In the latest episode of Effectively Wild I learned that lots of people believe that MLB umpires are required to wear black underwear in case their pants split. (Google it.) It’s definitely not true. But I’d never thought about the umpires’ underwear before. Aside from Joe West, MLB umpires maintain low profiles and barely have visible personalities. But they must have them. Maybe all that personality gets sublimated into, like, technicolor dream briefs? If I were an ump it would certainly help me stay placid as an irate manager shed spittle into my clenched maw. Just a thought and a chuckle trapped just behind my teeth.
Phillies news:
- Brad Miller is close to a return. That would certainly improve the bench and add to Kingery’s flexibility.
- After traveling a rocky road, Zach Eflin has arrived and the Phillies believe.
- Even as Dombrowski has made the moves he had to make to construct a contending roster, the Phillies need to shatter public expectations if they’re going to compete with the best of the East and NL.
- Smarty brings you a transcript of internal Phillies deliberations that is as real as the speeches in an Ancient Greek history.
MLB news:
- The Yankees might be complicating our centerfield discussions a bit more: they don’t seem to want Brett Gardner back.
- Rob Arthur discusses the potential effects of the new ball.
- Another farm system ranking and prospect ranking. Sigh. (ESPN+ $$)