Joe. I can’t wait to read BIG FAN. I’m pretty sure my visit yesterday to Loan Depot Park (or whatever Miami’s monstrosity of a stadium is called) to watch the Marlins play the Rockies is NOT in the book. Two absolutely horrible…and worse yet… boring teams playing in a closed retractable roof when it was 73 degrees outside in Miami. BUT it was baseball and I could sit 10 rows up between home and fist for $30 Plus, my daughter and I got a picture with Billy Marlin. So, all is good in the world (at least for 2-3 hours). And that’s why I’m a big fan.
“Does that cut into the fun? Maybe yes. I don’t know — can a team be the most fun AND most disliked at the same time? I think it’s possible. Jordan’s late-era Bulls pulled it off, I think. Steph’s Golden State Warriors pulled it off, I think. The Kansas City Chiefs were, for a while, incredibly fun and wildly disliked. And, hey, the Dodgers will be fun to root against: That’s a thing, too.”
I have been saying for a few years that the Yankees are no longer the YANKEES! The fact that Joe, as rabid a Yankee hater as anyone, didn’t include them on this list of hated teams proves my point. (By the way, he didn’t include the Steelers, either.) Statute of limitations, maybe?
No question the 70s Yankees were a bunch of fun, usually for fairly despicable behavior, (it was like watching a train wreck at times), while being reviled from Boston to Los Angeles (with a stop in KC on the way).
You're probably correct! The limitations have run. Besides, DSW & The Browns get most of joe's goat. Although, they'll need to play him - the only way to get rid of him and they keep extending his contract! And the AFC north division isn't what it once was...
I love this version of the Mariners - the front office; Dan, Edgar, the base coaches, the bench coaches; the broadcast team (even the ones who drive me crazy at times); and, of course, the players. I love JP and Josh, the vets and the kids, the oldies and the newbies, the home-growns and the brought-ins. And Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez? I could not have dreamed up two players I would love more.
If only every day could be as good as Mariners Opening Day 2026 - this part, the day of, the part before the game - the anticipation, the blank canvas, the hopes and dreams.
Very tough to choose a center fielder on the all fun team. I went with Ichiro because Babe Ruth has to play right. But I suspect the correct answer is Cool Papa Bell. And I'm very curious about Oscar Charleston, who I think would have been amazing to watch.
The correct answer for starting pitcher is Satchel Paige. Just want to make sure everyone votes correctly.
After one game, I want to say I'm disappointed in Trent Grisham's mustache this year. Last season, my son and would always say "Trent Grisham's mustache just flew out to center" or "Trent Grisham's mustache is leading off next inning." It's really not deserving of that treatment now.
My son and I are stuck with our backup joke that we're running into the ground: Trent Grisham, the Independent.
I should mention that we're Red Sox fans. I just can't quit the guy.
The Reds should lose some fun stars because of their blackout area on mlb package. I live in Nashville, a four hour drive away, and I can’t see any games despite paying a small fortune for the mlb package. It’s ridiculous. I’ve seen one reds hat in the entire Nashville area. No one cares or is going to care when you can’t see this resource starved team even when they play in other towns.
It is ridiculous and I will not allow them to block me. I've used a VPN for years to break through MLB.TV's blackouts. You can find a VPN for very little money (3-5 bucks a month) and they are easy to set up. The reason that MLB blacks out local broadcasts is to protect the regional cable/TV networks which have contracts with the individual teams. Two things: 1) it is not illegal to use VPNs, and 2) MLB Tv does not actually care if you use a VPN (although they must have an official position of opposing their use, that is lip service) because they're still receiving your full fee for their channel.
Speakinng of fun ... I've often said the Pirates and Royals should switch divisions (AL central, NL central). Reason being, Pittsburgh is absurdly close to Cleveland, a natural rival, attendance-wise it's NBD, Plus the Royals could play the Cardinals much more and they are a natural rival to the Cardinals.
Re: Bryan Woo. I've seen a lot of "if only this guy weren't injured" about other team's losing in the playoffs, but haven't seen a lot about how the loss of Woo (the two appearances when he clearly was not at his best are irrelevant to this) could easily have been the difference keeping the Mariners out of their first World Series. I mean, it was a pretty near run thing even without him.
Weren’t the Giants tied for second most walk off wins in MLB last season? Seems like that’s a pretty strong proxy for fun, no matter how crushing the inevitability of another 500 season might be…
The whole Rays fun winning with little money might be in the past already. They are one of only 8 teams to finish under .500 each of the last two years, and are likely to make it a third year in a row this year. Over the last 2 seasons, they have spent the 28th most in baseball, only $8 million more total in payroll than the last place A's (who, even if the problems were of their owner's own making, at least had some reason. Miami also spent $1.4 million less than the Rays) They are also pojected to be 29th in payroll this year, and while Miami will stay below them, the A's will pass them in the 3 year total. (With both Florida teams bringing up the rear, it might be a good time to mention Florida baseball sucks)
Anyone else you think of as a low payroll spends more than the Rays. They have spent about 81% of the average of just the 8 teams that haven't made the playoffs in two years, and 56% of both the average and median payrolls.
When people talk about teams that don't spend enough, and salary floors, the Rays should be dead center of that conversation.
They had a nice little run from 2018-2023, and before that had 4 consecutive under .500. The nice little run is over now, and they should be looked at as just another team not trying.
I certainly see people blaming other owners that spend more than the Rays owners and say they are not trying. (The Pirates owner has been mentioned here a bit. They have outspent the Rays. The A's owner, who is $8 million behind the last two years but will have outspent them over 3 years. Other owners who also outspent them) What is good for the goose is good for the gander, or some other old phrase.
There seem to be a lot of people talking about the smaller budget owners not spending enough. They talk about them sitting back and collecting luxury tax dollars. The Rays are front and center right there. They have been in the bottom 30% (8 teams) in payroll all of the last 14 consecutive years. The have been in the bottom 20% (6 teams) 12 of those years, and been in the bottom 3 (10%) in 6 of them, one of those being last.
They have been consistently at the bottom, along with Oakland Pittsburgh and Miami over the last 14 years, and they have spent less than Miami. It is not a short term problem, and it has nothing to do with Wander Franco. It is cute they had a run. They might have won it all if they had been trying.
I teach basic writing among other subjects and have long argued for making "funnest" a legitimate word. First, in words of one syllable, we usually use er/est to intensify them. More imporant, "funnest" sounds like magnitudes more of fun than "most fun.
Joe. I can’t wait to read BIG FAN. I’m pretty sure my visit yesterday to Loan Depot Park (or whatever Miami’s monstrosity of a stadium is called) to watch the Marlins play the Rockies is NOT in the book. Two absolutely horrible…and worse yet… boring teams playing in a closed retractable roof when it was 73 degrees outside in Miami. BUT it was baseball and I could sit 10 rows up between home and fist for $30 Plus, my daughter and I got a picture with Billy Marlin. So, all is good in the world (at least for 2-3 hours). And that’s why I’m a big fan.
Joe, you are going to love Sal Stewart on the Reds!
“Does that cut into the fun? Maybe yes. I don’t know — can a team be the most fun AND most disliked at the same time? I think it’s possible. Jordan’s late-era Bulls pulled it off, I think. Steph’s Golden State Warriors pulled it off, I think. The Kansas City Chiefs were, for a while, incredibly fun and wildly disliked. And, hey, the Dodgers will be fun to root against: That’s a thing, too.”
I have been saying for a few years that the Yankees are no longer the YANKEES! The fact that Joe, as rabid a Yankee hater as anyone, didn’t include them on this list of hated teams proves my point. (By the way, he didn’t include the Steelers, either.) Statute of limitations, maybe?
No question the 70s Yankees were a bunch of fun, usually for fairly despicable behavior, (it was like watching a train wreck at times), while being reviled from Boston to Los Angeles (with a stop in KC on the way).
You're probably correct! The limitations have run. Besides, DSW & The Browns get most of joe's goat. Although, they'll need to play him - the only way to get rid of him and they keep extending his contract! And the AFC north division isn't what it once was...
I love this version of the Mariners - the front office; Dan, Edgar, the base coaches, the bench coaches; the broadcast team (even the ones who drive me crazy at times); and, of course, the players. I love JP and Josh, the vets and the kids, the oldies and the newbies, the home-growns and the brought-ins. And Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez? I could not have dreamed up two players I would love more.
If only every day could be as good as Mariners Opening Day 2026 - this part, the day of, the part before the game - the anticipation, the blank canvas, the hopes and dreams.
Go Mariners. Tridents Up!
Very tough to choose a center fielder on the all fun team. I went with Ichiro because Babe Ruth has to play right. But I suspect the correct answer is Cool Papa Bell. And I'm very curious about Oscar Charleston, who I think would have been amazing to watch.
The correct answer for starting pitcher is Satchel Paige. Just want to make sure everyone votes correctly.
After one game, I want to say I'm disappointed in Trent Grisham's mustache this year. Last season, my son and would always say "Trent Grisham's mustache just flew out to center" or "Trent Grisham's mustache is leading off next inning." It's really not deserving of that treatment now.
My son and I are stuck with our backup joke that we're running into the ground: Trent Grisham, the Independent.
I should mention that we're Red Sox fans. I just can't quit the guy.
Oneil Cruz ☠️☠️☠️
He was a lot of fun in CF today.
The Reds should lose some fun stars because of their blackout area on mlb package. I live in Nashville, a four hour drive away, and I can’t see any games despite paying a small fortune for the mlb package. It’s ridiculous. I’ve seen one reds hat in the entire Nashville area. No one cares or is going to care when you can’t see this resource starved team even when they play in other towns.
It is ridiculous and I will not allow them to block me. I've used a VPN for years to break through MLB.TV's blackouts. You can find a VPN for very little money (3-5 bucks a month) and they are easy to set up. The reason that MLB blacks out local broadcasts is to protect the regional cable/TV networks which have contracts with the individual teams. Two things: 1) it is not illegal to use VPNs, and 2) MLB Tv does not actually care if you use a VPN (although they must have an official position of opposing their use, that is lip service) because they're still receiving your full fee for their channel.
Speakinng of fun ... I've often said the Pirates and Royals should switch divisions (AL central, NL central). Reason being, Pittsburgh is absurdly close to Cleveland, a natural rival, attendance-wise it's NBD, Plus the Royals could play the Cardinals much more and they are a natural rival to the Cardinals.
Re: Bryan Woo. I've seen a lot of "if only this guy weren't injured" about other team's losing in the playoffs, but haven't seen a lot about how the loss of Woo (the two appearances when he clearly was not at his best are irrelevant to this) could easily have been the difference keeping the Mariners out of their first World Series. I mean, it was a pretty near run thing even without him.
Weren’t the Giants tied for second most walk off wins in MLB last season? Seems like that’s a pretty strong proxy for fun, no matter how crushing the inevitability of another 500 season might be…
The whole Rays fun winning with little money might be in the past already. They are one of only 8 teams to finish under .500 each of the last two years, and are likely to make it a third year in a row this year. Over the last 2 seasons, they have spent the 28th most in baseball, only $8 million more total in payroll than the last place A's (who, even if the problems were of their owner's own making, at least had some reason. Miami also spent $1.4 million less than the Rays) They are also pojected to be 29th in payroll this year, and while Miami will stay below them, the A's will pass them in the 3 year total. (With both Florida teams bringing up the rear, it might be a good time to mention Florida baseball sucks)
Anyone else you think of as a low payroll spends more than the Rays. They have spent about 81% of the average of just the 8 teams that haven't made the playoffs in two years, and 56% of both the average and median payrolls.
When people talk about teams that don't spend enough, and salary floors, the Rays should be dead center of that conversation.
They had a nice little run from 2018-2023, and before that had 4 consecutive under .500. The nice little run is over now, and they should be looked at as just another team not trying.
Perhaps just a bit premature to say they have stopped really trying. The Wander fiasco really hurt them.
I certainly see people blaming other owners that spend more than the Rays owners and say they are not trying. (The Pirates owner has been mentioned here a bit. They have outspent the Rays. The A's owner, who is $8 million behind the last two years but will have outspent them over 3 years. Other owners who also outspent them) What is good for the goose is good for the gander, or some other old phrase.
There seem to be a lot of people talking about the smaller budget owners not spending enough. They talk about them sitting back and collecting luxury tax dollars. The Rays are front and center right there. They have been in the bottom 30% (8 teams) in payroll all of the last 14 consecutive years. The have been in the bottom 20% (6 teams) 12 of those years, and been in the bottom 3 (10%) in 6 of them, one of those being last.
They have been consistently at the bottom, along with Oakland Pittsburgh and Miami over the last 14 years, and they have spent less than Miami. It is not a short term problem, and it has nothing to do with Wander Franco. It is cute they had a run. They might have won it all if they had been trying.
I teach basic writing among other subjects and have long argued for making "funnest" a legitimate word. First, in words of one syllable, we usually use er/est to intensify them. More imporant, "funnest" sounds like magnitudes more of fun than "most fun.
Something I love about baseball:
Games in San Francisco, when a ball is smoked into the right centerfield gap and the announcers immediately reference Triples Alley.
Weather day lol. Too cheap to make more bobble heads even. Nationals lol
What a FUN column.
Do they even have the Presidents Race anymore? That was FUN.
I have not been to many ballparks, but I don't think it is possible for any field to be nicer than PNC Park.