Baseball

BARTOLO COLON'S STILL GOT IT!!!

The legendary pitcher -- owner of 1 career home run in his 21 MLB seasons -- showed he actually really does have pop in his bat ... cranking a softball roughly 400 feet in the D.R. on Sunday!!!

Check out the footage of the dinger filmed by MLB insider Hector Gomez ... 47-year-old Colon took a fastball DEEEEEEEEEP to center field before casually rounding the bases.

Of course, Bart was never known for his hitting prowess ... his lone home run in his career in 2016 is still one of the most fun moments in baseball history -- but it's clear the dude can rake if needed.

What isn't clear, though, is if Colon's homer helped his team win over the weekend ... according to Gomez, the game was nothing more than a pickup contest with some buds in his hometown.

The Babe Ruth baseball card market is still ON FIRE!!!

Check out this rare 1933 Goudey #149 card-- signed by The Bambino himself -- that just sold for $761,100 at auction Sunday night ... more than DOUBLE the highest price ever fetched for this particular card!!!

The item was part of the legendary "Uncle Jimmy" collection -- an insane collection of ultra-rare cards that Jimmy Micioni had stashed away at his home in New Jersey since he was a kid.

Experts say Uncle Jimmy did such an amazing job preserving the cards, it's like they were printed yesterday!!

Micioni died in March 2020 at the age of 97 -- but his family has gone public with the incredibly valuable treasure trove of cards ... and they've been getting record prices at auction.

In fact, Jimmy had a SECOND signed Babe Ruth 1933 Goudey #149 that sold in 2020 for $325,000 -- which was a record at the time.

The 2020 card quality was graded at a 4.5 (very good to excellent condition) and the Ruth signature on the card got a 6 grading.

The card that sold Sunday night was PSA graded 4 with an 8 on the autograph.

Final gavel price ... $761,100 -- a record for that particular card and proof the sports card market is still as hot as ever!!

The card sold through Wheatland Auctions -- which only expected the card to fetch somewhere between $300k and $600k.

Memorabilia collectors have always been fond of Babe Ruth -- remember, in 2019 someone forked over $1 MILLION for the bat he used to smack his 500th home run in 1929.

Julio Urias' dad just made sure he'll NEVER forget his son's World Series win ... the star pitcher's pops just commemorated the Dodgers' title with a HUGE tat -- and it's awesome!

The artist who did the work -- Andres Ortega Rojas -- revealed the piece Sunday night ... showing off the new, incredible ink that runs from the top of Julio's dad's shoulder to just above his elbow.

The artwork features 24-year-old Julio celebrating inside the World Series trophy ... with "World Series Champions" inscribed at the bottom.

Of course, the depiction of Julio is now a famous image ... it's the pose he struck after closing out the Tampa Bay Rays in the 9th inning of Game 6 back in October.

"It was a pleasure to tattoo the dad of Julio Urias," Ortega Rojas wrote on social media.

Urias clearly approved of the ink ... he posed for a thumbs-up pic with his dad and Ortega Rojas after the tattoo was completed.

The thing is ... Urias and the Dodgers are the favorites to win this year's championship as well -- and it's got us all wondering, is there space on the other arm for portrait #2?!

Mariners president Kevin Mather is OUT in Seattle ... the org.'s honcho has just resigned after MLB and MLBPA officials say he made "inappropriate" and "disturbing" comments about his team.

Mather joined a call with a Rotary Club earlier this month and spoke at length about his team ... and in parts of the conversation -- which surfaced on video over the weekend -- he made cracks about some of his players' and staffers' abilities to speak English.

When talking about Hisashi Iwakuma -- a former M's pitcher who just signed on to be a part of the Mariners' coaching staff -- Mather said, "Wonderful human being; his English was terrible."

Mather then brought up English-speaking abilities again later when discussing top minor league prospect Julio Rodriguez.

"Julio Rodriguez has got a personality bigger than all of you combined," Mather said. "He is loud. His English is not tremendous."

The MLBPA ripped Mather for the remarks ... saying in a scathing statement Monday the words were "highly disturbing" and "offensive."

For his part, Mather apologized vehemently in a statement of his own, saying, "There is no excuse for my behavior, and I take full responsibility for my terrible lapse in judgment."

Clearly, though, the mea culpa wasn't enough to save his job ... Mather resigned shortly after saying sorry -- with Mariners chairman John Stanton calling Mather's words inexcusable.

"There is no excuse for what was said," Stanton said, "and I won't try to make one. I offer my sincere apology on behalf of the club and my partners to our players and fans. We must be, and do, better."

If Dodgers prospect Yadier Alvarez ever makes it to the big leagues ... he'll be riding there in style -- 'cause the pitcher just copped a 6-wheel behemoth that's absolutely INSANE!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Alvarez -- an MLB minor leaguer who earned a $16 MILLION bonus from the Dodgers in 2015 after he defected from Cuba -- was looking for a ride similar to the whip Aroldis Chapman snagged last June.

You'll recall, the NY Yankees star closer purchased a custom, massive 6-wheeler ... and we're told after seeing it, Alvarez REALLY wanted something bigger and badder.

So, the 24-year-old reached out to the guys who made Aroldis' car -- Apocalypse Manufacturing in Fort Lauderdale, FL -- and turns out, they had just what he was looking for!!

Shop honcho Joseph Ghattas tells us they had just built an Apocalypse Hellfire ... and stored it at a local mall.

And, when they showed it to Alvarez last week ... he loved it so much -- he bought it straight out of its display!!!

Check out the footage of Alvarez shortly after he got the ride ... he was smiling ear to ear!!!

Of course, Yadier had every reason to be happy ... the vehicle is absurd -- we're told it comes with 500 horsepower and an 8-speed automatic transmission.

We're also told it has a three-part Kevlar protective coating, power to all six wheels, 40-inch tires and a boatload of other bells and whistles.

In total, Ghattas says the ride was $180,000 ... but seems Alvarez was very cool with that tag -- 'cause Ghattas says he's been getting calls about people seeing the whip all over the Miami area already!!

As for Alvarez's baseball future ... despite previously being ranked as one of the best prospects in the game with a 100 MPH fastball, he's had an up-and-down minor league career, and it's unclear if he'll ever make it to The Show.

The Kardboard King is at it again -- Rob Kardashian is putting his rare Honus Wagner autograph card up for auction ... and we're told it could fetch around $20k!!!

Rob pulled the card out of a 2020 Topps Dynasty pack he purchased for $750 from the folks at the Bullpen card shop in L.A. back in November.

The guys who opened the pack for Rob went absolutely bonkers when they realized what they had ... a 1-of-1 authentic "cut signature" card from MLB legend Honus Wagner, who died in 1955.

What that means is ... the people at Topps procured an authentic Wagner signature and used it as the base for an incredible baseball card.

Since Rob is wealthy is in his own right and loves to collect cards, it was unclear if he was going to keep it ... or sell it.

But ultimately, he hit up the folks at Goldin Auctions and we're told they're expecting it to sell for at least $20k when the bidding ends on March 7.

Rough start to Cleveland's season -- Cy Young winner Shane Bieber has tested positive for COVID-19 ... but thankfully, he's said to be experiencing only "very, very mild symptoms."

Cleveland President Chris Antonetti announced Thursday the ace tested positive as he arrived to the team's spring training facility in Goodyear, AZ ... and is going through the proper protocols to ensure a safe return.

Antonetti added Bieber is expected to return to the team in a matter of days.

Bieber is the first big name out of spring training to test positive prior to the 2021 season ... and will almost certainly not be the last -- around 48 players (including names like Freddie Freeman and Juan Soto) reported having COVID-19 throughout last season.

Bieber is an absolute beast for Cleveland -- he led the American League in ERA, strikeouts and wins en route to his first Cy Young award in 2020.

Tim Tebow's dream of becoming a major leaguer is coming to an end -- the football superstar-turned-slugger is officially retiring from baseball.

The 33-year-old Heisman Trophy winner joined the New York Mets in 2016 ... making it as far as the AAA level with the Syracuse Mets in 2019.

Tebow appeared in 287 games in 3 pro seasons in the Mets farm system ... earning 18 homers, 107 runs scored, 48 doubles, three triples, 107 RBI and 5 stolen bases.

Tebow released a statement on his decision to walk away from the sport Wednesday afternoon ... saying he's ready to pursue other dreams.

"I want to thank the Mets, Mr. Alderson, the fans and all my teammates for the chance to be a part of such a great organization," Tebow said.

"I loved every minute of the journey, but at this time I feel called in other directions. I never want to be partially in on anything. I always want to be 100 percent in on whatever I choose."

"Thank you again for everyone’s support of this awesome journey in baseball, I’ll always cherish my time as a Met."

TMZ Sports spoke to Tebow about his baseball career last month ... and he said he was still fully committed to baseball.

"For me, I'm super excited about spring training," Tebow said at the time. "So, that's where my focus kind of swirls right now."

It's unclear what changed his mind since we spoke to him a few weeks ago ... maybe he IS helping out Urban Meyer in Jacksonville after all??

Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa says he's still incredibly embarrassed by his recent DUI arrest -- and says the criticism that ensued has been nothing short of "torturous."

There 76-year-old MLB legend was arrested for drunk driving in Phoenix, AZ back in February 2020 (after leaving a dinner with some L.A. Angels staffers during Spring Training).

Cops say La Russa wrecked his car during the incident ... and bloodwork showed he had a BAC of .095.

But, the news of Tony's arrest didn't break until November 9 -- 11 days after La Russa was hired to manage the Sox. And, many wondered if the Sox would cut ties with Tony as a result (they ultimately didn't).

Now, TLR is finally addressing the incident and the aftermath -- admitting to USA Today, "I made no excuses, it was an inexcusable mistake."

"It has cost as much embarrassment personally as possible. Anyone to think that this wasn’t something that had a very negative impact ... I mean, part of the embarrassment and negative feelings is the impact on the organization and the fans and the people that hired me."

La Russa later reached a deal in the criminal case -- he pled guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving -- but says the incident added more pressure to succeed in his new role with the Sox.

"There were already enough questions of me managing, and then this. It has been torturous."

There's more ... La Russa -- who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 -- admits he was concerned about taking the Sox job because he wasn't sure if becoming an acting manager again would mean his plaque would be pulled out of Cooperstown.

"If this opportunity, as great as it is, cost me the Hall of Fame, I wouldn’t have taken it. The Hall of Fame is beyond everything else."

Sounds like Tony was worried that if he sucked as a manager this time around, the HOF wouldn't let him back in!

So, Tony says he called the HOF -- and officials assured him he would remain a Hall of Famer even if he took another active role with an MLB team.

The Philadelphia Phillies have invited former star outfielder Odubel Herrera back to mini-camp for the 2021 season ... claiming he deserves a 2nd chance after a 2019 domestic violence arrest.

The 29-year-old had received an 85 game suspension following an arrest at the Golden Nugget Atlantic City in May 2019 in which he allegedly assaulted his 20-year-old girlfriend, leaving visible marks on her arms and neck.

Herrera later cut a deal with prosecutors in which they agreed to drop the simple assault charge if he completed an anger management course, which he did.

The Venezuelan native was a member of the Phillies at the time of the incident. He was later sent down to the minor leagues but has not played at the MLB level for the club since.

But, that could change in 2021 ... Herrera was one of 19 players to get an invite to the Phillies mini-camp, where he will compete for a roster spot.

So, we reached out to the Phillies to ask why they would consider bringing him back considering the horrible allegations against him in the past.

"The discipline for Odubel’s 2019 incident was determined by the Commissioner’s Office under the collectively bargained Domestic Violence Policy, which allows opportunities for redemption," the team says.

The Phillies also noted this -- "In consulting with experts in domestic violence, zero tolerance policies reduce reporting and could result in greater harm."

In other words, the team believes it's in Odubel's best interest to get another shot -- especially since they believe he's done the work to improve himself off the field.

"We are encouraged by Odubel’s efforts to strive for a better version of himself and to live by the values and personal conduct that his family, teammates, fans, and the great game of baseball demand."

The team also points to a statement Herrera issued in February 2020, in which he takes accountability for his actions.

Tommy Pham just revealed the gnarly scar he suffered in a 2020 strip club stabbing incident ... and it makes his recovery even more impressive.

Pham was badly slashed on his lower back during a dispute on Oct. 11 outside a strip club in San Diego ... and video of the aftermath of the attack showed the Padres outfielder was covered in blood.

Tommy was eventually taken to the hospital and required a procedure to close the wound. A few weeks later, the 32-year-old said the entire thing took 200 stitches to repair.

Now, in a workout video posted by the MLB player's trainers at Stretch Affect, you can see just how bad the damage truly was.

Pham's scar goes all the way from his right hip to his left hip, proving once again the 7-year MLB vet is lucky to have avoided any career- or even life-threatening injuries.

Pham had said after the attack he'd be ready for the 2021 season ... and, given how he looks in all of his training videos, it appears nothing has changed with that timeline.

Pedro Gomez -- longtime ESPN reporter -- has died suddenly at the age of 58, the network announced.

ESPN has not revealed the cause of death -- only noting he died "unexpectedly at his home" on Sunday afternoon.

Gomez joined ESPN in April 2003 and was one of the most respected Major League Baseball reporters in the country ... covering over 25 World Series throughout his impressive career.

During Barry Bonds chase of Hank Aaron's all-time home run record in the mid-2000's, Gomez famously covered the Giants slugger for several seasons.

ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro released a statement on Gomez's passing, saying ... “We are shocked and saddened to learn that our friend and colleague Pedro Gomez has passed away.”

“Pedro was an elite journalist at the highest level and his professional accomplishments are universally recognized. More importantly, Pedro was a kind, dear friend to us all. Our hearts are with Pedro’s family and all who love him at this extraordinarily difficult time.”

Prior to joining ESPN, Gomez worked for several newspapers in the '80s and '90s -- including the Sacramento Bee -- where he was a beat reporter for the Oakland Athletics.

The entire sports world -- and especially MLB -- is mourning Gomez's death.

The Dodgers tweeted, saying they're "stunned and saddened to hear about the passing of Pedro Gomez. We are thinking of his family, friends and colleagues and offer our condolences during this difficult time."

The Red Sox also issued a statement on social media, saying ... "Our hearts go out to the Gomez family, including Pedro Gomez’s son, Rio, a pitcher in our minor league system."

Pedro -- who passed away suddenly -- tweeted about the Super Bowl only several hours ago.

Gomez -- a south Florida native who attended the University of Miami -- is survived by his wife, Sandra, and their 3 children.

Ex-MLB superstar Jose Canseco is boxing a 22-year-old Barstool Sports intern TONIGHT ... and the intern tells us why he's convinced he's gonna BEAT the 56-year-old's ass.

Jose's opponent is Billy Football -- who's VERY confident he can send the former slugger to the canvas when they clash in the main event of Barstool's "Rough N' Rowdy 13" card in West Virginia Friday night.

"I have a very, very competitive side to me that's gonna come out Friday night," Billy tells us.

"I think I'm gonna shock Jose. Jose has misjudged me and I think -- as a lot of people would -- they don't actually know who I am and what I can sort of accomplish."

The whole thing stemmed from a beef between Jose and Alex Rodriguez -- with the "Pardon My Take" intern ultimately volunteering to take on Canseco, despite having zero experience as a pro athlete. You can see the full story in this video ...

There's a big size difference between the two men -- Jose is 270 lbs, Billy is 225 -- but Mr. Football says he's not scared.

"It's gonna be very fun to shock the world and show everyone that 'Oh, hey this guy's for real'. This isn't just some s***-show that got thrown together."

Since the fight was slammed together on a month's notice, Billy says his training focused more on stamina than power. But, let's be honest, he's gonna need both.

No matter who emerges victorious, Billy says he hopes the two can be friends after the fight.

Andrelton Simmons -- one of the best shortstops in baseball -- says he opted out of the end of the 2020 season to deal with a crippling depression caused by the COVID pandemic ... revealing it got so bad, he was having suicidal thoughts.

"It was tough for me mentally to where the thought of suicide crossed my mind," Simmons said in a text message interview Tuesday with the Orange County Register.

"I was really saddened by how much I was hearing about the death toll and seeing how smaller businesses were going out of business, and I was a little depressed at how the effects of all the new rules and fears were gonna affect people's livelihoods and how disconnected people were becoming," Simmons said.

The 31-year-old Gold Glove winner was still playing for the L.A. Angels when he opted out in Sept. 2020 -- missing the final 5 games of the season. He has since signed a new contract with the Minnesota Twins.

But, in his interview with the OC Register, Simmons says, "The idea of finishing the [2020] season in a bubble was too much for me to handle."

Simmons also reveals he's dealt with suicidal thoughts in the past and made it a priority to seek professional help as soon as possible.

Fortunately, Simmons began seeing a therapist who helped him "let go of those thoughts."

Now, he's encouraging anyone else who's battling mental health issues to follow his lead.

"I know there’s the fear of seeking help/assistance because of the perception of people thinking there’s something wrong with you," Simmons said, "but I think in reality there are way more people than you might think that are going through stressful stuff."

Simmons continued, "You’re not alone. You don’t have to keep everything bottled up. Find someone that can help you express your emotions freely and that can assist you with it.”

Five women in the sports media industry say former Mets manager Mickey Callaway is a scumbag who "preyed on women" with inappropriate messages and sexual advances.

Callaway, though, said in a statement all of his actions were "consensual" and added, "my conduct was in no way intended to be disrespectful to any women involved."

The five women came forward with the allegations under the condition of anonymity to The Athletic ... detailing how the 45-year-old -- who's currently the Los Angeles Angels' pitching coach -- made them incredibly uncomfortable with calls, emails, texts and in-person advances.

One of the women, using the pseudonym Samantha, says when she was covering the Mets in 2018 ... Callaway got her phone number and proceeded to send her multiple shirtless selfies.

Samantha says at one point Callaway told her, "Now you send me one of you." The woman says she never did.

Samantha claims Callaway inappropriately massaged her shoulders while she was in the Mets' clubhouse when no one was looking ... and says for an entire month, Callaway "would text me asking for nude pics."

"He was completely unrelenting," Samantha said.

Four other women shared similar stories with The Athletic ... a New York-based reporter using the pseudonym Anne says Callaway pressured her to go on dates and often commented inappropriately on her appearance.

A reporter using the pseudonym Lauren says in a 1-on-1 interview with Callaway shortly after he was hired as Mets manager, he thrust his crotch near her face and had tried to "peacock her" by putting his leg up on a railing during the interaction.

"I got warned he was gross (beforehand)," Lauren said ... before adding, "He just preyed on women."

The three teams Callaway has worked for since 2013 all released statements regarding the allegations ... with Mets owner Steve Cohen saying, "The conduct reported in The Athletic story today is completely unacceptable and would never be tolerated under my ownership."

The Angels, who hired Callaway before the 2020 season, said, "The behavior being reported violates the Angels Organization’s values and policies. We take this very seriously and will conduct a full investigation with MLB."

The Indians, where Callaway worked as a coach from 2013-2017, added, "We were made aware for the first time tonight of the allegations in The Athletic regarding Mickey Callaway’s behavior towards women."

"We are currently reviewing the matter internally and in consultation with Major League Baseball to determine appropriate next steps. Our organization unequivocally does not condone this type of behavior. We seek to create an inclusive work environment where everyone, regardless of gender, can feel safe and comfortable to do their jobs."

MLB officials say they hadn't previously been made aware of the allegations prior to Monday's report.

For his part, Callaway's entire statement on the claims read, "Rather than rush to respond to these general allegations of which I have just been made aware, I look forward to an opportunity to provide more specific responses."

"Any relationship in which I was engaged has been consensual, and my conduct was in no way intended to be disrespectful to any women involved. I am married and my wife has been made aware of these general allegations."

Dustin Pedroia -- one of the most legendary Boston Red Sox players ever -- has officially called it a career ... the 37-year-old announced Monday he's retiring.

Pedroia was a STAR for the Sox for over a decade ... he won AL Rookie of the Year honors in 2007 and went on to win the league's MVP award just one year later.

The 2nd basemen -- whose final years with the Sox were marred by various injuries -- also helped Boston win two World Series titles.

He ultimately ended his 14-year MLB career with a .299 batting average, four Gold Gloves and four total All-Star selections.

"Dustin is so much more than his American League Most Valuable Player award, his All-Star Game selections, and the Gold Gloves he amassed throughout his impressive 17-year career in our organization,” team owner John Henry said in a statement.

“Dustin came to represent the kind of grit, passion, and competitive drive that resonates with baseball fans everywhere and especially with Red Sox fans."

Henry continued, "He played the game he loves in service to our club, its principles and in pursuit of championships. Most of all we are forever grateful to him for what he brought to our club and to our region as an important role model showing all of us how much one can accomplish with determination and hard work.”

Pedroia is so beloved in Boston ... the Red Sox changed their Twitter profile picture to his #15 on Monday, and even put together a sweet highlight package commemorating the guy's epic career.