Fri Jul 01 04:45am EDT
Video: ‘Baseball instincts’ save Zambrano from wayward softball
Despite suffering an on-the-job injury earlier in the day, Chicago Cubs right-hander Carlos Zambrano kept his appointment to throw out the first pitch at the Chicago Bandits professional softball game Thursday night.
As the humorous and slightly scary video shows, Zambrano ducked out of the way during an interview when he realized a foul ball was coming for his head.
Zambrano can be viewed telling a story about a softball pitcher from his native Venezuela, an Olympian, who had struck him out three or four times when — whatever, it's not important because LOOK OUT, CARLOS!
What a "Cubbie Occurrence" getting hit would have been, were it not for his — as Zambrano put it:
"Baseball instincts."Thankfully, Big Z used his Spidey Sense and apparently heard the ball coming. It made a ruckus upon impact, briefly stunning everyone in the area. Zambrano, though he kept checking behind himself for more foul balls, laughed it off.
You know what we can all laugh off? That shirt he's wearing!
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Fri Jul 01 03:35am EDT
Cool: Houston’s Jason Michaels hits ‘snow cone double’ into stands
Everyone knows that nothing goes better with baseball than an ice cream cone, especially on a warm day after a big win.
But what if there's no ice cream man around to summon? Further, what if you happen to still be batting?
On Thursday night, Jason Michaels of the Houston Astros solved this problem — a cone-nundrum, if you will — by lacing a double to right field that hopped into the stands at Minute Maid Park and bounced off the tray of a snow cone vendor.
No desserts appeared to be harmed as the ball ricocheted back into the field of play. After a huddle, umpires called it a ground-rule double. Michaels' hit was key in a four-run fifth inning for the Astros, who must have been in good humor after cruising to a 7-0 victory against the Texas Rangers.
Astros broadcaster Jim Deshaies made the announcement:
"It hit the snow cone man! It's a snow-cone double. You don't see that every day."A moment later, Deshaies went Sabean and jokingly called for change:
"I want to implement a new rule. Anything that hits off the vendor is in play."Sorry, Jim, this ain't golf. (Although golf does have a refreshment cart.)
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Thu Jun 30 01:52pm EDT
Photo: Toronto’s Jose Bautista shrinks to pre-adolescent size
Everybody knows that, after a meandering start to his baseball career, slugger Jose Bautista found his groove in his late 20s and became a star with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Well, the young Jays fan pictured above has no such interest in waiting that long. Curtis Hopkins knows who he is, and probably without having reached puberty yet.
He's Joey Minibats!
Baby J-Bau!
Li'l Jose Bautista!
Whatever you call him — and Dustin Parkes of Getting Blanked has gone with "Li'l Bautista" — young Hopkins has perfectly patented the Bautista look. From the reflecting shades, to the million-dollar hobo facial hair, to the batting gloves. (Gotta have the batting gloves.)
And I'm pulling for Hopkins on the upcoming season of "Bambinos and Ballplayers." Li'l Ron Washington was so 2010!
Check below for a side-by-side comparison of Bautisti:
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Thu Jun 30 12:55pm EDT
Ian Kinsler’s third inning: Hit by pitch in groin, home run
Ian Kinsler redefined "taking one for the team" on Wednesday night.
While we usually think of that adage in Rudi Stein terms when it comes to being hit by a pitch, the Texas Rangers second baseman didn't receive the benefit of reaching first base after apparently being hit in his, uh, l'il Lone Stars by Houston Astros pitcher Brett Myers.
Instead, Kinsler had to resume his at-bat after unsuccessfully arguing that he was not in the process of trying to bunt. It wasn't a bad continuation: Four pitches later, Kinsler hammered a Myers pitch into the left-field stands for his second home run of the game and the decisive run in a 3-2 victory at Minute Maid Park.
Here's the hit by pitch (ouch!)... and here's the homer
From the Associated Press: Read More »
Thu Jun 30 10:47am EDT
Take this to Vance: Ejected manager autographs, gives away first base
We've seen our share of managerial meltdowns that included a base being used as a prop. Whether it was kicked, covered with dirt, outright stolen, or even hammer tossed to release a little anger and frustration, it's always a good source of unexpected entertainment for those in attendance. But I don't think we've ever seen one end with the base becoming an immediate addition to one lucky fan's memorabilia collection.
That was until Sunday, when former Boston Red Sox player and manager, now skipper for the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League, Butch Hobson, was tossed during the second game of their doubleheader against the Somerset Patriots.
In the fourth inning, infielder Gilberto Mejia dragged a bunt up the first-base line and was called out on a bang-bang play. Mejia immediately argued and was tossed by umpire Chris Rick. Not far behind was Hobson, who decided if Mejia couldn't have the base he felt he earned, no one else on the field should have it either.
Out on his way out the door, he added his signature to the base and handed it to a very happy lady seated next to Lancaster's dugout:
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Thu Jun 30 10:01am EDT
Vance Worley asks for Dustin Pedroia’s autograph, gets denied
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Vance Worley recorded a signature victory against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night, pitching seven strong innings in a big 2-1 win.Indeed, the rookie righthander was so good — allowing one run and striking out five — that it was easy to see his John Hancock written all over this one.
You might say that even the disappointed Red Sox clubhouse had to endorse the effort.
Yes, the penmanship puns are everywhere this morning as Worley beat the Red Sox for Philly's second straight win in the big series and then related the story of how he had been rebuffed by Boston's Dustin Pedroia when he sent a clubbie to ask for an autograph before the game. According to Worley, his chances were hurt by two violations of protocol.
From the Associated Press:
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Thu Jun 30 09:12am EDT
The Juice: Everyone buy Chrysler! Mets score and score at Detroit
Nine innings, nine items to get you going. Ladies and gentleman of the Stew, take a sip of morning Juice.1. Vroom, vroom: The NY-Mets collected 20 hits and drew seven walks against the Tigers in a 16-9 victory on Wednesday night. Angel Pagan (his name is good and evil personified) and Daniel Murphy each had four hits and four RBIs. The defense did its job, too, holding Detroit to three Jason Hanson field goals.
The Mets, who have compiled 30 runs the past two games in the Motor City, might be channeling the ghosts of the '86 champions. Those boys could hit. How better to explain their offensiveness lately? Over the past four games, the Mets have accumulated a team-record 52 runs, along with 69 hits.
The only one of five Tigers pitchers to escape unscathed was Don Kelly (who is not a pitcher). The utility man with the 1950s name tossed a perfect third of an inning, getting the last out of the ninth after spinning this "curveball" to Scott Hairston.
2. Arm abusers? Because of a limited bullpen, St. Louis Cardinals cognoscenti Tony La Russa and Dave Duncan let right-hander Chris Carpenter throw 132 pitches in a 5-1 victory at Baltimore. Carpenter swears he felt as strong at the end as he did the beginning — which is key, because throwing pitches while tired is a surefire way to get hurt. He says he wasn't tired. It's just that he's thrown 590 pitches combined in the past five starts.
3. Sign this, swing at at that: Phil-in starter Vance Worley had a clubhouse guy ask Dustin Pedroia for an autograph and then he goes out and shuts down the Red Sox in a 2-1 victory for the Phillies. Philly goes for the World Series in June sweep today.
4. Pitchers with clam sauce: Ricky Nolasco > Guillermo Moscoso in a confrontation of pitchers whose names sound Italian, but aren't. Nolasco pitched a five-hitter in Florida's 3-0 victory at Oakland.
5. Hey, Chicago, whaddya say?: I was going to complain about manager Mike Quade taking out Ryan Dempster in the ninth when he had a shutout going on 83 pitches, but the Cubs came back to beat the Giants 2-1 anyway, so I don't care anymore.
6. Cleveland rocking right now: And ... the Cleveland Indians are in first place on the last day of June after winning 6-2 at Arizona.
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Thu Jun 30 02:01am EDT
Video: Alex Rodriguez loves how Cameron Diaz handles popcorn
If you thought the last kernel had popped on this love affair, you were premature. Not before Alex Rodriguez(notes) gives the final word on what being fed popcorn by Cameron Diaz is like.
In an exclusive video interview with Yahoo! Sports, the New York Yankees superslugger said getting caught on camera at Super Bowl 45 as his hot babe of a famous actress girlfriend stuffed popcorn in his face was a highlight of his offseason.
Of course it was.
And what about David Letterman using Diaz on his talk show to poke fun at A-Rod? Totally cool, the Centaurian said.
Wait a minute! Diaz fed A-Rod at the All-Star game, too? Get a popcorn cart, you two!"It was really funny when she fed David Letterman popcorn; I thought that was a kick."I thought it was one of the coolest things that happened to me all offseason. My daughters kept making fun of me and they wanted to keep feeding me popcorn. It was a great moment at the All-Star game* and we really enjoyed it.
"It was all fun, and it was actually funnier the way she fed Letterman than the way she fed me [laughs]."
[*Editor's note: He means the Super Bowl.]
Follow Yahoo! Sports on Facebook and be the first to know about the most interesting stories of the day.Other popular Yahoo! Sports stories:
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Wed Jun 29 05:35pm EDT
Mascot fail: Amarillo’s stiff Sock sent back to wash
The Amarillo Sox, an independent minor league team in Texas, were expecting to have a huge hit on their hands by unveiling a new team mascot over the weekend.
Instead, they got this ... this ... this monster!*
*Shields eyes of nearby child, collapses into sobs
As a result, the Sox are trying out the mascot return policy by sending the dirty Sock back to his — yes, I'm pretty sure it's a him — creator for some alterations. I'm just guessing here, but the fixes could be as simple as a bucket of cold water or picturing Don Zimmer taking batting practice.
From the Amarillo Globe-News:
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