Home Run Derby

Quick …

Who’s this female athlete throwing out the first pitch and then hanging out with Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain before yesterday’s Marlins-Diamondbacks game in Arizona?

Here’s some hints …

• She’s a 2008 Olympian
• She’s won a Gold Medal in two straight Olympics 
• She plays in a HEAVILY watched Olympic event
• She’s married to an MLB Player

So she should be easy to recognize, right?

Still can’t tell?  Here’s another hint …

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It’s Jersey of the Week time!!

At a recent Angels vs Dodgers game … a young lady in the Dodger Stadium bleachers had a very unique way of showing support for her Dodgers. 

And it gave her some support right back.

It’s the Dodgers Coconut Baseball Bra !! 

And we’ve got video.

Nice Coconuts.  The handpainted LA on the baseballs is a nice touch.

• Cleverness - 8
• Originality - 7
• Understandability - 10

Okay - technically that is not “a Jersey” … but I don’t care.  Last week’s FUKUTHOME jersey was actually a T-Shirt. 

For you guys in the “sharp knees” crowd … get over it.  Real women have curves - and they’re proud of them.

Now if we could just get Erin Andrews to wear that to the Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium in two weeks.

Home Run Derby would love your pics for Jersey of the Week.
Drop us a line right here.

Sept 3, 2004

Fenway Park, Boston.
Red Sox lead the Rangers 2-0. 
Ninth inning. 
Two Out. 
One Ball, Two Strikes. 
Runner on second base.

Watch as Red Sox relief pitcher Keith Foulke throws a pitch to Kevin Mench. 

You know … Foulke might have been juust a bit distracted on that pitch.   

Miss it? 

Front row - girl on the cell phone to the left of the umpire.  Gives the ol’ one-boob salute to Foulke.

Mench grounded out on the next pitch to end the ballgame, so it’s unlikely that she was thrown out of the stands.

I wonder if she was talking to “Johnny from Burger King.” 

Home Run Derby’s a sucker for a great “baseball player signing a ball” for a fan story. 

Especially when there’s something really witty written on the ball. 

Whatever happened to Vernon Wells, anyway?

The fabulous Deadspin had this fabulous story (and a fabulous pic) sent to them about a ball signed by Cubs closer Ryan Dempster …

After Christine pleaded for the ball again (in that semi-annoying way only girls can pull off), Dempster responded back “I’ll give you the ball if you take your top off.” By now the entire bleacher section was rolling over itself, a few beers deep and chanting “Take it off” in support of Dempster’s response.

Dempster, in an act of kindness and to stop the crowd from chanting at this poor girl to take off her clothes, then gave Christine the ball and went about his warming up business.

A bit later on … Christine, now relishing her role as “that girl” in the stands, goes and gets Dempster to sign the ball he gave her.

Let’s see what the always clever Ryan Dempster wrote on that ball, shall we?

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So the other day my brother-in-law (the one who reads the site) tells me he found a pic of a hot Tampa Bay Devil Rays fan. 

My initial reaction … “The Devil Rays have fans?” 

They do, God love them.

My second reaction … “Let’s see that link.” 

My final reaction … “Wait a minute … that’s Jenn Sterger.”

You might remember Jenn Sterger … the Florida State coed whose rise to fame began when she and some friends were caught by an ABC camera crew during the 2005 Miami vs Florida State football game. 

She then became the “Facebook Princess” who parlayed her good looks and internet popularity into photo spreads in Maxim and Playboy and a Sports Illustrated online writing gig.

Well, as a Tampa-area native, she’s a Rays fan.  According to an interview she gave to  DRays Bay, she’s been a fan since grade school. 

I was first introduced to the Devil Rays back in grade school. I remember them coming to my school, and getting to meet the owners. Even as a kid, I thought it was really cool that they would come to my school …

And the Devil Rays are no dummies. 

They’ve had Sterger do some promotional work for them … at last August’s College Alumni Night at Tropicana Field … 

In January 2007, she was on a Devil Rays Float in the Tampa Gasparilla Piratefest Parade … 

And earlier this month, she was at a Baseball Prospectus Feed with BP honcho Will Carroll at the Trop.

Mind you, Jenn is also an Atlanta Braves fan … since the Braves were the closest team to Tampa before the Rays showed up ten years ago. 

And she likes that Jeff Francoeur guy …

… Southern girls like me are a little partial to Braves outfielder (and one of my favorites) Jeff Francoeur.