Judge rejects name change request
A judge rejected a request Thursday by the city of Anaheim to force the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to change their name back to the Anaheim Angels.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Peter J. Polos ruled that he had no authority to reverse the ruling of a jury that three weeks ago decided in the team's favor.
The jury found that the Angels didn't breach a contract with the city when owner Arte Moreno changed their name in January 2005.
Last month, the jury also declined to award damages, although attorneys for the city had asked for as much as $373 million in lost tourism revenue, publicity and "impressions" - a reference to the national buzz Anaheim got every time its name was used in conjunction with Major League Baseball.
Posted at 10:38 am by blogholly
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Diablo Stadium renovations debut!
Tempe's Diablo Stadium, the spring training home of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, debuted its new look at a charity game on Thursday after undergoing a 10-month renovation.
The $20 million facelift began last spring after the city of Tempe struck a deal to keep the Angels at Diablo Stadium until 2025.
One of the biggest changes the facility made was seating. The stadium will now have plastic seating, backs and cup holders for the first time.
Other changes included a new and expanded concession stand and an expanded party deck. The backstop will no longer contain poles, so there will be nothing obstructing fans' views, and the stadium has a new box office.
The new look should bring Diablo up to par with other stadiums that lodge Major League Baseball spring-training programs, Ripley said.
Posted at 10:37 am by blogholly
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Guerrero opts out of Classic
With a heavy heart, Vladimir Guerrero announced Wednesday that he will not participate in the World Baseball Classic.
Guerrero lost three cousins in a car accident on Sunday. The three men -- Fernando Guerrero, 26, Salvador Carmona, 25, and Henry Guerrero, 23, all on his father's side of the family -- were involved in a one-car accident in which their vehicle rolled over several times.
Guerrero, who lives in the southern coastal town of Don Gregorio, is a hero to some people in the Dominican. He was excited to represent his country in the 16-team international tournament, but recent events changed everything.
Guerrero said that he hopes the Dominican people will understand and respect his decision. Angels teammates expressed their condolences.
If he were to change his mind, Guerrero can be added to the roster in the second or the third round of the tournament.
Posted at 10:36 am by blogholly
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