Justin Verlander to Retire at End of 2026 Season

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander announced on Wednesday that he will retire at the end of this season. 

The announcement came after MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred selected Verlander as the legends pick for the AL All-Star Team. The 2026 MLB All-Star Game will be played in Philadelphia next Tuesday.

In February, Verlander returned to the Tigers with whom he pitched from 2006 through most of the 2017 season before he was traded to the Houston Astros with whom he would win two World Series rings in 2017 and in 2022. 

At the time, I expressed excitement about Verlander joining a Tigers rotation with back-to-back AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and his former Astros teammate Framber Valdez. I mused that Verlander, who is eighth on MLB's all-time strikeout list, had the chance to surpass Don Sutton, Tom Seaver and Bert Blyleven. 

This proved to be a rose-colored assessment. Verlander has only pitched in one game this season back in March against the Arizona Diamondbacks who roughed him up for five runs on six hits in only 3.2 innings pitched. He went on the injured list with hip inflammation in April. Then last month, as he was set to return to action, he strained his hamstring. 

But he could still help the Tigers who for the most of this season have been arguably the most disappointing team in the AL especially after going 6-22 in May. However, the Tigers have won four in a row, 7 out of their last 10 and are only 4 games back of the third AL Wild Card spot. The Tigers are not out of the playoff picture by any stretch of the imagination, and neither is Justin Verlander.

Phil Regan Was Truly a Baseball Lifer

Former MLB pitcher, scout, coach and manager Phil Regan passed away today at the age of 89.

A native of Michigan, Regan signed with the Detroit Tigers prior to the 1956 season and would reach the big-league club in 1960. Regan spent parts of six seasons with the Tigers primarily as a starting pitcher. Hi best season in a Tigers uniform came in 1963 when he went 15-9 with a 3.86 ERA striking out a career high 115 batters. However, by 1965, Regan had lost his form, and the Tigers demoted him to their Triple-AAA club in Syracuse.

Following the 1965 season, the Tigers traded Regan to the Los Angeles Dodgers for infielder Dick Tracewski. Regan would thrive in Chavez Ravine working exclusively out of the bullpen as he was a crucial component of a Dodgers team which would win the NL pennant in 1966. Regan went 14-1 with a 1.62 ERA while leading the NL in saves with 21. He would earn his lone All-Star selection, finish 7th in NL MVP balloting and earn NL Comeback Player of the Year honors.

It was during that season that Regan would earn the nickname "The Vulture" from teammate Sandy Koufax. When Regan would come into the game, the Dodgers would often be tied or down a few runs only for the Dodger bats to wake up to earn him the win. Unfortunately for Regan, the Dodgers would be swept in the World Series by the upstart Baltimore Orioles.

Early in the 1968 season, the Dodgers dealt Regan along with utility player Jim Hickman to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pinch hitting specialist Ted Savage and pitcher Jim Ellis. Regan would save a career high 25 games for the Cubs that season along with a 12-5 record and sterling 2.27 ERA.

By 1970, Regan's effectiveness began to diminish. He would finish his pitching career in 1972 splitting the season in Chicago between the Cubs and the White Sox. In 13 big-league seasons, Regan made 551 appearances (including 105 starts) for a record of 96-81 with a 3.84 ERA along with 92 saves in 1372.2 innings pitched.

In 1973, Regan returned home to Michigan to become the baseball coach at Grand Valley State University, a position he held for a decade. In 1983, Regan returned to the professional ranks as a minor league pitching instructor and advance scout for the Seattle Mariners. The following year, the Mariners would appoint Regan as their big-league pitching coach. 

After three seasons in Seattle, Regan returned to the Dodgers organization as an advance scout from 1987 through 1992. In 1994, Regan served as the pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians and the following year was hired as the manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Regan was on hand when Cal Ripken, Jr. surpassed Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak. Unfortunately, the O's left Regan go in favor of Davey Johnson after a single season.

In 1996, Regan rejoined the Dodgers yet again to manage their Triple-AAA affiliate in Albuquerque. He would return to the Cubs organization in 1997 and serve as their pitching coach for two seasons before returning to the Indians as their pitching coach in 1999. 

In 2000, Regan was the pitching coach for Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Sydney. In 2002, Regan rejoined the Tigers organization to manage the West Michigan Whitecaps, their High-A affiliate for two seasons.

After managing several Venezuelan winter ball clubs, Regan would eventually join the New York Mets organization in 2009 and serve mainly as a minor league pitching coordinator. In the middle of the 2019 season, Regan would return to the big leagues as the Mets pitching coach after Dave Eiland was dismissed. Unfortunately, Regan's relationship with the Mets ended on bad terms and he ended up suing the club and then GM Brodie Van Wagenen for age discrimination and wrongful termination in 2023.

Phil Regan spent parts of eight decades in baseball. He was truly a baseball lifer. R.I.P.

Memo to Haley Stevens: The Danger to Jews in America & Around the World Does Not Come from Netanyahu

 

(Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance)

To give you an idea of the state of the Democratic Party, Haley Stevens is turning her ire not towards Abdul El-Sayed, her primary opponent in the Michigan Senate Democratic Primary but towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,

Stevens recently stated, "Benjamin Netanyahu has made us less safe. He has frankly put Jews in an uncomfortable position across the country." When CNN's Dana Bash brought Stevens' statement to his attention, he quipped that she is "probably trying to excuse anti-Semitism."

Hours later, during her debate with El-Sayed, Stevens went even further. She said, “It is very clear that Mr. Netanyahu has not made us safer, has not brought us closer to peace, and he is a danger to Jews in America and around the world.”

What complete and utter rubbish.

The danger to Jews in America and around the world comes not from Benjamin Netanyahu, but from Hezbollah inspired attacks against synagogues in Michigan. An attack which El-Sayed has excused. 

The same could be said for the attack during Chanukah celebrations Bondi Beach in Australia, the attack at Manchester, UK synagogue during Yom Kippur, the shooting at the D.C. Capital Jewish Museum or the Molotov cocktail attack in Boulder against those who just wanted Hamas to release the hostages. Jews are in danger from those who want to kill Jews because they are Jews.

As for Stevens, perhaps she should pay more attention to what is going on in her state instead of trying to curry favor with those who would never vote for a Jew in the first place.

Thoughts on The Old Pfizer Building on East 42nd Street

As some of you might know, I worked at the Chrysler Building in New York City for 18 months circa 2018 through 2020 before the COVID pandemic hit.

During my lunch hour, I would often walk around the neighborhood and sometimes I would pass the old Pfizer Building at 235 East 42nd between Third and Second Avenues.

Today, much of the area had to be evacuated because the old Pfizer building was in danger of collapsing as several columns buckled causing floors to cave resulting in a widespread evacuation. 

I was not aware that Pfizer moved to Hudson Yards in 2023. After Pfizer left, plans were put in place to convert the old site into residential apartments with it being joined with another building down the street at 219 East 42nd Street. An additional 19 floors are being added to the latter address. 

To say that this is massive undertaking would be an understatement with very little margin for error. Efforts are being made to stabilize the area.

All things considered, I am amazed there aren't more incidents of these types. Of course, it is quite possible there are these sorts of incidents happen with some regularity, and we are unaware of it. But when things of this nature happen in New York City, it makes the news. I experienced this firsthand with a blackout in July 2019 and a busted water main in January 2020. 

One can only hope the area is safe. However, I suspect that those who can work from home will work from home. For those who have to work in the area, they will tread lightly in and around East 42nd Street.

The Western Journal Tries To Give The Patriot Front a Veneer of Respectability

 

(Cheney Orr: Reuters)

America's 250th anniversary may long be remembered for the image captured by Reuters photographer Cheney Orr of an African American woman who has now been identified as Bernita Bowlding surrounded by members of the Patriot Front, a white supremacist riding the D.C. Metro.

It is an unsettling image. 

Even more unsettling are those who make excuses for these white supremacist groups.

Take a right-wing rag like The Western Journal which posted an article complete with pro-Patriot Front tweets trying to give the group a veneer of respectability. The article highlights posts on X contrasting the Patriot Front with the murder of the Ukrainian refugee named Iryna Zarutska who was stabbed to death on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina last August by an African-American male. 

What the Western Journal doesn't tell you is that the man who took Zarutska's life was found not competent to stand trial last month. Simply put, those who invoke the murder of Zarutska in simply wish to paint African Americans with a broad brush. 

Another tweet from an account called Mostly Peaceful Memes highlighted noted the following:

So a black lady road on a subway with a bunch of “Nazis” and they made sure she had a seat and didn’t harass her in any way? Wow really makes you think

Of course, this assumes that Bowlding boarded the train after the Patriot Front members did so. We don't know if "they made sure she had a seat". And until we hear from Bowlding, we won't know if there was any interaction between them - positive, negative or neutral.

The Western Journal also does not mention that the fact that the Patriot Front viciously assaulted an African American man while hurling racial epithets against him when they marched in Boston's Back Bay on Fourth of July weekend in 2022. Last year, a federal judge awarded Charles Murrell III $2.75 million in civil damages.

In view of these facts, Bowlding or any other African American riding on that subway car with the Patriot Front had grounds to fear for their life. 

There is nothing respectable about the Patriot Front nor those who try to glorify them like The Western Journal.

Hamas Isn't Relinquishing Power in Gaza

Much is being made of Hamas' announcement yesterday that it was dissolving its government in Gaza and turning over authority to NCAG (National Committee for the Administration of Gaza) which is backed both by President Trump's so-called Board of Peace and the UN. 

From where I sit, it is utterly meaningless. For starters, NCAG is based in Cairo and not on the ground in Gaza, a point even Hamas apologists will cede. It can scarcely be called a government in exile.

But even if NCAG were in Gaza, Hamas is still armed and isn't about to give up their arms much less their ability to construct tunnels unless they are forced to do so. NCAG would act at the pleasure of Hamas just as any civilian authority in Lebanon operates at the pleasure of Hezbollah. 

This so-called resignation is cosmetic. Peel off the makeup and you will see Hamas is running the show in Gaza. Dissolving a government isn't the same thing as relinquishing power let alone laying down their arms.

Darrell Jackson Led a More Successful Life After Baseball Helping Others

Former MLB pitcher Darrell Jackson, who pitched parts of five seasons with the Minnesota Twins between 1978 and 1982, passed away on July 5th at the age of 70 of complications of lung cancer.

Growing up in Los Angeles, Jackson played baseball at Locke High School where he was teammates with future Hall of Famers Eddie Murray and Ozzie Smith. Jackson would play collegiate baseball at Arizona State pitching in three College World Series and was teammates with the recently departed Bob Horner. 

The Twins long coveted Jackson originally selecting the southpaw right out of high school in the 6th round of the 1973 MLB Draft. Of course, Jackson opted for Arizona State. But the Twins bid their time and selected him again in the 9th round of the 1977 MLB Draft. 

Jackson would make his MLB debut with the Twins the following season and, only his fourth big-league appearance, tossed a complete game 3-hit shutout against the Oakland A's. As it turned out, it would be his only big-league shutout.

For most of his career, Jackson shuttled back and forth between the Twins and the Triple-AAA Toledo Mudhens. Jackson's only full season at the big-league level was in 1980 when he went 9-9 with a 3.87 ERA in 32 appearances (25 starts). By 1981, Jackson developed shoulder troubles and would be out of the big leagues by June 1982. Aside from a brief stint in the Mexican League in 1983, Jackson would never play professional baseball again. In 102 big league appearances (60 starts), Jackson went 20-27 with a 4.38 ERA striking out 229 and walking 186 in 411 innings pitched.

Jackson would have issues with alcohol, drugs, women and money. In a 2022 interview, Jackson admitted he wasn't ready for the big leagues and lacked the discipline and focus of his high school teammates Eddie Murray and Ozzie Smith. 

For Jackson success would come after baseball and after finding religion. He would spend the better part of 40 years helping at risk youth in L.A. running a small non-profit called the 10-20 Club. Jackson would become a pillar of the community. 

From that 2022 interview, Jackson summed up success in this way:

My obituary will hopefully define that success, but today, as we talk right now, I'm a success. I have to live by principles in order to stay sober. We try to do the right thing when nobody is looking.

My success is based on one, not picking up a drink and not getting drunk....I'm more successful now than when I was a pitcher in Minnesota.

Darrell Jackson led a successful life after stepping off the mound and helping others. R.I.P.