baseball
Sabermetric analysis of all things baseball - on-and-off the field. Barry Bonds fan club.
Caleb Williams: The Quarterback Redefining Expectations in the NFL. AI-Generated.
Few athletes enter professional football with as much anticipation as Caleb Williams. Widely regarded as one of the most talented quarterbacks of his generation, Williams’ journey from college football sensation to NFL centerpiece has captivated fans, analysts, and communities alike. His story is not just about arm strength or athleticism — it’s about expectations, identity, and the evolving role of young stars in modern sports.
By Asad Ali14 days ago in Unbalanced
Unbalanced
M Mehran Callum Ward never noticed the imbalance at first. Balance is like gravity—when it works, you don’t think about it. When it fails, you fall. He used to be steady. The kind of man who woke up before his alarm, ironed his shirt twice, and brewed coffee like a ritual. He believed if you organized the outside world, the inside would follow. But life doesn’t always agree. Sometimes it throws its weight on one side until everything tilts. For Callum, that tilt began the day his wife disappeared. The Tilt The police asked the usual questions. When did you last see her? Did she seem upset? Did you two fight? Callum answered honestly. He didn’t remember fighting. He didn’t remember much of anything anymore. That, apparently, made them suspicious. Grief does strange things to a mind. It fogs it, warps it, forces it to replay moments like broken film. The house felt uneven without her—rooms too quiet, chairs misplaced, doors slightly open like someone had just left. It wasn’t just the sadness. It was the guilt. Because the truth that Callum never said out loud was simple: he felt her leaving long before she actually left. Conversations that didn’t reach their endings. Dinners eaten in silence. A growing distance that could have swallowed oceans. One night, two weeks after she vanished, Callum heard footsteps upstairs. Not loud. Not violent. Just… footsteps. Familiar in rhythm, like someone pacing. Like someone thinking. He picked up a flashlight and climbed the stairs. Halfway up, the light flickered. The footsteps stopped. He whispered her name. Silence answered. But on the landing, he noticed something new: her necklace, hanging on the doorknob. The same gold chain she wore every day. He hadn’t seen it since the night she disappeared. Callum’s legs nearly gave out. The Unbalance Grows People in the neighborhood started talking. They called him “unstable,” “off,” “not right since she left.” Someone reported that he was wandering the street at midnight, as if searching for something he couldn’t name. Another swore they saw him talking to the empty air on his porch. Callum didn’t deny it. He heard her voice sometimes—soft, like she was speaking from another room. He smelled her perfume in the hallway. Sometimes, he even felt the mattress shift beside him, the weight of a second body settling into the bed. Callum knew grief had gravity. It pulled. It dragged. It distorted. But this was something else. One evening, when the sun was dying into a bruised purple, someone knocked on his door. Detective Rana Hale. She looked tired in a way that went beyond sleep deprivation. “We found something,” she said. The world tilted. The Truth That Isn’t Down at the station, they showed him a photograph. Callum’s wife. But not the woman he remembered—no soft smile, no warm eyes. Her hair was cut short. Her expression was sharp, like a blade disguised as a face. She was standing beside a man Callum had never seen. The detective spoke calmly. “There are signs she may have left by choice. We believe she was involved in something… dangerous. You may not have known her as well as you thought.” Callum stared at the photo. His chest tightened, breath catching like a snagged thread. That was the moment he understood: the imbalance wasn’t an accident. It was a message. His wife hadn’t vanished from life—she’d vanished into another one. “You think she ran away?” he asked. Rana nodded. “We think she’s hiding. And Callum… we think she may come back for you.” A strange relief washed through him. Not fear. Not anger. Hope. If she left by choice, maybe she could return by choice. Maybe the world could even out again. He went home that night with a spine full of static and a heart split down the center. When the Scale Breaks At 3:14 a.m., the footsteps returned. This time, they were not gentle. Callum didn’t reach for the flashlight. He didn’t hide. He walked toward the sound. Down the hall, through the open door, into the bedroom where it all began. His wife sat on the edge of the bed. She looked real. More real than memory. More real than grief. Her eyes were tired, frightened, alive. “Callum,” she said. Her voice cracked like old paint. “I need you to listen. I didn’t leave you. I ran from them. And now—they’re coming.” The room swayed. The world tilted. Every ounce of balance he had left snapped like a pulled thread. “Who?” he asked. She trembled. “The man in the photograph. I wasn’t supposed to survive. But I did. I’ve been trying to get back ever since.” He crossed the room, sat beside her. He didn’t touch her, afraid she’d disappear like fog. “Why come back now?” Her eyes lifted to his. “Because the only place I’m safe is with you.” And just like that, the imbalance didn’t vanish. It became something new. Not steadiness, not order—shared weight. Epilogue They didn’t sleep that night. They packed bags. They planned. They prepared for a world that was no longer straight, no longer stable, no longer kind. Callum learned something in that moment: Balance isn’t the absence of chaos—it’s choosing who you stand with when the world tips. He had spent months trying to regain equilibrium, not realizing that maybe life isn’t meant to balance perfectly. Maybe it’s meant to be held, together, even when it shakes. Especially when it shakes.
By Muhammad Mehran15 days ago in Unbalanced
He's Back! A Kyle Schwarber Story
The MLB offseason has been filled with drama, mainly surrounding the New York Mets letting three of their best players sign to other teams, resulting in their fans expressing their anger towards David Stearns. However, there is some good news that will make everyone smile, especially for Philadelphia Phillies fans. The ever-talented Kyle Schwarber will be sticking around in Philly for a few more years. The three-time All-Star signed a five-year, $150 million deal and the news was music to the ears of baseball fans. Many thought he would return to the Chicago Cubs, where he won his first World Series title and was one of the main factors in snapping the team's 108-year-old championship drought. I knew he wasn't going anywhere, because he's too important of a player to just walk away. In other news, manager Rob Thomson will also be with the Phillies for a while longer. After the deal with Schwarber was made official, Thomson signed an extension through the 2027 season.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard about a month ago in Unbalanced
50 Shades of Orange
The 2025 Winter Meetings in Orlando has come to a close, but there is still a plethora of free agents who are waiting to see if any teams would claim them. However, the MLB offseason has been filled with drama. If you're a New York Mets fan, I feel your pain. I'll fill everyone else in on what has occurred for the last three weeks. The Mets traded Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for three-time All-Star and World Series champion Marcus Semien. Then, their closer Edwin Díaz signed a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But wait, there's more. The two-year-old question on whether or not Pete Alonso would return the team for the 2026 season had finally been answered. The 31-year-old, known as the Polar Bear, signed a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. Once the news of him heading to Baltimore spread across the baseball world, Mets fans were absolutely furious. Furious might be an understatement but pissed off was an even better term to describe the outrage Mets fans have felt. Alonso was seeking a five-year deal with the Mets, but the ball club wasn't willing to offer him a deal that was more than three years. If you're keeping count, that's three players that the Mets let go of.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard about a month ago in Unbalanced
T.J. Watt: The Relentless Force Defining a New Era of NFL Defense. AI-Generated.
T.J. Watt has never been just another linebacker in the NFL—he has become one of the most dominant defensive players of his generation. Known for his explosiveness, instincts, and relentless motor, Watt continues to redefine what it means to be a modern defensive superstar. Whether terrorizing quarterbacks, forcing turnovers, or leading by example in the locker room, Watt has firmly cemented his place among the league’s elite.
By Asad Aliabout a month ago in Unbalanced
Edwin Díaz Joins Los Angeles Dodgers
Edwin Díaz isn’t a Met anymore. The star closer has signed a massive three-year, US$69 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers — a move that reshapes the late-inning dynamics of one of MLB’s top clubs and sends ripples through the free-agent and bullpen markets.
By KAMRAN AHMADabout a month ago in Unbalanced
The Good and the Downright Ugly
If you're having the case of the offseason blues, I know the feeling. With the Winter Meetings set to conclude on Wednesday and Spring Training starting in February, baseball will return before you know it. If you're new to the baseball community and unsure of what the point of the Winter Meetings, they are held the first full week of December, and teams aim to sign players to their respective teams. In case you haven't been up to speed on the happenings of the MLB offseason, here are a list of players who will be wearing different uniforms for the 2026 MLB regular season.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard about a month ago in Unbalanced
The Hall of Shame: Baseball's Most Despised Players
The National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, New York, which is known as the Birthplace of Baseball, celebrates and recognizes the contributions of baseball players and other figures. Nearly 400 individuals are inducted in the Hall and almost 300 of them are players. Speaking of the Hall of Fame, there will be a new member to the 2026 Class: Jeff Kent. The reaction to the news was mixed. While some were pleased that Kent will be inducted next year, others expressed their frustrations with the Baseball Hall of Fame for not selecting Barry Bonds. Other players who have missed out on being part of the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame Class were Gary Sheffield, the late Fernando Valenzuela, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Carlos Delgado, and Roger Clemens. This story will primarily be focused on Bonds and the latter player. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens will not be eligible again for the committee ballot until 2031. My brutally honest opinions about both of these men aren't going be sugar-coated.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard about a month ago in Unbalanced
Red Sox Acquire Johan Oviedo in 5-Player Trade With Pirates. Content Warning. AI-Generated.
AI Generated Content ( ChatGpt ). Red Sox Acquire Johan Oviedo in 5-Player Blockbuster Deal With Pirates The Boston Red Sox made one of the most intriguing moves of the offseason by striking a five-player trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates centered around right-hander Johan Oviedo. For a Boston front office aiming to strengthen its rotation and accelerate its path back to playoff contention, Oviedo represents both immediate help and long-term upside. Meanwhile, the Pirates continue their trend of stockpiling young talent by acquiring two promising prospects, including one of Boston’s best outfielders in the minor-league system. The deal carries potential benefits for both sides and signals clear intentions about the direction each team hopes to take in 2026 and beyond.
By Enokenwa Ayuk Sako about a month ago in Unbalanced
84 Hundreds to 100 Hundreds: How Realistic Is Virat Kohli’s Chances of Breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s All-Time Record?. AI-Generated.
Virat Kohli, widely regarded as one of the greatest modern-day batsmen, has been chasing one of cricket’s most coveted records for years: surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of 100 international centuries. As of now, Kohli has amassed an astonishing 84 hundreds across formats, placing him tantalizingly close to the legendary Tendulkar’s benchmark. But the question on every cricket fan’s mind remains: how realistic is it for Kohli to reach 100 centuries, and what factors could influence this historic pursuit?
By Fiazahmedbrohi about a month ago in Unbalanced
Wesley's Favorite Forgotten Texas Rangers Players: Part 2
Greetings, baseball nerds and fellow Rangers fans! Recently, I posted a story about my favorite Texas Rangers players that fans might have a recollection of in passing or vaguely, but no one talks about these days. If you would like to see my previous story about that, click the link down below and see if any of your favorites made the list. I'm back for a second part of this story. Just to note, I won't be highlighting players like Michael Young or Ian Kinsler on this list, since Rangers fans are fully aware of who they are. Alright, let's get this show on the road!
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 2 months ago in Unbalanced
A Token of Appreciation: Marcus Semien
The 2023 World Series and the Texas Rangers capturing their very first championship in franchise history is a moment fans will remember for years to come. From 2021 to 2025, three-time All-Star Marcus Semien has been a wonderful contributor to the Rangers and if you remember in Game 5 of the aforementioned World Series, he made a statement by hitting a two-run homer to put them in a great position to win a World Series title that had slipped through their fingers twice before. He's now a New York Met, but he'll always be a legend in Arlington. Now, I know the word legend gets thrown around so much. However, Semien is a true example of that. When a player wins a World Series title, they have earned that label, even though they haven't retired yet. Past Rangers players such as Michael Young and Josh Hamilton will forever be legends in Arlington. Ian Kinsler and Mike Napoli were fan favorites in Texas, but both of them retired as World Series champions, due to them playing for the Boston Red Sox. I'm not implying that a player has to win a World Series title to be called a legend. If a player spent a significant amount of time with a team, they deserve to be called a legend, with or without a championship. Ichiro: legend. David Wright: legend. Anthony Rizzo: legend. Derek Jeter: legend. Ryan Howard: legend. I could go on for hours, but you get the picture. The players that I just named have earned the right to have the Legend label attached to them for the rest of their lives.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 2 months ago in Unbalanced
