Home Run Derby

Suffice it say, South Atlantic League rivals Kannapolis Intimidators and the Greensboro Grasshoppers do not like one another.

Calling these two teams bitter rivals doesn’t even come close.

On Tuesday, one of the Kannapolis Intimidators (White Sox Low Class-A Affiliate) got hit in the face by a pitch thrown by a Greensboro Grasshoppers (Marlins) pitcher. Benches cleared.

All was not forgiven on Thursday night, as you’ll see.

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Last night, the Milwaukee Brewers lost their 18th conscutive game in which Chris Capuano pitched for them.

Capuano gave up back-to-back Home Runs to the Cubs’ Matt Murton and Alfonso Soriano at Wrigley Field Thursday night. The 2nd Home Run was the game-winner and put the Brewers 2.5 games back of the Cubs in the NL Central race.

That’s Capuano throwing his gum in frustration. Best throw you made all night, Cap.

In “honor” of this dubious stat, I decided to head over to Wordsmith.org and use their Anagram-Maker to see if there were any fitting anagrams which appropriately described Chris Capuano.

There were a few good ones …

• Scar Pain Ouch (The Brewers have 18 now)
• Ah Pain Occurs (For the fans - every time he pitches)
• Ah Crap, Cousin (Said every time he’s warming up in the pen)
• Coach Rip Anus (What Ned Yost should do to Capuano)
• A Coach I Spurn (What Capuano does every time)

But this is my favorite

• A Crap Cushion

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Capuano photo: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Benny Sieu)

Last week, the Baltimore Orioles gave up 30 runs in a ballgame to the Texas Rangers.  The visiting Rangers got 29 hits in the contest. 

That’s a lot.  But it’s not the most I remember.

That spurred my memory banks to a game 15 years ago when the Brewers went North of the Border and put a 22-2 ass-whupping on the Blue Jays.

The Brewers cranked out 31 Hits that night.  The most hits in a game since 1932.  Here’s some of them now …

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We head into the last month of the Home Run Derby season and the standings show something that we haven’t seen in 16+ weeks.  1st Half Champ Triple Crown is in third place. 

Okay - it’s a second place tie, but the AB/HR tiebreaker kicks him below The Great Hambino.  Master-Batters continue their quest for the Full Season championship.  Empire of Dirt leads the second half contest.

Oh heck yeah.

Curtis Granderson is now my favorite Detroit Tiger. And considering I’ve never been a big fan of the Tigers, he has become my favorite Tiger ever.

Why?

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One of the things that makes baseball great is the interaction the sport can have with the fans. From hecklers to mascots to drunken fans.

Speaking of drunken fans … let’s go back to Seattle. And the advent of “Rally Fries.”

Earlier this year, Mariners TV broadcaster Mike Blowers gave a fan a hard time after he dropped his fries while going for a foul ball. The end result: Blowers sent the kid a new batch of fries.

Lo and behold, Mariners fans started showing up with signs and costumes asking Blowers for fries. Since it’s not his money, Blowers delivered to the most creative fans … and the Mariners would often score after they were delivered.

They weren’t just Fries - they were Rally Fries! I bet the Rally Monkey would eat them.

So in honor of Mike Blowers and the Mariners’ Rally Fries, Home Run Derby presents these three portly gentlemen’s successful attempt to get themselves some free deep-fried potato sticks …

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Crazy Crab clawed Dinger into extinction, so it’s time for another First Round matchup. 

We head to the Primate Division, where Baseball’s resident zymurgist takes on some guys who are probably in your wallet.  Your vote will decide who moves on to face the Swinging Friar.

#3 Bernie Brewer (Milwaukee) vs #6 The Racing Presidents (Washington)

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Ever wondered how David Wells and those other fat ballplayers (who look like they ought to be driving an eighteen wheeler cross-country) keep playing baseball?

Yeah, me too. 

From the guy who put together the Darren Dreifort Wealth-Building System … Here’s how you can be a big fat successful ballplayer like David Wells.

Now that I’ve got your attention …

Richie Sexson hasn’t been having a great season. 

He’s currently batting a pitiful .210 while slugging .409 with only 21 Home Runs.  

I was perusing the Rotoworld forums last night (for some reason which I can’t even begin to ponder) and came across this gem …

There is a bar in Seattle called “Norm’s Eatery and Ale House” that has a promotion called “Cheap Sex Mondays.”

On Mondays, they sell bottles of beer for Richie Sexson’s batting average.

I think I have to go to Norm’s in the Fremont Neighborhood in Seattle before the season’s over.   I’m Buying.

Here’s Sexson’s cumulative batting averages as of every Monday morning during the season.  And how much it costs for a beer that night at Norm’s.

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