Rian Watt
How the Giants Became Baseball’s Most Boring Dynasty
The San Francisco Giants front office has built baseball's closest thing to a dynasty while avoiding the kind of manager worship that plagues sports (and the Bay Area). It isn't sexy, but it works.
David Ortiz Doesn't Need Baseball Anymore
You probably have to go back to Ted Williams, and the .316/.451/.645 line he put up in 1960, to find a superstar who walked off the field with so much left to give. And make no mistake: the Boston Red Sox slugger is going out on top.
Gary Sánchez Is Raking, And Right On Time
Gary Sánchez was a huge prospect at 16, scuffling in Double-A at 22, and is hitting like a star in the bigs at 23. He's not late. This is just how it works.
It's No Miracle, Daniel Murphy Is For Real
How a few small adjustments—and some familiar feats of belief—helped Daniel Murphy carry his October heroics all the way through to the regular season.
The Team Effort Behind Cubs Catching Phenom Willson Contreras
Willson Contreras has flattened the National League since debuting with the Cubs in late June. Here's how a cautious third baseman became a breakout catching star.
The Cleveland Indians Are Winning, And It's Because They're Good
The Cleveland Indians have flown under the radar this season because they don't have any big stars. But they've got a balanced attack few teams can match.
Jackie Bradley Jr. Is Terrorizing the Pitchers of Major League Baseball
After struggling through parts of two seasons, Jackie Bradley Jr. started to figure it out with the Red Sox last year. This year, he's taken the leap into stardom.
New Technologies Are Forcing Baseball To Balance Big Data With "Big Brother"
New technologies have made it possible for baseball teams to know more than ever about their players. This new data can benefit both sides, but it can also be an invasion of privacy. Where's the line?
Jose Altuve's Little Changes Have Made a Big Difference
Going into this season, Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve served as a curious example of what happens when you drop a deadball-era hitter into a 21st-century game. It worked, but this year Altuve has gotten even better.
The Texas Rangers Are Winning as Weirdly as They Can
In Adrian Beltre and Nomar Mazara, the surprising Rangers have a pair of perfect avatars—one too old, one too young. For a team this weird, nothing else would do.
Byron Buxton and the Loneliness of Learning on the Job
Byron Buxton became baseball's top prospect because of his unique collection of high-caliber skills. Called up by the Minnesota Twins, he hass scuffled and suffered in the bigs because baseball is hard.
We Can't Watch Blake Snell Pitch Because Of Greed And A Loophole
On Saturday, one of the best pitching prospects in the minors made his MLB debut. The reasons it happened when and how it did have nothing to do with baseball.