Notebook: Demolition in Detroit

Crews began the process of tearing down historic Tiger Stadium on Monday.

At least one hole was punched in the side of the stadium, which closed following the 1999 season. A back-hoe could be seen removing trash and other debris from the interior of the old ballpark.

An Aug. 1 deadline still stands for a nonprofit group seeking to raise money to save part of the stadium.

The park opened in 1912 as Navin Field and hosted among other things thousands of Tigers games, Babe Ruth’s 700th career home run in 1934 and a speech by South African president Nelson Mandela in 1990.

Ramirez quarrel over

Manny Ramirez said he patched things up with a Boston Red Sox employee he reportedly shoved to the ground during an argument, and the club said the matter is over.

The Providence Journal reported that Ramirez pushed traveling secretary Jack McCormick in the visitors’ clubhouse Saturday in Houston after McCormick told Ramirez that he might not be able to come up with the 16 tickets the player requested for that night’s game.

The two met behind closed doors, the newspaper said, and Ramirez apologized to McCormick.

“Whatever happens in the clubhouse stays in the clubhouse,” Ramirez said before the game against the Tampa Bay Rays. “I talked to him and everything is fine. He’s going to continue being my friend. It’s over with.”

“Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz plans to attend next month’s All-Star game, but won’t play due to his injured left wrist.

Astros release Chacon

Shawn Chacon cleared waivers and was released by the Houston Astros, five days after a physical altercation with general manager Ed Wade in the clubhouse.

Michael Weiner, the general counsel of the players’ association, said the union planned to file a grievance today. The union will claim the Astros improperly terminated the deal and that Chacon is owed the remaining $983,607 of his $2 million salary this year.

Clearing the bases

Pittsburgh became the third N.L. Central team to bat its pitcher eighth this season, dropping shortstop Jack Wilson to the bottom of the order in place of left hander Paul Maholm for a game against Cincinnati. … Detroit right-hander Jeremy Bonderman had surgery in Dallas to correct a condition that caused a blood clot in his pitching arm. … Cleveland placed right-handed reliever Scott Elarton on the restricted list after he told manager Eric Wedge he needed to leave the team for personal reasons.