Congress provides an opportunity that might help finance a new Rays stadium

But it’s safe to say stadium backers are looking at a combination of ways to pay the projected $892 million cost for a ballpark in the team’s preferred Ybor City location — among them, a community development district, tourism tax revenues, naming rights, corporate sponsorships and a team contribution.

And one other option, called an Opportunity Zone, that has captured the imagination of deep-pocketed investors, developers and politicians interested in reviving depressed inner city ...

MLB must fix glaring problem that ruined an all-time classic

The games start too late and last too long. I love baseball but there is no way I can make the kind of commitment it takes to watch complete games. Five o’clock in the morning comes too quick.

Despite the length, the TBS ratings for Game 4 were still good (the most watched show on all of cable Wednesday) — but that has much to do with mammoth numbers in Boston and Houston. Elsewhere, devilish decisions between sleep or not on a work night were undertaken as the game ebbed toward a 1:12 a.m. ...

Alex Cora has some words for a vocal critic of David Price | Boston.com

Why didn’t he just mention the Mad Dog?

“There was a lot of noise,” Cora said. “I was saying today — and I don’t want to pick battles with the media — but I heard somebody today on TV just blasting David, blasting him, calling him the worst pitcher in the postseason.”

...

The belief paid off Thursday.

“When he was throwing 94 miles per hour and the [changeups], I was thinking about that segment on MLB Network today,” Cora said. “I don’t know, probably the guy is going ...

As Mets GM search gets serious, here’s what baseball folks are saying about the candidates (like Gary LaRocque) | SNY

This is silly.

Yes, David Price and Clayton Kershaw can win big October games

Ballplayers have the ability to control the narrative with their play.

Bill James on Baseball, Facts, and the Rules of the Game by EconTalk | Econ Talk | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Baseball stats guru and author Bill James talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the challenges of understanding complexity in baseball and elsewhere. James reflects on the lessons he has learned as a long-time student of data and the role it plays in understanding the underlying reality that exists between different variables in sports and outside of sports. The conversation closes with a discussion of our understanding of social processes and the connection to public policy and the ...

Red Sox Reach World Series With David Price’s Playoff Breakthrough - The New York Times

Recently he’s been saying stuff that resonates with Red Sox fans. Last night his production matched his words.

Dave Littlefield latest candidate to interview for Mets’ GM role

The Mets have interviewed Tigers’ vice president of player development Dave Littlefield for their open GM role, SNY’s Andy Martino confirmed on Wednesday.

New Yorkers unfamiliar with the peculiarities of Littlefield’s disastrous time in charge of the Pirates may at least recall his official scouting assessment of the height of Derek Jeter’s butt.

Everyone gets intrusive thoughts from time to time (e.g. “I wonder how far I could throw that baby), but it’s almost never a good idea to act on ...

Red Sox Voice Joe Castiglione Falls Off Chair Calling Game 4 Final Out | Boston Red Sox | NESN.com

.@RedSox radio broadcaster Joe Castiglione got so excited during the final play, he literally fell out of his seat. Can you believe it? pic.twitter.com/HdMe6upUpF

— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2018

More questions after Astros get free pass on dugout spying

“We were playing defense,” Astros president of baseball operations Jeff Luhnow said. “We were not playing offense. We want to make sure it’s an even playing field.”

This is a bad look. It’s the league’s job to make sure it’s an even playing field.

The league offering Houston the free pass enraged executives around baseball, who reached out to Yahoo Sports trying to understand the rationale. If the Astros were allowed to monitor another team’s dugout in-game without penalty, one ...

Rustin Dodd on Twitter: “Here’s the space between the yellow line and the first row in right field at Minute Maid Park:… ”

Here’s the space between the yellow line and the first row in right field at Minute Maid Park: pic.twitter.com/L0bR3ahpKs

— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) October 18, 2018

MLB playoffs 2018: Brewers used a fake starter, Dodgers used Clayton Kershaw - SBNation.com

This was a cheap simulation league maneuver. There is no rule against it. Maybe there should be.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 10-18-2018

Jackson County [North Carolina] Journal, October 18, 1918:

The airplane has broken into the game. Some days ago the baseball team from Brooks field at San Antonio flew all the way to Corpus Christi, Tex., to keep a date with the nine at that aviation field. The fliers from San Antonio won the game, by the way. They covered the 100 miles in nine planes in a little more than two hours. Major league clubs have gone aviating before this, but never in real airplanes.

Those teams went in fake ...

Texas Rangers Asking Taxpayers To Cover 60% Of Bribes Related To New Stadium

Aren’t they factored in for every stadium deal?

Kiley McDaniel Chat – 10/16/18 | FanGraphs Baseball

Some interesting tidbits in this week’s chat.

The drama is only just beginning for Joe Maddon’s agent, Theo Epstein and the rest of the Cubs – The Athletic

It will be interesting how the situation plays out.

Mozeliak: Offseason accountability ‘is going to be very real’ for Cardinals’ current players | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com

“It’s three to four months of, ‘Can you take advantage of it?’” Mozeliak said. “Rather than just say, ‘I hope you work hard,’ we want to be very intentional on how you spend your time and energy. … I feel this is just a more strategic approach to optimizing our offseason. I see this as a chance to take a much bigger step forward.”

That’s because the team sees how it’s several steps behind.

The Cardinals don’t want to wait for games to start before trying to regain ...

Fan interference negates Jose Altuve home run

Good job by security blocking the best camera angle.

Bryce Harper’s Future in the League

“Whichever team that Harper signs with will instantly become a contender.”

This unbelievable catch by Tony Kemp killed a Red Sox rally, but is it too good to be true?

and one Twitter sleuth thinks this clip proves that the ball hit the wall first. Another point of debate is the loud noise made during the catch, which some fans say is proof that the ball hit the fence. The announce team on TBS attributed it to Kemp crashing against the wall.

The link has video that causes me to think it actually wasn’t a catch.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 10-17-2018

Washington Times, October 17, 1918:

Babe Ruth, batting ace of the world’s champion Boston Red Sox, is a suffered [sic] with Spanish influenza at his home in Baltimore. At the close of the baseball season Ruth accepted essential employment at the Lebanon plant of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, and became a membor of the Lebanon team, Bethlehem Steel League. While called to Baltimore on a business mission he fell a victim of the scourge. His condition is not serious.

I know how this story goes, ...

Sources: Indians warned Red Sox about man stealing signs for Astros

A little more info.

Manny Machado not worth the trouble for the Yankees

Are Manny’s actions really costing him money?

Give these Dodgers fans a hand for rousing NLCS Game 4 comeback

LOS ANGELES — On Tuesday night, this city witnessed something almost as remarkable as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2-1 victory in 13 innings over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.

The Dodgers fans atoned.

Raucously. Relentlessly. Rejoicefully.

Chili Davis ‘not going to blame myself,’ wishes next Cubs hitting coach better

About the time the Cubs announced the hiring of the sixth hitting coach in eight seasons of Theo Epstein’s front office regime, Chili Davis got in his truck and headed out of Chicago on Monday – still sorting out how he took the fall for a group of hitters unable or unwilling to hear his message.

“The driving gives me a little time think about things,” said Davis, who was fired last week after just one season into a multiyear contract. “I guess I need to make some adjustments in the ...

Derek Jeter gets his wish: The Marlins home run sculpture is outta there

The Miami Marlins won county permission on Tuesday to move its home run sculpture out of Marlins Park to the plaza outside, giving Derek Jeter a key win in his efforts to erase the legacy of former owner Jeffrey Loria.

The sculptor behind “Homer,” New York’s Red Grooms, opposed moving the seven-story piece of public art, saying he designed it under a $2.5 million contract with Miami-Dade County specifically for its perch in center field. The sculpture whirs to life whenever the Marlins ...

Dodgers vs. Brewers: Benches clear after Manny Machado steps on Jesus Aguilar’s foot at first base

The bottom of the 10th inning of Game 4 of the National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers featured a benches-clearing incident involving Manny Machado and Jesus Aguilar. The two exchanged words following a play at first base where Machado tangled up with Aguilar’s foot.

Machado grounded out for the second out of the inning and while running through the first base bag, he made contact with the back of Aguilar’s foot. The benches and bullpens ...

Angels tell Anaheim they’re opting out of their lease on Angel Stadium

Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait, who led the drive against a tentative 2013 agreement between the city and the team for an Angel Stadium renovation, is in his final term. Voters in Anaheim will elect a new mayor and three new council members next month.

Angels spokeswoman Marie Garvey said the decision to opt out was not meant to influence voters. She said the lease required the team to opt out no later than Tuesday or wait until 2028 for another chance to do so.

“It’s today, or 10 years from ...

Metro Exclusive: Astros may have been cheating in Game 1 against Red Sox

We’ll see.

Rosenthal: Manny Machado still has work to do if he wants to keep the focus on his performance – The Athletic

Whenever I see you and ask you how you’re doing, you say, ‘I’m chillin.’ I know that’s your personality, that’s how you are. But there was a ball the other night, and you didn’t run hard. Manny, you know this, at this time of year people notice that kind of thing, so how would you explain it? What happened?

Machado: “Uhhh … (pause) … I’ve been thinking about it and it happens every time, there’s no excuse for it honestly. I’ve never given excuses for not running. ...