L.A. Angels outfielder Brian Goodwin threw on custom cleats to honor Kobe Bryantand Nipsey Hussle for his game Wednesday ... and then he balled out of his mind at the plate!!!
29-year-old Goodwin -- who's often publicly spoken about his love for the Mamba and Nipsey -- pulled out the fresh Under Armour kicks for the Halos' home matchup against the Mariners.
The spikes were pretty amazing ... one was all yellow and featured depictions of Kobe, his old jersey #8, and the L.A. Lakers logo.
The other, meanwhile, was baby blue with a black and white checkerboard ... and also featured a picture of Nipsey and a cursive "Crenshaw."
But, when Goodwin took the diamond in the cleats ... he took the tribute a step further, going 2-for-4 at the dish with a double, a home run and 3 RBIs!
The dinger was particularly impressive ... it traveled well over 400 feet -- and Goodwin made sure he showed off the cleats as he emphatically stepped on home plate.
The Angels ended up losing the game (their bullpen is atrocious) ... but, hey, Goodwin sure as hell looked good!!
Dr. Anthony Fauci's finally talking about that DISASTER of a first pitch at the Washington Nationals game ... and doc's got EXCUSES!
Sore arm. Poor training. Misjudging the distance.
COME ON FAUCI!!!
The Doc opened up about the debacle on the ESPN Daily podcast -- admitting he hadn't thrown a baseball in decades and wasn't properly prepared for the honor.
"I had been practicing for 2 days before at a walk down that I thought was 60 feet, but it was really probably 45 feet," Fauci said.
7/23/20
Courtesy of MLB
"I was throwing and throwing and throwing and I got it right but only it was at 45 feet!"
"And I kind of hurt my arm because I haven’t thrown a baseball literally in decades."
Fauci continued ... "So, as I was getting ready to go out on the mound, my arm was killing me -- but I said hell, I could suck it up and just throw it the way I had been practicing."
But, when Fauci got to the mound, the doc says he panicked -- "I said, 'Oh my god, Sean Doolittle looked like he was 200 feet away!"
Fauci says he changed his throwing motion to try and overcompensate for the distance and soreness ... but it backfired.
"I wound up and threw it like a bullet, only it just went way off to the left."
"So it was my bad, all the way."
Yeah, baseball's not gonna work out for Fauci. Don't quit your day job!
2:12 PM PT -- MLB has just hit Joe Kelly with an 8-GAME suspension for throwing at multiple Houston Astros players during Tuesday night's game.
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The league cited Kelly's history of intentionally throwing at batters for the lengthy punishment. Remember, it's only a 60-game season so 8 games is a big deal.
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"Kelly, who has previously been suspended in his career for intentional throwing, threw a pitch in the area of the head of Alex Bregman and later taunted Carlos Correa, which led to the benches clearing," MLB said.
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Kelly is appealing his suspension -- but good luck with that.
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also got a 1-game suspension as a result of Kelly’s action.
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Both Kelly and Roberts will begin their suspension Wednesday night -- when the Dodgers continue their series with Houston.
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Additionally, Astros manager Dusty Baker was fined for the bench-clearing incident that ensued.
L.A. Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly was a man out for REVENGE on Tuesday -- firing baseballs at the cheating ass Houston Astros ... and nearly igniting a brawl in the process.
He talked trash to the players. He threw a 96 MPH fastball at Alex Bregman's head. And, mocked several players from the mound.
He also struck out Carlos Correaand shouted, "Nice swing, bitch!"
It was all part of a highly anticipated matchup between the Dodgers and the Astros -- the first time the teams had played since an MLB investigation revealed Houston had cheated their faces off during the 2017 season.
Kelly wasn't on the Dodgers during that 2017 World Series run -- but he was on the Boston Red Sox, which had been eliminated by the Astros in the ALCS earlier that year.
So, yeah ... a bunch of people had some serious axes to grind.
Fast forward to Tuesday when Kelly took the mound in the 6th inning of L.A.'s game against Houston in Texas ... it didn't take long for him to appear to try to exact some revenge.
After getting Jose Altuve out ... Kelly got down 3-0 in a count to Bregman -- and then fired a 96 MPH fastball that missed the star 3rd baseman's head by inches.
Just two batters later ... Kelly threw a breaking ball that nearly clipped Correa in the back of the head as well!!
Neither player was happy with the throws ... and after Kelly struck out Correa a pitch or two later -- Kelly mocked Carlos on his way off the mound.
Joe made crying faces at the shortstop, then appeared to yell, "You gotta cheat to hit!" and other cuss words ... and that's when both benches cleared and almost got into an all-out brawl!!
Houston Astros
Cooler heads ultimately prevailed ... but Astros managerDusty Bakerwas PISSED at Kelly after the game, saying his actions put Bregman and Correa's careers in danger.
"When you throw a 3-0 fastball over a guy's head, now you're flirting with ending his career," Baker said. "And then a couple other guys, balls were close. And then what really enraged everybody is when he told Carlos when he struck him out, he told him, 'Nice swing, bitch.'"
For their part, Kelly and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts both said there wasn't any intent behind the pitches.
But, with Correa and Bregman being the two most famous players associated with the Astros' sign-stealing, trash can banging scandal that perhaps cost the Dodgers a World Series ring in '17 ... it's not hard to see through this one.
L.A. ended up winning 5-2, by the way ... but there's still another game left in the series Wednesday night.
Nick Markakis is back ... the Atlanta Braves OF says he made a "rash" decision initially opting out of the MLB season -- and now, he says he's ready to rejoin his teammates.
"Sometimes in life you make rash decisions without thinking things through," the 36-year-old told reporters Wednesday. "At the time, I thought it was the right decision."
"Sometimes in life you make rash decisions." Here's #Braves outfielder Nick Markakis moments ago on his decision to rejoin the team after opting out before the season started because of COVID-19 concerns. pic.twitter.com/FeU2H7XMwO
Nick chose to sit out just before the start of Braves' summer camp earlier this month ... saying a conversation with teammate Freddie Freeman cemented his feelings on the matter
At the time, Freddie was sick as hell with COVID-19 ... and Nick wanted no part of that battle -- so he left the squad.
But, Markakis said Wednesday he's back for good ... and while he admitted he's still not sure it's the RIGHT decision -- he felt like he just had to do it for his teammates.
"Sitting at home," Markakis said, "watching these guys compete the last couple days and all the risks that they're taking going out there, you know, I just in a way, deep down, that pit in my stomach, I felt like I needed to be out there."
It's a huge boost for the Braves ... Atlanta needed some outfield help after their agreement with Yasiel Puigfell through due to a positive coronavirus case earlier this month.
Markakis has spent the last 5 seasons with the Braves ... and batted .285 last season with 9 home runs. He's expected to join Atlanta's lineup in the next few days.
10:51 AM PT -- Turns out ... MLB might not even need the Nats-Marlins series to complete its season -- according to New York Post baseball insider Joel Sherman.
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League officials, per Sherman, are kicking around the idea of having total winning percentage determine playoff seeding ... which would allow some teams to play a full 60-game slate, while others could play just 50.
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MLB has previously used the winning percentage model back in 1981 ... when a strike-shortened season forced teams to play a different number of games.
The Washington Nationals players have VOTED against traveling to Miami to play a 3-game series with the Marlins in the wake of a COVID outbreak ... and ya gotta wonder, is this a wrap for MLB?!
The Nats were scheduled to play a 3-game series with the Marlins beginning Friday and ending on Sunday.
But, after 15 Miami Marlins players and 2 coaches tested positive for coronavirus, the Washington players decided it was just too damn risky.
The players took a vote -- and the majority of the team felt strongly AGAINST playing.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal says the MLB now has to figure out what to do ... but if the players don't feel safe, how can you force them to play?
As for the Marlins, they are still in Philadelphia -- where they wrapped up a series against the Phillies.
They will be cleared to return to Florida following a series of negative tests -- but who knows how long that could take?!
The 2020 MLB season seems to be in danger -- though Commissioner Rob Manfred said Monday night he thinks the league will be okay ... and insists they have protocols in place for a reason.
Donald Trump reportedly invited himself to throw out a first pitch at Yankees Stadium in a fit of jealousy over Dr. Anthony Fauci ... and was forced to cancel on it all when he couldn't actually make it happen.
Multiple sources familiar with the situation told The New York Times that's how things went down when POTUS made the surprising announcement last week that he'd throw out a ceremonial first pitch for the Yanks on Aug. 15.
CSPAN
Per the report, Trump was so bothered by the attention Fauci was getting in the leadup to his first pitch at Nationals Park on Opening Day last Thursday that he informed staffers to call the Yanks to get him on the mound.
The NYT says BOTH the Yankees and White House personnel were surprised by Trump's wishes ... and never officially locked in a date despite Trump saying they had.
Of course, Donald -- who was reportedly already booked elsewhere for Aug. 15 -- pulled out of the event just days after the announcement ... saying in a tweet his focus on the coronavirus wouldn't allow him to make it.
Trump added, "We will make it later in the season!"
Donald has never thrown out a first pitch since taking over office in 2016 ... but the Times says he DOES have a longstanding informal offer from the Yankees' team president to throw one out for them at some point.
Trump has consistently said he used to be a hell of a baseball player -- saying he had pro potential back in his younger days -- though video of his time on the diamond has yet to surface.
That's Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred telling baseball fans NOT to panic over the Miami Marlins COVID outbreak ... essentially saying the league is prepared for this.
"It's not a positive thing, but I don't see it as a nightmare," Manfred told MLB Network ... "That's why we have the expanded rosters. That's why we have the pool of additional players."
As we previously reported ... 11 Marlins players and 2 coaches have tested positive over the past few days -- forcing the league to cancel multiple games.
Some people are calling this a doomsday scenario -- fearing such an outbreak so early in the season proves the league simply can't move forward safely.
But, Manfred disagrees ... insisting MLB will continue -- and he's confident the players are safe.
"We built protocols anticipating that we would have positive tests at some point during the season," Manfred said
"The protocols were built to allow us to play through those positives. We believe the protocols are adequate to keep our players safe."
So, at what point would the league actually shut down the 2020 season?
Manfred says it would take "a team losing a number of players, making it completely non-competitive, would be something we would have to address and have to think about making a change."
"Our first concern is the health of the players and their families. And making sure we do everything possible to minimize the spread of the virus to our employees."
He added, "I remain optimistic the protocols are strong enough that it will allow us to continue to play even through an outbreak like this and complete our season."
"I go from here, home, back here every day, that’s all I do. I wash my hands, I went from 47 times a day to probably 99 times a day. Wear my mask everywhere I go. But there’s always that concern, you know."
Martinez was hospitalized for a heart procedure back in Sept. 2019 -- and says he's concerned that could put him at a greater risk.
"Because of my heart condition ... what happens to me if I do get it?! I have to be extra careful."
"With that said, sometimes I tend to put myself aside and worry about other people more than me. I think that’s why I’m here, because I worry about those guys before I put myself first."
As we previously reported, 11 Miami Marlins players and 2 Marlins coaches have tested positive for COVID over the past few days ... forcing MLB to cancel at least 2 games and leaving many wondering how the season will continue.
3:34 PM PT -- The White Sox-Cleveland game Monday was just postponed due to weather. The teams are now expected to play a double-header on Tuesday.
More bad news for baseball ... the Chicago White Sox say they're quarantining their manager, Ricky Renteria, after they say he woke up Monday displaying COVID-19 symptoms.
The team says 58-year-old Renteria had a "slight" cough and nasal congestion ... and immediately went to the hospital for coronavirus testing.
White Sox general manager Rick Hahn says Renteria will quarantine at the team's hotel -- and will NOT manage in Monday's game against Cleveland -- while he awaits testing results.
Of course, MLB is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases ... the Marlins had a large outbreak over the weekend that reportedly included 11 players and 2 coaches.
In fact, the worry of COVID spreading through the league is so rampant ... MLB announced it's postponing Monday's Marlins vs. Orioles game as well as the Phillies vs. Yankees game.
The White Sox, meanwhile, say they'll be managed by bench coach Joe McEwing when they play Cleveland at 4:10 PM PT in Ohio.
2:24 PM PT -- Good news for Fauci card collectors ... the moment will NOT be remembered as the worst ceremonial first pitch of all-time, so says fellow terrible first-pitch thrower Akbar Gbaja-Biamila.
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That honor, according to the former NFL player who once embarrassed himself on a mound in Philadelphia, belongs to 50 Cent.
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TMZSports.com
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"It goes 50," Akbar tells TMZ Sports. "Then right under 50 is Dr. Fauci."
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It's tough to argue ... check out 50's infamous first pitch in New York back in 2014 -- gotta rank worse than Fauci's, right?!
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Dr. Anthony Fauci's hilarious ceremonial first pitch will be forever immortalized in the baseball world ... with the moment getting its own trading card!!
Topps just launched the card for a limited time ... showing the COVID-19 expert mid-throw before the Nationals' Opening Day game against the New York Yankees.
Of course, we all know how it went down ... but the card actually makes the dude look a bit more like Max Scherzer -- talk about a good angle!!
7/23/20
Courtesy of MLB
The card also features some info on the Doc ... saying, "Dr. Anthony Fauci, longtime Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and ardent Washington Nationals fan, signaled the official start of the 2020 MLB regular season by throwing out the first pitch before the Nationals took on the Yankees on Thursday evening."
"The 79-year-old Brooklyn native, donning a Nationals jersey, hat and facemask, fired a strong effort to the plate before the Nationals took the field."
Very generous of Topps to call it a "strong effort" ... we're just teasing.
Of course, the Dr. Fauci collectibles have skyrocketed during the pandemic -- from doughnuts to beer to bobbleheads.
The card will be available on Topps' website for just 24 hours ... so all you Fauci fanatics better hop on it!!
9:53 AM PT -- The Yankees wholeheartedly disagree with Giuliani's sentiments ... the team told the New York Times on Friday the pregame ceremonies were "beautiful, respectful and dignified."
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The statement -- released by team president Randy Levine, whom Donald Trump shouted out in a White House briefing Thursday -- continued, "I think Rudy got it absolutely wrong."
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"To me, it showed unity and the desire for a better world, social justice and enlightenment."
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Levine continued, "I didn't and nobody should take that as being disrespectful of anyone, including law enforcement or the police."
Rudy Giuliani just went scorched earth on the MLB ... calling the league's anthem kneelers "hypocritical" -- and saying the Black Lives Matter supporters in baseball are "disgraceful."
The former New York City mayor and diehard Yankees fan ripped the league Friday morning ... just hours after several players -- including Dodgers star Mookie Betts -- knelt for not only the national anthem, but in support of BLM as well.
"All those ball players, including the Yankees, taking a knee during the National Anthem of the country that made them millionaires is hypocritical," Donald Trump's attorney said.
"Support for BLM, which is provoking attacks on our law enforcement and innocent people all over America, is disgraceful."
As we previously reported, players on the Dodgers, Giants, Nationals and Yankees joined in support of racial equality prior to their Opening Day games Thursday.
The stadium jumbotrons played pro-BLM messages ... and afterward, the teams grabbed a long piece of black fabric and knelt with it to show unity.
Some players then went on to kneel for the ensuing national anthem.
Of course, Giuliani's disdain for it all echoes Trump's ... the President has repeatedly slammed the kneeling protests throughout the last few months, and recently called the demonstrations "a sign of great disrespect."
9:25 AM PT -- 7/24 -- The Toronto Blue Jays have finally found a place to hang their hats in 2020 ... with the team officially agreeing to play home games in Buffalo.
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"We are extremely grateful to have a home in Buffalo this season, thanks to the openness, creativity, and partnership of the Buffalo Bisons, Major League Baseball, and Blue Jay staff, who have worked tirelessly to prepare us for games at Sahlen Field," Jays CEO Mark Shapiro said in a statement.
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The Jays were also exploring playing in Baltimore ... but have ended up at the AAA Buffalo Bisons' Sahlen Field.
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"This process has no doubt tested our team's resilience, but our players and staff refuse to make excuses - we are determined to take the field on Opening Day today, and for the coming months, with the same intensity and competitiveness that our fans expect."
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12:12 PM PT -- The Pennsylvania Department of Health just rejected the Blue Jays' temporary move to Pittsburgh for the 2020 season ... saying the risk is not worth the reward.
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"In recent weeks, we have seen a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in southwestern Pennsylvania," Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a statement.
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"To add travelers to this region for any reason, including for professional sports events, risks residents, visitors and members of both teams."
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"We know that this virus does not discriminate, and can even make professional athletes very sick. We are committed to protecting the health and well-being of all Pennsylvanians."
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So ... what now?? ESPN is reporting the Blue Jays could end up in Baltimore ... or even homeless for the season.
The Pittsburgh Blue Jays??
Toronto's MLB team has found a new home at the Pirates' PNC Park for the 2020 season ... after the Canadian government refused to allow games at their home stadium during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Jays will play the majority of their home games 5 hours away in the Steel City ... aside from 2 "home" series against New York at Yankee Stadium and Washington at Nationals Park, according to USA Today.
Of course, Canada shut down the idea of the team traveling back and forth into the U.S. ... considering it's a COVID-19 hot spot.
The decision comes after several Blue Jays players expressed their disinterest in playing at Buffalo Bisons' facility ... which was also tossed around as another option.
"Most guys don’t want to play in a AAA ballpark," outfielder Randal Grichuk said of the possibility. "Training room, weight room, those aren’t really up to big-league standards."
"Today is Opening Day, which means it's a great day to arrest the killers of Breonna Taylor."
That's a tweet from the official Tampa Bay Rays Twitter account ... using the biggest day of the season to bring justice for Breonna Taylor, who was killed by 3 police officers in her Louisville home.
The Rays made the impactful statement early Friday morning ... hours before kicking off their season against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Not only did the team make waves with the tweet ... the Rays are also committing $100,000 to local groups fighting systemic racism.
"Systemic racism is real," the team said. "Let’s unite for positive change."
The MLB as a whole has shown solidarity with Black Lives Matter at the start of the season ... with kneeling demonstrations, video messages and jersey patches.
Players -- including Dodgers star Mookie Betts and several S.F. Giants -- took a knee during the national anthem before their game Thursday to symbolize a need for change in the country.
The NBA's biggest names have also made a push for justice for Breonna ... withLeBron James recently making it clear they are not giving up on the fight.
S.F. Giants pitcher Sam Coonrod did NOT kneel with the rest of his teammates in a showing of support for the Black Lives Matter movement Thursday ... saying his religion and his personal feelings about BLM wouldn't allow him to do it.
"I’m a Christian," the 27-year-old relief pitcher said, "so I just believe that I can’t kneel before anything besides God."
If you missed it, the MLB provided teams with a long piece of black fabric to signify unity before its Opening Day games on Thursday.
The Yankees-Nationals ceremony went off without a hitch -- players joined together in grabbing the sheet and kneeling ... and the moment was powerful.
But, later in the evening, when it came time for the Dodgers and Giants to replicate the moment ... Coonrod refused to drop to a knee.
After the game, he told reporters his religious beliefs made it impossible for him to join in ... but he also said he didn't believe in some of the things he believes BLM stands for.
"I just can’t get on board with a couple things I’ve read about Black Lives Matter, how they lean towards Marxism,” Coonrod said. “And … they said some negative things about the nuclear family. I just can’t get on board with that.”
Coonrod said he meant "no ill will" by his gesture ... and added, "I’m not mad at someone who decided to kneel. I just don’t think it’s too much to ask that I just get the same respect.”
For the team's part, manager Gabe Kapler -- who not only knelt for the BLM moment but also during the national anthem -- said he respected Coonrod's decision to opt out.
"The one thing that we said is we were going to let people express themselves,” Kapler said. “We were going to give them the choice on whether they were going to stand, kneel or do something else. That was a personal decision for Sam.”
Mookie Betts dropped to a knee during the national anthem before his 1st game with the Dodgers on Thursday ... and some of his teammates, including N.L. MVP Cody Bellinger, showed major support for the move.
The new superstar outfielder displayed his dismay for social injustice in America by kneeling for the song before the Dodgers' home opener against the Giants ... and Bellinger and Max Muncy quickly jumped to his side.
Belli put his right hand on Betts' left shoulder, while Muncy put his left hand on Betts' right ... and afterward, the new Dodgers star said he hopes his actions can bring about change.
"I know my dad served and I'll never disrespect the flag," Betts said, "but there's also gotta be change in the world, and kneeling has nothing to do with those who served our country."
Mookie added, "Today was just to unify both sides and just to show that we are here for change."
Betts says he's unsure if he'll continue the kneeling throughout the season ... he told reporters he wants to focus more on tangible action rather than demonstrations going forward.
"I think kneeling is definitely something that shows we need change," Betts said, "but also I have to put some action into play as far as away from MLB."
No other Dodgers joined Betts in the kneeling ... however, several Giants players continued their tradition of taking knees on the opposing baseline.
Major League Baseball, meanwhile, did its part in recognizing the fight for racial equality on Opening Day Thursday... it played Black Lives Matter videos before both the Dodgers game and the Yankees-Nationals game.
The league also had players join in holding a long sheet of black fabric ... while many others on the Yanks, Nationals, Giants and Dodgers kneeled to show unity just before the national anthems began playing.
Several players also wore Black Lives Matter patches on their sleeves ... while pitchers pitched on mounds that had BLM stenciled into them.
