Baseball

San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy (right) had two heart stents inserted Thursday. He's seen here during the Giants' World Series victory parade last year.

At Baseball's Spring Training, Giants' Manager Bochy Has Heart Surgery

1:34pm February 23, 2015

by Bill Chappell

For defending champions the San Francisco Giants, the excitement of spring training is tempered by concern for manager Bruce Bochy, who underwent heart surgery Thursday.

Sports

Batter Up, Already: MLB Tries To Speed Up The 2015 Season

4:36pm February 20, 2015

by Bill Chappell

In the 2015 season, baseball fans can expect to see new clocks ticking down the seconds in MLB stadiums — and for batters to keep at least one foot in the batter's box more often.

In this Aug. 27 photo, members of the Jackie Robinson West Little League baseball team participate in a rally in Chicago celebrating the team's U.S. Little League Championship. Little League International has stripped the team of its national title after

Little League Strips Chicago's Jackie Robinson West Of U.S. Title

11:29am February 11, 2015

by Krishnadev Calamur

Little League International said the team violated residency rules. The U.S. championship has been awarded to Mountain Ridge Little League from Las Vegas.

Sports

Americana: Hot Dogs, Apple Pie And Football?

7:02pm November 05, 2014

by Frank Deford

Commentator Frank Deford explains why he thinks football has a better claim on being America's national pastime than baseball.

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Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants celebrate winning Game 7 of baseball's World Series against the Kansas City Royals.

Three Cheers For The Instant Replay

4:25pm October 31, 2014

by Alva Noë

The end of the World Series allows us to revisit baseball's experiment with instant replay. Commentator Alva Noë argues it has been a success — because it makes the game not more fair but more fun.

Fans cheer during the 2014 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals at AT&T Park.

Sports

Start World Series Games Earlier; Let Us Sleep

10:48am October 29, 2014

by Frank Deford

Commentator Frank Deford says the Fall Classic could boost its sagging ratings by scheduling games early enough for people in the Eastern and Central Time Zones to see the end.

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When the Giants' Gregor Blanco hit this solo home run to lead off the World Series' second game, three big parabolic microphones arranged around home plate captured the crack of his bat.

Sports

From The Stadium To Your Stereo: Behind Baseball's Biggest Sounds

6:54pm October 25, 2014

by Becky Sullivan

You can thank audio engineer Joe Carpenter and his 80 microphones every time you hear the crack of a bat, smack of a glove or thud of a base in this World Series.

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Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., a day before Game 1 of the 2014 World Series.

A Tale Of Two Cities: World Series Fever Takes Hold In SF, KC

12:27am October 22, 2014

by Scott Neuman

In San Francisco, there's a lot of confidence. In Kansas City, which gets its first shot at the championship rings in nearly 30 years, the excitement is palpable.

Mike Trout and Los Angeles Angels have been named favorites to reach the World Series, as have Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers. They're seen here when the two teams played in August.

Who Will Win The 2014 World Series?

6:05pm September 29, 2014

by Bill Chappell

If the oddsmakers are right, two Los Angeles teams will be the only ones left standing when the World Series begins in late October. But back east, some fans are pulling for a Beltway Series.