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Derek Jeter’s Starbucks name is Philip

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:30:08 EDT

Been staring at this story all day. Thinking I wasn’t gonna link to it. Thinking I had higher standards. But then the crowd thinned out, the bartender said it was last call and the only two of us in the place was me and it, so … The Yankee shortstop was spotted yesterday leaving one…

Believe it or not the Twins’ rotation has gotten even worse

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:15:50 EDT

Remember all those offseason quotes from general manager Terry Ryan about how the Twins were focused on improving last season’s terrible starting rotation? Their actual moves didn’t quite match the talk, as they signed Kevin Corrreia (who’s been decent) and Mike Pelfrey (who’s been awful) and traded for Vance Worley (who went from Opening Day…

DET@CLE: Dirks pads lead with RBI single

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:56:36 EDT

DET@CLE: Dirks pads lead with RBI single 5/21/13: Andy Dirks increases the Tigers' lead with an RBI single in the top of the ninth off David Huff, making it a 4-1 Detroit lead Check out http://MLB.c... From: Official Channel of MLB.com Views: 0 0 ratings Time: 00:47 More in Sports

DET@CLE: Dirks clubs a long solo homer to right

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:56:36 EDT

DET@CLE: Dirks clubs a long solo homer to right 5/21/13: Andy Dirks goes yard against Corey Kluber, crushing one to right in the sixth to get the Tigers on the board and tie the game up Check out http://ML... From: Official Channel of MLB.com Views: 0 0 ratings Time: 00:49 More in Sports

DET@CLE: Miggy cranks a two-run shot to center

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:54:42 EDT

DET@CLE: Miggy cranks a two-run shot to center 5/21/13: Miguel Cabrera crushes a two-run home run to straightaway center field, giving the Tigers their first lead of the game at 3-1 Check out http://MLB.c... From: Official Channel of MLB.com Views: 1 0 ratings Time: 00:51 More in Sports

Gio Gonzalez wears shirt with old image of Nationals coach Steve McCatty posing for ‘Playgirl’

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:49:13 EDT

Steve McCatty could use the excuse "I was young; I needed the money" in trying to explain why he posed in swim trunks for the July 1984 edition of 'Playgirl' magazine. He was 31 years old and just a season away from his last pitch in the majors because of injury, so branching out into male modeling wouldn't have been a bad idea. (Especially with that blond mustache of his. Very Larry Bird.) No matter why, he did the spread — many other major leaguers throughout the '80s did similar photo shoots — and the nearly sexy results are what you see, and what remains on the internet. Too bad for McCatty, the pitching coach of the Washington Nationals today, his players know quite well how to navigate the World Wide Web. One of them struck beefcake gold in a wonderful post by Michael Clair at Baseball Prospectus, and everyone knew what had to happen next. Right-hander Dan Haren ordered shirts made, reporter Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post said. Obviously, it's been the talk of the Nationals clubhouse. Via the Washington Times: The pitchers, who listen to McCatty trash talk them an awful lot, were thoroughly enjoying the entire thing. McCatty, a former pitcher for the A’s, tried to let it roll off his back. “I took the picture,” he said with a shrug. “I could’ve done without that revelation,” quipped manager Davey Johnson. McCatty "took the picture" himself? My money was on Rick Langford or Mike Norris. Johnson later praised McCatty's 1984 body as "that good," along with the fact that McCatty had hair — two other revelations the skipper had been ignorant of. Some of the other comments were more complimentary: “It’s pretty incredible,” Ryan Zimmerman said of the shirts. “It’s a perfect T-shirt, and what a picture. It’s one of the better T-shirts I’ve seen in the eight years I’ve seen them made.” So, Invader Zim monitors T-shirt production lines when not manning the hot corner? (He probably means the other silly shirts that major leaguers have made to amuse themselves.) “Utter joy. This is the best day of my life.” — Tyler Clippard, while wearing [the T-shirt] Finally, there was this reaction: “I threw up. I sent out a big group text to everyone. I think Cat’s pretty embarrassed.” – Jordan Zimmermann McCatty hasn't been worked over this much since Billy Martin famously, if allegedly, overexerted the Oakland Athletics starting pitching staff in the early '80s. Speaking of which, look who else got the "Playgirl" treatment from the A's: Rickey Henderson's scouting report should say "Has Bo Jackson thighs." Check out the rest of Clair's post. It's a keepsake, even if it refers to George Brett's butt as "flat." Baseball is in full swing! Interact with @AnswerDave, @MikeOz, @Townie813 and @bigleaguestew on Twitter, along with the BLS Facebook page!

Kevin Gausman won’t be eating donuts during his MLB debut, but he still has his superstitions

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:38:20 EDT

Kevin Gausman, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft, makes his debut Thursday for the Baltimore Orioles. Scouts and prospect watchers will tell you he's special because of his dancing mid-90s fastball and his baffling changeup. Other people will tell you he's special because of his superstitions. Gausman, 22, is perhaps best known for his donut fetish. In college at LSU, he developed a routine of eating small powdered donuts during games. He'd eat one mini donut before his first pitch, and four between each inning. So if he threw, say, a complete game, that would be 33 mini donuts. (Aroldis Chapman approves of this pastry-pounding). Orioles star Adam Jones even gave Gausman 1,700 mini donuts in February, which is 425 innings worth — and 97,750 total calories. So you're probably asking yourself, "how many donuts will Kevin Gausman eat in first MLB game?" The answer, actually, is zero. The Baltimore Sun reports that Gausman gave up the donut tradition on advice of nutritionists. He still does some other odd stuff, per the Sun's article: “I put on one sock and go get something to drink. Then I put on the other sock, take it off, and go get something to drink. Then I put it back on. Then I put on the other one and go get something to drink.” He also leaps over the foul line when running out to the mound. And his first warm-up pitch every inning in the minors was a rocket thrown from the back of the mound after he did a little crow-hop over the pitching rubber. It'll be interesting to see if Gausman develops any new superstitions in the big leagues. Or if the added pressures make him regress to his donut-chomping ways. If not, Aroldis "Chompman" Chapman would like to know if anybody's going to eat those 1,700 mini donuts. Baseball is back. Don't miss anything. Follow @MikeOz and @bigleaguestew, on Twitter, along with the BLS Facebook page.

PHI@MIA: Howard's two-run single busts game open late

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:29:36 EDT

PHI@MIA: Howard's two-run single busts game open late 5/21/13: Ryan Howard scalds a line-drive single into right field with the bases loaded, plating a pair of Phillies to extend their late lead Check out http:/... From: Official Channel of MLB.com Views: 4 0 ratings Time: 01:07 More in Sports

PHI@MIA: Young's solo shot shatters scoreless tie

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:27:33 EDT

PHI@MIA: Young's solo shot shatters scoreless tie 5/21/13: Delmon Young powers a solo home run over the left-center field wall, shattering a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning Check out http://MLB... From: Official Channel of MLB.com Views: 2 1 ratings Time: 00:49 More in Sports

PHI@MIA: Pierre smacks a two-out RBI single to right

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:26:45 EDT

PHI@MIA: Pierre smacks a two-out RBI single to right 5/21/13: Juan Pierre slaps a base hit through the right side of the infield with two outs and a runner on third to score a run Check out http://MLB.com/video... From: Official Channel of MLB.com Views: 0 0 ratings Time: 00:37 More in Sports

PHI@MIA: Howard singles home Revere in the eighth

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:26:44 EDT

PHI@MIA: Howard singles home Revere in the eighth 5/21/13: Ryan Howard ropes a base hit into right field, scoring Ben Revere to extend the Phillies' lead in the top of the eighth inning Check out http://MLB.... From: Official Channel of MLB.com Views: 0 0 ratings Time: 00:39 More in Sports

Derek Jeter Walks into Starbucks as Star Yankee, Comes out as Anonymous "Philip"

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:18:18 EDT

Derek Jeter is officially some kind of superhero, living his nights as a star shortstop for the New York Yankees and playing the part of mild-mannered "Phillip" by day. Gothamist spotted the 38-year-old shortstop coming out of a local Starbucks with a coffee in hand. I know, nothing out of the ordinary here. Take just a closer look and you will see the man who is still nursing an ankle injury is sporting a cup of Joe with the moniker "Philip" emblazoned over the side. Gothamist has some theories that all seem plausible. The most likely is Jeter went in and decided to give an alias so he wouldn't be bombarded with the usual pomp that greets a man of his fame. Of course, that means Jeter is the worst master of disguise since Dana Carvey's 2002 flop, because he does little to cover up the fact he is very much not Philip. The other working theory is Jeter just jacked Phil's skinny vanilla latte and is in the middle of pulling off what might have been the perfect crime. Somewhere there is a very dejected Phil trying to explain to incredulous New Yorkers that Jeter just stole his coffee. Last on Gothamist's list of explanations is one I really feel is the best: Baristas are not exactly the best at grasping a name given to them and then placing that same thing on the cup. I know from personal experience that I rarely get the proper, "Gabe." More often I am given "Gave," "Abe" and the spectacular "Grabe."I could just imagine Jeter standing right next to the barista as they shouted, "Philip...Philip...Philip...we have a chai tea latte for Philip..."Either way, Yankees fans can now have fun cheering Philip whenever he is ready to return to the lineup. I will now expect Jeter's next excursion to the ubiquitous coffee shop to feature a hat, glasses and fake mustache. Well, at least the cup didn't say, "Sherick Shmeter." Hit me up on Twitter for more sports updates of extreme import: Follow @gabezalRead more MLB news on BleacherReport.com...

The ongoing debate of Montero and Pineda

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:05:42 EDT

In the days immediately after the Jesus Montero/Michael Pineda blockbuster, every email, text message and phone call seemed to be a part of one endless conversation. With scouts and executives, with outraged fans and excited fans, with my own editors and other beat writers. It was a prospect-for-prospect swap, which meant it was all potential and no promises. [...]The post The ongoing debate of Montero and Pineda appeared first on The LoHud Yankees Blog.

Biblical Transactions

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:58:28 EDT

Jesus Montero is dying for his sins, while Jesus Sucre rises. The general idea here is simple. Jesus Montero has been a bad hitter and he has been a bad catcher. Now he will begin the process of forgetting everything he’s learned about catching, so as to better focus on the hitting part. In Tacoma, [...]

Rangers release Derek Lowe, sign Mark Teahen

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:50:22 EDT

Derek Lowe, who was designated for assignment by the Rangers earlier this week, has been released after passing through waivers unclaimed. This could be the end for Lowe, who hasn’t posted an ERA under 5.00 since 2010 and allowed 13 runs in 13 innings in a low-leverage relief role for the Rangers at age 40.…

Texas releases Lowe, inks Teahen to Minors deal

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:50:00 EDT

The Rangers placed veteran right-hander Derek Lowe on unconditional release waivers and signed infielder Mark Teahen to a Minor League contract Thursday.

Seasoned in Seattle: New role suits wiser Perez

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:47:47 EDT

This isn't the old Perez, the southpaw who caved to the pressure of pitching in New York on a $36 million contract. This is the older Perez, a father, a reinvented reliever and a man so relaxed that he can enjoy life's small treasures,

For starters, Brewers' rotation is struggling

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:45:00 EDT

Manager Ron Roenicke knows his starting pitchers, to a man, are struggling. With more than a quarter of the season in the books, Brewers starters are 11-19 with a 5.28 ERA in 45 games, worst in the NL and one of only four clubs in the Majors with a starters' ERA above 5.00.

What if baseball had five bases

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:30:41 EDT

Craig Robinson lives in Mexico. And based on when he tweets, I get the sense that he stays up late nights after going to Mexican baseball games and stuff. And I’m guessing he also has a lot of conversations with friends that start with “so, like, what if — seriously, now, listen — what if…

Stop what you’re doing and marvel at MLB.com’s gallery of goofs

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:28:15 EDT

Here's your new favorite thing. And you can thank Major League Baseball's web team for it. It's a gallery of funny GIFs meant to entertain you when you've made a wrong turn on MLB.com. I'll try to explain in the least nerd-blogger terms possible: When you go to an invalid webpage, you get what's called a "404 error," telling you nothing is there. MLB.com added some humor to its 404 pages by putting up GIFs of players making hilarious errors or goofy gaffes. There are at least eight different ones, ranging from Chone Figgins losing a ball to the classic homer bouncing off Jose Canseco's head. Just click here to check 'em out and reload the page to see a new one. Is this an important baseball development? Not at all. Is it a reason to sit in front of your computer and hit refresh a bunch of times and chuckle to yourself? Most definitely. Bravo, MLB.com, bravo. BLS H/N: Reddit Baseball is back. Don't miss anything. Follow @MikeOz and @bigleaguestew, on Twitter, along with the BLS Facebook page.

Red Sox | Shane Victorino still out

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:22:58 EDT

Boston Red Sox OF Shane Victorino (hamstring) remains out Thursday, May 23.

MRI on Adam Eaton’s elbow shows no structural damage

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:18:05 EDT

Earlier this week Adam Eaton suffered a setback in his recovery from a sprained elbow ligament, but Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports that an MRI exam revealed no structural damage. That’s obviously good news for the 24-year-old outfielder, although according to Piecoro he’ll still take 2-3 weeks off before resuming his rehab. Eaton…

World Series ball still resonates for Reinsdorf

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:15:47 EDT

Jerry Reinsdorf has said one of the biggest highlights of his 33-year career as owner of the White Sox came when Paul Konerko handed him the baseball from the final out of the 2005 World Series-clinching Game 4.

Jaffe: Indians riding high as Francona returns to Fenway Park

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:13:13 EDT

Led by a new manager, some key additions and an offense that leads the AL in home runs, the Indians are making sweet music heading into a noteworthy series, writes Jay Jaffe.

Mariners set to option Montero to Triple-A

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:12:02 EDT

The Mariners will option starting catcher Jesus Montero to Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday and promote fellow catcher Jesus Sucre from Tacoma, according to a report.

New York Post: Derek Jeter uses alias ‘Philip’ for coffee at Starbucks

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:33:16 EDT

"Derek Sanderson Jeter," it reads on the birth certificate. Nowhere does it say "Philip," the name on the cup of coffee New York Post paparazzi agents recently caught Jeter with as he left a Starbucks in Greenwich Village, New York. He had a look of, "Oh, seriously?" on his face as the photog went to town on his mug. Exclusive! (Oh, The Post. It's not only their fault. It's ours too. I mean, what if they were staking Jeter out to see who his girlfriend might be? Now that's the important stuff, we all can agree.) It makes sense that Jeter would want to avoid publicity when possible, being perhaps the most famous person in New York City and constantly besieged by strangers. But that's the thing: Just about everyone recognizes him, so would giving a fake name to Starbucks have any effect? And, as The Post points out, players use fake names when checking into hotels all of the time. Restaurant reservations, sure, unless being "Derek Jeter" helps make them happen. But a coffee shop? "Oh, I thought you might have been Derek Jeter, but since the barista called 'Philip' and you got the coffee, I'm not going to approach you now." Unless that's not what's happening. Derek Jeter could be getting coffee for teammate Phil Hughes. What a swell guy! Say, how's his broken ankle doing? Not so great. Jeter, 39 in June, won't be back on the field soon. But, one of his replacements, Reid Brignac, recently spoke to the New York Daily News about Jeter being an idol of his growing up. "Jeet's probably the biggest role model for kids," Brignac said. "He was for me. To be able to play with him and several guys in this clubhouse, it's an honor." That's great, kid. Now get Cap'n Jeets some coffee! Baseball is in full swing! Interact with @AnswerDave, @MikeOz, @Townie813 and @bigleaguestew on Twitter, along with the BLS Facebook page!

Seattle Mariners: Is 2013 Season Already in Jeopardy?

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:32:51 EDT

Six games ago, the Seattle Mariners were in good shape. The team was 20-21 and had just won two series in a row against the Oakland A’s and New York Yankees.Six games ago, the Mariners were a team on the rise, and fans were starting to hope that this team could put it all together. Safeco Field was actually providing some amount of home-field advantage, even if the fans were not coming through the turnstiles.Six games later...well, if you have been following the team you know what happened.Loss. Loss. Loss. Loss. Loss. Loss. Count ‘em, six.Now, a six-game losing streak is not the end of the world. We are still in May. The Mariners have talent, some degree of youthful energy and a nice mix of veterans. There is hope.Still, the M’s are now 10 games out of first place. The Texas Rangers are playing good ball. The scrappy Oakland A’s are going to hang around all year. Even the disappointing Los Angeles Angels could eventually turn it around.Translation? A team like Seattle cannot afford to suffer through six-game losing streaks. There is little room for error.Truthfully, the Mariners lost some heartbreakers over the losing streak. The entire series against the Cleveland Indians seemed like one lost opportunity after another. The M's battled, but they lost one game in the bottom of the ninth and two games in extra innings.These guys could not catch a break.Do you make a move? Thomas Holmes of Bleacher Report wrote a great article on rumors and potential moves that the Mariners could make. Unfortunately, each of these represent the types of moves the Mariners seem to have been making for years.The team gets behind partway through the season. The team trades their only tradeable commodities. The team hopes the youngsters that they get in return will eventually pan out.Rinse. Repeat.Obviously there are no quick fixes. Seattle could promote Nick Franklin and Jeremy Bonderman. They could trade away one of their veterans. Will that turn things around? One move was made already, which was to send Jesus Montero down to Triple-A (via The News Tribune).Do the fans just need to take a deep breath, be patient and repeat the old sports cliche about taking one game at a time? If you think about it, the Mariners could have taken three of four from Cleveland. They obviously didn’t, but the opportunity was certainly there. If they win that series, does that provide positive momentum and a better outcome against the Angels?Perhaps.Sometimes (most of the time) it is tough to be a Mariners fan. The team starts to look good, and then they drop six straight. Seattle now gets to go home, but Texas will be waiting for them.Maybe this is just a speed bump. Maybe the team meeting will help:Or, maybe this is the first big drop on the way to another disappointing season. The weekend series against Texas may be a key tipping point in 2013.Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

HBT Daily: Talking Cy Young candidates

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:30:13 EDT

Not a ton going on today, so Kay and I talk about the pitchers in the mix.

Cincinnati Reds 2013 Mock Draft: Projecting Their Top 5 First-Round Targets

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:16:17 EDT

The 2013 MLB draft is only a few weeks away. And even though the MLB doesn’t bring as much hype to the event, there’s plenty of fans still anxious to see who the Cincinnati Reds will take in Round 1.Many experts believe this first round will be heavily filled with pitching and catching prospects. MyMLBDraft.com has 17 pitchers going in the first round along with three top catching prospects.The Reds might follow suit with their two previous drafts and pick a young hurler again.Here are the five past overall first-round picks by the Reds (per baseball-reference.com): 2012: Nick Travieso RHP (14th overall pick)2011: Robert Stephenson RHP (27th overall pick)2010: Yasmani Grandal C (12th overall pick)2009: Mike Leake RHP (eighth overall pick)2008: Yonder Alonso 1B (seventh overall pick)This year, the Reds will start with the 27th overall pick in the first round, 38th pick in the Competitive Balance Round A, 67th in Round 2 and 104th in Round 3.With the least to most likely, here are the projected top five first-round draft pick targets for the Cincinnati Reds.Begin Slideshow...

Red Sox won’t try to keep Jacoby Ellsbury from free agency

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:16:10 EDT

As you might expect considering he hasn’t played well for two years and is an impending free agent the Red Sox won’t try to negotiate a long-term deal with center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury before he hits the open market. General manager Ben Cherington revealed that on WEEI radio in Boston, saying: “We agreed before the…

Athletics | Hiroyuki Nakajima activated, optioned

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:10:56 EDT

The Oakland Athletics activated SS Hiroyuki Nakajima (hamstring) from the 15-day disabled list Thursday, May ...

Mariners send struggling Montero off to Triple-A

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:09:26 EDT

Mariners send struggling Montero off to Triple-A

Marlins release Jon Rauch

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:51:42 EDT

Jon Rauch passed through waivers unclaimed after being designated for assignment last week and the Marlins released the veteran reliever two months into a one-year, $1 million contract. Rauch was terrible for Miami, allowing 14 runs in 16.2 innings, but he had a 3.59 ERA with good secondary numbers for the Mets last season and…

Granderson: “Everything feels good”

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:42:56 EDT

This is what Joe Girardi said about Curtis Granderson on Tuesday night: “I think his swing is coming. I think you’re starting to see him drive some baseballs, and that’s a good sign. He didn’t have a normal spring training for him, but I think he’s getting closer, and I think he’s about ready to [...]The post Granderson: “Everything feels good” appeared first on The LoHud Yankees Blog.

Jesus Montero is going to be sent down to Triple-A

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:31:35 EDT

So, if Michael Pineda makes an appearance in New York in the second half, do all the folks who said the Mariners won that trade have to eat crow? From the Tacoma News-Tribune: On the heels of a six-game losing streak and a 2-7 road trip, the Seattle Mariners will make an expected and needed…

Detroit Tigers: Cabrera's All-Time Greatness Should Not Be Ignored

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:31:33 EDT

Miguel Cabrera is putting together one of the all-time greatest performances in the history of MLB. But for as amazing of a player as Cabrera is, his greatness has been somewhat shoved under the rug in the city of Detroit and around baseball. Whether it’s his comical DUI arrest in 2011, or his lack of English-speaking skills, for some reason or another, Cabrera’s fame isn’t on the level of LeBron James, Tiger Woods, Sidney Crosby or Tom Brady, who are arguably the most famous individual figures in their respective crafts. But Cabrera’s numbers should speak for themselves. Last season, the 30-year-old won the Triple Crown (the most recent player to do so since 1967) with a .330 average, 30 44 home runs and 139 RBI’s. Cabrera won his first career MVP Award and led the Tigers to their second World Series appearance since 2006.You would think that accomplishing one of baseball’s holy grails would allow Cabrera to be a runaway favorite for MVP, but he just barely edged out the sabermetric arguments of Los Angeles Angels rookie Mike Trout. Cabrera wasn't bothered by the doubters who thought he didn’t deserve to be MVP, and has gone out this season and proved exactly why he did deserve the award a year ago. So far in 2013, Cabrera is averaging .387 with a .459 on-base percentage, 13 home runs and 52 RBI’s in 44 games. Cabrera, who’s vying to become the first two-time Triple Crown winner in history, leads the American League in average by 35 points, in RBI’s by nine and is second in home runs, trailing Baltimore’s Chris Davis by one. He’s a seven-time All-Star during his 10-year career, and he’s on pace to finish 2013 with 47 home runs and 191 RBI’s. The Venezuelan slugger continues to confuse opposing pitchers and amaze adoring fans on a nightly basis, and is on the verge of doing things that no has ever accomplished, but somehow he remains somewhat anonymous in the grand scheme of things.Cabrera, who’s finished in the top five of the MVP vote in each of the last four seasons, doesn’t mind shying away from the spotlight, but for as good as he is, the spotlight should be shining brightest on him. Opposing pitchers know what he’s capable of and there’s nothing they can do about it. Cabrera is in the prime of his trailblazing career, and when he’s ready to hang ‘em up, we will all look back and put him on the pedestal among the best players ever. Maybe even the best of all-time.Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com...

Vendor at Astros Game Fired After Bringing Sno-Cones into Bathroom Stall

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:24:11 EDT

Who doesn’t like a good sno-cone?They’re cool, refreshing and thought to be generally excrement-free, but even that now lies in question after a vendor at a Houston Astros game was fired after bringing a tray of these icy treats into the bathroom while using the amenities (via Sports Illustrated).A fan at the Astros-Royals game on Monday night noticed something peculiar when he went to use the bathroom—a tray of rainbow colored sno-cones sitting on the ground behind an occupied stall door.The man immediately began filming the incident with his phone, capturing footage of an individual’s pants around his ankles, using the bathroom next to the open cups of ice.Click here for video of the incident.The man filming the video becomes increasingly disgusted by the situation, and eventually confronts someone who appears to be an employee at the stadium. To put it nicely, the man lays out the situation in plain terms to the stadium employee. “Excuse me, you work here? You know you got a (bleeper) over here, taking a (bleep) with a sno-cone tray right in the (bleeping) bathroom?”He’s got it right here on tape, he says. The employee walks to investigate the situation, and the video ends with the angry fan—the Captain Planet of food sanitation—saying how vile he finds it all. The video was shared by the fan with a local NBC news station, and the employee responsible for the sno-cone question has been fired. Astros president Reid Ryan gave a statement in response to the incident. The Astros were notified immediately by our partner ARAMARK of the incident involving a vendor on Monday night. We commend the swift reaction displayed by ARAMARK of terminating the employee immediately.ARAMARK—Minute Maid Stadium’s exclusive concessionaire service—said this was an isolated event, and violation of standards.I just hope those cones were thrown out and the tray was buried deep, deep under the stadium. Think of the children.Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com...

New York Yankees: In Praise of Brian Cashman's Genius

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:23:20 EDT

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman would seem to be the Rodney Dangerfield of Major League Baseball, despite all of the wins and all of the rings he's achieved in over a decade with the team. Anybody can win with that payroll, right?Missing the playoffs even once should be a fireable offense when you can simply buy your way to a winning team. Yes, New York can spend its way through a lot of its issues, even in a season where they were resolved to cut back. But Cashman has been dealt far worse hands than people realize, and he's managed to create contenders out of a scrap heap multiple times.The Alex Rodriguez contract will hang over this franchise like an albatross for the next few years, hamstringing their ability to get younger and get better. That was never Cashman's fault, really—that was a George Steinbrenner move, through and through, and that's what people seem to forget about the Yankees GM. The Yankees have financial clout but rarely financial flexibility. Steinbrenner demanded A-rod, then he demanded changes after New York missed the playoffs in 2008. So much of what Cashman has done has been dictated to him, and for all of the missteps, he still manages to craft a contender. The guy is a master of the margins, scraping the bottom of the barrel to patch together wins no matter what.Every franchise deals with injuries—sure—but not like this. The 2013 Yankees have been absolutely annihilated by various ailments to just about everyone, and through it all, they somehow find themselves locked in another AL East race.For the second consecutive year, Cashman's bargain basement signings have come through—Eric Chavez and Raul Ibanez last year, Vernon Wells, Travis Hafner and Lyle Overbay this year. Even Nick Swisher, who morphed into a legitimate force in the middle of the Yankees lineup, was a low-profile acquisition. The Yankees may have had luck on their side for the first couple months of the season—their run differential and win-loss record in close games suggests so—but their GM still deserves a whole bunch of credit. For all of their free-agent splashes, New York has never been a particularly top-heavy team, and that's a testament to Cashman's work. Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com...

John Danks to rejoin White Sox’s rotation Friday

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:19:11 EDT

Despite being less than impressive in four minor-league rehab starts John Danks will come off the disabled list and rejoin the White Sox’s rotation Friday. Danks had a terrible 15/13 K/BB ratio in 22.2 innings while rehabbing from August shoulder surgery and failed to make it out of the fifth inning in his final start…

Cincinnati’s baseball team is employing next-level photobomb techniques

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:18:35 EDT

We've all seen the rookie ballplayer get the shaving cream pie in the face during his first postgame interview. And you may have seen the baby with his pants on the ground after a recent NBA playoffs game. But the University of Cincinnati has taken interview photobombing to a whole new interactive level. They weren't the most successful team this year, going 6-18 in the Big East and 24-32 overall, but they had a fine time nonetheless. [Tip of the flat-brim hat to Cincinnati's YouTube and imgur.]

10 Improvements the Oakland A's Could Make to Bolster Postseason Chances

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:08:02 EDT

There's just not a more simple way of saying it: if the Oakland A's want to reach the postseason, they're going to have to improve in a few areas. Unfortunately, a change in one facet won't make the A's playoff contenders. It's not that easy. Instead, several of the 10 areas listed next must be improved upon for a legitimate shot at progressing toward a World Series. Oakland isn't awful by any means. There's just things the team could do better. Things they must do better. Should the Athletics correct these aspects of their game, October baseball will be a given. Statistics courtesy of Baseball-reference.com, MLB.com and ESPN.com.Begin Slideshow

Yankee Stadium: still having issues with beer

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:03:52 EDT

Last month Amanda Rykoff noted that the Yankees’ “craft beer” section at Yankee Stadium was anything but. They’re continuing to have problems with basic beer identification, however, as now Patrick Wall of DNAInfoNY spied Goose Island listed as an “import.” Which, no, it’s not. It’s a Chicago beer. Wait, no it’s not. It’s actually brewed in…

Ryan Madson had another setback

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:47:21 EDT

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Angels reliever Ryan Madson was finally making some progress in his rehab from last season’s elbow surgery, but he’s suffered yet another setback. Mason felt soreness in his elbow after a one-inning rehab appearance at Single-A last week and hasn’t pitched since. As you’d expect Madson sounds…

Fan catches B.J. Upton homer with his hat

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:45:00 EDT

I'm always going to be ridiculously impressed by fans who catch balls with their hat (which always has seemed to be some sort of impossible task for me), and this one in Atlanta yesterday is another fantastic play to add to the ledger. In the bottom of the fourth inning of the Braves' 8-3 win over the Twins, BJ Upton homered to left field against Vance Worley. This fan proceeded to catch Upton's homer with his hat, casually flipping it off of his head and using it almost like a net to grab Upton's fourth homer of the year. He received fist bumps and high fives from the Turner Field crowd for good reason: that's no easy task. [follow]

NL East: Team targets for '13 draft

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:40:36 EDT

The needs, desires and impulses of every team in advance of the 2013 draft

Gross! Houston Astros vendor fired after bringing snow cone tray into toilet stall

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:36:26 EDT

; When history looks back on the Reid Ryan era as president of the Houston Astros, no doubt it will fondly recall the first public action Nolan Ryan's son took as head honcho: Ryan had a snow cone vendor fired — he was an employee of Aramark — for bringing the product into a toilet stall at Minute Maid Park during an Astros game earlier this week. The vendor was caught with his pants down around his ankles — literally — by a good Samaritan who also happened to be using the bathroom at the time. The whistleblower switched on his cell phone to record the shocking moment, and alerted another ballpark employee (who was walking into the men's room) to the vendor's behavior. The fan also demanded to see a supervisor, adding, in an unintentionally hilarious moment: "That's realtalk." The amateur investigative reporter — clearly the star of the 59 second clip, even though we only hear his voice — shared the video with NBC Channel 2 in Houston, who released it to the public and investigated further. In the clip, the door on the stall is closed, but looking under you clearly can see a person sitting on the toilet with a tray of snow cones (perhaps three of them had been unsold) on the ground next to him. It might have been better to return the cones to the pantry first, or even throw them away, if the urge was so urgent. Place them on a sink? The baby changing table? Just not on the ground. But hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go. And Ryan agreed, so he relieved the person of his snow cones forever: “This being your first game. Your first day on the job. What was going through your head when you heard what happened?” Local 2’s Bill Spencer asked Ryan. “Well, right away, I just thought, ‘We gotta let this guy go. There is no doubt about it.' That was my decision,” Ryan told Spencer. Ryan said that snow cone vendor was fired immediately. When asked what the ball park could do to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again, Ryan responded: “I don’t think there is anything you can do to make sure human beings don’t make mistakes. What you can do is make sure all employees are trained and that our policies are followed." And that's how it goes from top to bottom. My question: When does the whistleblower get a network news gig? Baseball is in full swing! Interact with @AnswerDave, @MikeOz, @Townie813and@bigleaguestew on Twitter, along with the BLS Facebook page!

NL West: Team targets for '13 draft

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:35:59 EDT

The needs, desires and impulses of every team in advance of the 2013 draft

Why hasn’t Ike Davis been sent down yet?

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:33:43 EDT

The Mets first baseman is having a train wreck of a season thus far. He’s hitting .147/.236/.245, which is horrible even on a horrible Mets offense. And his poor hitting seems to be infecting his fielding too. See, yesterday’s non-play on a ball he though was foul but which he turned into a game-killing double.…

Can Mike Trout snatch the MVP?

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:16:30 EDT

On May 21st, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout became the youngest American League player to hit for the cycle since 1930 at 21 years old. The second year phenom won AL rookie of the year in 2012 and he also finished second for the league’s MVP award, behind only Miguel Cabrera. But will Trout be able to dethrone the reigning MVP for the title in 2013? As of May 22nd, the Angel in the outfield is hitting .297 with 34 RBI. He has avoided the sophomore slump in nearly every facet as he continues to devour the MLB pitcher by pitcher. Please click here to read this story. The post Can Mike Trout snatch the MVP? appeared first on Players View.

Francisco Liriano is 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA for the Pirates

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:15:30 EDT

Francisco Liriano was terrible for the Twins and White Sox last season and then lost out on a ton of guaranteed money with the Pirates when he broke his right arm trying to prank his kids on Christmas morning. That all led to a whole lot of jokes at his expense and caused Liriano to…