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.
Reporter Nearly Gets Beaned
Angels In The Outfield
Sun Sports’ Tampa Bay Rays reporter Kelly Nash was visiting Fenway Park for the first time when she decided to take a selfie to capture the occasion unknowingly to her she captured a photo of a batting practice homer that almost landed on her head, which makes for perhaps the greatest self-portrait of all time.
Thankfully, the baseball missed her by inches.
Joe Maddon hires disc jockey to play jams in clubhouse
Hey DJ Keep Playing That Song
There is nothing better than a little pre-game music to jazz up the mood.
Just ask the Tampa Bay Rays, who hired a disc jockey, DJ Fresh to be precise, to crank up the jams prior to their game against the Oakland Athletics over the weekend.
“Whatever allows these guys to relax and permits them to play to the best of their abilities…I’m for it,” said Rays manager Joe Maddon.
Apparently, the use of motivational melodies worked as the Rays swept the Rays in the three game series at Tropicana Field.
MLB Predictions
Est. 1869
What’s lies ahead in the 2013 Major League Baseball season, well no one knows for sure but Opening Day is upon us and it’s time to roll out a few predictions. If you happened to listen to our live show this past week then you already heard those predictions.
Enjoy opening day, enjoy the season. I know I will.
American League East winner: Tampa Bay Rays
American League Central winner: Detroit Tigers
American League West winner: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
American League Wild-Card winner: Oakland Athletics
American League Wild-Card winner: Kansas City Royals
American League Pennant winner: Tampa Bay Rays
National League East winner: Washington Nationals
National League Central winner: Cincinnati Reds
National League West winner: San Francisco Giants
National League Wild-Card winner: Milwaukee Brewers
National League Wild-Card winner: Philadelphia Phillies
National League Pennant winner: Washington Nationals
American League Rookie of the Year: Wil Myers, Tampa Bay Rays
National League Rookie of the Year: Jedd Gyorko, San Diego Padres
American League Manger of the Year: John Farrell, Boston Red Sox
National League Manager of the Year: Bo Porter, Houston Astros
American League MVP: Yoenis Cespedas, Oakland Athletics
National League MVP: Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
American League Cy Young Award: Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers
National League Cy Young Award: Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
Partly blind pitcher could make Rays
Three Blind Mice
The Tampa Bay Rays could leave spring training with 32-year-old Juan Sandoval on the roster. The right hander has never pitched in the majors but there is more to the story. Sandoval is blind in his right eye.
“I’m 32 years old and, honestly, I’m in the best shape of my career,” says Sandoval, who is scheduled to pitch Sunday during Tampa Bay’s spring game against the Minnesota Twins at Fort Myers, Fla.
“I’ve worked hard but it’s not about the eye,” he says. “I don’t think about that. I have three kids now. I support my mom and dad. These are key things that are at the center of my life, the ones that make me work harder. These kids are maybe why I got better. I have to support them. Not because I want to prove to the world.”
Sandoval spent four years in the Seattle Mariners system before a shooting at a restaurant in the Dominican Republic left him blind in his right eye.
Last year Sandoval played in the Mexican League where he made 67 appearances, finishing with a 2.97 ERA. Those results left Sandoval with a clear perspective.
“They don’t care, as long as you’re getting people out. If you know you could be pitching every day, you have to prepare harder. I had to work my ass off.”
David Price’s dog to be immortalized in bobblehead form
Passed Lick & Sniff Test
On April 21, the Tampa Bay Rays will be giving away bobbleheads depicting David Price’s French bulldog Astro to kids 14 and younger. So, if you are younger than 14, and planning to be in attendance for the Rays vs. A’s game at Tropicana Field, you could be taking home a small version of Astro.
WTF: Luke Scott
Has PETA Called
Designated hitter Luke Scott showed up to Tampa Bay Rays camp in Port Charlotte, Fla. carrying a boar’s head, perhaps vying for a coveted role as a lunch-meat spokesperson.
MLB pays $1.2 million for Rockies.com
Where's Todd Helton
How important is it to Major League Baseball to own team name domain rights? Apparently $1.2 million in importance as that’s how much they shelled out to secure the rights to rockies.com. The website was previously owned by Tourism Canadian Rockies and was used to promote the Rocky Mountains (since they stretch all the way up to Canada).
It’s reported to be the largest price ever paid for a sports-related website and a significantly higher price than the domain name was expected to generate via auction. Apparently the MLB, doesn’t want what the Knicks did to the Nets to happen for the Colorado Rockies. The MLB now owns 26 of the 30 “dot-com” domain names for its teams, with the Rays, Rangers, Twins, and Giants as the teams who are not under MLB ownership. The New York football Giants own Giants.com and is clearly not looking to sell. As for the other teams, one has to think that the company that owns Twins.com for example, could use a million bucks. I doubt their brand is worth more than that.
Cy Young Award winners make history
Mountain Climber
R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets and David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays are this year’s Cy Young winners and Elias Sports Bureau notes that for the first time in MLB history the award winners faced off during the regular season.
Back on June 13 in Tampa Bay they matched up in a blowout Mets win, as Dickey racked up 12 strikeouts in a complete-game one-hitter and Price got knocked around for seven runs in five innings.
It was one of Dickey’s league-leading five complete games and one of his seven starts with double-digit strikeouts. For Price it was the most runs he allowed in a game all season and one of just five starts in which he failed to complete at least six innings.
Through that game Dickey was 10-1 with a 2.20 ERA in 90 innings and Price was 8-4 with a 3.01 ERA in 84 innings. From that point on Dickey went 10-5 with a 3.07 ERA in 144 innings and Price went 12-1 with a 2.26 ERA in 127 innings.
Chicago White Sox White Sox Wear Caddyshack Outfits Before Road Trip
IT'S IN THE HOLE
Chicago White Sox manager Robin Ventura took a page from Tampa Bay Rays Joe Maddon’s playbook and assigned a dress code for their trip to Baltimore, where they opened a four-game series against the Orioles Monday night.
The entire staff and players dressed in their best golf outfits to the theme of Caddyshack, the 1980 comedy starring Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray and Chevy Chase.
Tampa Bay Rays Prospects Busted For Meth Use
Killing The Midwest
Three minor leaguers in the Tampa Bay Rays organization have been suspended after they all reportedly tested positive for meth. The three players are Ryan Brett, Charles Cononie, and Justin Woodall, all of whom play for the Bowling Green Hot Rods of the low-A Midwest League.
None of the suspended trio is a top prospect, though Brett was a third round pick by the Rays in the 2010 draft and the best of the three.The 20-year old Brett had a .741 OPS in 100 games, and has 48 stolen bases on the season. The 24-year old Woodall has a 4.76 ERA in 30 games this year, with all but one coming as a reliever. The 23-year old Cononie, another reliever, has a 4.20 ERA in 34 games.
They all will receive a 50 game suspension.
Fans In Seattle Are Felixing
Bring On The Statue
It appears that Tebowing is dead but fortunately the progressive folks in Seattle have come up with, well, a perfect substitute.
Felixing.
Seattle Mariners Felix Hernandez tossed a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays last week and at the decisive moment Hernandez to pose with his back turned to the cameras. Loosely termed, Felixing involves balancing on one leg while raising both arms skyward.
Even Pearl Jams Eddie Vedder’s has been caught doing it.
B.J. & Justin Upton Hit 100th Career Homers On Same Night
Pride Of Norfolk
Brothers Justin Upton and B.J. Upton both hit career homer No. 100 on Friday night, just about an hour apart and in different leagues.
Justin Upton connected for Arizona Diamondbacks in the second inning at Philadelphia off Phillies Kyle Kendrick. Then it was his older brother’s turn. B.J. Upton went deep in the fourth inning for Tampa Bay Rays against Baltimore’s Orioles Tommy Hunter.
“It was cool. I’m happy for him,” Justin Upton said after Arizona’s 4-2 win. “It’s a big night for the family.”
B.J. Upton joins Rickey Henderson, Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonds, Cesar Cedeno, Lloyd Moseby, Eric Davis and Hanley Ramirez as the only players to amass 100 homers and 200 steals before age 28. Upton turns 28 on Aug. 21.
“I was just texting him,” B.J. Upton said after the Rays beat Baltimore 2-0. “He said he got his before mine, but it’s all good. It was cool to do that on the same day.”
The Upton brothers also both hit their 99th homer in games on July 20.
“It was mentioned after the last game,” Justin Upton said. “I definitely wanted to beat him to it.”
Fernando Rodney Slays Angels Rally Monkey
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim’s Rally Monkey had to hide this weekend when Fernando Rodney and the Tampa Bay Rays came to town. For the second consecutive day, Rays closer Fernando Rodney took aim at the monkey after the game with his signature post-game bow-and-arrow gesture.
“Last night, I saw the son and shoot him and he gone,” Rodney said. “Today the father come. I said, ‘I don’t want no problem.’ I had an arrow behind me and I shoot it.”
“The Rally Monkey passed away.”
Jonathan Papelbon Writes $5,000 Check For Jim Thome’s Home Run
Show Me The Money
On Saturday Jim Thome’s 609th career home run was a memorable one. Not only did it give the Philadelphia Phillies a 7-6 win against the Tampa Bay Rays, but it also earned him an instant $5,000 payday, courtesy of teammate Jonathan Papelbon.
Papelbon, who took the mound in the top of ninth with a 6-4 lead, allowed RBI singles to the Rays Jeff Keppenger and Brooks Conrad and blew his first save in 18 chances.
The Phillies closer, upset with the blown save, made an announcement.
“I came in the clubhouse, and I said ‘Whoever walks this guy off, I’ll give ‘em five grand.”
Thome, in to pinch-hit, had all the incentive he needed and hit a ninth-inning, walk-off home run off the Rays Jake McGee.
Thome’s home run tied him with Sammy Sosa for seventh place on baseball’s all-time home run list. It was also his 13th walk-off home run, the most game-winning homers in major league history.
Papelbon said he wrote the check in the clubhouse after the game.
“That was a huge pickup by Jim Thome,” Papelbon said. “I couldn’t be happier for anybody in the clubhouse.”
Watching it on TV it was not hard to read Thome’s lips as Papelbon embraced him at home plate:
“I want that check!”
WTF: Tampa Bay Rays
Why Doesn't It Say Devil Rays?
The Tampa Bay Rays are turning back the clock on June 30 to a time when they didn’t even exist, 1979. That’s not going to stop them from participating as they unveiled their retro uniform with Joe Maddon doing the modeling.
Bryce Harper’s At-Bat Music Justin Bieber’s Boyfriend Song
Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper and Justin Bieber have teamed up to create a dynamic duo with young fans everywhere, except the Bieb isn’t aware of it. Ever since the Tampa Bay Rays came to Washington DC on Tuesday, Harper has been using Bieber’s new single Boyfriend as his at-bat music and continued banging out hits.
Joel Peralta Ejected For Pine Tar Substance
Checkmate
Even without throwing a pitch, Tampa Bay Rays Joel Peralta was ejected in the 5-4 victory Tuesday night over the Washington Nationals before throwing a single pitch. Nationals manager Davey Johnson asked the umpires to check Peralta’s glove while the pitcher was warming up in the eighth inning.
The check found “a significant amount of pine tar,” according to crew chief Tim Tschida. The umpires carried the glove off the field and tossed Peralta.
As the reliever walked off the field, he tipped his cap to the Nationals dugout, his former team.
“Good for them,” Peralta said. “They still lose the game.”
Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon was clearly upset with the umpires on the field, and afterward he called Johnson “cowardly” for requesting the check of the reliever who pitched for the Nationals in 2010.
“Insider trading, man. It’s bush,” Maddon said. “It’s bogus. That’s way too easy, right there.”
Peralta did not directly answer when asked if he intentionally added pine tar to the glove.
“That’s a glove that I use for batting practice every day,” he said. “I’m every day playing catch with it, it’s hot here — that’s all I’m going to say about it.”
“If somebody has been known to use a foreign substance on their glove or their hat, a nice hot night is the time to use it, so I asked them to check and obviously he had it,” Johnson said. “It was a rumor that he liked a little pine tar.”
Maddon didn’t deny there was pine tar on Peralta’s glove, but he termed it a “common practice.”
“Joel is using pine tar and had pine tar in his glove,” Maddon said. “I’m saying to suggest he’s the only one that’s doing it is inappropriate.”
Will Rhymes Collapses After Being Hit By Pitch
Last night the Tampa Bay Rays were at home playing the Boston Red Sox when Rays infielder Will Rhymes was hit on the right wrist by a 95-mph Franklin Morales pitch in the eighth inning. Moments later Rhymes passed out on the field near first base.
Rhymes is OK and said it’s likely he passed out due to an “adrenaline rush” after the pain of the hit-by-pitch subsided. Rhymes, 29, signed a minor league contract with the Rays in January and entered Wednesday’s game hitting .273 in 13 games.
Brett Lawrie Slams Helmet To Ground Hits Umpire
Professionalism?
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie called it an “unlucky bounce.” Major League Baseball is likely to call it a suspension. A furious Lawrie slammed his batting helmet to the ground after he took strike three and it struck home plate umpire Bill Miller in the hip as the ninth inning turned nasty Tuesday night in Blue Jay’s 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay Rays.
“That was not my intention at all,” Lawrie said. “I’ve never, ever done anything to go at an umpire before in my life, and I didn’t mean to tonight. I apologize for that.
“It’s just my passion for the game,” he said. “I wanted to help my teammates out as best I could. That’s the pride I have in this game. I leave my emotions out on the field.”
Miller was later hit by a drink thrown by a fan while walking off the field after the game.
The trouble began with one out in the ninth and Lawrie trying to work a walk off Rays closer Fernando Rodney. On a 3-1 pitch, Lawrie started toward first base but was stopped short as Miller called strike two. Rodney stared in at Lawrie, and Miller helped settle the tension.
On a full-count pitch that he thought was ball four, Lawrie again headed toward first base. When Miller called strike three, Lawrie crouched in disbelief. Lawrie dropped his bat, gestured at Miller and shouted, and was ejected.
Lawrie then started toward Miller, wound up with his right arm and threw down his helmet. It bounced at the umpire’s feet and ricocheted up into him.
“Upon seeing that he was ejected, he took several steps toward me and fired his helmet. It hit me in the right hip,” Miller said.
“That’s a bit extreme,” Miller said.
Miller said he has already filed his report with MLB about the incident.
Josh Hamilton Hits Four Home Runs
Good Times
Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton became the 16th player in major league history to hit four home runs in a game.
Facing the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night, Hamilton hit two-run homers in the first, third and seventh innings and added another in the eighth off of Darren O’Day to tie the major league record. He also doubled in the fifth, going 5 for 5 with a career-high eight RBI.The 18 total bases is a new single-game American League record.
The last player to hit four home runs in a game was Carlos Delgado on Sept. 25, 2003, for Toronto Blue Jays against Tampa Bay Rays.
Two of the 16 players to hit four homers in a game did it before 1900. Hamilton is the sixth AL player to perform the feat.
Hamilton leads the MLB with 14 homers as well as 36 RBIs and is batting .406.
Brandon Inge’s Home Run Bounces Off Fan’s Apple Sack Into Woman’s Face
New Oakland Athletics utility man Brandon Inge is trying to quickly dash the reputation of not being of much value. Inge is doing this by hitting a walk off grand slam against the Toronto Blue Jays and this home run to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays.
Inge’s home run ball in Tampa went off a fan’s apple sack and caromed into a woman’s face.
Matt Geiger Interferes With Foul Ball
Booooo This Man
Former NBA center Matt Geiger, perhaps best remembered for refusing to waive a no-trade clause in his contract that held up a trade sending Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons, got a little too involved in the Minnesota Twins-Tampa Bay Rays game during the top of the eighth inning, and was asked to leave his seat as a result.
Geiger, who played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat, did his best Steve Bartman impression, interfering with a catchable foul ball.
With one out and a man on first, Twins left fielder Josh Willingham sent a foul ball towards the seats down the first base line. Rays first baseman Carlos Pena probably would have caught the ball, if he didn’t have to compete with the 7-footer’s arms.
Geiger reached for the ball, missed, and ended up grabbing Pena’s glove as the ball bounced harmlessly away. Geiger was booed instantly by fans and then security cheered as they escorted to a different section in Tropicana Field.
MLB Predictions
Est. 1869
What’s lies ahead in the 2012 Major League Baseball season, well no one knows for sure but Opening Day is upon us and it’s time to roll out a few predictions. If you happened to listen to our live show this past week then you already heard six segments of in depth breakdown in each division of each league but here is a cheat sheet to those predictions.
Should be an interesting year with another added Wild Card team to the postseason mix and one can only hope this season has a magical finish like last year. Enjoy opening day, enjoy the season. I know I will.
American League East winner: New York Yankees
American League Central winner: Detroit Tigers
American League West winner: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
American League Wild-Card winner: Tampa Bay Rays
American League Wild-Card winner: Kansas City Royals
American League Pennant winner: Tampa Bay Rays
National League East winner: Washington Nationals
National League Central winner: Cincinnati Reds
National League West winner: Los Angeles Dodgers
National League Wild-Card winner: Miami Marlins
National League Wild-Card winner: San Francisco Giants
National League Pennant winner: Los Angeles Dodgers
American League Rookie of the Year: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
National League Rookie of the Year: Drew Pomeranz, Colorado Rockies
American League Manger of the Year: Buck Showalter, Baltimore Orioles
National League Manager of the Year: Davey Johnson, Washington Nationals
American League MVP: Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
National League MVP: Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks
American League Cy Young Award: James Shields, Tampa Bay Rays
National League Cy Young Award: Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
