Baseball Page 1245 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

This Evening: Big Papi, Little Pee-Pee
Your p.m. roundup for Sept. 26, the day we learned about spontaneous human combustion. Photo via Mocksession; H/T to Brad. Got any stories or photos for us? Tip your editors....

Old Man Jack McKeon Will Retire After Wednesday's Game
Well, this half-season at the helm of the moribund Marlins was not what I had in mind when I was told about an all-expenses-paid vacation in South Florida, the 80-year-old manager thought to himself, shortly before notifying the Marlins brass of his resignation via telegraph. [Twitter]...

Forget Boston, The Braves Are Going To Blow Their Playoff Spot
Folks fret a lot about the national sports media—we suppose this includes Deadspin—overcovering Boston sports. When it comes to John Lackey's personal calamities, we pay attention with good reason. But maybe the Red Sox's collapse, hanging over all of Lackey's baggage, is too big a deal. There's ano...

John Lackey And The Convenient Myth Of The Boston Spotlight
It may or may not be true that some players simply can't cut it in Boston. But it's an absolute truism that everyone in Boston wants it to be true. In a vacuum, the obvious question is "did John Lackey's personal issues, including his marital problems and wife's illness, contribute to a sub-par seas...

Ravaged By Irene: Oddibe McDowell's Water Bill Is $73.07 This Month Because Of A $21.00 Stormwater Fee
The former journeyman outfielder only used four thousand gallons of water during the last billing cycle, but Hurricane Irene's deluge in Broward County means that McDowell has an extra $21.00 in water bill fees. Cruel, cruel world....

Jayson Werth Meddled With The Nationals "Presidents Race" Again Today
You have to hand it to Jayson Werth: If he's the least bit concerned about being 21 games behind the playoff-bound team he left last year for money, he's not showing it....

Former Orioles Pitcher Mike Flanagan Threatened To Commit Suicide Several Times Before Doing So
The Baltimore Sun is reporting, based on police records released via Public Information Act request, that Cy Young Award winner and Orioles broadcaster Mike Flanagan's suicide did not come as a complete surprise to those closest to him....

They Cried Tears Of Joy And Praised The Heavens When The Brewers Clinched A Division Title
Your morning roundup for Sept. 24, a day you no longer have to worry about getting hit by a falling satellite unless you already got hit, in which case wouldn't be reading this because you're not alive to fret. Got any stories or photos for us? Tip your editors....

Deadspin's Guide To <em>Moneyball</em>
The much-delayed Moneyball film finally pops into your area cinemaplex today, marking one of nerds' few victories in a September filled with Red Sox defeats. We take particular interest in this film, and not just because we've long yearned to see someone portraying Chad Bradford dance across the scr...

Yes, The Marlins Let "Leo Nunez" Play For Several Months Even Though They Knew He Forged His Identity
"A person familiar with Nunez's immigration status told The Associated Press on Thursday that his real name is Juan Carlos Oviedo, and he's 29, a year older than listed in the team media guide. The person also said the Marlins have been aware of the issue for several months." [AP, via ESPN]...

I-Team: Was Bruce Bochy Giving Interviews On The Shitter Last Night At Dodger Stadium?
Tipster Andrew sent us the above photo of the San Francisco Giants manager and added this: "Check out this screen shot of Bruce Bochy's postgame interview. Notice anything odd in the background? Is it possible the man is giving an interview while dropping a deuce?"...

Billy Beane On His Pet Names For Brian Sabean
Every morning, the fine folks at Sports Radio Interviews sift through the a.m. drive-time chatter to bring you the best interviews with coaches, players, and personalities across the sports landscape. Today: "Sabey Sabes" was a Hollywood invention. The real one was much worse....

The Chicago Baseball Experience: Come For The Losing, Stay For The Unsanitary Food
"Health inspectors who visited U.S. Cellular Field and Wrigley Field during the baseball season found dozens of violations at concessions, including food being kept at the wrong temperature and poor hygienic practices by some servers." [Chicago Tribune]...

Dan Shaughnessy Wants The Red Sox Barred From The Playoffs Even If They Qualify
Here's the CHB: "How about banishing the 2011 Red Sox from postseason play on the grounds of horsebleep play for the entire month of September?...

MLB's "Path To The Pennant" Programming Has Seemingly Taken An Unexpected Turn
Has Major League Baseball branched out into pornography? Will a potential AL wild-card tiebreaker come down to assplay? Tune in to MLB Network at 10 p.m. on Sunday to find out?...

This Evening: Mariano Rivera's First Baseball Glove Was Made Out Of Cardboard (Video)
Your p.m. roundup for Sept. 22, the day we learned the rules for using a cell phone on a subway platform. Video via Sports Grid. Got any stories or photos for us? Tip your editors....

Terry Francona Says Sphincters Remain Unclenched In The Red Sox Clubhouse
Every morning, the fine folks at Sports Radio Interviews sift through the a.m. drive-time chatter to bring you the best interviews with coaches, players, and personalities across the sports landscape. Today: Tito denies feeling any pressure....

Statistics Are Ruining Baseball
Back when I was a kid, you didn't need to bring a calculator to the game. You went, you cheered, and if you were lucky, the third base coach would share a pack of Chesterfields with you. But now everyone has computers, and stat guys, and the game has become unrecognizable....

If The '90s Braves Were Doctoring The Ball, More Power To Them
Where does the credit go for the dominant Braves pitching staffs of the 1990s? Smoltz, Glavine and Maddux themselves? A front office that got them, kept them, and found nearly-as-dominant fourth starters seemingly every year? A goodly amount of praise has been heaped on Leo Mazzone, the pitching coa...

Logan Morrison Would Like To Borrow Your Black Flag T-Shirt
Your morning roundup for Sept. 22, the day we learned live trees make great ancient bridges. Photo via @Jimmy Traina. Got any stories or photos for us? Tip your editors....