Run, Panda, Run! Sandoval’s unorthodox tag seals Giants win

Fri Jun 24 09:33am EDT

Run, Panda, Run! Sandoval’s unorthodox tag seals Giants win

By Mark Townsend

We all know Pablo Sandoval(notes) worked hard in the offseason to drop nearly 40 pounds and make himself slimmer, trimmer, and quicker than ever before. But apparently the Kung Fu Panda thought we needed a reminder in the San Francisco Giants 2-1 victory over the Minnesota.
With Michael Cuddyer(notes) representing the tying run on second base, and Brian Wilson(notes) one out away from closing the game, Luke Hughes(notes) hit a bouncing ball to Sandoval just wide of third base. Rather than make the routine throw across the diamond to retire Hughes, Sandoval elected to show off his newfound quickness and took off running towards Cuddyer.
Now, with first base open, Cuddyer was not forced to run on the play, but how often do you see an infielder choose a foot race when a simple throw is all that's required? It never happens. The throw is always the sure thing, so his cheating down the basepath wasn't unusual.
Sandoval's plan of action was unusual, and that forced a likely stunned Cuddyer to stop dead in his tracks and led what felt like a slow-motion chase back towards second base. With momentum on his side, Sandoval gained enough ground in his pursuit to apply a diving, game-ending, and hide-saving tag just before Cuddyer made a safe return.

Watch Sandoval's diving tag here

In reality the play was over in five seconds. From manager Bruce Bochy's perspective, it must have felt like five minutes.
From MLB.com:

"That's a new play. We didn't work on that this spring, but he broke it out in that situation," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said, barely suppressing a laugh. "I didn't know what he was doing either, to be honest. I guess he wanted to show off some speed there."

Maybe. Or maybe he just wanted to ruin Michael Cuddyer's reputation.
Or maybe he was caught up in the moment.

"That's the emotion we play with. It's part of the game," Sandoval said. "You get so excited, so pumped up, that you want to do all the things to win."

All the things to win can mean a lot of different things. However, I don't think this play ranks too high on that list of things. But if you're the Giants, you'll take it. If you're a Giants fan, you'll accept it. After all, you signed up for the torture. There's nothing you can do but learn to love it.

Related: Brian Wilson, Michael Cuddyer, San Francisco Giants

Josh Hamilton says blue eyes cause daytime woes at plate

Fri Jun 24 03:32pm EDT

Josh Hamilton says blue eyes cause daytime woes at plate

By 'Duk

Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton(notes) believes that the color of his eyes — blue — are the reason for his unsightly day-night splits this season. He's hitting a dismal .122 under natural sunlight and a whopping .374 under the artificial lights of a big league ballpark.
Hamilton's day-night splits during his 2010 MVP season weren't as drastic as 2011's, but there was still a noticeable difference: .286 during the day and .384 at night. What gives?

"I ask guys all the time: Guys with blue eyes, brown eyes, whatever ... and guys with blue eyes have a tough time [during the day]," [Hamilton told radio host Bryan Dolgin ...].
"It's just hard for me to see [at the plate] in the daytime. [...]
"Try to go up [to the plate] squinting and see a white ball while the sun is shining right off the plate, you know, and beaming right up in your face."

But lest you dismiss Hamilton's explanation for his struggles with the sun as an old wives' tale, know this: Not only have fellow ballplayers with blue eyes backed his theory, but one optometrist in Texas says there's some truth to Hamilton's daytime difficulties.
From ESPN Dallas:

Dr. Richard L. Ison, an optometrist since 1990 who is practicing in Murphy, Texas, said it's true that having blue eyes makes it tougher to see during the day than those with darker eyes.
"Because of the lack of pigment in lighter color eyes -- like blue or green eyes as opposed to brown -- you get a lot more unwanted light and that can create glare problems," Ison said.
Ison said the phenomenon is called intraocular light scatter, meaning the light scatters as it enters, producing a focal point that isn't as good.

Ison says that Hamilton can help fix the problem with a really nice pair of sunglasses — a pair presumably nicer than the ones George Bush sported in Arlington earlier this week. (Hamilton says he has a new pair that he intends to try out during two day games with the New York Mets this weekend.)
It'll be interesting to dig and see if any other blue-eyed players have numbers that agree, but one of the most-famous blue-eyed players — Cal Ripken Jr. — was able to overcome the handicap. Despite sporting some of the lightest blue eyes around, the Hall of Fame shortstop posted extremely similar numbers in each instance, but actually hit a little bit better during the day (.800 OPS) than at night (.783).
ESPN's Tim Kurkijan was the one who brought up the Ripken example, but also said that Buck Showalter once talked about never drafting two types of players: Those with full beards (because they apparently age too fast) and those with blue eyes. Whatever helps you whittle down the crop, I guess.
At any rate, any blue-eyed Stewies out there want to pin their failed big league dreams on your eyes losing the cruel genetic lottery? At least you'll have Dr. Ison and science on your side if anyone chooses to call you on it.

Phillies place Oswalt on DL

14 hours, 51 minutes ago

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PHILADELPHIA (AP)—The Philadelphia Phillies have placed right-hander Roy Oswalt(notes) on the 15-day disabled list with a back injury.
Reliever Scott Mathieson(notes) was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to replace Oswalt, who was sidelined with a back injury earlier this year.

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Oswalt is 4-6 with a 3.79 ERA in 13 games. The three-time All-Star is 1-5 with a 4.06 ERA over his last eight starts. In other moves, catcher Brian Schneider(notes) was activated from the disabled list and lefty J.C. Romero(notes) was given his unconditional release. Catcher Dane Sardinha(notes)was outrighted to Lehigh Valley to make room for

McCourt may be willing to sell part of Dodgers

By Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports5 hours, 34 minutes ago

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LOS ANGELES – Up against a payroll deadline and the potential seizure of his team, Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has had recent conversations with Major League Baseball officials about salvaging his ownership of the franchise, sources said Friday night.

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The dialogue – between McCourt and the league, and between McCourt’s lawyers and the league’s lawyers – has focused on McCourt’s willingness to sell a stake in the Dodgers in order to keep the team afloat, much as Fred Wilpon has extended his ownership of the New York Mets.

Frank McCourt

Sources close to the club said they did not know if McCourt had the funds to meet next week’s payroll.
Commissioner Bud Selig rejected a proposed media rights deal with Fox on Monday, three days after McCourt reached a divorce settlement with ex-wife Jamie. The settlement was contingent upon approval of the Fox contract, however.
In the wake of Selig’s decision, McCourt’s attorney, Robert Sacks, called for Selig to meet with McCourt in an effort to seek a financial compromise or risk litigation.
McCourt has not spoken directly to Selig, a source said.
After months of saying he would not consider selling a piece of the Dodgers, McCourt has received numerous inquiries from parties willing to buy in, said the source.
Selig has been adamant in his refusal to allow future club earnings to be used toward past debt, including McCourt’s divorce.
It is unknown if any of the recent dialogue has resulted in progress against McCourt’s tenuous hold on the club.

Gamecocks beat Virginia 3-2 on wild finish in 13th

By ERIC OLSON, AP Sports Writer 5 hours, 51 minutes ago

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP)—The South Carolina Gamecocks are getting a reputation for being drama kings.
Adam Matthews scored in the bottom of the 13th inning Friday night after Virginia reliever Cody Winiarski botched two throws while fielding bunts, sending the defending national champions back to the College World Series finals with a 3-2 victory.
The wild finish came after South Carolina closer Matt Price worked out of bases-loaded situations in the 10th, 12th and 13th innings.

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“I don’t know where to begin,” Gamecocks coach Ray Tanner said. “That game had so much involved in it. This game certainly could have gone either way, and we just kept hanging in there and we were fortunate to get a couple of breaks at the end.”
The Gamecocks (53-14) will play Florida (53-17) in an all-Southeastern Conference best-of-three final beginning Monday. Virginia (56-12) was the No. 1 national seed.
South Carolina, which has won a record 14 straight NCAA tournament games, recorded its sixth walkoff victory of the season and second of this year’s College World Series. The Gamecocks won last year’s championship game against UCLA in walkoff fashion.
“It really has been amazing,” Tanner said. “I admire these guys and the players we’ve had the last couple of years. And their work ethic, their desire to play, to win. They show up and go every day and we’ve been very fortunate.”
Brady Thomas singled leading off the 13th against Winiarski. Matthews came in to run and advanced when Winiarski pivoted and threw wildly trying to get him at second on Peter Mooney’s bunt. Robert Beary followed with another bunt. Winiarski tried to get Matthews at third, but the low throw got away from the third baseman, allowing the winning run to score.
“Beary had a great bunt in there and I slid in headfirst to third and the umpire motioned I was safe,” Matthews said. “I got up. I didn’t know where the ball was. Coach over there was telling me to go, go, go, so it worked out good.”
Said Winiarski: “It’s simple. They wanted to get an out (on sacrifices), and we weren’t able to capitalize on that and just take what they were giving to us. Those are plays we practice every day in practice and just didn’t execute.”
Winiarski (6-4) relieved Virginia closer Branden Kline starting the bottom of the 13th. Kline threw 107 pitches in five innings of three-hit relief.
“That was a baseball game of just a lot of emotions, a lot of gut decisions, both teams taking chances at times,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “It’s unfortunate that we had to come out on the wrong end of it.”
Kline and Price engaged in a long battle of closers. Price (7-3) allowed seven hits, walking five and striking out five. Before Friday, Price’s longest outing of the season was three innings.
Price walked David Coleman to start the top of the 13th. Colin Harrington reached on an infield single, and the bases were loaded with no outs when nobody covered first base as Christian Walker fielded Keith Werman’s bunt.
Price struck out Chris Taylor and then caught a huge break when John Barr lined out to second, with Scott Wingo flipping to shortstop Mooney covering the bag to double up Harrington.
“I was like, ‘Here we go again, another jam,”’ Price said. “I was trying to work through it, maybe strike the first guy out. and that’s what happened. The next guy hit a rope, and luckily it was right at Wingo and he made a heck of a play.”
Price walked Jared King to load the bases with two outs in the 10th, then struck out pinch-hitter Reed Gragnani. He allowed consecutive singles leading off the 12th, and after an intentional walk loaded the bases with one out, he got Shane Halley to ground into a double play.
Kline allowed South Carolina’s first two batters to reach base in the bottom of the 12th before retiring the next three, with right fielder Coleman making a sliding catch of Adrian Morales’ foul ball for the third out.
Virginia tied it 2-2 in the eighth. Taylor scored the tying run from second base when John Hicks’ ground ball skittered through Mooney’s legs for the Gamecocks’ second error of the inning.
Virginia starter Danny Hultzen was dominant in the three innings he pitched, striking out the first six batters he faced and eight in all. O’Connor said Hultzen, the No. 2 overall draft pick, didn’t come out for the fourth inning because he was feeling “under the weather.”
Kyle Crockett relieved and allowed a double and single and hit a batter before Thomas’ fly ball to left that went for a two-run double when Barr lost it in the sun.
“South Carolina has got something very, very special going on right now,”O’Connor said. “It just seems like they just find a way.”

Sawed off! University of Florida hitter breaks metal bat

Fri Jun 24 09:26pm EDT

Sawed off! University of Florida hitter breaks metal bat

By Ian Casselberry

When the NCAA mandated that metal bats perform more like wood bats in college baseball this season, what happened Friday afternoon at the College World Series may not have been what it had in mind.
During the eighth inning of the Florida-Vanderbilt game, Gators sophomore catcher Mike Zunino snapped his bat while fouling off an inside pitch. Yes, that's right — his metal bat broke. Just like a wood one would've. Except there was no splintering, no shards. The barrel of Zunino's bat just snapped clean off the handle.
See the break for yourself:

Who was the pitcher who sawed Zunino off, leaving him stunned and holding nothing but handle?
Vanderbilt senior reliever Mark Lamm probably has bragging rights from now until forever. Metal could not withstand his fastball. (This may also be further testament to the effectiveness of Tommy John surgery, as Lamm underwent the procedure in August 2009.)
Unfortunately, the camera followed Zunino back to the dugout as he got another bat, so the video clip doesn't show if Lamm blew smoke off his index finger after that composite metal barrel went into the stands.
Lamm was a sixth-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in this year's MLB Draft. Might his draft stock have improved if scouting directors and general managers had seen him destroy metal with his 94 mph fastball?
But Zunino can point to the scoreboard. Florida beat Vanderbilt, 6-4, to advance to the College World Series championship. Gators first baseman Preston Tucker drove in the go-ahead run just before Zunino broke his bat.

Related: Atlanta Braves

Video: Phillie Phanatic nailed by foul ball, heads to hospital

Thu Jun 23 11:42am EDT

Video: Phillie Phanatic nailed by foul ball, heads to hospital

By 'Duk

Here's what separates the pros from the amateurs in the world of sports mascots: After being hit with a foul ball at a minor league game on Wednesday, the Phillie Phanatic didn't drop to the ground, writh around in pain or break character in any way.
Instead, the Phanatic hammed up the beaning in usual Phanatic fashion — and only then left the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs game against Indianapolis and headed to the hospital.
Check out the video:

Though you can't see the ball actually hitting the Phanatic, it's reported to have hit the popular green mascot square in the neck — or right where the head of Tom Burgoyne, the man who has played the Phanatic since 1993, is actually located.

Related: The Yankees once had a mascot? Who knew?

With the Phillies on the road in St. Louis, Burgoyne hit the road to Allentown, Pa., for a midweek visit to the team's Triple-A affiliate. But lest you think his good deed will totally be punished, the good news is that he was treated and released from a nearby hospital with only minimal damage.
Said Burgoyne on his Facebook page:

The Phanatic is fine. He took one off the neck last night it the Iron Pigs game. Since we're soooo close, I felt his pain and have a nice golf ball-sized knot just above my eye. Bring on the A's this weekend — the Phanatic will be ready!

It's good to know that the Phanatic will return to Philly and be able to welcome Connie Mack's old team back into town. But the job of a mascot will continue to be a dangerous job for Burgoyne. Not only does he have to face the ever-present threat of fan lawsuits, the Morning Call reports that his nose was broken and his eye socket was shattered when he was hit by a ball thrown by an Atlanta Braves pitcher in 2009.
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