Only days after the conclusion of the recent World Series, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred was scheduled to fly to Portland, Ore., to meet there with officials interested in acquiring a big-league franchise. But the meeting was postponed until a later date because of the civil unrest that has besieged the troubled city since last spring. But Canadian Baseball Network contributor Danny Gallagher writes that the mere fact that Manfred was set to visit Portland is another clear indication the folks at MLB are seriously interested in Portland as a new franchise to add to the current 30-team roster.

Canadian Baseball Network writer Danny Gallagher writes that former Montreal Expos pitcher Bill Lee holds nothing back in a recently published book about him.