One of the main frustrations Met fans had with former manager Willie Randolph was his "lack of fire", certainly during those times where players could have used some protection during arguments with umpires. New manager Jerry Manuel changed that by going out to protect Carlos Beltran after he argued a strike call, after which Runge made it a point to extend the argument by taking his mask off and extending the argument. Manuel went out to protect his star because he felt he was baited. Manuel was then bumped by Runge (yes, the manager was bumped by the umpire) and then was run. That's where the video picks up as Manuel flips a lid at Runge. Moments later Beltran, who had the audacity to call Runge's move "weak", was run as well.
No, you're not supposed to argue balls and strikes. But players do it mildly and are shown a little leeway. Beltran however, was confronted by Runge, and there was no call for Runge bumping the manager. Kudos to Manuel for protecting his player. Unfortunately for the Mets, it didn't work ... they lost 11-0 to the Mariners, who have the worst record in baseball.
Wondering what your favorite New York hardballers are doing in the offseason? Wonder no more, as Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, and Yankees' Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera make brief cameos in a music video: Hector El Father's Pa La Tumba. I, for one, had no idea that Melky had an "s" at the end of his name. And I had no idea that Hector El Father was a baseball fan. Oh well, learn something new every day.
I didn't retain a lot of the Spanish I learned back in high school, so I can't really guarantee that the lyrics are clean and wholesome ... therefore, all apologies if a naughty word or two is sung. Enjoy the video.
No, I can't figure out why Barry Bonds is playing a baseball themed board game (think batting practice against a pitching machine with a souped up breaking ball, combined with stickball type rules) against the guy who played Isuro Tanaka (Takaaki Ishibashi) in Major League IIeither. But it sure looks like it was fun. I just keep waiting for the moment where Tanaka tells Bonds he has "no marbles".
As you watch part one of the trilogy, look for the part where Ishibashi tries to psyche Bonds out by telling him that he owned former major leaguer and Bonds' teammate Tsuyoshi Shinjo in this game. As Bonds subtly reminds Ishibashi that Shinjo's no Bonds, someone makes a remark along the lines of "yeah, Shinjo's skinny", or at least that's what it sounded like.
Bonds had a tough time at the beginning of the game, even letting loose a curse at the pitching machine's wicked slider. To see how the showdown ends, follow us after the jump for parts two and three. (Hint: the other guy curses near the end.)
You may have forgotten that Felix Jose existed. I sure as heck did. But the Korean Baseball Blog points us to a 1999 playoff series between the Lotte Giants (Jose's team) and the Samsung Lions. The above video, from Game 7 of their series, featured Jose, a former Athletic, Cardinal, and Royal, hitting a home run and being pelted with various objects while trotting around the bases. Jose, in a completely calm, cool, and mature manner, proceeded to hurl his bat into the stands. Then, he used another bat to try to bust through a protective fence and knock a fan into next week.
Jose almost won the triple crown that year in the KBO and that earned him another shot at the majors. He played a bit for the Yankees in 2000, and also had cups of coffee with Arizona in '02 and '03 on the strength of his 1999 season. Jose, believe it or not, was still playing baseball in July of 2007 in the Atlantic League ... after being suspended 50 games from the Mexican league for steroid use, of course.
With Joe Torre all but fired as the Yankees' manager, FanHouse thought it would be fun to provide a reminder that the man who was introduced to the Bronx with a tabloid headline of Clueless Joe was fired by the other team in New York once too. The above video is a WABC report from 1981, when Torre was fired as manager of the New York Mets on the last day of the '81 season by GM Frank Cashen (apparently, not needing to go to any meetings in Tampa to decide Torre's fate back then.) Watch for the fan who suggested that Billy Martin replace Torre, the Ooh, la la, Sassoon commercial, and the cameo by Lee Mazzilli (then a Mets OF/1B who also left the Mets after the season ... he just didn't know it yet) .
Torre is headed towards the same fate on the other side of town, and in the process will join a very exclusive club: managers who have been fired by both New York baseball teams. As of this moment, only Yogi Berra has earned that distinction. (Casey Stengel, although he did manage the Mets, retired from them instead of being fired.)
Boy, do the Arizona Diamondbacks love to have fun with the whole Steve Bartman thing. First, "Bartman" appeared on the Diamondbacks "Kiss Cam" during the regular season, only to find some pity love. During the playoffs, the scenario was too delicious for the D-Backs to pass up, bringing back the Bartman impersonator and the Kiss Cam for Game Two against Chicago. This time, "Bartman" finds love with ... what else, a billy goat.
Depressed because your team is down 0-2 in your first round playoff series? Upset because your team had a seven game September lead and blew it? Mad because your team hasn't made the playoffs in a few seasons? Well, buck up ... because it could always be worse, as the K.C. Royals, whose last playoff game featured Buddy Biancalana and Darryl Motley, have just about every position open for you to apply for. That includes lefty specialist, ace starter, and fountain operator. No experience necessary, this job placement program is approved by Fred McGriff himself even though he has no Royals experience. The fact that you have none either is irrelevant. So come one, come all!
The emotions of the audible fan say it all, as right before the final pitch by Brett Myers, he says "fourteen years for this, right?"
And then in an instant, the waiting was over. The Phillies completed their improbable comeback and clinched the National League East, and make their return to the playoffs for the first time in ... hey, whaddaya know, 14 years.
Up next, the Colorado Rockies, who have only waited 12 years for this.
For your YouTube pleasure (or is it a YouTube fix): a view from the not-so-cheap seats of the winning run scoring in last night's Padres/Rockies extravaganza.
As close as that camera was, I still can't tell if Matt Holliday touched the plate. But it's fun to watch grown men jump around all ecstatic and stuff.
Mets fans have been asked a lot lately if they've thought about jumping off a tall bridge after their favorite team's September choke job. Well, one Mets fan actually took the plunge and attempted suicide, and we have the video right here!
Relax, it's not a snuff film, it's a teddy bear.
Luckily, the bear actually survived that fall, thanks to the steroids he was taking.Sorry, No Photos
