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👋Hey folks! It’s Saturday — grab your coffee and your favorite cap — time for High N Tight!
⚾️ Recapping the week:
🚨 BREAKING: Trump to Pardon Pete Rose — Baseball's Hit King Back in the Spotlight
In a plot twist straight out of a baseball soap opera, President Trump says he'll be pardoning Pete Rose — the all-time hit leader banned from baseball for life due to gambling.
Rose, who passed away last year at 83, bet on his own team, the Cincinnati Reds, as manager, nearly 100 times (but never against them — let’s be clear). Baseball has kept him locked out of the Hall of Fame like a fastball up and in.
Trump’s spin? "Most hits by far... won more games than anyone in sports history."
What the pardon actually means? Who knows. Rose did serve five months for tax evasion in 1990. But one thing’s for sure: the debate over Charlie Hustle’s legacy is far from over.
So... does this open the door for Cooperstown, or is Rose still stuck on the bench of baseball history?
Sho’ing Off: Shohei Ohtani is BACK — and in style:
Friday night, first at-bat of the Spring — BOOM — an absolute missile to left field. Home run.
Just like that. Ohtani is must-see TV. While he’s locked in as the Dodgers’ DH this season, the real excitement is yet to come. In May — Ohtani will return to the mound after a year-long hiatus. Amid the whirlwind of his historic 2024 season, did we forget Ohtani pitches too? 😂😂
And pretty damn well. So here’s the question: Could we be looking at an MVP and Cy Young season from baseball’s ultimate unicorn? Buckle up, it's gonna be fun.
💰💸 1 Billion Dollars: That’s how much the Dodgers are on the hook for in deferred payments to just eight players over the next 20 years — starting in 2026.
The biggest slice of the pie? No surprise — Ohtani — set to collect a cool $680 million from 2034 to 2043. But he’s not alone:
Mookie Betts: $115 million
Blake Snell: $66 million
Freddie Freeman: $57 million
Will Smith: $50 million
Tommy Edman: $25 million
Looks like the Dodgers' payroll office is about to be LA's busiest coffee shop. Hope they’ve got a reliable calculator — and a never-ending supply of coffee. ☕
Camelback Ranch, 2025
⚾️ The ABS Challenge: Mad Max vs. the Robo Ump
Veteran pitcher Max Scherzer took the ABS Challenge this week — and let’s just say, the robots won.
Scherzer lost not one, but TWO pitch challenges. Surprise, surprise — he’s not a fan of the Automated Ball-Strike system. But hey, Max — the data doesn’t lie. Your pitches were off!
While ABS won’t be calling balls and strikes in the regular season just yet, many expect its big-league debut by 2026. Max might be grumbling... but honestly? I’m all in. It’s time to get these calls right. ⚾️
⚾️ Did he or didn’t he? The Derek Bender Saga:
The baseball world loves a good scandal — and Derek Bender is smack in the middle of one.
The former Minnesota Twins minor league catcher is under MLB investigation for allegedly tipping pitches to opposing hitters during a crucial game last September. The result? His team, the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, got bounced from the playoffs, and Bender got cut.
But Bender’s not backing down. In an emotional interview with The Athletic, Bender flat-out denied the accusations:
“I never gave pitches away. I never tried to give the opposing team an advantage against my own team.”
Still, the damage is done. His former teammates have gone silent, his agents have dropped him, and MLB's investigation looms.
Now? Bender’s gearing up for a comeback — not in affiliated ball, but with the Brockton Rox of the independent Frontier League.
He says this isn’t a desperate attempt to claw back into pro ball — it’s about taking control of his life again.
But let’s be real — the court of public opinion isn’t always kind.
So… did he or didn’t he?
That’s the million-dollar question — and until MLB wraps up its investigation, Bender’s baseball future hangs by a thread.
Scottsdale Stadium, 2024
Pitching Giant Alert: You don’t see this every day — 7’6” Mamadou N’Diaye (yes, SEVEN-FOOT-SIX), a former professional basketball player, showed up at Dodgers camp this week.
And guess what? He even took the mound for a quick pitching session — with Dave Roberts offering tips while looking like a kid standing next to a skyscraper.
Does Mamadou have a future in baseball? Probably not. But just imagine a 7’6” pitcher firing 95 mph fastballs at you... Absolutely terrifying.
MLB.Com
MLB.Com Poll of the Week:
While on the topic of ABS, what baseball tech has you the most hyped?
Robo Umpires
Smart Bats
Wearables
AR Training Apps
⚾️ Coaches’ Korner: Where the Game Grows
🎯 Tip of the Week: 7 Fun Baseball Drills for 8-10 Year Olds — Keep the energy high and the skills sharp!
📚 Must-Read: Mental Prep for Little League Coaches 2025 — Build your confidence and lead with purpose.
⚾️ Tech vs. Tradition: The Changing Face of Spring Training:
Is tech turbocharging Spring Training, or just making things unnecessarily complicated? Let’s dive in.
Teams are pouring more cash into tech than ever before — spending on tech-based training is up 10% this year alone. We’re talking high-tech wearable devices that track every inch of your swing, and AI-driven video analysis that dissects your every move. Talk about next-level insights.
But here’s where it gets sticky. Some players are all in, using these tools to get a leg up on the competition and speed up their training. Others? They’re sticking with the classics, swearing by old-school methods and hands-on coaching.
Take Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson. He’s not interested in the shiny new tech, saying he’ll keep it traditional.
My two cents? Torkelson, you don’t have to pick one or the other. You can have the best of both worlds. If you’re not taking advantage of the latest tech, you’re missing out — plain and simple. This game’s changing fast, and the players who know how to mix the old and the new? They’re the ones who’ll stay on top.
It’s all about finding the sweet spot — blending data-driven insights with those timeless drills. That’s how you unlock greatness.
The top players aren’t just stuck in the past or locked in the future — they’re using everything they’ve got. And that’s where the real game-changers come from.
Gearin’ Up! ⚾
Because the right gear makes all the difference.
👉 Get the gear that sets you apart — full reviews on Box-Seats.com
Quote of the Week 😲
"Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand." — Leo Durocher
Got a wild baseball quote? Reply to this email — yours might be featured next!
Final Pitch:
Whether you're breaking in a new glove, analyzing your swing metrics, or debating the future of AI umps — this game is always evolving. Keep swinging for the fences.
Until next time.
Got a story, tip, or idea? Hit reply — I’d love to hear from you.
Until next week! Keep swinging for the fences. And remember — baseball’s future is just as exciting as its past.
Got a story, tip, or wild baseball quote? Hit reply — we might feature YOU next week!
Team High N Tight
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