Outside The Confines: We made it to Friday!

Friends, it has been quite a week filled with baseball drama, revealing letters, donnybrooks, and unexpected standings. As we get closer to completing the first month of baseball it feels like one constant has remained: This game will always keep you on your toes.

So as we head into the weekend let's do a quick round-up of some non-Yankees letter baseball stories.

• David Laurila spotlights Alek Manoah, who is having the best time ever playing baseball.
• Michael Clair could use your help picking the best baseball movie ever.
• David Schoenfield tries to navigate the difference between early-season hot starts and actual MVP candidates.
• That pre-tacked baseball can’t come soon enough for Ken Rosenthal. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• What zone is this, exactly.

• Ben Clemens looks at the decline of the first-pitch fastball.
• Zack Meisel has the moving story of one baseball family and how they are coping with their grief. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Yadier Molina gets a standing ovation for stealing second. Story by John Denton.
• In “Why isn’t this a thing already?” news: minor league players would like to be paid for spring training. Story by Joon Lee.
• This is my idea of a fitness routine.

• Jay Jaffe looks at something unexpected that Mike Trout might be getting better at.
• After that big dust-up between the Mets and the Cardinals, MLB has handed down their punishments, shares Madison Williams.
• Tom Verducci, however, used it as an opportunity to point out that the Mets shouldn’t be surprised they’re getting hit by a lot of pitches.
• They might be slumping now, but here are 7 players we probably don’t need to worry about for the whole season.
• It’ll be a long time before we see someone break into the 3,000 hit club again, leading Jayson Stark to wonder how much longer milestones will play a big part in baseball magic. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Well this is delightful, even if it is for Grape-Nuts Flakes.

And tomorrow will be a better day, Buster. Make it so.