Discover informational articles and sports coverage adapted for young readers
This article explains how high altitude affects professional athletes, with a focus on baseball players. At higher altitudes, there's less oxygen available, causing athletes to breathe faster, experience quicker fatigue, and need longer recovery times. The body can adapt through a process called acclimatization. In baseball specifically, altitude affects both players and the ball - players tire more quickly while the baseball travels farther and breaking pitches don't curve as much. Coors Field in Denver is the highest Major League Baseball stadium at 5,200 feet above sea level, followed by Chase Field in Phoenix (1,100 feet) and Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles (500 feet). The "Coors Field Effect" results in balls traveling about 10% farther than at sea level because of reduced air resistance. Teams develop specific strategies to account for these altitude effects.
May 19, 2025
This article explains baseball's luxury tax system in simple terms for young readers. It describes how the luxury tax works as a penalty fee for teams that spend too much on player salaries, with higher rates for repeat offenders. The article uses both real examples like the Dodgers and Yankees and hypothetical scenarios to illustrate the concept. The luxury tax money helps support smaller-market teams, player benefits, and baseball development programs. The system exists to promote fairness and competitive balance in baseball, preventing wealthy teams from simply buying all the best talent and giving smaller-market teams a better chance to compete.
May 18, 2025
This article covers the history of the Los Angeles Angels baseball team from their founding in 1961 to the present day. It discusses their beginning as an expansion team under Gene Autry's ownership, their moves and name changes from Los Angeles to California to Anaheim and back to Los Angeles Angels. Key moments covered include their first playoff appearances in the 1970s and 1980s, their 2002 World Series championship, and star players throughout their history including Nolan Ryan, Mike Trout, and Shohei Ohtani. The article is written at a 6th-grade reading level and focuses on the positive aspects of the team's history while avoiding any controversial topics.
Kevin Cash, born in Tampa in 1977, has established himself as one of baseball's most innovative and successful managers with the Tampa Bay Rays. Before becoming a manager, Cash played eight MLB seasons as a catcher with five different teams, including the Blue Jays, Devil Rays, Red Sox, Yankees, and Astros. After retiring as a player in 2012, he worked as an advance scout for Toronto before becoming Cleveland's bullpen coach under Terry Francona. In 2015, Cash returned to his hometown when the Rays hired him as manager. His tenure has been marked by innovation, including pioneering the "opener" strategy, and consistent success despite budget constraints. Cash won back-to-back AL Manager of the Year awards in 2020 and 2021, becoming the first AL manager to do so consecutively. He led the Rays to five straight playoff appearances from 2019-2023, including a World Series appearance in 2020. In 2024, Cash became the winningest manager in Rays history, surpassing Joe Maddon with his 755th victory.
May 17, 2025
This article explains how baseball scoreboards are manufactured as part of a series about baseball equipment production. It describes what scoreboards are and their purpose in baseball games - displaying scores and game information to fans. The article details the manufacturing process starting with basic materials like metal frames, electronic components, and LEDs. It contrasts traditional mechanical scoreboards that use flip panels with modern electronic LED scoreboards. The manufacturing process includes building metal frames, creating LED display panels, assembling components, developing control software, and finally installing the completed scoreboard at baseball fields. The content is written at a 6th-grade reading level and organized with clear subheadings covering each stage of scoreboard production.
This article explains what the core is and its importance in baseball performance. The core includes abdominal, back, hip and pelvic muscles that connect the upper and lower body. In baseball, the core acts as a bridge that transfers energy from the legs to the arms during both hitting and pitching. When hitting, energy travels from the ground through the legs, hips, core, shoulders, and finally to the bat. In pitching, the core helps rotate the torso to generate throwing velocity. A strong core improves power, prevents energy leaks, enhances balance, prevents injuries, and increases efficiency in baseball movements. The article recommends training all core muscles with exercises like planks and rotational movements, not just focusing on abs.
May 16, 2025
This article explores how to become a General Manager in baseball as part of a career spotlight series. It explains that GMs are responsible for building teams through drafts and trades, managing budgets, hiring key staff, and making data-driven decisions. The path to becoming a GM typically requires a college education in fields like sports management, business, economics, or law. Important skills include math, English, economics, and computer science. The article emphasizes that reading regularly and doing well in school are essential foundations for this career. Most GMs start in entry-level positions like internships, scouting, or front office roles before working their way up over many years. The career demands strong analytical abilities, communication skills, negotiation talent, and baseball knowledge.
This article ranks and profiles MLB players #70-66 on the 2025 Top 100 list. Fernando Tatis Jr. (#70) is highlighted as a dynamic five-tool player who transitioned from shortstop to win a Gold Glove in right field with the Padres. Bryan Reynolds (#69) is praised as a consistent switch-hitting outfielder who signed the largest contract in Pirates history. Josh Hader (#68) is described as an elite reliever who joined the Astros on a $95M deal and recently recorded his 200th career save. Tanner Scott (#67) emerged as a dominant lefty reliever who signed a $72M contract with the Dodgers after splitting 2024 between Miami and San Diego. Gerrit Cole (#66) rounds out the group as the Yankees ace who won the 2023 AL Cy Young Award unanimously but will miss 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
May 15, 2025
This article is part of the 'Ballpark Foods' series that explores how popular sporting event foods are made. It describes popcorn as a light, crunchy snack with a buttery, salty flavor that's popular at stadiums. The article explains that popcorn starts with a special type of corn called 'Zea mays everta' that has kernels with hard outer shells containing moisture. The popping process involves heating the kernels in oil until the water inside turns to steam, creating pressure that eventually causes the kernel to burst open and puff up. At ballparks, popcorn is typically made in large kettles, then seasoned with salt and butter before being served to fans in containers.
This article explores the concept of Superhero Baseball, focusing specifically on what would happen if a first baseman had shapeshifting abilities. The article begins by introducing the concept of baseball with superpowers, where players follow rules to keep everyone safe. It then explains shapeshifting abilities and the typical responsibilities of a first baseman. The main section details how shapeshifting would benefit a first baseman through extended reach, creating a perfect glove, forming defensive walls, covering the entire base, and catching high throws. The article concludes by discussing how opposing players might counter these advantages using powers like super speed, teleportation, phasing, illusion creation, and gravity control. Throughout, the article emphasizes how these superpowers would create an exciting but balanced version of baseball where extraordinary defensive abilities are met with equally impressive offensive counters.
May 14, 2025
This article covers the history of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team from their beginnings in 1954 when they moved from St. Louis to Baltimore. It describes their early struggles followed by their glory years in the 1960s and 1970s when they won three World Series championships. The article highlights famous players like Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, and Cal Ripken Jr. (the "Iron Man" who played 2,632 consecutive games). It explains the importance of Camden Yards, their ballpark built in 1992 that revolutionized stadium design. The piece also touches on their recent history, including playoff appearances in the 2010s, and mentions team traditions like their bird mascot and the seventh-inning stretch song. Written at a 6th-grade reading level, the article presents a family-friendly overview of the team's legacy in Baltimore.
May 13, 2025
