High N Tight Sunday

👍 THE GOOD — Roman Anthony

What must it be like to live in Roman Anthony’s world right now?

Two months ago, the 21-year-old was still grinding through the Red Sox minor league system — long bus rides, cheap hotel spreads, wondering when the call would come. Then it came: “Son, they’re calling you up.”

Many rookies spend their first year fighting for at-bats, just hoping to hang on. Anthony made such an impression that the Sox skipped straight past the trial run and handed him an 8-year, $130 million contract. That’s not a “let’s see what the kid can do” deal — that’s “you’re the future of the franchise” money.

From bus rides to Fenway lights, from clubhouse PB&Js to generational wealth before his first offseason in the majors… it’s very, very good to be Roman Anthony.

👎 THE BAD — Diamondbacks Collapse

Some losses just hit different. Saturday night in Denver, the Arizona Diamondbacks looked in control against the lowly Rockies — up late, bullpen lined up, just six outs away from locking it down. Then came the 8th inning. Six runs later, the lead was gone, and so was the game: 10–7, Rockies.

These are the kinds of meltdowns that keep managers staring at the ceiling all night. Blowouts? You shake those off. Close losses to contenders? You tip your cap. But coughing one up to the bottom-feeders of the division? That’s the stuff that gnaws at a clubhouse.

Arizona’s fighting for playoff relevance, and games like this are the difference between playing in October and cleaning out lockers early. Yeah — that’s bad.

🙈 THE UGLY — 911 for a Burger

🍔 BONUS BITE — The George Webb Restaurant in Milwaukee has a standing promise: if the Brewers ever win 12 straight, everybody gets free burgers. On Wednesday, the Brew Crew did it — and the restaurant is expected to give away more than 100,000 burgers.

But no good deed goes unpunished. When one fan showed up to claim his burger, he was told the promotion hadn’t started yet. Not satisfied, he actually dialed 911. Yes — the emergency line. While dispatchers handle car crashes, medical calls, and real emergencies… this guy phoned in a hamburger delay.

The 911 audio is out there — part hilarious, part cringe. A little reminder: clogging up emergency lines can cost lives. And our impatient caller? He’s now forever stamped as the guy who called 911 because he couldn’t wait for his free George Webb burger.

Oh, and in case he’s still hungry: the giveaway is August 20, 2–6 p.m.

⚾️ ONE FOR THE ROAD — As The Shohei Turns

Shohei Ohtani is baseball’s biggest star — a once-in-a-century two-way talent who sells out ballparks and moves merchandise worldwide. But off the diamond, his life is starting to look less like a box score and more like a soap opera.

Last year it was the interpreter scandal — $17 million in stolen money, gambling debts, and a legal circus splashed across headlines. Now it’s a $240 million luxury housing lawsuit in Hawaii, with Ohtani and his agent accused of sabotaging a real estate project.

It’s always been a circus with Ohtani. Cameras follow him like he’s a rock star, and every twist in the story feels like the next episode of As The Shohei Turns.

On the field? He’s untouchable, rewriting baseball history with every swing and every start. Off it? A different story. Baseball has never had a player like Ohtani — and maybe never a storyline quite like this, either.

Stay tuned.

Quick heads-up: We’re adding The Brushback to the lineup — a midweek rant where we swing hard at one hot topic. Catch it Wednesdays at 8 a.m.

Let us know what you think, and as always — enjoy the weekend!

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