t do a whole lot to improve their team after losing 112 games last year. But they did recently add J.D. Davis, who I think is going to have a great year; he’s a fantastic hitter and was looking good in Spring Training when the Giants suddenly waived him after signing Matt Chapman. They also picked up more former Giants – Ross Stripling and Alex Wood will be in the rotation – if they can stay healthy they will be a big help but that’s a big if; neither did much last year. They signed a few other bullpen arms like Michael Kelly and more former Giants, Trevor Gott and Scott Alexander. But until the J.D. signing, the A’s really didn’t do much to guarantee a better record than last year. I’ll give them a D.

Toronto Blue Jays

Grade: C

The Jays didn’t make any massive splashes this offseason, but did make some lowkey moves that should help them after losing some big time players like Matt Chapman and Jordan Hicks – weclome to San Francisco. Justin Turner is great but he’s almost 40 years old, so we’ll see how he does. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is a solid defender and if he has a bounce back season after a tough 2023 with the Yankees, he could definitely this team. They picked up Joey Votto, who won an MVP back when Ken Griffey Jr. was still playing. We’ll see if he even makes the team. Pitching-wise, they signed a Cuban pitcher with great stuff named Yariel Rodriguez. Overall, the Jays didn’t do anything crazy but didn’t completely ignore their needs either, so I’ll give them a C.

Atlanta Braves

Grade: B

I think the Braves had a fine offseason, considering they were already pretty stacked and didn’t really need to do a ton. They might have had a slight need in the outfield after losing Eddie Rosario, so they picked up a one-time serious prospect in Jarred Kelenic, who I think has a ton of potential if he can stay healthy, and brought back the powerful Adam Duvall. They fortified the bench with Luis Guillorme and David Fletcher, and even tried to improve the pitching staff by acquiring Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez to join Strider, Fried and Morton. They added a lefty to the bullpen in Aaron Bummer. The Braves addressed pretty much every need, although they could’ve maybe gotten more reliable names – Chris Sale obviously has an injury history and is a little older; Jared Kelenic hasn’t had a fully healthy season yet, but overall I’d say they get a B.

Milwaukee Brewers

Grade: C

Next up is the Brewers, a team I was pretty high on last season. They made the playoffs but got bounced by the D-Backs pretty quickly. This year, they got a really good looking young team and added some solid talent with Rhys Hoskins and veteran catcher Gary Sanchez. But their rotation is pretty suspicious in my opinion. They brought back Wade Miley, who’s solid, but he’s been around a long time and already is having injury issues in Spring Training. Brandon Woodruff is still recovering from surgery so he won’t be a factor anytime soon. And they traded their best starter Corbin Burnes for an exciting prospect with infielder Joey Ortiz and a starter in D.L. Hall, but the rotation was already a little iffy, relying on guys like free agent signings Jakob Junis and Joe Ross, who are fine but not exactly top tier starters. Joe Ross was with the Giants and never even appeared in a big league game; he’s been hurt for a number of years. D.L. Hall is one of the prospects they got for Burnes, and he’ll have a lot of pressure on him to fill those shoes. They also brought back Colin Rae, who was fine last year. If everything goes right and the prospects tear it up, this could be a big year for Milwaukee, but the offeason moves were very risky – too risky in my opinion and the best I can do is a C.

St. Louis Cardinals

Grade: B

After last years disastrous season, the Cards front office got to work in improving the rotation, adding Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson and Sonny Gray. They added some veteran role players with Matt Carpenter and Brandon Crawford, neither are going to light the world on fire but both are experienced big leaguers who could definitely help the team. They also added quite a bit of bullpen help and recently extended their manager, which pissed off Cardinals fans, but I think it was done to give Marmol a sense of security so he can relax and focus on winning games this year. They don’t blame the 2023 season entirely on him and are going to give him every opportunity to be better this year, and I think the Cardinals did was they had to do. They didn’t do much with the lineup, but since it’s already stacked with talent, they didn’t need to do much. I’m sure fans wanted even better starters than Lynn and Gibson, who are a little older and certainly not guaranteed to have big seasons, but considering what was out there, I think they did really well this offeason and I’ll give them a solid B.

Chicago Cubs

Grade: B

The Cubs made a lot of logical moves this offseason, although maybe there weren’t any massive splashes. Recently, they were able to bring back Cody Bellinger, which is huge and they didn’t have to pay the huge contract that Scott Boras was wanting. They brought in another former Dodger in Michael Busch, who has a great swing and huge potential. They didn’t get Yamamoto but did get Shoto Imanaga to fortify the rotation, so he’ll join Justin Steele, Jordan Wicks and Kyle Hednricks in a pretty damn solid rotation. They also signed a few bullpen arms like Hector Neris, and the very intelligent and experienced Craig Counsell takes over as manager. Overall, I think this was a fine offseason for the Cubbies, they addressed every aspect of the team, even adding some bench help with Garrett Cooper. I gotta give them a strong B.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Grade: B

The National League Champions showed that they were not going to lie down after falling short in 2023 and will be trying to win it all in ‘24. They brought back Loudres Gurriel Jr, signed free agent Joc Pederson and traded for Eugenio Suarez to replace Longoria at third base. And they also signed a very solid stater in Eduardo Rodriguez and he’ll jump right into that rotation alongside Zac Gallen, Merill Kelly and Bradon Pfadt. Just like the Braves, you can’t complain that they didn’t address their needs, but some fans might complain about the quality of players – Suarez does strike out a lot but unlike Longoria, he stays healthy and will probably hit more home runs. And Joc Pederson can’t really hit lefties, but the D-Backs have plenty of solid right-handed bats and switch hitters to put out a strong lineup against any pitcher. Overall, I think the D-Backs did what they had to do and I’ll give them a very strong B as well.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Grade: A

Next up is the Dodgers, who spent over a billion dollars to get whoever they wanted and their dog. #1 free agent Shohei Ohtani – Dodgers. #2 free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto – Dodgers. And on top of that, they traded for Tyler Glasnow, and added big power in Teoscar Hernandez. That alone gives them an easy A. They also went hunting for some veteran players like James Paxton, some former top prospects like Austin Beck who they’ll stash in Triple-A. They have literally four MVP’s on this roster and every name in entire lineup except youngsters Gavin Lux and James Outman are All-Stars. So, this is just insane – the Dodgers obviously get an A.

San Francisco Giants

Grade: A

Update: Signed Blake Snell 3/18/24 - Grade promoted to an A

Although a lot of my subscribers tell me this offseason was a disaster, I couldn’t disagree more – yes, it could’ve been better, but the Giants made a ton of moves this offseason to at least try to compete with LA and try to get back in the playoffs. In fact, they spent more money than any team except the Dodgers. Jung Hoo Lee was a huge signing and he’s looking great in Spring Training. They added big power with Jorge Soler as the DH. Obviously, Matt Chapman is an elite glove at third and he brings a powerful bat the lineup. Nick Ahmed is looking impressive and will probably be the opening day shortstop. Offensively, I couldn’t have wanted more, although I think the pitching staff still looks a little shaky. They did sign Jordan Hicks and he’s going to try to be a starter this year. Robbie Ray is a former Cy Young winner but he’s still hurt at the moment. The Giants signed some good young arms like Ethan Small, Landen Roupp and Spencer Howard, so at best this could be a hugely successful offseason, but it all depends on how some of these pitchers do. If they would’ve signed a top starter instead of Matt Chapman and stuck with J.D. Davis, I think it would’ve been better for the overall team, but as is, I’m going to give them a B.

Cleveland Guardians

Grade: D

The Guardians are not a team known for big spending in free agency and true to form, they didn’t spend much in free agency. Carlos Carrasco is back in Cleveland but he did not pitch well with the Mets last year and he’s a bit passed his prime at this point. They picked up an interesting Rule 5 guy in Deyvison De Los Santos who hit 20 homers in Double A last year, so that could be some one to keep an eye on. Austin Hedges is back, but he can’t even hit over the Mendoza Line and isn’t going to be a big difference maker. They signed a couple decent bullpen arms like Scott Barlow, but really did nothing to stand out and I still love their pitching staff, and I think they have a good team but they didn’t do anything to improve their lineup, which lacks some thump. If not for Barlow and De Los Santos, they’d get an F. Those two guys make it a D.

Seattle Mariners

Grade: B

The Mariners are a young and exciting team that should be ready to compete for a championship. They just needed to add some more power to the lineup to help out that amazing rotation and they did that, bringing back Mitch Haniger and adding Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver. All three of those guys can hit well over 20 homers each and they’ll jump right into the middle of the lineup with Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh. Haniger is injury prone, though, but if he can stay healthy he has big pop. They also made a ton of trades, I can’t say how well each one will work out but at the end of the day, they picked up a lot of help for their bench like Luke Raley and some good bullpen arms as well like Carlos Vargas and Ryne Stanek. Overall, I think they’re slightly better than last year despite losing Teoscar Hernandez, and I like their chances to compete in the AL West this year. I’ll give them a very very strong B.

Miami Marlins

Grade: F

The Miami Marlins surprised the baseball world in 2020 by making the playoffs, but people said oh it was because of the shortened season. Then, last year, in 2023, they did it again this time with a full 162 game season and to capitalize on that success, the Marlins did almost nothing this offseason to improve. They did make some moves to replace lost talent, but almost every move was a downgrade. They will be without Sandy Alcantara, who had Tommy John, and only picked up Yonny Chirinos, who is injury prone and hasn’t been very good for a long time. They lost Jorge Soler, and didn’t sign any one to make up for that loss in power. They did need a shortstop and picked up Tim Anderson; I don’t hate that move as supplementary move, but that was their big free agent signing and Anderson was coming off a season so bad, no one else wanted him. Other than some other minor moves, the Marlins did nothing to get back in the playoffs in 2024 and I have to them an F.

New York Mets

Grade: D

The Mets did make moves to address their needs, but the additions just weren’t anything overly special. For the lineup, they needed some help with the outfield and DH, so they added Harrison Bader and Ji-Man Choi, decent names but nothing spectacular. The rotation looks quite a bit different this year with no Verlander, no Scherzer. Senga is hurt to start the year. And to make up for all, they signed Luis Severino, who was awful last year, and Sean Manaea, who was on and off with the Giants last year, he is pretty inconsistent. They traded for Adrian Houser, who is okay, but the rotation is nowhere as good as it looked entering 2023. And they did get some bullpen help, but nothing splashy. Overall, I think they did just enough to fill some needs to get through the season, but definitely a downgrade from last year; I gotta give them a D.

Washington Nationals

Grade: C

The Nationals look like a team in rebuilding who are just waiting for their very talented farm system to hit the big leagues, but they did make a few moves to try to keep things somewhat exciting. They signed some former Reds talent like Jesse Winker, who hit just .199 last year but does have power, and Nick Senzel, whose career never took off like every one expected it would. Joey Gallo will hit some home runs but also strike out 200 times if he’s healthy enough to play all year. But they did pick up Eddie Rosario and that’s quite a bit of talent right there, but all with some kind of issue – one is a draft bust, one strikes out a lot, one can’t hit the mendoza line, but they all have potential to do damage and combined with a very young but capable rotation, this team might surprise some people. They could’ve used some starting pitching depth with the injuries to Strasburg and Cade Cavali, but signed no one of note there, although they picked up some decent bullpen arms like Derek Law and Dylan Floro. Overall, I think it was a so-so offseason for the Nats given that they have a lot of up and coming young talent that they didn’t want to completely block. I’ll give them a C.

Baltimore Orioles

Grade: A

Just like the Marlins, this is a team that was bad for many years who suddenly made the playoffs, but unlike the Marlins, they actually capitalized and tried to get better going into 2024. The Orioles needed an ace and they got one in Corbin Burnes, who they picked up in a trade without giving up too much. They also signed a possible future Hall of Fame in closer Craig Kimbrell, who can go into bad slumps but when he’s on, he’s one of the best. He’ll replace Felix Bautista, who’s out for the season after Tommy John. The O’s already have one of the best lineups in baseball which is almost entirely homegrown, so they didn’t need to add much there, but they added some depth with Tyler Nevin and Colton Wong. Overall, they only had a couple needs and went all out to fill them – when they couldn’t land a top free agent pitcher, they did it in a trade, and the Orioles are ready to compete again in 2024. I gotta give them an A.

San Diego Padres

Grade: D

Next up is the Padres, who have been trying desperately for years to put together a winning team and you gotta respect that. Unfortunately, it hasn’t really worked and this year, they lost a ton of talent, trading away Juan Soto, Josh Hader’s gone to Houston, Blake Snell’s probably gone. They needed a top-tier starting pitcher to replace Snell, and some help in the outfield and catcher. Kyle Higashioka is a decent backup catcher best and as for the rotation, they got Michael King and Jhonny Brito in the Soto trade and then recently picked up Dylan Cease in a trade with the White Sox. Along with Darvish and Musgrove, the rotation should be decent. They did get a ton of names to help out in the bullpen like Wandy Peralta, Yuki Matsui and a solid Korean arm in Woo Suk-Go. I was considering an F, but because of the Dylan Cease move and the extra bullpen help, I’ll give them a D.

Philadelphia Phillies

Grade: C

It looked like the Phillies were going to have a massive offesason after bringing back Aaron Nola, but since then there hasn’t been too many big moves. They recently added Spencer Turnbull to the bullpen and Whit Merrifeld as a utility player. I feel like this a team that doesn’t need a ton of help; obviously they almost made it back to the World Series last year. But, they could’ve used another bat or two and some extra pitching help wouldn’t have hurt after losing Kimbrell and Lorenzen. So, even though they did the most important thing in bringing back Nola, I can’t really give them credit for going all out and trying to do everything possible to get back to the fall classic. They did what they had to do, but not much else on top of that, so I’m going to give them a solid C.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Grade: D

Up next is the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are known for spending as little money as possible. But I must give credit where credit is due – the Pirates picked up Aroldis Chapman, who can still bring it and he’ll be strengthening a bullpen that already had David Bednar. They also got some starting pitching help with Marco Gonzales in a trade with the Braves and the veteran Martin Perez. They re-signed the legend Andrew McCutchen, which is going to at least be cool for the fans for him to be there another year in Pittsburgh. They signed Yasmani Grandal, who was at one time a serious power hitting catcher, but obviously he’s passed his heyday. They signed Rowdy Tellez and Michael A. Taylor for the lineup, two experienced big leaguers, but overall, the Pirates did whatever they could to add the best players they could while also spending as little as possible, although they did give give Chapman $10.5 million so again, shoutout there for doing that. Overall, I gotta say for the Pirates, this was like an A offseason, but compared to your typical MLB team, they did enough to get through the season in one piece, but they’re not going to be winning a World Series. I’ll give them a D just because they at least spent some money for their bullpen, but signing old names who are just trying to hang on in the big leagues doesn’t desreve much credit.

Texas Rangers

Grade: C

After winning it all in 2024, the Texas Rangers did lose some talent – Jordan Montgomery could still be back as of now, he’s a free agent. They signed Tyler Mahle, but he’s still recovering from Tommy John, as is Jacob Degrom. Max Scherzer’s also out for now after back surgery. So, the rotation really hasn’t been upgraded, although it stills looks okay all things considered. It was a weird choice to sign Mahle, who’s also hurt, instead of some one who could instantly help out while waiting from Degrom and Scherzer. They added David Robertson and Kirby Yates to the bullpen. Yates isn’t as good as he was a few years ago, but had a solid 2023 with Atlanta. Offensively, nothing much was needed and nothing much was done except some extra depth like Jared Walsh, who’s tearing it up in Spring Training. Overall, this is a great team as is, but unless they sign Snell or Montgomery, at this point, I can’t give them higher than a C just for maintaining.

Tampa Bay Rays

Grade: C

Next up is the Tampa Bay Rays and maybe their biggest move of the offseason was actually trading Tyler Glasnow to the Dodgers for Ryan Pepiot and Jonny DeLuca. For a lot of fans, this looks crazy getting rid of Glasnow, but Glasnow is injury prone and the Rays obviously love Pepiot, who has great stuff and could very well stay more healthy. They also get DeLuca, who has great potential – unfortunately he just broke his hand so he’ll be out a for about a month or 2. But it’s a risky trade for sure since the Rays rotation does lack some superstar power, but if Zach Eflin can repeat his 2023 season and Pepiot has a breakout year, it could work out well for the Rays. The Rays also added some decent help to the bullpen like Phil Maton, and a some depth to the lineup while they await some of their up and coming prospects. Overall, the Rays just did what the Rays do and made some interesting trades that don’t look too great on paper but ultimately might make them look like geniuses. Until we know, I’m just going to them a C.

Boston Red Sox

Grade: C

The Boston Red Sox are obviously a top tier franchise who are supposed to be landing top talent year in and year out, but that hasn’t really been the case lately. They’ve been losing more talent than they’ve been gaining and this year, they lose Chris Sale, Justin Turner, Adam Duvall, James Paxton. To replace the lost talent, they signed an injured Lucas Giolito, who is going to miss the entire season. They did trade for Tyler O’Neil, who should replace Duvall pretty easily, and did acquire a few interesting names like prospect Vaughn Grissom, who can swing a pretty good bat, and C.J. Cron, who has 30 home run power if he can stay healthy. But they did nothing to address the rotation, which could really use a solid lefty like Jordan Montgomery. Cron, Grissom and O’Neil are solid pickups and the bullpen got some help, but nothing too splashy. I’ll give them a generous C-, but they’re very close to a D. If they sign Montgomery, bump it up to a B.

Cincinnati Reds

Grade: A

Next is the Reds, who just recently looked like a last place trash team until last year they go on this huge winning streak, led by an array of talented young players, and convince the front office that they might just be a few moves away from becoming a playoff team. So, in response, the front office did what had to be done and added more talent, spending over $100 million on free agents like Jeimer Candelario and starting pitchers Frankie Montas and Nick Martinez. They also brought in a bunch of solid bullpen arms like Emilio Pagan and Brent Suter, and even added some catching depth with my man Austin Wynns- with Wynns comes winns and a few decent former top prospects like Edwin Rios, who might have a chance to play this year. Overall, the Reds did what was needed to capitalize on their extremely talented roster and I think they got a good chance to make the playoffs this year. They didn’t make any one massive crazy splash signing, but instead put their eggs in several baskets by getting lots of solid players to round out the team; I think the Reds have to get an A.

Colorado Rockies

Grade: F

The Rockies already have a decent lineup; it could be better, but they did nothing to really improve it. They added Jacob Stallings and brought back Sam Hilliard – average bench players. Pitching is really where they needed help and they did next to nothing. They traded for Cal Quantrill, who is solid for most teams but does give up a lot of hits and is a finesse guy, not a strikeout guy – so, basically, he’s a recipe for disaster at Coors Field. Dakota Hudson hasn’t been good for several years and being in Colorado is not the place to revitalize one’s pitching career, but we’ll see. The bullpen is pretty much the same except a Rule 5 guy who has good stuff but is pretty raw and that’s Anthony Molina, and they picked up Jalen Beeks off the wavier wire. Overall, the Rockies did not do anything to improve upon their 103 loss season last year, and as a Giants fan, I appreciate it because we need all the help we can get this year. Rockies offseason, straight up F.

Kansas City Royals

Grade: B

Up next is another terrible 2023 team, the 106 loss Kansas City Royals. Unlike the Rockies, they actually tried to get a little better. The rotation needed serious help and they signed Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, not necessarily superstars, but solid starters. The bullpen got a complete makeover with very reliable arms like Will Smith, Chris Stratton, Sam Long, Nick Anderson and a few others including a Rule 5 guy, Matt Sauer, who had a 10.9 per 9 strikeout ratio in Double A. They signed Adam Frazier, a pure hitter who can play a variety of positions and can get plugged into the lineup or serve as a solid backup utility guy. They added 30 home run power with Hunter Renfroe in the lineup and you just gotta give props to the Royals for trying to get better, and even more of their young prospects will be ready to contribute this season, so I see the Royals as being a lot better, and I gotta give them a solid B for the offseason.

Detroit Tigers

Grade: B

The Tigers are coming off a decent – for them anyway – 78 win season and are looking to get back above .500 and into the playoff conversation. So, they added some experienced starters in Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty to help soften the blow of losing Eduardo Rodriguez. Andrew Chafin and Shelby Miller were signed to fortify an already solid looking bullpen. They also extended top propsect Colt Keith, who will make his big league debut likely Opening Day. Mark Cahna and Gio Urshela also improve the lineup and overall, the Tigers look full ready to compete this season with a roster full of hot young talent and capable big league veterans. They could’ve got all out and added even more, but all things considered, I gotta give the Tigers a solid B.

Minnesota Twins

Grade: D

The Twins unfortunately had a situation with their TV provider and evidently couldn’t spend as much money as they would’ve liked during free agency as they were focused on getting a TV deal done. They signed Carlos Santana, who’s about to turn 38 but did hit 23 homers last year. They picked up Anthony Desclafani who I like, but really can’t stay healthy and is hit or miss. The bullpen added some pieces like Jay Jackson and Josh Staumont but nothing crazy, and they also signed Manuel Margot for some outfield depth. Ultimately, the Twins in my opinion look at lot worse after losing Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda, and definitely did not have a great offseason, but they still have a lot of talent and could compete in the Central, although I have to give them a D for the offseason.

Chicago White Sox

Grade: D

The White Sox were a team I was very excited about back around 2020. Since then, they have really disappointed and their lineup just never came together in the way I thought it would. This offseason, they did not really add anything to fix this issue; there’s some recognizable names like Paul Dejong, Nicky Lopez, Kevin Pillar, Dominic Fletcher and Martin Maldonado but none of them I would consider big difference makers. They added some good young talent in the Dylan Cease trade like Steven Wilson, who should be really good in the bullpen. They also signed John Brebbia and Tim Hill, very experienced and reliable bullpen arms. It’ll be interesting to see how Michael Soroka does in a new environment after all his years of injury issues in Atlanta. Erick Fedde and Chris Flexen were also signed as free agents, but neither one has been particularly effective in the big leagues recently, although Fedde dominated the KBO, so we’ll see how he does. Overall, the White Sox addressed some needs but not with any top MLB talent, but they did some pick up good prospects for the future, but as far as competing in 2024, I gotta give them a D.

New York Yankees

Grade: A

And last but not least is the storied New York Yankees, who acquired one of the biggest superstars in the game, Juan Soto, who gets plugged right into that lineup alongside Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo. The Yanks lost some good pitching in that trade, but they tried their best to make up for it with quality starter Marcus Strohman and they picked up two solid relievers in a trade with the Dodgers, Caleb Ferguson and Victor Gonzalez. And that’s not even all – the Yankees also got Trent Grisham in that Soto trade, and acquired a very solid outfielder with Alex Verdugo. So their outfield will be Verdugo, Judge and Soto with Trent Grisham as a 4th option – that is a freaking sick outfield. They’re basically covered at every other position, so, all things considered, I have to give the Yankees a freaking A.

Top 15 MLB Draft BUSTS Of the 1990's!!.. Where Are They Now?!? Some LITERAL BUSTS For Crimes!!

Welcome back to another edition of Humm Baby Busts and today we’ll go back to the MLB Drafts of the 1990’s and talk about some of the major busts from these amazing drafts that produced future Hall of Famers like Chipper Jones, Scott Rolen, Roy Halladay and the recently elected Todd Helton. Alex Rodriguez was also taken first overall in 1993 and hit 696 bombs but his Hall of Fame chances aren’t looking too great. But there were also extremely promising players taken high in the first round who looked like can’t-miss future superstars but just couldn’t quite make it as an MLB player. So, let’s jump right into this list, starting at #15.

15. Chad Mottola – Cincinnati Reds (5th Overall/1992)

To start today’s list, we have some one who I feel like never got a full chance to prove himself, but as a 5th overall pick who hit just .200 in the bigs, I had to put him on the list. During the 1992 MLB draft, the Yankees draft room broke out in celebration when the Reds took outfielder Chad Mottola out of Central Florida, allowing the Yankees to take a young future Hall of Famer named Derek Jeter at #6. One Reds scout, Gene Bennett, begged the front office to take Jeter, but he was overruled. Mottola was a monster in High School hitting .573 with 14 homers his Senior Year, leading to him being drafted by the Orioles in 1989. He instead went to college and hit .329 with 14 homers and an OPS over 1.000 his Junior Year with UCF. He also had great speed and a high baseball IQ. It’s hard to blame the O’s for taking such a polished and talented young player. He continued to show amazing potential in the minors, hitting .280 with 21 homers in High A in 1993. He continued to play well in the years that followed but by 1995 and 1996 when Mottola was ready for his opportunity in the bigs, he was blocked by a crowded Reds outfield that included Reggie Sanders, Curtis Goodwin, Eric Davis, Vince Coleman, Mike Kelly and Eric Anthony. He got his first taste of MLB in 1996 anyway, but hit just .215 in 79 at bats. Then, the Reds signed Deion Sanders & Ruben Sierra for the ‘97 season. Mottola spend that entire year in the minors despite hitting .317 with a .363 on-base and .839 OPS. He was traded to the Rangers early in 1998 but was never promoted to the big leagues with them. He signed with the White Sox for the 1999 season and tore it up in Triple-A, hitting .321 with 20 homers but did not get a promotion. He was even better in 2000 with the Blue Jays Triple-A team in Syracuse, crushing 33 bombs with a .309 average, taking home the International League MVP. He was promoted but given just 9 MLB at bats. He was traded to the Marlins the next year and again, was stashed away in the minors where he hit .295 in Triple-A, but was given just 7 MLB at bats. He continued to hit well in the minors, showing impressive power, but was only given sporadic opportunities in the big leagues. At the end of his career, he only had 125 big league at bats and hit just .200 with 4 homers, but he was never given a single extended opportunity to prove himself. In over 1800 minor league games, he hit .280 with 249 homers and a .796 OPS. So, although Motolla is considered a bust, he comes in as the lowest one on today’s list. Motolla became a coach after his playing career and is currently the hitting coach of the Tampa Bay Rays.

14. Paul Wilson – New York Mets (1st Overall/1994)

In 1994, the New York Mets had the first overall pick and went with a player who was considered the best pitcher in college baseball, Paul Wilson. Wilson was good enough in High School to get drafted by the Pirates but he opted to attend college and his draft stock skyrocketed when he dominated at Florida State, striking out 163 batters in 143 innings while walking just 32 with a 2.08 ERA his Junior Year. The Mets hoped he would rise through the system along with 2 other promising arms, Jason Isringhausen and Bill Pulsipher, to become one of the best 1-2-3 combos in baseball – a regular Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. After going 0-7 his first year in the minors, the Mets pushed him hard in 1995 and he pitched 186.2 innings. He pitched well, completing 8 games and going 11-6 with a 2.41 ERA, but was overused and experienced tendinitis. He was rushed to the big leagues the next season and was already damaged goods, going 5-12 with a 5.38 ERA, striking out just 6.6 per 9. He blew out his shoulder and barely pitched over the next 3 seasons and missed all of 1999. He made a commendable comeback with the Rays and started 30 games in 2002, but went 6-12 with a 4.83 ERA. After 3 seasons with the Rays and 3 with the Reds, he retired with a 40-58 career record and 4.86 ERA. He’s not one of the biggest busts on the list, having managed a 7-year big league career but as a first overall pick, he has to make the list. Earlier this year, 30 years after his last pitch at Florida State, Wilson decided to return to FSU to complete his degree.

13. B.J. Garbe – Minnesota Twins (5th Overall/1999)

Next, we go to the 1999 Draft with B.J. Garbe, the Gatorade High School Baseball Player of the Year, who was taken 5th overall in a first round that included 6 future All Stars, a future MVP in Josh Hamilton and a future World Series MVP in Josh Beckett. Most scouts ranked B.J. Garbe as the second best High School position player after Hamilton. He was incredibly strong with a quick bat that made consistent contact. He was known as a kid with superior strike zone knowledge with the potential to turn into a big power hitter who limits strikeouts. He looked fantastic in Rookie Ball, hitting .316 with just 34 strikeouts in 192 at bats. Unfortunately, the next year in A Ball, he hit just .233 in 133 games. Garbe could work the count and limit strikeouts, but the power was not developing as the Twins had hoped. After a couple more similar seasons, he was promoted to Double-A in 2003 and hit .178 with just 3 homers in 225 at bats. In 2004 it was more of the same, with Garbe hitting just 3 home runs again. He was traded to the Mariners for 41-year old veteran Pat Borders. He never made it above Double-A there and ended up with the Marlins organization for one last season in 2006, when he hit .184 with, once again, 3 home runs. At least he was consistent. Garbe retired and pursed his passion for beer by opening up and becoming CEO of a brewery called Tin Pin Brewing in his hometown of Moses Lake, Washington.

12. Geoff Goetz – New York Mets (6th Overall/1997)

In 1997, the New York Mets had the 6th pick and just missed out on several future All Stars such as J.D. Drew, Troy Glaus and Vernon Wells. So, they went with a High School strikeout machine named Geoff Goetz out of Tampa, Florida. He could hit and pitch at a high level and was known as Florida’s Mr. Baseball. Geotz was the highest High School player drafted out of Tampa since Gary Sheffield was taken also 6th in 1986. Unfortunately, despite still striking out a good number of hitters in the minors, Geotz struggled with his control. In 1998 in Single-A, he walked 4.6 batters per 9 innings and ended the season with a 6-8 record and a decent 4.2 ERA. He then became an answer to a trivia question when he was traded, along with Preston Wilson and Ed Yarnall, to the Florida Marlins for Mike Piazza, who would go on to hit one of the most dramatic home runs in Mets history during the first game in New York after 9/11. With the Marlins organization, Goetz was moved to the bullpen and showed huge improvement in limiting hits and runs. His walk rate was still a concern, but he had an ERA under 2 for back-to-back season and looked on track to make his big league debut in 2002. Then, just before he would’ve been promoted to Triple-A, he tore his labrum throwing a warm up pitch. The Marlins removed him from the 40-man roster and he missed all of 2003. He signed with the Yankees for 2004 and between Single and Double A, he limited runs with a 2.33 ERA, but also walked 19 batters in 27 innings, striking out just 12. He ended up in the independent leagues for a couple years then retired, never having made it above Double-A. He is now Senior Vice President at a consulting firm in the Tampa Bay area.

11. Antone Williamson – Milwaukee Brewers (4th Overall/1994)

With the 4th overall pick in 1994, the Brewers selected what looked like a safe pick – a strong power-hitting 3rd baseman who hit over .370 with 29 home runs during his final two seasons at Arizona State – Antone Williamson. He was a natural hitter who played the game hard and slid by diving into the base head first like Pete Rose. Williamson quickly showed massive potential at the plate, hitting .309 with 90 RBIs and an .852 OPS in Double-A in 1995. He had a 22-game hitting streak that season, the longest in the entire minor leagues. The Brewers thought he could hit in the big leagues, but wanted him to keep working on his defense at third base. Unfortunately, injury issues started to pile up and Williamson had to have shoulder surgery before the 1996 season, causing him to miss the first 10 weeks. He also continued to struggle defensively and the Brewers moved him to the first base. They added him to the 40-man roster after the 1996 season. In 1997, with Triple-A Tucson, he hit .286 in over 83 games with a .824 OPS and more walks than strikeouts. Although his power had never developed like they hoped, the Brewers saw enough to promote him to the big leagues. He hit just .204 in 24 games with no home runs. It would be his only big league stint. After that, Williamson struggled to stay on the field and after 2 more subpar seasons in the minors and one year in the independent leagues, Williamson called it a career.

10. Marc Newfield – Seattle Mariners (6th Overall/1990)

In the 1990 MLB Draft, the Seattle Mariners front office was extremely excited to be able to draft High School phenom Marc Newfield with their 6th pick. He was considered one of the best hitting High School prospects in the country and continued to swing a hot bat in Rookie Ball, winning the 1990 Arizona League MVP by hitting .313 with 6 homers in 51 games. In 1991, he hit .296 between High-A and Double-A with a .384 on-base-percentage. His baseball card became a hot seller, expected to increase in value from about $1.75 to over $50. In 1992, he played in just 45 games until he needed toe surgery, ending his season. But in 1993 he came back strong, hitting .307 with 19 homers in Double-A, earning a call-up to the bigs. In 66 at bats, he hit just .227 with a homer. In 1994, he tore it up in Triple-A again, this time hitting .349 with 19 homers and an OPS over 1.000. He got 38 more big league at bats but then the season ended due to the strike while he was hitting just .184. He had hit at every level except MLB. In 1995, he was hitting .188 for the M’s when they traded him to San Diego. He hit better there, but never got close to realizing his full potential. Newfield ended up with the Brewers, where things went downhill. He was arrested in 1996 for drug possession with intent to distribute and did not hit well in Milwaukee for parts of 2 seasons. His career ended after 11 minor league games in 1999. He had a career MLB WAR of -1.6. After his career, he has kept a low public profile, but still loves watching baseball and offer private hitting instruction.

9. Kurt Miller – Pittsburgh Pirates (5th Overall/1990)

In 1990, the Pittsburgh Pirates took a high school arm out of Bakersfield, California named Kurt Miller. He was 6’5” and over 200 lbs and had an incredibly live arm. He pitched well his first couple seasons in the minors, including a 2.5 ERA in 1991. About a year after he was drafted, the Pirates shipped him off to the Rangers for big league veteran Steve Buechele. Miller continued to look decent until he hit Triple-A and struggled going 7-13 with a 6.88 ERA, now in the Marlins organization. Desperate for starting pitching help, the Marlins promoted him anyway and he went 1-3 with a 8.1 ERA in 4 starts. He wasn’t much better for the next 2 seasons in Triple-A. He did pitch out of the Marlins bullpen in 1996, making 26 appearances, but to the tune of a 6.8 ERA. Miller never could get hitters out with consistency at the big league level and was sent to the Cubs. He finally had a breakout year in the minors in 1998, going 14-3 with a 3.81 ERA, but only pitched 4 innings in the big leagues that year. In 1999, he struggled to stay healthy and effective and ended up out of baseball by 2000.

8. Jeff Granger – Kansas City Royals (5th Overall/1993)

In 1993, one of the finest college arms in the country had to be Jeff Granger, who had just broken Roger Clemens’ Southwest Conference strikeout record. Granger struck out 21 batters in one game. He also went 15-3 with a 2.62 ERA his Junior Year and was the starting QB for the Texas A&M football team. The Kansas City Royals snagged him 5th overall in the draft. They had no plans to be patient with Granger and, incredibly, after just 7 minor league starts in Low A, they promoted him to the majors. He gave up 3 hits, 2 walks and 3 runs in his only inning of work. The next season, he threw 140 innings in Double-A, going 7-7 with a 3.87 ERA and also made 2 unspectacular starts for the Royals in May. After a poor season in Double-A in 1995, he was moved to the bullpen for ‘96 and pitched well in Triple-A, with a 2.34 ERA and 25 saves in 45 appearances with his best strikeout stuff since college. Unfortunately, he was traded to the Pirates and the geniuses over there tried to make him a starter again in Triple-A. He struggled in the roll and then the same thing happened with the Rangers organization in 1998. Pitching for the Oklahoma Redhawks, he went 4-8 in 19 starts with a 4.67 ERA. The Brewers sent him back to the bullpen in 1999 but by now it was too late, and Granger was hit hard and also struggled with his command. He was out of baseball after the 2000 season. He went on to become a financial advisor for J.P. Morgan.

7.Jeff Austin – Kansas City Royals (4th Overall/1998)

In 1998, the Kansas City Royals used their 4th overall pick to select an impressive starter out of Stanford, Jeff Austin, who went 12-4 with a 3.11 ERA that season. He had good but not overwhelming strikeout stuff, but the Royals liked his college experience and took him over high school arms like C.C. Sabathia and Mark Prior. Austin’s minor league career started off hot in 1999 when he started the season 5-1 with a 3.13 ERA with opponents batting just .230 off him. He made his league’s All Star Team, but struggled a bit in the second half. In 2000, he made it to Triple-A but went 7-9 with a 4.48 ERA. The Royals sent him to the bullpen in 2001 and his velocity seemed to improve but the overall numbers weren’t great. He was promoted to the big leagues and had a 5.54 ERA in 21 appearances. He wasn’t much better in 2002 and the Royals shipped him off to Cincinnati. With the Reds, Austin gave up 27 runs in just over 28 innings. He ended up in the independent leagues before retiring on July 4th, 2005. He got a degree in English from Stanford and became a full-time pitching coach there in 2008 and 2009. He moved on to a management position for Google, but continued to work part time as an assistant coach at San Jose State.

6. B.J. Wallace – Montreal Expos (3rd Overall/1992)

Next up we have B.J. Wallace, the Ace for Mississippi State in ‘91 and ‘92. He struck out 10.25 batters per 9 innings in 1992 with a 2.69 ERA. He walked just 35 batters, showing tremendous command. Wallace also made headlines during the 1992 Olympics in Spain when he struck out 14 batters in a game against Italy. He made his minor league debut in 1993 with High A West Palm Beach and pitched well, going 11-8 with a 3.28 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 137.1 innings. It would be his only decent season. Injuries limited him to 8 starts in 1994 in Double-A. He was put on the 60-day disabled list and missed all of 1995. Wallace made 12 starts and 3 relief appearances for the Phillies High A team in Clearwater in 1996 going 3-4 with a 6.68 ERA before calling it a short and disappointing professional career. He got into coaching after his career, but also had some run-ins with the law. In 2011, at the age of 40, he was arrested along with his wife for first-degree manufacturing of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. In other words, they were cooking methamphetamine in a lab inside their home, which they shared with their 3 kids. The kids were turned over to their grandparents. According to Wallace’s college pitching coach, Ron Polk, “B. J.’s had a tough life. He had to work hard to become the pitcher that he did, and when he got released, it was a blow to him. I just don’t think enough people reached out to him. But people make their own breaks, so I can’t feel too sorry for him.”

5. Corey Myers – Arizona Diamondbacks (4th Overall/1999)

In 1999, the Diamondbacks had their first top 10 pick in franchise history and surprisingly went with a local High School kid out of Desert Vista High School in Phoenix named Corey Meyers. He played shortstop and catcher and was a 5-tool talent ranked by Baseball America as the #1 non-pitcher High School prospect in the country. During his Junior year, he hit .482 with 15 homers and 41 RBIs and during one stretch, accomplished the near impossible by hitting 5 homers in 5 straight at bats. The next year, his power improved even more and he broke his High School division’s home run record. Myers planned to attend Arizona State to be teammates with his brother Casey, but after getting picked 4th overall, decided to go pro. He was not a terrible hitter in the minors, but didn’t tear it up either. He had some issues defensively at shortstop and was moved to third base and later first. In 2002 in High A, he hit .290 with 13 homers and a .793 OPS then the next season hit .290 again in Double-A with a .784 OPS. By now, Myers had been moved to catcher and earned a promotion to Triple-A, where he responded with a .295 average and 7 homers in 57 games. As a catcher, his pitchers loved him and his teams won most of the games he was behind the dish. Unfortunately, he was never promoted to the big leagues and in 2005, his numbers dipped as he hit just .239 with 4 homers in Triple-A. He played with the Angels system after that for a couple years and put up average numbers, but was never promoted. Myers played a few games in the independent leagues and retired after 2007. He returned to Arizona State and coached the softball team before becoming assistant head softball coach at Auburn. He is now the owner of a baseball training company, CM3 Sports Enterprises, LLC.

4. Calvin Murray – San Francisco Giants (7th Overall/1992)

Calvin Murray was a such a highly touted prospect that he was drafted in the first round not once, but twice – first by the Cleveland Indians in 1989, then by the San Francisco Giants in 1992. After not singing in ‘89, Murray went to college at Texas and hit .351 with 47 stolen bases during his Junior year. The Giants took him ahead of future superstars Jason Giambi and Johnny Damon. Murray was known as a guy who could fly, play elite defense and hit for average. The Giants also thought he could develop some big power. Unfortunately, while he could certainly run and play defense, he struggled to hit consistently at the professional level and lingered in the Giants farm system for 7 years. He did show improvement, however, and in 1998, hit .293 between Double-A and Triple-A. He had his breakout minor league season in 1999 when he hit .334 with 23 home runs and 42 stolen bases for the Fresno Grizzlies. Giants fans, myself included, thought we had a future All-Star who just took a little more time than normal to develop. Unfortunately, that year in Triple A was the last time he would show that kind of talent. In 2000, he hit .242 with 2 homers for the Giants with 9 stolen bases. In 2001, the Giants decided to just put him in the lineup for an extended period and really find out what they had. He hit .245 with 6 homers in 326 at bats, certainly not horrible but not particularly good either. The Giants traded him to the Rangers, he bounced around a bit for a few years and was out of baseball after 2005. Murray had a .231 career MLB batting average with 8 homers in 633 at bats and 22 stolen bases. He’s a name I remember well because he was in the system for so long, but never worked out at the big league level.

3. Brooks Kieschnick – Chicago Cubs (10th Overall/1993)

Long before Shohei Ohtani, there was a young up and coming player named Brooks Kieschnick who baseball fans all believed was the next Babe Ruth – a player who could both pitch and hit an an elite level. He is the only player to have won the Dick Howser Trophy – given to the best college baseball player of the year – twice. For the Texas Longhorns, Kieschnick hit .360, crushing 43 home runs and driving in 215 runs. As a pitcher, he went 34-8 with a 3.05 ERA, earning a reputation as a legitimate two-way player who could be drafted as either a position player or pitcher – or both. In the 1993 MLB Draft, he was taken 10th overall by the Chicago Cubs, who decided that his offense, especially his power, was more important than his pitching and, hence, used him as a position player. The decision seemed like the right one as he moved through the minor leagues, hitting for power and average every step along the way. In 1995, he hit .295 with 23 home runs and a .370 on-base percentage for the Triple A Iowa Cubs. He was called up to the big leagues in 1996 and had an amazing debut performance, hitting his first big league homer and going 10 for 29, good enough for a .345 batting average. All signs pointed towards Kieschnick being a regular for the 1997 Cubs. However, he was reportedly “stunned and dejected” after being sent back to to Minor League camp during the last week of 1997 Spring Training. He was eventually called up but hit just .200 in 90 at bats. The next year, the Devil Rays claimed him in their expansion draft, but never promoted him to the big leagues. He ended up signing with the Reds in 2000, but went 0 for 12 with 5 strikeouts. However, he did have a bit of a resurgence with the Brewers in 2003 and 2004 as Kieschnick took up pitching again and was a decent arm coming out of the bullpen. He also seemed to hit better in his role, with a .300 average in 2003 with 7 bombs. However, he never played in an MLB game after 2004. He now owns Dispersion Group, a medical device distribution company in San Antonio.

2. Josh Booty – Florida Marlins (5th Overall/1994)

In 1994, the still brand new Florida Marlins thought they struck gold with an amazing athlete named Josh Booty, a two-way player who was so good in football, several D1 programs offered him scholarships. As a baseball player, he hit .429 with 25 steals and 12 homers and was the starting shortstop for the U.S. Junior Olympic National Team. He chose baseball and struggled to make contact in the minors. In 1995 in A ball, he hit just .187, striking out 130 times. The next year, he set a Midwest League record with 195 strikeouts. He hit just .206. His numbers were so poor, he would’ve been released if he was just another minor leaguer, but as a 5th overall pick, the Marlins kept pushing him closer to the big leagues. In Triple-A, he hit just .210 with 166 strikeouts but did smash 20 homers, and that was enough for the Marlins to promote him to the bigs. He had a hot start, going 3 for his first 5, but then hit just .158 in 1998 before leaving the game of baseball. He could never figure out how to hit a curve ball. Booty returned to football at LSU and made it to the NFL. After his football career, he started Big Dreams Ventures, a consulting and marketing company.

1. Brien Taylor – New York Yankees (1st Overall/1991)

At #1 is by far the consensus best player in the 1991 MLB Draft, Brien Taylor. At that time, Taylor was considered possibly the best High School pitcher of all time. The Yankees took him first overall and eventually signed him for at the time an insane $1.55 million. Taylor hired Scott Boras as an advisor. Boras said in 2006 that “Brien Taylor, to this day, is still the best High School Pitcher I’ve seen in my life.” He had a fastball that touched triple digits and struck out 213 out of 264 batters while walking only 28. No one could touch him. In his first year in the Minors, 1992, he pitched well, striking out 187 batters in 161 innings with a 2.57 ERA in High A Fort Lauderdale. The next season, in Double A, he went 13-7 with a 3.48 ERA – nothing insanely impressive but certainly good enough to expect he would make his big league debut in 1994. Then, on December 13th during the off season, there was the fistfight heard ‘round the baseball world. Brien Taylor, defending his brother, got into a fight and severely injured his shoulder. He need major surgery and missed the entire 1994 season. By the time he returned, he had lost 8 miles per hour off his fastball and completely lost his command. The Yankees were forced to keep him in Single A while he tried to work it out, but his numbers were absolutely atrocious. He went 0-5 with an 18.73 ERA and walked a ridiculous 43 batters in 16 innings. The Yankees eventually had no choice but to release him. After baseball, he worked for UPS, then as a beer distributor. Later, he was arrested and charged with cocaine trafficking and spent over 3 years in prison. It’s insane to think what would have had he never got into that fistfight as Taylor was on the fast track to the big leagues with some of the best stuff any pitching prospect has ever had.

EPIC BACKFIRES! The 10 WORST MLB PROMOTIONS & P.R. DISASTERS!!!

As in nearly any customer-driven business, finding unique ways to bring in more clients has been a major goal for team owners since the beginning of professional baseball. This has included several amazing ideas such as bobblehead giveaways, ticket discounts, special theme nights. However, there have been a few promotional ideas that went a little too far – and some that were nothing more than straight up bad publicity stunts. Today, we will be ranking the 10 worst and most embarrassing publicity stunts, giveaways and P.R. disasters in MLB history - some of these are absolutely unbelievable, including several poorly thought out giveaways and wild theme nights that led complete catastrophe. I have two dishonorable mentions, the first that only failed to make the list because it didn’t actually come to fruition.

Dishonorable Mention #1: The Spider-Man II Bases

Believe it or not, back in 2004, Bud Selig, the then-commissioner of Major League Baseball, planned on introducing a promo that would put advertisements on the actual field of play – in this case – the bases themselves. MLB had come to an agreement with Sony Pictures to display the logo of their new film, Spiderman II, on the bases of MLB games during a weekend series in June to promote the upcoming release. And it would’ve happened too, if the fans and players themselves didn’t completely reject the idea. Even politicians and former commissioners blasted Selig and he eventually canceled the promotion. I’m sure there were plenty of Spiderman II advertisements throughout the ballparks that month, but at least they weren’t on the bases themselves. Of course, now that advertisements are on the uniforms, it might be only a matter of time before this terrible idea comes back to the forefront.

Dishonorable Mention #2: Scrap Metal Day at the Polo Grounds

This one comes in as a mention, because it was a promotion for a good cause, even though it came with an epic backfire. It was September 26th, 1942. American troops were fighting overseas in World War II, but it was a regular day as far as baseball goes as the season was winding down and the New York Giants were taking on the Boston Braves the Polo Grounds. Both teams had already been eliminated from the postseason. The New York Giants decided to put on a special promo for a Double-Header that would soon regret. To help with war effort, the team offered free admission to any child who came to the ballpark with any kind of scrap metal, which could be recycled and used to help build ships, planes and other equipment. The result was a ballpark full of 10,000 kids, many unsupervised, who had lugged 250 lbs of precious metal into the ballpark. By the 8th inning of the second game, many of the kids were restless, as the Giants were getting ready to wrap up the sweep, leading 5-2. After Warren Spahn recorded the final out of the 8th, some kids thought the game was over and rushed the field in an effort to meet their favorite players such as Mel Ott and Jonny Mize. More kids followed in their footsteps and things quickly got out of hand as a mob of youngsters took over the Polo Grounds. At the umpire’s request, the game was forfeited right then and there, and the Braves were given the win. Since Warren Spahn completed the game, he was given a complete game but not a win since the Braves victory was by forfeit, making Spahn perhaps the only pitcher to ever throw a complete game but not get a decision.

Now, let’s get to the Top 10...

10. Celebrity Spring Training Appearances

I decided not to include Michael Jordan or Tim Tebow’s attempts at a career in pro baseball career in the Top 10, even though many fans considered them publicity stunts. I believe both players gave it 100% and did relatively well considering they’d been away from the game for so long. Had they been promoted to the big leagues despite hitting around .200 in the minors, I would’ve probably had to include them on the main list. However, I will include the many non-professional athletes who got an opportunity to play in Spring Training. While this can fun and entertaining if done right, such as Will Ferrell playing for 10 different teams in one day back in 2015, I’m generally not a huge fan of it, especially when it goes on for more than 1 day, such as the case with country music legend Garth Brooks, who was given 22 at bats with the Padres in 1999, going 1-for-22. Incredibly, he got to come back in 2000 with the Mets and went 0 for 17 and then made another appearance with the Royals in 2004. Apparently, he really did have friends in low places. Other celebrities who got some playing time include Kevin Costner, Tom Selleck, Bruce Hornsby and Billy Crystal. It kind of bothered me that guys who only played in High School at best get to play in MLB Spring Training because of their fame elsewhere. Don’t get me wrong though, if each team ever invites a YouTuber to represent them in a game, I’m ready to go!

9. Vuvuzela Giveaway Night

The Vuvuzela is a small and typically inexpensive instrument that can produce a very loud, monotone note. With all respect to the communities and people who enjoy this instrument, it can be extremely annoying, especially when multiple vuvuzelas are being played at once. It has been such a problem that the NCAA permanently banned them in 1987. They’ve also been banned at a variety of sporting events and venues around the world, which makes it all the more puzzling how the Florida Marlins thought it would be a good idea to actually give out Vuvuzelas to the fans as stadium giveaway in 2010 before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. 15,000 fans had vuvuzelas and many of them buzzed away throughout the entire baseball game. Marlins President Dave Samson received complaints in the form of e-mails and text messages throughout the game, including one from special assistant Jeff Conine, who said he was getting a headache. The players had to wear earplugs just to get through the game. "That was the worst handout or giveaway I've ever been a part of in baseball," second baseman Dan Uggla said. The noise was so bad, it caused confusion between the umpires and managers when discussing lineup changes. One player was called out by Umpire Tom Hallion for batting out of order, but Freddie Gonzalez had told him about the switch – he just couldn’t hear him. Gonzalez was ejected for arguing the call. “It was the most uncomfortable baseball game I’ve ever been a part of,” said Hallion.

8. The White Sox Wear Shorts

Long-time MLB owner Bill Veeck was known for his wild and crazy promotional ideas throughout his career. Some were brilliant and others not so much. For example, he had helped design some new uniforms for his Chicago White Sox players one off-season that included actual shorts instead of baseball pants. He had the players try them on as part of a fashion show before the season, but no one thought they would actually wear them in a regular season game. Then, on August 8th, 1976, Veeck ordered his club to wear the special unis for the first game of a Double-Header against the Royals. The Royals ended up losing the game, perhaps because they were so distracted laughing at and making fun of the White Sox. The uniforms became the laugingstock of baseball, but at the same time, some players actually liked them. The White Sox ended up wearing them for 2 more games that season before retiring the idea forever. They won all three games that they wore the infamous shorts, and Veeck determined the gag had run its course.

7. Ball Night at Dodger Stadium

August 10th, 1995, was just another normal day with various MLB games on the schedule, including one at Dodger Stadium between the Dodgers and Cardinals. The Dodgers were holding a special giveaway – a free baseball to commemorate their recent Rookie of the Year winners. A total of 25,000 were given out. It sounded like a harmless enough giveaway, but remember – baseballs are made to be thrown, and if drunk baseball fans get angry – well, they’ll probably throw something. And sure enough, after some egregious calls on the field by the umpires, the fans began throwing their baseballs onto the field. In the 7th inning, the game had to be delayed as hundreds of baseballs littered the field. After a long delay collecting the balls, the game resumed, but in the 9th inning, after Raul Mondesi began arguing a strike 3 call that was clearly off the plate, a shower of baseballs came raining onto the field again. Both Mondesi and manager Tommy Lasorda were ejected for arguing. Once again, the field was cleaned up and play resumed. Reportedly, there were no warnings from the P.A. Announcer to stop throwing baseballs onto the field, but if you’re watching this and you were at that game, please let us know in the comments section, along with any more details you can offer. Almost immediately after the game resumed for the second time, one fan in the bleachers couldn’t help himself and fired another baseball onto the field. The umpires immediately ended the game, which went to the Cardinals, who had a 2-1 lead. It remains the most recent forfeit in MLB history and set a precedent that when giving away baseballs, they should be given out as the fans are leaving, not entering.

6. Turn Ahead The Clock Night

In the early 1990’s, teams started a popular promotion of wearing throwback uniforms just like the ones worn back in the 40’s or even earlier. Fans loved the look of the old uniforms and many players enjoyed them too. Then, in 1998, the Seattle Mariners decided to do the opposite, and put on a fun promotion wearing uniforms from the future, designed in large part by Ken Griffey Jr. It would’ve been a one and done promotion that every one forgot, but then in 1999, the promo went MLB-wide. All but 8 teams took the field wearing some of the ugliest uniforms in MLB history - wild unis with cut off sleeves, untucked jerseys, and wacky logos. Teams even changed their names, such as the Mets going by the Mercury Mets. The logos were completely outlandish and the names and numbers printed in different directions than they would traditionally be. The consensus opinion was that they looked hideous.

The worst part might have been that the uniforms were supposed to represent 2021, a year that has already come and gone . These uniforms were so out there, they should’ve picked a year at least 100; maybe 200 years in the future. At the end of the day, the uniforms were completely panned and the promo was a total failure, although I have to give them props for at least going all out with it.

5. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

This might be controversial to include as it was a very recent promotion that was met with both major criticism and major support, but I can’t imagine the Dodgers organization felt satisfied after all was said and done. It was during the 2023 season when the Dodgers scheduled the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to receive a Community Hero Award at their annual Pride Night game. The Sisters, according to Wikipedia, are a street performance movement that uses drag and religious imagery to satirize issues of sex, gender, and morality and fund-raise for charity. The invite was heavily criticized by religious groups along with many fans and politicians, leading the team to dis-invite the group. Then, criticism came just as, if not more heavily, from other fans and politicians who supported the Sisters. Supporters of the LGBTQ community and organizations such as the Los Angeles LGBT Center demanded the Dodgers re-invite them. So, the Dodgers did just that, making another about-face, re-inviting them, which of course lead to more backlash from the religious community among others who believed the Sisters to be an anti-Catholic hate group who mocked religion and performed acts that would not be considered family-friendly. Even some Dodgers players, such as Clayton Kershaw and Blake Treinen criticized the inclusion of the Sisters while MLB player Trevor Williams said it was a violation of the team’s discrimination policy. Social media buzzed with videos and debates over the entire situation and thousands of Catholics and supporters protested outside of Dodger Stadium during the event. Regardless of whether you support the decision to invite this group or not, I would say its pretty obvious that the Dodgers definitely didn’t mean to spark such a massive controversy and piss off about half their fan base along with some of their own players, and they would probably have never invited the Sisters in the first place if they could do it all over again.

4. Wet T-Shirt Night at Fulton County Stadium

Speaking of events that aren’t so family friendly, in 1977, a struggling Major League team known as the Atlanta Braves determined that any publicity is good publicity and in order to lure in some extra male fans to the stadium, decided to actually have a Wet T-Shirt Night at Fulton County Stadium. Attendance did increase some as 11,451 fans showed up to watch the Braves take on the Cubs. Beginning in the 6th inning, it was announced that registration was open for the Wet T-Shirt Contest which would take place following the game. Fans could watch as the beautiful Georgia girls signed up for the contest and then after the Braves got destroyed 13-4, the competition went on as planned, with 43 women participating. They were hosed down as men, women and children looked on. As it turned out, the woman who won was a the daughter of a preacher. I’m sure that didn’t go over well. I won’t judge any one who enjoys a good wet t-shirt contest, but is an MLB game, which is supposed to be a family-friendly event, the best venue for one? I think not. Since it occurred in the late 70’s, before the social media era, the backlash was not nearly as strong as it might be today, but several fans voiced their displeasure at the event, which definitely crossed a line.

3. Eddie Gaedel

And coming in at #3 is another invention of the great Bill Veeck, who purchased the St. Louis Browns in 1951 and came up with some wild innovations and publicity stunts to compete with the local St. Louis Cardinals, the better and more popular team at the time. By far, his most famous decision, and the craziest and biggest publicity stunt in MLB history, was to sign Eddie Gaedel, a 3’7” 60 lb professional performer Veeck found through a booking agency. He was issued a uniform with the number 1/8 and popped out of a paper-mache cake in between games of a doubleheader to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the American League. It was seen at first as one of Veeck’s more mild stunts and the sponsor of the promotion was disappointed. Little did they know what was going to happen in the second game of the Doubleheader. In the bottom of the 1st inning, Browns manager Zack Taylor sent up the little man to pinch hit. He had been added to the active roster, and the umpires had no choice but to let him hit. Even the Browns players had no idea Gaedel would actually play in the game. Pitcher Bob Cain laughed at the absurdity of the situation and the catcher had to catch from his knees. Gaedel walked on four pitchers and bowed to the crowd on his way to first in one of the wildest scenes in MLB history. The A.L President voided the contract the next day because Veeck was making a mockery of the game.

2. Disco Demolition Night

In 1979, Mike Veeck, the son of the aforementioned Bill Veeck and Chicago White Sox front office promotion manager, came up with a crazy idea. Like father, like son. In Mike’s case, it was not a publicity stunt, rather a promotion that allowed fans to enter the ballpark for just 98 cents if they brought a disco record along with them. The records would all be destroyed in-between games of a doubleheader, officially ending the disco era. Veeck was hoping for at least 20,000 fans as compared to their regular attendance of 5,000. Over 50,000 people showed up with records in hand and many more leapt fences and gates to enter the ballpark during the game. The boxes that fans were supposed to put their records in overflowed and many took them to their seats. Records along with other dangerous items were being thrown around the stadium and the game had to be halted several times. The records were indeed blown up, but they left a huge hole in the playing field, which would’ve made the next game difficult to play even if thousands of fans didn’t storm the field, which they did. They set fire to the field, pulled up bases, destroyed equipment, and took over the stadium. The rioters overwhelmed security and the best could try was to put on the scoreboard “Please return to your seats.” It wasn’t too effective. The second game had to be forfeited by the White Sox and to this day, Disco Demolition Night is one of the most infamous and disastrous promotions of all time.

1. 10-Cent Beer Night

It was 1974 and in an effort to improve attendance, the Cleveland Indians decided to hold 10-Cent Beer Night, offering 10 oz beers for just 10 cents with no limit on the number of purchases. What could possibly go wrong? To make matters worse, this promotion occurred in a game between the Indians and Rangers, two teams that had just gotten into a bench clearing brawl a few days earlier, and Indians fans were in a rowdy mood already. Over 25,000 fans showed up to 10-Cent Beer Night, more than double that was expected. Almost immediately, it was apparent there were going to problems. A woman ran out on the field, flashed the crowd, then tried to kiss the umpire. Later, a naked man ran on to the field and slid into second base. The next inning, a father and son ran out on the field and mooned the fans. The stadium started to look like a warzone as fans began randomly setting off firecrackers. Fans threw items like hot dogs onto the field and other naked people started appearing throughout the stadium. Gunpowder and marijuana smoke covered the entire ballpark. By the 7th inning, all the sober fans had already departed, leaving an army of extremely drunk belligerents who stormed the field, armed with knives and clubs formed from portions of the stadium they tore apart. Both Indians and Rangers players grabbed bats and the war was on in one of the most unbelievable scenes in the history of the game. Eventually the players escaped to the safety of the clubhouse and the uncontrollable beasts destroyed the field and stadium for 20 minutes until the police were able to restore order. The Indians were forced to forfeit the game and several players and umpires were injured. The Indians actually had the guts to hold another 10-Cent Beer Night that season, but this time with a 2-Beer per person limit.

Matt Bush - #1 Overall Pick To FELON To MLB Reliever... EPIC BUST Or MLB REDEMPTION Story??

In October of 2015, Matt Bush – a former first overall pick in the Major League Baseball Draft, was released from prison. At that point in time, he was considered to be one of if not the biggest and most disappointing draft bust in the history of the game. A string of poor decisions, alcohol abuse and severe anger issues destroyed his once promising career and he never made it above Double-A. But Matt Bush, against all odds, returned to professional baseball and as recently as the 2023 season, nearly 20 years after he was taken first overall, Bush was still continuing his career, with appearances in both Triple-A and the big leagues. Today, we’ll look back at the life and career of Matt Bush and answer the question – should he still be considered one of the biggest busts of all time – or should he be more associated with an incredible redemption story and unlikely success? This might be hard for many people to accept after hearing about some of his horrible crimes, but it’s an incredible story nonetheless.

Matt Bush was born on February 8th, 1986 in San Diego, California. Growing up, he played a variety of sports including baseball and soccer. Bush was a natural athlete and developed an extreme talent for baseball, learning to pitch and hit at a high level. He was a stand-out player at Mission Bay High School, where he pitched and played shortstop. He was a 5-tool player who had a particularly strong arm and played near flawless defense. He also hit .450 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs. As a pitcher, he was lights out with a .74 ERA. Bush could hit mid-90’s regularly and had a deadly curveball. As the 2004 MLB Draft approached, he was one of the hottest names available, although he had committed to San Diego State.

His hometown team that he grew up following happened to have the first overall pick in 2004. There were other more seasoned players available, such as college players Justin Verlander, Jared Weaver and Stephen Drew. However, Drew and Weaver were represented by Scott Boras, and the Padres feared the demanded bonus would be too high. Verlander was one of the best college arms available and his bonus was expected to be north of $5 million. So, the Padres decided to save money and go for Bush, who signed for a $3.15 million bonus, saving the Padres a couple million dollars, but ultimately costing them much more than that in the long run.

Bush was drafted as a shortstop, the highest drafted since Alex Rodriguez. He was set to begin his professional career in Rookie Ball with the Arizona League Padres. But just one week after the draft, before he could even take the field, Bush was arrested in Peoria, Arizona for getting into a bar fight and allegedly biting a bouncer who was trying to escort him out of the establishment. Prosecutors decided not to file felony charges but Bush was suspended by the Padres. After returning, he was able to play in 29 rookie league games, but hit just .192 with zero home runs. In 2005 for the Single-A Fort Wayne Wizards, he continued to struggle, hitting .221 with 2 home runs in 453 at bats. He had a slugging percentage of just .276. In 2006, a broken ankle limited him to just 22 games.

At this point in time, it looked like Matt Bush was a clear bust – he had been arrested off the field and was not producing on the field. But, he still had an incredible arm and the Padres decided to try him out as a pitcher. In 2007, through 7 appearances, he dazzled, striking out 16 batters in 7 2/3rds inning with a 1.17 ERA, walking just 2. Unfortunately, he tore a ligament in his pitching arm and needed Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for all of 2008. It was during his recovery time when Bush got into another altercation off the field. Bush was accused of a drunk assault involving players of a High School Lacrosse team. A witness said that Bush threw a golf club, picked up and threw one of the players and hit the other, yelling “I’m Matt Fucking Bush!” He then drove his Mercedes over a curb, driving away from the campus. Articles were coming out calling him the worst #1 overall pick of all time. The Padres gave up on him and traded him to the Blue Jays for “future considerations.”

The Blue Jays put him on an immediate “zero tolerance” policy. He was sent to Dunedin, Florida, the home of the Blue Jays Spring Training facility and rookie league team. Just like with the Padres, before he even threw a pitch for the Jays organization, he found trouble off the field. At a party, some one drew markings on his face as a joke as he was passed out drunk. After awakening, he blamed a 23-year old woman and went into a rage, throwing a baseball just passed her head then banging on her car window and she tried to get away. The Blue Jays found out about the incident and immediately released him for “failing to comply with the team guidelines that were set out for him.” He missed the entire 2009 season, making it two full seasons he had not appeared in a professional baseball game.

Somehow, he got another opportunity in 2010 as the Tampa Bay Rays signed him to a Minor League Deal. He appeared in just 10 games in 2010 in Rookie League and High A, but still had a powerful arm, leading to 20 strikeouts in 13 innings. In 2011, finally completely healthy, he pitched in 26 games for the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits and averaged 13.8 strikeouts per 9 innings. He had some control issues, leading to a 4.83 ERA but the Rays saw enough to add him to the 40-man roster and planned to send him to Triple-A to begin the 2012 season. He would be given every opportunity to make his big league debut in 2012. That’s when his worst off-the-field incident occurred, effectively ending his professional baseball career.

During 2012 Spring Training, Matt Bush got behind the wheel of a Dodge Durango he borrowed from teammate, Brandon Guyer. Bush, driving with a suspended license, went on a drinking binge that led him to hit a pole in Sarasota. He kept driving anyway and sidewiped a car in Venice. He left the scene of that accident and headed back towards Port Charlotte. He was kicked out of an adult dance club for trying to climb up onto the stage. By this point he was completely wasted. Bush left the club in the Durango and was on a collision course with 72-year old Tony Tufano, who was riding his Harley Davidson after spending the day babysitting his granddaughter. According to a witness, Bush hit the motorcycle, knocking Tufano off, then just kept driving, running over his head with the back wheel. Tufano ended up in intensive care with life-threatening injuries. Without the helmet, he would have been killed instantly.

Tony Tufano

Matt Bush fled the scene and later claimed he thought he had run over the bike, not the man’s head. Tufano, who was a marathon runner, broke 10 of his 12 ribs on the right side and fractured 8 vertebrae. His right lung collapsed and his brain was bleeding. Somehow, he survived the crash. If he hadn’t, Matt Bush might still be in prison today. As it was, Bush was arrested on multiple DUI-related felonies and held in Charlotte County Jail on $440,000 bail. He was sentenced on a plea deal to 3 ½ years in prison with no probation afterwards. The Tufano family also sued Bush and Brandon Guyer $5 million. It was settled out of court for $200,000. It appeared that the professional baseball career of Matt Bush was over and he would now be known as the biggest first overall draft bust in the history of the game.

That is, until his name popped up again 3 years later in baseball news. He had apparently been released from prison and gotten a job at Golden Corral. It was there, in the Golden Corral parking lot in Jacksonville, Florida, where Matt Bush held a showcase for scouts of the Texas Rangers. His arm was still incredibly lively, but would the Rangers be willing to take a flyer on Bush after everything that had happened? Incredibly, the answer was yes and on December 18th, 2015, the Rangers signed him to a minor league deal. The Rangers GM Jon Daniels said, “Unlike some who have been accused of different crimes, or have had stuff happen in the past, Matt is not running or hiding from this. He has been extremely accountable, extremely remorseful.” Even Tufano showed support for Bush, saying he was happy to see Bush was getting back into baseball.

He was sent to Double-A Frisco and accompanied by his father who would supervise Bush and try to make sure he stayed out of trouble. In 12 appearances, he impressed, striking out 18 batters in 17 innings with a 2.65 ERA. The Rangers saw enough and called him up to the big leagues and about 12 years after being drafted first overall, Matt Bush made his big league debut, retiring the heart of the Blue Jays lineup to finish the game. A couple days later, there was a major fight in the Rangers Blue Jays game, but Matt Bush was not involved – it was the famous Roughned Odor vs Jose Bautista fight that led to a bench clearing brawl. Bush made 58 appearances for the 2016 Texas Rangers and went 7-2 with a 2.48 ERA and one save. He stayed out of trouble off the field and continued to pitch well out of the bullpen for Texas in 2017, striking out 58 batters in 52.1 innings, this time picking up 10 saves. Over the next few years, he struggled with injury issues and had to have a second Tommy John surgery, but Bush stayed out of trouble and pitched well enough to keep a roster spot, although he did have to pitch in Triple-A at times.

In 2022, he was having a great season with a 2.95 ERA through 40 appearances, striking out 11 batters per 9 when he was traded to the Brewers, where had a 4.3 ERA. In 2023, the Brewers released him after a rough start to the year and he returned to the Rangers organization, assigned to the Triple-A Round Rock Express. In 9 games there, he had a 2.13 ERA with 16 strikeouts and 2 saves. Bush had successfully quit his drinking habit and had no off-the-field issues since his release from prison, although his anger issues might not be completely resolved.

On September 30th, 2023, the Rangers selected Bush’s contract and added him to the MLB Roster. He became a free agent after the season. As of now, Matt Bush has appeared in 217 big league games and has 227 strikeouts in 211 innings. For some one drafted nearly 20 years ago, the fact that he’s still active and contributing as an MLB pitcher makes it hard to call him a complete bust, unless of course you’re a Padres fan. Similar to Josh Hamilton, there’s no telling what kind of career Bush could have had if he had not had off-the-field issues, but all the signs indicate he could’ve been an elite relief pitcher had he not spent 3 years locked up, not to mention all the time missed due to suspensions. The good news is after serving his time, Bush has quit drinking and from all appearances, is nothing like the young knucklehead who yelled “I’m Matt Fucking Bush!” and drove away from the scene of a horrible accident in which a man was almost killed. So, for me, although the bust label certainly fits as a #1 overall pick with just a 1.7 career WAR, I look at Matt Bush more of a redemption story than a bust. That’s why I decided to leave him off of my upcoming Top 15 Busts of the 2000’s video – after all, he’s not even retired yet. From the entire 2004 First Round, only Bush and Justin Verlander remain active. That’s a pretty good accomplishment for some one whose career was considered completely over 10 years ago.

TOP 15 MLB FEEL-GOOD Moments No Fan Could Hate!!

Throughout the rich history of Major League Baseball, there have been many incredible moments on the field, which have typically made one set of fans extremely happy, while the opposing set of fans have to deal with enormous disappointment and heartbreak. However, every once in a while, a truly amazing and emotional moment occurs that nearly every baseball fan has to appreciate and feel at least some positive energy about. Even fans of the opposing team look back and feel good about some of the moments we’ll talk about today and that is definitely a rare occurrence. Sometimes it’s an amazing player comeback and others are unscripted emotional and cinematic moments that follow a terrible tragedy. Game winning home runs and World Series victories will not be included on this list as obviously, opposing fans wouldn’t feel good about those moments, so while you’re welcome to let me know some moments I should’ve included, keep in mind I’m trying to include only moments that basically every baseball fan can appreciate. So, I won’t be including Kirk Gibson’s incredible 1988 walk-off home run, because obviously it wasn’t so great for A’s fans to lose a World Series game. Also, there were a few extremely sad moments that I almost added but ultimately felt were more emotional and sad than feel-good, so those will be included on another video of the most emotional moments. Now, let’s get into some moments that only a bitter & depressed fan could possibly be angry about – so in other words - lot of fans will be angry. Let’s discuss my Top 15 Feel Good Moments in MLB History. But before we get into the main list, I had to include one honorable mention.

Honorable Mention – Oh Breaks The All-Time Record: I didn’t put on the main list because it’s not technically an MLB moment. However, an entire country celebrated this special moment as Japanese superstar Saduharu Oh crushed his 756th home run, surpassing Hank Aaron’ s 755. Although it was not a Major League record, it was considered a World Lifetime Home Run Record, and for the people of Japan, it was an incredibly emotional moment.

15: Bote Hits an Ultimate Slam:

Infielder David Bote played baseball at Neosho County Community College in Kansas and may have only been noticed because scouts were so interested in his teammate, pitcher Matt Strahm. Bote was taken in the 6th Round of the 2012 Draft by the Cubs and spent 7 years in the Minor Leagues, hoping to someday get a chance to play in the show. It finally happened in 2018 and on August 12th, he got the chance to take a situational at bat most players only dream of – bottom of the 9th, bases loaded, down by 3 runs. It was a pinch-hit appearance and Bote had 2 strikes on him, when he connected.

He became just the 2nd player to ever hit a pinch hit grand slam to win a game 4-3.

14. Adam Greenberg Gets an Official At Bat:

In 2002, Adam Greenberg was drafted by the Chicago Cubs and worked his way through the minor leagues, getting promoted in 2005. It looked like he had a bright future as a big leaguer – that is, until the first pitch he ever saw in the Majors hit him in the back of the head. He suffered a severe concussion, and spent the rest of the year on the D.L. Greenberg suffered from vertigo, headaches, nausea, double vision and dizziness. He returned to the minor leagues in 2006 but his numbers fell and after stints in the Dodgers, Angels and Royals minor league systems, he ended up in the independent leagues. After 4 years with the Bridgeport Bluefish, it was becoming clear that Greenberg would never get back to the big leagues.

That is, until the Miami Marlins, the team Greenberg was facing when he was hit in the head, signed him to a one-day contract in order to give him a chance to have a proper MLB at bat, which he had earned way back in 2005 but never got. It was a great gesture by the Marlins, although I never understood why they chose to give him the at bat against the practically unhittable R.A. Dickey, who was baffling even the greatest MLB hitters at that time. Other than that one weird detail, it was awesome to see Greenberg get a real MLB at bat.

Unfortunately, he struck out 3 pitches, and R.A. Dickey won the Cy Award and led the league in strikeouts. But at least Greenberg got his official MLB at bat.

13. Duane Kuiper Goes Deep:

Now known as one of the best voices in baseball as the San Francisco Giants play-by-play announcer, Duane Kuiper was once a solid ballplayer and hit .271 in 3,379 MLB at bats, while being known as an outstanding defender at second base. One downside in his game, however, is that he had virtually no power. In all those at bats, he went deep precisely one time and fortunately, he did it on a National ABC Broadcast so we have the clip to prove it.

12. Bartolo Does The Impossible:

Fan-favorite Bartolo Colon pitched for 21 years in the big leagues, winning a Cy Young, striking out over 2,500 batters and earning a spot on the upcoming Hall of Fame Ballot. He wasn’t a great hitter though, with a career .084 average. However, his most viewed video on YouTube will likely always be his first and only MLB home run, which he hit at the age of 42. The call by Gary Cohen was tremendous and this is definitely a moment every baseball fan can appreciate.

11. Daniel Camarena – The Unlikeliest Hero:

While that Bartolo Colon moment was certainly special, another pitcher hit an even unlikelier shot. A relatively unknown relief pitcher named Daniel Camarena was having a nice season with the El Paso Chihuahuas in 2021 and the Padres called him up. On July 8th, 2021, the Padres were getting pounded by the Nationals with Max Scherzer on the mound. It was 8-2 and Camarena was put in the game to burn some innings and save the bullpen. At this time, the DH rule had not yet been instituted in the NL, so when it was his turn to hit, Camarena had to pick up a bat. Basically accepting defeat and wanting to preserve the bullpen for future games, manager Jayce Tingler had Camarena bat despite the bases being loaded. Against Max Scherzer, Camarena shocked the baseball world.

The reaction by Camarena’s brother was absolutely priceless.

10. The Splendid Splinter’s Final At Bat:

After the 1959 season, it looked like the great Ted Williams might have been just about washed up at age 41. Nevertheless, he came back for the 1960 season and showed he still had it, hitting hitting .316 with power. So, it came as a surprise when he announced his plan to retire at the end of the season with only a 2 days left. On September 28th, 1960, Ted Williams stepped up to plate in the bottom of the 8th inning, with every fan realizing this was likely his last MLB at bat. As usual, he rose to the occasion.

Ted characteristically did not tip his cap to the fans or come back out of the dugout for a curtain call. But the fans went crazy anyway and it was an amazing moment to cap off an incredible Hall of Fame career for one of the best to ever play.

9. McGwire Tops Maris

Admittedly, this moment has not aged well and due to the steroid scandal and McGwire’s admitted use of PEDs, this is not a feel-good moment for many fans anymore. However, back in 1998, the entire country was caught up in two players chasing Roger Maris’ single season home run record of 61. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were making headlines and helping save baseball in the aftermath of the 1994 player strike. Newer, younger fans became huge baseball fans and old, bitter fans came back to the game. Eventually, McGwire took the home run lead and tied the record. Then, on September 8th, 1998, with the whole baseball world watching, McGwire connected for the record.

The atmosphere was absolutely next-level and even the opposing team’s infielders congratulated McGwire as he circled the bases. He ended the season with an incredible 70 home runs, which was eventually broken by Barry Bonds, with much less national fanfare. The infielders didn’t seem to give a crap as he rounded the bases. Now, both players careers and numbers are considered tainted and many people still considered Roger Maris the single season home run leader – that is, until Aaron Judge passed him in 2022. So, if you don’t like the McGwire entry on this list, you can replace it with this one.

8. Babe Ruth’s 3 Home Runs:

When it comes to a true baseball legend and the most common answer to the greatest of all time, the name Babe Ruth comes to mind immediately. For about 20 years, he dominated the league and did things once thought to be impossible. However, after the 1934 season, it looked like The Babe’s hard and fast living had finally caught up with him and the Yankees decided to release him. He signed with the Boston Braves and was a ghost of his former self. By late May, the 40-year old was hitting under .200 and contemplating retirement. Then, on May 25th, 1935, Ruth suddenly turned back the clock at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, crushing not 1, not 2 but 3 home runs. Each went farther than the one before, with the 3rd completely leaving the stadium. There there is no video footage of this event, so we don’t know the reaction of the crowd, but I always imagine the Pittsburgh fans coming to their feet and applauding as it was portrayed in the movie The Babe, which was surely exaggerated for cinematic effect. In the movie, the Babe walks off the field after the 3rd home run to never play again. That would’ve been truly epic, but in reality he played in 5 more games, without another hit. Those 3 bombs were the last 3 of his illustrious career.

7. Dave Dravecky’s Comeback:

In 1988, Dave Dravecky was a solid lefty in the San Francisco Giants rotation when a cancerous tumor was found in his pitching arm. This rare and aggressive tumor was positioned on his left deltoid muscle, a muscle needed to throw a baseball. Half the muscle was removed along with a huge portion of Dravecky’s arm in an October 1988 surgery. Doctors advised him he would never pitch again. But Dravecky was determined and went through an incredibly fast rehab that took him from not being able to lift a 1 lb. dumbbell to pitching again by 1989. Doctors urged him to wait until at least 1990, but Dravecky felt ready to pitch and was sent to the minors on rehab ,where he incredibly threw 3 complete games. He made his MLB return on August 10th, 1989, and there was magic in the air as he pitched 8 innings, defeating the Reds 4-3, despite the doctors prediction that he would lose 95% of the use of his left arm.

Sadly, he broke his arm during the following start and the cancer returned, leading to a necessary amputation. Fortunately, the cancer did not return after that and he went on to become a great motivational speaker.

6. Jeter’s Last Home At Bat
Before the 2014 season, the 20-year MLB veteran and future Hall-of-Famer Derek Jeter announced he would be retiring at the end of the season. He didn’t leave the game without some big final moments, including a 2-for-2 performance in the All Star Game, where he received two standing ovations. The final home game of his career came on September 25th and he had a chance to walk it off. To no one’s surprise, he came through.

This was an amazing feel-good moment and even most Red Sox fans can respect it. In fact, Jeter wasn’t done with the dramatics and in the last at bat of his career, in Boston, he came up with an infield RBI single.

5. Aaron Hits #715

By the early 1970’s, the already legendary Hank Aaron was steadily approaching 700 career home runs. Fans and the media began to hype up the possibility that he could break the once unbreakable record of 714 home runs set by none other than Babe Ruth. He had a chance to break the record during the 1973 season and thousands of letters from fans poured in every week, requiring the Braves to hire an extra secretary to sort through them. Sadly, not all the letter were positive and Aaron received lots of hate mail that included death threats and racist remarks. As the pressure was mounting, Aaron just wanted to get it over with. He also received lots of support in response to the hate and bigotry. Aaron finished the 1973 season one home run short of the record. Then, in 1974, the Braves opened the year in Cincinnati, where he tied the record.

Back home in Atlanta, on April 8th, 1974, in front of 53,775 fans, Hank Aaron hit one of the greatest home runs of all time, becoming the home run king.

Vin Scully was able to describe perfectly the moment, in which there was no evident signs of hate or racism and Hank Aaron was finally able to smile.

4. Ripken Breaks an Unbreakable Record

In 1982, a young player named Cal Ripken Jr. became the everyday shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles. He hit 28 homers and won the Rookie of the Year award, playing in 160 games. Little did anybody know at the time that he would go on to break what must have been considered an absolutely unbreakable record. Lou Gehrig had played in 2,130 consecutive games and no one had ever come close to this number. But Ripken was also an iron-man and year after year, he didn’t miss a single game, while making the All Star Game every year and even winning an MVP. He suffered injuries, but played through them, including a sprained left ankle in 1985 and 1993 knee injury. In 1994, baseball fans were ready to walk away from the game after a Player strike canceled the entire postseason including the World Series. But on September 6th, 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. helped heal the National Pasttime in one of the greatest moments in MLB history as he broke the once unbreakable record when the game became official after the bottom of the 5th inning.

The 22-minute standing ovation and elaborate ceremony after the game might have been a little much to some fans, but if a record ever deserved it, it was this one – Ripken played in 2,131 consecutive games, an unfathomable number, and he wasn’t done there. He eventually played in 2,632 consecutive games, and it wasn’t an injury that kept him out. He asked to be removed from the lineup on September 21st, 1998 and did not get into the game, deciding for himself it was time to end the streak. I’m pretty sure his record will be safe for the foreseeable future.

3. Jackie Robinson’s Debut:

I debated whether to include this moment since at the time it happened, in the mid-40’s, I’m sure many fans didn’t feel good about this at all. However, I decided to disregard their feelings as this is a moment that should have been celebrated across the landscape of not just baseball but the entire country. This was Jackie Robinson making his Major League Baseball debut, breaking the color barrier and eliminating the evil Gentleman’s Agreement. Fortunately, I believe the vast majority of baseball fans can now look back and appreciate this as a truly great moment in the history of not just MLB but the entire nation. It’s sad that baseball was ever segregated in the first place, but Jackie Robinson was the right man to change that, and his debut should have been a moment celebrated with just as much intensity as any on this list in my opinion, even if that wasn’t the reality way back in 1947.

2. The Post 9/11 Presidential First Pitch

Although there was very little to feel good about on 9/11/2001, there was some very emotional feel-good moments during the aftermath as the country became more united than it had been in a long time and certainly more united than it is now. In the immediate aftermath, MLB cancelled all its games. The following Saturday after 9/11, the games restarted and baseball turned out to be a powerful source of healing for many Americans. The New York Yankees eventually made it to the World Series to face the Diamondbacks and despite recommendations that President Bush only show up to the games in Arizona due to safety concerns, he vetoed that idea and appeared at Yankee Stadium, electrifying the crowd. As some one in the military at the time who was deployed to Iraq to search for weapons of mass destruction that we never found, W. Bush is certainly not one of my favorite presidents. But regardless of mine or any one’s personal opinions on the man, there’s no doubt that the moment he stepped out on the field of Old Yankee Stadium to throw out the first pitch, walked straight to the top of the mound ignoring the second rubber, wearing a bullet-proof vest with an FDNY sweater and threw an absolute perfect strike over home plate had to be one of the most badass presidential and baseball moments of all time.

Then, he walked off like a boss to a standing ovation. It was a chills-inducing moment that would’ve been rejected in a Hollywood Script for being too unrealistic.

1. The Post 9/11 Home Run

Coming in at #1 on this list of feel-good MLB moments goes back again to 2001, 10 days after the terror attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. The first sporting event to take place in the city since that terrible day would be a Major League Baseball contest between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves.

Still shaken by the attacks, people had the chance to find some refuge in baseball, but this would be anything but a typical game. The Mets wore first-responder caps and this game was difficult for even the announcers, who didn’t want to get too excited about anything baseball-related, but also had to call the game to the best of their ability. For any one alive at this time, you remember how insignificant sporting events suddenly felt like in light of what had happened. But the game went on, and baseball rose to occasion as Mike Piazza stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the 8th inning with a man on base down 2-1.

It turned out to be a game winning shot as the Mets went on to win it 3-2. It was a moment that helped lift up a city and nation in mourning, and even Braves fans and players understood the importance of this moment and the game. “You never like to lose,” said Braves pitcher Greg Maddux. “But that was one that pretty easy to accept.”

And that will do it for today’s video on some feel-good moments that I hope nearly every baseball fan can appreciate, even if it came at the expense of their favorite team. I’m sure there are hundreds of other amazing moments that all fans can look back on and feel good about, so feel free to put more in the comments section down below. I know I’m going to hear about big dramatic World Series home runs and whatnot, but as I said earlier, this list is about general feel-good moments that every one can enjoy watching. I’m sure Red Sox fans don’t want to see Buckner’s error for the 5 millionth time. I hope every one has a fantastic day; hit that thumbs up and subscribe button and we’ll talk to you in the next video.

The Top 10 JAPANESE MLB Players OF ALL TIME

Although baseball is known as America’s National Pasttime, it has also gained massive popularity in other countries, including Japan, where baseball is the most popular spectator sport. It was introduced to the country back in the 1870’s by educator Horace Wilson, who was hired by the Japanese government to assist in the modernization of the Japanese Education System. He thought the students could use more physical exercise and taught them the sport of baseball. They loved it and by the 1920’s, professional baseball was established in Japan. When America sent some of their superstars like Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx and Lou Gehrig to Japan to play in an exhibition game against the Japanese All-Star Team, the sport took off to the heights and eventually, the Nippon Professional Baseball League was formed, which continues to produce amazing players today – players that are so talented, that Major League Baseball teams often tap into that talent by bringing players to the west to play in the big leagues. Just this season, Masataka Yoshida was one of the best rookies in the game, hitting .286 with 15 homers for Boston. The first Japanese player to ever don a big league uniform was Masanori Murakami, who made his debut in 1964 for the San Francisco Giants. Murakami did not have overpowering stuff but kept hitters off-balance by returning the next pitch almost immediately after receiving the ball back from the catcher. In two big league seasons, he went 5–1 with 9 saves and a respectable 3.43 ERA in 54 appearances. So far, at least 67 players have come over from Japan to play in the Major Leagues and while not all are great, some went on to have extremely successful big league careers and at least a couple are destined for a future in Cooperstown. Today, we’ll be ranking the Top 10 Japanese players – who were also Japanese born and raised - to ever play Major League Baseball.

10. Kenta Maeda

To start off today’s list, we have an active player who could definitely end up much higher when all is said and done. Kenta Maeda was one of the best pitchers in Japan back in 2010 when he went 15-8 with a 2.21 ERA, becoming the youngest pitcher in Japanese Baseball history to win the pitching Triple Crown. He took home the Sawamura Award as the league’s best pitcher that season then won it again in 2015. In January of 2016, Maeda signed an 8-year $25 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers and made his big league debut on April 6th, 2016, throwing 6 shutout innings and picking up the win. Not only that, he also went deep, hitting a home run in his second big league at bat. He ended up going 16-11 that season with a 3.48 ERA, finishing 3rd in the Rookie of the Year voting. He was a solid arm for LA for 4 years, going 47-35 before being traded to the Twins, where he dominated in the Covid-shorted 2020 season, going 6-1 with a 2.7 ERA and 10.8 strikeout per 9 ratio, finishing 2nd in the Cy Young Voting. Since then, some injury issues and Tommy John surgery have slowed him down but Maeda has had an impressive 7-year big league career and should be a valuable free agent during the upcoming off-season.

9. Hisashi Iwakuma

Starting pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma started his pro career in 2000 with the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes. By 2002, he was a regular in the starting rotation and had his breakout year in 2003, going 15-10 with a 3.45 ERA, leading the league with 11 complete games. In 2004, he broke a record by starting the season with 12 straight wins. He started the NPB All Star Game and represented Japan in the 2004 Athens Olympics. He had his best season in Japan in 2008 when he went 21-4 with a 1.87 ERA, grabbing the attention of several MLB teams, including the Seattle Mariners, who signed him prior to the 2012 season. He started his debut MLB season as a reliever but was quickly added to the rotation and in 2013, he went 14-6 with a 2.66 ERA, He made the All Star team and finished 3rd in the Cy Young Voting. He continued to be a solid rotation arm for the next 3 seasons and in 2015 became the second Japanese pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the big leagues. In 2017, a shoulder injury limited him to just 6 starts and he returned to Japan the following season. His overall numbers are still impressive – a 63-39 record with a 3.42 ERA.

8. Masahiro Tanaka

Tanaka was Japanese High School phenom in the mid-2000s, striking out a national High School record of 423 batters. He made his professional debut in 2007 with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles and tied a record for the fastest NPB pitcher to reach 100 career strikeouts based on innings pitched. On the season, he struck out 9.5 batters per 9 innings and threw 4 complete games including a shutout. By 2013, he was the best pitcher in Japan and had an utterly dominant season, going 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA. He was heavily scouted by MLB teams and several were in the running to land Tanaka during the 2013-14 offseason. The lucky team ended up being the New York Yankees, who signed Tanaka to a 7-year $155 million deal. He made the All Star Team in his first big league season and went 13-5 with a 2.77 ERA, throwing a complete game shutout against the crosstown rival Mets. He continued to be a solid arm in the rotation, often serving as the team’s ace. Although he had some injury issues and was never as dominant as he was in Japan, Tanaka ended up going 78-46 with a 3.74 ERA. He was also largely dominant in the postseason, although the Yankees never won a championship during his time in New York. He returned to Japan after the 2020 season, but had a great 7-year MLB career as New York Yankee.

7. Hiroki Kuroda

Kuroda’s pro career goes back to 1996 when he joined to Hiroshima Toyo Carp as a 2nd round draft pick. His status with the team improved with each year until he became the Opening Day Starter in 2003. In 2006, he went 13-6 with a 1.85 ERA and showed interest in pitching for an MLB team. He stayed with the Carp for 2007 but after the season announced his intention to move to the states and he signed a 3-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He threw 7 strong in his first start against the Padres, allowing just 1 run and picking up the win. From there, he became a model of consistency, never completely dominating but consistently giving the Dodgers quality starts. He was named the Opening Day starter in 2009 but battled injuries throughout the year including a line drive off the side of his head. In free agency, he signed with the Yankees and went 16-11 with a 3.32 ERA and 2 shutouts in 2012. In 2013, he led the league with a 2.63 ERA at the All-Star break but was snubbed for the All Star Team. He was a pitcher who, through his career, even while in Japan, was known for getting poor run support. Largely for this

reason, his final MLB record was 79-79 but he had a solid 3.45 ERA and never had a season with an ERA above 3.76. He was one of the most consistent MLB starters in the game throughout his 7-year big league career.

6. Koji Uehara

Coming in at #6 is Koji Uehara, one of the greatest strike throwers in the history of MLB. He was originally drafted by the Yomiuri Giants in 1998 and won 15 consecutive games in his 1999, breaking a rookie record. In 2002, he got his first chance to face Major Leaguers in the Major League Baseball Japan All-Star Series and struck out Barry Bonds three straight times. He showed interest in coming to pitch in America and in January of 2009, at the age of 34, Uehara signed a 2-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles. He threw 5 strong in his debut, picking up a win against the Rangers. He only started 12 games that season, going 2-4 with a 4.05 ERA but then moved to the bullpen in 2010 and had a great season with a 2.86 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 44 inning, walking a mere 5 batters. He became a premiere bullpen arm, dominating with the O’s in 2011, leading to a trade to the Rangers, who went on to win the AL Championship. In 2012, he had a 1.75 ERA and walked just 3 batters in 36 innings. His stuff was so dominant, the Boston Red Sox signed him to be their closer and in 2013, he was downright filthy with a 1.09 ERA, 101 strikeouts, 21 saves and a ridiculous 9 walks. He received MVP and Cy Young Votes. Uehara went on to win the ALCS MVP and closed out the final game of the World Series. His career 7.33 Strikeout per walk ratio is the best in Major League history for a pitcher with at least 100 innings pitched. In 2018, he returned to Japan, but his 9-year run in the big leagues was incredibly impressive and Uehara’s career MLB numbers include a 2.66 ERA, 572 strikeouts and just 78 walks.

5. Hideo Nomo

Moving into the top 5, we have the famous Hideo Nomo, who became the first Japanese-born player to play in the Majors since Murakami in 1965. His famous tornado delivery baffled hitters both in Japan and the United States. He pitched in the NPB for just 5 years for the Buffaloes, throwing 13 shutouts and completing most of his games, becoming a superstar in Japan. A contract dispute with the club led to Nomo’s retirement from the NPB and he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers to play Major League Baseball. I remember watching his debut game live against the San Francisco Giants on May 2nd, 1995 when Nomo threw 5 scoreless innings, allowing just 1 hit. That game is memorable as it went 15 innings, with no runs being scored until the top of the 15th when the Dodgers scored 3 runs, but the Giants, with 2 outs and nobody on, made an improbable comeback win. Despite the Giants victory, Nomo was incredibly impressive and went on to lead the league with 236 strikeouts. He made the All Star Team and took home Rookie of the Year honors. Nomo became an instant sensation, leading to Nomomania, similar to Fernandomania of the early 80’s. In 1996, he shocked the baseball world by throwing a no-hitter at hitter-friendly Coors Field in Denver and to this day, he is the only pitcher to ever accomplish the feat. Unfortunately, Nomo had his struggles and was traded to the Mets then released in 1998 after a rough season. Then, with the Red Sox on April 4th, 2001, he suddenly found his stuff, throwing another no-hitter in his first start with Boston. It was the first no-no in the history of Camden Yards and the earliest on the calendar ever thrown. He returned to the Dodgers in 2002 and went 16-6 with a 3.39 ERA. In 2003, he had his last good season, with 16-13 record and 3.09 ERA. After that, injuries and under performance led to the end of his career after short stints with the Rays and Royals. While Nomo had an up-and-down career, he was a pioneer is coming over to the states and inspiring several other players on this list to do the same. He also had a great MLB career, with a 123-109 record and 4.24 ERA. He was elected to the Japanese Hall of Fame in 2014.

4. Hideki Matsui

In a list dominated by pitchers, we finally have a position player and it’s Hideki Matsui, AKA Godzilla, who from 1993 to 2002 was one of the biggest baseball superstars in Japan for the Yomiuri Giants. He hit at least 34 home runs per season for 7 straight years, maxing out at 50 in 2002. He was also an incredibly patient and natural hitter and his OPS was usually near if not over 1.000. The 9-time All Star and 3-time Central League MVP was heavily scouted by MLB teams. In 2001, he turned down what would’ve been a record $64 million contract from Yomiuri, and instead signed with the New York Yankees after the 2002 season. It was a 3 year, $21 million deal. He was an instant success, playing in every single game, hitting .287 with 106 RBIs, making the All-Star team and finishing 2nd in the Rookie of the Year voting, a controversial decision as most believed Matsui was the clear best rookie. He became the first Japanese player to hit a World Series home run, although the Yankees lost to the Marlins. In 2004, he was even better, crushing 31 homers and driving in 108. From 2003 to 2005, he was an iron man, missing zero games. In November of ‘05, he signed a 4-year $52 million extension. He hit 28 bombs in 2009, helping the Yankees make the playoffs and then completely tore it up in the Fall Classic, going 8 for 13 with 3 bombs, taking home World Series MVP honors. He joined Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig as the only players to hit over .500 in the World Series while also hitting 3 home runs. He signed with the Angels for 2010 and crushed 21 bombs with a .274 average and .361 on-base-percentage. He finished his career with the A’s in 2011 and Rays in 2012 before signing a one-day contract to retire as a New York Yankee. He was elected to the Japanese Hall of Fame in 2018 and when combining both his Japanese and MLB careers, he is one of the greats of all time.

3. Yu Darvish

In the early 2000’s, Yu Darvish was already getting attention from MLB teams while he was still pitching in High School. He signed with the Nippon Ham Fighters and started his pro career in 2005. He quickly became a star in the league and from 2007 to 2011 – 5 straight seasons – he never finished a season with an ERA under 1.88. After the 2011 seasons, MLB teams had a limited time to send in their offers for the star pitcher and the Texas Rangers made an offer that couldn’t be refused. Darvish ended up signing for $60 million to play in Texas. He had a stellar rookie season, going 16-9 with a 3.9 ERA, making the All Star Team and finishing 3rd for the Rookie of the Year. In 2013, Darvish led the league with 277 strikeouts and finished 2nd in the Cy Young voting, becoming an absolute MLB superstar. He made 3 straight All Star teams but missed 2015 due to Tommy John Surgery. In 2017, the Rangers traded Darvish to the Dodgers, where he pitched well in the NLDS and NLCS, but struggled greatly in the World Series, when the Dodgers lost to the Astros. This was remembered when the Astros Sign Stealing scandal became public in 2019, but Darvish refused to blame the Astros for his poor performance. Darvish went on to pitch for the Cubs where he struggled with injuries until 2020, when he 8-3 in the COVID-shortened season with a 2.01 ERA, leading the league in wins and finishing 2nd for the Cy Young. He signed with the Padres for 2021 and has been a solid piece of their rotation eversince, In 2023, he surpassed Hideo Nomo to become MLB’s Japanese-born leader all-time in strikeouts. Darvish is signed with the Padres through 2029 but it will be a tall task to ever surpass the next two legends.

2. Shohei Ohtani

Another active player and the best and most popular superstar in the game today, comes in at #2 and it’s Shohei Ohtani. He was identified early in his baseball career as an elite two-way player who could end up being a professional hitter or pitcher or perhaps both. He was already hitting 99 MPH on the radar gun in High School and got the attention of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who became his top choice to play for when entering the pros. Instead, he stayed in Japan to play for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters after the Dodgers were hesitant to let him pitch and hit at a high level. By 2015, he was one of the best pitchers in the league although his offense hadn’t yet reached its potential. He hit just .202 with 5 homers, but then in 2016, his bat exploded with 22 bombs and a .322 batting average. He continued to pitch at an elite level as well and by 2017 was ready to make the move to MLB. He signed a deal with the Los Angeles Angels, who intended to let him try to be a two-way player. In his rookie year of 2018, he hit .285 with 22 bombs and also started 10 games as pitcher, striking out 63 batters in 51.2 innings with a 3.31 ERA. He won the Rookie of the Year Award, but couldn’t pitch the following season due to Tommy John Surgery. He still helped his team with the bat and by 2021, was fully healthy and had a tremendous season, crushing 46 bombs while also going 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA, taking home the MVP and becoming a bonafide MLB superstar. In 2022, his pitching went to a new level as he started a career high 28 games and went 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA and also smashed 34 bombs. He was doing things no other MLB player had ever done and then in 2023, led the league in 43 homers, a .412 on-base percentage, 1.066 OPS while going 10-5 with a 3.34 ERA, and is basically a lock for second MVP Award. By the time his career is over, he may take the crown as the greatest Japanese-born MLB player ever – and could even enter into the conversation as the greatest of all time, as the only other player to hit or pitch at such a level was the legendary Babe Ruth.

1. Ichiro Suzuki

But for now, with Ohtani only having played 6 years of Major League Baseball, the #1 slot has to go to none other than Ichiro Suzuki, who played an incredible 19 years in the Major Leagues despite not making his big league debut until the age of 27. Counting his career in Japan, he played 28 professional seasons. Ichiro made his professional debut in 1992 for the Orix Bluewave but didn’t have his breakout season until 1994 when he hit .385 – a Pacific League Record - with 29 stolen bases, becoming an instant superstar. He had an unorthodox swing called the pendulum, in which he shifts his weight forward while swinging the bat. During his career in Japan, he won 7 straight batting titles and 3 straight MVPs. His manager suggested that he put the name “Ichiro” on the back of his jersey instead of the family name “Suzuki,” which is one of the most common last names in Japan. This led to him being referred to simply as “Ichiro,” and this custom followed him to the United States when Ichiro signed with the Seattle Mariners in 2001. He was the first Japanese-born position player in the big leagues. Whether he could make the transition or not was answered immediately as Ichiro led the league with a .350 batting average, 242 hits, and 52 stolen bases, easily taking home both the Rookie of the Year and MVP Awards, joining Fred Lynn as the only two MLB players to win both awards in the same year. He helped lead the Mariners to tie an MLB record with 116 wins on the season then hit .600 in the ALDS. He became the hands-down best hitter in baseball, accumulating over 200 hits for 10 consecutive seasons. He also broke the single season hit record with 262 in 2004. He made 10 straight All Star Teams and also played near flawless defense, winning 10 Gold Gloves. He didn’t slow down until his late 30’s and in 2012, the M’s traded him to the Yankees, where he got a hit in his first 12 games, tying a Yankee record. He hit .322 for New York, leading to a fresh 2-year contract. He went on to play 3 seasons for the Miami Marlins before returning to the Mariners to finish out an incredible career. Ichiro will easily be elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2025, becoming the first Japanese-born player in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The only question is whether or not it will be unanimous.

TOP 10 MLB SCANDALS Of All Time - Bribery, Gambling, Cheating, Collusion!!

Throughout the 130 year plus history of Major League Baseball, there has been no shortage of epic moments on the field, historic come-from-behind wins, larger than life heroes and a rich history that would make any die-hard baseball fan proud of their favorite sport. Unfortunately, on the other side of the coin, there have also been many dark and embarrassing times for the game of baseball, going all the way back to the beginning. Gambling, cheating, bribery, collusion and drugs have all found their way into Major League Baseball in the form of massive scandals that put a black eye on the sport every time. Today, we’ll be counting down 10 of the biggest scandals in MLB history – scandals that took over the newspapers to the point that no one cared about the scores or actual games. Some of these scandals threatened to absolutely destroy the popularity of the sport.

George Steinbrenner

#10 Steinbrenner Seeks Dirt

One of the most famous owners in MLB history, George Steinbrenner, was no stranger to controversy or scandal. He was the principal owner and managing partner of the New York Yankees from 1973 until his death in 2010. He is remembered for his constant meddling with the on-field team along with the repeated firing and re-hiring of manager Billy Martin. Steinbrenner was the one who instituted the military style grooming code with the Yankees, forbidding any facial hair except neatly trimmed mustaches. This led to major controversy when star first baseman Don Mattingly refused to shave and was benched. When Goose Gossage was ordered to cut off his beard, he left a hugely exaggerated mustache as a joke, but it became his signature look.

The biggest scandal involving Steinbrenner, however, has to be a situation with his star outfielder, Dave Winfield. After the 1980 season, Steinbrenner signed Winfield to a massive 10-year $23 million contract. Winfield made 8 straight All Star Teams as a Yankee, but hit poorly in the 1981 World Series, going 1 for 22. He also struggled down the stretch in 1985 and the Yankees failed to make the playoffs. Steinbrenner called him out, saying “Where is Reggie Jackson? We need a Mr. October or a Mr. September. Winfield is Mr. May.” But, the scandal goes deeper than just trash talking.

Towards the end of the contract, Steinbrenner tried to trade Winfield, but Winfield had veto rights and vetoed every attempted trade. Winfield had also sued Steinbrenner for not contributing to his foundation as agreed upon in the contract. When things seemingly couldn’t get any uglier, Steinbrenner paid a gambler, Howard Spira, $40,000 to dig up dirt on Dave Winfield and his foundation. Spira owed $100,000 to bookies with connections to the mob and took the $40 grand to help with his debt. Spira told Steinbrenner that he discovered that Winfield has been squandering the foundation’s money improperly. So, now the Yankees, behind Steinbrenner, threatened to sue Winfield for “misappropriation and misuse of funds.”

When word got to the commissioner Fay Vincent that Steinbrenner paid a gambler with mob ties $40,000 to dig up dirt on one of his players, he banned him from the Yankees day-to-day operations for life. He was re-instated two years later on the condition that he drop the lawsuits he filed against Vincent. Meanwhile, Dave Winfield finally accepted a trade to the Angles and Howard Spira ended up in prison for trying to extort $110,000 from Steinbrenner. Dave Winfield eventually made it to the Hall of Fame and decided on the plaque he would be wearing a San Diego Padres cap.

#9 Biogenesis

By the 2010s, it seemed the steroid era was a thing of the past. That is, until a new scandal broke out in 2013 known as the biogenesis scandal. Several MLB players were accused of using performance enhancing drugs – PED’s – in the form of human growth hormone. They reportedly got the drugs from a clinic called Biogenesis of America. This information began to leak out in January of 2013 when the Miami New Times obtained records from a disgruntled former employee who hadn’t received his backpay. Several massive superstars were mentioned, including Melky Cabrera, Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun and Nelson Cruz. Cabrera had already been suspended for a failed test in 2012. Major League Baseball wanted more information and sued the owner of the clinic, Anthony Bosch. In exchange for having his name removed from the lawsuit, he agreed to cooperate and in July of 2013,with documents and proof in hand, MLB began to drop the hammer.

Ryan Braun, after failing a steroid test in 2011 but avoiding suspension due to a technicality in the handling of the sample, gave a 12-minute speech about the power of truth, integrity and honor, saying that he would bet his life that he never put an illegal substance in his body. In July of 2013, he was suspended for the remainder of the season and postseason for taking PEDs obtained from Biogenesis. When presented with the evidence, he admitted his guilt and apologized for embarrassing his supporters. On August 5th, Alex Rodriguez was suspended as well but decided to appeal, allowing him to play through the 2013 season. In 2014, his suspension was upheld and he missed the entire 2014 season. A-Rod also point-blank denied that he ever used steroids. He received a longer than standard suspension for being a multi-time offender as he had failed a steroid test in 2006 as well as for his attempts to cover up his actions and obstruct an official investigation. Twelve other players were also suspended included Nelson Cruz, Everth Cabrera and Jhonny Peralta. A new record was set with 13 simultaneous MLB suspensions.

#8 1980’s Owner Collusion

Bud Selig

In October of 1984, a new MLB commissioner by the name of Peter Ueberroth sent out a message to every MLB team that he thought it was not smart to sign players to long-term contracts. The message was heard loud and clear and the owners and front offices all agreed to avoid them, creating a massive collusion scandal that went on for a number of years.

The problem started to become evident after the 1985 season when free agents had trouble finding any teams that wanted them for any decent amount of money. The 1984 postseason hero for the Detroit Tigers, Kirk Gibson, had just hit .287 with 29 home runs and should’ve been one of the hottest names in free agency. Instead, no one wanted him. Phil Niekro was one of the most reliable starters in the game. No one wanted him. Of the 35 free agents that offseason, only 4 switched teams – and none were paid anything serious. Agents and players knew something was going on and filed a grievance .

After the 1986 season, things got even worse. Superstar outfielder Andre Dawson didn’t want to play on the artificial turf in Montreal anymore, but somehow couldn’t find one team that would offer him a decent salary. The 6-time gold glove rookie-of-the year power hitter was one of the best players in the game and no one wanted him. He eventually had to take a pay cut to sign with the Chicago Cubs. Meanwhile, all the other star free agents including Jack Morris, Tim Raines and Ron Guidry had to re-sign with their previous clubs. Salaries were plummeting across Major League Baseball. The player’s association filed a second grievance.

The collusion was blatant and beyond obvious. This didn’t slow the owners down, though, and they continued to find ways to collude using an “information bank” to share information on contract offers so no team would overpay. A third grievance was filed. An arbitrator who looked into the 1st grievance ruled that the owners had violated the CBA by conspiring to restrict player movement. He ordered the owners to pay $10.5 million in damages to the players. The free agents who had to sign with their previous clubs got a free chance to offer their services to any team without losing their current contracts, which led to Kirk Gibson signing with the Dodgers. The MLBPA also won the second grievance and this time, owners had to pay $38 million with more “new look” free agents getting an opportunity to switch teams. The third grievance estimated the damages at $64.5 million. In 1990, a final settlement on all three cases was reached and the owners had to pay the players $280 million. Unfortunately, there have been more accusations of collusion since then and owners will likely continue to do whatever they can to put as much money in their own pockets as possible.

#7 The Houston Astros Cheating Scandal

In 2017, just two months after Hurricane Harvey struck Texas and devastated the city of Houston, the Houston Astros won the World Series in 7 games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was an amazing story not only due to the hurricane but also the Astros were one of the worst teams in baseball only a few years prior. They had done an amazing job of developing stars like Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve and George Springer. Then, more than two years later, in November of 2019, the entire baseball world exploded in drama with an article written in The Athletic by Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drelich, detailing the methods the Astros used to steal signs during the 2017 season – and these methods involved the use of electronics, a big no-no in baseball. Stealing signs has been part of the game for more than 100 years, but using electronics to do it is considered cheating.

The whistleblower in the case was a pitcher named Mike Fiers, who pitched for Houston in 2017. He explained that a video camera was placed in the center field seats to record the opposing catcher’s signs. The recording was fed into a monitor behind the dugout where Astros personnel – sometimes players themselves – would decipher the signs and bang on a trash can to signal to the batter what pitch was coming next. With this knowledge, the YouTuber known as “Jomboy” was able to break down a moment in a White Sox Astros game where the trash can banging can be clearly heard. The White Sox pitcher also heard it and realized exactly what was happening. He called time out and had a meeting with the catcher to change the signs.

MLB performed an investigation and determined that the sign-stealing took place in 2017 and 2018, but could not find evidence of any wrongdoing in 2019. Apparently in 2018, after teams were onto them about the trash can banging, they found an alternate method to notify hitters of the incoming pitch, but determined it was ineffective and gave up. The culprits named included bench coach Alex Cora, who worked with several players including veteran Carlos Beltran, to create the system. It was determined that manager A.J. Hinch did not approve of the monitor and even destroyed it on two occasions. Nevertheless, he never banned it or got rid of it completely. As the 2020 season neared, baseball fans were livid and it was going to extremely interesting to see how Astros games would play out on the road – but as it turned out no fans were allowed in the stands during the Covid-shortened 2020 season. By 2021, fans still booed but some of the anger had subsided.

In the aftermath, several firings and suspensions took place. The Astros immediately fired GM Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch. Alex Cora, who was the Red Sox Manager, agreed to part ways with Boston. Carlos Beltran, who had recently been hired as manager of the New York Mets, was fired before managing a single game. Hinch and Cora were suspended for the 2020 seasons and had been fired anyway. Both returned to baseball afterwards, Hinch as manager of the Tigers and Cora was re-hired as manager of the Red Sox. The Astros were fined $5 million and were forced to forfeit their first and second round draft picks in 2020 and 2021. The players were given immunity in exchange for their truthful testimony, which angered many baseball fans. The Astros players gave apologies at Spring Training in 2020 but it did little to calm the situation. Even players from other teams were being vocal about the scandal, with Cody Bellinger saying that Altuve stole the MVP Award from Aaron Judge. Correa defended his teammate, saying Altuve wanted no part of the sign-stealing and would get mad if they banged a trash can while he was at bat. Mike Trout said he lost some respect for those guys.

A couple months after the Astros scandal broke, it was revealed the the Boston Red Sox, who beat the Dodgers in the 2018 World Series, used the video replay room to steal signs during the 2018 season. Alex Cora was their manager at the time. It was deemed “more limited in scope and impact” than the Astros sign-stealing. Only one person, J.T. Watkins, a member of the club’s scouting staff, was punished for transmitting information on the opposing team’s signs during in-game play using the video room.

#6 The Banning of Pete Rose

The cardinal sin for some one involved directly in Major League Baseball is betting on a baseball game, especially if there is direct involvement in said game. Any player, coach or manager who does it will be banned for life. The fact that this happened is not so shocking – but who it happened to that is – the Hit King Pete Rose, who retired after 1986 as baseball’s all-time leader with 4,256 hits and 3,562 games played. He was known as Charlie Hustle, one of the hardest working players of all time – some one who always gave 110% every single day.

He became manager of the Reds in 1984 while he was still a player, and continued to manage after his playing career. It was no secret that he was a gambler, but at first there was only suspicions that he was betting on baseball. In February of 1989, Commissioner Peter Ueberroth met with Rose to discuss those suspicions. Rose denied betting on baseball, but evidence started piling up that said the opposite. The IRS had seized betting slips with the name of Pete Rose on them, his handwriting, his fingerprints and they showed he was betting up to $10,000 per day on baseball.

Investigator John Dowd prepared a report, known as the “Dowd Report” and submitted it to the new commissioner Bart Giamatti in May of 1989. It contained proof that Rose bet on at least 52 Cincinnati Reds games in 1987. Giamatti confronted Rose with the evidence and Rose agreed to accept a lifetime ban with both signing a document confirming the ban, with the condition that Rose would still not admit to any wrongdoing and that he would be able to appeal the ban after one year. Bart may have given him the impression that he would be willing to lift the ban at that time. It was not meant to be as Bart Giamatti passed away in September of 1989 of a heart attack.

The downward sprial of Pete Rose continued as the was sentenced to five months in prison in 1990 for falsifying tax records. Then, in 1991, the National Baseball Hall of Fame decided that any player banned from the game would also be ineligible for the Hall of Fame, which destroyed Pete Rose chances of ever being a Hall of Famer. Rose continued to deny he ever bet on baseball until finally, he came clean in 2004 with his autobiography My Prison Without Bars. Pete Rose has continued to submit applications for reinstatement every few years, but the commissioner, whoever it may be, has continued to deny them. Rob Manfred is the most recent to turn down Rose, saying that "In short, Mr. Rose has not presented credible evidence of a reconfigured life." Pete Rose is now 82 years old and if he is ever inducted into the Hall of Fame, he likely won’t be around to witness it.

#5 The Pittsburgh Drug Trials

In 1979, the Pittsburgh Pirates won the World Series, led by superstars like Willie Stargell, Dave Parker, Bill Madlock and Dock Ellis. By 1985, however, the team hit hard times, losing 104 and finishing in last place. This was the least of their problems, however. During the early to mid 80’s, freelance photographer Dale Shiffman and, believe it or not, the Pirate Parrot – were working together to help operate a drug ring around the city of Pittsburgh. Okay, it was actually the man inside the costume – Kevin Koch. They supplied not only random drug addicts with cocaine, but also the Pirates themselves and Shiffman estimated that about 2/3rds of the 25-man roster were on coke. Their man connection on the team was Pirates pitcher Rod Scurry, who had pitched with the Pirates since 1980.

During the 1984 season, FBI agents were onto the Pirates and began to interview Scurry. They compiled a list of drug dealers and players who bought the drugs from them. They interviewed more players to help extend the list, offering immunity to the players if they agreed to testify against the dealers. Seven dealers and distributors were ultimately charged including Shiffman and the Philadelphia Phillies caterer, Curtis Strong, who provided more than just food and beverage. Through multiple trials, all 7 would be charged and convicted. It turned out that the number of players purchasing cocaine extended much further than just the Pirates and many huge names showed up in court to testify.

Tim Raines said he kept a vial of cocaine in his back pocket during games; hence why he would always slide headfirst. Keith Hernandez estimated that about 40% of players were on cocaine. Pirates players who testified included Dave Parker, Dale Berra, Rod Scurry, Lee Mazzilli, Lee Lacy and John Milner.

There were some other huge names as well such as Vida Blue, Alan Wiggins, Jeffrey Leonard, and Lonnie Smith, who had publicly struggled with a cocaine addiction in prior years. The entire thing was a media sensation and rocked the baseball world. Commissioner Peter Ueberroth suspended 11 players, but they were commuted in exchange for fines and community service. Seven of them were considered long-time drug users and had to donate 10% of their salary to drug-abuse programs along with 100 hours of community service. By 1987, Ueberroth declared MLB to be drug-free and several of the players involved in the scandal had a sudden rejuvenation in their careers including Lonnie Smith, Dave Parker and Keith Hernandez. Others continued to struggle with drugs as Rod Scurry died of a cocaine-related heart attack in 1992 at the age of 36. Alan Wiggins died in 1991 at age 32 after contracting AIDS due to his drug use.

#4 The 1994 Strike

Although a work-stoppage might not be considered a scandal, the way things went down in 1994 almost destroyed the entire game as for the first time in 90 years, there would be no World Series. It was not known if fans would ever forgive the players for walking out over monetary reasons, despite the minimum MLB salary being in the six figure range, while minor leaguers who were paid less than minimum wage, continued to play on. No other American major professional sports league had ever lost an entire postseason due to a labor dispute.

After the previously discussed collusion scandals of the 1980’s, the relationship between owners and players was at an all time low entering into the 1990’s. The owners were continuing to do whatever they could to keep payroll low and when colluding to do so backfired, they decided to try something else – a salary cap. The previous Collective Bargaining Agreement between players and owners expired on December 31st, 1993 and now, owners not only wanted to put a cap on player salary but also wanted teams to share local broadcasting revenues to increase equity among all teams including those in smaller markets. At this time, Fay Vincent was no longer commissioner since the owners forced him out after he supported the decisions in the collusion grievances and said publicly that they had stolen $280 million from the players. Bud Selig, who was one of the owners during the collusion scandal, was acting commissioner at the time and did not do much to help the two sides come to a compromise.

The owners offered a proposal in June of 1994 that enforced a salary cap, eliminated salary arbitration, and allowed owners the right to keep a four or five year player simply by matching the best offer from another club. The executive director of the MLB Player’s Association was Donald Fehr, and had no trust in Selig or the owners. He rejected the offer and told the owners if they weren’t ready to get serious quickly, the players would go on strike. The owners only doubled-down, now withholding $7.8 million worth of pension and benefit money that was previously agreed to go to the players. A strike date was set for August 12th, 1994.

A few proposals went back and forth but neither side was willing to agree and when the strike date came, players walked out and the MLB season game to an abrupt halt. The Yankees were going to finally get back to the postseason for the first time since 1981 – it would have been the first postseason appearance for Don Mattingly. The Montreal Expos were 74-40, having their best season of all time and were looking to win their first World Series. Tony Gwynn had a chance to be the first player since Ted Williams to hit .400. And Matt Williams of the Giants was on a pace to threaten Roger Maris’ single season record of 61 home runs. All of that was out the window as the strike continued and on September 14th, Bud Selig officially canceled the remainder of the season and postseason, including the World Series.

The offseason came and went with no agreement and things got really ridiculous when Bud Selig declared the season would be played anyway – with replacement players. 1995 Spring Training was like no other as random baseball players showed up to replace true MLB talent. Some, like Kevin Millar, went on to play MLB later but would never be allowed in the MLBPA. Any current or former MLB players lost their membership with the union for crossing the picket line. An agreement was never really reached but on April 2nd, 1995, a judge issued an injunction stating that the players and owners would be bound to the terms of the previous expired agreement until a new one can be reached. And so, the players returned to action for a shortened 144-game season. But, the question was, would the fans ever come back? Which leads us to...

#3 BALCO & The Mitchell Report

Rafael Palmeiro and Jose Canseco

Major League Baseball had survived a lot, but whether it could survive the 1994 strike was a huge question mark going into the 1995 season. As it turned out, many fans did come back, although attendance dropped about 20%. But there’s nothing like a great baseball story to bring fans back as Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s seemingly unbreakable record by playing in an astonishing 2,131 consecutive games. In 1996, something interesting started happening as the long ball became more common than ever. An MLB record 4,962 home runs occurred in 1996, with Mark McGwire crushing 52 and typically light-hitting Brady Anderson smashing 50. Seventeen players hit at least 40 bombs. And that was just the beginning.

In 1998, for the first time in MLB history, over 5,000 home runs were hit as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa captured the attention of the nation, going back and forth in a battle towards history. Both were on a pace to break Roger Maris’ record of a 61 homers and it was McGwire who set the record with #62 on September 8th. Sosa ended up with 66 bombs while McGwire crushed an unbelievable 70. 3 years later, Barry Bonds shattered that record with an absolutely video-gamish 73 home runs – at the age of 37, despite being walked 177 times.

Where were all these home runs coming from? The answer started to become clear during the mid-2000’s. Jose Canseco wrote a tell-all book called “Juiced” about his experiences with steroids during his MLB career. He named names such as Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez, Juan Gonzalez and Jason Giambi. Also, a nutrition center called BALCO was identified as having distributed steroids among many star players including Giambi and Bonds. A congressional hearing was held in which Mark McGwire famously dodged every question, saying he did not want to talk about the past. Rafael Palmeiro wagged his finger, saying he had never used steroids. On August 1st of 2005, he tested positive for PEDs and was suspended 10 games.

Only after all the pressure from Congress did the MLBPA and Commissioner begin to apply stricter regulations regarding steroids. Books began to be published regarding Bonds and Roger Clemens among others, such as Game of Shadows, which described how Bonds’ trainer Greg Anderson provided PEDs to Bonds and other athletes. Bonds said during a grand jury testimony he only used a clear cream that he thought was to treat arthritis. George J. Mitchell led an investigation into steroid use in MLB and released what is known as the “Mitchell Report” in December of 2007. 89 former and current players were named including Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite, Miguel Tejada and Eric Gagne. He included recommendations for MLB in order to curtail the use of steroids in the game.

Around this time, federal investigators decided to go after Barry Bonds and charged him with 4 counts of perjury and 1 of obstruction of justice. The trial did not take place until 2011 and Bonds was found guilty of obstructing justice and sentenced to 30 days house arrest. In 2015, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the conviction, saying that nothing Bonds said was material to an investigation.

The entire steroid scandal of the mid-2000’s did serious damage to the game. Shoe-in future Hall-of-Famers like Palmeiro, McGwire, Bonds, Sosa and Clemens among others have been snubbed due to their steroid connections. As of right now, the National Baseball Hall of Fame not only does not have a plaque for the Hit King Pete Rose, but is also missing one for the all-time MLB home run leader in Bonds as well as one for one the greatest pitchers of all time in Roger Clemens. It’s almost impossible to discuss baseball statistics or records without getting in an argument regarding steroids. The steroid era has clouded the entire landscape of baseball in a negative way and the effects continue to be felt, especially because the steroid scandals are not even completely in the past and can always pop up again, as proven by the more recent Biogensis scandal.

#2. The 1919 “Black Sox”

In 1919, the Cincinnati Reds won the World Series 5 games to 3 in a best of 9 contest against the Chicago White Sox. It was a major upset as the White Sox were heavily favored but uncharacteristically played poorly and sloppy in multiple games. As it turns out, there was an explanation for that.

The White Sox players had a strong dislike for their owner Charles Comiskey, who they considered cheap. He had a reputation for underpaying his players even though some more modern research papers indicate he wasn’t any worse than the other owners; in fact the White Sox were one of the highest paid teams in baseball. Nevertheless, the players felt underpaid and underappreciated and they played at a time before the union, so they had no way of voluntarily switching teams or bargaining for better pay. The clubhouse was also divided between the more clean and straight players led by Ivy-League graduate Eddie Collins and the more scrappy, tough and rough players led by 1st baseman Chick Gandil. It was this second group that began to discuss the possibility of throwing games for money.

In September of 1919, Gandil met up with bookmaker and gambler Joseph J. Sullivan to discuss payment for throwing the 1919 World Series. A figure of $80,000 was reached. On the 21st, several other White Sox players joined Gandil in a meeting for more information in order to determine if they were willing to go through with it. These players included star pitchers Eddie Cicotte and Lefty Williams along with one of their better hitters, Buck Weaver. They were concerned that it would be tough to throw the series with future Hall of Fame pitcher Red Faber as the ace of the rotation as he was with the clean group and would not be in on the fix. Then, a case of the flu hit Faber and it was announced he would miss the entire series. The fix was officially on.

As money poured in on the underdog Cincinnati Reds, gamblers already had an idea that the series was fixed. Cicotte’s stuff was intentionally off and he gave up 6 runs before being taken out in the 4th inning. The offense produced just 6 singles and the Sox lost 9-1. Lefty Williams started Game 2 and suddenly lost his control, walking 6 batters and allowing 4 runs. They lost again 4-2. Rookie Dickey Kerr, who was not in on the fix, threw a shutout for the White Sox in Game 3. But they lost again in Game 4 with Eddie Cicotte back on the mound, although he threw much better this time. Lefty Williams was lit up again in Game 5 and the White Sox were down in the series 4 games to 1. As the series continued, the gamblers refused to pay previously agreed upon payments after losses, causing the 8 players in on the fix to starting trying. The White Sox won Games 6 and 7 but now gamblers were threatening violence against the players and their families if they did not go through with the fix. Lefty Williams started Game 8 and pitched poorly again. The White Sox lost the game and the series.

Rumors swirled regarding the White Sox throwing the 1919 World Series and in 1920, 8 players and 5 gamblers were charged with conspiring to defraud the public. Eddie Cicotte admitted to accepting a $10,000 bribe before Game 1, famously saying, “I did it for the wife and kiddies.” A jury acquitted the men in 1921, but MLB’s first commissioner, Kennasaw Mountain Landis, suspended them for life anyway with the statement

“Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player that throws a ball game, no player that entertains proposals or promises to throw a game, no player that sits in a conference with a bunch of crooked players and gamblers where the ways and means of throwing games are discussed, and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever again play professional baseball.”

Among the banned players was the great Shoeless Joe Jackson, who confessed to having accepted $5,000 from Lefty Williams. However, he never met or spoke with gamblers and was not part of the meetings. Jackson claimed he gave it his all in the series and the extent of his involvement has been debated ever since. Regardless, he is one of the “8 Men Out” and, like Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and others mentioned in this video, has never been given a plaque in the Hall of Fame despite being one of the greatest players of his time.

#1. The “Gentleman's Agreement”

Satchel Paige

Although the “Gentlemen’s Agreement” is not your typical scandal since it lasted 55 years and there was no public outcry about it, there certainly should have been one. The agreement was basically an unwritten law – a gentleman's agreement – that no team would sign a black player. Before about 1887, teams could sign whoever they wanted to and several black players were in the minors and at least 3 played in the majors, including Moses Fleetwood Walker, who hit .263 in 42 games for the Toledo Blue Stockings.

In the late 1880’s, owners got together and agreed that they none of them would ever sign, draft or scout a black player. It was created a de facto segregation as black players now had no place to play professional baseball and had to create their own leagues where hundreds of extremely talented players who could have lent their skills to a Major League Team, played ball. Rube Foster founded the Negro National League in 1920, marking the start of these leagues which produced stars like Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Satchel Paige and so many others who played in the Negro Leagues as the gentleman’s agreement continued throughout the first half of the 20th century.

Even as over a million black soldiers served their country in World War II, they were banned from playing in the country’s National Pastime. Eventually Branch Rickey, part owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, signed Jackie Robinson to play for the Dodgers organization. When he was promoted to the majors on April 15th, 1947, the color barrier was officially broken and Robinson became the first African American in the 20th century to play Major League Baseball. Even then, he faced bigotry and hatred from teammates, opposing players, umpires and fans. Robinson thrived anyway and had a Hall of Fame career, helping to lead the way to the Civil Rights movement and a future for Major League baseball players of all races and nationalities.

TOP 15 CONTROVERSIAL MLB Postseason Moments!!

Welcome another Humm Baby countdown and today we’re in the middle of October – MLB Playoff time – and what better time to talk about some of the craziest and most controversial moments in MLB Playoff history. Everything is amplified in October and players are more focused and determined than at any other point in the year. So, it’s no surprise that sometimes there will be wild and controversial plays that might involve a player going full bush league to help their team win by any means necessary, an umpire completely blowing a call or a fan getting a little too involved. This list is composed of individual postseason plays that were wildy controversial, not controversies that emobodied the entire playoff or World Series – just individual plays. So, without further ado, let’s talk about 15 of the most controversial playoff moments in MLB history.

15. Trea Turner Called Out

The Washington Nationals were facing elimination in Game 6 of the 2019 World Series, but had a one-run lead with a runner on 1st and Trea Turner at the plate. Turner hit a slow dribbler back to the mound, and hustled down the line to try to beat the throw. That’s when things went nuts.

The throw took Yuli Gurriel’s glove towards the baseline and Turner inadvertently knocked it and the ball away. He was called out for runner’s interference, much to the dismay of Nationals manager Dave Martinez, who wanted to protest the call, but because it was a judgment call, a protest was denied. Luckily for the Nats, Anthony Rendon homered later in the inning, but that didn’t stop Martinez from continuing to argue and cuss at the umpires until they finally threw him out of the game. The Nats ended up winning the game and World Series anyway, which is why this one comes in at the bottom.

14. Obstruction

Only one MLB postseason game has ever ended on an obstruction call and it happened in Game 3 of the 2013 World Series between the Cardinals and Red Sox. The series was tied at 1 game apiece and Game 3 was taking place at Busch Stadium. It was the bottom of the 9th inning and the winning run was just 90 feet away for St. Louis with 1 out. That’s when all hell broke loose.

Even though no Cardinals player ever touched home plate, third base umpire Jim Joyce determined that obstruction had taken place at third by third baseman Will Middlebrooks, who inadvertently impeded Allen Craig from running home as Craig tripped over the body of Middlebrooks as he took off from third towards home plate. Replay shows that by the rulebook, Jim Joyce was correct in this call, but that didn’t make the Red Sox feel any better about it. What did make them feel better about it was winning the World Series a few days later despite the loss Game 3 loss.

13. The “Phantom Tag”

The 1999 ALCS was extra intense as it was between the rival New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. The Yankees were up 3-2 with one out in the 8th, but the Red Sox had Jose Offerman on first place and John Valentin at the plate. Valentin grounded the ball to Chuck Knoblauch, who reached out to tag Offerman then throw to first for the double play. Problem is, he never got close to actually touching Offerman.

Any potential Red Sox rally was eliminated by this terrible call by the second base umpire Tim Tschida and the Yankees went on to win the game, taking a commanding 3-1 lead in the series, which they won the following night. The Yankees went on to win the 1999 World Series against the Atlanta Braves.

12. Fan Interference Against Altuve

In top of the 1st inning of Game 4 of the 2018 ALCS, the Red Sox, who had a 2-1 lead in the series, jumped out to 2-0 lead over the Astros. But then, Jose Altuve stepped up to the plate with a runner on and crushed an opposite field shot over the right field wall. Mookie Betts tried to make the leaping catch, but couldn’t do it – possibly due to some fans also trying to make the catch. Joe West decided that they interfered with the play and called Altuve out.

This call became extremely controversial as the fans don’t appear to reach out into the field of play – rather Betts is reaching into the stands to try to make the play. Per the rulebook, if a player’s glove reaches over the fence and into the stands, provided the fans are not reaching out into the field of play, there is no interference. The fans are obviously eager to catch the baseball but they appear to be waiting for the ball to come to them and not reaching out, at least not into the field of play. Either way, the call by Joe West stood and the home run that was wasn’t. Altuve was called out and the Astros did not score in the inning. They ended up losing the game that night by 2 runs – the same amount of runs that would’ve scored on the Altuve drive. The Red Sox wrapped up the series the following night and went on to the win the World Series.

11. The Utley Slide

In the bottom of the 7th inning of Game 2 of the 2015 NLDS, the New York Mets had a 2-1 lead but the Dodgers were threatening with two men on including Chase Utley at first. Howie Kendrick hit what looked to be a potential double play ball when Chase Utley, coming in hot from first, had other ideas.

Utley took out Ruben Tejada with a slide you would only see in the playoffs these days, when desperation is at its maximum. Tejada sustained a broken leg in the play, which Mets fans saw as dirty and clear interference. Unfortunately for them, the umpires disagreed and the run that scored on the play counted, tying the game. The Dodgers went on to score 3 more runs and won the game 5-2. They ended up winning the series 3 games to 2.

10. The “Renfroe Assist”

It was Game 3 of the 2021 ALDS and the Rays and Red Sox were deadlocked in the 13th inning at Fenway Park. Yandy Diaz was at first base when Kevin Kiermaier crushed a ball that looked like it might go out. Instead, it went off the wall – for what should have been an easy RBI base hit giving the Rays the lead as Diaz was running on the pitch. Instead, the ball went off outfielder Hunter Renfroe and over the fence, making it a dead ball. But shouldn’t the run still score since the outfielder caused the ball to go over the wall? Let’s take a look at the play.

The umpires ruled that Diaz had to return to third base and Kiermaier was given an automatic double. After the internet did its research thanks in large part to Jeff Passan, it was determined that the umps got the call right since Renfroe never had possession of the ball and did not mean for it to go over the wall. The rules state that if the ball accidentally ricochets off an outfielder, the hitter and any runners on base are awarded just two bases. So, since Diaz was on first when the ball was hit, he can only advance as far as third base. Rays fans were irate and Kiermaier called the play a “backbreaker.” The Red Sox went on to win the game in the bottom of the 13th on a Christian Vasquez walk-off homer, taking a 2-1 lead in the series. They won Game 4 as well to advance to the ALCS.

9. The 2012 Infield Fly Rule

During the win-or-go-home 2012 Wild Card Game, the Cardinals were up 6-3 but the Braves were fighting back. With one out in the 8th, the tying run, Andrelton Simmons, stepped up for Atlanta and hit a pop up to short left that fell in for a hit just short of left-fielder Matt Holliday – that is, until the umpire decided inexplicably to call Andrelton out due to the “infield fly rule.”

The Braves and their fans flipped out and the game was delayed 19 minutes as arguments ensued and trash was thrown on the field. The infield fly rule should only be called on a pop up that an infielder can reasonably and routinely catch so that said infielder won’t let the ball drop, allowing an easy double play since the runners had to hold up. This did not look like such a play – but umpire Sam Holbrook, who is no stranger to controversy – made the infield fly rule call and the Braves failed to score in the inning. St. Louis won the game 6-3 and the Braves went home.

8. Ball-In-The-Hand

For this one, we go back over 50 years to the 1970 World Series. It was Game 1 between the Reds and Orioles. The game was tied at 3 in the top of the 7th with the Reds threatening. Bernie Carbo was at third base and Ty Cline hit a weak chopper in front of the plate. Carbo broke for the plate.

Orioles catcher Elrod Hendricks definitely tagged Carbo with his glove before he touched home. The problem was he was holding the baseball in his other hand, not with the hand he tagged him with. Per the rulebook, that should not be an out, but umpire Ken Burkhart made the safe call. MLB replay would not exist for another 40 years or so – so there was nothing the Reds could do. That run was the game winner for the Orioles and and they went on to win the series, becoming 1970 champs.

7. Pierzynski Reaches First

Coming up next is a horrific umpire blunder during Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS. The White Sox and Angels were tied in the 9th inning in Chicago when A.J. Pierzynski swung and missed at strike 3 to end to the inning. Replay shows that the catcher made a clean albeit low catch to secure the strikeout, but after A.J. started to walk towards the dugout, he suddenly took off for first base as the Angles jogged off the field.

Incredibly, home-plate umpire Doug Eddings declared Pierzynski safe at first. Pablo Ozuna pinch ran and stole second then was driven in by Joe Crede to give the White Sox a walk-off win, tying the series. The Angels never recovered and went on to lose the next three games in Anaheim. The White Sox went all the way, winning the 2005 World Series.

6. The Hip-Check

The Dodgers were looking good in the 1978 World Series with a 2-1 lead in the series and 3-1 lead in Game 4. The Yankees were threatening, however, with 2 men on and Lou Piniella at the plate. He hit what looked to be a double-play ball to Bill Russell at shortstop. The out was recorded at second, but before the ball could get to first, Reggie Jackson’s hip got in the way.

Arguments continue to this day over whether or not Jackson intentionally deflected the ball, but the ruling at the time was that it was accidental and the Yankees rally was allowed to continue and Munson scored on the play, making it 3-1. They went on to tie the game then win it in extra innings. The Yankees kept the momentum going with a 12-2 win in Game 5 and a 7-2 win in Game 6 to take the Series.

5. A-Rod’s Glove Swat

It was Game 6 of the 2004 American League Championship Series with the Red Sox needing a win to force a Game 7. They had a 4-2 lead in the 8th with one out and Derek Jeter on first base. Up stepped Alex Rodriguez with a chance to tie the game. Instead, here’s what happened.

A-Rod appeared to actually swat the ball right out of pitcher Bronson Arroyo’s glove. This doesn’t feel fair at all, but is it actually against the rules? Well, per section 6.,1 of the MLB Umpire Manual, “While contact may occur between a fielder and runner during a tag attempts, a runner is not allowed to use his hands or arms to commit an obviously malicious or unsportsmanlike act.”

After Red Sox manager Terry Francona argued the call, the 6 umpires got together and changed the call from safe to out. The Yankee fans flipped out and began to throw trash on to the field, but most agree the call turned out correct as replay shows A-Rod intentionally slapping Arroyo’s hand to free the ball. The Red Sox went on to win the game, the series and then the World Series.

It wasn’t the only bush league moment of A-Rod’s career – in 2007 in a game against the Blue Jays, he yelled “I Got It” as a baserunner to cause a pop up to fall. Needless to say the Jays were not amused.

4. Hrbek Takes Down Gant

It was Game 2 of one of the greatest World Series in the history of the Game as the Twins and Braves, two last place teams from 1990 went toe to toe in the 1991 Fall Classic. The Twins were up 2-1 in the 3rd when Ron Gant picked up a two-out base hit, sending Lonnie Smith to third. After Gant rounded first and the ball briefly got away, pitcher Kevin Tapani tried to throw him out as he retreated back to first base. Gant was back in time until first baseman Kent Hrbek decided to remove him from the base and tag him out.

Power-hitter Dave Justice would’ve been up with two men on but instead, the inning was over as the umpire ruled Gant out, saying his momentum pulled him off the bag.

The Braves ended up losing the game in 3-2 and the Twins eventually won the 1991 World Series in 7 games, still their most recent World Series Championship although they’re in a battle right now with the Astros in the ALDS.

3. The Maier Play

It was the bottom of the 8th inning of Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS and the Orioles were looking to take a 1-0 lead in the series, leading 4-3 in the bottom of the 8th. That’s when Derek Jeter hit a deep fly ball to right-field. Tony Tarasco was squaring up to make the catch on the warning track when the unbelievable happened.

A 12-year old kid named Jeffrey Maier stuck his glove over the wall to catch the ball and take it right out of Tarasco’s glove. Tarasco immediately argued the play, but it was called a home run and this occurred before instant replay so nothing could be done about it. The right-field umpire Rich Garcia had a great view but somehow completely missed this play and the Yankees ended up winning the game on a home run by Bernie Williams. They went on to win the A.L Championship and 1996 World Series. The Orioles tried to protest to call after the game but were denied as it was considered a “judgement call.”

2. Dekinger Blows the Call

It was 1-0 Cardinals in the 9th inning of Game 6 of the ‘85 World Series. The Royals had Jorge Orta at the plate trying to reach base and get something going. He succeeded with a slow groundball, although after checking out the replay, he should not have.

Don Dekinger, an excellent MLB umpire for nearly 30 years, blew the call and Orta was determined safe even though Todd Worrell clearly beat him to the bag. The Cardinals were unable to move past the mistake and get out of the inning. The Royals rallied to score twice, winning 2-1 and then crushed the Cardinals in Game 7 11-0 with Dekinger calling balls and strikes. The Cardinals were obsessed all night with the strike zone and the manager Whitey Herzog and pitcher Joaquin Andujar were ejected. The momentum in the Series clearly shifted after the blown call and the Royals won it all in ‘85.

1. The Bartman Incident

No list of postseason controversies would be complete without the Bartman incident. This play goes back to October 14th, 2003 during a critical Game 6 of the NLCS between the Cubs and Marlins. The Cubs were up 3-0 in the 8th with a 3-2 lead in the series when Luis Castillo of the Marlins hit a high pop-up towards the stands down the left field line. Mosies Alou thought he might have a play.

Because Alou dived into the stands, no fan interference was called, but Alou made sure to throw a temper tantrum in front of the massive crowd of 39,577 fans to make sure every one knew he thought he could’ve caught it if not for a fan trying to make the play – just like every fan in the vicinity was trying to make the play. His reaction, in my opinion, set the stage for the immediate meltdown of the Chicago Cubs. Pitcher Mark Prior threw a wild pitch, shortstop Alex Gonzalez booted a potential double play ground ball, and the Marlins bats woke up as the Cubs allowed 8 runs to score.

Cubs fans at first were a bit patient with Bartman who meant no harm as they had a 3-0 lead, but once the game got away, they turned on Bartman, who had to be escorted out of the stadium for his safety. He needed police protection at his home after his name and information was published online. No one was rooting harder for the Cubs in Game 7 than Bartman, but unfortunately they couldn’t win it for him. The Marlins won the game and went on to win the World Series.