May 1, 2021
1. Wilmer Flores strikes out on three straight balls
This takes the #1 spot today for a reason — 2021 is the Year of the Terrible Umpire. This is the year. This is the one. This is when it all comes crashing down. And the fans finally force robo umps into being.
Just look at this:
2. Benches cleared in the Phillies / Mets game
The N.L. East is completely up for grabs this year. Four teams, at least, in the mix — a month in already, and the last-place Marlins only 1.5 games back from first.
It’s going to be a good year.
Here’s Dom Smith after the game:
3. BALK-OFF in the UCLA game
Down by four in the bottom of the ninth, and then win on a walk-off balk. Amazing:
4. John Gant throws a pitch into over the net, into the stands
“Missed high.”
5. Kyle Schwarber hits his second walk-off HR of the season
It continues to be sad, for nostalgic Cubs fan everywhere — seeing out guy shine like this in D.C.
But man, what a hit.
After the game, out came the celebratory hockey helmet:
6. The Yankees win 10–0 and they look like they’re back
After last night, they’re still just 12–14, after the first month of the season. But that game felt a bit — different. Two home runs from Aaron Judge, including a grand slam.
Celebrities at the game:
Six shut-out innings from Gerrit Cole, and 12 strikeouts. And it’s starting to look like the Yankees we were supposed to see, at long last:
7. In the same game, Michael Kay and David Cone ponder the “simulation theory”
The exact context isn’t fully clear, but — when the Aaron Judge grand slam was in the air, apparently an alert popped up on their iPad in the broadcast booth, that said “Aaron Judge grand slam”. Either very fast fingers from the social media team, or indeed, the simulation is cracking:
8. Joey Votto hits HR #300
Can you guess the other two Reds to hit 300? (answers below)
Johnny Bench, at #1, with 389. Frank Robinson, #2, with 324.
Here’s the video:
9. At the end of April, the Red Sox have the best record in baseball
Raise you hand if you had that before the season started.
10. Mike Trout scores tagging up from third, with an awesome camera angle
Much much much more of this, MLB, whenever possible:
11. Fan injury of the day, from the Taiwan League
Also in that league, we might have an international front-runner for the best hair in baseball:
12. A guy caught Bo Bichette’s HR on the fly while recording on his phone
And the Jays win big last night, 13–5, back up to .500 on the year, Teoscar Hernandez made his return with a HR.
13. Byron Buxton continues to play out of his mind
Two fantastic catches yesterday, and look at the numbers this year:
14. Comeback players of the year alert: Buster Posey & Kris Bryant 🚨
He took the year off in 2020, and now he’s back to the old Buster Posey — batting .361, 1.123 OPS, six home runs so far:
And then Kris Bryant, unclear if he’d ever find his old form again — and then, quietly, he’s batting .322, 1.078 OPS, seven home runs.
15. Lastly, here’s Clint Frazier eating a mystery snack
The theories from Twitter: A protein shot, cookie dough, meatball, cheese spread covered in almond slivers, cat food, gelato, falafel.
Whatever it is, however it tastes — fun and joy has crept back into the Yankees dugout, at last.
If you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, send me a DM on Twitter! I’ll be doing them all year, to package the best highlights and stories from around the league — and to make baseball easier and quicker to follow.
Twitter: @bbletter
