In Houston, Matt Kawahara noted the Astros will "expand their in-house mental health program" with Triple-A affiliate Sugar Land Space Cowboys and Double-A affiliate Corpus Christi Hooks that will include specialists in mental health. This season the Astros will "employ a mental health professional" on its major-league performance staff and at four of its six minor-league affiliates, including its Florida Complex League and Dominican Summer League (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3/10).
COMMUNITY SPECIAL: In K.C., Sam McDowell noted when Royals owner John Sherman introduced the downtown ballpark project 15 months ago with a 11-minute speech, he frequently used one word -- community. He "used the term 21 times in the 11 minutes." A community benefits agreement (CBA), they promised, would be robust with an “intention to ‘uplift our community and its need.’” McDowell: "Some 15 months have passed, and, well, where is it?" McDowell noted they are inside of four weeks before an April 2 vote on a sales tax to fund stadiums for the Chiefs and Royals -- who say that “they’re still committed to a strong CBA” -- but voters “deserve to know the full scope of the community benefit before committing hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes” (K.C. STAR, 3/10).
John Sherman introduced the downtown ballpark project 15 months ago and mentioned a community benefits agreement, but there are no further detailsRoyals
