Major League Baseball Players Association

This week’s guest on “Stitch x Stitch’’ is Buck Martinez, a beloved figure in Toronto and a baseball fixture for nearly 60 years as a player, manager, author and broadcaster.

Buck spent 17 seasons as a backup catcher in the big leagues, but his impact went well beyond statistics. He was a leader, a respected teammate, and a trusted ally of Marvin Miller and Donald Fehr through some bruising labor confrontations in the 1970s and ‘80s. As Buck enters the Hall of Excellence, he reflects upon some of his most memorable moments on the field, in the dugout, in the broadcast booth and the negotiating room. For all that he’s accomplished in the game, he will always be a player at heart.

In this episode of "Stitch x Stitch'' we feature Bret Boone, the product of an esteemed, three-generation family of major leaguers.

His grandfather, Ray, was a World War II Navy veteran and a 13-year big leaguer. His father, Bob, was a World Champion and seven-time Gold Glove-winning catcher. Bret perpetuated the family legacy with his brother Aaron, making three All-Star teams and winning four Gold Gloves and two Silver Slugger Awards during a 14-year MLB career. Like his dad, Bret played an active role in union leadership, including a stint as the Cincinnati Reds' assistant player representative in 1994-95 during the longest strike in MLB history.

Listen now: https://www.mlbplayers.com/podcast/episode/4ef858a6/bret-boone-on-his-baseball-education-and-embracing-the-family-legacy

What’s a future Hall of Fame slugger to do when he meets with crickets on the free agent market? Hear the story of how Dawson handed the Cubs a blank contract, let them fill in the salary, then responded by crushing 49 home runs, driving in 137 runs, and winning the 1987 National League MVP Award.
 
In this week’s episode of “Stitch x Stitch,” Andre Dawson reflects on MLB’s collusion era, and that memorable season when he took matters into his own hands.

Congratulations to Christian Yelich, who was named the Players Trust’s Most Valuable Philanthropist for August! 

Christian has been active in philanthropy throughout his career, with his annual Home Plate Charity Concert raising funds to support his community in the Milwaukee area. As part of this “MVP” honor, the Players Trust will award a $10,000 grant split between the Heartland Farm Sanctuary and Snooty Giggles Dog Rescue on Christian’s behalf.

Congratulations to Christian Yelich, who was named the Players Trust's Most Valuable Philanthropist for August!

Christian has been active in philanthropy throughout his career, with his annual Home Plate Charity Concert raising funds to support his community in the Milwaukee area. As part of this "MVP" honor, the Players Trust will award a $10,000 grant split between the Heartland Farm Sanctuary and Snooty Giggles Dog Rescue on Christian's behalf.

Seth Lugo was selected out of Centenary College of Louisiana in the 34th round of the 2011 draft by the Mets and made his major league debut with New York five years later. He spent seven years in Queens before moving on to San Diego and Kansas City. The Louisiana native has pitched in over 370 games and surpassed 1,000 strikeouts in his career. With an All-Star appearance and a second-place finish in 2024 AL Cy Young voting, Lugo has had an impressive run in the game. Congrats, Seth!