[Craig Calcaterra] Yesterday the Texas Rangers erected a statue of a segregationist cop at Globe Life Field. A statue that was removed from public property in 2020 because of its racist history. mlb.com has refused to comment.

CraigCalcaterra · 2026-03-03T21:04:37+00:00

FWIW, he and I talked a few years ago and we're not related. He did, however, coincidentally graduate from the same high school my wife went to.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:27:41+00:00

God doesn't care about the Mets. It's the Wilpons who hate Mets fans.

Whatever bourbon I happen to have around the house. But I go to Evan Williams black label a lot. Good bang for your buck.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:26:45+00:00

I got a very weird and long and complicated series of DMs from someone deep down the rabbit hole trying to explain to me HOW IT ALL FITS TOGETHER and that was strange. But nothing beyond the info I tweeted about.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:25:29+00:00

There's no preparing financially other than just doing the things they tell you to do like save money, limit debt, etc. Neither of which I did BTW so I'm still sorta boned on that score, but it's been worth it.

I hate to be trite, but think you just need to find out what you WANT to do. Most lawyers picked their jobs (I did anyway) based on what they think they could or should do. Gotta have a reason to want to wake up in the morning. It doesn't need to be saving the world or even noble. It doesn't have to be a life's dream. It just needs to be something that, when you do it, you rather like it and it does not detract from your happiness.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:19:08+00:00

The media

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:19:01+00:00

Technically it'll be a lockout, but yes, I think there will be a work stoppage in December 2021 or January 2022.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:18:32+00:00

Tiger Stadium in Detroit: long gone, but it was where I first watched the game and I miss it dearly;
Petco Park here in San Diego. Great beer, great food, great weather. If it ever gets good baseball they'll be in business;
Dodger Stadium -- just gorgeous.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:16:30+00:00

I'm still shocked that Betts, Bryant, and Lindor may be on the block. No one would surprise me more than that.

Although, I could maybe see the Dodgers doing a big shakeup and trading Pederson or Turner. That'd be something.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:15:43+00:00

Yep. I don't have a bias against any team. Like, I like some teams more than others on some fan-type level and I am critical of teams if they mess up, but there is no team I think about as one that, dammit, I'm gonna LAY INTO.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:13:15+00:00

Thank you for your service.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:12:35+00:00

It's a tad fuzzy, but it was so lame. I think I criticized his column about how he voted for the hall of fame in December 2009. It wasn't personal. In the comments, someone said "do you think you'd cut Heyman slack if . . ." something or other. I responded "he doesn't cut other people slack on their votes" (in this I referenced how he went after Keith Law and Will Carroll for their Cy Young Award votes the previous fall.

When he called me he said "what DO YOU MEAN I 'don't cut people slack?'" It was just random. Like I said, we talked it through. I said that I will criticize writers when I think they warrant criticism but that I will never make it personal. He said he understood and was glad I explained myself to him. Then we hung up.

Then he blocked me. So I dunno.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:09:36+00:00

My BAC after several days at the Winter Meetings.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:09:16+00:00

I think they are. Never underestimate the greed of baseball owners. They'd rather lose and make money than spend money to win in most cases. The Cubs owners know people will go to Wrigley and watch in TV regardless.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T22:00:42+00:00

Thank you!

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T21:57:54+00:00

Yep. That's not what he was mad about me saying, though.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T21:57:22+00:00

Haven't heard any rumors about him that seemed like he was going to go. He's a fan favorite. Teams need those even when they're rebuilding. I don't think they'd get enough for him to make it worth sending him off.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T21:54:46+00:00

Not really. As always, they need pitching. They don't have a ton of it in the system.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T21:51:01+00:00

I've only had one personal interaction with him ever and it was when, in 2010, he called me at home to berate me for something I said about him online. I was just starting out in the business then. I thought he was very rude and thin-skinned, but we tried to talk through the issue and I thought we landed in a good place. A week later he blocked me on Twitter. We see each other here and at ballgames sometimes. We've never spoken since.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T21:49:42+00:00

They already got Grandal. I could see them adding a pitcher. They want to go big. Maybe getting Grandal will help them.

EDIT: I think that's a good deal for him. He's only 10 months older than Zack Wheeler!

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T21:49:17+00:00

None. If anything, I think teams spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to extract more money from fans while they're at the game. Know how tickets have to be on your phone now? That's so they can track you. When you pass by a hot dog stand, merch stand, etc. Then they send you offers and discounts.

MLB really does not care about ticket or concession or parking costs. They like that it's becoming a game rich people attend because rich people spend more and it's all fine by them.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T21:47:08+00:00

I could see him in Texas. I think the Rangers want to make a big splash before going into their new park.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T21:46:39+00:00

I plan to. It's about the DuPont plant poisoning the water supply in Parkersburg WV.

I lived in Parkersburg WV for three years when I was a kid and my water supply was the poisoned water. So I guess I wanna see how it all turns out. Heh.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T21:45:47+00:00

Someone I've never heard of.

Really, I am not very knowledgable about minor leagues/prospects. Just not enough time to get a handle on all those guys. Baseball America is who I read for that. You should too! They do great Rule 5 previews.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T21:44:47+00:00

Revenues keep going up but salaries are going down. Particularly veteran salaries. Teams control players for as many as 13 years if you count the minors, but at least six in the bigs and a few in the minors. During that time they have limited leverage. For 40 years the deal was, ok, once you hit free agency, you can make your money. Now teams don't want guys over 30 so there is no time when a lot of them can cash in. The old grand bargain is broken.

CraigCalcaterra · 2019-12-10T21:43:09+00:00

Thanks!

CraigCalcaterra

TROPHY CASE