“Field of Dreams” Site Up for Sale

The movie “Field of Dreams” is one of my all-time favorites. So naturally I was interested to hear that the site where the movie was filmed is now up for sale. For a mere $5.4 million, you can buy the 193-acre tract of land that contains the baseball field, a two-bedroom, 1.5 bath house with the familiar front porch and six outbuildings, according to the Des Moines Register. The owners, Don and Becky Lansing, have had the land in their family for more than 100 years.

Universal Studios built the baseball field in 1989 specifically for the film, and it has remained ever since. The area continues to draw hundreds of visitors every year, and the baseball field is occasionally used for old-timers’ games and other special events.

The Lansings have placed no limit on the next owner. It could land in anyone’s hands, including a baseball player, movie buff, even a not-for-profit organization or investment group. Whoever purchases this land will own a piece of film history. Let’s hope that the next owner or investor will not tear it down for development, but continue to keep the legacy going for years to come.

White Sox Blank Tribe in Season Opener

The White Sox looked to be in mid-season form as they shut out the Cleveland Indians 6-0 in their season home opener at U.S. Cellular Field this afternoon. Paul Konerko and Alex Rios both hit home runs, and Mark Buehrle pitched seven scoreless innings, giving up three hits and one walk. He also made a spectacular play, kicking a grounder into foul territory on the first base side, chasing after it and flipping the ball with his glove between his legs to Konerko at first base for the out. Rios also made a diving catch to end the game.

If this is a sign of things to come, then this should be a sparkling year for the White Sox. Based on the strength of their pitching alone, many baseball experts, including Fox’s Ken Rosenthal, are picking the Sox to clinch the AL Central crown. The key question mark is whether they can hit with any consistency and score runs to help out what is surely one of the best starting rotations in the American League.

One victory down, another 90 or so more to go, which should be plenty to clinch the AL Central.

Beckham Settles for Fifth in ROY Voting

Several weeks ago, White Sox infielder Gordon Beckham was named the Players Choice and the Sporting News Rookie of the Year, both based on the opinions of fellow baseball players. Today, he had a chance to win the trifecta when the Baseball Writers of America voted. Not only did Beckham not win Rookie of the Year honors, he placed a distant fifth, garnering only two second-place votes and four third-place votes.

Why the discrepancy? I’m still scratching my head over this one. Kinda makes you wonder what the baseball writers were looking at.

Instead the writers chose Oakland A's reliever Andrew Bailey who had 26 saves with a 1.84 ERA. Great numbers, I must admit. But I think Beckham's play made more of a difference for the White Sox, who were divisional contenders for most of the summer.

I can understand it if Beckham finished a close second, but a distant fifth with only six votes after nabbing top honors by his peers is something that's difficult to understand. Perhaps it’s a case of the writers looking at Beckham’s two previous honors, assuming that other writes will vote for him, and decide to vote for someone else.

Beckham’s numbers were just as good, if not better, than the other top rookies in consideration. After being promoted from Triple A in early June, Beckham went on to lead all AL rookies with 28 doubles, 43 extra-base hits and 63 RBIs in just 103 games, while finishing second in home runs (14), runs scored (58), hits (102), on-base percentage (.347), slugging percentage (.460) and total bases (174).

Those are impressive numbers. But they clearly did not impress enough of the baseball writers.

Breaking Down the Mark Teahan Trade

It's official now. The White Sox announced they have acquired OF/IF Mark Teahan from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for 3B Josh Fields and 2B Chris Getz.

At first glance, I was surprised that Getz was part of this deal as GM Kenny Williams has repeatedly said the team needed more youth and speed. Getz was an average player offensively, but his speed on the base pads cannot be overlooked. He stole 25 bases last season in 27 attempts, a better percentage than Scott Podsednik. I had visions of Getz becoming a lead off hitter if he could work the bat better. Still, Getz just concluded his first full season with the Sox and was hampered by injuries in each of the last two seasons. His durability and inconsistent performance at the plate may have been a concern.

Teahan is a versatile player, and he has played second and third base as well as the outfield. He's only 28 and has been in the league about five seasons, so he brings more experience to the infield, which the Sox need. He batted .271 for Kansas City last season, but batted .277 against the Sox, which might be another reason why they wanted the guy on their side.

The Sox plan to put Teahan at third, his natural position, and move the talented Gordon Beckham over to second base. Beckham played some second base during the Arizona Fall League and with time, he should do well. He's a fast learner and should pick up the position quickly.

Fields had a stellar year at third base in 2007 after Joe Crede had back surgery, but never quite played at the same level since then. He played mostly in the minors in 2008 during Crede's final year, and struggled early last season before losing the job to Beckham. Fields was sent to the minors mid season amidst speculation that he would soon be traded before the July 30 trade deadline. While his stint in Chicago overall was not memorable, Fields will be remembered for hitting a grand slam in Mark Buehrle's perfect game last July.

Despite losing Getz, which could come back to haunt the Sox down the road, this deal could work out well for both teams.

Milton Bradley Gone for Good?

Cubs’ GM Jim Hendry finally pulled the plug on Milton Bradley Sunday, suspending the disgruntled outfielder for the remainder of the season after Bradley criticized the team in a Daily Herald article.

But it was clear early on that Bradley was a poor fit for the Cubs. He didn’t play well to start the season. He had miscues in the field, was suspended for arguing with an umpire and criticized Chicago fans. And as the season wore on and the Cubs fell further behind in the NL Central, Bradley seemed to get even more restless and critical. Hendry had seen enough and put Bradley on the shelf – possibly for good.

It’s highly unusual for a team to suspend a player for the rest of the season, when there are two weeks remaining. The fact that the Cubs have done this shows how desperate they are to end the Milton Bradley experiment. The Cubs are Bradley’s eighth team in nine years in the big leagues. Doesn’t it make you wonder why he can’t stick with any one team for too long?

In hindsight, maybe the Cubs should have done something sooner with Bradley – suspension or trade or something – to get him out of the clubhouse. But I guess when you have $30 million invested in a player, you want to be patient and give him time to adjust to the team and perhaps come around on his own.

So what next? Do the Cubs take the loss and let him go? Or will they be able to work out a trade? And with all the well-publicized baggage Bradley carries, would any team want him?

There is no doubt in my mind that Bradley will not return to Wrigley Field next season. It’s clear he’s been looking for a way out almost since the day he walked into the clubhouse. And the Cubs should do all they can to give him a one-way ticket out of town.

Good-bye to the Coin Flip; Play-In Game Could Be Next

If you were waiting to find out which major league teams currently in contention would host a potential one-game playoff, you’ll have to wait until the end of the regular season. MLB GMs decided last November to eliminate the coin flip, which in the past determined which team would host a one-game playoff in the event of a tie.

Instead, the host team will be decided by a series of on-field tiebreakers, beginning with head-to-head records. If that’s tied, the next tiebreaker is the team with the highest winning percentage within the division, followed by the highest winning percentage in intra-league play during the second half of the season.

I like the change and I believe it’s an improvement over the coin flip, which seemed arbitrary and pointless. However, with three levels of on-field tiebreakers, why bother playing a tiebreaker game at all?

I know the play-in game is supposed to help generate excitement for the playoffs. But under this new system, a play-in game seems obsolete. Think about it. If two teams have the same record, but team A has the season record over team B, wouldn’t it make sense to name Team A the divisional winner without having a tiebreaker game? Why should Team A be expected to play Game 163 to prove that they are indeed the divisional winner when they already have the proven that they are the better team in the division by having the season record against their rival?

Further, what happens if Team A hosts a tiebreaker game and loses to Team B? Team A would probably feel cheated out of a division title. How many times would this scenario have to play out before owners and GMs decide the play-in game isn't such a great idea afterall.

Eliminating the coin flip is a step in the right direction, but there's more work to be done. Time will tell if the tiebreaker play-in game stands the test of time.

Retirement Poses Difficult Transition for Athletes

Those who follow baseball may remember Doug Glanville, who played for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers from 1996 to 2004. He is writing a series of articles for the New York Times providing his insights into the sport.

The latest column “The Forgotten” shows how he and other athletes, like former Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair, found it difficult to transition from professional sports to the real world. I think many of us assume that pro athletes have it made, that the money they made as an athlete will help them survive in retirement. That is far from the truth, writes Glanville, who describes his own struggles as he found a new life after baseball.

What I found astounding were the statistics he quoted from the Professional Sports Wives Association. More than 80 percent of athletes are divorced and are a quarter of a million dollars in debt after they retire.

I know at times it’s difficult to be sympathetic toward millionaire ball players like Alex Rodriguez who divorced his wife recently, but Glanville’s article shows that in many cases, there is often more to their personal story than what fans see or read in the paper.

Peavy Deal Makes a Splash

White Sox GM Kenny Williams sure likes to make a big splash at baseball’s trading deadline. Last year, for example, he picked up Ken Griffey, Jr. in a deal that left many fans scratching their heads.

This year, in a last-second deal, the Sox acquired Jake Peavy from the San Diego Padres in exchange for four young pitchers, including lefties Clayton Richard and top prospect Aaron Poreda.

Peavy refused to waive his no-trade clause two months ago in Chicago’s first bid for his services, but a lot has changed since then. The Padres have since fallen well out of contention in the NL West, and the Sox are in second place, 1 ½ games out of first place in the AL Central. It didn’t take long for Peavy to figure out that it was a waste of his time and talent to stay in San Diego.

At first glance, the deal looks very risky. Peavy has been on the DL with an ankle injury since early June and may not be available to pitch for the Sox until Sept. 1 at the earliest, if at all. In the meantime, the Sox have a gaping hole in their starting rotation with Richard gone to the Padres. The Sox will need to fill that hole with either middle reliever D.J. Carrasco or bring up someone from the minors. They have some tough series ahead, including a bear of a road trip at the end of August that takes them through Boston, New York and Minneapolis with a final stop at Wrigley Field for a make-up game against the Cubs. If the Sox can stay close to the Detroit Tigers in the divisional race and if Peavy can return to the mound by the end of August, things could get interesting in September.

The Sox also took a risk financially. Even Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf hesitated to sign off on this deal because of concerns about Peavy’s salary -- $8 million remaining for this season and $52 million between 2010 and 2012. As contracts for Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko expire in the next couple of years, the Sox might get a little more breathing room with their finances to take on Peavy’s salary.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal says the risk may be worth it, especially for the long term. If this deal pans out, the Sox rotation could be set for the next two years at least. Imagine a rotation that includes Peavy, Mark Buehrle, John Danks and Gavin Floyd. That’s a lineup that can compete with any team in the major leagues.

ESPN Planning Bartman Documentary

ESPN must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel for programming ideas. The sports network announced that it is planning to do a documentary about Steve Bartman for its '30 for 30' project to commemorate the network’s 30th anniversary. If you recall, Bartman is the unfortunate Cub fan who was in the wrong place at the wrong time during Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS at Wrigley Field. He attempted to catch a ball that was in foul territory at the same time that Cubs’ outfielder Moises Alou reached in to grab it. The ball bounced away instead, and Alou lost his temper. The Cubs subsequently lost the game and the series, and Bartman has been a scapegoat ever since.

I’m not sure why ESPN would want to document this story. It serves no purpose except to prolong the memory of another disappointing Cubs’ postseason. It’s time to put this story to rest for once and for all.

Halladay Trade Not Likely

I’m beginning to think Toronto Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi is just yanking everyone’s chain. Ricciardi has set a July 28 trade deadline for a possible deal for All-Star pitcher Roy Halladay (even though the MLB deadline is July 31) and he says he has yet to receive an appropriate trade offer and expects Halladay to remain with the team.

He’s probably right. But then that was probably his plan all along. Ever since he announced that he was willing to trade Halladay, Ricciardi seemed more interested in “kicking tires” than making a deal. Ricciardi is like a homeowner who wants to test the waters of the housing market by putting his house up for sale just to see what kind of offers he’ll get. Can anyone take Ricciardi seriously? And why would he make such a huge announcement over wanting to trade Halladay? If he wants to trade his ace, wouldn’t it be easier to work a deal under the radar without all the fanfare? No need for all the smoke and mirrors.

Why trade Halladay at all? It’s not as if the Jays have been a bottom-dwelling team these past few seasons. Currently, they are in fourth place, 10 games behind the division-leading Yankees. The Jays have strong pitching, and some good young players who will help this team down the road. They just have the misfortune of playing in the highly competitive AL East with the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays.

Two things I know about baseball: you never trade away your best player, and you never give away the farm. Wouldn’t you rather keep your star player and rebuild around him? The Jays can be even more competitive by keeping Halladay and developing the young players they have.

As for potential buyers, I don’t see any team currently in contention that is so desperate for a starter that they are willing to give up several of their best prospects. Ricciardi wants too much in return for his ace. Come August 1, Halladay will remain a Jay.

High Prices Are Baseball Fans Top Concern

After an extended absence, I am back at the helm of Woman's Eye on Sports. I was dealing with a minor health issue last spring, and I must confess, I lost interest in my blog during my recuperation. But I am back, I'm in good health, and I'm ready to provide news and insights about the sports world.

It seems every time I go to a baseball game, I’m spending more for tickets and concessions. Thank goodness I take public transportation to the games, or I’d really be in the red.

I’m not alone. A new Associated Press-Knowledge Networks poll finds that 45 percent of baseball fans surveyed said they are most concerned about the high price of attending a game.

In these tough economic times, many folks simply do not have the discretionary income to pay for an evening at the ball park. Almost 60 percent of fans surveyed said that going to a game was more expensive than other types of entertainment they consider, yet there was no indication that they would stay home because of the prices. Only 11 percent who attended a game in 2008 said they would not go this season. With the start of the baseball season less than a week away, it remains to be seen if these higher prices will keep people at home.

Cubs Commit Error on Banks' Tribute

It seems the Chicago Cubs couldn’t even get a lovely tribute to Ernie Banks right. When the statue of Banks was unveiled on Monday, one small detail was missing. At the base of the statue where Banks’ signature expression was engraved, there was a typo.

What should have read “Let’s Play Two” actually read “Lets Play Two.” The apostrophe was missing from the word “let’s.”

How embarrassing.

As a writer myself, I understand that mistakes like this often can and do happen. I’ve made plenty of them in my career. But if there’s anything I have learned, it’s to have someone proof your work (although that’s not always possible when blogging).

Whose job is it to proof this stuff for the Cubs? How many people looked at it before signing off? How many of them passed fifth grade English?

What is even more troubling is that half the people who paused to admire the statue did not notice that there was a mistake.

To the Cubs’ credit, the error was corrected today. The engraver inserted the apostrophe where it’s supposed to be. But really, what an awkward way to start the season.

Crystal’s Day in the Sun

I think every sports fan dreams of the day that they can don the uniform of his or her favorite team and be part of the team for a day.

That dream came true for comedian/actor Billy Crystal when he signed a one-day, minor-league deal with the Yankees. To commemorate his 60th birthday, Crystal wore the number 60 on his jersey and led off Thursday's spring training contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates. After going to a 3-1 pitch count, Crystal struck out. But as he told the New York Times, “it was a great feeling.”

While it’s amusing to watch celebrities like Crystal mingle with the big boys on the baseball field, how many of us wouldn’t mind trading places with them? Why should celebrities have all the fun?

Why not let the average sports fan spend a day with their favorite sports team, wear the team uniform, and have a swing or two in the batter’s box? Naturally, such an honor does not come for free. A generous donation to the team’s favorite charity would work quite nicely. I can’t think of a better way to spend a birthday, can you?

Umpires Irate Over MLB Background Checks

Major League Baseball is denying stories that it is conducting background checks on its umpires that involve sending investigators to hometowns and interviewing neighbors. Umpires are irate that their neighbors are being asked inappropriate questions such as whether the umpires belong to the Ku Klux Klan.

“The questions that we found out are being asked are about beating wives, marijuana use and extravagant parties,” said John Hirshbeck, president of the World Umpires Association. “And then finally with this whole thing about the Ku Klux Klan. You get someone from security, shows his credentials and starts asking these kind of questions, and right away, what’s the neighbor going to think other than the umpire is in trouble, he’s done something wrong and he’s going to lose his job.”

I can understand the need to do background checks as part of the hiring process. But if these allegations by WUA are true, then MLB is way out of line. Confirm work history and talk to references, if you must, but leave out the interrogation tactics.

ChiSox to Santana: Good Riddance!

The White Sox got one piece of good news this week. They don’t have to face Johann Santana anymore. The Cy Young award winner, who dominated the Sox during his career with the Twins, was traded to the New York Mets for three pitchers and an outfielder. With Santana pitching in the National League, he'll be the Cubs’ problem from now on.

MLB GMs Favor Instant Replay

The NFL has had instant replay for years, sometimes with mixed results. Now Major League Baseball may be following suit.

During this week’s owners’ meetings in Florida, general managers of all but five teams voted to recommend instant replay for baseball games. Instant replay would be used for boundary calls, such as whether potential home runs are fair or foul, whether balls go over the fence or bounce back into the field of play, and whether a fan interfered.

Obviously, the biggest drawback is the time it would take to review the contested plays. Games are already running more than three hours, and instant replay will add more time to the game. On the other hand, I think it’s important to get the play right. And the umpires could certainly use a little help in making the right calls.

Commissioner Bud Selig has always opposed the use of instant replay because of all the delays involved. “I think it sometimes creates as many problems than it solves,” he told the Associated Press. If Selig can keep an open mind, he may run the idea past the owners. The plan also needs approval from the players’ association and the umpires.

World Champion Red Sox Set the Standard

Folks may still be celebrating in Boston after the Red Sox clinched their second World Series title in four years, but the rest of the baseball world has already started to look ahead to 2008. Many of them will look to the Red Sox as a model of what their team should look like -- one built on a balance of offensive power, strong defense and gutsy pitching. They also combined the experience of players like Mike Lowell, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Jason Varitek with young players from their farm system such as Jonathan Palpebon, Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury. With this balance of talent, the Sox appear to be set to compete for several years. One wonders if they have become the new "evil empire" especially as the Yankees appear to be rebuilding under new manager Joe Girardi.

But the difference between the Red Sox "empire" and the Yankees version is how the mega bucks the Red Sox spent were allocated. The Yankees threw money to whoever was available on the market, regardless if they really needed the player or whether they fit in with the team. Some speculated that they recruited players just to prevent the rival Red Sox from taking them. I don't know if that's true or not, but let's just say, the Yankees did not always invest wisely in their personnel. The Red Sox, on the other hand, spent money where they needed to. They filled the holes that needed to be filled and recruited quality players who understand how the game is meant to be played and know how to be a team player. How the Sox put their title team together was an example of smart planning. Yes, they spent money on quality free agents, but if Palpebon, Pedroia and Ellsbury are any indication, then their farm system must be pretty good too.

Championship teams are not built overnight (take note Chicago Cubs). But you can bet other MLB teams are watching the Red Sox' success as a model to follow as they plan for 2008. The Sox have set the bar high, but can any team come close to matching their success?

Will the Third Time Be the Charm for Dusty Baker?

Former Cubs' Manager Dusty Baker is trying his hand at managing again, this time with the Cincinnati Reds. Baker was named the Reds’ manager yesterday.

After four years as manager of the Cubs, it seemed odd to see Baker don a Reds’ uniform during the team’s press conference yesterday. I’m not sure he’s the right fit for this team however. One of the criticisms against Baker while he was in Chicago was his reluctance to work with young players and give them playing time. Unfortunately for Baker, the Reds’ have a lot of young players. It’ll be interesting to see how Baker handles them.

On the other hand, being in a smaller market like Cincinnati might be a blessing. The glare of public scrutiny isn’t as strong in Cincinnati as it is in larger cities, like Chicago. Baker might be able to make some progress with the Reds while working in relative obscurity.

Cubs, Sox Release Tentative 2008 Schedules

For the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, next year is already here. Both teams released their tentative 2008 schedules yesterday, which include several interesting match ups and road trips.

The two Chicago teams will square off in back-to-back weekend series in June. For the past few seasons, the two series have been separated by several weeks.

The White Sox open their 2008 campaign on the road on March 31 against the defending AL Central champion Cleveland Indians. They open at home a week later against the Twins and Tigers. The Sox also finish the season with a series at home against the Indians.

The Cubs open the season at home for the first time in seven years on March 31 against their NL Central rivals Milwaukee Brewers. They will also end the season facing Milwaukee at Miller Park on Sept. 28.

As for Interleague play, there could be some interesting match ups. Mark your calendar for June 13-15 when the Sox host the Colorado Rockies at the Cell while the Cubs travel to Toronto to play the Blue Jays. The Sox also face Pittsburgh at home and the Dodgers and Giants on the road. The Cubs host the Baltimore Orioles and visit Lou Piniella’s former team, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Mind you, these schedules are tentative and may change.

Yankees' Future in Limbo

Would Mariano Rivera Exchange Yankee Pin Stripes for Cubbie Blue?

In the three days since the Cleveland Indians defeated the New York Yankees in the American League divisional series, manager Joe Torre’s career with the Yankees has been in limbo. Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner made it clear during the series that the Yankees needed to win in order to save Torre’s job. Now the world waits for the hammer to fall.

Today, reliever Mariano Rivera told reporters he hoped Torre would stay with the team. Rivera, who becomes a free agent after this season, said his decision to stay with the team hinges on whether Torre also stays. If Torre is fired, Rivera says he may decide to play elsewhere.

If that’s the case, I can think of one team on the north side of Chicago that might consider pursuing Rivera. Granted, the Cubs already have a closer in Ryan Dempster, but he has been adequate at best, but isn’t overpowering or dominant like Rivera. I would think that if a team has the money and the opportunity to bring in arguably the best closer in the game, they should take that chance. Can you imagine Mariano Rivera in blue pin stripes?