The Fox drama “Pitch,” starring Kylie Bunbury as a screwball-throwing pitcher for Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres, wrapped its first season Thursday night. With melodramatic flair, the show tastefully dissects the hypothetical politics surrounding the first woman in professional baseball while poking fun at the league’s hypermasculine hijinks. The first season was as corny as you’d hope. It’s quality network television!
It’s also officially supported by MLB, which gives “Pitch” full access to franchise names, stadiums, and other intellectual property like logos and team uniforms. National Pro Fastpitch, the top professional softball league, receives none of this institutional support. To NPF representatives, the contradiction burns.
“It’s not that [MLB’s] particular support of ‘Pitch’ is disheartening,” NPF commissioner Cheri Kempf told Excelle Sports. “Their lack of support of the NPF is what’s disheartening.”
When the Women’s Pro Softball League rebranded itself as National Pro Fastpitch in 2002, MLB joined as an official partner. For most of NPF’s history, MLB has offered consulting and some capital, but the relationship has been minimal—at least compared to the robust partnership in basketball. The WNBA launched with eight teams owned by NBA franchises, is the NBA’s official “sister” league, and receives regular cross-promotion. Since Rob Manfred became MLB commissioner last year, baseball and softball’s partnership has reportedly grown even weaker.
“When I became commissioner in 2007, there at least was a more active relationship,” Kempf said. “But the relationship now is really not where I think it should be.”
Pro softball’s primary challenge is securing television coverage. The league is currently partnered with the regional CBS Sports Network, which broadcast less than 20 percent of the league’s games last summer. Yet ESPN televised over 600 college softball games this year, which some argue demonstrates that NPF has room for serious growth, if corporate sponsors bought in. Official MLB support would help.
“The difference is television. These women deserve national broadcasts,” NPF commentator Barb Jordan told Excelle Sports. “But there are some people in corporate America who still just look at it as girls’ softball.”
MLB seems to recognize pro softball’s potential. NPF teams competed this year during baseball’s All-Star weekend in San Diego, and baseball’s senior vice president of youth programs Tony Reagins told Excelle Sports that the relationship is “just scratching the surface.”
“We understand that softball is wildly popular and it’s something that gives us opportunity to grow,” Reagins said. “We’re not taking that lightly and we’re going to reach out eventually.”
In the meantime, MLB will continue promoting and supporting 20th Century Fox Television’s generous fictional portrayal of baseball’s progressive gender politics.
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
Juicy subject matter
Giphy from The Blacklist.
We could start a rumor.
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.