Talking Baseball

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The news this morning is that long-time New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has died of a heart attack. He had just celebrated his 80th birthday. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner dies at age of 80:

In 37-plus seasons as owner, Steinbrenner led the Yankees to seven World Series championships, 11 American League pennants and 16 AL East titles.

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Steinbrenner's death on the day of the All-Star game was the second in three days to rock the Yankees. Bob Sheppard, the team's revered public address announcer from 1951-07, died Sunday at 99.

My favorite take on George Steinbrenner was the actor who played him when George Costanza worked for the New York Yankees on the sitcom Seinfeld. This clip is his Billy Martin rant. (Buck Showalter was fired after this episode aired – real life immitating art.) 

I love the comment from bnkosu to this YouTube video: "In other news, George's first order of business beyond the pearly gates was to fire Billy Martin for the 6th time." Perfect!

Today is the All-Star Game in Anaheim, California. The 2011 All-Star Game is presently scheduled for Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Arizona Republic reports Arizona immigration law stirs MLB debate for 2011 All-Star Game in Phoenix:

On the eve of baseball's annual All-Star Game, much of the conversation Monday was focused on next year's game in Phoenix and the state's controversial immigration law.

Inside the Anaheim Marriott, All-Star players were voicing their opposition to Senate Bill 1070 – some more vehemently than others – as they readied for the sport's first major event since the law's passage. Outside, protesters called for Major League Baseball to move next year's game.

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About two dozen protesters marched and chanted outside the hotel Monday morning. They said they had with them a petition bearing more 100,000 signatures asking Commissioner Bud Selig to move the 2011 game.

"We just want to make our voices heard and make sure that Major League Baseball knows it can't support racist laws like that," said organizer Ernesto Guerrero of the Service Employees International Union. "We're asking that they move the game out of Arizona."

That, according to multiple baseball sources, is extremely unlikely.

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One high-ranking baseball source said he would be "shocked" if Selig moved the game, and Diamondbacks officials continue to say they have received no indication that a change is being considered.

The game is scheduled for July 12 at Chase Field and would be the first MLB All-Star Game played in Arizona.

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Michael Weiner, the executive director of the MLB Players Association, reiterated a statement issued in April in which the union opposed the law.

"If the law does go into effect, we'll advise Diamondbacks players as well as players who will travel to Arizona on what they need to do to protect themselves legally," Weiner said. "We'll consult with our player leadership at that point to see if any further action is warranted. At this stage, we'll see what happens with the legal challenges."

No one  believed the NFL would cancel a Superbowl either, but it did. We'll see what happens.

UPDATE: To learn more about the protests against the All-Star game being held in Phoenix, see MLB All Star Game draws Major Protests, activities planned as more players criticize Arizona's SB 1070 | Crooks and Liars (h/t photo).