*Brian McTaggart straight up stole my idea put together a list of the best Astros to wear each number in franchise history.
*Enoli Paredes is MLB.com's pick for a breakout 2021 year.
*The Astros surprised a 7-year old and his team with a bunch of cool stuff.
*FanGraphs' Jay Jaffe has been a long-time student/scholar of the workings of the Baseball Hall of Fame. This year he was finally able to cast a ballot for real.
*I have no idea why I did this, but I figured up how each team's record and win% stand up from 2010-2020. The results are as follows (World Series winners in italics):
AL East
New York: 954-726 (.568)
Tampa Bay: 900-781 (.535)
Boston: 896-784 (.533)
Toronto: 826-854 (.492)
Baltimore: 780-900 (.464)
AL Central
Cleveland: 890-788 (.530)
Detroit: 805-870 (.481)
Minnesota: 801-879 (.477)
Kansas City: 784-896 (.467)
Chicago: 778-901 (.463)
AL West
Oakland: 875-805 (.521)
Arlington: 865-816 (.515)
Anaheim: 848-832 (.505)
Houston: 818-862 (.486)
Seattle: 785-895 (.467)
NL East
Washington: 905-774 (.539)
Atlanta: 878-801 (.523)
Philadelphia: 815-865 (.485)
New York: 819-861 (.488)
Miami: 738-940 (.440)
NL Central
St. Louis: 929-749 (.554)
Milwaukee: 853-828 (.507)
Chicago: 851-829 (.507)
Pittsburgh: 811-867 (.483)
Cincinnati: 806-874 (.480)
NL West
Los Angeles: 962-718 (.573)
San Francisco: 850-830 (.506)
Arizona: 818-862 (.487)
Colorado: 778-903 (.463)
San Diego: 776-904 (.462)
*The Cubs are "actively shopping" catcher Willson Contreras. In five seasons with the Cubs, Contreras has hit .265/.351/.463 and has thrown out 32% of would-be base-stealers.
*ICYMI: I interviewed artist/musician Joe Firstman, whose album The War of Women is one you desperately need to listen to, if you have erroneously not done so already. Episode 12 is coming on Monday.
*West Bromwich Albion 0 Leeds United 5 and, friends, it was a delight to watch. Leeds are currently at 2% to get relegated.
*Baseball Prospectus (free): Baseball video games reinforce the worlds they create
*The Album Steve Earle Never Wanted To Make: A Tribute To His Son.
*Drew Magary: The only Hilaria Baldwin explainer you need to read.
*The BBC on the 2000 friendly between the United States and Iran.
*Vice: "How Do I Lose Weight" is the wrong question.
*A Musical Selection, related to the latest Michael Bourn Identity episode: