Filed under: Orioles, AL East, Baltimore

Think your new 50-inch Sony plasma is pretty cool? Bitch, that thing looks like an iPod compared to what the Orioles are planning for Camden Yards. When the park opens up for the 2008 season, fans will have a 24-by-74 foot Mitsubishi widescreen to catch the replays on -- and it only set ownership back a mere 5.2 million bucks.

"We're pleased to offer fans a video experience that will be unsurpassed by any other ballpark in America," Maryland Stadium Authority chairman Frederick W. Puddester said.

The new video screen and scoreboards will operate on light-emitting diode (LED) technology, creating a much sharper picture than the old JumboTron, which operated much like a traditional television set. The screens will be capable of accepting a high-definition picture, though not all images on them will appear in high definition.

"It has long been our goal to improve this original technology, and we are pleased to be able to provide our fans with a state-of-the-art video system and LED boards that will both enhance the ballpark experience and preserve the traditional aesthetic that is a defining characteristic of Oriole Park," Orioles communication director Greg Bader said in a written statement. "We appreciate the Maryland Stadium Authority's efforts in working with us to accomplish this important goal."

No word yet on the long-term effects of viewing a 24-by-74 projection of Aubrey Huff on a regular basis. But we assume someone's looking into that.

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Filed under: Blue Jays, AL East, MLB Rumors, Toronto

Have the Blue Jays given up on would-be ace A.J. Burnett?

After a season that saw Burnett sidelined for a couple months with injury and called out by his GM for racing with a guy in a chili pepper costume, it seemed that the Jays might want to cut their losses by cutting ties with the guy they'd hoped would form a tough one-two punch with Roy Halladay.

Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi has gone on record saying that the Jays aren't actively shopping Burnett. But they wouldn't shy away from the idea, either.

"We like having A.J. here," Ricciardi told ESPN.com. "He gives us a good opportunity to win in 2008, and that's our main objective right now. But we're open-minded. If someone blew us away, we'd be foolish not to listen. If someone came to us tomorrow and said, 'We'll give you this, this and this for him,' we'd be foolish not to look at it."

So the Jays' options are banking on winning it all with the Halladay-Burnett combo next season or risk losing Burnett, who can opt out of his contract after 2008, to free agency? Here's betting A.J.'s starting for some other team come next April.

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Filed under: Rays, AL East, MLB Fans, Tampa Bay

To this point in franchise history, most of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' playoff aspirations have been the stuff of imagination. So I guess it makes sense that the team has landed Kevin Costner, who built a career out of suspension of disbelief and playing fake baseball players, to help launch its new uniforms, team colors and logos.

Costner -- AKA Crash Davis, AKA Ray Kinsella, AKA Billy Chapel -- will be on hand with his band, Modern West, when the Rays kick off their two-day unveiling celebration at St. Petersburg's Straub Park on November 8.

It all makes perfect sense to Costner, who claimed a special kinship with Rays manager Joe Maddon.

"[Maddon] didn't make it into the bigs as a player, and ... I kind of dig that," Costner said. "That's kind of who Crash Davis was."

The extravaganza will also include a fashion show, with Maddon, Wade Boggs and Fred McGriff modelling the Rays' new look uniforms. And if that doesn't scream "something I need to see before I die," I just don't know what would.

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Filed under: Boston, Red Sox, Blue Jays, AL East, MLB Playoffs, Toronto

If Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, a free agent at the close of this season, signs with an American League team, Blue Jays catcher Gregg Zaun may want to invest in some extra helmet padding. Especially if Schilling has any friends in Canada who might have heard Zaun covering the ALCS broadcast for Rogers Sportsnet, where he offered his candid opinions on the future Hall-of-Famer.

[Zaun] told viewers that Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling "never met a microphone or camera that he didn't like." When host Jamie Campbell, who does a great job of teeing up questions for Zaun, asked him if Schilling were beatable, Zaun said he was. He then chronicled how age had robbed Schilling of his skills.

Those were brave words from someone who may face a high hard one from Schilling next season.

Brave, indeed. But, honestly, I'm more intrigued by the fact that Canadian audiences get to enjoy a Tim McCarver-free broadcast. Shouldn't we all have to suffer together?

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Filed under: Orioles, AL East, MLB Video, Baltimore

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Filed under: Rays, AL East, Tampa Bay

After scratching out the AL east's worst record, the Devil Rays weren't about to jack up ticket prices for 2008. But they are re-instating their parking fee at the Trop with one environmentally-friendly twist: Cars with more than four passengers park for free.

"We were talking about a lot of things and the idea got thrown out," [Senior VP Mark] Fernandez said. "We thought we'd walk the talk about being green, and it became a really cool thing for families."

For vehicles with less than four passengers, the cost will be $10 for the main lots and $5 for remote lots, the same as it was before Stuart Sternberg bought the team and made the free parking offer for the 2006 season, and extended it a second season, costing the team an estimated $2-million per year in revenue.

Despite the fact that the product on the field has yet to climb out of the division cellar, the Rays offer one of baseball's best deals: A family of four can see a game for 36 bucks, get free parking and, if they choose, bring in their own food and drink. A far cry from places like, for example, Fenway Park, where $36 would just about get you a couple hot dogs and beers.

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Filed under: Orioles, AL East, MLB Fans, Baltimore

Yesterday, the Baltimore Orioles' most famous fan, "Wild Bill" Hagy, was remembered in a ceremony at the Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards. Hagy, who passed in August at 68, was a local cabbie and rabid Os fan, whose Grizzy Adams vibe, penchant for alcohol and ability to get the hometown crowd fired up made him a cult sensation at Memorial Stadium in the late '70s.

In fact, Hagy was so beloved by the crowds, the Os invited him to move his show to the top of their dugout, where he led the cheers and famously heckled opposing players, such as Reggie Jackson.

"One year, Bill had had three or four too many and was really taunting Reggie Jackson," said Neil Barber, Hagy's friend and softball teammate. "After the game, we were hanging around, and one of the clubhouse guys said, 'Bill, Reggie wants to talk to you.' Reggie came out of the clubhouse in just his stirrups and socks. Reggie was glaring at him. And Bill, who is actually bigger than Reggie, just looked at him and said, 'I have nothing to say to you.' That was Bill. A real original."

But beyond the pure spectacle -- and, let's face it, there's something inherently cool about a hairy guy contorting his body to spell out O-R-I-O-L-E-S -- part of Hagy's charm was that he was the face of the "common" fan. And in this era of movie stars and politicians pulling face time in the good seats at baseball games coast-to-coast, we could use a few more Wild Bills. That was certainly the feeling at yesterday's ceremony, where only one small problem was noted:

"[Bill] wouldn't have approved, though, that we didn't have any beer here," said Skip Dorer, Hagy's friend of nearly 30 years. "He liked his Budweiser."

Here's some video of Hagy in action. Godspeed, Wild Bill.

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Filed under: Red Sox, Yankees, Rays, AL East, Tampa Bay

At the close of another season in the AL east cellar, the Devil Rays have already received their first kick to the onions for 2008. Next season's schedule offers only one weekend series at home against a "big draw" opponent.

The Red Sox hit the Trop April 25-27. But every other weekend at home will find the Rays tackling the likes of Kansas City, Florida, Detroit, Baltimore, Toronto, the White Sox and Houston. Notably missing are any weekend series against the Yankees and the Cubs, who'll be bringing along former Rays skipper Lou Piniella.

Rays ownership can thank Major League Baseball for any impact on their finances. But at least they're taking the high road.

"While the timing of particular home series certainly affects attendance, what is of greater importance is the experience we offer at Tropicana Field and the quality of play on the field," team president Matt Silverman said.

On the bright side, Scott Kazmir will certainly be happy if Sox and Yankees fans are less inclined to do any mid-week roadtripping to Tampa Bay.

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Filed under: Boston, Cleveland, Red Sox, AL East, The Word

I used to think the only things first basemen had to worry about were being alert for pick-off plays and avoiding the likes of Matt Stairs barreling down the basepath.

But in the latest issue of Boston Globe Magazine, Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis reveals his greatest fear: that someone might try to swipe away his good mojo.

"Cleveland's Casey Blake always does that. If I have a bunch of hits in a game, if he gets to first base, he'll always try to touch me. Try to get hits. They just try to rub your arm. They try to take your hits away from you. Some guys try to rub the good luck on to them."

Personally, we're against any sort of touching in the workplace (and if you saw some of the people in our offices, you'd understand). But you can't blame anyone for trying to get a little of that Youk magic; his stellar D and recently revived bat have been two critical components of the Sox' success in 2007.

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Filed under: Boston, Red Sox, AL East

In the most anticlimatic announcement since Nathan Lane came out of the closet, Red Sox TV analyst and former second baseman Jerry Remy was named president of Red Sox Nation, ending one of the more curious PR initiatives ever to be hatched on Yawkey Way since Carl Yastrzemski had his own line of breads in 1967.

The Rem Dawg received over 39,000 votes, finishing a clean 25,000 votes above the second place candidate and besting the likes of former Sox players Sam Horn and Rich Garces, as well as the de facto Commissioner of Baseball, Peter Gammons, and a handful of "common fans" who earned enough votes to land among the top five.

Few candidates had the raw appeal or star credentials of Remy, who, since becoming the Red Sox' color analyst in 1988, has become something of a cult icon among Boston fans. As for what the position of President actually entails, well, we're not really sure. But Jerry's got a cool mission statement on his website, TheRemyReport.com:

"We have all been through countless campaigns filled with promises. Some fulfilled, most not. So I make no promises. This will be a new experience for the Red Sox, for Red Sox Nation, and for the first president. But this you can count on: as president, I will always remember my responsibility to you, and I will always act as your voice within the Red Sox organization. Always."

And for just $14.95 a year, you, too, can be a member of Red Sox Nation. And pledge allegiance to Remy.

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Filed under: Boston, Red Sox, AL East, MLB Playoffs

Getting left off the playoff roster can trigger different emotions in baseball players. Some rail against their managers and the coaching staff and anyone else who comes to mind. Others just quietly accept it, praying that they'll get their chance if the team advances to the next round.

But the best reaction to being left off the ALDS roster comes from -- who else? -- Boston's Julian Tavarez. As noted in today's Boston Globe, the guy's clearly got everything in its proper perspective:

"That's OK," Tavarez said. "As long as we get the ring and the big check."

Since Tavarez' most notable postseason moment, at least around Red Sox country, is giving up a game-winning home run to Mark Bellhorn in the opener of the 2004 World Series -- the turning point from which the Sox took off and never looked back -- his absence in the bullpen will probably mean a slight drop in Maalox sales. But his ability to keep his teammates loose -- this is a guy, after all, who claimed he wanted to be a porn star, had his head rubbed by Manny Ramirez in a now-classic YouTube moment, and sported cleats emblazoned with David Ortiz' face -- makes him a valuable clubhouse presence for the October grind.

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Filed under: Rays, AL East, Tampa Bay

Nothing like a profanity-filled tirade to cap a season. Like the one Devil Rays outfielder Delmon Young launched yesterday after being pulled from a game by manager Joe Maddon.

Maddon accused Young of disrespecting the game by not running out a ground ball during yesterday's match-up against the Blue Jays. Young responded with a verbal carpet bombing, claiming he'd been unfairly singled out, and saying he was pulling himself out of today's season finale

"S---, everybody else is m-----f------ doing it," Young said. "S---, I'm the only one who m-----f------ gets in trouble for the s---. ... I play every day. I don't complain about going out there. So, I'll see you guys next year. I'm shut down for (today)."

Maddon stuck to his guns, explaining that The Game is bigger than even one of his team's best players.

"I'm not angry, I'm not upset, I'm disappointed," Maddon said. "That is my major rule among position players, just to run hard to first base. I believe this: when you run hard to first base every time you put the ball in play, that permeates your entire game. That makes you a better player. For us, for the Rays, we're going to run hard to first."

For a guy who seemed a sure contender for AL Rookie of the Year accolades, Young didn't do himself any favors with this outburst. It will be interesting to see how this bizarre finish to his 2007 season influences voters.

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Filed under: Boston, Red Sox, AL East

After the Red Sox beat the Twins tonight at Fenway Park, reducing their magic number for taking the AL East to one game, a few thousand fans stuck around to watch the Yankees take on the Orioles on the jumbotron.

Those who stayed didn't leave disappointed; the Orioles, down by 3 in the ninth, pulled a Lazarus, tying the game before winning it in the tenth, and setting off an AL East-clinching celebration on the field and in the stands at Fenway.

It's the first time the Sox have won the division since 1995, but there's still a small bit of drama to be played out this weekend, as the Sox are neck-in-neck with the Cleveland Indians for the best record in the American League, which would give them home field advantage for the playoffs.

As I type this, they're still tossing beer, quaffing champagne and playing grab-ass with the fans at Fenway Park. But the next couple weeks will show us whether this team can conjure as much post-season magic as the 2004 model.

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Filed under: Orioles, AL East, Baltimore

It was probably safe to figure that the Orioles' 2007 season wasn't going to rank among manager Dave Trembley's most cherished memories. But now the guy's gone and made it official -- once spring training kicks in, he's literally wiping 2007 from the memory banks, prefering to focus on the future rather than dwell on the problems of this year's model.

"I'm letting it go. I'm not talking about 2007 anymore," he said. "I'm not going throw anything in anybody's face and try to rub salt in anybody's wounds. Everybody knows what's happened here, but it's going to be gone."

Of course, in making this proclamation, Trembley was careful to note that he's reserving the right to reneg on this promise, particularly if he ever needs to reference 2007 for inspirational fodder to fire up the troops.

"I'm going to use it to re-enforce a lot of things I think are important, that I'm convinced could be helpful in making it better," he said of his plans for next season. "It will be a motivator for me, because I'm convinced [that] there's a certain way to do things and there's a certain amount of commitment [needed]. I've got one chance to do it, and I'm going to do it."

I don't know about you, but I'm totally looking forward to a full season of Trembley. Next year just can't come soon enough.

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Filed under: Boston, New York, Red Sox, Yankees, Rays, AL East, Tampa Bay

Unable to land tickets to see the Sox at home, where Fenway Park seats roughly 26 average-sized humans, Boston fans have made road tripping a seasonal tradition. But other teams are apparently tiring of hearing cheers for the oppostion on their home turf.

Earlier this month, some Orioles fans vowed to "take back Camden Yards" from the hordes of exuberant Sox fans. And yesterday, as the Sox hit Tampa Bay for the last time this season, Rays' pitcher Scott Kazmir voiced his own distaste for playing at home to the fans of Boston and New York.

"You know it's going to be nothing but a sea of red when the Red Sox are there and then next week nothing but Yankees fans," Kazmir said. "You go out for the first inning and next thing you know they've got one guy on and already that Red Sox chant is going on. That stuff really bothers me. It does. We're a major-league team too. It's tough. It seems like okay, we're just renting-the-place type stuff. I don't know. It's just wrong. It really is."

Teammate B.J. Upton echoed this sentiment.

"I think it's ridiculous," Upton said. "You're supposed to be the home team and the place is sold out, but it's 98 percent the other team's fans. I think you kind of get used to it, but at the same time it gets old. We're playing in the Trop and it's more like Fenway than anything. We go in and play at home and it's like a road game at home."

Hey, if the Rays can start to turn it around -- and, at least on paper, they've got the young talent to do it -- those pesky out-of-towners might just find themselves shut out at the ticket window. Until then, ownership can just keep re-investing those piles of Boston and New York dollars back into the team.

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Filed under: Blue Jays, AL East, Toronto

Despite some early season woes and a bout with appendicitis, Roy Halladay was one of the best things to happen to the Blue Jays in 2007. And with his three-year contract extension kicking in next year, the Jays will have their premier pitcher locked up through 2010.

But after a significant step down from 2006's second-place finish in the East, momentum that a lot of people figured would carry into this season, can the Jays bounce back to contend while they still have their ace under contract? Doc sure hopes they can.

"The one thing that I want to do in this game is win a World Series. But I'd like to take every chance I can to do it here," he said. "In past years, playing the way we've played, if we were in other divisions, we might have been close. I knew how tough it was going to be and that's a lot of what made me want to stay here."

Of course, baseball being a business first and foremost, Halladay added that when his three years are up, he'd certainly revisit his stance in the event that an opportunity for a ring lies with another team.

"What happens after the three years I have left?" Halladay wondered rhetorically. "There's a lot of things up in the air as far as what J.P. [Ricciardi]'s going to do with the coaching staff, players, a lot of things are changing. That's something to re-evaluate at that point."

Stay tuned.

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Filed under: Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays, White Sox, AL East, Tampa Bay

Count me among those who figured the Blue Jays to improve upon last year's second-place finish in 2007. Then they lost B.J. Ryan for the season. And Frank Thomas and Vernon Wells forgot how to hit. And pretty much every starter hit the DL. And the team slowly dissolved in the standings.

But the Jays appear to be making their biggest statement in the season's final weeks, albeit in the role of spoiler -- a role they're playing pretty damn well. Last night, powered by an eighth-inning Russ Adams grand slam, the Jays completed a three-game sweep of the Red Sox, cutting Boston's division lead from 4.5 to 1.5 games in the blink of an eye.

And tomorrow, they open a four game series in Yankee Stadium where they can continue to impact the race.

"It's always fun to get a sweep," Adams said. "But to be playing in games that matter in the grand scheme of things of what's going on in the American League, it's fun to be a part of it. It was back-to-back exciting nights here at the Rogers Centre."

Making baseball in Toronto fun again? Hey, we'll drink to that.

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Filed under: Orioles, AL East, Baltimore

One of the more intriguing subplots in the Orioles' clubhouse this year has been the increasingly bipolar Miguel Tejada, who talks like a guy who wants out of town one minute, and a guy running for mayor of Baltimore the next.

The most recent episode came last weekend, when Os manager Dave Trembley informed Tejada that he wanted to use Luis Hernandez at short in the series finale against the Angels. He also offered Tejada the chance to DH, an offer Multiple Miggs politely declined.

But later, in front of a crowd of reporters no less, Tejada switched gears, only to switch 'em again 24 hours later:

When asked before Thursday's game about Hernandez playing shortstop, Tejada said, "At least if they have somebody else, they can trade me somewhere else."

Tejada clarified those comments last night, saying: "I didn't say that I wanted to get traded. I just said that it was good to see the team bring in some new players. It might help the team, make us much better."

One need only look at his near-breakdown after the A's dropped the 2003 ALDS to the Red Sox to realize Tejada's a passionate guy, and that Baltimore's less-than-stellar performance this year is a source of frustration. But one of the questions O's management will surely be asking this offseason is whether or not to grant Miggy his much-requested escape.

HT: Camden Chat

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Filed under: New York, Yankees, Blue Jays, AL East, MLB Video, Toronto

Here at FanHouse, we're all about politeness: holding doors for ladies, waiting our turn at the microwave, putting our pants on before the really important meetings... stuff like that. But when it comes to snagging a souvenir game ball, all bets are off. Clearly, the woman in this video (at the 40-second mark) was trying to teach her son to do the right thing, but I'm betting all she did was earn herself a ticket to the "bad" nursing home in about 20 years.

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Filed under: Blue Jays, AL East, Toronto

In a year of injuries, disappointments and the league's coolest beer vendor, second baseman Aaron Hill has been one of the few good things for the 2007 Blue Jays. And he's also close to hitting the team record books, supplanting Roberto Alomar in the categories of most home runs (17) and most doubles (41) by a Blue Jays second baseman.

Not bad company to be keeping, but the ever-gracious Hill insists there's no comparison between the two.

"No, golly, that guy's got a lot on me," Hill said when asked about Alomar. "The biggest thing is the World Series (victories) obviously. I mean it's great, but like I said, he won. I think that's what people remember. He's done some fantastic things. I'll never compare him (to me). We'll see when my career's over, I guess we can compare each other. But I've got a lot to make up to catch up to him."

Never mind the fact that he's not afraid to drop a "golly" from time to time; Hill's attitude and consistency make him one of the guys we look forward to rooting for in 2008.

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