Maybe it's because they've been stripping the old place of all sellable trinkets for the last 18 months. Maybe it's because they've already christened the new place with a World Series.

Whatever the case, I've been surprised at the relative lack of tears from the nostalgia minded as old Yankee Stadium has been dismantled and demolished since hosting its last game there in Sept. 2008. I definitely expected a lot more poems and paeans like this one — written by yours truly, a non-New Yorker who had only been there twice — last October.   

Now that they're finally toppling the grandstand in large sections and have set a completion date just four months away, perhaps we'll see more dark prose like the article that Richard Sandomir wrote in the New York Times on Wednesday.

If you're up to the taks but need more inspiration, check out some of the most action-packed footage seen at the site below. Or check out Demolition of Yankee Stadium, where I found the photo from above. Or just check out this video, which may or may not feature the dude who was also trying to raze the Goonies' neighborhood to build a golf course.

John Romano of the St. Pete Times recently turned in a great debate-worthy column, arguing that Evan Longoria(notes) ranks as 'baseball's most valuable asset.' 

Romano reached his conclusion on the hometown stud by considering a number of factors beyond performance, including salary, position and off-field marketability. 

Romano explains his formula further:

"There is a difference between saying Longoria is the best player in the game and saying he is the greatest asset. Albert Pujols(notes) is certainly a better hitter than Longoria. But Pujols is six years older, and his salary is 16 times larger. Joe Mauer(notes) is a better hitter and plays a more critical position. But Mauer is in the final year of a contract and about to become the highest-paid catcher in history. Zack Greinke(notes) or Tim Lincecum(notes) might be more valuable today, but pitchers are far more volatile."

Romano makes a good case for Longoria and if we're throwing out pitchers because they only go once every five days and are more injury-prone, it's a good choice.

Admittedly, it's hard to draw a big distinction between Longoria and the other young players — Justin Upton(notes), Hanley Ramirez(notes), Troy Tulowitzki(notes), etc. — who are still performing on contracts that are relatively club-friendly. But considering that Longoria and Ramirez led that young crop in WAR with 7.2 in 2009, the Rays third baseman is as good a selection as any.

Which player would you say is baseball's most valuable asset? 

BLS H/N: Diamond Hoggers

Ever wonder how much it might take for Manny Ramirez(notes) to show up at your local ballfield and play a few innings against your neighborhood nine?

If this report is accurate, it would be in the area of a cool $170,000.

That's the amount a Taiwanese promoter said it's paying Ramirez in appearance and endorsement fees to persuade him to make the current three-game trip to Southeast Asia with some of his Dodger teammates.

Not bad work, if you can get it, huh?

There might be some critics who think Ramirez should have flown over there for free in the ambassadorial spirit of the trip. But you better believe that everyone reading this post — and the other big Dodger names who begged off to stay behind in Arizona — would have cashed that same check to play against the all-star players from Taiwan.

So how can you blame Man-Ram for a profitable quick trip to a land where he's loved?

One thing though: Would it kill Manny to put on a smile at the airport? I know Joe Torre is collecting the bonus for James Loney(notes) and Ronnie Belliard(notes) in the form of a nice bouquet, but $170,000 still isn't anything to sneeze at.  

A big BLS head nod to Dodger Thoughts for the tip. 

You remember Steve and Emily Monforto, right? They were the daddy-daughter duo that earned Big League Stew about eleventy billion hits when video of Emily's rejection of her dad's foul ball gift at a Phillies game went viral. They then appeared on various morning shows.  

Proving that adorable extends the concept of 15 minutes, the Monfortos just made an appearance with Comedy Central's Tosh.0 as part of a series that allows viral video stars to earn "redemption" for their filmed mishaps. While posting this is no endorsement of Tosh's brand of humor — it's an, uh, "acquired taste" — the clip is worth the watch for another dose of Emily. Six months after winning the Internet, she's still the star of the show.   

A big BLS head nod to Walkoff Walk and The 700 Level for the redirect