Major League Baseball will loan the Dodgers $150-million at 7% interest to help get them out of their financial problems. The deal was struck when MLB assured owner Frank McCourt it would not take over the team if bankruptcy plans fail.
This presumably allows MLB lawyers to take a full look at Astro sale plans and keep approval of the McLane to Crane transfer on track for approval by August 20.
Speaking of the Astros, fan are intrigued by the new faces on the club with J.D. Martinez and Jose Altuve already proving to be fun to watch, but those same fans don't need to worry about former local heros Hunter Pence or Michael Bourn. Both are doing fine with their new teams. Pence is hitting .382 with two homers and seven runs batted in. On top of that the Phillies are running a nine game winning streak heading into Sunday. Pence has never experienced Philadelphia defeat.
Meanwhile Bourn has a couple stolen bases and a .350 average with Atlanta. The Braves are a distant second the Phils in the NL East, but a strong wild card hope.
Back in Houston astute fans are checking MiLB.com to follow the exploits of players named Sosa, Cosart, Stofel and Singleton. All came in deals over the last few weeks. Soon center fielder Jordan Schafer will be active with the big club. He came in the Bourn deal.
Craig Counsel of the Brewers who snapped an 0-45 position player longest hitless streak with a single against Enerio Del Rosario on Friday will make the records books anyway since that tied the all time longest stretch of futility. But Counsel's career makes him the aberration. Heading into 2011 the 15 year major league vet had a lifetime .257 average. He is tied with .213 career hitting Dave Campbell and the woeful hitter, Bill Bergan. Bergan, considered by many the worst hitting position player in baseball history carried a .170 career mark over more than 2500 at bats. And if you are wondering the longest hitless string of all time is held by former pitcher Bob Buhl. He was 0-88.
Draft picks from last June have until August 15th to sign or go back in the hopper for next year. The Astros and their top choice, outfielder George Springer, are one of many in the boat of having top choices still un-inked. However, Springer was in Houston for a physical. That is a good sign. Plus, most sources think all first rounders will be signed before August 15. That includes Kansas City's Bubba Starling who has a football scholarship at Nebraska as a a fall back. But Nebraska doesn't even list Starling on their 105 man pre season roster.
Kansas City is going for a record on September 11. They are going to try to break the Guinness world record for most massages at the same time and place. For $25 fans receive a game ticket, massage and free massage mat. This should be a no doubter with a happy ending for the record quest. The world mark currently is only 263 in a mass massage set in Australia.
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