January 11, 2007 [LINK / comment]

ESPN ranks the best ballparks

It would be hard for me to argue with Tim Kurkjian, whose brief article appeared in ESPN The Magazine. Of his favorite park, he writes: "Squeezed into the Fenway section of Boston, it's old, cramped and irritable, but there's no better place, no more intimate setting, for a baseball game." As for the other top five current baseball stadiums, his list matches mine, but in slightly different [reverse!] order. My rankings (excluding defunct ballparks) are in parentheses; see my Stadium rankings page, which is need of updating.

Bonds faces more dope charges

This time Barry Bonds is accused of using amphetamines, not steroids. He denied reports that he got the pills from fellow Giant Mark Sweeney, but strangely enough he did not deny testing positive in a drug test last season. He apologized If the charges are corroborated, it could result in revision or nullification of his new contract with the Giants. See ESPN. What next?

Nationals let Robinson go

The Washington Nationals have decided not to offer Frank Robinson a paying job in the front office, and he let it be known -- in a dignified way, of course -- that he is less than pleased about it. See Washington Post. To me, the Nats' front office seems extremely short-sighted, not retaining the services of a guy who has so much goodwill and symbolized the rebirth of baseball in Washington. I hope they reconsider their decision.