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MLB OFFSEASON TAKEAWAYS

What's your favorite MLB team been up to this offseason, and what's left in the free agent carrousel that could help them reserve their spot in the 2025 October dance?

Carl Lemelin

DEMYSTIFYING SOFTBALL BAT STAMPS

Easy to get lost in the forest of softball bat stamps.

Carl Lemelin

HOLIDAY GIFT SUGGESTIONS FOR BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PLAYERS

When searching for gift ideas for that ball fanatic, no use looking anywhere else. Baseball Town is the answer!

Carl Lemelin

MLB: FEARLESS 2025 PLAYOFF FORECAST

In a sport so impossible to handicap, have we found the ultimate cheat code? The system that correctly forecasted the Dodgers as champs last year is put to the test once again to predict the 2025 Playoffs.

Carl Lemelin

MLB MID-SEASON OBSERVATIONS

*Stats as of June 25th. It’s the end of June. That means the mid-season point is about to be reached for all MLB teams. So, what have we learned since my 2025 MLB PREVIEW blog back in March? Which teams are a huge surprise? Which franchises are doing everything wrong? Which players are performing up to par… or not? Three months is a good enough sample size to draw some conclusions – though not definitive – about some teams’ and players’ prospects for success the rest of the way in 2025. Here are my top 5 team and player stories of the season’s first half. TOP 5 TEAM STORIES 5- The San Francisco Giants hitting on all cylinders: I had the Giants as the ultimate average team in my 2025 MLB PREVIEW, but staff ace Logan Webb is having a bounce-back season, and after recovering from a torn flexor tendon, Robbie Ray is looking like his Cy Young self from 2021. Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers have been holding the fort in the pen as usual, but Randy Rodriguez – and his 0.74 WHIP and 10 holds – has been a revelation as one of the best relivers in the game. An adequate lineup has been led by Heliot Ramos, until a blockbuster June trade brought in superstar Rafael Devers from Boston. After addressing this lone weakness in the middle of the order, the Giants seem primed to give the Dodgers a run for their money in the NL West. 4- The Houston Astros keep on truckin’: Hasn’t it been three years now since experts have been warning of an Astros regression? The AL West powerhouse of the last decade just keeps on metamorphosizing into a beautiful butterfly, year after year, despite losing key pieces. 2025 is no different: Kyle Tucker traded to the Cubs, Alex Bregman moves on to Boston, Yordan Alvarez has only played 29 highly unproductive games, Justin Verlander signs in San Francisco, and 3 members of the rotation are on the IL. Yet, here they stand, 4.5 games up on the Mariners, on top of the AL West once again. Despite offensive struggles, staff aces Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez have carried the pitching load, while Josh Hader has saved all 20 opportunities he’s been afforded. I still believe the Spacemen will likely need to add a big bat to hold off a well-rounded Seattle squad. 3- The New York Mets contenders despite a sub-par first half from Juan Soto: Perpetual underperformers, finally the Mets were going to get over the hump and challenge the Braves and Phillies for the division title now that Soto had moved across town. Well, the Mets are contending – notwithstanding a current 1-9 run that allowed the Phils to take a 1.5 game lead in the NL East – but Soto has failed to meet the lofty expectations Mets Nation bestowed upon the superstar slugger. He has looked more like himself lately – now sporting a respectable .876 OPS – but it has been Pete Alonso who’s carried the offense in Queens. The rotation led by Kodai Senga has been the Mets’ saving grace. David Peterson, Clay Holmes and Griffin Canning have all performed above expectations. The real Mets probably end up somewhere between what they were for the first two-and-a-half months and what they’ve been over the last couple of weeks, which means they are going to be fighting for one of the three NL Wild Card spots. 2- A lackluster Atlanta Braves squad in trouble: They were favored by many to reclaim their rightful place as NL East kings in 2025. The Phillies ended the Braves dominance in 2024, after an impressive run of 6 straight titles for the Bravos. However, until very recently, the Atlanta offense had been sputtering. Even the injection of former MVP Ronald Acuna Jr couldn’t quite spark the rest of the lineup. The loss of star hurler Max Fried to free agency and Reynaldo Lopez to injury has downgraded the rotation from ‘great’ to ‘very good’. When factoring in a bottom-third MLB ranked lineup, we understand why Ryan Snitker’s bunch has struggled to an 11-19 record in one-run games despite a +29 run differential. That somewhat unlucky deficit can be blamed for the 6-game gap the Braves will need to make up for in the Wild Card race. 1- Are the Baltimore Orioles really this bad?: I would like to say that the team I picked to win the AL East in my 2025 MLB PREVIEW is just missing their young ace, Grayson Rodriguez – recovering from a lat injury – but this version of the O’s looks nothing like the 91-win club that finished second to the Yankees a year ago. Everyone of their young hitters – Gunner Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday, Colton Cowser, and Heston Kjerstad – has underperformed, veteran starters Zach Eflin and Charlie Morton have looked like shadows of themselves, and the bullpen has failed to protect most of the few leads the team was able to muster. Baltimore is ranked in the bottom third of baseball in every phase of the game, so it’s difficult for me to say they will be better in the second half. But things sure can’t get worse, can they? *Bonus story – The historically atrocious Colorado Rockies: We all knew the Rockies were bad, but this bad? Really? With a 18-61 record and a .228 winning percentage, the lowly Rocks are on pace to become the worst team in the modern era. Last season’s pitiful Chicago White Sox (41-121, .253) currently hold that dubious honor. What’s absolutely depressing for Colorado fans is that Denver’s elevation has a lot to do with their inability to attract and/or retain pitching talent. They now store balls in a humidor and have raised the fences to level the playing field, but there’s nothing they can do about the Mile-High altitude flattening all off-speed pitches, making them much more hittable than they’d be in any other city in the majors. Spin rate just doesn’t affect the ball in Denver like it does elsewhere, and that will never change. TOP 5 PLAYER STORIES 5- Jacob Wilson is a unicorn… and he’s a rookie!: In this era of low-event baseball, former major leaguer Jack’s son is the complete opposite: a high-event player. Wilson has put the ball in play in 88.1% of his plate appearances. He’s tallied 18 walks and has struck out only 20 times in 318 PA. He is second only to Aaron Judge in MLB with a .353 average. That allows his .394 OBP to rank 6th despite that very low walk rate. The shortstop has also shown some pop with 9 homers and 40 RBI. Being able to make consistent contact through pitch recognition at this elite level is a repeatable skill that won’t leave this kid until way past his prime, so the A’s know they can count on this potent bat to be part of the heart of their lineup for many years to come. 4- “Lights-out” Josh Hader is back!: Yes, the intimidating lefty closer has regained the form that made him the best reliever in baseball as Milwaukee’s pen anchor from 2018 to 2022. He’s been human these last two-and-a-half seasons in San Diego and Houston, blowing 11 save opportunities. This year, he’s on his way to his career-best campaign. He’s a perfect 20-for-20 in saves and posts a sparkling 0.74 WHIP. The effort to significantly drop his walk rate has resulted in a career-best 7.86 K/BB ratio, which puts hitters in a much more aggressive posture, making his already impressive stuff play nastier than ever before. With a few other weapons in the Houston pen, this is a team opponents will not want to trail heading into the late innings down the stretch run. 3- Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal are multi Cy Young-bound: deGrom, Verlander, Kershaw, Martinez, Clemens, Johnson, Maddux. We’ve seen some dominant pitching in our lifetime, but have we ever seen two individuals who look as locked in – barring injury – for the next five Cy Young awards in their respective leagues? Sure, Hunter Brown, Max Fried, Garrett Crochet, Kris Bubic, and even Jacob deGrom are all having very good seasons in the AL, but Skubal is the man and everyone knows it. His consistency has been unparallelled since his breakout 2023 season. As for Skenes, MLB’s ERA leader (1.85), it looks like Chris Sale and Zack Wheeler are the only ones who can keep the Cy out of his hands for the foreseeable future, but if he avoids the dreaded T.J. surgery, no expert in their right mind would bet against him as a pre-season favorite. 2- Shohei doing Shohei things, again: After two one-inning starts, it remains to be seen how the Dodgers will employ Ohtani on the mound the rest of the way, but his bat alone puts him in the MVP conversation every year. His numbers are slightly down from last year, but there is one area I always found to be underrated in which Ohtani is dominating in 2025: runs scored. The Japanese phenom is on pace to surpass Jeff Bagwell’s modern-day high for runs in a season (152, in 2000). His 77 runs are 7 better than AL leader Judge and a whopping 14 up on NL second place man Elly De La Cruz. The Dodgers’ deep lineup should help him shatter Bagwell’s record. The Sho Man is currently 1st in NL OPS (1.014) – good for 3rd in MLB. He also ranks 3rd in average fastball velocity (min. 2 starts), a sign that his arm is fully healthy. If the Dodgers slowly stretch him out during the second half, Ohtani is your shoe-in NL MVP! 1- Cal Raleigh is MLB’s latest superstar: His bat has consistently gotten louder and louder since his timid MLB debut in 2021, but Raleigh has hit a whole new level of slugging prowess this season. He ranks second only to Judge in MLB OPS (1.053), has hit a baseball best 32 dingers, also leads in RBI (69), and is absolutely carrying an otherwise underwhelming Seattle offense. Oh yeah, and he’s a catcher, and a darn good one too! I so regret not picking up that guy as a free agent in my dynasty fantasy league back in 2022, before he started raking. I always had an eye on this minor league slugger, but no one saw THIS coming, which makes this the number one story in baseball… so far.

TORPEDO BATS: THE NEW CRAZE

There’s a new bat in town! Torpedo bats have been the talk of baseball since the Yankees’ early season power surge was linked to some of their power-challenged players switching to the odd-shaped sticks.

Carl Lemelin

2025 MLB PREVIEW

With its embarrassment of riches, it is impossible not to put the L.A. Dodgers at the top of any power ranking going into the 2025 season.

Carl Lemelin

2024 HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

It’s been three miserable months already for your ball fanatic. Just use our suggestions to brighten up their winter and offer them their dream gift!

Carl Lemelin

THE GAME IS ABOUT TO CHANGE… ONCE AGAIN!

A.J. Hinch and his Detroit Tigers have caught all MLB organizations’ attention with a successful new approach to the makeup and usage of their pitching staff.

Carl Lemelin

MLB PLAYOFF PREVIEW: A NOVEL APPROACH

Full disclosure: my playoff prognostics record on this blog isn’t at all flattering. But in my defense, neither is any other out there in the sports media world. The fact is that baseball is as unpredictable a sport as any, and anybody who claims they can tell you with any modicum of confidence who will win this year’s World Series is either a liar or a time traveller visiting from the future. But why is baseball so difficult to predict? I wanted to know if I was simply using the wrong data when analyzing the playoff power rankings, or if trying to handicap October ball was simply an exercise in futility, doomed to failure until the end of time for anybody who dared to try. THE PROBLEM Every expert attempting to forecast the MLB playoffs will use two basic sources of information to draw their conclusions: regular season statistics and current roster make-up – accounting for trade deadline acquisitions and/or any current injuries. Herein might be where lies the conundrum we are faced with. Regular season data may seem like the best place to start, since the sample size is both significant and recent. However, we are then implying that this 162-game (6 months) story can be strictly applied to a one-month (13-game minimum, 22-game maximum) tournament when we very well know the erratic nature of baseball performances, fraught with countless streaks and slumps, both team and individual. At any given time, baseball’s worst team is very capable of going on a 10-game winning sequence (well, maybe not this year’s White Sox), just like the best squad is capable of a 10-game cold spell. If that slump just happens to fall in October, then the pre-playoff favorite is eliminated in the short best-of-five Divisional round, and there goes most experts’ predicted bracket. The other reason why fall baseball is very different than summer baseball is because the 18 worst teams are no longer competing in October. The 12 playoff qualifiers will only be playing each other in the big tournament, which lends much less significance to 62% of each contender’s regular season data (18 eliminated teams out of the total 29 opponents faced during the regular season). Of course, I realize that predicting any sport is and always will be an inexact science. The best we can hope for is to find data trends that can help increase our odds of success over time. So, I wanted to find out if there was a set of regular season stats that might be more telling of future playoff success. THE FINDINGS Entering this project, my hypothesis was that there must one specific stat or a set of indicators from the regular season that can forecast post-season success. Ideally, we would be looking for the biggest sample size possible, but the game has changed so much over the past decade that I believe even going back to the 2010’s would be irrelevant. That’s why I decided to use the past 5 World Series champions as the basis for my examination: the 2019 Washington Nationals, 2020 Los Angeles Dodgers, 2021 Atlanta Braves, 2022 Houston Astros, and 2023 Texas Rangers. By tracking various regular season MLB ranks in key team statistical categories for these 5 fall juggernauts, we may be able to identify a code to ultimate playoff success. I chose key data that covered every aspect of the game: hitting, pitching, and defense. I also added some key stats that have traditionally been associated with October success: September hot streak, runs differential, and strength of bullpen. The first takeaway from the chart is that keeping a good runs differential and scoring a lot of runs during the regular season are key indicators of post-season success. So is playing very good defense (DRS). These three lines are the only ones where all champs were ranked in the top 10. We’ve all heard the age-old saying that ‘the name of the game is pitching’, and that did hold true for a long time. Many World Series title holders of the past have won on the strength of a solid top 3 of the rotation and/or a lethal 1-2 combo on the back end of the bullpen. But we seem to be at a crossroads where the bats are now at least as important as pitching and defense in defining a championship caliber roster. Last year’s Texas Rangers represent the epitome of this recent shift. Although the Rangers seem to be the outlier on this chart, the 2019 Washington Nationals and 2021 Atlanta Braves also attained glory with less than stellar-to-horrible bullpens during the regular season. However, affirming that offense now trumps pitching in importance would be jumping the gun. After all, three of the last five champs ranked better in pitching (ERA+) than in hitting (OPS+) during the regular season. Aside from top 10 rankings in Runs Differential (RD), Runs Scored (RS) and Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), the only other indicator that all five of the last World Series winners share is a winning record in September. And save the Rangers, all of them were above a .600 winning percentage. APPLYING THE MODEL TO THE 2024 PLAYOFFS Now that we’ve figured out the hypothetical key indicators to winning the World Series, let’s try to figure out who this year’s champ is likely to be based on a process of elimination. Among this year’s playoff qualifiers, which teams are in the top 10 in RD, RS, and DRS? Then, which of those have held a winning record in September? A .600 September winning percentage would solidify a contender’s case even more. As you can see, only 2 teams are in the top 10 in the three identified key statistical categories that guarantee (hypothetically, of course) a solid playoff run (Dodgers and Brewers), and only one of those maintained a .600 winning percentage in September – you guessed it, the Dodgers. That makes the Dodgers our obvious favourites to win it all, confirming our pre-season call for this juggernaut squad to materialize their potential as the consensus best roster in baseball. THE BREAKDOWN Here’s the breakdown of how I see this highly anticipated post-season playing out. A.L. Wild Card Round (Best-of-3) Detroit (6) vs Houston (3): Our chart shows that this is a series ripe for an upset. The ‘Stros may have scored more runs during the season than the Tigers, but they still aren’t an elite run producing squad. Detroit skipper A.J. Hinch will be facing the team that fired him amid the cheating scandal, and he leads a team that has realized its offensive potential in a hot September run. Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal should set the tone in Game 1 of this short series. Cinderella lives on. TIGERS WIN IN 2. Kansas City (5) vs Baltimore (4): The Royals clearly have the best player in the series in shortstop phenom Bobby Witt Jr, and they have a definitive edge in defensive play. However, the O’s scoring ability and current form may end up deciding this one. The KC bullpen will have a tough time holding any lead during the series. Expect a tightly contested one. ORIOLES IN 3. N.L. Wild Card Round (Best-of-3) New York Mets (6) vs Milwaukee (3): Aside from the September record, the Brewers hold a clear edge on the Mets, who also had to play in that Monday doubleheader to get in the October dance. The deep Brew Crew lineup led by Jackson Chourio is stacked and ready to pounce. The contrast in bullpens is also stark and favors the home team in the series. BREWERS IN 2. Atlanta (5) vs San Diego (4): The Padres have been the best team in the season’s second half and are second only to the Tigers in September winning percentage. The Braves had to go through the grinding Monday finish with the Mets, only to learn that Cy Young favorite Chris Sale’s back is aching at the worst possible time. The injury-riddled Braves did well just to make it to fall ball, but the Friars are just too good to be ousted in round 1. PADRES IN 2. A.L. Divisional Round (Best-of-5) Baltimore (4) vs New York Yankees (1): The Yanks have proven their superiority in the stretch run pennant race, pulling away from Baltimore over the last 2 months. The only areas the Orioles might be able to exploit are the back-ends of the Yankee rotation and bullpen, but the Bombers lineup led by sure-fire MVP Aaron Judge and Juan Soto is relentless. YANKEES IN 4. Detroit (6) vs Cleveland (2): A battle of Central rivals that is sure to bring its fair share of animosity, as these two teams play the game with unmatched intensity. Save the September run, the Guardians edge out the Tigers in all key categories we identified – and Cleveland did play .600 ball during the last month. Jose Ramirez will work his magic, and this is where fatigue will start to show on the Motor City miracle hopefuls. GUARDIANS IN 4. N.L. Divisional Round (Best-of-5) San Diego (4) vs Los Angeles Dodgers (1): The Dodgers are the only team that qualifies as elite in all our key statistical categories, including a stellar .615 September record. The Padres’ poor defense will let them down during a series in which they couldn’t afford to give such a formidable opponent extra outs to work with. Jack Flaherty has been a key trade deadline acquisition for the Dodger rotation, and Shohei Ohtani is tearing the cover off the ball. DODGERS IN 4. Milwaukee (3) vs Philadelphia (2): This is an intriguing match-up for any observer, but remember, we have the secret code. And the secret code tells us that the Phillies defense is the only clear weakness here on both sides. The Brewers may not be in top form coming in (13-12 in September), but every other indicator puts them second to the Dodgers. The Phils will give them all they can handle, but something tells me that defense and bullpen will be the deciding factors – advantage Brewers. BREWERS IN 5. ALCS (Best-of-7) Cleveland vs New York Yankees: This is a classic offense vs defense war of wills if we refer to our chart of postseason contenders. The Yanks have the unstoppable lineup, while the Guardians catch every ball hit their way. Where is the edge? Pitching. The Guardians hold a clear advantage on the mound. Emmanuel Clase has had one of the most dominant seasons ever seen by a reliever and he leads a deep bullpen that posted a video game-like 1.05 WHIP this season! GUARDIANS IN 6. NLCS (Best-of-7) Milwaukee vs Los Angeles Dodgers: These are clearly the two most complete teams in the majors, which makes the NLCS the de facto World Series. Yes, the Brewer lineup is deep, but it’s not Dodger deep. The Men in Blue are simply just a little bit better in every aspect of the game, and they have all the game-breakers in Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and let’s not forget the playoff secret weapons that are catcher Will Smith and clutch pest Chris Taylor. DODGERS IN 5. World Series (Best-of-7) Cleveland vs Los Angeles Dodgers: Remember the trend we talked about where run producing is starting to trump pitching when determining World Series champions? This is where it will materialize once again and confirm that pitching maybe ISN’T the name of the game anymore. DODGERS IN 5. Now, let the festivities begin, and let’s find out if this very innovative approach to handicapping the MLB playoffs has any merit, or if we just go back to the drawing board for 2025.

Cédric Marcoux

HOT NEW PRODUCTS: A BOON FOR YOUR GAME AND FEAST FOR YOUR EYES

It's mid-season. What gear do you need to help you during the stretch run?

Carl Lemelin

BAT TRACKING: A GAME CHANGER!

From Luis Arraez to Giancarlo Stanton, and everyone in between, Bat Tracking will provide us with the missing tools to paint a more complete picture of a hitter's performance in the batter's box.

Carl Lemelin

2024 MLB PREVIEW

With three recent MVPs on the roster, the Dodgers start the 2024 season as the overwhelming favorites to bring the World Series trophy back to Tinseltown.

Carl Lemelin

MY BASEBALL PET PEEVES

For people like us, baseball isn’t just a game. It has become a lifelong companion, like a best friend or even a family member. As such, it is always present. Much like the soundtrack in a movie, it livens up our daily routine with welcome intermittent thoughts: “Can’t wait for the game tonight!”, “I’ve got to stay back on the ball, front shoulder closed.”, or “What should I work on next at practice?” Big games and big tournaments fill us with a sense of anticipation, just like kids on Christmas Eve, or young couples the day before their wedding. When we let our minds wander, daydreaming about the next stadium tour trip, or last night’s 5-hit game, we feel that tickling in the pit of our stomach, and goose bumps start popping up on our arms. Yes, baseball has an undeniable hold on us, but just like all relationships, there can be kinks, some aspects of the loved one that rub us the wrong way. Relationship experts always put the emphasis on constant communication when talking about the recipe to healthy relationships. Part of that is making a pros and cons list – things we appreciate and aspects that bother us about the other person. I just listed many of the pros of our love affair with baseball, but what about the cons? Here are my baseball pet peeves, things I would love for the game to work on to make me love it even more that I already do, if that’s even possible… UNWRITTEN RULES Of all major North American team sports, baseball is the one most steeped in its traditions. On the one hand, that explains all the romanticization and melancholy surrounding America’s national pastime that we all appreciate. But this unique quality has also often been a hinderance to its evolution. Athletes get better, new technologies change our perspectives, and mentalities that may have made sense decades ago just don’t stand the test of time, such as these nonsensical unwritten rules of baseball. As I like to say, there’s a reason they are unwritten. “No stealing when the run differential reaches 6 or more”: So, you’re telling me that in a sport that isn’t regulated by time (save the new pitch clock), because one side was good enough to build up a hefty lead, they should stop trying to score runs because the opponents’ feelings could be hurt? That sounds ridiculous to me. Not more than a few years ago, I witnessed an MLB game that saw a team down 10-0 in going into the ninth inning come back and score 11 to win. No lead is truly safe in baseball. Things haven’t gone your way to start the game? Pick yourself up and play the game harder and smarter. Don’t ask or expect the opponent to take pity on you and stop playing the game. “Don’t show-up the opponent by celebrating a homerun or a strikeout”: What, are we 5 years old? Here’s another rule they like to call “old school”, but that is all but that. To me, “old school” is being tough, able to take it on the chin, get back up and keep fighting, being all-business in your approach to winning. Why would any of your opponent’s antics affect you this much that you feel the need to get off your game and exact revenge? If you are that hypersensitive, that is the opposite of being old-school in my books! I also find it funny that it seems fine to celebrate walk-off hits or a great defensive play, but a key strike-out or pimping a homerun? No way! “Don’t steal our signs!”: Here’s yet another example of putting the onus on your opponent for your own failures. Of course, what the Astros did using the center field camera and monitors in the clubhouse was wrong. MLB had mandated that stealing signs through electronic means was considered cheating. But gathering intelligence on signs simply by observing the sequence from the opposing third base coach, that’s been a part of the game forever. So why are you so flustered by that, when all you need to do is find a better way to conceal your sign sequences? It’s just another layer of the strategic part of the game we appreciate so much, isn’t it? At least, PitchCom has now eliminated the possibility of stealing signs from the catcher. “You hit my star player, I’ll hit yours!”: Aside from being obviously quite dangerous to players’ health, this unwritten rule is so obviously counter-productive to the only objective that counts: winning the ballgame. No manager in his right mind would suggest that giving a free bag to a hitter is a sound strategical move unless the situation calls for an intentional walk. So, doing it to settle a score has never made sense to me. I prefer the “take one for the team” motto in this case. You get hit? Suck it up and go beat them on the scoreboard! HOME PLATE UMPIRES This is a subject I touched on a last year on this blog, and the situation hasn’t changed. MLB home plate umpiring just simply isn’t good enough with the technology that is currently available to us. If you watch a lot of baseball on television, whether you are a big fan of a certain team or just an objective observer, you must agree with me that the frustration at bad pitch calls from home plate umps can reach unbearable levels. That’s mainly because we have had the strike zone box (K-zone) superimposed over home plate for a few years now on all telecasts. This should have taken all the subjectivity away from calling balls and strikes. The strike zone is well defined in the rulebook, and it has now been perfectly represented graphically for all to see at home. Why are pitches still being called by flawed humans? In many cases, VERY flawed humans! I’ve seen playoff games be almost ruined by a clearly incompetent balls and strikes caller, and these are supposed to be the best umpires in the business at that stage. Some have been so bad that their pitiful performances eclipses game highlights as water-cooler talk the next day. The robot-ump technology has been tested in the minors for the past few years, yielding promising results. MLB says that a few kinks need to be worked out before promoting the system to the Bigs, but at least, it does sound inevitable. In my view, it can’t come soon enough. THE VELOCITY ADDICTION The art of pitching revolves around three axioms: velocity, location, and movement. Debates on which of the three is the most important have raged on since the game was invented. Lately however, the analytics community has determined – through ample empirical research – that it is high velocity that most negatively affects a hitter’s chances of success. I tend to agree with such a premise, since wherever the ball is located, or however it may change directions, the less time a hitter has to make his decision to swing or not, the less likely he is to succeed in avoiding an out. But by no means does this suggest that the two other components of pitching do not also matter. They matter a lot, actually. You’ve heard the saying: “Pros can time a jet!” The recent emphasis on velocity has forced pro hitters to train for it. Velocity is more effective if it is contrasted by the possibility of less velocity. Pitches that are not high velocity will inevitably change planes, forcing hitters to adjust mid-swing. Enter movement. Most pro hitters are also too good at pitch selection to be fooled by fastballs out of the strike zone. Pitchers who can’t hit the strike zone consistently, no matter how hard they can throw, never stick in pro ball very long. Conversely, pitchers who can work the edges of the strike zone consistently are the ones who enjoy the longest pro careers. Enter location. So, while I agree that velocity may be the leading pitching axiom, the current obsession with it in MLB front offices borders on addiction. Any addiction will skew perceptions, and I’m convinced that many potential diamonds in the rough are being ignored by modern scouting simply because they can’t throw the ball 95 mph. Think about it, Would Greg Maddux have even gotten a second look from scouts in the present context? I sure don’t believe so. Yet I know he would still be a dominant pitcher in today’s game. But scouting philosophy isn’t the only reason we rarely see artists on the mound these days. Elite coaching and development programs also adapt to what they know scouts look for, so command and movement are not being taught enough at the lower levels of elite baseball, and that may lead to the sorriest extinction the game has ever seen – that of the craftsman pitcher. COMPETITIVE IMBALANCE Another subject I spoke of in a recent blog post, MLB’s competitive balance issues have always been evident, but they are presently being exacerbated by a wealth redistribution system that is frankly ineffective. I agree with the premise of the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) as the right mechanism of revenue sharing among MLB’s 30 teams, but it must be given the teeth necessary to achieve its objective: give every franchise an opportunity to contend for a World Series title. Sadly, for the reasons I expose in my blog MLB Competitive Balance At A Breaking Point, we are very far from that being the case right now. The detrimental deferred contract payments CBT loophole I condemn in the article isn’t only unfair to the bottom dwellers for financial reasons, it also discriminates for purely geographical reasons. Players will only accept to differ money if it beneficial to their bottom line in the long run – i.e. accept a low salary for the intended term of the contract at a higher tax rate and move to a lower tax rate state (or country) at the end of the contract, where the bulk of the owed money will be paid. That means that this scheme is only available to teams in higher taxed states, like California. Shohei Ohtani would never have accepted differed payments if he had signed in Florida, where there is no state income tax. When would you put the over/under line for the Oakland A’s, Kansas City Royals, or Pittsburgh Pirates winning their next WS title? Meanwhile, the Dodgers keep signing every major superstar that hits free agency, and the baseball world is supposed to be OK with that? I certainly am not! SHOULD INTERNATIONALS BE INCLUDED IN THE DRAFT? Of the three major North American sports that pull a significant number of their players from outside the continent, MLB is the only one where internationals are not eligible to be drafted. Instead, MLB holds international signing periods for Asian and Latin American players. This system also contributes to inequities, as the less wealthy organizations don’t use their allocated international pool money nearly as much as the richest franchises. As for Asian stars in their prime that make the jump to MLB, aside from looking for the best financial deal available to them, what incentive do they have to sign with a perpetual losing organization? Asia being a different ballgame – since most who post for MLB eligibility are pro veterans – I am in favor of Latin American prospects being included in the draft from age 18, and not eligible to be signed as free agents before that same age. That would give the weakest teams – who draft first – a shot at the top international prospects, the reverse of what we are currently seeing happen. BASEBALL’S IMAGE PROBLEM Why are the NFL and NBA considered cool, but not MLB? Let’s be real. We love baseball, but we are the unconditional. When we think about how the game is being sold to the next generation of fans, we are forced to admit that baseball has a lot of catching up to do! How can baseball shake that image of a slow moving, low action, non-athletic sport that only uncles and grandfathers appreciate? The good news is I believe baseball is already moving in the right direction. MLB’s RBI programs and inner-city initiatives are offering kids an opportunity to experience the game that ordinarily wouldn’t have. It’s difficult to fall in love with a sport you’ve never played, so getting as many young kids involved in baseball as possible is the first step to changing negative perceptions. Investments have also been made to get more girls into baseball, instead of having them shift to fastpitch as teenagers. All efforts are now being made at the pro level to make the game more watchable for the casual fan. Last season’s inception of the pitch clock has taken off close to a half-hour of non-action dead time from each game. Bigger bases have triggered the return of the stolen base as a legitimate offensive strategy. Outlawing the defensive shift has injected more athletic plays into the game. By all measures, all these rule changes have been well received by fans and players alike, and hit on their intended purpose, which is to make the game more dynamic and appealing to a generation with the shortest attention span in the history of humanity. It seems that baseball’s stars are also getting more involved in their communities. Despite the astronomical salaries, they seem more relatable than the past generation of players. MLB now needs to attack social media by inundating the web with its most athletic plays and show off more of its stars’ personalities off the field to appeal to an even wider audience. There is no doubt in my mind that baseball is moving in the right direction to shed its image of the dinosaur sport on the North American scene, but because that reputation is so ingrained in the public psyche, MLB must persist and constantly be on its toes, abreast of the target audience’s watching habits. It must keep investing in inner city infrastructure and grassroots programs to ensure young people are going outside and hitting the ballpark instead of the local playground, or the mall. We didn’t need all that to develop our passion for the game in the 70’s and 80’s. Let’s get baseball back to those days when a warm sunny Saturday afternoon meant getting the boys together for a double-header at the park behind the school yard.

HOW TO HIT WITH A WOOD BAT

Every competitive ballplayer must go through it eventually. The transition from metal or composite bats to wood can be tricky if you fail to grasp the nuances between the more technologically advanced materials and the O.G., a good old piece of lumber. The pros make it look so easy, don’t they? That unmistakable crack of the bat, that majestic, high trajectory, the ball that takes forever to reach its landing spot 25 rows deep in the bleachers. How can they hit a ball that hard with a wood bat and not have the thing break? Well for one, they know where the ball should strike the bat. They also know how to maneuver the bat to strike the ball on that optimal area. That’s because they have grooved a pro swing through countless hours of practice and drills. For amateurs, hitting the bat’s sweet spot provides a benefit that is twofold. First, it maximized the ball’s exit velocity, thus the bat’s performance. Second, it helps augment the bat’s durability by ensuring that the ball contacts the hardest, most solid part of the barrel. So where exactly is that sought after sweet spot? To better answer that question, we must first talk about the different types of wood used to make bats, and each of their specific properties. We can then get into the differences between hitting with metal/composite bats and hitting with wood bats, and how to better maximize your efficiency with the latter, and the bat’s lifespan. TYPES OF WOOD USED TO MAKE BATS Maple: The densest (hardest) type of wood used in bat manufacturing, maple was first introduced to the industry by Sam Bat, a Canadian manufacturer, in 1997. The first maple bats to hit the market were immediately reputed to perform better than any other wood species, but also broke more frequently. Advances in billet selection and turning techniques have since vastly improved bat durability, making maple the current species of choice for hitters. Ash: Some will say ash is the very best species used to make bats. It was the dominant type of wood used by the industry before maple came along. Ash is much more flexible and less dense than maple, making it generally more durable. Until the wood has been compacted, either by multiple contacts with the ball or by a process called bone rubbing, an ash bat won’t have as much pop as a maple bat. Once broken in (when the wood grains have been fully compressed), some ash bat proponents swear that they become even harder than their maple counterparts and have a bigger sweet spot. The current shortage of ash bats on the market is attributable to the emerald ash borer, a beetle that has diseased and devastated North America’s ash tree population. Birch: The emerald ash borer has made this species an emerging, cheaper alternative to maple for hitters, yellow birch being the most popular subspecies due to its seemingly perfect blend of flexibility (which usually translates to better durability) and hardness (for performance). Birch seems to be the ideal compromise between maple’s density and ash’s flexibility. Bamboo: Although bamboo bats are considered wood bats, bamboo is in fact a plant, not a tree. Bamboo bats will never be the choice of elite power hitters – the material being much softer and pliable than any type of wood. Being at the opposite of the hardness spectrum from maple, bamboo holds a clear edge in durability. That’s why most manufacturer who offer a 30-day warranty on most of their wood bats stretch it to 120 days for bamboo bats. For most players, they make ideal batting practice bats, since bamboo – like wood – provides much better feedback on contact than metal or composite. Wood composite: Since wood bats have become quite expensive and do eventually break, manufacturers have come up with different versions of wood composite bats. These are bats made of a durable composite core and a wood outer shell. These sticks also come with extended warranties, meaning their suppliers are very confident in the durability of their product. To date, there are wide-ranging opinions on the performance level of such bats compared to regular wood bats, but at best, they are at par with wood exit velocities. Note that wood comp bats can be barred from specific leagues or tournaments, so double-check your league rules before purchasing. I’M TRANSITIONING, HELP! No reason to panic. If you’re a good hitter with metal or composite, you can be just as good a hitter with a wood bat. All you need is an understanding of the differences between the two categories, and then make the proper adjustments. Here are the 5 major technical distinctions between wood bats and metal/composite bats, as listed in our Bat Buying Guide: Wood bats offer no trampoline effect that can assist players with lower swing speeds. Therefore, you may want to train during the winter to improve your speed. The sweet spot on wood bats is smaller and closer to the end of the barrel. In fact, a wood bat’s optimal hitting area is only 2 inches on average and situated between the supplier’s logo and the personalization inscription, where the barrel is at its widest diameter. Although wood bat manufacturers try their best to standardize the weight of their bats to a drop 3 for adults and drop 5 or 7 for junior bats, these drops are not as reliable as for metal or fiber bats, since the weight depends entirely on the density of the wood billet used. Most wood bats are one or two ounces heavier than a BBCOR (-3) bat of the same length. Hit the weight room, get stronger! Wood bats are offered in many different models with a wider variety of profiles, to fit individual batter preferences (shape of knob and handle, swing weight either balanced or end-loaded, look and finish). Head to the store and swing a few different turn models to find your own comfort zone. Wood bats can break more easily than metal or fiber bats, especially when contact is made away from the sweet spot, and that explains the much shorter warranty period. That brings us to the technical aspects of hitting with a wood bat. TIME-TESTED TIPS TO CRUSH IT LIKE A PRO A baseball swing is a baseball swing. The first myth we must bust about hitting with wood is that you need to change your swing. Unless you are already consciously working on swing changes, just keep the same swing mechanics you have used while hitting with metal or composite bats. When comparing the different types of wood and their varying densities, the durability/performance compromise was discussed, but conversely, the two converge when addressing hitting technique. If you constantly hit the sweet spot of a wood bat, you’ll get more hits AND extend the bat’s lifespan. You may have heard many theories concerning the logo on wood bats; the ink dot, cross-grain (face grain) or along-grain (edge grain). While there is truth to all these – as will be explained – the best way to avoid breakage and to hit the ball as hard as possible is one and the same: make contact on the sweet spot! MLB’s ink dot test came about 15 years ago as maple bats were gaining in popularity among pro players. The first wave of maple bats saw them breaking at an alarming rate, and in a very different manner than ash bats. Where ash would splinter from wear and tear, maple bats wood split into two or more pieces from the handle across to the barrel, sending sharp-edged pieces of lumber flying dangerously toward unsuspecting infielders. So, MLB conducted a series of tests on different strains of maple bats and uncovered that the straightness and angle of the grain along the length of the bat had a huge impact on its solidity on off-centered contact. That’s when the decision was made to mandate that all MLB authorized bat suppliers leave a small, unpainted area between the handle and barrel that would serve as the ink dot test. A drop of black ink was to reveal the straightness and angle of the grain, guaranteeing the quality of the maple billet the bat was made from. This changed the way manufacturers cultivate and select the wood they use to make high-end wood bats. These days, the only times we see bats breaking in MLB games are on contacts at the very tip of the barrel or near the handle. Have you noticed how the best hitters hardly ever break their bats? During the tests that resulted in the ink dot being implemented, it was also revealed that contacts on the edge-grain side of bats were 12% more likely to cause breakage than hits on the face-grain side. To illustrate the difference between face grain and edge grain, let’s compare it to a deck of cards, where the former is like striking the deck with a closed fist from the top; striking it from the side of the deck would be like hitting on the edge grain of the bat. The strike from the top wouldn’t disturb the deck at all, whereas the side strike – assuming the other side of the deck was set against a wall – would result in the cards bending, with the top ones flying off all over the place. Consequently, manufacturers now position their logo on the edge grain side, with the ink dot at a 90-degree angle, thus on the face grain side, where it is recommended to hit the ball. So, when you’re in the box, you should hold your wood bat with the brand logo facing you, and then rotate it slightly to have the logo directed at your back shoulder (the right for right-handed batters, and vice-versa for lefties). That ensures your square contacts will be made on the face grain part of the barrel. You can also have the logo facing the opposite way (180 degrees or facing away from you) and still contact the face grain. Another tip for first-time wood users is to consider selecting a bat that is one inch less in length than the metal or composite bat you are transitioning from. The main reason you should do that is weight. Most wood bats will be an ounce or two heavier than a non-wood bat of the same length, so taking off an inch will help you keep the same swing speed you are used to, helping your timing and control at the plate. The second reason is the positioning of the sweet spot in the hitting zone. As mentioned previously, the sweet spot of a wood bat is more toward the end of the bat, whereas on metal/composite bats, it sits right in the middle of the barrel. That means that in the same position in the box and for the same swing path, you need a shorter wood bat to have the sweet spot centered in the zone. Additionally, the closer the barrel is to your hands, the better control you have over its path. CHOOSING THE RIGHT WOOD BAT FOR YOU Another shock to your system if you are buying your first wood bat is the variety of different models – called turn models because of the way the billets are spun to achieve the desired design – that are available to you. Contrary to non-wood bats, which are standardized in shape within each brand, you will find that all wood bat suppliers have a full complement of designs that are made to cater to all types of hitters and feel preferences. Manufacturers can customize all parts of the bat: knob, handle, taper, barrel, and the cup at the end of the barrel. The knob can be standard, flared to different levels, or crafted to an axe-handle shape. The handle can be thin or thicker to varying levels. The taper can be sharp or gradual. The barrel can be at maximum allowed diameter (2 ⅝”) or a bit smaller. The cup at the tip of the barrel can be shallow, deep, or simply non-existent. The knob and handle affect feel and comfort – thinner handles tend to help whip the bat through the zone, whereas a thicker handle can relieve tension in the forearms and favor contact hitters. The taper, barrel thickness and cup affect the bat’s balance point – a balance point closer to the handle makes the bat feel lighter, while one near the barrel makes it feel heavier. Finally, barrel length affects the bat’s sweet spot – a longer barrel means a bigger sweet spot. The industry has developed a few stock turn models that all suppliers include in their standard offering: 110 Turn It has a similar balance and feel to metal or composite bats. The 110 model has a similar barrel diameter to most wood bats, but a thicker handle and longer barrel. This gives the 110 model a balanced feel which is preferred by contact hitters who lean more toward a controlled approach to hitting. Handle Diameter: 1.00” Barrel Diameter: 2 ½” Taper: Gradual 271 Turn Similar to the 110. The main difference is that it features a thinner handle and is slightly more end loaded. Although it is more end loaded than a 110, the 271 maintains an overall balanced feel. The 271 is a great fit for any hitting style, but because it is balanced, it is typically preferred by contact hitters. Handle Diameter: 15/16” (.938”) Barrel Diameter: 2 ½” Taper: Gradual 243 Turn It offers a thinner handle and larger barrel diameter than most wood bats. This gives the 243 an end loaded feel and a lot of pop. Wood bats with a 243 turn are not suggested for first timers because they are top heavy and not as easy to swing. They are arguably the most popular model among experienced, power hitters because of the larger barrel and end loaded swing weight. Handle Diameter: Approximately 29/32” (.906”) Barrel Diameter: 2 ⅝” Taper: Sharp Suppliers then add signature pro models that are slight variations on these stock turn models and based on pro players’ preferences, or even their own personal gamer designs. There you have it. This should cover all the information you need to make your transition to wood bats as smooth as possible. All that’s left is for you to do is pay us a visit, swing a few different models and find your niche on our incomparable bat walls. To get you started with your search, visit our wood bats section here.

MLB COMPETITIVE BALANCE AT A BREAKING POINT

The Dodgers' historic signing of superstar Shohei Ohtani has highlighted a competitive balance problem that MLB has yet to properly address.

Carl Lemelin

GIFT IDEAS 2024

‘Tis the season… for more baseball! We’ve already seen a white coating covering the ground, but that’s no reason to stop obsessing over baseball. It’s a year ‘round sport for elite players these days; MLB fans are following the free agent frenzy, and their favorite team’s off-season roster moves. What we all have in common is that we’re already look forward to spring training 2024, whether it’s Grapefruit League, Cactus League, or mini camps all over North America. In the meantime, since all baseball addicts are kids at heart, there is the current time of the year to get excited about. What baseball goodie will Santa leave under the tree this year? Well, Jolly Old Man, does Baseball Town have a gift ideas list for you! CUSTOM GLOVE Why not start with every baseball player’s foremost desire: a one-of-a-kind, high-end glove he can call his very own – the ultimate baseball gift! This isn’t your grandfather’s glove market anymore. It only takes once glance at our huge glove walls to know that all that natural brown that use to cover glove sections in your childhood general sports store has been replaced by a rainbow of original and colorful designs. So much so that one might say choosing THE ONE – as exciting as the thought may be – is quite a chore. Here are all your custom glove options: Rawlings’ Gold Glove Club, Wilson’s Baseball Town EXCLUSIVE Flashy Leather Club, My Mizuno Pro Collection, or your very own design, a Custom Glove dreamt up by you – for you (or your loved one) – in the brand and style, and color scheme of your choice. Rawlings has long been offering a Glove of the Month from their Gold Glove Club. Every month, a new, unique, and exciting design is offered to only the finest baseball retailers – like yours truly – to provide customers an opportunity to purchase a LIMITED-EDITION glove model that makes any owner feel like a pro. Wilson used to offer their own Glove of the Month, but since that program has been discontinued for the Canadian market, we’ve decided to partner with this great manufacturer to offer you our very own Flashy Leather Glove Club, by Wilson. Every month, a new unique design calls out “Hey, I was made for you!” to someone out there. New to the limited-edition party is our Japanese partner Mizuno, with their My Mizuno Pro program. These Japanese-style gloves have a very different fit and feel than North American models, but for those who love an asymmetric closure with a palm-centric pocket and smaller hand opening, these unique designs straight from Asia are sure to please. If none of the above seems to hit straight to the heart of your loved one, you can always offer them the gift of creativity, a completely customized design from scratch. All three glove makers mentioned above now offer an online custom shop that allows the user to build their glove from A to Z. The process is easy, but if help is needed, you can always drop into any of our locations or give us a call and we will be happy to assist. In case you were wondering, custom gloves can also be ordered for first basemen and catchers, and all providers offer the Fastpitch/Softball option, so anyone can design the glove of their dreams. It is already too late to have a personalized glove delivered on time for Christmas, but a gift card accompanied by a screen print of our Custom Gloves page can make a great gift, since it is not too late to get that dream piece of leather in time for next spring training. The anticipation will only add to the excitement, and appreciation level, no? EVOSHIELD STANDOUT BASEBALL BACKPACK Many of our loyal customers know that Easton’s Walk-Off Bat Pack has been by far our most popular backpack-style baseball bag over the last five years, and the newest version, the Walk-Off NX Bat Pack has unique new features that have even improved on the original design. So, if you are looking for the best value in a backpack bag that has all the bells and whistles, the Easton Walk-Off NX Bat Pack is a perfect go-to option. But what about an up-and-coming backpack-style bag that flies under the radar? The Evoshield Standout Backpack deserves honourable mention as one of the very good options we offer. Its elongated shape separates it from the pack. The volume is still there, for packing all a ball player needs, but it will be less of a hassle to carry around in tight spaces, or to store in a locker. It also has all the features you are looking for like a fleece-lined pocket for the cell phone, 2 neoprene sleeves for bats, vented cleats compartment, padded backing and shoulder straps, and J-hook for the fence, but what we really appreciate from this compact model are the two outer rugged tubular webbing loops to hang protective gear, that more and more player now need space to carry. Oh, and it's available in 10 different colors! BATS ON SALE We often get that question form our customers: “Do bats go on sale at Baseball Town?” The answer is not very often, and there are a few reasons for that. First, suppliers impose MAP pricing – which is a minimum advertised price – on many of their current models, to protect market viability. Secondly, our buyers know the market, and buy only the quantities we know we can mostly sell out, so we rarely are left with discontinued models to clear out. The final reason we don’t post many bats on sale is that many models are repeated for a second year, which gives us two full years to sell them all at regular price. But 2023 will be a unique occasion for you to take advantage of a rare surplus we have in a few older models due to the huge influx of new models, post-pandemic, and post-supply chain crisis. Louisville Genesis White Lightning (Softball Balanced): If you’re searching for a team bat, the balanced option will satisfy most players. Hitters who like to place the ball, trying to hit for a high average (as opposed to power hitters), usually prefer a balanced swing weight. The fact that Genesis is the hottest bat line in softball, and that this bat offers a very different look than the colorful mix you see on diamonds all over are just icing on the cake! Easton Tiphoon (Softball Loaded): The 2022 Tiphoon is part of Easton’s 100-Year Anniversary series and honors a legacy of performance that is Easton’s trademark. It features a classic look paired with Easton’s cutting-edge Fire Flex technology, for the hottest pop out of the wrapper possible, and the CXN MAX connection that eliminates vibrations for a great feel on contact. Easton Maxum Ultra (Baseball -10): This is the best deal we have. Period! The only one-piece all composite bat on the market and the biggest barrel in the industry. Easton’s state-of-the-art Seamless Carbon Construction is engineered to give you the stiff feel of a one-piece bat, with the massive, smooth-feeling sweet spot of a composite bat. For young players who prefer the 2-piece option, check out this deal on Easton’s ADV Hype. Easton Black Magic (Baseball BBCOR -3): For BBCOR power hitters, this one-piece R5 Alloy beauty represents a high-end performance option at a low-to-mid level price! This bat has a distinctive “ping” sound on contact that only confirms the great feeling you get watching the ball sore. For more bats on sale, visit our liquidation section. THE BBCOR CHAMPION: DEMARINI VOODOO ONE Bat insiders have deemed the DeMarini Voodoo One the best BBCOR bat for the past 2 years. What’s DeMarini’s secret ingredient? The X14 alloy barrel? The one-piece design? The Tracer End Cap? Probably a solid contribution from all three great features. One thing is certain: online reviews unanimously rave about the Voodoo One’s performance level and consistency. It is said to be the ultimate BBCOR power bat with an unmatched feel on contact. Any BBCOR baseball player would go wild over unwrapping a new Voodoo One bat on Christmas morning. Just remember to check the player’s age category requirements in your area to make sure a BBCOR bat is required. For more help choosing the right bat for your favorite player, consult our Bat Buying Guide. NEW BASEBALL BATS: UNDERVALUED MODELS Wanting to have the best of the best, the hottest new bat to hit the market is one thing, but having the budget to offer it in the current economic context is quite another. That’s why we’ve identified one certified USA Baseball and one USSSA current model in both drops 10 and 5 that are priced under $400, but still offer great bang for the buck. Remember that like in any sport, generally high-end technology helps elite players more than it does intermediate or novice level players. Easton Speed Comp (USABB -10): The longest barrel – thus, biggest sweet spot – you can find in a USABB bat. An ultra-flexible barrel, combined with an extra-stiff handle make for a vibration free contact for young players with a weaker grip. Moreover, I challenge you to find another almost fully carbon fiber (90%) bat for under C$250. Easton MAV1 (USSSA -10): USSSA players will love this bat’s alloy barrel performance. A new alloy processing creates thinner walls that result in maximum allowed exit velocities. The balanced swing weight also helps kids who haven’t yet learned to handle end-loaded bats. The beautiful camo black and orange colorway will also catch the eye of any youngster looking to impress his or her teammates. Louisville Select PWR (USABB -5): Sure, Louisville has always been known for its Louisville Slugger wood bats, but the work put into making themselves a bigger player in the metal bat industry is definitely starting to pay off. This 2-piece is their most recent offering in high-end senior league bats. It is reasonably priced, great for players transitioning to BBCOR, and we believe it will be a huge success this season. DeMarini The Goods (USSSA -5): The Goods delivers… Well, you know how this cheesy sentence ends. Cheesy but true. This is a 2-piece hybrid bat with a powerful alloy barrel and a strong composite handle. The barrel may not be as long as some of its competitors, but for more skilled or advanced young hitters, the more concentrated sweet spot will provide plenty of pop. SOFTBALL BATS: UNDERRATED ALL-STARS Slowptich is a universe all its own, and players love their bats. Some even collect them. Suppliers know that and have come to multiply their offerings of new models each year. The market is now flooded with tons of high-performance bats with very attractive colorways, including some pro player signature designs. Fastpitch bats are more akin to baseball, where performance is valued over aesthetics, and where models differ greatly in the technology used to make them. Whether it’s slowpitch or fastpitch, both markets have their leaders of the pack, bats every player knows because they have dominated the landscape over the past two years: Louisville Genesis (slowpitch), and Easton Ghost (fastpitch), for example. But what can you offer your softball player that will make them stand out in the batter’s box, while still getting topflight performance for their 2024 season? Easton Tantrum series (slowpitch): Easton’s latest line of bats offers a model for every type of hitter: A 12.5” barrel Xtra Loaded (1oz at the tip) bat, a choice of 12” or 13” barrel Loaded (0.5oz at the tip) bats, and a 13” barrel Balanced option. All are equipped with Easton’s new G4S composite technology, and all four different color schemes are sure to please any bat freak! Marucci Echo Connect DMND (fastpitch): Just look at the ruckus Marucci caused in the metal baseball bat industry with its CatX! They now bring their exclusive Outer-Locking connection system to this 2-piece bat to create the stiffest connection available in fastpitch. This bat’s mid-balanced swing weight makes it a smooth swing for any type of hitter; conveniently price compared to most of the competition’s high-end offerings. OFF-SEASON TRAINING: SKLZ QUICK LADDER PRO We all know a dedicated baseball or fastpitch player who eats, breathes, and sleeps their sport. These single-minded people don’t take the off-season off. They train to keep their bodies strong and get them ready for next season’s grind. You can spend upwards of $600 to get them a bat that helps their offensive game, but what about those other parts, the defensive game and baserunning? Fielders need good footwork and agility to make the tough plays look easy, and training with SKLZ’s Quick Ladder Pro system is a sure way to improve any player’s acceleration, lateral speed, and change of direction. This easy to set-up and carry ladder system proposes a variety of different drills that will help your slugger round out their game during the colder months. Bonus benefit: this game improvement tool will only set you back $76.99! Click here for more training tools from industry leader SKLZ. MLB LICENCED APPAREL Major League Baseball has gotten a lot better at selling its apparel in recent years. Every team has at least one alternate jersey and cap, which has multiplied the offering, and stimulated the collector’s market. Perhaps your loved one is an MLB team’s biggest fan, or perhaps he or she just loves the baseball fashion statement. Because let’s face it, baseball is becoming cool again! Nike has done a great job revamping MLB uniforms. The cut of the jerseys has been streamlined to look more modern, and the colors are livelier than they have ever been. Nike’s City Connect collection is a creative way to pay tribute to the communities that make up the MLB landscape, and the jerseys that have sprung form the concept are as eye-catching as they are innovative in their design. Maybe you have a fantasy baseball player in the family who follows individual players more than a specific team. Why not get them a name/number jersey? We have a great selection of some of the biggest MLB stars’ jerseys in stock. New Era has also done a great job of diversifying their offerings of themed caps collections. For example, they now have Mother’s and Father’s Day caps, Anniversary caps, and other special edition hats that help anyone find the unique headwear that fits their personality to a tee. Mitchell and Ness’ Evergreen Coop collection of snapback adjustable caps features truly unique throwback designs that have been modernized for a fresh new look. This still little-known cap line offers hidden treasures that are well worth peeking at before settling on the hat that will end up under the tree! If none of the above catch your eye, why not be practical and buy them an MLB tuque to keep them warm during the cold season we baseball nuts despise so much. STOCKING STUFFERS What Christmas shopping list would be complete without a few stocking stuffers? Here is what Baseball Town has for you to make that chimney ornament overflow with seasonal joy: Pro Hitter: A tool most MLB players now use to prevent hand injuries and make gripping the bat more comfortable. Available in Adult and Youth sizes. Eye Black: Whether it’s on a stick or in the form of stickers, eye black doesn’t come only in black anymore, and serves as a team statement just as much as a sun shield these days. Lizard Skins Bat Grip: By far our most popular accessory. Durable, comfortable, and colorful! Pine Tar: Many wood bat players still love the natural feel of the wood handle, and for them, pine tar is an essential grip enhancer. It comes in stick or spray formats. MLB Helmet Stickers: Why not have your young one’s favorite team logo and their uniform number plastered on their helmet? Finally, for those lucky enough to visit one of our stores, we have the tastiest stocking stuffer ever: Big League Chew! Happy shopping everyone!!!

AN ODE TO BASEBALL

The pennants of our favorite teams are all at half-mast; we feel like dressing in all black, we are sad, and we have a hard time concentrating at work. Oh yes, it's the annual mourning of baseball fanatics. The Texas Rangers won the very first World Series in their history, just as we predicted in our playoff blog (well, not really!), and the season is over. Fortunately, just like Jesus at Easter, our favorite sport will once again rise from its ashes next spring. In the meantime, I thought it fitting to pay tribute to the national pastime that holds such a significant place in our hearts, our customs, and our lives, enriching each of our days from March to November. Here is my ode to baseball! AN ODE TO BASEBALL A stick and ball Oh, the possibilities it conjures! From spring to fall Wherever the posse gathers A stick and a ball A contrast of simplicity and intricacy A game that pairs chaos with symmetry Tradition with technology The Silent Generation with Generation Z Friends with foes And memories from the past with… who knows? A stick and a ball From the glaciers in Canada To the southern tip of Australia From the decrepit streets of Republica Dominicana To the architectural masterpieces of America From the Land of the Rising Sun, Nippon To Cuba, where capitalism is frowned upon A stick and a ball Only those who play can relate That feeling that overwhelms your senses When you step up to the plate And crush one senseless That majestic, seemingly unending flight Sailing way over the wall Is a testament to all your might And the thrill of it all A stick and a ball They say pitching is an art But what artist do you know Could conquer the behemoth Aaron Judge Like a hunter with an arrow But in lieu of a bow Are five fingers and a nudge A stick and a ball Ballerinas of the diamond Masters of the leather The grace of a great fielder Is simply beyond comparison A diving catch A jump-throw in full extension With a scoop at first to match A double-play so swift It leaves the hitter miffed A stick and a ball Baseball, the numbers sport So much to sort RBI’s, homeruns, ERA’s, and WAR Statcast even tells us how hard, fast and far Math and physics at work But don’t you call me a dork! A stick and a ball If hand-eye skills are a measure of athleticism Ball players are the epitome I hear your scepticism But try just once and you will see Making contact on a 90 MPH fastball As a task is quite tall Add curves, sinkers, changeups, sliders and sweepers to mix Because those wizards of the mound Possess all the tricks And the most challenging feat in sports you have found A stick and a ball A sunny afternoon at the ballpark Wide-eyed youngsters seeing their heroes perform Feats that are far from the norm While grown-ups gaze in bewilderment But also, with much envy At the astounding gathering of talent That only “at the ol’ ball game” you will see National anthems and the 7th inning stretch Hot dogs, ice cream and cotton candy Foul balls in the crowd you can fetch And perhaps a ninth inning rally All things that induce smiles and glee And inspire gratefulness to be In the Land of the Free And for the uninitiated out there All it would take is one throw Or one spectacular snare Of a shot headed for the bleachers’ second row Or one perfectly located pitch For you to get the itch And like us hear the call To love a sport so consummate That all you need to play it Is a stick and ball

2023 MLB PLAYOFFS BY THE NUMBERS

This is it, the 2023 MLB playoff bracket is complete, and all 12 participants have what it takes to give their opponents headaches. Buckle up, our statistical analysis helps you identify the true contenders among the pretenders.

Carl Lemelin

OPTIONS FOR ELITE BASEBALL PLAYERS IN CANADA

Elite baseball in Canada has never been as healthy as it is right now. Participation in the sport has grown steadily over the past decade, with the pandemic helping accelerate the boom due to social distancing policies keeping soccer players off the pitch. Many young soccer players tried baseball for the first time, realized how much fun could be had on a ball field, and haven’t gone back to soccer. It could also be that today’s parents, who grew up playing more baseball than soccer, want their kids to experience the same fulfillment that their favorite childhood pastime made them feel on beautiful summer days. The one thing we know for sure is that a deeper player pool translates to more highly skilled athletes being developed. We see it in the unprecedented abundance of prominent Canadians in the MLB and minor pro ranks all over North America. But what about the structure of Canadian elite baseball? Concretely, that structure is rather scattered and difficult to navigate for parents looking to find the best option to help their child develop in a way that best suits the player’s individual needs – and the family budget. This blog won’t pretend to have all the answers, but I will try to identify all the different options that are available in the current Canadian baseball development landscape. BASEBALL CANADA Structurally in the Great White North, everything starts with Baseball Canada, the national development organization for our favorite sport. The federation is made up of 10 provincial associations representing players, coaches, and umpires nationwide. Baseball Canada runs national championships every year for all age groups where the best players in the country get to represent their province in a late summer showdown. The federation also runs the National Men’s, Junior (18U) and Women’s teams that represent the country in international events all over the world, including the Olympics. To find elite talent, provincial associations must first create a program that attracts as many kids to the game as possible, so marketing and packaging the sport at the grassroots level within their territory is a huge part of what they do. But what happens after elite level athletes are identified? Where can they go to compete against their peers, where they can keep thriving by facing the best competition available in their age group? HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS As with everything in life, when it comes to finding individual talents that set themselves apart, the more densely populated areas have the most offerings of elite baseball programs. Canada’s geography can make it difficult to find the ideal environment for a teenaged prodigy who lives far away from a metropolitan area, but development programs have popped up in more and more places in recent years. Obviously, it costs less for parents to enlist their gifted child in a local program whenever possible. These are usually available for younger age groups (15U and 16U), since some high school sports programs are an option in most provinces. Provincial associations also oversee localised competitive leagues (AA and AAA levels) for all age groups, which allows skilled players to compete at a higher level while representing their own city or region. These localized leagues are the most cost-effective alternative for families working on a limited budget. However, overachieving kids in these local leagues may not find a level of competition that will challenge them to keep improving their skills. Moreover, most of these programs are limited to summer leagues and don’t offer year-round training for their young athletes. THE ADVENT OF PRIVATE CLUBS AND ACADEMIES Baseball hasn’t escaped the modern trend toward specialized training for elite talents. Since provincial associations aren’t built solely to cater to the best of the best, the private sector has come to the rescue in the form of professional training academies. These baseball schools are equipped with professional trainers, coaches, and even dietitians that teach kids how to get the best out of their abilities. Since a multitude of these academies and clubs have sprouted over the last decade or so, most big cities have a few of them that service the surrounding area. During the summer, academies form elite level leagues for each age group they serve, which ensures high-level competition throughout the season. Some teams also travel to the U.S. for winter training and/or tours and/or tournaments where they get to play travel teams or American elite programs, which adds to the 360-degree learning experience for these prospective future pros. Players who previously played Rep baseball (local competitive levels) are also eligible to play for a privately run team, since academy leagues all run on an open release policy, which means they aren’t limited to a geographical area when a player signs up. As you may have gathered, the only drawback of club baseball is the higher cost to parents, which could range from a few thousand to several tens of thousands of dollars per year, per player. These wide-ranging figures are attributable to the varying arrays of services provided by individual programs (coaching staff quality – i.e., name recognition – and training facilities, equipment, accommodations (if applicable), and possibly travel expenses for tournaments or events. SCHOLASTIC PROGRAMS Maybe this blog should have started with this disclaimer, but the one thing parents or young players need to keep in mind when shopping for an elite baseball program is that only a very select few will ever make a career out of baseball. That means that in the vast majority of cases, having a plan B is extremely wise. That is why programs that combine education and sport may be the prescribed choice for 90 to 99 percent of elite ball players. Some Canadian universities (U Sports), prep schools, colleges, and even high schools offer baseball programs that provide a quality competitive environment for student athletes. While these more affordable alternatives don’t afford players the same visibility as the private club route, it is the best option for families on a very limited budget that understand the importance of acquiring a degree – you know, in case the baseball thing doesn’t pan out. Plus let’s face it, baseball is a game after all, and representing your institution is a lot of fun for older players looking to keep playing the game they love at a competitive level while pursuing a higher education. THE ULTIMATE ELITE ROUTE: U.S. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES For the best of the best, the U.S. College route is unavoidable. A U.S. scholarship provides top echelon players with the best showcase opportunity, where all the MLB top scouts get to evaluate future Big League – or minor league – stars. We won’t get into the details of all the different types of colleges and universities south of the border, but the main difference between the two resides in the years it takes to get a degree: 2 for college, and 4 for university. Obviously, NCAA Division 1 is what all American college baseball players dream about. That’s where all the top MLB amateur prospects get to showcase their games. The NCAA is made up of the top universities in the U.S., which means to play there, the players GPA must be good enough to qualify, and must be kept up while playing for the school. The cream of the crop of the NCAA meets up in the heavily scouted College World Series every June, where many of the MLB draft’s first round picks are showcased. The top Division 1 players get what is called the “full ride”, which means a full scholarship and all basic expenses paid by the institution. Others will only get a full or partial scholarship, no expenses paid. For athletes with lower grades, there is the junior college (JUCO) route. These smaller schools offer 2-year graduate programs at more affordable tuitions for the 99% of student-athletes who know they won’t get the full ride. NCAA Division II, NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) members, and junior colleges have less restrictions on the number of scholarships they can offer, but also have much lower budgets. They do however tend to cover a higher percentage of their partial scholarships than Div I programs to attract more players. Even if the level of baseball doesn’t quite reach the heights of Div I, these leagues are still regularly scouted by MLB organizations and D1 recruiters alike, and there is a career path for the top players in those secondary college divisions. COLLEGE PLAYERS FEEDBACK At Baseball Town Ottawa, we are fortunate enough to have a couple of employees who have experienced U.S. college baseball. Sebastian Pochun is a member of the Dakota Wesleyan University Tigers in Mitchell, South Dakota, and Patrick Mulligan played for two different community college programs, Cloud County in Concordia, Kansas, and Allen Community College last season in Iola, Kansas. Sebastian’s Tigers play in a NAIA conference, which he says is by far the best level of baseball he’s experienced. “You remember Ben Zobrist of the Chicago Cubs? He played (in our conference) when I played for Lincoln College (Illinois)”, the pitcher/outfielder tells me proudly. Seb has played for three different U.S. schools since 2018 and says he has enjoyed the hospitality and intense competitiveness of baseball south of the border. “The one thing most people in Canada don’t realize is the size of the rosters!”. Last season, Seb’s Tigers signed 60 players, which means newcomers must fight for their playing time. That also makes it more difficult for coaches to be as available to players for one-on-one instruction, which was Seb’s main complaint about playing College ball. He was used to much more personalized coaching while progressing through three different club teams in Canada. As for how he was recruited, Seb says he got his big break while playing for the Brockville Bunnies, a private club south of Ottawa. “That’s where I got my best exposure”, he states, since the Bunnies were an independent travel team that played a lot of exhibitions and tournaments. For his part, Patrick got attracted to college baseball by following the NCAA and dreaming of one day living the American collegiate athletics dream. “SEC is what got me hooked when I was 12 or 13”, he recalls. However, reality set in later on, and Pat (A.K.A. “Mully”) knew the NCAA D1 dream was not going to happen. Why? “Full scholarships don’t exist anymore (in baseball), in football yes, but because of my upbringing (…) I was limited with the places I could go”, recounts the player who first travelled south in 2021. Because most baseball scholarships only cover 25% to 70% of the tuition, and the jump in costs between a JUCO or community college and a D1 university is considerable, Mully started searching for a smaller school that would open the door to a college career, and then let his play determine the rest of the story. Unfortunately, an injury would limit his playing time in his first season, but he was able to play 38 games as a regular starting middle infielder in 2022-23 for the Allen C.C. Red Devils. Patrick was recruited while playing for the Ottawa Nepean Canadians organization and got a huge push from the coach to help him find the best possible school for him, one that would cover a good portion of the tuition and afford him the best conditions for development. “I also played for Team Ontario (U17) and Team Canada (U18), which affords you a lot of attention (from recruiters)”, explained Mully. As for the overall experience, the 21-year-old mentions his appreciation for the culture of college athletics, where it’s all about representing your institution. He revels in the camaraderie that creates among teammates and the student body. And the biggest drawback? “I missed the homecooked meals!”, said the young man, who experienced being away from home for the first time. As you can gather, options for elite baseball players in Canada have multiplied over the last decade or so. The private sector has come to the rescue of the Baseball Canada structure and injected more professionalism and depth to the national talent development system. When planning your child’s pathway, you must first answer these questions: What is the ultimate goal? Are we going for a career in baseball or simply looking for a rewarding high-level athletics experience? If the opportunity is out of town, is the player ready to go out on his own and will his destination of choice offer the support a young adult needs to thrive? What is the player’s priority: Exposure? Playing time? Life experience? Travel opportunity? Studies?, etc. What is the family budget? If he chooses the U.S. College route, what are ALL the terms of the scholarship (roster size, travel costs, support staff, food, lodging, etc.)? All of these could play a huge role in the quality of the player’s adventure. Please keep in mind that a kid must enjoy his experience for him to find the motivation to persevere through the inevitable bumps in the road. The bottom line is that no matter how far this baseball thing leads the player, you are investing in his future by providing him with a potentially life-changing experience playing a sport he has been passionate about his entire life. Catering the experience to his individual needs should be the driving focus.

THE LATEST SWAG THE INDUSTRY HAS TO OFFER

Occasionally, we like to give you a glimpse of what’s new in the wonderful world of baseball/softball products. The industry is constantly evolving, and it seems like manufacturers are getting better at listening to their customers, because many new arrivals on the market are flying off the shelves at rates we’ve never seen! Here are a few examples of post pandemic launches at Baseball Town that have already been a smashing success, or that are brand-new and, due to innovative specs or other cool features, have the potential to become the next big thing. BRUCE BOLT BATTING GLOVES We haven’t seen a product this hot in our stores since the first version of the Easton Walk-Off backpack came out a few years back. When Bruce Bolt batting gloves started to appear on TV broadcasts – seeing MLB players adjusting the double-wrap long-cuffs – everyone was curious about these cool looking new hitting accessories. That’s when we made the decision that we needed to bring them into our BT shops, because it’s in our DNA to be ahead of the curve on all innovative products that hit the baseball/softball market. I would be lying if I told you that there wasn’t some scepticism at the Head Office that $120 batting gloves would sell when the most expensive ones on our walls at the time ran for about half that price. So, we started out with a very conservative first order and waited to see how the customer response would go. Needless to say, that first shipment did not last very long. As the cool kids say, we got cleaned out in a hurry! To this day, we can never seem to order enough Bruce Bolt gloves. Mid-season repeat orders are now standard operating procedure. To think that this young company was founded by a 16-year-old from Texas (with a little help from his dad) named Bear Mayer. He was a young ball player who was disappointed with the standard offering of batting gloves. In his view, most batting gloves weren’t durable or comfortable enough. That’s when the design for these rugged, yet very form fitting Cabretta leather batting gloves was created (in 2017). The distinct feature of the original BB gloves was the longer cuff and its double-wrap Velcro straps that offer more wrist support while fastening the gloves more securely to the hands. With this product, the proof really is in the pudding, as they say. In store, the sale closes when the player tries the gloves on. We see eyes light up, expressing the unique, never felt before ultimate comfort, as if the gloves were an extension of the hand – a feel every hitter has always been searching for in his or her batting gloves. That, combined with the feedback all over social media on the gloves’ now legendary durability, has Bear’s little start-up thriving like I’m sure even he never thought possible. Now, Bruce Bolts are offered in long and short cuffs, in different MLB players’ Signature Series, in a Chrome Series (with a chrome BB Lightning Bolt logo), and in all kinds of colors. The company has even started branching out to other products like sleeves, so who knows what’s next for Bruce Bolt’s great American success story? Shop Bruce Bolt Batting Gloves here. MARUCCI CAT X AND LOUISVILLE SLUGGER ATLAS BATS Marucci has long been known as the company that stole the baseball wood bat market away from the dominant grips of Louisville Slugger between 2006 and 2016 by taking over a huge portion of MLB player usage. Although Marucci originally made its name in the wood bat industry, its more recent endeavor into the metal bat market seems to be following the same road to success. Marucci’s new Cat X line of alloy/composite bats is all the rage! Independent online reviews – pivotal to a new product’s marketing these days – have been touting Cat X bats as top-tier performers ever since they were launched. The feedback we get in-store also speaks to this line’s pop, huge sweet spot and incredible feel on contact. Cat X bats are available in BBCOR and USSSA certifications, and come in one-piece alloy, two-piece hybrid (composite handle/alloy barrel), and two-piece composite versions. Shop Marucci Cat X bats here. As previously mentioned, Louisville Slugger is looking to make a bit of a comeback after losing their longtime bat industry dominance. The Atlas seems to be the model that might just accomplish that feat for them. Online testers mention them in the same breath as previous BBCOR king Voodoo One and the Cat X, especially for overall feel. It may be due to their redesigned two-piece connection system, called the Tuned Mass Dampener (TMD). Atlas bats are available in BBCOR, USSSA, USA Baseball, and even t-ball certifications, and are offered in one-piece alloy versions only. Shop Louisville Slugger Atlas bats here. For more on the differences between alloy and composite bats, or for help with selecting the right bat for you or your child, consult our Bat Buying Guide. MIKEN BIGFOOT AND SILVERBACK SOFTBALL BATS Go back five years and Miken/Worth had a chokehold on the slowpitch bat market. But over the past 3 years, Louisville’s Genesis series has carved a huge dent in the previous champ’s supremacy. Louisville has changed the game by multiplying new model launches. There are approximately four to five new regular line launches yearly, and sometimes just as many Signature Series bats are introduced. Miken/Worth is attempting to match that frantic pace. Their most recent offering comes in the form of two hot looking, wildlife-and-power-based models – the Bigfoot and the Silverback. Miken/Worth’s X434 barrel technology offers sure-value performance right out of the wrapper, and both of these gorgeous sticks use it to propel balls into the wilderness. Technically, the difference between the Bigfoot and Silverback is simply a matter of preference. The Worth Bigfoot is a XXL (1oz endload) with a 12.75” barrel, while the Silverback is a XL (0.5oz endload) with a 12.25” barrel. You want full power with a bit more forgiveness on mishits? Go for the Bigfoot. You are looking for more control with a smaller but hotter sweet spot? Go for the Silverback. Shop Worth Bigfoot and Silverback bats here. For more help with selecting the right softball bat for you, consult our Bat Buying Guide. STANCE SOCKS By now, every baseball enthusiast knows about Stance socks. They are MLB’s official provider and are by far the most comfortable and durable baseball socks on the market. Stance socks come in many different colors and schemes, but what many may not know is that they are also made in special edition themed (like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day) and in casual wear MLB versions. The latest in Stance socks offerings is the City Connect collection. City Connect is MLB's effort to connect to each city's story through unique and special team uniforms that reflect what each community is all about. These are the official socks you can see your favorite MLB team sport on the field during City Connect dedicated games. Whether it is to match your own team unis, or because you simply want to rep your fan nation while casually walking down the street, these unique collector’s items will have you looking like a trendy ball player anywhere you go. Shop City Connect and other Stance socks here. CUSTOM CLEATS Most of you already know we offer custom gloves for players who want to feel like a pro on the diamond. The other item we’ve recently seen MLB players customize to their own personal style and messaging is their cleats. New this season, BT has enlisted a Quebec-based visual artist to help customize cleats with custom artwork that creates unique footwear that a very lucky few will sport on ball fields out there this season. These one-of-a-kind shoes are offered in New Balance FuelCell L4040v6 metal and TPU plastic cleats models. You’ve always wanted to express yourself artistically on the field, feel a personal attachment to what you are wearing on your feet, or simply want to be wearing something different that no one else has? This is the product you’ve been searching for! Two exclusive designs are available in this inaugural year: the Drip and the Homer (as in Simpson). What does the future have to offer, maybe truly personalized custom cleats featuring a design of your own? Stay tuned… Shop New Balance Custom cleats here. MITCHELL AND NESS MLB CAPS Just WOW!!! All you need to do is take one look at these old-school snapback MLB caps to want to have them all lined up on your collector’s display in the mancave! Some of these classic head pieces feature anniversary patches on the right side, others an alternate team logo, but I’m certain you will agree that all of them have color schemes that scream out “SUPAH SWAG!!!” Shop Mitchell and Ness MLB caps here.

MLB QUARTER POLE UPDATE

It seems that all we did was blink, and 50 MLB games went by. The quarter mark of the season has come and gone, which means we can assess who’s doing better and worse than expected, and if those trends are likely to continue, or not, through the dog days of summer. Based on my previous blog (2023 MLB Preview), I’ve identified the five most pleasant surprise teams and the five biggest underachievers of the early season. Then, I used their current ranks in the four key areas (Hitting-OPS, Starting Pitching-ERA, Relief Pitching-WHIP, and Defense-Def. Eff.), and the context in which they were achieved to ascertain whether each team’s unexpected performance is likely to be sustained or reversed. *Team ranks are as of May 19th BIGGEST OVERACHIEVERS 1- Baltimore Orioles: To say the O’s rebuild is ahead of schedule is the understatement of the decade! We knew they would be better this year, but giving the A.L. East triumvirate of the Yankees, Rays and Blue Jays a run? Adley Rutschman’s leadership on and off the field belies his years. Baltimore ranks 9th in runs, OPS, and relief WHIP. We predicted the bullpen was very strong, but they are scoring more runs than projected. 21st and 18th ranks in starter ERA and defensive efficiency respectively however do suggest it will be difficult for the upstart squad to keep up with the big boys all the way to the finish line. They have also been one of the rare teams to avoid injuries to their key players, save starting pitcher John Means. 2- Tampa Bay Rays: OK, we knew they were good. But .700 ball through 50 games, including a record tying 13-0 start and only 4 home losses? The drum just keeps beating for the analytics kings. Randy Arozarena has achieved star status, Wander Franco has bounced back from a challenging sophomore season, and the rotation is by far the best in MLB so far, with ace Tyler Glasnow just getting his season started. In fact, the only category the Rays aren’t top ranked is where we thought they would be dominant once again, relief pitching (ranked 8th). They probably won’t keep-up to that pace through the 162-game grind, but a playoff spot is all but clinched, and they must be considered the current clear-cut favorites to win it all. 3- Pittsburgh Pirates: We are already seeing the signs pointing to a return the Earth from the unbelievable heights they experienced in April. The Pirates leading the Central, and tied for the best record in the NL at one point? “That’s impossible” everyone was saying. Funny thing is that they are still in the hunt in a very weak NL Central, but they are back to .500, and the new balanced schedule means they have many games left to play against opponents from the very strong NL East and West. What’s even more impressive about their early success is they did it without their second-best hitter, young phenom Oneil Cruz. It turns out – surprisingly – starting pitching (ranked 7th) is what fueled the Bucko’s spring surge. Mitch Keller has been a true ace, with 8 of his 11 starts qualifying as a quality start. Roansy Contreras, and Johan Oviedo also performed above their weight in April, but have regressed in May. All other Pirates’ ranks fall 15th or worse, so don’t bet on them playing meaningful games in September. 4- Boston Red Sox: The BoSox’ 3rd ranked offense has carried them all year. What’s unusual here is that everything the Red Sox have done seems to match our pre-season grades (B offense, D+ starting pitching (ranked 28th), B- bullpen (20th), and D defense (22nd)), yet they’re over .500 and competing for a playoff spot. For this exact reason, I don’t see them outlasting some of the much more complete rosters in the Junior Circuit come summer’s end. Hopefully for Red Sox Nation, the brass doesn’t misread the situation and sell the farm to get help at the deadline, because this start is a mirage. 5- Arizona Diamondbacks: We called it in our pre-season preview: “(…) could (be) the surprise of the 2023 season”. But Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen, who have been studs, will need help from the rest of the rotation and the pen (both ranked 18th) if the D-backs are to take the next step and challenge for the postseason. Lourdes Gurriel Jr is one of the best off-season acquisitions and hyped rookie Corbin Carroll hasn’t disappointed. Look for the Desert Snakes to make some subtle moves before the July 31st trade deadline to help in a run at the fall dance. BIGGEST UNDERACHIEVERS 1- St-Louis Cardinals: This classic NL franchise has been unrecognizable! 22nd in pitching (both starters and relievers), and 29th in defensive efficiency? The Cards? Was Yadier Molina even more crucial to this franchise’s success than we thought? I did have their rotation ranked as average, but they have proven to be way below that, and not catching the ball hurts the hurlers’ numbers even more. Age seems to have finally caught up to Cards legend Adam Wainwright, now without his long-time reliable battery mate. At least, Myles Mikolas seems to be rounding into form, as the Birds slowly inch their way back toward the .500 mark, but this rotation needs a rebuild. If the Cards are to win this shockingly still claimable division, the bullpen will need to step it up, and guys like Nolan Arenado, Tyler O’Neill and Dylan Carlson will need to help Nolan Gorman and Paul Goldschmidt carry the lineup the rest of the way. 2- Chicago White Sox: Have we all overrated the talent level on the South Side of Chicago? For over three years now, names like Luis Robert, Andrew Vaughn, Joan Moncada, and Eloy Jimenez have been touted left and right as the best young core of hitters in the game. This team was even considered one of the favorites to win it all last year, before completely flaming out. Not only have they not bounced back from a tumultuous 2022 campaign, but they have even regressed further! And what’s wrong with dependable .300 all-star hitter Tim Anderson? Star hitters being just average or worse haven’t helped, but pitching (starters are ranked 23rd, relievers 29th) and defense (25th) are what have the ChiSox mired in 4th place of the weakest division in baseball. The struggles of pre-season Cy Young candidate Dylan Cease are puzzling. At least, the return of closer and cancer survivor Liam Hendricks should provide a welcome emotional boost. Another lifeline for the Sox is the fact that no one has run away with the division, so anything is still possible. 3- New York Mets: Here is a clear case of key injuries playing a major role in the Queen’s ball club woes. Ace Justin Verlander missed the first month-and-a-half, and Edwin Diaz – the best closer in MLB – will miss the entire season after sustaining a knee injury celebrating a big World Baseball Classic win for Puerto Rico. Max Scherzer seems to be rounding into form but had a horrible first month. As a result, the team we thought had the best 1-2 punch atop the rotation now ranks near the bottom in starter ERA (5.29, good for 25th). Pete Alonso is doing all he can to create offense, but star hitters Francisco Lindor, Jeff McNeil, and Brandon Nimmo have been wildly inconsistent. The good news is that the Mets catch the ball well (8th in Def. eff.) and have the 4th best bullpen WHIP, despite the Diaz calamity. Look for the lineup to heat up as the weather does, and the Mets to make a run at the playoffs as expected. 4- San Diego Padres: World Series favorites? Oops, can I get a mulligan here? Huge off-season acquisition, Xander Bogaerts, hasn’t carried his great April into May, Juan Soto has just started to look like his old self after an awful 2022 and April 2023 by his lofty standards, and where is the real Manny Machado? The best OPS after Soto’s .928 on what was considered a semi all-star lineup is Fernando Tatis’ meager .766. All this adds up to a bewildering 26th ranked offense. The rotation has been just OK, but the bullpen (6th in WHIP) and defense (3rd) are positives to draw upon as this scary roster tries to make production match the hype. The talent level is simply too high to expect this team to keep hovering around the .500 mark. The Padres will give the Dodgers a run for their money come September, you can bank on it… I hope? 5- Houston Astros: Most may not have the defending champs on a list of disappointing teams, but let’s look back at my season preview grades for the ‘Stros: A, A-, A, and A+ (for hitting, starting pitching, bullpen, and defense). They have been playing up to these juggernaut ratings lately, but the simple fact that they aren’t leading the AL West is the reason I mention them here. The pitching is as advertised (starters are 6th and relievers 1st), but the hitting has been way underperforming expectations. Yordan Alvarez is having an MVP-type season once again, but the injury to Jose Altuve and big-name bats like Alex Bregman and key off-season signee Jose Abreu have been very slow coming out of the gates so far. Maybe the return of a pure hitter like Michael Brantley is what Houston needs to stabilize the middle of the order, but he is still having issues with a shoulder that’s kept him off the lineup all year. Let’s call it a championship hangover and say I’m not too worried about the Space Crew’s prospects going forward.

2023 MLB PREVIEW

Hope springs eternal this time of the year, but even if every team starts 0-0, we all know who the favorites are... Or do we?

Carl Lemelin

HAIL TO THE CATCHER!

It’s the most active position in baseball. The most physically and mentally demanding. The most dangerous. It's undoubtedly the most important everyday position on the field. And the most fun! Catchers, much like hockey goalies, instantly captivate kids’ imaginations because of the “cool” protective gear they must don. All sports parents know how much the little ones worship eye-catching gear, whether they notice it on TV while watching a game, on the Baseball Town website, or in one of our shops’ display walls. It’s true, sports equipment has evolved to not only better protect athletes, but also to look really good. Color schemes that match team uniforms. A new and improved design for leg guards, chest protectors and helmets, every single year. No detail is spared when it comes to standing out form the competition. But for parents, the priority remains adequately protecting their developing backstop. Of course, there are different foam densities, design technologies and price points that determine protection levels of the gear, but what many shoppers fail to realize is that the most crucial factor to shielding a catcher from potential injury – or probable excruciating pain – is proper fitting. Therefore, let me introduce you to the Baseball Town Catcher’s Gear Fitting Guide, where we go step-by-step into the method our in-store specialists use to fit gear on aspiring masked men and women. KITS Since catcher’s gear is quite extensive compared to other positions, suppliers have combined the most important protective pieces to offer them in easy-to-fit sets. These all comprise of a hockey-style helmet, a chest protector, and a pair of leg guards. All manufacturers have adopted a three-tiered fitting system for catcher’s gear: Adult (Ages 15 and up) Intermediate (12-15) Youth (9-12) Easton also offers a beginner kit (Black Magic 2.0 Junior Youth) that covers ages 6-8. Although very popular, convenient, and suitable for most customers, kits aren’t without their drawbacks. First, you must know that the age brackets are approximate. When possible, you or your child should always try on the gear before purchasing. Second, not everyone is built proportionately, which is what the kit option assumes. Sometimes, one or two of the pieces won’t fit properly or feel quite right on the player. Since that could also be a brand-specific issue, we suggest trying on a different kit in that same age bracket in these cases. If none of the available kits are suitable, the only option is to purchase each individual piece separately. HEAD GEAR There are two options available to catchers for face and noggin protection. There is the more modern hockey-style mask, or the old-school two-piece facemask and skull cap ensemble. The choice boils down to personal preference because both have their pros and cons. The hockey mask offers better coverage and overall protection thanks to an aerodynamically designed hard shell that deflects foul tips with minimal felt impact while also covering the vulnerable jaw and temple areas. The main downside to the one-piece mask is it tends to be heavier since it requires more material to make. For that same reason, it can also obstruct the catcher’s peripheral vision, depending on how it fits on the individual player’s head. Those who prefer the two-piece headwear enjoy the lightweight feel, largely unobstructed vision and old school look it provides. The skull caps are light as a feather and recent technological advances allow for extremely lightweight metal bars on traditional facemasks. However, foul tips are more likely to produce severe concussions and knock both the mask and helmet off the catcher’s head, making him (or her) vulnerable to a second impact if he (or she) loses his (or her) balance and falls to the ground while stunned. As for fitting, facemasks are one-size and aimed mostly at players 12 and over. Helmets (offered in 2 sizes: Adult and Youth) and skull caps are fitted to the player’s fitted baseball cap size. See the Helmet Sizing Chart in our Catcher’s Gear Buying Guide for head circumference conversions. Go to the Catcher’s Gear Sizing Chart in the same Guide for a breakdown of each brand’s helmet sizing range. CHEST PROTECTOR Since January 1st, 2020, all baseball chest protectors have been manufactured in accordance with the new NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) standards. Studies have uncovered some 290 occurrences of commotio cordis in youth sports in the U.S. This life-threatening event happens when the part of the chest that covers the heart, or the sternum is struck with enough energy to cause the heart to stop beating instantly. This is exactly what happened in the recent, much publicized NFL scare involving Damar Hamlin, of the Buffalo Bills. Hamlin’s heart stopped beating after he was struck in the chest by the player’s shoulder he was attempting to tackle. After briefly being able to get back to his feet, Hamlin collapsed and had to be reanimated twice while lying on the field. Thankfully he survived and will make a full recovery. But he is a fully grown adult, whose rib cage is made to protect vital organs. Kids and teens aren’t so lucky. Of the 290 cases mentioned earlier, less than 20% survived. In fact, commotio cardis is the second leading cause of sudden death in youth sports. That’s because their ribs and sternum have not grown to full strength yet. Therefore, it takes less of an impact to cause the same damage to heart that is under 18-years old. So, in 2020 NOCSAE mandated that all high-school and college catchers in the U.S. must wear approved chest protectors. To get the NOCSAE stamp, manufacturers must incorporate an ultra-dense foam pad in the middle of the sternum part of the chest protector that has been tested and proven to greatly reduce the energy of an impact transmitted to player’s inner chest. Canadian minor baseball associations have also adopted the NOCSAE standards and apply it to their regulations. It goes without saying then that when fitting the chest protector to the player, the most important check point is the NOCSAE padding. It must be perfectly centered to the mid part of the sternum. Once the straps are properly adjusted to have the NOCSAE padding in its proper position, make sure the clavicle is covered by the neckline padding. Then, have the catcher get in the crouched position to ensure the bottom of the chest protector doesn’t impede mobility or comfort level. Note that mid to high-end chest protectors also come with an optional/adjustable throwing shoulder guard. This protective cup must be placed directly in front of the shoulder joint. Go to the Catcher’s Gear Sizing Chart in the Catcher’s Gear Buying Guide for a breakdown of each brand’s chest protector sizing range. Chest protector measurements should be taken from the gap at the base of the neck to the navel. LEG GUARDS It could be argued that leg guards have evolved the most out of all the main catcher’s protective pieces. They used to be called shin guards, because protecting the very sensitive shin bones was their original purpose. But that was neglectful of the knees, ankles, and feet, also vulnerable parts of the legs when crouched behind the dish. Today’s pro-level leg guards are equipped with the latest in lightweight, yet very dense foams in the most critical areas: kneecaps, shin bones, ankles, instep, and toes. At the same time, leg guards have evolved to offer much better mobility where needed most: under the kneecaps and above the ankles. Technological advances and progressive designs have made the ever-challenging compromise between protection and flexibility easier to manage for gear engineers. The result is catcher’s gear that frees the team’s defensive captain to execute any play without having his or her mobility restricted or having to worry about serious injury or pain. Since much of the catcher’s typical movement requires swift and efficient footwork, properly fitted leg guards are key to a high level of performance. Here are the check points when fitting leg guards: Position the kneecap on the foam ring or padding in the center of the knee shell With the leg guard strapped and securely adjusted to the leg, have the catcher get in his crouch and double-check that the kneecap is still level with the ring or padding If so, make sure the foot and inner ankle are properly covered Have the catcher get in and out of his crouch and into throwing position to ensure he or she is perfectly at ease. If not, readjust the straps, and if that fails, repeat fitting steps with a different model. Go to the Catcher’s Gear Sizing Chart in the Catcher’s Gear Buying Guide for a breakdown of each brand’s leg guard sizing range. Note that leg guard measurements should be taken from the middle of the kneecap to the top of the instep. For our full selection of complementary catcher’s protective gear and accessories, visit our website.

WHAT’S MY BAT? (PART 2)

Our last blog brought you a complete guide to finding your perfectly suited piece of lumber. As promised, this edition is for the BBCOR and Slowpitch communities. What does BBCOR even mean, and why does my league mandate its certification on my bat? How do I pick a softball bat from the never-ending selection at Baseball Town? If you’ve never received satisfactory, or clear answers to these legitimate and pertinent questions, this blog’s for you! BBCOR BATS Let’s start by clarifying what the BBCOR acronym actually means. It stands for Batted Ball Coefficient of Restitution, which is a scientifically obtained test result for ball rebound off the sweet spot of the bat’s barrel. To measure the BBCOR, a ball is launched at the bat at a consistent speed to get a rebound speed. As the .50 reading that is part of the BBCOR stamping suggests, for a bat to be certified BBCOR, the ball must come back off the bat at half (.50 or 50%) the speed it was launched (for example, a ball launched at 100mph must rebound off the bat at 50mph, or less). This ensures that the trampoline effect off the bat is contained for 15U players and up, where higher BBCOR readings could create potentially dangerous situations for pitchers and infielders during gameplay. That is also why BBCOR certified bats must have a length-to-weight differential (aka drop) of -3, thus reducing bat speed from what the drop 5, 8, or 10 (allowed at lower levels) would produce. The last two criteria a BBCOR bat must abide by are a maximum 2 5/8-inches barrel diameter and a maximum 36-inches total bat length. BBCOR bats, just like USSSA and USA Baseball bats, can be made of composite, alloy, or any mix of the two. The purpose of the BBCOR certification is to make fiber and metal bats act more like wood bats for higher levels of play. Wood bats become mandatory at most 17U levels and sports academies in Canada, as well as most US collegiate summer leagues, some North American adult leagues, and at all pro levels. CHOOSING YOUR BBCOR BAT Much like shopping for a wood bat, feel considerations are very important when looking for your BBCOR tool. A bat must feel just right in your hands when dry swinging it in the store. Also, similarly to wood bats brand preference can be a determining factor in your final selection. Since drop weight is mandated at drop 3, preferred length and weight is determined in the same way we outlined in the previous blog for wood bats. The difference between choosing a BBCOR bat and a wood bat lies in the materials, and the technological benefits the former can provide you. Unlike wood bats, there are many bells and whistles current BBCOR bat models offer that make for a very wide range of price points. These technologies, unique to fiber/metal bats, can stem from any or all these parts: knob, handle/grip, barrel, endcap, and the connection system for two-piece models. Structural materials used in making BBCOR bats include alloy (aluminum-based metal mix), and composite (a mix of carbon and fiberglass) synthetic fibers. There are one-piece full alloy and full composite bats, as well as two-piece all composite or hybrid bat models. Two-piece bats have been around for 20 years and have evolved tremendously since. Connection systems have been perfected to fill their purpose, which is twofold: reduce vibration felt on contact and produce a bit of a slingshot effect by rebounding from the initial shock absorption. There is a caveat to the second benefit, however – it is limited to lower swing speeds. For naturally gifted power hitters, the slingshot effect may not have time to take effect and the absorption action may act negatively on exit velocity. That is why sluggers usually opt for one-piece bats that transfer more energy generated by the swing directly to the ball. That same physics principal applies when comparing barrel materials – composite barrels are springier and more forgiving than alloy barrels. Generally, alloy barrels have a smaller, but hotter sweet spot, and therefore the preferred choice of most homerun artists. Hybrid bats combine the power of an alloy barrel with the shock tampering of a composite handle and connection system. Some models are equipped with soft knobs that also have a vibration dampening effect that helps improve the comfort level of the hitter’s dominant hand. Bat grips and handles have also evolved and improved to include more ergonomic designs that allow players to experience a more natural feel and better grip, thus relaxing the arms, a key to producing a sound, powerful swing. Lastly, endcaps are key to the integrity of the barrel. They have a stabilizing effect to the whole structure of the barrel on contact and play a key role in barrel performance – forgiveness and pop. Their shapes have changed over the years and the trend has been to make them lighter and lighter to help balance out the swing weight of drop 3 restricted BBCOR bats. BBCOR bats’ pricing is strictly based on the performance enhancing technology involved in the manufacturing. Two-piece bats are more expensive because of the research and development involved in their connection systems, and composite bats are more expensive than alloy bats because of the more complex manufacturing process they require. Note that there are grades of alloy, which also affects the price point of various alloy models. As for composite barrel bats, it is recommended to “break them in” by hitting 100 to 200 balls – making sure to constantly rotate the barrel – before using them in competition. This allows for the inner layers of fiber to loosen up and create a more flexible barrel, thus accentuating the trampoline effect on contact. Armed with all this knowledge, you can now start shopping for a BBCOR bat that suits the type of hitter you are, but also fits whatever budget you set for yourself. FINDING THE RIGHT SLOWPITCH BAT First and foremost, when searching for a softball bat you must know what certifications (stamps) your league or event requires. The cacophony of stamps you see on all slowpitch bats is explained in detail in this previous blog: DEMYSTIFYING SOFTBALL BAT STAMPS. Once you have that crucial piece of information, the hunt is on! Many slowpitch players are so passionate about their sport that they watch all the available reviews for all the new models that are launched. Most suppliers now feature three different launches per year, so selection has never been this diversified – and choosing the right bat this tricky… For detailed technical information on slowpitch bats, go to the “SOFTBALL BATS” section of our Bat Buying Guide. Here, I will focus on the basic criteria that will point you in the right direction when you face our dizzying selection in our shops or on our web store. First, figure out what type of hitter you are – skilled or beginner/recreational, power hitter or ball placement. Generally, skilled players will prefer shorter barreled bats. The smaller sweet spot they feature offers more pop when the ball is perfectly struck. Conversely, less experienced, or less skilled players will appreciate the forgiveness that longer barreled bats offer. Our website allows you to search according to your preferred barrel length, which can range anywhere between 12” and 14”. Similarly, power hitters tend to prefer slightly heavier and end-loaded bats, whereas players aiming for a higher average usually select lighter bats with a balanced swing weight. If you are purchasing a team bat, a medium weight (26oz or 27oz), slightly end-loaded (0.5oz on the end) or balanced bat with a 13” or 13.5” barrel would have the best odds of satisfying most players. A quick survey of your teammates could help you zone in on the right specs. As for brand and model selection, as most hardcore softball players would say, you’ve gotta hit with them to find out! I suggest hitting with as many variations of barrel lengths, weights, swing weights, models, and brands you can get your hands on. Rotating between manufacturers when buying new bats is another way of finding your own niche. And if all else fails, do what we’ve seen done many times in our shops – buy the prettiest one or the one that best matches your team uniform!

WHAT’S MY BAT?

Just like learning how to hit, selecting the wood bat that suits you is an art. All you need are a few simple tips to choose the right masterpiece.

Carl Lemelin

HANDICAPPING THE MLB PLAYOFF PICTURE

The new playoff format makes for an exhilarating stretch run!

Carl Lemelin

FRONTIER LEAGUE: A HIDDEN SUMMER DELIGHT

RCGT Stadium in Ottawa is a great place to watch a ball game on a beautiful, lazy summer day!

Carl Lemelin

THE GLOVE’S THE THING

What ballplayer doesn't love shopping for a new glove?

Carl Lemelin

MID-SEASON MLB POWER RANKINGS

We have reached the halfway point of the 2021 MLB season and now have enough of a sample size to pass judgement on each team’s chance to go all the way come October. These power rankings are based on the squad’s probability to either win the World Series, make it to the playoffs or improve their odds of doing so within the next few years. Divisional competition can be a major factor affecting these odds, so be advised that this ranking is not a pure statement of roster strength like most others out there. I like to base my opinions on raw data (team stats this season) and odds of improvement or regression when considering injuries, underperformances or over performances, which all impact sustainability. I used 5 major team stats to establish my rankings (next to team name in order, MLB ranks in parentheses): run differential, team OPS, team ERA, team relievers WHIP and team defensive efficiency*. These cover all aspects of the game. Since I believe the latter three are the most relevant to success come playoff time, I do tend to weigh them favorably in my final analysis, especially when considering two closely matched franchises. *Stats as of July 7th THE ELITE… 1- HOUSTON ASTROS +141 (1) - .792 (1) – 3.61 (8) – 1.31 (14) - .724 (1) Purists won’t like it, but garbage can banging isn’t the only reason the ‘Stros are this good. Jose Altuve has found renewed swagger, Yordan Alvarez is obviously over his sophomore jinx of 2020, Zach Greinke keeps finding creative ways to get outs, Lance McCullers Jr has developed into a true ace, and most of all the Astros catch the ball better than anyone. Oh, and Alex Bregman hasn’t gotten really hot yet. 2- TAMPA BAY RAYS +78 (6) - .713 (15) – 3.55 (7) – 1.17 (3) - .710 (7) The defending AL champs do it their own unique way, but they’ve proven it works, year after year, and without having any superstars to lead the way. The bullpen is stacked as always, giving hitters a completely different look almost every at bat. Manager Kevin Cash is a mastermind and despite the fact they are an analytics driven franchise, they remain fluid, innovative and unpredictable in the way they approach each game. 3- LOS ANGELES DODGERS +116 (2) - .745 (10) – 3.17 (1) – 1.28 (11) - .714 (3) What has happened to former MVP Cody Bellinger? His play is the sole reason the consensus pre-season favorites are not ranked number one here. The Dodgers are still the NL juggernaut, but Mookie Betts and the pen will also have to see a bump in production if the defending World Series champs are to repeat. Developments in the Trevor Bauer legal case will also be a key factor going forward. 4- SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS +106 (3) - .759 (4) – 3.28 (2) – 1.11 (1) - .724 (2) Much like the Rays, you can’t get a good handle on how good this Bay squad really is just by scanning the roster. The well rounded Giants are the only team to rank in the top 10 in all 5 stats considered here… and they are top 5 in every one!!! And that’s despite their best hitter from last season, Mike Yastrzemski, being in a season long slump. Two straight seasons of being a pleasant surprise can no longer be considered a surprise, right? 5- SAN DIEGO PADRES +77 (7) - .731 (12) – 3.40 (5) – 1.18 (5) - .702 (10) Ranked a solid no. 2 to start the season, the Padres were widely seen as the only squad talented enough to give the rival Dodgers a run for their money (literally!). But disappointing first halves from starters Blake Snell and Chris Paddack have held the Friars back a little. The lineup seems to be rounding into shape after a slow start and should be a major strength for the upcoming stretch run. 6- CHICAGO WHITE SOX +99 (4) - .748 (8) – 3.62 (9) – 1.13 (15) - .689 (19) Everyone’s preseason sleeper pick to win it all, the ChiSox have been an inconsistent bunch, plagued by a couple of extended slumps, mainly caused by the combination of a surprisingly inept bullpen and plain bad defense. The rotation is elite and the lineup is loaded. Plus they should get superstar Eloy Jimenez back for the September stretch run. 7- OAKLAND A’S +25 (10T) - .718 (14) – 3.89 (11) – 1.28 (9) - .699 (13) As usual, no glaring strength or weakness to speak of on this Moneyball squad. That defense is better than its current 13 rank and perennial MVP candidate Matt Chapman is way better than his current .725 OPS clip. They do miss departed Marcus Semien’s solid offensive and defensive contribution, but an underrated pitching staff led by Frankie Montas and Chris Bassitt should make them a threat to shock everyone. 8- MILWAUKEE BREWERS +49 (9) - .692 (22) – 3.50 (6) – 1.32 (16) - .714 (4) To echo the Dodgers question, whatever happened to Christian Yelich? The fact that the Brew Crew is leading the Central without their MVP making his usually superhuman contribution can only be seen as a great harbinger of things to come. The pitching is second to none with rotation studs like Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes, and bullpen behemoths Josh Hader and Devin Williams. THE CONTENDERS… 9- TORONTO BLUE JAYS +79 (5) - .784 (2) – 3.97 (12) – 1.28 (12) - .696 (16) The middle of the lineup gives opposing pitchers fits. Vlad Guerrero Jr has arrived and is carrying the temporarily relocated franchise to new heights. The arrival and pleasantly surprising performance of rookie starter Alek Manoah has bolstered a thin rotation. Injuries in the pen have kept the Jays from challenging for the division lead, but make no mistake, they have all the elite level talent needed to go all the way if they make it to fall dance. 10- NEW YORK YANKEES +1 (15) - .722 (13) – 3.82 (10) – 1.16 (2) - .700 (12) Beware the sleeping giant! Three elements currently absent from the Bronx Bombers’ game should soon make them the dangerous team everyone expected: typical D.J. LeMahieu and Luke Voit production, along with the mid-summer heat that makes balls fly out of Yankee Stadium. However, Gerrit Cole will need to get over his post “sticky substance scandal” slump for the Yanks to make any noise into September and October. 11- NEW YORK METS +3 (14) - .676 (27) – 3.35 (3) – 1.31 (13) - .705 (9) The Mets are living proof that the old adage “The name of the game is pitching” can hold true in as tightly contested a division as the NL East this season. They have one of the very worst attacks in the game, but still hold a comfortable lead atop a division that has no weak link. Jeff McNeil, Michael Conforto and even Pete Alonso will need to find their typical strokes however if this all arms, no bat bunch are to make any October splash. 12- BOSTON RED SOX +61 (8) - .757 (5) – 4.00 (13) – 1.37 (19) - .655 (30) You may ask yourself how I can rank a division leader below 3 other teams in the same division. You need only gaze at the rankings for team ERA, bullpen WHIP and defensive efficiency for the answer. I had the BoSox in the bottom third of these pre-season rankings for that very reason. Thin pitching and awful defense is a terrible way to play winning baseball and this run of luck will run out in the second half, despite all the runs they can score! 13- CINCINNATI REDS +5 (13) - .751 (8) – 4.48 (20) – 1.43 (26) - .689 (20) Another team fighting for the division lead, but has unsustainability written all over it. Bottom third ranks in all three metrics critical for late season and playoff success. Sonny Gray wasn’t the ace the Reds were counting on, even before his injury, Luis Castillo is unrecognizable and the pen is shaky at best. MVP candidate Nick Castellanos is leading a potent lineup, which is why the Reds can still hope it may be enough to catch the Brewers. 14- CLEVELAND INDIANS -28 (20) - .686 (24) – 4.48 (21) – 1.28 (10) - .696 (14) The Tribe probably don’t have enough lineup meat around Jose Ramirez and Franmil Reyes to either catch the White Sox or win the Wild Card race, but there is room for improvement in the rotation, as Shane Bieber and Zach Plesac (just back from IR stints) haven’t been quite themselves yet. The bullpen is solid. 15- SAINT-LOUIS CARDINALS -41 (21) - .677 (25) – 4.22 (16) – 1.42 (25) - .711 (5) This one is a complete mystery. The Cards have always been the model NL franchise, able to find hidden gems and make them blossom through a steady system. Now, they finally have a jacked up lineup filled with stars like Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado and Dylan Carlson among others, but hold the 25th ranked OPS. It’s not too late for the storied franchise to make a run, but the injuries to ace Jack Flaherty and number two Miles Mikolas may thwart that effort. PRIMED FOR A MAGICAL RUN? ... 16- WASHINGTON NATIONALS -4 (16) - .733 (11) – 4.04 (14) – 1.25 (8) - .711 (6) Don’t sleep on the 2019 champs! Juan Soto hasn’t yet hit his stride, but is showing signs of making yet another run at the MVP title, Stephen Strasburg’s return from injury is imminent, the Nats always pitch and defend as well as any NL East opponent, and this division is there for the taking for any team who wants it badly enough. 17- LOS ANGELES ANGELS -26 (19) - .762 (3) – 4.97 (26) – 1.42 (24) - .678 (27) Yes, Mike Trout should return in August, but there’s no way the Halos can ever pitch or defend well enough to ever hope catching up to the Astros or A’s. 18- ATLANTA BRAVES +16 (12) - .747 (9) – 4.26 (17) – 1.44 (27) - .695 (17) They were slated for 10th on this list before MVP front runner Ronald Acuna Jr blew out his knee. Add to that an injured and legally troubled Marcell Ozuna, and that means less pitches to hit for last season’s NL MVP Freddy Freeman. The bullpen is underperforming terribly right now, so a significant uptick should be expected in the second half, but with their ace Mike Soroka out for the season as well, a miracle is all the Bravos can cling to. 19- CHICAGO CUBS -15 (17) - .701 (18) – 4.05 (15) – 1.22 (6) - .709 (8) After a hot start, the bubble has burst on the North Siders. The pen, anchored by a rejuvenated Craig Kimbrel, has been surprisingly efficient, but there just isn’t enough in the rotation to keep the dream alive into the late summer. 20- PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES -21 (18) - .710 (16) – 4.39 (18) – 1.40 (23) - .681 (25) Same old, same old for this truly troubled franchise. Year after year, the record never matches the sum of the parts. Fixing the perpetually pathetic bullpen should be the priority. 21- SEATTLE MARINERS -54 (22) - .672 (29) – 4.50 (22) – 1.23 (7) - .695 (18) Reliable bullpen, but a quick glance at the rest of their ranks tells you they don’t have a prayer of sustaining that winning record. MAYBE NEXT YEAR… 22- MIAMI MARLINS +25 (10T) - .675 (28) – 3.39 (4) – 1.17 (4) - .700 (11) With that good a run differential, you’d think they have a shot at it, but with one of the power three in the West almost assured of claiming the Wild Card spot, the young up-and-comers may have to wait another year. The pitching is young and really good, but they need a few more bats to surround underrated superstar Starling Marte. 23- DETROIT TIGERS -67 (25) - .695 (20) – 4.65 (23) – 1.49 (28) - .689 (22) The Big Cats have been a much tougher pray than expected for their opponents this season. The pitching seems to be coming around. Now it’s time to find more athletes to fill the lineup and flash some web around the diamond. … OR IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS… 24- COLORADO ROCKIES -57 (24) - .706 (17) – 4.72 (24) – 1.54 (30) - .689 (21) Will spin rate analytics ever help them figure out the type of pitcher they need for sustained success on the mound in the Mile High City? 25- MINNESOTA TWINS -69 (26) - .748 (7) – 5.01 (27) – 1.38 (21) - .681 (24) The lineup is still one of the most explosive in the Majors, but they have completely lost their way on the mound and in the field. 2021’s biggest disappointment by far! 26- TEXAS RANGERS -53 (23) - .690 (23) – 4.48 (19) – 1.36 (18) – .686 (23) Consistently mediocre across the board. Where do you start? 27- KANSAS CITY ROYALS -87 (27) - .693 (21) – 5.04 (28) – 1.40 (22) - .672 (29) For a small market franchise that must rely on drafting and developing, they’ve missed on too many young pitching prospects lately. One of only 2 teams to rank in the bottom 10 in each key statistical category. 28- ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS -123 (30) - .677 (26) – 5.22 (29) – 1.51 (29) - .679 (26) The only other team to rank in the bottom 10 in each key stat, the D-Backs are even further away from respectability than the Royals. 29- BALTIMORE ORIOLES -120 (29) - .699 (19) – 5.53 (30) – 1.38 (20) - .676 (28) After a 2020 season where there were signs of progress, 2021 has proven that it’s back to the drawing board. Future catching stud Adley Rutschman is already the face of the franchise and he has yet to play a game in The Show. 30- PITTSBURGH PIRATES -116 (28) - .659 (30) – 4.78 (25) – 1.33 (17) - .696 (15) Bring on the youth movement… Fast!!!

BAT FITTING: LOOKING PAST THE CONFUSION

Shopping for the right bat can become a rather confusing experiment for most parents.

Carl Lemelin

NEW ARRIVALS 2021

What's new in 2021?

Carl Lemelin

MLB 2020 PLAYOFFS PREVIEW

Brandon Lowe is the offensive leader of a team that has all it takes to win the masked World Series.

Carl Lemelin

UNDER ARMOUR COLD GEAR FOR A LONGER FALL

This unique year we are experiencing has forced many baseball/softball leagues to push their playoffs back a couple of weeks. Many leagues actually plan on playing well into October… Brrrrrr! We can already feel Mother Nature cool down our spirit on game nights. But for baseball and softball, adding layers also means losing some comfort and mobility. Under Armour is a company that has built its reputation on innovation within the performance sports apparel industry. UA: A BRIEF HISTORY In 1996 at Georgetown University in a Washington suburb, founder Kevin Plank, an ex-collegiate football player, first wanted to develop a baselayer t-shirt that could wick moisture and allow the athlete to stay dry and comfortable throughout a game or practice. Plank soon understood that textile innovation alone wasn’t enough to provide his new brain child with the desired level of visibility. It is a partnership with the producers of the 1999 cult movie Any Given Sunday that will forever engrave the UA brand in the collective conscience of sports enthusiasts. The young company’s logo is featured in many scenes of this pro football-based drama starring Al Pacino and Jamie Foxx. Having seen the fallout from this kind of visibility, in 2001 Under Armour becomes the official baselayer apparel provider for the NHL, MLB and USA Baseball. Bang! Under Armour hasn’t looked back since. Ever since, the company that went public on NASDAQ in 2005 has built on this momentum and we can now easily distinguish its interlocking UA logo on star athletes all over the globe. COLD GEAR: FOR OUR EARLY AND LATE SEASON GAMES Plank quickly realized that if he was able to come up with fabric combos that kept the athlete dry and cool in warm weather, all he needed to do was instruct his R&D department to now find a way to keep winter athletes warm. The challenge was far from trivial. Up to that point, the only known way to protect against the cold was to isolate the body by layering. This method entails two major drawbacks when playing sports: Adds weight (especially when clothes get wet) and reduces mobility and comfort level; Cooling effect caused by humidity on the skin’s surface. When surveying health experts, UA researchers also understood the importance of regulating body temperature to insure the athlete’s top performance level. When the skin’s outer layer cools down, the brain sends its first signals of the hypothermia defense mechanism. Blood circulation is redirected mainly to the vital organs, which is why our extremities are where we first feel numbness on the coldest days. Yet feel in the hands is what most baseball/softball players rely on. Moreover, the discomfort and shivering caused by the cold is a hindrance to the precision and coordination needed to perform, whether at the plate, in the field or on the mound. Under Armour suggests wearing Cold Gear apparel when the temperature drops below 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12 Celsius). Without going into detail about the fabrics, here is how the Cold Gear concept protects from the cold without adding weight or reducing mobility: Insolating fabrics and yarns use the warmth produced by the body to keep you warm during physical activity; The compression property of the apparel promotes blood flow towards all extremities; The double-layer fabric helps wick moisture away from the skin without allowing too much heat to escape; Micro vent channels along the inner-layer of the fabric keeps skin dry, maintaining the critical balance between dry skin and protection from the elements. Just as important to the level of performance, Cold Gear apparel is made of a 4-way stretch weave fabric which allows for more mobility and flexibility. I wear the Cold Gear undershirt myself on colder nights in May, June and September. I must admit I was very skeptical when I first saw and touched the product a few year back. Believe me, coming from one of the most cold-adverse humans alive, Cold Gear technology is no myth. It really works! Try it yourself this fall and you’ll never wear that thick pullover sweatshirt again. To see our selection of colors and buy your own Under Armour Cold Gear undershirt, click here. Don’t hesitate to comment below with your feedback on our products.

MLB PREVIEW 2020: PREDICTING THE UNPREDICTABLE

Trying to guess who will win the COVID-19 World Series is an (almost) impossible task!

Carl Lemelin

THE EVOLUTION OF PITCHING: SPIN RATE

Will the spin rate approach to pitching spell the end of Greg Maddux like artistry on the mound?

Carl Lemelin

GET BACK IN GAME SHAPE WITH SKLZ

SKLZ has an array of training tools that will help players of all ages stay in baseball mode until league play is allowed to resume.

Carl Lemelin

ASSESSING THE LAUNCH ANGLE REVOLUTION

Had enough of these COVID-19 lockdown doldrums? Well, it seems we may be ready to get back to some semblance of normalcy soon, which means we can start getting back to thinking baseball! As we slowly move along the downswing of the pandemic, I thought let’s address a concept that is definitely on an upswing among hitting instructors all over the baseball community: the so-called launch angle swing. UNDERSTANDING LAUNCH ANGLE First off, let’s dispel the myth: there is no such thing as one single launch angle swing. Rather, there are swing mechanics that, when combined, will help the hitter create a more efficient launch angle; and a more efficient launch angle has been proven (by Statcast’s wealth of accumulated data over the past few MLB seasons) to produce more offense. If you’re in your 30’s or above and played youth baseball, you were probably taught to hit down on the ball in order to produce liners and grounders, avoiding those easy-to-catch fly balls. This makes complete sense for prepubescent kids, since infielders don’t turn a high percentage of ground balls into outs. The problem arises when this type of hitting philosophy keeps being drilled into more experienced, higher level players (ages 15 and up). In the Majors, grounders are outs. Infielders’ skill level and opponents’ scouting (see defensive shifts) have combined to reduce ground ball hits to a few rare crumbs. Two factors make hitting the ball in the air more productive: It takes five infielders out of the play (leaving only three outfielders, who must cover a huge expanse of real-estate, to get to the ball before it hits the ground); Guaranteed better slugging, because extra base hits matter and ground ball hits are almost exclusively singles. Statcast data I spoke about earlier has shown that to get the ball over the heads of infielders, the launch angle must be of 15 degrees or higher (a 0 degree launch angle is a liner at the pitcher’s mid-section and a 90 degree launch angle is a pop-up straight over home plate). As for the slugging sweet-spot, it was determined to be on balls hit at anywhere between a 25-35 degree launch angle, with 33-35 degree strikes producing max distance. But there is a caveat to this launch angle love affair. There is another critical variable to slugging: ball speed. And this is where hitting instruction gets more complicated. Because if you tell a hitter to hit more balls in the air, he won’t always be able to hit that desirable 25-35 degree window. In fact, most of the time he won’t, which means many 40-50 degree fly balls with more air-time, so more likely to produce outs. That is unless those balls are hit at speeds exceeding 95 mph (also called barreled hits). Why 95 mph? Because that is the minimum ball speed deemed necessary by Statcast to produce, in most cases, homerun distance on sweet-spot launch angle hits. And we know outfielders can’t catch homerun balls. So what is more important: hitting the ball at an ideal launch angle or hitting the ball hard? Trick question. They are both as critical to producing slugging and offense. Which is why the right question instructors must ask themselves is this one: Which skill is easier to teach: launch angle or barreling the ball? This one is obviously easier to answer. While barreling the ball is no easy task, it is a much more manageable technical achievement than hitting the precise spot just under the ball’s equator that will launch it within that 10 degree sweet-spot window. NEW-SCHOOL HITTING INSTRUCTION Just as there isn’t one perfect swing, there isn’t one ideal swing that will create a more elevated and powerful strike. The key for instructors is to gauge what works best for the type of hitter they are working with. In general, most hitters should work on barreling the ball more consistently, while more naturally powerful hitters should work on techniques that will favor elevation. The easiest way to increase the likelihood of barreling the ball is to ensure that the bat stays in the hitting plane of the ball as long as possible. That necessitates a major paradigm shift from what used to be the prevailing swing basics: short stroke with hands going directly down toward the ball. Conversely, the new school way is an early set of the barrel while the hands stay back, so the bat’s path is straight at the ball’s path and through the hitting zone longer, with a slight uppercut action. As for efficient power, that comes from bat speed, which in turn is produced by optimizing rotational separation between the hitter’s upper (shoulders) and lower (hips) half angles. This may sound very abstract when explained simply with words, but it covers the basics behind the change in hitting instruction brought about by the current launch angle revolution in baseball. For a visual or a more detailed look at what I just explained, I urge you to watch this video from The Bringer of Rain himself, former AL MVP Josh Donaldson. Donaldson is one of the most eloquent students of hitting in the majors. Oh, by the way, we have his Pro Model Marucci bat in store for you too! So come in store (reopening May 11th) or visit our website to purchase your easy to set-up practice tee and net from Rawlings, Easton or SKLZ and start working on your launch angle mechanics today! If you are a youth baseball coach, please give us your take on launch angle. Post your comments below.

WHY NOT BASEBALL, LADIES?

The growth of women's baseball is undeniable. Québec's Player of the year Alexane Fournier is proof of that.

Carl Lemelin

10 POSITION BATTLES TO KEEP AN EYE ON

Here’s a list of 10 positions battles to look out for each position on the eve of opening day.

Christophe Lachance-Tardif

NL NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

We have already gone over the new year’s resolutions for the 15 squads of the American League, so let’s now tackle the other clubs from the National League!

Christophe Lachance-Tardif

MANFRED’S LEGACY

The signs stealing scandal involving the 2017 Houston Astros will be a hot topic for many more weeks/months to come. Here's what our very own Carl Lemelin had to say about it!

Carl Lemelin

AL NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

Wondering what were the new year's resolutions for the MLB clubs? We got you covered with 15 resolutions for all the American League squads!

Carl Lemelin

LAST MINUTE GIFT SHOPPING?

Only ten days until Christmas and you still don’t know what to get that baseball nut of yours? Well, we’ve got a few suggestions for you!

Carl Lemelin

QUÉBÉCOIS BASEBALL’S UNICORN: PHILIPPE AUMONT

A look back at the career of Quebec's very own, Philippe Aumont!

Carl Lemelin

EVOSHIELD: FOCUS ON PROTECTION

Maybe it’s the amount of money pros are making these days. Maybe it’s the playersfinally wising up. Or maybe it’s simply better, more suitable products being madeavailable. Whatever the reason, there is no denying that the market for protectiveequipment in baseball has exploded in recent years. It used to be that the batting helmet, the fielder’s glove and the cup were the onlyprotectives stores carried in their baseball sections. If you watch MLB games now, yousee players wearing extra padding all over their bodies. On batters, we see jaw-guards, elbow guards, wrist guards, hand guards and shin, ankleand/or foot guards. Fielders commonly wear inner wrist guards and baserunners, tiredof being spiked on the hand, have turned to an apparatus called the mitten, that hugepiece of equipment you can easily notice in their back pocket while in the batter’s box. THE ORIGINS EvoShield was founded back in 2006, when its founders decided to consult a chemist, acardiologist and a group of former collegiate and pro athletes to try to develop theultimate sports protective gear. The goal was to find a way to improve impactdispersion and functionality over existing protective gear on the market and offerathletes the ultimate alternative. The eureka moment came when researchers developed and patented the “Gel-to-Shell”technology, a material that reacts with elements in the air and turns the product from asoft, moldable material to a hard and durable shell. Just like that, EvoShield had something none of its competition could copy, a productthat gave high performance athletes the compromise they had been seeking for so long:hard enough to give them maximum shock dispersion, yet initially malleable, to shape toany body part and also offer comfortable functionality. By 2010, EvoShield was distributing an array of protective gear to retailers all over theU.S. When the products hit the shelves, customers were already familiar with thecompany logo. They had seen it on TV broadcasts of football and baseball games, onequipment worn by stars like Michael Vick, Cody Ross, Josh Hamilton and MannyRamirez, among others. THE PRODUCTS EvoShield first gained national recognition when NFL quarterbacks started being fittedwith compression undershirts in which pre-molded protective shells would be inserted.Vick was the first of many QB’s to confirm the merits of this new technology for theseathletes, especially vulnerable to rib injuries, but to which mobility is so crucial. In Baseball, EvoShield was first noticed on 2010 NLCS MVP Cody Ross of the Giants, whowore its wrist guard and on Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton, wearing the very visibleelbow guard at the plate. I can remember everyone asking: “What company is that withthe diamond-shaped logo?” The industry giant Wilson has since acquired EvoShield andthe logo has been one of the most highly visible on MLB fields today. As the brand name suggests, EvoShield has evolved and now offers a diversified productline to customers. Its elbow, leg and ankle guards combine the practicality of the “Gel-to-Shell” with the durability of Polyester. Its three different types of wrist guards(hitting, fielding and sliding protection) add the mobility and comfort of neoprene. Other products include a protective Fastpitch specific compression vest with a chestshell insert and a catcher’s thumb guard that prevents sprains or fractures stemmingfrom off-pocket catches or foul-tips. The company also offers non-protective productssuch as batting gloves and compression sleeves. Of course, all the openly visibleproducts are offered in a variety of colors that can be matched to the athlete’s team. For the full list of available EvoShield products in our stores, please follow this link:Here If anyone has an EvoShield story to share, we would love to read about it. Pleasecomment on this blog! Remember, we always love to hear from our readers and customers. Please do nothesitate to send us any feedback (good or not so good) on any of our products at:info@baseballtown.ca.

2019 WORLD SERIES: HIGHLIGHTS, HEROES AND LESSONS

How the Nationals went 19-31 through 50 games to go all the way to win the World Series.

Carl Lemelin

THE YEAR OF THE RECOIL

We look back at the best selling slowpitch bat in 2019 across all Baseball Town shops: the Miken Recoil!

Carl Lemelin

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