Oct 7, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) looks on during pre game batting practice before game three of the 2019 ALDS playoff baseball series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Giancarlo Stanton shook off his poor MLB All-Star Game track record with one big swing on Tuesday night, and an incredible photo from the game made it look like the baseball he launched into orbit was made of foam.
With the American League down 2-0 in the fourth, Stanton took Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin deep for a monstrous 2-run home run to tie the game. The New York Yankees star literally crushed the ball, sending it 457 feet. Here’s a remarkable still shot of the moment Stanton made contact:
There are few people in baseball who can hit a ball harder than Stanton, and that photo is a perfect illustration of his power. You can see a video of the homer here.
The AL won 3-2, and Stanton was named All-Star Game MVP. He had gone 0-for-6 combined in his previous four All-Star Games. Stanton had a great reaction after the win when asked about his big night.
Sep 18, 2021; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Ainias Smith (0) returns a punt against the New Mexico Lobos during the first half at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Texas A&M wide receiver Ainias Smith is facing multiple charges after he was arrested early Wednesday morning.
Smith was pulled over by Texas A&M police shortly after 2 a.m. on Wednesday for speeding. He was arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence. Officers then found marijuana and a gun in his car. Smith was charged with driving while intoxicated, unlawful carrying of a weapon and possessing fewer than two ounces of marijuana, according to Brazos County police records that were reviewed by Brent Zwerneman of the Houston Chronicle.
Officers said Smith had a “rolled joint of marijuana” and a handgun with a “full magazine and a round chambered” in the center console of his car. He denied owning both. A passenger who was with the senior also denied owning the marijuana or handgun.
Smith had not been released on bond as of Wednesday morning.
Smith is expected to play a huge role for the Aggies this season. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound receiver had 47 catches for 509 yards and six touchdowns last year. He was one of three Texas A&M players who were scheduled to represent the team at SEC Media Days in Atlanta on Thursday.
February 23, 2020; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Andrew Wiggins (22) warms up before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Andrew Wiggins had his first All-Star season this year and helped the Golden State Warriors win a championship, but he still has one major regret — getting vaccinated.
Wiggins did not want to get the COVID-19 vaccine. He chose to do so to avoid a situation like the one we saw with Kyrie Irving, where the Brooklyn Nets star was unable to play for much of the season. Wiggins applied for a religious exemption but was denied by the NBA, so he finally got the vaccine in early October.
Despite all of his success, Wiggins told Fansided’s Mark Carman this week that he regrets the difficult decision he made.
“I still wish I didn’t get [vaccinated], to be honest with you,” Wiggins said, via ESPN.com. “I did it, and I was an All-Star this year and champion, so that was the good part, just not missing out on the year, the best year of my career. But for my body, I just don’t like putting all that stuff in my body, so I didn’t like that and I didn’t like that it wasn’t my choice. I didn’t like that it was either get this or don’t play.”
Wiggins started 73 games for the Warriors during the regular season. He averaged 17.2 points per game. He then played a huge role in the playoffs, and you could make the argument that Golden State would not have won a title without him. Most notably, the former No. 1 overall pick carried the Warriors to a win over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals with 26 points and 13 rebounds. That performance came after he had 17 points and 16 rebounds in a Game 4 win to help the Warriors even the series at 2-2.
The Warriors are obviously happy Wiggins got vaccinated, but it says a lot that the 27-year-old still regrets it even after how well things went for him this year.
Feb 17, 2019; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; MLB commissioner Rob Manfred addresses representatives from the grapefruit league during the annual spring training media day at Hilton in West Palm Beach. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Many MLB fans were once again upset over the uniforms at the All-Star Game on Tuesday night, but commissioner Rob Manfred remains quite pleased with the change.
For the second consecutive year, players wore uniforms that were specific to the All-Star Game rather than wearing the appropriate home or away uniform of the team they play for. The National League, which was the home team, wore white jerseys with their team’s name in gold letters on the front and their last name on the back. The American League wore charcoal grey.
Manfred was asked about the uniforms prior to the game. He said he personally did not like when players wore all different uniforms during the All-Star Game.
The uniforms are all about the money, of course. Manfred can pretend he likes the new look better, but all that matters is revenue. Many fans were quick to bash the commissioner over his comment.
Individual team jerseys are not coming back anytime soon. Manfred added that sponsorship logo patches will also be added next year, calling it a revenue source that is “impossible for the sport to ignore over the long haul.”
Nike took over as MLB’s official jersey provider in 2020. That has led to several unique new looks, many of which have been shredded by fans. It seems like the majority want individual team jerseys to return to the All-Star Game, but Manfred will likely continue to ignore that.
Albert Pujols wasn’t the only person who proved at the MLB All-Star Game festivities this week that he can still soak up the spotlight. Kate Upton made one heck of a statement, too.
Upton, who is married to Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, absolutely dominated the “Red Carpet Show” on MLB.TV prior to the All-Star Game on Tuesday night. She wore a white dress and strutted down the runway with Verlander and the couple’s young daughter.
It would be an understatement to say the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner was upstaged. Though, the Astros did try to give their guy some love.
Upton, of course, is one of the most famous SI Swimsuit models of all time. She has also appeared in several movies. We have grown more used to seeing her in a supporting role for Verlander in recent years, but she was the star of the show on Tuesday.
A video of a 10-year-old boy meeting Clayton Kershaw during Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game went viral.
The boy, Blake Grice, received a media credential for the game as he pursues a career in media. He approached Kershaw during a media session after the Los Angeles Dodgers ace pitched the first inning of the game.
Grice explained how his late grandfather was a huge Kershaw fan and wanted to meet the pitcher and legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully as part of bucket list items. Grice’s grandfather died of brain cancer before being able to experience either event. So Blake tried to meet Kershaw to fulfill the bucket list item.
Take a look at this exchange:
Kershaw sure handled that well. He ensured the boy got a photo with him too.
Next up, it sounds like Grice will be trying to meet Scully.
Giancarlo Stanton on Tuesday played in his fifth career All-Star Game. But it wasn’t until this year’s game that he finally found success in the Midsummer Classic.
Stanton entered Tuesday’s game 0-for-6 with three strikeouts in All-Star Games. He struck out in his first at-bat against the National League Tuesday too. But then things changed.
With the American League down 2-0 in the fourth, Stanton took Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin deep for a monstrous 2-run home run to tie the game.
Byron Buxton followed with a homer to break the tie, and that was it for the scoring in the game. The AL won 3-2, and Stanton was named All-Star Game MVP.
Stanton was asked after the game how it felt to win All-Star Game MVP at Dodger Stadium, which is nearby where he grew up. The New York Yankees star had trouble finding the words to express his feelings.
“Can’t really explain how special this is. It’s hard to put into words that this is reality right now. It’s really cool; I’m soaking it all in,” Stanton said.
The Los Angeles native was the only player with multiple RBIs in the game. After starter Shane McClanahan struggled in the first, the AL pitching staff shut things down and did not allow any runs the rest of the game. In fact, after McClanahan allowed four hits in the first, the entire staff allowed just one more hit thereafter.
If it wasn’t Stanton to win MVP, then the rest of the AL pitching staff deserved it.
Jul 11, 2017; Miami, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox former player David Ortiz is interviewed before the 2017 MLB All-Star Game at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is in line for a major payday after the 2022 season, and David Ortiz wants Judge’s current team to show him the money.
Judge, who turned down a seven-year, $213.5 million extension offer from the Yankees before the season, settled on a contract with the team in June to avoid arbitration. He will earn $19 million this year with a $250,000 bonus if he is named American League MVP and an additional $250,000 if he wins World Series MVP.
During Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game, Ortiz took FOX viewers on a tour of the American League All-Star dugout, speaking to multiple players. The soon-to-be-inducted Baseball Hall of Fame member squeezed in between Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge on the dugout railing, and had a three-word message for the Yankees organization and their looming free agency decision regarding Judge.
“Hey Aaron,” Ortiz said. “All I gotta say is, ‘pay the man!'”
While it remains to be seen if the Yankees will pony up the money it will likely take to keep Judge in the Bronx, one National League team is viewed as a threat to land the 30-year-old slugger.
Judge is certainly driving up his price tag with an MVP-caliber season so far. At the All-Star break, he leads the majors in home runs (33) and runs scored (74), and is second in slugging percentage (.618), third in OPS (.983) and tied for third in RBI (70).
Mar 23, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges (0) looks on in a time out during the first half against the New York Knicks at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges has been officially charged after being arrested for alleged felony domestic violence in June.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney announced Tuesday that his office filed felony domestic violence charges against Bridges. Bridges faces one felony count of injuring a child’s parent and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death.
Bridges was arrested on June 29 after turning himself in to authorities in Los Angeles. He was later released on $130,000 bond.
The county’s district attorney issued a statement along with the charges, promising to hold Bridges accountable.
“Domestic violence creates physical, mental and emotional trauma that has a lasting impact on survivors. Children who witness family violence are especially vulnerable and the impact on them is immeasurable. Mr. Bridges will be held accountable for his actions and our Bureau of Victim Services will support the survivors through this difficult process,” the statement said.
Arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Bridges is a restricted free agent. The 24-year-old averaged 20.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in 80 games last season.
Oct 2, 2021; College Station, Texas, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach argues a call while playing against the Texas A&M Aggies in the third quarter at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Leach was among the four coaches who spoke on Tuesday during the week-long SEC Media Days in Atlanta, Ga. The Mississippi State Bulldogs coach classed up the joint and was proud of his outfit.
Leach shared a photo on Twitter Tuesday morning of himself with three of his players in front of an airplane. “Wore my finest pants for media day today,” Leach tweeted.
While his players were in suits, Leach was in khaki pants and an open coat — no tie.
That’s all class from Leach.
For comparison, the Bulldogs coach wore a suit and tie to last year’s media event.
Leach is entering his third season as Mississippi State’s head coach. Though he went 4-7 in 2020, his team improved to 7-6 last season. They could be poised for an even bigger year in 2022.
