tampa bay rays

The days of the old grizzled Major League Baseball manager barking directions at his young players is certainly a thing of the past. Today's successful skippers are well versed in analytics, medical limitations and of course the rules of the game. What makes the great ones different from the rest, in a game where your stars make 30 times what some managers make? It's their relationships.

The Kansas City Royals made a terrific choice on Sunday for their new manager. Bethlehem Central High School graduate Matt Quatraro will take the reins of the Major League Baseball franchise, taking over for Mike Matheny, who was fired after a disappointing season. New Royals executive vice president and general manager, J.J. Picollo tabbed Quatraro on Sunday to guide his team to reach their potential.

Bethlehem High School graduate and bench coach for the Tampa Bay Rays, Matt Quatraro is no stranger to the Major League offseason interview process for managerial openings. Over the past few years, Quatraro has been a lead-dog finalist or among the top candidates for the New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Oakland A's. There is a reason for so much interest. Matt is really good at what he does and now he may get his chance to lead the Miami Marlins.

What happened in the Tops Supermarket in Buffalo on May 14th is an unthinkable tragedy brought on by hate. Fast forward 10 days later, another unthinkable tragedy in Uvalde, Texas. Mass murder in the United States is becoming routine. On Thursday, the first-place New York Yankees teamed-up on the issue with the second place Tampa Bay Rays prior to the first game of their four game series.

In 44 games, the 2022 New York Yankees have played the Baltimore Orioles 13 times and after last night, are 9-4 against them. So, for the next 118 games, the Pinstripes and the O's will only face off another 6 times. Good for Baltimore bad for the Bombers. Thursday, the Yankees and their most dominant opponent in the American League East over the past few years, the Tampa Bay Rays, will face-off in the first of 19 battles this season.

According to reports Sunday night by MLB network's Jon Heyman, the Mets have narrowed down their search to 3 and believe it or not, it looks like they picked the right 3. Buck Showalter, Joe Espada and Bethlehem Central High School grad Matt Quatraro are the 3 finalists. Eppler almost hired Showalter in Anaheim and has ties to Espada from their days in the Yankees organization. They were the first two names reported on Sunday by Heyman, maybe that was intentional, maybe not.

Much of the New York Mets fanbase along with the media, me not included, are rooting for the Mets to hire former Albany-Colonie Yankee skipper and long time major league manager, Buck Showalter. There are a few other candidates sprinkled in, including Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro, but Buck is getting the most attention. Showalter should get the most attention but shouldn't get the job.

Former Bethlehem High School standout, Matt Quatraro may be the next manager for the New York Mets. Quatraro is currently the bench coach for the Tampa Bay Rays. The Mets have been looking for a manager since they fired Luis Rojas after the team's disappointing season.

A straight steal of home plate in the Major League Baseball playoffs or World Series is something you see Jackie Robinson do in a Ken Burns documentary or you may have seen Javier Baez do it a five years ago when he was with the Chicago Cubs against the San Francisco Giants. Nonetheless, it's rare. Last night in the first game of the American League Division Series featuring the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, we got to see it again in the Rays 5-0 victory over the Red Sox.

The Wild Card game wasn't exactly the goal that Hal Steinbrenner had for his franchise this year. But baseball can be a cruel game. If Giancarlo Stanton hits that baseball a fraction of a millimeter differently in the 6th inning on Tuesday, that game is tied and there may have been a different result. But he didn't and there wasn't. That is what baseball does. It is extremely humbling.

When New York Yankees General Manger Brian Cashman traded for Anthony Rizzo, he knew exactly what he was getting. Cashman had signed a large framed, slick fielding first baseman name Mark Teixeira back in 2009. That worked out pretty well for the Bronx Bombers. Don't be surprised if Mr. Rizzo sticks around New York for a long time, as he led the Yankees back in the eighth inning, as they defeated the Marlins, 3-1 Sunday afternoon. Thanks much in part to their new acquisitions, New York swept the three-game series from Miami and finished the road trip at 6-4.

Wheeling and dealing, Steve Cohen and Company got their man. Well, a man, but an important one at that.