Baseball

Huge breakthrough for Tommy Lasorda -- the Los Angeles Dodgers legend has returned home after spending more than a month in the hospital battling heart issues.

As we previously reported, the 93-year-old former skipper was admitted to a Southern California facility in "serious condition" in mid-November. He required sedation and was put on a ventilator.

Worth noting -- we're told the issues were NOT COVID-19 related.

Lasorda spent 2 weeks in the Intensive Care Unit before beginning rehab at the hospital in Orange County ... and began making strides in recovery.

Now, TMZ Sports has confirmed Lasorda has finally made it back home.

The Baseball Hall of Famer is one of the greatest MLB managers of all-time ... leading L.A. to World Series titles in 1981 and 1988.

He also won Manager of the Year twice -- in 1983 and 1988.

Before that, he was a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1954-55 ... so yeah, the guy bleeds Dodger Blue.

Hank Aaron got his COVID vaccine shot on Tuesday -- and he did it in front of cameras in the hopes of inspiring other Black Americans to follow his lead.

The 86-year-old Hall of Famer masked up and went to the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta along with his wife Billye to receive the first of two doses of the Moderna vaccine.

"[It] makes me feel wonderful," Aaron told the Associated Press ... "I don’t have any qualms about it at all."

"I feel quite proud of myself for doing something like this. ... It’s just a small thing that can help zillions of people in this country."

The Aarons were joined at Morehouse by civil rights leader Andrew Young and former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan, who were also vaccinated.

The decision to go public with their vaccinations stems from mistrust many Black Americans have about medical research -- mistrust that stems from the Tuskegee experiment, which began in the 1930s.

The federal government essentially lied to Black people for decades -- telling them they were getting free health care, when in fact they received horrifically improper care so the U.S. Public Health Service could secretly study the effects of syphilis when untreated. 128 people died and many others suffered.

In fact, the AP conducted a survey back in December which showed 40% of Black people in America would not get the COVID vaccine, even though COVID has hit the Black community particularly hard.

Hammerin' Hank Aaron is one of the greatest baseball players of all time -- he famously broke Babe Ruth's home run record in 1973.

The Red Sox have just made some very cool history ... the MLB org hired Bianca Smith to help its minor league players, making her the 1st black female coach EVER in pro baseball.

Boston made the move official late Monday night ... bringing 29-year-old Smith on board to coach Sox prospects in Fort Myers, FL beginning later this offseason.

"The opportunity is amazing," Smith said of the hiring on MLB Network. "I'm still wrapping my head around it. I probably won't have it sink in until I'm actually there."

Smith continued, "But I think it's a great opportunity also to just kind of inspire other women who are interested in this game."

Smith has some serious roots in the game already despite being so young ... she's held internships with several MLB orgs previously and is currently a hitting coordinator and assistant coach at Carroll University in Wisconsin.

Smith -- who played softball at Dartmouth College -- also worked as an assistant coach at University of Dallas in 2018 and was the director of baseball operations for several years at Case Western Reserve University prior to that.

Smith says she's fired up to continue moving up the ranks in the MLB ... and her historic hire has already caught the eye of several prominent athletes, including Billie Jean King.

"Congratulations to Bianca Smith, who was just hired by the ⁦@RedSox⁩ as a minor league coach," the tennis legend said on Twitter. "She will be the first Black woman to coach in professional baseball history. See it. Be it! #RepresentationMatters #MLB."

Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro -- famous for his wicked knuckleball that allowed him to pitch as an older guy -- has died.

The Atlanta Braves made the announcement Sunday, saying Niekro passed away Saturday in his sleep at his home in the ATL suburb of Flowery Branch. They say he'd been battling cancer for a while.

The Braves heaped praise on Phil ... "Knucksie was woven into the Braves fabric, first in Milwaukee and then in Atlanta. Phil baffled batters on the field and later was always the first to join in our community activities." They add that he was a longtime presence in their clubhouse and community for years to come after finally retiring from baseball in 1987.

Niekro was one of the rare knuckleball pitchers who could seemingly wield an uncontrollable and unpredictable pitch ... a rare skill that helped him stay on the mound well into his 40s, which isn't all that common in baseball (for pitchers, anyway). And, yes, his stuff was nasty.

He had a cumulative ERA of 3.35 over the course of his 23-year career, with a total of 3,342 strikeouts and a win record of 318. Phil got his start in the big leagues with the Braves in '64 and played for them until 1983, at which he began to bounce around a few different teams.

The man played for the Yankees, the Indians, the Blue Jays ... and finally, circled back to his first love and ended his career in Atlanta. During his final outing on September 27, he received a massive standing ovation from the crowd as he bid them and baseball adieu.

Phil was a five-time gold glove winner and a five-time all-star, plus the recipient of tons of other accolades ... including the MLB ERA leader at one point, the National League strikeout leader and more. PN was inducted into the MLB HOF in 1997 as fifth ballot candidate.

He's survived by his wife, Nancy, his three sons and grandchildren. He was 81.

Cy Young winner Shane Bieber is spreading some holiday cheer this week ... by surprising some huge Cleveland baseball fans in the hospital with virtual meet and greets!!

The 25-year-old ace spent some 1-on-1 time with several children at Cleveland Clinic ... talkin' baseball, asking about their holiday wish lists and more.

And, get this -- the guy even got ROASTED by one fan over Cleveland's struggles in the postseason!!

"Welp, you haven't played too late into October, so I guess it wouldn't be that cold," the fan said with a smile ... clearly referencing the New York Yankees' quick 2-0 series win over Cleveland in the 2020 playoffs.

The star pitcher was able to laugh it off, saying, "I know right? it hasn't gotten that cold, but it gets cold early in the season."

The fan admitted he was just making a funny, replying, "I know, I was just messing with you."

The video is amazing ... and it's clear the fans are truly excited to speak with the 2019 All-Star MVP.

Bieber had one more surprise up his sleeve -- gifting each kid with a bunch of team merch.

The mystery buyer who dropped $3.7 MILLION on a rare Honus Wagner card is revealing himself ... and it's real estate mogul Kurt Rappaport!

The card is the legendary 1909-11 T206, which Rappaport describes as "the HOLY GRAIL -- the rarest and most desired of all sports cards."

The purchase -- handled by Heritage Auctions -- makes Rap's Wagner card the 2nd most expensive baseball card ever purchased ... behind a rare Mike Trout card that sold for $3.9 million back in August.

There are less than 60 Wagner cards in existence -- but what makes Rap's card extra special is the fact it's in such great condition.

Professional Sports Authenticator (known in the industry as PSA) graded Rap's card as a 3 -- which is pretty good for a card that's more than 100 years old.

"Just to put it into perspective, 3 means very good condition," Rappaport told the guys on "TMZ Live."

"The 50 or 60 that exist in the world, this is one of the Top 5. There's only 4 other cards that have graded any higher than this. These don't come up to sale and I had the opportunity to buy it and I did."

Rappaport doesn't consider himself a hardcore card collector -- just a guy who appreciates rare cards ... comparing them to classic art pieces.

Took long enough ... but Major League Baseball will finally recognize the Negro Leagues as a part of the Major Leagues.

MLB Commish Rob Manfred said the move will correct a "longtime oversight in the game’s history."

So, what does the distinction mean? A lot, actually.

Every single one of the 3,400 players who competed in the Negro Leagues from 1920 to 1948 will now be recognized by MLB as Major League ballplayers.

"Accordingly, the statistics and records of these players will become a part of Major League Baseball’s history," MLB announced.

It's a huge deal ... some of the greatest players of all-time were relegated to the Negro Leagues because of baseball's racist policy against Black players.

Of course, Jackie Robinson finally broke MLB's color barrier in 1947 ... and several players followed shortly after including Larry Doby, Roy Campanella, Satchel Paige, Willie Mays and more.

"All of us who love baseball have long known that the Negro Leagues produced many of our game’s best players, innovations and triumphs against a backdrop of injustice," Manfred said.

"We are now grateful to count the players of the Negro Leagues where they belong: as Major Leaguers within the official historical record."

MLB honored the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues on August 16, 2020 -- with all MLB players, managers, coaches and umpires wearing a symbolic Negro Leagues 100th Anniversary logo patch during that day’s games.

The Cleveland Indians changing their name will prevent Native Americans from taking their own lives -- this according to leaders in the community, who insist there's a connection.

Suicide is an enormous problem among Native Americans -- it's the 2nd leading cause of death, and is especially dire among the young.

As for why the name of a baseball team affects the suicide rate -- when Native Americans see non-Natives wearing sacred headdresses and mocking their people with mascots, names, antics, etc. -- it screws with their heads in a big way ... so says Prairie Bighorn-Blount, Executive Director of the American Indigenous Business Leaders. This, we're told, profoundly diminishes self-esteem as well as pride, and can create a severe identity crisis.

There's actual, hard proof to back this up ... namely a study of 600 Native Americans, the overwhelming majority saying they were highly offended by pro sports teams using nicknames related to Native Americans.

The groups we spoke with are thrilled Cleveland's changing its name, but they won't be satisfied until other teams follow. They're talkin' to you, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Blackhawks.

The Cleveland Indians are reportedly going the way of the Washington Football Team -- they're finally changing their team name, although it's unclear what it will be.

The NYT reports an announcement from the team is expected sometime this week, and the news is they're dropping the "Indians" name -- which they've had since 1915 -- and will start a process of adopting something new.

Thing is ... the report says they'll probably keep their current name for the 2021 season, and officially lose it for 2022 -- all while engaging the public about an appropriate alternative. In the interim, the team is reportedly considering going by the Cleveland Baseball Team.

As for the famous logo of a Native American -- known as Chief Wahoo -- that image was retired a couple years back, and the team adopted a letter "C" as their new official symbol.

The move to drop "Indians" is a long time coming -- similar to how Washington dropped "Redskins" not too long ago. There's been mounting pressure for years from the Native American community, as many found the caricatures/nicknames downright degrading.

Some Cleveland fans love the original name -- but it's clear the team's management and ownership feel it's time to get with the times, and stop exploiting indigenous groups.

Manny Ramirez is a Boston legend -- so when he saw a man wearing a Red Sox hat in Australia, he wanted to give the guy a thrill!

What he got instead was the cold shoulder -- the guy didn't have a CLUE he was talking to THE Manny Ramirez ... and the whole exchange is pretty hilarious!

The Tik Tok video was shot by Rachel Balkovec -- a hitting coach for the NY Yankees who also works for the Sydney Bluesox in Australia.

And, since Manny signed a 1-year deal with the Bluesox back in August, the two have been working together Down Under.

The two hit up a local restaurant, which is where Manny -- who made 8 All-Star teams during his run with the Sox -- saw a man wearing a Boston hat.

"Excuse me, nice hat! Can I ask you a question?" Manny said to the man ... "Who's your favorite player?"

The man -- clearly clueless he's talking to the 2004 World Series MVP -- replied, "Are you serious?! It's my girlfriend. Why?"

Dude, chill!!!

Manny didn't want any smoke -- and responded, "No, no, no ... it's just a nice hat" ... before walking off.

Hey, props to Manny for TRYING to make a cool moment with an alleged fan in a foreign country.

MLB umpire, Brian O'Nora, was arrested in a sex sting operation in Ohio this weekend ... after officials say he tried to solicit a prostitute online.

57-year-old O'Nora -- who's been an MLB umpire since 2000 -- was 1 of 14 alleged "Johns" who went online seeking to illegally purchase a sex act, according to police.

But, O'Nora didn't get sex ... instead, he got nailed by the Liberty Township Police Department, which was working with a task force that specializes in busting human trafficking operations.

Details of what exactly went down during the sting operation are unclear -- we're working on it -- but O'Nora and the others were all arrested and charged with misdemeanor soliciting and misdemeanor possessing criminal tools.

"John stings deter those seeking to purchase sex -- reducing the demand for human trafficking -- and serve as a reminder that these crimes are more prevalent and closer to home than you may think," Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said Monday.

The whole case rings similar to sex stings involving New England Patriots owner, Robert Kraft, and pro golfer Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey.

As for O'Nora, he went viral back in 2013 when he was hit in the neck by a pitch ... but still made a "ball four" call despite being in serious pain.

O'Nora has been assigned to cover an MLB All-Star Game on 3 occasions during his umping career ... and he also worked the 2012 Giants vs. Tigers World Series.

A piece of Dodgers history just hit the auction block -- the jersey Tommy Lasorda was wearing during Kirk Gibson's 1988 World Series homer!!!

Yep, the folks at Lelands Auctions say they've authenticated the #2 jersey as the same one Tommy wore as he came jumping out of the dugout at Dodgers Stadium on that legendary Oct.15 night!

Gibson's home run has widely been regarded as one of the top moments in World Series history ... he was badly injured, could barely walk -- but Lasorda sent him up to face Dennis Eckersley in the bottom of the 9th anyway.

The Dodgers were down 4-3 to the Oakland A's in Game 1 of the Series -- and on the 7th pitch of the at-bat (with 2 strikes), Gibson -- using only his upper body -- casually flicked his bat at Eckerlsley's slider.

The ball sailed over the right-field fence, sealing the win for L.A. -- and sparking the Dodgers to eventually win the whole Series.

Now, 32 years later, the white #2 Dodgers jersey that Lasorda wore (and later autographed) while making one of the most BRILLIANT managerial decisions in the history of Major League Baseball is up for grabs.

Lelands says the jersey has been photo-matched for authenticity -- and still has its original Rawlings 'Size 46' tag in the neck!!

Oh, and if you're wondering what happened to the home run ball ... NOBODY KNOWS ITS WHEREABOUTS!!

Tragic news from Washington Nationals catcher Tres Barrera and his wife, Lindsey ... the couple just announced their baby boy passed away during delivery last week.

"2020 has been a tough year for many, but it has definitely beaten us more than anything before," Tres said on Instagram on Friday.

"On Sunday November 29,2020 my wife delivered our son at 7:12 am. Unfortunately our God decided he needed him in heaven before he was able to take his first breath."

He continued ... "The emotion, the pain, are all things that one can not describe. As we mourn the loss of our baby boy, our faith remains strong and we will continue to take strides one day at a time in His name."

Tres and Lindsey -- who tied the knot back in January 2018 -- shared the news of the pregnancy back in September ... saying they couldn't wait to meet the "little man."

Tres praised Lindsey's strength through the challenging time ... saying, "I am most proud to call my myself the husband of my wife Lindsey. She is the strongest person I know and she will forever be my hero."

"Forever our angel ... Kaius Lee Barrera"

Tim Tebow has a VERY REAL chance of making the NY Mets' roster next season ... so says star reliever Dellin Betances, who tells TMZ Sports the guy is seriously dedicated to the game.

"He's definitely an athlete," Dellin said of the former Heisman Trophy winner. "He showed some good things last year."

Dellin spent time with Tebow at Mets camp last spring before the coronavirus pandemic put the MLB season on pause ... and the big right-hander tells us he was impressed with what he saw.

In fact, Betances -- who was out doing some awesome charity work with CC Sabathia on Tuesday in the Bronx -- said it wouldn't shock him one bit to see the ex-NFL QB batting somewhere behind Pete Alonso in the Mets' big-league lineup in 2021.

"The guy, he's determined," Dellin said of Tebow. "So, he works hard. He's determined to get there. You never know."

Tebow just recently told Mets president Sandy Alderson that he'd be coming back for another run at the team's major league roster in 2021 after COVID wiped out the entire minor league season this year.

Here's yet another reason Tommy Pham is SERIOUSLY lucky to be alive after his terrifying stabbing incident in October ... the San Diego Padres star says he needed 200 stitches to close his wound.

The 32-year-old was gashed by a blade during an altercation in the parking lot of a San Diego strip club on Oct. 11 ... and video from the aftermath of the incident showed he was covered in blood after the slashing.

Now, Pham is revealing what it took to get him healthy again ... and it's pretty shocking.

In what appears to be his first appearance on video since the stabbing ... Pham said he needed 200 stitches to repair the damage on his back and he has "still a ways to go."

The good news? Pham looks to be in insane shape despite only being 7 weeks removed the incident ... he was sprinting on a treadmill at what he says was a 22 MPH pace.

As we previously reported, Pham has sued the strip club over the stabbing incident ... claiming employees and venue security didn't do enough to help protect him.

In his lawsuit, Pham said the injuries he suffered were "catastrophic" ... and hurt his "earning capacity as an elite professional baseball player."

Tommy Lasorda's recovery is moving in the right direction -- he's now taking phone calls in his hospital room from friends and former players!

The 93-year-old is still being treated at a hospital in Orange County, CA -- where he was admitted roughly 2 weeks ago.

We broke the story, Lasorda was initially admitted due to heart issues ... but things took a turn for the worse while he was there, and he needed to be put on a ventilator. We're told the issues were NOT coronavirus related.

At the time, sources close to the situation told us Lasorda's long-term prognosis was not clear ... given his age and medical issues.

But now, a great update courtesy of Dodgers spokesperson Steve Brener who told the AP things are looking up!

Brener says Tommy is taking "online calls" from former players and coaches -- which is great because Lasorda is widely known as a social butterfly who loves choppin' it up with people!

Hopefully, he'll continue to make progress and get home soon!

Lasorda is widely known as one of the greatest MLB managers EVER -- the dude won 1,599 games in 21 years as the Dodgers' honcho ... and earned Manager Of The Year honors twice.