Tag Archives: J.A. SCHWARTZ

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 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 …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ After first being moved to protest police brutality during the 2016 preseason, Colin Kaepernick stated that his decision to sit during the national anthem of the 49ers third preseason game was motivated by his desire to bring attention to issues that resonated with him following the death …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ April is arguably the greatest time of the yearly sports calendar. Opening Day ceremonies rouse fans from winter hibernations as the hope and promise of a new season beats in the chests of baseball fans across the nation. The professional basketball and hockey seasons roar down the …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ The San Francisco Giants enter 2020 in the earliest stages of a reimagining of their roster. In 2019, they eschewed the chance to trade free agents-to-be reliever Will Smith and franchise icon Madison Bumgarner because of their position in the standings in late July, a justifiable decision …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ Throughout the history of the NFL, minority quarterbacks coming out of college have been saddled with the notion that they don’t have the necessary skills to succeed in the NFL. As recently as last year, these quotes were offered about Lamar Jackson, the current front-runner for the …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ Fandom. What does it mean to be a fan ? Why do we care so much about the exploits of men and women we don’t know as they play games that have no redeeming social value for our amusement ? We invest our own hard earned money …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ There are literally hundreds of major league baseball players who qualify as free agents this offseason. With the obvious caveat that no insider information informs these musings, here are my best guesses as to where the top 15 most impactful players will land, and for how much. …

BY J.A. SCHWARTZ From 2011 through 2013, the Houston Astros were the worst team in baseball. They lost 106, 107 and 111 games in that three year stretch, going a combined 162-324. Those results were not entirely unexpected, as the franchise embarked upon a “rebuilding” process that would begin in …