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We’ve been with VG since before I retired. We’ve always invested for dividends with reasonable yields within VG funds. Currently we own no individual stocks. I’m not sold on international fund options…yet. Advisors have touted international stocks/funds for years for diversification purposes. Bogle was not into international markets. Bogle repeatedly said that most of the larger US based companies already had a footprint overseas and that was all the international exposure he wanted. VTIAX is a good fund and I’lll admit, I’ve followed it on and off for years. If I were to move some money into international that would likely be the one.

Gibby was in the park when we were in Sarasota to see the Tigers/Orioles game in February. The photo below was taken pregame. Not surprisingly his mobility was somewhat challenged but all things considered, very understandable. I stated this prior, he really didn’t need to be there (he should not have been there). He sat in the very hot sun off to our right for the first half of the game and moved up to sit in the shaded concourse after that. If he had anyone with him we never saw them. I honestly felt for the guy. Gibby leaving the booth is very unfortunate because of the reasons he’s having to do so. I enjoyed his contributions in the booth. I hope he doesn’t become invisible from this point on.

I looked it up earlier today, Ray Lane turned 95 last month.

Flaherty ran everyone off early. I hope Fetter can get things turned around for him.

Tigers/Braves breakout game at 4:05 this afternoon. I’ve watched a couple of these games. This one should be entertaining.

Thank you for attaching this piece. Very good read!

As per Hinch, Tork will spend some time in right field tomorrow against the Pirates in Lakeland. Tork’s been working with Hess and Lombard in right field.

I’m waiting for Jake to get some reps in center.

Barry Larkin is leading a group of investors interested in moving the Rays franchise to Orlando. https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2025/03/14/group-trying-to-bring-mlb-to-orlando-ready-to-pounce-after-rays-new-stadium-deal-falls-through/

He insisted on driving.

Ignore me at your own peril…this is an excellent book. This is one of the best baseball books I’ve ever read. Anyone that enjoys reading about the game through Weaver’s years in baseball will love this book. As I said earlier, I’d never been an Earl Weaver fan over the years simply because I have never been an Orioles fan. The Amazon reviews on this book are spot on if anyone is interested.

The Rays ownership has announced they are dropping the plans to build a new ballpark in St. Pete. This is not a surprise if you’ve followed this saga over the last several months. It has been publicly acknowledged that there is a group that is interested in buying the team.

Two weeks from today it all starts in Chavez Ravine.

We’re not changing this thread title to DIVESTING are we…. 😁

That verse of scripture says it in black and white. It is the truth.

I-4 through Orlando is a major traffic cluster. Last year we did I-95 to I-4 to Lakeland…brutal. This year we went to Ocala off I-95 around Jacksonville and avoided Orlando altogether, going and coming back. The Cactus League would be a great trip one year. My wife wants to go there next year but she heard that there were Tarantulas in Arizona so that might not happen. 🫣

The Royals were playing the Astros that day. As I recall, either the infield or the out field was an artificial surface.

Haines City. Was there for a ST game in 1988 when the Royals were there.

Well, if they need someone to throw BP they found their guy.

He mixed in a wild pitch as a bonus.

The quiet talk is getting loud. As he considers walking away from a stadium deal in St. Petersburg, Fla., Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg is being pressured to sell his team by commissioner Rob Manfred and some other owners, people briefed on the ownership-level conversations who were not authorized to speak publicly told The Athletic. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6189456/2025/03/09/commissioner-owners-pressure-rays-sale-mlb/

Skub Day

The MiLB players are union now, am I correct on this? If so, would they play if there was a lockout? Do minor leaguers have a vote in the agreements?

Yes. This is the biggest concern I have about a lockout. Additionally, I believe lockouts would include the minor leagues as well as they are now part of the contractual agreements between ownership and union.

It’ll be interesting to see how much ball is played in 2027. The word “lockout” is already in the conversation.