Bizarre Baseball - April 2021

Baseball is a beautiful game. It’s tradition. It’s the fresh cut smell of the grass before the first pitch. It’s the ball park on a hot summer’s day with hot dogs and beers in-hand. It’s stylish steals, big dingers and unbelievable catches. Its America’s greatest pastime… and sometimes, Baseball is just plain goofy and weird. 

For as intense and competitive as the game gets, there's often just as much weird and wonderful light-heartedness that occurs in 9 innings. So, without further ado here’s a few of our favourite bizarre baseball moments from April 2021! 

Joc Pederson Gets a Waffle Iron

It was a big day for the Cubs newest slugger, Joc Pederson on April 7th - who started the regular season leading off for Chicago after a monster Spring training outing - he delivered for the cubbies on that Wednesday afternoon hitting his first home-run of the season. And for his efforts he was rewarded with… a waffle iron? Yep, you did read that correctly! 

It turns out that Cubs outfielder, Ian Happ, has had the breakfast themed prop in the dugout since the 2018 season - breaking it out whenever his teammates ‘waffle’ a pitch. 

Nacho Home Run

It’s happened thousands of times over the years but there’s something simply awesome about seeing somebody nab a homer from the stands. And one smiling fan got a ball to remember when Justin Turner went yard against the Rockies on April 15th. The ball went sailing off into left centre-field, and one Dodgers fan got a big surprise when the ball landed smack in the middle of his Nachos! Despite the cheesy mess, the fan was smiling throughout, and JT even graciously got someone to replace his snack. 

That’s definitely a one of a kind ball - with a brilliant story to go alongside it.

The Saga of Anthony Rizzo & Freddie Freeman 

Episode 1: The Rundown 

When players are mic’d up there’s usually some antics abound and that’s exactly what happened on April 18th when Anthony Rizzo was mic’d up as Cubs went up against the Braves. At the top of the fourth, Freddie Freeman found himself in a rundown while attempting to advance from second to third base on a sacrifice fly from Travis d'Arnaud. Rizzo incited the rundown, tossing the ball to Kris Bryant at third before David Bote got ahold of it. 

Eventually it found its way back to Rizzo’s glove, and a chase ensued. Smiling wide, Rizzo yelled to Freeman - ‘Fredrick! Freddie!!’ Before tossing the ball to Javy Baez who made the tag out.  

Episode 2: The Strike-Out 

The mischief continued 10 days later at Truist Park. With the Braves up 10 - 0 and the Cubs on the verge of a blowout, manager David Ross let Rizzo take the mound as Freeman was shortly due up the plate at the bottom of the seventh. 

Rizzo took the mound to face the reigning National League MVP and neither player could hide their smiles. Rizzo succeed with his goal, striking out Freeman with a 61mph curveball, and shutting down the sluggers chance to hit 5 for 5 on the night. He left the game with a career ERA of 0.00. On a difficult night for the Cubs, this was the light-hearted injection of fun the dugout needed! 

Will the Rizzo / Freeman saga continue even further? Here’s hoping so because it’s incredibly joyous - both of these moments radiated the pure fun of baseball and reminded us that every big leaguer is still just a boy playing ball in their backyard at heart. 

It doesn’t get much better than that. 

One To Watch: Yermin Mercedes

The White Sox are showing a lot of promise so far this season, it’s a good time to be on the South Side and perhaps nothing is proving that more than Chicago’s latest breakout star, Yermin Mercedes. It’s no surprise that he’s been lovingly dubbed the ‘Yerminator’ as his career’s getting off to a powerhouse start that shows no signs of slowing down. Basically, if you’re not paying attention, you need to be because this guy is playing some great Baseball. 

Originally drafted as an international free agent by the Nationals in 2011, Mercedes bounced around a fair bit before beginning his big league career. He spent 3 seasons with the minor league DSL Nationals before playing Independent League ball throughout 2014. The Orioles then picked him up for a minor league deal before he was acquired by the White Sox in the 2017 Rule 5 Draft, making their 40-man roster in 2019. His first shot in The Show was a short lived Spring Training appearance where he was bought in as a pinch hitter and unfortunately grounded out on his only plate appearance. 

On April 2nd 2021, Mercedes made his MLB debut as the designated hitter against the Angels where he made the record books. During the game he stepped into the batters box 5 times and hit 5 times - making him the first player in White Sox history to hit 5 for 5 in their first major league start! He followed up the next day by hitting in his first 3 plate appearances - once again earning another record - this time as the first player since 1900 to start a season with 8 consecutive hits. 

At the end of his first week, he was named the AL player of the week by MLB after hitting 9 - 14 in total, maintaining a 1.634 OPS, a .643 batting average and recording 6 RBIs. 

And if all that contact hitting isn’t impressive enough then don’t worry because this guy can hit for power too, as demonstrated On April 9th, when he went yard for the second home run of his career - a monster hit that soared an insane 485 feet out of the park! 

And to top it all off he’s now adding even more versatility to his playing arsenal. He recently made his first appearance on the field but he wasn’t out there to catch grounders or fly balls, no sir, the Yerminator stepped onto the mound to pitch against the Red Sox!Admittedly, Boston were up 10 to 4 at the time of what became a blowout game for Chicago but nevertheless, it was still interesting to see the rookie out there. Although he did give up three hits and 2 walks, he still impressively managed to escape the inning with only one run allowed, resulting in an ERA of 9.00 after the outing and, as position players, go things could have been much worse! 

Just over 3 weeks into his big league career and Yermin Mercedes has already made a lot of noise for the South Side. We can’t wait to see more big hits, his first start as a catcher, and, hey maybe even some more trips to the mound. Whatever’s in store for the future, it’s bound to be pretty great! Welcome to The Show, Yermin, and thanks for putting on a show for all the baseball lovers out there.  

Joe Musgrove Throws First No-Hitter in Padres History

It was a normal Friday in San Diego on April 9th… until it wasn’t and Joe Musgrove threw a game for the record books when he pitched the first no-hitter in Padres history. This was only his second start since being traded from the Pirates in the offseason, and he’s truly a hometown hero, having grown up in El Cajon and raised a Padres fan. 

The San Diego native was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in 2011 before a successful 5 year stint with the Astros, and a couple of seasons with the Pirates. For him to have returned home and achieved such a momental victory for the franchise is nothing short of a storybook tale.  

The right-hander threw a total of 112 pitches, faced 28 batters, made 10 strikeouts, and only allowed one base runner in the 3 - 0 victory against the Texas Rangers. Musgrove (who has now unsurprisingly been named the MLBs national league player of the week) was not only responsible for the first no-hitter for the Padres but the first no-hitter of the 2021 season, and the first of his career. 

Behind the plate was Victor Caratini who also made history, becoming the first catcher to contribute to consecutive no-hitters for different teams after his last no-no came back in September catching for Alec Mills of the Cubs. 

This was a victory that the Padres will remember forever, and a game that reiterated just how special America’s greatest pastime really is. 

In the world of Baseball, it doesn’t get much better than that. 

One to Watch: Akil Baddoo

If you’re not paying attention to Detroit Tigers newest slugger right now, you need to be because his career is getting off to a legendary start.

22-year-old outfielder, Akil Baddoo, was originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins straight out of high school in 2016. After spending two seasons in their rookie league, he had a successful outing with the Cedar Rapids Kernels, before moving up for a stint with the Fort Myers Miracle in 2019. His second season, however, was cut short due to requiring Tommy Johns surgery after injuring his left elbow.

During the 2020 Rule 5 Draft, Baddoo was acquired from Minnesota by the Detroit Tigers at the number three pick. After an impressive Spring Training - hitting for a .325 average and blasting 5 homeruns - he made the opening day roster and has proceeded to have one of the best rookies starts in MLB history.

Jumping up to the big leagues isn’t easy but Baddoo sure made it look easy when he stepped up to the plate on April 4^{th -} in his MLB debut against Cleveland - and sent the ball out of the park on the first pitch he saw! This made him only the 31^st player in history to go deep on his first pitch and the first since Cubs catcher Willson Contreras in 2016.

Things were looking relatively bleak for Detroit the following afternoon, however as the Twins led them 15 – 2 at the bottom of the ninth in the second game of the series. That didn’t deter Baddoo though as he took his final at bat of the game with only one out remaining… luckily the bases were also loaded and Baddoo sent the ball flying – keeping the Tigers rally going and achieving his first Grand Slam in only his second game.

This story can’t possibly get any cooler, can it?

You bet it can! Because this rookie shows no signs of slowing down. With yesterday’s game tied up 3 – 3, Baddoo entered the batter’s box at the bottom of the 10^th to face Twins reliefer Hansel Robles. With a man on second and a man on third, he went for 2 balls and a strike before making a game winning single down the right field line – achieving his first walk-off win.

So, for a quick recap in only his first 3 MLB games Akil Baddoo has:

-       -  Batted a HR off the very first pitch he saw

-       -  Hit a Grand Slam

-        - Made a game winning walk-off single 

It’s a script even Hollywood couldn’t write, and a truly legendary start to what’s sure to be an incredible career. Welcome to The Show Akil!

Orioles Sweep to Start the Season.

The Orioles rocked up to Fenway Park with something to prove on their delayed Opening Day: they’re not a team to be overlooked. Having been in rebuild mode for a few years now, Baltimore haven’t produced much in regard to win – loss records, and they’re definitely not up to contender status just yet. What the Birds are, however, is hungry and full of young talent. After sweeping the Red Sox to start their 2021 season, they’ve made that loud and clear – with a shut-out 3 – 0 on Opening Day, a 4 – 2 victory to follow, and finally dominating 11 – 3 in last night’s game.

The biggest point of uncertainty for the Orioles heading into the season was undoubtedly their starting rotation... although you wouldn’t have known that after watching these games, which boasted a brilliant performance from each starting pitcher.

The first to take the mound was ace, John Means, who obtained 18 straight outs. Through 7 innings he only allowed 1 hit, made 5 strikeouts and no walks in 97 total pitches. Obviously, John Means business.

Veteran Matt Harvey made the start in his Orioles debut in game 2. The Dark Knight pitched for 4.2 innings, allowed 6 hits, made 1 walk and 4 strikeouts. Reliefer Adam Plutko then stepped in – also making his Orioles debut - for 2 innings, allowed only 1 hit and stranded 2 batters. While it wasn’t as strong a performance compared to game 1, there was a lot to like from the newest residents of Birdland. 

Finally, rookie Bruce Zimmermann got his first MLB win in game 3 after striking out 5 batters over an impressive 6 innings.

The pitching was sure something to write home about but the biggest story at Fenway Park was the heart-warming return of O’s first baseman, Trey Mancini, who missed the 2020 season after a year-long battle with colon Cancer. Mancini delivered a truly memorable, and inspiring performance, bringing home 3 runs and 3 RBI’s across the series – ending with an average of .250.

Another key component for the offense was lead-off hitter, Cedric Mullins. The rookie centre fielder had an outstanding series, particularly in game 3 - where across his 5 plate appearances - he recorded 3 doubles and 2 singles – hitting 5 – 5 and bringing in 3 of the Orioles 11 runs. Add right fielder, Anthony Santander into the mix, who drove in 4 runs across the series, and you’ve got a pretty electric top of the order.

So, does this sweep mean the Orioles are suddenly hot in contention for the division title? Absolutely not. For one, it’s the first series of the year, and while it was a fantastic way to kick off the season, there’s no telling if they’ll be able to maintain this calibre of play weeks or months down the line. Secondly [are perhaps more tellingly], the Red Sox aren’t contenders either so once we do see the O’s go up against those World Series frontrunners it’ll put their current state into a clearer perspective.

All that said, however, what the Orioles are is a team with a lot of promise, and a bright future. This sweep highlighted a reliable veteran presence and a handful of rookies with great potential. This is still a team on the rebuild but these victories proved that they’re slowly inching closer to contention.

It will likely take years but don’t sleep on these birds because eventually they’ll be flying towards the highest prize.

Cubs Come out on Top in Arrieta’s Triumphant Return.

 

[Photo: John J. Kim]

All eyes were on Wrigley Field yesterday as Jake Arrieta took the mound in a Cubs uniform for the first time in over three years. The 35-year-old starting pitcher previously had a 4-year tenure in Chicago after being traded from the Orioles in 2013 and became an integral part of the Cubs rotation - winning a World Series, receiving the NL Cy Young award, leading the 2015 season in MLB wins, and pitching two no-hitters. So, it’s no surprise when news broke that Arrieta was heading back to Wrigley again after a 3-year run in Philadelphia, fans were overjoyed, and his first start back was a warm welcome home.

After a disappointing Opening Day loss, the Cubs bounced back to tie up the series with a 5 – 1 win against the Pirates. Short-stop, Javier Baez, got things started by batting a left-field single at the bottom of the second, and he didn’t stop there. For the reminder of the inning he was a man on a mission, successfully stealing both second and third base before coming home off a right-field hit from outfielder, Jake Marisnick. After a down year at the plate last season, it was certainly a wonderful sight, witnessing Javy doing what Javy does best.

Jason Heyward followed suit, singling Marisnick into third, where he was able to score thanks to a sacrifice fly from David Bote. Kris Bryant sent a ball out of the park in the third [turns out it’ll be one to remember for KB, as it was his first homerun with his young son in the stands. That’s gotta warm your heart!]

Jason Heyward also went yard in the sixth, and finally, Javy singled KB home at the bottom of the seventh to secure the 5 – 1 lead.  

On the mound, Jake had a solid outing overall - pitching for 6 innings. He allowed 6 hits, 1 walk and struck out 5 batters, sure it wasn’t ‘top form’ form Arrieta but for his first start back it was impressive. Brandon Workman and Andrew Chafin held up in the seventh and eighth, leaving closer, Craig Kimbrel, to shut the Bucs down with a beautiful 16 pitch performance.

Overall, this was a solid win that highlighted the Cubs doing a lot of what they do best. Bryant and Baez look to back on form compared to last season, the bullpen was solid and focused, and most of all – three years, seven months, and five days since his last Chicago start, Arrieta came back with a bang!

Welcome home, Jake – Wrigley’s sure happy to have you back. 

Opening Day 2021 Highlights

It’s the most wonderful time of the year... that’s right, baseball is officially back in full swing! Although this year’s regular season did start off with some disappointment - both the Red Sox / Orioles, and Mets / Nationals matchups were cancelled due to weather and covid precautions respectively - there was still plenty of great baseball to go around. 

 

For diehard fans, settling into opening day is the equivalent of waking up on Christmas morning and boy what a jam packed, exciting Christmas morning this was! Without further ado, here are our favourite highlights from Opening Day 2021. 

 

Ke’Bryan Hayes Rookie of the Year Campaign gets off to an Explosive Start 

 

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman started his first opening day with a bang at Wrigley Field. The afternoon was windy and cold in Chicago as Hayes stepped up to the plate in the game’s first inning to face Cubs ace Kyle Hendricks. On a 2 – 1 count he ripped the ball across the park off Hendricks’ changeup, scoring a two-run homer. The blast set the momentum for the rest of the game and the Bucs came out victorious, winning 5 – 3. It was an explosive start to the power hitter’s first full season, and a testament to why he’s a front runner for the National League Rookie of the Year. The future of Baseball is bright with young players like Ke’Bryan, and we can’t wait to see more from him. 

 

Shane Bieber Strikes out a Dozen  

 

Despite a loss for the Cleveland Indians who fell 2 – 3 to the Tigers, there was still room for some celebration as starting pitcher, and reigning Cy Young winner Shane Bieber gave an incredible performance. In six innings the 25-year-old noticeably struck out 12 batters – just shy of the 14 he stranded on last years opening day.

 

What exactly makes this so exciting? Well, it turns out he’s only the fourth pitcher in MLB history to have over 12+ strikeouts in two consecutive opening day starts. Not a bad start at all for Cleveland’s ace, who’s in hot contention to claim the Cy Young prize yet again this season.

 

 

Brewers Get the Walk-off After Making a Late Game Comeback

 

It wasn’t the only walk-off of the day, but it was the first, and it was a moment that truly screamed ‘Baseball is back.’ Not much was going the Brewers way for most of their matchup against the Twins – by the top of the 7^th Minnesota were up 5 – 2 and it wasn’t looking so hot for the Brew Crew. That is until they made a late game comeback at the bottom of the ninth. Christian Yelich started things off by driving in a run with a big shot to right-centre. Travis Shaw followed suit - hitting a massive double to bring in the tying run before the game headed into extra innings. After reliefer, Josh Hader, stranded Twins batters at the top of the 10^th, short-stop Orlando Arcia stepped up to the plate and brought Lorenzo Cain home – giving the Brewers a sweet walk-off win. As comebacks go, it was damn magnificent.

 

Cardinals Come Out Swinging 

 

The Cardinals have been given the best odds to come out of top of the National League Central this year – especially with the offseason addition of power-hitting third baseman, Nolan Arenado – and they proved exactly why they’re front-runners for the division title in their opening day outing against the Reds.

 

In just the first inning, they stacked up 6 runs in 4 hits – one of which was Arenado’s first hit as a Card. Paul Goldschmidt launched a double into deep right-field, Paul DeJong made a nice single, and Dylan Carlson cracked a homer. Albeit 2 of the 6 runs did come down to a fielding error from Red’s infielder - Eugenio Suarez - that doesn’t demonise how the Cardinals offense came out firing on all cylinders, and they stayed hot throughout, ultimately besting the Reds 11 – 6.  

 

Miggy Hits the First Homer of the Season 

 

‘Who will hit the first home run of the season?’ it’s a question on everybody’s lips come opening day – some place bets on it and others wait in quiet anticipation. It’s a moment as exciting as that first pitch of the first game and the recipient of the honour is never guaranteed, one thing that is, however, is when the moment comes it’ll be epic and widely celebrated.

 

This year it was Detroit Tigers first baseman, Miguel Cabrera, who made the first homer of 2021. Stepping up to the plate in the first inning, amidst a 31-degree snowstorm, Miggy crushed the ball out of the park – although thanks to the weather he didn’t realise it had left the stadium, initially only sliding into second, before being told to round the bases – officially nabbing his 350^th homerun as a Tiger and the very first of the 2021 season.

 

It was certainly an epic, beautiful Baseball moment.

 

Buster is Back 

 

After opting out of the 2020 season to look after his newly adopted twins, Giants fans have been long awaiting the return of beloved catcher, Buster Posey, and in last nights game against the Mariners he made he presence loud and clear. In his first at bat since the 2019 regular season, the 34-year-old stepped up to the plate in the second inning and on a 2 – 0 count went yard with a line-drive to left field. Fans went wild. 

 

Although San Francisco ultimately fell to Seattle 7 – 8 in extra innings, seeing the face of the franchise back on the field and making his mark was incredibly satisfying. Welcome back, Buster! We’ve missed you.