Random Ramblings from the 2026 MLB Season

The New York Mets, at $357,626,125, have the highest MLB team payroll in 2026. The Mets are not in the postseason. The team with the lowest payroll, the Cleveland Guardians, at $69,984,029, not only won the American League Central, but they are also in the postseason. So much for some people’s view that a salary cap and floor are needed.

So, most mornings I embark on my walks around Stoneybrook Golf Club, I mumble random baseball thoughts. As part of my self-imposed therapy, let me release said thoughts for all to give some thought to.

I’m looking forward to the December Pittsburgh Pirates fantasy camp held at Pirate City. Seeing 100 super fans in regulation Pirates uniforms and having the time of their lives for a week makes me proud. Seeing the retired Pirates, led by Kent Tekulve and Steve Blass, brings back many childhood memories. This is a great pre-Christmas present.

So, why is it that TV directors always have multiple shots of a player up at the plate spitting? My gosh, I could see if they let one shot of flying saliva in the at-bat, but multiple times? Enough already. I’m calling it: one spit, that’s it.

Along with the spitting, again, it must be by design. Why are directors always catching players—pitchers particularly—cursing? More often than not, the F-word is the chosen expletive. Is this cool, and I’m obviously not? Remember, kids watch and imitate their baseball heroes. Some pitchers attempt to curse into their gloves to hide what they are saying. Optics are important.

Here’s another pet peeve of mine. The batter hits the ball and doesn’t run out of the box for the base paths. This is supposed to be done today, as it has been common in games dating back more than 100 years. Today, the ball is hit, and the batter stands and poses. Instead of thinking about the team, it’s an “all about me” moment. Often, I have seen a ball not clear the fences, and the batter shamelessly accepts a long single.

Why? Why do managers allow such selfish behavior repeatedly? Managers I respect obviously are allowing this. The best example of a player who always hustles at every at-bat and in the field is Texas Rangers’ Brandon Nimmo.

The bat flip? I can remember when MLB Network ran a piece: Top 40 Bat Flips in Major League Baseball 2025. Really? You’re ranking bat flips? Again, the kids are watching. So, some say wins by pitchers don’t matter much anymore; ditto for batting averages and RBIs, but bat flips do? Again, it’s another “all about me” mentality by some players. Play the game like you have been there for a while.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, the pride of Rome, New York, and his staff, say the game is all about the fans. I have a question for the Central New Yorker. If I matter, why is it at times difficult to find a specific game on a specific channel? TBS, Apple, Peacock, FOX, local cable, regional streaming services, and MLB.TV make it an expensive “all about the fans” experience.

I have MLB.TV yet numerous times a week; games are blacked out. I have to go to another outlet, which adds to the cost of watching a game. Why not have one channel that shows all the games and makes it easy for fans? Wait, there already is an all-baseball channel.

One podcaster I used to listen to regularly really downplays the importance of traditional statistics such as batting averages, batting titles, RBIs, and pitcher wins. Seems if you adhere to these traditional metrics, you’re not among the “cool modern fans.” Does a general manager instruct his scouting staff to find him a hitter who can’t hit above .200, a pitcher who won’t win more than 10 games, and no one player who shouldn’t drive in 100 runs?

Lastly, reporters should remember what their job responsibilities are. You report what you see. When you cover a team, a league, or individual, you only know officially what they want you to know, and what you can uncover. They don’t owe it to reporters to tell them anything or everything that may or may not be going on behind the scenes.

Too often, one Pittsburgh podcaster presents himself as Methuselah, wondering why he has perceived important questions that need answering, and the Pirates’ GM hasn’t thought of the same needs for the club. Why would the GM need to address this person or others? Self-importance runs rampant in some circles. Jealousy, too.

Will there or won’t there be a labor disruption in MLB come December 1? All I know is baseball; Pittsburgh Pirates baseball, and Bradenton remain an inseparable winning combination that is counted on to make its return every February. Let's hope the boys in black-and-gold are back in town shortly after the Super Bowl.