On-Base Perception
Newsday's new all-encompassing baseball blog on the Yankees, Mets, MLB and more from around the sport.
The worst baseball movies of all-time
Photo credit: AP, 2008
Baseball always has been the best sport for generating arguments, and that extends to movies about the sport.
In honor of Friday's release of "42," the biopic about Jackie Robinson, here are Neil Best's worst baseball movies of all time. Feel free to disagree.
1. The Babe Ruth Story (1948)
2. The Babe - starring John Goodman (pictured) (1992)
3. Headin' Home (1920)
4....
Read more »Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon: 'That cannot happen in a major league baseball game'
Photo credit: AP
The Rangers beat the Rays, 5-4, in Arlington last night, Stony Brook alum Joe Nathan closing the game to earn his 300th career save.
But Nathan got a controversial assist on the milestone from home plate umpire Marty Foster.
With two outs in the ninth, a runner on first, Evan Longoria (3-for-3) on deck, the Rays down by a run and a full count on batter Ben Zobrist, Nathan fired a breaking...
Read more »Yankees prospects stock watch
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The 2013 Minor League Baseball Analyst arrived in the mail the other day, which can only mean one thing: time to check out how last season’s top prospects advanced (or declined) over the course of the 2012 season.
Instead of simply giving scouting quotes about a particular player, the Analyst gives them a letter and number grade as a projection. For instance, an “E” gives them a ten percent...
Read more »Mets-Phillies pitching matchups
Photo credit: Getty
PHILADELPHIA -- The Mets had plenty of flaws a year ago.
However, playing decent baseball in Philly wasn't one of them. The Mets won all three series played in Philadelphia in 2012. The only other time that's happened was back in 1989. All told, the Mets won the season series, 10-8, while going 7-2 at Citizens Bank Park.
The pitching matchups as the Mets (4-2, t2nd NL East) begin a three-game...
Read more »Magic numbers: 793, 42, 36, 16, 0
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793: Consecutive sellouts for the Red Sox, a record the team expects will end after Monday’s Fenway opener pushes it to 794. “We’re proud of it, but we move on,” team president Larry Lucchino said. Surprised the Sox didn’t try to pin this one on Bobby V., too.
42: Players, including Alex Ramirez on Saturday, who have reached the 2,000-hit milestone in Japan, which is considered a similar honor...
Read more »Three outfield free agents for Mets fans to watch
Photo credit: AP
In both words and deeds, the Mets’ current regime has made their plans about 2014. Not counting arbitration raises and minimum salary for pre-arbitration players, the front office has committed just $33.55 million to next season’s squad. That’s over $50 million less than the 2013 squad. An impressive position player core should be in place by next April, headlined by David Wright, Ike Davis and...
Read more »Mets get first look at Marlins prospect
The amount of information available about players is staggering. Scouting reports are more sophisticated than ever. But when the Mets faces 20-year-old Marlins phenom Jose Fernandez on Sunday afternoon, they may have to resort to the most basic level of scouting: word of mouth.
While the Mets have seen tape of Fernandez, the highly touted prospect who is making his big league debut, nobody...
Read more »Brett Gardner: The next $100 million man?
Photo credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams, Jr.
Robinson Cano isn’t the only Yankee the team should worry about locking up to a long term extension. Brett Gardner might be the best value in the Major Leagues. For now.
Gardner, a .266 lifetime hitter with just 15 career home runs, has sneaky – but enormous – worth. From an offensive perspective, his .355 career on-base percentage and 81 percent success rate when stealing bases (127-for-167)...
Read more »Ump asked fans to stop tipping off pitches for Mets
Photo credit: AP
Home plate umpire Jim Joyce stopped play in the eighth inning of the Mets' 7-3 victory over the Marlins on Saturday afternoon to ask that fans behind home plate stop tipping off pitch locations for Mets hitters.
"Apparently, there was a couple of fans screaming out location or something like that," Mets catcher John Buck said. "So, obviously, we don't want that. That could get...
Read more »Mets clear space for Laffey, option Familia to Triple-A
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Following the Mets' 7-3 victory over the Marlins on Saturday, the club made two moves to clear space for their Sunday starter, lefthander Aaron Laffey.
The Mets optioned righthanded reliever Jeurys Familia to Triple-A Las Vegas, a move that opens space on the 25-man roster. The club also moved pitcher Johan Santana to the 60-day disabled list, which opened up a spot on the 40-man roster.
Laffey...
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