What is the story about?
Good
morning.
- Former Braves owner Robert Edward “Ted” Turner has died at 87. Turner had an amazing career and I’m sure you can find one dealing with his other endeavors like CNN, TCM, Cartoon Network, marriage to Jane Fonda and his philanthropy, but Mark Bowman has an obituary that focuses on his maverick ownership of the Atlanta Braves. Many of us became Cubs fans despite no connection to Chicago because we saw the games on WGN cable. The same can be said about the many Braves fans from through the country and TBS.
- The Braves announcement of Turner’s death.
- Tyler Kepner also has an appreciation of Turner, who notes that his ownership of the Braves was what made everything else he accomplished possible. (Free The Athletic reg. req.)
- Another look at Turner’s time in baseball, including the one day he actually managed the Braves.
- One more baseball giant that we said goodbye to this week was Yankees broadcaster John Sterling, who actually got his start in baseball with the Braves in the eighties. Jay Jaffe has an appreciation of Sterling.
- Good news as MLB viewership of national broadcasts is up 44 percent this year.
- Mark Feinsand looks at the wacky run differential totals to start the season.
- Thomas Harrington ranks which surprising early-season contenders are most likely to be in the playoff hunt in September.
- Dan Szymborski wonders if the Braves have already wrapped up the NL East title. No, but they’re the huge favorite at this point.
- Mike Axisa has some early-season trends to pay attention to.
- Matt Snyder overreacts to early season trends.
- Anthony Castrovince notices the early-season trend of more bunting.
- David Schoenfield looks at which reliever records could Padres closer Mason Miller break this year.
- Michael Baumann continues to be amazed at what the Dodgers Shohei Ohtani has been doing this season.
- Most of that is what Ohtani is doing on the mound. Ohtani’s offense, while still elite, is down this year. Gabe Lacques wonders if Ohtani’s career has peaked.
- Mike Petriello looks at the surprising trend of Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr.’s lack of home runs this year, despite hitting the ball harder.
- Similarly, Ben Clemens examines A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz’s lack of production this year, despite better numbers “under the hood.”
- Mike Petriello looks at the adjustment in the batter’s box that turned Blue Jays rookie Kazuma Okamoto’s rookie season around.
- Matt Gelb looks at how Phillies shortstop Trea Turner is struggling to fight off an age-related decline. (The Athletic sub. req.)
- Jordan Schusterman has a look at where the two Cy Young Award races stand at the moment.
- And Schusterman also takes a gander at the Rookie of the Year races.
- Astros third baseman Carlos Correa is out for the season after surgery on his left ankle. That’s the other ankle than the one that caused the Giants and Mets to cancel their contract with him.
- Jordan Schusterman wonders that with their slow start and the Correa injury, if the Astros’ postseason hopes are already over.
- The Tigers fired their Triple-A manager over “inappropriate texts” to a female colleague.
- Former Cub (hey, he was!) DJ LeMahieu is back in baseball as the manager of the Royal Oak Leprechauns, a collegiate wooden-bat league team. LeMahieu dropped out of the public eye after the Yankees released him last year.
- Stephen J. Nesbitt and Cody Stavenhagen notice that banning infield shift hasn’t had much impact on increasing offense. They ask does anyone care as long as it looks better? (The Athletic sub. req.)
- Tigers pitcher Framber Valdez was suspended for five games for hitting a batter.
- Fabrian Araya and Katie Woo looks at Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing’s attempt at taking up A.J. Pierzynski’s title as the biggest jackass in baseball. (The Athletic sub. req.) And yes, they do talk to A.J. about this.
- Jim Callis has a mock draft.
- Keith Law also has a mock draft. (The Athletic sub. req.)
- The MLB Pipeline crew as a potential closer in each minor league system.
- Amy Cuddy explains the neuroscience behind superstitions. Maybe they do mean something!
- And finally, it’s Mother’s Day this weekend so MLB dot com got Jesús Luzardo, Fernando Cruz, Austin Warren and Nico Hoerner to talk about what their mothers meant to their careers.
