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2012 – The 2012 Postseason will feature a 10-team format that includes two additional Wild Card Clubs and an elimination game in each League prior to the Division Series, Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig announced today. Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association agreed to the changes to the new Postseason format as a part of last year’s collective bargaining. The new Basic Agreement, announced on November 22nd, provided that MLB and the MLBPA would expand the Postseason no later than 2013; that a second Wild Card would be awarded in both the American League and the National League; and that a single Postseason game would be played between each League’s two Wild Card Clubs, with each winner advancing to compete among the three division champions from each League in the Division Series. Following further discussions to address player concerns, the parties agreed that the new format would be used in 2012. The change, which was endorsed by the Commissioner’s 14-member Special Committee for On-Field Matters, marks the first amendment to the Postseason since MLB adopted the six-division, eight-team Postseason structure in January of 1994. The first Postseason to be played under that format occurred in 1995.
2007 – Starting his final season as a Twin, outfielder Torii Hunter is beaned by former teammate Kyle Lohse. Hunter blames the poor lighting and Lee County replaces the lights before the next season begins.
2005 – Catcher and DH Matthew LeCroy offers to eat a cockroach for $200 but has no takers. No wonder, LeCroy ate everything.
1874 – The batter’s box becomes official. “At the fourth meeting of the National Association of Professional Baseball Players in Boston, the batter’s box is officially adopted. It is also decided that expulsion will be the penalty for any player betting on his own team and any player betting on any other team will forfeit his pay.”
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