Baseball

#1 Dodgers fan George Lopez might have some regrets today about how his fun-filled Opening Day ended ... due to this drunken run-in with fans, and their convo about President Trump and Jussie Smollett.

Ya gotta see this -- George signed autographs and took pics with a group of fans Thursday afternoon, celebrating the Dodgers' 12-5 victory. Good times all around! And then, our camera guy brought up George's favorite topic ... Trump.

We asked what he thought about POTUS using the Smollett case as a MAGA rally cry, but George --clearly not in the mood for a serious chat -- called in fans for backup, and one guy obliged.

This is where George's boozy fun seemed to cross the line into bad taste. One fan opened up about being the victim of a hate crime, but as he did ... George mockingly humped him, and dropped some offensive language too.

To be fair, the fan didn't appear to be offended ... but certainly could have been. We think George got lucky.

Watch the clip to the end ... 'cause you gotta see how George's pal, Arsenio Hall, popped on the scene to save the day.

Derek Jeter could go from baseball star ... to movie star ... because a VERY famous director says the "sh*tshow" Jeter's created with the Miami Marlins would make for a great Hollywood flick!!!

We got Billy Corben (the guy behind the 2006 hit "Cocaine Cowboys") in New York promoting his new documentary, "Screwball" -- which is all about Alex Rodriguez and the Biogenesis steroid scandal.

And, since his new flick is getting solid reviews on Rotten Tomatoes from top critics ... we asked Corben if there are any OTHER sports stories he'd consider turning into a movie.

"How about a story about Jeter and the Marlins," Corben said ... "Talk about a Miami sh*tshow!"

He's right ... the Marlins have been a DISASTER -- and even though Jeter's only been CEO for a year, things in Miami are lookin' grim.

In 2018, the Marlins placed dead last in MLB for attendance and most experts are predicting the team to be terrible on the field ... since they really have no stars.

Corben says the situation with the Marlins is the stuff great movies are made of -- so it could just be a matter of time before Jeter follows A-Rod to the big screen.

As for "Screwball," Corben says he thinks Alex will actually enjoy the flick because he thinks the guy has a sense of humor about the situation.

Oh, and if you're wondering why Corben used children to play the main characters in the story ... his explanation is pretty funny too.

Mets ace Jacob deGrom says he's got 137 MILLION reasons to thank Noah Syndergaard ... 'cause the star pitcher tells TMZ Sports his teammate helped him seal the deal on his new contract!!

Of course, deGrom had been fighting for a new deal for months after winning the Cy Young last year ... even reportedly threatening to put a cap on his innings this season if a contract didn't get done.

Enter Syndergaard ... who told Mets ownership "pay the man already" -- and when it worked to the tune of 5 years, $137.5 MILLION -- Jacob was super thankful.

"It was cool," deGrom says when we got him out in D.C. on Wednesday ... "We're out there fighting together and seeing him pulling for me, I appreciate it."

As for what deGrom did after inking that mammoth contract ... he tells us there were no steak dinners or fancy parties ...

"I had to get a physical and then I get to pitch tomorrow."

Major League Baseball has suspended San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer -- without pay -- until July 1, 2019 for stemming from a March 1 incident with his wife, TMZ Sports has learned.

He must also undergo counseling.

MLB commish Rob Manfred says the unpaid suspension will be backdated to March 4, 2019 -- the day Baer took a leave of absence from the team.

"During the period of his suspension, Baer shall have no involvement in the operations of the Giants," Manfred says.

"The Club shall be operated by an interim control person appointed by the ownership group in consultation with the Commissioner. Baer will be required to undergo an evaluation by an expert to determine an appropriate treatment and counseling plan."

Manfred says, "At my direction, the Department of Investigations conducted an investigation into the March 1, 2019 video-recorded incident involving Larry Baer. I also personally met with Mr. Baer."

"Based on my review of the results of the investigation, I have concluded that Mr. Baer’s conduct was unacceptable under MLB policies and warrants discipline."

"In determining the appropriate level of discipline, I find that Mr. Baer should be held to a higher standard because as a leader he is expected to be a role model for others in his organization and community."

"Based on my conversation with Mr. Baer, it is clear that he regrets what transpired and takes responsibility for his conduct."

TMZ Sports posted video showing Baer in a physical altercation with his wife in a public park -- ultimately knocking her to the ground in a struggle to pry a phone out of her hands. You can hear her screaming, "Oh my god. Help!"

Baer's wife has publicly supported Larry after the incident -- chalking the whole thing up to an ordinary marital spat.

Larry has also issued a statement on the suspension ... saying, "I respect and accept the Commissioner's decision, and I respect and accept the Commissioner's decision, and appreciate the fair and thorough process undertaken by MLB and the Giants."

"I made a serious mistake that I sincerely regret and I am truly sorry for my actions. My unacceptable behavior fell well short of what must be demanded of every person, particularly someone in my position and role in the community."

The Cleveland Indians have set the bar HIGH for the 2019 season -- like 13,000 feet high -- kicking things off with manager Terry Francona jumping outta an airplane!!!

The Indians skipper went skydiving for the first time last week ... and the dude had so much fun, he had to share it with other people on the team.

Tito took 12 members of his coaching staff and front office out for some team building on Thursday ... somehow managing to persuade everyone to take the biggest jump of their lives ... and the video is awesome!!!

Pitching coach Carl Willis and bench coach Brad Mills also got in on the fun at Skydive21 in Arizona ... and Francona assured reporters everyone made it out alive.

“Millsie made it. I was really worried about that," Francona said. "If Millsie didn’t make it, our guys wouldn’t know where to go tomorrow.”

Your turn, Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez.

Tim Tebow has it all -- pro baseball career, 2 TV gigs AND an upcoming marriage -- but tells us what fulfills him the most has nothing to do with sports or being in front of a camera.

We had Tim on Friday's "TMZ Live" to talk about "Million Dollar Mile" ... his new competition show on CBS. He was just walking off the field from a spring training game with his NY Mets squad -- which got us wondering about which of his many, many jobs he finds more satisfying.

His answer was pure Tebow. You gotta see what he said about his Foundation and the work he's doing to change lives. Even if you weren't a fan from his NFL and U. of Florida days -- ya gotta admire him when ya see this.

Don't get it twisted, though, Tim's ALL IN for "Million Dollar Mile" too. The show, which premieres next week, is executive produced by none other than LeBron James -- and Tebow's not only the host ... sounds like he's head cheerleader. He explained why he needed some extra care during taping.

Gotta hand it to the guy -- he's juggling a lot professionally, and don't forget ... he also has to find time to plan a wedding with fiancée Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters.

Bryce Harper needs to listen -- and listen good.

If you don't WIN in Philadelphia, the fans will DESTROY you. It will be brutal. It will be merciless ...

... so says Chris Matthews.

The 'Hardball' host is from Philly and says he knows exactly how things will go if Harper doesn't live up to his brand new $330 MILLION contract with the Phillies.

"I know Philly, let me tell you about Philly ..."

Matthews says he knows firsthand how quickly people in Philly will turn on you -- he watched Pete Rose get BOOED by his own Phillies fans in the World Series in the early '80s!!!!

"He struck out and the crowd booed him!! This is Pete Rose!!"

Of course, Philly fans have a long-storied history of being hard on sports teams ... they once threw snowballs at Santa Claus at an Eagles games!!

But, if Harper wins, Matthews says life will be GREAT in the City of Brotherly Love.

"Philly fans, they love you, but they demand great stuff from you."

Big win for Lenny Dykstra despite the fact he pled GUILTY in his crazy Uber case -- after a New Jersey judge ruled the drugs found in Lenny's bags could NOT be used as evidence against him.

Here's the story ... Dykstra was arrested back in May 2018 after an Uber driver claimed Lenny was acting crazy and threatened his life during an early morning ride.

During the arrest, cops say they found cocaine and meth in Lenny's bags -- which had been in the trunk. He was later charged with possession of coke and meth and making terroristic threats.

Once the case went before a judge, Lenny argued cops did NOT have the right to go through his personal belongings ... and therefore the drug evidence should be thrown out.

The judge AGREED with Dykstra -- explaining there was no reason for cops to search the bags since they had no impact on the issue between Dykstra and the driver.

Since the drug charges couldn't stick, prosecutors offered Lenny a deal in which he would plead guilty to disorderly conduct and, in exchange, he got $125 in fines and was ordered to have NO contact with the Uber driver.

That's it -- easy sentence for a guy who was facing serious prison time.

Wanna see what it takes to fix a broken face after getting hit with a 98 mph ball???

MLB pitcher Josh Ravin took a screaming line drive to the face while playing for the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate, Gwinnett Stripers, last June. It was a scary sight ... JR dropped to the ground in pain and had to be carted off the field.

Fast-forward to today ... and Ravin is showing off all the work that had to be put into fixin' his mug after the unfortunate incident ... and it's giving off Terminator vibes!!!

"This photo is the end result.. 5 fractures, a concussion, plastic surgery, 2 plates and 11 screws later," Ravin says, showing off an x-ray of the finished product.

"Here I Am! A bionic, terminator looking human, More determined than ever!..I've always considered myself a 'savage' but I never thought it'd be possible to become an even BIGGER SAVAGE!"

Ravin -- who's a flamethrower with a 99 mph fastball -- had a stint with the L.A. Dodgers before playing with the Braves organization in 2018.

Forget rookie cards ... here's a WAY cooler piece of baseball memorabilia -- Mickey Mantle's SIGNED Trump casino gambling cards!!!

That's right, the player's cards Mantle personally used to throw down bets at Donald Trump's casinos in Atlantic City -- the Trump Taj Mahal and Trump Plaza -- are hitting the Robert Edwards Auctions block.

So far, bidding has passed the $1,000 mark ... and we're told the two pieces of plastic could fetch $2,000 when all is said and done.

The cards are DOPE -- they both display the baseball legend's name and card numbers on the front ... with one of the cards actually personally signed by Mickey on the back.

And, if you're wondering ... the signature is in great shape -- we're told it's graded out as a 9 ... while both cards are said to be in "Near Mint" condition.

One of the cooler parts of the pieces? One of them has an issue date of 11/90 -- which means Mickey was using these bad boys to gamble when he was 59 years old!!!

By the way, Mantle's had a few of these cool auctions in the past ... we're told his American Express card sold for $8,400 at auction several years ago.

Now if only we could get these cards to talk!!!

Stand-up comedian Brody Stevens' struggle with mental illness is listed as a factor in his suicide on his death certificate.

TMZ obtained the document which confirms Brody died by hanging. Specifically, it says he used a belt to hang himself from a door. It also says his "history of depression and bipolar disorder" was a significant condition contributing to his death.

As we reported ... the comedian and actor was found dead last month at his home in L.A. He had been hospitalized in 2011 after suffering a bipolar episode, and tackled topics like depression on his Comedy Central series, 'Enjoy It!'

Despite that, Brody was famous for preaching positivity during his popular stand-up act. He also had roles in movies, such as "The Hangover" and "The Hangover II" -- and was an avid baseball fan. Brody pitched in college at Arizona State University until he suffered an elbow injury.

He was 48.

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez are still basking in the glow of their recent engagement ... and the happy couple is taking their celebration to the friendly skies.

J Lo and A-Rod just boarded a private jet together, and it's decked out with tons of cute mementos for their engagement.

J Lo is clearly a big fan of the arrangements ... including powdered donuts crowned with images of diamonds, silver balloons that say "congrats," and a bottle of champagne on ice next to a chalkboard sign commemorating their engagement date. Nice touch!!!

Looks like A-Rod is intent on going over the top in professing his love for J Lo ... they previously celebrated on a bed of roses after the retired MLB superstar dropped to one knee over the weekend for a beachy proposal.

Chalk this one up as a WIN for Warner Wolf -- the legendary sportscaster's charge has been DROPPED in his battle over his gated community's "plantation" sign.

As we previously reported ... officials say Wolf ripped the word, "Plantation," off the sign of the private community where he lives, "Classics Plantation Estates" because he believes the word is offensive.

Wolf had lobbied the homeowners association to make the change for years -- but on Nov. 30, the 81-year-old was fed up and did the job himself.

Wolf was charged with felony criminal mischief last month ... but the 81-year-old says it was all worth it ... 'cause the case has been dismissed, he tells us.

“My attorney, Shannon Mcfee, called me last night and said the prosecutor had decided to have the charge dismissed. Criminal mischief,” Wolf says.

“I gave them $1,100 [for the damages] ... I was in jail for 4 hours. It wasn’t fun.”

Wolf is a sports broadcasting legend -- he worked for ABC Sports and called Monday Night Baseball, football and the Olympics. He also had a cameo in "Rocky IV."

Alex Rodriguez proposed to Jennifer Lopez with a heavy hand ... quite literally.

A-Rod and J Lo just released pictures from his beachy proposal over the weekend ... with the former MLB star's World Series ring from 2009 with the Yankees damn near taking center stage. You can see in the pics Alex down on bended knee with his lone WS ring on his right hand.

But, J Lo's eyes were laser-focused on her new diamond ring and seemed surprised as hell. If you click on the picture slides ... you can see the happy couple embrace each other with a kiss while A-Rod's still down on one knee. And, BAM ... both A-Rod's World Series ring and her gigantic diamond are both on display.

But, ya gotta wonder ... which ring's bigger?

Ex-MLB All-Star pitcher Esteban Loaiza just got sentenced to 36 months in prison after officials found him hiding 44 pounds of cocaine ... and he'll surrender next month.

As we previously reported, Loaiza -- who made more than $40 MILLION during his 14-year MLB career -- was arrested last year after cops say he was trying to move more than $500,000 in cocaine from a house located near a school.

Officials say Loaiza was using "sophisticated" smuggling devices to hide the 22 kilos of coke.

On Friday, the 47-year-old appeared in court in San Diego for his sentencing. He was facing life in prison -- but seems to be getting off easy ... with just a 3-year prison sentence.

Officials say he'll be deported to his native Mexico following his release.

The story about how he was caught is crazy.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Dept. says he was busted during a drug-smuggling sting by the Border Crime Suppression Team.

Loaiza was initially stopped by police during a traffic stop for a minor traffic violation -- but a search of his car led to the discovery of a "sophisticated aftermarket compartment used to conceal contraband."

Cops then got a warrant to search a home that Loaiza had been renting since early February -- located "steps away from an area preschool" -- and found roughly 20 kilograms of suspected cocaine.

Estimated street value -- $500,000.

Loaiza was initially booked into San Diego County Jail for 3 felonies -- Possession of Cocaine Over 20 Kilograms, Possession of Cocaine for Sale, and Transportation of Cocaine.

He later pled guilty to felony cocaine possession with intent to distribute.

Loaiza, the second-winningest pitcher from Mexico in MLB history, played for 8 different teams in his career -- earning over $43 million.

San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer and his wife have both met with law enforcement as a part of the investigation into their physical altercation that was caught on video, TMZ Sports has learned.

The SFPD launched a probe into the March 1 incident -- in which Baer was seen trying to wrestle a cell phone away from his wife, Pam, knocking her to the ground in the process.

TMZ Sports obtained footage of the altercation -- which took place in a public park area in San Francisco -- and you can hear Pam scream for help.

Cops responded on the day of the incident and spoke with witnesses. Now, we've learned investigators reached out to both Larry and Pam ... who also agreed to speak with authorities.

Larry's attorney, Cris Arguedas, tells us Baer and Pam had separate meetings with law enforcement, but fully cooperated ... and they're confident no charges will be filed.

The case has been kicked over to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office -- which will review the evidence and decide whether or not to bring charges against Larry.

Arguedas tells TMZ Sports she's "never been more confident" Larry will not be prosecuted.

Pam has already commented publicly about the case -- chalking the incident up to a marital spat ... and stating that she still loves her husband.

Larry has stepped away from the Giants while cops and the MLB investigate the situation -- but he's also expressed remorse.

Baer has been involved with the Giants organization for decades. He was named chief operating officer in May 1996, team president in October 2008 and CEO on January 1, 2012.