Joe Maddon brings in magician to help end Cubs’ slump

In the midst of a five-game losing streak, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon dipped into his bag of tricks to try and create some magic for his team.

And no, he didn't pull a rabbit or penguin out of his hat.

"Joe started talking about [baseball] magic and the next thing I know there was a magician there," second baseman Addison Russell said afterward.

Maddon said he thought of the idea "on the plane or bus" after the Cubs' weekend series in St. Louis, where they were swept. They were on a season-high five-game losing streak, having fallen 11½ games behind the Cardinals going into Tuesday's games.

"It was about time," Maddon said. "Tough series in St. Louis. I don't want our guys to get all distraught for the wrong reasons. We played a good game. They beat us. Let's keep moving it forward."

So Simon, a magician, performed several tricks for the team.

Video: Joe Maddon on hiring a magician for #Cubs, via @MDGonzales: http://t.co/GwPxf8QHhi pic.twitter.com/lj0Uu3nMBC

— ChicagoSports (@ChicagoSports) June 30, 2015

It seemed everyone's favorite involved a crushed, empty soda can.

"He then uncrushed it, sealed it, then popped the can and poured the now full can of liquid into a cup," pitcher Jon Lester said. "It was amazing."

Maddon's unusual tactic seemed to work. And, with the Mets acting as lovely assistants at Citi Field, the Cubs beat New York 1-0 on Tuesday. 

And the postgame music selection in the clubhouse after the win? It was magic-themed, of course, according to the Chicago Tribune's Mark Gonzales:

Post-game clubhouse music was "It's Magic' by Pilot. Maddon played 'Do you Believe in Magic' by John Sebastian as reporters walked in

— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) July 1, 2015

Now if only Simon could make that World Series jinx disappear.

Derek Jeter love-fest almost turns into all-out brawl (VIDEO)

The night started out nice enough with Derek Jeter adding a few more gifts from the Tampa Bay Rays to his Farewell Tour collection. Before the game, the organization gave him a $16,000 donation to his Turn2 foundation, a Don Zimmer jersey, and a pinstriped kayak.

Then in the eighth inning, Rays pitcher Steven Geltz chipped in with a fastball to Jeter's elbow.

Jeter took it in stride, but umpire Rob Drake decided to warn both sides — bringing both managers out to argue. That's when frustrated Joe Girardi went a little overboard and got tossed. 

Then, in the bottom half of the same inning, Yankees reliever David Phelps decided to give Jeter a little present of his own by throwing a brushback pitch at Kevin Kiermaier. That obligatory gift caused both benches to clear.

No punches were thrown, but words were exchanged before Phelps and Yankees bench coach Tony Peña Sr. were ejected.

After the game, Rays manager Joe Maddon didn't fault Girardi.

"Understand the Yankees frustration, but there was no intent. It's baseball," he tweeted.

Understand the Yankees frustration, but there was no intent. It’s baseball.
— Joe Maddon (@RaysJoeMaddon) September 17, 2014

No. It's Derek Jeter's last few weeks of playing baseball.

Rays players face 17-year-old female knuckleballer in BP (VIDEO)

The Tampa Bay Rays took batting practice against a female high school knuckleballer Monday night — and came away impressed.

Evan Longoria, Jose Molina and David Price all took cuts against 17-year-old Chelsea Baker from Durant High School in nearby Plant City. They did it before Monday night's game against Pittsburgh.

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon met Baker recently at an awards ceremony and invited her to Tropicana Field. The high school junior, who plays on her school's baseball team, became the youngest girl to ever throw an MLB batting practice.

Baker faked out the boys by mixing in a couple of fastballs, but it was the teenager's knuckleball that wowed everyone.

"Moves nicely," said Maddon.

Baker admitted that she was a little nervous at first, but had a "great time" while pitching from about 10 feet in front of the mound and behind a protective screen. She displayed good control, but did plunk Longoria in the back with a pitch.

Molina swung and missed a couple of times, and Price hit a hard line drive up the middle.

Baker says the late major league knuckleballer Joe Niekro taught her to throw the spasmodic pitch in Little League.

He taught her well.

Penguins invade Tampa Bay Rays clubhouse

Everybody already knows Joe Maddon runs the loosest clubhouse in the major leagues but now those same people will find out it's the coolest too.

How cool? On Wednesday, it was chill enough for a couple of penguins to waddle around the Tampa Bay Rays locker room  — and none of them was named Ron Cey.  The manager even let one of the flightless birds take the manager's chair for a while.

Today's VIP guests are...penguins! Maddon: "I wanted the players to chill out a little bit. ...get it?" twitter.com/RaysBaseball/s…
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 24, 2013

The birds are cute but just keep them away from Mike Trout when they are hungry.

Joe Maddon invites Pink to Rays camp for some BP

Joe Maddon may be the loosest manager in the majors, but he has parlayed his laid back rules into a tightness with his youthful Tampa Bay Rays players. Who even knew the 59-year-old Maddon had the singer Pink on his playlist?

Maddon tweeted his fellow transplanted Pennsylvanian regrets at not being able to make Pink's show while it makes a stop in Tampa but invited the singer to come by the Rays' camp and throw out the first pitch or at least take some batting practice while she was in town.

Now we know why Maddon has no dress or hair code for his players — so he can have a similar coif as Pink — or is that Justin Bieber?

Going to miss @pink at the Times Forum 2nite but would love to have her throw out 1st pitch at tomorrow's game vs Tigers or take BP.
— Joe Maddon (@RaysJoeMaddon) February 27, 2013

Yankees Taunt Rays' Mascot During Lightning Delay; Then Win

Last night, while the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays game was delayed due to a lightning strike which knocked out a bank of lights in Tropicana Field, the Yankees dugout had fun playing keep away with the Rays mascot, Raymond.

Right after a bolt of lightning zapped the domed stadium, with Robinson Cano holding a full-count at the plate, Yankees manager Joe Girardi told officials he wouldn't continue play until the field was fully illuminated.  That's when Raymond went to the Yankees side to play catch.

The Yankees own unofficial mascot, Bartolo Colon, led the heckling during the 18 minute delay before his team eventually went on to defeat the home team 5-4 after the Rays walked in the winning run.

Colon, the cuddly 260-pound pitcher, wouldn't play catch with Raymond during the fifth-inning delay until finally giving in to the fuzzy mascot.

Raymond, who has been punched out by a Baltimore Oriole player, tackled by a fan and out danced by a Cardinal mascot tossed the ball back to Yankees centerfielder Curtis Granderson, who also refused to give it back.  Raymond just left in a huff.  His team should have followed.

The Rays pounced on A.J. Burnett--pitching on eight days rest-- early and scored three runs in the first inning.  Burnett looked like his old inconsistent self.  The Rays held  a 4-2 lead until the Yankees tied it up in the eighth.

Rays starter Alex Cobb held the Yankees to three hits and two runs through six but the depleted Rays team was coming off a 16-inning loss to the Red Sox late last night and it seemed only a matter of time before the Yankees could shred through the taxed Tampa Bay bullpen.

In the top of the ninth Rays manager Joe Maddon went to his only remaining reliever, rookie Alex Torres--who was called up earlier in the day.  Torres immediately gave up a lead off single to Granderson who stole second.  Mark Teixeira struck out then a grounder by Robinson Cano moved Granderson to third.

Next, Maddon had Torres intentionally walk Nick Swisher before walking Andruw Jones to load the bases.  A 3-2 ball to Russell Martin walked in the go-ahead run.

Hector Noesi and Mariano Rivera pitched 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to keep Burnett from getting a loss.

Later Girardi commented about the power outage and his discussion with the umpires. " They asked me if we wanted to continue to play through it or not," said the skipper.  "I said, 'No, I don't.'  It was a big time in the game, and I want all the lights all on in that situation."

Torres wasn't exactly lights out in his first major league outing and it looks like he took the lightning express back to the minors.