Baseball Page 1085 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

It Looks Like MLB Will Be Eliminating Home Plate Collisions
The MLB rules committee has voted to make collisions at home plate illegal. This isn't an official rule change yet, as the decision still has to be approved by the players, but it sure looks like the home plate collision's place in baseball is no more. ...

Mark McGwire Made You Happy. It's Time To Admit It.
Over the next few weeks, we'll be examining the merits—and relative lack of merits—of all 36 players on this year's Hall of Fame ballot for the purposes of better informing the electorate, i.e., you. All entries in the series can be found here....

Vote For Mike Timlin, World Champion Of Baseball
Over the next few weeks, we'll be examining the merits—and relative lack of merits—of all 36 players on this year's Hall of Fame ballot for the purposes of better informing the electorate, i.e., you. All entries in the series can be found here....

Curtis Granderson: "True New Yorkers Are Mets Fans"
Curtis Granderson was officially introduced a Met today, with a four-year, $60 million contract and a preternatural knack for winning over the fans. Within minutes of meeting the media, he tossed some fire on a Yankees-Mets rivalry that only exists on tabloid back pages. ...

Vote For Jack Morris (And Shut Up About Game 7 Already)
Over the next few weeks, we'll be examining the merits—and relative lack of merits—of all 36 players on this year's Hall of Fame ballot for the purposes of better informing the electorate, i.e., you. All entries in the series can be found here....

Why Marvin Miller Belongs In The Hall Of Fame
On the occasion of union leader Marvin Miller once again falling shot of the Hall of Fame, it's instructive to note that no sport has had a longer labor peace than baseball. How it got here is easy enough to explain, and has everything to do with Miller's work....

The Mariners May Have Bid Against Themselves For Robinson Cano
In all the Robinson-Cano-to-Seattle chaos on Friday, this much is clear: the Mariners upped their offer despite already being the highest bidder by $50 million. Now, this, from the Dallas Morning News's Evan Grant:...

Tony La Russa, Bobby Cox, Joe Torre Elected To Hall Of Fame
La Russa, Cox, and Torre were all unanimously elected to Cooperstown by the 16-man Expansion Era committee. No one else on the ballot—not even Marvin Miller, who did more than any other person to make baseball what it is, received even six votes....

The Mariners' Front Office Sounds Like A Total Shitshow
It seemed a little odd when Eric Wedge stepped away from the Seattle Mariners after his contract ran out. No extension, no firing. Wedge and the team simply parted ways. After the Seattle Times published an article Saturday in which Wedge criticized three of his old bosses, however, the breakup mad...

Having A Hall Of Fame Vote Turned Me Into A Monster
I clicked open the post and prepared to cast my vote for who makes it onto our Hall of Fame ballot. I figured, there are about 10 no-doubters, 20 no-chance-in-hellers, and a handful of tough calls. I could knock this out in a minute. I scrolled down to see who I'd be voting on, and I halted at the p...

Price Of Fame: Frank Thomas, Who Saved My Life
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be examining the merits—and relative lack of merits—of all 36 players on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot for the purposes of better informing the electorate, i.e., you. All entries in the series can be found here....

Robinson Cano Gets $240 Million From Mariners, Surprises Everyone
Well, that wasn't supposed to happen. After just about every baseball writer working had written off the Seattle Mariners' chances of landing Robinson Cano, news broke this morning that the Mariners had scooped up the prize of the 2013 free agent class with a 10-year, $240 million deal. Based on my ...

Reports: Mariners Break Off Talks With Robinson Cano
For all the talk about Jay Z's foray into the sports agent world, he hasn't been much more than a figurehead. But yesterday, for the first time I can remember, he actually took part in a negotiating session, a meeting with the Mariners on behalf of Robinson Cano. It seems to have gone poorly....

Price Of Fame: Ray Durham, Who Made Ballgames Worth Enduring
Over the next few weeks, we'll be examining the merits—and relative lack of merits—of all 36 players on this year's Hall of Fame ballot for the purposes of better informing the electorate, i.e., you. All entries in the series can be found here....

How A Reporter Eavesdropped On Barry Bonds's Grand Jury Testimony
Ten years ago today, Barry Bonds testified before a grand jury investigating BALCO that he did not know the substances he was taking were illegal steroids. It was that claim which would lead to Bonds being indicted on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, and convicted of the latter. The te...

Why The Yankees Rebuild From Without
Jacoby Ellsbury is a very good outfielder, signed at market rate, who projects to age well but in five or six years will nevertheless be one of the more overpaid players in the game. But that's a problem for another day, and despite dropping $238 million on Ellsbury and Brian McCann, the Yankees sti...

Angry, Dumb Red Sox Fans Call Jacoby Ellsbury A "Trader"
Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury has agreed to a deal with the Yankees. He used to play for the Red Sox. In case you are an alien or a baby born today who just learned how to use a computer, the Red Sox and Yankees are big rivals. Anyway, Boston fans are mad about Ellsbury being a traitor for ...

Yankees Sign Jacoby Ellsbury To Seven-Year Deal, Because They Can
The New York Yankees have reportedly signed Jacoby Ellsbury, because eat it. They don't care. The Yankees get who they want. (Unless it's Cliff Lee.)...

Do Nice Players Make Their Teammates Worse?
Dick Allen was known for being an unpleasant teammate who warred with teammates and divided clubhouses. In "The Politics of Glory," Bill James called him "a manipulator of extraordinary skill," and wrote,...