Top News:
NY Daily News:
You pay for Yanks' parking deal — The Yankees and hundreds of their VIPs will get free valet parking for the next 40 years, courtesy of New York taxpayers. — The startling revelation of yet another subsidy for the richest team in baseball is buried deep in the fine print …
Discussion:
SPORTSbyBROOKS, Scott Proctor's Arm, Sliding Into Home, River Ave. Blues, ShysterBall and Bronx Banter
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NY Daily News:
Yankee Stadium parking rates to double — Yankee fans can expect to pay a whopping $29 for stadium parking during home games starting in 2010 - more than twice last year's $14 rate. — Those who want valet service will pay $40 - a sharp increase over today's $30 rate.
Discussion:
My Pinstripes
Dallas Morning News:
Trade presents opportunity for Texas Rangers pitchers — From where I sit on this New Year's Day - and that would be in my pajamas watching a small TV and gorging myself on every snack chip I can find - there are two components of the Rangers' daring pre-Christmas trade with Cincinnati.
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New York Post:
YANK DROVE WITH NIXED LICENSE — VICTIM'S PALS RIP LEYRITZ AS 'A KNOWN DRUNK' — By LISA LUCAS in Delray Beach, Fla., SAMUEL GOLDSMITH in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and DAN MANGAN in New York — Ex-Yankee home-run hero Jim Leyritz was driving with a suspended license when he allegedly got drunk …
Discussion:
River Ave. Blues
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Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Giles may add to mix at second — Creating competition will be a common thread as the Rockies iron out their final roster wrinkles before the start of spring training. — Free agent Marcus Giles is emerging as a strong possibility to push rookie Jayson Nix for the second base job.
Replacement Level Yankees Weblog:
The Wang Effect? — If you're a baseball fan with at least some proclivity towards stats, you're probably familiar with Voros McCracken's DIPS theory. McCracken basically stated that a pitcher's ability to control what happens on balls in play is variable and volatile.
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Interview: Bob Bowman - President and CEO - MLBAM — At the beginning of this interview, I mention that Bob Bowman is the most influential person in sports that no one has heard of. If you have your finger on the pulse of sports business, that really could not be further from the truth.
Discussion:
ShysterBall
Sean Deveney / Sporting News:
Why won't anyone pony up for Johan Santana? — The Yule logs are but ashes. The fruitcakes are being digested, a process that will continue until July. The Moet bottles are empty, giving off a nauseating, sour smell that really makes you wonder how the stuff possibly tasted good the previous night.
Jon Paul Morosi / Detroit Free Press:
THE FACE OF THE TIGERS: Brandon Inge is pillar in community, but he's likely to be traded — Coffee tables are crowded at this time of year. They are popular hangouts for greeting cards, holiday decorations and photographs of second cousins you rarely see. Space can be scarce.
Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Fountain of youth — Marlins move on with top prospects, young stars in 2008 — MIAMI — Instead of growing another year older, the youthful Marlins have gotten a bit younger once again. — At least, they're greener when it comes to experience. — The Marlins made the biggest splash …
ESPN:
Debate: Is Jim Rice a Hall of Famer? — Jim Rice hit 20 or more home runs in 11 of his 16 seasons in the majors and also drove in more than 1,400 runs in his career. But so far those numbers haven't been enough to get Rice elected to the Hall of Fame. — In this, his 14th year on the ballot …
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Steve Treder / Hardball Times:
Re-imagining the Big Zone Sixties, revisited: part one — Away back in 2004 (it really doesn't seem that long ago!), in the dim dark early months of THT, we presented a couple of articles that examined the impact that the expanded strike zone of 1963 through 1968 had on our perception of the best batting performances of the era.
Discussion:
ShysterBall
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Dunston takes first crack at Hall — Rocket-armed shortstop makes debut on ballot — Most players dream of getting to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Shawon Dunston is on this year's ballot, but he may be the only one who is already in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
National intrigue — New vibe surrounds DC following busy offseason — WASHINGTON — There's a good reason the Nationals are excited about the upcoming season — they're going to play in a brand-new ballpark and bring more excitement to the diamond, especially after general manager Jim Bowden …
Discussion:
Federal Baseball
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A.S. / East Windup Chronicle:
Yankees After Darvish For 2009? — I'm surprised it took this long, but the Yu Darvish to MLB rumors may have just officially kicked off right along with the new year. A Sports Hankook (Korea) report, relying on a Japanese source, says that the Yankees plan to nab Darvish following the 2008 season.
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