MLB '24 Regular Season Thread

Terrible news. Jeff's son. RIP way too early.

 

Geez that's awful. Only 43. So recent that his Baseball-Reference page isn't updated w/his death. He dealt w/some pretty serious addiction issues in his 20s but got clean and came back to play a bit in the majors before playing well into his 30s in independent leagues. Terrible news. RIP.

 

Being a baseball star in Long Beach is a big deal. That city has long been a hot-bed of baseball, going back to Bob Lemon, Rocky Bridges and Bob Bailey, and including the Gwynn and Burroughs families. Beating a team from Long Beach was a major achievement.

 

Best baseball city in the world.

You're a lucky sportswriter if you get to cover Moore League doubleheaders at Blair Field, or Moore League games at all.

 

Sean Burroughs honestly was one of the first modern U.S. Little League "celebrities," after Cody Webster and Chris Drury. The Far East had dominated for so long, Long Beach breaking through was something new. And Burroughs had the personality and, even at 12, the swagger to dominate the scene.

 

Add Long Beach State into the mix as well.

 

Skenes is still very new to pro ball. He has a favorable matchup. Curious to see how this goes.

 

The Cubs will certainly get their fill of young starters with wicked stuff in the series with Jared Jones tonight and Skenes tomorrow, but pitchers are unpredictable enough, much less rookies.

 

Enjoy it while you can; no doubt he’s headed to Tommy John surgery in the near future.