Michael Clair
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michaelclair.bsky.social
Michael Clair
@michaelclair.bsky.social
I like baseball and I write about it for MLB.com. Special focus on the World Baseball Classic, culture, and freaky little oddities. I also like rock n roll.
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I am so insanely excited to share that WE SACRIFICE EVERYTHING TO BASEBALL, about the remarkable run Czechia made in the WBC, is out on April 1. And if you order from @univnebpress.bsky.social with code 6HLW25 you can get 50% off through 12/31!

www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/978...
Today today today! Beat the storm and help melt some ICE with us. Then we can hang out all night until we get snowed in somewhere
It's going to be freezing tomorrow, but we'll be getting nice and hot at Gun Hill Publick House. Come on out to the show, listen to some tunes, buy some of @davyandrewsdavy.bsky.social's baked goods and help us raise some cash for the New York Immigration Coalition.
January 24, 2026 at 4:34 PM
Reposted by Michael Clair
It's going to be freezing tomorrow, but we'll be getting nice and hot at Gun Hill Publick House. Come on out to the show, listen to some tunes, buy some of @davyandrewsdavy.bsky.social's baked goods and help us raise some cash for the New York Immigration Coalition.
January 23, 2026 at 4:43 PM
WHAT A LINEUP IN HERE
Congrats to all the finalists for the 2026 SABR Analytics Conference Research Awards! sabr.org/latest/annou...

Voting for the winners begins next week. Thanks to @baseballprospectus.com, @fangraphs.com, @sportsinfosolutions.com, @ibwaa.bsky.social for their contributions to the selection process.
January 23, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Reposted by Michael Clair
Congrats to all the finalists for the 2026 SABR Analytics Conference Research Awards! sabr.org/latest/annou...

Voting for the winners begins next week. Thanks to @baseballprospectus.com, @fangraphs.com, @sportsinfosolutions.com, @ibwaa.bsky.social for their contributions to the selection process.
January 23, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Reposted by Michael Clair
come drink some beer, eat some sweets, and rock out with the only all-baseball-writer band on the MTA's Most Wanted List, the Subway Ghosts!
It's going to be freezing tomorrow, but we'll be getting nice and hot at Gun Hill Publick House. Come on out to the show, listen to some tunes, buy some of @davyandrewsdavy.bsky.social's baked goods and help us raise some cash for the New York Immigration Coalition.
January 23, 2026 at 4:49 PM
It's going to be freezing tomorrow, but we'll be getting nice and hot at Gun Hill Publick House. Come on out to the show, listen to some tunes, buy some of @davyandrewsdavy.bsky.social's baked goods and help us raise some cash for the New York Immigration Coalition.
January 23, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Jose Quintana, who has more wins than any Colombian-born pitcher in big league history, has been named the captain for Colombia.

www.mlb.com/news/jose-qu...
Colombia's winningest MLB pitcher, Jose Quintana, named captain for World Baseball Classic
With 113 wins across 14 big league seasons, Jose Quintana sits atop the list of Major League wins for a Colombian-born pitcher. Now, the veteran left-hander, who is currently a free agent, is back to ...
www.mlb.com
January 21, 2026 at 9:39 PM
Reposted by Michael Clair
Like free stuff? If you order my book, WE SACRIFICE EVERYTHING TO BASEBALL before it’s out on April 1 from @univnebpres, you’ll receive some of these Baseball Czech bookmarks! All you need to do is send your mailing address and receipt or proof of purchase to WeSacrificeEverythingATgmailDOTcom.
January 20, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Reposted by Michael Clair
It all started with the RF lights going out. During the delay, some Leones players walked around the field to the cheers of yellow fans on that side of the stadium.
Home field Gigantes took issue, and lots of shouting ensued.

Beef during a light delay.

Amazing 👏 Game 7
January 21, 2026 at 2:12 AM
I just flipped on Game 7 of the Nicaraguan series between Leones and Gigantes and … pretty sure we’re in a 10 minute bench clearing standoff
January 21, 2026 at 1:55 AM
Reposted by Michael Clair
Full voting results per the BBWAA:
January 20, 2026 at 11:23 PM
Like free stuff? If you order my book, WE SACRIFICE EVERYTHING TO BASEBALL before it’s out on April 1 from @univnebpres, you’ll receive some of these Baseball Czech bookmarks! All you need to do is send your mailing address and receipt or proof of purchase to WeSacrificeEverythingATgmailDOTcom.
January 20, 2026 at 8:07 PM
King of the Hall of Fame is on tv! Let’s go @jayjaffe.bsky.social
January 20, 2026 at 7:54 PM
The most important work that’s ever been written
January 20, 2026 at 5:36 PM
From World Series winner to sausage meister: Recently, I got a chance to visit with Byung-hyun Kim at his award-winning German sausage restaurant in Seoul.

Story about a very unique restaurant: www.mlb.com/news/byung-h...
From World Series winner to sausage meister: A visit to Byung-hyun Kim's German restaurant
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of Michael Clair's International Beat Newsletter, bringing global baseball news to your inbox every month. Sign up for future installments HERE and check out...
www.mlb.com
January 20, 2026 at 4:17 PM
Maybe the most niche poster to ever exist
Crucial reminder that The Subway Ghosts are playing at 5:00pm on Saturday at Gun Hill Publick House in Brooklyn. We have a new song that rips. I will bake treats.

Come out and hear some punk rock from @michaelclair.bsky.social @mikepetriello.bsky.social and @depstein1983.bsky.social
January 19, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Clear your plans for next Saturday if you’re in NYC. We got rock n roll to play.
January 17, 2026 at 5:31 PM
Reposted by Michael Clair
Today is (err, for them, yesterday was) opening day for Palau Major League Baseball.
January 17, 2026 at 12:35 AM
Reposted by Michael Clair
And here is @davyandrewsdavy.bsky.social on the Phillies bringing back Realmuto:
J.T. Realmuto Will J.T. Realmain in Philadelphia
Yes, it’s for a bit more time and money than we may have expected, but it just made too much sense, Realmistically speaking.
blogs.fangraphs.com
January 16, 2026 at 9:18 PM
Recently I had the chance to eat at Byung-hyun Kim's award-winning German sausage restaurant, Metz Hannam. Here is his healthier take on Budae-jjigae, or Korean Army Soup.

Story coming in the International Beat newsletter. Subscribe here: www.mlb.com/fans/newslet...
January 16, 2026 at 8:52 PM
Thanks in part to a 4 mph bump, Brad Keller parlayed his breakout 2025 season into a spot in the back of Team USA's bullpen.

www.mlb.com/news/brad-ke...
New Phillies reliever Brad Keller joins Team USA's bullpen
Team USA general manager Michael Hill wanted his roster to make a statement, one that affirmed the USA Baseball team as the best in the world. The lineup is filled with stars and the rotation is cramm...
www.mlb.com
January 16, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Sugano, Shugo Maki, and nine more NPB stars were added to Japan's roster last night.

Details: www.mlb.com/news/japan-u...
Former Oriole among 11 joining Ohtani on Samurai Japan
Shohei Ohtani is getting some company. On Friday morning in Japan, the national team announced the next 11 players who are set to join the Dodgers superstar in the World Baseball Classic. Leading the ...
www.mlb.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:21 PM
What a way to put a finishing touch on his career. Clayton Kershaw is riding off into the sunset with Team USA. Story from Sonja Chen: www.mlb.com/dodgers/news...
Kershaw to represent USA in Classic to cap Hall-worthy career
LOS ANGELES -- Months removed from a storybook ending to his big league career, one of the greatest pitchers of his generation is coming out for an encore. Clayton Kershaw will represent the U.S. in t...
www.mlb.com
January 15, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Harry Ford's back for GB Baseball. Jessica Camareto with the story in her newsletter this week: www.mlb.com/nationals/ne...
'Sir Harry' puts world on notice with return to World Baseball Classic
This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato's Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
www.mlb.com
January 15, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Talked a little World Baseball Classic and my projected Team USA lineup on TV in Japan recently. I assume the translation makes me sound smarter AND look more handsome, too.

Small selection from the piece if you understand Japanese!
January 14, 2026 at 10:25 PM