Happy Saturday!
In baseball, tempers can sometimes flare up and get the best of us.
Even the big boys, with all their fame and fortune, can turn into spoiled children.
Exhibit A:
Last weekend, the Giants slugger drew a walk in the ninth inning with his team trailing by a run.
When they tried to send in a pinch-runner, Devers waved off the dugout, refusing to leave the field.
A bit of a standoff.
Finally, the umpire jumped in, and Devers left, muttering a few choice words into his helmet.
He pouted and walked off into the clubhouse.
Frankly, it was embarrassing.
Though it does remind me of a meltdown I had during my playing days.
In front of family, friends, and teammates at a Pony League game. 😂
I was a catcher.
Fourteen years old.
It was early in the game.
The pitch was in the dirt and bounced a few feet to the right of the plate.
The runner on third base raced for home.
I scrambled to the ball, scooped it up, and turned to make the tag.
But there was a problem.
The umpire was standing right in front of me and the plate.
He completely blocked my path!
There was no way to tag the runner. He scored easily.
Umpire interference!
Oh, I was pissed. My manager and I argued...
No luck. The ump wasn't havin' it.
That's when my anger got the best of me.
The very next batter laced a hit. The runner from second base came around to score.
As he crossed the plate, I gave him a little bump.
Nothing major. It didn't knock him down. But I clearly initiated the contact.
That was it.
The umpire gave me the thumb.
"You're out of the game!"
Just like that.
The only ejection of my so-called baseball career.
To this day, I'm still a little embarrassed by it.
But hey, at least I didn't do it on national television in front of millions of people.
Let's talk about the week in baseball.
⚾️ Get Well Soon, Will Smith
Have you been watching this Shohei Ohtani-Dalton Rushing saga?
WTF!
Is Ohtani actually getting annoyed with his rookie backup catcher?
Will Smith gets hurt, Dalton Rushing steps in.
Well.
Team Ohtani-Rushing ain’t working out so well.
I've never been a Dalton Rushing guy.
Every time I watch them, I get the feeling they've never shared a beer together. And never will.
Just look at Shohei's body language. 😡
Exasperation.
The guy never seems to get rattled.
Yet here he is, calling pitches, challenging ABS calls, and doing just about everything except putting on the catcher's gear himself.
Pretty soon, he might need to catch his own frickin' pitches.
At 25, Rushing looks completely in over his head.
When a backup catcher starts getting under the skin of the most important player on the planet, you've got a problem.
And a plea from Dodger fans:
Get well soon, Will Smith.
⬇️ ON STRIKE!
As baseball braces for the possibility of a work stoppage in 2027, fans in Minneapolis got an unexpected preview this week.
Not over salary caps.
Or luxury taxes.
The dispute?
Beer, brats, and pretzels.
Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers were playing the Twins.
Roughly 500 Target Field food and beverage workers walked off the job, demanding wage increases and access to health care.
250 replacement workers were brought in.
The result?
Long concession lines.
Waiting on that beer and dog.
Honestly, is there anything more frustrating?
You've just shelled out a small fortune for tickets.
And paid ridiculous prices to park.
Now you're standing in a line that wraps halfway around the concourse.
And you missed Ohtani's home run.
Figure it out, guys.
I don't care who's right.
I just want to watch baseball... not the back of someone's jersey while I'm waiting for a pretzel.
⬇️ Caught Red-Handed ⚾
Imagine getting called out and shamed in the middle of a live television broadcast.
That's exactly what happened to a Phillies fan.
Yes, those pesky cameras can be a pain sometimes. 😂
If you're gonna pull off a switcheroo, don't do it in front of 40,000 witnesses.
Mets and Phillies last weekend.
After the Mets' Carson Benge homered to left field.
A Phillies fan retrieved the ball, celebrating his catch.
He then appeared to toss the ball back onto the field.
Good job.
Wait!
Replay.
The fan had switched out baseballs.
Pulling a ball from his bag and throwing it onto the field.
A fake!
The actual home run ball remained safely tucked away in his possession.
It was a brilliant plan.
Right up until the television cameras caught the whole thing.
Busted.
Caught red-handed.
Hero...
to zero.
And the broadcasters let him have it.
"Shame on you!"
He wanted to have his cake and eat it too. ⚾️
Keep the souvenir.
Get the applause.
Unfortunately, baseball—and high-definition television—had other plans.
A reminder for us all...
Pulling off a scam is a lot harder when the replay booth is involved.
⬆️ The Viking Row
Viking helmets.
Norwegian flags.
"Let's Go Mets" chants... in Norwegian.
Citi Field was quite the scene this week.
Whether you're a soccer fan or not, the World Cup has been a blast so far.
Fans have come to America dressed in colorful jerseys, waving flags, and ready for a good time.
They've been entertaining us just as much as the matches themselves.
Last week, I introduced you to Scotland's Tartan Army.
They marched into our ballparks and reminded us that baseball can be one hell of a celebration.
This week, it was Norway's turn.
Fresh off reaching the World Cup knockout round for the first time since 1998, Norwegian fans descended on Citi Field, turning the place into a sea of red.
Complete with their famous Viking Row.
Many had never been to a baseball game.
Didn't matter.
It was all about the experience.
And what an experience it was.
A reminder that sports are supposed to be joyful.
Different countries.
Different languages.
Different traditions.
One ballpark.
One game.
One unforgettable afternoon.
Now that's a beautiful sight.
—Box
Have a great weekend.
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Marina Del Rey
