Hisashi Iwakuma no-hits Orioles
Wednesday night, Hisashi Iwakuma threw the fifth no-hitter in Mariners history in beating the Orioles 3-0 at Safeco Field. Mariners pitchers have thrown the last three AL no-hitters: Felix tossed a perfect game in 2012 (on this day, in fact) and a combined six-pitcher no-no just two months before that. Iwakuma and Hideo Nomo are the only Japanese pitchers to throw a no-hitter in the Majors.
Minor league team's promotion causes uproar
A charity event held at Richmond County Bank Ballpark, the home of the Staten Island Yankees, was immersed in controversy on Sunday. The charity Blue Lives Matter NYC hosted a fundraising event before the game between Staten Island and the Brooklyn Cyclones to honor the families of the two NYPD officers killed in December, and it just so happened to be held on the one-year anniversary of the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson. The team insists it was a coincidence and not a political move, but that didn't stop critics from lambasting the team with their vitriol.
From The Root:
The Staten Island Yankees wanted to send a statement Sunday, and they did: Black lives don't matter to them or to the Yankees organization.
On Sunday of all days, they made it clear that not only is baseball America's favorite pastime, but it goes hand in hand with the continued dehumanization of black Americans.
This is what hate looks like—white-hot hate.
This kind of psychological violence is par for the course, an attempt to gaslight black America into believing that we're making it all up—the racism, the bigotry, the injustice. The refrain "Blue Lives Matter," just like "All Lives Matter," is a pathetic silencing tactic meant to minimize the pervasiveness of police brutality and amplify the need that too many white Americans have to vilify African Americans in this country—even in the grave.
While the Staten Island Yankees are slinging peanuts and Cracker Jacks, we're trying to stay alive, and they couldn't give a damn about it.
Oye.
Doug Melvin steps down as Brewers GM
In a move not as shocking as Dave Dombrowski's last week or Jerry Dipoto last month, Doug Melvin has stepped down as GM of the Brewers. He will remain with the team in an advisory role as the team begins the search for a new, younger GM with knowledge of analytics. Dombrowski has been ruled out as an option.
Red Sox hire former GM Jerry Dipoto
Speaking of Jerry Dipoto, the Red Sox hired the ex-GM to join the front office, but on an interim basis. No word yet on his exact title, but his role as of now is to help GM Ben Cherington with offseason moves. Dipoto worked with the Red Sox as a scout for two years starting in 2003 before eventually becoming GM of the Angels. He is expected to be in contention for the now-vacant Brewers GM position.
Boston manager John Farrell diagnosed with Lymphoma
Friday, news broke that Red Sox manager John Farrell had been diagnosed with Stage 1 Lymphoma. The cancer was found during surgery for a hernia on Monday, and he will take the rest of the season off for treatment. Fortunately, the cancer was caught early and was described as "highly curable".
Let's all keep him in our thoughts and prayers as he fights this disease.
Finally...
The most homer-ish announcer in the world made a fool of himself...again.