One down, one to go: Miami City Commissioners approved a plan to build a $639 million Florida Marlins ballpark Thursday, nudging the long-debated stadium one step closer to reality. With a 3-2 vote, the commission approved the 37,000-seat stadium on the site of the demolished Orange Bowl. Marlins president David Samson said afterward the team […]

This is the kind of thing I’d be all over if someone did it around here: Despite the sandlot rules and the tiny, plastic snap of the bat, Wiffle ball is serious stuff . . . . . . “Anybody can play Wiffle ball,” coach Dan Gish said. There are no tryouts. And there is […]

Things to read as you come to realize that if you’re getting memos like these, you may work for the wrong freakin’ company. John Walsh takes a look at the worst thing a batter can do. Surprisingly, he’s not talking about voting for Nader. Craig Brown has five questions for the Kansas City Royals: Question […]

It’s a slow news day, so building off of the previous post in praise of Jose Oquendo, Mike Gallego, and knuckleball, I offer you my all-time idosyncratic, oddball, knucklehead, misfit, reject team. This team doesn’t consist of my alll time favorite or exciting players — stabs at those can be found here and here — […]

The A’s are warming up to their new infield coach, Mike Gallego: Former infielder Mike Gallego played 624 games at second base, 137 at third base and 434 at shortstop and was proficient everywhere. If his managers hadn’t been biased against short people (no offense, Tony La Russa), he probably would have been adept at […]

Mets fans can’t be pleased about this: Omar Minaya referred to Livan Hernandez as “inventory” when the veteran pitcher signed on Feb. 14. Now, Hernandez is on the verge of claiming the No. 5 spot in the rotation, while team officials appear to be seriously weighing the release of pre-camp favorite Freddy Garcia. Hernandez took […]

He has even set up a new blog for that purpose. He wants everyone’s thoughts, rants, ideas, and hare-brained schemes. I already sent in mine. Go check the new place out and then send him yours. (note: I’m bumping this up because it was posted late last night and people tend not to scroll back […]

One of the two big votes on the Marlins’ ballpark is set for today, and there’s a lot of last minute pot-sweetening: On the eve of the most important public vote in franchise history, the Florida Marlins agreed to crucial contract changes the team hopes will help secure its elusive permanent home in South Florida. […]

This is, um, interesting: The illustrated George Steinbrenner is smiling and robust on the cover of “One Last Time: Goodbye to Yankee Stadium,” the latest Yankees-themed children’s book by Ray Negron, an adviser for the club. Steinbrenner is wearing his familiar white turtleneck and navy sports coat, giving a thumbs-up with his right hand and […]

Things to read while recovering from the injuries you suffered in the WBC: John Brattain has five questions about the Toronto Blue Jays. Question number six: would Roy Halladay have won the Cy Young award last year if voters had accounted for the exchange rate between Canadian and U.S. wins? Chris Neault has five questions […]