Reasons Baseball's Hot Stove Is So Chilly

(NEWSER) - Manny Ramirez will be back with the Los Angeles Dodgers for at least a year after contentious contract negotiations, the Los Angeles Times reports. The 37-year-old slugger, pending a physical, will sign a $45 million contract for 2 years, with an opt-out clause after the first year and a $25 million payout. “I know how people treated me in LA,” Ramirez said. “And I want to thank them.” The deal includes a no-trade clause. More»

Texas Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba gets mad after strikeout

(NEWSER) - For any non-baseball fans out there, this is a huge no-no. Texas Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba was playing in the Venezuelan League on Friday when he struck out badly and began yelling at the home plate umpire—probably over a strike call earlier in the at-bat. The two of them jaw for a good 15 seconds before Torrealba smacks the ump flat in the face mask, the Sporting News reports. The blow even sends the umpire stumbling backward. More»

With talks at an impasse, they think he should test the market

(NEWSER) - Could the New York Yankees really part ways with Derek Jeter? It's certainly looking that way. The club hasn't budged from the three-year, $45 million they've offered the star shortstop, and Brian Cashman told ESPN that he’s “encouraged him to test the market and see if there’s something he would prefer other than this. If he can, fine.” In a telling move, the club has declined to offer arbitration to either Jeter or Mariano Rivera. More»

Female umpire speaks out against baseball's 'stained-grass ceiling'

(NEWSER) - Forget blown calls. The real problem with umpires in the MLB, says Perry Barber: A complete lack of females. Barber, who has been in the business since 1981, works high school, college, spring training, and Independent League games—and tells DoubleX , “ We’re just going to have to storm the Bastille, baby, and flood the schools with women candidates and shatter what I call the stained-grass ceiling.” More»

Postseason miscues have MLB considering drastic changes

(NEWSER) - This year’s postseason has featured the usual thrills—pitchers' duels, come-from-behind victories—and an outbreak of something unusual: botched calls by umpires. The threat of more gaffes in next week’s World Series has the tradition-bound sport considering expanding the use of instant replay beyond the verification of home runs. And not everyone objects. More»