Fouled-Off Bunts: Get Off Of My Lawn Edition

Own property in southeast at the stadium site? Today's your deadline to ship out before the city starts the eminent domain process. But then, if you actually did own land in southeast, you probably already knew that, huh?

Most of the concern expressed by the landowners is with the difficulty of finding a relocation spot. The owner of the gravel pit, for example, can't just set up shop in Rock Creek Park. And the owner of the much-maligned strip clubs/bath houses probably can't get the zoning variance he'd need in Georgetown.

Whether you approve of their choice of business or not, they are going to be impacted by the ballpark, and their customers, whether for gravel or titillation, can't just get that at 7-11.

Still, they're being offered a fair price. But that doesn't necessarily mean that they're being treated fairly.

Leo Mazzone, the Braves' long-time pitching coach has accepted a job with the Orioles, and a chance to work with his old friend Sam Perlozzo.

He's been regarded as the best pitching coach in baseball for good reason. While some sneer that he's had Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz to work with, Sabernomics ran the numbers and discovered that it's his massive effect on the other pitchers on the staff that make him so valuable. It's greater than you'd think.

The reason for bringing it up isn't so much to focus on the Orioles, who also hired away Jim Duquette from the Mets, but to focus on what effect this will have on Atlanta. Bobby Cox and John Schuerholz have an amazing eye for talent, and have always been able to get surprising performances out of young hitters. Will they be able to do the same without their star pitching coach? For the Nats' sake, I hope not.

Federal Baseball has a look at Larry Broadway, the not-so young, injury-prone, first baseman, who's the poor man's Nick Johnson. It's an excellent overview, and that kind that I would do were I not the laziest human being this side of... umm.. I'll think of a comparison later. Zzzzz.