Mike McCann's Field of Fotos

I was surprised to learn that the Blue Jays are deep into planning a replacement for Rogers Centre. Having visited the first ballpark with a movable dome a couple of seasons ago, I found it a more than likeable facility. Architecturally unique and fan friendly, it was the last of the round multi-purpose parks that symbolized the 1960s and '70s. And that's its biggest problem. This 31 year old venue hasn't aged well. And the Jays' parent company, the Canadian media giant Rogers Communications, would rather replace than renovate.  Just four years after it opened as Skydome, the Orioles gave us Camden Yards, the first neo-retro park. A total game changer in not only being designed only for baseball, but offering the snug sightlines and ambiance of long-gone classics such as Ebbets Field and Shibe Park -- yet packing all the modern amenities fans and sponsors demand. There'll be proposals and back-and-forth haggling with officials in Toronto. By the end of this decade -...

November 27th , 2012: Marvin Miller, the former Steelworkers Union official who turned the Major League Baseball Players Association into the most successful labor guild in the U.S., dies at age 95.  It would take another eight years before the man who reinvented the labor-management relationship in pro sports would be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. November 27th, 1991: The Mets sign 1st baseman Eddie Murray as a free agent. Though he averages 22 homers and 96 RBIs the next two seasons, the Mets never come close to a playoff spot or the .500 mark. November 27th, 1985:  Vince Coleman , who stole 110 bases for the pennant-winning Cardinals, is unanimously named National League Rookie of the Year. November 27th, 1974: Bake McBride of the Cardinals is named the National League Rookie of hte Year. November 27th, 1974: Yankee owner George Steinbrenner gets a two-year suspension from commissioner Bowie Kuhn for making illegal campaign contributions to Richard Nixon and others....

A bit worn and frayed, here's my 1964 Yankees scorecard and program. It's the year Yogi Berra managed the club to the pennant -- only to be fired after losing the World Series to the Cardinals and being replaced by St. Louis skipper Johnny Keane. Yogi gets the big center photos. And he's surrounded by longtime teammates Whitey Ford (right), Mickey Mantle (lower right) and Elston Howard (upper left). And while he was a non-playing manager who never played in a regular-season game, my surprise was finding an action photo of Yogi in the lower left (look carefully, you'll see it's number-eight).

   ...you share it with the Yankee Clipper. Joe DiMaggio was born in San Francisco but made his fame in New York. He had the golden touch -- playing for the most famous team in sports, he married the greatest of movie stars (although the union didn't last long) and in retirement, cherished the title of "Baseball's Greatest Living Player." Joe D, number 5. Of course, there's that other number forever linked to him: 56. Is his 56-game hitting streak the most unbreakable record in baseball? Ready for more: over his 13-year career, the man namechecked by Paul Simon in the song "Mrs. Robinson" struck out 369 times (about 28 times a season) and hit 361 home runs. He was named to the All Star team 13 times in 13 years -- you can't do better than that. Then, there's  Joe D's grace and elegance -- let's be honest, you can't envision him in a dirty, tattered uniform. An enduring image that places him on the Yankees "Mount Rushmore." ...

When I saw Miguel Andujar on March 12th just before the Yankees-Nationals exhibition, no one could have forseen the way 2020 would unfold -- for baseball in general, or him in particular. It's now been two seasons since he was the runner-up for American League Rookie of the Year. And his baseball future couldn't be more uncertain. There was that season-ending 2019 shoulder injury, followed by Gio Urshela's sudden emergence. This was to be the year Andujar was to become a super utilityman -- until he failed to smoothly adapt to 1st base or the outfield. At age 25, he was too young to become a fulltime DH -- not to mention that Giancarlo Stanton had first claim on that spot. So this natural hitter found himself exiled to "the alternate site" in Scranton. Hardly the best way to tap Andujar's talent. A month into baseball's slow-so-far off-season, we're left to wonder if he's trade bait, or whether he'll get a fair shot at competing with Clint Fra...

With baseball's free agent market moving at a snail's pace, and little real news unfolding the last few days, I was searching for a good subject to start the new week. Checking today's list of baseball birthdays, I came upon the name Aaron Small : if you look up the word "journeyman," you might see his picture next to the entry. After bouncing through six major league organizations, he enjoyed the year of his life with the 2005 Yankees. Between starting and relieving, he was a perfect 10 - 0. But like Cinderella's coach, he reverted to pumpkin status in '06. After running up an ERA around 8-1/2 through 11 appearances, he was sent to the minors, never to surface again -- except at Old Timers Day in the Bronx. In music, you recognize them for artists with one huge and enduring single, but no others. The term is One Hit Wonders. Steam's "Na Na Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)" comes to mind. How about "Pop Music" by M? Norman Greenbaum...

November 20th, 2012: The Blue Jays bring back John Gibbons for a second tour of duty as manager, after John Farrell got out of his contract to take over the Red Sox. He'll post a winning record three times in the next six seasons, highlighted by a 2015 AL East title. November 20th, 2009: Tim Lincecum of the Giants becomes the eighth pitcher to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards. Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals finishes second. November 20th, 2008: Mike Mussina, who just authored the first 20 win season of his career, announces his retirement from the baseball. Splitting his 18 year career between the Orioles and Yankees, he won 270 games -- capped by a his only 20 victory season in 2008. November 20th, 2008: George Steinbrenner, now 78, steps down as control person of the Yankees, replaced by his son Hal. November 20th, 2007: Jimmy Rollins becomes the fifth Phillies player to be named National League MVP, joining Chuck Klein (1932), Jim Konstanty (1950), Mike Schmidt (1980, 1981, ...

Robinson Cano 's 2021 season ended before it began; even before the calendar flipped. The veteran 2nd baseman's second failed PED test in three years has cost him, under the terms of baseball's CBA, one full season. Next season gone in the snap of a finger. Now, the speculation can begin over Robbie's rebound season in 2020. After looking washed up after joining the Mets for a package that included top prospect Jarred Kelenic, Cano suddenly became an offensive force again at age 37. 10 homers and a .316 average, numbers reminiscent of his Yankees prime. Hmmm.... Then, the news broke Wednesday afternoon which might explain how Cano appeared to outmaneuver Father Time. Sadly, Cano's reputation is now in the toilet. Any shred of a chance at the Hall of Fame is likely gone. The player who was putting up better numbers than Joe Morgan and Ryne Sandberg can now forget about being honored alongside them in Cooperstown. And you have to wonder how much of his career was legi...

...you share it with David Ortiz . "Big Papi" was the most charismatic Red Sox sta r since Tony Conigliaro. A promising lefty power hitter who didn't convince the Twins he was part of their future, he was released after the 2002 season. Signing with the Red Sox, he quickly blossomed into a clutch hitter and team leader and connecting thread between three Boston World Series champs. His 485 home runs as a DH are the most ever as are his 2192 hits. Ortiz is a lock for Cooperstown when he becomes eligible in 2022. Also on today's list... three recent players whose sons have made it to MLB: Clay Bellinger , a Yankee utility player from 1999-2001, whose son Cody is one of the Dodgers' brightest stars -- having already won Rookie of the Year and National League MVP, as well as smacking a game seven home run that helped L.A. win the recent world series. Tom "Flash" Gordon pitched for 21 years in the majors, the first eight as a fireballing starter with the Roy...

 ... Andruw Jones would have my vote. Over the first 10 full seasons of his career with Braves, (1997-2006), the Curacao native won eight gold gloves, and was an above average hitter, averaging 33 home runs and 101 RBIs per year. Focus on his defense, and Jones was a game changer. Great range and a strong arm meant he prevented runs. While it's clear that his offense fell off once he turned 30, was that first decade of performance enough to secure his place in Cooperstown? I'd say yes. Some say a player needs eight great seasons to make the Hall. Between 1998 and 2005, Jones performed at that level. 1998 and 2006  were pretty good as well. Has anyone ever played himself out of the Hall of Fame by staying too long? That seems to be the argument held against Don Mattingly, who, after six superb seasons in the middle and late 1980s, suffered a bad injury that severely impacted his performance.  Jones put on weight after joining the Dodgers in 2008. A knee injury landed him ...

We're right behind home plate at the Mets' spring training home, Clover Park in Port Saint Lucie. Everything someone stuck all winter in the cold northeast or midwest would love -- blue skies, perfect grass, even the chance to watch the game from the berm in right field field. And of course, the promise of a new season just weeks away. But who will get that view in 2021? Can the pandemic be eased to the level where many or any of us will feel comfortable about flying to Florida and sitting among strangers even in an open-air venue? Baseball is moving forward with plans for a traditional spring training. 30 or so games over 4-1/2 weeks as teams prepare for opening day. It's a big source of tourist revenue for Florida and Arizona. The big question is whether it will be a practical reality just over three months from now.  

November 13th, 2014: Clayton Kershaw, who went 21-3 for the Dodgers, becomes the first pitcher named National League MVP since Bob Gibson in 1968. Ironically, the news occurs on the same calendar day as Gibson's MVP. November 13th, 2008: Nick Swisher is traded to the Yankees by the White Sox in a five-player deal consisting mainly of prospects. The affable son of former Cubs catcher Steve Swisher will enjoy four productive seasons in New York.   November 13th, 2006: The Mets hold the groundbreaking ceremony for Citi Field. Located across the parking lot from Shea Stadium, the new venue will open in time for the 2009 season.  November 13th, 1995: Greg Maddux, after going 19-2 season for the World Champion Braves, earns the 1995 National League Cy Young Award -- along with a famous baseball first. The Atlanta ace becomes the only hurler to win it four consecutive seasons! November 13th, 1984: Ryne Sandberg is named the National League MVP, becoming the first Cub to win the hono...

Winding the time machine back to the summer when the Mets opened Shea Stadium, across the street (OK, technically across the #7 elevated Subway and Long Island Railroad tracks) from the New York World's Fair. The Mets liked to consider their brand new, ultra modern ballpark to be another exhibit at the Fair. Take note of how Mets sponsor Sinclair Oil reinforced that connection.  I recently connected my scanner to a desktop computer. Over this winter, I'll be sharing a lot of vintage programs and yearbooks from my collection.  

...you share it with P.J. Conlon . The first native of Belfast, Northern Ireland to play in the majors this century (h/t Kevin Kernan of the NY Post ), he moved with his family to California when he was just two. He pitched in three games for the 2018 Mets. I caught him on the last of them, July 10th. Also on our cake and candles list: Jason Grilli , who pitched 15 years in the majors. While he attended Seton Hall University, just outside New York City, the well traveled righty, who appeared for nine different teams, never played for either New York team. Damion Easley reached his peak as the Tigers 2nd baseman in the late ''90s. The native New Yorker, who lived in suburban Mount Vernon until he was 11, finished his career with the Mets, where his highlight was an August 2nd, 2007 inside-the-park home run. Mike Bacsik , whose namesake father pitched for several teams in the mid and late 1970s, played the same position with the Indians, Mets, Rangers and Nats between 2001 and 2...

We're beginning to learn the specifics of the minor league realignment and reorganization plan championed by commissioner Rob Manfred. Here in the Northeast, the Yankees say goodbye to Trenton after 17 years as their Double A club moves to Somerset, New Jersey , which earned its (pin)stripes with a long and successful run in the independent Atlantic League. I've made many visits to Arm & Hammer Park over the past dozen years and always enjoyed it. While I'm not privvy to the clubhouse or other infrastructure that fans don't see, I've never found the park lacking in anything. An easy 10 minutes off the Jersey Turnpike, Trenton has been an important step to the majors for now-familiar names such as Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Luis Severino, Greg Bird and Austin Romine. Another change comes one level lower, where the Hudson Valley Renegades, just an hour outside New York, becomes the new high Single-A affiliate, replacing Tampa, which will now play at a lower level....

This photo from Spring Training 2020 in West Palm Beach seems fitting for the moment. Two of the POTUS mascots that have become a Washington Nationals signature, entertaining fans between half-innings on March 12th, the day sports hit the pause button. But neither of these are the famous four who compete during the season at National Park. So, I suppose they're the mascot world's counterpart of benchwarmers or reserves. Can you tell who they represent?  I'll have the answer tomorrow morning.

November 6th, 2007: Greg Maddux wins a record 17th Gold Glove, breaking a tie with Brooks Robinson and veteran Jim Kaat for the most in a career. The future Hall of Famer, had been named the top fielding pitcher in the National League every year since 1990, except for 2003, when Mike Hampton of the Braves took the honor. November 6th, 2007: General managers approve the limited use of video replays to determine questionable home run calls. November 6th, 2002: Mike Scioscia, after leading the Angels to their first World Series championship. is named the American League Manager of the Year. November 6th, 2002: Randy Johnson wins his fifth Cy Young Award, after winning 24, with 334 strikeouts, and a 2.32 ERA for the Diamondbacks. The future Hall of Famer is the first National League hurler since Dwight Gooden in 1985 to win the pitching equivalent of the triple crown. November 6th, 2001: Commissioner Bud Selig is given approval to start the process of eliminating two of the 30 franchises. ...

From August 26th, 2010 at Citizens Bank Park. Nice level swing by Chase Utley , as the Phillies host the Astros. With six great seasons (ages 26 through 31) in the heart of his career, do you think he's a future Hall of Famer?

...you share it with Steven Duggar , the light-hitting outfielder who has played parts of the last three seasons with the Giants. This 2019 photo captures a captures a bunting attempt. Dick Groat , the shortstop on a pair of  World Series champions, the 1960 Pirates and '64 Cardinals. The 1960 NL batting champ (the last time a shortstop won it in the 20th century) also holds an offbeat honor.. he's one of just four stars to appear on the cover of Sports Illustated wearing the uniform of 3 different teams, along with LeBron James, Reggie Jackson and Billy Martin. He's also a member of another exclusive club the 2-sport athlete.. This onetime Duke Basketball standout played the '52-53 season for the NBA's Ft. Wayne Pistons before concentrating on baseball, when Pirates officials convinced him his future was best served on the diamond. Carlos Baerga , the Indians 2nd Baseman was an emerging star with the Indians in the early and mid-'90s, but his production fell of...

Coming off the most contrasting of seasons, DJ LeMahieu and Marcus Stroman are the New York players who received qualifying offers. The former Rockie emerged as possibly the most indispensable Yankee during his two seasons in the Bronx, capped by becoming the first player ever to win a batting title in each league. After finishing fourth for the AL MVP a year ago, he was announced Monday night as one of the finalists for 2020. Talented, versatile and well respected in the clubhouse, LeMahieu's lone question mark centers around his age. If he was 28 or 29, he'd be in line for six or seven-year deal. But his driver's license warns GM's that DJ turns 33 next July. That's going to limit the length of his deal. But I'd still expect it to be on the big side of $20 million a year. And at least for the first couple, it's going to be worth every penny. Stroman's 2020 line was... blank. After starting the season on the I-L with a torn calf muscle, he decided to ...

George Springer and JT Realmuto were two of the six players receiving Qualifying Offers, thus placing atop the list of baseball's Free Agents. Even in a winter of economic uncertainty, these are the most likely to land nine-figure contracts -- for good reason.  Springer has been the model of consistency with the Astros. While some of this teammates played 2020 under a cloud of suspicion, the Connecticut native produced at a similar level to his five previous years.  A top of his class centerfielder and leadoff man with good power, he'd check off a lot of boxes for several teams with big 2021 plans. Realmuto was a terrific sidekick to Bryce Harper in Philadelphia the last two seasons. A catcher who profiles as a mix of Joe Mauer and Pudge Rodriguez, Realmuto was everything the Phillies could have asked for after arriving in 2018 for top pitching prospect Sixto Sanchez. Now, this two-time All Star brings strong skills and leadership to a marketplace where several teams could u...