Sunday, May 31, 2015

Chase Headley's slow rolling bunt drives A's infield crazy (VIDEO)

Who says baseballs don’t have a sense of humor — or a little mean streak?

And Chase Headley's bunt during the Yankees' 5-3 win over the A's at to O.co Coliseum Saturday night was proof of that.



Headley laid down a bunt with two outs in the top of the seventh inning before the ball decided to ride the third-base line almost all the way to the bag. The indecisive little guy went fair and then foul again a few times before it finally rested in fair territory and Headley was credited with a hit.



By my count, the ball rolled foul four separate times while all the baffled A's players could do was wait.




Headley was eventually stranded on first base when Alex Rodriguez struck out. But I think the ball had the last laugh.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

300-pound pitcher takes mound in NAIA World Series (VIDEO)

When the St. Thomas (Miami) Bobcats bring out their big guns, they really mean big.



Against Lewis-Clark State in the NAIA World Series Friday night, the Bobcats started Ben Ancheff — a 6-2, 300-pound righthander whose appearance in a well-stuffed uniform became an Internet sensation and started a conversation about what defines an athlete's body.


One Twitter user said, "Whoever says "Pitchers aren't athletes" obviously haven't seen St. Thomas' Ben Ancheff in NAIA WS."

Another tweet said, "This guy is pitching right now...why aren't you watching? #fatguyTD."
Don't let Ancheff's hefty size fool you. The Round Mound on the Mound  was impressive after allowing only one run over four innings while striking out five before leaving with arm soreness. Lewis-Clark ended up rallying to win the NAIA World Series 10-7.

Chris Farley would have been proud of the big fella.


Prince Shembo waived by Falcons for kicking, killing girfriend's dog: Report

The Atlanta Falcons have waived linebacker Prince Shembo after he was charged with aggravated animal cruelty Friday afternoon.

Police in suburban Gwinnett County say Shembo was charged after his ex-girlfriend's dog died from blunt force trauma last month. 



Within two hours of the felony charge, the Falcons cut ties with Shembo. He was released from custody shortly after posting $15,000 bond, jail records showed.

Denicia Williams called police April 19 to report that her former boyfriend had killed her Yorkie named Dior. Williams told them she had taken Dior to Shembo’s home at a Mall of Georgia apartment complex four days earlier, according to police.



At some point during her stay, Williams left Shembo and her dog unattended. When she returned, Dior was unresponsive, she told police.

Williams took the dog to Duluth Animal Hospital, where Dior died shortly after her arrival.

The following day, Shembo allegedly made comments to Williams about killing the dog, and she broke up with him, according to police.

A necropsy was conducted at Gwinnett County Animal Shelter, and tissue samples were sent to the University of Georgia for further testing, according to police. Dior had significant internal injuries and the cause of death was blunt force trauma, veterinarians determined.

The dog had a fractured rib, fractured liver, abdominal hemorrhage, thoracic hemorrhage, extensive bruising and hemorrhage in the muscles in her front leg and shoulders, head trauma, hemorrhage and edema in lungs, hemorrhage between the esophagus and trachea, and hemorrhage in the left eye with internal injuries, police said. Investigators believe Shembo kicked the dog.

The Falcons responded to the allegations right away, releasing an emailed statement late Friday afternoon.

“We are aware of the charges that have been filed against Prince Shembo,” the team said. “We are extremely disappointed that one of our players is involved in something like this. Accordingly, we have decided to waive Prince Shembo.”

The 23-year-old Shembo, who played at Notre Dame, was a fourth-round pick for the Falcons in 2014. He had 59 tackles in 16 games last season.

Rangers fan boasts about paying $4500 in 'hundreds only' for Game 7 ticket (VIDEO)

Every New Yorker knew how hard it would be to get a ticket to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals between the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden, but one fan didn't let a little thing like money come between him and his beloved Blueshirts.



When Sportsnet reporter Scott Oake waded into the valued seats along the glass he ran across Will Rouse — a fan who proudly showed off his bling and sort of rapped about how much he paid for a seat at Friday night's game.

"Oh man, I paid Forty…. Five… Hundred… Dollars," the Sheldon Cooper lookalike said.

When Oake told him he could make even more if he decided to re-sell the tickets on the secondary market, Rouse got boastful.

“Yeah I know, that woulda been cool,” he said. “I gotta see the Rangers win. I could've blown all that money on water. I don't really drink alcohol. It's cool.”

“Tell me again how much you paid for these tickets,” Oake asks again.

“Forty-five hundred dollars. Hundreds only,” said the fan. “Benjamin Franklin is killin' the game!”

The big question: How much water does this guy drink?



Rouse may be drinking alcohol today. The Rangers lost 2-0.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Nelson Cruz's home run lands in Tampa Bay's "Touch Tank' (VIDEO)

In the top of the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, Nelson Cruz launched a three-run home run into Tropicana Field's 10,000-gallon "Touch Tank," the home to a group of minding-their own-business, cownose rays.


While the Seattle Mariners slugger's 18th homer might have interrupted the rays' peaceful moment away from all of the groping fans, it also gave the his team a 3-0 victory.


It's rare that a ball makes its way into the tank, so the floater also gave the Trop's staff something to do with their nets.  




Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Colin Kaepernick apologizes for Instagram joke about Houston flood

The plains my be flooding in Texas but it looks like Colin Kaepernick also found himself knee-deep in mud Tuesday while standing on the sidelines of the disaster.

The 49ers quarterback posted a photo to Instagram of cars caught in flood waters in Houston above the #7tormsComing hashtag that has become his trademark.

"I warned you the #7tormsComing !!! #Houston," the caption read.



After more than a foot of rain pounded the Houston area, several Twitter users commented the image was in poor taste before Kaepernick deleted it, although a tweet linking to it remained up.

The flooding has killed at least 14, with more declared missing.

Kaepernick apologized after the backlash and apologized on his Twitter account: "No disrespect intended! Prayers up!"


Another tweet followed that read, "Just livin! #WhoDoYouLove #IDontGetTired," and linked to a shirtless Instagram photo. It is not clear whether the tweet was related to the earlier one about flooding.



A few hours later, Kaepernick tweeted out another apology.

"I'm so sorry about my insensitive post earlier today," read the tweet. "I didn't fully understand how many people are struggling in Houston right now and I feel horrible. My prayers are with everyone there."


Looks like someone learned a hard lesson about the boundaries of social media.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Fan snags free-flying bat in stands without spilling beer (VIDEO)

A minor league baseball fan came up with a big catch in the stands over the weekend. The dude, wearing a Harvard sweatshirt, snatched a flying bat mid-air with one hand while holding a beer with the other.



It happened while the St. Paul Saints took on the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in an American Association of Independent Baseball league game, when a RedHawk batter whiffed mightily, sending his bat hurtling into the crowd.

As the free-flying piece of lumber twirled about 120 feet towards a woman in the stands, the ambidextrous Harvard Man reached across his body and calmly plucked the bat out of the air — without spilling a drop of his cold one.

While fans around the couple got on their feet to applaud, the man looked at the beer he was still holding, sort of amazed by his feat.

Turns out the woman was his wife who gave him a big kiss as a reward.


Jody Manisto-Cassell later posted to the Saints's Facebook page about her husband Alan's catch.

"I felt like it was coming at us in slow motion but it certainly wasn't," Manisto-Cassell wrote. "He just put his hand up and snatched it right out of thin air like he had Velcro on his hand. Insane."

A hero to husbands and beer drinkers everywhere.



Saturday, May 23, 2015

Rays minor-league team cancels ‘A-Rod Juice Box Night’


The Port Charlotte Stone Crabs, Tampa Bay's Class A affiliate, had intended to give the first 500 fans a free juice box as a subtle jab at Alex Rodriguez before Friday night’s game. But, after the Yankees complained about the “A-Rod Juice Box Night” promotion, saying they found it "in poor taste," the Florida team cancelled the free giveaway.



In a photo illustration on the team's Twitter and Facebook pages, a woman is drinking from a juice box with this label (containing the wrong spelling of effects):

The Sports Drink
100 % Juiced
Side Affects include: tainted records, inflated ego, omission from the Hall of Fame, and more!

The Yankees contacted the MLB commissioner's office and the Florida State League after consulting with the Rays, who notified them of the promotion, according to TampaBay.com — even after the controversy of his return to baseball from a year-long suspension seems to be wearing off.

The team web site said the first 500 fans would get a free juice box (which they can drink or donate to the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition) and any fans bringing A-Rod T-shirts, hats or other merchandise to be donated to the Salvation Army can get a free ticket.

The Stone Crabs later apologized:

"On behalf of our entire organization I apologize to the New York Yankees, our affiliate club the Tampa Bay Rays, and all fans who may have taken offense," said Stone Crabs General Manager, Jared Forma.  "While our intent was to raise awareness for the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition and the Salvation Army, we realize this promotion may have been offensive to many and for that we are sorry and have decided to cancel the promotion.  The Stone Crabs organization has the utmost respect for the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays organizations and wishes both organizations only the best in the future."


The Charlotte Sports Park had a mixed bag of other promotions set up for the 6:30 p.m. game as well. The team was also offering a free beer special ($15, all you can drink from when gates open at 5 until end of the first inning) and it's All-Star Kids Club Night!

Rodriguez, who would be in New York while the Yankees played the Texas Rangers had no comment.

The Stone Crabs team is owned by Ripken Baseball, and operated independently of the Rays front office.

Monday, May 18, 2015

Mets fan caught on camera groping woman's breast during game (VIDEO)

A New York Mets fan was caught on a broadcast camera as he repeatedly groped a woman during a game at Citi Field on Sunday.


The man, whose identity is not known at this time, could be seen sitting on the third base line during the seventh inning of the game grabbing at the breast of the woman next to him.

The woman seemed annoyed by his actions as the PIX11 network camera caught her angrily pushing away the man's hand.  




The two appeared to be attending the game against the Milwaukee Brewers together, but it is still clear from the video that the woman was not happy with the physical contact. 

"Guy just grabbed the girls boob with the striped shirt in background of Mets game. Anyone get that? I can't rewind with Optimum," wrote WFANtrades on Twitter, the first to notice the incident.


The Mets organization has yet to respond or comment on the video.

Police searching for man who stole glove off Islanders bench during last game at Nassau Coliseum

Long Island police are searching for a man they say stole a glove from the Islanders bench during Game 6 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The matchup against the Washington Capitals turned out to be the team's final game at Nassau Coliseum.

A photo has been released of the suspect, who is seen holding a beer bottle with a CCM glove in Islander blue and orange. He is described as a white male with a beard that was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, blue shirt and blue hat, according to Newsday.


The Nassau County Police Department is asking anyone with information regarding the incident to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.

Other Islanders fans also took pieces of the Coliseum home with them as the season came to an end. There were several reports of stolen chairs after Game 3 of the same series against the Capitals on April 19.

The Isles move from the 40-year-old arena to Barclays Center at the start of next season.