Blunders by MLB’s on-field officials

Baseball probably has more purists than any other American professional sport. The game is deeply connected with its own history; that sort of historical connection inevitably leads to staunch resistance to the idea of change.

But the hands of the game’s powers that be may just have been forced.

We’re a month into the 2013 Major League Baseball season and things are looking awfully good so far for the Boston Red Sox. They’re sitting at the top of the division and performing well in just about every aspect of the game. 

While they’ve had to deal with some injuries, the general esprit de corps of this team has made them a pleasure to watch – a far cry from the frankly unlikeable squads Boston has sported over the past couple of seasons. Regardless, it’s nice to have baseball back.

Film tells the story of Jackie Robinson

I am a sucker for a good sports movie. It doesn’t even really matter which sport – the drama inherent to athletic competition in general often makes for compelling cinema. And that competitive tension can be mined for humor as well as drama. You don’t even need to be a sports fan (though it undoubtedly helps). The very best sports movies are the ones that use what happens on the field as a way to speak to the larger issues of what happens off it. 

A look at some of the most successful Sea Dogs

The Portland Sea Dogs are celebrating their 20th anniversary this season. The team’s first season was 1994; they began life as the AA affiliate for the expansion Florida Marlins. They remained part of the Marlins system through 2002, when the team switched affiliation and joined the Red Sox farm system, where they remain to this day.

A lot of future big leaguers have worn the Sea Dogs uniform. In honor of this auspicious anniversary, it seemed fitting to assemble an all-time lineup. Here’s a look at some of the best players ever to grace the grass at Hadlock Field.

Teams signing players to lengthy, high-dollar deals

Back at the turn of the 21st century, the world of baseball economics experienced a complete overhaul. The massive multiyear contracts of players like Alex Rodriguez (10 years, $252 million) and Manny Ramirez (eight years, $160 million) introduced the sports landscape to the concept of the $20 million-a-year player.

However, while those contracts were (mostly) successful in their way, there were also a number of lesser players who received deals that far outweighed their actual value. Forgettable pitchers such as Darren Dreifort and Chan Ho Park got multi-year deals and huge paydays. The failure of those deals helped to stabilize the market.

‘Who’s on Worst?’ looks at bottom of baseball’s barrel

There are many reasons that we love sports, but one of the biggest is the fun found in athletic subjectivity. Using evidence both statistical and anecdotal to debate who was better or the best – Russell or Wilt, Montana or Brady, Jordan or James - there’s nothing better to a hardcore sports fan.

But of all the sports, baseball likely inspires more of these debates than any other. The game’s deep dedication to history and devotion to ever-evolving statistical analysis makes it perfect for these sorts of conversations. Everyone’s got their favorites and everyone has a reason why their guy is the best of all time.

For anyone who has been a Boston baseball since before the days of “Red Sox Nation,” there are a couple of basic requirements tied to the calendar. One is to anticipate the September swoon and the disappointment that follows (except for those glorious ’04 and ’07 seasons); the other is to greet each new campaign with optimism and unrealistic expectations. Since we’re less than two weeks from Opening Day, it seems like as good a time as any to engage in some wishful thinking and envision a scenario where the Red Sox rise from worst to first.

It’s that time of year once again. The snow is melting and the grass is showing through. That whiff of spring is in the air.

Time for baseball.

The start of the 2013 Major League Baseball season is right around the corner and there’s plenty of intrigue out there. Some teams went all-out in attempts to get over the hump (Blue Jays, Dodgers). We even saw a team switch leagues for the first time since realignment (Astros). And we saw the San Francisco Giants win their second title in three years. Last year, we saw the first Triple Crown winner in over 40 years with Miguel Cabrera and perhaps the greatest rookie season of all time with Mike Trout. How will they follow history?

2013 season will be Rivera’s last

As Red Sox fans, many of us carry with us an antipathy toward the New York Yankees. The until-recently wildly one-sided Boston/New York rivalry has inspired some of the strongest, most passionate feelings in all of sports fandom. And there are plenty of players on each team that incur the wrath of fans on an individual basis.

But there are also players on either side that transcend the more base aspects of the rivalry. These are the players whose excellence both in talent and attitude earn the respect of the opposing fan base. All-time greatness is difficult to hate.

Previewing the 2013 World Baseball Classic

It’s time for the world to take the field – the 2013 World Baseball Classic has arrived. From March 2 through March 19, baseball teams from 16 different countries will try to unseat two-time tournament winner Japan, the only champion the Classic has ever known.

Regardless of our feelings here in the United States, there is no disputing that soccer is the most global of sports. However, choosing a silver medalist in the realm of worldwide awareness isn’t quite so cut and dry.