2019 was supposed to be a big year for the Phillies. They acquired Bryce Harper, the biggest free agent of the offseason. They further solidified an already-promising lineup with other new faces, including an aging… Read more »
The Nationals are World Series champions and the offseason is here. Before we start looking ahead to the spring, however, it’s time to look back…to the spring. That’s right, no-one who made a preseason win… Read more »
When it comes to Nippon Professional Baseball, the most persistent topic of discussion tends to be the names of the players who are going to try and make the jump to Major League Baseball. There… Read more »
Many months back I sent an email to my editors here at Banished to the Pen pitching the idea of relegation being brought to Major League Baseball. They were receptive, but then in my research,… Read more »
Scrolling through the all-time best seasons in sWAR found on the Seamheads Negro League Database, the name Dick Lundy doesn’t appear until the 40s, and in total he only makes the one appearance. It’s not… Read more »
Presented here is a virtual baseball card series that aims to serve as an introduction to sabermetrics: Why is on base percentage better than batting average? What’s a good OPS? What does wRC+ mean? Most… Read more »
The former Mudville nine faced likely loss upon that date, (they’d moved from Mudville years before — it was best to relocate). With Cooney-Barrows out one-two, in the ninth, down five to three, a tiny… Read more »
When discussing the great Negro League players one gets used to hearing about the same group of players. Satchel Paige, Bullet Rogan, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and a few others are the mainstays of… Read more »
Ivan Nova is sneakily special. Six pitchers threw more than 160 innings in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and had ERAs below 4.20 each of those years: Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Corey Kluber, Jake Arrieta and… Read more »
The Baseball Project is a baseball-themed rock super-group, made up of veteran musicians Scott McCaughey, Steve Wynn, Laura Pitmon, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills. The band started when McCaughey and Wynn met and discovered a… Read more »
Franmil Reyes. Franimal. La Mole. There are a few names for one of the most interesting players in the big leagues this year. He certainly has one of the most interesting triple-slash lines — Reyes… Read more »
[Ed. note: Banished to the Pen contributor Mike Moriarty passed away on April 28, 2019. This was a piece submitted shortly before his passing, and we’re running it today as a tribute to Mike. He… Read more »
For the longest time, the Negro Leagues were more myth and legend than they were fact. Stories were told about players, teams, leagues, seasons, managers, and careers that painted many as legends more than they… Read more »
The knuckleball is a beautiful, mysterious, fang-toothed monster of a pitch. It is Ali-like in its ability to both float and bite, seemingly at random. It’s uncontrollable for throwers, catchers, and prospective hitters. It’s no wonder so much… Read more »
The purpose of this series has always been to shed light on aspects of the Negro, and associated, Leagues that deserve recognition. Great seasons that have never gotten their due, excellent careers that went unnoticed,… Read more »
Welcome to the fifth edition of Banished to the Pen’s annual win prediction and projection extravaganza. In the name of making everyone accountable for predictions they usually didn’t want to make, as well as keeping… Read more »
There has been much consternation, and dare I say some gnashing of teeth, about the state of the Boston Red Sox bullpen on the doorstep of the 2019 season. In its annual positional power rankings,… Read more »
[Ed. note: This preview was split three ways with John LaLoggia handling the fungoes, while Brandon Lee sought some answers on projection systems from Darius Austin] A song to play while reading about the Cubs:… Read more »
[Ed. note: This preview was split between two of our resident Tigers fans, AD and Mark Sands. Enjoy!] A song to play while reading about the Tigers: “Rich Kid Blues” by the Raconteurs. Led by… Read more »
A song to play while reading about the Blue Jays: “Eyes on the Prize” by Arkells Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. is the “face” of the Toronto Blue Jays. He has also yet to play even… Read more »
A song to play while reading about the Phillies: “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye The opening bars of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” might have popped into Bryce Harper and Scott Boras’s… Read more »
Song to play while reading about the Braves: “Just The Way You Are” by Billy Joel The Braves had some cash to burn this offseason (Craig Kimbrel is still available, folks), and some great young… Read more »
A song to play while reading about the Dodgers: “Walkie-Talkie Man” by Steriogram. This was one the best songs on one of the best soundtracks of one of the best baseball video games ever: MVP… Read more »
A song to play while reading about the Reds: “Here Comes the Sun,” by The Beatles because there’s finally reason for optimism about this team. While some contenders with more resources largely sat idle this… Read more »
A song to play while reading about the Yankees: “Never Going Back Again,” by Fleetwood Mac. After years of big spending on aging veterans under George Steinbrenner, Yankees GM Brian Cashman has taken the reins… Read more »
A song to play while reading about the Pirates: “Bankrupt On Selling,” by Modest Mouse. This is likely evergreen for the Bob Nutting-era Pirates, but just as appropriate in 2019 as ever. I have indeed… Read more »
A song to play while reading about the Brewers: “Love & Hate,” by Michael Kiwanuka An entire generation of Brewers fans, myself included, weren’t even alive the one and only time they appeared in the… Read more »
A song to play while you’re reading about the Nationals: “I Will Survive,” by Gloria Gaynor. This team will be fine with Bryce Harper hitting 40 homers for a division rival. Just…just fine. The Washington… Read more »
A song to play while reading about the Red Sox: I honestly never understood the appeal of “Theme Song to New York, New York” until it became the Red Sox’ preferred way to troll the… Read more »
A song to play while you’re reading about the Cardinals: “The Glory of Man” by Minutemen. This song is track 20 on the 1989 CD release of Double Nickels on the Dime, and in 2019… Read more »
