Home Run Derby

If you’ve read this site for a while, you’ll know that one of our all-time favorite ballplayers is Rich Garces … aka, The Handsome One.

EL GUAPO

The porcine right-handed reliever who became a legend while pitching for the Boston Red Sox before he was unceremoniously DFA’d to baseball obscurity.

So earlier this year, we were thrilled to hear that the rotund one was attempting to return to the big leagues.

After a successful stint with the Aguilas del Zulia in the Venezuelan Professional Winter League, he signed with the Nashua Pride of the Canadian-American League - which might be the lowest rung in baseball Hell …

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Usually when you see a video of a Major league grounds crew, it’s because they’re out on the field to put down or take off the tarp.  Or in the case of Wrigley Field, they’re out there to collect garbage thrown down from the bleacherites.

Well, it looks like a few of these unheralded landscapers have been taking dance lessons for their regularly scheduled fifth inning cleanup appearances …

Let’s go to a Mariners game, where the Safeco Field grounds crew is paying some guys not to tamp down the infield dirt.

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Recapping the last matchups, the Swinging Friar barely worked up a sweat in dispatching Captain Jolly Roger (with 72% of the vote) thanks to a well-coordinated effort by the Padres fanatics at Gas Lamp Ball. 

Pirates fans didn’t have a chance to save their Pirate.  I’m told by some Padres fans that the Friar will be in the finals. 

Meanwhile, TC Bear laid early claim in the Mammal Division with a solid whomping of Junction Jack with 88% of the vote. 

However, there was a lot less voting in that battle of woodland creatures (only 33 votes) -  which could bode poorly for TC in the second round.

Moving on, we have our first international competition in the Mascot Brackets, as we head to the Feather Division …

#4 Ace (Blue Jays) vs. #5 FredBird (Cardinals)

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We don’t do a lot of posting about the Yankees or their fans here at Home Run Derby, but it’s high time that changed around here. Especially after the “New York Mets Fan Commercial Videos” post the other day.

I’ve yet to go to Yankee Stadium, but I’m told it’s filled with loud, potty-mouthed, beer-swilling fans who think they know a thing or two about baseball.  Sounds like my kind of place.  Cue the comments from rfm2 and his Yankee compatriots.  Here’s one now. 

Let’s go to Yankee Stadium and see the effect of beer on the Yankee Faithful.  Invariably, You find the best fans in the cheapest seats. The drunkest, too … So let’s head to the Upper Deck of Yankee Stadium … and while we’re there, Let’s Sing!

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The City of San Diego is getting ready to honor the biggest hitter and the best player in the history of the San Diego Padres.

Tony Gwynn will be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame this Sunday in Cooperstown, New York.

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3,141 Hits in 9,288 At-Bats in 2,440 Games. That’s a lifetime .338 Average, Folks. 15 All-Star Appearances, 8 NL Batting Titles, 7 Silver Slugger Awards, 5 NL Gold Gloves, and just a class act all around.

A First-Ballot Hall-of Famer.

And he just got put on the Wheaties box.

So how is San Diego going to recognize this great honor?

They’re going to remind everyone that he was a big fatty by putting one of his jerseys up on the side of a building.

Come on … Gwynn was portly, but he was never that big. Thumbs down to San Diego.

Hat Tip: Gas Lamp Ball

Seeing as the Swinging Friar is taking Captain Jolly Roger to the Rectory (Friar leads 84% to 16%), it’s time for another Mascot Matchup.

This time we’ll head to the Mammal Division for a sluggers’ matchup between the two most prolific Home Run hitting mascots in all of MLB.

#3 TC Bear (Twins) vs. #6 Junction Jack (Astros)

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So back on June 3, the New York Mets announced the “15 Seconds of Met Fame” Contest in which fans could submit a 15-second video which would be used as 15-second Mets television spot using the slogan …

“The 2007 Mets. Your Season Has Come.”

The contest comes to its culmination tomorrow (July 24th), when the winning videos will debut on SNY when the Mets host the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Winners get tickets to a Mets Home Game and get introduced on the field. 

Naturally, some of these videos showed up on YouTube before the Mets will get a chance to show them. 

And here they are … with commentary.

Kids always win these things

This has a real shot of winning.  Because baseball executives think baseball fans love kids who love baseball. 

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First, let’s recap the last matchup … The Phillie Phanatic absolutely CRUSHED Wally the Green Monster by a 3 to 1 margin.

So much for Red Sox Nation. First order of business for the new “President” of Red Sox Nation - have a better showing for your mascots. Or don’t you like Wally either?

With the Number One Seed (The Phanatic) holding court in the Furrie Bracket, let’s move on to the Primate Bracket for our first man to man matchup (mostly).

#2 The Swinging Friar (San Diego) vs. #7 Captain Jolly Roger (Pittsburgh)

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Let’s take a look back at the Week in MLB.  Major League Blogging, that is …

Epic Carnival told us that some people were less interested in the action at the All-Star Game than the action outside the All-Star Game.

The Traditional Media continue to post ideas they read in Blogs and not give credit.  This time it’s the Boston Herald ripping off HRD favorite Red Sox Monster.

Bugs and Cranks continued their Baseball hair series - with some great Baseball Afros.

The Feed wrote about Baseball’s unwritten rules.  But if you write about them, are they unwritten anymore?

Some guy at Epic Carnival speculated that Barry Bonds was avoiding playing on ESPN.  Before anyone else did.

Deadspin wondered which Ballplayer will be the next to show Alyssa Milano his “O” Face.  “Oh-Oh-OH. You know what I’m talking about.”