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• Today in cool ideas: Minor League home run derby to take place on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier

  In MLB

  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—Minor League baseball continually trumps it’s Major League counterpart in promotions and stadium giveaways.  This time around it’s the South Atlantic League coming up with the ultra cool idea to hold their All-Star game home run derby on the flight deck of the USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier that saw action in World War II and now serves as a museum and national landmark.

  Unfortunately it’s not the entire home run derby that will take place on the flight deck of the Yorktown on June 18th, but only the opening round, with the final round taking place before the league’s All-Star game the following day at Riley Park.  Still, I doubt a better, more patriotic venue the brain trust of the Class A South Atlantic League could not have come up with.

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• Rotund Chattanooga Lookouts fan has got the moves like Jagger (VIDEO)

  In MLB

  Sometimes you gotta shake what your momma gave you. Read more ›

   

• Meet Buddy York, the most volatile pitching coach in minor league baseball

  In Featured, MLB

  Buddy York is the pitching coach for the independent minor league South Georgia Peanuts, and if the following video shows us what he’s all about, it’s that Buddy is one intense dude.  A clip from the documentary Playing for Peanuts, in which camera crews followed the team around for an entire season, show just how intense York can be, in one epic, expletive filled rant after (presumably) a Peanuts loss.

  It’s fascinating to watch York cram as many f-bombs, and all their variations, into one four minute rant.  Here’s hoping that the cameraman responsible for filming this snippet of York’s verbal explosion on his players was given hazard pay, because it seemed as if at any moment Buddy could turn his attention on him for not getting his good side, or filming him in the wrong light, or breathing to loudly. Read more ›

   

• VIDEO: Minor League Manager Named Stubby Has Epic Meltdown

  In Featured, MLB

  Stubby Clapp is the manager for the Tri-City Valleycats, the Single-A affiliate of the Houston Astros.  Stubby is a little on the smaller side, coming in at 5-foot-8 and 175-pounds, and a Canadian to boot, but that doesn’t mean he’s not capable of channelling the ghost of Earl Weaver for an all-out, helmet throwing, dirt kicking, bat tossing tirade against the umpires.

  Wait…Earl Weaver’s not dead?  Well slap my face with a Mississippi pickle.

  Clapp was none too pleased with the non-call by the home plate umpire after it looked like one of his players was hit by a pitch.  Apparently this was enough to set the little spark plug off, and what followed was a phenomenal managerial meltdown that would make Weaver proud.  The helmet toss was great, but covering the plate in dirt makes no sense to me, considering the umps are armed with those cute little brooms.  Tossing the bats on the field is always fun, and the perfect way to punctuate a tantrum like this one.

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• Ball Boy Celebrates “Blue Balls” Night by Kicking a Mascot in the Groin

  In Featured, MLB

  Proving once again that Minor League Baseball can get away with anything when it comes to gameday promotions, on June 18 the Eugene Emeralds, Class-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, hosted the Boise Hawks on “Blue Balls” night.  For those of you who might not know, blue balls is a somewhat serious affliction suffered by men when they engage in sexual activity but fail to release, as it were, causing their testicles to swell up and become painful.

  Yes, blue balls is a real thing…don’t ask me again.

  The festivities on “Blue Balls” night included a spirited game of musical chairs that took place between a pair of mascots and a couple of bat boys.  One of the mascots, Doug Fir, cheats his way to victory in the finals, only to receive his comeuppance from the ball boy he so callously tossed aside in the most appropriate way manner befitting “Blue Balls” night.

  With a swift kick to the balls.

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• Memphis Redbirds’ “Organ Donor Night” Jerseys Really Get Their Point Across

  In Featured, MLB

  

  The Memphis Redbirds, Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, are hosting an “Organ Donor Night” on August 13 in the hopes that fans will do the right thing and sign their organ donor cards, a move that could one day save the life of one of the 111,000 people waiting for organ transplants.

  Of course, this being minor league baseball and all, the Redbirds went that extra mile, and will have the team wear these organ themed jerseys sponsored by the National Foundation for Transplants, because hey, nothing beats going to the ballpark and being given an impromptu anatomy lesson, does it? Read more ›

   

• Independent League Team Offering $80 Hot Dog for Questionable Holiday

  In Featured, MLB

  

  The Brockton Rox, a team found in the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, has grandiose plans for the upcoming “National Hot Dog Day,” which apparently is a real thing.  The independent baseball club will be offering up a one-of-a-kind frankfurter that comes with a one-of-a-kind price tag during their July 23 game against the Newark Bears.

  How about a cool $80?  That’s a lot of scratch for some hog anus and filler meat. Read more ›

   

• The New Mascot for the Amarillo Sox is Quite Dongtacular

  In Featured, MLB

  

  The Amarillo Sox of the independent American Association unveiled one of their two new mascots last Friday night, and if it was the designer’s idea to create a character that resembled a giant Sock like creature who seems very, very happy to see everyone, while at the same time providing nightmare fuel to all the impressionable young fans in attendance, then job well done.

  Looks like the Amarillo Sox “Sock” got a little too much starch, if you catch my drift. Read more ›

   

• Peoria Chiefs Giving Away LeBron James Replica Championship Rings in Lamest Promotion Ever

  In Featured, MLB, NBA

  On a night when the Peoria Chiefs minor league baseball club is planning on honoring the great Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990′s, the club has announced it will also be participating in a giveaway to all fans in attendance that night—an authentic, one-of-a-kind, LeBron James 2011 NBA Championship Replica Ring, just like the non-existent one King James wears with pride.

  See, it’s funny because everyone will get one of these rings—which will be a big, fat pile of nothing, the same thing LeBron received for coming up short against the 2011 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks.  In a way it kind of makes sense, what with the team honoring the Michael Jordan led Bulls of the 90′s, a team that the current version of the Miami Heat are striving to emulate.  But still, isn’t it just another excuse to pile on LeBron James? Read more ›

   

• Trenton Thunder Grounds Crew Member Does His Best Beyoncé for the Crowd

  In Featured, MLB

  As far as 7th-inning stretch entertainment goes, give me a random grounds crew member of a minor league baseball team breaking out the black leotard and doing his best Beyoncé imitation, flash mob style, over just about anything else.

  This grounds crew member of the Double-A Trenton Thunder did his best Beyoncé during the 7th-inning stretch of a recent game, grinding, thrusting and gyrating to the singer’s smash hit, Single Ladies.  Sure he was probably just recreating the SNL parody featuring Justin Timberlake, but either way, it was very much appreciated by the crowd.

  Props to this guy too, for having the guts to strip down and shake his moneymaker in front of a group of complete strangers.  Sure he’s sassy and fabulous, but deep down, he’s all man.  Except for the ass slapping—that just screams fancy boy.

  Video follows the jump… Read more ›