Hello from a new HardballTalk contributor - MLB

Hey there. I’m Bill Baer and I am your new HardballTalk blog contributor. I will be writing words for your eyes to read every evening during the weekend. If you’re new to my existence, I run the Phillies blog Crashburn Alley, which has been partnered with ESPN as part of the Sweet Spot network since 2009. I also contribute content to ESPN’s Sweet Spot blog directly every weekend. Elsewhere, I’ve written a book, hosted a radio show in Philly, and contributed to Baseball Prospectus.

How about an icebreaker? My favorite baseball moment, at least that I’ve seen in person, was when I was at Citizens Bank Park for a Giants-Phillies game in 2006. I got to see Barry Bonds hit home run #713 off of Jon Lieber. I wrote extensively about that night here if you’re interested.

You might be thinking, “Bill is a Phillies fan. Great, that will balance out all of Craig’s negativity towards them.” You would be wrong. Despite being a fan, I will take every opportunity to laugh at Ryan Howard’s contract, Delmon Young’s weight and racist tendencies, and Michael Young’s inability to play defense.

It is my hope that you enjoy having my perspective added to the fantastic lineup of HardballTalk writers. Please direct your hate mail to my Twitter: @CrashburnAlley.

Note: I included a picture of Domonic Brown because he has a pretty swing.

CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a blister on the index finger of his right throwing hand.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the timetable for Syndergaard’s return is unknown despite the 15-day designation.

“The physical, the mental, the emotional part, as he’s talked about, has taken a toll on him,” Roberts said. “So, the ability to get him away from this. He left today to go back to Los Angeles to kind of get back to normalcy.”

Syndergaard allowed six runs and seven hits in three innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, raising his ERA to 7.16.

Syndergaard (1-4) has surrendered at least five runs in three straight starts.

Syndergaard has been trying to return to the player he was before Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the better part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Roberts said Syndergaard will need at least “a few weeks” to both heal and get away from baseball and “reset.”

“I think searching and not being comfortable with where he was at in the moment is certainly evident in performance,” Roberts said. “So hopefully this time away will provide more clarity on who he is right now as a pitcher.

“Trying to perform when you’re searching at this level is extremely difficult. I applaud him from not running from it, but it’s still very difficult. Hopefully it can be a tale of two stories, two halves when he does come back.”