Dugout Diary by Joe Boesch

NOTE: This article was first published online at The Sports Column on Friday, August 30, 2024. The 2024 season is rounding third and heading home. The biggest prize of them all (a world championship) is on the line, as are several of the most prestigious and historic awards in sports. World Series:  This season has many good teams, and my pick to win it all is the  Philadelphia Phillies . Strength begins in the front office with President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski, who has built champion-level teams with the Marlins, Tigers, and Red Sox. He's on pace to do it again with the Phillies. As for AL competition, other teams fall short either because of uneven pitching or insufficient hitting. The Yankees fall into that problematic pitching category– without starters after Gerrit Cole. MVP :  Aaron Judge  and  Shohei Ohtani  are two names that are pretty much a lock to win. Judge is batting .333 for the AL with 51 home runs, 156 hits, and 123 RBIs. He...

You're playing a game, whether it's Little League or Game 7 of the Word Series. It's impossible to do well unless you're having a good time. People talk about pressure. Yeah, there's pressure. But I just look at it as fun.  — Derek Jeter — Joe Boesch 

The Yankees should just call it The Aaron Judge Show.  What he's doing at the plate — hit his 49th homer last night — and for his display of professionalism on and off the field. He's everything the Yankees stand for, and every player on the team falls in line behind him to follow his lead. He's the Captain and has the likes of past Captain Derek Jeter. So, sit back and enjoy the show he puts on; it's extraordinary. He's an inspirational quote from Judge on playing: "For me, all my negative thoughts that I have about, 'How did you miss that pitch? Why did you miss that pitch? You shouldn't have missed that pitch.' I just kind of sit there and kind of crush it up, and once I'm done doing that... I just kind of toss it aside."  — Aaron Judge Until then, see you at the park. — Joe Boesch 

Official Media Release: Minor League Baseball ( MiLB™) today announced a partnership with Snapchat to promote their recently launched "Less Likes, More Love" campaign to highlight how people use Snapchat to spread love.   All 120 Minor League teams will host a Snapchat "Less Likes, More Love" theme night, featuring fan giveaways and spotlighting moments of togetherness during a game, including a Hug Cam videoboard feature encouraging fans to feel connected to those around them. Many of the "Less Likes, More Love" theme nights will take place on August 21 or  August 28 , and fans are encouraged to check the promotional calendar of their local team for more information on their Snapchat night. "We're thrilled to partner with Minor League Baseball to bring the 'Less Likes, More Love' campaign to life in ballparks across the country," said  Emma Wakely , Sports Partnerships, Snapchat. "Snapchat is all about enhancing real-world exper...

Official Media Release: From the coauthors of 2023's Got Your Number—in which it was determined once and for all which sports legends owned the numbers 1-100 in sports—comes a follow-up title with even more nerve. More teeth. More gravitas. This fall, ESPN's Mike "Greeny" Greenberg and Paul "Hembo" Hembekides tap into all of the best debates from every corner of the sports world and will present the definitive new book "GOT YOUR ANSWERS: The 100 Greatest Sports Arguments—Settled" (Hyperion Avenue, September 24, 2024). With a nod to the greatest sportscaster of all-time—Howard Cosell—GOT YOUR ANSWERS is the book Cosell could have written. Passionate. Opinionated. Decisive. Accurate. Dropping facts and opinions with speed and audacity—some that will make your jaw drop—Greeny and Hembo dive into the greatest arguments in every arena… What are the top 10 dynasties in major sports history? What are the top 10 most coveted trophies in sports?...

It's that time of the year again — little boys living the American dream of playing in Williamsport at the Little League World Series. This weekend will be the icing on the cake, as the Yankees will be playing the Tigers in the MLB Little League Classic. Started in 2017, the Classic is a way for the MLB to get young boys more interested in playing the game of baseball. Airing on ESPN, the Classic receives national attention and allows the players of both the MLB and Little League to interact with each other. The concept was developed in 2017, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred put out the following statement at the time: "Major League Baseball's greatest responsibility is to ensure that today's youth become active participants in our game as players and fans. The 'MLB Little League Classic' exemplifies our entire sport's commitment to building a stronger connection between young people and the National Pastime. Our players will honor the great tradition of th...

Aaron Judge did it.  He hit his 300th home run against the Chicago White Sox on the Southside, becoming the fastest player to reach that milestone. Judge reached it in his 3,431 at-bats, besting others like Ralph Kiner, Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire, etc.  Additionally, the Yankees beating the White Sox 10-2, moves them ahead of the Orioles into first place in the AL East with a 72-50 record. So the Yankees are officially on the record, with Judge hitting his 300 and leading the way. Again, the Judge has spoken. Case closed. Until then, see you at the park! — Joe Boesch 

If you watched the Mets this weekend, you probably want to shake your head in disbelief. After being swept in three games by the Mariners, especially Sunday's blowout of 12-1, the Mets see themselves sliding back out of Wild Card contention. They fell back into third place in the NL East, eight games back, with a record of 61-57. The Mets need to find Grimace again and get some of his Mojo back, as he was their good luck charm. Let's not lose hope, as what was supposed to be a rebuilding season turned into a contending one for the Mets. Now we just need to find Grimace. Until then, see you at the park. — Joe Boesch 

After an impressive start to the first half of the season, the Yankees now find themselves struggling to either win games or stay healthy on the field. Currently in second place, they are 68-48, trailing the Orioles by 0.5 games and desperately looking to gain an upper hand in the standings. Back on June 9, the Yankees had the best record in the American League at 46-21. It seems now a struggle for the Yankees to gain ground in the standings as they are chasing, of all teams, the Orioles. The Yankees have a good enough team and showed that they can be, if not the best, one of the best teams in baseball. They showed it early on in the season and need to do it again. They need to do it now, as there's less than two months left before the playoffs begin.  — Joe Boesch 

The game can come down to one pitch. But when you're actually out there on the mound and when you're pitching, you can't be worrying about the margin of error or whatnot. You have to go with your strengths and what you believe is the right pitch and keep executing pitches. — Max Scherzer — Joe Boesch 

Aaron Judge keeps swinging, and the balls keep flying out of the park, literally further each time. Judge sits at 298 home runs and will be the fastest player to get to 300. If you sit in amazement when watching him play, it's real, and he's the real deal. So sit back in the Judge's Chambers as the "Judge" has spoken. Until then, see you at the park. — Joe Boesch