May 13, 2008 [LINK / comment]
Time is fast running out on Tiger Stadium, as the demolition company plans to get started tearing the old hulk down in the next few weeks. Odds that the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy will raise the needed $369,000 by June 1 just to save a portion of the grandstand appear dim, as the New York Times reports; hat tip to Rod Nelson of SABR. (Besides, that group's Web site is still under construction!)
A judge in Miami issued a ruling that allows Norman Braman to proceed with his lawsuit against the public financing deal for a new baseball stadium next to the Orange Bowl, but he rejected a key part of Braman's claim. The trial will begin in July. If the Marlins are still in first place by then, it just might tip the balance, getting government officials and private investors close enough to cinch the deal for good. If so, the Marlins plan to break ground in November. See MLB.com.
Speaking of the Marlin's astonishing successes this year, they swept the Nationals in three games in D.C. last weekend. Now playing in New York, the Nats have split the first two games of a four-game series with the Mets, winning 10-4 on Monday and losing 6-3 tonight. Former Nationals Ryan Church and Brian Schneider played crucial offensive roles in tonight's game. Both are batting over .320, while former Met Lastings Milledge is batting just .245. (He keeps getting booed in Shea Stadium.) He made a superb catch in center field, however, robbing Carlos Delgado of a run-scoring double.
Asdrubal Cabrera, second baseman for the Indians, turned an unassisted triple play on Monday, but the home team still lost to the Blue Jays, in the second game of a double-header. Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies managed that feat against the Braves on April 29 last year, and Rafael Furcal (then of the Braves) did so against the Cardinals on August 10, 2003. See MLB.com. In all of major league history (since 1900), there have been only 14 unassisted triple plays, and one in 1878.