Bill Chuck

Sleepy Hollow

Freelance Writer at Freelance

I work with the great Bob Ryan, the great Charley Steiner, the esteemed Dan Shaughnessy. Writer, author, researcher, fact checker for baseball and comedy.

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Articles

ONEDERS

1 week ago | billchuck.substack.com | Bill Chuck

Happy Cinco de Mayo and Square Root Day!When yesterday started, the Kansas City Royals had hit 18 homers all season, the fewest in the majors. When yesterday started, the Baltimore Orioles had allowed 44 homers, the fourth most in the majors. But yesterday, the Royals hit seven homers, and the Orioles, who entered the game with 38 homers, hit four of their own. The Royals won 11-6. What made this even more delicious was that 10 of the 11 May 4th homers were (Hans) solo shots.
Sunday, Sunday

1 week ago | billchuck.substack.com | Bill Chuck

In honor of the Marlins’ Kyle Stowers, who hit a two-out walkoff grand slam (off Mason Miller, no less) in a five-run 9th, to lead his team over the Athletics, 9-6, let’s talk briefly about comebacks. I was a little surprised to learn that the winning pct. for teams that trailed in a game, so far this season, is only .301. There is only one team with a winning record when trailing this season, and it is no surprise that it is the Dodgers, who are 13-10 (.565) when trailing.
THE FIRST MONTH IS FINALLY OVER

2 weeks ago | billchuck.substack.com | Bill Chuck

When you add in the two games at the Tokyo Dome, this was a 36-day opening month in baseball. We learned the National League is really good, the American League is really meh, and we learned that Aaron Judge is really great, and we don’t appreciate him enough. Good night, everyone. Thanks for reading. Billy-Ball is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Okay, let’s go to the numbers. The major league ERA was 4.03.
Three 15s

2 weeks ago | billchuck.substack.com | Bill Chuck

Two things are true:Baseball has one-of-a-kind moments. Baseball’s one-of-a-kind moments often repeat themselves. Take a look at these three linescores from July 31, 2006. Three 15-run games. Take a look at these three linescores from last night. Three 15-run games. For the second time this season, the Yankees hit four home runs in the 1st inning. On March 29, facing the Brewers, the Yankees led off the game with homers from Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Aaron Judge.
A NOT-FOR-NERDS LEADERBOARD

2 weeks ago | billchuck.substack.com | Bill Chuck

I was so happy with my plan for a leaderboard today, until I saw The Athletic Windup for today, which also decided it was a good day for a leaderboard. I love reading The Windup each day with Levi Weaver and Ken Rosenthal, and while I can’t compete with them, I will definitely try to be different from them. Today, Levi decided to explore Baseball Savant for leaders in advanced categories, such as sprint speed, Fielding Run Value, and other categories, “for enormous nerds” (their words, not mine).
Gimme Four

2 weeks ago | billchuck.substack.com | Bill Chuck

Eugenio Suarez was welcomed into the “Four Homers in a Game” club on Saturday when the Arizona star went deep, deep, deep, deep, against the Braves. Suarez, at 33 years, 282 days, became the 19th and oldest member of the club, which is more exclusive than SNL’s Five-Timers Club (five or more times hosting), which has 28 members. Here’s a mention of every player who has hit four homers in a game.
THE METS PLAY THEIR 10,000TH REGULAR SEASON GAME TODAY

2 weeks ago | billchuck.substack.com | Bill Chuck

My dad and I adopted the Mets as our team when they were born in 1962. I was a Yankee fan and had no trouble loving two New York teams. He was an old New York Giants fan, and he had a lot of trouble rooting for two teams if one was the Yankees. I really didn’t know the extent of that until much later in life when he explained to me that when he took me to Yankee games, he would be so happy for me when the Yankees won because I was so happy, but he was miserable on the inside.
THE CAREER TRIPLE CROWN

2 weeks ago | billchuck.substack.com | Bill Chuck

“Hi Bill,No active player has achieved the career Triple Crown.” So began the answer to my query to the fabulous Katie Sharp of baseball-reference.com. Any reader of the great Jayson Stark is familiar with her name. Jayson, who holds the title of GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) when it comes to collecting delightful data, prevails on Katie regularly to enlighten readers. As I do my best to emulate the Stark brilliance of Jayson, I decided to ask a couple of questions of Katie, my ownself.
THE TOP OF THE LINEUP

2 weeks ago | billchuck.substack.com | Bill Chuck

I caught the last couple of innings of the Red Sox's loss to the Mariners yesterday afternoon. And the 8th inning was telling as to how opponents want to deal with the top two in the Boston lineup. Holding a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the 8th, the Mariners brought in lefty Gabe Speier to pitch even though right-handed batter Carlos Narváez was leading off. Carlos led off with a Fenway homer off the Pesky Pole. It was a 334-foot line drive that would be a home run only at Fenway.
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

3 weeks ago | billchuck.substack.com | Bill Chuck

Going to the ballgame is not a cheap date. Check the costs courtesy of Bookies.com and a T/O/H to Bill Shaikin in his article in The Los Angeles Times. The Times spoke to the owners’ spokesman, a.k.a. baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, who had the audacity to say, “You can’t have it all ways, right?” Manfred said.