Boston-Area Little Leaguers Have Strange Allegiances

rickchand — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:10:55 EDT

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Walpole, Mass., outfielder Mike Rando is "with leather." Welcome to the club, Mike. We mentioned it over the weekend, but here's another view of his game-saving catch against Hamilton, Ohio, with slo-motion goodness, but sans perky sideline reporter Sophie Cortina. (She's right here).

Wallpole is located about 20 minutes southwest of Boston. So before the game, the team got a pep talk from Curt Schilling, Coco Crisp and Red Sox manager Terry Francona, and Rando's catch was shown on the scoreboard at Fenway Park. All well and good ... but check out the Walpole team introductions, below, and note who the kids' favorite players are. Two are tied for first with three votes each. They've gotta be Red Sox players, right? And one one of them certainly doesn't play for the Yankees. That would be crazy.

Move Over Erin Andrews, There's A New Chica On The Block [Awful Announcing]
Mike Rando! [Minneapolis Star-Tribune]

Bacon Pants: Junior Division

Ladies — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 15:30:53 EDT

SOMEBODY wants to be a bacon pants when he grows up: Thanks to a perfectly timed hop at the fence, Walpole, Mass. center fielder Michael Rando earned himself a place in Little League World Series history. With the tying runner at third, and a high, arcing shot to straightaway center field, Rando kept Hamilton, Ohio from a walk-off victory in the first round of the LLWS.

Nice grab, kid. Now let's see you make that same catch while breaking your face. -Clare

Rando's big league catch helps Walpole beat Hamilton in LLWS opener [AP via the WWL]

Deadspin: web gems

Boston-Area Little Leaguers Have Strange Allegiances

Bacon Pants: Junior Division