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I’ve been listening to this game. I am enjoying it thoroughly.

Bruce Bochy & Company are 3-0 versus the AL East on the road to open the playoffs.

I don’t there is any “might have” to it honestly. Mossad and the other intelligence apparatus will be under serious scrutiny, post crisis. It’s like 1973 all over again, unfortunately.

Wayne Comer, member of Tigers' 1968 championship team, dies at age 79 Tony Paul The Detroit News

I’m good with Dirks but Scales needs work.

What is the status of Lance Parrish currently? Any opinions on him joining Dan on radio. In 2019 he was some kind of assistant to the GM but that GM is gone. He’s managed in the minor leagues and been successful in the bigs. I have no idea what he would be like on radio? Opinions?

Charlotte has been perpetually five years from being Major League Baseball-ready for so long that it’s become a grin-and-swear-at-it ritual whenever the topic arises. And yet, we — I — can’t resist. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has been openly discussing his interest in adding two franchises soon, pending resolution of ballpark problems in Oakland, California, and Tampa Bay, Florida. Las Vegas looks like a safe bet to land the A’s, while Tampa Bay’s Rays continue discussions in their area at the same time the home team holds the best record in the big leagues. There are 30 MLB clubs now; the last expansion was in 1998. PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Promote employees and highlight your company’s success. Announce new hires, promotions and more. Get Started Owners in all sports leagues adore expansion because they love to see the game’s excitement shared. Of course, I’m kidding — it means shared expansion fees for everyone. Charlotte, despite no known campaign for MLB or even an informal investor group, has become prominent in speculative discussions of prospective expansion sites. This month, Gambling.com set the odds of the likeliest expansion cities, with Nashville, Tennessee, considered the favorite, followed by Charlotte; San Antonio, Texas; Salt Lake City; and Orlando, Florida. The latter would likely depend on the Rays leaving — either for Orlando or another state because of the proximity of Orlando and Tampa-St. Petersburg. Gambling.com based its rankings on the following criteria: civic support/funding; regional population and TV market size; proven sports audience; distance from a current MLB city; history of baseball support at other levels; and international expansion. Montreal and Tokyo were in the top 10. Given his status as Charlotte’s modern-day founding father, retired Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) CEO Hugh McColl Jr., who helped bring the NFL Carolina Panthers and NBA Charlotte Hornets to town, seemed like a reasonable person to ask for perspective on this matter. “I think that pro baseball requires a big population mass to make it profitable,” McColl told CBJ. "And whether we have that population, that mass at the moment, I don’t know. I guess one would argue that I've always been in favor of a downtown location. But getting to and from the ballpark every night is a challenge.” McColl, who is 88, added, “Someone else will have to solve that one. I can’t solve that one.” The former bank executive offered an opinion on the forecast of Nashville as a heavy favorite: “I think that we would be a better town than Nashville. Just being honest, where I think we grow faster, (with a) bigger corporate market. And, you know, we’ve got more big companies for sponsorship, and we are a town that sits on the border of the Carolinas, and we have 10, 11, 12 million people within 50 miles of us.” On the latter point, McColl got ahead of himself: the population of Charlotte within a 50-mile radius is 3.1 million. According to the latest Census data, North Carolina’s population is 10.7 million and South Carolina’s is 5.3 million. Nashville seems to figure into every economic development comparison and recruiting discussion involving Charlotte these days. In case you were wondering, their respective minor-league baseball teams are both among the most popular in the nation. McColl and EY executive Malcomb Coley spoke to CBJ as part of a new feature called “Two Views,” debuting July 14. The monthly interviews with business and civic leaders will appear in CBJ’s print edition and as a podcast. McColl and Coley discussed economic equity and mobility, commercial real estate and their investment fund, Bright Hope Capital, during the “Two Views” interview. McColl’s first-blush baseball analysis looks spot on: According to Census data, Charlotte’s metro population is 2.7 millionand Nashville’s is 2 million. San Antonio is slightly smaller (2.6 million), Salt Lake City is half as big (1.3 million) and Orlando is equal (2.7 million). Coley, the EY executive, offered a short assessment of Charlotte’s MLB chances during our brief digression. “If Mr. McColl called the commissioner, he would answer that phone call,” he said. RELATED CONTENT

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2023/06/30/mlb-expansion-team-hugh-mccoll-sports-baseball.html Very recent article on possibilities of MLB in NC.

Orioles manager, Brandon Hyde, managed the Greensboro Grasshoppers 2005-2006 and the Carolina Mudcats in 2007. Both teams were then affiliated with Marlins. I don’t see MLB coming here anytime soon. NC has 10 minor league teams. If you can’t find a ballgame in your “neck of the woods” you’re not trying.

To start, I hope MLB never comes to NC in my lifetime. I’m guessing you’re speaking of Knightdale? I have no idea where they could put a park in Raleigh at this day and time. I don’t believe the Bulls park and surroundings would work. That would be in Durham anyway. I’ve got to believe his chance of bringing a team to Raleigh is a long shot at best. There have to be other cities ahead of Raleigh in the hunt for a team.

Tom Dundon, owner of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced he is interested in bringing MLB to Raleigh. Apparently he is now seeking out interested partners.

Sam, Mark and Beth would make a great team. Sam does TV with Mark while Beth teams with Dan on radio.

It makes no sense. The most ludicrous part of this is the expansion part if the conversation. Miami nor St.Pete will support a MLB team at the gate. Yet, MLB is looking to add two new cities. Why not relocate the Rays and the Marlins? I realize it is not that easy but why keep two sites that have proven they aren’t supportive of their teams. To build this new park in the same spot in St. Pete doesn’t add up all. The team just drew an average of 20K fans for the two home playoff games. I’m not a relocate proponent generally, but this plan looks doomed to be an extension of the status quo.

This from Tuesday’s game at The Trop: Here's some perspective on today's attendance of 19,704 at the Trop: according to @Stathead, it's the lowest (non-Covid year) attendance for a postseason game in 104 years. Last one below 19,704 was Game 7 of the infamous 1919 World Series in Cincinnati.

The Bruce Bochy touch.

Rays committed four errors. I’ve noticed that the Rays commit a lot of mental mistakes and errors in general to be a perennial contender. Recently, I attribute it to younger guys making the roster out of AAA due to injuries at the MLB level. Additionally, like other orgs, the Rays move players around often. I hope their sloppy play today at home doesn’t cost them the series.

SF is not an overly talented bunch. Like the Tigers, they have some promising players coming through the minors. Several made the big club this year but experienced the transitions pains at the MLB level. The Tigers are in a better place than they are in my opinion.

Zaidi pretty much threw Kapler under the bus for his own inability to build a competitive team. SF was the top wild card in the NL at the trade deadline and Zaidi did nothing to help the team. He signed AJ Pollock and released him before seasons end. The team needed offense in the worst way and he stood pat. Kapler did what he could with what he had. Kapler had his problems too but Zaidi should have gone out the door as well. Should be an interesting off season by the bay.

I probably watched all of Miggy’s plate appearances via replay video this weekend. I couldn’t help but notice that Cabrera’s swing was more about contact than power. I’m sure his legs/knees play a big part in that approach but his swing was such a contrast to the ‘all or nothing’ cuts these guys take nowadays. He was a kid again this weekend.

If Jim were still here and in good health he would be all over this one. The Big Man batting thirrrd. I can hear it now.

The Tigers are playing for sole possession of 2nd place today.

Erie wins the Eastern League Championship by beating Binghamton tonight 10-0. Brant Hurter won two games in post season going six and seven innings. He didn’t give up a run post season.

How about that damn hockey helmet and stick.

The Miggie Farewell Tour is entering its last week. 🙏 It’s been a looong tour.

Brant Hurter starting tomorrow night for Erie. Hurter won Game #1 last week at Richmond.