The Union St. Journal: Cherry Creek High School's official news source

Union St. Journal
The Union St. Journal: Cherry Creek High School's official news source

Union St. Journal
The Union St. Journal: Cherry Creek High School's official news source

Union St. Journal

Peanuts and Cracker Jack

Peanuts and Cracker Jack is News Editor Peter Philpott’s project column, a series of in-depth issues, controversies, histories, and rankings in the wide world of Major League Baseball. The column won first place CSMA Column in 2022-23, and honorable mention NSPA Blog in 2023-24.

When baseball is so universal, there’s no reason to not include it in the Olympic games every time. Superstars like Freddie Freeman of Canada, Francisco Lindor of Puerto Rico, Xander Bogaerts of the Netherlands, Bo Bichette of China, and Shohei Ohtani of Japan rule the game. The talent pool that stretches continents would create an incredible show to see.

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #14: Why Can’t Baseball Be in the Olympics?

Peter Philpott, News Editor & Outreach Coordinator
November 5, 2024
Next to Hall of Fame Rockie Larry Walker’s retired “33,” Jackie Robinson’s “42,” and former Rockies president Keli McGregor’s memorial “KSM,” Todd Helton’s new “17” is unveiled to the crowd at Coors Field at Todd Helton Night on Saturday. Because he was such a legendary player for the franchise, his number had already been retired - exactly a decade ago on Aug. 17, 2014. Only after his 2024 Hall of Fame induction could the plate be marked with a golden frame.

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #13: A Celebration of Todd Helton

Peter Philpott, News Editor & Outreach Coordinator
August 21, 2024
Leading up to 2024, where Nike’s new uniform line has caused a great controversy, baseball has a long history of poorly designed uniforms. I highlighted some of the W.O.A.T.’s, including (from top left) the Los Angeles Dodgers City Connects, Great Britain’s from the World Baseball Classic, the Pittsburgh Pirates 2008 Alternates, the Arizona Diamondbacks color scheme swaps, the San Diego Padres blinding yellow outfits, the Chicago White Sox shorts, the Florida Marlins blue shirts, and the Milwaukee brewers baby blue uniforms. Then I reviewed the Nike scandal (center).

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #12: Bashing Baseball’s W.O.A.T. Uniforms

Peter Philpott, Managing Editor & Assistant News Editor
March 29, 2024
Colorado Rockies rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar hits a single against the Oakland Athletics on July 30, 2023. Tovar showed consistency in his batting in the 2023 season, leading a new batch of Rockies rookies like Nolan Jones and Brenton Doyle, rookies that I hope will be the future of the team, bringing Colorado back to a respectable position in the league.

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #11: Newcomers on Blake Street

Peter Philpott, Managing Editor & Assistant News Editor
January 21, 2024
The MLB’s 2023 season brought many wonders. Perhaps the biggest one was the Texas Rangers. Led by all-star veterans like Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, the Rangers went all the way to win the World Series, after starting the postseason as a Wild Card.

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #10: 2023’s Biggest Surprises

Peter Philpott, Managing Editor & Assistant News Editor
November 10, 2023
Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies, hasn’t been a place of triumph for its home team for years. In this June 27 game against the Los Angeles Dodgers (pictured), they were hopelessly shutout 5-0. But, when Rockies catcher Elías Díaz hit a two-run, game winning home run at the 2023 All-Star Game in Seattle on July 11, Colorado fans got a taste of what victory feels like.

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #9: Why the Rockies Needed Elías Díaz’s All-Star Triumph

Peter Philpott, Managing Editor
July 18, 2023
I eat a cloud of cotton candy at my first ever baseball game with my sister, Carly (left). It was a 2011 Rockies game, and being in that electric stadium, watching my favorite team play, is the reason I still enjoy live games to this day. And the pillowy dessert is just the type of ritual that hooks fans on baseball like nothing else. Whether it’s a hot dog or a walk-off win, baseball secures a set of customs that make the game so special.

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #8: The Best and Worst of Baseball Traditions

Peter Philpott, Assistant News Editor
May 29, 2023
The Colorado Rockies Home Opener series ended 2-2 with the Washington Nationals, but in that series we got to see what the teams have in store. Both are rebuilding. The Rockies are still trying to build up future stars, and the Nationals are recovering from losses such as Juan Soto, Trea Turner, and Max Scherzer. Their weak offenses might contribute to low scoring games, but au contraire. Despite a 1-0 series opener, the pair scored 42 runs throughout the four game series.

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #7: Why We Love Baseball

Peter Philpott, Assistant News Editor
April 18, 2023
Baseball Reference, a massive statistical encyclopedia, is the best tool for historical baseball analysis and statistical framing. It seems infinite, providing specific details for thousands of different remote statistics and circumstances. It allows statheads and historians to get a better sense of a player’s hitting and fielding ability, even as early as the 1900s.

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #6: Why Are Baseball Statistics Important?

Peter Philpott, Assistant News Editor
March 16, 2023
Coors Field, on 20th and Blake Street in Denver, has seen every twist and turn and loop-de-loop of the roller coaster that is the Colorado Rockies. But the Rockies are a mystery. They always seem to be acquiring free agents that have had successful careers, but those acquisitions seem to constantly fail to maintain their past prowess.

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #5: The Mysterious Case of Mile High Baseball

Peter Philpott, Assistant News Editor
January 14, 2023
There have long been teams in the MLB that have a huge advantage because they are in overall weaker divisions. Creating fewer match ups with players that capitalize on a certain team and consistently collect hits against them, like San Francisco Giant Brandon Crawford (above) against the Colorado Rockies, would make games less predictable.

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #4: Division swip swap

Peter Philpott, Assistant News Editor
November 14, 2022
Friday, Oct. 7 brought the first games of the 2022 postseason. Over the next few weeks, 12 teams will compete for the World Series trophy. Often, teams will make it to the postseason by signing star players and using money to win the Commissioner’s trophy. (Peter Philpott)

Peanuts and Cracker Jack #3: Buying the Postseason

Peter Philpott, Assistant News Editor
October 12, 2022
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