Baseball

If you thought the quarantine would lead to more baseball families buying private batting cages to work on their swings at home (like we did) ... you thought wrong.

In fact, the baseball equipment industry is getting hit pretty hard by the coronavirus pandemic -- especially Jugs Sports, the company behind the famous pitching machines.

We spoke to a rep for the company who tells us March is usually the busiest time of the year for them -- they ship out machines to little leagues and other baseball and softball orgs around the country before the season kicks off.

But with the COVID-19 outbreak, we're told business has slowed in a big way -- a 30% to 50% DECREASE in sales from last year.

We spoke with other baseball equipment companies and they're also reporting a slow down in sales -- so far, it seems Jugs is having the toughest go.

Makes sense ... those Jugs machines ain't cheap -- they range from a couple hundred dollars for a basic model to a couple thousand dollars for the top of the line stuff.

WARNING: THIS VIDEO WILL MAKE YOU CRY!!!

NY Mets superstar Pete Alonso surprised a sick fan with a video message -- and the gesture was so heartfelt, it brought her to tears!

The story behind the footage is touching ... shortly after 82-year-old Kathleen Selig tragically learned she was given just weeks to live after a small cell lung cancer diagnosis, her granddaughter reached out to the Mets over social media.

18-year-old Ally Henglein explained of her "Gammy," "She is a diehard Mets fan and has been since the start."

"The Mets have helped her through the lonliest of times," Henglein wrote. "So much so, she has asked us to spread her ashes at Citi Field when the time comes."

So, how did NY respond? Not only did its best player make her a personalized vid ... new manager Luis Rojas also surprised her with a phone call -- and her reaction was priceless.

You can see in the footage ... the woman tears up with joy over seeing Pete's face -- and then is overcome with emotion when Rojas gets on the phone.

It's super touching ... and the Mets clearly couldn't have been happier to do it for their biggest fan.

As for the aftermath of the amazing moment, Selig's granddaughter wrote, "I’ve never seen her so overcome with emotion. I know she’ll fight to see opening day after all of this love and support."

L.A. Dodgers minor leaguer Connor Joe -- a former MLB 1st-round pick -- underwent surgery for testicular cancer Tuesday ... but the utility player says he's very optimistic about his recovery.

"The good news is that we caught it early, and cases like mine are very curable," Joe said. "I have started treatment, underwent surgery yesterday and am in my recovery process now."

Joe -- who was picked by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2014 MLB draft -- left Dodgers' spring camp a couple weeks ago with the ailment.

Connor revealed doctors discovered the cancer after a battery of tests ... but the 27-year-old is hopeful for a "quick and full recovery" after his operation earlier this week.

"I recognize the road ahead may be challenging and uncomfortable at times, but God is good and I am staying positive," Joe said.

Connor -- who's had a successful minor league career the past few years -- had a cup of coffee in The Show with the SF Giants last season, recording 1 hit in 8 games.

He was attempting to compete for a roster spot with the Dodgers at spring training this year before his cancer diagnosis.

Donald Trump and his buddy, Vladimir Putin, are leaving their mark on America's pastime, literally ... because the world leaders autographed a baseball and it's going up for sale!!!

Here's the deal ... a high-ranking Russian government official got Putin to put his John Hancock on a baseball in Russia at the start of the year, and then a member of the GOP got Trump to sign the same ball during a meet-and-greet before his March 2 campaign rally in North Carolina.

The baseball and it's unmistakable signatures are going up for sale through the memorabilia company, Moments in Time -- and they're hawking this slice of the Trump-Putin bromance for a cool $54,000.

It's unclear if Trump knew Putin's autograph was on the other side of the baseball when he put pen to cowhide ... but as we've reported, it's kinda easy to get Trump to sign things -- like his own articles of impeachment.

And, the price of Trump signed baseballs continue to skyrocket ... remember, they used to be worth only $200 tops before he was sworn into office. Add Putin to the mix, and you get a pretty big price tag.

Luke Voit didn't have to give away his number to Gerrit Cole for free ... the NY Yankees stud tells TMZ Sports the team's new ace coughed over a SOLID prize for No. 45!!

"He hooked me up with something cool," Voit said.

Luke rocked the digits the past two seasons in New York ... but when Cole came over on a 9-year, $324 MILLION deal in free agency -- he asked the 29-year-old first baseman for the uni.

Turns out, Voit says Cole didn't come empty-handed either!!

As for what he got, Voit -- who ended up switching to No. 59 -- tells us he can't say exactly ... but did joke, "I should've had him buy me a house or something. Or, a car."

We also talked to Voit about his superhuman strength -- remember, the guy benched a 145-pound barbell with ONE ARM in 2018 -- and he tells us he's the strongest guy on the team.

In fact, he says his 2-rep max on the bench press is 365!!!

By the way, Luke also spoke with us about his new children's book, "Luke's Baseball Story" ... and the story sounds SUPER-cool.

Baltimore Orioles star Trey Mancini underwent surgery Thursday to remove a cancerous tumor from his colon ... and team officials say the procedure was successful.

The 27-year-old left the team last weekend to deal with an undisclosed medical issue ... and in a statement, the Orioles explained doctors discovered the outfielder had a tumor during a colonoscopy.

The team added there is currently no timetable for a return to the diamond for Trey.

Mancini released a statement after the operation, saying, "The outpouring of love and support I have received has made an extremely tough week so much better. I have the best family, friends, fans, and teammates imaginable."

Trey added, "I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and kind words, which have furthered my excitement to get back to playing the game I love."

Mancini has been one of the bright spots for the Orioles the last couple seasons ... he's become one of the game's premier power hitters, slugging 35 home runs in 2019.

He's also posted a career .276 batting average ... and was expected to compete for his first-ever All-Star nod this season.

Texas Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun has been hospitalized after getting hit square in the kisser with a fastball nearing 100 MPH.

The left fielder got up to bat in the first inning Sunday against the Dodgers for a Spring Training game, and pitcher Julio Urias sent a heater from the mound that apparently got away from him and swerve up to Calhoun's face. It hit him flush in the mouth.

You can clearly see it was mistake on Urias' part -- he reacts as if he's upset with himself and the situation as Calhoun's teammates come out to attend to him. It was a pretty frightening scene, especially after you see it from different angles ... and in slow motion too.

Luckily, reporters on the ground say he was able to get to his feet and was then carted off the field while holding a towel on his face. He was later taken to a nearby hospital for further evaluation. His condition is unknown at the moment, but hopefully he's okay.

Crazy enough ... Callhoun used to be Dodger prospect, but was traded to the Rangers in 2017. So a lot of those guys are probably pulling for him right now.

Horrible news for Yankees fans ... NY manager Aaron Boone announced superstar slugger Aaron Judge has a broken rib that could require surgery to remove the bone altogether.

Judge hasn't played at all this spring ... and, finally, on Friday, Boone revealed why -- telling reporters, "He has a stress fracture of the first right rib."

FYI, that's a bone located near the upper chest/shoulder area ... and Boone says if a couple weeks of rest doesn't help heal it, Judge could have a procedure to take the rib out of his body.

"You could do surgery at some point to remove the rib," Boone says. "I wouldn't say that's off the table."

But, the Yanks manager is hopeful some good R&R will help ... although he said there's no timetable at all for any decision on Judge's injury just yet.

Boone says the team thinks Judge suffered the injury way back in September ... when the 27-year-old dove for a ball in the outfield.

It's a terrible break for the Bronx Bombers ... Judge is one of the league's brightest young stars -- he hit .272 with 27 home runs in just 102 games last season.

The Charleston RiverDogs -- the NY Yankees' minor league affiliate -- has canceled their "OJ Trial" night promotion ... after admitting it was a TERRIBLE idea in the first place!!!

Here's why ... the South Carolina based team promoted the May 26 event as a "juicy spin" on the O.J. Simpson murder trial, where fans would play "jury" in an orange juice-themed stadium game.

Here's how the team marketed the event ...

"The trial of the century gets a juicy new spin. We will finally receive the verdict that everyone has been waiting for … pulp or no pulp?"

"Fans will act as our jury, voting with custom paddles to reach verdicts on various topics throughout the night ... Fans will receive an 'OJ Trial' shirt upon entering the stadium. If the shirt don’t fit, you must ... see if we have a different size."

See what they're doing? They're playing off the "OJ" in the O.J. Simpson murder case! Hilarious and creative right?!!? Yeesh ...

Of course, there was immediate backlash from people who felt the whole promotion was in bad taste ... due to the fact the original "O.J. Trial" centered around the brutal murders of two completely innocent people, Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown.

Eventually, the team agreed it was a bad idea and pulled the plug on the whole thing.

"After taking a step back and having further reflection on the overall message that was being conveyed, it was the responsible thing to do," RiverDogs president Dave Echols said.

Garrett Whitley -- a former MLB first-round pick and current Rays farmhand-- was forced to go to the hospital Monday after he was terrifyingly struck in the face by a foul ball.

During the Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles spring training game ... O's third baseman Renato Nunez uncorked a foul ball that beelined straight at Whitley.

The Tampa Bay outfielder -- who was at one time considered one of the game's best prospects -- was unable to move out of the way ... and took the ball right near his eye.

You can see in video of the at-bat ... 22-year-old Whitley immediately crumpled and required medical attention.

After the game, Rays manager said Whitley was diagnosed with a facial injury ... and was forced to go to the hospital to undergo further testing.

"[During initial tests] his eyes were moving fine," Cash told reporters. "He stayed coherent the whole time. That was pretty scary."

Whitley was drafted with the No. 13 overall pick by the Rays in 2015 ... but he's struggled to live up to expectations, batting just .236 in his minor league career.

The public bashing of the Houston Astros is still going strong ... Anthony Rizzo just trolled the hell out of the team during a mic'd up at-bat in a spring training game!!

The Chicago Cubs superstar was talking with ESPN commentators live in an AB against the L.A. Angels on Monday ... when he was asked what pitch he thought was coming next.

"I have no idea," the first baseman said. "I wish I knew. Someone bang for me."

HAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Of course, the Astros were busted by the MLB just a few weeks ago after they were found to have relayed illegally stolen signs to batters using banging noises from their dugout.

MLB players have RAILED against the 'Stros for the cheating ... with everyone from Cody Bellinger to Aaron Judge blasting the team for the cheating scheme.

In fact, it seems some players have already taken it upon themselves to punish the 'Stros ... because as of last week -- they had been hit by pitches SEVEN different times already this spring.

Clearly, Rizzo ain't much of a fan of what the Astros did either ... but at least he's down to have some fun with it -- and we're all grateful for it.

Ex-Astros pitcher Ken Giles says he's absolutely devastated by Houston's sign-stealing scandal ... and despite having no idea his teammates were cheating, he's willing to return his World Series ring.

Giles -- now a member of the Toronto Blue Jays -- revealed his feelings over the bombshell scandal, saying he was hurt to find out through the commissioner's report.

"It crushed me to learn about the stuff that went on when I was there," Giles said via the Toronto Sun.

"I had no idea. I had no clue whatsoever. I was blindsided by the commissioner's report. Up until then, I honestly didn't believe it. Just crazy."

Of course, bullpen pitchers rarely make it to the dugout with the other players ... so the findings of the investigation floored Giles.

There have been players and fans calling for the 'Stros to relinquish the 2017 World Series title ... and Giles says he's willing to give up his championship ring.

"Whatever they ask, I would oblige. Because what was going on at the time, was not OK."

This is the BEST thing you'll see all day.

14-year-old New York Mets superfan Braeden got hooked up with a once in a lifetime experience at spring training in Port St. Lucie, FL this week ... meeting all the players, hanging in the clubhouse and on the field!

Not only did Braeden -- who is battling cystic fibrosis -- hang with guys like Michael Conforto, Jacob deGrom, Jeff McNeil and Tim Tebow ... he also got to take the lineup card to home plate (in full uniform) before the game against the Cardinals on Sunday.

Braeden and his fam got to enjoy the game from the first row, behind home plate ... but the best part of his trip happened when he randomly ran into his favorite player -- Pete Alonso -- at his hotel!!

We're told PA was more than happy to hang with Braeden, take pics and even autograph a ball for his big fan.

“He was so chill,” Braeden said about the encounter “He was just a nice guy.”

Well, Alex Bregman better get used to this ...

The Houston Astros superstar was just DRILLED for the first time since he was revealed to be a cheater ... and it all begs the question -- HOW MANY MORE TIMES WILL IT HAPPEN THIS YEAR?!

The 3rd baseman stepped up to the plate in the 5th inning of Houston's spring training game against the Cardinals on Wednesday ... and he WORE one right in the back.

Bregman said afterward he didn't think it was intentional -- "It was a splitter. It just got away from him" -- but, COME ON!!!!!!

The HBP sure seemed fishy to us ... you can see the pitch -- on a 3-2 count, nonetheless -- plunked Bregman SQUARELY between the shoulder blades.

And, as you can tell from Bregman's reaction ... it wasn't exactly a lollipop!!

Of course, the 'Stros are likely going to face this all season long after the MLB announced it found they cheated their way to a World Series title in 2017.

In fact, ex-MLB star Aubrey Huff told us just a few days ago he sees this happening REGULARLY to the 'Stros in 2020.

And, according to the unofficial counter on Twitter ... Bregman's hit by pitch marked the SEVENTH time a 'Stros player has been plunked so far this spring.

Announcer: "Now batting ... Jose Altuve."

Fans: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's how it went down at Spring Training in West Palm Beach on Monday when the Houston Astros star made his first plate appearance since the cheating scandal.

Shocked, right?!?

Altuve didn't seem fazed by the chilly reception -- in fact, the guy hit an RBI double against the Detroit Tigers all by himself without any help from high-tech cameras and trash cans!

There was another awkward moment in the game ... Altuve was technically hit by a pitch -- though it was truly accidental. He was clipped in the foot by a breaking ball in the dirt.

Remember, Astros manager Dusty Baker has expressed concern about pitchers throwing at Altuve and other Houston players involved in the cheating scandal -- he doesn't want vigilante justice.

But, again, that didn't seem to be the case this time around ... but it's a loooong season.