Baseball

Vanessa Hudgens and MLB player Cole Tucker are getting pretty serious ... 'cause the "High School Musical" star showed up to his spring training game Tuesday to cheer him on!!

The 32-year-old -- who made things Instagram offish with the 24-year-old Pirates utility man last month -- rocked a Pittsburgh jersey and sat just a few rows behind home plate to check out her BF.

Hudgens was there with her pal, GG Magree -- and you can see in the footage they shot out at LECOM Park in Bradenton, FL ... they were super into Cole's game!!

The two went crazy when Tucker nearly beat out a broken-bat ground ball to second base ... and then they jammed out to "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" later on.

The bad news? Tucker didn't impress much during the Pirates' 1-0 win over the Twins ... he was 0-for-2 with a walk while serving as his team's designated hitter for the day.

But, hey ... it's spring training after all -- AND the dude gets to go home to Vanessa Hudgens at the end of the day.

Beer isn't just for drinking at Spring Training -- it may also have SAVED A LIFE!!

Check out these incredible photos showing the moment an MLB player smashed a line drive foul ball directly into a fan's beer can during a Spring Training game this weekend -- causing a massive liquid explosion!

It all went down in the 2nd inning of the Angels vs. A's game Saturday at Diablo Stadium in Tempe -- when A's catcher Sean Murphy stepped up to the plate and smacked a laser beam toward 3rd base.

A quick-thinking fan used his beer can as a shield to protect himself and his lady friend from getting hit by the ball -- and photographer Mark Rebilas managed to snap some pics right at the moment of impact!!!

The good news ... the fan and his friend weren't hurt.

The bad news ... those stadium beers are pricey as hell -- and judging by the explosion, it was a pretty full can!

But, more good news ... the Angels did the right thing and sent the fan FOUR MORE BEERS along with an autographed Mike Trout bat.

Bonus points for sending the beers over in a bag of ice to keep 'em cold!

LeBron James says he couldn't be happier to have broken the Red Sox ownership group color barrier this week ... explaining he hopes the move inspires the Black community.

"I think for me and for my partner, Maverick, to be the first two Black men to be a part of that ownership group in the history of that franchise, I think it's pretty damn cool," James said after his Lakers beat the Timberwolves on Tuesday night.

"It gives me and people that look like me hope and inspiration that they can be in a position like that as well, that it can be done."

James added, "It gives my kids at my I Promise School more and more inspiration as well."

James and his long-time business partner, Maverick Carter, officially joined Fenway Sports Group on Tuesday ... making them the first Black ownership partners in the history of the Red Sox.

A self-proclaimed Yankees and Indians fan ... James said Tuesday he's fired up to be teaming up with the org. -- telling media members the Red Sox are "obviously a historical franchise."

"And we know the history of the World Series championships that they've brought home to Boston and players that have come through there and the legacy that they hold in that area."

FYI -- the Sox, according to Forbes, are the third most valuable franchise in the MLB (behind the Yanks and Dodgers) ... reportedly valued at $3.3 BILLION.

As for what's next for LeBron -- who, by the way, also owns a piece of the legendary Liverpool soccer team -- he said buying an NBA team is the new major goal.

"I got so much to give to the game," Bron told reporters Tuesday. "I know what it takes to win at this level. I know talent. I also know how to run a business, as well."

LeBoston Red Sox.

Yep, LeBron James is now a part-owner of one of the most storied franchises in pro sports ... the Boston Red Sox.

So, how did it happen?

LeBron has obtained shares in the Fenway Sports Group -- which is the parent company of the BoSox, along with several other prominent sports teams and companies.

No word on how many shares LeBron owns or how much money he put down -- but what's clear is he's a minority partner in FSG, which means he's a part-owner of the Sox, as first reported by the Boston Globe.

By the way, the Boston Globe is owned by John Henry -- the majority owner of the Boston Red Sox, who's reportedly worth $2.8 BILLION.

LeBron has publicly supported the NY Yankees for years -- but obviously, those days are over now.

The rivalry between NY and Boston goes back decades and there's no way you can support both teams ... even if you're LeBron!

LeBron's business partner, Maverick Carter, is also part of the FSG ownership group now -- which makes him a Sox part-owner as well.

LeBron has yet to publicly comment on the deal -- but he's expected to make some sort of announcement in the near future.

FYI, the Boston Red Sox are reportedly valued at $3.3 BILLION, according to Forbes ... which makes them the 3rd most valuable franchise in MLB, behind the Yankees and Dodgers.

LeBron has some experience with pro sports ownership -- he bought a piece of the legendary Liverpool soccer team back in 2011.

As for FSG, the company owns pieces of the NESN network, Roush Fenway Racing, Liverpool FC and more.

The move expands LeBron's already impressive empire -- he's reportedly made $343 million from NBA contracts alone.

Plus, his media company, Springhill Entertainment, is thriving with "Space Jam 2" coming out soon.

And, don't forget that reportedly $1 billion lifetime deal with Nike.

He's also a part-owner of the Blaze pizza company and has a stake in the Ladder supplement company, which he created with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Bottom line ... LeBron is not only the greatest athlete on the planet, he's a pretty savvy businessman, too!

The Houston Astros do NOT deserve an asterisk next to their 2017 World Series championship ... so says Miguel Cabrera, who thinks the notion of a tainted title is "bulls***."

The MLB superstar didn't mince words in an interview with ESPN this week ... saying straight-up Houston earned its '17 ring, despite its massive sign-stealing, cheating scandal that season.

"In the end ... it's baseball," the future Hall of Famer said. "[Try to] go ahead and do it like those guys did."

It's a hot take from Cabrera ... considering most of Miguel's baseball peers wildly disagree.

MVPs like Cody Bellinger and Mike Trout have blasted the Astros for their roles in the cheating ordeal ... and were HEATED when none of the players were severely punished.

In fact, former Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia has been so livid over it all ... he's ripped the 'Stros every opportunity he's had, even recently calling Carlos Correa a "clown."

Cabrera -- whose Tigers manager is now former Astros 2017 bench honcho A.J. Hinch -- clearly sees things differently ... saying of the entire ordeal, "I don't care about that."

Cabrera says Hinch has been nothing but a good dude since the Tigers hired him this offseason ... adding, "I don't care what they did in Houston."

"He [was] a big part of the success Houston had the last three to five years."

Eulogio "Frankie" De La Cruz -- a relief pitcher who was a key cog in the trade that sent Miguel Cabrera from the Marlins to the Tigers -- died Sunday ... MLB officials confirmed.

He was just 37 years old.

De La Cruz's Dominican winter league team, Toros del Este, was first to report the news Monday morning, saying in a statement, "Our condolences to his family and friends for this terrible loss. Peace to your Soul!"

The Diario Libre in the D.R. reported the team added his death was due to a heart attack.

De La Cruz signed with the Detroit Tigers as a teenager in 2001 ... and eventually made his debut for the big-league club in 2007.

He was traded just a short time later, though, as one of the pieces that helped Detroit land one of the greatest MLB players ever.

The Tigers sent De La Cruz -- along with several other notable names including Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin -- to the Marlins in exchange for Cabrera and ace pitcher Dontrelle Willis.

De La Cruz didn't do much in his short time with the Marlins in 2008, and was later traded to the Padres, who released him after the 2009 season.

De La Cruz went on to pitch in Tokyo ... and eventually latched on with the Brewers in 2011, when he had his best season as a pro, logging a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings pitched.

De La Cruz -- who also had a stint in the Chicago Cubs' organization -- had reportedly still been pitching professionally in the D.R. just this past winter.

The Texas Rangers are paying tribute to Charley Pride -- who owned part of the team -- by naming a baseball field after the country music legend.

The Rangers announced the decision Sunday ... unveiling "Charley Pride Field" at the official Rangers spring training complex in Surprise, Arizona.

“Introducing Charley Pride Field! You are greatly missed,” the team said in a statement.

Pride -- a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee and 3x Grammy award winner who was nominated 13 times -- died December 12, 2020 from complications related to COVID-19 at the age of 86.

The legendary country singer held a part-ownership stake in the Rangers after joining a group that purchased the team in 2010.

Pride was a frequent visitor to the Texas Rangers Spring Training facility.

That should come as no surprise since Pride was a BALLER back in his day. Before deciding to pick up the microphone, he was a standout pitcher in the Negro Leagues in the 1950s and 1960s.

CP even had a couple of brief stints with the Yankees and Reds minor league squads ... before retiring from baseball and becoming a music superstar.

Pride sang the National Anthem in July 2020 at the Rangers Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas ... the first-ever baseball game at the field, and one of his last live performances.

Pride was such a talented and respected performer, he was honored during The Grammys on Sunday night in the "In Memoriam" segment.

From Cy Young winner to Sock Puppets manager?!

Ex-MLB star Jack McDowell has done just that ... 'cause the Burlington Sock Puppets -- a developmental summer league team for collegiate baseball players -- just named him their new manager!

The squad -- which is part of the Appalachian League -- made the announcement Monday morning ... and McDowell said he's PUMPED for the opportunity.

"As a lifelong participant in the game of baseball, as both a coach and a player, I am thrilled to be managing the Burlington Sock Puppets this summer,” McDowell said in a statement.

"This opportunity is meaningful for me, and I cannot wait to impact the lives of countless collegiate baseball players in the Appalachian League this year. It is going to be a positive and fun season!"

If you're unfamiliar, the Appalachian League comprises of 10 teams in Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia ... and it's designed to help rising freshman and sophomores in college refine their skills with wooden bats over a 54-game, summer season.

The Sock Puppets clearly believe McDowell has the goods to help their players best ... with the team's general manager, Anderson Rathbun, saying Monday, "We couldn't be more thrilled to have someone leading our team with a resume quite lack Jack's."

55-year-old McDowell won the Cy Young back in 1993 while pitching for the White Sox ... and he made the All-Star team 3 times in his 12-year, big-league career.

The family of the legendary 1927 NY Yankees team is selling an authentic signed team photo passed down through the generations ... and yeah, this thing is worth a fortune.

The '27 squad features icons like Babe Ruth and Lou Gherig -- and the slugging power was so insane, they were dubbed "Murderers' Row."

One of the pitchers from the 1927 team -- Don Miller -- was savvy enough to get everyone on the roster to autograph a team photo ... and it stayed with Miller's family for decades.

Miller never appeared in a game for the Yankees that season -- but clearly, he knew securing the signatures would just as important as getting on the field!

Now, the Miller family has decided to sell it -- and they've taken it to SCP Auctions to find the highest bidder.

The photo has been authenticated by multiple leading memorabilia companies -- including PSA and Beckett -- which is huge for the hardcore collectors willing to pay top dollar.

As far as the expected sales price, we're told it could fetch around $500,000 ... but with the sports collectibles market being on FIRE at the moment, who knows where it could end up!?

As we previously reported, a rare Babe Ruth baseball card from 1933 just sold for $761k ... more than DOUBLE the price a similar card sold for just 6 months earlier.

Point being ... people are paying CRAZY money for Babe Ruth items.

If you're not familiar with the '27 Yanks ... they're one of the most legendary baseball teams ever. They finished the regular season 110-44 and swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series.

Ruth was in the midst of setting the single-season home run record (60 HR's) that ultimately stood for decades. He also had 164 RBI's and batted .356.

Not to be outdone ... Gehrig won the AL MVP that year -- also putting up ABSURD numbers. The Iron Horse slugged 47 HR's, drove in 173 runs, and had a batting average of .373.

But, it wasn't just Babe and Lou ... the rest of "Murderers' Row" was made up of solid players like Earle Combs, Mark Koenig, Bob Meusel, Tony Lazzeri, Joe Dugan and Pat Collins.

New York Yankees pitcher Zack Britton says he was ROCKED by COVID-19 ... revealing he lost 18 pounds in 10 days while battling the virus ... and he's still not fully recovered.

The 33-year-old southpaw says he contracted the coronavirus back in January ... and went into detail with reporters about his experience on Wednesday.

"I was surprised," Britton said. "I think I got it at the hospital when we were having our kid, so it was even worse."

"I was not expecting to be hit that hard by COVID. It wiped me out pretty good."

"The weight loss was surprising and just the after-effects I've been dealing with showed me how serious this can be, even for somebody that's healthy and how that can impact you months even after you've gotten over the roughest symptoms."

FYI -- Britton is 6'1" and reportedly usually weighs around 200 pounds ... in other words, he's in pretty good shape.

"It just wiped me out pretty good for about 10 days," Britton said. "Lost about 18 pounds, which could be good, I guess? But, I wasn't looking to lose 18 pounds and it happened quickly, so that's not good on your body and puts pressure in a lot of places."

Britton says the virus prevented him from throwing for about 3 to 4 weeks during the offseason ... but he's finally starting to feel like himself again.

But, COVID isn't the only health issue Britton's dealing with -- the 2-time All-Star is set to undergo surgery to remove a bone chip in his left elbow ... and is expected to miss several months of the season.

Johnny Damon got in a scuffle with cops, appeared to bomb field sobriety tests, and even brought up his Trump support during his arrest last month ... and the wild scene was all captured on police video obtained by TMZ Sports.

Damon and his wife were pulled over at around 1:23 a.m. on Feb. 19 in Windermere, Fla. after cops say he was swerving on the road and driving erratically.

Once a cop stopped Damon ... body cam footage captured the 47-year-old ex-Yankee and Red Sox outfielder admitting to drinking before getting behind the wheel.

Then, an intense standoff between the officer, the ex-MLB star and the baseball player's wife ensued.

In the video, you can see the officer ordered Damon and his wife, Michelle Mangan-Damon, to stay in the car, but neither complied ... and a pushing and shoving squabble broke out.

At one point, the officer grabbed Mangan-Damon's wrist ... before Johnny got involved to separate the two.

The bumping and pushing got so heated, the officer's body camera was actually knocked to the ground.

Fortunately for all parties, backup arrived, and officers were able to settle down the scene.

Damon and his wife repeatedly talked about their support for cops, mentioning over and over, "Blue lives matter."

And, at one point, Damon brought up his affinity for Trump to a cop, saying "Hey, bro, I'm a good f***ing guy. I know people are trying to target me because I'm a Trump supporter."

Damon was then asked to complete some field sobriety tests ... but you can see on the video, it doesn’t look like he exactly passed any of them with flying colors.

Damon was ultimately arrested and booked on multiple charges, including driving under the influence and resisting arrest without violence.

A police report later showed cops said Damon's blood-alcohol level was .30, nearly FOUR TIMES the legal limit.

Damon's wife was also arrested after the stop, and booked on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.

Court records show Damon pled not guilty to his DUI charge last month. He's due back in court in May.

Rheal Cormier -- a longtime MLB reliever and a Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer -- died Monday after a battle with cancer, MLB confirmed.

He was 53-years-old.

The left-handed pitcher threw for several teams over his 16-year MLB career ... but had his most notable season as a pro with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2003, going 8-0 with a 1.70 ERA.

Cormier ultimately pitched for the Phils, Cardinals, Red Sox, Expos and Reds ... and finished his career with a 71-64 record and a 4.03 ERA.

Details surrounding his cancer diagnosis and subsequent battle with the disease are unclear ... but several of his former teammates were crushed to hear the news of his passing Monday.

"RIP 'Frenchy' ... Rheal Cormier lost his battle with cancer," Dan Plesac said on Twitter. "One of my all time favorite teammates. Big heart, spent 2yrs sitting next to him in the @Phillies bullpen (2002-2003)."

"He made everyone he played with better...keep throwing that 3-2 splitter in heaven. RIP my friend."

Added Jim Thome, "Rheal was one of the most vibrant people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing."

"He loved baseball, but he always put his family first. Frenchy was the kind of guy who would do anything for you and I’m lucky to have called him my friend for many years."

"Our time spent together in Philadelphia as teammates was unforgettable. He will be greatly missed but never forgotten."

Cormier -- who grew up in Canada -- was a 6th round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1988. He later made his first appearance with the team at the big-league level in 2003.

He ultimately pitched for Team Canada in two Olympics ... and was inducted into the country's baseball Hall of Fame in 2012.

Cubs, Diamondbacks ... and fighting geese?!

An MLB spring training game featured all of the above on Sunday ... and the video from the diamond was wild!!

During Chicago's tilt with Arizona at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz. ... some geese decided to crash the party in the outfield, and one of the birds bit the hell out of another!!

Check out footage the Diamondbacks' broadcast team shot ... you can see a goose flew at another and ripped feathers straight out of its backside.

Later in the game, a goose plopped down next to Cubs outfielder Rafael Ortega ... and, given the events that had taken place earlier, you can tell the dude wasn't exactly thrilled to have the bird so close to him!!

Of course, spring training and uninvited feathered friends aren't exactly new ... remember when Randy Johnson drilled a dove with a fastball in 2001??

June 2 will now be "Lou Gehrig Day" in Major League Baseball ... league officials just created the tradition to honor the baseball legend and to help try to find a cure for ALS.

MLB execs say they picked the day for two reasons -- June 2, 1925 was when the former Yankees superstar took over at first base for Wally Pipp and never looked back. June 2, 1941 was the day he tragically died.

Teams are expected to honor Gehrig by wearing patches on their uniforms. Players, according to MLB, will also have the opportunity to wear wristbands with "4-ALS" on them during games.

Gehrig passed away just days before he turned 38 ... after a two-year battle with ALS, which is also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease."

The MLB is hopeful the new annual tradition of Lou Gehrig Day will help remember Gehrig as well as raise funds and awareness for ALS research.

"While ALS has been closely identified with our game since Lou's legendary career, the pressing need to find cures remains," league commish Rob Manfred said Thursday.

"We look forward to honoring all the individuals and families, baseball and beyond, who have been affected by ALS and hope Lou Gehrig Day advances efforts to end this disease."

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone is immediately stepping away from his team ... after announcing he must undergo surgery Wednesday to have a pacemaker installed.

The 47-year-old skipper underwent open-heart surgery in 2009 ... and says he's recently experienced "mild symptoms of lightheadedness, low energy and shortness of breath."

After getting checked out by several doctors, it was determined Boone would require a pacemaker.

Of course, the Yanks are currently prepping for the 2021 MLB season at Spring Training in Tampa ... but the good news is Boone says he expects to be back full strength in no time.

"They are confident that today's surgery will allow me to resume all of my usual professional and personal activities and afford me a positive long-term health prognosis without having to change anything about my way of life."

Boone joined the Bronx Bombers as manager in 2018 ... and has led them to the playoffs each season. Before he was a manager, AB played in the big leagues from 1997 to 2009.

Most famously for the Reds and Yankees ... where he hit one of the most memorable post-season home runs ever against the Red Sox in 2003.

Get well soon!!

Here's a video that'll hit ya right in the feels ...

In his first game back after a lengthy battle with colon cancer ... Baltimore Orioles star Trey Mancini got an epic ovation from fans, teammates and opponents -- and the footage from the scene is amazing!!

Mancini -- who fought and beat the horrific disease after being diagnosed in March 2020 -- took the batter's box in the 1st inning of a spring training game against the Pirates on Sunday ... and, quickly, applause rained down on the diamond.

Fans began clapping, then Mancini's teammates joined in ... and then even Pittsburgh players jumped in -- with the Pirates catcher even standing up to praise the Baltimore slugger.

In a classy move by the umpire, he went to dust off home plate to allow the ovation to last even longer ... and then Mancini got a base hit!!!

After the game, Trey admitted it all nearly brought him to tears ... saying the ovation "meant the world to me."

"It was a really, really cool moment," the 28-year-old said, "and one of my favorite moments of my baseball career."

Mancini was forced to undergo surgery back on March 12, 2020 ... and he had very long and tough road to get through before he could return to the Orioles.

But, Trey -- after vowing to come back better than ever from the disease -- faced it all with class, and finished cancer treatments back in September.

Mancini is now fully recovered and is expected to be one of the Orioles' best players again in 2021 -- and that's something he says he's super grateful for.

"[Sunday] was a huge day for me personally," Mancini said. "Getting back in a game -- just another kind of milestone that I can check off here."