Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 8h

"Analytics" is now a stand in for "whatever I dislike."

Reposted by R.J. Anderson

Christina Kahrl @christinakahrl.bsky.social · 1d

Do you want to work in Sports at the San Francisco Chronicle? Our summer internship application has opened up & we'd love to see yours. The previous 4 sports interns all landed jobs in the industry; we gear this internship to help make sure you will too! eevd.fa.us6.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

Sports Reporting Intern, Summer 2026

Would you like to work with world-class journalists at a digital media company seeking to reinvent the way it covers news and reaches readers? The San Francisco Chronicle is looking for a reporting in...

eevd.fa.us6.oraclecloud.com

20 11

Reposted by R.J. Anderson

Sam Miller @sammillerbb.bsky.social · 1d

Dodgers' top 4 starters have, combined, 30 seasons in the majors. They've qualified for the ERA total, combined, four times.

The fact that they're all healthy at the same time right now is either a very well executed plan, or just atrocious luck for Milwaukee.

5 6 48

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 1d

The owners have and will always push for a salary cap, no matter what happens on the field. There’s no amount of competitive balance, perceived or actual, that will deter that—because competitive balance isn’t the actual goal.

Christopher Crawford @crawfordchrisv.bsky.social · 1d

I'm not linking it, you can find it, etc.

But yes, if you think owners aren't going to use back-to-back championships for the Dodgers based on what they've done in the off-season, you're insane.

3 26 84

Reposted by R.J. Anderson

Emma Baccellieri @emmabaccellieri.bsky.social · 3d

At their lowest point this year, Becky Hammon had Aces’ players start doing their own scouting reports and putting together practice plans. She thought it would be temporary. It helped them turn everything around: www.si.com/wnba/aces-lo...

“Sometimes you kind of get used to just the coaches doing all the work, trying to motivate people, giving stories, the speeches, everything,” said Loyd, also new to the team this season. “It hits different when it comes from your team. It’s personal ... People are getting more vulnerable in the locker room, opening up, and I think that’s when we all just opened up to each other a little more. We kind of just used that as a bonding mechanism, and it allowed us to just really buy into everyone’s story, with a lot of stuff to hold ourselves accountable on and be more vocal and take some ownership.”

16 110

Reposted by R.J. Anderson

Mike Axisa @mikeaxisa.bsky.social · 4d

Time to settle this the way they used to settle 14-inning games in the regular season before the automatic runner: with a backup infielder on the mound for one team, and a 31-year-old rookie who is gonna get DFAed in the morning for the other.

1 16 73

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 4d

I think he literally said "and I'm not saying I agree with it, but," which is a verbatim line from one of those scenes.

2

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 4d

A.J. Pierzynski has never sounded more like Charlie Kelly explaining Bird Law than he did just now talking about pitching strategy.

2 2 32

Reposted by R.J. Anderson

Sam Miller @sammillerbb.bsky.social · 4d

The Essential Rockies: pebblehunting.substack.com/p/the-seven-...

The Seven Rockies Sins

I briefly lived for Rockies baseball.

pebblehunting.substack.com

3 14

Reposted by R.J. Anderson

Will Harris @sandwichpick.bsky.social · 5d

All of Kyle Tucker's HRs between 2023-2025 vs where he hit the ball tonight

5 15

Reposted by R.J. Anderson

Jayson Stark @jaysonst.bsky.social · 5d

That was the first postseason series in history to end on a walkoff error.

What a crushing way for any team to end a season.

Bill Buckner might come to mind, but that was only Game 6.

65 110 670

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 9d

Had the terrible realization that Scott Boras will weave “Motor City,” “engine,” and “purrs” into the same sentence when he talks this winter about a potential Tarik Skubal extension.

1 13

Reposted by R.J. Anderson

Spooky HalLewien Name Pollis @lewispoll.is · 13d

Watching last night's games, I was reminded of this research I published last year, suggesting that teams' increasingly aggressive bullpen usage was backfiring as managers overwork and overexpose their best relievers.

Letting Garrett Crochet throw a career-high 117 pitches is one way to avoid this!

Is This How the Strikeout Era Ends?

How the 2024 playoffs could change modern pitching philosophy

www.thelewsletter.lewispoll.is

4 7 49

Reposted by R.J. Anderson

Joe Sheehan @sheehannewsletter.bsky.social · 13d

Most plate appearances in a postseason nine-inning game, scoring one or fewer runs:

43, Tigers, 10/1/2025
41, -dians, 9/30/1954
41, Tigers, 10/5/1934

Three tied with 40

5 15

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 13d

George Valera is authoring a fun story. He was a top prospect not long ago, but he couldn't stay healthy. Guardians waived around this time last year and he passed through untouched. Received the call late in the season and has showcased strength and eye versus righties.

1 2

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 13d

You almost have to admire the Rockies’ loyalty to their front office members. Their assistant general managers have each been with the organization since at least 2006. Furthermore, they haven’t hired a GM from outside of the franchise since 1999. Looks like that last part will change this winter.

1 6

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 14d

Never a good sign when your offense enables Blake Snell to be efficient.

7

Reposted by R.J. Anderson

Alex Speier @alexspeier.bsky.social · 14d

Yoshida is the first Red Sox pinch-hitter *ever* to have a swing that turned a deficit into a lead in the postseason.

5 23 140

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 14d

Sometimes you have to make a business decision.

1 1

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 14d

The contact play has gained popularity around the league because of some favorable break-even calculations—if you watched the Guardians this summer, you saw them run it all the time.. But when it doesn't work out, it really doesn't work out.

2 1 6

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 14d

Every time I watch Gavin Williams pitch I'm reminded that he looks just enough like Jason Hammel (at least in the face) to give me pause.

2

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 14d

Tigers led the majors in extra bases taken (during the run of play) and outs made on the bases—even a few of their tugboats attempted 10-plus tag-ups; Guardians, meanwhile, led the majors in outfield assists and outfield throwing errors. Runs could be at a premium, amplifying mistakes by either.

1 2

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 17d

Hey now, a few weeks ago the Guardians had only two players with an OPS+ of 100 or better, no matter their plate appearances. These days, they’re up to four thanks to the Halpin and Valera promotions (53 combined PA).

Sam Miller @sammillerbb.bsky.social · 17d

Any strike, in any situation, to Jose Ramirez is a huge mistake:

1 3

Reposted by R.J. Anderson

Emma Baccellieri @emmabaccellieri.bsky.social · 17d

On the Fever, living and dying by Kelsey Mitchell, as ever:

In a Season of Uncertainty for the Fever, Kesley Mitchell Has Been a Sure Thing

Indiana would not have made it this far in the WNBA playoffs without their veteran guard being as reliable as ever.

www.si.com

13 53

R.J. Anderson @rjandersonwrites.com · 19d

Jason Benetti just described Troy Melton as a “classic rock fan” because he knew the words to a Blink-182 song. Never felt more like dust.

5 5 81