Tag Archives: MLB

Why I hold the Hall of Fame voting process in contempt

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This story has the best distillation of why the Baseball Writers Association of America should have had the Hall of Fame voting privilege taken away from them years ago. Former BBWAA president Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer didn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Clemens cleared

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The saga ends. A federal jury today acquitted baseball superstar Roger Clemens on charges of lying to Congress about the use of performance enhancing drugs in a stinging rebuke to a four-year campaign by legislators and federal prosecutors to turn … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Clemens cleared

Calling a ball a ball and a strike a strike

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Bobby Valentine says that’s the way he wants it. A day after being ejected, Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine was still steamed about umpiring, and said technology should be used to eliminate human error in calling balls and strikes. … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Calling a ball a ball and a strike a strike

Retire #50!

Posted on June 2, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I was enjoying this story about JR Richard, was was inducted into the Astros Walk of Fame at Minute Maid on Friday night, until I got to these paragraphs: The Astros have been more liberal than most teams in retiring … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

More replay for MLB, please

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

They’re thinking about it, but don’t rush them. Major League Baseball currently is exploring the expansion of instant replay with the World Umpires Association, and no timetable has been specified for any adjustments to the current policy. The owners and … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on More replay for MLB, please

No, San Antonio will not be getting an MLB team any time soon

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

You are right to be skeptical. It’s a development that has become as predictable as yellow pollen in the spring. A Major League Baseball franchise, struggling financially, seeks a new stadium deal, a new location, a new life. In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Two wild cards are one too many

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t care for this. Major League Baseball expanded its playoff format to 10 teams Friday, adding a second wild card in each league. The decision establishes a new one-game, wild-card round in each league between the teams with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Why salary caps suck

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

In a sane world, the Houston Texans would not have to worry about whether they have or can free up the cap space to re-sign Mario Williams as well as whichever else of their free agents they would like to … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

No more Not-Stros

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Glad we got that settled. New owner Jim Crane ended a week of speculation and rare attention on a national level and anticipated backlash among Houstonians, saying he would not change the name of the club – a possibility he … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

MLB labor deal calls for more use of replay

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This overview of what’s in the proposed collective bargaining agreement for Major League Baseball has the following interesting tidbit: MLB wants to expand replay to include fair-or-foul calls, “whether a fly ball or line drive was trapped” and fan interference … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on MLB labor deal calls for more use of replay

NBA lockout to end

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Glad to hear it. The NBA will be back on Christmas Day, pending approval of a tentative settlement of a lengthy, combustible lockout that came closer than ever before in league history to swallowing an entire season. A 66-game schedule … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on NBA lockout to end

Sports Authority will not impede Astros move to AL

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

One of the odd side stories that came out after MLB officially approved the sale of the Astros to Jim Crane was this contention by attorney Kevin W. Yankowsky of Fulbright & Jaworski that the Astros’ lease at Minute Maid … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

MLB approves Astros sale

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s official. Jim Crane’s $610 million purchase of the Astros from Drayton McLane was unanimously approved by Major League Baseball’s owners this morning. All that remains is a formal closing of the transaction, which likely will take place early next … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Astros almost to the AL

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s happening. Prospective Astros owner Jim Crane and his group of investors have reached an agreement with Major League Baseball that would shift the franchise to the American League, two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed Friday. One person … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Houston to get 2013 NBA All Star Game

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Assuming the lockout has ended by then, of course. The game will be played Feb. 17 at Toyota Center, which also hosted the 2006 game. “It’s a done deal,” a person familiar with the bidding process told the Chronicle on … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

No MLB or NFL for SA any time soon

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

San Antonio is many things, but a Major League Baseball or NFL city is isn’t, and won’t be any time soon. Those are the findings of California-based Premier Partnerships, which recently submitted the results of a six-month feasibility study commissioned … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Steroid prevalency: Opinions differ

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Richard Justice writes about steroids in sports, in particular steroid use among high school students, and quotes a familiar source. [Don Hooton] cites a Procter & Gamble Co. study in which 2,000 kids were asked if an adult, parent, coach … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

MLB needs to stand by all of its players

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

A brief history of baseball’s other color line. There is no Latin American Jackie Robinson, no single Hispanic ballplayer who lifted his people onto his back and crashed through baseball’s racist barricades. But there always has to be a first, … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“America’s largest city with no pro sports teams”

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This Houston Press lamentation about the city of Austin contained the following tidbit that caught my eye: Austin is America’s largest city with no pro sports teams (though some would debate the amateur status of the Texas Longhorns). Well, that … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

MLB realignment?

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Well, this is interesting. A simple form of realignment being seriously considered has been raised in the labor talks between Major League Baseball and the players’ association, according to four sources: two leagues of 15 teams, rather than the current … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Alomar, Blyleven enter HOF

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations to Roberto Alomar and (at long last) Bert Blyleven for their election to the Hall of Fame. Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven were chosen to the baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday, in an election in which voters again … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The 2011 Hall of Fame ballot

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Brace yourself for lots of posturing and moralizing about the eeeeevils of steroids and the general decline of society. Suspected steroid users Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez are on baseball’s Hall of Fame ballot for the first time, joining Bert … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , | 20 Comments

So how about that instant replay?

Posted on June 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I presume you’ve heard about the perfect game that wasn’t, thanks to the blown call by the umpire with two outs in the ninth inning. If not, see here, here, and here for the details. All I have to say … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on So how about that instant replay?

Selig avoids All Star Game issue

Posted on May 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We always knew he was a weenie. With a lengthy non-answer, Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig on Thursday gave no indication he would move the 2011 All-Star Game from Phoenix in response to Arizona’s immigration law, saying MLB has … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More pressure on MLB over the 2011 All Star Game

Posted on May 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Keep it up. A New York congressman who called for the league to move the 2011 game from Phoenix is the latest person to push for an economic boycott against the state in protest of the new law. Companies have … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

MLBPA opposes Arizona immigration law

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. New York, NY, Friday, April 30, 2010 … The following statement was issued today by Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director Michael Weiner regarding the immigration law recently passed by the state of Arizona. “The recent … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t play ball with the state of Arizona

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

What Kevin Blackistone says. About 10 years ago, the NCAA made one of its most bold and upright decisions: it refused to allow any more of its postseason tournaments, like March Madness, to be held in South Carolina until the … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Watch for the loophole

Posted on July 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So today Olivia and I went to the Astros game, which they won by a score of 5-0, and there was a situation that occurred that could have been a lot more interesting that it turned out to be. With … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack

Posted on June 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I think the key bit in this story about the Astros’ policy forbidding fans from bringing their own food into the stadium is this: Most MLB teams list their policies on outside food and drink on their Web sites. Details … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

From the “Math is hard” files

Posted on June 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Inside this article on the Astros’ poor home attendance numbers so far comes the following mathematical muddle. Through May 20, only 10 of the 30 teams in the majors were seeing an increase in average attendance over last year. Of … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on From the “Math is hard” files