The Red Sox took out a full page ad in the St. Louis paper

By Craig CalcaterraNov 5, 2013, 8:37 AM EST
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As he was accepting the World Series MVP Award last week David Ortiz said he’d like to thank “the best fans in baseball.” I’d like to believe he was taking a jab at the idea that Cardinals fans fit that description. I considered it a “shots fired” moment, mostly because I’m usually looking for trouble.

If that was his intent, however, it’s not shared by the Red Sox organization. Indeed, they did something pretty respectable today: they took out a full-age ad in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to give a shoutout to their worthy World Series adversary and their fans. Who the Sox give co-best-fans props to:

Maybe you think this is nice. If so, you’re not fully appreciating the implications of two spoiled and entitled fan bases joining forces in a Voltron-of-Smug. Really, if this allegiance has any wheels, we’re all doomed.

The Nats want Trea Turner to attempt 75-80 stolen bases this year

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By Craig CalcaterraFeb 21, 2019, 11:09 AM EST
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When it comes to cliche spring training stories, we talk a lot about “Best Shape of His Life.” Sometimes we talk about the “[Pitcher] has been working on a changeup” or “[Hitter] has made an adjustment to his swing” stories too. Then there’s the “we’re really going to focus on fundamentals” quotes managers love to give in February and March. They’re evergreens. 

Another one in that category is the “we’re going to run more” or “we plan to be aggressive on the base paths this year.” You hear that from at least one or two managers every spring. I imagine because, like the fundamentals one, it deals with something over which they have at least some moderate control. It’s a good quote.

We’re hearing it from Nats training camp this year with respect to one particularly speedy player in Trea Turner. From Mark Zuckerman at MASN:

Davey Martinez called Trea Turner into his office this week and told the speedy shortstop he wants him to attempt more stolen bases this season. How many? Let’s just say even the ultra-aggressive Turner was taken aback.

“Yeah, he gave me a number,” Turner said. “And I was like: ‘Wow, all right.’”

Martinez later revealed to assembled reporters that he thinks if Turner “attempts 75-80, we’ll be in great shape.”

Turner led the National League with 43 stolen bases on 52 attempts in 2018. The year before he attempted 54, which was his career high. Only only four players have attempted 80 or more stolen bases in the past ten years, so yes, 75-80 would be quite the escalation.

Which is not to say it’s silly. On a very basic level, yeah, if he is stealing bases more often, even without changing his basic approach, the Nats WILL be in great shape because it’ll likely mean that he’s on base more, and that’s good. If it’s merely a matter of him being more aggressive in the same number of times on base, well, let me know, but I’m not holding my breath.

I guess it’s nice to have goals, though.