A’s Coverage:
- Coffey: A’s minor-league manager Webster Garrison ‘fighting for his life’ with COVID-19 ($$$)
- Slusser: Liam Hendriks, wife Kristi lose friend to coronavirus; how they’re coping ($)
- Slusser: An A’s scout in failing health found hope on his 46th birthday: a new heart ($)
- Byrne: How The Delayed Season Impacts The Athletics
- Hickey: Coliseum Being Looked at as a Site to do Battle with Coronavirus
- Hickey: A’s Fans had Warm Welcome Planned for Astros
- Hickey: Curt Schilling Big on Twitter but Short on Memory in Attacking A’s Fans
- Gallegos: A’s Top 5 first basemen
- Rowland-Smith: Liam Hendriks interview on The Top Step podcast
- Thanawalla: Ever wonder why A’s mascot is an elephant? It involves a Giants insult
- A’s Twitter: Happy birthday to MC Hammer (March 30)
Best of AN:
MLB News:
- ESPN: Dr. James Andrews temporarily suspends Tommy John surgeries amid pandemic
- MLB extends support for minor league players (Passan: It’s $400/week)
- Sherman: MLB season likely to start without fans in quest for most games
- Cahill: NCAA Division I Council Grants Spring Sports Athletes Extra Year Of Eligibility ($$$)
- Rogers: (Brief summary of above news about NCAA athletes) ... Cooper: (Brief analysis thereof)
- Gillies: Toronto ban on public events would NOT include Blue Jays games
- Edwards: MLB Isn’t Losing TV Revenues Yet
- Todd: Evan Gattis Confirms He Is “Done Playing”
Baseball Interest Stories:
- Clair: One weird fact you may not know for every team
- Schoenfield: The biggest MLB one-hit wonders for every American League team
- Olney: Noah Syndergaard case an example of complex financial decisions to come
- Doolittle: From Mays to Trout: What lost career time means for the legacies of MLB greats
- MLB Pipeline: 30 prospects we’ll be talking about in 2022
Today in Baseball History:
- 1957 - Called by Les Biederman of The Sporting News “one of the most unusual games in modern spring training history,” Kansas City and Pittsburgh battle through 18 innings to a scoreless tie “before probably one of the smallest crowds of the season anywhere, only 432 paid admissions.” Starting at 1:30 p.m., the game is called by mutual agreement at 5:27 because of impending darkness and high winds. Each team uses three pitchers, with the Athletics managing eleven safeties and the Bucs held to seven. Of the latter total, Roberto Clemente accumulates three, including the contest’s only extra-base hits, a leadoff double to begin the game and a one-out double in the top of the 18th. Clemente then saves the game in the bottom of the frame by gunning down Clete Boyer trying to go from first to third on Vic Power’s single with none out.
- 1970 - An ownership group headed by automobile dealer Bud Selig buys the Seattle Pilots for $10.8 million. Selig will immediately move the Pilots to Milwaukee, WI and rename the team the “Brewers.” The Pilots lost $1 million during their lone season in Seattle, WA.
- 1985 - Today’s issue of Sports Illustrated contains a fictitious article about a New York Mets pitching prospect named Sidd Finch, whose fastball has been timed at 168 miles per hour. Author George Plimpton offers bogus quotes from real-life members of the Mets, as well as several staged photos, and fools readers nationwide.
- 1996 - Longtime umpire John McSherry collapses and dies from a heart attack on Opening Day at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium, in the 1st inning of a game between the Reds and Expos, which is cancelled. The 51-year-old McSherry had umpired in the National League for 26 seasons. Reds owner Marge Schott hits a low point with her insensitive remarks, blaming the late umpire for spoiling the team’s opening day celebrations.
Best of Twitter:
Webster Garrison update (h/t Susan Slusser)
#WebbyStrong pic.twitter.com/q4rLbOAEUQ
— Nikki Trudeaux (@cajunurse911) April 1, 2020
Also, an update on prospect guru John Sickels
Even if it isn't covid, I clearly have a lung issue of some kind.
— John Sickels (@MinorLeagueBall) March 31, 2020
I think it is important for people to share their experiences with this bug.The historian within me that likes real-time descriptions, but also so that other people can see the course of how this thing progresses.2
On a lighter note, it’s not looking good for the A’s lone rep in the Best Hair tournament. (Click here to see the full bracket.)
Best Hair in Baseball #BHIB TOURNAMENT - ROUND ONE
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) March 31, 2020
Who Has Better Hair?@Athletics @Aj_Puk11 https://t.co/RFVJgCMlUw@Padres Chris Paddack https://t.co/5ZQBb9x8l4
We should just replace it with “U Can’t Touch This”
We're at the point where every line of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” is illegal. You can’t take anyone to a ball game, you should NOT go out with the crowd, & for the love of God don’t ask strangers to buy you peanuts & cracker jacks. You don’t know where their hands have been.
— Hank Azaria (@HankAzaria) March 31, 2020