Via Florio, the Rays are getting into the bush league football business: On Wednesday, the UFL formally announced that the franchise headquartered in Orlando will be known as the “Florida Tuskers.” The UFL also announced that major league baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays have struck an agreement in principle to purchase an interest in the football […]

Dejan says that, contrary to his reputation, Lastings is being a model citizen: On the field early yesterday afternoon, I saw him run in the Coors Field outfield to ask strength coach Frank Velasquez what he could do extra. I saw him participate with enthusiasm in all team activities on the field, mostly serious but […]

This is not terribly surprising: John Smoltz’s brief career with the Red Sox is over. Smoltz has refused the option of an assignment to the minor leagues, leaving the Red Sox with the option of either trading him or releasing him. They could trade him because he has cleared waivers, but one of the reasons […]

The guy who fired his manager mere days before his team made the playoffs is making moves again: Brewers’ GM Doug Melvin has fired pitching coach Bill Castro. He has sent J.J. Hardy down to Nashville and has called up Alcides Escobar. He has designated Bill Hall for assignment. Unlike the Yost move last year, […]

B.J. Upton has very little value for single-season leagues as he sits at a crossroads for his career. Does he become the next Carl Crawford or Mike Cameron?

What if Frankie hadn’t been quite so frantic in Cleveland?

Note: A somewhat different version of this review was originally written for the New York Post. It didn’t run, however, and given how rarely it is that I praise something, I figured it was worth sharing with the world. It’s been nearly 30 years since Thurman Munson’s plane went down in Canton, Ohio, killing the […]

Jermaine Jackson got himself a souvenir yesterday: In the bottom of the second inning, Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal lifted a foul ball toward the area where Jackson was sitting, and Jackson didn’t hesitate. Jermaine, a right-hander wearing a Manny Ramirez No. 99 jersey, made a nifty backhanded grab and celebrated the snatching of the souvenir. […]

There is something to be said about enjoying a random game that turns into something special.

Jason from IIATMS just told me that he heard on XM radio that John Smoltz is en route to Atlanta today “for personal reasons.” One wonders if we’re going to have a retirement announcement or something like that shortly. Insta-take on zero information: if he retires rather than allows the Sox to DFA him, he […]