The Masters of Minor League Media
The 2006 MLN Ralphie Awards™

The movies have Oscar®. Television has Emmy®. Broadway has its Tony®. For media relations people in sports, there is only one coveted honor: The Ralphie™. MLN presents to you the top five out of more than 800 minor and major league media relations people in baseball, hockey, basketball and football who make their corners of sports shine. [Feature]

MLB Rule V Draft 2006

Results from the Major League Baseball Rule 5 Draft that concludes business at the Winter Meetings. Round by round and (exclusive) by minor league club. [Chart]

Minor League Baseball
Winter Meetings
from
Walt Disney World

MLN brings you the interesting tidbits from the minor league side of the 2006 Winter Meetings.

A Tale of Two Hotels at the Major League Baseball (MLB) Winter Meetings
The Swan and Dolphin hotels host different sides of the event. MLN Sr. Editor Brian Ross checks in from the 'media bench' on the minor side at the Swan. [MAJOR BLOGS]

The Details are in the Devil Rays
Vero Beach Will Host the Return of the Devil Rays to the Florida State League, but will they be the Port Charlotte D-Rays in 2009? [Article]

Fishwrap Pyschoses - The Season is Lost if the Big Dollar Players Don't Get Signed
If you want to know why MLB owners spend insane amounts of money on players that aren't worth it, meet the press that drive them to do it. [MAJOR BLOGS]

 

Minor League News
MLN FAB50 Baseball 2006

The most powerful list in baseball presents top performers to mid-season with the means, motivation, and opportunity to make their moves to the majors. Now with Ones2Watch™ up-and-comers and even bigger photos!
[Feature Section]

The Futures Is Now
Is the Major League Showcase for Minor League Talent Killing Off the Minor League All-Star Game? [Article]

Royals Splash
It was a Royal night at the MLB Futures game, the premiere showcase of top minor league talent as Alex Gordon and Billy Butler demonstrate why Kansas City picks are USDA prime. [Article]

MLB Draft 2006

Kansas City has the first pick. From there, it's 50 rounds of fun. Once the big pubs have left behind the first few rounds, MLN and our draft analysts dig down into the lower depths of the draft to show you the interesting picks for this year and years to come that may spark as tomorrow's MLB superstars. [Coverage]

Line Call
As the minor league umpire strike continues, Major League umpires make a stop on the minor league picket lines to show their support. [Article]

Over Friggin' Nickels

In a world of $3.00 gas and $10.00 burgers, can minor league umpires live on $25.00 a day? While the Minors burn, with stats dropping and fights causing teams to be pulled from the field, Minor League Baseball and the umpires' union try to make a line call on what's a living wage.
[Article]

Some Strange Umpiring

If the replacement umpires in the Triple-A are the best that Minor League Baseball has to offer, fans in the Class A leagues should be truly worried. Dan Hickling, the Guerrilla Stringer, calls 'em like he sees them. [Blog]

MLN Top Ten Minor League Ballparks

Which Double-A parks are the best in baseball? MLN takes you to 10 great places to watch a ballgame, along with places to stay, and eat while in town. Pack your bags! [Article]

33

The longest game in baseball history featured rising stars Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken Jr., and one for the record books that the Rochester Red Wings' Dallas Williams wishes wasn't in his name. [Article]

The Green Cap

What screws up Major League Baseball most? It's not steroids. It's not the "dilution of talent" because major league baseball has more teams. It's the officially licensed product of moneyball... Sr. Editor Brian Ross examines how the Green Cap keeps mediocre players in the majors, and traps talented newcomers in the minors.

[Blog]

MLN Spring Training Report 2006

As Spring Training draws to a close, MLN begins a series of reports from around baseball on the players to watch both on the fast track to the majors, and the developing talent on their way to new home towns in the minors. [Feature]

On the Radar

High School Star. MidWest League All-Star. In 2006 Twins prospect Anthony Swarzak hopes to go from a blip on the radar to the fast track.. [Article]