OF Justin Upton of the Diamondbacks vetoes a deal that would have sent him to the Mariners, invoking his no-trade clause. The D-Backs still have a glut of outfielders, but may need to focus on dealing another player given Upton’s unwillingness to leave the desert.

ByTom

OF Justin Upton of the Diamondbacks vetoes a deal that would have sent him to the Mariners, invoking his no-trade clause. The D-Backs still have a glut of outfielders, but may need to focus on dealing another player given Upton’s unwillingness to leave the desert.

For only the second time since 1971 (the other was in 1996), no one is elected in the BBWAA voting for the Hall of Fame. In what is dubbed the “steroids ballot”, because a number of leading contenders for induction are considered by many to be tainted by association with the steroids scandal of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Craig Biggio is the leading vote-getter in his first year of eligibility, with 68.2%, followed by Jack Morris, who is down to one final year of eligibility, with 67.7%, with 75% needed for election. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, who would have been elected without a second thought were it not for the taint of steroids, finish well down in the ballot, as voters continue to give a clear message regarding their discomfort with players alleged to have used performance-enhancing drugs.

ByTom

For only the second time since 1971 (the other was in 1996), no one is elected in the BBWAA voting for the Hall of Fame. In what is dubbed the “steroids ballot”, because a number of leading contenders for induction are considered by many to be tainted by association with the steroids scandal of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Craig Biggio is the leading vote-getter in his first year of eligibility, with 68.2%, followed by Jack Morris, who is down to one final year of eligibility, with 67.7%, with 75% needed for election. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, who would have been elected without a second thought were it not for the taint of steroids, finish well down in the ballot, as voters continue to give a clear message regarding their discomfort with players alleged to have used performance-enhancing drugs.

2013 – The Cincinnati Reds sign Jakub Ižold, the first Slovakian to sign with a MLB club. Ižold had been pitching for Draci Brno in the Czech Republic’s Extraliga and had been with the Slovakian national team. He will go 0-1 with a 8.04 ERA this summer with the AZL Reds.

ByTom

2013 – The Cincinnati Reds sign Jakub Ižold, the first Slovakian to sign with a MLB club. Ižold had been pitching for Draci Brno in the Czech Republic’s Extraliga and had been with the Slovakian national team. He will go 0-1 with a 8.04 ERA this summer with the AZL Reds.

Avoiding arbitration, the Rays announce the team has reached an agreement with left-handed starter David Price on a one-year deal, worth $10.1125 million. The 27 year-old American League Cy Young Award winner, who finished with a 20-5 record with a 2.56 ERA last season, earned $4.35 million playing for the third-place Tampa Bay club.

ByThis Day in Baseball

    On January 2, 2013 Avoiding arbitration, the Rays announce the team has reached an agreement with left-handed starter David Price on a one-year deal, worth $10.1125 million. The 27 year-old American League Cy Young Award winner, who finished with a 20-5 record with a 2.56 ERA last season, earned $4.35 million playing for…

World Series hero Sergio Romo is detained by authorities in Las Vegas, NV 

World Series hero Sergio Romo is detained by authorities in Las Vegas, NV 

ByThis Day in Baseball

On January 1, 2013, San Francisco Giants World Series hero Sergio Romo is detained by authorities in Las Vegas, NV after failing to produce appropriate identification to clear security at the city’s airport. The incident degenerates, forcing police to intervene and issue Romo a citation for violating airport rules. He will issue a public apology…