Tag: Yankees

Red Sox Fan Unleashes Hand Cannon from the Green Monster Seats and Hits Giancarlo Stanton

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That is goddamn impressive! It’s 310 feet from home plate to the Green Monster and a guy in the stands, completely flat footed, tossed a frozen rope and legit hit Giancarlo Stanton rounding second base. That’s gotta be a 200 foot throw from a guy in jeans. Incredible.

It’s also exactly how the 1993 classic Rookie of the Year starts with Henry Rowengartner hosing a dude at the plate from the bleachers.

I imagine Joe Castiglione was in the booth making a face similar to this.

I was at this game sitting in the absolute last row of Section 36 in the center field bleachers this afternoon so I couldn’t really see what happened until I sat down at the bar and saw the video on my phone. I can confirm that this guy 100% got thrown out of the game though.

Credit to Stanton too for laughing it off as the ball barely hit him. I think he was more surprised than anything.

So this Masshole with the hand cannon may not have gotten to see the rest of this meaningless September game, but maybe, just maybe he earned himself a tryout with the team like Henry Rowengartner.

 

After Some PR Disasters, This Actually Isn’t a Bad Idea from Marlins Owner Derek Jeter

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Yahoo – Miami Marlins part owner Derek Jeter has an idea that could bring the team closer together. Jeter will require the American-born coaches and players to take Spanish lessons, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN. The initiative from Jeter will not only help players in the organization communicate better, but will also bring the team closer with the city of Miami, according to ESPN.

With one PR blunder after the other, when I saw the headline that Jeter was forcing the entire Marlins organization to do X, I thought oh God what did this dude do now. Apparently he’s requiring everyone, from the players to the coaches to the executives, take Spanish lessons.

“As the Marlins’ young Latin American players take English lessons, the American-born players and coaches will be required to learn Spanish.

On Thursday, Jeter hauled a bunch of vice presidents into a room for the first of what will be regular weekly lessons in Español.

“… Everybody expects the Latin players to make an effort to speak English. Well, especially here in Miami, if you don’t speak Spanish, you don’t fit in. I think it’s important.’”

As the story notes, Latino players make up 31.9% of Major League Baseball, add to that the fact that the Marlins play in Miami, which is 70% Hispanic or Latino. So yea, actually not a bad idea from Jeets.

The last thing you want is to be like Tom Selleck in the 1992 classic, Mr. Baseball, sitting at the end of the bench by yourself. Oh you didn’t see that movie? It got a 13% on Rotten Tomatoes so I can’t see why you might not pick up on that obscure reference. Basically Tom Selleck goes to play baseball in Japan and can’t understand a goddamn word anyone is saying and is miserable.

Sneaky racist 1990’s movie poster too.

Of course he eventually learns the universal language of baseball (and some Japanese) to bond with his new teammates as (SPOILER) the Chunichi Dragons win the pennant.

Hey, HBO plays a lot of random shit on hungover Saturday mornings…

The 300s Power Rankings of America: Who’s Trending Up and Who’s Trending Down

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Another week, another chance to check in and see who’s doing great and who’s doing shit.

Trending Up:

Idris Elba

Talk has once again resumed of Elba taking on the role of James Bond once Daniel Craig wraps up his fifth and final turn of the character in next year’s untitled installment of the franchise. Elba is a perfect fit to play the part in a series that is approaching the 60 year mark. I’m sure there are a lot of neck beards out there that think giving the role to a black man is a problem, but when you boil the character down to his leading traits of be being suave, sophisticated, and downright handsome, Elba checks all the boxes. It’s time this sexy son of a bitch got a shot at being 007.

Rockstar Games

Yesterday, Rockstar debuted the first official gameplay trailer for the company’s second biggest franchise outside of Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption. The only words I could use to describe what I saw are Holy and Shit. Rockstar always pushes the envelope in their game development, which is why we only get a game from them once every five years or so. They’re brilliant at crafting a world that feels lived in that’s also cinematic in nature. Aside from the various debauchery displayed across the 7 minute video, players will also have the opportunity to spend some time fishing. That’s right, everybody’s favorite in-game activity that wastes countless hours, virtual fishing. Can’t wait to spend an entire weekend catching trout and shooting prostitutes in the local saloon.

Space Force

Honestly, who’s having a better week than our official soon to be sixth branch of the military? If we’re going to actually do this nonsense, we better go all out. I’m talking lasers, Millennium Falcons, planetary shields to keep out the Cylons. Dominate space like we dominate earth. Now you may be saying “I need an affordable living wage! My healthcare is terrible!” Stop being selfish. Insurance and a few extra bucks in your pocket isn’t going to help when the Klingons come for our women and children. Think of the bigger picture.

Trending Down:

Luigi

Here lies Luigi. Murdered in cold blood on the official Nintendo presentation for the upcoming Super Smash Bros game. Best known for being a green, taller Mario. Had a mansion once. Decent option for Mario Kart 64. You will be missed.

New York Yankees

Getting absolutely smoked by the Red Sox in a four game series isn’t ideal right? Being eight games out of the division when you’re on pace for 103 wins is definitely not ideal. Playing in the one game winner-take-all wild card is even less ideal I think. Being a Mets fan writing this is probably the least ideal. Honestly though, Judge better get back soon or the Yankees are going to have a short stint in the playoffs, if they even make the cut based on the way the A’s have been playing as of late. What a shame!

My Wallet Because The 300s is Invading Boston Comic Con Tomorrow!

Stay tuned for all the nonsense we get into as we take on Boston Comic Con tomorrow. We’ll be bringing you reviews, interviews, and hopefully a picture of us with the Pink Power Ranger. Have a great weekend folks!

Yankees Add Stud Closer Zach Britton, Red Sox Continue to Do Nothing

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This is a headline that seems to be repeating itself over and over again like we’re in the damn Matrix. American League team x adds a weapon for the stretch run, Red Sox do nothing. The Indians added Brad Hand, the Yankees added Zach Britton, and the Astros continue to be on the hunt for bullpen arms with a deep farm system to deal from. Of course this all stems back to Dave Dombrowski absolutely gutting the Sox farm system.

Now those trades were made to acquire Craig Kimbrel and Chris Sale, which have worked out pretty well, but this is why I am pro-prospect. Big Z and I argue about this constantly on The 300s Podcast. He wants to dish prospects all day every day because most of them don’t pan out, which I understand. But in my opinion, prospects are more about their perceived value than their actual intrinsic value. They are poker chips. Some of them turn into Mookie Betts, others fizzle into Casey Kelly. So, no you can’t hold onto all of them, but to trade away so many of your top prospects in 2 years is just risky.

—Begin Pomeranz Rant—

This is why the Drew Pomeranz trade still bugs me. The Sox traded Anderson Espinoza, who was their top pitching prospect, straight up for the NL All-Star, who was in his first year as a starter and known to have injury issues. In 2+ seasons with Boston, Pomeranz has posted ERAs of 4.78, 3.84, and 5.70 this year.

Not to mention he’s hit the DL four different times since joining the Red Sox. Excellent trade, Dave!

Now Espinoza actually pitched pretty poorly in the Padres system before blowing out his elbow in 2017, but thats besides the point. I wasn’t against trading Espinoza because I thought he was the second coming of Pedro, I was against trading our top pitching prospect (and No. 73 prospect in all of baseball in 2016 after his first pro season) for a guy with an injury history (which the Padres’ GM was suspended for lying about) and a minuscule track record of success. Espinoza was a blue chip prospect and should have gotten a better return.

This is also why I’m always hesitant to trade from pitchers from the NL, unless they are studs with a pedigree because jumping from the NL to the AL East almost always adds a run onto a pitchers ERA. In the first half of 2016 with the Padres, Pomeranz had an ERA of 3.15, which ballooned to 4.78 for the Sox in the second half. Not impressed, Dave.

—End of Pomeranz Rant—

The Sox are an offensive juggernaut this year with a Cy Young candidate ace, pretty good starting pitching behind him, and a dominant closer. Outside of Kimbrel though their bullpen is a high wire act every night. So now the Sox, one of the best and most expensive teams in baseball, can’t make a deal for a Snickers bar because their farm system is full of JV players.

If they bow out early in the playoffs yet again because their bullpen implodes then Dombrowski should absolutely be on the hot seat. The guy who comes into town with his beautiful lettuce and does nothing but trade away top prospects and sign the highest price free agents hasn’t proved anything to me since he got here in 2015. Tony Mazz laid it out pretty well in this article from the other day. Not to mention, the biggest knock against Dombrowski over the years has been his inability to build a great bullpen. Great…

This team as currently constituted will not win a World Series, especially not with their direct competition adding weapons like Zach Britton right in their face. But, I don’t know what the Sox can really do aside from picking someone off the scrap heap and hoping to catch lightning in a bottle like they did with Doug Fister last year. If this team doesn’t make a significant move, wins 100+ games, and gets bounced in the first round again then someone needs to get fired.

Crushed Price

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It strains the imagination to conceive of Price pitching any worse than he did. He allowed eight runs courtesy of five – yes, five – home runs in 3 1/3 innings of an 11-1 laugher that left the Red Sox and Yankees tied once again atop the AL East.

After nine career starts against the Yankees with the Red Sox, Price’s ERA is 8.43. At Yankee Stadium, he is 0-5 with a 10.44 ERA.

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I don’t how much else there is to say about David Price and last night’s game. Another disastrous outing against the Yankees for him. If I were Alex Cora, though, I’d start thinking about finding ways to limit Price’s appearances against the Yankees. Seriously.

The Red Sox have ten games left against the Yankees in the regular season. Those ten games include a four-game series in Boston the first weekend of August, a three-game set in the Bronx in mid-September, and another three-game set in Boston to close out the regular season. At the very least, Cora should find a way to make Price miss the series in New York.

That’s more difficult with both Drew Pomeranz and Steven Wright on the disabled list, but it’s still a proposition worth exploring. If the Sox have an extra off day the week of a Yankees series, maybe move up Price to miss the Yankees series. If the Sox are playing 12 straight days going into a Yankees series, maybe bring up a minor leaguer to “give everyone an extra day of rest,” and push Price back.

Cora shouldn’t embarrass Price, but he should get creative. It shouldn’t matter to Cora how much Price is getting paid. Do what’s best for the team by putting Price in the best positions to succeed.

Price is 9-6 through 17 starts this season, and the Red Sox are 11-6 in the games he’s started. If he could repeat that in the second half of the season, the Red Sox would take it. Wins against the Yankees in the regular season don’t count extra. If Price can give more for the team against the Rays, Blue Jays and Orioles, take it.

Red Sox vs. Yankees V and VI: Bullpen Blues

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Image result for dave dombrowski

Dave Dombrowski has worked in Major League Baseball for 40 years. He has yet to figure out how to put together a first-rate bullpen. This three-game series in the Bronx could be a microcosm for this Red Sox team’s season and potential postseason. The Red Sox are a very good team with good starting pitching and a deep lineup, but a team susceptible to late-inning bullpen meltdowns.

Game 1 of this series wasn’t a total disaster, but the bullpen took the loss nonetheless. In Games 2 and 3, the Red Sox lineup had its way against Yankees starters, but still had to sweat it out in the late innings. Game 2 was an unmitigated disaster with the Red Sox bullpen coughing up four runs in the eighth inning and Game 3 was headed down a similar path with the Red Sox bullpen coughing up four runs in the seventh inning. Thankfully JD Martinez was able to get the lead back for the Red Sox in the eighth inning of Game 3 and the Sox were able to hold on in Game 3 to salvage one game in this series.

In Game 2 Craig Kimbrel came into the game in the eighth inning and promptly allowed four runs to score on a triple and then a home run. In Game 3 he was brought into pitch a clean ninth inning and that’s exactly what he did, retiring the side in order on 13 pitches. It’s clear that the Red Sox need an eighth inning fireman so they can keep Kimbrel out of situations like the one he was brought into in Game 2.

Putting Kimbrel into the game in any situation other than a save situation to start the ninth inning is like getting a gremlin wet.

“This move baffles me every time we watch it. The instructions are very clear. Don’t put Kimbrel into the game before the ninth. How hard is that?”

I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but he clearly does not thrive in those situations. I’m not opposed to new-age baseball philosophy that says the save stat is overrated and overvalued, but don’t throw a guy into spots where he has demonstrated he is less likely to succeed! Do what works!

The Red Sox bullpen factored into all three decisions in this series, going 1-2. The bullpen recorded one save, blew two save opportunities, and allowed 9 runs in 8 2/3 innings. It’d be a shame to see this very good Red Sox team get taken down by bullpen issues. Pick up the phone, Dealer Dave, it’s time to make some moves!

The Red Sox and Yankees are now tied for first place in the AL East with the best record in the bigs, 26-11. They’re 3-3 against each other and don’t meet again until a three-game set in the Bronx at the end of June.

Red Sox vs Yankees IV: Pomeranz Battles a Broken Fingernail but Giancarlo Goes Yard Twice in a Yanks Win

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Giancarlo smoked two solo dingers to lead the Yankees to a 3-2 win over the Red Sox and Drew Pomeranz avoided a nail filing disaster to finish with a solid stat line: 6 IP, 2 Runs, 6 Strikeouts. As predicted, Luis Severino was not going to implode against the Sox twice in a row though as he went 6 IP while surrendering 2 Runs and striking out 11.

I gotta give props to Pomeranz though, I was legitimately typing the tweet getting ready to blast him for bailing on a start in the 2nd inning 2 hours after David Price got scratched. But after calling over the trainers and doing a little nail filing maintenance he was able to get back out there and pitch well. Trying to throw junk with a broken fingernail cannot be fun.

Down 2-1 the new best player on the planet Mookie Betts dragged the Sox back into a tie with a triple in the 7th to knock in a run, but that lead wasn’t meant to be.

Despite the two mistakes served up by Pomeranz to Giancarlo:

This game was more on the bullpen than anything else as Alex Cora figured the first guy out of the pen after an off day should be Heath Hembree! He got the first guy out but then gave up a double and then walked Gleyber Torres. After a mound visit Hembree immediately is called for a balk so now theres runners on 2nd and 3rd. He then proceeds to walk Brett Gardner before getting yanked for Joe Kelly, who gave up a single to put the Yanks on top for good.

Wednesday night’s projected starter *was* David Price but he was sent back to Boston yesterday because the numbness in his fingers returned so I’m in full blown panic mode.

We’ll have more on that later this morning.

So instead tonight we get Frederick Alfred Porcello (5-0) 2.14 vs  Masahiro Tanaka (4-2) 4.39 and Porcello has been on a roll to start the year so I’m picking the Sox to right the ship and regain their lead in the AL East.

Is Shohei Ohtani Charmin Soft for Asking Fans to Be Quiet When He Hits?

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Yahoo – USA Today reported that three women who were sitting behind the visitors’ dugout at Kauffman Stadium on Friday night for the Angels game against the Kansas City Royals were asked by stadium security to stop cheering so loudly during Shohei Ohtani’s at-bats. The message reportedly came from the Angels dugout.. The women, who were Japanese exchange students, had no problem quieting down. And they didn’t just quiet down, they fell completely silent during Ohtani’s next at-bat. After the game, a 5-4 for the Angels in which Ohtani went 2-for-4 with a double, Ohtani’s translator Ippei Mizuhara shed a little light on the situation to USA Today. “He heard it, he’s thankful for the cheers,’’ said Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s interpreter, “but at the plate, he likes to focus and block out the noise.” Ohtani, as is his way, focused on the effect it had on the team as a whole. “I was aware of that,’’ Ohtani said, “but I wasn’t the one that asked for that. (The Angels) just did it so everyone could focus at the plate. “I was thankful for that.”

If I’m an Angels fan I would be RATTLED by this story. You mean the guy that of all the places he could have signed with he chose the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim? The guy that dodged every single big market. That guy is now complaining that fans are CHEERING too loud for him? Ohtani said he didn’t actually request it, but he appreciated it. Ya sure thing buddy. I’m sure Mike Trout knows how tough cheering fans can be so he made security tell these 3 college kids to pipe down.

Now Ohtani has been incredible to start his career so this isn’t really a huge story. Yet. But if and when he hits some turbulence I will be fascinated to see how he responds. Does he block it all out and get back on track without issue? Or does he crumble because everyone is yelling at him?

This was at a home game by the way. Just wait until he plays a big game on the road. Red Sox and Yankees fans are going to have a field day with this. Just imagine trying to tell these boozed up degenerates they need to be quiet so Shohei can concentrate at the plate. Good. Luck.