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MLB's annual trade show and conference for players has started. It's only for the best players as the non-All-Stars are home with their families. For four days! The break for players is welcomed. Fans may feel differently.

There are 36 first-time All-Stars. That's amazing! The Phillies have 8 All-Stars. @Pirates Paul Skenes is starting the All-Star game for the National League and that's right. Elly de la Cruz will play in the All-Star game due to the injury to Mookie Betts. Rafael Devers is passing on the All-Star game but he did not pass up to hit a big home run on Sunday to help the Red Sox to a 5-4 win.

We will do our midseason report on Thursday.

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!

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The most famous stolen base in MLB history occured in the playoffs but not the World Series. Gordon mentioned that before the modern era there was a period in which taking an extra base - like going first to third, was counted as a stolen base.

MLB wants more action to show off player athleticism. They succeeded but stealing bases does not automatically lead to winning MLB games. It sure beats watching guys strikeout and more outs on the bases means fewer strikeouts. Yay!

We also discuss the most famous steals in baseball history. One of them is much higher up than all the others.

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at Almostcooperstown@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Twitter/X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel. And please tell your friends!

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#Twins Jose Miranda has hits in 12 straight at-bats. Amazing! Only three other hitters - Walt Dropo, Pinky Higgins, and Johnny Kling have done it before - but you knew that!

#Cubs Justin Steele pitched a complete game on 95 pitches to get his first victory of 2024. It was a pseudo-Maddux. But the Cubs still struggled this week.

Worst run-differential in MLB belongs to the #WhiteSox with the #Rockies and #Marlins pretty far behind. NL Wild Cards did not sort themselves out this past week.

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at Almostcooperstown@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Twitter/X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel. And please tell your friends!

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Mets closer Edwin Diaz got himself suspended for 10 games for having too much rosin and legal goop on his hand a week ago Sunday. The roster spot cannot be filled so the Mets will play short for 10 games. PED violations that result in a player suspension do not impact filling the roster spot the next day. Does that make ANY sense?

Wild card race in the NL is nuts with 9 teams having 40-45 losses and all vying for the 2nd and 3rd Wild Card. What's wrong with the Cubs? Why are they currently in last place? Are the Rangers toast? Will Jacob DeGrom ever pitch for them? Seems like forever that he's been injured.

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at Almostcooperstown@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Twitter/X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel. And please tell your friends!

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Willie Mays did not flaunt it as much as did Joe DiMaggio who reveled in being called Greatest Living Ballplayer (GLB) that he insisted on being introduced that way at public events. But after Joe D. passed away the debate was between Henry Aaron and Willie Mays with Mays' superior defense being a deciding factor. Both Aaron and Mays were amazing and we discuss the whole idea of GLB being silly.

Mays and Mickey Mantle were both barred from baseball by then commissioner Bowie Kuhn for their associations with Atlantic City casinos. Willie's expulsion came five days after he was elected to the Hall of Fame! So we talk about gambling and baseball and the hypocrisy that exists before turning to a more fun subject in discussing who might be the GLB now that Willie and Henry are gone.

We also pick a starting 9 of the greatest living ballplayers and even that was a tough choice!

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at Almostcooperstown@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Twitter/X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel. And please tell your friends!

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Why did McDonald's allow Grimace to throw out the first pitch at a Mets game? It looked bad until the Mets promptly won 7 games in a row! The White Sox had a player get doubled off to end a game when he forgot how many outs there were. Kyle Finnegan pitch-clock violated the game-winning run - the first time that's happened since the new rules were implemented in 2023.

Both #Cubs Shota Imanaga and #Yankees Luis Gil were shelled last week impacting their chances to start the #MLB All-Star game next month. #Rangers Max Scherzer returned in style as part of a shutout victory pitching 5 one-hit innings. #Orioles Kyle Bradish is out for the season with yet another UCL injury.

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at Almostcooperstown@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Twitter/X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel. And please tell your friends!

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Since we are father and son we're very interested in baseball fathers and sons. Bobby and Barry Bonds are at the top of the all-time father and son combinations when it comes to bWAR. We talk about them and all the other top father-son combinations.

We also cover the 19 father-son combinations represented in MLB today based on opening day rosters. How may fathers were HOFers who had sons playing in MLB? Have sons ever made the HOF when dad didn't?

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at Almostcooperstown@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Twitter/X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel. And please tell your friends!

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There were many big stories in baseball last week. We did not even talk about the College World Series which had 3 walkoff wins in the first two days! More injuries for the Orioles pitching staff and the Astros have more to deal with too. Aaron Judge continues to fly and #Rangers pitcher David Robertson had a week he'll never forget!

Which teams might be sellers you don't expect?

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at Almostcooperstown@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Twitter/X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel. And please tell your friends!

www.almostcooperstown.com