Category: Sports News

The nascent years of the Yankees franchise — then known as the New York Highlanders — were a veritable Wild West. Fortunes fluctuated frenetically as teammates, manager, and even owner clashed daily. The behavior of certain involved parties would make even the most controversial issues nowadays appear tame. Perhaps no player associated with the franchise embodied this volatility more than shortstop and later manager Kid Elberfeld.

Norman Arthur “Kid” Elberfeld
Born: April 13, 1875 (Pomeroy, OH)
Died: January 13, 1944 (Chattanooga, TN)
Yankees Tenure: 1903-09

Norman Arthur “Kid” Elberfeld was born in Pomeroy, OH, on April 13, 1875, the tenth of eleven children to German immigrants Philip Elberfeld and Katherine Eiselstein. He played mainly hockey and baseball in his youth, suiting up at every position except pitcher. After captaining several Cincinnati-area local teams, he got his first chance in professional baseball with the Dallas Navigators of the Class C Texas Association.

A leg injury ended his tenure with the team in May, but he managed to land with the Richmond Bluebirds of the Class B Atlantic League, with whom he would bat .306 with 46 stolen bases in 138 games in 1897. These performances caught the eye of the Phillies, who purchased his contract that fall. His MLB debut was delayed by several months, Elberfeld injuring his knee when he fell in a bathtub, but he finally made it to the bigs on May 30, 1898, in the first game of a doubleheader against the Louisville Colonels, collecting a pair of doubles and a hit-by-pitch while also committing a pair of errors at third.

An attitude that was equal parts petulant and lackadaisical defined his career as a major league fielder, Philadelphia sportswriters writing that he “might as well learn now that Philadelphia ballcranks will not stand for his minor league methods. What we want [are] ball players, not toughs.” He made just 14 appearances for the Phillies, batting .237 with no home runs and seven RBIs before his contract was sold to the Detroit Tigers, then a minor league club playing in the Class A Western League.

Elberfeld rebounded in 1899, batting .308 with 23 stolen bases to earn another shot in the majors. However, a back injury, poor play and an even worse attitude limited him to just 41 appearances with the Reds before they got fed up and sold him back to Detroit in 1900. He would play two-and-a-half years with the Tigers including their debut season in MLB in 1901. By the end of 1902, there was a deal in place for the New York Giants to purchase Elberfeld from the Tigers, but in the interest of maintaining peace between the AL and NL, Elberfeld remained in Detroit, now under the direction of new manager and future Yankees GM Ed Barrow. Barrow quickly grew tired of Elberfeld’s antics, fining and suspending him for “loaferish conduct” amid suspicion that Elberfeld was trying to force a trade to the St. Louis Browns, Barrow instead trading him to the New York Highlanders.

Soon after his arrival in New York, Elberfeld was given the nickname “the Tabasco Kid” by sportswriter Sam Crane on account of his being “the dirtiest, scrappiest, most pestiferous, most rantankerous, most rambunctious ball player that ever stood on spikes.” He was notorious for his hard-nosed play on the field and ill-temper off it, at one point getting charged with disorderly conduct for throwing either a bottle or a knife at a hotel waiter not long after his trade to the Highlanders.

Despite his frequent feuds with teammates including Hal Chase, Jimmy Williams, Wid Conroy, and Ira Thomas, Elberfeld played his best baseball in his first years with the Highlanders, leading all AL shortstops with a .275 batting average between 1904 and 1906. He had a pair of infamous run-ins with umpire Silk O’Loughlin in 1906, first threatening him with the bat before initiating an actual brawl in the second incident that required police intervention, which the New York Times called “one of the most disgraceful scenes ever witnessed on a baseball field.” This disdain for umpires would characterize his baseball career, Elberfeld on another occasion throwing mud into an umpire’s mouth during a confrontation.

His standing on the Highlanders began to seriously degrade in 1907, owner Frank Farrell suspending him in July for “indifferent work in the field and at the bat,” as Elberfeld again sought to force a trade, this time to the Washington Senators, whom he harbored aspirations of managing. As it happens, that opportunity to manage would come with the team that was close to pushing him out the door. Farrell lifted the suspension in mid-August and even offered a contract extension on improved terms. The following year, Elberfeld suffered a season-ending injury on May 1st, and after a poor stretch of play in June, manager Clark Griffith was forced to resign and Elberfeld was handed the reins.

That decision could not have a more disastrous result. Starting his tenure ten games back of first place, the Highlanders went 27-71 under Elberfeld’s direction to finish in dead last with a 51-103 record, 39.5 games back of first place. His .276 winning percentage remains the worst in franchise history. That catastrophe of a managerial appointment was summed up in the words of one of his unnamed players:

“We are … playing under the direction of a crazy man. It won’t take Elberfeld more than two weeks to make us the most demoralized ball team that the American League has ever known. He thinks he is a manager, but he can’t convince any one but himself that he has the first qualification for the place. It’s a joke.”

Elberfeld was replaced by George Stallings as manager in 1909, but still had a contract to play for the team. In 106 games, he batted .237 with 26 RBIs and 23 stolen bases, allowing Stallings to sell him to Washington at the conclusion of the campaign. He played two injury-filled years in the nation’s capital, followed by a season each with Montgomery and Chattanooga of the Class A Southern Association, and a final season in the majors with Brooklyn in 1914. The next four seasons saw him return to various minor league clubs in the Southern Association, and his final appearance in professional baseball was as a 61-year-old pinch hitter for the Fulton Eagles of the Class D Kitty League in 1936.

Elberfeld dedicated his post-playing days to coaching and instructing in various youth baseball leagues in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana. He passed away from pneumonia in Chattanooga on January 13, 1944, at the age of 68. Though notorious for his confrontational-going-on-violent personality during his playing days, he left behind arguably a greater legacy as a mentor for a generation of young ballplayers.

References

Kid Elberfeld. Baseball-Reference.

Kid Elberfeld. Baseball Almanac.

Simpkins, Terry “Kid Elberfeld.” SABR.

“ELBERFELD IS SET DOWN BY FARRELL; Owner of Yankees Suspends Sulky Player Indefinitely and Without Pay. CONROY TO PLAY SHORT Hilltop Club Drops Two Miserably Played Games to Cleveland — Chicago Loses Fourth Straight.” The New York Times. July 27, 1907.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here

We all need something to be positive about after that weekend series versus the Atlanta Braves. Luckily, this team is good at finding those moments.

Messick Has Stellar Outing

While the Braves steamrolled the Guardians in games one and three, Parker Messick made sure that didn’t happen in game two. The rookie went 6.2 innings against the offensive powerhouse, giving up just four hits and two walks while striking out five. He earned the win after the offense put up six runs, and the bullpen was able to hold on to secure the shutout victory. Messick’s ERA sits at just 0.51 after three starts, and he’s earned the win in two of them. He’s collected 16 strikeouts in the 17.2 innings he’s pitched, and has only walked five. He’s quickly becoming a reliable option to fill out the second or third spot in the rotation.

Ramírez Sets Club Record

While this technically should’ve been in last week’s article, I want to be sure it gets highlighted. In Sunday’s second game versus the Chicago Cubs, third baseman José Ramírez set the all-time franchise record for most games played with 1,620. He passed Terry Turner’s 1,619 games after the fifth inning when Sunday’s game became official. He is now the only active player to lead a team in games played. He is continuing to prove that he wants to play in Cleveland through it all. He stated, “Of all the records, I feel that this one is the most important because it kind of resembles what I wanted to do with this team.” Somehow, 1,620 games with the perennial MVP candidate doesn’t seem like nearly enough, so I’m very glad to see that number continue to go up.

Brito Finding Success Early

With Gabriel Arias, unfortunately, being placed on the 10-day IL for a left hamstring strain, the Guardians needed to make a call-up prior to Tuesday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. While many were hoping it would be No. 1 prospect Travis Bazzana, they’re allowing him a bit more time to acclimate to Triple-A ball before making the move. They selected infielder Juan Brito, and he definitely made some noise in his debut. He ended the day with two hits including a double. Since then, he’s continued to hit well, picking up two more hits in his second game. He’s currently hitting .278/.350/.389.

Social Media Spotlight

This week’s social media spotlight goes to the amazing Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz over at Céspedes Family BBQ on Twitter. Since at least 2017, they’ve tweeted “@RhysHoskins congrats on the homer dude” Every. Single. Time. he hits a home run. I’ve been waiting patiently for that tweet since he signed with the Guardians, and it finally came in Sunday’s game against the Braves.

Morning A’s fans and welcome to another new week!

The club is back in Sacramento and set to kick off a new home stand tonight. It’s going to be a long one as the team will be home for the entire week, first with four games against the Texas Rangers and then three this weekend against the Chicago White Sox. Righty Luis Severino is going to kick things off tonight in the first game of the series. Texas and the Athletics have the same record two weeks into the season so someone is going to rise in the standings while the loser will fall a spot. It’s still early but these games matter so it’s important to get off on the right foot in the early going.

Have a great week guys.

A’s Coverage:

• Saturday Potpourri As A’s Reach For .500
• A’s Sweep the Mets!
• A’s Take Down The Yankees 1-0 in New York
• A’s roster moves: Rooker to IL, Gelof recalled
• A’s roster moves: Jack Perkins recalled, Michael Kelly optioned
• Luis Morales Optioned to Triple-A
• A’s Add Former Yankees Reliever as Bullpen Depth Option
• Armchair 101: The Challenge Of Judging Decisions In Real Time
• Las Vegas Single Game Ticket On Sale
• A’s Biggest Camp Question is Already Becoming a Strength in 2026
• A’s feed off electric crowd in breakout opener
• Extensions To Colt Emerson And Konnor Griffin A New Trend?
• AN Exclusive: Blogfather Observes The Wild Denzelope In Its Natural Habitat
• AN Exclusive: Blogfather Toes The Rubber With Pitching Coach Scott Emerson
• AN Exclusive: Blogfather Catches Up With Starting Pitcher Jacob Lopez

MLB News and Interest:

• Brewers outfielder Yelich exits, team expecting bad news
• Cubs place Hunter Harvey on IL
• Braves DFA Martin Perez
• Mets promote Tommy Pham
• Phil Garner passes away
• Padres’ Nick Pivetta exits with elbow soreness
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Big day for De Vries down in Double-A:

Same:

Any surprises for you guys?

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While no one in the Twin Cities knows how to feel about a successful season, the Minnesota Twins have surprised the world to start the year.

If and when Minnesota comes back to reality, it likely will be because of its pitching, a disadvantage tonight against the Boston Red Sox.

My Red Sox vs. Twins predictions and MLB picks doubt the weather will make things quick, but whenever there is a game, Minnesota’s surprise season should continue on Monday, April 13.

Who will win Red Sox vs Twins today: Twins +1.5 (-124)

Minnesota Twins righthander Bailey Ober has yet to throw a quality outing this season. Of his three starts, his season debut at Baltimore was the worst, but also the only one that the Twins lost.

With Ober’s continued struggles in mind, it is difficult to justify betting on Minnesota to beat the Boston Red Sox outright. But given the Twins have won six of their last seven games and are shockingly sitting atop the American League right now, some faith should still be put in them.

Minnesota sits sixth in runs per game this year, and while Garrett Crochet is a pitcher to fear, the Boston bullpen is not as fearsome (15th by ERA).

COVERS INTEL: Expected ERA paints and even grimmer picture for the Red Sox bullpen, as it ranks 26th.

Red Sox vs Twins Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (+106)

Expecting Ober to struggle immediately lends itself to expecting this Over to cash, as does expecting the Twins to still keep the game interesting.

Minnesota sits atop the AL because of its bats, ones that have powered the way to three straight Overs.

Crochet’s strikeout tendencies will cost the Twins some outs, but true-outcome baseball generally yields runs eventually, as well.

And if nothing else, the distinct likelihood of a weather delay tonight should throw any pitching plans into chaos.

Red Sox vs Twins odds

• Moneyline: Red Sox -161 | Twins +140
• Run line: Red Sox -1.5 | Twins +1.5
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5

Red Sox vs Twins trend

In winning six of their last seven games, the Twins sprung outright upsets in five of those six wins. Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Twins.

How to watch Red Sox vs Twins and game info

Red Sox vs Twins latest injuries

Red Sox vs Twins weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

In memory of former Astros player and manager Phil Garner, this is a piece I previously wrote last year for The Sporting News on his reflection on the Astros first World Series run in 2005, twenty years after.

(This article was written for The Sporting News by Craig Larson Jr. and the original link can be accessed with the link below. Originally published 10/26/2025

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/houston-astros/news/twenty-years-later-phil-garner-reflects-astros-first-world-series-run/01ed46472bdaee102033307a )

As the World Series plays on without them, many Houstonians are feeling October withdrawals. George Springer’s heroics for Toronto reminded everyone just how special this time of year can be, and how nostalgia rules the moment.

Astros fans can never forget their first trip. It was twenty years ago this very week when Houston defied the odds, rallying from a 15-30 start to capture the National League pennant. The run finally erased the heartbreaks of 1980 and 1986, as well as more recent postseason disappointments against the Braves and Cardinals.

Their appearance in the 2005 World Series ended in a sweep by Chicago’s South Siders, yet it remains one of the most cherished chapters in franchise history. Manager Phil Garner, who guided that club, reflected with Sporting News on the magic of that run.

“It was a wonderful time,” Garner said. “People still approach me and say it was the best time they ever had. Families would get together and watch the games and had the best times of their lives. It looked bad at the start of the season, but most baseball players are optimistic. You never count yourself out. You can recover, but if we had been that percentage on the negative side after the All-Star break, it would’ve been virtually impossible to come back.”

Asked about finally breaking through to the franchise’s first World Series, Garner pointed to leadership and belief as the key.

“We had a couple of hurdles,” he said. “We had those series where we couldn’t get past the Braves, and then we had St. Louis the year before. I have to admit, you need great players, but you also need guys who have bought all the way into the program. If they don’t buy into what you’re selling, it’s not going to work. We had so much leadership on that team. There was Bagwell, Biggio, Clemens, Pettitte, Oswalt, and Lidge. We had all the core ingredients and great role players who carried us down the stretch.”

Two decades later, Garner is watching another October classic unfold — and he marvels at the modern era’s transcendent stars.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Garner said of Shohei Ohtani. “Look at the guys in the game right now who are 23 to 30 years old, this is the golden age of baseball. He plays both ways and plays at a Hall-of-Fame clip. It’s just crazy how good he is.”

The Pittsburgh Pirates, who are leading the NL Central with a 9-6 record, open a four-game series with the Washington Nationals (7-8). The Pirates took two of three games from the Chicago Cubs over the weekend. Washington swept three games from the Milwaukee Brewers. Paul Skenes is expected to start for Pittsburgh against the Nationals’ Cade Cavalli.

How to watch Washington Nationals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

• Date: Monday, April 13

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT

• Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

• TV Channels: SN PT

• Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• Washington Nationals: 7-8 (#4 in NL East)

• Pittsburgh Pirates: 9-6 (#1 in NL Central)

Odds

• Spread: Pittsburgh Pirates -1.5

• Moneyline: Pittsburgh Pirates -225 (66.4%) / Washington Nationals +185 (33.6%)

• Over/Under: 7.0

Starting pitchers

Washington Nationals: Cade Cavalli (0-0, ERA: 2.51, K: 11, WHIP: 1.47)
Pittsburgh Pirates: Paul Skenes (2-1, ERA: 5.25, K: 12, WHIP: 1.25)

Weather: 76°F at first pitch