Baseball Page 1290 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Los Angeles Dodgers: Back To The Future
Will Leitch will be previewing/musing on every baseball team each weekday until the start of the season. You can pre-order his book and follow him on Twitter. Today: The Los Angeles Dodgers....

There's No Such Thing As A Free Lunch, Unless You've Got A Media Pass
One blog needs your help compiling every instance of a beat writer Tweeting about food during spring training. This is why journalism grants were invented. [Punk On Deck]...

Are You Ready For A Worldwide Dodgers Empire?
Frank McCourt has big plans for the Dodgers brand. Try a football stadium, couple of cable channels, expansion to China, and — because it's worked so well for American owners — a Premier League team....

Everyone's Overqualified To Cover The Nats, But Especially This Guy
Because Nationals Park is more hazardous and soul-numbing than Helmand Province, the Washington Post's new beat writer is a Pulitzer Prize winner. I'd rather be that Pulitzer winner who got laid off. [WaPo]...

Cubs Scalping Own Tickets Now
Cubs tickets go on sale Thursday. Or, if you're willing to pay the team an extra 20 percent, Monday. So basically: the Cubs have raised ticket prices 20 percent this year. [Cubs.com]...

Budding O's Star Gets Injured In Commercial Shoot. Of Course He Does.
PECOTA's predictions had three different teams winning the AL East, as the formula was revised. The Orioles were not among the three. A story like this, which could only happen to a few teams, is a good reason why....

The Royals Will Pay You To Cheer For Them
Aspiring mascots take heed: The Royals need a new "Sluggerrr." Minimum two years experience and an ability to stay awake for nine innings a must. Quality baseball knowledge not necessary (or even preferred.) [Image via Flickr]...

OK, Brent Mayne Can Totally Explain This
Mayne partially recants his story about tipping pitches to J.T. Snow, and I, for one, accept his explanation: "I was hanging out with George Brett a lot those early years, so my memory is all pops and crackles." [BrentMayne.com]...

Brent Mayne's Web Of Deceit
The former catcher cops to once giving away a pitch, to J.T. Snow in his first big league at-bat. Snow then "drilled" a double, as Mayne recalls. Or did he? [BrentMayne.com, @craigcalcaterra]...

Barry Bonds Keeping In Game Shape With Diet, Contempt For Public
Surprisingly, Dodgers fans were able to get between Bonds and his chicken and waffles, and still escape with their lives. One autograph hound, though, managed to touch a sore spot....

Not-Completely-Sober Freddy Garcia Has Some (Profane) Words For The Cubs
We're not saying Freddy Garcia is drunk in this video, taken at the White Sox' annual SoxFest. We're just pointing out he's unsteady on his feet, slurring his words, and saying "fuck the Cubs, motherfucker."...

MLBPA's Charity Block Will Cost Players In The Long Run
The players' union has struck down the "Manny Ramirez provision," which allowed teams to force players to donate to charity as part of their contracts. But it looks like the MLBPA might've hurt their own guys on this one....

Last Night's Winner: Minnesotans
In sports, everyone is a winner—some people just win better than others. Like Twins fans who locked up their franchise catcher for the next decade. It's not official, but what could possibly go wrong in the final seconds?...

And On The Fourth Day, Bryce Harper Homered
Here's the Chosen One, taking some weak Arizona Western stuff deep in his fourth game as a collegian. Watch closely and you might see the ball transmute into pure light somewhere over Lake Mead. [YouTube, Las Vegas Review-Journal]...

The Holy Child Will Have To Wait A Little Longer To Begin Speaking Only In Cliches
Brilliant beacon of blinding light Bryce Harper picked up his first collegiate hit in only his second at-bat. Too bad no-one is allowed to discuss it! I haven't seen lips this tight since, like, an hour ago. [The Nationals Enquirer]...

We Will All Work For Mario Lemieux One Day
Steel City patron saint Mario Lemieux and shady creepster Ron Burkle, co-owners of the Pittsburgh Penguins, approached the Pittsburgh Pirates with an "unsolicited offer" to buy the MLB team, according to the Post-Gazette. Yinzers, cross your fingers....

Robbie Alomar's Canadian Consolation
Forget Cooperstown; Alomar's heading to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame! To give you a sense of its prestige, his co-inductee will be Paul Quantrill. [Globe And Mail]...

Randy Winn The Final Straw For Aggrieved Yankee Fan
The signing of Randy Winn instead of Johnny Damon has convinced one season ticket holder not to renew. I agree. A lineup of only eight 8-figure salaried all-stars just doesn't show enough of a commitment to winning....

Today In Hilarious Baseball Stat Acronym Humor
Ron Borges, ladies and germs, on UZR: "I thought those were the initials of a former Russian state only to learn it means Ultimate Zone Rating." [Boston Herald]...

It's The Feud With A Combined ERA Over 5.00
Would a player intentionally suck to become a part of history? The pitcher who let Barry Bonds set the HR mark says no; his teammate says yes. Join us this week, on As The Nationals Turn....