LawLawLaw #48 – Technology, Law, Baseball, Rock ‘n’ Roll. The all-baseball edition.
Before the 2020 pandemic-shortened MLB season, this was the strangest thing that I’d ever seen at Fenway Park:
* Red Sox – Fenway Park Reverse Wave (2014-06-16)
The wave going counterclockwise. Usually the wave starts in the bleachers, ends in the Monster seats. Not so this time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFY6v31hzko
For the 2020 MLB season, it was strange from beginning to end. And I don’t even care about the ending, even though the playoffs are ongoing. So let me say in advance:
- Congratulations to the Atlanta Braves for winning the 2020 World Series!
- Congratulations to the Houston Astros for winning the 2020 World Series!
- Congratulations to the Los Angeles Dodgers for winning the 2020 World Series!
- Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays for winning the 2020 World Series!
That ought to cover it.
For the 2020 Boston Red Sox, it was a “season” to forget. Here are the biggest stories – and the best headlines – of the season.
The Preseason
* Red Sox Trade Sandy León To The Indians (2019-12-02)
https://www.overthemonster.com/2019/12/2/20991825/boston-red-sox-trade-sandy-leon-cleveland-indians-adenys-bautista
* 2018 World Series MVP Steve Pearce Has “Unofficially Retired” (2019-12-09)
https://www.overthemonster.com/2019/12/9/21002747/boston-red-sox-steve-pearce-retirement
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/world-series-mvp-steve-pearce-retirement
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnperrotto/2020/04/15/steve-pearce-mlb-career-perseverance/#6439ecb87d47
https://joyofsox.blogspot.com/2020/04/steve-pearce-2018-world-series-mvp-has.html
* Porcello, Mets Agree To $10 Million, 1-Year Deal (2019-12-12)
https://sports.yahoo.com/ap-source-porcello-mets-agree-10-million-1-160919580–mlb.html
* Red Sox Sign Martín Pérez To A One-Year Deal (2019-12-12)
https://www.overthemonster.com/2019/12/12/21019962/boston-red-sox-rumors-martin-perez-free-agent-rick-porcello-love-to-save-money
* The Red Sox Have Been Swept Up In The Sign-Stealing Scandal (2020-01-07)
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/1/7/21054872/boston-red-sox-sign-stealing-astros-2018-alex-cora
https://sports.yahoo.com/red-sox-fire-alex-cora-integral-in-astros-signstealing-scheme-004311268.html
https://joyofsox.blogspot.com/2020/01/mlb-offers-carefully-orchestrated.html
https://sports.yahoo.com/weeks-baseball-insanity-perfect-scandal-161447302.html
https://joyofsox.blogspot.com/2020/01/at-least-12-teams-have-been-accused-by.html
https://joyofsox.blogspot.com/2020/02/rob-manfred-must-immediately-resign.html
https://sports.yahoo.com/reports-red-sox-remove-interim-210816932.html
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/4/23/21232435/boston-red-sox-sign-stealing-investigation-jt-watkins-alex-cora-second-round-pick-rob-manfred
https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/ron-roenicke-won-t-return-as-red-sox-manager
* Mookie Betts Gets Arbitration Record $27M Contract With Red Sox (2020-01-10)
https://sports.yahoo.com/mookie-betts-gets-arbitration-record-27-m-contract-with-red-sox-183052726.html
* Red Sox Acquire Matt Hall From Tigers (2020-01-17)
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/1/17/21071131/boston-red-sox-trade-rumors-detroit-tigers-matt-hall-jhon-nunez
* Moreland Returns To Red Sox On 1-Year Deal (2020-01-28)
https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/mitch-moreland-signs-with-red-sox
* Why Even Own A Baseball Team If You’re Going To Trade Mookie Betts? (2020-02-04)
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/2/4/21123535/boston-red-sox-mookie-betts-trade-rumors-los-angeles-dodgers-david-price-alex-verdugo
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/2/4/21123602/mookie-betts-trade-boston-red-sox-los-angeles-dodgers-minnesota-twins-david-price-verdugo-graterol
https://sports.yahoo.com/red-sox-trade-mookie-betts-164213555.html
https://sports.yahoo.com/boston-fans-mookie-betts-142948906.html
https://sports.yahoo.com/why-even-own-a-baseball-team-john-henry-if-youre-going-to-trade-mookie-betts-170957297.html
https://survivinggrady.com/2020/02/four-stages-of-grief-for-the-mookie-betts-trade.html?+SurvivingGrady+%28Surviving+Grady%29
https://sports.yahoo.com/dodgers-finalize-deal-red-sox-014702034.html
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/2/12/21134415/boston-red-sox-mookie-betts-trade-david-price-luxury-tax
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/2/23/21148595/boston-red-sox-mookie-betts-trade-david-price
* Red Sox Reach Two-Year Deal With Of Benintendi (2020-02-08)
https://sports.yahoo.com/red-sox-reach-two-deal-005428671.html
* OF Pillar, Red Sox Agree To 1-Year, $4M Deal (2020-02-13)
https://sports.yahoo.com/reports-pillar-red-sox-agree-014322948.html
* Brock Holt Guaranteed $3.25M By Brewers (2020-02-23)
https://sports.yahoo.com/brock-holt-guaranteed-3-25m-brewers-165805970–mlb.html
* Happy Tears And Baseball (2020-05-28)
“I learned about a thing being real because of a game.”
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/5/28/21272984/boston-red-sox-2004-1998-home-run-chase
* The Owners Are Officially Imposing A 2020 Season (In A Pandemic)
(2020-06-22)
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/6/22/21299912/mlb-2020-season-rob-manfred-players-association
https://www.mlb.com/redsox/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2020/07/02/massachsuetts-coronavirus-news-boston-red-sox-charlie-baker/
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/7/23/21336146/mlb-2020-season-preview-postseason-expanded-sixteen-teams
https://sports.yahoo.com/red-sox-pitcher-eduardo-rodriguez-will-not-play-in-2020-due-to-covi-drelated-heart-issue-205843844.html
The “Season”
* Red Sox Roll Past Orioles In Belated Season Opener (2020-07-25)
https://bangordailynews.com/2020/07/25/sports/boston-red-sox/red-sox-roll-past-orioles-in-belated-season-opener/
https://survivinggrady.com/2020/07/opening-day-was-weird-kinda-creepy-and-exactly-what-i-needed.html
* Why We Will Remember Alex Verdugo’s Late-Night Press Conference (2020-08-08)
https://www.radio.com/weei/blogs/rob-bradford/why-we-will-remember-alex-verdugos-late-night-presser
https://survivinggrady.com/2020/08/the-first-legit-highlight-of-the-2020-red-sox-season.html
* Red Sox Release Brian Johnson Despite Lack Of Pitching Depth (2020-08-10)
https://sports.yahoo.com/red-sox-release-brian-johnson-201252232.html
* Phillies Acquire Veteran Relievers Brandon Workman And Heath Hembree From Red Sox (2020-08-21)
https://sports.yahoo.com/phillies-acquire-veteran-relievers-brandon-workman-and-heath-hembree-from-red-sox-012509653.html
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/8/22/21396908/boston-red-sox-trade-brandon-workman-philadelphia-phillies-hembree-pivetta-seabold
* Red Sox Highlights: Watch Top Prospect Bobby Dalbec Crush Home Run In Debut (2020-08-30)
https://sports.yahoo.com/red-sox-highlights-watch-top-211225671.html
https://sports.yahoo.com/red-sox-rookie-bobby-dalbec-022922874.html
* Red Sox Trade Moreland To Padres For 2 Prospects (2020-08-30)
https://www.concordmonitor.com/Padres-acquire-Moreland-from-Red-Sox-for-2-prospects-35991876
https://nesn.com/?p=1120846
* Red Sox Trade Kevin Pillar To The Rockies (2020-08-31)
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/8/31/21409176/boston-red-sox-trade-rumors-kevin-pillar-colorado-rockies
* Tanner Houck Wins MLB Debut: Boston Red Sox Rookie Strikes Out 7 In 5 Scoreless Innings To Beat Marlins (2020-09-16)
https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2020/09/tanner-houck-wins-mlb-debut-boston-red-sox-rookie-strikes-out-7-in-5-scoreless-innings-to-beat-marlins.html
https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2020/09/tanner-houck-saw-video-comparing-his-delivery-to-boston-red-sox-ace-chris-sales-wild-to-see.html
* Fan Breaks Into Fenway Park During Red Sox Game, Starts Throwing Stuff Onto Field (2020-09-20)
https://sports.yahoo.com/red-sox-yankees-fenway-park-fan-only-in-2020-mlb-212057711.html
https://sports.yahoo.com/fan-causes-bizarre-scene-red-223806941.html
* Jackie Bradley Jr.’s Wife Posts Tribute For What Could Be Last Game At Fenway (2020-09-24)
https://nesn.com/2020/09/jackie-bradley-jr-last-game-at-fenway-with-red-sox/
* Despite Winning The Finale, Red Sox Stagger Across The Finish Line Of A COVID-Shortened Season In Last Place (2020-09-27)
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/27/sports/despite-winning-finale-red-sox-stagger-across-finish-line-covid-shortened-season-last-place/
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/9/28/21459081/boston-red-sox-2020-season-recap-chaim-bloom-alex-verdugo-tanner-houck-christian-vazquez
https://www.overthemonster.com/2020/9/30/21458843/boston-red-sox-2020-season-review-chaim-bloom
The Postseason
* Alex Rodriguez Admits He’s Haunted Every Day By 2004 Yankees Choke (2020-09-28)
So it’s not all bad news.
http://joyofsox.blogspot.com/2020/09/alex-rodriguez-admits-hes-haunted-every.html
In short, the pandemic has been a huge curveball, for baseball and for lives. Let’s hope we get a good old-fashioned Charlie Brown straigthball next year!
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I fixed the “older” videos that YouTube broke on 2021-07-23:
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9230970
I lied. I watched the World Series. I was rooting for the Rays (who ultimately lost the WS in 6 last night), for these reasons:
* Top 11 Rules For Picking The Right Team To Root For (2005-10-14)
https://www.giantpeople.com/488.html
The highlight of the 2020 World Series was game 4:
* Rays Cap Rollercoaster World Series Game 4 With Crazy Walk-Off | Dodgers-Rays Game 4 Highlights (2020-10-24)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSjOeGaEf14