Almost Cooperstown
We're a father & son who love to talk and argue about baseball! Baseball is the professional sport that has the longest history so there is a lot to talk about. We launched Almost Cooperstown noting that baseball contains a long history of players that, for whatever reasons, have been shunned by the electors of the Hall of Fame. Consequently here are many 'Almost' players still waiting their turn for induction. With less than 1.5% of the now more than 23,000 players in the HOF, we feel there should be more players included. In these podcasts we also discuss current seasons & trends. Please send any messages to almostcooperstown@gmail.com.
Baseball articles can be found here: https://almostcooperstown.substack.com/publish/posts
Almost Cooperstown
Can Anyone Beat the Dodgers? 2026 MLB Trade Deadline Winners, Losers & the Salary Cap Debate
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Episode 719 - With the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline complete, Mark and Gordon break down every major move and ask the biggest question in baseball:
Did any contender actually improve enough to beat the Dodgers?
The discussion begins with the hypothetical blockbuster acquisition of Tarik Skubal, leading into a broader conversation about the Dodgers' financial advantage, deferred contracts, and whether Major League Baseball is moving closer to a salary cap and salary floor during the next collective bargaining negotiations.
The hosts evaluate which organizations improved their World Series chances the most, why the Yankees, Phillies, Cubs and Red Sox may have positioned themselves best, and why several contenders chose much smaller moves despite an aggressive deadline.
Topics include:
- Dodgers' overwhelming World Series outlook
- The Tarik Skubal domino effect
- Deferred contracts and MLB economics
- Whether a salary cap is becoming inevitable
- Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs and Phillies deadline grades
- Padres' aggressive strategy
- Brewers' quiet deadline
- Cardinals, Blue Jays and Mets choosing clear organizational directions
- American League playoff race
- National League contenders
- Aaron Judge's injury impact
- Spencer Strider's uncertain return
- Robbie Ray, Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes and many other notable moves
The episode also highlights the exciting launch of the Women's Professional Baseball League, discussing why women's professional baseball deserves far greater attention and how today's players are building upon the legacy of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
Almost Cooperstown is a weekly baseball podcast featuring thoughtful conversations about the Baseball Hall of Fame, baseball history, current MLB topics, player comparisons, statistics and the stories that connect today's game with its rich history.
Thanks again to Mercury Maid for the Intro & Outro music.
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