Kevin Kiermaier and Daniel Nava take chest bump to extreme on fly ball in outfield (VIDEO)

Daniel Nava seemed really excited when Rays teammate Kevin Kiermaier caught this fly ball during Wednesday night's game against the Twins. So stoked you might say, that Nava gave his fellow outfielder a premature chest bump congratulation even before Kiermaier hauled in the ball.

Both players came up laughing after the accidental collision and then resorted to a more traditional high-five to celebrate the inning-ending catch.

Yankees' Bryan Mitchell has nose broken by line-drive to face (VIDEO)

There was a scary scene at Yankee Stadium after New York Yankees pitcher Bryan Mitchell was struck in the face by a line drive off the bat of the Minnesota Twins' Eduardo Nunez.

Mitchell, the rookie who was a rotation replacement for CC Sabathia, has been diagnosed with a "small nasal fracture," after taking the liner off his face in the second inning of Monday’s game. 

After a few tense moments, Mitchell was able to walk of the mound with the help of a trainer.

Bryan Hoch of MLB.com described the bloody scene:

Yankees RHP Bryan Mitchell struck in the face with a line drive. Bloody scene here at the Stadium. He has left the game.

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) August 17, 2015

"You're sick, sick to your stomach, praying for the best," Yankees catcher Brian McCann said after the dramatic 8-7 10th-inning win.. "You're just hoping for the best outcome. When I went out there, I was like, 'Are you all right?' And he said, 'I'm all right, I just need to get off the field.' So it was good that he was responsive."

Mitchell was taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital for further evaluation right after the injury. He will be placed on the DL, but thankful things didn't turn out worse.

Kevin Pillar goes airborne to rob Miguel Sano of extra-base hit (VIDEO)

The Blue Jays made some pretty impressive front office moves leading up to the trade deadline last week but none of them might be as spectacular as this single Kevin Pillar play in the outfield.

The Toronto centerfielder went airborne to make this tremendous diving catch to rob Miguel Sano of extra bases during Thursday night's game against the Twins.



The high-flying Blue Jays won again last night and have gone 8-2 and scored 59 runs during their just completed homestand.

Next stop, Yankee Stadium against the division-leading Bombers

A-Rod hits 3 HRs, including one into third deck at Target Field (VIDEO)

Alex Rodriguez might have been left off the All-Star team this summer and, love him or hate him, when it comes to Comeback Player of the Year, it looks like the Yankees DH already has the trophy in hand.

A-Rod not only blasted three home runs to help the Yankees to an 8-5 win over the Twins Saturday night, he jacked one that traveled 452 feet into the third deck at Target Field.

And, believe it or not, it is only A-Rod's third longest home run of the season. He hit homers that traveled 471 feet and 460 feet earlier this season, both back in April.



Minnesota led 5-0 when A-Rod hit his first home run. But, in the seventh inning, he hit another homer off Tommy Milone, this one a two-run blast, that brought the Yankees to within one.

Then, with the Yankees dangling by that run in the ninth, Rodriguez hit his third dinger of the night to tie the game.

The three-homer game is the fifth of A-Rod's career and third with the Yankees. 

Get out the pee cup.

Torii Hunter flips out, tears off jersey in epic tirade (VIDEO)

If Torii Hunter seemed just a tad pissed off after the home plate umpire made a questionable strike three call Wednesday night at Target Field well .... yes he was.

Unhappy with Mark Ripperger's eighth inning call, the Twins outfielder got so mad he started peeling off his uniform. And like an angry pole dancer on a slow matinee, Hunter started his striptease by yanking off his shin guard, then his batting gloves before tearing off his jersey and flinging it at the plate.

Not sexy, but very theatrical.

It was the ninth career ejection for Hunter.

"I thought it was a ball. The pitch before that I thought it was a little up and he called it a strike," Hunter said. "That's fine, but I thought the last pitch he called a strike was revenge because I said something the pitch before."

Twins manager Paul Molitor went out to try to restrain Hunter before he was ejected too.

"I just told [Ripperger] that he had a bad night, or what I thought wasn't a very good night and he told me he had a really good night," Molitor said.

And after Hunter hit the showers, it all came down to the bat boy picking up the dirty laundry.

Chuck Knoblauch goes on bizarre 'tribute to drunk drivers' Twitter rant: Report

Former MLB second baseman Chuck Knoblauch took to Twitter early Thursday and unleashed a bizarre rant that seemed to come out of left field — maybe even from out of the park.

The 46-year-old Knoblauch, a four-time All-Star in Minnesota before joining the New York Yankees, seemed just a little out of touch with reality when he implied people who drive drunk and commit domestic violence should be praised, reported the N.Y. Daily News.

“You know what. Let's pay tribute to all the drunk drivers in the world. All the domestic violent offenders, yes me. Is the nation sad?” Knoblauch, who earned three World Series rings with the Yankees from 1998-2001, tweeted.

“We are all sad stories,” Knoblauch, who now lives in Houston, tweeted just after midnight local time. “I'm guilty that's it. I will never be guilty Of drunk driving. It's sad like everything else. But f---king stand”

“UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. DONE. CRY NOMORE TEARS. I STAND UP. ITS MY FAULT.”

You know what. Let's pay tribute to all the drunk drivers in the world. All the domestic violent offenders, yes me. Is the nation sad?
— Chuck Knoblauch (@chuckknoblauch) November 13, 2014

And the social media response against Knobby's out-there remarks wasn't a surprise.

Chuck Knob's needs to hug a kitten and logg off Twitter right now.
— Vincent Frank (@VincentFrankNFL) November 13, 2014

It’s unclear what the troubled Knoblauch was referring to, but one likely cause is a recent domestic violence charge against him.

He was arrested July 23 for misdemeanor assault after court records allege he smashed his wife Cheri’s head into a wall,  reported Click 2 Houston. Police said Knoblauch appeared to be intoxicated while they also observed a bump on his wife’s forehead, scratch to her face and a large bruise on her arm.

Knoblauch’s name was also in the news Wednesday after a videotaped deposition from 2009 featuring former Yankees teammate Roger Clemens was released. Clemens faces a defamation suit tied to steroid allegations levied by trainer Brian McNamee.

McNamee said he provided banned drugs to Andy Pettitte, Knoblauch and Clemens. Knoblauch, whose name was included in the now-infamous Mitchell Report, has admitted using human growth hormone.

What set Knoblauch off on his late night Twitter binge is anyone’s guess. But it can't be good for his case. Just sayin'.

Lorenzo Cain's amazing catch elicits tip of cap from batter Oswaldo Arcia (VIDEO)

A tip of the cap is one of the highest accolades a player can give or receive on the baseball field. But when it comes from an opponent you just robbed of an extra base hit, it's really special.

In the top of the seventh inning of Thursday's Twins-Royals game, Oswaldo Arcia hit a deep drive to centerfield that would surely have resulted in extra bases. Only problem was that Lorenzo Cain was prowling the Kauffman Stadium turf and made a spectacular wall-crashing catch. So instead of standing on second or third base, Arcia could only tip his helmet out of respect as he walked back to the dugout.

You might want to call the whole sequence of events cap-tivating.

Astros fan has fallen trying to catch a foul ball and can't get up (VIDEO)

Carlos Corporan sent a foul popup into the left-field stands of Minute Maid Park during Wednesday's Twins-Astros game. It looked like it might be an easy catch for a fan sitting just off the third-base line. He got set, had both hands ready and waited for his big moment.

Then those pesky seats got in the way.

The worst part? Some dude in a retro Astros jersey snags the souvenir ball while the old guy with the neon shoes lies twisted in the stands.

It's a fan-eats-fan world out there.

Brian Dozier 'back hair jersey' is a sight to not behold (PHOTO)

A fan's devotion to his favorite player sometimes knows no boundaries. And this Brian Dozier fan took his feelings for the Minnesota Twins second baseman on the road to Coors Field along with a couple of razor blades — and probably an even more dedicated barber.

Welcome to Coors Field! RT @nickgroke: OMG stop it right now! RT @dpcRocktober: Ultimate Dozier fan @nickgroke pic.twitter.com/wpDqI10Gpz
— Jonah Keri (@jonahkeri) July 12, 2014

The guy's back hair jersey probably saved him from being mistaken for a grizzly cub.

Too bad the hirsute fan's fashion statement didn't help Dozier on the base paths. He was thrown out at third base with an incredible toss by Nolan Arenado.



I guess you could say he was out by a hair.

Brewers pitcher warmed up next to injured fan who fell into bullpen (VIDEO)

While paramedics treated an injured fan who plummeted 15-feet into the bullpen, a Milwaukee Brewers pitcher grabbed a baseball and began warming up just feet from the guy. 

The unidentified man, who fell into the Brewers bullpen during a game against the Twins at Miller Park Tuesday night, was conscious and alert when he was transported to a hospital on a stretcher, but not before some players didn't let the strewn body get in their way.

As the guy lay on the ground, Brewers reliever Brandon Kintzler was told to begin warming up to pitch.

The game was delayed before the start of the eighth while stadium security and emergency medical officials rushed to the bullpen during the seventh inning to tend to the fan who fell from a a restaurant railing. 

He was transported to Froedtert Hospital. The Brewers said privacy laws would preclude them from providing further information about the man's condition.

"We were sitting there and Marcus [Hanel, bullpen catcher] yelled, 'Oh, my gosh!' and you heard the net come flying down, said Kintzler.  "I think the net caught him, and then he just face-planted. He didn't move for a few minutes."

Security was on the scene immediately and called for medical help. While EMTs tended to the man, Kintzler and other Brewers pitchers saw the man's fingers move for the first time.

"I'm sure it was tough for Kintzler to get ready to come into the game, obviously, when something happens like that," fellow Brewers reliever Rob Wooten said. "You just hope the guy's OK. It's hard to get back to focusing on the game when a guy could be or is seriously injured. It's hard to keep your mind focused on the game."

 

Twins' broadcast graphic makes everyone love Derek Jeter (PHOTO)

If you've watched any baseball this season, then you know every team the New York Yankees face is throwing loving tributes and clever parting gifts Derek's Jeter's way.

He's had a Hall of Fame career, and been a great ambassador for the game. However, let's just say that someone in charge of writing the "scouting reports" for the Twins' broadcast of their game against the Yankees on Friday night (a 6-1 win for the Twins) needs to take less sips of the Jeter Kool-Aid.

But despite the scouts' glowing analysis, they still forgot to include: Gives free swag bags to one-night conquests.

Luis Sardinas flips his bat and walks to first ... while the count is still 3-2 (VIDEO)

During Wednesday night's game against the Twins, Rangers rookie Luis Sardinas flipped his bat and proudly took his first Major League walk:

But there was a little problem — although Minnesota pitcher Kyle Gibson had in fact thrown a ball — Sardinas forgot the count and it was only 3-2:

On the next pitch, Sardinas flew out to left field, forcing him to take an even longer walk back to the dugout where the rest of the Rangers had a good laugh before showing the 21-year-old a little love.

Twins announcers can't stop laughing at Burke Badenhop's stumble off the mound (VIDEO)

During Wednesday night's Red Sox - Twins game, Boston reliever Burke Badenhop made a pretty nifty grab of a bouncer to the mound only to follow it up with an off-balance throw past second base. 

On the same play, after comically turtling-up on the mound, Badenhop's attempt to stand up turned into an even funnier stumble to the plate.

No one seemed more entertained at the trip and fall than Twins broadcaster Dick Bremer . "I'm sorry," he said, "I shouldn't laugh," right before chuckling all the way through the second replay.

Triplets' sign one-ups Twins at Progressive Field (VIDEO)

This family of Indians fans held up a sign at Wednesday's game against the Twins that read "Our triplets are still better than your Twins."

Not only did this trio beat the Twins in the numbers department, the Indians took one, 4-3,  on the field as well.

Creative and prophetic.

Fans dive over Target Field seats in search of foul ball (VIDEO)

Watch these Target Field fans' bumbling attempt at grabbing a lost foul ball.

One guy dives over a row of seats to attempt to catch a foul ball with a little shove from his buddy.

Finally. Victory is mine!

Metrodome deflated for the last time (VIDEO)

It took only about 35 minutes to begin letting the air out of three decades of great memories (thanks mostly to the Twins) in Minneapolis and close a chapter in the history of Minnesota sports.

With the Vikings set to being construction on a new stadium, the Teflon-coated fiberglass roof of the Metrodome was deflated for the fifth and final time early on Saturday morning.

Here's a time-lapse video of the old arena taking its final breath.

The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority opened the stadium's relief vents and turned off the power to the fans that kept the iconic roof inflated at 7:15 a.m. Saturday, according to the CBS Minnesota.

Farewell.

Inside the Metrodome, home of the @Vikings, as it is deflated! MUST-SEE: http://t.co/zHOLJOWYDh #FinalDeflation
— NFL (@nfl) January 18, 2014

MLB's bat invasion continued at Target Field on Friday (VIDEO)

For the third time in 10 days, a bat has been spotted at a MLB stadium during a game — and not the Louisville Slugger variety. First, one of the flying mammals swooped down in Pittsburgh, another was carried off the field in Atlanta and one got up close and personal with Twins infielder Doug Bernier at Target Field in Minneapolis Friday night.

This little guy flitted around the infield for a while before heading back to its cave. No harm done during his short visit.

Why the sudden invasion of flying bug-eaters? Who knows — but let's remember they devour the even more pesky mosquito.

 Pretty soon Major League team's batboys (and girls) will need a degree in chiropterology.

Fans fall one man short of spelling out 'T-W-I-N-S' but find creative solution

What happens when you and buds fall one guy short of spelling out your favorite team on your chest?  You improvise — of course.

When these four Minnesota fans fell one letter short of painting T-W-I-N-S on their bellies, they created a cardboard cutout of a fake friend sporting the missing W. They even outfitted the replacement in orange plaid shorts with his yellow underwear sticking out.

The new member of the posse is easy to spot —he's the one with the flat abs

Chris Parmelee makes dangerous diving catch over railing at Target Field

Chris Parmelee's diving catch over the right side wall Thursday might have been one of the few highlights for the Minnesota Twins over the Fourth of July holiday series against the New York Yankees this week — but it was a good one.

After a few precarious moments, the first baseman shook off the crash landing into the first row and returned to the game with the ball firmly in his glove.

But, as predictable as fireworks on The Fourth, so are Yankees' victories at Target Field. The New Yorkers are 10-3 at the stadium since it opened in 2010.

Parmelee's daring dive into the stands was a sparkler but the Yanks lit up the scoreboard for nine runs and a four-game sweep.

Twins present Mariano Rivera with unique chair made of broken bats as farewell gift

You might say calling this gift from the Minnesota Twins to Mariano Rivera a Chair of Broken Dreams is based on past experiences against the pitcher.

Before Tuesday game at Target Field, the Twins gave the legendary New York Yankees closer a custom-made rocking-chair composed entirely of broken bats — a clever homage to Rivera’s famous cutter pitch, which has broken more than its fair share of lumber.

Rivera seemed delighted by the practical gift, as he should, even though Mo still looks far more ready to roll from the mound than to rock on the porch.

Several clubs have reached out to Rivera in this, his final season, and Rivera has been more than happy to participate in these little events, most famously delivering pizza to an Oakland A’s employee earlier this spring.

This has to be the most creative idea so far.

#MNTwins honoring the career of retiring closer Mariano Rivera by presenting him with a “Chair of Broken Dreams.” pic.twitter.com/XqQG7iIpxi
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 2, 2013