Some kid came up to me in our elementary school playground while I was looking at my disorganized packs of cards and said he wanted my Dave Parker. I didn't even know what the word trade meant. For that matter, I didn't even know what a Dave Parker was. He explained it to me. And I did it. It felt wrong for some reason, and whatever this trade thing was I had just done, was done. Then these Pirates won something called the world series. It seemed like a big deal to people. It was. And I thought whatever I had done that day was all kinds of wrong.
I did something very similar to another kid in elementary school. He had a real 1974 Hank Aaron, but I convinced him it was a promo card and traded him some crap for it. I still have the card, and I still feel a bit guilty.
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/manfred-comments-on-revenue-split-offseason-pace.html Not really interested in discussion on salary cap just yet but I did think his comments around free agency calendar were interesting. I have long thought the MLB offseason calendar was too spread out and disorganized. This would be my ideal MLB calendar: Feb 21-Mar 31: Spring training Apr 1-June 30: 1st half July 1-7: All-Star Game, Futures game, celebrity game, home run derby, Rule 4 draft July 8- Sept 30: 2nd half Oct 1-Nov 8: playoffs Nov 9-Nov 30: GM meetings, Rule 5 draft, QO decisions Dec 1-Jan 7: Free Agency Jan 8-31: International draft, Rule 4 draft lottery, team caravans/fanfests Feb 1-21: Hall of Fame announcements/inductions, Spring Breakout prospects game, Old Timers’ game
In facial hair news: https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/pittsburgh-pirates/pirates-news-fan-clemente-bridge-beard-tribute
