Michael went to his first game at the age of four and has been hooked ever since. He lives in Queens with his fellow Mets fan wife, their son, three cats and bearded dragon. He’s worked in the past for MLB.com as an editor. Connect with Michael on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjgfreelance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">LinkedIn</a>.
Michael Griffin 
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael GriffinWhen it comes to closing games, most relievers try to slam the door literally – that is, either blow the ball by the hitter (Aroldis Chapman, Lee Smith, Mason Miller) or break their bat (Mariano Rivera). Trevor Hoffman preferred to fool the hitters with his elite changeup. It was so good that when the crowd heard “Hells Bells” playing, they knew the game was likely over. Here are …
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael GriffinThere are several things that people usually form strong attachments to when growing up. They include family, friends, and … a baseball team. For them, the players on their favorite team become like a second family, and the ballpark their second home. They grew up and took their kids to the park, too. It became a generational thing … until some teams decided to relocate, leaving behind a …
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael GriffinThere was a time when baseball had more characters than a whole network’s programming lineup. Some wacky players made teammates, opponents, and fans all roar — whether with laughter or utter confusion. Then the game became more corporate, and many players walk a line between being a personality and an athlete. Here are 12 players that would give Rob Manfred and other MLB suits fits if they were …
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael GriffinDuring the 1980s, pitchers did have to face hitters who had taken performance enhancers, like uppers. There were clubhouse coffee machines that had both “regular” and “unleaded” options. But they didn’t have to worry about hitters adding tens of pounds of muscle mass via syringes, which led to many more balls flying out of the park. Batters were coming to the plate with forearms that made Popeye look …
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael GriffinBaseball fans usually must wait the longest to see if their team drafted a star or bust. Basketball and football drafts tend to shake out quickly, while most baseball draftees must navigate the Minor Leagues and then show they belong in the Majors. However, when the busts reveal themselves … woof. We’re talking high-round mistakes here, too. The list of teams that passed on Albert Pujols and Mike …
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael GriffinIn baseball, as in life, there are the good guys—the players who play the game the ‘right way.’ And then there are the others: the players who will do whatever it takes to win, even if it means bending or breaking the rules. These are the ones that fans love to boo when they come to their stadium. Here are 12 players who might, just might, sell their …
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael GriffinBaseball’s had a black eye for quite a while. Records that were shattered then have had invisible asterisks next to them, thanks to the perception that many of them were aided by a syringe. Not every superstar from this era was juiced, though. Here are 12 of them that made their way to Cooperstown without any help from PEDs. Ken Griffey Jr.: That Swing? Pure, Unadulterated Joy (and …
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael GriffinBefore spreadsheets and Statcast, before iPads in the dugout and algorithms in the front office, there were the chess masters of baseball. Armed with nothing but notepads, rotary phones, and the sharpest eyes in the game, these executives didn’t just build teams—they built legacies. From smoke-filled rooms to cross-country scouting trips in cramped rental cars, they transformed baseball’s worst franchises into dynasties through pure baseball genius. Here are …
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael GriffinWhen it comes to sports, teams spend a lot of time together. Those teams have a lot of different personalities on their rosters, and while they usually bond in the name of winning, there are some volatile players. Sometimes, other players often put up with the difficult ones due to their extreme talent. They’ll also privately (or not so privately) cheer when that player gets traded away or …
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Michael GriffinAs long as baseball’s been around, the players have been trying to gain an edge. Some do it legally, like figuring out signs, while others … well, they did what they could, hoping not to get caught. Long before Ryan Braun’s sample-tampering saga or Jenrry Mejia’s three failed drug tests, baseball’s rogues were finding creative ways to bend the rules. In the 1880s, King Kelly would casually skip …
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