Posts Tagged ‘MLB’

Major League Baseball spring training is underway and my sons little league opening day is this week.

For a baseball nut like me, it’s Christmas in the spring.

The gift of the Cactus League, with the addition of the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, make spring training that much better. With the Diamondbacks moving from Tucson to the Valley soon for spring training, makes the Cactus League that must stronger.

Play ball!

Bob Melvin has been fired.  A.J. Hinch will replace him. Batting coach Rick Schu was also fired.

Hinch is a young guy, just 34 years-old.  We’ll see if he can motivate the young players to get their game on.  AP has good coverage posted on ESPN.com.

The Arizona Diamondbacks loss to the Padres in extra innings will likely cap manager Bob Melvin’s run as skipper.  D-backs fans (and the front office) are frustrated with the slow start and today’s game only exacerbates the issue.  The players have to be aware that Melvin’s job is on the line, and yet they didn’t rally to help him, with only five hits in 10 innings. 

Watch for an announcement later tonight about Melvin’s future.

Dodger slugger Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. That’s too bad. I’d like to think that players have gotten the point and would just stop using already.

This is not good timing. The Dodgers broke the MLB record for home game season-opening winning streak with their win over the Nationals last night. Manny was a key actor in that win and many others for the team that has the best record in baseball.

This will hurt the Dodgers. The question is whether the Diamondbacks will be able to capitalize, and whether it will be with or without Al (oops) Bob Melvin at the helm.