2015 – The Red Sox outbid a number of other team to sign Cuban defector Yoan Moncada to a contract that includes a $31.5 million signing bonus. The Red Sox will need to pay a penalty almost equal to that amount for exceeding their bonus cap for international signees, which had $1.8 million remaining, but seemingly do not care as they see the young infielder as a future All-Star. For now though, the 19-year-old will be headed to the minor leagues for at couple of seasons before getting a chance to justify his lavish contract.

ByTom

2015 – The Red Sox outbid a number of other team to sign Cuban defector Yoan Moncada to a contract that includes a $31.5 million signing bonus. The Red Sox will need to pay a penalty almost equal to that amount for exceeding their bonus cap for international signees, which had $1.8 million remaining, but seemingly do not care as they see the young infielder as a future All-Star. For now though, the 19-year-old will be headed to the minor leagues for at couple of seasons before getting a chance to justify his lavish contract.

2015 – Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announces a series of measures to quicken the pace of the game. Chief among them are that a batter will need to keep at least one foot in the batter’s box at all times during an at-bat, and that the intermission between half innings will be strictly timed. Pitchers will be required to complete their warm-up pitches before there are only 30 seconds left before resumption of play, or risk forfeiting any unmade pitches. More dramatic changes, such as adding a pitch clock, are not introduced at this time. Violation of the new guidelines will result in fines, and not in game-related penalties.

ByTom

2015 – Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announces a series of measures to quicken the pace of the game. Chief among them are that a batter will need to keep at least one foot in the batter’s box at all times during an at-bat, and that the intermission between half innings will be strictly timed. Pitchers will be required to complete their warm-up pitches before there are only 30 seconds left before resumption of play, or risk forfeiting any unmade pitches. More dramatic changes, such as adding a pitch clock, are not introduced at this time. Violation of the new guidelines will result in fines, and not in game-related penalties.

2015 – U.S. District Court Judge Darrin Gayles sentences Anthony Bosch, the man behind the Biogenesis PED scandal, to four years in jail for masterminding the operation that led to a dozen major league players receiving suspensions of 50 games or more. Ironically, the poster boy for the guilty players, Alex Rodriguez, issues a handwritten apology to fans today as he is about to head to spring training with the Yankees following the end of his suspension, but the text does not go into any detail besides expressing general regret for his trespasses.

ByTom

2015 – U.S. District Court Judge Darrin Gayles sentences Anthony Bosch, the man behind the Biogenesis PED scandal, to four years in jail for masterminding the operation that led to a dozen major league players receiving suspensions of 50 games or more. Ironically, the poster boy for the guilty players, Alex Rodriguez, issues a handwritten apology to fans today as he is about to head to spring training with the Yankees following the end of his suspension, but the text does not go into any detail besides expressing general regret for his trespasses.

Turning a New Page: Alex Rodriguez’s Apology and the Yankees’ Forward Momentum

ByTom

“There was an honest and frank discussion on all of the issues. As far as the Yankees are concerned, the next step is to play baseball in spring training” – text from a joint statement released by the Yankees and Alex Rodriguez.At a meeting initiated by Alex Rodriguez, the much-maligned Yankee slugger apologizes to the team’s front office for the turbulence which has swirled around the organization during the last few years, according to a joint statement released by the team and the player. The attendees for the ‘honest and frank discussion’ of the issues included managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner, club president Randy Levine, general manager Brian Cashman, assistant GM Jean Afterman, and Jim Sharp, A-Rod’s legal counsel.

Carlos Delgado inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

ByTom

Carlos Delgado, who enjoyed eight consecutive 30-homer seasons with the Blue Jays, while becoming the team’s all-time leader in home runs (336), RBIs (1,058), and runs (889) will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in June. The Class of 2015 will also feature former Canadian players Corey Koskie and Matt Stairs, longtime Montreal Expos skipper Felipe Alou, along with Toronto Sun columnist Bob Elliott, recipient of the 2012 Spink Award given by the National Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Breaking Barriers: Sarah Hudek Makes History as a Trailblazing Female Baseball Player at Bossier Parish Community College

ByTom

Sarah Hudek, daughter of former major leaguer, All-Star right-hander John Hudek, announces she has signed a letter of intent to play baseball for Louisiana’s Bossier Parish Community College, making her one of the first females to ever compete at the collegiate level. The 5-foot-10, 150-pound teenage southpaw, whose fastball has been clocked at 82 mph, is as good as, or even better than, some of the males on the team, according to BPCC coach Aaron Vorachek.