Minor league game postponed due to circus tent (PHOTO)

A game between the High Class-A Tampa Yankees and Clearwater Threshers (Phillies) was postponed Friday night, but not because of rain or wet grounds — it was because the circus was in town.

After some consideration by officials at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the game was postponed because of a circus tent. The circus parked across the street had a colorful tent with bright lights, and unfortunately it was right in the sight-line of the batters. 

Second shot pic.twitter.com/JojgbiK80N

— Josh Handler (@JoshHandler) August 7, 2015

Hitters need to be able to see the pitch coming at them, not only so they can hit it, but so they can get out of the way if it's going to hit them — and some of those young hurlers do have a tendency to get a little wild.

Here's the view without the tent.

The irony? It was always a circus when The Boss was in the house. 

Yankees to pay for the education of murdered cop Rafael Ramos' children: Report

A New York Yankees charity will pay for the education of the sons of murdered NYPD cop Rafael Ramos, after their father was ambushed and gunned down in his patrol car in Brooklyn on Saturday.

The Yankee Silver Shield Foundation, which provides for the children of officers who died in the line of duty, will take on any education expenses for 13-year-old Jaden and Ramos' other son who is in college.

The 40-year-old Ramos was murdered in the planned attack alongside his partner Wenjian Liu when Ismaaiyl Abdullah Brinsley crept up behind their patrol car and shot them both in the head — before turning the gun on himself.

The 32-year-old Liu was recently married but did not have any children.

Former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner set up the Silver Shield Foundation in 1982 and since then it has paid for the education of thousands of children of fallen NYPD, FDNY, state police and Port Authority workers in the New York area.

It has also taken on the costs for the education of some 700 children who lost a parent in the terrorists attacks on September 11, 2001.

New York Yankees. Classy as usual.

Derek Jeter can't find baseball team to buy: Report

Pity poor Derek Jeter. And I don't mean poor in a financial sense. Or any sense, come to think of it.

The retired former Yankees shortstop has a sizable amount of cash at his disposal (net worth $185 million) with plenty of investors more than willing to throw money at the thought of partnering with the MLB legend. But sadly for The Captain, he reportedly still isn’t having any luck when it comes to buying his own Major League Baseball team.

“There are no teams available,” says Fox Business Network’s Charlie Gasparino. “Jeter is telling people he is modeling his post-baseball career after Michael Jordan’s,” a reference to his NBA counterpart's purchase of the Charlotte Hornets.

In the meantime, Jeter has been meeting with Goldman Sachs bankers hoping to follow in the steps of his former boss and mentor, the late George Steinbrenner.

“As he’s waiting for a potential team to open up, he’s putting a lot of time into this Web site, theplayerstribune.com . . . He’s looking for financing for this as well as to expand,” Gasparino said.

With the average MLB team price hovering around $811 million (High end: Yankees worth $2.5 billion, bargain basement: Tampa Bay Rays at $485 million), Jeets might have to spend more time cuddling with his girl, Hannah Davis, than huddling with lawyers.

Earlier this month, the ex-Yankee was spotted getting a tour of Marlins Park, fueling speculation he was interested in the team, but has denied it.

Contrary to what Jeter says publicly, rumors still swirl that the one-time Face of Baseball does want to become the head of a MLB team.

Yankees draft Kenny Powers lookalike (PHOTOS)

With the 422nd pick of the recently completed MLB first-year player draft, the New York Yankees selected West Virginia pitcher Sean Carley. And don't blink. The right-hander bears an uncanny resemblance to Kenny Powers — the fictional HBO pitcher with more baggage than A-Rod and John Rocker combined.

Let's see how long that mullet lasts down in George Steinbrenner's business up front, business in the back world.

Yankees took Sean Carley in the 14th round. This is him. Looks familiar, huh? pic.twitter.com/kyPOZdsxV3
— The Cubs Word (@TheCubsWord) June 7, 2014

Here's the proof:

@mlbbowman Can't believe the Braves passed on a chance to draft "Kenny Powers" Sean Carley from #WVU pic.twitter.com/Xw0xHl3Uyn
— Darren Klaus (@darrenk23) June 7, 2014

Bill Clinton administration demanded Yankees use Darryl Strawberry to help war on drugs: Report

Newly-released documents show that President Bill Clinton’s administration was watching how the Yankees handled troubled slugger Darryl Strawberry back in the 1990s.

In a June 1995 memo to Clinton, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel – now mayor of Chicago – shed light on the administration’s interest in the Yankees’ treatment of the slugger, who had substance abuse problems during his baseball career.

The memo said that frustrated White House drug policy chief Lee Brown had arranged a meeting with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner — after the Yankees signed Strawberry to a contract soon after the outfielder tested positive for cocaine in 1995, according to the government memo released as the Clinton Presidential Library continues to declassify documents from the Clinton era.

At the time, Steinbrenner had said he believed Strawberry was “worth saving.” A few days earlier, Brown said publicly, “The Yankees have struck out by signing Darryl Strawberry” because it suggested to young people that drug-users could be rewarded with lucrative sports contracts.

Brown, the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under Clinton, had made a list of demands for Steinbrenner.

First, Strawberry was to perform community service with young people. Second, the Yankees "setting up a franchise-wide standard," which wasn't fully explained. And, third, to have the Yankees organization donate to drug program recommend by Brown.

The Bill Clinton administration demanded the #Yankees help fight the war on drugs in 1995: pic.twitter.com/pOUXNzfm63
— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) June 7, 2014

The Yankees did not immediately respond Friday to a request for comment, including whether they ever met any of the administration demands or if Steinbrenner’s meeting with Brown took place.

Strawberry played for the Yankees until 1999 after starring for years with the Mets and playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. The eight-time all-star hit 335 career home runs.

The Yankees won two World Series with Strawberry in 1998 and 1999.

Jeter plans to own baseball team after playing days are over: Report

Anyone who thought Derek Jeter was going to just settle back in his St. Petersburg mansion after his playing days are over might want to prepare themselves to start calling him The Boss.

The Yankees’ captain — who has repeatedly claimed he has no aspirations to manage — said he would like to be an owner one day.

“That’s the next goal, buddy,” Jeter said at his 18th annual Turn 2 Foundation dinner at the Sheraton in Midtown Sunday night. “Calling the shots, not answering to someone, that’s what interests me.

“I’d like to think I would be good one.”

If Jeter does become an owner, don’t expect him to emulate his mentor George Steinbrenner — who ripped his players in the media and fired managers at the drop of a hat.

“I’d probably be a little bit more behind the scenes than the Boss,” he said. “But I learned a lot of things from the Boss.”

When asked if he would be interested in owning the Yankees if the Steinbrenner family ever decided to put the team up for sale, he joked, “You got some money for me?”

Jeter said he has no interest in managing because of the travel and time it demands.

“I want no part of that,” he said with a smirk. “Then I got to answer your questions every day.”

Right now Jeter is concentrating on the final games of his remarkable career and says he has yet to reach out to any teams or owners — but plans to after the season ends.

He added that he has no interest in owning a team in any other sport but baseball.

George Costanza meets Donald Sterling in 'Seinfeld' parody (VIDEO)

There's really not a lot to laugh about in this whole Donald Sterling situation — at least not until you mix it in with Seinfeld.

We all remember when George Costanza worked for the Yankees and had his memorable one-sided talks with boss George Steinbrenner on the classic sit-com.

Now, Adult Swim has imagined Costanza as an L.A. Clippers employee on the receiving end of the disgraced owner's racist rant — and it's not only V. Stiviano that Sterling doesn't want hanging around with black people.

Even Georgie Boy looks like he's ready to say, "Can't-stand-ya."

Reds to enact a Yankees-like facial hair policy in 2014: Report

Taking a page from the New York Yankees playbook, the Cincinnati Reds will institute a stricter facial hair policy for players beginning this season.

Although not as severe as George Steinbrenner's famous edict regarding beards, sideburns and moustaches, new Reds manager Bryan Price likes the idea of "tame" facial growth.

Jamie Ramsey, the Assistant Director of Media Relations for the Reds, tweeted this Friday:

...there's a facial hair policy for the Cincinnati #Reds in 2014. Beards and moustaches are permitted but must be tame. "No Duck Dynasty"
— Jamie Ramsey (@Jamieblog) February 14, 2014

The Yankees are well-known around the league for their rather stringent policies on grooming. Johnny Damon and Kevin Youkilis are just two of baseball’s more hirsute players who had to pick up some razors after signing with the Bombers.

Ramsey added that he believes the new policy isn’t meant to be hard on the players; rather, it is Price wanting to construct a team-first atmosphere.

I guess he didn't see that page from the 2013 Red Sox championship season playbook.

Jeter: TV broadcast booth is not in my future

To New York Yankees fans it seems like life without seeing Derek Jeter will never become reality.

After finishing his Hall of Fame career in pinstripes, many people expect the popular player to make the logical jump into broadcasting like many of his former teammates and peers have done.

Not so fast, the Yankees shortstop said about seeing him up in the comfy confines of the YES Network someday.

On a recent episode of Brandon Steiner's "SteinerCast" podcast, Jeter immediately put the kibosh on the notion of him being up in the television broadcast booth.

"I would have a hard time criticizing people," Jeter said. "I know how difficult it is. A lot of times, ex-players come in and act like everything was so easy when they were playing.  I played against them. I couldn't criticize people. I think that would be difficult."

The 38-year-old Jeter — who consistently does his talking on the field — has always preferred the owner's box to the broadcasters' booth. The Yankees Captain has maintained all along that he would like to follow in the steps of his beloved George Steinbrenner as a team owner some day.  It might be the only way to keep his competitive fires burning long after his playing days flame out.

"I like to compete. I like to win," Jeter said. "I think there’s something wrong with me — I like to win in everything I do, regardless of what it is. You want to race down the street, I want to beat you. If we’re playing checkers, I want to win. You beat me, it’s going to bother me. I just enjoy competition."

Jeter addressed a number of topics during the 27-minute interview, which was recorded Feb. 9 in front of a live audience. When Steiner asked Jeter what keeps him motivated, the shortstop said his competitive nature is more than enough.

"I don’t care who I’m playing in anything. I could be playing my grandmother, and I want to win. I’ve got a competition problem."

New Yankee Darnell McDonald still had dreadlocks on Fenway scoreboard

Former Boston Red Sox player Darnell McDonald got polite applause during his first appearance at Fenway Park even while donning the hated New York Yankees pinstripes— OK, visitor grays.  But the electronic scoreboard operator might have had been having a little fun when he super-imposed a Yankee cap over an old photo of the dreadlocked head of McDoanld during his at-bat intro.

Deceased Yankees owner George Steinbrenner's left behind strict rules concerning the neat grooming of his player's hair on their heads and face.  So this might some sort of Sox revenge and probably the last time you see wild dreads underneath a Yankee player's cap during a game— even if it's only on the scoreboard.

The 33-year-old McDonald was cut by the Red Sox and picked up on waivers by the Yankees on Wednesday.  One of the first questions the new Yankee had was could he keep his long hair— 2 1/2 years worth of growth— so he texted a picture of himself to Yankee Captain Derek Jeter along with a message: "Do I have to cut it off?"

Jeter— the prototype of Steinbrenner's regimentation— tweeted back: "Cut it off, it's a new beginning."

It didn't take long for McDonald to be seen in the visitors locker room at Fenway holding a Ziplock bag full of his hastily clipped locks.

McDonald plans to donate the hair to a charity.  It looks like he could sell it as a dime bag.

A-Rod's Speeding Ticket Yanked By NYPD

A serious claim, made by sources involved in the New York Police Department's ongoing ticket-fixing scandal, accuses officers of burying a speeding ticket New York Yankees shortstop Alex Rodriguez got in 2009.

According to the New York Daily News, former-Yankees team owner George Steinbrenner was also a beneficiary of  mishandled summonses.

The NYPD ticket-fixing probe has widened in the past few weeks.  Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has extended the probe after the initial drug investigation concentrated on only one precinct but has now mushroomed into a wide-spread scandal.  It now involves over 100 cops and their superiors in various station houses.

Two sources said A-Rod was pulled over for hot-rodding on the West Side Highway around 57th Street two years ago.  He was issued a speeding ticket by a highway cop, but an NYPD sergeant had it disappear.

R.I.P. GEORGE

By Tony Mangia

THE STEINBRENNER YEARS: A VIRTUAL SOUNDTRACK FOR NEW YORKERS

If the death of Yankee's announcer, Bob Sheppard, was the demise of the Yankees' voice; the passing of Yankee owner, George Steinbrenner, was the elegy of the sports and social soundtrack of New York for the past 38 years. As a kid growing up in New York and its confines, I can relate parts of my life to sound bites of the Yankees during the Steinbrenner years. The death of The Boss wasn't as much of a shock---he was sick for years---as much as a reminder of how much of my life revolved around the New York Yankees.

I received two calls from childhood friends in Tampa and New Jersey today. "Steinbrenner died" were the first words from both. It was like they were somberly breaking the news of the death of a close relative or another comrade. "Remember that game when...," each continued with a different story. I remembered every moment.

FROM EMPTY SEATS TO FULL POCKETS

Being a Yankee fan in '70s New York meant mean streets, Horace Clark at second base, tons of empty seats at the Stadium, and a prized Roy White Edition bat from Bat Day. The Mets were still living off of their "miracle" years and were the toast of the town. All that changed when that Cleveland interloper, Steinbrenner took over. The arrival was as smooth as burlap and he cleaned shop with the same gruffness.

First came Catfish Hunter and then the Reggie Jackson. The big mouth who was pompous enough to diss our blue-collar hero, Thurman Munson. There were the battles between The Boss and dirt-kicking manager Billy Martin and the consequential hirings and firings. But with all that, there were the victories.

I remember listening to inimitable and nasally Phil Rizzuto. His "holy cow!" after a Ron Guidry strikeout or a Craig Nettles line-drive stab. Listening to the action on a sunny Jersey beach while Goose Gossage struck out three Red Sox players in row during an August pennant drive still resonates. WPIX broadcasts, with the Scooter, Bill White and Frank Messer didn't seem to last until past midnight. Maybe they did, but who cared. It was all a young Yankee fan could ask for.

It wasn't all winning and glory for the Yankees. The '80s provided nothing except the brilliance of Don Mattingly and series of suspensions for Steinbrenner, the feud with Yogi, a scandal that involved Dave Winfield and finally banishment---then re-instatement like only The Boss could have done--- from Major League Baseball by Commissioner Fay Vincent. The Yankee owner became a pariah, even among many of the Yankee faithful.

Then came the Jeter years. The Boss seemed to mellow---maybe it was the Joe Torre effect---and winning in the Bronx was as regular as the 5 train. The new, gentler Steinbrenner took wayward souls like Steve Howe, Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden---who threw one of the most improbable no-hitters---and gave them second (and third) chances. Four championships in five years made the New York Yankees the longest-running class act in all of sports.

Then it seemed like The Boss wasn't around. He was occasionally spotted perched in the owner's box. There was the horrible sounds of Red Sox cheers in 2004. A strain so vile, it reverberated in Yankee fan's heads until last year's championship. Slowly, the feebler version (dare I say that) of the boss from hell quietly handed the reins over to his sons, Hank and Hal.

If Bob Sheppard was the opposite of the loud-mouthed, lights flashing stadium announcers of today, then George (New Yorkers can call him that) was antithesis of the current garden-variety " Look at Me" sports team owners. George did everything to win. Emphasis on win!

Now, New York City looks like a friendly mall, Yankee Stadium seats are full---and $2500---All-Star, Robinson Cano turns the double play at second, and I think the bats on Bat Day are the size of pencils. The more things change...the more they...change.

STEINBRENNER CHANGED SPORTS FOREVER

Love or hate the Yankees and/or Steinbrenner; he was one of a kind. He introduced sports to the high-priced free-agent and the option of owning your own network. Opposing teams, owners, and MLB brass lambasted him. Heck, even pinstripe fans had love affairs, then threatened to break his kneecaps or just tolerated the bluster and arrogance of the man. If you were lucky enough to be a Yankee fan for the past thirty years, you've enjoyed one of the great New York stories.

I hope Derek Jeter is given a moment during tonight's All-Star Game to express the feelings of Yankee fans like only the humble shortstop can, "Thanks and Rest in Peace, Mister Steinbrenner."