Baseball

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez didn't just walk away after their first attempt to buy the NY Mets fell flat -- they came back with a squad of rich NFL and NBA players ... and now they're back in the game!

The power couple recruited a dream team of current and former NFL ballers to join their investment group to make a 2nd run at the MLB franchise ... with names like Travis Kelce, Brian Urlacher, Joe Thomas, and DeMarco Murray.

There are two NBA stars in the group as well -- Washington Wizards beast Bradley Beal and Denver Nuggets center Mason Plumlee.

Remember, J Lo and A-Rod had previously tried to buy the Mets for around $1.5 billion -- but it didn't exactly work out since the Wilpon family (which owns the team) was hoping to get around $2.5 billion.

Now, J-Rod's group is back with a larger bid -- $1.7 billion, according to ESPN ... and they're reportedly in the mix.

Hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen is the front-runner to buy the team -- he's loaded and has already made a $2 billion bid, according to the NY Post.

But, there's still time for J-Rod's group to come back with a larger bid -- and ESPN says the Wilpons would prefer to sell to Lopez and Rodriguez if they can come closer to the top bid.

NFL Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher is stoked about the possibility of becoming an owner -- telling ESPN, "It's pretty cool."

"It's especially cool to be involved with Alex. Alex is the man. You've got Kelce, Joe Thomas, DeMarco Murray. It's great to be in a group with them."

Kelce -- K.C. Chiefs superstar tight end -- also weighed in ... saying it's a "crazy opportunity."

"I had a chance to meet Alex Rodriguez a couple years ago and just told him how much of a fan I was as a kid of him. I'm very thankful for the success that I've had in the NFL, to have an opportunity like this come across the table. I couldn't think of a more unique set of people to be in charge of this."

As we previously reported Alex and Jennifer see tremendous potential for the Mets -- with sources telling us he feels the organization has been "so mismanaged" over the years, there is nothing but upside if he can right the ship.

The big question ... can the dream team of investors ultimately compete with a single motivated billionaire?

Now, this is straight-up unfair!!

A D1 college softball star used her talents in a dunk tank challenge against her boyfriend ... and guess what happened??

Yep -- SPLAAAASH!!!

University of Illinois sophomore pitcher Addy Jarvis and Noah Drudy were partying with family members in Ohio over the holiday weekend ... when Drudy decided to test his dry fate by hopping in the tank against the ace.

Of course, to try from a close distance would be WAY too easy for the Illini's 2020 wins leader ... so Jarvis tried it out from long range.

But, that didn't help Drudy's chances one bit ... 'cause Jarvis wound up for the pitch ... and nailed the target right on the nose!!!

Of course, it shouldn't come as a surprise ... Jarvis is a beast on the field ... and even threw a one-hitter this season.

S.F. Giants superstar Buster Posey will NOT participate in the MLB's rebooted season ... in order to care for his newborn twin babies who are currently being treated in the NICU.

Buster and his wife have adopted identical twin girls -- they were born prematurely last week and are currently in stable condition in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

It appears the outlook is good -- but as you can imagine, it's an incredibly stressful situation for any parent to endure.

Posey says the decision to opt out of the MLB season in order to be with his family is a no-brainer.

"From a baseball standpoint it was a tough decision," Posey told reporters. "From a family standpoint and feeling like I'm making a decision to protect our children, I feel like it was relatively easy."

While Posey is certainly not the first to make the call -- several others including Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman and Braves' Nick Markakis opted out several days ago -- he's definitely the biggest name so far.

Buster was expected to bat in the heart of the Giants' lineup, as usual, this season ... especially with the National League adopting designated hitter roles for the 2020 reboot.

For their part, the Giants backed their star in a statement Friday, saying, "The Giants fully support Buster's decision."

The 2019 World Series MVP ... Stephen Strausberg?!?!

The Nationals superstar says his name was comically misspelled on the World Series ring box he received Thursday ... but fortunately, Strasburg told reporters the team at least got it right on the ring itself.

"I got a little nervous at first," the Nats ace said, “because on the outside of the box that it came in my last name was spelled wrong. So luckily it was spelled correctly on the ring, so I was pretty happy about that."

Hilarious tale ... considering everything Strasburg did to get Washington its first-ever World Series ring.

The dude was LIGHTS OUT in the Nats' playoff run ... going 5-0, including two huge victories over the Astros in the World Series.

Of course, Strasburg laughed off the box's spelling error ... and said he was stoked to eventually show off the new bling to his family nonetheless.

"You just look at all the little things that they put on the ring to kind of commemorate some of the big moments of the season, and it kind of just takes you right back to that moment," Strasburg said.

Nails and hair will have to wait for ex-Miss Texas crown-holder Daniella Correa ... her MLB superstar hubby, Carlos Correa, says he's banning her from beauty salons during the rebooted season.

The Houston Astros shortstop says he's urging his pageant queen wife to stay away from the noted coronavirus hot spots just to be extra careful while he returns to work.

"When I talk to my wife, she knows," Correa told reporters over the weekend. "No getting your nails done. No getting your hair done right now. So, we’re going to be home."

Correa has to be super cautious when it comes to COVID-19 ... a positive test will sideline him for multiple weeks during the season, and could endanger his teammates as well.

So, Carlos says that means no unnecessary things for either him or his wife while the MLB returns to action this summer.

"We’re going to focus on the baseball season and once everything is done, then you can go to get your nails done and do everything else," Correa said.

FYI, Daniella is one of the best-looking people on the planet -- famously winning Miss Texas USA honors back in 2016.

In fact, she's said Carlos originally reached out to her on social media when he saw her on TV during a pageant ... and the rest is history.

She also has over 230,000 followers on Instagram -- where she's a self-described "lifestyle/beauty vlogger" ... so, the ban on hair and nails is a pretty big deal.

Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona is ready to 86 the team's longstanding nickname ... the 61-year-old told reporters over the weekend, "I think it's time to move forward."

In light of social injustice protests all over the nation ... the MLB squad's brass has said it will now look into changing its name and uniforms.

The team -- which had already canned its infamous "Chief Wahoo" logo years ago -- said in a statement, "We are committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name."

Enter Francona -- the Indians' manager since 2013 -- who now says he's ready to accept only one possible outcome over this ... and that's a complete name change.

"I know in the past, when I’ve been asked about whether it’s our name or the Chief Wahoo, I think I would usually answer and say I know that we’re never trying to be disrespectful," Francona said. "And I still feel that way. But, I don’t think that’s a good enough answer today."

Tito continued ... "Even at my age, you don’t want to be too old to learn or to realize that, maybe I’ve been ignorant of some things, and to be ashamed of it, and to try to be better."

The Indians say discussions over a possible new name are "ongoing" ... adding, "The recent social unrest in our community and our country has only underscored the need for us to keep improving as an organization on issues of social justice."

He's bigger than ever -- but Pablo Sandoval's weight gain isn't bothering his boss ... with  SF Giants Manager Gabe Kapler insisting "Kung Fu Panda" can still ball.

Here's the deal ... Giants fans were shocked when the switch-hitting infielder -- listed at 5'10", 268 lbs -- reported to camp last week looking like he let himself go during the offseason.

Sure, there's been some fat-shaming online ... but the big question -- how will the weight gain affect his performance on the field?

According to Kapler, 33-year-old Pablo is still playing like a world-class athlete!

"I think it's understandable that in today's world we focus on weight," Kapler said on Sunday according to MLB.com ... "I get it."

"In this particular case, what we've all noticed about Pablo is that the ball is jumping off his bat, and his throws have nice carry."

"Obviously, we've had concerns about whether he was going to be ready [after Tommy John surgery] and at what point he was going to be ready to play 3rd base and 1st base. He's demonstrated that he's healthy. That's the most important thing."

Speak softly and carry a ... baseball bat?!

Donald Trump grabbed himself some lumber at the White House on Thursday ... and channeled his inner Babe Ruth, showing off his swing in front of an army of reporters.

POTUS had just finished speaking at the Spirit of America Showcase -- when he walked by a booth for the Texas Timber wood bat company and couldn't resist the urge to take a few hacks.

Remember, Trump claims he was a big baseball star as a teen at the NY Military Academy ... and has said he was talented enough to go pro -- though video of his baseball days has never surfaced publicly.

But, his stance looked good on Thursday. Solid grip on the bat. Squished the bug. Weird facial expression though.

The real question ... could he connect against live pitching?

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Mike Leake is the first MLB player to officially opt out of the 2020 season ... with his agent confirming the news Monday morning.

The 32-year-old -- who nearly had a perfect game last season -- released a statement via Danny Horwits ... saying he will not be participating in the league's shortened 60-game plan next month.

"During this global pandemic, Mike and his family had many discussions about playing this season," the agent told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

"They took countless factors into consideration, many of which are personal to him and his family."

Horwits continued ... "After thorough consideration, he has chosen to opt out of playing in 2020. This was not an easy decision for Mike."

The agent did not reveal the reason Leake decided to sit out the season ... but more players are expected to follow leading up to next month's training camp.

"He wishes the best of luck and health for his Diamondback teammates this season and he's looking forward to 2021."

Leake's been a solid pitcher in the league since he made his debut in 2010 ... and won 12 games for the Mariners and Diamondbacks last year.

President Barack Obama is giving a special shout-out to legends like Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson on the 100th anniversary of the Negro League ... praising the players for changing baseball history.

Of course, the Negro Leagues were created in 1920 because there was an unwritten rule that MLB teams couldn't sign black players ... until Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947.

FYI -- some of the greatest players in the sport were minorities ... and there are 35 NL players in the Hall of Fame.

Obama -- along with other powerful people like Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Michael Jordan and current MLBer Nelson Cruz -- joined in on the "Tip Your Cap" campaign to honor the league on its 100th anniversary.

"Today, I'm tipping my hat to everybody in the Negro League who left a century-long legacy of talent, and spirit, and dignity on our country," Obama said.

"So here's to Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and everybody else, including three brave women, who did us all proud."

Aroldis Chapman now has an insane ride to go with baseball's best fastball -- the MLB star just copped a ludicrous custom 6-wheeled Jeep ... that's covered in Kevlar coating!!!

TMZ Sports has learned the New York Yankees closer hit up South Florida Jeeps in Ft. Lauderdale about two months ago to get the custom whip made -- and it came out SICK!!!

Check out the pic of the ridiculous car ... we're told by shop honcho Joseph Ghattas it started out as a cut-in-half Jeep -- and it was all custom built by hand from there.

The ride has 600 horsepower, features blood-red interior from top to bottom ... and according to Ghattas, it's not only "unstuckable" while off-road, it vapor trails down highways as well!!

All told, Ghattas says the project took about 60 days to complete ... and cost Chapman right around $150,000 -- a small price to pay for a dude who just signed a 3-year, $48 MILLION contract with the NYY.

As for Chapman's reaction when he picked up the new whip this week ... Ghattas says he LOVED the creation -- saying, "He doesn't speak a whole lot of English, but 'f**king awesome' is pretty universal!"

Good news, bad news for Colorado Rockies fans ...

The good? BASEBALL'S BACK!!!!

The bad? Three players -- including megastar Charlie Blackmon -- have reportedly come down with coronavirus.

The stud right fielder -- who's been recently working out at Coors Field to gear up for the season -- tested positive late last week ... according to the Denver Post.

Reliever Phillip Diehl and pitcher Ryan Castellani also had positive COVID-19 results.

According to the Post ... only one of the players is showing symptoms -- although it's unclear if that's Blackmon, a 33-year-old, four-time All-Star.

Of course, the league just announced Tuesday it has plans to restart play next month ... but it remains to be seen just how officials will handle the recent outbreaks of coronavirus.

Remember, the Philadelphia Phillies just had at least 8 people test positive ... which ultimately led the MLB to lock down spring training facilities the past few days.

Officials seem confident they've got a sturdy plan in place regardless ... but if tests keep coming back positive -- could it derail the league's newly announced start time??

The Cincinnati Bearcats are scrubbing outspoken racist Marge Schott's name from their baseball stadium ... with the school announcing the change effective immediately.

Of course, Schott -- who owned the Cincinnati Reds from 1988-99 -- is infamously known for praising Adolf Hitler ... saying he was "good at the beginning, but he just went too far."

On top of that, Schott was banned TWICE from the MLB for racist comments ... and had been accused of using racial slurs when referencing her players.

UC -- which named the baseball stadium after Schott in 2006 following a posthumous $2 million donation -- voted unanimously to remove the name after a petition reached more than 10,000 signatures to take action.

"Marge Schott's record of racism and bigotry stands at stark odds with our University's core commitment to dignity, equity and inclusion," UC prez Neville Pinto said in a statement.

"My recommendation to the board to remove her name is grounded in the firm belief that speaking out against exclusion is as essential as speaking up for inclusion."

"I hope this action serves as an enduring reminder that we cannot remain silent or indifferent when it comes to prejudice, hate or inequity. More than ever, our world needs us to convert our values into real and lasting action."

Michael Jordan's autograph is crazy valuable -- even with thousands of signatures floating around -- but imagine owning the very 1st ball MJ EVER SIGNED!!

Well, if ya got the dough, you can buy what's (likely) Jordan's first autograph ... signed when Michael was a 13-year-old youth baseball player.

Here's the deal ... in 1976, Jordan played on Parkers Food Stores (a local grocery store & team sponsor) Babe Ruth League youth baseball team in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Jordan, who wore #10 -- along with his teammates -- signed a ball to commemorate their 11-3 season ... which ended in a championship.

The team's manager, Dick Neher -- who was a co-worker of MJ's dad, James Jordan -- held on to the ball for over 25 years before selling it in 2002.

Now, Goldin Auctions has acquired the 1-of-a-kind piece ... where it's available for auction online.

FYI -- GA recently sold a similar Derek Jeter piece (Jeetz signed when he was only 8) for $36k.

So, what's Jordan's sig gonna sell for? Well, Jeter's a LEGEND -- but he's not MJ -- so Goldin expects the ball to go for around $50k.

Awesome, right?!