Paul Newberry: Remembering old family friend Braves C Biff PocorobaVideo
ATLANTA — Ahh, that name. No doubt, one of the greatest baseball monikers of all time. If having such a splendid, awe-inspiring name was the primary qualifier, he’d be enshrined in Cooperstown for sure. Biff Pocoroba. The former Atlanta Braves catcher died last weekend at age 66, a loss I...
Scott Boras to clients in memo: Don’t bail out baseball ownersVideo
NEW YORK — Agent Scott Boras recommends his clients refuse MLB’s attempt to cut salaries during negotiations with the players’ association, claiming team financial issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic have their origin in management debt financing. In an email obtained by the Associated Press, Boras wrote that players should...
AP sources: Players want more games, no more salary cuts
NEW YORK — Baseball players appeared likely to propose increasing the number of regular-season games this year while holding to their demand for full prorated salaries, people familiar with their deliberations told the Associated Press. A day after Major League Baseball proposed a sliding scale of salary slashing for a...
Now 47, Colon still hoping to pitch again in major leaguesVideo
NEW YORK — Bartolo Colon refuses to entertain the idea of retirement. It doesn’t matter that he didn’t pitch in 2019 and that on Sunday he turned 47. He craves one more shot in the majors. “I’m not retired. That’s not in my mind,” Colon told the Associated Press in...
Japanese baseball season to start June 19 without fans
TOKYO — Japan’s professional baseball season will open on June 19 under a plan that excludes fans. League commissioner Atsushi Saito made the announcement on Monday after an online meeting with representatives of the league’s 12 teams. “I hope we can provide some guidance for sports other than professional baseball,”...
Baseball players respond to MLB on coronavirus protocols
NEW YORK — The baseball players’ association gave management a wide-ranging response Thursday to a 67-page proposed set of protocols for a season to be played during the coronavirus pandemic. Management had presented the union and the 30 teams the proposed draft last Friday. The union said Thursday it addressed:...
Nationals to unveil World Series rings in virtual ceremonyVideo
WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals will unveil their World Series championship rings during a “virtual” ceremony shown on television and online Sunday — an unprecedented approach brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. With the start of the MLB season on hold because of the covid-19 outbreak, Nationals owner Mark Lerner...
California gov.: Pro sports without fans possible in JuneVideo
LOS ANGELES — California Gov. Gavin Newsom thinks pro sports could be back playing in his state — without fans — in early June. The Democratic governor said during a news conference Monday that the state is making good progress against the coronavirus, posting a 7.5% decline in hospitalizations over...
Shaler native Art Howe returns home from Houston hospital after ICU stay for covid-19
After spending time in intensive care last week battling the coronavirus, Shaler native Art Howe returned to his Houston home Sunday and said he is “feeling a little bit better.” Howe, 73, was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as a 24-year-old in 1971, and played second base and third base...
Paul Sullivan: Has baseball reached its endgame?
Good morning, students. Welcome back to our class, “History of Baseball in America.” I hope you all have read the required e-material for today, and in a minute we’ll have the book’s author, former baseball writer Adam Fraley, joining us to give his views on the extinction of what once...
New MLB rules: shower at home, don’t spit, Pirate Parrot stay awayVideo
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball will look somewhat like high school ball this year under protocols to deal with the new coronavirus, with showers at ballparks discouraged and players possibly arriving in uniform, like they did when they were teenagers. Team personnel will be banned from eating at restaurants...
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred: Having no season would be ‘devastating’ for baseball
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in an appearance on CNN on Thursday night that not playing a baseball season would be “devastating” for teams, and that losses could approach $4 billion. Manfred made the comments during an interview on CNN Global Town Hall with Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta,...
What fantasy sports players expect out of Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, 82-game MLB season
Part of the reason many folks have been missing sports so much is the loss of fantasy sports, too. So if Major League Baseball comes back soon — if the players and owners ever get their acts together — that means fantasy baseball can come back, as well. Now what?...
Former major league manager Art Howe, a Shaler native, in hospital with coronavirus
Longtime major league manager Art Howe, a Shaler native, has tested positive for the coronavirus and was being treated in an intensive care unit as of Thursday night, according to television reports out of Houston. Howe, 73, told KPRC-TV he began having chills two Sundays ago, then lost his sense...
AP source: Players ask MLB for slew of financial documentsVideo
NEW YORK — Lawyers for the baseball players’ union asked Major League Baseball to submit a slew of financial documents that detail the industry’s finances, a person familiar with the request told the Associated Press. Baseball owners Monday approved a proposal that could lead to the coronavirus-delayed season starting around...
Rays’ Blake Snell won’t play if pay cut further
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays All-Star pitcher Blake Snell says he will not take the mound this year if his pay is cut further, proclaiming: “I’m not playing unless I get mine.” “I’m not splitting no revenue. I want all mine,” the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner...
6 key elements in latest reported plan for coronavirus-delayed 2020 MLB season
The latest on the 2020 MLB season, for those who missed it, isn’t much different than what has been floating around for a couple weeks. The season, according to reports, would begin in early July with an early- to mid-June spring redux. Teams would play 82 games, down from the...
Like it or not, National League designated hitters limber up
Before all the self-proclaimed purists forecasting the destruction of baseball strategy and the very sanctity of the sport as we know it go berserk bemoaning the inclusion of a designated hitter in the National League this season, remember this: In a most remarkable October full of huge momentum swings, the...
Cubs OF Ian Happ putting love of coffee to good useVideo
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ is using his love of coffee to help raise money for covid-19 relief charities. The 25-year-old Happ is partnering with Connect Roasters for Quarantine Coffee. It costs $15 per bag, and $3 from every sale goes to virus-related causes. Quarantine Coffee live now!! Please go...
AP source: MLB owners approve plan to start season in JulyVideo
NEW YORK — MLB owners gave the go-ahead Monday to making a proposal to the players’ union that could lead to the coronavirus-delayed season starting around the Fourth of July weekend in ballparks without fans, a plan that envisioned expanding the designated hitter to the National League for 2020. Spring...
Why did Jay Glazer pivot so quickly after jabbing Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger?
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden and I give you tons of sports. Even though there are no sports. Thankfully, the NFL continues to give us plenty of content during the covid-19 pandemic. The league’s schedule came out. Now the question becomes, will it actually be played, or...
Under 1% of MLB employees test positive for virus antibodiesVideo
NEW YORK — Just 0.7% of Major League Baseball employees tested positive for antibodies to covid-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. Researchers received 6,237 completed surveys from employees of 26 clubs. That led to 5,754 samples obtained in the U.S. on April 14 and 15 and 5,603 records...
Report: MLB cutting this year’s draft to 5 rounds to save clubs bonus pool moneyVideo
NEW YORK — MLB will cuts its amateur draft from 40 rounds to five this year, a move that figures to save teams about $30 million. Clubs gained the ability to reduce the draft as part of their March 26 agreement with the players’ association, and MLB plans to finalize...
Despite July 1 optimism, MLB remains far from structured plan to open season: report
NEW YORK — Former major league infielder Trevor Plouffe sparked somewhat of a storm on Monday after he posted a dubious tweet that began with five simple words. “Want some good baseball news??” Plouffe asked, rhetorically. The 33-year-old then mentioned July 1 as a potential opening day for Major League...
In shortened MLB season, stars still had chance to shine in 1981Video
The season began with Fernandomania and ended with a classic World Series matchup between the Dodgers and Yankees. Mike Schmidt slugged his way to a second consecutive MVP, and Nolan Ryan pitched another no-hitter. But perhaps the best way to describe baseball in 1981 is by recounting Pete Rose’s pursuit...
