SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 24: Blaine Crim #16 of the Colorado Rockies rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Wednesday, September 24, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Nik Pennington/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last week, we explored some storylines concerning pitchers and catchers in spring training for the Colorado Rockies. Now that full-squad workouts have officially begun and games are right around the corner, we can turn to the position player group. Believe it or not, there are even more questions surrounding the position players, as battles and competitions for spots will be prevalent throughout Cactus League play. How the puzzle pieces fall into place is going to be interesting to watch, so let’s look at a couple of storylines to keep an eye on.
Who’s on First?
This is perhaps the storyline to monitor in camp this season. After the Rockies released former top prospect Michael Toglia and late-season darling Warming Bernabel, the team was suddenly without a first baseman to pencil in for Opening Day. Sure, Blaine Crim had some impressive moments down the stretch to end the season, but is he the right answer for 2026?
The team has spent the offseason ironing out the candidates for the position. Joining Crim is Troy Johnston, who joined the club via waivers and presents a left-handed option. Charlie Condon (No. 2 Mid-Season PuRP) will likely be given as many opportunities to win the job in spring training, but it’s more likely he starts the year in the minors, having only reached Double-A in his first full season.
T.J. Rumfield was acquired from the New York Yankees and is a toolsy first baseman who is near big league ready and will definitely be in the mix as a non-roster invite. Then, the team acquired Edouard Julien from the Minnesota Twins. Julien is more of a second baseman, but picked up first base with the Twins, though his experience is limited.
No single candidate stands out as the runaway favorite for the position, meaning it’s going to be one of the more contested positions in camp. They all offer similar tools in one way or another, so every at-bat and play matters even more. Of course, the team could throw us a curveball and acquire a first baseman, rendering this discussion moot. Regardless, first base is wide open, and it’s up to the best man to win.
Outfield Looking In
The Rockies’ outfield seems fairly straightforward in its lineup. Jordan Beck is expected to be in left field, Brenton Doyle in center, and a combination of Mickey Moniak and newly-acquired Jake McCarthy in right. Of course, Tyler Freeman can also fit into the mix as a utility outfielder, but he could see more time on the infield dirt this season. Then, the addition of Willi Castro presents another corner outfielder option alongside Johnston, who is capable of playing the outfield.
From a big league roster perspective, the outfield is pretty crowded while being set, and it’s going to make it a little more difficult for roster hopefuls to crack. Zac Veen (No. 9 PuRP), who has entered camp in brand new shape and mentality, is a top candidate to try and force his way back onto the roster after a rough cup of coffee last season.
Veen’s transformation this offseason to overcome his substance abuse issues is incredible. Now, the hope is to see if he can make himself relevant for the big league club again, to get back in their good graces and reach the potential that led them to draft him with their first pick in 2020. It’s an uphill battle for him on both fronts, but it’s going to be fascinating to watch if he can replicate the spring training electricity he created last year.
What’s the offensive strategy?
Even before the disaster of 2025, which saw the Rockies field one of the worst run-scoring teams in MLB history, the offense in Colorado had struggled as a whole for quite a while. Since 2019, the team has seen a steady decline in its offensive ability. Strikeouts reigned supreme while power numbers diminished. Sure, there were some standout individual performances, but unlike other sports, a great year from one or two guys doesn’t move the needle.
Hitting coach Brett Pill has his work cut out for him to help the offensive unit start clicking. Once games start on Friday, we’ll get our first look at some of the work starting to be put in. Are we going to see more disciplined hitters with an emphasis of getting on base by any means necessary? Or will there still be aggression by the offense to attack hitters, but it’s a more controlled and methodical form of aggression? If nothing else, we know contact has to be an emphasis.
Need for Speed
After the team gets on base, what’s the plan? We saw hints of Warren Schaeffer’s preferred style of play. He loves small ball and the art of stealing bases. The Rockies have a fast team, yet stolen bases haven’t been a great team function for years. Causing chaos on the bases for opposing teams helped the Rockies out a bit last season and it could be something Schaeffer emphasizes even more now that he has the official manager title.
I’d like to see how often the Rockies are attempting to steal, something they actually do quite a bit in spring training, and how successful they are in their steal attempts. Even more important, it will be watching how they steal. By that, I mean are they getting better jumps and bigger leads, timing up opposing pitchers earlier than in the past? Speed is a valuable tool, and the Rockies could afford to run wild in 2026.
Rebound Candidates
The struggles of Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle last season were due to injuries and underperformance, and truly hurt the club. Doyle started to iron things out in the second half of the season, but Tovar was never on the field long enough to find a rhythm. Having both healthy in camp is going to be paramount to righting the ship in 2026.
But the new acquisitions of Castro, Julien, and McCarthy present rebound candidates that would be a huge boon for the lineup if they can click. All three have one or two good seasons under their belt offensively, but injuries or other slumps have put them in a position to be hungry and prove themselves again. Schaeffer has a lot of new tools in his toolbox to deploy, but some of them need to be sharpened before they are useful again and so a strong rebound showing in spring training will be something to watch for.
Conclusion
These are just a few storylines to watch, as we know there are several more position battles unsettled and plenty of individual questions to solve for players. The main takeaway is that spring training is going to be more interesting than it has in the past for pitchers and position players, and it should hopefully be an enjoyable ride for the fans.
What position players’ questions do you want answered for spring training this year? Keep things rolling in the comments below.
Jordan Beck had some flashes of what he can do to contribute to the Rockies last season. However, consistency in production is going to be at the top of his list of goals heading into 2026.
Kris Bryant talked to the media on Tuesday morning, basically talking about how much pain he is still in with his back issues and that he is just hoping to find some sort of breakthrough in a rehab process.
NORTH PORT, FL - FEBRUARY 23: A general interior view of CoolToday Park during the Spring Training game between the Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves at CoolToday Park on February 23, 2020 in North Port, Florida. The Tigers defeated the Braves 5-1. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
While the TV situation for the Atlanta Braves is currently in flux heading into the 2026 season, there are still games to be played and we at least know that 15 of them will be televised by your local Gray TV affiliate.
We’ll keep this updated as more information comes out but for now, here’s the TV and radio schedule for the 2026 Grapefruit League campaign for the Atlanta Braves.
The new face of the franchise, Colson Montgomery, sports the pinstripes on Photo Day as he prepares to lead the youth movement in 2026. | Getty Images
Spring Training in Glendale is officially in full swing, and if you haven’t already muted the “Chris Getz is building a team of 2023 roster castoffs” jokes on X, now might be the time. The biggest buzz at Camelback Ranch isn’t just the desert heat; it’s the arrival of Munetaka Murakami. While most of the roster is easing into their routine, Murakami is ramping up for the World Baseball Classic. The Sox are banking on that high-stakes environment keeping his timing sharp, which is a bold strategy for a guy adjusting to MLB velocity. But hey, seeing him and Colson Montgomery side-by-side in the infield at least gives us something to dream about while we wait for the Cactus League opener against the Cubs this Friday.
On the “project” front, Erick Fedde is back for a second act on a one-year flyer, and the early reports suggest he’s already tinkering with his hand break to fix the mechanical mess that was his 2025. Meanwhile, the front office continues its quest to collect every available depth piece with a recognizable last name, apparently signing DarrenBaker (son of Dusty) to a minor-league deal.
Darren Baker, the son of future Hall of Fame manager Dusty Baker, is working out on the back fields of the Chicago White Sox. He officially signed a minor league contract after being with the Washington Nationals and likely will open the season at Triple-A Charlotte.
Whether any of this translates to more than 60 wins is a conversation for another day. For now, the pinstripes looked crisp at yesterday’s Photo Day, and the optimism is palpable.
Yes, it’s early, and we all know the drill. It’s mid-February, the sun is hitting the back fields at Camelback Ranch, and hope is really the only thing we have in abundance before the actual games start exposing the flaws. But with the LuisRobert Jr. era officially over (still feels weird seeing him in Mets blue), the 2026 iteration of the White Sox is definitely leaning hard into the “Youth” movement, which does bring some excitement. And one thing is for certain, manager Will Venable has a lot of pieces to move around, with the general consensus being that the kids are finally getting the keys to the South Side. Between the high-OBP profile of Chase Meidroth, the sheer “juice” Murakami and Montgomery bring to the middle of the order, and the All-Star caliber catching duo of Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, the 2026 lineup might actually — dare I say — force a pitcher to break a sweat in the fourth inning.
So, grab your sunscreen and settle in. If Murakami’s power is as real as the desert heat and the kids can maintain that second-half swagger from a year ago, we might actually find ourselves enjoying South Side baseball again before the 162-game marathon is through.
From left, Detroit Tigers starting pitchers Framber Valdez, Jack Flaherty, Justin Verlander, Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize pose for a photo during Verlander’s introductory press conference at the 34 Club of Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida, on Feb. 12, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
World Series or bust y’all! Ok, this is baseball. It’s a rare team that can actually expect to win a World Series title in a given year. Even the highest projected odds for the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers to win the World Series again this year are only 27.3 percent, and by baseball standards those are incredibly good odds. Only the Mariners, Mets, and for some reason, the Braves, even have odds a little over seven percent to win the World Series.
Of course, fan isn’t short for “reasonable observer” and there’s no reason not to let your hopes fly as high as possible, as long as you can deal with the likelihood of them getting dashed on the rocks as usual. In the past two weeks, the Tigers have added roughly 3 wins to their projections, depending which system you ask, by replacing Reese Olson with Framber Valdez and then bulking up the rotation with Justin Verlander. The effect of that influx of talent and depth should improve the bullpen as well and keeps replacement level pitchers from having to cover innings.
For myself, it’s time the Tigers won the AL Central for one, and it would be a failure of the season if they don’t. Beyond that, they’ve been deep in the ALDS each of the past two seasons. If they could finally win through, I’d ultimately be pretty happy with the season, even assuming that a crushing defeat lies ahead in the ALCS or World Series. If they could even get to the World Series it would be a huge success after a 14 year absence.
How about you? It’s tough knowing this is their likely last shot with Tarik Skubal leading the way. Players have to take a World Series or bust approach publicly, and fans certainly can live or die with their club wanting to win it all. But, what would constitute a successful 2026 season in your mind?
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 7: Tony Clark, executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association talks to the media prior to the spring training game between the New York Mets and the New York Yankees at First Date Field on March 7, 2018 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Evan Drellich argues that commissioner Rob Manfred’s biggest problem in the upcoming labor talks may not be with the players but rather with the owners over the control of TV rights. (The Athletic sub. req.) Tom Ricketts is featured as an enemy of Manfred’s plans.
Michael Baumann notest that between the Padres’ signing of Buehler, Griffin Canning and Germán Marquez this past three-day weekend, Preller is casting a wide net in order to find a 4th starter. He also writes about the Padres signing of Nick Castellanos over the weekend.
We are just two weeks away from the kickoff of the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Tokyo. Michael Clair has one key player for all 20 teams.
New Giants manager Tony Vitello said the team will consider calling pitches from the dugout, like NCAA teams do. (The Athletic sub. req.) The Rockies have said they will “experiment” with calling pitches from the dugout this year and the Marlins did for a few games last year.
Toppin, the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year and projected first round NBA draft pick, had 20 points and eight rebounds before the injury. The Red Raiders (19-7, 9-4) would go on to lose to the Sun Devils, 70-67, but the defeat was far less concerning than Toppin's status.
Toppin was attempting to drive to the line in transition but lost his balance and had the ball blocked out of bounds. He stayed on the ground for a period, holding his right leg and asked for trainer Mike Neal to come over and help him.
Gut-wrenching.
You hate to see a guy like JT Toppin go down. He has been one of the absolute best players in the country this year.
You simply cannot replace that kind of impact. Praying for him.
Coach Grant McCasland and Neal had to help Toppin off the floor as Toppin was not able to put his full weight on his leg.
"I just know he's really disappointed. He's such a competitor," McCasland said postgame.
Texas Tech, a No. 3 seed in USA TODAY Sports' latest bracketology, can't afford to lose Toppin, who was on his way to an All-American season. Toppin was coming off a 31-point, 13-rebound effort in Texas Tech's win over then-No. 1 Arizona on Feb. 14.
Toppin is averaging 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game this season.
"Hate to see a guy go out of the game like that," ASU coach Bobby Hurley said afterward. "One of the best players in the country."
On a personal level, this absolutely sucks for JT Toppin. Watching him become the player he is now the last 2 years has been a joy. Rare to cover players that dynamic. No idea what the future holds for him but no doubt he'll attack this like he has everything else.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 8: Dominic Smith #7 of the San Francisco Giants hits a two run home run a game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on September 8, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves made a minor move on Tuesday and added infielder Dominic Smith on their list of non-roster invites to spring training. Smith, 30, spent the 2025 season in San Francisco, where he appeared in 63 games. He spent the majority of his time at first base, but also appeared in right field and briefly filled the DH role.
He debuted with the New York Mets in 2017 and in his early career, logged most of his innings in the outfield.
It is an under-the-radar addition for Atlanta, but Smith gives the Braves another experienced option in camp and a potential source of depth, should he make an impression this spring.
More Braves News:
Skipper Walt Weiss caught up with the media, discussing the pitching staff, Ronald Acuña Jr., and more.
JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 17: Nolan Gorman #16 of the St. Louis Cardinals poses for a photo during the St. Louis Cardinals Photo Day at Roger Dean Stadium on February 17, 2026 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Originally, I was going to write about the Cubs last, but I feel more threatened by Milwaukee overall. So, I am saving them for last. There is some small chance I might move to Milwaukee, so it’s not the city. It’s the team that annoys me. I’ll probably stick here in St Louis, yeah. But maybe some day I will have to change my name to Cards Fan in Brewtown or whatever it’s called, since long ago on VEB I was known as Cards Fan In Chitown. Miltown just doesn’t sound right. But this is about Chicago! A place I lived in for over 20 years, it was a love/hate thing.
Chicago is too cold, too little parking for residents without private parking, parking tickets are expensive, and they charge you like $100/yr for a sticker to put on your car so you don’t get tickets from the police for simply not having a Chicago sticker. That said, I never understand why people say Chicago is violent and scary unless they’re looking for heroin in the wrong neighborhoods, and even then, it’s survivable. I once was pulled over by a cop in a bad west side neighborhood, and the first thing that came to my mind was that he probably thought I was a kid from the suburbs looking for the h.
Nope, I am and was an artist/musician, and another artist had bought a building in a dangerous area to house artists. If you avoid these bohemian zones or whatever you want to call it, Chicago is filled with cops and security and cameras… it’s just a whole media lie to manipulate people about Chitown and to force a narrative. The rate of crime is average there. There’s just more counting numbers to scare people with. If anything, there are too many cops and order there. At least in the Chicago I experienced from the late 90’s until 2019.
I used to drunkenly ride my bike through Wrigleyville yelling “Cubbies!” in the most mocking tone possible. Everyone else was walking between bars or after the Cubs game, drunk too. No one cared or maybe it didn’t even register that I was mocking them, but regardless, these were more carefree times. I used to enjoy going to the Gingerman, a bar near Wrigley. I saw the Cardinals on the 4th of July there, and my friend and I were able to walk to Wrigley Field because I lived in Uptown, just one neighborhood past Sheridan, which was just north of Wrigleyville. I lived right by Graceland Cemetery, one of the world’s greatest places for the dead, I guess?
I spilled a beer on a Cubs fan on accident that 4th of July, but not his girlfriend. So I didn’t feel too bad about it. I had brought my best friend, friends since grade school, with, and we will always have a chuckle over that one.
OK! So yeah, the Cubs this year… my gut tells me last year was their peak window, and they didn’t do enough. They blew it, whether it was the players on the field or the owners not putting forth the funds to compete with the coasts. Or maybe we could just say, the two Big Cities. LA & NY will almost always outspend anyone. They usually do. Ironically enough, the Dodgers were originally from NY, but empires go coast to coast.
Sometimes I just get into this writing mode and words gonna churn like butter. The Chicago Cubs are the best of the midwest, the cream of the crop? Let’s check that out.
The Cubs best infielder is Dansby Swanson. In December, 2022, the Cubs signed Dansby Swanson to a 7 year, $177 million contract. He should put up around 3.7+ WAR this season. Dansby was maybe a sleeper pick because he’s athletic in not the offensive way: he’s good at defense and a fast runner. Sort of their Masyn Winn. I think the two players will be rather similar this season.
Nico Hoerner and Alex Bregman round out their really good infield. Bregman is projected to be close to the same value as Nico, according to the consensus of projections. ZiPS actually says Hoerner is the superior player. Dansby, Nico, and Alex are quite the left side of the infield! Not a world beater, but pretty damn good. Over at first base, Michael Busch ain’t no slouch either. He’s not supposed to be much better than Alec Burleson, but still, that’s good! Two and a half plus WAR ain’t nothing to scoff at.
Oh but the Cubs have a Pete Crow-Armstrong, their best player! Will he be a legend like he was the first half of 2025, or more like the second half? Maybe him and Victor Scott II will both be better first half players, not to compare the offense but in a most general sense, they both did not have as good of second halfs. For Pete Crow Armstrong, he seems a little bit difficult to predict: 3.3 to 4.9 is the difference in floor vs ceiling projections here. I will do a final article comparing projection systems without any outlier projections involved, later on. Still, he is a key factor in what sets the Cubs ahead of the pack. He is more than likely going to be the Cubs best position player, like it or not. That’s how important it is for a defensive center fielder to be able to hit a little bit. They just become super valuable.
It’s time (for me) to admit the Cubs are going to be good. They have installed a 13.5ish WAR infield with a somewhat fantastic outfield because of PCA, Seiya Suzuki, and Ian Happ. The corner outfielders are no slouches, either. Ian Happ has always been annoying, and Seiya Suzuki should be around a 3 WAR player!
It’s their starting pitching *especially at Wrigley, that doesn’t seem to be very competitive. They will predictably trade for a better starting pitcher around the all star break (maybe?) but Matthew Boyd, Edward Cabrera, Shota Imanaga, Cade Horton, and Jameson Tailon aren’t projected to break 10 WAR. That’s better than the Cardinals rotation, but maybe not by as much as many people think. If OOPSY is right about the Cubs rotation and The Bat is correct about the Cardinals rotation… they’re almost the same. Both teams will certainly not rely on the same top 5 all year, so it’s just spitballing, but I was a little surprised.
A conclusion to derive from the Cubs starting position players is that they absolutely blow away the Reds, Cardinals, and Pirates lineups. I am guessing, the Brewers too. I don’t think much sticks out about the Cubs bullpen, and I don’t know much about it, so I’ll just leave it at that.
Matthew Boyd should be the best Cubs starting pitcher, but Shota Imanaga is the most famous name on the staff. They don’t have bad pitching depth, but it’s not too impressive either. The Cubs will rely upon health among their position players to compete, is what I am reading in the tea leaves.
I’ll just lay the Cards on the table: none of the Cardinals, Pirates, or the Reds have the firepower to compete with the Cubs position players. They may have shot themselves in the foot with lackluster pitching at Wrigley field, plus if any of Swanson, Armstrong, Hoerner, Bregman, Busch, or Suzuki go down, they may be hampered quite a bit. Carson Kelly – Miguel Amaya are a good catching tandem, as well, but they kind of back each other up pretty well. The two will equate to a pretty decent catcher.
*Pirates updated but not finalized, Cardinals still in raw form… I switched from ZiPS to ZiPS DC and updated all
Will the Cubs be the projected favorite to win the division? Only the Brewers might compete.
***
There is something about the Cardinals, though, that you cannot predict: they’re one of the youngest teams in all of MLB! Also, if you dive into the linked ESPN created average age chart, a mystery 38 year old player is listed: Ryan Tapera! So maybe we are the youngest team, idk, you tell me.
The top 5 aging rosters are the Padres, the Mets, the Dodgers, the Yankees, and the Cubs! Only the Marlins, Nationals, and White Sox have a younger average roster age than the Cardinals. The Guardians and the Cardinals have the same average age of 26.5. This puts us on the same page as Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, and of course Cleveland. The top three youngest teams are not much younger, overall.
If you look at these projections through an age lens, it would appear that the Cubs flubbed the most this offseason. They should have done more. Maybe they will, but time runs out soon on their offseason endeavors. But Atlanta did not do much either, comparable to Chicago. Neither did Toronto.
Texas, Kansas City, Houston, and Baltimore are all aging teams when you get to the middle. The Orioles need to do something now. Hopefully they’ll compete in the AL East. Seattle, Detroit, Boston, Arizona, and San Francisco are also probably in the “better do something” boat. Philadelphia seems to be set up pretty well to compete with a slightly younger average age than you might think. But they’re also the same age as the Angels.
Age vs price of aging player contracts is such a huge factor and disparity within baseball. Perhaps what everyone needs to go through is a leveling of the playing field, a jubilee of sorts. Contracts and wages are all out of whack everywhere within out society and economy. Everything is stagnant. And it has been for a while, but things are grinding to a halt, it would feel. Maybe the system needs a whole revision, on every level.
So, the Cardinals are now a very, very young MLB team. Let’s take a look at our team’s players’ ages…
Pitchers
Ryne Stanek is now the older brother in the clubhouse, oldest Cardinal at 34 years old (also, he was born in St Louis!)
Riley O’Brien will surprise some at 31! He doesn’t seem that old, does he
Nick Raquet is 30… we have 3 rostered players who are 30+
JoJo Romero is 29… maybe when he’s 30, he will be traded
Dustin May, Kyle Leahy, Matthew Pushard, Chris Roycroft, & Justin Bruihl are all 28 year olds
Matt Svanson, Andre Pallante, Zak Kent, and Ryan Fernandez are 27
Matthew Liberatore, George Soriano, Richard Fitts, and Hunter Dobbins are 26
Michael McGreevy and Gordon Graceffo are 25
Roby, Mautz, & Hjerpe are all 24 years old
Tink Hence is the youngest rostered pitcher at 23
Catchers
Yohel Pozo is the godfather of the catchers at 28
Pedro Pages is 27
Ivan Herrera is 25
Jimmy Crooks III is 24
Leonardo Bernal is one of the youngest rostered players at 22!
Infielders
Sir Alec Burleson is the eldest infielder at 27 years old
Jose Fermin and Cesar Prieto are 26
Nolan Gorman is 25
Masyn Winn and Thomas Saggese are only 23!
Outfielders
Lars Nootbaar is the same age as Bryan Torres: 28
Victor Scott II and Nathan Church are both 25
Jordan Walker is the same age as his buddy Masyn Winn: only 23
Up and comer Joshua Baez is only 22!
Nelson Velasquez is 27 in case anyone was wondering (I was!)… if he perseveres, it will be his first MLB appearance since 2024. His MLB career had some ups and downs but ended at .719 OPS, not bad, not great. In his last MLB stint, he was with the Royals, and had a .640 OPS in 240 PA. You can’t really hope he’s any kind of answer to the outfield equation, but maybe he will surprise.
1978
Here I am, writing about the last 50 years of my life. Back in 1978, things were just as topsy turvy as they are now, or I’d like to think of it that way, anyway.
Roman Polanski skipped bail in the US and fled to France after pleading guilty to sexual relations with a 13 year old girl. Charlie Chaplin’s remains were stolen in Switzerland. Dallas the tv show debuted on CBS, and gave birth to the genre of modern primetime soap opera. Jimmy Carter decided to delay production of the neutron bomb. May 25, 1978 featured the first Unabomber attack at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Al Unser won his 3rd Indianapolis 500 (my favorite racing event other than drag racing). June 25th, 1978 was the debut of the LGTB rainbow flag.
Angels outfielder Lyman Bostock was shot to death in Gary, IN while visiting friends during the season. He was another 27 guy. On October 14, 1978, Jimmy Carter signed a bill into law that allowed the home brewing of beer in the U.S. The first Superman movie was released. In Chicago, John Wayne Gacy was arrested. My friend rented an apartment in that house years later!
1978 was a Yankees Dodgers World Series, the Yanks somehow overcoming multiple issues to win everything. Those types of World Series are really annoying, but hey, I suppose they’re bound to happen sometimes. The Yankees were the only 100 game winner in 1978, and they ended up winning it all. The Dodgers were nearly as good, winning 95 games that season. The Big Red Machine was still running strong at 92 wins, more than the NL East leader, the Phillies, who only won 90 games. The Cardinals and Mets were terrible in 1978, winning under 70 games! The Red Sox finished only 1 game back of the Yankees at 99 wins.
It must be serendipitous that I was speaking of Chicago at the beginning of this article, because my favorite album of 1978 is an album that was part of an overarching soundtrack to my life in Chitown. Sun Ra’s masterpiece album, ‘Lanquidity’. I listened to it often while living there.
#1 Sun Ra – ‘Lanquidity’ One of the most subtle and deep groove albums of all time! Parts acid jazz, classic jazz, funk, world music, and space rock, it is among the best albums of Sun Ra’s entire discography! It works both as an introduction to Sun Ra and as advanced Solar Arkestra listening. They’re both more focused and tight here than usual, but also more detached and machine-like. This is Sun Ra still at his peak. Total pure genius. A stunningly deep work. Sun Ra and His Arkestra invented Afrofuturism, not just music, an art movement. And we will see several other cultural movements arise in 1978, a time of change.
#2 Rush – ‘Hemispheres’ is just as close of a life soundtrack to me as Lanquidity, so one could consider this a tie… but I feel like Sun Ra runs a little more deep. Rush is also super deep, but in a very prog rock way. And this is probably the most exemplary prog rock album of all time. It far outdoes ‘2112’, and King Crimson isn’t quite as well known as Rush. Hemispheres vs Court of the Crimson King would be an interesting debate about best prog rock album ever, but you could also enter Yes – ‘Fragile’ into that conversation as well. However, ‘Hemispheres’ is the best prog rock album released in my lifetime, and there’s not much doubt about that. And despite it being known as a bloated prog rock extravaganza, it’s actually very concise at just over 36 minutes.
#3 Captain Beefheart – ‘Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)’ could easily be #1, I would basically consider these top 3 albums a tie for first. Shiny Beast is Captain Beefheart’s sleeper beast of an album. Troutmask Replica gets most of the attention, but I’d argue that there are a few better Beefheart albums, nothing against Troutmask it’s just that the good Captain’s discography is absolutely stacked. I also love ‘Lick My Decals Off Baby’ and his very first album ‘Safe As Milk’, and I’m rather fond of his later era trio of albums ‘Shiny Beast’ (which is also known as Bat Chain Puller, which could get confusing because there’s another version of the album recorded in 1976 and released in 2012), ‘Doc At The Radar Station’ (I have both of these albums on remastered vinyl), and ‘Ice Cream For Crow’. Captain Beefheart is THE weirdo musician, and isn’t it supremely weird that him and Frank Zappa went to the same high school, concurrently?
#4 Weidorje – ‘Weidorje’ is funky alien music with basslines that not only conjure disco and funk but also Jaco Pastorius and the sound of early 70s King Crimson bassist John Wetton. This is another spinoff band from another more well known band. That band is fellow Zeuhl movement powerhouse, Magma, who also make this 1978 top 10 list. So now you know two prog rock movements: Zeuhl and RIO (rock in opposition). Canterbury Scene is another. Anyways, you may wonder where I find this stuff, but I have been a fan of this album for at least a decade. Just a big prog rock fan! This is honestly one of my favorite albums of all time. This is a very fun listen, mostly instrumental but some fun made up language vocals occasionally keep things interesting. And that album cover is absolutely amazing.
#5 Various Artists – ‘No New York’ Pretty much right after the punk explosion hit, punk rock started to splinter into new movements and subgenres. One of the earliest and most punk subgenre of all was No Wave punk, an alternative to the smoother sounds of New Wave. ‘No New York’ is exemplary, a blueprint for a whole movement, which was primarily based in New York City, but also branched out to Philadelphia, Chicago, and the Kansai region of Japan, cities with creative musicians who wanted to be on the cutting edge of culture. The term was a reaction to New Wave, and it became not only a music scene but an art movement in NYC. Glen Branca started to deconstruct the sound of guitars, bands started to do the same, and detune guitars or make certain instruments sound absurd. Rather than technical playing, reinventing sounds and displaying raucous energy were the focus. The bands on this super punk album sound really ahead of their time and had names like The Contortions, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, Mars, and DNA. As this was largely a nihilistic cultural movement, the sounds of the music are usually abrasive, noisy, dissonant, and/or absurd. What is most interesting is how the movement branched out to incorporate so many different, disparate genres into its sound, making the genre more about a spirit, style, and attitude that is not easy to describe unless you’re already familiar it. This album (produced by Brian Eno) is a good intro to no wave music.
#6 Magma – ‘Attahk’ French Zeuhl progenitors update their sound with more funk, more jazz fusion, and even gospel. This album would be ranked a little higher because I love them, but I think they’re stretching a bit here. It makes the list because it features three of their best songs in album opener “The Last Seven Minutes”, “Lyric Necronomicus Kant”, and the lovely “Dondai”. This is one of the best live bands you’ll ever see, so if they tour again, it’s a must. They bring a full band with multiple guitarists, bassist, a choir of singers, and keys plus the incredible talents of drummer and bandleader Christian Vander. I’m don’t think they will be touring again because Vander is going to turn 78 years young in a couple days, but you never know.
#7 Devo – ‘Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!’ Speaking of New Wave, Devo are my favorite new wave punk band! If they were even a little less structured and pop, and a little more noisy, I think they’d be considered no wave (or maybe they just had to live in NYC instead). Devo were certainly a little weird themselves, and were one of my first favorite bands. I had a cool older sister who listened to them, and they always looked fun on MTV in their hats. While Devo were formed back in 1973, they didn’t release their first album until 1978! Devo went on to release an album every year from 1978 to 1982! And yet another album in 1984. This is one of the few bands I never got to see live, that I’d like to see. They’re so fun! Devolution.
#8 Art Bears – ‘Hopes and Fears’ is the sound of one band disintegrating into another band during the recording sessions. At the same time half of ‘Hopes and Fears’ was being recorded, the final Henry Cow album was also laid to tape. The swansong album was not released until 1979, however. The world got to hear the new band Art Bears, first. The second half of the album was recorded in March 1979, just a month or two after the first half was recorded, but now with only a trio of musicians, including singer Dagmar Krause. She absolutely steals the show here, who along with guitarist Fred Frith and drummer Cris Cutler created next level avant art rock. They became (along with Henry Cow) the originators of the Rock In Opposition movement, which aligned European outsider prog rock bands, and the English Art Bears/Henry Cow. They even had a festival based around these bands no record label dared to promote. If you enjoy oddball, weird music, this is a must-listen.
#9 Siouxsie and the Banshees – ‘The Scream’ I did not know this album even existed before I did my research, but I’m glad I found it! I’ve always liked what I have heard from Siouxsie, but I had no idea that they went all the way back to 1978. As it turns out, they’ve been around as long as Devo. While new wave and no wave were also around, Siouxsie was getting post-punk started. While they had been around a couple years before their debut album, they were not signed right away. But eventually a label released their tunes to critical acclaim and even were said to have created a new sound. The late 1970s were a very interesting time in music where old ideas were dying out and new ones emerging constantly. It was a good idea to be in a band back then as it could be your career. And you could create new ways while doing it.
#10 Magazine – ‘Real Life’ and to round out my top 10 albums of 1978 is Real Life by Magazine, and eclectic collection of songs that could also be filed under post-punk. People have also described this album as new wave or art rock, but you get the picture. If you want to know a band that influenced Radiohead, here you go. My standout track is “The Light Pours Out Of Me” which one of my favorite bands Ministry covered really well, I might add!
I could go on forever writing about music and baseball. Let’s cut if off until next week though, thanks for reading!
TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 17: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees poses for a photo during Spring Training Photo Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 17, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have asked a lot about favorites – time for the other end of the spectrum?
The Chicago Blackhawks have multiple trade candidates to watch ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. One of them is Jason Dickinson, as the veteran forward is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) and certainly has the potential to generate interest from contenders looking for a bottom-six center who can kill penalties.
Now, a few potential suitors have been named for Dickinson.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Scott Powers, Mark Lazerus, and Chris Johnston named the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights as two potential trade fits for Dickinson.
"The Minnesota Wild are looking for a top-six center, but any help down the middle would be welcome. The Vegas Golden Knights could be an interesting destination, as well," Powers, Lazerus, and Johnston wrote.
The Wild being named a potential landing spot for Dickinson is understandable. When looking at their roster, he could fit perfectly as their fourth-line center. That would not be a bad thing for a Minnesota club that is looking to go on a run this spring.
As for the Golden Knights, it is clear that their bottom six could use a boost as well, and Dickinson would have the potential to give them just that. In addition, he would give them another clear option for their penalty kill if acquired.
Ultimately, the Blackhawks have a decision to make with Dickinson. It is fair to wonder if they could look to extend him, as he has been a good veteran mentor for the club's younger players. However, at the same time, the Blackhawks have several promising youngsters in their system, so they could very well move him if they do not see him as a long-term part of their plans.
Once the NHL Olympic trade freeze lifts, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be a team to keep an eye on. With the Penguins exceeding expectations in a big way and currently being second in the Metropolitan Division standings, it would not be surprising if they looked to add to their roster ahead of the deadline.
One area that the Penguins could look to improve is their forward group. When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann stands out as a very interesting trade target to consider.
There is no question that the Penguins could use another middle-six forward who provides a bit of everything, and McMann is just that. This is because he is not only a solid goal-scorer, but also provides plenty of physicality. This could make him a good pickup for a Penguins club that looks ready to get back into the playoffs.
McMann is currently impressing this season with the Maple Leafs, as he has recorded 19 goals, 13 assists, 32 points, and 126 hits in 56 games. This is after he had 20 goals, 34 points, and 134 hits in 73 games this past season with Toronto. With numbers like these, he would be a great addition to a Penguins club that could use a bit more secondary scoring.
McMann is also a player whom Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas knows well, as he signed the 29-year-old forward back when he was GM of the Maple Leafs. Dubas has shown that he is not afraid to reunite with his former players.
Overall, with the Penguins needing another forward, McMann is an option worth considering. This is especially so if acquiring him came with a contract extension
Things got so bad during UCLA's blowout road loss to Michigan State on Tuesday night that Bruins coach Mick Cronin apparently felt the need to eject one of his own players.
The incident occurred late in the second half of an eventual 82-59 loss on Feb. 17 when UCLA center Steven Jamerson II picked up a flagrant foul for hacking a Spartans player from behind on a dunk attempt.
Cronin explained afterward he didn't appreciate Jamerson's actions, especially coming with just 4:26 to go and the Bruins trailing 77-50.
"I was thoroughly disappointed," Cronin told reporters after the game. "The guy was defenseless in the air. I know Steve was trying to block the shot, but the game's a 25-point game. You don't do that."
Mick Cronin ejected his own player, Steven Jamerson II, after he was assessed a technical foul against Michigan State 👀pic.twitter.com/Zyisx8ys0d
Frustrations continue to mount for the Bruins, who lost to top-ranked Michigan by 30 points on Saturday after entering the weekend winning five of their last six.
Cronin also had a testy exchange with a reporter after the game. When asked about the Michigan State student section chanting the name of former Spartans player Xavier Booker − who transferred to UCLA last year after two underwhelming seasons in East Lansing − Cronin fired back angrily.
"I would like to give you kudos for the worst question I've ever been asked," he said. "You really think I care about the other team's student section?"
On Tuesday, the Montreal Canadiens resumed practice at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard, but not all players were present and accounted for. Of course, the team’s four Olympians, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Oliver Kapanen, and Alexandre Texier, were absent, but there was another player missing: Patrik Laine.
Shortly after practice began, the Canadiens reported that the player was dealing with a lower-body injury that would be evaluated daily. That raised more than a few eyebrows for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because the big Finn took part in an impromptu practice with his teammates the day before and looked just fine, and secondly, because the injury which forced him to miss months of action and from which he hadn’t been cleared before the Olympics was not a lower-body injury, but a core muscle one.
When the Canadiens’ communications department was asked whether Laine was injured during yesterday's training, they said they did not know. The sniper has been talked about at length recently as trade rumours swirl around, and finding a place for him in the lineup if and when he is cleared to play will be a challenging endeavour for Martin St-Louis. There’s a trade freeze in the NHL right now, but it expires on February 22 at 11:59 PM ET. Some are wondering whether his absence isn’t just a sign that a trade is in place, which will be officialised when the calendar turns to February 23. It looks like we’re in for a bit of a waiting game.
Meanwhile, Alex Newhook joined his teammates at practice for the first time in three months after fracturing his ankle. Although he wore a non-contact jersey, it indicates he has made significant progress in his recovery. When he is ready to return, it will be interesting to see what kind of impact he will have on the Canadiens’ lineup. Could he go back to the second line with Slafkovsky going back to the first line after his great performance at the Olympics? Where does Kirby Dach land if that’s the case? And Texier? Who comes out of the lineup? Joe Veleno? Brendan Gallagher?
While there are still eight days left until the Canadiens play their next game against the New York Islanders, it doesn’t look like we’ll be short of discussion topics.
It's uncommon for swaps of minor-league prospects to amount to anything meaningful in the NHL, but the Philadelphia Flyers and Christian Kyrou have turned out to be perfect fits for one another.
The Flyers traded for Kyrou, 22, in an Oct. 30 deal that sent winger Samu Tuomaala the other way to the Dallas Stars, and since then, it's been clear who the winner of that trade was.
In 37 AHL games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Kyrou has erupted for seven goals, 18 assists, and 25 points from the blueline, easily surpassing his previous career-high of 23 points in 57 games with the Texas Stars in 2023-24 with plenty of hockey left to spare.
With an AHL All-Star appearance now under Kyrou's belt in place of Denver Barkey, who made his leap to the NHL official, the rest, as they say, is history.
"Once I got traded, I just stopped worrying so much about what the coach thinks or what anybody thinks. Just trust playing my game," Kyrou told The Hockey News's Frank Zawrazky at the AHL All-Star Classic in Rockford, Illinois. "No stress, just trust my teammates."
The 5-foot-11 rearguard has taken full advantage of the fresh start given to him, leapfrogging the likes of Ethan Samson (later traded for Roman Schmidt) and Helge Grans and assuming the role of No. 1 power play quarterback on the Phantoms.
Schmidt and Maxence Guenette, who were both in-season trade acquisitions themselves, have not been enough to slow Kyrou's offensive production down and reduce his role on the team.
For the Flyers, that's a good problem to have going forward.
"He's been really good and better than expected. We didn't have a power play QB after [Emil Andrae] left and he came in, took charge of it," Flyers GM Danny Briere told The Hockey News of Kyrou.
"Like any young defender, he has to learn when and where to take chances with the puck and learn how to physically defend versus bigger and stronger forwards. Overall, a great addition to our group."
The coming months have a lot riding them, as the undersized Kyrou is a pending RFA for a Flyers organization that already has quite a few established defenders on the smaller side, including Andrae, Cam York, and Jamie Drysdale.
Andrae and Drysdale, of course, are pending RFAs themselves.
Sep 28, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Thomas Saggese (25) throws out Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) at second base during the third inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
We’re back with another daily question, and today’s question is: Which opposing team do you hate the most?
Given that this is a community of Brewer fans, I’d guess roughly 95% of the fans in here will say either the Cubs or the Cardinals, with the other 5% dispersed to teams all over the league (Dodgers, anyone?).
For me, it has and always will be the Cubs. Even with the great Cardinals years in the 2000s and 2010s, I’ve hated the Cubs as long as I can remember. There’s just something about the franchise that rubs me the wrong way.
What team is it for you?
Weigh in in the comments, and join us throughout the month as we keep these conversations rolling into spring training. Have a question you’d like to ask in a future BCB Daily Question? Drop one in the comments and we may use it later this month.
