Zach Buchanan

@zhbuchanan.bsky.social

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News Editor for the Phoenix New Times. Former ballwriter. I watch a distressing amount of television.

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Zach Buchanan

what a country, man. the one thing all the schools reliably teach is what to do in a mass shooting, and if you learn it, the cops call you a terrorist

They do though. They _all_ know how to barricade themselves because school shooter drills were what the cops recommended instead of literally any kind of law enforcement that might prevent school shootings.

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“You feel like you’ve reached this part of your career where it’s a thing to celebrate, and then you start to wonder, ‘Well, what am I going to be celebrating?’” @zhbuchanan.bsky.social spoke to players on the cusp of free agency about their precarious position

The Precarious Position of the Pending Free Agentblogs.fangraphs.com After years spent toiling in the team-controlled desert, some players are wondering if the free agent promised land is all it’s cracked up to be.

News: I'm joining the Phoenix New Times as its News Editor! I start tomorrow. Covering baseball has been a great privilege, and I'll miss it. But it will be so rewarding to produce impactful journalism that serves and informs my community. I'm really excited to get started.

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I'm excited for that new show, "The Body-ody-ody Problem."

"I didn’t leave Texas because of the Xs and fuckin’ Os.” Ten years ago, Ron Washington resigned under a dark cloud. He didn't know if he'd manage again. But now he's back to lead the Angels, and he says he hasn't lost a step. For D Magazine:

The Second Act of Ron Washingtonwww.dmagazine.com A decade after leaving Texas under a cloud, the sun again shines on the beloved skipper.

Recently, I drove to Tucson to watch an @ArizonaMBB practice next to Terry Francona. After 44 years in baseball, he's spending his retirement mainlining college hoops. “Fuck, I love watching them play.” For @defector.bsky.social:

Terry Francona's Next Act: Arizona Hoops Superfan | Defectordefector.com TUCSON, Ariz. — The patter sounds familiar. Hello! How are ya, kid? Good to see ya! What’s up, guys! Salutations like these were the soundtrack of countless summers, spouted in dugouts in Philadelphia...

@sepinwall.bsky.social any take on the new Apple series about the hunt for John Wilkes Booth?

"You're not screwing me on this one, are you?" “It’s exciting and terrifying all at the same time." "You have to enter into the discussion like you’re the dumbest guy in the room." For @fangraphs.com, I talked to GMs about making their first trades:

‘You’re Not Screwing Me on This One, Are You?’: Big League GMs Reflect on Their First Tradesblogs.fangraphs.com Optimism. Naïveté. A willingness to be wrong. GMs from around the game look back on their first trades.

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Teams spent more than half a billion dollars on talent from Japan and Korea this offseason. Why? The talent may be better, but they're also definitely more available: to scout and to sign, and at younger ages to boot. For Baseball America:

MLB's International Treasures Are Commanding More Cash Than Ever — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball Americawww.baseballamerica.com We examine why MLB teams are spending more lavishly than ever on players deemed international treasures from Japan and Korea.

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“Langford Mania? I don’t even know what that is.” With three spring homers already, the rest of us do. For D Magazine, a look at Rangers slugger Wyatt Langford, the uber-prospect who landed in Texas via lucky bounce and now is the talk of MLB:

Wyatt Langford's Got Nextwww.dmagazine.com The 22-year-old is ready to the take the Rangers by storm. So ready, in fact, that Texas considered handing him his MLB debut in the World Series.

Still forgetting to post things here... I wrote some baseball www.dmagazine.com/sports/2024/...

The Rangers Improved Their Creaky Bullpen. But Did They Make it Good?www.dmagazine.com The weak link for most of last year's championship run needs to take a step forward in the title defense.

Yes, the problem is not the guns, but the parades

great idea, lets all just abandon public life and seal ourselves in our homes www.inquirer.com/news/nation-...

The 2023 TV shows I watched, they have been ranked. All 107 of them.

even thinking about christmas while unemployed is doing an absolute number on my psyche

“I’m not going to lie,” said Michael Young, “it’s a little weight off our shoulders.” Few Rangers remain who were haunted by "the ghosts of 2011." But for those who recall the painful whiplash of Games 6 and 7, nothing's sweeter than a title in five.

In Crushing Fashion, the Texas Rangers Killed ‘the Ghosts of 2011’ and Finally Won Their First W...themessenger.com The Texas Rangers vanquished the upstart Arizona Diamondbacks in five games, hoisting the World Series trophy and lifting a franchise curse

For the Diamondbacks, change has been a constant. There are almost no traces left from the last playoff squad, much less the 2001 champs. Except the clubbies. Those men, the worker bees who keep the ship afloat, have been there since the start. My story:

Heroes Get Remembered, but the D-backs’ Clubbies Have Never Left the Franchisethemessenger.com MLB clubhouse attendants are tireless stagehands in The Show.

"He probably should be a part of this.” Two months ago, when just making the playoffs was a battle, the Diamondbacks cut the longest-tenured player in club history. Now, at the pinnacle of the postseason, they're thinking of Nick Ahmed.

Imagine Being Cut Right Before Your Team Makes a Magical Run to the World Seriesthemessenger.com Nick Ahmed doesn’t have to imagine the horror.

"We can’t measure everything. But the things we can measure, he separates himself greatly.” Christian Walker, making first base defense look sexy.

How the Diamondbacks’ Christian Walker Became ‘the Best First Baseman in Baseball’themessenger.com The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Christian Walker has a habit of making highlight-reel plays look casual and routine.

"You can’t really game-plan for guys playing out of their mind." But you can prevent yourself from losing your own. Down 0-2 and their backs against the wall, the Diamondbacks are keeping a level head.

Diamondbacks Need an Epic Comeback, Which Means Business as Usual in Arizonathemessenger.com The Diamondbacks are down 0-2 in the NLCS, but they’re not panicking.

Diamondbacks rookie phenom Corbin Carroll prepares himself singlemindedly to play like a star. But, usually quiet and reserved, this postseason he's gotten more comfortable with *being* one.

Corbin Carroll Is Quiet, but His Star Power Is Undeniablethemessenger.com Corbin Carroll, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ rookie phenom, is ready for the NLCS spotlight and the mounting pressure of the 2023 MLB playoffs

"Sometimes, naivety is a good thing." The Diamondbacks snuck into the playoffs, but they're not just happy to be here. A young core that doesn't know this should be hard -- or that the Dodgers are to be feared -- has turned them into a wrecking crew. themessenger.com/sports/arizo...

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“Once he learns to open up his entire arsenal, he’s going to be a force.” Brandon Pfaadt fell back on bad fastball-slider habits against the Brewers. Now, looking to sink the Dodgers tonight, the Diamondbacks need him to figure out how good he can be.

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ Playoff Hopes Hinge on Brandon Pfaadt, a Rookie Starter Who Is Still Fig...themessenger.com Rookie Brandon Pfaadt will start Game 3 of the NLDS for the Arizona Diamondbacks, with a chance to sweep the Los Angeles Dodgers at home

When Astros hitting coach Jason Kanzler first saw Chas McCormick hit, he saw power potential. "Dude, I have *no* power," McCormick laughed. "That’s bullshit," Kanzler replied. McCormick now has 22 homers, and has gone from long shot to indispensable hitter.

Chas McCormick Has Become Indispensable for the Houston Astrosthemessenger.com Chas McCormick overcame the longest odds and has become a lineup fixture as the Houston Astros attempt to repeat as World Series champs

"He’s quite possibly the best young player I’ve ever played with." "He’s not going to stop until he’s a perfect baseball player." Surprise, surprise -- Corbin Carroll is Baseball America's Rookie of the Year. My story:

Corbin Carroll Chases 'Perfection' Amid Epic Rookie Of The Year Season — College Baseball, MLB Dra...www.baseballamerica.com Corbin Carroll's transcendent rookie season stacks up with some of the best ever and powered the Diamondbacks back into the spotlight.

Sunday, Mike Hazen told me about losing his wife to brain cancer. How hard she fought. How his colleagues endured 110 losses for him. How, if not for them and his boys, he'd have walked away. How 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 got 𝘩𝘪𝘮 to October, not the other way around.

How the playoff-bound Diamondbacks helped their GM through tragedywww.washingtonpost.com Mike Hazen’s wife was diagnosed as glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Then the baseball community around them stepped up.

Dallas product Jordan Lawlar was considered the best of the 2021 prep shortstop class, and lo and behold, he's the first of them to reach the majors. Thrown into a playoff race with the Diamondbacks, he's facing his biggest challenge yet.

After a Slow Double-A Start, Jesuit Product Jordan Lawlar's Time Has Come in MLBwww.dmagazine.com The 21-year-old shortstop could become the next great North Texas product in baseball. For now, he'll settle for helping the Arizona Diamondbacks in a playoff race.

“I don’t think he’s interested in throwing 150 innings and punching out 12 per nine. He’s interested in throwing 220 innings and giving the team a chance to win every single time.” That won a Cy Young in 2022. Let's talk about Logan Webb's case for 2023.

Swing and a Diss: Put Some Respect on Logan Webb’s NL Cy Young Candidacythemessenger.com The San Francisco Giants ace isn’t a strikeout artist. What’s wrong with working deep into games and befuddling hitters with deception?