Home Run Derby

All day while posting silly videos from the on-street celebration of the Phillies World Series Victory, I’ve been calling the fans “rioters” and “the celebration a “riot.”

I got a couple emails frompeople saying I shouldn’t say that. That it wasn’t a riot.

Well, there were some instances where the party almost turned ugly. Not including the guy who took the bottle to the head.

Here’s video taken from a helicopter camera showing a bunch of Phillies Fans (rioters) trying to knock over a KYW-TV Van … breaking a few windows in the process.

Fortunately, some of Philly’s Finest were on hand to break up the hooligans before they knocked the van over.

You stay classy, Philadelphia.

Cue commenters talking something about the 1% ruining it for the rest of the city or something.

During the World Series celebration (riot) in Philadelphia last night, some shirtless moron decided to make himself the center of attention by climbing up a traffic light on Broad Street.

And Philly fans (rioters) let him have it … with a bottle … to the head.
Fall down, go Boom.

The loud *CLINK* you hear is not edited.

Holy crap. That wasn’t a beer bottle either. That looked like one of those expensive vodka bottles.

Don’t people watch videos from the Preakness infield or stuff like that to know if you make yourself an open target … you’re gonna get your skull cracked?

And this was Philly. Guy should have known better.
Dumbass.

At least he can dream of the Bodypainted Phillies Fan (NSFW) while he’s in his coma. Or the Philly Phan who Phlashed the Crowd.

By the way, how damning is it of our society that the guy filming it is all geeked that he got it on tape?

Hat Tip: Busted Coverage, who says it was Grey Goose.

Update: We found video of some Phillies Fan falling out of a truck too …

So Wednesday night, Coco Crisp slid cleats up into second base trying to break up a double play – and got a handful of crotch while he was at it. 

The Rays thought that tactic was a bit excessive as TB Manager Joe Maddon yelled at Crisp Wednesday … so everyone expected that Crisp would be the target of a plunking on Thursday Night. 

Tampa Bay didn’t waste any time Thursday … Coco Crisp leads off the second inning.  With a 1-0 count … Rays pitcher James Shields sends the message … right on Crisp’s thigh.  And then tries to leave one on his face after Crisp charged the mound.

Video has been removed

Crisp took it to the mound, where Shield was waiting for him with a right cross.  Coco got a swing in before getting tackled by Rays catcher Dioner Navarro.  And then Jonny Gomes and some other Rays got their licks in on Crisp.

First off – what the hell was Crisp thinking?  Shields didn’t throw at his head … take your bvase and let Maddon and Shields get tossed or fined or suspended.  Now Crisp will be out eight games (okay - five or six after appeal). 

Add in the fact that David Ortiz is gone for a month and Jacoby Ellsbury tweaked his wrist later in the game (day to day) and the Red Sox’ outfield could look interesting for a few days.

Meanwhile – the Rays continue to look anything like your father’s Devil Rays squad.  Even in the final game of another Sox Sweep at Fenway … The Rays sent the message tonight. 

Mess with one of us … and you mess with all of us.

On Sunday, May 11, the Cincinnati Reds batted out of order in the ninth inning of a 8-3 loss to the New York Mets.

Backup catcher David Ross came to the plate to lead off the inning and lined out. But the batter in the No. 8 spot should have been outfielder Corey Patterson, with Ross hitting ninth after an earlier double switch.

Mets manager Willie Randolph came out to inform the umpiring crew of the mix-up. Patterson was charged with the out, which officially counts as a putout by the catcher, and Ross came up again. This time, he singled.

Good God.  Corey Patterson is finding new ways to make outs.  This time he didn’t even leave the stinking dugout. 

I thought of that one-liner myself, but Walkoff Walk beat me to publishing it.  Damn you, Iracane!  I’m stealing a picture for that.

But what’s also funny is that Cincinnati Reds’ manager Dusty Baker, who took responsibility for not catching the mix-up, has a short memory when it comes to teams batting out of order in games …

Baker said his only other experience with a team batting out of order came when he was a player and he was the one who hit when he wasn’t supposed to. When he came up the second time, he hit a three-run homer.

I’ve learned never to believe Chris Berman’s geography lessons, Jon Miller’s recognition of players named Lee, or any recollection of baseball history that comes out the the mouth of Joe Morgan or Dusty Baker.

Because Dusty Baker has been involved in two games where a team batted out of order … in the past five years.  From The Baseball Blogger’s Gift from God that is Retrosheet …

Sept 5, 2003 -

The Brewers’ Bill Hall started to bat out of order in the bottom of the second inning against the Cubs but did not complete the plate appearance. 

Hall was listed eighth in the batting order but came to the plate in the seventh spot the first time through the order. He took the first pitch for a ball before the mistake was rectified.  Keith Osik took his proper place at the plate, and despite being spotted ball one, struck out on five more pitches.  Hall then popped out to end the inning. 

I can see how Baker might have forgotten that – According to rule 6.07.a.1 there was no rules violation since the Brewers caught the error and corrected it before the end of the at-bat.

But Dusty should have remembered this one …

April 16, 2004 -

In the top of the seventh inning, Cubs manager Dusty Baker intended to place two new players in the lineup with a double switch but failed to tell Umpire C.B. Bucknor.

When the Cubs batted in the bottom of the inning, shortstop Ramon Martinez came to the plate in the ninth spot in the order and doubled.  The Reds protested that the Cubs were batting out of order.  Pitcher Kent Mercker, the proper batter, was called out. Baker argued with the umpires but was told that the call stood. Yelling & screaming, he tossed his lineup card on the ground and was ejected by Bucknor.  Baker threw his hat, walked away and returned; he tossed his hat again, stomped to the dugout and kicked some items in the on deck circle before finally leaving the field.

Why doesn’t Dusty remember that one? 

Well, for one, he was the one who looked like a dumbass, even though the Cubs came back and won the game after he got thrown out.  Also, Baker’s son called him “Mad Dog” after the game because of his tantrum.

So last year on July 8th 2007, the White Sox ponied up and did something they don’t usually do.  They signed a pitcher to a sizeable long-term contract. 

Their staff Ace, Mark Buehrle.  

Buehrle signed for Four years, $56 Million with a limited no-trade clause for 2008 and escalators if traded after that.  Plus, he got the White Sox to wear Camouflage jerseys for a game in 2008.

Buehrle deserved it.  He was HUGE in their World Series Championship run (2005) and an overwhelming fan favorite.  He was on the frickin Wheaties Box.  And even with all the contract speculation (read: distraction) in the first half of 2007, Buehrle was having a very good season for the White Sox.

Buehrle Pre-Contract 2007

Not to mention the No-Hitter he threw on April 18, 2007.  When you take into consideration the offensive woes and pitiful bullpen the White Sox had in 2007 … it’s even more impressive.

But since he signed the contract … like many players who get the big payday … Buehrle hasn’t been so great …

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A bunch of months ago, we gave a preview of Kosuke Fukudome, who we expect to be the next big Japanese import to Major League Baseball.

Sources say that the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres are all interested in Fukudome.

Which could mean he might get the $10-13 million per year that he reportedly wants to cross the Pacific and play in Major League Baseball.

We could talk about his hitting and fielding skills or his August elbow surgery that limited him in Japan’s Central League this year – but we’d rather show you how he behaves when things don’t go his way.

The following video begins as Fukudome has a 3-0 count with two outs.  And then the ump decides to start calling strikes on the outside corner.

Hilarity ensues …

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Besides the Home Run, one of my favorite things in baseball is when a player strikes out or pops out and gets so frustrated that he takes his anguish and fury out on … his bat.

By breaking it over his leg.  Hey, it’s not your fault if you couldn’t hit that pitch that took the hair off a worm crawling a foot outside of the plate – that bat must have had a hole in it …

It’s not easy to do, but Bo Jackson was a natural at it.  And with his Rob Deer-like batting philosophy, he got lots of chances after strikeouts.

The late Ken Caminiti was always photogenic during his bat breakings – maybe he had some rage issues from the steroids.

But in recent years, the fiery Carlos Zambrano has become the poster child for breaking bats after striking out.  The fact that he’s a pitcher makes his antics even better.

Here’s a few videos I could find of some players who have some faulty bats …

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