Baseball

CUP CHECK!!!!!

San Diego Padres outfielder Tommy Pham took a pitch directly to the ding dong zone Tuesday -- and YOU KNOW YOU'RE SQUIRMING JUST READING THIS!!!

Talk about a breaking ball, huh?!!

Pham was facing SF Giants reliever Sam Coonrod in the top of the 8th -- when a slider slid a little too far and hit Tommy right in the man junk!!!

The pitch was clocked at 86 MPH -- which ain't exactly slow -- but somehow, Pham wasn't hurt.

In fact, he handled the situation so well, Pham got props from Giants analyst Mike Krukow on the broadcast.

"Oh, man. Tommy Pham you are a better man than I am," Krukow said. "I'd be doing snow angels in the batter's box on that one."

Pham ran the bases for himself after the HBP ... but he was pulled from the game shortly after in the bottom of the 8th.

Fortunately, Padres manager Jayce Tingler said he was removed for precautionary reasons ... and is expected to be fine going forward.

After the game, Pham joked about the incident on Instagram -- saying, "Career almost ended."

The Washington Nationals players have VOTED against traveling to Miami to play a 3-game series with the Marlins in the wake of a COVID outbreak ... and ya gotta wonder, is this a wrap for MLB?!

The Nats were scheduled to play a 3-game series with the Marlins beginning Friday and ending on Sunday.

But, after 15 Miami Marlins players and 2 coaches tested positive for coronavirus, the Washington players decided it was just too damn risky.

The players took a vote -- and the majority of the team felt strongly AGAINST playing.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal says the MLB now has to figure out what to do ... but if the players don't feel safe, how can you force them to play?

As for the Marlins, they are still in Philadelphia -- where they wrapped up a series against the Phillies.

They will be cleared to return to Florida following a series of negative tests -- but who knows how long that could take?!

The 2020 MLB season seems to be in danger -- though Commissioner Rob Manfred said Monday night he thinks the league will be okay ... and insists they have protocols in place for a reason.

Donald Trump reportedly invited himself to throw out a first pitch at Yankees Stadium in a fit of jealousy over Dr. Anthony Fauci ... and was forced to cancel on it all when he couldn't actually make it happen.

Multiple sources familiar with the situation told The New York Times that's how things went down when POTUS made the surprising announcement last week that he'd throw out a ceremonial first pitch for the Yanks on Aug. 15.

Per the report, Trump was so bothered by the attention Fauci was getting in the leadup to his first pitch at Nationals Park on Opening Day last Thursday that he informed staffers to call the Yanks to get him on the mound.

The NYT says BOTH the Yankees and White House personnel were surprised by Trump's wishes ... and never officially locked in a date despite Trump saying they had.

Of course, Donald -- who was reportedly already booked elsewhere for Aug. 15 -- pulled out of the event just days after the announcement ... saying in a tweet his focus on the coronavirus wouldn't allow him to make it.

Trump added, "We will make it later in the season!"

Donald has never thrown out a first pitch since taking over office in 2016 ... but the Times says he DOES have a longstanding informal offer from the Yankees' team president to throw one out for them at some point.

More bad news for baseball ... the Chicago White Sox say they're quarantining their manager, Ricky Renteria, after they say he woke up Monday displaying COVID-19 symptoms.

The team says 58-year-old Renteria had a "slight" cough and nasal congestion ... and immediately went to the hospital for coronavirus testing.

White Sox general manager Rick Hahn says Renteria will quarantine at the team's hotel -- and will NOT manage in Monday's game against Cleveland -- while he awaits testing results.

Of course, MLB is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases ... the Marlins had a large outbreak over the weekend that reportedly included 11 players and 2 coaches.

In fact, the worry of COVID spreading through the league is so rampant ... MLB announced it's postponing Monday's Marlins vs. Orioles game as well as the Phillies vs. Yankees game.

The White Sox, meanwhile, say they'll be managed by bench coach Joe McEwing when they play Cleveland at 4:10 PM PT in Ohio.

Dr. Anthony Fauci's hilarious ceremonial first pitch will be forever immortalized in the baseball world ... with the moment getting its own trading card!!

Topps just launched the card for a limited time ... showing the COVID-19 expert mid-throw before the Nationals' Opening Day game against the New York Yankees.

Of course, we all know how it went down ... but the card actually makes the dude look a bit more like Max Scherzer -- talk about a good angle!!

The card also features some info on the Doc ... saying, "Dr. Anthony Fauci, longtime Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and ardent Washington Nationals fan, signaled the official start of the 2020 MLB regular season by throwing out the first pitch before the Nationals took on the Yankees on Thursday evening."

"The 79-year-old Brooklyn native, donning a Nationals jersey, hat and facemask, fired a strong effort to the plate before the Nationals took the field."

Very generous of Topps to call it a "strong effort" ... we're just teasing.

Of course, the Dr. Fauci collectibles have skyrocketed during the pandemic -- from doughnuts to beer to bobbleheads.

The card will be available on Topps' website for just 24 hours ... so all you Fauci fanatics better hop on it!!

Rudy Giuliani just went scorched earth on the MLB ... calling the league's anthem kneelers "hypocritical" -- and saying the Black Lives Matter supporters in baseball are "disgraceful."

The former New York City mayor and diehard Yankees fan ripped the league Friday morning ... just hours after several players -- including Dodgers star Mookie Betts -- knelt for not only the national anthem, but in support of BLM as well.

"All those ball players, including the Yankees, taking a knee during the National Anthem of the country that made them millionaires is hypocritical," Donald Trump's attorney said.

"Support for BLM, which is provoking attacks on our law enforcement and innocent people all over America, is disgraceful."

As we previously reported, players on the Dodgers, Giants, Nationals and Yankees joined in support of racial equality prior to their Opening Day games Thursday.

The stadium jumbotrons played pro-BLM messages ... and afterward, the teams grabbed a long piece of black fabric and knelt with it to show unity.

Some players then went on to kneel for the ensuing national anthem.

Of course, Giuliani's disdain for it all echoes Trump's ... the President has repeatedly slammed the kneeling protests throughout the last few months, and recently called the demonstrations "a sign of great disrespect."

The Pittsburgh Blue Jays??

Toronto's MLB team has found a new home at the Pirates' PNC Park for the 2020 season ... after the Canadian government refused to allow games at their home stadium during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Jays will play the majority of their home games 5 hours away in the Steel City ... aside from 2 "home" series against New York at Yankee Stadium and Washington at Nationals Park, according to USA Today.

Of course, Canada shut down the idea of the team traveling back and forth into the U.S. ... considering it's a COVID-19 hot spot.

The decision comes after several Blue Jays players expressed their disinterest in playing at Buffalo Bisons' facility ... which was also tossed around as another option.

"Most guys don’t want to play in a AAA ballpark," outfielder Randal Grichuk said of the possibility. "Training room, weight room, those aren’t really up to big-league standards."

Sorry for your loss, Buffalo!

"Today is Opening Day, which means it's a great day to arrest the killers of Breonna Taylor."

That's a tweet from the official Tampa Bay Rays Twitter account ... using the biggest day of the season to bring justice for Breonna Taylor, who was killed by 3 police officers in her Louisville home.

The Rays made the impactful statement early Friday morning ... hours before kicking off their season against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Not only did the team make waves with the tweet ... the Rays are also committing $100,000 to local groups fighting systemic racism.

"Systemic racism is real," the team said. "Let’s unite for positive change."

The MLB as a whole has shown solidarity with Black Lives Matter at the start of the season ... with kneeling demonstrations, video messages and jersey patches.

Players -- including Dodgers star Mookie Betts and several S.F. Giants -- took a knee during the national anthem before their game Thursday to symbolize a need for change in the country.

S.F. Giants pitcher Sam Coonrod did NOT kneel with the rest of his teammates in a showing of support for the Black Lives Matter movement Thursday ... saying his religion and his personal feelings about BLM wouldn't allow him to do it.

"I’m a Christian," the 27-year-old relief pitcher said, "so I just believe that I can’t kneel before anything besides God."

If you missed it, the MLB provided teams with a long piece of black fabric to signify unity before its Opening Day games on Thursday.

The Yankees-Nationals ceremony went off without a hitch -- players joined together in grabbing the sheet and kneeling ... and the moment was powerful.

But, later in the evening, when it came time for the Dodgers and Giants to replicate the moment ... Coonrod refused to drop to a knee.

After the game, he told reporters his religious beliefs made it impossible for him to join in ... but he also said he didn't believe in some of the things he believes BLM stands for.

"I just can’t get on board with a couple things I’ve read about Black Lives Matter, how they lean towards Marxism,” Coonrod said. “And … they said some negative things about the nuclear family. I just can’t get on board with that.”

Coonrod said he meant "no ill will" by his gesture ... and added, "I’m not mad at someone who decided to kneel. I just don’t think it’s too much to ask that I just get the same respect.”

For the team's part, manager Gabe Kapler -- who not only knelt for the BLM moment but also during the national anthem -- said he respected Coonrod's decision to opt out.

Mookie Betts dropped to a knee during the national anthem before his 1st game with the Dodgers on Thursday ... and some of his teammates, including N.L. MVP Cody Bellinger, showed major support for the move.

The new superstar outfielder displayed his dismay for social injustice in America by kneeling for the song before the Dodgers' home opener against the Giants ... and Bellinger and Max Muncy quickly jumped to his side.

Belli put his right hand on Betts' left shoulder, while Muncy put his left hand on Betts' right ... and afterward, the new Dodgers star said he hopes his actions can bring about change.

"I know my dad served and I'll never disrespect the flag," Betts said, "but there's also gotta be change in the world, and kneeling has nothing to do with those who served our country."

Mookie added, "Today was just to unify both sides and just to show that we are here for change."

Betts says he's unsure if he'll continue the kneeling throughout the season ... he told reporters he wants to focus more on tangible action rather than demonstrations going forward.

"I think kneeling is definitely something that shows we need change," Betts said, "but also I have to put some action into play as far as away from MLB."

No other Dodgers joined Betts in the kneeling ... however, several Giants players continued their tradition of taking knees on the opposing baseline.

Major League Baseball, meanwhile, did its part in recognizing the fight for racial equality on Opening Day Thursday... it played Black Lives Matter videos before both the Dodgers game and the Yankees-Nationals game.

The league also had players join in holding a long sheet of black fabric ... while many others on the Yanks, Nationals, Giants and Dodgers kneeled to show unity just before the national anthems began playing.

Dr. Anthony Fauci just threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the first MLB game of the season ... and oh, boy.

The COVID-19 expert was tapped to do the honors before the Washington Nationals hosted the New York Yankees on Thursday ... and as the saying goes, it was juuuuust a bit outside.

And then some.

FYI -- Fauci is a HUGE Nats fan ... and the team was thrilled to have him on board for the big moment.

"Dr. Fauci has been a true champion for our country during the COVID-19 pandemic and throughout his distinguished career," the Nats said.

"So, it is only fitting that we honor him as we kick off the 2020 season and defend our World Series Championship title."

Of course, the bigger picture here is that baseball is finally back for a 60-game season during the global pandemic ... and Fauci has been seen as a voice of wisdom through it all.

As for the players, both teams took a knee and held a black fabric before the national anthem to show solidarity ... and then stood for the rendition of the "Star-Spangled Banner."

Morgan Freeman also contributed a powerful speech on social injustice ... and several players were featured in a video on Black Lives Matter.

The pitcher's mound also features "BLM" stenciled in black.

Donald Trump says he's been tapped to throw out the first pitch at a Yankees game next month -- and points out there won't be any fans in the stands to react.

Trump says Yankees team president Randy Levine personally asked him to do the honors at an Aug. 15 game at Yankees Stadium -- when NY takes on the rival Boston Red Sox.

Trump says he asked Levine how the crowd is going to be -- before remembering, "You don't have a crowd. There's no such thing!"

Trump has had mixed reactions at sporting events ... he was booed during Game 5 of the 2019 World Series at Nationals Park in D.C.

But, on the flip side, he was wildly cheered at the LSU-Clemson College Football National Championship game in New Orleans back in January.

You got to wonder how Trump would be received in front of a live New York audience -- but he probably knows that answer already.

Trump has long talked about his talents as a young baseball player ... he claims he had pro potential back in the day -- despite no video ever surfacing of his playing days.

By the way, ex-Yankees superstar Mariano Rivera was in the room when Trump talked about throwing out the first pitch ... and Trump showered him with praise in front of the media.

Horrible news for the Nationals ... phenom outfielder Juan Soto has tested positive for COVID-19 -- and he's now out for the foreseeable future.

Of course, the Nats are opening the MLB season against the Yankees in just a few hours ... and Juan was expected to be the team's best hitter.

FYI, Soto is just 21 years old ... but he hit 34 home runs and logged 110 RBI last season, helping lead the team to its first-ever World Series title.

But, Juan came down with a positive diagnosis for coronavirus Thursday ... and is now expected to miss at least the next two weeks -- a huge deal considering the season is just 60 games long.

Soto had already missed a huge portion of the Nats' camp this month ... after he had to self-isolate after coming into contact with somebody who had the virus.

Dodgers fans, rejoice!!! ... Mookie Betts appears set to be a Los Angeleno for life -- reportedly closing in on signing a massive 10-YEAR extension with the team!!!

Official numbers on the imminent deal aren't out yet ... but WEEI's Lou Merloni reports the figures could be anywhere from $350 to $400 MILLION for the life of the contract.

Of course, it's HUGE news for the Dodgers ... there was some worry in the City of Angels that the impending free agent, Betts, would bolt for another team after this season.

But, the outfielder -- who won an MVP and a World Series ring in Boston before being traded to the Dodgers this offseason -- now appears poised to finish out his career in California.

The 27-year-old is one of the game's brightest stars ... he's got a .301 career batting average and has already come up with a few monster hits in the Dodgers' exhibition games this month.

Crushing blow for Red Sox fans, meanwhile ... some thought Mookie would return to Beantown and sign a long-term deal there after this season.

Tough break.