Category Archives: Baseball

Could San Antonio support an MLB team?

As you may have heard, Major League Baseball is starting to talk about expansion, potentially adding two more teams in the next few years. San Antonio is on the list of possible destinations for MLB, sometimes paired with Austin, which … Continue reading

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“Facial authentication”

I’m still thinking about how I feel about this. The Astros will be one of four Major League Baseball teams using facial authentication technology at this year’s opening day in an effort to speed up fans’ entry through the gates … Continue reading

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Three new Hall of Famers

Congratulations all around. The Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame ballot boom was back in a big way with the announcement of a three-person Class of 2024 on Tuesday night. Masterful third baseman Adrián Beltré and decorated Twins … Continue reading

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Houston bids for the 2026 World Baseball Classic

Ooh, cool. Houston is bidding to be a host city for the World Baseball Classic when the international tournament is next played in 2026. The city hosted WBC representatives for a visit in September and submitted its bid prior to … Continue reading

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Realignment roundup

You can officially put a bow on the PAC 12. Oregon State and Washington State have come to an agreement in principle with the 10 departing Pac-12 universities that will end ongoing litigation related to control of the conference, the … Continue reading

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Jim Leyland elected to the Hall of Fame

Congratulations! Jim Leyland, the longtime manager who guided the Florida Marlins to the 1997 World Series title, was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame on Sunday. Leyland was named on 15 of 16 ballots in the election process during a … Continue reading

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MLB owners approve A’s move to Las Vegas

It’s still not fully resolved, but this is going to happen, like it or not. Major League Baseball owners voted unanimously Thursday to allow the Oakland Athletics to move to Las Vegas, paving the way for the second relocation of … Continue reading

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The Astros meet the President

Bill Kelly, Director of Government Relations for Mayor Sylvester Turner, got to visit the White House with the Astros to celebrate their winning the World Series last year. Here’s his report on what that’s like. For anyone who has ever … Continue reading

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Rob Manfred’s regrets

He has one in particular that is of interest. In an extensive interview with TIME that was published Wednesday, the baseball commissioner talked about a lot of his successes in the sport, including the recent rules changes that has made for quicker games, but … Continue reading

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The future Las Vegas A’s

I mentioned this story in passing in that post about MLB in Utah, but it deserves a closer look. The Oakland Athletics have signed a binding agreement to purchase 49 acres (with an option for additional land) near the Las … Continue reading

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MLB in Utah?

It’s on the table. A Salt Lake City consortium led by the former owner of the Utah Jazz plans to pursue a Major League Baseball franchise in the coming years, touting the area’s population growth, strong economy and baseball history … Continue reading

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Speedier baseball

A faster-paced game with more action is exactly what MLB hoped for with its myriad rule changes, and so far it’s exactly what it has gotten. Major League Baseball’s new rules are working as hoped through the first four days … Continue reading

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MLB reaches tentative CBA with minor leaguers

Impressive. Minor league baseball players and Major League Baseball struck a tentative deal Wednesday on the first collective bargaining agreement between the sides that will more than double player pay and represents the largest-ever gains in the rights of minor … Continue reading

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A brief digression on baseball broadcasting and leveraged buyouts

I call your attention to this fine article about some current baseball-business news, which among other things helped me better understand some business lingo. Diamond Sports Group, the company that owns Bally Sports Network and thus the rights to 14 … Continue reading

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Scott Rolen elected to the Hall of Fame

Well deserved. The hot corner has historically had a high bar for National Baseball Hall of Fame entry. But in 2023, Scott Rolen made the cut and completed a meteoric rise in support in his time on the Baseball Writers’ … Continue reading

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Fred McGriff elected to the Hall of Fame

Congratulations to him. “The Crime Dog” finally had his day. In Fred McGriff’s first second chance at the National Baseball Hall of Fame voting process, the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee did what the Baseball Writers’ Association did not. McGriff … Continue reading

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Your 2023 Hall of Fame ballot is out

Should be a quieter year, at least for the writers. The National Baseball Hall of Fame revealed the 2023 Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame ballot on Monday, with several notable names appearing for the first time, as … Continue reading

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Click out

Gotta say, this is shocking. Six days after winning a World Series title, the Astros parted ways with general manager James Click on Friday, ending months of intensifying speculation with unprecedented action and throwing one of the sport’s most successful … Continue reading

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MLB to recognize MLBPA representation of minor leaguers

Wow. Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association on Saturday finalized a card-check agreement expected to formalize the league recognizing the union as the bargaining representative for a unit of minor league players in excess of 5,000 members, sources … Continue reading

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Here comes the pitch clock

Some foundational rule changes are coming to MLB next year. A pitch timer, limits on defensive shifts and bigger bases are coming to Major League Baseball in 2023. Following recent experiments in the Minor Leagues, the recently formed Joint Competition … Continue reading

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MLBPA seeks to represent minor leaguers

Good to see, though there are some questions that will need to be answered. The Major League Baseball Players Association took an initial step toward unionizing the minor leagues Sunday night, sending out authorization cards that will allow minor league … Continue reading

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Baseball fans are mostly OK with the idea of robot umps

So says a poll, so it must be true. MLB fans, it may be time to welcome your robot overlords. Baseball is known for its long-standing traditions, unwritten rules about players’ on-field conduct and a fan base that skews older … Continue reading

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Rob Manfred speaks

About the Astros and other things. When it comes to the Astros’ sign-stealing saga and its aftermath, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred does have one big regret. Was it his non-punishment of any individual players or granting immunity to … Continue reading

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We finally see that Manfred letter to the Yankees

The Chron headline is blaring, but I kind of think we already knew most of this stuff. Major League Baseball fined the New York Yankees $100,000 in 2017 for using their replay room and dugout phone to steal their opponent’s … Continue reading

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Courts keep turning the Yankees down

Time to give up and move on, y’all. The New York Yankees keep taking losses in court. A federal appeals court has denied the team’s latest attempt to keep a 2017 letter from Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred detailing … Continue reading

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JC Hartman

Good column from Jerome Solomon about the first Black baseball player for the Astros, who were still the Colt 45s at the time. You have probably never heard of many of the first Blacks to play modern-day baseball for franchises. … Continue reading

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MLB unveils a technical fix for sign stealing

I like this. Pitchers and catchers will have the option of shaking off the traditional means of communicating between pitches during the upcoming Major League season. MLB informed clubs in a memo today that it is moving forward with regular-season … Continue reading

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Do tell, Chris

I have three things to say about this. A rival of the Astros during their current run as a Major League Baseball power said Houston wasn’t the only team that’s resorted to cheating. Red Sox lefthander Chris Sale, who pitched … Continue reading

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Carlos Beltrán speaks about sign stealing

Of interest. Carlos Beltrán, the venerated designated hitter painted by Major League Baseball as a ringleader of Houston’s electronic sign-stealing scheme during the 2017 season, said this week he “wished somebody would’ve said something” and stopped the trashcan banging scheme. … Continue reading

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Yankees still fighting to keep that MLB letter under wraps

I mean, it can’t hurt to ask. The New York Yankees plan to continue to fight the unsealing of a letter from MLB detailing alleged sign-stealing by the organization. The Athletic, citing a source with knowledge of the team’s plans, reported … Continue reading

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Appeals court upholds ruling to unseal MLB’s 2017 letter on sign stealing

Look, if you’re going to follow a weird story, you’ve got to stay committed to following that weird story. A September 2017 letter from Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred detailing alleged sign-stealing by the New York Yankees should be … Continue reading

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MLB’s Canadian conundrum

Here’s an interesting wrinkle to the recently-resolved MLB lockout. With the Major League Baseball season set to start, unvaccinated players will once again need to sit out series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Players who haven’t been … Continue reading

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MLB ends its lockout

One small bit of good news. Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association reached a tentative agreement on a new collective-bargaining agreement Thursday, ending the league’s 99-day lockout of the players and salvaging a 162-game season, sources familiar with … Continue reading

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David Ortiz elected to MLB Hall of Fame

Congratulations, Big Papi. With the process still tainted by the steroid era, David Ortiz was the lone player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame this year, while others like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were shut out. “Big Papi” … Continue reading

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