BY J.A. SCHWARTZ From the moment a young man makes it his aspiration to become a professional baseball player, he dreams of two things: 1) Win the World Series, and 2) Earn enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. The vast majority of kids who are fortunate enough to make it …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ The New York Yankees are arguably the most storied franchise in all of sports. They have won 27 World Series championships, more than twice as many as any of their competitors. They have been led, at various points in their storied history, by some of the most …

BY J.A SCHWARTZ The National League playoffs will kick off tomorrow and will do so without the reigning World Series Champion Washington Nationals, who will not have the opportunity to defend their title. Baseball has not seen a repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankee dynasty won three straight. …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ The 2020 baseball season has arrived at a destination that many felt would never be reached: the successful end of the regular season. Due to the legitimate concerns of staging baseball games amid a pandemic, many skeptics predicted that it was no better than a coin flip …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ Slavery existed in the United States since before its formal inception in 1776. Despite the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865 that legally ended the practice of indentured servitude, systemic racism has festered in the genetic material of this nation, passed on from generation to generation. …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ A wise collection of gentlemen once upbraided me about my powers of prognostication, suggesting, “Your crystal ball ain’t so crystal clear.” Be that as it may, and based on the most recent efforts made in that regard (my prediction of the Padres beating the Twins in the …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ Hours before the first pitch of the 2020 MLB season was to be thrown, the Major League Baseball Players Association and the owners announced an agreement that will expand the postseason from ten teams to 16 teams for the 2020 campaign. Each league will still feature three …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ As of this writing, the delayed MLB season is set to commence in a matter of days. It’s still entirely possible that circumstances driven by the COVID-19 pandemic may prevent games from actually being played, but until that becomes reality, a preview of what the season may …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ As the COVID-19 pandemic looms over the competitive sports landscape in the US, Major League Baseball will become the first of the four major leagues to attempt to stage contests, though they will do so without fans to witness them. Starting Thursday, July 23, the latest Opening …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ On June 19th, 1865, a proclamation was read in the city of Galveston, Texas. Union Army General Gordon Granger declared that by federal order, all slaves in Texas were now free. The date would ultimately become known as “Juneteenth”, in recognition of its historic significance. On June …