Kuzul

No amount of idiocy will go unturned. 

Welcome to the weekly installment of “MLB Idiot of the Week”, where the biggest dum-dums of the week are presented for your consideration.

Voting is really quite simple: MLB Lead Writer Zachary Rymer and MLB Contributor Gabe Zaldivar will set up some easy pins in the form of knucklehead candidates, and you knock them on down.   

Last week we took a long hard look at fans who still thought Yasiel Puig wasn’t deserving of an All-Star nod. This week, we do something similar, and perhaps sprinkle in a MLB general manager for good measure. 

Of course, we are here to merely nominate a couple of idiots. The important part lies in your hands. Go ahead and throw a vote down for the bigger least valuable player of the week in the comments section below.   

As you will see, they certainly deserve the recognition.

Follow Zach on Twitter: @zachrymer

Follow Gabe on Twitter: @gabezal

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There are hardly two more storied franchises in all of sports history than the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. That history was on full display during a heated skirmish on Twitter.

It seems the Yankees’ Twitter account just couldn’t wait for the team to take the field against one of the Yanks’ greatest rivals. The two teams have met 11 times in the World Series, with the last one taking place in 1981.

Here is how it all played out on Twitter in a slugfest between the Yankees’ Twitter feed and that of the L.A. Dodgers:

The Yankees seemed to get things started, with the Dodgers firing back. Of course, as tends to be the case, the Yankees went “scoreboard” on the franchise that once resided in Brooklyn.

However, I have to say the Dodgers did well by using Vin Scully as ammo, because there isn’t a better broadcaster in baseball.

Fans and players alike are amped to reinvigorate a dormant rivalry, so we understand that the Yankees’ Twitter feed fired off a couple more tweets, one of which used the hashtag #Dropthemic:

The dust has finally settled on a brief battle that took place before a beautiful baseball war starting on Tuesday night. Still, there are so many questions that need to be answered.

Will Don Mattingly get applause from his former home crowd? Will Yasiel Puig continue his hot start in New York? Will either team come away from the series without any injuries?

It’s obvious both franchises differ in the amounts of success they’ve had since they last met in the World Series. The current season has been an extreme case of a tale of two cities, though.

While both have had to go through a great deal of injuries, the Yankees have been far more successful with solid pitching leading them to a respectable 38-31 record.

As for the Dodgers, not so much.

A superstar roster has been battered and bruised through a humbling season that sees them at the bottom of the NL West. The only bright spot is their Cuban rookie who continues to dazzle in the field.

And so another chapter of a book we just can’t put down gets written. The Dodgers and Yankees reprise their roles as bitter rivals for a rare series that is sure to captivate.

Judging by the response on Twitter, it can’t take place soon enough.

Let’s continue the party on Twitter: Follow @gabezal

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That’s nasty.

Really, there is nothing more satisfying than watching sluggers leave the batter’s box completely flummoxed and mystified by what they just saw.  In a sense, fans and hitters alike are shaking their heads in bewilderment.

These few pitchers have that one amazing pitch that can render a big league batter completely hopeless at the plate.    

Join MLB lead writer Zachary Rymer and MLB contributor Gabe Zaldivar as they discuss those pitchers armed with a specific weapon that makes some at-bats a lopsided affair. 

From a pitch that some experts still haven’t classified to a pair of curve balls that are ridiculous to behold, we have you covered.

There are so many pitchers in baseball throwing Bugs Bunny type of junk, and they deserve recognition. Sound off with your suggestions in the comments section below.     

Follow Zach on Twitter at: @zachrymer

Follow Gabe on Twitter at: @gabezal

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That Yasiel Puig is so hot right now. 

The L.A. Times’ Dylan Hernandez (h/t Yahoo! Sports) alerts us to something rather obvious at the moment: Dodger fans are absolutely smitten with Puig. 

However, much like the gaudy stats he is racking up with every at-bat, it’s the numbers behind merchandise sales that tell the whole story. 

The Dodgers sold more Puig-related merchandise from Thursday to Sunday than they had ever sold of any player over a four-day period — more than even Manny Ramirez, Fernando Valenzuela or Hideo Nomo, according to a team spokesperson.

The team sold approximately 3,000 units of Puig-related merchandise in that four-day window, including 1,600 t-shirts ($28), 400 “Viva Puig” t-shirts ($28) and 600 jerseys ($225 for the authentic version, $110 for the replica ones).

Being an L.A. native, I can tell you how astounding the hype was surrounding Manny Ramirez when he became a Dodger. There may even be a Ramirez t-shirt hidden in one of my drawers I am only slightly embarrassed about owning (at least it’s not a commemorative wig).  

I can safely say that the last week usurps any of that hype, only falling short of what life might have been like in Southern California when Fernandomania took over Los Angeles. 

The Dodgers—a team that was considered to be among the most talented in all of baseball at the start of the season—has been mired by injuries and ineffective play. 

The team is 28th in runs scored and it sits at the bottom of the NL West with a 27-36 record. You could say Dodger faithful were at a loss in trying to find the bright spot amid a grim and depressing season. 

Then comes Puig, bashing the ball to all corners of the field. If you are wondering what kind of start the 22-year-old outfielder has had to his career, consider that he just won the NL player of the week award and was intentionally walked in just his third game in the majors. 

While he is no magician—the Dodgers are 4-4 with him in the lineup—he is bringing electricity to Chavez Ravine as well as a .500 batting average and four home runs in 32 at-bats on the season. 

Yes, I guess you could say Angelenos are rather taken with this kid. 

Hit me up on Twitter for more MLB madness: Follow @gabezal.

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The following players might be considered as much artists as they are hitters, painting the batter’s box with elegant brushstrokes of power. 

Often we get lost amid the minutiae of advanced stats, wins, losses and just plain hits, losing sight of some extremely beautiful and elegant swings. 

Let’s remedy that by breaking down some of the sweetest in the game.    

Join MLB Lead Writer Zachary Rymer and MLB Contributor Gabe Zaldivar as they debate some of the more artistic sluggers in all of baseball. 

Please don’t take this to be the last word on remarkable swings, because they are just the few we may have noticed in the last few years. 

There are so many batters with breathtaking approaches to the plate that the comments section should be bursting with a plethora of names. 

By the end, we should all be proclaiming that these swings are sweeter than YooHoo.      

Follow Zach on Twitter at: @zachrymer

Follow Gabe on Twitter at: @gabezal

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It’s almost fitting that this fan chose to wear yellow to the Angels game. BuzzFeed Sports found a video showing one Angels fan who had to suffer far more than an eventual loss by her favorite baseball team.

In a game that would see the Los Angeles Angels lose to the Houston Astros, 2-1, Monday night, Joe Blanton delivers a pitch to J.D. Martinez in the second inning. 

Martinez fouls off the pitch but also loses his bat into the stands. So far, there is nothing terribly interesting about the ordeal. 

That’s when the announcers catch a glimpse of where the errant bat landed—right near the head of a poor woman who was left to her own defenses. I only hope her eyes were closed so she didn’t see her husband make a quick exit for safety.  

Of course, we found out what happens to husbands who try to shield their wives from looming dangers at baseball games, because a Cubs fan dumped a beer on her husband earlier this season for doing the opposite of this Angels superhero. 

This is the opportunity for every man around to boast they would have actually stood in the face of oncoming danger to take the brunt of an oncoming bat in the name of love.

This tale doesn’t have a happy ending, however, as the lucky fan behind the woman who lost her hubby for an all-important few seconds gets his hands on the prized souvenir. 

I certainly hope the doghouse was made up before the game, because that is where this guy was sleeping on Monday night. That must have been a fun and not entirely awkward ride home. 

Hit me up on Twitter for more MLB madness: Follow @gabezal

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Justin Verlander should most definitely be featured in the 2013 MLB All-Star festivities, just as long as he never picks up a bat. 

Common logic aside, the Detroit Tigers ace flirted with the notion of appearing in the Chris Berman bark-fest known as the Home Run Derby with the following tweet:

Please note the pitcher—who has a 3.68 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 1.36 WHIP on the year—is now rocking a Twitter avatar of himself in the batter’s box. 

There should be just one reaction to this if Verlander is indeed serious: 

If you are wondering how successful Verlander might be with a bat in his hands, CBS Sports’ Danny Knobler has an answer to that burning question: 

He has 24 career at-bats. He has zero hits. And 14 strikeouts.

Add in the World Series, and it’s 27 at-bats with 15 strikeouts. And still zero hits.

And yet, every year, Verlander promises he’s going to get a hit. And not just one. And not just a single.

Of course, as Knobler offers, Verlander is probably making the tweet in jest. It should also be noted he has a habit of promising various hits and home runs to reporters to no avail. 

Still, you only need a small spark to ignite a roaring fire of support for an audacious campaign such as this. 

The last thing we need at the Derby is a pitcher who will show us what 10 ground balls in the infield look like. And really, we already have plenty of high-profile sluggers who have us changing the channel thanks to their inability to flip the power switch to the “on” position. 

Yes, we know you’re kidding, Mr. Verlander. But there is nothing funny about the Home Run Derby, except the fact people still seem to enjoy hearing Berman shout “back, back, back” at them all night. 

If we really wanted a Tiger who can’t seem to hit home runs, we could just vote in Victor Martinez. 

Hit me up on Twitter for more pop in your culture: Follow @gabezal

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Amid a humbling season and a torrential thunderstorm of boos raining down from Dodger Stadium fans, Matt Kemp continues to do what he can to lift the spirits of a young man who has too few days to appreciate his baseball hero. 

MLB.com (h/t Beer Mug Sports) captured the reunion of Kemp and the terminal cancer patient he met a few weeks ago at San Francisco’s AT&T Park, Joshua Jones. 

According to the video’s description, the Dodgers’ outfielder flew Jones and his family down to meet players and staff, but someone else decided to stop by. 

As if the video weren’t already filled with smile-inducing moments, Mike Trout came by to wish the young fan well and exchange pleasantries with Kemp before Monday’s game against the Angels. 

In an instant, Jones had two of the game’s great players on either side of him, giving him another remarkable day at the ballpark. 

The Dodgers chimed in with a Vine post of their own:

.@therealmattkemp welcomes a friend from San Francisco, Joshua Jones to Dodger Stadium: vine.co/v/bVLWQ6wnP6Y

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 27, 2013

Those uninitiated would do well to read Bill Plaschke’s LA Times article on Kemp and his chance meeting earlier this month with Jones—a 19-year-old cancer patient given 90 days to live. 

There was hardly a better game for Jones to watch unfold, because crosstown rivals scattered 27 hits during a raucous back and forth that would see the Dodgers ultimately win, 8-7. 

Kemp continues to be mired in a bewildering and frustrating slump as he went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts, which caused boo birds to chirp from every corner of the stadium. 

While Kemp continues to struggle in confounding style at the plate, he continues to do what he can to bring a measure of joy and wonderment to a young man who only has so many more games to enjoy. 

If you ask me, Kemp deserves a standing ovation for the rest of the season and beyond. 

Hit me up on Twitter for more MLB magic: Follow @gabezal

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Well, it seemed like a good idea.

That may very well be the sentiment creeping through a number of MLB front offices at the moment when discussing names like Edwin Jackson, Josh Hamilton or B.J. Upton.

While it’s still early in the season, there have been enough games played to push the panic button on some of the biggest free-agent acquisitions this offseason. 

Join MLB Lead Writer Zach Rymer and MLB Contributor Gabe Zaldivar as they break down the busts who were the talk of free-agent circles just a few months ago.  

These guys are getting paid millions to hit into double plays and whiff at the plate. It’s time we alert you to the matter. 

Of course, you might think every last one of these guys was unfairly criticized; by all means let us know in the section below. There have been plenty of early flops this season, so leave those down there as well.

Follow Zach on Twitter at: @zachrymer

Follow Gabe on Twitter at: @gabezal

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Jose Bautista is now a card-carrying member of the cool club. 

As BuzzFeed reports, the Toronto Blue Jays outfielder posted the following image to his Instagram feed, showing off his brand-new “MLB Lifetime Pass”:

Feelings of intense jealousy are indeed normal and will surely overcome you when looking at what is essentially a free ticket to any ballpark for Bautista‘s entire life. 

As for the impetus behind Bautista garnering the best card one could possibly hold, I am at a loss. As noted on the card, it is awarded by the commissioner “in appreciation of long and meritorious service.”

So was Jamie Moyer not around the day they were handing these things out?

I will keep you updated if I get word on why Bautista was bestowed with baseball’s version of the “one ring to rule them all” from Lord of the Rings.

Many will point to Bryce Harper’s Chipotle card or the Subway version Jarvis Jones received around the NFL draft for similarity, but such comparisons would be foolish. 

BuzzFeed breaks down how rare this particular card is: “These cards have been presented to players, umpires, scouts and other friends of MLB as far back as the 1930s, and grants owners and a guest access to any Major League baseball game as long as they live.”

Their list of lucky recipients includes people like Joe DiMaggio and the people who suffered through the Iran Hostage Crisis. 

Rogers Hornsby and Thurman Munson both laid claim to the vaunted card, and Bob Gibson has one, too. 

You only need to take a look at some of the comments on his Instagram feed to get just a hint of how popular Joey Bats just became. Suddenly, the world wants to be that lucky “guest” who is squired into a random ballpark one day. 

Of course, Bautista hardly gets to use the card because he is in the middle of a successful career, one that has seen him play with the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Blue Jays. 

In nine-plus seasons, Bautista has hit 192 home runs and driven in 525 runs. At some point, he will walk away and get to saunter into any stadium in the land and enjoy watching other people do the work. 

Hit me up on Twitter, especially if you have a spare MLB Lifetime Card: Follow @gabezal

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