RIP Baseball

Obituary: Zack Monroe (1931-2026) When the New York Yankees beat the Milwaukee Braves in the 1958 World Series, one of the team's relievers was 27-year-old rookie Zack Monroe. Though his career was short, he earned his World Series ring with some quality appearances for the Yankees over the second half of the season. Monroe died on January 18 in Proctor Hospital in Peoria, IL, at the age of 94. He was one of three surviving Yankees who played in the Series, along with Bobby Richardson and Tony Kubek. (Bobby Shantz was also on the New York roster but did not make an appearance.) Monroe pitched for the New York Yankees in 1958 and 1959.

Zack Monroe joined the 1958 Yankees as a reliever and emergency starter, and he won a World Series ring for his efforts. Monroe, who pitched for the Yankees for 2 seasons, died on Jan. 18 in Peoria. He was 94 years old. He's a member of the Bradley University Hall of Fame.

The one guy Henry Aaron hated to face. Not because of any racism; Corky hated every batter equally and without prejudice.

Obituary: Terrance Gore (1991-2026) For much of the last decade, there was one sure-fire sign that your favorite baseball team was serious about winning the World Series. It was't what they did at the trade deadline, and it wasn't the hot prospect they promoted in September. It was whether or not they added Terrance Gore to the active roster. Gore was, quite simply, one of the fastest ballplayers in baseball, and any team that signed him was thinking ahead to a postseason situation where his speed could lead to a key run. Herb Washington may have been the first player employed just for his running ability, but his career with Oakland lasted just for two seasons in the 1970s.

There was one sure-fire sign that your favorite baseball team was serious about the postseason: They added Terrance Gore to the roster. Gore weaponized his speed like no other player since Herb Washington and ended his career with more World Series rings (3) than RBI (1). RIP to a unique talent.

Fuck it, give Bad Bunny the Super Bowl MVP award. Nothing’s topping that.

People say baseball is boring, but I would much rather be watching a Reds vs. Pirates game. And not even a Skenes start.

I don’t want to live in a world where “Take a look at your pee” is considered a viable marketing slogan.

I actually would like to hear Brandi Carlile sing the phone book, because she’d probably crush it.

Terrance Gore was the Braves player who Facetime’d Charlie Morton from the field after winning the World Series so Charlie could celebrate with the guys despite his broken leg.

RIP to by all accounts a legitimately great dude and teammate.

Word just got out. I saw multiple Facebook posts of people expressing their shock, including one that had a reply from Terrance’s wife. I’m very suspicious of any death rumors when they come from unsubstantiated sources, but there were enough posts and comments that I was convinced it’s no hoax.

If your team was competing for a playoff spot and needed a pinch-runner, Gore was your guy. He played for the Royals, Cubs, Dodgers, and Mets, as well as the Braves in the postseason. In parts of 8 seasons, he played in 112 games and stole 43 bases.

A Facebook message from Coastal Elite on the passing of Terrance Gore. “A loss like this hits deep. In a small baseball community, this game is more than wins & losses… it’s people, families & the ones who BUILT it before us. We honor a fellow baseball founder whose passion & dedication helped shape this community & have so many kids a place to belong. Terrance Gore - Your legacy will live on. Please keep the Gore family & the whole Hurricanes baseball family in your thoughts.

Awful news this morning. Terrance Gore, one of the fastest men in baseball in the last 20 years, died last night, evidently from unexpected complications during a routine surgery. He was 34 years old.

Obituary: Rob Maurer (1967-2026) RIP to Rob Maurer, a former first baseman and a Hall of Fame ballplayer for the University of Evansville. He hit one of the most significant home runs in the school's history, in fact. He died unexpectedly in his home on January 21, just two weeks after his 59th birthday. Maurer's 6-year career in professional baseball included stints with the Texas Rangers in 1991 and 1992. Robert John Maurer was born in Evansville, IN, on January 7, 1967. As early as 1981, he was demonstrating his baseball skills, as he was a heavy hitter for the city's Pony League Midwest Regional Tournament team.

Rob Maurer hit one of the most significant home runs in the University of Evansville's baseball program & was a 6th Round Draft pick by Texas in 1988. Multiple knee surgeries ended his career after he appeared in 21 games with the Rangers in 1991 & 1992. Maurer, 59, died on Jan. 21.

Obituary: Rob Maurer (1967-2026) RIP to Rob Maurer, a former first baseman and a Hall of Fame ballplayer for the University of Evansville. He hit one of the most significant home runs in the school's history, in fact. He died unexpectedly in his home on January 21, just two weeks after his 59th birthday. Maurer's 6-year career in professional baseball included stints with the Texas Rangers in 1991 and 1992. Robert John Maurer was born in Evansville, IN, on January 7, 1967. As early as 1981, he was demonstrating his baseball skills, as he was a heavy hitter for the city's Pony League Midwest Regional Tournament team.

Rob Maurer hit one of the most significant home runs in the University of Evansville's baseball program & was a 6th Round Draft pick by Texas in 1988. Multiple knee surgeries ended his career after he appeared in 21 games with the Rangers in 1991 & 1992. Maurer, 59, died on Jan. 21.

Bluesky: home of sports and brutally honest assessments of JD Vance.

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Weird Stats: Khris Khonsistent By Al Doyle Khris Davis couldn't have arranged these numbers if he tried. The former Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland A's left fielder/DH hit .247 in every season from 2015 to 2018. This unprecedented record of consistency is just a part of what the king of just under .250 accomplished. The right-handed hitting Davis had an impressive big league debut in 2013. His career best .279 average came with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 27 RBI in just 136 at-bats for the Brewers. Khris' first full season in 2014 included 37 doubles, 22 HR and 69 RBI while hitting .244 in 501 AB. 

Weird stats can come at any time and from any player. Khris Davis' streak of hitting .247 each year between 2015 and 2018 is definitely one of the weirder accomplishments in the modern era. Al Doyle takes a look at Khris Khonsistent and his remarkable just-short-of-.250 stretch.

YouTube video by Scott MacFarlane Reports DAY AHEAD: Fulton County officials warn they fear Trump Admin could be “tampering” w/ 2020 ballots

DAY AHEAD: Fulton County (Ga) officials warn they fear Trump Admin could be “tampering” with 2020 ballots

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Mickey Lolich death draws memories from Detroit Tigers greats Mickey Lolich died at age 85 as Detroit Tigers leader in strikeouts and starts. Find reactions from MLB, including from 1968 World Series teammates.

Mickey Lolich, the All-Star pitcher of the Detroit Tigers, has died at the age of 85. He won 207 games for the Tigers and was a two-time 20-game winner. He finished in the Top 3 in Cy Young Award voting in 1971 and ‘72 and was a 3-time All-Star.

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A Negro League veteran, the third-oldest living major leaguer, died at 99 A veteran of the Negro National League died Tuesday at 99, making him the third-oldest major leaguer at the time.

RIP Ron Teasley.

Former #MNTwins player and coach Rick Renick died over the weekend. He was the 3rd Base Coach for the 1987 World Series championship team. RIP Rick.

Obituary: Dave F. Schmidt (1956-2026) RIP to Dave Schmidt, who played in 15 games as a catcher for the 1981 Boston Red Sox. He died on January 19 at the age of 69. Schmidt also made a name for himself in a different sport -- zebra racing. He wrote the screenplay for "Racing Stripes," a 2005 movie about a zebra competing in horse racing. David Frederick Schmidt was born in Mesa, AZ, on December 22, 1956. According to his SABR bio, which is written by Bill Nowlin and features numerous quotes from Schmidt himself, the family was in Arizona so that his father Herman could finish his Master's degree at Arizona State University.

His major-league career lasted for just 15 games in 1981, but Dave F. Schmidt once beat out Wade Boggs for a minor-league batting title. After his career, he wrote the screenplay for "Racing Stripes," which was released in 2005. Schmidt, 69, died on January 19.

MLB's only three-time first-round draft pick died The only man to be chosen three times in the first round of the MLB Draft died Tuesday at 67.

The only man to be chosen three times in the first round of an MLB Draft doesn't have any stats on his Baseball Reference page. Learn about Mike Bates, who died this week at 67:

Obituary: Stu Tate (1962-2026) RIP to right-handed pitcher Stu Tate, who played briefly for the 1989 San Francisco Giants during their September push for a division title. He pitched in 2 major-league games as part of a 7-year professional baseball career. Tate died of a heart attack on January 13. He was 63 years old. Stuart Douglas Tate was born on June 17, 1962, in Huntsville, AL. He was a three-sport athlete at Hazel Green High School, and he was a two-way threat in baseball. Tate was a runner-up in the Madison County MVP vote in his senior year of 1980 and was named to the All-County team as both a pitcher and outfielder.

Stu Tate pitched in 2 games for the 1989 San Francisco Giants. All the outs he ever recorded in the majors came in 1 game, and all the hits he ever allowed came in the other. Rotator cuff surgery the following year derailed his career. Tate died from a heart attack on January 13 at age 63.

Clinton "Tiny" Forge, a Negro Leagues catcher who played for the Detroit Stars in the 1950s, died on January 25 at the age of 90. He was one of 4 Birmingham ballplayers who threw out a ceremonial first pitch when the Giants and Cardinals played at Rickwood Field in 2024.

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I’m assuming the fireworks will wake up the dog, which will wake me up.

A picture of a smiling Nancy Mace, presumably on a boat, with the headline TAX RELIEF FOR BOAT OWNERS under it.

Text: INTRODUCING: The No Tax on Boat Loan Interest Act. 🚤 This bill expands the above-the-line tax deduction for interest on car loans established in the One Big Beautiful Bill to apply to American-made recreational vessels. This will allow American families to deduct up to $10,000 annually of interest paid on a boat loan. In South Carolina, boating isn’t a luxury, it’s an essential mode of transportation, a part of our heritage, and an important economic engine. With over 350,000 registered boats and 187 miles of coastline, the recreational boating industry supports more than 27,000 jobs, over 650 businesses, and has a $6.5 billion economic impact on South Carolina. This legislation will create good-paying marine manufacturing jobs in South Carolina, expand recreational opportunities for South Carolina families, and make boat ownership more affordable. American-made boats. American jobs. America First. 🇺🇸

There’s out of touch, there’s wildly delusional, and then there’s whatever the fuck this is from Rep. Nancy Mace.

Obituary: Wilbur Wood (1941-2026) For the first five years of his major-league career, Wilbur Wood pitched in 73 games and had 1 victory to his credit. Everything changed when he finally joined the right team at the right time -- with the right pitch. Thanks to his knuckleball, he was one of the best and most durable pitchers in baseball. A freak injury cut his peak short, but he had 9 remarkable seasons as a reliever and a starter. Wood died from cancer on January 17 at the age of 84. He played for the Boston Red Sox (1961-64), Pittsburgh Pirates (1964-65) and Chicago White Sox (1967-78).

So much of Wilbur Wood's career is one statistical anomaly after another: 88 appearances in 1968, 376.2 innings pitched in 1972, 90 wins in a 4-year span. It's a long career to cover, but the story of how Wood went from a failed prospect to one of the best pitchers in the game is a good one.

Morale not plummeting fast enough.

The pathway from Band Mom to Professional Agitator is surprisingly linear.

Only two players from the champion 1957 Milwaukee Braves are alive - OF John Demerit (a Wisconsin native) & pitcher Taylor Phillips. Only Demerit, with one pinch running appearance, played in World Series. Ray Crone was traded to NY Giants that June.