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Archives: Sept. 10-16, 2007 Ryan steps down as Twins GM; Smith named successor Posted Sept. 14, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss) Terry Ryan, who established the current model for turning a midmarket team with limited resources into a winning franchise, stepped down as GM of the Minnesota Twins yesterday. Longtime assistant GM Bill Smith was […]

Umpire Jeff Nelson returns to the game after being diagnosed with a form of testicular cancer. By Dave Wright Jeff Nelson was never so happy to see a ground-ball out in his life. Not that he had anything against Rondell White, whose roller to 3B Ross Gload was the last out in Kansas City’s 9-4 […]

Archives: Aug. 26-Sept. 1, 2007> Jeff Nelson’s comeback: Satisfying but tiring Posted Sept. 1, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss) Jeff Nelson was never so happy to see a ground-ball out in his life. Not that he had anything against Rondell White, whose roller to 3B Ross Gload was the last out in Kansas City’s 9-4 […]

The Minnesota Twins held a most curious groundbreaking for their new ballpark.Text by Dave Wright Photos by Jim Robins As media events go, there are few weirder than groundbreaking ceremonies for a stadium or an arena. It is one thing when a team announces the design for a new facility. The media and fans can […]

Archives: Aug. 19-25, 2007 Lessons for the Lerners: what to steal from other ballparks Posted Aug. 25, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss) The Washington Post’s Marc Fisher visits a few other major-league parks and asks what lessons can be applied to the new Washington Nationals ballpark. It’s probably a little late in the process for […]

The land sale condemnation process for the Minnesota Twins new ballpark settled very little, but a November trial could be avoided based on the earliest indications. Despite an automatic 48-hour cooling-off period for arbitration proceedings, public comments made by both sides indicated that avoiding a trial was possible.By Jim Robins   The land sale condemnation […]

Archives: Aug. 12-18, 2007 Selig: Relocation an option if ballpark issue not settled Posted Aug. 17, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss) Bud Selig opened the door Thursday to the possibility the Florida Marlins could relocate if they are unable to hammer out a deal to build a retractable-roof ballpark in South Florida. You’ve got to […]

Archives: July 29-Aug. 4, 2007 Ballpark negotiations over; now to sell it Posted Aug. 3, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss) The fate of the potential remodeling of Ed Smith Stadium for future use by the Cincinnati Reds as a spring-training venue will depend on the results of a referendum this fall. Voters will be asked […]

Archives: July 22-28, 2007 Tiger Stadium to be torn down Posted July 27, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss) After months of wrangling, the Detroit City Council today approved a plan to sell the seats and other memorabilia inside Tiger Stadium and dismantle the ballpark by the end of the year. By a 5-4 vote the […]

Nothing like playing hooky from real life.By Dave Wright   Question: What do the following numbers have in common? 47,114 33,789 53,857 41,156 36,551 18,163 Answer: They were attendance figures for games played last week at Dodger Stadium, Atlanta, Yankee Stadium, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Tampa Bay. There would be nothing unusual about that except for […]

When Detroit faced race riots in 1967, baseball helped calm the nerves of a city on the edge.It was one of the oddest things I have ever seen. There we were, on vacation at my aunt’s house, when somebody suddenly shouted at the television. "Hey, that looks like St. Francis."   St. Francis, located on […]

Archives: July 8-14, 2007 Tiger Stadium plan hits a snag Posted July 13, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss) Plans to demolish Tiger Stadium are starting to unravel as the city planning commission Thursday night refused to approve the plan touted by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick for the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. In rejecting the plan […]

Archives: July 1-7, 2007 Significantly scaled-back plan is weighed for Reds’ spring home Posted July 6, 2007 (feedback) (submit story) (discuss) Plans for a new Cincinnati Reds spring complex that seemed doomed could be resurrected in the form of a $45 million face-lift for Ed Smith Stadium, the spring home of the Reds and the […]