May 21, 2021
1. Albert Pujols hits his first Dodgers HR, #668 career
The first time he’s gone yard not wearing red, and it’s about time we baseball fans start utilizing uniform-color analytics:
2. Injury updates: Kevin Pillar and Jacob deGrom
The word “trooper” has never been more apt than with Kevin Pillar right now — who was, if you missed it, hit squarely in the face a few days ago:
And then there’s Jacob deGrom, with a far more minor injury — down in Palm Beach on a rehab stint, where this minor-league Cardinals team is hilariously terrified:
3. The best and worst of position players pitching
It’s been a big week for this category, after the Tony La Russa incident blew up — and so we’ve got some more, from yesterday. The hilariously bad:
And the actually pretty decent, from Alex Blandino (Reds infielder):
4. Today in Astros news: The Dodgers are having some fun
The topic simply never fails to deliver.
5. Baseball is getting back to normal: “Space Ham” and The Freeze
It’s been a weird last 14 months, but finally — everything is falling back into place. Minor-league whimsical greatness is back:
And in Atlanta, between-innings racing has returned:
6. Clutch HR of the night: J.D. Martinez
It was the best game of the week so far, Red Sox vs. Blue Jays down in Dunedin, Florida — and the lead pinged back and forth all night, ending with this in the top of the ninth:
7. This is what happens in baseball bullpens: unraveling yarn
If you think baseball is ever boring, forget about the game. Have a look into the bullpen. At a magnificent, methodical bit of dismantling:
8. Double play of the week: The Rangers go 3–6–5
Those odd-numbered double plays always feel so exquisite:
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10. Bizarre pitch delivery of the day, on a strikeout to end the game
“Oh my goodness,” the TV guy says. A pause, a wiggle, and it’s game over — Twins win in seven innings:
11. Two mustache of the year candidates, in Los Angeles
One at the Dodgers game, one at the Angels. It’s hard to find two better specimens than this.
Pick your fighter:
Turns out longtime Angels pitcher Jered Weaver befriended the latter gentleman, who goes by the appellation “Big Keith”:
12. Ex-Pirates movements: One to football and one to prison
Very strange, up-and-down day for alumni of the Pirates organization:
13. Kyle Schwarber hits another HR at Wrigley Field
As a Cub fan, it’s an odd feeling to see our old pal at the ballpark, seeing him hit ones into the bleachers — his second of the series.
You jump up out of your chair for a moment, unsure if you’re right to cheer:
14. Roster moves: Duffey suspended and Strasburg is back
You don’t just throw at baseball superhero Yermin Mercedes and expect to go without consequences:
And pitching tonight, Stephen Strasburg comes off the injured list:
15. Lastly, Vin Scully tells a great Babe Ruth story
He joined Twitter earlier this year, and this is exactly why it’s great — a tweet prompted, I think, by all the comparisons being made between Ohtani and Ruth in recent weeks:
Here’s the clip, from September 2014:
