LAKELAND, Fla. – It’s finally official; Johnny Damon is a Detroit Tiger.

After reports first surfaced this weekend on SI.com on Saturday night that Damon had signed a one year deal for approximately $8 million with the Detroit Tigers pending a physical, Tigers’ GM Dave Dombrowski told MLB.com that “significant progress” had been made in talks with Damon but he could not confirm a signing.

Today, in a press conference held at the Tigers’ spring training facility in Lakeland, Florida, Damon was officially presented as the newest Tiger.

The 36-year-old outfielder has an impressive resume that includes being a part of two World Series winning teams, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.

A two-time American League All-Star, Damon hit 24 home runs and drove in 82 runs for the Yankees last year and since 2007 has batted .325 at Comerica Park.

Over the past couple of weeks, rumors were flying that the Atlanta Braves had thrown a hat into the ring along with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox. Both Atlanta and Detroit hold spring training in Florida near Damon’s Orlando area home so they were the front-runners when the bidding began.

According to MLB.com reports, when the Braves learned Damon was interested in the team, he was offered a one year contract that included deferred funds. However, according to one MLB.com report, the Braves made the offer “with an understanding that they would likely be outbid by the Tigers or another Major League club.”

Other reports surfaced that Damon’s wife wanted to go to Chicago. During today’s press conference when Damon was introduced and given a Detroit Tigers No. 18 uniform, he said repeatedly that Detroit was where he and his family wanted to be.

He also warned that talk that his wife did not want to go to Detroit was untrue and that if the quotes did not come directly from him or his wife, then they probably were not true.

“This is where I wanted to be. Detroit is the team I wanted to play with. It finally worked out, “said Damon.

In addition to writing her Chicago Cubs column for Examiner.com, Miriam Romain has been published in several Cubs annuals by Maple Street Press and is a contributor to SportsClimax.com . She is also writing a book with the working title “Summers at Wrigley with my Dad.”

Copyright © 2010 – Sports Climax™

CHICAGO – If you haven’t been able to follow this morning’s Tweets from Mesa Mayor Scott Smith or the group CubsWinInAZ, you’ve missed out on being part of the hearing where HB 2736 was presented to the House Commerce Committee. Despite some negativity, the bill was passed by the committee 6-2.

Among the Tweets Smith shared with followers was, “Interesting how some people don’t let facts get in the way of a good argument.” And, “Interesting how everybody wants the Cubs to stay (and love their fans and their money), but nobody wants to pay. Shocking! Simply shocking!”

But there is also news that the Goldwater Institute could bring a lawsuit charging violation of a state prohibition against government gifts to private entities.

Under the new bill, the Cubs would buy the land for the new ballpark, turn it over to the City of Mesa for development but would get, among other things, naming rights and the right to book extra events at the stadium.

The Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks have openly voiced opposition to the bill that would raise ticket prices by a dollar throughout the Cactus League, and raise rental car prices. In this morning’s meeting, however, according to a Tweet by CubsWinInAZ, Representative Rich Crandall put the Diamondbacks in their place, stating that moving their stadium to an Indian Reservation hurts Maricopa County taxpayers because there is no revenue for the community.

Goldwater Institute attorney Clint Bolick called the plan one-sided in favor of the Cubs, which it is. The City of Mesa is trying to keep the Cubs in Mesa. Bolick and Smith have agreed to sit down and discuss this situation soon.

The Goldwater Institute is an independent government watchdog group.

In the midst of this vote and controversy, pitchers and catchers reported to Spring Training today.

In addition to writing her Chicago Cubs column for Examiner.com, Miriam Romain has been published in several Cubs annuals by Maple Street Press and is a contributor to SportsClimax.com . She is also writing a book with the working title “Summers at Wrigley with my Dad.”

More Cubs Here:
Buzz Surrounds Dawson Going to HOF as an Expo

Mark McGwire decided to come clean and finally admitted using steroids throughout his career, including the year he broke the single-season home run record.

McGwire had basically fallen off the map since dodging the steroid question in front of a congressional committee in March 2005. Now that the former Major League Baseball player is preparing to coach this season for the St. Louis Cardinals he must have thought it was best to address the issue prior to the season to avoid a media circus when spring training starts (Google Alex Rodriguez).

During an interview with the Associated Press, McGwire apologized. “The toughest thing is my wife, my parents, close friends have had no idea that I hid it from them all this time,” said McGwire. “I knew this day was going to come. I didn’t know when.”

McGwire went on to admit using steroids and HGH throughout a decade and during the time he broke Roger Maris’ home run record in 1998.

“I wish I had never touched steroids,” McGwire said. “It was foolish and it was a mistake.”

According to the AP, McGuire called Commissioner Bud Selig, St. Louis manager Tony La Russa and Maris’ widow, Pat to personally break the news then called the AP for the interview.

“It was a wrong thing what I did. I totally regret it. I just wish I was never in that era,” he said.

McGwire finished his career with 583 home runs, tied for eighth on the all-time list. His record of 70 home runs in 1998 only held up for three years then it was surpassed by Barry Bonds’ 73 homers in 2001. In addition, his resume includes 1987 AL Rookie of the Year and 12 trips to the All-Star Game.

Ironically this admission comes just days after the latest Hall Of Fame vote that saw McGwire get a mere 23 percent vote, well below the 75 percent necessary to make it to Cooperstown.

“This has nothing to do with the Hall of Fame,” he said. “This has to do with me coming clean, getting it off my chest, and five years that I’ve held this in. There’s no way a pill or an injection will give you hand-eye coordination or the ability or the great mind that I’ve had as a baseball player,” he said. “I was always the last one to leave. I was always hitting by myself. I took care of myself.”

He said he first used steroids between the 1989 and 1990 seasons, after helping the Oakland Athletics to a World Series sweep when he and Jose Canseco formed the Bash Brothers.

“When you work out at gyms, people talk about things like that. It was readily available,” he said. “I tried it for a couple of weeks. I really didn’t think much of it.”

He said he returned to steroids after the 1993 season after being told steroids might speed his recovery.

“I did this for health purposes. There’s no way I did this for any type of strength purposes,” he said.

McGwire’s 70 homers in 1998 was part of a head-to-head battle with Chicago Cubs Sammy Sosa who finished with 66. Sosa, like McGuire, has brushed off and denied using steroids thus far and was reprimanded when he was caught using an illegal bat around that same time.

Selig praised McGwire, saying, “This statement of contrition, I believe, will make Mark’s re-entry into the game much smoother and easier.” If anyone knows about damage control it’s Selig. The commissioner has had his hands full over the years with the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez admitting using steroids, Bonds facing criminal charges accused of lying when questioned about steroids and Roger Clemens currently being investigated for possibly lying to Congress concerning his involvement in steroid use.

Rafael Palmeiro is another player who denied using steroids but then tested positive for one later that year.

“I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids,” McGwire said. “I had good years when I didn’t take any, and I had bad years when I didn’t take any. I had good years when I took steroids, and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn’t have done it and for that I’m truly sorry.”

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Aaron Says Bonds Should Keep Home Run Record – Sports Climax

Copyright © 2010 – Sports Climax

Andre Dawson finally survived the controversial Hall of Fame voting procedure and will join other baseball greats in Cooperstown.

Many felt the slugger, who played 11 seasons with the Montreal Expos and another 10 with the Chicago Cubs, should have been voted in years ago but despite being one of just three major leaguers to steal over 300 bases and hit over 400 homers, Dawson had to endure a nine-year wait to be elected. BTW, the other two players are two of MLB’s greatest players ever; Willie Mays and Barry Bonds.

Dawson’s career stats are impressive and include 2,774 hits, 438 HRs and 1,591 RBIs.

“As I stand here, I’m literally shaking,” said Dawson, the 1987 National League MVP. “I had a knee replacement on one leg that I thought was dead but it’s shaking.”

Dawson was the lone player on the ballot to receive the required 75% of the vote.

Due to his long tenure with both the Expos and Cubs, Cooperstown hasn’t decided whether the eight-time All-Star will be presented with an Expos or Cubs hat.

Other players on the ballot receiving votes:

Andre Dawson 420 77.9
Bert Blyleven 400 74.2
Roberto Alomar 397 73.7
Jack Morris 282 52.3
Barry Larkin 278 51.6
Lee Smith 255 47.3
Edgar Martinez 195 36.2
Tim Raines 164 30.4
Mark McGwire 128 23.7
Alan Trammell 121 22.4
Fred McGriff 116 21.5
Don Mattingly 87 16.1
Dave Parker 82 15.2
Dale Murphy 63 11.7
Harold Baines 33 6.1
Andres Galarraga 22 4.1

Around the time James Cameron’s masterpiece box-office hit Avatar surpassed $1 billion and brought a new meaning to the term 3D, ESPN reported they will launch the first 3D television network.

ESPN 3D will showcase a minimum of 85 live sporting events during its first year, beginning with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match on June 11 between South Africa and Mexico.

In addition to the World Cup opener, ESPN will produce up to 25 total World Cup matches, as well as the Summer X Games, college basketball, and college football, including the BCS National Championship game in Glendale, Ariz., January 10, 2011.

ESPN has been testing ESPN 3D for more than two years and produced USC’s 18-15 win over Ohio State in 3D for select theaters back in September.

This network launch will certainly drive the early adoption of 3D TV sets, while combining “great content with new technology to enhance the fan’s viewing experience,” according to ESPN President, George Bodenheimer.

ESPN went on to report that “Even more events will soon be announced, and we’re crossing our fingers that the following shows make the cut”

Around the 3D Horn: All of the guest hosts will appear to sit in a semi-circle around an actual horn, reminiscent of the conch from Lord of the Flies.

Outside the Lines 3D: The most literal television show ever, as it will actually appear to be outside the lines of your TV.

3D Cold Pizza: Because all that was missing were various toppings appearing to fly through your screen.

3D PTI:It’s not a robot, it’s Tony and Wilbon in your living room.

SportsCenter 3D: Is that Scott Van Pelt and Steve Levy or just clever holograms delivering you the highlights? We’ll never tell.

Copyright © 2010 – Sports Climax

ST. LOUIS – All the hype and speculation surrounding Matt Holliday’s destination since hitting the MLB free agent market can come to a close.

The 29-year-old slugger signed a 7 year, $120 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, the same team he played for at the end of last season.

“Well, I think first of all going into free agency I had in the back of my mind that I really liked my time in St. Louis and felt it was a good fit for me and my family,” Holliday said when interviewed on a Tuesday ESPN radio show. “At the end of the day we decided that was best for us.”

Holliday, a three-time All Star, joined the Cardinals from Oakland last July and batted .353, sent 13 over the wall and batted in 55 runs in 63 games for St. Louis.

Holliday pulled a bonehead Charlie Brown move during last year’s playoffs when he dropped a routine liner to left field that would have been the final out of Game 2. Instead, his error kept a Dodger rally alive and allowed the Dodgers to coast to a three-game sweep.

Holliday believes his chances of getting to the World Series with the Cardinals is as great as going anywhere else. “Obviously, with Albert Pujols on the team you have a great opportunity to have a great team,” said Holliday. “Albert is the best player in the history of baseball in my mind. Hopefully between the two of us we can help do our part to win a World Series.”

Holliday also reflected on the size of his new contract. “When you’re a little kid growing up hoping to be a professional baseball player and hoping to play in the major leagues, I don’t think you ever think about the money,” Holliday said. “Now that you look at it, it’s a little overwhelming.”

With Pujols also playing with an active contract over $100 million, the Cardinals become only the third team in Major League Baseball to invest in two $100 million players.

The New York Mets’ Johan Santana and Carlos Beltran are $100 million guys and the New York Yankees have four; Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira and C.C. Sabathia.

Copyright © 2010 – Sports Climax

After botching several critical calls during this year’s playoff series and World Series, Major League Baseball decided to ignore the serious issue surrounding their sport and did not present any proposals to expand on their current video replay system – Sports Climax Editor

Below is a story contributed by National Sportswriter Paula Duffy.

CHICAGO – In Chicago this week, the MLB general managers never even made a proposal related to expansion of replay, never mind  vote on anything.Mlb.com reported on Tuesday afternoon that the prevailing opinion was in sync with public statements made by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. 

MLB executive vice president, Jimmy Lee Solomon said:

“We only have now a season and a couple of months’ experience with it. Now there are those who clamor for more and more instant replay. I think we have to digest what we’ve got. We’ve got to look at this technology and look at where we are as a sport.”

In other words, what’s your hurry buddy, we don’t like to be pushed. As previously noted, a younger more tech-savvy base of executives wouldn’t blink at discussing what was the hottest topic to come out of the post-season, besides A-Rod’s awakening and use of pitchers on “short rest”.

Yankees GM, Brian Cashman spoke for those of us who don’t see this as heresy or acting hastily. MLB.com carries this quote: I’m big on technology,” Cashman said. “I’m open to any way we can help the umpires. We want what the umpires want — to get the calls right.”

Unfortunately he added that he would leave the matter up to the Commissioner’s Office and the umpire’s union. If they believe all is fine, Cashman will be good with that.

Too bad.

I don’t expect revolutionary changes to be made only a week after the conclusion of the World Series but the absence of an agenda item with a proposal that could be studied and debated is disheartening. We’re left with the usual blather that can be summed up by a statement made by Mets’ GM, Omar Minaya: “Look, umpires are going to make bad calls.”

Well at least that doesn’t need to be an agenda item and debated. We all know that already.

This week’s Bitch-Slap-of-the-Week goes to the St. Louis Cardinals, Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox who were all swept right out of the MLB Playoffs.

Many sports fans believe the MLB season is too long so what better way to shorten the season than eliminating almost every team the first week of the playoffs.

The Cards bitch-slap was delivered compliments of the L.A. Dodgers.

After just three games of a five game NL playoff series, the Cards were sent home, tail between their legs, swept by the Dodgers with the final game being a 5-1 loss in front of a sold out silenced crowd at Busch Stadium.

The Cards line-up managed to cross the plate just six times in the entire series; a series that saw a few bounces go the Dodgers’ way.

Like a bitch-slap isn’t enough, in what should have been the final out for a Cardinal victory in Game 2, Cards left fielder Matt Holliday took a direct knock in the nuts when he misjudged a line shot that bounced off his junk, allowing the Dodgers to rally for a comeback win.

That play, reminiscent of Bill Buckner’s infamous miscue, should have been the final out of that contest and would have tied the series one game apiece before heading back to St. Louis.

Instead, the blunder set the stage for the Dodgers’ sweep. To make matters worse, Holliday struggled at the plate batting .167 with only one extra base hit.

Holliday and his Cards do get to share this week’s award with the two other teams who also got the broom; the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox.

That’s a lot of pain to endure . . . maybe Holliday is willing to pass around his ice pack to ease the pain.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax

NEW YORK – The botched call left field umpire Phil Cuzzi made last night during the New York Yankees 4-3 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins is sending shock waves through the baseball world, especially in Minnesota where the Twins return home down 2-0 in their five-game series against the New York Yankees.

Detroit Tigers fans may be referring to this call as justice. Just days earlier, home plate umpire Randy Marsh missed Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge getting hit by a pitch in the 12th inning with the bases loaded in crucial Game 163 against these same Twins.

Like the Twins, the Tigers should have been guaranteed at least one run and both went on to lose in the bottom of the same inning the botched calls occurred.

In the top of the 11th inning of last night’s game, Twins’ catcher Joe Mauer ripped a line shot down the left field line that glanced off Melky Cabrera’s glove in fair territory then clearly landed fair, several inches inside the left field line.

Mauer should have been awarded a ground rule double but instead, Mauer was given a single, the Twins followed with two singles loading the bases with no out but failed to score. Cuzzi’s call took a run from the Twins as Mauer would have crossed home plate on one of those hits.

Like Tigers Manager Jim Leyland a week earlier, Ron Gardenhire did not directly blame the outcome of the game on the call considering their teams had plenty of other opportunities to win the games.

Crew chief Tim Tschida admitted seeing the tape of the Mauer hit after the game and admitted it was a blown call then offered this comment, “There’s a guy [Cuzzi] sitting over in the umpire’s dressing room right now that feels horrible. Nobody feels it worse than the umpire.”

Don’t be so sure about that.

Sports Climax received several emails from our readers slamming this call. One reader asked if that were a case of a “Jersey Ump on the Take?” The email continued, “I would check his [Cuzzi’s] bank account today to see if the bookee’s [sic] check has cleared. He was less than 20 feet away, staring right at it and missed it twice. Yankee Magic! Yankee Cheat!!”

Not sure about bookies or payoffs but after viewing the video of the play, a visit to his optician should certainly be recommended.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax

DETROIT – Witnessing the demolition of Detroit’s historic ballpark, Tiger Stadium, was like attending the burial of a  loved one. We can’t stop death from consuming a family member’s final breath and beat of a heart but we never allow it to pilfer the memories.

While Sports Illustrated is featuring the Tigers’ current home Comercia Park on their cover this week; at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull demolition experts and heavy machinery continued to flatten Tiger Stadium one beam and support at a time.

Those bulldozers ripped the concrete and riveted steel girders out of that structure and buried them in a nearby landfill but could not purge the heart and soul out of that ballpark.

Tiger Stadium provided the hard-working, blue-collar fans of Detroit a place to escape from the stresses of their physically-demanding jobs at the steel mills and auto assembly lines.

Though ancient, rusting and long-outdated, it withstood decades of punishing winters and the wear and tear of thousands of fans stomping in its aisles in unison as their favorite hitter stepped to the plate.

While preservation groups and a few politicians led by Tiger radio icon Ernie Harwell attempted to stop the complete demolition of the stadium and convert a portion of it into a museum, the wrecking ball continued to dismantle the historic landmark and this week, the final beam fell.

As the last piece of rusted metal made its way to the landfill and the stadium was reduced to one final shovel of dust this week, it’s a great time to reminisce.

The first game I ever attended at Tiger Stadium was on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Donning my full baseball uniform with ball glove in hand and chomping on an oversized wad of baseball card bubble gum, I accompanied my Little League baseball team to a game against the Minnesota Twins.

The area near the ticket windows felt like a disaster scene to a scrawny eight-year-old, like me. People scurried around like ants, bumping into each other, trying to gain position and make their way to the ticket windows and into the stadium. I felt like a human pinball but somehow managed to stay connected to my group.

Once inside, I bee-lined straight to the hotdog vendor where I quickly learned Mom did not make the best hotdogs. There was something about those Ballpark Franks at Tiger Stadium. They seemed to plump more when they cooked ‘em.

The journey through the short tunnel to our right field seats was almost surreal. Hustling through that corridor seeing only the blue sky, I couldn’t wait to get a full view of the park.

As I made my way to the end of that tunnel I saw the most extraordinary image I had ever seen; like the scene in the Wizard of Oz I felt like I stepped out of a black & white world into one full of vibrant colors. The blue skies, vast field of vibrant green and borders of perfectly manicured dirt has left a lifelong impression etched in my mind.

Tiger Stadium provided many memories for Detroiters over the years; most notably the 1968 dramatic comeback World Series win over the St. Louis Cardinals and the record-setting Tiger team of 1984 led by World Series MVP Alan Trammell and Kirk Gibson.

It’s amazing how some of these images remain as clear as if they happened yesterday . . . Norm Cash crushing the leather off the ball, sending another one over the right-field roof and onto Trumbull Street . . . Mark “The Bird” Fidrych pacing the mound like a maniac, having full-on conversations with the ball triggering a roar of approval from 53,000 screaming fans.

Many hard-working blue-collar families in the Motor City took advantage of ‘Family Night’ games at Tiger Stadium. On Family Night, the head of the household paid $3.50 for a reserved upper deck seat down the third baseline then only .50 cents apiece for the remaining tickets.

A family of five could see an MLB game for the price of a Starbuck’s  latte and the product was outstanding with baseball icons Al Kaline, Norm Cash, Willie Horton and Denny McClain in the lineup. Family Nights were the only time I remember my father refusing overtime on the docks.

Tiger Stadium was also the home of the Detroit Lions where fans had to endure severe weather conditions and the team played outdoors on natural grass, like the game is meant to be played.

Three layers of clothing was no match for the frigid Canadian winds that blew off the Detroit River on some of those December Sundays. The only heat provided during those games was the body heat of the thousands of devoted Lions fans packed shoulder-to-shoulder in their seats. Peering through a steady cloud of cold breath, hot chocolates in hand, the fans survived those frigid afternoons and many of us learned at an early age what being a loyal, die-hard Lion fan was all about.

Demolition work now complete, the corner of Michigan and Trumbull sits empty, desolate but like loved ones, the memories will survive forever.

Updated from previously published article.

Copyright © 2009 – Sports Climax