April 28, 2025 • 31 mins
Baseball isn't just about what happens on the field – it's a complex world of statistics, coaching strategy, and quirky traditions that make America's pastime endlessly fascinating. We explore the hidden aspects of the game that fans rarely see but that shape everything from scoring to memorabilia.
• Box scores have evolved from simple newspaper summaries to complex analytical tools incorporating advanced metrics like exit velocity and launch angle
• First base coaches use precise methodologies including hand signals, timing pitchers, and making split-second decisions about whether runners should advance
• Stolen bases significantly impact scoring opportunities when executed at a 75% success rate or higher, as demonstrated by Ohtani's remarkable 93.7% success rate in 2024
• Every MLB baseball gets rubbed with special "magic mud" from a secret location in New Jersey to provide pitchers with better grip
• MLB's authentication team has tagged over 10.5 million items with tamper-proof holograms since 2001, preserving everything from dirt to jersey patches
• The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown houses over 40,000 artifacts in temperature-controlled vaults, most donated by players who know their items are safer there
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lynn Dimick (00:10):
Welcome back to Grandpa.
Is Him a fun podcast.
Since the podcast started I'vebeen trying a lot of different
things to try and help us findwhat feels best for us.
Among those things I've done isI've done individual interviews
.
I've interviewed here in mystudio.
Among those things I've done isI've done individual interviews
I've interviewed here in mystudio.
I've done remote groupinterviews and captured some of
the essence of the groupexperience.
(00:30):
I've done remote interviewswith a telephone.
I've included my grandkids,I've included adults, and so I
finally got to the point nowwhere I'm going to be doing an
episode where we have a guesthost who will be helping to
contribute to the show.
My co-host tonight is JohnStapp.
John and I have been friends nowfor I think, 49 years.
(00:50):
John and I first met I think itwas late 1975, maybe early 1976
.
John, because of his great mathmind, was tutoring a member of
my family who was struggling alittle bit in math, and so he
would come over in the morningbefore school.
They would do the tutoringsession and then we would walk
to school together.
Well, since John and I were inthe same grade, we had a lot in
(01:14):
common, so we would talk aboutall things music related and
about different people andthings like that, like you
normally do.
One thing that I've alwaysreally admired about John is
he's got this great mind formath.
He's one of the few people thatI know that have achieved a
perfect score on the collegeentrance exams in math.
Come to think of it, he's theonly one I know he loves math
(01:38):
and because of his love for mathhe understands that baseball
can be defined and identifiedand analyzed by individual
statistics.
It's one of the few sports thatreally can break things down
individually.
John is a Giants fan, I am aDodgers fan.
We have never argued.
He's always been gracious.
John Stapp (01:58):
Yeah, I've known Lynn forever and we're the best
of friends.
Lynn Dimick (02:04):
And among other shared interests interests we
love baseball- it also didn'thurt that John was a little bit
older and had his driver'slicense and his parents had a
four-door Chevy Caprice that hecould haul us all around in and
we got to use that car allweekend long and it was a blast.
In fact, it was in the backseatof that car, coming home from a
(02:24):
dance one night, that I firstkissed my wife.
Let's get started.
Ever since I was a young boywait, I can't say that, those
are the lyrics to Pinball Wizard, which, come to think of it,
would have made an amazingwalk-up song if I'd ever made it
past t-ball.
But seriously, ever since I wasa young child, I've loved
baseball.
One of my earliest memories inplaying baseball was getting
(02:48):
cracked on the head with a batand waking up thinking, yep,
this is the sport for me.
John Stapp (02:54):
Nothing like mild head trauma to lock in a
lifetime passion.
Classic origin story, I thinkit's a Y chromosome thing.
Lynn Dimick (03:02):
But here's the thing I didn't just love playing
baseball, I loved understandingbaseball.
And baseball, my friend, is asport of numbers Pure, glorious,
slightly confusing numbers.
John Stapp (03:15):
Sports and math.
You're saying baseball isbasically sports.
Math Doesn't get any betterthan that.
Lynn Dimick (03:22):
Correct, but with spitting and sunflower seeds,
sports math, and while most ofit makes sense, some of it
really doesn't.
Take this as an example In 2002, the Angels won the World
Series.
Yay, anaheim, or Angels of LA,or whoever you are.
But here's the weird part theAngels scored 41 runs in their
(03:43):
games and the Giants scored 44runs, and yet the Angels won the
series.
Explain that.
John Stapp (03:51):
Hmm, I don't know, Did they bribe the scorekeeper?
Slip him a free churro orsomething?
Lynn Dimick (03:56):
Sorry this time there's no churros conspiracy,
but it gets weirder.
In last season's World Seriesthe Dodgers won four games to
one over the Yankees, but thetotal runs was Dodgers 25 and
Yankees 24.
Over the five-game series therewas one run difference total.
John Stapp (04:15):
Okay, so winning baseball games isn't about
scoring more runs.
My brain hurts Mine too.
Lynn Dimick (04:22):
But raw scores don't tell the whole story, and
that's where our friend the boxscore comes in.
John Stapp (04:29):
Ah yes, the nerdy cousin of the scoreboard.
Lynn Dimick (04:32):
That's a pretty good way to describe it.
Today we're diving into thehistory of baseball box scores,
which is a small grid of numbersthat's been telling baseball
story for over a century.
So grab your peanuts and yourCracker Jackjack and let's go
back in time.
All right, picture it themid-1800s Baseball was less
(04:53):
about stats and more about vibes.
The crowd cheered, players ranaround and scorekeeping was well
.
We can best describe it ascasual.
John Stapp (05:04):
So like, yeah, I, carl, scored a run, or maybe two
, but who's counting?
Lynn Dimick (05:10):
pass me a root beer to be honest, it's not really
that different than littleleague games today, where they
pretend to not keep score butthe parents do anyway.
The earliest form of baseballrecords were just handwritten
notes, mostly tracking runs anda few other basics.
There were no standardizedstats, no fancy abbreviations
and certainly no OPS Plus.
John Stapp (05:31):
OPS Plus.
I have no idea what that is,but it sounds like a cheat code.
Lynn Dimick (05:37):
I like that.
It's definitely a cheat code,but let's jump up to the late
1800s, when baseball was growing, newspapers were growing and
someone had the bright idea hey,let's summarize these games in
print.
Baseball or journalism's finesthour, the best thing newspapers
have ever done.
(05:57):
John, I completely agree withyou.
The earliest box score was wellpretty basic.
Final score New York 7, boston5.
Maybe a couple of player names,that's it.
But then drum roll please.
On May 7, 1887, the New YorkTimes dropped what we now
consider the first modern boxscore.
John Stapp (06:17):
A grid of lines, numbers, columns.
Lynn Dimick (06:20):
It was a thing of beauty Runs, hits, errors, all
laid out neatly and honestly.
It was a game changer.
Fans could finally see whathappened in a game, even if they
weren't there.
John Stapp (06:33):
Like early baseball FOMO prevention.
Lynn Dimick (06:35):
Precisely Now.
Let's fast forward to the early1900s.
Box scores were evolving.
We started seeing stats likebatting averages, earned run
averages or ERA for the coolkids and pitching stats.
John Stapp (06:49):
So fans could argue not just about who won, but
about why they won.
I think that's the whole pointof modern baseball, exactly.
Lynn Dimick (06:58):
Newspapers like the Chicago Tribune and the Boston
Globe started printing these boxscores daily, and fans ate it
up.
You'd grab your paper, checkthe scores and boom, you were up
to date.
John Stapp (07:11):
Ah, the original ESPN app.
Lynn Dimick (07:14):
I like that.
Now we hit the mid-20th century, baseball's golden era.
Tv had arrived, but most gamesweren't broadcast, so box scores
were still essential.
John Stapp (07:24):
But they had a problem.
Oh no, was there a statshortage?
Lynn Dimick (07:28):
Not quite, but you're on the right track.
There were simply too manymeaningless stats.
Era, for example, is fine, butit doesn't really tell you how a
game played out by the 1970sfans and analysts wanted more.
Enter Sabermatics.
Da-da-da-da, the nerds arecoming and they brought graphs,
(07:50):
spreadsheets and a suspiciousamount of enthusiasm for acronym
Stats like on-base percentage,obp, slugging percentage, slg
and, eventually, war wins abovereplacement started showing up
everywhere.
These new stats gave fans andteams better tools to understand
player performance.
John Stapp (08:10):
So the box score went from a basic arithmetic
tool to like advanced calculusand now we live in the data age.
Lynn Dimick (08:18):
Box scores are instant, live updating and
packed with stats like exitvelocity, launch angle and spin
rate, which no longer applies tojust news stories.
John Stapp (08:28):
Baseballs are like test subjects in a physics lab.
Lynn Dimick (08:32):
Interesting that you say physics, because physics
goes a long ways towardsexplaining a lot about baseball.
But we're not talking aboutphysics, we're talking about
stats.
But through all the evolution,one thing stayed true the box
score remains the game'sshorthand.
John Stapp (08:47):
The summary story and numbers and yet it still
can't explain how the Angels won, with fewer runs, I guess some
mysteries are just meant toremain unsolved.
Lynn Dimick (08:59):
And speaking of unsolved mysteries, let's jump
into another one.
One is near and dear to myheart.
First, base coaching.
You know the unsung heroes ofbaseball that just seem to take
up space on the diamond.
John Stapp (09:13):
Heroes.
I'd call them traffic cops incleats.
Stop go, maybe turn left.
Sometimes they'd even wavetheir arms in the air like they
just don't care.
It sure seems like.
Lynn Dimick (09:23):
no one is really quite sure what it is that
they're trying to do out there,but there's actually a lot more
to it than just arm swinging.
First base coaches have achecklist in their head at all
times, and today we're going tobreak down a few of the rules so
even middle schoolers canfollow along.
John Stapp (09:41):
Hopefully not just middle schoolers, but finally,
maybe I'll know what's going on.
All right, where do we start?
Lynn Dimick (09:46):
Rule number one don't argue with the umpire.
If you disagree with the call,just zip it.
That's the head coach's job.
You know, I really don't likecalling that one a rule, because
there are times when the firstbase coach has to argue on
behalf of the player until themanager can get out there to do
his job half of the player untilthe manager can get out there
(10:08):
to do his job.
Okay, so no yelling no dramaticglove throws and definitely no
kicking dirt on the umpire'sshoes.
Keep it classy.
John Stapp (10:16):
Your focus is on the runner, not the argument.
Okay, got it All right, what'snext?
Lynn Dimick (10:18):
Rule two know the left fielder's arm strength.
If a ball gets hit towardsthird base, you're the guide,
but if it's hit anywhere to theright or to the shortstop, the
runner is on their own.
John Stapp (10:31):
So if the ball is on the left side, I'm like Siri
giving driving directions.
If it's on the right side, goodluck baby.
Lynn Dimick (10:38):
You got it.
Next, pick a good spot in thecoach's box.
Stand deep enough so the runnercan see you as they approach
first base.
Closer to the line means bettervisibility.
John Stapp (10:49):
So I stand where they can see me, but not so
close that I'm in danger ofbeing roadkill.
You got it.
Lynn Dimick (10:56):
Now be sure to use clear hand signals.
There are three main ones.
The first is no signal whichtells the runner to run straight
through the base ones.
The first is no signal whichtells the runner to run straight
through the base.
The second one is arms up inthe air, meaning round the base
and find the ball, and finally,arms waving in a circle, go for
second base.
John Stapp (11:14):
Okay, and these signals should happen about 45
feet down the baseline right.
Lynn Dimick (11:19):
Yeah, about there Any later and the runner's going
to have a hard time picking upthe signal in time to react.
John Stapp (11:26):
All right.
What about taking risks?
Are we talking MissionImpossible level risk here?
Lynn Dimick (11:31):
Probably not quite to the level of Tom Cruise.
Next rule be smart about risks.
Know when to push for secondand when to play it safe.
Also, know your team.
Some runners are cheetahs,others are tortoises.
John Stapp (11:45):
So know, your cheetahs and tortoises Got it
Next and this one seemscounterintuitive.
Lynn Dimick (11:51):
Don't help on overthrows or miscatches at
first base.
If the ball gets by the firstbaseman, let the runner react on
their own.
John Stapp (12:03):
So no shouting, go, go, go if the ball's bouncing
around into the dugout.
Okay, I got it.
So once they're passed, firstdo I start offering life advice,
or what Well, actually youprobably shouldn't overcoach at
first.
Lynn Dimick (12:21):
Base Runners should know the inning, the outs, the
scores and all of that.
Only remind them if they'recompletely zoned out.
I remember coaching first baseone time and I was talking to
the runner trying to remind himof all those things and he
couldn't hear me very well withhis helmet on, so he stepped off
the base to ask me what I wassaying just as the ball came
over and he was picked off.
John Stapp (12:42):
So basically, if they're staring at the
butterflies in the outfield, andthen I can step in.
Lynn Dimick (12:47):
Yeah, and sometimes that happens Also know your
team's signs.
You should know them betterthan anyone.
So if the runner's confused,you can clarify.
John Stapp (12:58):
And no screaming get back if there's a pickoff
attempt, right, yes, and thisone surprised me Don't yell, get
back on pickoffs.
Lynn Dimick (13:06):
That's the runner's responsibility.
Unless the first baseman isplaying far back, then you can
help.
John Stapp (13:12):
And I'm supposed to yell back, back, back, if things
get.
Lynn Dimick (13:14):
Dicey, you got it also watch out for the hidden
ball trick.
If the first baseman is gettingsneaky, make sure your runners
don't fall for it ah, theclassic hidden ball trick yeah,
you know the one performednightly by dads with quarters
behind ears and first basemanwith too much free time it's
like a magician's act, but withgrass tangs.
John Stapp (13:36):
And while you're at it, share pitcher and catcher
habits.
Lynn Dimick (13:39):
If you notice a predictable pickoff move or the
catcher being sneaky, let yourrunner know.
John Stapp (13:45):
So spy on the pitcher and catcher Got it.
Lynn Dimick (13:48):
And if the pitcher keeps throwing low and the
ball's bouncing, remind therunner that there might be a
chance to steal second base.
Dirt ball, equal green lights.
Check and lastly, pay attentionon walks or pass balls.
If the batter walks or the ballgets by the catcher, wave them
on to second.
If it's a good gamble, ifthey're going to give you a free
(14:09):
base, take it.
John Stapp (14:10):
So sometimes it's green light, sometimes it's red
light.
Lynn Dimick (14:13):
That's it.
Oh, and if there's a play atthe plate on another runner,
tell your batter runner there'sa wonderful term, batter runner
to make the throw go through tohome plate.
That way they don't get taggedout at second base.
John Stapp (14:26):
So basically I'm part traffic cop, part secret
agent and part cheerleader.
Lynn Dimick (14:31):
Well, that's one way to put it.
Actually, that's prettyaccurate.
And there you have it.
First, base coaching 101.
And now we're going to tell youhow they are much more than
just traffic cop and secretagents.
Now let's move on and talkabout one of the most exciting
parts of baseball stolen bases.
In 2024, shohei Otana gave us amasterclass in base stealing.
John Stapp (14:56):
Oh yeah, the guy swiped like 59 bases, 59 bases,
and this wasn't just for show.
It generally changed the waythe Dodgers played the game.
So why is this number important?
Lynn Dimick (15:07):
Why are stolen bases as important?
Well, as a general rule, asuccessful stolen base increases
the chance of scoring a run byabout 25%.
Now it would be easy to sayOtani added about 15 runs to the
Dodgers total in 2024, but,John, you and I both know
baseball is never quite thatsimple.
John Stapp (15:29):
Nope, every stolen base is like shaking a snow
globe it changes everything.
First, the base runner issuddenly 90 feet closer to
scoring.
Second, you take away thedouble play, which can change
how the defense sets up.
And third, the first basemandoesn't have to stay glued to
the bag anymore, so he can covermore ground on balls hit to the
right side.
Lynn Dimick (15:49):
Exactly.
And here's the thing A stolenbase attempt is considered a
good play only if the runner issuccessful at least 75% of the
time.
That's why your ton of successrate 93.7%.
Oh, I love those numbers.
93.7% was oh so valuable.
John Stapp (16:09):
That's about how many stolen bases I get when I
play video games.
That's pretty good.
How do the Dodgers set them upfor that kind of success?
Lynn Dimick (16:18):
I am so glad you asked, enter the stopwatch,
every first base coach's secretweapon.
The next time you go to a game,keep an eye on the first base
coach and when a runner is onbase particularly if it's a
runner who might try to steal abase you should see the coach
reach into his pocket and pullout at least one stopwatch.
If not, more.
John Stapp (16:40):
Ah, the humble stopwatch.
It's like the Swiss army knifeof base running strategy.
Lynn Dimick (16:44):
So here's how it works.
An elite runner can get fromfirst to second base in about
3.0 seconds, can get from firstto second base in about 3.0
seconds.
If they hit 3.1 seconds, that'sstill considered above average.
Now, during those three seconds, the pitcher has to deliver the
ball, the catcher has toreceive it and the infielder has
to make a tag.
There's no margin for error,zero.
(17:07):
The coaches are timing thepitches to measure how long it
takes for the pitcher to delivera pitch from the stretch to the
catcher's glove.
The magic number 1.3 seconds.
If a pitcher is slower, let'ssay 1.4 seconds.
That's basically a green lightfor the runner.
But if the pitcher speeds up to1.2 seconds, it's like a
(17:27):
flashing neon sign do not run.
John Stapp (17:30):
That's so wild.
So baseball is not just a gameof inches, like they say, it's a
game of milliseconds.
Lynn Dimick (17:35):
And some pitchers are basically fortresses.
Take Mark Hamburger man.
Just saying that makes mehungry.
What a great name from theAmerican Association.
His delivery time was aridiculous 1.1 seconds,
basically a slide step for everypitch Over 257 innings.
No one even attempted to steala base against him Not one.
John Stapp (18:01):
That's unreal.
It's like everyone collectivelysaid yeah, it's not worth it.
That's the power of thestopwatch.
Lynn Dimick (18:09):
Now, catchers also play a huge role and they
sometimes get blamed for some ofthe pitcher's mistakes.
Their pop time the time ittakes to catch the ball and
throw it to second is anotherstopwatch metric.
The greats like Yadier Molinaclocked in at 1.8 seconds in
their prime.
But here's the thing Pop timesare harder to measure in live
games because there are fewersteal attempts.
John Stapp (18:32):
Let's not forget those dirt balls Len.
Lynn Dimick (18:35):
Dirt balls.
I hope you mean the pitches.
Anyway, when a pitcher throwslow and the ball bounces, the
catcher has to drop to his kneesto block it.
Even if he successfully stopsthe ball, it takes longer to pop
up from his knees than from aregular squat.
John Stapp (18:50):
So it's not just speed, it's timing scouting and
knowing when the odds arestacked in your favor.
Lynn Dimick (18:55):
then Speaking of odds, let's bring up Paul
O'Neill and Bernie Williams Backin 2001,.
Bernie Williams was faster,younger and a gold glove center
fielder.
He stole 15 bases.
Meanwhile, 38-year-old PaulO'Neill stole 22 bases.
John Stapp (19:12):
Wait, the older guy stole more bases.
Did he have a jetpack or?
Lynn Dimick (19:15):
something, not exactly a jetpack, just smart.
O'neill was an intelligentplayer who probably spotted
pitchers with slower deliveriesand capitalized on them.
That's the beauty of baserunning it's not always about
raw speed.
And remember that Otani is alsoa pitcher and has a sound
understanding of the mechanicsand nuances of pitching.
John Stapp (19:37):
So what we've learned today is that stolen
bases are about way more thanjust quick feet.
It's about strategy, timing and, yes, the trusty stopwatch.
Lynn Dimick (19:47):
Well said, John.
And with Otani stealing 59bases at a 93.7% success rate,
you can bet that stopwatchworked.
John Stapp (19:56):
So next time you see a first base coach with a
stopwatch, just know they're nottiming their lunch break.
They're unlocking the secretsof the game.
Hey everybody, welcome back.
Let me ask you have you everheard of magic mud?
Sounds like something out ofthe baseball fairy tale, right?
Lynn Dimick (20:17):
Magic mud.
You're telling me that baseballhas an official mud.
I've heard just abouteverything now?
John Stapp (20:24):
Yeah, believe it or not, it's true.
This special mud is rubbed onevery major league baseball
before a game to help pitchersgrip the ball.
And here's the kicker it allcomes from one secret spot in
New Jersey, Wait every ball onMLB gets some mud rubbed down
Makes my skincare routine lookbasic.
Lynn Dimick (20:44):
Who figured?
John Stapp (20:45):
this out Well.
It started in 1930 with a coachnamed Lena Blackburn.
He realized the fresh baseballswere too slick.
Players tried everythingtobacco, juice, dirt, shoe
polish but nothing worked.
Then Blackburn found a perfectmud near his hometown.
It was smooth, not too stickyand took the shine off without
damaging the ball.
Lynn Dimick (21:07):
And they still use the same mud today.
John Stapp (21:10):
Yep.
The business has stayed in thefamily run by Jim Blintliff.
He collects filters and agesthe mud before sending it to
every MLB team, and the exactlocation of this mud it's still
a closely guarded secret.
Lynn Dimick (21:25):
That's wild, but has MLB ever tried to replace it
?
John Stapp (21:30):
Actually they have.
They worked with Rawlings todevelop a factory-made baseball
with built-in grip.
But pitchers are picky.
Some say the new balls are tootacky, others say they're too
slick.
Lynn Dimick (21:41):
So for now, the magic mud is it, hey some
traditions, especially withbaseball, just can't be replaced
and let's be honest, officialMLB mud harvester has to be one
of the strangest, coolest jobsin sports.
It's got to be right up therewith bat boy, bullpen catcher
and whatever position it is thatholds that stupid rally monkey.
John Stapp (22:05):
Absolutely Wish that was my job.
And a fun fact MLB uses about240,000 baseballs per season.
That's a lot of mud.
Lynn Dimick (22:15):
That's more balls than a dog park on a Saturday.
So next time you watch a game,just remember, before every
pitch there's a little bit ofJersey dirt, making it all
possible.
John Stapp (22:27):
Today we learned that baseball is part speed,
part coaching and part mud fromthe swamps of Jersey.
Lynn Dimick (22:34):
John, I know you've got at least one more story to
share with us, so why don't yougo ahead and tell us about it?
John Stapp (22:39):
Just to show that baseball is fun for the players
and for the fans, I want toshare this story that Richie
Aspern used to tell.
The story revolves around theannex of the Spanish-speaking
shortstop for the Mets, elioChacon, and his penchant for
frequent near collisions withoutfielders.
This was especially true withAshburn on short fly balls to
center field.
(23:00):
Ashburn realized that Chacondid not understand the English
warning and I have it.
So he went to a bilingual Metsplayer who told him that Chacon
would understand the warning inSpanish.
Yo la tengo.
That it meant the fly ball wasthe center fielder's to catch.
Soon enough, a short fly ballwas hit and the backpedaling
(23:23):
Chacon veered off followingAshburn's admonition in Spanish.
What was unexpected was thatonrushing English-only left
fielder Frank Thomas completelyflattened Ashburn.
After pulling his centerfielder off the ground, thomas
asked him what's a yellow tango?
Lynn Dimick (23:41):
John, thank you for joining me on Grandpa's Hymn.
I do want to have you backbecause I know that there's a
lot of rock and roll storiesthat you and I like to share and
I'd like to go over them withyou, and we'll have you back
again soon.
Going back to those days beforeJohn and I first met, I can
remember collecting sports cards, baseball cards and football
(24:04):
cards, and I remember one timeas a 11-year-old I had all of
the 263 cards needed for a fullfootball set collection that
year, except one, johnnyRobinson, safety of the Kansas
City Chiefs.
Well, hal Norris down thestreet had that card and I had
to have it.
(24:24):
So he and I worked out a tradeand I ended up trading him 42
cards for one to get thatcomplete set.
Now I collected baseball cardsand I had a few that were full
sets, but it was never quite thesame.
We used to do things like setout the cards to show how they
would be positioned on the field.
(24:44):
For the football ones, we woulduse them to draw up plays.
They were a lot of fun.
They didn't have a particularvalue beyond what we cared about
.
But things have all changed andthat's what I want to talk to
you about now the weird,wonderful and slightly confusing
world of authenticatedmemorabilia.
(25:05):
You might think it's just aboutjerseys and balls, but let me
tell you there is a secretsociety under the ballparks of
America.
They come with holograms,detective skills and a deep love
of dirt.
No, not mole people.
I'm talking about Major LeagueBaseball's authentication team.
Now picture this dodgers phenom.
(25:32):
Roki susaki is standing tall onthe mound in tokyo.
It's his mlb debut.
The crowd is electric and onhis left sleeve a little patch
that says hey world, it's myfirst game.
He throws his pitches, walksoff the field and, boom, that
patch patch is gone.
No, it wasn't stolen.
It was harvested like anancient relic by MLB's
(25:56):
authentication team.
That patch is destined for aone-of-one Topps Chrome rookie
debut patch autograph card,because nothing says baseball
history like removing patchesand international airspace for a
trading card that's shinierthan a Vegas slot machine.
Mlb authenticators aren't justyour average memorabilia nerds.
(26:18):
These folks are former cops,literally the kind of people who
can smell a fake jersey, likeyour grandma can smell a lie.
They've authenticated over 10.5million items since 2001.
That's more than the number ofhot dogs sold at Fenway.
Well, maybe, probably.
And it all started with aproblem.
(26:38):
Padres legend Tony Gwynnspotted fake signatures being
sold in his own stadium.
That's like finding out thatyour wedding ring was from a
cereal box.
Gwynn called it out, the FBIgot involved and MLB said yep,
we need a team for this.
Out that your wedding ring wasfrom a cereal box?
Quinn called it out, the FBIgot involved and MLB said yep,
(26:59):
we need a team for this.
Thus began baseball's versionof the Secret Service.
Spring training isn't just forrookies anymore.
It's for authenticators too.
Every March, these folks hitthe fields like accountants with
sunburns.
More than 100,000 items get thehologram treatment that's balls
bases.
If it's not nailed down,they're logging it.
(27:20):
They've even updated theirsystem because of the pitch
clock.
Well, that sounds silly.
Turns out, though, that whenpitchers throw faster,
authenticators can't write fastenough, so now they've got tech
to help.
Think of it like voice to textfor baseball.
Yankee Stadium, world Series,game 4.
(27:44):
It's basically baseball'sversion of the Oscars, minus the
slapping Under the dugout.
Posner, mlb's authenticationchief, is surrounded by rakes
bases and what I assume is anemergency stash of Cracker Jacks
.
He rattles off items like he'slisting groceries Base, from
Freeman's walk-off ball, fromYamamoto's strikeout lineup card
(28:08):
pitching rubber.
It's like a, a treasure hunt,but with excellent velocity
stats.
And those bases, swappedmid-game and tagged with
tamper-proof holograms, sosecure, they make the pentagon
blush.
Yes, mlb authenticates dirt,that's not a metaphor.
(28:29):
They bottle it, sticker it andsell it like it came from the
moon.
You too can own a chunk ofYankee Stadium, because
apparently that's romantic.
Now They've even embeddedconfetti and corn stalks in the
cards Somewhere.
A farmer in Iowa is veryconfused.
I think we probably all are.
(28:51):
Players know the game now.
Guys like Miguel Carrera wouldhand off his bat before the ball
even landed, especially if itmeant career milestone number
478.
Authenticators sit in thedugouts like baseball bouncers
sit in the dugouts like baseballbouncers.
(29:13):
They tag gear mid-game, keepstats and build one heck of a
digital scrapbook.
Now let's talk about the Hallof Fame's secret vault.
Cooperstown has everything fromcleats to corks, mookie's
gloves, freeman's spikes,kershaw's champagne drench cap
all stored inhumidity-controlled vaults below
(29:34):
Main Street.
Even Ichiro's donating hisentire personal collection.
That's like Michelangelodonating his paintbrushes and
snacks.
The art of relic cards Tradingcards aren't just cardboard
anymore, they're archaeologyTops puts in green monster
(29:59):
chunks, stadium seats and evenpieces of the World Series base,
and they sell out faster thanTaylor Swift tickets, and
probably for just as much.
And fans, they love owning themoment, even if the moment is a
sliver of second base.
Now, who gets what Ownership ofgear is a sliver of second base
?
Now, who gets what Ownership ofgear is a negotiation?
Jerseys belong to the club,gloves belong to the player, the
(30:20):
dirt belongs to well, basicallyanybody fast enough.
When history happens, everyoneHall of Fame Tops teams,
everyone wants a piece.
Sometimes somebody's going homewithout a souvenir.
That's the price of greatness.
Just the other day I saw onlinethat somebody had gotten a tuft
(30:40):
of grass from the masters whichhad been hit and it flew into
the crowd.
He took that tuft, put it intoa potato chip bag, took it home
and now he's growing it on hiswindowsill.
Okay, the Hall of Fame houses40,000 artifacts, 3 million
documents and 14,000 hours ofvideo, and it's not even MLB
(31:04):
owned.
Most donations come fromplayers who know their stuff is
safer there than in their garage.
Plus, it won't end up on eBaynext to a signed Barry Bonds
toaster.
So next time you see a hologramsticker on a baller jersey
remember someone was hidingbehind a dugout tagging that
(31:24):
thing with the precision of aSwitch watchmaker.
Thanks for hanging out with me.
Folks.
John, thank you for being hereUntil next time.
This is Lynn Dimmick saying ifyou find a bottle of dirt under
your kid's bed, maybe you don'twant to ask too many questions.
Welcome back to Grandpa.
Is Him a fun podcast.
Since the podcast started I'vebeen trying a lot of different
things to try and help us findwhat feels best for us.
Among those things I've done isI've done individual interviews
.
I've interviewed here in mystudio.
Among those things I've done isI've done individual interviews
I've interviewed here in mystudio.
I've done remote groupinterviews and captured some of
the essence of the groupexperience.
(00:30):
I've done remote interviewswith a telephone.
I've included my grandkids,I've included adults, and so I
finally got to the point nowwhere I'm going to be doing an
episode where we have a guesthost who will be helping to
contribute to the show.
My co-host tonight is JohnStapp.
John and I have been friends nowfor I think, 49 years.
(00:50):
John and I first met I think itwas late 1975, maybe early 1976
.
John, because of his great mathmind, was tutoring a member of
my family who was struggling alittle bit in math, and so he
would come over in the morningbefore school.
They would do the tutoringsession and then we would walk
to school together.
Well, since John and I were inthe same grade, we had a lot in
(01:14):
common, so we would talk aboutall things music related and
about different people andthings like that, like you
normally do.
One thing that I've alwaysreally admired about John is
he's got this great mind formath.
He's one of the few people thatI know that have achieved a
perfect score on the collegeentrance exams in math.
Come to think of it, he's theonly one I know he loves math
(01:38):
and because of his love for mathhe understands that baseball
can be defined and identifiedand analyzed by individual
statistics.
It's one of the few sports thatreally can break things down
individually.
John is a Giants fan, I am aDodgers fan.
We have never argued.
He's always been gracious.
John Stapp (01:58):
Yeah, I've known Lynn forever and we're the best
of friends.
Lynn Dimick (02:04):
And among other shared interests interests we
love baseball- it also didn'thurt that John was a little bit
older and had his driver'slicense and his parents had a
four-door Chevy Caprice that hecould haul us all around in and
we got to use that car allweekend long and it was a blast.
In fact, it was in the backseatof that car, coming home from a
(02:24):
dance one night, that I firstkissed my wife.
Let's get started.
Ever since I was a young boywait, I can't say that, those
are the lyrics to Pinball Wizard, which, come to think of it,
would have made an amazingwalk-up song if I'd ever made it
past t-ball.
But seriously, ever since I wasa young child, I've loved
baseball.
One of my earliest memories inplaying baseball was getting
(02:48):
cracked on the head with a batand waking up thinking, yep,
this is the sport for me.
John Stapp (02:54):
Nothing like mild head trauma to lock in a
lifetime passion.
Classic origin story, I thinkit's a Y chromosome thing.
Lynn Dimick (03:02):
But here's the thing I didn't just love playing
baseball, I loved understandingbaseball.
And baseball, my friend, is asport of numbers Pure, glorious,
slightly confusing numbers.
John Stapp (03:15):
Sports and math.
You're saying baseball isbasically sports.
Math Doesn't get any betterthan that.
Lynn Dimick (03:22):
Correct, but with spitting and sunflower seeds,
sports math, and while most ofit makes sense, some of it
really doesn't.
Take this as an example In 2002, the Angels won the World
Series.
Yay, anaheim, or Angels of LA,or whoever you are.
But here's the weird part theAngels scored 41 runs in their
(03:43):
games and the Giants scored 44runs, and yet the Angels won the
series.
Explain that.
John Stapp (03:51):
Hmm, I don't know, Did they bribe the scorekeeper?
Slip him a free churro orsomething?
Lynn Dimick (03:56):
Sorry this time there's no churros conspiracy,
but it gets weirder.
In last season's World Seriesthe Dodgers won four games to
one over the Yankees, but thetotal runs was Dodgers 25 and
Yankees 24.
Over the five-game series therewas one run difference total.
John Stapp (04:15):
Okay, so winning baseball games isn't about
scoring more runs.
My brain hurts Mine too.
Lynn Dimick (04:22):
But raw scores don't tell the whole story, and
that's where our friend the boxscore comes in.
John Stapp (04:29):
Ah yes, the nerdy cousin of the scoreboard.
Lynn Dimick (04:32):
That's a pretty good way to describe it.
Today we're diving into thehistory of baseball box scores,
which is a small grid of numbersthat's been telling baseball
story for over a century.
So grab your peanuts and yourCracker Jackjack and let's go
back in time.
All right, picture it themid-1800s Baseball was less
(04:53):
about stats and more about vibes.
The crowd cheered, players ranaround and scorekeeping was well
.
We can best describe it ascasual.
John Stapp (05:04):
So like, yeah, I, carl, scored a run, or maybe two
, but who's counting?
Lynn Dimick (05:10):
pass me a root beer to be honest, it's not really
that different than littleleague games today, where they
pretend to not keep score butthe parents do anyway.
The earliest form of baseballrecords were just handwritten
notes, mostly tracking runs anda few other basics.
There were no standardizedstats, no fancy abbreviations
and certainly no OPS Plus.
John Stapp (05:31):
OPS Plus.
I have no idea what that is,but it sounds like a cheat code.
Lynn Dimick (05:37):
I like that.
It's definitely a cheat code,but let's jump up to the late
1800s, when baseball was growing, newspapers were growing and
someone had the bright idea hey,let's summarize these games in
print.
Baseball or journalism's finesthour, the best thing newspapers
have ever done.
(05:57):
John, I completely agree withyou.
The earliest box score was wellpretty basic.
Final score New York 7, boston5.
Maybe a couple of player names,that's it.
But then drum roll please.
On May 7, 1887, the New YorkTimes dropped what we now
consider the first modern boxscore.
John Stapp (06:17):
A grid of lines, numbers, columns.
Lynn Dimick (06:20):
It was a thing of beauty Runs, hits, errors, all
laid out neatly and honestly.
It was a game changer.
Fans could finally see whathappened in a game, even if they
weren't there.
John Stapp (06:33):
Like early baseball FOMO prevention.
Lynn Dimick (06:35):
Precisely Now.
Let's fast forward to the early1900s.
Box scores were evolving.
We started seeing stats likebatting averages, earned run
averages or ERA for the coolkids and pitching stats.
John Stapp (06:49):
So fans could argue not just about who won, but
about why they won.
I think that's the whole pointof modern baseball, exactly.
Lynn Dimick (06:58):
Newspapers like the Chicago Tribune and the Boston
Globe started printing these boxscores daily, and fans ate it
up.
You'd grab your paper, checkthe scores and boom, you were up
to date.
John Stapp (07:11):
Ah, the original ESPN app.
Lynn Dimick (07:14):
I like that.
Now we hit the mid-20th century, baseball's golden era.
Tv had arrived, but most gamesweren't broadcast, so box scores
were still essential.
John Stapp (07:24):
But they had a problem.
Oh no, was there a statshortage?
Lynn Dimick (07:28):
Not quite, but you're on the right track.
There were simply too manymeaningless stats.
Era, for example, is fine, butit doesn't really tell you how a
game played out by the 1970sfans and analysts wanted more.
Enter Sabermatics.
Da-da-da-da, the nerds arecoming and they brought graphs,
(07:50):
spreadsheets and a suspiciousamount of enthusiasm for acronym
Stats like on-base percentage,obp, slugging percentage, slg
and, eventually, war wins abovereplacement started showing up
everywhere.
These new stats gave fans andteams better tools to understand
player performance.
John Stapp (08:10):
So the box score went from a basic arithmetic
tool to like advanced calculusand now we live in the data age.
Lynn Dimick (08:18):
Box scores are instant, live updating and
packed with stats like exitvelocity, launch angle and spin
rate, which no longer applies tojust news stories.
John Stapp (08:28):
Baseballs are like test subjects in a physics lab.
Lynn Dimick (08:32):
Interesting that you say physics, because physics
goes a long ways towardsexplaining a lot about baseball.
But we're not talking aboutphysics, we're talking about
stats.
But through all the evolution,one thing stayed true the box
score remains the game'sshorthand.
John Stapp (08:47):
The summary story and numbers and yet it still
can't explain how the Angels won, with fewer runs, I guess some
mysteries are just meant toremain unsolved.
Lynn Dimick (08:59):
And speaking of unsolved mysteries, let's jump
into another one.
One is near and dear to myheart.
First, base coaching.
You know the unsung heroes ofbaseball that just seem to take
up space on the diamond.
John Stapp (09:13):
Heroes.
I'd call them traffic cops incleats.
Stop go, maybe turn left.
Sometimes they'd even wavetheir arms in the air like they
just don't care.
It sure seems like.
Lynn Dimick (09:23):
no one is really quite sure what it is that
they're trying to do out there,but there's actually a lot more
to it than just arm swinging.
First base coaches have achecklist in their head at all
times, and today we're going tobreak down a few of the rules so
even middle schoolers canfollow along.
John Stapp (09:41):
Hopefully not just middle schoolers, but finally,
maybe I'll know what's going on.
All right, where do we start?
Lynn Dimick (09:46):
Rule number one don't argue with the umpire.
If you disagree with the call,just zip it.
That's the head coach's job.
You know, I really don't likecalling that one a rule, because
there are times when the firstbase coach has to argue on
behalf of the player until themanager can get out there to do
his job half of the player untilthe manager can get out there
(10:08):
to do his job.
Okay, so no yelling no dramaticglove throws and definitely no
kicking dirt on the umpire'sshoes.
Keep it classy.
John Stapp (10:16):
Your focus is on the runner, not the argument.
Okay, got it All right, what'snext?
Lynn Dimick (10:18):
Rule two know the left fielder's arm strength.
If a ball gets hit towardsthird base, you're the guide,
but if it's hit anywhere to theright or to the shortstop, the
runner is on their own.
John Stapp (10:31):
So if the ball is on the left side, I'm like Siri
giving driving directions.
If it's on the right side, goodluck baby.
Lynn Dimick (10:38):
You got it.
Next, pick a good spot in thecoach's box.
Stand deep enough so the runnercan see you as they approach
first base.
Closer to the line means bettervisibility.
John Stapp (10:49):
So I stand where they can see me, but not so
close that I'm in danger ofbeing roadkill.
You got it.
Lynn Dimick (10:56):
Now be sure to use clear hand signals.
There are three main ones.
The first is no signal whichtells the runner to run straight
through the base ones.
The first is no signal whichtells the runner to run straight
through the base.
The second one is arms up inthe air, meaning round the base
and find the ball, and finally,arms waving in a circle, go for
second base.
John Stapp (11:14):
Okay, and these signals should happen about 45
feet down the baseline right.
Lynn Dimick (11:19):
Yeah, about there Any later and the runner's going
to have a hard time picking upthe signal in time to react.
John Stapp (11:26):
All right.
What about taking risks?
Are we talking MissionImpossible level risk here?
Lynn Dimick (11:31):
Probably not quite to the level of Tom Cruise.
Next rule be smart about risks.
Know when to push for secondand when to play it safe.
Also, know your team.
Some runners are cheetahs,others are tortoises.
John Stapp (11:45):
So know, your cheetahs and tortoises Got it
Next and this one seemscounterintuitive.
Lynn Dimick (11:51):
Don't help on overthrows or miscatches at
first base.
If the ball gets by the firstbaseman, let the runner react on
their own.
John Stapp (12:03):
So no shouting, go, go, go if the ball's bouncing
around into the dugout.
Okay, I got it.
So once they're passed, firstdo I start offering life advice,
or what Well, actually youprobably shouldn't overcoach at
first.
Lynn Dimick (12:21):
Base Runners should know the inning, the outs, the
scores and all of that.
Only remind them if they'recompletely zoned out.
I remember coaching first baseone time and I was talking to
the runner trying to remind himof all those things and he
couldn't hear me very well withhis helmet on, so he stepped off
the base to ask me what I wassaying just as the ball came
over and he was picked off.
John Stapp (12:42):
So basically, if they're staring at the
butterflies in the outfield, andthen I can step in.
Lynn Dimick (12:47):
Yeah, and sometimes that happens Also know your
team's signs.
You should know them betterthan anyone.
So if the runner's confused,you can clarify.
John Stapp (12:58):
And no screaming get back if there's a pickoff
attempt, right, yes, and thisone surprised me Don't yell, get
back on pickoffs.
Lynn Dimick (13:06):
That's the runner's responsibility.
Unless the first baseman isplaying far back, then you can
help.
John Stapp (13:12):
And I'm supposed to yell back, back, back, if things
get.
Lynn Dimick (13:14):
Dicey, you got it also watch out for the hidden
ball trick.
If the first baseman is gettingsneaky, make sure your runners
don't fall for it ah, theclassic hidden ball trick yeah,
you know the one performednightly by dads with quarters
behind ears and first basemanwith too much free time it's
like a magician's act, but withgrass tangs.
John Stapp (13:36):
And while you're at it, share pitcher and catcher
habits.
Lynn Dimick (13:39):
If you notice a predictable pickoff move or the
catcher being sneaky, let yourrunner know.
John Stapp (13:45):
So spy on the pitcher and catcher Got it.
Lynn Dimick (13:48):
And if the pitcher keeps throwing low and the
ball's bouncing, remind therunner that there might be a
chance to steal second base.
Dirt ball, equal green lights.
Check and lastly, pay attentionon walks or pass balls.
If the batter walks or the ballgets by the catcher, wave them
on to second.
If it's a good gamble, ifthey're going to give you a free
(14:09):
base, take it.
John Stapp (14:10):
So sometimes it's green light, sometimes it's red
light.
Lynn Dimick (14:13):
That's it.
Oh, and if there's a play atthe plate on another runner,
tell your batter runner there'sa wonderful term, batter runner
to make the throw go through tohome plate.
That way they don't get taggedout at second base.
John Stapp (14:26):
So basically I'm part traffic cop, part secret
agent and part cheerleader.
Lynn Dimick (14:31):
Well, that's one way to put it.
Actually, that's prettyaccurate.
And there you have it.
First, base coaching 101.
And now we're going to tell youhow they are much more than
just traffic cop and secretagents.
Now let's move on and talkabout one of the most exciting
parts of baseball stolen bases.
In 2024, shohei Otana gave us amasterclass in base stealing.
John Stapp (14:56):
Oh yeah, the guy swiped like 59 bases, 59 bases,
and this wasn't just for show.
It generally changed the waythe Dodgers played the game.
So why is this number important?
Lynn Dimick (15:07):
Why are stolen bases as important?
Well, as a general rule, asuccessful stolen base increases
the chance of scoring a run byabout 25%.
Now it would be easy to sayOtani added about 15 runs to the
Dodgers total in 2024, but,John, you and I both know
baseball is never quite thatsimple.
John Stapp (15:29):
Nope, every stolen base is like shaking a snow
globe it changes everything.
First, the base runner issuddenly 90 feet closer to
scoring.
Second, you take away thedouble play, which can change
how the defense sets up.
And third, the first basemandoesn't have to stay glued to
the bag anymore, so he can covermore ground on balls hit to the
right side.
Lynn Dimick (15:49):
Exactly.
And here's the thing A stolenbase attempt is considered a
good play only if the runner issuccessful at least 75% of the
time.
That's why your ton of successrate 93.7%.
Oh, I love those numbers.
93.7% was oh so valuable.
John Stapp (16:09):
That's about how many stolen bases I get when I
play video games.
That's pretty good.
How do the Dodgers set them upfor that kind of success?
Lynn Dimick (16:18):
I am so glad you asked, enter the stopwatch,
every first base coach's secretweapon.
The next time you go to a game,keep an eye on the first base
coach and when a runner is onbase particularly if it's a
runner who might try to steal abase you should see the coach
reach into his pocket and pullout at least one stopwatch.
If not, more.
John Stapp (16:40):
Ah, the humble stopwatch.
It's like the Swiss army knifeof base running strategy.
Lynn Dimick (16:44):
So here's how it works.
An elite runner can get fromfirst to second base in about
3.0 seconds, can get from firstto second base in about 3.0
seconds.
If they hit 3.1 seconds, that'sstill considered above average.
Now, during those three seconds, the pitcher has to deliver the
ball, the catcher has toreceive it and the infielder has
to make a tag.
There's no margin for error,zero.
(17:07):
The coaches are timing thepitches to measure how long it
takes for the pitcher to delivera pitch from the stretch to the
catcher's glove.
The magic number 1.3 seconds.
If a pitcher is slower, let'ssay 1.4 seconds.
That's basically a green lightfor the runner.
But if the pitcher speeds up to1.2 seconds, it's like a
(17:27):
flashing neon sign do not run.
John Stapp (17:30):
That's so wild.
So baseball is not just a gameof inches, like they say, it's a
game of milliseconds.
Lynn Dimick (17:35):
And some pitchers are basically fortresses.
Take Mark Hamburger man.
Just saying that makes mehungry.
What a great name from theAmerican Association.
His delivery time was aridiculous 1.1 seconds,
basically a slide step for everypitch Over 257 innings.
No one even attempted to steala base against him Not one.
John Stapp (18:01):
That's unreal.
It's like everyone collectivelysaid yeah, it's not worth it.
That's the power of thestopwatch.
Lynn Dimick (18:09):
Now, catchers also play a huge role and they
sometimes get blamed for some ofthe pitcher's mistakes.
Their pop time the time ittakes to catch the ball and
throw it to second is anotherstopwatch metric.
The greats like Yadier Molinaclocked in at 1.8 seconds in
their prime.
But here's the thing Pop timesare harder to measure in live
games because there are fewersteal attempts.
John Stapp (18:32):
Let's not forget those dirt balls Len.
Lynn Dimick (18:35):
Dirt balls.
I hope you mean the pitches.
Anyway, when a pitcher throwslow and the ball bounces, the
catcher has to drop to his kneesto block it.
Even if he successfully stopsthe ball, it takes longer to pop
up from his knees than from aregular squat.
John Stapp (18:50):
So it's not just speed, it's timing scouting and
knowing when the odds arestacked in your favor.
Lynn Dimick (18:55):
then Speaking of odds, let's bring up Paul
O'Neill and Bernie Williams Backin 2001,.
Bernie Williams was faster,younger and a gold glove center
fielder.
He stole 15 bases.
Meanwhile, 38-year-old PaulO'Neill stole 22 bases.
John Stapp (19:12):
Wait, the older guy stole more bases.
Did he have a jetpack or?
Lynn Dimick (19:15):
something, not exactly a jetpack, just smart.
O'neill was an intelligentplayer who probably spotted
pitchers with slower deliveriesand capitalized on them.
That's the beauty of baserunning it's not always about
raw speed.
And remember that Otani is alsoa pitcher and has a sound
understanding of the mechanicsand nuances of pitching.
John Stapp (19:37):
So what we've learned today is that stolen
bases are about way more thanjust quick feet.
It's about strategy, timing and, yes, the trusty stopwatch.
Lynn Dimick (19:47):
Well said, John.
And with Otani stealing 59bases at a 93.7% success rate,
you can bet that stopwatchworked.
John Stapp (19:56):
So next time you see a first base coach with a
stopwatch, just know they're nottiming their lunch break.
They're unlocking the secretsof the game.
Hey everybody, welcome back.
Let me ask you have you everheard of magic mud?
Sounds like something out ofthe baseball fairy tale, right?
Lynn Dimick (20:17):
Magic mud.
You're telling me that baseballhas an official mud.
I've heard just abouteverything now?
John Stapp (20:24):
Yeah, believe it or not, it's true.
This special mud is rubbed onevery major league baseball
before a game to help pitchersgrip the ball.
And here's the kicker it allcomes from one secret spot in
New Jersey, Wait every ball onMLB gets some mud rubbed down
Makes my skincare routine lookbasic.
Lynn Dimick (20:44):
Who figured?
John Stapp (20:45):
this out Well.
It started in 1930 with a coachnamed Lena Blackburn.
He realized the fresh baseballswere too slick.
Players tried everythingtobacco, juice, dirt, shoe
polish but nothing worked.
Then Blackburn found a perfectmud near his hometown.
It was smooth, not too stickyand took the shine off without
damaging the ball.
Lynn Dimick (21:07):
And they still use the same mud today.
John Stapp (21:10):
Yep.
The business has stayed in thefamily run by Jim Blintliff.
He collects filters and agesthe mud before sending it to
every MLB team, and the exactlocation of this mud it's still
a closely guarded secret.
Lynn Dimick (21:25):
That's wild, but has MLB ever tried to replace it
?
John Stapp (21:30):
Actually they have.
They worked with Rawlings todevelop a factory-made baseball
with built-in grip.
But pitchers are picky.
Some say the new balls are tootacky, others say they're too
slick.
Lynn Dimick (21:41):
So for now, the magic mud is it, hey some
traditions, especially withbaseball, just can't be replaced
and let's be honest, officialMLB mud harvester has to be one
of the strangest, coolest jobsin sports.
It's got to be right up therewith bat boy, bullpen catcher
and whatever position it is thatholds that stupid rally monkey.
John Stapp (22:05):
Absolutely Wish that was my job.
And a fun fact MLB uses about240,000 baseballs per season.
That's a lot of mud.
Lynn Dimick (22:15):
That's more balls than a dog park on a Saturday.
So next time you watch a game,just remember, before every
pitch there's a little bit ofJersey dirt, making it all
possible.
John Stapp (22:27):
Today we learned that baseball is part speed,
part coaching and part mud fromthe swamps of Jersey.
Lynn Dimick (22:34):
John, I know you've got at least one more story to
share with us, so why don't yougo ahead and tell us about it?
John Stapp (22:39):
Just to show that baseball is fun for the players
and for the fans, I want toshare this story that Richie
Aspern used to tell.
The story revolves around theannex of the Spanish-speaking
shortstop for the Mets, elioChacon, and his penchant for
frequent near collisions withoutfielders.
This was especially true withAshburn on short fly balls to
center field.
(23:00):
Ashburn realized that Chacondid not understand the English
warning and I have it.
So he went to a bilingual Metsplayer who told him that Chacon
would understand the warning inSpanish.
Yo la tengo.
That it meant the fly ball wasthe center fielder's to catch.
Soon enough, a short fly ballwas hit and the backpedaling
(23:23):
Chacon veered off followingAshburn's admonition in Spanish.
What was unexpected was thatonrushing English-only left
fielder Frank Thomas completelyflattened Ashburn.
After pulling his centerfielder off the ground, thomas
asked him what's a yellow tango?
Lynn Dimick (23:41):
John, thank you for joining me on Grandpa's Hymn.
I do want to have you backbecause I know that there's a
lot of rock and roll storiesthat you and I like to share and
I'd like to go over them withyou, and we'll have you back
again soon.
Going back to those days beforeJohn and I first met, I can
remember collecting sports cards, baseball cards and football
(24:04):
cards, and I remember one timeas a 11-year-old I had all of
the 263 cards needed for a fullfootball set collection that
year, except one, johnnyRobinson, safety of the Kansas
City Chiefs.
Well, hal Norris down thestreet had that card and I had
to have it.
(24:24):
So he and I worked out a tradeand I ended up trading him 42
cards for one to get thatcomplete set.
Now I collected baseball cardsand I had a few that were full
sets, but it was never quite thesame.
We used to do things like setout the cards to show how they
would be positioned on the field.
(24:44):
For the football ones, we woulduse them to draw up plays.
They were a lot of fun.
They didn't have a particularvalue beyond what we cared about
.
But things have all changed andthat's what I want to talk to
you about now the weird,wonderful and slightly confusing
world of authenticatedmemorabilia.
(25:05):
You might think it's just aboutjerseys and balls, but let me
tell you there is a secretsociety under the ballparks of
America.
They come with holograms,detective skills and a deep love
of dirt.
No, not mole people.
I'm talking about Major LeagueBaseball's authentication team.
Now picture this dodgers phenom.
(25:32):
Roki susaki is standing tall onthe mound in tokyo.
It's his mlb debut.
The crowd is electric and onhis left sleeve a little patch
that says hey world, it's myfirst game.
He throws his pitches, walksoff the field and, boom, that
patch patch is gone.
No, it wasn't stolen.
It was harvested like anancient relic by MLB's
(25:56):
authentication team.
That patch is destined for aone-of-one Topps Chrome rookie
debut patch autograph card,because nothing says baseball
history like removing patchesand international airspace for a
trading card that's shinierthan a Vegas slot machine.
Mlb authenticators aren't justyour average memorabilia nerds.
(26:18):
These folks are former cops,literally the kind of people who
can smell a fake jersey, likeyour grandma can smell a lie.
They've authenticated over 10.5million items since 2001.
That's more than the number ofhot dogs sold at Fenway.
Well, maybe, probably.
And it all started with aproblem.
(26:38):
Padres legend Tony Gwynnspotted fake signatures being
sold in his own stadium.
That's like finding out thatyour wedding ring was from a
cereal box.
Gwynn called it out, the FBIgot involved and MLB said yep,
we need a team for this.
Out that your wedding ring wasfrom a cereal box?
Quinn called it out, the FBIgot involved and MLB said yep,
(26:59):
we need a team for this.
Thus began baseball's versionof the Secret Service.
Spring training isn't just forrookies anymore.
It's for authenticators too.
Every March, these folks hitthe fields like accountants with
sunburns.
More than 100,000 items get thehologram treatment that's balls
bases.
If it's not nailed down,they're logging it.
(27:20):
They've even updated theirsystem because of the pitch
clock.
Well, that sounds silly.
Turns out, though, that whenpitchers throw faster,
authenticators can't write fastenough, so now they've got tech
to help.
Think of it like voice to textfor baseball.
Yankee Stadium, world Series,game 4.
(27:44):
It's basically baseball'sversion of the Oscars, minus the
slapping Under the dugout.
Posner, mlb's authenticationchief, is surrounded by rakes
bases and what I assume is anemergency stash of Cracker Jacks
.
He rattles off items like he'slisting groceries Base, from
Freeman's walk-off ball, fromYamamoto's strikeout lineup card
(28:08):
pitching rubber.
It's like a, a treasure hunt,but with excellent velocity
stats.
And those bases, swappedmid-game and tagged with
tamper-proof holograms, sosecure, they make the pentagon
blush.
Yes, mlb authenticates dirt,that's not a metaphor.
(28:29):
They bottle it, sticker it andsell it like it came from the
moon.
You too can own a chunk ofYankee Stadium, because
apparently that's romantic.
Now They've even embeddedconfetti and corn stalks in the
cards Somewhere.
A farmer in Iowa is veryconfused.
I think we probably all are.
(28:51):
Players know the game now.
Guys like Miguel Carrera wouldhand off his bat before the ball
even landed, especially if itmeant career milestone number
478.
Authenticators sit in thedugouts like baseball bouncers
sit in the dugouts like baseballbouncers.
(29:13):
They tag gear mid-game, keepstats and build one heck of a
digital scrapbook.
Now let's talk about the Hallof Fame's secret vault.
Cooperstown has everything fromcleats to corks, mookie's
gloves, freeman's spikes,kershaw's champagne drench cap
all stored inhumidity-controlled vaults below
(29:34):
Main Street.
Even Ichiro's donating hisentire personal collection.
That's like Michelangelodonating his paintbrushes and
snacks.
The art of relic cards Tradingcards aren't just cardboard
anymore, they're archaeologyTops puts in green monster
(29:59):
chunks, stadium seats and evenpieces of the World Series base,
and they sell out faster thanTaylor Swift tickets, and
probably for just as much.
And fans, they love owning themoment, even if the moment is a
sliver of second base.
Now, who gets what Ownership ofgear is a sliver of second base
?
Now, who gets what Ownership ofgear is a negotiation?
Jerseys belong to the club,gloves belong to the player, the
(30:20):
dirt belongs to well, basicallyanybody fast enough.
When history happens, everyoneHall of Fame Tops teams,
everyone wants a piece.
Sometimes somebody's going homewithout a souvenir.
That's the price of greatness.
Just the other day I saw onlinethat somebody had gotten a tuft
(30:40):
of grass from the masters whichhad been hit and it flew into
the crowd.
He took that tuft, put it intoa potato chip bag, took it home
and now he's growing it on hiswindowsill.
Okay, the Hall of Fame houses40,000 artifacts, 3 million
documents and 14,000 hours ofvideo, and it's not even MLB
(31:04):
owned.
Most donations come fromplayers who know their stuff is
safer there than in their garage.
Plus, it won't end up on eBaynext to a signed Barry Bonds
toaster.
So next time you see a hologramsticker on a baller jersey
remember someone was hidingbehind a dugout tagging that
(31:24):
thing with the precision of aSwitch watchmaker.
Thanks for hanging out with me.
Folks.
John, thank you for being hereUntil next time.
This is Lynn Dimmick saying ifyou find a bottle of dirt under
your kid's bed, maybe you don'twant to ask too many questions.
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