John Jaso and Stephen Vogt have dugout battle for playing time (VIDEO)

After A's catcher Derek Norris was hit on the glove hand by Yangervis Solarte's back swing Sunday, it looked like he may not be able to stay in the game and would have to be replaced.

So John Jaso and Stephen Vogt did what any concerned teammates would do — have a friendly battle to see who could get their gear on first. 

Squatting behind the plate must be a lot more fun than sitting on the bench, so the two players hastily strapped on their pads and nudged each other out of the way so someone could get in a little ninth-inning game time.

Their eager Put Me in Coach attitude had the rest of their teammates cracking up in the dugout.

And the call went to Jaso — who got his mask on first.

If your team doesn't have sausage races, I guess this will do.

Ichiro's outstanding catch robs Jaso of lead-off home run (VIDEO)

Ichiro Suzuki has finally started to pick it up at the plate this season but it always seems like the rifle-armed Yankee outfielder's skills never diminish in the field.  Just ask Oakland's John Jaso after the nimble Ichiro cleanly snatches this ball over the right-field wall at Yankee Stadium and robs the A's catcher of a sure-fire lead-off home run.

Nobody was happier to see the 39-year-old reach over the padded wall and save a run than Phil Hughes. It was only Hughes' third pitch of the game. The Yankees starter ended up holding the A's to four hits over eight innings and got his first win of the season. Yankees win, 4-2.

Ich-i-ro!

Hector Noesi throws pitch, gets 2 balls back

Seattle Mariners pitcher Hector Noesi must have thought he was seeing double during Sunday's game against the Minnesota Twins when— after having a pitch land in the dirt— his catcher and the umpire got their signals crossed and each threw a ball back at the surprised Noesi.

In the third inning, the former New York Yankees pitcher threw a strike to catcher John Jaso.  Jaso dropped the ball, picked it up and threw it back to the mound at the same time the umpire tossed one back to Noesi.

Noesi was able to catch Jaso's toss-back while dodging the umpire's lob.

A new rule in baseball says that any ball hit into the dirt must be replaced.  It looks like Jaso didn't get that memo.

Noesi laughed it off.  He gave up four hits in seven innings and the Mariners went on to win the game 5-2.