DK & Jaxon Smith Njigba @ the Seattle Stom game
Mariners win a Thriller! And take the series vs the Blue Jays!
DINGER PARTY! 3 teams hit 3 home runs in an inning!
just before Crawford’s hit, pulling Guerrero further off the baseline of what would’ve likely been an easy double play.
OMG: Seahawks outdid themselves with this!!! | INCREDIBLE!
Top Billin' reacts to the Seattle Seahawks' new ad promoting the retro uniforms they will wear this season featuring potential Rookie of the Year candidate Jaxson Smith-Njigba. This jawn was COOOOLD!!!
Julio Rodriguez has Mariners fans gasping in shock after getting hit with 103 MPH fastball
Second-year Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez now knows the perils of facing top-notch pitching in the majors.
Minnesota Twins right-handed closer Jhoan Duran struck his compatriot Rodriguez with a blazing 102.7 mph fastball in the bottom of the ninth inning on Wednesday.
Julio Rodríguez Had a Perfect Four-Word Reaction to Getting Hit by 103-MPH Fastball
Being a hitter in Major League Baseball has to be a frightening experience. So many pitchers these days can throw some serious heat, and getting hit by one of those pitches can't be much fun.
Mariners star slugger Julio Rodríguez experienced just that in Wednesday night’s game against the Twins when Minnesota’s All-Star closer, Jhoan Durán, hit him with a fastball that hit 103-mph on the radar gun.
The pitch hit Rodríguez in the left arm and the ball went flying out of play like it had been shot out of a cannon.
Rodríguez was somehow able to shake it off and have some fun with it, saying he thought he saw his life passing in front of him and that “it hurt.”
Check this out: That didn’t look like a good time!
Second-year Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez now knows the perils of facing top-notch pitching in the majors.
Minnesota Twins right-handed closer Jhoan Duran struck his compatriot Rodriguez with a blazing 102.7 mph fastball in the bottom of the ninth inning on Wednesday.
It was obvious the pitch shook up Rodriguez. The Mariners All-Star (Rodriguez belted a Home Run Derby record 41 home runs in the first round on July 11) winced as he spun and dropped the bat at home plate to the shock of thousands of fans at T-Mobile Park.
Fortunately, the ball caught Julio Rodriguez mostly on his left elbow guard. He appeared to be okay after the incident. Had Rodriguez not worn his protective gear, he would have injured his elbow, for sure.
For his part, Duran, a second-year player, is proving he’s not a one-trick pony. He became just the eighth pitcher in MLB history to throw a pitch faster than 104 mph, per SI.com’s Joe Nelson.
The Seattle Seahawks are riding high into their 2023 training camp after being one of the league’s biggest surprises last year. The Russell Wilson trade worked out beautifully, as Geno Smith emerged as a top-10 quarterback by most measures. The Seahawks will now surround Smith with even more dynamic
weapons, as draft selections WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba and RB Zach Charbonnet join DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Noah Fant and Kenneth Walker III to form one of the NFL’s best skill groups.
The addition of talent on offense could allow Seattle to address other areas of need by dealing from positions of depth. Seattle made some important moves this offseason defensively, picking up DE Dre’Mont Jones and S Julian Love in free agency and drafting CB Devon Witherspoon and Edge Derick Hall, but
stopping the run remains a massive concern. Seattle’s defense was a run funnel last year, ranking 30th in rushing yards allowed per game.
With that in mind, here are three Seahawks’ trade candidates to plug some holes up the middle.
Eskridge has been one of the biggest disappointments of Seattle’s 2021 draft class, as a steady slew of injuries have kept him sidelined. The speedy receiver has missed 14 games over the last two seasons, recording only 17 receptions in the process.
Despite his second-round draft capital (56th selection) and rave reviews before Seahawks’ training camp, Eskridge might not return much more than a very late draft pick for a team that has a need for speed. Eskridge’s 4.38 40-yard-dash time and potential in gadget plays could be enough to entice another club, but
he appears to be on the outside looking in for any meaningful playing time in Seattle after the selection of Njigba-Smith.
More importantly, the Seahawks could have signaled a departure from two tight end personnel with the selection of Njigba-Smith, who operated almost solely out of the slot at Ohio State. With the Seahawks having already paid Dissly and with Fant eligible for free agency next year, the talented 25-year-old isn’t a lock to return.
Packaging Noah Fant with a draft pick to a tight end needy team for a substantial defensive upgrade (hello, Washington Commanders) would be a major swing for the fences.
Speaking of hitting home runs, it’s time to discuss Kenneth Walker III. The rookie’s raw numbers were terrific (over 1,000 yards, 9 touchdowns) and he looked to break the big one whenever he touched the ball.
While this isn’t an overreaction to the Seahawks using a second-round selection on UCLA RB Zach Charbonnet, it is important to note that Seattle felt the need to account for what Walker III doesn’t provide in the backfield.
Walker’s PFF receiving grade (45th out of 60) wasn’t great, but being one of the worst pass-blocking backs in all of football is downright problematic. Pass protection just happens to be one of Charbonnet’s biggest strengths, and Walker III may end up off the field more often than you’d think because of it.
While the running back position is devalued around the league on the whole, there are still teams that are willing to invest heavily in young, controllable backs. Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson both went inside the top-12 picks in this year’s draft, so Walker might command a better trade return than you’d think.
With so many capable veteran running backs still available in free agency, the Seahawks could trade Walker and replace him with a two-down thumper in free agency, like Ezekiel Elliott or Dalvin Cook, if it meant getting a defensive difference-maker in return.
Basically, if the Seahawks trade Walker, it would have to be for a defensive stud.
The Seahawks have all the makings of a playoff team, particularly if Jamal Adams can stay healthy and return to form. Seattle is a long way removed from the Legion of Boom days, but there’s plenty of talent in the secondary and some intriguing young pass rushers to boot. If Geno Smith maintains his level of play,
Seattle could be a sneaky Super Bowl contender.
Smith and the Seahawks will debut this beauties on October 29th when the play host to the Cleveland Browns. Maybe by that point in the season, Geno has the Seahawks at 6-0 and is playing as an early MVP candidate. Hey, anything can happen, right?
We can expect to get the chance to see the Seahawks actually get to play in these come Week 8 when the Cleveland Browns come to town. Additionally, the team may be wearing these again in Week 13 when they travel to Texas to take on the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football. But we wont have to wait
that long to see some of the guys donning the gear! Quandre Diggs took to Twitter and TikTok to show off some matching cleats, which I for one absolutely love.
The obligatory ‘photoshop a player into uniform’ moment happened, but this time I am actually totally okay with it.
Seahawks unveils throwback uniforms for 2023 with epic video
The Seattle Seahawks are taking advantage of the NFL rule that allows them to wear different helmets throughout the season, as they revealed their throwback uniforms from the 90s in a video featuring rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Seahawks Throwback Jersey reveal video with Jaxon Smith Njigba, Tyler Lockett and Geno Smith.
The throwback uniforms are getting rave reviews from Seahawks fans, and many of them have been asking the team to bring them back for a while now.
The Seahawks are coming off of a successful 2022 season, in which they surprised the league and made the playoffs. After trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, expectations were not high. Geno Smith’s comeback player of the year campaign was a huge part of the trip to the playoffs that ended with a loss
to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card round.
Pete Carroll’s team is hoping to build off of the successful 2022 season. The addition of Jaxon Smith-Njigba to the wide receiver room alongside DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Smith-Njigba was viewed by many as the best receiver in the draft this year. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are already quality receivers that
Geno Smith has at his disposal.
It will be interesting to see how the Seahawks fare this season, as they try to follow up on a surprising season. There are real expectations to contend for a playoff spot now, Seattle will not sneak up on anybody.
The Seahawks will get training camp for the 2023 campaign underway on July 26 in Renton. KING 5 will be televising all three of the Seahawks' preseason games in August, beginning on Aug. 10 against the Minnesota Vikings.
So it's unanimous? 
Mariners invent Waffle Wednesdays, entertain idea of winning, lose
Late-game magic remains MIA as Mariners drop game to Twins, 6-3
Bad break on passed ball costs Mariners
FINAL: MIN 6, SEA 3
Geno's heroics not enough
Eugenio Suárez hit a game-tying homer in the seventh, but a passed ball helped the Twins escape in Seattle.
Twins vs. Mariners Game Highlights (7/19/23) | MLB Highlights
and the light grows just a little dimmer
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SEATTLE -- The slider was intended to go low and away, but the high-spinning pitch from Andrés Muñoz sailed high, and by the time Tom Murphy realized that the ball wasn’t in his mitt, it was too late.
As the catcher Murphy reached into his glove routinely, assuming the ball awaited him there, it was actually dribbling toward the backstop, allowing Minnesota’s Max Kepler to easily jog across the plate standing.
And all of a sudden, the Mariners -- who again struggled with run production but had emphatically tied the game one inning prior -- were on their way to a 6-3 defeat at T-Mobile Park.
Seattle still had six outs to work with and had just one hit the rest of the way to finish with only five for the night. And in the ninth, reliever Devin Sweet gave up a two-run homer after issuing a walk when making his MLB debut, which pushed the deficit deeper to overcome.
But for the second straight game, a miscue in the field came to the forefront, one that was as costly as it was uncharacteristic, as it was the first passed ball against Murphy in 261 innings caught this year.
“You're looking for the ball down, ready to block it, it stayed up and got away from him,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “So, again, they got a couple of hits in the inning to create the traffic, to create an opportunity and they caught a break."
Eugenio Suarez now has 3 straight games with a home run!
Eugenio Suárez has homered in 3-consecutive games (7/17-c)
Minnesota was able to do so, in large part, because it capitalized on most of its traffic throughout the night, having tallied 15 baserunners.
“They've done an outstanding job shrinking the zone,” Servais said. “They are not chasing. They are not chasing at all. And Luis [Castillo], like I said, he had great stuff tonight. And it's kind of just like they eliminated the bottom part of the strike zone.”
The Mariners had another chance to rally in the ninth, after J.P. Crawford reached on an error and Julio Rodríguez was hit by a 102.7 mph fastball from Jhoan Duran with no outs. But Jarred Kelenic struck out looking in a nine-pitch battle, Eugenio Suárez grounded into a 6-3 putout and Mike Ford K’d on three pitches
to end the contest.
The game, however, wasn’t lost there.
Seattle also went hitless for 15 consecutive at-bats between Crawford leading off the first inning with a single and Murphy crushing a one-out homer in the sixth, putting Castillo on a tightrope as he registered his 11th quality start.
Castillo set a new Mariners milestone with 11 strikeouts, his most in 33 outings since joining the club ahead of last year’s Trade Deadline, including the postseason, but he was also bitten for two solo homers, marking the sixth time in his past eight starts in which he’s given up multiple long balls. Castillo also
surrendered a two-out single to No. 9 hitter Ryan Jeffers in the second, which allowed the leadoff walk he issued that inning to come around and score.
“La Piedra” wound up pitching six innings and surrendering just the three earned runs, but the Mariners fell to 5-6 in his quality starts and 9-11 overall behind their ace.
Luis Castillo struck out 11 Twins hitters in tonight's game, a season high and the most he has struck out since joining the @Mariners
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On the season, the Mariners are tied -- coincidentally, with the Twins -- for the MLB lead with 48 quality starts, but they’ve converted only 33 of those into victories for a .688 win percentage. Last year, Seattle went 55-24 (.696) in 79 quality starts, which ranked third in MLB.
“I think the most important thing today was that we attacked,” Castillo said through interpreter Freddy Llanos.
Suárez was on his way to spelling Castillo when homering for the third straight day to tie the game at 3 with one out in the seventh, creating momentum against the Twins immediately after Kelenic’s single bounced Maeda from the game.
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But that wound up being the final time that the Mariners would score, and now they’ll look to avoid losing their second straight series out of the All-Star break when this 10-game homestand continues Thursday.
Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker bizarrely ejected as he covers up conversation
The umpire wasted no time ejecting the Blue Jays pitching coach 😅 | MLB on ESPN
Story by Belle Fraser
With a hand over his mouth, Pete Walker stood on the mound talking directly to starting pitcher Alek Manoah.
Seconds later, he was thrown out of the game.
The Toronto pitching coach’s no-look ejection during Tuesday’s 9-1 loss to the Padres came from umpire Malachi Moore who came to the mound to listen in, and clearly didn’t like what he heard.
“I’ll let Pete speak to that, but we’re always gonna defend our guys,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said after the game, according to Yahoo Sports Canada’s Ethan Diamandas.
Manoah allowed two first inning runs and then walked the Padres’ Trent Grisham with two outs in the second before Walker came out to consult with him.
Pitching Coach Pete Walker of the Toronto Blue Jays is thrown out of the game by Umpire Malachi Moore.Getty Images
Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker has been ejected from tonight's game. pic.twitter.com/Rkylk7OwOI
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 18, 2023
Walker and Schneider objected to a few calls in the first, namely a two-strike pitch thrown to Juan Soto that Moore called as a ball. Soto then hit a two-run homer.
While the specifics of the conversation could not be heard, it’s speculated Walker was saying something about Moore’s previous rulings.
“I don’t think anything Pete said would have gotten you kicked out of a 10-year-old travel ballpark,” Manoah said postgame, according to MLB.
“I don’t know what he said before. I don’t know what the history is there. I really don’t know. I just know that he was talking to me and said, ‘There were a couple calls that didn’t go our way. Don’t worry about that. Keep pitching. I’ll handle everything else.’ Next thing you know, he was tossed.”
Pete Walker argues with Malachi Moore after getting ejected on July 18, 2023.Sportsnet/Twitter
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Alek Manoah works against the San Diego Padres.AP
Before the ejection, Moore had shot two warnings at the Blue Jays dugout.
Tuesday was Manoah’s second start since returning from his June minor league demotion, and he was pulled in the fourth inning after giving up two additional runs in the third.
It came after Manoah — an All-Star last season — had a promising return start against the Tigers last week, when he allowed one run over six innings and struck out six.
The disappointing Padres broke the Blue Jays’ four-game win streak while ending their own three-game win drought.
Pete Walker talks with Alek Manoah on the mound.Sportsnet/Twitter
Juan Soto #22, Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 and Trent Grisham #1 of the San Diego Padres celebrate.Getty Images
Tuesday’s loss was only the second game the Blue Jays have dropped in their past 10 contests as they sit third in the AL East and are currently slotted into the second AL Wild Card spot.
Toronto and San Diego have the second game of their three-game series on Wednesday night.
Teacher tries to sell JJ Watt's jersey to raise money for her grandpa's funeral. J.J. steps in to help.
Mariners score 4 runs in the 5th to take the lead
A Ukrainian air force crew told The Sunday Times that women flash them when they fly overhead.
One woman even proposed marriage by holding up a sign as they flew over a town, a pilot said.
The Ukrainian air force is trying to keep morale high as it faces a strong Russian counterpart.
A Ukrainian helicopter crew told The Sunday Times that women in the country flash them as they fly overhead to boost their morale in fighting Russia.
In a recent feature, the show of support was described by a Ukrainian pilot, identified only by his rank of major and his first name Maksym.
He said his crew saves the GPS locations of places where it happens, lighthearted moment in their dangerous and often demoralizing missions against a far superior Russian air force.
One woman even proposed marriage to them by holding up a sign, he said.
Maksym and his fellow airmen have been flying a Soviet-designed Mil Mi-8 helicopter on daily missions to Bakhmut, an eastern city in Ukraine, which has become a flashpoint in the war.
On their way to their missions they try to keep conversation light and positive, Maksym said, and like to interact with civilians on the ground. They recently threw a bottle of cognac wrapped in a towel to an elderly man they spotted in the war-torn landscape, he said.
These kind of interactions as more viable because the helicopters fly very low to avoid Russian air-defense, often just 15 feet above ground, the Times report said.
The Ukrainian air force is struggling against a far better-armed Russia, Maksym said. The disparity is especially strong between the air forces, which Maksym characterized by saying: "The Russians understand we can do nothing to them in the air."
Ukraine has limited ammunition and no aircraft that counters Russia's newest models in the sky, he said. Half of his unit has already been killed, he added.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told The Wall Street Journal last month that Russian air superiority would exact a heavy toll on Ukrainian soldiers if Western powers did not provide them with reinforcements.
FULL Trophy Presentation Ceremony - 2023 NBA Summer League 🔥
Cincinnati Reds Grounds Crew Member Goes Viral After Rain Delay Blunder
Even while the tight contest between the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants was stuck in a rain delay Monday night, one moment still managed to go viral.
A member of the Reds' grounds crew at Great American Ball Park slipped while trying to carry the tarp over the infield, getting trapped as the rest of the crew continued to run along without him. The moment was captured by the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast team, leading the announcers to share some play-by-
play commentary of the mishap.
"Mayday – he got eaten by the tarp," said Giants analyst Hunter Pence. "Every man left behind, fend for yourself!"
Reds groundskeeper swallowed up by the tarp 😅 | MLB on ESPN
Take a look as one of the Cincinnati Reds groundskeepers got caught under the tarp during a tarp pull rain delay before crawling his way out.
Cincinnati and San Francisco are currently tied 2-2 in the top of the eighth inning. The Giants have runners on second and third with one out and third baseman JD Davis due up at the end of the delay.
The Reds got on the board first Monday night, with rookie shortstop Matt McLain drilling a solo home run to right-center in the bottom of the first inning. Giants left fielder Austin Slater knotted things up with a solo homer of his own in the top of the third.
The long balls continued into the later stages of the game when Giants first baseman Wilmer Flores jacked one to left in the sixth, then again when Reds second baseman Jonathan India got a hold of one himself in the seventh.
While the Reds are on their third pitcher of the night – left-hander Alex Young – the Giants are still riding starter Logan Webb.
Webb is unlikely to return to the mound after the delay, though, considering the rain delay has lasted for well over an hour.
KISS putting on makeup/backstage compilation
Mariners’ radio voice Rick Rizzs missing homestand after ATV accident
Rizzs, 69, began calling Mariners’ games in 1983, working alongside Dave Niehaus. Following a 1992-94 stint with the Detroit Tigers, Rizzs returned to Seattle, and he’s been there since in a mix of radio and TV roles with the team. He’s been working exclusively on radio since 2007, and has been their lead radio
voice since Niehaus’ 2010 passing. This is his 38th season with the club; he passed Niehaus’ record of 35 in 2021.
With Rizzs out for now, the Seattle radio broadcasts this weekend were handled by Dave Sims and Gary Hill Jr. Sims is usually the team’s TV voice, but has support there from fellow long-time Mariners’ broadcaster Aaron Goldsmith. Hill is also a long-time Seattle broadcast veteran, serving as the full-time executive
producer/engineer for the team’s radio broadcasts since 2018, and in a variety of roles on-air and behind the scenes since 2010. The Mariners’ broadcast lineup this year has also been hit by the absence of regular TV analyst Mike Blowers, who has missed most of this season due to a variety of factors from
bronchitis to a concussion to vertigo.
Our thoughts go out to Rizzs as he recovers.
For most teams, a 52-42 start to the season would be satisfactory. Not the Houston Astros. Coming off their fourth World Series appearance and second World Series title in six years, the Astros expected to once again be among the cream of the crop in the American League. Instead, the Astros are barely holding
down a wild card spot, and a strong showing by the Texas Rangers means that Houston only sits second in the AL West.
Numerous long-term injuries have been hand-cuffed the pitching staff, while slow first halves from many of the Astros’ top hitters have also hindered the club. All signs point to some MLB trade deadline acquisitions in Houston. Here are some sneaky targets the Astros could consider.
3 sneaky MLB trade deadline targets for Astros to consider
With star pitchers members Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers out for the season, plus key rotation member Jose Urquidy out since April, youngsters Hunter Brown, J.P. France, and Brandon Bielak have all performed admirably for the Astros, posting a combined 3.78 ERA this year across 39 starts. But can the club
trust these inexperienced hurlers down the stretch?
Luis Castillo would be a difficult acquisition for the Astros, as the Cy Young-level pitcher is under contract through 2028 in Seattle, but the Mariners have the young pitching depth to replace him in Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller. Seattle is also in desperate need of a boost offensively, as the club’s .231 batting average is
tied for third-worst in Major League Baseball. Despite being divisional rivals, the Astros and Mariners could work out a trade that is mutually beneficial for their playoff pushes in 2023.
NBA Summer League in Las Vegas has come and gone, leaving basketball fans across the world wondering which rookie performers will be the best of the best. Obviously Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson enter the season with a lot of hype given that they were the top three picks in this
year’s draft, but so many rookies put together great performances this summer.
However, Summer League is not necessarily about the incoming rookie class, as plenty of experienced talent looking to earn themselves deals in the NBA participate in the league’s showcase each and every offseason.
There have been various players through the years that have earned themselves two-way contracts and guaranteed contracts from their play in Las Vegas Summer League and we should expect the same to occur heading towards the start of training camp in September.
Several players who have been playing professionally for a couple of years left their mark at Summer League and now, these five players in particular have a chance to earn themselves a real contract in the NBA for the 2023-24 season.
In Las Vegas, Merrill was arguably the best perimeter shooting threat on the floor, as he made a total of 25 threes, the most out of anyone in Summer League, and he shot 44.6 percent from three-point range. He made at least three perimeter shots in every single game he played in for the Cavs this summer and
while he does have a non-guaranteed contract right now, Merrill definitely deserves to have a guaranteed deal for the 2023-24 season.
Every team in the league is always looking for high-level perimeter threats and showing how fast he could get his shot off in Summer League, there is no doubt that Merrill could be a key bench contributor right now in the NBA. If the Cavaliers waive him, which does seem unlikely after his recent play, the 27-year-
old sharpshooter will draw interest from several other franchises.
A standout at Valparaiso and DePaul during his college career, Javon Freeman-Liberty ended up going undrafted last year. Signing an exhibit-10 training camp deal with the Chicago Bulls ahead of the start of last season, Freeman-Liberty spent the year in the G League with the Windy City Bulls. He played well there
and was able to prove that he could score against bigger, stronger defenders, earing him an invite to Las Vegas.
Scoring against hard-nosed defenders was once again the case in Summer League for the Bulls, as Freeman-Liberty emerged early on as the team’s go-to scoring option. He averaged 21.2 points per game, the eighth-best average out of any player in Las Vegas, and the Bulls guard scored below 18 points just once.
He also shot 46.2 percent from long-range, proving that he has an all-around offensive game.
Chicago has a clear need for backcourt talent right now and while it is unlikely this kind of production would occur at the NBA level, Freeman-Liberty could absolutely contribute on a two-way contract. Carlik Jones found success going from a G League guy to earning a spot on the Bulls’ roster last season and now
Freeman-Liberty will look to do the same.
After not being drafted last offseason, Michael Devoe spent this past year in the G League with the Ontario Clippers. While he did not impressive during his first professional season, Devoe stood out on a Portland Trail Blazers Summer League roster that featured the likes of Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe and Kris Murray.
Henderson going down with a shoulder injury in the team’s first game really opened up the door for Devoe to show what he could do and he did just that, averaging 18.8 points, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 64.7 percent from three-point range in the four games he played with the Blazers. He
was efficient from the floor and rarely missed out on the perimeter, which is why it would be shocking if Devoe did not earn himself a two-way contract for the upcoming season.
Still just 23, Devoe has room to grow and could really turn into a solid backup point guard in this league should he get the right training and instruction. For a team like the Blazers, he could prove to be useful during the 2023-24 season should they move on from superstar Damian Lillard.
Nobody probably knows who Hunter Hale is, but that is alright because that’s what Summer League is for! Playing his college ball at Central Michigan, Grand Valley State and Winthrop, Hale went undrafted in 2020 and ended up going overseas to begin his professional career. Hale began his journey in New Zealand
and most recently finished up playing for Borac Cacak in Serbia.
Finding success as a scorer outside of America, Hale was offered the chance to play for the Phoenix Suns in Summer League this year and he made the most of his opportunity, averaging a team-high 16.3 points per game while shooting 12-23 from three-point range, nearly 52 percent. Much like Merrill, Hale was
one of the best perimeter shooting threats in Las Vegas the last couple of weeks, which is why he definitely raised some eyebrows.
By no means is he a guy who can sign a contract in the NBA and immediately contribute the way he did during Summer League, but shooters shoot and that skill does not disappear. The Suns are deep into tax territory and will not have the opportunity to sign any big names who become available during the 2023-24
season. Having players on two-way contracts who can fill some needs when injuries or wear and tear occur will be vital, which is why keeping Hale around would be advantageous to Phoenix.
Rookie forward Kobe Brown had himself a terrific showing in Summer League, but Xavier Moon ended up being the Los Angeles Clippers’ best player. After beginning his professional career overseas, Moon has spent time the last couple of seasons with the Clippers in both the NBA and G League. Signing a two-way
contract with Los Angeles this past March, Moon did play in a total of four games during the 2022-23 season.
Featured on the Clippers’ Summer League team this offseason, Moon continued to stick out, averaging a team-high 19.6 points per game while shooting 55.4 percent from the floor and 57.7 percent from three-point range. He also averaged 5.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game.
Already deciding to keep 2022 second-round pick Moussa Diabate on a two-way deal, it would not be surprising for the Clippers to do the same with Moon, as they have kept him around the last two seasons. He knows how this organization operates and those on the Clippers’ roster already know him, which is why
giving Moon another two-way contract seems like the most plausible outcome for Los Angeles coming out of Summer League.
Back in 1971, the United States Supreme Court ruled that any player would only be eligible to enter the NBA four years after graduating from high school. This whole controversy was brought about by Spencer Haywood and the fact that the ABA allowed him to play after his sophomore season at the University of
Detroit way back in 1969. This mandate obviously had a significant impact on the league when it was implemented — one that resonates to this very day and to Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.
In a recent interview, Haywood spoke about LeBron’s all-time scoring record. The 74-year-old talked about his legacy in the game of basketball and how ultimately, it had a significant impact on the Lakers superstar’s career:
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With a more deliberate pitch mix this year, Gilbert’s most notable adjustment on Monday was working with “not much fastball going,” Servais said.
“I think just the trust and like, knowing you don't have to be at your best,” Gilbert said. “Sometimes it's easy when everything's working. Anybody can pitch like that. But on a night like tonight, you just try to find a way -- just get outs.”
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J.P. Crawford followed that up with a leadoff double (part of a three-hit day) and came around to score on a Birthday Boy double from Jarred Kelenic, who’s 3 for 9 with 2 doubles to start the second half.
(make sure you have the sound on):
Angie Mentink
Shohei Ohtani vs. Ron Kulpa -- Everyone knew it was a STRIKE (except Kulpa)
When Caggiano was enlisted as producer for VOLBEAT in early 2013, the collaboration was so phenomenally successful that he was quickly invited to join the band as well. The resulting album, "Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies", achieved major chart success on both sides of the Atlantic, as did "Seal The
Deal & Let's Boogie".
How many of you loved this commercial from 15 years ago with @KDTrey5? https://youtu.be/E5o3rdgCJK0
DK Metcalf on how Geno Smith ‘matured and changed’ as Seahawks starter
The fifth-year Seahawks wide receiver has witnessed Geno’s transformation first-hand.
Metcalf also has thoughts on his own workout regimen (17:30), his intense workouts with Russell Wilson (20:00), and a whole lot more if you want to watch the full video below!
Based on DK’s words, Geno is as dialed in as can be.
“He would sit in the pocket – like we would watch highlights – and the balls that he would throw just sitting in the pocket and taking hits while he knows he’s about to get smacked and the ball would be a dime,” Metcalf said. “And we’d be like, ‘That’s crazy.’ And he’s still coming in the next morning and he’s in
early getting work. He’s still out there during walk through and they were like, ‘Geno calm down. You’ve got a certain amount of reps,’ and he was like, ‘No I’m out here at walk through and I’m throwing the ball today.’
“So I’m like, ‘OK, that’s different.’ Because I ain’t never seen him act like that or do that or take that type of leadership until last year. So my hat goes off to him because he did it his way.”
Seattle Mariners play-by-play announcer Rick Rizzs will miss the team’s current 10-game homestand following an all-terrain vehicle accident during the MLB All-Star break this week.
The 69-year-old Rizzs, the longtime voice of the Mariners on the Mariners Radio Network and flagship station Seattle Sports, did not suffer any serious injuries in the accident and is expected to return to the announce booth soon, according to Daniel Kramer, who covers the M’s for MLB.com.
I checked in with Rick tonight and he said he's pretty banged up but doing okay. "Tell the boys I said hello and let's get a win tonight!"
Logan Gilbert Reflects on the First Half on MLB Network
Rams vs Seahawks 2023 Season (Madden 24 Rosters) 4K Madden 23 Simulation Gameplay
Lakers star LeBron James loses his mind after Stephen Curry’s epic hole-in-one in American Century Championship
There has been a lot of talk about Stephen Curry potentially excelling as a professional golfer if ever he decided to switch sports. He won’t. However, the fact that the Golden State Warriors superstar sunk a mind-blowing hole-in-one in the American Century Championship on Saturday is living proof that the hype
surrounding Steph’s elite golf game is absolutely warranted.
Even Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James could not help but react to Curry draining that wild shot. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer had to take to Twitter to share his hyped reaction to Steph’s antics:
Stephen Curry goes wild after ace at Lake Tahoe | Golf Channel
Steph Curry may have been out of breath celebrating his hole-in-one on No. 7 at the American Century Championship, but the occasion was certainly well worth it.
LeBron has been known to try out his golf swing every now and again, but he’s not exactly the best golfer out there — definitely not at the same level as Steph. However, you don’t need to be a pro to appreciate what Curry just did here. This is exactly what LeBron has done, and the fact that he used 16 fire emojis
(I counted, twice) in his tweet reaction is a clear testament to this fact.
This also just goes to show how much respect these two have for each other. LeBron James and Stephen Curry are two of the greatest players of their generation and they have had their fair share of on-court battles through the years. However, in spite of the intense level of competition, their mutual respect remains intact. There’s
a lot of love between these two future Hall of Famers, but this does not take away from the fact that they will do everything they can to defeat each other when they battle on the basketball court.
are playing” szn. Take a closer look at the full Kraken regular season schedule, pres. by @AlaskaAir → https://bit.ly/SeaSchedule23
#DawgPound
1936 - 2023
Jim Brown, one of football's greatest ever, dies at 87
His wife, Monique, announced Brown's death in an Instagram post Friday afternoon. She said Brown "passed peacefully" Thursday night in their home in Los Angeles.
"To the world he was an activist, actor, and football star," the post stated. "To our family he was a loving and wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. Our hearts are broken..."
In 2020, Brown was selected to the NFL 100 all-time team and also was ranked as the No. 1 all-time player on the College Football 150 list to celebrate those sports' anniversaries. He was named the greatest football player ever by the Sporting News in 2002.
Jim Brown, one of the NFL's all-time greatest players and a social activist, dies at 87 | CBS Sports
Brown, who was selected in the first round of the 1957 draft, played nine seasons for the Cleveland Browns (1957-65) and led the league in rushing eight of those years. He rushed for 12,312 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry over his career. He also was named a Pro Bowler every year he played. He led the
Browns to the league championship game three times, winning the title in 1964, and was named MVP three times.
He ran for at least 100 yards in 58 of his 118 regular-season games, never missing a game. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in seven seasons, including 1,527 yards in one 12-game season and 1,863 in a 14-game season.
Brown also worked to empower the Black community during the Civil Rights Movement. In June 1967, Brown organized "The Cleveland Summit," a meeting of the nation's top Black athletes, including Bill Russell and Lew Alcindor -- who later became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -- to support boxer Muhammad Ali's fight
against serving in Vietnam. In later years, Brown worked to curb gang violence in Los Angeles and in 1988 founded Amer-I-Can, a program to help disadvantaged inner-city youth and ex-convicts.
Brown also advocated for modern athletes to be more involved in the Black community.
In a statement, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell called Brown a "gifted athlete" who "became a forerunner and role model for athletes being involved in social initiatives outside their sports."
"It's impossible to describe the profound love and and gratitude we feel for having the opportunity to be a small piece of Jim's incredible life and legacy," the Browns said in a statement. "We mourn his passing, but celebrate the indelible light he brought to the world.
"Our hearts are with Jim's family, loved ones, and all those he impacted along the way."
Brown retired at 30, at the top of his career. He was filming the movie "The Dirty Dozen" during the offseason in 1966, and production went long because of bad weather. Browns owner Art Modell threatened to suspend Brown's pay if he didn't report to training camp on time. Brown opted to retire, saying he wanted
to focus on his movie career and social issues.
Since his retirement, no Browns player has worn his No. 32, and a statue of him went up outside of FirstEnergy Stadium in 2016.
"It's a great moment," Brown said when the statue was unveiled, "because I feel it throughout my body, particularly in my heart and mind."
Current Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam called Brown "a true icon" for the NFL.
"He was certainly the greatest to ever put on a Browns uniform and arguably one of the greatest players in NFL history," a statement released Friday read. "Jim was one of the reasons the Browns have such a tremendous fan base today. So many people grew up watching him just dominate every time he stepped
onto the football field but his countless accolades on the field only tell a small part of his story."
Brown lettered in four sports (football, lacrosse, basketball and track) during his college career at Syracuse, and he is also considered one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time, once scoring five goals in one half of a collegiate all-star game.
At Syracuse, Brown also served as the place-kicker during one game against Colgate in 1956, scoring an NCAA single-game record with 43 points on six touchdowns and seven extra points. That same season, he led the nation in rushing touchdowns. In 1955, he led the nation in kickoff return average. Overall, he
rushed for 2,091 yards and scored 26 TDs for the Orange.
"When Jim Brown's name was announced in a room, other Hall of Famers stood and applauded him," Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in a statement. "His persona has stood the test of time -- a fearless and dominant football player. Jim will always be remembered as one of pro football's greatest
individuals."
Brown was involved in several off-the-field incidents, especially shortly after he retired.
He was arrested a half-dozen times, mostly on charges of hitting women. He was once fined and spent a day in jail after beating up a golfing partner. He was charged with rape, sexual battery and assault in 1985 (the charges were later dropped). The next year he was arrested for allegedly beating his fiancée. In
1999, Brown was acquitted of domestic threats against his wife but convicted of smashing the window of her car and spent time in jail when he refused to attend domestic violence counseling.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
1936 - 2023
Take a Breath. Come Out Firing.
Rookie of the year behavior 〽️atty
LeBron: "I'm Tired as hell man, Get out my face"😅 #shorts
Ja Morant’s latest signature sneaker sells out in minutes despite gun incidents, suspension
Ja Morant‘s latest signature Nike sneaker, the Ja Morant 1, released on Nike SNKRS app this morning and sold out within four minutes of their release. Despite rumors of Nike moving on from their star Memphis Grizzlies’ athlete amidst repeated gun incidents and an indefinite suspension from the NBA, the sneaker
giant moved forward with the anticipated release of the shoes.
Ja Morant was recently suspended by the league after brandishing a firearm for the second time during an Instagram live video. The second incident came quickly after Morant was suspended for having a firearm with him during a team road trip in Denver. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed his
disappointment with Morant in an interview following the second incident and has made it clear that the NBA will use Morant as an example for punishment of this type of behavior.
With his troubles off the court, Morant has lost millions of dollars in terms of sponsorship money and potential deals with brands that no longer want his endorsement. Rumors began that Nike would terminate their deal with the young star, with no real action coming from Nike’s end. On Thursday, Nike went ahead
with the launch on their SNKRS app, to which the “Hunger” colorway of the Nike Ja 1 sold out in just four short minutes. Sneakerheads were surprised to see the shoes still up on the site following Morant’s most recent incident and clearly capitalized on the opportunity to snag a pair.
The mismatch shoes feature a blue and red overlay for the respective shoe with black swooshes. Morant’s ‘JM’ Nike logo appears in yellow on the tongue as many fans say these remind them of a “Superman” colorway. The shoes are already hitting the second-hand market for around $200, $60 more than what they
retailed for. Clearly Nike has a continued hit in the Ja 1’s despite all of the off-court incidents involving Morant. It’s eerily similar to the type of drama surround Reebok during the Allen Iverson days.
Jaxon Smith Njigba & Zach Charbonnet at the Rookie Premier.#nfl #shorts #seahawks #jaxonsmithnjigba
Jimi Hendrix playing Drums https://imgur.com/X9qjxk1
Ax-2 | In-Flight Update with the Crew
Dancin' in the Rain. #SeaUsRise
GOOD GAME, GOOD GAME!!
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J.P. Crawford laces an RBI single to right field, 500th Career Hit 5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣th
Logan Gilbert Strikes Out Nine
Battled back and took care of business. 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 9 K
Derick Hall in a Seahawks jersey 🔥🔥 #nfl #seahawks #shorts #derickhall
Goaltender #ThomasMilic of the @SeattleTbirds is your 2023 #WHLPlayoffs MVP!
Today May 20th 7:30 PM PT
Watch #VANvSEA with #MLSSeasonPass
on https://sndrs.com/aange1
Our goal machine since Day 1 in MLS: @_fredymontero
NFL analyst projects Seahawks as a top 10 offense, and even that ‘might be too conservative’
Just how good could the Seahawks offense be in 2023?
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The Seattle Seahawks offense exceeded expectations in 2022, with Geno Smith leading the NFL in completion percentage and posting career-best numbers to justify his contract extension. Kenneth Walker rushed for over 1,000 yards, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving, and rookie tackles
Charles Cross and Abe Lucas slotted in very well as Day 1 starters.
With the addition of draft picks Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zach Charbonnet, and Kenny McIntosh, as well as a slight retooling of the offensive line with new starters at center and guard, there’s a lot of reason to be optimistic that the Seahawks offense could be one of the league’s best.
NFL Network analytics expert Cynthia Frelund’s projections for the top 10 offenses by win shares has the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs at the top, followed by the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles at No. 2.
Remember, win share measures the ability of each player, position group and side of the ball to earn or prevent first downs, points and touchdowns.
And now we get to the Seahawks, who sit at No. 7.
PROJECTED WIN SHARE: 7.5
The Seahawks’ 2022 draft class is one for the books, and the 2023 crop looks likely to join it. Quarterback Geno Smith returns, with his late-career ascension having played out like a fairy tale thus far. Figure in a year of experience for tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, who started as rookies
last season, add the 2023 NFL Draft’s best route-runner (per computer vision), Jaxon Smith-Njigba, to a receiver corps that already includes DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, and bolster the running back depth with second-round pick Zach Charbonnet, and you have a pretty potent team. In fact,
considering that Smith led the NFL in completion percentage over expected (4.4), and that Smith-Njigba racked up 1,606 yards in 2021 at Ohio State despite sharing the field with Chris Olave and 2022 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson, this seventh-place ranking might be too
conservative.
Unless “too conservative” means Seattle would be sixth, the conclusion to make is that the Seahawks could very well be in position to have a top-5 offense. Last year they were 14th by DVOA (8th in passing, 23rd in rushing) so their hot start gave way to a more middling ranking. By EPA/play the Seahawks were
13th, so outside of injury I think there needs to be serious perspective that Seattle becoming a truly great offense involves significant improvement from virtually everyone involved. The potential is there for some fantastic results but there needs to be context for the task Seattle is undertaking to make that leap.
But hey, who’d have thought that a year removed from the Russell Wilson trade that there would be this much national optimism about the offense and the team as a whole?
The post 2 best players to trade for to round out Seahawks’ 2023 roster appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Seattle also had a costly out on the basepaths when J.P. Crawford attempted to tag up from third base but was cut down by a 90.9 mph heave from center fielder Michael Harris II.
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Thursday May 18
FINAL
LAL 103 vs 108 DEN 
Murray's big fourth quarter propels Nuggets past Lakers 108-103 for 2-0 lead in West finals
🏀
🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
Chris Cornell covers “Thank You” by Led Zeppelin Live on the Howard Stern Show
‘Astonishing’ 3D scans reveal Titanic shipwreck in extraordinary new detail
New 3D modelling provides never before seen images of Titanic
More than a century after the Titanic sank on its maiden voyage from England — a tragedy that continues to captivate scientists, Hollywood and the public — cutting-edge technology may be providing clues as to how the most luxurious passenger ship of its time met such a doomed end.
“The volume of data that we acquired was enormous,” Magellan chief executive Richard Parkinson said in a statement, and “the results were astonishing.”
Parkinson called the effort an “unprecedented mapping and digitalization operation of the Titanic … one of the most famous yet inaccessible man-made objects.” It took place over six weeks in 2022 and faced bad weather and technical complications. But the scans that followed meant the ship could then be mapped
in “extraordinary detail,” according to the company.
Its scientists observed the gaping hole where the grand staircase was once positioned — the staircase made famous in the 1997 blockbuster movie with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. They even found bottles of champagne and the serial number on a propeller.
The images released do not show any evidence of the over 1,500 lives lost in the disaster.
Previous images of the ship — which hit an iceberg while on its way to New York City and was discovered by American oceanographer Robert Ballard and others in 1985 — have been limited by low light levels and poor water quality.
Magellan’s process generated over 715,000 still images that provided the data allowing its team to create a digital model of startling clarity. It shows the bow and stern section of the ship, which separated upon sinking, as well as the scene’s three-mile debris field.
A specialist ship was positioned in the Atlantic about 430 miles off the Canadian coast, with two submersibles — named Romeo and Juliet — deployed for hours below the surface to map every millimeter of the wreck.
The wreck was not touched or disturbed in the process, the company said, and ended with a flower-laying ceremony in memory of those who died. Magellan is now working with media company Atlantic Productions to make a documentary about the project.
“I have been studying Titanic for 20 years, but this is a true game changer,” Titanic explorer and researcher Parks Stephenson said in a statement. “What we are seeing for the first time is an accurate and true depiction of the entire wreck and debris site. I’m seeing details that none of us have ever seen before.”
He hailed the work as the “beginning of a new chapter” for the next generation of Titanic study.
The scans will also give scientists and archaeologists a new level of access, said Helen Farr, maritime archaeologist at the University of Southampton. They will allow researchers to study the ship’s condition, document decay and better monitor the marine environment, Farr told The Washington Post.
“These 3D scans and images also tell the story of the human loss,” she added, with personal items such as shoes and crockery recovered from the seabed. “Living in Southampton, the port city from which RMS Titanic set sail in 1912, I know that these losses have not been forgotten. More than 720 of the 900 crew
were from the city. A generation was lost in this disaster.”
Even before its ill-fated maiden voyage, the ship was famous around the world for its opulence and such extravaganzas as a gymnasium and swimming pool on board. Its passengers included members of America’s and Britain’s wealthiest or most famous families, as well as immigrants making their way to new lives.
The wreckage became a UNESCO protected heritage site in 2012, part of an effort to protect and preserve the remains. The ship’s iron continues to erode and rust, noted Titanic expert Leon Litvack, a researcher at Queen’s University Belfast — the city where the luxury liner was built.
“These scans are very evocative. … She was a formidable vessel,” he said.
The deep sea’s low oxygen levels have helped keep the Titanic relatively well preserved, Litvack said, and now advanced technology can help plumb more of her secrets. “This seemingly unsinkable ship perished in a matter of hours,” he told The Post.
The new images may trigger another surge of fascination.
Part of the Titanic’s enduring appeal is the sheer scale of the disaster and the mystery of what went so terribly wrong. Was it the iceberg, the ship’s speed, a lack of life boats, the failure of SOS messages to get out — or all of those factors? The “what ifs,” Litvack said, will continue to be debated for decades to come.
“It was more than just a shipwreck,” he added. “It will endure in the public mind.”
43 years ago #Today, Mount St. Helens erupted: the deadliest and most destructive volcanic event in the history of the U.S. [read more: http://bit.ly/1L0dKzT] [video: https://buff.ly/3yi2RK7]
Arizona Diamondbacks Pitcher Zac Gallen
Zac Gallen Randy Johnson’d a bird while warming up
Sports World Reacts To MLB Pitcher Hitting Bird With A Curveball
Hall Of Famer Randy Johnson Kills Bird In Game
Zac Gallen Hits a Bird (Randy Johnson)
An Arizona Diamondbacks ace improbably repeated history.
On Wednesday afternoon, Zac Gallen was throwing a side session at Oakland Coliseum when his curveball hit a bird in mid-air. Bally Sports Arizona reported that the bird did not survive the accident.
Bizarrely enough, this has happened to the Diamondbacks before. In 2001, a Randy Johnson fastball struck a bird flying across the pitcher's mound. The baseball world was in awe of the coincidence.
"What are the odds that in all of baseball history, two ace pitchers in the same organization would kill a bird with a pitch 22 years apart," Batting Around Podcast host Lauren Walker wondered.
Bally Sports also uncovered older footage of Gallen admitting he's "not really a big fan of birds."
Gallen could feasibly become the second Diamondbacks pitcher to win the NL Cy Young Award the same season his pitch struck a bird. The 27-year-old righty is off to a fantastic start, posting a 2.35 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 70 strikeouts in 57.1 innings.
As for the World Series part, a young Arizona club has exceeded expectations by starting 24-19.
But for the sake of birds everywhere, let's hope this doesn't happen again in 22 years.
@BlitzTheSeahawk mascothalloffame.com/the-vote-2023/
Bill Wixey sits down with Kraken President & CEO Tod Leiweke (Full interview)
THANK YOU KRAKEN FANS http://kingkaps7.mysite.com/blank_5.html
Tuesday May 16
FINAL
SEA 4 vs 9 BOS 
First 5 starts: 4-1 team record, 1.52 ERA, 0 HR, .170/.214/.217 (.431 OPS) opposing slash line
Past 4 starts: 0-4 team record, 5.73 ERA, 6 HR, .278/.323/.600 (.923 OPS) opposing slash line
It leads to the grander question of: What’s going on with one of the game’s best pitchers?
The Seattle Mariners have the best pitching staff in all of baseball.
Bryce Miller has had a RIDICULOUS start to his MLB career.
Bryce Miller's historic MLB debut & why his fastball is elite.
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/
‘I was scared’: Video shows dust devil engulfing catcher at Florida youth baseball game
7-year-old boy OK after freak weather incident
Dust devil engulfs catcher at Florida youth baseball game
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A dust devil quickly formed during a baseball game Sunday afternoon at the Fort Caroline Athletic Association baseball field, News 6 partner WJXT-TV reported.
In a video shared with WJXT-TV, Bauer Zoya, 7, a catcher for the Ponte Vedra Sharks, is seen being engulfed by the short-lived whirlwind.
“I was scared and I got afraid if someone would pull me out,” Zoya said.
Zoya was in the spiraling sand and debris for a few seconds before umpire Aidan Wiles, 17, rescued him.
And Zoya said although it was only a few seconds, it felt like he was in there for 10 minutes.
“I couldn’t breathe that much,” Zoya said. “So I held my breath and I feel like I couldn’t touch the ground. So I kind of lifted up a little bit.”
Wiles said when he saw Zoya surrounded by all of the dust, he was initially a little afraid.
But he knew it was best for him to put his fear aside and help the little kid out.
“I was worried about his safety because when I got taught, the players’ safety is always the first thing,” Wiles said.
The dust devil happened in the second of a three-game tournament at Fort Caroline. The game featured the Fort Caroline Athletic Association Indians and Ponte Vedra Sharks.
Zoya said the dust didn’t stop him from continuing to play.
After the umpire rescued him, his dad poured water on him to get the dirt out of his eyes, and then he went back into the game.
And he even believes what he went through helped him play better.
Although he said it helped him play better, his team did not end up winning the championship, but they did go home with Mother’s Day rings.
And while Zoya is happy, his dad Brian Zoya said he’s just glad Wiles had quick thinking and stepped in to help his son.
“A kid that just had the presence in mind to just do that it’s just special to see,” Brian said. “It was pretty cool to see yesterday. He had great parents raising him.”
Brian also said he has been in contact with Wiles’ parents. So there could be a potential meet-up in the future.
We’re seeing the best version of J.P. Crawford: Part I
J.P. Crawford’s never been a better hitter
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Welcome to J.P. Crawford Appreciation Week!
The beginning of this Mariners season has been all about the pitching, with less to root for on the position player side. Jarred’s had a scorching hot start of course, and has deservedly gotten a lot of coverage. But this week, we’re making sure that the steadiest hand gets his due as well. After all, the most underrated
player in baseball is the reliable one, the guy you can feel comfortable slotting into the lineup day after day, season after season, and never worry about it. For this era of the Mariners, that player has been John Paul Crawford. But right now, J.P. is in one of those patches where he’s a bit more than that, and it might
just last. Over the first quarter of the season, he’s been the best version of himself, in all aspects of his game. This is the first in a three-part series laying out all the improvements we’ve seen from Crawdaddy. Today, we cover his hitting, and we’ll pay tribute to the rest of his game over the next two days.
Any team would take a 116 wRC+ from their shortstop, and for J.P. Crawford, it’s a career best. It starts with his calling card, and he is, as you’d expect, walking an absolute ton. His 17.1% walk rate is top-ten in MLB and the best mark of his career since his 87 PA cup of coffee as a 22 year old in 2017. But walking
alone does not get you to a 116 wRC+. Rather, he’s doing that by complementing his sharp eye with better contact than he’s ever made before. Here’s the first clip in a series that’s going to be full of them.
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Here’s what that can look like, getting the head of the bat to a 99-mph inside pitch from one of MLB’s best relievers.
Cal Raleigh achieves insane feat vs. Red Sox not seen in 112-year history of Fenway Park
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is having a night at Fenway Park this Monday. Raleigh has seemingly put the Mariners’ offense on his back in Game 1 of this three-game series in Boston, as he has already smacked two home runs — one each from both sides of the plate.
You would imagine that in the long history of Fenway Park, which was opened in 1912, it had seen pretty much every kind of feat there is to see in baseball. But Cal Raleigh just defied that notion by becoming just the first catcher ever to blast a homer from both sides of the plate at the storied baseball venue.
“Cal Raleigh is the first catcher to homer from BOTH sides of the plate in a game in the 112-year history of Fenway Park,” tweeted Alex Mayer shortly after the catcher lifted two-run tater that went 434 feet deep in the sixth inning. He hit that from the right side of the plate.
Earlier in the contest, Cal Raleigh put the Mariners on the board first with a left-handed two-run home run in the fifth inning to give his team a 2-0 lead.
It was a long wait for Cal Raleigh before finally hit a home run again. Those bombs he knocked off the park at Fenway Park were his first two home runs since the start of May. Prior to that, the last time he went deep was in a 10-8 road win over the Toronto Blue Jays on April 30 in which he also had two home runs.
The post Cal Raleigh achieves insane feat vs. Red Sox not seen in 112-year history of Fenway Park appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Report: Seahawks sign Sea Dragons defensive lineman
The Seattle Seahawks announced a pair of signings earlier Monday, making official the addition of defensive end Mario Edwards, while also moving on from a pair of undrafted free agents they had just recently signed. The most interesting note from the announcement, however, was that as the Hawks had an open
roster spot prior to signing a pair and releasing a pair, that meant that even after those four transactions they were still at 89 players on the 90 man roster.
With that in mind, according to a report from Aaron Wilson of KPRC@ Houston, the Seahawks have filled out their roster by adding another name to the competition in the defensive front.
For those unfamiliar with the name, Austin Faoliu played at the University of Oregon, where he wracked up 113 tackles and a half dozen sacks in 36 games for the Ducks. Undrafted in 2021, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys, but spent his rookie season on the practice squad after failing to make the 53 man roster.
He did, however, play in one game and make a pair of tackles in just thirteen defensive snaps against the Carolina Panthers in Week 4.
He started all ten games for the Sea Dragons during the 2023 season, recording 24 tackles and a sack.
Ronnie James Dio died on this day in 2010 #RIP From @BlackSabbath, Rainbow, Heaven & Hell and beyond, what's your favorite song he ever sang on?
Remembering Ronnie James Dio July 10th 1942 - May 16th 2010 #ELF #Rainbow #BlackSabbath #Dio
@DioCancerFund TheDIOstore.com
