2023 in Review
The Year in Baseball from my perspective
The 2023 season was filled with memorable moments. The Texas Rangers won their first World Series. Shohei Ohtani signed a contract for $700,000,000*. And this cat got lost in center field in Miami:
So now that 2024 is up and running, let’s close the books on 2023 with my top 10 baseball events and stories of the year.
People actually read these posts
I did not expect to get unsolicited feedback from people saying they enjoyed reading certain posts, and thanks to that I’ve now made this last much, much longer than I ever would have guessed. I gave it a month or so tops before I gave up. Now, we must avoid the sophomore slump.
The A’s decided to leave town
Baseball history is littered with enraging and sickening stories of the business side of the game. The side that has colluded to suppress player salaries, fought integration and left countless municipalities bankrupt with their publicly funded stadium projects continues to rear its ugly head even in 2023. But John Fisher, Rob Manfred and a supporting cast larger than the Sopranos have worked to craft a gut-punch to the Oakland A’s faithful that’s right up there near the top as one of the ultimate “fuck yous” to baseball fans.
The Baltimore Orioles arrive on the scene
To the surprise of many, the Baltimore Orioles won the AL East with 101 wins and the best record in the league. The young prospects acquired in the years since their last winning season in 2016 arrived as they turned my 40/1 preseason division winner futures bet into a nice payout.
The Home Run Derby
By my count, it’s been at least 12 years in a row now that the Home Run Derby is on tv and I get at least 3 to 4 messages about how little some of my friends care about it. But I still love it, and this one was worth the watch. Watching Julio Rodriguez crank out 41 home runs in 4 minutes of batting practice is incredible. Adley Rutschman hit 21 home runs as a lefty, took his timeout, and then hit 6 more in a minute from the right side. Which means left-handed he hit 7 home runs per minute, and then turned around and cranked out 6 in half a minute. And didn’t even advance. Also, this kid somehow survived this:
Going to a Padres game
My first Padres game since they became big spenders and the atmosphere was incredible. I’ve been to Petco Park a dozen or so times, and mostly during the lean years of the 2008-2015 era. To see the buzz around the city for this team and the sold-out crowd in the middle of the week was great to see. Sure, the season was a disappointment, but the city had something to be excited for and fill the stadium. Hopefully it continues.
Rule changes
They were hyped all preseason, and they delivered. Games no longer dragged on past closing time. Not only that, but athleticism was back in play. Shift regulations and stolen base increases let the stars be stars. And even better, it meant that a game of baseball wasn’t sitting idly around in the stands waiting for a 3-run home run. Every inning was either exciting or quickly ended. Win-win.
USA vs Canada
No rivalry is more fun than a USA-Canada game in any sport. The fans of both sides are passionate but polite to each other. Even after the US team mercy-ruled the Canadians, 12-1 in 7 innings. (Lance Lynn started a game and only allowed 1 run?) But the national pride and camaraderie made for a fun atmosphere even if Mike Trout’s home run hasn’t landed yet.
NLCS Game 3
This game changed the Diamondbacks season from good to amazing. Going into it, the series was 2-0 Phillies and it hadn’t looked that close. The Dbacks were an 84-win team that slayed the Dodgers. That alone was enough to be a successful season. The game was a Thursday afternoon start and the adjusted start time sent ticket prices down to like $40 to get in the door. So I met up with some friends and went, and I have never seen Chase Field like this before. I didn’t even know it was possible. Packed to the roof with fans and louder than a Metallica concert, Brandon Pfaadt deflated the Phillies as Ketel Marte walked it off in the 9th
NLCS Game 4
Coming off that high of a walk-off win in Game 3, I had to go back for more. And somehow Game 4 topped that. It was 5-2 Phillies going into the bottom of the 7th, and a 3-1 series lead was almost a lock. The Diamondbacks managed to load the bases with 2 outs but only got 1 runner home. Then in the 8th, Alek Thomas did this:
Gabriel Moreno drove home the go-ahead run a few hitters later and it was a 2-2 series, and I lost my voice for a few days. But the game (and the company) was worth the ticket price.
Shohei Ohtani vs. Mike Trout
Usually it’s bad when you say your baseball season peaked on March 21st. But the 2023 World Baseball Classic final between Japan and the United States was as intense as any sports event all year. And for it to come down to two-way star Shohei Ohtani coming in to close out the win against Angels teammate Mike Trout will go down as one of the greatest showdowns in baseball history. With two outs and a 3-2 lead, Trout worked the count full. And then Ohtani threw the most electric slider of his life:
And now for next year. Just 3 months ‘til Spring Training.