MLB

Michael Rapaport says the scumbag who hurled racist taunts at Orioles star Adam Jones should be banned from all MLB games for life ... period.

Rapaport is really pissed off about the situation -- with Jones claiming Red Sox fans yelled the n-word at him during the Monday night game at Fenway Park.

Rap -- a huge Yankees fan -- said the fans behind the taunts are disgusting and should never step foot inside an MLB stadium ever again.

We also spoke with Judd Nelson who's also upset -- and says he's shocked the other people in the stands didn't "take care of that guy."

Translation -- non-racists shoulda beat the racist's ass.

For what it's worth, Jones received a very warm ovation from the fans in Beantown before his first at-bat Tuesday night. Pretty awesome.

Yes, you read that right ... Jay Z is getting sued for slapping the logo for "ROC NATION" -- his company -- on a bunch of Major League Baseball apparel.

Sounds bizarre, but Iconix Brand Group says Jay does NOT own the logo anymore. In docs obtained by TMZ, Iconix says it paid a whopping $204 million for it, and therefore has control over where the logo pops up ... especially when it comes to merchandise.

Iconix has beef with the ROC logo appearing on MLB hats, shirts, hoodies, etc -- a deal it says it never approved. It's not only suing Jay, but also MLB, Roc Nation, New Era, Lids and the San Francisco Giants.

The company is suing all of the above for at least $10 million and other damages. We've reached out to Jay Z, so far no word back.

Iconix also owns and manages the Ed Hardy, Joe Boxer and Marc Ecko logos.

Country music star Brett Kissel says he's lucky fans bailed him out after a mic fail kept him from singing the National Anthem at the Edmonton Oilers game Sunday ... admitting, "I didn't have a Plan B!"

The video is incredible ... fans at the Oilers vs. Anaheim Ducks playoff game noticed Kissel's technical difficulties and decided to take over the singing duties for both country's anthems.

Kissel admits it was a huge sigh of relief to hear the makeshift choir pick up from the top ... and says he's already talking to the Oilers about getting a redo before game 4 on Wednesday.

Hope ex-MLB pitcher Tim Hudson doesn't have dreams of watching his son strike out major leaguers like he used to, cause his wife made it clear to TMZ Sports, SHE AIN'T HAVING IT.

Tim and the fam were out at The Ivy when we asked the brood if there were any future baseball players in the bunch ... to which Tim said yes, and pointed to his son, 12-year-old Kade.

Hudson told us Kade was a catcher for now and wasn't pitching "yet," and that's when wife Kim jumped in and said "yet" is a day that will NEVER come, 'cause she can't go through loving another hurler.

Joe Mixon has found an NFL home.

The Cincinnati Bengals selected the ex-Oklahoma star in the 2nd round of the Draft Friday night -- 48th overall -- despite the running back's troubled past.

Mixon wasn't invited to the NFL combine after video was released showing him brutalizing a female student back in 2014 ... but many experts predicted he could be picked as high as the 2nd round, or fall off the board completely.

Mixon and the female student met privately last week and settled her lawsuit she had filed against him, both agreeing to move past the situation.

Don't pop the champagne just yet ... Jeb Bush tells TMZ Sports he and Derek Jeter haven't officially closed the deal to buy the Miami Marlins -- though he seems confident.

Here's Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais making good on a challenge to his players ... and making a case for coolest MLB manager around.

Servais told his guys that if they scored 10 or more runs against the Oakland A's he would reward them by sportin' a swagged out travel outfit -- complete with some of the players' chains.

The Mariners went out and won the game 11-1 ... and Scott proved he's a man of his word, donning some very swagged out neck decoration.

Joe Torre says he truly believes Derek Jeter will an incredible MLB owner -- but he's adamant he WON'T take a job managing #2's team if he calls.

The ex-NY Yankees manager was hosting an event for the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation -- which helps kids exposed to domestic violence at home -- when we talked about Jeter's bid to buy the Miami Marlins.

It's clear Jeter has Torre's full support -- with Joe calling him a "class act."

When asked if he thinks Jeter has any desire to be an owner/manager -- Joe shot that down saying, "I don't think he wants to put the uniform on."

Jackie Robinson's wife and children are among the special guests committed to attend the statue ceremony at Dodger Stadium this weekend honoring the MLB legend ... the team says.

Rachel Robinson, along with Jackie's daughter, Sharon, and son, David, will be front and center on Saturday ... the 70th anniversary of Robinson breaking MLB’s color barrier on April 15, 1947.

The 10 foot tall bronze statue will be the very first one installed at Dodger Stadium. The first 40,000 fans will receive a smaller replica.

Several Dodgers legends will also be in attendance including Vin Scully, Tommy Lasorda, Sandy Koufax, Don Newcombe and Dodgers owner Magic Johnson.

NY Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda was on the verge of throwing a no-hitter Monday ... until Martha Stewart ruined it.

Former MLB star Otis Nixon -- who played 17 years in the big leagues -- has gone missing, cops say ... and officials are hoping the public can help find him.

The 58-year-old was last seen leaving his home in Woodstock, Georgia in a 2011 gray Range Rover to play golf ... but never got to the course.

Officials are clearly concerned and have asked anyone with information to call police immediately.

Nixon has a troubled past ... including a cocaine arrest back in 2013 and a very bizarre incident in 2015 when cops say he let a 16-year-old drive a rental car taken out in his name that had weed inside.

There will be no bad blood between the Yankees and Derek Jeter if #2 becomes an owner of a rival MLB team ... this according to George Steinbrenner IV.

GS4 is the son of Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner and the grandson of the late George Steinbrenner, he also owns an Indy racing team.

So, when we saw George in town for the Long Beach Grand Prix we had to ask how the family felt about a pinstripe legend like Jeter flirting with becoming an owner of the Miami Marlins.

"He's always expressed interest in being a team owner," Steinbrenner said ... "So I don't think there will be any bad blood there."

Frank Thomas says one of the best moments of his entire life is the time he got a phone call from President Obama on his cell phone ... right before he was inducted into the Hall of Fame!

Chipper Jones says his knees took so much punishment during his Hall of Fame baseball career, he can't even play in an adult softball league these days.

The 44-year-old spent 19 years in the Bigs -- and tells TMZ Sports he underwent SEVEN knee surgeries.

"My knees are shot man," Jones says ... while explaining why he won't join a rec team.

We already knew about 3 operations on a torn ACL in left knee (2010), torn meniscus in right knee (2011) torn meniscus in left knee (2012) ... but no word on the other 4 procedures.

Mets superstar Matt Harvey was on the verge of a perfect game Friday night -- no other way to describe a night out with your smokeshow gf, Adriana Lima, and her also hot girlfriend!

Matt and the Victoria's Secret hottie looked like they were painting the town ... doing dinner and the club scene in NYC. The pitcher turned 28 earlier in the week, but just got back from Spring Training -- so this could have been his bday celebration.

If it was it looks like Adriana brought the perfect gift. C'mon ... reality or not, Matt's smile kinda says what he was thinking.

In any event, looks like the start (or ending) of a great night for baseball's Dark Knight.

Magic Johnson has a rule when it comes to dating his daughter ... NO DODGERS ALLOWED!

Of course, Magic is a co-owner of the MLB team -- and his daughter, Elisa, says he's not a fan of her mixing business with pleasure.

In fact, when it comes to dating -- "He's a no-go on the athletes and Dodger players."