The first game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the new spring home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, will be held Feb. 26, as the facility is unveiled to the public. As you might expect, the Diamondbacks and the Rockies will square off in this first game; the Diamondbacks will be the […]
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Cost of running The Trop for St. Pete: at least $7.3M annually
Besides the $6 million in annual debt service, it costs the city of St. Petersburg at least a million more annually to host the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Explain to us again why the city is so eager to keep the Trop and block the Rays from a new ballpark, because the existing […]
Stan the Man turns 90
It was a good week for living legend Stan Musial: on Wednesday it was announced he’d receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and today he turns 90. Happy birthday, Stan. Musial’s been slowed by age — he now gets around in a wheelchair — but the man led an amazing life, rising from working-class roots […]
We’re shocked — shocked! — to see Astros on the market
We were amused to see the MLB.com headline this morning: “McLane reportedly puts Astros on market.” Well, duh: he’s been trying to sell the Houston Astros since 2008, and the only thing different is that he’s hired an investment firm to help out. By our reckoning McLane has had the team on the market for […]
Selig still “concerned” about Rays ballpark situation
MLB Commissioner Bud Selig is still concerned about the Tampa Bay Rays ballpark situation and plans to meet with team leadership as soon as they’re willing to talk about possible solutions. “We will have very meaningful discussions. Whenever they’re ready, I’m ready,” Selig told the St. Petersburg Times. “They know what they need, and they […]
Oakland pitches new waterfront site for new A’s ballpark
Despite a total lack of interest from Oakland Athletics owner Lew Wolff, Oakland city officials have settled on a Victory Court site for a new waterfront ballpark and plan on pitching its merits to a MLB committee tasked with finding an A’s facility solution. Victory Court is located near Lake Merritt Channel, along the Oakland […]
Pinellas County mulls hotel-tax extension for new Rays ballpark
Money talks when it comes to new ballparks, and Pinellas County may have a strong speaking voice when it comes to a new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark: the new new board of commissioners is considering an extension of the county bed tax to help pay for a new facility — something Hillsborough County cannot offer. […]
Bob Watson retires
Bob Watson, Major League Baseball’s Vice President of Rules and On-Field Operations, has announced his retirement from baseball at the end of the current year after serving more than 45 years in the game as a player, coach and executive. Watson will continue to assist with MLB’s Urban Youth Academy program and be available for […]
Famous Wrigley Field marquee to go Wildcat Purple
The iconic Wrigley Field marquee will be Wildcat Purple for a week as the Chicago Cubs prepare to host a historic Northwestern-Illinois football game this Saturday. Of course, this being the Cubs, there are some commecial considerations involved. First, the team brought in a paint sponsor — Valspar — to sponsor the Wildcat Purple paint. […]
In memoriam: Dave Niehaus
Dave Niehaus, one of the most recognizable voices in baseball and an original employee of the Seattle Mariners, for whom he called games for 17 years, passed away after a heart atack in his suburban Bellevue home. He was 75. Niehaus was present for every big moment in Mariners history — Randy Johnson and Chris […]
Baltimore, MSA outline 2011 improvements to Orioles Park
The Baltimore Orioles and the Maryland Stadium Authority outlined a second year of enhancements to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, including more renovations on the club level, additional seat replacements and a slightly smaller capacity, creating a more intimate environment. Last off-season, all seats in the lower level from foul pole to foul pole were […]
Selig: “I really believe that Abner Doubleday is the ‘father of baseball’”
Yeah, there’s a lot of glee in the baseball-geek world these days: In a letter to a collector, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig admits he still thinks Abner Doubleday invented the game of baseball, despite reams of evidence to the contrary. Lots of snark has ensued. Selig made his beliefs known in a letter to autograph […]
As Giants win World Series, Athletics ballpark status in limbo
As the San Francisco Giants captured their first World Series trophy in the Bay Area, the Oakland Athletics sat quietly on the sidelines with a ballpark situation in limbo. Will MLB finally resolve the situation this offseason? MLB likes to control the message, and the message in the playoffs always was focused on the Texas […]