David Lengel puts MLB’s 30 local telecasts to the test as he takes a tour round baseball’s broadcast boothsWith baseball’s lengthy regular season stretching from April to October, it’s not uncommon for fans to have the game on every night. Naturally, with 162 games, the broadcasters themselves become an enormous part of the fan experience.The hyper-local model which defines Major League Baseball also means that most fans have little idea what other local broadcasts are like outside their baseball bubble. Luckily MLB Advanced Media are the owners of what is probably the most comprehensive live streaming service on the planet, and I took a tour of all 30 commentary teams. Related: What's wrong with the Cubs? A backslide to mediocrity...
The Miami Marlins owner is an ode to everything that’s distasteful about US sports. He is the least palatable host for baseball’s showcaseFor most owners in Major League Baseball, hosting the All-Star festivities this week would be a source of immense pride and a chance to show off their organization and city to a watching nation.But for the Miami Marlins owner, Jeffrey Loria, the mid-season showcase of baseball’s best talent is little more than a lucrative open house as he looks to secure a billion dollar profit on his $158.2m purchase of the team in 2002. Many in the city will see any sale as a merciful ending to his tenure in Miami. Related: Beckham's Miami soccer dream inches closer...
The presidential candidate and the former Yankees star may seem like an unlikely MLB ownership team, but theirs is a very American storyIf the Miami Marlins were a politician, they would be Jeb Bush. Both were expected to be a powerhouse from their inception, but after some early success – the Florida Marlins two World Series titles and Jeb twice being elected to run Florida – they failed to generate much of a following and eventually became a punchline. Both call Florida home, both are synonymous with losing and few seem to care that either exists. And what was the exclamation point thrown into Jeb! 2016’s logo but the desperate campaign equivalent of the home run sculpture at Marlins Park....
MLB experienced both celebratory and tragic goodbyes this week with the retirement of legendary broadcaster Vin Scully and the death of pitcher José Fernández. Plus, a review of Major League Baseball’s have notsOn Friday night in Los Angeles, I sat next to my father inside Dodger Stadium. My dad, Mike Lengel, is a 75-year-old lifelong fan of the Dodgers, who grew up in New York city watching Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider and the team of his childhood play in Brooklyn: until that night, he had never been been to LA or visited Dodger Stadium, where the team landed after leaving in 1957. Related: José Fernández: a smiling star whose death leaves baseball bereft Continue reading...
Miami Marlins pitcher died in early hours of Sunday morning
Marcell Ozuna says he tried to stop Fernández from going on trip
Miami Marlins pitcher José Fernández was a patron at a Miami River bar and restaurant the same night he and two friends were killed in a boat crash, a spokeswoman for the establishment confirmed Tuesday.A friend of one of the victims said he warned him against the post-midnight trip, and Marlins center fielder Marcell Ozuna said he and at least two other team-mates turned down invitations to go and tried to discourage Fernández from going out. Related: José Fernández: bag of baseballs signed by player washed ashore in Miami Continue reading...