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	Michael Street reviews Harvey Frommer's Rembering Yankee Stadium Read his review!

Johanna quoted in the Chicago Tribune about Fan Safety.

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Johanna Wagner, a lifelong baseball fan, visited all 30 MLB stadiums in one season, alone, for her book The View from the Stands.

Ms. Wagner has a Master's in Sports Business from New York University, where she currently teaches. She also works as a consultant for MLB players and teams, and has another book in the works.

Milton Bradley and Tuesday Trivia!
January 6, 2009, 9:40am EST

Let me start by saying I have never met Milton Bradley, but I have to say that his rep for being as awful as he everyone seems to be reporting is ridiculous. He called Jeff Kent a racist, which, while I don't know that as a fact, I do know that very few people actually would ever call Jeff Kent a great guy... he's just a really good second baseman. He got into a fight with an umpire because the umpire taunted him and the umpire was later suspended for the incident, not Bradley. Yes, he ran up a few flights of stares to confront a broadcaster who had said something he didn't like, but that isn't quite the same thing as shoving an old man who didn't give you enough tickets on an away game like Manny Ramirez. Now that being said, do I think Bradley is the guy I would want playing left field? I think of the choices available I would say yes. Bradley has some fire, something that was missing from the Cubs last October. Adam Dunn has no fire. Pat Burrell? Well, a little bit after Milton Bradley got into a fight with his Manager in Cleveland, Burrell got into one in Philly. He didn't like Charlie Manual at all, and it took a long time for the two to work together. And then there is Manny Ramirez. Do I think Bradley is ideal? Nope, but little in baseball actually is ideal, its just the best decision that can be made at the time. Do I think Bradley will be around for three years? That depends, but I do think as he is grown up he has figured out it is a lot easier to catch some flies with honey. Stop treating him like a time bomb and let him play. You might find you like him, even if you don't want to.

Tuesday Trivia: It's back! We are hoping to have some new and exciting prizes in 2009, and this week though is brought to us by CustomSportsCards.com! The folks at Custom Sports Cards make baseball-style cards for all occasions: birth announcements, wedding invites, kids sports teams. Its a great idea. The winner of today's contest will receive 50 free cards! Simply email me the answer by filling out the text box at the bottom of this page, and include your email address and if you are the first correct answer, I will email you a promotional code so that you can claim your prize. If you have won this prize before, you are not eligible in today's contest, however. Good Luck! Who are the only two Cubs to hit 50+ home runs in a single season?

Translations and Understanding
January 5, 2009, 9:00am EST

First, I apparently overshot it a bit when I titled the next post. Horrifying might have been overstatement--- perhaps reserved only if the Dodgers gave her the job. Still, I found it shocking, though it did give me a little courage to apply for a play-by-play job on the single A level. It would only be 10 games (i'd be the fill-in) but if Jeanne Zelasko thinks she can do it on the major league level, well, I should be able to handle single A.

Onto this interesting story-- clearly a slow news weekend in NY-- by Roger Rubin who writes about how MLB or the Yankees should provide a translator for its international players so that the public can get to know those players. As I have written before, its the connection to the players that creates loyalty (well, winning does as well). Not allowing a really good player like Chien-Ming Wang shares his points of view, well that is a disservice to the fans. The first comment to the story posted at the Daily News Website suggests that MLB just teach the players English. Thats a great idea, and there are classes in the Minor leagues that are required for teaching the foreign born players English, though they are mostly geared towards the Spanish speakers. The Asian students are, I believe, included, but if English is being taught in Spanish how does that help? The other thing that we all need to remember is that very few minor leaguers ever appear at the Major League level, so teams have to be very careful how they devote resources (read: money) to those players. Why spend a lot of money teaching guys to speak English if they will be out of baseball in less than two years? And that is why the team or MLB should be stepping up when a guy gets to the big leagues with little English under his belt. The team is missing the boat of they don't realize the players are they biggest asset in winning over the fans-- giving those players a voice is critical.

This is Horrifying!
January 3, 2008, 10:10am EST

OK, let me first say that I am a big proponent of women breaking barriers in baseball, but the scariest news I have read in ages is that Jeanne Zelasko is auditioning to be the Dodgers play by play voice replacing Charlie Steiner. Here is the story from Jim Gintonio. Maybe she would be amazing at it, but first the Dodgers have a great reputation for quality play by play and second, she wasn't very good at the Fox pre-game show each Saturday, which has been cancelled. Kevin Kennedy couldn't have taught her enough one day a week for her to be ready for this.

The more relevant and interesting story coming out of Dodger land though is about Andruw Jones, who according to Bill Shaiken will restructure his contract to benefit the Dodgers, though I am not sure why unless his agent, Scott Boras, told him to do it so Boras could get Manny Ramirez a better deal. The money will be deferred, so eventually Jones should get it, but I can't believe the players association won't have a problem with this. After all, they nixed a deal a few years ago that would have sent Alex Rodriguez from the Rangers to the Red Sox for virtually the same reason. More of this story will spill out over the weekend, I hope. There just isn't enough information here. It does seem to me to be a clear conflict of interest on Scott Boras' part, since he also represents the player that would most benefit from the Dodgers freeing up the money-- Manny Ramirez.

A New team at the Friendly Confines
January 2, 2008, 10:00am EST

There is very little happening in the baseball world except for Scott Boras trying to get anyone to believe (or at least write about) another suitor for Manny Ramirez-- which is most likely all the story that the Giants might be interested really is. So I thought I would tell you about a hockey game that was played yesterday at Wrigley Field. Of course, no details, other than the home team Blackhawks lost, but for more info here is the story by Rick Telander and a quick photo by John J. Kim of the Sun-Times of how they converted Wrigley into an outdoor hockey arena.

Cubs Stir the Drink
January 1, 2008, 10:40am EST

Happy New Year!

This blog post might be a little all over the place, as the moves the Cubs have made really have churned the water in a lot of different pots. First, there is the move of sending DeRosa to the Indians for some prospects, which could be turned around and traded to the Padres for Jake Peavy. A rumor has it that they also could go to the Orioles for Brian Roberts, though I can't believe with the Cubs signing of Aaron Miles that they would feel they still need Brian Roberts any more. Additionally, the Aaron Miles signing weakens the Cardinals just a touch, maybe enough to really make the Cubs the odds on favorites for the NL Central title again. Perhaps this year they won't be outscouted and will make it past the first round. With the trades of Marquis and DeRosa all signs look good to sign Milton Bradley who has been holding off the Nationals to wait on the Cubs. I am shocked that the Nationals are really in that bidding war for Bradley, unless they are seriously trying to create a thugish clubhouse. I do think Bradley gets a bad rap for some behavior from much younger days, but put him around Dukes and Milledge and pretty quickly there could be a seriously bad reputation building in DC. Anyway, the money that was cleared could definitely go for Bradley, or it could to absorbing the cost of getting Peavy who is due $11 million this year plus the cost of insurance. The Cubs ownership situation is due to be addressed this month, so could also allow the teams payroll to rise, and perhaps allow both players to join the Cubs.

If all these holes get filled, well, then the weight will be on Lou Piniella's shoulders to show that he is the manager that his reputation says he is. I have long loved Lou, remember the 1990 Reds after all, but when he failed to work well with the Rays, and then last post-season, it has made me wonder. Very curious to see how the Cubs play this year.

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