Hemond-Delhi AZ SABR Chapter

Teaming with Michael Mccan, Kurt Badenhausen to give our perspective of the Trevor Bauer suspension. Our latest for Sportico.

Trevor Bauer MLB Suspension to Cost Him $60 Million as Appeal Looms Major League Baseball has suspended Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer for 324 games, the equivalent of two full seasons, after a sexual assault investigation by the league. The 31-year-old r…

It’s with great sadness that we announce the passing of Roland Hemond, our chapter namesake, in Colorado last night of natural causes. Roland is beloved and will always remain an inspiration to us all. He was 92.

Take a look at our new website:

Hemond AZ SABR Chapter Supporting Arizona's Sabr community one post at a time.

Oakland City Council approves non-binding ballpark term sheet. Ball in A’s court. My latest for Sportico.

Oakland City Council Approves Modified Term Sheet for A’s Complex The Oakland City Council voted Tuesday to proceed with a non-binding term sheet aimed at keeping the A’s in Oakland at a proposed new ballpark on waterfront property known as the Howard Terminal. T…

Latest for Sportico.

Dodgers and Padres Spending Spree Creates NL West Class Divide During the past eight months, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres have spent more than $1 billion combined in player contracts, setting themselves apart financially from the rest of the Na…

Today’s latest.

Tatis Deal Highlights Big-Market Ambition of Padres’ Owner Seidler Peter Seidler is a recent two-time survivor of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and at 61 years old, the San Diego Padres owner knows there’s no time like the present. The challenge is to win the club’s first…

Minor league owners up in arms about prospective MLB deal. My latest for Sportico.

Minor League Clubs Pushing Back on MLB’s Blanket Franchise Agreement Major League Baseball and some of its 120 chosen minor league affiliates may be heading toward confrontation over a pending new franchise agreement called a Player Development License (PDL) that ea…

Analytics to have a lesser role in shorter MLB season. My latest for Sportico.

Analytics to Play Smaller Role in a 60-game MLB season, Managers Say Playing the game by the numbers is going to take a hit as Major League Baseball opens its COVID-abbreviated 60-game schedule when the New York Yankees take on the defending World Series champion Wa…

Yes, we have a baseball season as strange as it is. My latest for Sportico.

Houston Astros and New Rules Highlight Start of Abbreviated MLB Season The abbreviated 60-game Major League Baseball season, delayed for four months by the coronavirus, is slated to open in Washington and Los Angeles Thursday before getting underway with a full slate …

Baseball set to return July 23-24. My latest for Sportico via Variety.

Baseball Is Back: MLB Owners and Players Reach Deal to Start 60-Game Season The Major League Baseball Players Association has accepted an ultimatum from MLB on Tuesday to start an abbreviated 60-game regular season by late July. The union had rejected the offer Monday afte…

Stay Home with SABR Virtual Meeting

We’ve missed you!

The Hemond-Delhi SABR AZ chapter is taking part in the national Stay Home with SABR initiative, and invites you to join us from 1 pm– 3 pm, Saturday, June 27, for our first virtual Zoom meeting.

All baseball fans are welcome to participate.

This is an opportunity to update you on chapter business, share member news, and enjoy some lively baseball discussion. We are expecting a special guest and look forward to seeing you.

To participate in the meeting, RSVP ASAP to our chapter president Barry Bloom at [email protected].

On or about June 25, you will receive an email with the meeting ID and password.

Looking forward to seeing you there.
For Zoom download information and tutorials, visit Zoom.com or YouTube.

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APRIL MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

The last time we met in early February I issued an impassioned plea for help in the operation of our chapter. I’m pleased to say that Kevin Schindler has very ably taken over the publication of this newsletter and that Jack Sommers has stepped in to replace Tony DeMarco as Vice President. Thank you Tony for all you’ve done in the transition years of this chapter. Evan Thompson has also agreed to fill the role as treasurer, an office that has been vacant for awhile.

And of course, thanks as always to Candace Oehler, our Vice President of entertainment, who schedules our meetings and conducts our raffles and fundraisers.

I wanted to introduce and thank everybody at our now postponed March 28 meeting, but the fates conspired to delay our meeting and the start of the baseball season because of the spreading coronavirus.

At the last meeting I passionately spoke about how badly the year had started. January began with the death of my old friend David Stern, the NBA’s seminal commissioner, and ended with the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter in a helicopter crash.

Never in my wildest imagination did I think it would all get so much worse.

Just wanted to let you know I’m thinking about all of you. Each and every one of the members of our chapter. I’m convinced we will see each other again and talk baseball on the other side.

Be healthy and safe. Bless you all.

Barry M. Bloom
Chapter president

Phil Rizzo passed at 90. He was a scouts’ scout. Father of Nats GM Mike Rizzo. Wonderful man. Here he is with Roland courtesy of SABR member Charlie Vascellero.

Great meeting today at the Casino Arizona buffet of the chapter attended by about 30. Great presentations by Jim Odenkirk, Jacob Pomrenke, Kameron Loe and Jack Sullivan. We’ll be back at it again soon. Thanks to all for coming.

Just a reminder that we’re holding our next meeting of the Hemond-Delhi AZ SABR Chapter this coming Saturday in the usual Eagle Buffet spot at Casino Arizona on McKellips Rd. and 92nd St. from 11 am to 2 pm.

Since it will be a belated by a week SABR Day celebration we will be having Jacob Pomrenke make a presentation about his latest exciting Black Sox findings, and Jim Odenkirk is on the docket for some personal reflections about his life-long obsession with the Cleveland Indians.

Consider this a last call for anyone else who wants to present a paper, presentation, book or project. We will a lot 15-20 minutes for each.

We’ll also have a brief discussion about the future of the chapter and a possible election of new officers.

Cost is $15.95 plus tip for the buffet and $10 to help your chapter pay for the room rental.

As per usual, please let me know if you and yours are coming. The meeting is open to non-SABR members., who are always welcome.

Email me at [email protected].

Hope to see you there.

Barry M. Bloom
Prez

My last column of the decade for Forbes analyzes the issues facing MLB heading into the 2020s.

Rob Manfred, MLB Facing Major Issues As New Decade Dawns In the immediate future, the sport is facing new labor contracts with the umpires and players, a proposed agreement with minor league baseball that seeks to revamp the entire system, and an investigation into the Houston Astros and their electronic sign-stealing activities.

It was a great day Saturday as the Hemond-Delhi AZ SABR Chapter honored its namesake Roland Hemond and family on the actual date of his 90th birthday. A sellout crowd attended the lunch and meeting at Casino Arizona where fun stories were told. Rollie had such a good time he didn’t want the group to break up. When I departed many were still sitting around schmoozing. Together again next year. Same time, same place.

Come one, come all to our meeting on Sat. Oct. 26.

It’s Roland Hemond’s 90th birthday and we’re going to celebrate our chapter co-namesake with a big party.

First, Roland will be honored before the Arizona Fall League championship game at Salt River Fields. The game starts at 11:08 a.m.

Then, will all gather at the usual spot: The Eagle Buffet at Casino Arizona on 92nd St. and McKellips from 1:30-3:30 p.m.

So I need to know two things:

A count of people who want to come to the game so I can arrange for tickets.

And those who want to join us all at the buffet.

You can do one, the other, or both.

We’ll worry about ticket prices later when I get a count. Buffet is the usual $20 with a $10 donation to the chapter to pay for the room rental.

I think we’re going to have a big turnout for this singular event. Let’s make it a great one.

Yours,
The prez

Email: [email protected]

Our next chapter meeting in the Phoenix area is slated for Saturday, September 7 back in The Eagle Buffet at Casino Arizona and we expect it to be a good one.

We are fortunate enough to be having a panel of former Major Leaguers who are members of the locally-based Association of Professional Ball Players of America: Pitchers Micah Bowie and Kameron Loe and possibly infielder Bobby Grich, the organization’s president.

They will talk about the goals of the organization. In Bowie’s case, he’s recovering from a devastating back injury that’s being cured in part by stem cell treatments with the help of Loe.

Many players fall through the cracks in care left open by rules created in collective bargaining by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association.

The APBPA is one of the organizations stepping in to help.

As usual, we’ll have lunch at the cost of about $16 (not including tip), plus a $10 donation from each attendee to help defray the cost of the room. We’ll also have our monthly raffle and there’s some great memorabilia to win.

The Casino is on 92nd Street just east of the 101 off the McKellips exit. Game time is 11 am and we’ll go to as long as 2 pm.

This session is already a hit. We’re loading up with APBPA members who will also be in town for their own gathering that night.

As always, non-SABR members, friends and family are welcome.
Please email me at [email protected] ASAP if you’re coming so I can give the Casino a head count for proper seating.

Thanks, and looking forward to seeing you then.

Below, Kameron Loe.

Don Drooker’s latest: Reaching 400 (columns).

rotisserieduckdotcom Baseball Analysis & Baseball Cards

How much do you know about pitch framing? Umpires told us during a ballpark session at our SABR Fall Conference last year that they pay no attention to it. Here’s Don Drooker’s latest.

rotisserieduckdotcom Baseball Analysis & Baseball Cards

Don Drooker’s latest: The sports landscape in 1954.

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Don Drooker’s latest: Do ‘Ya Feel Lucky Punk?

rotisserieduckdotcom Baseball Analysis & Baseball Cards

Hello, baseball fans and SABR members. Happy month of June. We’re two months into the baseball season and the races are starting to shake out.

So is Saturday’s SABR meeting. Just a remainder it will be a big one. As our special guest this month we are lucky to have Chase Field organist and D- backs fan Bobby Freeman replete with his organ. He’ll tell some stories and ti**le the keys. Should be a little different and fun for all.

As always, the parameters for another Saturday morning are the same. It’s the Eagle Buffet at Casino Arizona, 11 am to about 2 pm. That’s just off the 101 at McKellips. For $15.95 you get brunch, a mimosa or Bloody Mary, some great baseball talk and Bobby. That’s a smash hit.

Don’t forget a $10 donation to the chapter to help pay for the room.
Space is limited and is filling up fast. If you and a friend, spouse or loved one are coming email me ASAP at [email protected].

Don Drooker’s latest: Holding history in your hands.

Holding History In Your Hands If you are a real baseball fan, how often do you come across a collectible, artifact or story that surprises you? Over the last dozen years, my experiences have brought a number of these surprises.…

Don Drooker’s latest: Charming the snake once a year.

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Don Drooker’s latest: You just might be a fantasy baseball player.

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Don Drooker’s latest: Top 15 World Series moments.

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Don Drooker’s latest: The best hitters of 2019 https://rotisserieduck.com

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My thoughts on Frank, a dear old friend.

Frank Robinson Was A Real Man Among Men The Hall of Fame player, manager and Major League Baseball executive died on Thursday at 83 after a protracted illness.

Excellent SABR Day meeting at Casino Arizona. We had a packed house to listen to Dbacks beat writers Steve Gilbert and Nick Piecoro talk about the state of the team. Plus a lively Hall of Fame discussion led by Marty Lurie and Barry M. Bloom, the prez, as we went around the room to discuss whether Bonds and Clemens should be voted in. The consensus was an overwhelming, “Yes.” Thanks to Candace, Marty and Peggy for helping out.

Don Drooker’s latest: Statistical evolution.

rotisserieduckdotcom Baseball Analysis & Baseball Cards

Don Drooker’s latest:

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Don Drooker’s latest: https://rotisserieduck.com

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Don Drooker’s latest. Happy holidays to all. https://rotisserieduck.com

rotisserieduckdotcom Baseball Analysis & Baseball Cards