Author: fasted86

Briefly.

Jacoby Ellsbury is tied for Pete Rose for catcher’s interference calls in his career. Now I don’t care what the record is, tying Pete Rose in anything is kinda cool. 

Trivia #1: About how long does it take sunlight to reach the earth? Eight minutes; eight seconds; .7 seconds; 15 minutes? 

So Rafael Devers hit a 102.8 mile an hour pitch for a homerun off of the Yankees’ Aroldis Chapman. Hey, big deal right? Well, it was the first homerun he had allowed all year and only the second homerun he has ever allowed to a left-handed hitter. According to Statcast, it was the fastest pitch ever hit for a homerun. DYK: Devers nickname is “Carita” which means “babyface” in Spanish. 

Trivia #2: Rafael Devers is one of ten players to ever post an OPS of 1.000 or higher over 50 or more plate appearances in a season where they were 21 or younger. Which of these players are NOT on that list? Hint, two of these players did it twice: Eddie Matthews, Mel Ott, Ted Williams, Jimmy Fox, Mickey Mantle, Willie McCovey, Alex Rodriquez, Albert Pujols. 

Unhittable – you’re doing it wrong. I saw a small piece entitled “Reyes, unhittable”. Denyi Reyes of the Lowell Spinners had a pitching line of 6.2 scoreless innings, six strikeouts and two hits. Two hits!? I thought he as “unhittable”?? 

Just browsing and recognizing some of my favorites minor league baseball team nicknames: Binghamton Rumble Ponies; El Paso Chihuahuas; Hartford Yard Goats; Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp; Lansing Lugnuts; Lehigh Valley IronPigs; Montgomery Biscuits; Richmond Flying Squirrels. 

Monday was National Whiffle Ball Day, established in 1953. Regretfully, I did not play. Regretfully, what whiffle ball did to my shoulder is permanent. 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Teen Sent to Internet Addiction Camp Dies Within 48 Hours. 

Giancarlo Stanton (Miami Marlins) has 11 homeruns in his last 13 games. 

Who is going to beat the Patriots? Really. 

Sox/Yankees again. I can’t get enough! 

Haverhill’s own Jillian Cardarelli was recently recognized in Rolling Stone magazine as one of the top 10 New Country Artists You Need to Know: August 2017. Cool! 

Paying tribute – you’re doing it wrong. Sadly, a family tragedy was compounded this week in Michigan when the body of a 59-yeard old man was found Monday, the day after he fell out of a boat while scattering his father’s ashes on Lake Superior. 

In case you missed it, the WEEI/NESN/Red Sox Radio Jimmy Fund Telethon ran this past Tuesday/Wednesday. Many heart-tugging stories both on the radio and during Sox games. On Tuesday night, Dave O’Brien and Eck were interviewing a guest in their booth, an 18-year old cancer survivor much like many others. O’Brien noted that the woman (her name escapes me) was a student at Marquette and referred to her as a “Warrior.” DOH! Any follower of Marquette knows that the spineless school succumbed to pressure several years ago and changed their nickname from the Warriors to the Golden Showers Eagles. Way to go, Dave! 

Speaking of the Sox, nice tribute to the ’67 team the other night. Too long ago for me but at the time that team brought the Red Sox back to life in Boston. Seats were empty in ’66. Red Sox Nation was born. 

Trivia answer #1: Eight minutes

Trivia answer #2: Mickey Mantle. Ted Williams and Mel Ott each did it twice. 

Don’t miss the solar eclipse on Monday. I wish we, northeast,  had a better view but it should be pretty cool. 

“Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun

But mama, that’s where the fun is” 

Good night everybody!

Briefly. 

There is a stairway to heaven and a highway to hell. You figure it out.

I have said before that Aaron Judge is a beast, and he is. However, last season when the Yankees were questioning whether a player the size of Aaron Judge could ever make enough contact to succeed in the majors, his numbers were 84 at-bats; 15 hits; .179 batting average; 4 HRs; 44 strikeouts. Since the All-Star break this season his numbers are 84 at-bats; 14 hits; .167 batting average; 5 HRs; 38 strikeouts. Now that is scary!

Trivia #1: Garlic is a what? Fruit; Herb; Vegetable; Spice; Meat Product

Trivia #2: Seven players have over 2,000 hits for the Red Sox alone. Name them. 

Did you see Wade Boggs on NESN during the Tampa series? He looks like a cross between Jeremiah Johnson and Charlton Heston (Moses in The Ten Commandments).  He did a pretty good job, I thought. 

A California estate featured in the credits of “The Beverly Hillbillies” now has another notable distinction, the most expensive residential listing in the country. The Bel-Air estate hit the market Monday with an asking price of $350 million. Amongst its other features, the 25,000 square foot home, which sits on 10.3 acres, has a ballroom, world-class wine cellar, formal salon, manicured gardens, a tennis court, covered parking for 40 cars, a 75-foot pool and a fully equipped pool house. It also has sweeping panoramic views of downtown LA and the Pacific Ocean. 

Players Weekend in MLB is Aug 25-27. All teams will don overly bright-colored uniforms and hats with nicknames, yes nicknames, on the back. Even the Yankees who have no names on their current uniforms, will sport the nickname shirts. Now while expect some of the nicknames will be funny and entertaining, no thanks. The uniforms and hats are wicked ugly too.  

Rick Porcello threw what is called an “immaculate Inning” the other night. 9 pitches, 3 strikeouts. I think if you asked any pitcher what an “immaculate inning” is they would say 3 pitches, 3 pop-ups. 

The Celtics play what, 82 regular season games? They have 4 exhibition games. The Patriots play 16 regular season games and 4 exhibition. Stupid, but not as bad as baseball’s ridiculously long spring training. I’m not quite sure what the puckheads do… 

Trivia answer #1: Garlic is a vegetable

Trivia answer #2: Yaz, Teddy Ballgame, Jim Rice, Dewey, Boggs, Ortiz and Bobby Doerr. (Pedrioa should be there next season if he stays healthy) 

R.I.P. Former major leaguer (and Red Sox) Don Baylor who at 68 lost his battle with Myeloma. Some of you may recall Baylor presided over the Sox’ “Kangaroo Court” in 1986, assessing fines for whatever he deemed a transgression. For example, in Roger Clemens 20-strkeout game against the Seattle Mariners, he fined Clemens $5 for letting up a single on an 0-2 pitch to Spike Owen. 

And finally, R.I.P. Frank(ie) Conte (90). Just flat out, one of the greatest! The guy could still throw a punch too! 

“And it stoned me to my soul

Stoned me just like jelly roll

And it stoned me

And it stoned me to my soul

Stoned me just like goin’ home

And it stoned me”

 

Good night everybody!

Briefly. 

The L.A. Dodgers started the season at 11-12. Since then they have gone 65-20. DYK, they lost the other night to Atlanta after holding a lead. They had previously set a major league record by winning 53 consecutive games when leading at any point during the game. Incredible!

Trivia #1 (tough one): Charlie Hough and Steve Carlton each hold the MLB career league record, AL & NL respectively, for what?

Trivia #2: Where was the first public beach in the U.S. (1895)? Revere Beach, MA; Myrtle Beach, SC; Miami Beach, FL; Lighthouse Beach, MA; Long Beach, CA 

A woman and her husband from the Swedish village of Jokkmokk were hiking in the mountains recently when they called police to tell them she was having trouble walking. Police dispatched an air ambulance and mountain rescue team only to discover the woman was having trouble walking because she was tired from all the hiking. The couple ended up paying $3,600 for the helicopter ride. 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: Atlanta’s Julio Jones took a spill while jet skiing in Lake Lanier when he hit a boat wake. He resurfaced but his $100,000 earring did not. 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse, part deux: Lombardi Middle School, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and named after legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi, will not offer football in 2017 because it was unable to find coaches. 

Tourists have said naked female panhandlers, known as “desnudas”, are harassing them in NY’s Times Square. Desnudas is Spanish for “naked”. Past proposals to license the often obnoxious street performers, mostly naked with body paint, went nowhere because most of them are illegal immigrants and wouldn’t register anyway. 

In today’s non-news, Tom Brady turned 40 yesterday.

Safety Diving, you’re doing it wrong. He was considered one of the best, if not the  best, safety divers in the world, and Stephen Keenan died after coming to the rescue of a fellow diver. Keenan was an expert at free diving – meaning no breathing equipment – and as a safety diver he provided essential backup to other divers in case they got into trouble. He was trailing Italian free diver Alessia Zechini as she attempted to navigate a notorious 85-foot-long tunnel at a depth of 184 feet in Egypt. She became disoriented at 165 feet and Keenan dove down to assist and began guiding her back to the surface. She made it back but Keenan himself apparently blacked out in the last 30 feet of the ascent and could not be revived upon being rescued. 

This news excites me greatly. Red Sox’ injured reliever Carson Smith begins his rehab assignment this weekend. 

Quote of the week: “That’s just how we are. That’s just Texas.” – Cathy Hanks, neighbor of a woman who was not immediately identified, who shot and killed an armed intruder in her home. 

Tuesday night was the first time this season where Christian Vasquez caught Chris Sales. Rick Sutcliff interviewed Sales on Monday night and they discussed how Sales never calls off the catcher. Never. Sales got pounded Tuesday night which makes one wonder whether the battery of him and Vasquez will be seen again this year… 

I’m a hater, we’ve been there before. Now some of you may be of the opinion that this was a nice gesture, sincere, thoughtful, blah, blah, blah. The Chicago Cubs gave a world Series ring to Steve Bartman. I say, “no way!” Steve Bartman, best known for deflecting a foul ball that was set to land in left fielder Moises Alou’s glove with the Cubbies five outs from the World Series in 2003. The article I read said that he “…accidently deflected a foul ball…”. He didn’t “accidentally” deflect it! He reached for it! If he had caught it would they have said he “accidently” caught it? 

Edward A. LeLacheur Park, home of the Boston Red Sox’ short-season Class A affiliate in the New York-Penn League (NY-PL) and right down the road in nearby Lowell, MA, has been named the best short-season ballpark in the country for 2017 by Ballpark Digest. LeLacheur Park beat out the stadiums of all 22 short-season clubs in the NY-PL and Northwest Leagues. 

A grandmother from New South Wales, Australia, is having second thoughts about the ingredients inside Coles’ ice cream sandwiches after one failed to melt in her driveway after four days. 

R.I.P. Ara Parseghian (94) – Parseghian won two national championships at Notre Dame (1966 & 1973). At the time he retired, Parseghian had established himself as part of the “Holy Trinity” of coaches at Notre Dame – no offense Lou. Ara was so beloved by students that when weather turned bad , chants of “Ara, stop the rain!” or “Ara, stop the snow!” cascaded down from the grandstands. DYK, Ara played two seasons with the Cleveland Browns.

“I don’t know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody – somewhere – was practicing more than me.” – Larry Bird. Just one reason why he was so great and just one reason why Tom Brady is so great. 

Trivia answer #1: Balks – Hough had 32 (AL) Carlton had 82 (NL)

Trivia answer #2: Revere Beach 

“Sittin’ here resting my bones

And this loneness won’t leave me alone, listen

Two thousand miles I roam

Just to make this dock my home, now

 

I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay

Watchin’ the tide roll away, oh

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay

Wastin’ time”

Briefly.

In the 1980’s, 44 percent of MLB General Managers had played in the majors and 68 percent had played in the minors. By the 2010’s those figures were 10 and 15 percent, respectively, and the main qualification for front-office work was an Ivy League degree.

Trivia: Who is the active leader for career strikeouts? Bartolo Colon, John Lester, CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander, Zach Greinke or John Lackey

Riddle: You have two dogs. How can you give one away, yet keep both?

Whoddu thunk this year’s British Open Championship would out-do last year’s Stenson/Mickelson battle? Those last 6 holes were incredible!

Useless headline of the week: “Michael Phelps vs. great white shark: Who won?” 

Remember Mel Allen and “This Week In Baseball” on Saturday mornings? That was the best! Youngsters today don‘t understand that that television program was our only peek into the happenings in MLB outside of Boston. 

Wearing neckties may increase  your risk for glaucoma – keep it loose!

We’re still in July and Chris Sale has 211 strikeouts. He broke the AL record for quickest to 200 in a single season. Sale, by the way, has not allowed a run in 20 2/3 innings over three starts since the All-Star break. 

Hong Kong’s 7.4 million residents create a lot of trash – 15,000 tons of garbage are disposed every day. But at only 427 square miles, the city is quickly running out of space to put all that garbage. Hong Kong has three operational landfills taking up 560 acres of land and all of them are nearly full. Hong Kong government estimates  all three landfills will be completely full sometime in the next few years.

The Baltimore Ravens donated $1.5 million to keep a Baltimore high school open. Team owner Steve Bisciotti was so moved by stories of students at Renaissance Academy High School in Baltimore, and the devotion they showed to the school when officials threatened to close its doors, he and the team decided to pay for the renovations. Good for the Ravens! 

“What-the…” headline of the week: “McDonald’s debuts McDelivery clothing line featuring a Big Mac onesie and a fry-themed sweat suit.” 

Eck/Price – what goes on during a team flight should stay on the plane. Please end the nonsense.

Manu Ginobili, the Argentian who turns 40 today, has tweeted that he will return for a 16^thseason with the San Antonio Spurs. 

The tailgate experience at Mizzou football games will have another element this fall: pregame concerts. Each concert will feature a “nationally prominent artist” and will go off 2 � hours before kickoff. Admission to the one-hour concerts is free and does not require a game ticket. 

I commented on the Patriots’ schedule when it first came out but it is worth noting again. Their last 9 games are against the AFC. 5 of their last 6 games are against the AFC East – two vs. Miami (within three weeks of each other), two vs. Buffalo (within four weeks of each other), one vs. the Jets and another against the Pittsburgh. Which begs the question: Why is there an ‘h’ at the end of Pittsburgh? 

In case you missed it… Todd Frasier, the guy the Red Sox did not trade for, was traded to the yankees and hit into a triple play in his first at bat with his new team. Yes, a run did score on the play and yes he did homer in his next game, but so what. 

Quote of the week: “How about that!” – Mel Allen 

Trivia Answer: CC Sabathia with 2,797

Riddle: Give one away and rename the remaining dog “Both”. (ouch!) 

R.I.P. – Stubbs. The 20-year old yellow feline, was the unofficial mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, winning as a write-in in 1997. The town has no human mayor. Fun fact: In 1992 I paid $5 for a beer and a shower at a bar in Talkeetna, then home of Haverhillite Steve Gilroy. 

“I’ll sing my song to the wide open spaces

I’ll sing my heart out to the infinite sea

I’ll sing my visions to the sky high mountains

I’ll sing my song to the free, to the free”

Briefly. (after a brief hiatus)

I can hear Pablo Sandoval now: “I can’t believe I lost all that weight for nothing!”

Trivia #1: Ian Woosnam, tied for the lead, was assessed a two-shot penalty on the first hole of the final round at Royal Lytham in 2001 for what violation? A) He was late to the first tee b) He had 15 clubs in his bag c) He finished the hole with a different golf ball than the one he used on the tee d) He illegally moved his ball on the green

Trivia #2: Which common word changes it pronunciation when the first letter is capitalized? 

People try to knock the Sox/Yankees rivalry but I sure had a good time with it last weekend. Good theater! 

Headline of the week: Bag of NASA moon dust sells for $1.8M at auction. 

A recent article named Pablo as the worst signing in Red Sox history. Carl Crawford was second. 

A 50-year-old professor and mother from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. A 19-year-old woman in Toledo, Iowa. A 48-year-old man who lives in Seattle. All received free men’s razors from Gillette in recent weeks, along with wishes for a happy 18^th birthday and a welcome to manhood – an amusing marketing misfire that left them wondering what led the brand to believe they were all teenage boys. 

Reebok has partnered with David Clark Company to produce an innovative pair of lightweight boots built for galactic travel. The Reebok Floatride Space Boot SB-01 is currently undergoing tests by astronauts and it’s touted as “the first evolution in space footwear in over 50 years” said the brand in a statement. “Space footwear”. That cracks me up. 

A report last year warned that match-fixing was a problem in tennis. But at Wimbledon? The sport’s independent watchdog group said Wednesday that three matches during this year’s event seemed a little fishy and are being investigated. In a release, it stressed that this doesn’t mean the matches were fixed, only it had received alerts about strange betting behavior that warranted a closer look. Alerts aren’t uncommon in the sport – the unit has received 83 alerts so far this year, down from 121 during the same span last year. 

If you haven’t done so in a while, stop at an ice cream stand and get an ice cream cone. Not many things in life are more American. 

Fister?! I didn’t touch her! (A Mike Adams classic) 

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: In Canada, parents successfully petitioned to have their child given a card where no sex was listed, arguing that it was up to the child to decide. 

Maybe it’s me but I’d like to know when was the last time a regular hit a walk-off homerun in extras and then sat the next day.

Skylar Fowler, 1, became the first child to die in a hot car in Georgia this year in a June 15 incident. Skylar’s mother, Dijanelle Fowler, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, child cruelty, and concealing the death of her daughter, whom cops say was left in Fowler’s car for 6 hours while she got her hair done. She allegedly left the car running with the air conditioning on, but at some point between her 10am appointment and 4pm return to the car, the car died. At no point during her appointment did she leave the salon to check on her daughter. You know, you typically hear of at least a few cases like this every year where children or pets are left in vehicles on a hot day by some negligent parent/owner. These people should be shot, on the spot! 

This week in history. (new feature here?) On July 20, 1969 at Philadelphia’s Connie Mack Stadium, play was halted in the top of the third inning in a game against the Cubbies. The teams moved silently to their respectively baselines and looked skyward as the Phillies’ crowd is informed word has been sent from Neil Armstrong to Mission Control in Houston that the Eagle had landed on the moon. The game will resume after a recording of Kate Smith’s rendition of “God Bless America” is played and a prayer is said for the astronauts over the loudspeaker. Wow, what a moment that must have been! 

Drew Pomeranz – winnings and innings! 

“Silent” and “Listen” are spelled with the same letters.

Trivia answer #1: b) Ian Woosnam had 15 clubs in his bag (you can only have 14). Hmmmm, makes me wonder. What’s the maximum number of beers you can have in your cart???

Trivia answer #2: Polish 

“Everyone’s beneath the trees feeding pigeons on a limb

But when Quinn the Eskimo gets there

All the pigeons gonna run to him.

Come all without, come all within

You’ll not see nothing like the mighty Quinn”

 

 

Good night everybody! 

Briefly. (very)

So let me get this straight. Mitch Moreland is playing with a broken toe and Pedroia is on the bench (missed three games) after spitting up blood as a result of a shot to the ribs. Meanwhile, Sandoval is on the 10-day DL with the flu? Ya, right. 

Trivia #1: Who was the last foreign player drafted #1 overall in the NBA?

Trivia #2: What player is tied with Honus Wagner with eight National League batting titles? Hint – he hit .338 for his 20-season career amassing 3,141 hits. 

What’s the stink about the guy (Dyson?) laying a perfect bunt single breaking up Verlander’s no-hitter? First of all, it was in the 6^th inning, not the 8^th or 9^th. Secondly, so what! If you throw a no-hitter you are unhittable. Apparently, Verlander was not. At least he didn’t cry about it but everyone else did. 

Cool headline of the week: “Canadian sniper sets world record with 2.2 mile pick-off of ISIS fighter”

Useless headline of the week: “Oklahoma burglary suspect wore underwear on his head” 

I’m glad Patrice Bergeron again received the Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward. Great recognition. Do they have an award for the best offensive defenseman? Right? 

My quick thoughts on the NBA Draft:

Jayson Tatum – Hey, who knows. Over the past several years, of the 55 one-and-done’s drafted as lottery picks, only 9 have been all-stars. Who knows?

What’s with the interviewing of all the parents? Interview the kid, go ahead and comment on everyone’s suit, but let’s keep the parents out of it. Especially that Odom buffoon!

Josh Jackson – I hope that is the last time you try to wear a baseball hat, unless of course you get a haircut

Lauri (that’s his name) Markkanen, from Finland, was drafted early by some team. Jay Bilas made what at first sounded like a strange comment; “I think he’d better slow down.” He went on to say that, in Finland, speeding tickets are paid based on a percentage of annual income. Imagine that?! The employed must just fly around town! 

I have been very patient with Panda. Finally I can say that it is time to cut the cord. 

If the Patriots stay even remotely healthy, they will not lose a game. This time, a full 19-0! 

Trivia answer #1: Andrea Bargnani, from Italy, by Toronto in 2006

Trivia answer #2: Tony Gwynn 

RIP – Stephen “Flounder” Furst, Otto Warmbier and for Wilbur, Tom Morgan – past owner of the R.I. Winston Rod Company 

“At night when the bars close down

Brandy walks through a silent town

And loves a man who’s not around

She still can hear him say 

She hears him say “Brandy, you’re a fine girl” (you’re a fine girl)

“What a good wife you would be” (such a fine girl)

“But my life , my lover, my lady is the sea”

Briefly.

Let’s get right to trivia:

Trivia #1, sticking with a prior week’s theme: Who has thrown the fastest pitch ever in MLB history?

Trivia #2: Who owns the record for most homeruns by a rookie in MLB history?

Trivia #3: It has been 93 PGA major tournaments since either Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson have not played. Who won the last major since that time? Hint below

I haven’t tried to get more information but sure there is a buzz out there from Tuesday’s Sox/Yankees game when Joe Kelly hit either 103 or 104 on the radar gun! NESN showed 103 but the stadium gun read 104. Wow! (see trivia question #1. It ain’t Joe) 

Last night’s Sox game was painful, period!

It’s only June but you have to be excited about this weekend’s Sox/Astros series.

Seton Hall Prep in West Orange, NJ has named their new baseball field ‘Porcello Field’ after Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello. Rick is an alum and made a pretty hefty donation towards the building of the field. 

If there is any single human being that I consider to be useless to society, it is Dennis Rodman. Please go away. 

RIP (last week?) Jimmy Piersall. I’ve never read his book, “Fear Strikes Out” but it’s been recommended to me a number of times. I’m going away in a couple of weeks and the book (Nook) is coming along. 

Though I don’t find this stat completely unbelievable, I do find it absolutely incredible. The NY Times reports that drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death for people under 50. Most increases were in Eastern states because out West, black tar heroin remains most prevalent as opposed to powdered heroin which can be laced with fentanyl and carfentanil. 

Multi-beer argument but the 2017 Warriors are NOT the greatest NBA team of all time. 

The Yankees’ Aaron Judge is indeed a beast at 6’7”, 282 lbs. In addition to homeruns, RBI, runs scored, OPS, blah blah blah offensive categories, he also leads all rookies in outfield assists and  he has five stolen bases. Beast

This week’s sign of the apocalypse: An American tourist died after falling off a cliff while taking a selfie on the Greek island of Zakynthos. 

Gronk is self-proclaimed 100%. Now don’t get me wrong, that is great. But really, the guy is a human wrecking ball the way he plays. What are the odds he lasts the season?

Godspeed, Jerry Remy. Funny, when he first went to “the booth”, I really thought he was destined for greater things – ESPN? Now, though I am a fan, I don’t think he is very good as an analyst. 

Eyebrow-raising headline of the week #2: “Is Aaron Judge the next Babe Ruth?” 

Eyebrow-raising headline of the week: “Mom Spends $25K on Son’s Prom, Complete With Camel” (just makingsure you are paying attention)

Trivia #3 hint: It was the 1994 Masters.

Prayer Healing – you’re doing it wrong. Two members of an Oregon church that shuns traditional medicine in favor of prayer and anointing the sick with oils were arrested Monday in the death of their premature baby. Sarah Mitchell, 24, and Travis Lee Mitchell, 21, are accused of murder and criminal mistreatment. This past March, Sarah delivered twins girls at her grandparents’ home and one of the babies had breathing problems and died just a few hours later. 

“Are you ready for some footbaaaaall! A rock-n-roll partyyyyyyyyyy!” That’s right, Hank Williams Jr. is back on Monday Night Football, six years after being fired by ESPN for comments he made about Barack Obama. I like it just as long as they don’t replace Carrie Underwood on Sunday night. 

Say what you want about all other rivalries in all other sports but still, nothing beats Sox/Yankees. 

Happy Father’s Day. Earn it! 

Thanks to all that made The Penta what it was and what it is! 

Trivia answer #1: Aroldis Chapman, 105.1 mph in 2010.

Trivia answer #2: Mark McGuire (49) in 1987. In one 31-game span that year (Jun 13 – Jul 17) he hit 15!

Trivia answer #3: Jose Olazabal 

“Well we got no class

And we got no principles

And we got no innocence

We can’t even think of a word that rhymes!”

“Of all the things I value most in life,

I look inside my world and know that it is good. ”

Here’s to Charlie Penta!

Briefly.

They may be up-and-down so far this season but I really like the Red Sox pitching staff, starts and relievers.

Scientists from the Marine Mammal Center in northern California say the death of a large (300,000 lbs), female blue whale that washed up on a Marin County beach had been struck by a ship. DTK, whale-ship collisions is a “leading cause” of death for the creatures and that many cargo ships wouldn’t even notice such a collision because of their size.

Bizarro! One week ago Thursday the Red Sox tied a major league record by striking out 20 Texas Rangers in a nine-inning game. 10 of the last 11 Rangers struck out, including 4 in the 9^th inning courtesy of Craig Kimbrel and a botched call on a wild pitch. It was the third time in major league history that 20 players struck out. Which leads us to trivia.

Trivia question #1: Who are the other five (single pitcher or team) that struck out 20 batters in a single game? (single pitcher or team is your hint)

Trivia question #2: The Red Sox’ Joe Kelly, through Tuesday, had thrown 51 pitches of at least 100 mph, third behind Trevor Rosenthol (63) and Aroldis Chapman (57). Kelly is also third in average fastball velocity at 98.8 mph. Who has thrown the fastball pitch in baseball this season at 102.2 mph? –  Rosenthol (St. Louis), Chapman (Yankees), Kelly or Felipe Rivero (Pittsburgh)? Answer below

Football seems so far away. Good thing my team won!

Mr. Met has had it! The much-loved mascot is out of a job after he flipped the bird to fans on Wednesday. Although some argued that the four-fingered mascot really doesn’t have a middle digit to flip, the gesture was too much for Mets managers who canned Mr. Met. Funny enough, the pudgy-handed salute came on the 53^rd anniversary of Mr. Met’s debut as a mascot. The team web site notes that Mr. Met “can gesture in 12 languages” and leads “all active Major League mascots in high fours.”

How can you not root for the team from the hockey capitol of the world, the Nashville Predators?! I still think they take the series in seven.

12-year old Ananya Vinay, from Fresno CA, won the 90^th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday night when she correctly spelled “marocin”, a French-derived word for a dress fabric. Hey, you think it’s easy??? Can you spell it?!?!

Useless headline of the week: “8 things you didn’t know about Ronda Rousey”

Golden State in four, but that might be too easy.

Leeches, yes leeches, are still used widely in Russian medicine, about 10 million of them per year, in many cases a low-cost substitute for blood thinners like warfarin. In Russia, a medicinal leech costs less than $1, and a typical application requires three to seven of the ravenous little creatures. Leech treatments, available throughout the country, take 30 to 40 minutes, though the resulting wounds ooze blood for an additional six hours and so until the natural anticoagulant in leech venom wears off.

Leave it to Sox fans to bitch about a guy, Xander Boegarts, who is hitting over .335 but doesn’t have enough homeruns (now up to two!).

A woman who was sick of children’s balls landing in her garden was beaten to death by neighbors after she punctured one of them. Prosecutors say that Kelly Machin, 34, had long complained about the noise made by neighbor Natalie Bollen’s children and about their balls landing in her garden in Leicester, England. After she burst a soccer ball with a knife before throwing it back in Aug. 23 last year, Bollen and her father, William Jelly, pushed their way into her home and assaulted her. Bollen punched Machin several times before Jelly pushed her over a coffee table, which fractured five ribs and caused internal injuries that led to her death almost two weeks later.

RIP Frank Deford. Though I read many an article of his in SI, I remember him most for The National. The then all-sports newspaper in the 90’s.

Trivia question #1 answer: Roger Clemens (2 times, vs. Seattle and Detroit), Kerry Wood (in his 5^th career start, va. Astros), Max Scherzer (vs. Detroit), LA Angels (2012 vs. Seattle)

Trivia question #2 answer: Joe Kelly

Briefly. (not really but I took last week off so forgive me for any old news)

I’m a hater, well documented. Was there anything better than watching the Yankees get thumped on ‘Jeter Day’ a couple of Sunday nights ago?

Trivia #1: Which state does NOT have an 80 mph speed limit? – South Dakota, Wyoming, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Texas

Trivia #2: In 2008, Jacoby Ellsbury began his big league career with 25 consecutive stolen bases, second all-time. Who holds the record for consecutive stolen bases (27) to start their career?

So Brady is on the cover of Madden 18. BFD. 

This just in, Deven Marrero is an outstanding fielder!

Incredible. It took 12,072 games before LeBron had four fouls in the first half. That reminds me of a little story… Freshman year of high school, first game of the season. Billy Riley gets four fouls in about the first four minutes and is removed from the game. The next day at practice we are expecting poor Billy to get a verbal beating from Coach Henry “Hank” “Buffalo-Breath” Sullivan. Instead, he praises him for his aggressiveness. I can tell you it was the best lesson I ever got from ol’ Hank.

Quote of the week#1: “It’s easier than you think.” – Former juiced-up MLB slugger Jose Canseco on blowing through the $46 million he made as a player.

Quote of the week #2: “I always said we had an offseason so Earl (Weaver) could go home and think up what he was going to do next year.” – Steve Palermo (RIP) 

Most Useless Headline of the Week: “Mookie Betts thinks Malik Monk could help Celtics” – Hey, we all love Mookie but please…

Headline of the week: Mom paralyzed after eating gas station nacho cheese. – My take? Hey, bad choice on her part! We’re you that hungry, really? 

The world’s largest cat, Omar, is a Maine Coon 14kg (over 30 lbs) and 3’ 11” from Melbourne, Australia. Apparently he loves kangaroo meat.

The NBA is paying tribute to former analyst Carl Sager with “Sager Strong” on microphones. Good stuff.

Washington’s Bryce Harper is off to a pretty good start to the season. He is currently (last week) leading the majors in batting average (.388), on-base % (.503), OPS – on-base plus slugging (1.271), 2^nd in slugging (.767), RBI (36) and tied for 2^nd in homeruns (13) and walks (30).  

On May 17, 1945, every game on the American League schedule was rained out for the fourth consecutive day. 

Down on the farm… Ty Buttrey, the Red Sox 6-foot-6, 230-pound reliever for Double-A Portland, is hitting 100-mph on the radar gun. The 2012 fourth round pick has a 2.25 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 11 outings (16 innings) and batters are hitting just .182 against him. Buttrey was converted to a reliever last season after going 0-6 with a 6.08 ERA as a starter. In 2015, the Red Sox also converted their 2012 second-round pick, Jamie Callahan, to the reliever role. In 11 outings (14 innings) between Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket, Callahan has struck out 21 with a 1.29 ERA and a 0.64 WHIP. 

RIP Steve Palermo, former major league umpire. Palermo died at age 67 after not only battling lung cancer but also the paralysis he suffered from a gunshot wound in 1991. Some of you may recall that Palermo, along with four other bystanders, jumped in to help two waitresses being beaten in a parking lot outside of a Dallas restaurant. Palermo was known as one of the best umpires of his time and he never shied from a good, heated argument. He had some memorable ones with Earl Weaver.

Trivia answer #1: Washington (DYK, on Texas State Highway 130, a privately-owned toll road that connects San Antonio and Austin, you can legally drive 85 mph!)

Trivia answer #2: Tim Raines 

I don’t recall whether it was the late Pete Anxhelm or Chris Berman from whom I first heard reference to the ‘Mendoza Line’. DYK, on May 22, 1982 Mario Mendoza, who later would become a hitting instructor(!), reaches first on a fielder’s choice ending his nine-year career with a .215 batting average. The Ranger infielder’s name will become infamous as players struggling at the plate will be described as performing below the ‘Medoza Line’.

RIP David “Munnsy” “Chief” Munns (57). WAY to $%^&ing soon. As funny, loving, solid, stand-up guy as you’re ever going to meet.

And RIP Mrs. McKay. Always love for the old neighborhood Moms.

“Rally sons of Notre Dame:

Sing her glory and sound her fame,

Raise her Gold and Blue

And cheer with voices true:

Rah, rah for Notre Dame

We will fight in ev-ry game,

Strong of heart and true to her name

We will ne-er forget her

And will cheer her ever

Loyal to Notre Dame

 

Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame,

Wake up the echoes cheering her name,

Send a volley cheer on high,

Shake down the thunder from the sky.

What though the odds be great or small

Old Notre Dame will win over all,

While her sons are marching

Onward to victory.”