TBNL: Noah Song's return; rookie catchers; No. 100

MLB teams would ordinarily jump at the chance to draft a 6’4” right-hander with a 96 MPH fastball who had just gone 11-1 with a 1.44 ERA and 161 strikeouts over 94 innings of work in his final collegiate season, being named one of four finalists for the Golden Spikes Award.

Noah Song was no ordinary prospect.

The Naval Academy graduate was set to report to Florida that fall to begin flight school, though given his height, he had already been told that his future would likely not be in a fighter jet’s cockpit. U.S. military policy prevents student-athletes from deferring their service commitments.

Knowing that his baseball career would be on hold initially, teams did not jump to select Song in the 2019 Draft until Boston used the final pick of the fourth round on him. FanGraphs (and others) would report news that Song planned to petition for permission to serve his five-year commitment to the Navy in the reserves, allowing him to continue training to play baseball. It would take nearly two years before any ruling would be issued.

In the interim, Song didn’t get on a mound in competitive play (the canceled 2020 minor league season notwithstanding). Boston left Song off their 40-man roster after the 2022 season, as nobody could have predicted that he’d be a potential selection in that winter’s Rule 5 Draft.

Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski (who had been Boston’s GM when Song was first drafted) took a flyer and picked him. Just weeks later, Song received clearance to resume his baseball career but persistent back injuries slowed his return to the mound. He’d ultimately make just eight minor league rehab appearances before the Phillies returned him to Boston.

Last spring, Song arrived at spring training thinking he was finally healthy and heading for a full season of baseball, only to learn that he had a torn ligament in his elbow and he would need Tommy John surgery. His 2024 season was over before it could start.

Song finally got back on the mound this week, making a start for Boston’s Rookie League affiliate in Florida. He pitched two scoreless innings, striking out four. He’ll reportedly be assigned to one of Boston’s other affiliates for his next outing. If Song is able to maintain his health and even demonstrate a fraction of the potential he once had on the mound, he could be a sneaky weapon to watch for in the Red Sox future.

Deja vu in Texas

A year ago, Texas A&M lost a key outfielder and projected first-round draft pick to a season-ending injury when Braden Montgomery suffered a fractured ankle sliding into home during the Super Regionals.

On Thursday, the Aggies must have felt like they were stuck on repeat. Jace LaViolette was hit by a pitch in the hand during SEC Tournament play against Auburn. The fracture will end his season and likely his collegiate career.

LaViolette was among the early candidates to be the first-overall selection in this summer’s draft before the NCAA season began, but struggles at the plate (specifically his inability to cut down on the strikeouts) have knocked him down most mock draft boards. Still, before the injury, LaViolette projected as a first-round pick. Montgomery’s injury didn’t hurt his draft stock or prospect status (Boston selected him 12th overall last summer and then traded him and three others for Garrett Crochet).

Barney Stinson: “Suit up!”

Under normal circumstances, a lawsuit might not catch much of my attention. Multiple suits in a short period, however? That’s a little different.

Darin Ruf spent nine seasons in the majors with the Phillies, Giants, Mets, and Brewers. He was a .239/.329/.427 (108 OPS+) hitter in that stretch with 67 home runs. Spotrac has his career earnings at just under $10M.

While playing for Milwaukee in 2023, Ruf crashed into an uncovered tarp at Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark and suffered a serious knee injury. He never played again. Ruf filed suit on Thursday in an Ohio court, charging the Reds with “negligence in failing to maintain safe conditions.” He is seeking punitive and compensatory damages.

Meanwhile, a Colorado man has filed suit against the Rockies after he was hit in the face by a foul ball during a 2023 game. The suit claims that the “Rockies’ poor performance created an environment where spectators, particularly those in luxury suites, are less engaged with the action on the field.”

Legal matters are hardly where my expertise lies. I’d never have the patience to get through law school, frankly, so my opinions here are purely that — opinions. Both suits seem pretty frivolous to me. Ruf, at least, might have an argument, but it’s not one I can envision resulting in a substantial settlement. As for this Colorado man blaming the team for his not paying attention, I can’t see that one resulting well for him. The legal system can be unpredictable though.

100

During the early part of my writing career, I’d obsess a little over meaningless volume metrics. I would keep track of every published piece of content I wrote in a spreadsheet. The volume I’d write in one year would serve as motivation for how much I would write the next.

It worked for a while. Setting new high marks was always so incredibly satisfying.

The spreadsheet is long gone, but I still recall most of the places I’ve written content for over the years. There has been A LOT of content, too. For a good period, I was averaging four posts a day. 

We’re talking about thousands of posts. Given my tendency to be verbose at times, there’s a good chance that’s over a million words.

The relevance of all of this? We’ve reached post no. 100 here. It’s a nice milestone. It’s relatively meaningless outside of a personal pride thing, I can admit that. It shows that I’ve kept this going, albeit more inconsistently than I’d like at times.

Thanks for being along for the ride.

Elsewhere, around the sport …

• Minnesota’s win on Wednesday against Cleveland marked their 10th straight win at home. This is the first time the club has had such a streak since moving into Target Field for the 2010 season.

• Padres outfielder Oscar González is being released to sign a two-year deal with the NPB’s Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. González hit just .220/.246/.237 (37 OPS+) with 4 RBI over 61 PA with San Diego.

• A shoulder injury has ended former Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig’s second stint in the KBO. The Kiwoom Heroes released Puig on Monday after he hit just .212/.285/.340 in 172 PA on the year.

• Curacao-born and should-be-in-the-Hall-of-Fame outfielder Andruw Jones has been named as the manager for the Netherlands for next spring’s World Baseball Classic.

• With Atlanta hosting this summer’s All-Star festivities, a pair of former Braves will help manage the Futures Game. Chipper Jones will lead the NL roster. Marquis Grissom will take the AL.

More Words

From the “other stuff I’ve written recently” department:

• MLB’s rookie class is being dominated by catchers