Jul 13, 08 7:56 AM CDT
Jon Daniels is 30. He’s a little geeky. The last time he played baseball was in Little League, and he wasn't very good. Jon Daniels also is in his third season as manager of the Texas Rangers, part of a new breed of sports executives sprung not from the rough and tumble fields but from academia and white-collar work. Fast Company profiles the league's youngest manager and his efforts—yes, there's hope, Rangers fans—to turn the mediocre team around. More »
Jul 11, 08 1:30 PM CDT
The American League is just flat out better than the National League, writes Darren Everson in the Wall Street Journal. The AL has had a lock on All-Star games for a decade, has won 11 of the last 16 World Series, and it dominates interleague play. Why the disparity? Everson explains that it's a combination of factors such as the DH rule, a flood of new talent and new stadiums, better drafting, and just plain luck. More »
Jul 2, 08 12:20 PM CDT
Report card time! Here’s how the rambunctious kids of MLB are doing so far, in Yahoo Sports’ Steven Henson’s estimation.
A students—Rays, Red Sox, Cubs, Angels, White Sox
Particular kudos go to the Rays, the poor kid who went to the head of the class.
B students—Cardinals, Brewers, Twins, Phillies, Yankees, Athletics, Marlins, Orioles
The Cardinals have a slight edge in the wildcard race. The Yankees, meanwhile, barely scrape together a B. More »
May 29, 08 10:15 AM CDT
Josh Hamilton can appreciate the high he's riding now, because his personal lows have been pretty rough. The first pick of baseball's 1999 draft was booted in 2004 for failing drug tests after picking up a cocaine habit. But now the Rangers outfielder has traded a bottle of Crown Royal a day for a swing at the triple crown, Sports Illustrated reports. More »
May 25, 08 3:33 PM CDT
With the help of modern air travel, Major League Baseball should seriously consider expanding across the Pacific, writes Jim Caple for ESPN. Such a move could be both profitable and intriguing, and keep Japan from hemorrhaging its best talent. Though, as Red Sox manager Terry Francona points out, "Saying it would be fun and making it work are two different things." More »