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.
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.
Singer messes up national anthem for two countries
Jeff Fuller had sung the U.S. and Canadian anthems several times but on Wednesday he butchered both.
It started with Fuller losing his way while signing “O Canada” and it only got worse when he attempted to restart. The second time was no better and eventually he gave up and moved onto “The Star-Spangled Banner”.
Jeffrey Loria writes ‘Letter to our Fans’ in Miami newspapers
Smug Asshole
Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria took out a full-page ad in the Sunday editions of the Miami Herald, Palm Beach Post and South Florida Sun-Sentinel and published a “Letter To Our Fans.” Here it is:
LETTER TO OUR FANS
It’s no secret that last season was not our best — actually it was one of our worst. In large part, our performance on the field stunk and something needed to be done. As a result of some bold moves, many grabbed hold of our tough yet necessary decision only to unleash a vicious cycle of negativity. As the owner of the ballclub, the buck stops with me and I take my share of the blame where it’s due. However, many of the things being said about us are simply not true. I’ve sat by quietly and allowed this to continue. Now it’s time for me to resond to our most important constituents, the fans who love the game of baseball.
THE ROSTER
Losing is unacceptable to me. It’s incumbant upon us to take swift action and make bold moves when there are glaring problems. The controversial trade we made with the Toronto Blue Jays was approved by Commissioner Bud Selig and has been almost universally celebrated by baseball experts outside of Miami for its value. We hope, with an open mind, our community can reflect on the fact that we had one of the worst records in baseball. Acquiring high-profile players just didn’t work, and nearly everyone on our team underperformed as compared to their career numbers. Our plan for the year ahead is to leverage our young talent and create a homegrown roster of long-term players who can win. In fact, objective experts have credited us with going from the 28th ranked Minor League system in baseball to the 5th best during this period. Of the Top 100 Minor Leagues rated by MLB Network, we have six — tied for the most of any team in the league. We’ll evaluate this roster and possibly bring in additional talent based on our assessment of what we need. The very same naysayers who are currently skeptical once attacked us for bringing Pudge Rodriguez to the Marlins in 2003. More than any other, that move contributed to our World Series Championship.
THE BALLPARK
The ballpark issue has been repeatedly reported incorrectly and there are some very negative accustations being thrown around. It ain’t true, folks. Those who have attacked us are entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts. The majority of public funding came from hotel taxes, the burden of which is incurred by tourists who are visiting our city, NOT the resident taxpayers. The Marlins organization also agreed to contribute $161.2 million toward the ballpark, plus the cost of the garage complex. In addition, the Marlins receive no operating subsidy from local government funding. The ballpark required that all debt service is paid by existing revenue. Furthermore, many are attacking the County’s method of financing for its contribution, but the Marlins had nothing at all to do with that. The fact is, with your help, we built Marlins Park, a crown jewel in our beautiful Miami skyline, which has won over twenty design and architecture awards and will help make us a premiere ballclub moving forward.
OUR FINANCES
The simple fact is that we don’t have unlimited funds, nor does any baseball team or business. Fans didn’t turn out last season as much as we’d like, even with the high-profile players the columnists decry us having traded. The main ingredient to a successful ball club is putting together a winning team, including a ncecessary core of young talent. Are we fiscally capable and responsible enough to fill the roster with talented players, invest in the daily demands of running a world-class organization and bring a World Series back to Miami? Absolutely! Is it sound business sense to witness an expensive roster with a terrible record and sit idly by doing nothing? No. I can and will invest in building a winner, but last season wasn’t sustainable and we needed to start from scratch quickly to build this team from the ground up.
COMMUNICATION
An organization is only as good as its connection with the community. We know we can do a better job communicating with our fans. That starts now. From this point forward we can ensure fans and the entire community that we will keep you abreast of our plan, rationale and motivations.
Amidst the current news coverage, it an be easy to forget how far we went together not so long ago. In 2003, I helped bring a second World Series Title to South Florida. We know how to build a winning team, and have every intention of doing so again. I know you share my passion for great Marlins baseball, my love of MIami and my desire to win again. We’re in this together and I humbly ask that we start fresh, watch us mature qjuickly as a ball club, and root for the home team in 2013.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Loria
Mark Buehrle moving to Toronto alone on behalf of dog
Perfect
Mark Buehrle and his family love their dog so much that Buehrle will leave his family behind when he heads to Toronto to pitch for the Blue Jays in 2013. Ontario has a province-wide ban on pit bulls that includes American Staffordshire terriers like Buehrle’s two-year-old rescue, Slater.
It’s a little weird to consider that in lieu of living without Slater for a year, the Buehrles will live without Mark Buehrle for a year. But in fairness, humans tend to travel and communicate better across long distances than dogs do, plus Slater seems to be a really good dog.
Jeff Kent Joins Survivor
KentSports
Back on June 25, we posted the report that former 2000 National League MVP Jeff Kent was rumored to be a member of his favorite TV show as one of 15 contestants on the latest installment of Survivor, set in the Philippines.
Kent, 44, will match wits with the likes of 1980s sitcom star Lisa Whelchel, of Facts of Life fame, and two beauty pageant winners for the $1 million prize.
Kent, who left the game in 2008 after seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers, says he’s long been a fan of the show where contestants are pitted against each other in tribes on remote locations and must work together on team challenges while all the while conspiring against each other to avoid the dreaded flame dousing that will get you on a boat home.
“I’ve got a chip on my shoulder. I hate to lose. You know, there are not many tall white guys with mustaches walking around still these days. I’m hoping my reputation’s not big enough that these people know who I am.”
Rajai Davis Leaps At The Wall To Rob Home Run
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Raja Davis steals a home run away from New York Yankees Casey McGehee in front of the home crowd.
Timing is everything.
Minor League Team Uses Old School Nintendo Game For Game Highlights
The Dunedin Blue Jays, a single-A affiliate of Toronto Blue Jays, won the first half of the Florida State League North and to commemorate clinching a playoff berth, the team went old school, creating highlights of the game based on the popular 1987 Nintendo video game R.B.I. Baseball.
Memories.
Toronto Blue Jays Fans Celebrate 50th Wedding Anniversary
Forever Linked
Long time Toronto Blue Jays fans Gerry and Elenor have been watching their favorite team from their home in Saskatchewan for over 30 years. They’ve seen it all from the Blue Jays from Joe Carters game winning World Series home run to the teams old open-air playing grounds Exhibition Stadium.
The one thing the couple hadn’t seen the Blue Jays was in person. So for their 50th wedding anniversary Gerry and Elenor hoped on plane for the first time and flew 1,200 miles to watch them live. They had tickets to the final game of the Oakland Athletics series and the start of the Detroit Tigers.
That’s A Clown Question, Bro T-Shirt Have Arrived
Don't Bro Me
Less than 24 hours have passed since Washington Nationals Bryce Harper was asked by a member of the Toronto press if he was going to enjoy a beer in Canada, where the legal age to drink is 18, to celebrate a monster home run he hit and he uttered the phrase,
“That’s a clown question, bro”.
Now the t-shirt to celebrate Harper’s answer is now available for purchase through Skreened for $24.99.
MLB Gets First Brazilian Born Player
First
Not only did Yan Gomes become the first Brazilian-born player to reach the major leagues, his debut came against the most famous baseball team in the world.
Born and partially raised in Sao Paulo, Gomes was promoted to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday when slumping first baseman Adam Lind was sent down to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Gomes struck out in his first at-bat against New York Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes, but lined a single to right field for his first big league hit in the fourth. The ball was taken out of play and saved for him as a memento.
Gomes said he was on “an emotional roller coaster” after learning Wednesday he was headed to the majors. The 24-year-old infielder flew overnight from Las Vegas to Toronto, too excited to sleep.
“It’s a great feeling, absolutely a great feeling,” Gomes said after taking batting practice and fielding grounders at third base, where he started in place of suspended Brett Lawrie.
Gomes overcame long odds to reach the majors after spending his early childhood in soccer-mad South America.
“Growing up in Brazil you would never think of (playing in the majors),” he said. “Coming out here and having it, it seems like it happened so fast, so I definitely have to take it in. I’m really proud of it. It’s an honor to represent my country.”
Gomes fell in love with baseball following a chance encounter his father had on a trip to the grocery store, bumping into a Cuban baseball coach who was putting together a team and looking for youngsters to play. Yan’s father was persuaded to bring his son to a tryout.
“Probably the best thing that he did,” said Gomes, who took to the sport immediately.
Gomes can play third base, first base and catcher. He batted .359 with five home runs, 12 doubles and 22 RBIs at Las Vegas.
Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown: Brett Lawrie
Brett Lawrie
Every Thursday Sports Grind Entertainment will present you with the Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown. The recipient of this honor goes to Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie who was ejected from Tuesday game after urging balls and strikes called. Lawrie meltdown also included him slamming his helmet into the ground and it bouncing up to hit home plate umpire Bill Miller in the right hip. Lawrie was suspended for four games and fined him an undisclosed amount. He said he intends to apologize to Miller for being hit.
“The only thing I would change is maybe not throwing the helmet or any equipment toward the umpire because you can get an unlucky hop and have the kind of mess that’s going on right now,” he said.
Umpire Who Ejected Brett Lawrie Hit With Beer
Karma?
Rough day at the office for Major League Baseball umpire Bill Miller. He not only made questionable calls against Toronto Blue Jays Brett Lawrie, which resulted in the third baseman throwing his helmet that bounced and nailed Miller in the hip, he was also hit by a fans beer trying to leave the field.
Miller knew going to work he would be showered with boos at some point in the game but never imagined showered with Labatt Blue.
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.
Kansas City Royals Fan Reads A Book During Game
Funny how on yesterdays show I called out Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost as possibly being the first manager to get the axe in the 2012 MLB season. Then I saw this, a Royals fan paying more attention to the book he is reading rather than the game against the Toronto Blue Jays in front of him.
3-14
Being a huge baseball fan I acknowledge the fact that baseball moves at a speed that you can knock out a few chapters of a good book, in fact I’m guilty of it. However the perception of this fan sitting in $300 seats and the fact the Royals haven’t won a home game yet this season is hard to overlooked.
The 10 loses the Royals have suffered at home to start the MLB season is the worse in baseball since 1913.
David Ortiz & Jose Bautista Star As Jerseys
I for one am not all that thrilled to put another mans last name on my back so this new Majestic, official jersey maker for MLB, ad speaks to me.
Majestic’s new campaign “Wear your hero,” shows a day in the life of a fan wearing a David Ortiz jersey by showing him actually wearing the Red Sox slugger and even has a quick run-in with Jose Bautista.
Big Papi in the washing machine at the laundromat is hilarious.
Guy Dressed Up As Marijuana Leaf Kicked Out Of Toronto Blue Jays Game
During the Toronto Blue Jays home opener series against the Boston Red Sox a fan dressed up as a giant marijuana leaf got escorted out of the stadium by security despite the presence of a ticket in his sticky-icky hands.
J.P. Arencibia Does Tim Kurkjian Impression
Toronto Blue Jays catcher and upcoming Major League Baseball star J.P. Arencibia might have to list upcoming comic star to his resume after he offered the ESPN Baseball Tonight crew an impression of Tim Kurkjian, right in front him.
Spot on!
Create-A-Caption: Toronto Blue Jays
c-a-c
Spring training is a month long time for Major League Baseball players to get in shape and fine tune their skills so why has the entire Toronto Blue Jays team decided to take a golf cart to the field.
MLB’s Rookie Hazing
It’s that time of year where the MLB has come to a close and team veterans make the 2011 rookies show up to the ballpark in outlandish costumes. Earlier this week we posted the Colorado Rockies dressing up as characters from Star Wars and now now have a few others to bring you. Thanks to the Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays for participating. And shame on those teams that haven’t yet exposed their rookie costume hazing photos.
If your wondering who the one player is singled out is, that’s Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim outfielder Mike Trout, who makes for one pretty nasty looking Lady Gaga.
Whoever decided that Astros second baseman Jose Altuve should be a jockey, that is just brilliant.
Houston Astros
Los Angeles Dodgers
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
St. Louis Cardinals
Minnesota Twins
New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays
Toronto Blue Jays
Lady Gaga aka Mike Trout
Washington Nationals
Manny Ramirez To Play In Winter League
Manny Being Manny: An Idiot
Winston Llenas president of the Cibao Eagles, a winter league team in the northern Dominican Republic has said that former World Series MVP Manny Ramirez intends to start training with the Eagles next week. The DWL season begins October 22.
The 39-year-old slugger, who retired after appearing in just five games with the Tampa Bay Rays after being informed he had failed an MLB-administered drug test, was arrested last week and charged with domestic battery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The allegations of violating baseball’s policy against performance-enhancing substances will have no impact on his playing in the Dominican Republic.
Llenas says Ramirez wants to “play before the Dominican fans and to perhaps motivate other major league stars to also play in the country.”
Last season the Cibao Eagles finished in fifth place and failed to make the postseason tournament. The team’s roster featured several major leaguers, including Toronto Blue Jays infielder Edwin Encarnacion, New York Mets infielder Daniel Murphy and St. Louis Cardinals infielder Tyler Greene.
Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player: Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander
Every Tuesday Sports Grind Entertainment presents you with the Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player of the Week. This week the recipient of this prestigious honor goes to Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander for being the first pitcher in the Major Leagues to reach the 19 game win plateau. Verlander’s season continues to be that of American League Cy Young Award worthy even with his latest performance against the Tampa Bay Rays, in which he surrender one run on three hits and struck out eight over seven innings. His 19th win equals his career high that he established in 2009 as well as winning his last seven seven straight starts. It’s a season that has him leading the AL in victories, strikeouts, winning percentage, innings pitched and opponents batting average. Verlander’s ERA of 2.28 is second only to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Jered Weaver. On top of it all, Verlander threw a no-hitter on May 7 against the Toronto Blue Jays, the second no-no of his career.
Congratulations Justin Verlander you are this weeks Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin Player.
