Thomas Lincoln’s Post

The Business of Baseball.... I have been recently criticized for being overly optimistic about the Pittsburgh Pirates and the great work Ben and his front office staff has been doing. However this move and timing does not make any sense to me. Just Why and Why now??? I was very disappointed to hear this news. It is particularly upsetting to me because I scouted J.t. Brubaker and I know first hand his work ethic, the type of pitcher and teammate he is! Competitor, work horse... Sure I may be biased, but he has been one of our most productive pitchers since he made his debut. I was really looking forward to him coming back and helping us get into the playoffs. Plus this timing is terrible. The Pirates players are all starting to believe and build something here, so why do this now? He is not even taking up a roster spot since he still listed on the injured list, coming off of TJ. Why not bring him back? Show he is still a serviceable MLB arm and then trade him for something in return? Also in baseball, we always say you can never have enough pitching. I have seen so many articles by industry experts claiming that we have not done enough to bolster our staff. So why would we just give away one of your most productive pitchers for nothing and now while he is not even taking up a roster spot? Why? Because it is a good ole fashioned Salary dump... I am sure there are a lot of players in the locker room questioning this decision. This is where the analytics get it all wrong. You never get better as an organization by getting rid of good quality players and teammates. J.t. is a work horse and a great team guy! Then on top they bring in German who is well known for his off field issues. I am all for giving people second chances, but not at the expense of getting rid of someone like J.t....We are constantly asked when are the Pirates going to stop being a minor league team for the Yankees? Well apparently not yet... I give the Yankees credit, they are smart and do their homework. They know J.t. will help them. No doubt this will go down as another Clay Holmes debacle. There is no other way to put this except that this is nothing other than a Salary dump and on top of that we are giving away our International Bonus Pool money to go and sign other top prospects, all for a player to be named later.... Budget reducing.. Not what is best for the team. #sourgrapes

Since the #RedSox were eliminated, there isn't a legitimate reason for me to care much anymore about baseball. That doesn't mean I don't care. I pay attention and do have some opinions. I was debating as to whether or not to share them, but decided to be helpful and give you all a guide, especially if you are not educated on baseball. Here goes. Let's first start with who shouldn't ever win. The Yankees. This one is easy, they should be eliminated in the first round and hopefully just get sent packing after the first game - can that happen? I hope it does. 🤢🤢 Dodgers. Everybody dislikes them. Why are they even a team anymore? Seriously? Astros. Yeah, they're cute and cuddly and they have that really cool train filled with oranges in the outfield, but whatever. We get it already. Go away. The Braves. The only reason people even watch them or root for them is because there was nobody else to watch in their market. We all got TBS and suddenly everyone is a Braves fan. Ick. Phillies. I don't want to say too much because for a "city of brotherly love" I think most of their fans wanted to hurt me when I wore my Red Sox shirt there. Go Phillies 😖 Lots of people dislike the Mets, but they're rarely ever a threat, so I will leave them alone. The teams that are tough to dislike - Brewers, Guardians, Tigers, Orioles, Padres, and Royals (not kidding, the Royals are contenders. Seriously, look it up.) Now is the time to pick your team. Being an underdog guy, my hope is for the Brewers or the Padres because neither have ever won a World Series. Like I said, I have no real dog in the hunt, but I am going with Milwaukee for the win. The city is awesome and they have to deal with awful weather most of the year. The Padres live in San Diego, you win life every single day. If you are looking to debate. Debate baseball. This post that will not get any negative pushback at all - watch! 😉 #Baseball

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SHOHEI OHTANI He's done it. Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers' $700 million man, became the first player in MLB history with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season. And he did it in the most Ohtani way possible, with perhaps the greatest single-game offensive performance of all time, Jeff writes. By the numbers: He entered Thursday's game against the Marlins — a 20-4 Dodgers rout — with 48 home runs and 49 stolen bases. He then proceeded to go 6-for-6 with 3 home runs, 2 doubles, 2 steals, 10 RBI and 4 runs scored. It was the first five-hit game of his career (much less six), and he's just the 16th player in MLB history with 10 RBI in a game. In fact, he's the only player to have — over the course of their entire career — a game with 10+ RBI, a game with 6+ hits, a game with 5+ extra-base hits, a game with 3+ home runs and a game with 2+ steals, and he did it all in a single game. To inaugurate the 50-50 club. What a season: The soon-to-be three-time MVP, who in case you've forgotten is rehabbing from elbow surgery, is batting .294/.376/.629 with 51 HR, 51 SB, 120 RBI and 123 R. And by the way, he's only been caught stealing four times. His 50th steal. The big picture: Thursday was an all-time game at the end of an all-time season from a player who might just go down as the greatest of all-time. And while I've run out of words to describe him, here's Yahoo Sports' Jordan Shusterman on Ohtani, who has proved yet again that he's capable of the impossible. This season wasn't supposed to be about Shohei Ohtani's stats. After three years of increasingly mind-blowing on-field achievements from the two-way player, Ohtani's offseason jump from the Angels to the Dodgers introduced a wealth of intriguing new storylines involving the once-in-a-lifetime talent. But with elbow surgery at the end of last season restricting Ohtani to DH duties in 2024, our collective instinct was to put our hopes for more never-before-seen feats on hold for a year while he rehabbed his way back to two-way status. In the meantime, there was no shortage of captivating subplots to monitor: A $700 million free-agent contract with unprecedented deferrals. Ohtani's fit atop a lineup with two other MVPs in Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. How he would handle his DH responsibilities while simultaneously rehabbing the second elbow surgery of his career. A gambling scandal involving his former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, that rocked the baseball world just before Opening Day. The chance to play in October after six consecutive losing seasons in Anaheim. Teaming up with another Japanese superstar in Yoshinobu Yamamoto. His wife! His dog! And on and on. With so much else surrounding Ohtani's debut season in Dodger blue, his raw statistical output — temporarily limited to that of just a hitter (and one who doesn't play defense) — seemed likely to be secondary.

As the baseball season winds down, here are some observations: - Because the MLB season has more games than any other professional sport, the sport is closer to life's ups and downs than NFL football. The NBA and NHL seasons are as long as MLB's, but they play about half the number of games. The standings today look far different in many of the divisions than they did at the halfway point. - The Milwaukee Brewers were the 1st team to secure a playoff berth. The team lost its manager and star pitcher. It was not expected to do as well as it did. Another surprising team is the Cleveland Guardians. They have a rookie manager, and only one big name star, Jose Ramirez. I saw them play in August. They execute superbly on fundamentals and lead their division. - Given the hoopla about all the stars the Dodgers acquired during the off-season, they are barely ahead of the Padres, largely because of the number of injuries to pitchers. - The Yankees did not make a lot of moves at the trade deadline, but the move they made, the Jazz Chisholm trade, and the energy he brought to the team has made a big difference. The Orioles' poor performance in the last 8 weeks has been puzzling. - The Astros looked dead after 1/4 of the season, but they will again finish 1st in their division. - The American League Central Division is likely to have 4 playoff teams because the White Sox, the 5th team, is historically bad. Each of the other 4 teams has a better record as a result of the unbalanced schedule that gives them more games against the White Sox. In short, the MLB season also reflects life's many surprises and disappointments. This season has also been more interesting than most because there are no dominant teams. Every one has flaws.

🏈 Tough Loss, but the Season's Far from Over 🌉 The 49ers suffered a heartbreaking 27-24 defeat to the Rams, marking their first loss of the season. Despite leading for much of the game, critical moments like a costly interception and a missed field goal proved decisive. QB Brock Purdy showed flashes of brilliance, but the offense stalled in the fourth quarter when it mattered most. The defense, while strong at times, couldn't contain the Rams' offense in crucial situations. This loss is a setback, but it also highlights areas for improvement. Consistency and the ability to close out games will be key as the 49ers move forward. What are your thoughts on the game? What do the 49ers need to work on for the rest of the season? Share your opinions in the comments below! 👇 #49ers #SFvsLAR #NFL #NinerNation #FaithfulToTheEnd

THE HYPE IS NOT REAL - PART 2 Last night the Dallas Mavericks tried to even the NBA Finals series with the Boston Celtics at 1-1. During the 2024 playoffs the Mavericks had been defeated in multiple first games of playoff series, but never two games in a row. That is, until last night. The Mavericks and their leader, Luka Doncic, came ready to play. In fact, they had a small lead at the end of the first quarter. The Mavericks played through Doncic, but they still went into halftime behind on points. On the other hand, the Boston Celtics shot three pointers horrendously, but still managed to go into halftime with a six point lead. They hustled on the offensive glass and earned extra shots which often led to easy baskets. The Celtics also defended at a HIGH level. Ask P.J. Washington, who had his breakaway dunk cleanly blocked by not one , but two Celtic defenders (Jalen Brown & Derrick White). Granted, the Dallas Mavericks were much more competitive in game 2 than game 1. Luka Doncic had a triple-double, five Mavericks players scored in double figures, but the Celtics again won easily. Ironically, the 26 points by Dru Holiday has been the highest point total by a Boston player during the NBA Finals. In conclusion, the Boston Celtics had an "off" shooting night during game 2, but they still managed to win because they hustled, shared the basketball, and played excellent team defense. The Dallas Mavericks allowed Luka Doncic to dominate the basketball on offense, pad his stats, and play matador defense just like the Houston Rockets had allowed James Harden to do only a few years earlier. Maybe it is a Texas thing, or maybe it is poor decision making by those believing the hype. If you keep doing the same thing, then you are foolish to expect a different result. P.S. I predicted a 4-1 finish with the Boston Celtics winning, but my brooms are breakdancing in the corner!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

🏈 Fantasy Football Alert! 🏈 Looking to stay atop the work office pool? Here's another set of waiver wire picks to give your team the edge: - Bucky Irving (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - If you're a Rachaad White owner listen up...his hold on the backfield might be coming to an end. Irving saw an uptick in usage in week three and could be on his way to a RBBC in Tampa Bay. - Cole Kmet (TE, Chicago Bears) - Rookie QBs lean heavily on tight ends and Caleb Williams is no different after connecting with Kmet 10 times for 97 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Kmet should continue to see a ton of the ball for the Bears. - Jauan Jennings (WR, San Francisco 49ers) - Jennings took advantage of his opportunity (unlike his teammate Ronnie Bell) and turned his WR2 week into an 11-catch, 175-yard, three-touchdown game. Depending on when Deebo returns to the lineup, he's a good FLEX play for the time being. - Carson Steele (RB, Kansas City Chiefs) - Last week was the week when Steele got picked up in most leagues but if he's still available, grab him and run. It's clear he'll see the majority of first and second down touches while Pacheco is on the IR, which means heavy production in Kansas City's offense. - JuJu Smith-Schuster: (WR, Kansas City Chiefs) - It's clear Rice is WR1 but JuJu has familiarity with Mahomes. Add in Kelce's drop-off and a WR room that lacks experience, Smith-Schuster could see his role grow going forward. I wouldn't pick him up yet but is one to watch, #FantasyFootball #WaiverWire #NFL #FantasySports #WinningStrategy

New Post: How to watch Clippers vs. Mavericks: TV channel, Game 2 live stream, time, NBA playoffs odds, prediction - https://lnkd.in/dzceGdMf The Dallas Mavericks quickly learned that you shouldn't take your opponent lightly, even if their best player is out. Heading into Game 1 of this matchup against the Clippers, Dallas was favored because Kawhi Leonard was ruled out, and rightfully so, L.A. is a different team without the two-time champion. But instead of Dallas getting a win, they not only lost Game 1 but were pretty embarrassed, fell behind by as many as 29 points, and never held a lead in the game. That's thanks to James Harden, Paul George and Ivica Zubac all eclipsing the 20-point mark, while Terance Mann and Russell Westbrook reached double figures as well.Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for 64 points. But when the rest of your starting lineup musters up only 14 points combined with the bench adding on another 19, you're not going to win any games.As we prepare for the Clippers and Mavericks matchup, here's what you need to know ahead of Game 2. Clippers vs. Mavericks Game 2Date: Tuesday, April 23

New Post: White Sox slash next year’s season-ticket prices amid one of the worst seasons in MLB history - https://lnkd.in/gxM9QSUu The Chicago White Sox announced big season-ticket price cuts on Wednesday. Then just hours later, Yankees captain Aaron Judge hit his historic 300th career home run against them. When the Yankees won 10-2, it marked Chicago's 93rd loss of the season. With 93 losses halfway through August, the White Sox are entering coveted territory with the worst teams in baseball history. Currently, the White Sox are on pace to finish 38-124. If they did, that would beat the 1962 New York Mets – the first year of the team's existence – for the most losses in a single season. This comes after a 101-loss season in 2023.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Ky Bush of the White Sox pitches against the New York Yankees at Guaranteed Rate Field on Aug. 12, 2024, in Chicago. ( Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)And so, attendance has struggled. The team has the fourth-lowest average attendance in the majors this year at 18,307 per game, which is down from 21,405 last year. And now, the team's senior vice president and chief revenue and marketing officer, Brooks Boyer, admits they simply have to cut prices for season-ticket holders next year. AARON JUDGE MAKES REMARKABLE MLB HISTORY WITH 300TH HOME RUN"It’s going to be a little bit different, understanding what has transpired here overall the last couple of years," Boyer told reporters on Wednesday. "After looking at that, understanding where we are organizationally, we thought it was important that it’s something we do for our season-ticket holders who have been very loyal to us."The team's failings resulted in the firing of manager Pedro Grifol, who was replaced with interim manager Grady Sizemore. Fans who spent the money to see the team possibly win a series against the first-place Yankees on Wednesday night got to see Sizemore make the decision to intentionally walk Juan Soto to set up Judge with two men on in a 6-2 game. Judge made them all pay for Sizemore's decision, belting his 300th career home run to extend the Yankees' lead to 9-2. Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees hits a single in the seventh inning against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on Aug. 13, 2024, in Chicago. (Quinn Harris/Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPChicago was officially eliminated from winning the American League Central after Tuesday's loss, mathematically clinching more losses than the first-place Cleveland Guardians. This means that even if the Guardians were to lose every game for the next month and a half until the end of the season and the White Sox won every game, then Chicago would still have more losses. Realistically speaking though, Chicago is on pace to finish 59 games out of first place, which actually would not be the most in a season. That rec

All Star Snubs??? Over the weekend, the reserves and pitchers were named for the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, which will be held July 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The starters were named last week.  As is the case every year, it’s disheartening to see deserving players left off the All-Star team, often referred to as ‘snubs.' One snub that stood out to me was the Arizona Diamondbacks First Baseman, Christian Walker, who left off the team. Walker is having an impressive season with 22 home runs and more than 60 RBIs and helped lead the DBacks to the World Series in 2023. Last week, the D-Backs were in LA to play the Dodgers, and Walker put on a clinic, much like he did in the ’23 playoffs, hitting five home runs in the three-game series. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called him “Babe Ruth against us.” But apparently, the Babe wasn’t good enough. Part of the problem is that every team must have at least one all-star representative, a rule designed to ensure every team is represented, but which can sometimes leave one less slot for other deserving players. Ironically, this year’s NL All-Star manager is the D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo, Walker’s manager. But Lovullo clearly couldn’t pull the strings for one of his guys. As we mentioned earlier, this year’s team includes 19 players under the age of 27, but what about older players like Walker, now 33 and in his 10th MLB season?  A shame. John Boxley Box-seats.com