April 14, 2004 [LINK]
According to the Washington Post (registration required), Mayor Anthony Williams has proposed full funding for a new stadium in D.C., which would cost from $340 to $385 million. Perhaps there is no further point to resisting the extortionary pressure of MLB. On the bright side, a new stadium site has been proposed at the west end of the waterfront in Washington, just south of the Jefferson Memorial. Though a tight squeeze, it would certainly be the most convenient spot in D.C. for us Virginians, and perhaps therefore least objectionable to "Dr. Evil," a.k.a. Orioles owner Peter Angelos.
The San Diego Padres are above the .500 mark, getting an apparent boost from their new home at Petco Park, which has seen a surprising number of home runs, in spite of the deep outfield distances. An article on the MLB.com Web site addresses that puzzle. No such luck for the Phillies, who are 1 - 6 despite the grand opening of Citizens Bank Park.
Has someone in Miami seen this Web site? The distance marker in right center field at Pro Player Stadium has been corrected: It used to say "385" (at least ten feet too long according to my estimates), but now says "363." However, the difference is partly due to the fact that said marker has shifted toward the right field pole. In other stadium news, the outfield fence at Kauffman Stadium has been moved back ten feet, where it had been originally.