Outside The Confines: Score that round 10-8

Earlier this weekend, I was collecting stories and thought “First weekend after the trade deadline. It will probably be a low-key Outside the Confines.”

The White Sox then said “Ha!”

• The Guardians’ José Ramírez and the White Sox Tim Anderson got in a fight that ended up with Anderson getting knocked down by a Ramírez punch.
• Here’s legendary Guardians broadcaster Tom Hamilton calling the fight, complete with a “Down goes Anderson! Down goes Anderson!” call.

• Ramírez said that Anderson has been “disrespecting the game for a while.” Anderson has not spoken with the media.
• Jon Greenberg writes that Anderson’s “nightmare season” on the South Side continues with this knockdown. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Things are bad elsewhere for the Pale Hose as traded reliever Keynan Middleton said the team has “no culture” and “no rules.” He also said players were skipping meetings, practices and sleeping in the bullpen without consequences. Other players anonymously confirmed Middleton’s comments.
• Joshua Diemert writes that the Yankees handling of Anthony Rizzo’s concussion was nothing short of malpractice.
• Chris Kirchner gets the Yankees side of the story. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Kirschner also got an interview with Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo about his concussion symptoms and his struggles this year. (The Athletic sub. req.) Rizzo does not blame the Yankees for not diagnosing his concussion earlier, saying that the symptoms came on late and came and went. (If you don’t have a subscription, the highlights are here.)
• Between Rizzo’s concussion and Domingo Germán’s issues, Jay Jaffe writes that the Yankees had a crummy week.
• The week got worse as left-handed starter Carlos Rodón left his start on Sunday with a hamstring issue.
• Staying in Gotham, Mets owner Steve Cohen wrote a letter to season ticket holders telling them that “You are rightfully disappointed and so are we” about the teams cruddy season.
• Anthony DiComo evaluates the four options the Mets have for first baseman Pete Alonso, who is a free agent after next season.
• Thomas Harrigan has an “x-factor” for seven contenders who were quiet at the trade deadline.
• Will Leitch makes a case for seven National League Wild Card contenders. Yes, the Cubs are on the list.
• Manny Randhawa has ten players on contenders who are traditionally better in the second half.
• Tom Verducci compares the recently-traded Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer and decides which one is more likely to lead their team to a World Series title.
• Michael Baumann profiles Reds rookie right-hander Andrew Abbott and looks at how Cincinnati is hoping that Abbott can carry them through to the playoffs.
• Former Cubs (and Phillies, of course) left-hander Cole Hamels announced his retirement. Hamels hadn’t pitched in a game since 2020, but he was attempting a comeback with the Padres this season.
• Todd Zolecki has Hamels’ best moments with the Phillies.
• Bob Nightengale writes that the main thing keeping Cardinals fans interested in this season is Adam Wainwright’s quest for 200 wins.
• Thomas Harrigan has some in-season minor-league call-ups that contributed to World Series titles.
• Rangers All-Star third baseman Josh Jung has a broken thumb.
• The Athletics have designated outfielder Ramón Laureano was designated for assignment. Laureano looked like a future All-Star just a few seasons ago.
• Melissa Lockard looks at the second “reverse boycott” game that Oakland fans staged on Sunday (The Athletic sub. req.) and the “Sell the team” chant that has become a tradition at A’s games, home and on the road.
• I hate those “baseball is dying” articles and this one is kind of a relative of those. But it’s a positive relative. Ross Barkan writes that thanks to the rules changes and stars like Shohei Ohtani, “baseball feels vital again.”
• Thomas Harrington has the story of how Bryce Harper consoled an upset seven-year-old fan who got separated from his family.
• Blue Jays rookie infielder Davis Schneider had an incredible start to his major league career, becoming the first player to have nine hits and two home runs in his first three games.
• Also this.

Vukovich was also a coach for the Cubs in the eighties and was going to be the Cubs manager in 1988, but the Tribune vetoed his hiring. That led to a series of events ending up in general manager Dallas Green’s resignation.

• And finally, if you read one article today, check out this one on the explosion of youth baseball in the mountainous country of Bhutan. If anything, there are some incredible photographs of kids playing baseball and softball in some unusual spaces.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.