Fans taunt Alex Rodriguez with pictures/masks of Madonna

Toronto Blue Jays fans giving A-Rod the business….

Boston Red Sox fans hoping for a kiss from the Yankee they love to hate.

NY Mets manager’s coaching philosophy: Always carry a blade

“I told him next time he does that I’m going to get my blade out and cut him. I’m a gangster. You go gangster on me, I’m going to have to get you. You do that again, I’m going to cut you right on the field,” quipped Manuel

Read the rest of the hilarity.

High school baseball turns ugly, ump gets (allegedly) intentionally beaned.

from ESPN.com

You’ve heard of Kill the Ump, Lynch the Ump, and Strangle the Ump, right? Well, get ready for the latest thing—Bean the Ump.

It happened on May 31 in the Georgia high school Class AAA championship game. Stephens County was losing to Cartersville 9-1 early, partly because nine straight SCHS batters had struck out. The last ring-up so hacked off superstar shortstop Ethan Martin—who had just been drafted 15th overall by the Dodgers—that he threw his helmet in protest. But that figured. Martin and his brother, Cody, who was pitching, reportedly had been complaining about balls and strikes the entire game.

So now it’s the bottom of the fourth, with Ethan playing short and Cody on the mound. The catcher is Matt Hill. There are no outs. The count is 0-1. Cody winds up and flings a very high, very hard fastball. Hill comes out of his squat, puts his glove up to catch it, then does a very funny thing.

He doesn’t.

Instead, the YouTube video will show, he drops to his knees before the ball gets to him. Doesn’t even try to catch it. Just flops to his knees, with his head looking down at the plate. Never looks up or back. The ball, meanwhile, conks umpire Jeff Scott square in the face mask. Rocks him back. Then squirts up the third-base line.

Scott Singer, who videotaped the game from behind the plate, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “I don’t know what was going through their heads but … it’s like, good god!” After the game, Hill explained that he’d been expecting a curveball, instead got a fastball and just didn’t catch it.

Yeah, surrrre. I used to catch a little. Happens all the time. You’re expecting a curveball and instead you get a fastball so you say, “Boy, didn’t see that coming. I’ll just drop to my knees and wait for the next one.”

What’s worse is that Hill’s coach, Mark Gosnell, believed him! Right, Coach. And remember that time you found the school mascot tied up in a locker with a sock in his mouth? That was definitely terrorists.

If indeed this was premeditated—take a look for yourself and decide—then maybe Cody Martin should be drafted too. Say what you want, but that’s pretty good aim.

The Thieving Bastards: Baseball’s All-Time Worst Contract Team

A sample, starting at third base, Bobby Bonilla.

Third Base: Bobby Bonilla – Team Captain
Team: New York Mets
Contract: $1.19M/year from 2011 to 2035
No, you’re not reading that wrong. When Bonilla was released by the Mets, he was due $5.9M. Instead, the Mets agreed to pay him the above sum for the above length of time. You can’t make this kind of stuff up.

Only 2 Detroit Tigers on here…now if this was football……

Big contract, little reward

“Anatomy of a Basebrawl” or “Why Sports Teach Valuable Lessons About Consequences”

I love baseball for many reasons. And the following is just one example. Like many sports, baseball has certain unwritten rules and practices among the players and managers. For example, if you’re a pitcher that is retaliating at another team/player, you don’t throw at another player’s head.

So, the other night, the Red Sox play the Tampa Bay (Devil)Rays. Red Sox player Coco Crisp is on 1st base and he attempts to steal second. As he slides in head-first, Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett takes the catcher’s throw and drops his knee in front of the base. This is a big no-no in baseball. Crisp could’ve been seriously injured, and in fact, he sprained his wrist because of it.

So, the next time Crisp is on first, he attempts to steal second base….and watch what happens.

So, seemingly, the issue would be settled. I love how baseball polices itself. No whining lawyers, just an understanding that if you break some of the unwritten rules, you will get punished one way or the other. The players know this, too. That Rays shortstop knew he wasn’t going to get away with his stunt. Unfortunately, he didn’t receive the payback.

So, the issue should’ve been settled, but apparently the Rays didn’t watch video of the original incident. So, as the next day, Crisp gets beaned, fakes like he’s going to take his base and then…..IT’S ON

Yeah, I suppose the brawl undermines my case for baseball policing itself, but hey, it’s still fun to watch.