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Earlier today we learned about Jamie McCourt’s request for more money.  Our friend Josh Fisher at Dodger Divorce points out something particularly delicious from her filing: [P]erquisites paid directly by the McCourt business constituted a very significant element of the marital lifestyle, averaging an additional approximately $800,000 per month. As Josh notes, the “McCourt business” is…

It’s a sad, sad day when law abiding ballplayers can’t bring their sidearms into the clubhouse: Major League Baseball has a new message for players and employees this spring training: Keep guns, long knives and explosives out of the clubhouse. Signs have been placed in spring training locker rooms stating “individuals are prohibited from possessing…

In response to Keith Law’s outrageously early draft preview Mel Kiper has decided to chuck the 2010 NFL draft entirely and start handicapping 2011. True story. Anyway, there’s a top 50 list there, and some overall analysis: In general, the quality of talent this year is below where it was the last two years, and…

Buster Olney reports that Cleveland has signed Russell Branyan to a one year deal with an option for 2011.  This year it’s a $2 million base salary with up to $1 million in incentives.  The option is of the mutual variety for $5 million. The seal is a juuuuuuust a bit below the $20-$30 million…

The players strike back. Angels’ catcher Jeff Mathis beat the club, winning a raise from $450,000 to $1.3 million. The Angels were arguing for $700,000. Owners lead the players 4-3 this offseason with one arbitration — Ryan Theriot — left to go. If Theriot wins they go to penalty kicks.

“I just want to do my job and get rich.” – Rays’ catcher Dioner Navarro, tellin’ Marc Tompkin of the St. Petersburg Times how it is. But what about the women? There will be women too, right?

Jim Bowden just tweeted that Selig’s 14-man uber-committee will soon announce the elimination of excessive offdays in the postseason. I’m not sure how they can simply “announce” it instead of recommend it, because they’re only supposed to be a panel of experts, not some sort of executive body.  If I’m wrong though, brace yourselves everyone,…

Courtesy of ‘Duk at Big League Stew comes word that the wackiest of all baseball stories — long in development hell — may finally be coming to the big screen: The Trade, a film that tells the true tale of 2 New York Yankees pitchers who caused a national scandal by swapping wives in the…

Adam Rubin of the Daily News caught up with Kelvim Escobar.  He says that he won’t pick up a baseball until he’s cleared by his rehab coordinator, but that he’s not worried and that he thinks it’s a weakness issue, not an injury issue. When asked if he’ll be ready for opening day he said…

More fun from DodgerLand, as Jamie McCourt has filed new papers seeking adjustments in her monthly allowance. The highlight — at least from my perspective — is Jamie’s claim that Frank has way more money than he claims, and that he has grand, grand plans: “Frank McCourt hopes to transform the Dodgers from a baseball…

Bill Ladson tweets that Nats reliever Sean Burnett lost his arbitration. He’ll make $775,000 in 2010. He had asked for $925,000. Between this and the Brian Bruney arbitration, the Nats bullpen is gettin’ shelled before the first pitch has even been thrown. In other news, I’m noticing that every arbitration result has been reported first…

The whole “Mount Rushmore” thing is a bit played out, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. Yesterday ‘Duk at Big League Stew opened up the floor for baseball managers, wondering which for guys you’d include if they were building a managing Mount Rushmore. My first answer is to punt to Chris Jaffe, who just…

Mark McGwire was criticized for years for not saying anything about his steroid use. Now that he’s talking about it to anyone who asks him, Bill Madden of the Daily News slams him for not doing a one-and-done presser like A-Rod and Pettitte did. Oy: Perhaps, but as far as rehabilitating his image, mere apologies…

One of the things I’m most eager to see this spring is how Aroldis Chapman does. He’s such an unknown compared to everyone else. He’s been hyped to the nth degree. Is the hype justified? If so, he could prove to be a real difference maker, helping turn a Reds team that currently qualifies, competitively…

It’s a month and a half before the games start and the tabloids are already poised to pounce: David Wright, Jose Reyes and now Johan Santana all have said they expect the Mets to win the World Series. The Mets are turning the page on an injury-plagued 2009 by making one bold statement after another.…

The Chicago Tribune’s Dan McNeil is no fan of Carlos Zambrano. After railing against his contract and going on about how he’s no Ted Lilly, McNeil predicts a Big-Z meltdown: Put me down for the first week in May for not-so-Big Z’s first implosion. Not sure if it will be getting tossed for undressing an…

If you look at only one photo archive today with pictures of Walter O’Malley at Dodgertown playing cards with his shirt off, Stan Musial doing pushups, and Pee Wee Reese on the ground wrestling with a shirtless guy, make it this photo archive, highlighted today by lar at Wezen-Ball. True story: In 1973, Commissioner Bowie…

As I’ve said several times in the past, there should be a law that says all teams should have their city or state name on their road jerseys. The Brewers have been one of the primary offenders of this shadow law, but they’re at least trying to come back into compliance: The Brewers today unveiled…

Apparently baseball players throw too many fastballs.  It will take smarter people than I am to figure out if this Means Something or it’s merely interesting.  It’s been a long day, however, and at this point interesting is enough for me: In the case of baseball, we observe every pitch thrown in the major leagues…

Recent controversy and this morning’s rumor notwithstanding, there is some good news to report on the Mets’ injury front: they’re trying new things to prevent more of them from happening: When Mets players walked into the major-league clubhouse here for the first time Thursday, there were large signs posted in the clubhouse that read: “Prevention…

Mo Vaughn used to spend his offseasons here in Columbus, Ohio.  Our paths crossed in a very, very vague way about seven or eight years ago as one of his investments — a bar he opened called “Flo Nitelife” — crashed and burned almost as soon as it opened. I represented a creditor, there ended…

The Diamondbacks are thinking long term: Their arbitration-eligible players all taken care of thanks to the Valentine’s Day signing of right-hander Edwin Jackson, the D-backs front office will turn its attention to signing players with less than three years of big league service. That typically involves one-year deals, but in the case of third baseman…

UPDATE:  Orioles’ beat writer Brittany Ghiroli says that Buster was wrong, and that Roberts doesn’t have kidney stones. Rather, he has back spasms. How one can mistake those two things given the, um, geography involved is an open question, but we just pass along what we hear. 2:16 P.M.: Buster Olney writes: Heard this: Orioles…

I rip reporters when I think they go off track on the steroids business, most recently with Mark McGwire, so it’s only fair that I point out when someone stone-cold nails it, as Buster Olney did with what he wrote today regarding McGwire (and Tiger Woods): Why would Tiger Woods need to say he’s sorry…

UPDATE:  Adam Rubin of the Daily News tweets: Johan Santana played catch with him all week and said Escobar having trouble gripping a baseball would be untrue. Santana’s not a doctor of course and a playing catch grip is different than a pitching-at-full-speed grip, but this, at the very least, undercuts my earlier report.  Obviously…