Brother Jeff Comes to San Diego

REALLY LATE ON THIS ONE but always glad to see someone who is excited about owning a team actually get one. I felt the same way when Arte Moreno bought the Angels. Needless to say, not all owners care about putting the best team on the field every year. Mr. Moorad doesn't seem to fit that image. Circumstance was unique leading up to the purchase, as a divorce by previous owner John Moores helped precipitate the sale where Moores' wife had part ownership in the team. The Padres are now probably at least a few years away from competing for the division title, just that the NL West has been anyone's division the last few years.

Eri Yoshida's White Knuckler

SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD ERI YOSHIDA STRUCK OUT one of the two batters she faced in her debut for the Kobe 9 Cruise last friday. She's a mere five feet, 114 pounds and throws a sidearm knuckleball. I'm not sure why or even how she throws the sidearm pitch, since a knuckleball's deception occurs in those last five to ten feet. While there are some batters who can't wait to face her, there are probably some who sport white knuckles for the fear and embarrassment of striking out against a female pitcher. A pitch is a pitch is a pitch, right?

Miguel Tejada's Wrist Slap

MIGUEL TEJADA BECAME THE FIRST high-profile ballplayer to be convicted for lying to Congress about performance-enhancing drugs. The penalty handed down by the judge was a $5,000 fine and 100 hours of community service, in other words just a small slap on the wrist. For the average citizen, that would be the equivalent of a $100 fine plus community service. So this is what Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Durham meant when he essentially said there will be accountability for lying to Congress. The average joe out there might not have received such leniency.

David Price Is Not Right...yet!

SOMEDAY IN THE NEAR FUTURE if not already, there will be a t-shirt like the one above sans the word 'not' because the number one overall pick in the 2007 amateur draft not only has a last name that's easy pickings for Chris Berman, he also has the tools to someday be the ace in Tampa Bay's rotation. Nonetheless, it stinks to be sent back down to AAA (by VP of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, pictured above) to start the season when you clearly have big league talent, especially when you closed out Game 7 of the '08 ALCS.

Marlins Take Miami-Dade for a Ride

IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME and it won't be the last, but it's always frustrating to the taxpayer when private corporations, in this case the Florida Marlins, use publicly-funded money to pay for stadiums. The Marlins have tried for fifteen years to tap significant citizen dollars to build a new stadium. They claim a need for a new venue which will bring in more dollars and help make their team more competitive, blah, blah, blah. Lest we forget, the Marlins have won two World Series since 1997. That's one less than the Yankees, the same number as the Red Sox, and more than everyone else.

WBC Championship Cap = Waste of Money

I PROMISE THIS IS THE LAST World Baseball Classic post until next year, just that I couldn't help but notice the championship hat for Japan selling for $26.99 at MLB.com. What were they thinking?! Will anyone buy and wear one of these slap-it-on ugly hats? Shame on MLB.

Curt Schilling Was Money

RATHER THAN WAIT 'TIL MIDSEASON to entertain an offer, Curt Schilling chose to hang 'em up yesterday after a 20-year career. Schilling will always be remembered first and foremost as a big game pitcher ala John Smoltz, Jack Morris, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, etc. He was pretty much money during the postseason, winning some harrowing, high-stakes AL Championship and World Series games with the Red Sox and Diamondbacks. From the notorious bloody sock game against the Yankees in '04 to Game 7 of the '01 World Series, Schilling was nails. MLB was lucky to have him.

Japan: World Baseball Champions...Again

IT'S NO COINCIDENCE that Japan has won the first two World Baseball Classics. These guys are as fundamentally sound as they come...and then there's Ichiro. With the score tied 3-3 in the 10th inning, Korea opted to pitch to him despite the Japanese having two men in scoring position AND first base open. So after fouling off several pitches, including one that bounced in the dirt, Ichiro got his pitch. A split second later I saw this giant fuzzy ball coming towards the screen—a sharp, two-run single into centerfield, and Team Japan would go on to clinch another world title.

$2600 Per Seat Conversation at New Yankee Stadium

IT TOOK ME ABOUT THREE SECONDS to realize that $2600 is the equivalent of some people's monthly mortgage or paycheck. I still think $1000 is too steep for postseason tickets, let alone a regular season ticket. Last time I checked, front row seats at a minor league game cost about $15. These new front-row seats in the Bronx make the (then outrageous) $90 spring training Dodger tickets look like chump change.

Team USA: Next in Line...Evan Longoria

PLAYERS FROM ALL NATIONS have expressed the honor of playing for their country, but with the rash of injuries to Team USA, it makes you wonder who's next in line for an injury. Here's hoping all the players come home healthy with the regular season only two weeks away.

Korea Sticks It to Japan

I'M A LITTLE LATE on this one, but I've been watching the World Baseball Classic more than I thought I would. There have actually been quite a few memorable moments, both big and small, including the flag planting the Koreans did after defeating Japan earlier this week to advance to the semifinals (Japan actually beat Korea yesterday to gain a more favorable semifinal matchup with the U.S.). Distasteful? Unsportsmanlike conduct? I admit that it surprised me and my gut reaction was that it was a bit much. Either way, it was rubbing it in to the Japanese. And it's no surprise to anyone that defeating Japan is probably just as good as clinching it all for Korea.

Pedro and the Musical Hats

WHERE WILL PEDRO MARTINEZ WIND UP? Back where it all started with the Dodgers? Another round with the Mets? Retirement?

May I Suggest: A-Rod Pocket Mirror Promotion Night?

A-ROD HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY hammered in the press more than any single athlete I can think of in the last year. Sadly enough, he really did bring every bit of it on himself. This is the last kind of association a non-profit like The Boys and Girls Club of America needs.

Astros Rendezvous with I-Rod

TRUE, PUDGE ISN"T GETTING ANY YOUNGER, but it's still somewhat surprising to see a guy with his resume get signed so late into Spring Training. I know, a 37-year old catcher is way beyond his prime unless you're Benito Santiago on steroids. I-Rod told the press that he worked out hard this offseason and that whoever signs him is going to hit the jackpot. A $1.5 million 1-year deal is definitely a bargain for the Astros, and we'll find out soon enough if they get the production they're looking for.

Eye Black Fashion

WATCHING JAPAN VS. CUBA play yesterday, I noticed that one of the Japanese players (Shuichi Murata?) was wearing a pretty cool eye-black sticker similar to one of the sketches (lower left). I've never seen anything other than those of the capsule-shaped variety. I wonder if we'll be seeing more kinds of shapes in the future.

Team USA: Mercy!

THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC is a real boon for countries like Cuba, Korea and Italy. These countries have a chance to showcase players we don't typically see while also gaining broader exposure to the entire world, similar to the Olympic Games. But for the U.S. team, it's simply a lose-lose proposition. If Team USA wins, nothing less is expected. Lose, and as Derek Jeter put it after losing 11-1 to Puerto Rico via the Mercy Rule, it's "embarrassing".

Papelbon Doing the Manny Polka

A LOT OF REPORTERS CRITICIZED Jonathan Papelbon for calling out Manny this late for his final acts in Boston last year, but failed to note that his interview in Esquire's April issue happened last December shortly after the season ended when feelings are still somewhat fresh, not this Spring. And after reading his comments, I thought Papelbon really didn't say much that wasn't already noted about the situation. In other words, it wasn't really news at all, just another one of Pap's loud polkas.

World Baseball Classic's David & Goliath

Netherlands defeats Dominican Republic, not once, but twice, eliminating them from the WBC tournament.

Fiction=cliché
Reality=shock

Eric Chavez vs. Injury Bug

Cody Ransom's Opening Day Dream?

Magical Dominican Daddy Mints

The latest age-discrepancy of Latino ballplayers: Vladimir Guerrero

Adios Alou!

Hall of Famers: Downing & Finley...Angels, that is.

Tommy Murphy Eats It

Dodger Postcards: Reese to Kershaw

Survivor Washington