Second To None
One of Chicago’s great sporting heroes leaves the field
It’s always hard when a part of our past slips away, particularly with the loss of something we thought would be a constant. When Cubs icon Ryne Sandberg passed on Monday, I wrote this:
“When I first came to the US as an exchange student in 1982 and began to get interested in the game of baseball, Ryne Sandberg was starting out on his road to becoming the epitome of everything that was good about it.
“He was enviously handsome and almost always smiling, as if it was such a joy for him to step on the field each day and do what American kids everywhere dreamed of doing. And he was only a year or so older than me.
“But as well as being outstandingly talented in every aspect of the skills needed to be a star, he was dedicated to playing the game in a way that was a perfect example to everyone watching. His teammates and the fans in Chicago universally adored him.
“I went to Wrigley Field for the first time on Aug 20, 1983. Ryno was leading off that day, so he was the first Cub I ever saw at the plate.
“So this one hurts. Not just in the sadness of the loss – especially when it looked last year like he had overcome another relentless opponent – but in the inevitable, gradual passing of that generation of our memories.
“Thanks for everything x”
Larry Bowa, who arrived at Wrigley with Sandberg ahead of the 1982 season as part of the trade that took Ivan DeJesus to Philadelphia, remembered his friend this way:
"He's an outstanding human being," Bowa said. "That's what I think of. Such a good family guy. His mental toughness is off the charts. Don't let people deceive you by that little laugh he has all the time. He wanted to win as much as anybody. I've been around Pete Rose, and Ryno is right there."
There’s a beautiful tribute written by Tom Verducci, read on Fox Sports by Sandberg’s friend and teammate from that era, Rick Sutcliffe, here.
Sandberg became a member of the Hall of Fame class of 2005.
*
At this past weekend’s induction ceremony, five more greats were enshrined, but only three of them were there. Phillies great Dick Allen died in 2020 and to his family, he was always a Hall of Famer, whether he was on a plaque or not.
Dave Parker passed away just a few weeks ago and his son read an emotional speech that the Pirates legend had been working on even before he was elected last December.
Ichiro Suzuki – still easily among the greatest players I’ve had the pleasure to watch in person – became the first Asian player to be added to the rolls at Cooperstown.
The Seattle Times produced some excellent special coverage to mark the occasion.
**
Where The World Comes To Play?
As the HoF ceremony was taking place, a little league team from Venezuela were denied visas to come to the US to play in the tournament in South Carolina, after their country was among those subjected to travel restrictions imposed by the White House.
Little League International said the situation is “extremely disappointing, especially to these young athletes.”
Team officials said in a statement:
“What do we do with so much injustice, what do we do with the pain that was caused to our children?”
The New York Times reported:
“Cacique Mara’s visa denial follows President Donald Trump’s signing a proclamation in June to ban citizens of 12 countries from entering the U.S. and to partially restrict entry for citizens of seven other countries, including Venezuela, citing national security concerns.
“At the time, the State Department said Trump’s executive order contains exemptions for nationals who would enter the U.S. as athletes for major sporting events, as well as support staff and immediate relatives of athletes. However, there are no such assurances for fans, raising many questions ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.”
The Athletic reported that the State Department had been “reviewing” the Cacique Mara decision but the team did not play in the tournament which began on Saturday.
See Also:
‘I’m willing to die to make sure you get home’ – A brave Little League coach who knew the law protects his players.
You might also be interested in a Q&A I did with Prof Chris Lamb, whose book, Stolen Dreams, tells the story of the 1955 Little League World Series and the team that didn’t get to play.
**
Batting Around
ESPN reported on the angry confrontation in the Phillies’ clubhouse between Bryce Harper and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, reportedly over the potential implementation of a salary cap.
“The confrontation came in a meeting -- one of the 30 that Manfred conducts annually in an effort to improve his relations with every team's players -- that lasted more than an hour. Though Manfred never explicitly said the words "salary cap," sources said the discussion about the game's economics raised the ire of Harper, one of MLB's most influential players and a two-time National League MVP.”
As the AP reports “Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1, 2026, and some players are concerned about a possible management push for a cap. A spokeswoman for the Major League Baseball Players Association declined comment on Monday night.”
*
As if the Commish didn’t have enough to worry about, MLB placed Cleveland pitcher Emmanuel Clase on “non-disciplinary paid leave” until September while investigations continue into allegations related to gambling.
As Zach Meisel reports at The Athletic, the developments have dealt a blow to Cleveland’s plans for the trade deadline and remainder of their season, with Clase now ineligible to be traded.
MLB had already been investigating Cleveland’s Luis Ortiz over similar allegations.
According to WVXU in Ohio: “Reportedly, Ortiz and Clase are under investigation for influencing "prop" bets. It's suspected the pitchers intentionally threw balls outside the strike zone on the first pitch of certain at-bats.
“MLB released a statement saying no other Guardians players or personnel are expected to be part of the investigation.”
See also:
*
Talking of trades, moves have been ramping up ahead of this evening’s deadline at 6pm ET. You can follow developments pretty much everywhere, via The Sporting News here and ESPN here, among others.
The biggest deal – so far – takes Eugenio Suarez back to Seattle from Arizona. According to Sarah Langs, his 36 home runs are the most by a player in a season prior to a mid-season trade.
The Phillies acquired pitcher Jhoan Duran from Minnesota.
Meanwhile, Orioles pitcher Seranthony Dominguez ended up being traded in the middle of a double header against the visiting Blue Jays.
See Also:
All Change? – In tight races, what turns teams into buyers or sellers ahead of the trade deadline?
*
The A’s Nick Kurtz had a 4-HR game last Friday night against Houston – a first for a rookie. In a remarkable all-round performance, Kurtz also matched the MLB record of 19 total bases.
As the AP reports, “It was the 20th four-homer game in major league history and second this season.”
The aforementioned Eugenio Suárez did it on April 26 against Atlanta.
*
There was another first on Tuesday in Cincinnati – although not the kind Shohei Ohtani might embrace – when he struck out his first four times at bat for the first time in his career. The Dodgers still managed to edge past the Reds 5-4.
*
In what has definitely been a rollercoaster season, the Baltimore Orioles 18-0 win over the Colorado Rockies was the biggest shutout win in the team’s history. It even included a Happy Gilmore moment, courtesy of Alex Jackson.
*
What could be the biggest single-game crowd in MLB history could show up for this Saturday’s game between the Reds and the Braves.
The Speedway Classic will take place in Bristol, Tennessee at the 140,000-plus capacity Nascar raceway. It will be the first MLB game ever played in the state.
*
Finally, Paste magazine this week re-opened one of those perennial discussions we all have over a beer at a spring training blowout, when the outcome of the game has long gone but it’s too nice to stop sitting in the sun…
“What’s your favorite baseball movie?”
Why don’t we all have a think about it? I’ll post my top five next week and I’d love to hear yours.
See Also:
***
As always, thanks for reading. I try to write a baseball-related post mid-week and then a politics wrap at weekends.
One is usually more sane than the other. Particularly in our current unpredictable - and at times simply disgusting - moment.
You can find a full States of Play archive here.
*