The Tampa Bay Rays will reportedly announce plans Tuesday for a new $1.2 billion domed stadium that could cost up to $600 million in public funds.
Read the full storyReport: Rays Will Get $600M in Public Funds for New $1.2 Billion Stadium
Tag: Baseball
Validity of Anonymous Brewers Milwaukee Relocation Threats Questioned
The Milwaukee Brewers have reportedly threatened to look into moving the team, currently leading the National League Central, if they do not receive the taxpayer funding they want to renovate American Family Field.
The legitimacy of those threats, published anonymously by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, are being questioned.
Read the full storyProfessor: Ron DeSantis Is a Racist for His ‘Freaks of Nature’ Basketball Comments
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis noted in an interview that he preferred baseball over basketball partly because the latter is played by guys who are “just freaks of nature.”
Speaking to the Christian Broadcasting Network, the 2024 GOP presidential candidate said baseball is a “thinking man’s game” that requires special skill sets, Newsweek reports.
Read the full storyClarksville Christian School Hires State Champion Baseball Coach Chuck Cooper to Lead School Program
Clarksville Christian School (CCS) President Brad Moser has announced in a press release that championship-winning coach Chuck Cooper will lead the Centurion baseball program and serve as varsity head coach beginning with the 2022-2023 school year.
Read the full storyTrump, Wife Delight Braves Fans, Upset Liberal Writers by Doing Tomahawk Chop at World Series
Former President Donald Trump and former First Lady Melania Trump joined Atlanta Braves fans Saturday night in doing the team’s signature Tomahawk Chop during a raucous Game 4 of the World Series.
The Trumps attended the game in a suite at Atlanta’s Truist Stadium, where the hometown team was playing the Houston Astros. The Braves won 3-2 to take a 3-1 advantage in the series.
The former first family joined in when fans started the Chop. Their participation lit up liberals and some sports writers on Twitter.
Read the full storySticky Baseballs: The Physics of Major League Baseball’s Latest Scandal
Cheating in baseball is as old as the game itself, and pitchers’ modifying the ball’s surface is part of that long history. Adding to the lore of cheating is a new scandal involving pitchers who may be applying sticky substances – what players refer to as “sticky stuff” – to baseballs.
Major League hitters are striking out this season nearly one in every four times they step to the plate, compared with one in six times in 2005.
As a sports physicist and longtime baseball fan, I’ve been intrigued by news reports that applying sticky substances to balls can make pitches spin faster. And if pitchers can throw their fastballs, curveballs and sliders with more spin than in previous years, their pitches will be tougher to hit. How does science explain all this?
Read the full storyMcAllen, Texas Mayor-Elect Javier Villalobos Talks Election, Baseball, Immigration, and Border Policy
Thursday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Mayor-Elect Javier Villalobos of McAllen, Texas to the newsmakers line to talk about his background, baseball, border policy, and immigration.
Read the full storyCommentary: A Presidential Wild Pitch?
The president loves baseball, and has said the earliest memories he has are of the sport: a glove under his pillow the night before his first game and a too-big Little League jersey that hung past his knees. Given a chance to pick between an inning on the mound in the majors or the vice presidency, a much younger Joe Biden wouldn’t hesitate.
“I would have pitched!” the then-vice president told a crowd gathered for the final game of the 2009 Little League World Series, before following through with his trademark addendum, “By the way, I’m not kidding.”
Read the full storyFree Range Kids Founder Lenore Skenazy Talks About Her Two New Inititiaves, Let Grow Play Club and Let Grow Project
Live from Music Row Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed President of Let Grow and founder of Free Range Kids Lenore Skenazy to the newsmakers line to talk about her two new initiatives. Leahy: On our newsmaker line, our new friend, Lenore Skenazy, the President of Letgrow.org. And really the founder of the Free Range Kids Movement. So, Lenore, I have a question for you. Are you open to it? Skenazy: I thought you had a great idea for me. Leahy: I do. I have a question for you. So first, before we get to our idea, why don’t you describe some of the K8 projects that Let Grow has currently? Skenazy: Oh, thank you so much. Sure. So we just have two school initiatives. They’re both free. So it’s not like I’m selling something. One is like I was telling you before the Let Grow Play Club. We encourage schools to open before after school for kid-led, no adult. There’s an adult in the corner with an EpiPen. But otherwise, it’s just kids playing.…
Read the full storyGov. Whitmer Allows Stadiums at 20 Percent Capacity; Still Mum on Former Health Director’s Resignation
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration issued a new order requiring COVID-19 testing for all 13-19-year-old athletes before each game and practice.
In her first news conference after Whitmer and former state health director Robert Gordon waived their confidentiality clause in Gordon’s $155,506 taxpayer funded separation package, Whitmer still dodged two direct questions.
Whitmer insisted she has “nothing to hide” but gave no new details about the resignation.
“I have said all I am going to say about Director Gordon’s departure,” she said.
Whitmer’s new order will allow outdoor stadiums to open at 20% capacity if the venue follows certain protocols. The order comes less than two weeks ahead of the April 1 Detroit Tigers opening day at Comerica Park.
For Comerica Park, that means it can allow roughly 8,200 fans if it:
Establishes an infection control plan that complies with the the state health department’s Enhanced Outdoor Stadium and Arena Guidance
Posts the mitigation plan publicly
Sends infection control plans to the local health department and MDHHS at least seven days before scheduled events.
Administers a testing program following the Guidance for Athletics
“We truly appreciate the ongoing partnership with the Governor’s office and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. We are thrilled to safely welcome back the best fans in baseball to Comerica Park for Opening Day and beyond,” Illitch Holdings Group President of Sports and Entertainment Chris Granger said in a statement. “As the season progresses, we look forward to continued coordination with public health and medical experts, government officials and Major League Baseball to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all Detroit Tigers fans.”
The loosened restrictions follow as more Michiganders get vaccinated. Michigan has injected over 3 million vaccines, continuing to reach for its goal of vaccinating 70% of Michigander’s ages 16 and older.
“Last week’s numbers are a reality check that COVID-19 is not yet behind us,” Whitmer said in a Friday morning news conference. “We may be seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, but we’re still in the tunnel.”
The push to ramp up vaccinations aims to stem the spread of multiple COVID-19 variants and depress rising COVID-19 case numbers.
About 756 cases of the U.K COVID-19 variant have been reported in Michigan, while seven of the South African variant have been reported.
“You’ll have a summer of fun ahead if we can all get vaccinated,” Whitmer said of small July 4 celebrations.
Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun warned Michigan is headed in the “wrong direction” in COVID-19 data after four weeks of case increases. The COVID-19 positivity rate has increased to 6.2%, an increase from mid-February but down from the December high of 19.4%.
Hospital capacity dedicated to COVID-19 is now at 4.9%, down from a December high of 19.6%.
Under the new epidemic order, Michiganders ages 13-19 can’t practice or compete in sports unless they participate in a stringent testing program starting April 2.
The order aims to battle 315 reported outbreaks associated with high school sports, officials said.
Read the full storyState Rep. Scott Cepicky of Maury County Talks About His Ups and Downs and Background in Professional Football and Baseball
Thursday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed State Rep. Scott Cepicky in studio to talk about his journey in professional baseball.
Read the full storyTexas Minor League Baseball Announcer Tim Hagerty Receives Hateful Tweets Aimed at U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee
In an unfortunate case of mistaken identity, a Minor League Baseball radio announcer in Texas named Tim Hagerty is receiving hateful social media comments intended for a U.S. Senator of a similar name from Tennessee over the acquittal of President Donald Trump.
Tim Hagerty recently tweeted, “I continue getting tweets intended for US Senator Bill Hagerty.
Read the full storyFormer Mayor Bypassed City Council on Jackson Generals Baseball Agreement, Comptroller Says
Jackson’s former mayor neglected to inform city council members about an agreement to reimburse the Jackson Baseball Club a substantial amount of money for services at the stadium where the Jackson Generals play baseball. This, according to Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower.
Read the full storyCommentary: Baseball Season, Our Distorted View of COVID-19, and What the Facts Tell Us
If you’re not convinced that Americans have been sold a distorted view of COVID-19 risk, consider Major League Baseball.
Most of the league’s players are among the 46 million Americans between ages 25 and 34. A total of 992 people in this age group have died with COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s a mortality rate of 2 per 100,000.
Read the full storyCommentary: New Evidence Shows Key Fans Unhappy with Sports Leagues Kowtowing to Black Lives Matter
If anyone was hoping that the return of the long-awaited Major League season would lift our spirits and bring us together, they had to be disappointed to learn that we are more divided than ever over the National Anthem kneeling debate. And although President Trump has not chosen to join the burgeoning #BoycottMLB movement on Twitter, the president has joined a growing number of disheartened baseball fans who are unhappy that their favorite teams are taking the knee. Even before the start of the season, President Trump tweeted that he was “looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!”
Read the full storyDeWine’s Baseball Team’s Paycheck Protection Program Loan Nets Millionaire Governor $189K of Forgivable Taxpayer Handout
With news that Gov. Mike DeWine’s minor league baseball team cashed in on the Paycheck Protection Program, one may ask how Ohio’s top executive came to own a team in North Carolina or why he needed a taxpayer handout.
DeWine has a 32 percent stake in the Asheville Tourists minor league team, The Ohio Star reported this week.
Read the full storyCleveland Indians Look into Changing Name Amid Pressure
They’ve been known as the Cleveland Indians since 1915. Those days could be over.
Amid new pressure sparked by a national movement to correct racial wrongdoings, the Indians said Friday night they will review their long-debated nickname which has been in place for 105 years.
Read the full storyMLB Cancels All-Star Game for First Time Since 1945
Dodger Stadium’s 40-year wait to host the All-Star Game is going to last even longer.
The game scheduled for July 14 was canceled Friday because of the coronavirus pandemic, and Dodger Stadium was awarded the 2022 Midsummer Classic. The 2021 game is set for Atlanta’s Truist Park, home to the Braves since 2017.
Read the full storySt. Paul Saints to Play Season in Sioux Falls for Now Because of ‘Capacity Restrictions’
The St. Paul Saints announced Friday that the team will be participating in a 60-game season beginning July 3, but all games will be played in Sioux Falls, South Dakota until “capacity restrictions for outdoor events have relaxed.”
The American Association of Independent Professional Baseball said the shortened season will run from July 3 to September 10, concluding with a championship series between the top two teams. The league will consist of six teams based in three separate hubs.
Read the full storyMajor League Baseball Eyeing an Arizona Comeback in May: Report
Officials within Major League Baseball (MLB) – along with the players – are working on a plan to return for a 2020 season as early as May, according to ESPN Monday.
Read the full storyOhio Bill Wants to Add Protective Netting to All Professional Baseball Stadiums
A bill introduced in the Ohio House chamber this week would require major and minor league baseball teams to install protective netting in their stadiums.
Read the full storyIs Your Representative Playing In The Congressional Baseball Game?
by Evie Fordham Sixty members of Congress will take the field for the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity on Thursday night in Washington, D.C. Click here to find the complete roster. Twenty-four Democrats and 36 Republicans will face each other at Nationals Park. Notable politicians playing include Republicans Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rep. Mia Love of Utah and, of course, Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana. Scalise was shot when a gunman opened fire at a Republican congressional baseball practice in 2017. Five people were wounded, and Scalise was hospitalized for months, undergoing multiple surgeries after being shot in the hip. He will be the starting second baseman for a team hoping to earn victory over the Democrats, who beat the Republicans 11-2 in 2017. The game is available to watch on Facebook Live; the first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. Eastern time. The congressional baseball game offers Republicans and Democrats a chance to cross party lines for a good cause. The event will support charities like The Washington Literacy Center, The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington and the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation. – – – Evie Fordham is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation. Follow Evie on Twitter @eviefordham. …
Read the full storyRemembering Roy Halladay
Former major league pitcher Roy Halladay died Tuesday after his ICON A5 plane crashed in the Gulf of Mexico, 10 miles west of St. Petersburg, Florida, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a press conference. He was 40 years old. The man often called “Doc” retired in 2013 after spending 16 years in the major…
Read the full storyHouston to Host Parade for Champion Astros on Friday
The City of Houston will honor the World Series champion Astros with a parade through downtown on Friday. The World Series title was 56 years in the making since the club began life as the Colt .45s. It also marks the first championship claimed by a Houston team in any of the four major North American…
Read the full storyDodgers Rip Astros 6-2 to Level World Series
Two unlikely heroes, a pitcher who lost his only prior playoff start and a batter in an 0-for-13 slump, rescued the World Series title hopes of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. Alex Wood baffled Houston batters for 5 2/3 no-hit innings and Cody Bellinger snapped his drought with two crucial doubles as the Dodgers downed…
Read the full storyBrad Paisley Knocks the National Anthem Out of the Ballpark
Lots of country stars have been putting their spin on the national anthem lately, but Brad Paisley’s may be the most electric performance yet … literally. The Grammy-winner took to the field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles to perform “The Star Spangled Banner” before game two of…
Read the full storyAstros Carry World Series Momentum as Dodgers Eye a Comeback
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts vowed resiliency after an emotional defeat while the Houston Astros try to carry over World Series momentum as baseball’s championship showdown shifts to Texas. The Astros rallied from a three-run deficit for an 11-inning 7-6 road victory to level Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven final at 1-1 entering Friday’s game three…
Read the full storyAstros Shut Out Yankees, Set World Series Clash with Dodgers
The Houston Astros defeated the New York Yankees 4-0 on Saturday to book a Major League Baseball World Series showdown with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After fending off elimination in game six on Friday, the Astros won the best-of-seven American League Championship Series four-games-to-three to reach the World Series for the second time in club history.…
Read the full storyMLB Owners Unanimously Approve Sale of Marlins to Jeter Group
Major League Baseball announced Wednesday its owners unanimously approved the sale of the Miami Marlins to the group led by venture capitalist Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter. The vote was conducted via conference call on Wednesday. Sherman and Jeter — the former New York Yankees shortstop will be the CEO — officially will take over upon…
Read the full storyCheck Out Tim Tebow’s Poignant Moment with a WWII Veteran
Tim Tebow has been working hard to help those in his home state of Florida after the destruction wrought by Hurricane Irma. On Monday, the professional baseball player — — spent time at a shelter for those in Florida affected by the storm. The athlete met a World War II veteran there. And the elderly man…
Read the full storyWorld Champion Cubs Visit the White House
President Trump met with the World Champion Chicago Cubs Wednesday. The White House released this short highlight reel to commemorate the visit.
Read the full storyRoyals Pitcher Ventura killed in car crash
Kanas City Royals right-handed pitcher Yordano Ventura was killed in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic on Sunday. He was 25. “It is with a heavy and broken heart that we confirm the passing of Yordano Ventura,” Royals vice president of communications and broadcasting Mike Swanson wrote on Twitter. The hard-throwing Ventura came up…
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