WTF: Ian Kinsler
Eat Dirt
This is Texas Rangers infielder Ian Kinsler. He has no idea how to slide, even Ron Washington had to chuckle.
Greatest Premature Home Run Celebration Ever
During a game in the Korean Professional Baseball league between the Lotte Giants and NC Dinos when Giants outfielder Jeon Jun-woo came up smashed what he thought was a home run and begin his trot. Only one problem: he had warning track power.
The ball was caught by the left fielder, and a stunned Jun-woo was left stranded by first base wondering what the heck happened in this real life Willie Mays Hayes moment.
Jeremy Affeldt returned $500,000 to Giants after noticing contract error
When Will Jeremy Affeldt Appreciation Day Be
If you found out your employer had accidentally given you an extra $500,000, and that it was well within your rights to keep the money, would you give it back? Well that’s exactly what San Francisco Giants reliever Jeremy Affeldt did.
Affeldt was set to earn $4 million in 2010 under an existing contract with the Giants when they negotiated a two-year, $10 million extension. When the 2010 amount was rewritten into the new contract, someone made a clerical error and typed $4.5 million instead. The Giants and Affeldt signed it without recognizing the mistake.
Affeldt got three opinions saying the contract was ironclad and he could keep the extra $500,000, from the Players Association, agent Michael Moye and even Giants assistant general manager Bobby Evans….
“I talked to Bobby the next day and said, ‘I can’t take that money,’ ” Affeldt said. ” ‘I won’t sleep well at night knowing I took that money because every time I open my paycheck I’ll know it’s not right.’”
Affeldt thinks his honesty helped make negotiations smoother last winter when he and the team agreed to a 3-year, $18 million contract.
Hyun-Jin Ryu Plays Catch With little Tommy
Imagine how excited you were to go to a baseball game as a young boy. Now imagine being that same young boy and getting the chance to play catch with a real MLB’er. Well Hyun-Jin Ryu made that dream a reality for this Los Angeles Dodgers fan.
Fathers shed a tear.
David Ortiz Selling ‘This Is Our F*cking City’ Bat To Support Boston Bombing Victims
Papi Rules
David Ortiz has found a way to use his famed expletive-laden phrase to raise funds for the Boston Marathon victims.
After the spirited Red Sox player riled up the crowd when he declared at Fenway Park on live television that “This is our f*cking city” on April 20, he decided to put his signature phrase to even more good use. Ortiz is working with Marucci to produce baseball bats that feature two inspiring phrases: “This is our f—ing city’ and “Never forget. Boston Strong. 4-15-13,” CNN Money reports.
Proceeds from the sales will benefit the One Fund, the organization started by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino, that aims to help the people that were most affected by the blasts on April 15. Three people were killed in the blasts and 264 were injured.
Since it was launched, the fund has amassed more than $30 million.
Ortiz has already played a major role in collecting funds for Boston victims.
The Red Sox donated $100,000 to the One Fund and the Red Sox Foundation gave $46,500 days after the bombings, the AP reported. Ortiz presented the checks to Menino on April 21 along with Red Sox chairman Tom Werner.
Manny’s Ramirez Awful Slide
The latest spectacle of Manny Ramirez comes from a humourus slide attempt. The veteran tries to escape a potential tag at second base by sliding much too early and winds up a good five feet away from the base.
Mother Gets Reunited With Military Daughter At White Sox Game
Anyone need a good Mother’s Day smile? Check out this video which Ginny Page gets reunited with her daughter U.S. Navy petty officer, third class in a surprise at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago for a White Sox game..
Manny Ramirez Dress Up As The Hulk
How Ironic?
Manny Ramirez dressed up as the Incredible Hulk for a train ride between cities with the EDA Rhinos, the Taiwanese team he is currently playing for.
Rhinos’ manager (who must be a big Joe Maddon fan) organized a team-wide Halloween theme for their most recent road trip.
Jason Kipnis Gets Too Close To a Heater & Burns Pants
Is It Getting Hot In Here
Jason Kipnis of the Cleveland Indians had an incident with a heater this weekend, and it ended up in a pair of burnt pants. Kipnis Tweeted that he was chatting up his coach and stood a little bit too close to the heater which burned a hole in his uniform.
“This is what happens when you have a couple layers on and ur coach is talking to you by the heater.. #didntevenfeelit”
Mariano Rivera Injury Made Fun By Teammates
No Mo Zone
“Nothing’s going to change. I’m going to do what I love to do. And yes, I will. I got hurt like this. I might go to the same spot where I landed, where I was. But I’m going to enjoy it. It’s nothing to regret. Nothing to regret.”
That’s what Mariano Rivera told reporters a day before returning to Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., where his 2012 season ended due to a devastating knee injury suffered while shagging fly balls during warmups. But this time when Rivera walked to the warning track, he found a special surprise waiting for him.
Toddler Names Legendary Yankees
The New York Yankees have a long and storied history filled with a countless number of great players. It would be impossible for anyone, even the most diehard of Yankees fans, to recite them all on cue.
Well, not unless you are this 18-month-old girl, who masterfully recites both names and numbers of some of the greatest Yankees in history.
MLB to use pink-themed baseballs on Mother’s Day
Stand Up 2 Cancer
Major League Baseball has been sporting a pink theme on Mother’s Day for many years now. Pink bats, pink arm bands, and pink ribbons are all regulars on this special day. The spectacle is designed to raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer.
On Sunday, the league will take a step further by introducing pink-stitched baseballs with pink graphic on them.
MLB will be auctioning off the game-used bats and balls afterward and giving the proceeds to charities for breast cancer research.
Nick Hundley slams suspended teammate Yasmani Grandal
Fight For Your Job
Nick Hundley has served as the San Diego Padres starting catcher this season, but his role could be in jeopardy once teammate Yasmani Grandal returns from his 50-game suspension later this month.
Asked about the Padres catcher situation when Grandal returns from his steroids suspension, Hundley told the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee:
“You want to talk about a guy who is unproven and had a good couple months on steroids, go ahead. I’ve got a job to do.”
Hundley has good reason to be frustrated. He was coming off a terrific .288/.347/.477 season in 2011 when the Padres picked up Grandal, a 2010 first-round pick, from the Cincinnati Reds in the Mat Latos deal that winter. Hundley went on to struggle mightily last year and lost his job to Grandal, only to see Grandal get the offseason steroid suspension. Grandal’s name subsequently was found in the Biogenesis documents.
If not for the suspension, the Padres would have tried to trade Hundley last winter, though it may have been tough considering his substantial contract and hideous .157/.219/.245 line in 204 at-bats last season. As is, he’s been the Padres’ regular catcher this year and hit a rock-solid .270/.302/.450 in 100 at-bats. Still just 29, he doesn’t deserved to be shoved back into a backup role, especially in favor of a cheater. That said, the Padres aren’t going anywhere this year and they still need to figure out whether Grandal is the real deal or not. It figures to lead to an awkward situation when Grandal comes back later this month.
JA Happ Hit In The Head
A very scary scene unfolded on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field when Toronto Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ was hit in the head by a line drive off of the bat of Desmond Jennings of the Tampa Bay Rays. Happ appeared to be bleeding and had to be taken off the field in a stretcher.
Matt Kemp Gives Away Hat, Jersey, Shoes To Fan
One lucky Los Angeles Dodgers fan had a night he will never forget.
Matt Kemp makes his way over to the fan after the game to say hello.
Cincinnati Reds In-Flight Menu Fit For A King
Being A Major League Baseball Player Seems Like The Life
Dallas Latos, wife of Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Mat Latos, tweeted out the in-flight menu for the team’s charter, which she doesn’t get to ride on often.
The menu is divided into four sections: Pre-Departure Snacks, Dinner Selections, Snacks, Beverages. It doesn’t say as much, but presumably the format implies that the second set of snacks is for after the plane has departed.
Pre-departure snacks include personal pizzas, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, California rolls, and shrimp cocktail.
For dinner, Latos, Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto and all the Reds can select from fried shrimp with macaroni and cheese and grilled haricots verts, chicken stir fry with jasmine rice and vegetables, baked lasagna, a bleu cheese and spinach entree salad with a grilled beef fillet on top, or cheeseburgers.
After dinner, there’s ice-cream bars, ice-cream sandwiches, caramel corn, fresh fruit and cheese, candy bars, and more.
The menu detailed above was for the Reds’ flight from Chicago to Cincinnati. That trip takes about an hour.
Mike Trout Hats To Be Given Away June 18th
Here Fishy Fishy
Come June 18 the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim hope you attend that nights game against the Seattle Mariners to see baseball and be part of the Mike Trout promotional night.
That night the Angels will be giving away fish hats, more specifically a trout hat, if you will. It features, prominently and beautifully, a trout mouth agape in wonder and a trucker mesh in the back that kids these days wear.
Otis Nixon Busted With Crack Cocaine
Cocaine Is Hell Of A Drug
Former Major League Baseball outfielder Otis Nixon was arrested over the weekend in Atlanta when officers busted him with crack cocaine during a traffic stop.
Nixon has been charged with possession of cocaine and possession of a drug-related object.
More on the story from the AJC:
Nixon, 54, had a crack pipe in his pocket and a crack rock in his vehicle when he was stopped on I-575 early Saturday, according to a Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office reported obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A 911 caller reported a red Dodge Ram pickup truck driving erratically on I-575 north shortly after midnight and a deputy was dispatched and pulled the truck over, the report states. A state trooper assisted with the traffic stop. Inside Nixon’s truck, investigators found a small rock substance believed to be crack cocaine, the report states. Nixon also had a crack pipe in his pants’ pockets, deputies said.Police also discovered an additional crack pipe inside one of the truck compartments, as well as a plastic bag containing what they believed to be cocaine residue on the driver’s side of the floor board.
A series of field sobriety tests concluded that Nixon did not appear under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to the report.
Once handcuffed and placed in the backseat of the police car, Nixon allegedly surrendered yet another small bag of suspected crack cocaine to an officer.
The 54-year-old remains behind bars in the Cherokee County jail Monday and is being held on $11,800 bond.
Nixon spent his 17-year MLB career with nine different franchises, but his best stint with any team arguably came as a member of the Atlanta Braves.
Drafted by the New York Yankees with the third overall pick in the 1979 amateur draft, Nixon was regarded as one of the fastest players in baseball during the 1990s. He stole a total of 620 bases in his career .
Dog Dressed In Hot Dog Costume Eats Hot Dog
Amazing
During “Bark in the Park” day at Turner Field in Atlanta Sunday, a very cool dog dressed as a hot dog while eating a hot dog was shown on the big screen.
Colorado Rockies Fan Rocks Team Inspired Mohawk
Rocky Mountain High
One Colorado Rockies fan took the love of his team to a whole new level. The young man’s mohawk features the Rockies’ colors, team logo, and an image of Troy Tulowitzki. The height of the mohawk is pretty phenomenal.
Pittsburgh Pirates have own SNL intro
The Pittsburgh Pirates have been introducing their lineup with a late-night television flair. A video intro that’s in the style of Saturday Night Live and Late Night With David Letterman has been playing before games at PNC Park
Clay Buchholz accused of doctoring baseball
Sticky Situation
Clay Buchholz has been the best starting pitcher in baseball this season, and some think he is cheating to gain an unfair advantage.
After the Boston Red Sox pitcher improved to 6-0 on the season following Boston’s 10-1 win in Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night, accusations came from Blue Jays broadcaster Dirk Hayhurst that Buchholz was doctoring the baseball with a substance he kept on his forearm.
“Forget the hair, I just saw video of Buchholz loading the ball with some Eddie Harris worthy slick’em painted up his left forearm. Wow.”
“This was substantial. You could see it slathered on there,” Hayhurst wrote in another tweet.
Then on his radio show on Fan 590 in Toronto Hayhurst said that Buchholz “absolutely” is cheating.
Buchholz responded to the accusation by saying the substance on his forearm was rosin.
“There’s a rosin bag behind the mound and it’s there for everybody to use every inning after our warm-up,” Buchholz said. “Put rosin on my arm throughout the game. Sweat, water, whatever. … Sometimes I put a little thing of water on my hip just to get moisture on your hands ‘cause sometimes the balls that they throw to you feel like cue balls off a pool table. Got to find a way to get grip. But yeah, I mean, definitely no foreign objects or substances on my arm.”
Adding to the intrigue was Red Sox reliever Junichi Tazawa, who took the mound in the seventh inning Thursday with his left arm glistening, and the way he went to his forearm prompted Jack Morris to wonder on the Sportsnet broadcast whether there might be a foreign substance there, too.
Nationals trainers revive but can’t save cameraman in Atlanta
You Tried
The Washington Nationals say an Atlanta-area television worker has died after collapsing before their game against the Atlanta Braves.
Nationals spokesman John Dever says 61-year-old Reuben Porras of Newnan, Ga., collapsed Wednesday while setting up for MLB Network, which is set to broadcast the finale of the four-game series in Atlanta on Thursday.
Washington’s head athletic trainer, Lee Kuntz, and his assistant, John Hsu, helped to stabilize Porras before he was taken away in an ambulance. But Dever says the team learned the man later died at a hospital from an apparent heart attack.
Tommy Lasorda Doesn’t Know What To Think About Psy
South Korean pop star Psy performed before the bottom of the fourth inning at Dodgers Stadium on Tuesday night. Luckily, he was doing so right next to Dodgers legend Tommy Lasorda, who didn’t know what to think. Watch his confused and priceless reactions in the bottom left hand corner.
