Steven Goldman
There Will Never Be Another Jay Buhner-For-Ken Phelps Deal
What the hell did the Yankees trade Jay Buhner for? There's a literal answer to Frank Costanza's question, but the broader one is still baffling, even years later.
Throwback Thursday: The Ump Who Got Suspended For Spitting On A Player, And The Problem Of Discipline
Umpire George Magerkurth and second baseman Billy Jurges both spit on each other during an argument. The strange part was that both of them got suspended for it.
The MLB Trade Deadline Isn't What It Used to Be, and Might Never Be Again
Teams locking up star players before they reach free agency has made an impact on baseball's trade market, too. In a tight market, things are going to get weird.
Throwback Thursday: The End Of Whitey Herzog, And A Way Of Baseball
Whitey Herzog's teams perfected a maddening and distinctive style of baseball that has mostly vanished from the face of the earth. He was an original, too.
Jose Reyes And Baseball's History Of Looking The Other Way
The Mets and their fans chose to welcome Jose Reyes back after his suspension for domestic violence. It's not pretty, but it's nothing new for Major League Baseball.
Throwback Thursday: When Andy Hawkins Threw a No-Hitter and Lost Anyway
The New York Yankees of the 1980s were an exercise in expensive mediocrity. When Andy Hawkins threw a no-hitter in Chicago and lost in 1990, it defined the era.
#NastyNate, the Yankees, and What's Not in a Nickname
In the midst of a dreary and dull season, a failed attempt to create a viral nickname for Nate Eovaldi is the least of the New York Yankees' problems. But it's telling.
Throwback Thursday: The Year Babe Ruth Lost It, And Grew Up
Fresh off two of the most dominant seasons in history, Babe Ruth spent 1922 getting in trouble, getting suspended, and generally messing up. It changed everything.
Injuries And Indecision Have The Mets On The Edge Of Panic Mode
A year after their miracle run to the World Series, the Mets have been hit by injuries and hobbled by indecision. It's not time to panic, but it's time to get to work.
Throwback Thursday: Joe Medwick, Beanballs, and the Source of Baseball's "Code"
Baseball's constipated code can be a buzzkill, which is where Bryce Harper's "Make Baseball Fun Again" idea comes from, but there's a century of history behind it.
The Cubs And Yankees Match Up As Trade Partners, But It's Not That Easy
The Cubs look historically great, but need improve their bullpen. The floundering Yankees could retool by dealing vets for prospects. It fits, but it's never that easy.
Throwback Thursday: Johnny Vander Meer's Back-to-Back No-Nos and the Art of Almost Losing It
This week in 1938, Johnny Vander Meer did something no other pitcher has ever done: he just barely kept it together in his consecutive no-hitters. But so are we all, in a way.