![jack-morris-03jpg-3f54fc94864f2ba1_medium[1]](http://nbchardballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/jack-morris-03jpg-3f54fc94864f2ba1_medium1.jpg?w=136&h=121&crop=1)
No, it’s not Brandon Hicks. It’s Utility Man! Who I just had the pleasure of meeting out on the concourse here in Nashville.
His real name is Ben Youngerman, and he can be hired for your minor league game and — according to his manager, anyway — birthday parties and Bar Mitzvahs. He’s here, along with with many other entertainers, as part of the minor league trade show. He and his brethren — all sons of Max Patkin, really — use the Winter Meetings to sell their services to the owners of your local minor league nine. When you see some of these guys at the ballpark next summer, it’s likely because they made deals here this week.
Gotta say, I like Utility Man. Everyone around here is dragging tail this morning, bu he’s chipper and on point. This is his website. See him in action here:
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AP
The Phillie Phanatic was out to do his usual routine prior to tonight’s game between the Nationals, but there was one problem: His ATV, known as his trademark mode of transportation, stalled out on the field. It ended up being carried off by the Phanatic and some field attendants. Here’s the GIF, courtesy of Dan…
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AP
The Rangers signed reliever Joakim Soria to a two-year, $8 million contract over the winter, but he has yet to throw a pitch for the club because he’s still in recovery mode from the second Tommy John surgery of his career. However, they could finally get some bang for their buck soon. Evan Grant of…
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Getty Images
While Diamondbacks’ right-hander Ian Kennedy thinks his 10-game suspension “doesn’t make sense,” he is ready to accept his punishment. Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports that Kennedy has dropped the appeal of his suspension and will begin serving it tonight. Kennedy, who was handed the stiffest penalty for last week’s benches-clearing brawl with the Dodgers, initially…
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According to Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the Pirates have agreed to terms with first-round pick Reese McGuire. McGuire, a high school catcher out of Washington, was selected 14th overall in this month’s First-Year Player Draft. Sawchik reports that he’s slated to receive a bonus around $2.56 million, which is the slot value for…
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Starling Marte has been a major part of the Pirates’ impressive first half, batting .287/.355/.422 with 19 extra-base hits (six home runs), 19 RBI, and 20 stolen bases in 64 games coming into play tonight. But as this nifty diving catch in the third inning of tonight’s Pirates-Reds game demonstrates, he’s not too bad with…
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Getty Images
After both clubhouses and the umpires’ lockeroom at O.Co Coliseum were flooded with raw sewage yesterday, Athletics owner Lew Wolff responded by saying that the facility “is in perhaps the worst shape in all of professional sports.” The Athletics have needed a new home for quite a while, but their efforts to move to San…
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According to John Lott of the National Post, Jose Reyes and Brandon Morrow will begin minor league rehab assignments tonight with High-A Dunedin. Reyes, who suffered a severe sprain of his left ankle back on April 12, is slated to play 4-5 innings in his return to game action. He’ll move on to another minor…
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The Rangers plan to make Jurickson Profar a “functional left fielder”
Jun 17, 2013, 6:30 PM EDT
AP
As we noted over the weekend, when second baseman Ian Kinsler was activated from the disabled list, the Rangers decided to keep Jurickson Profar in the majors rather than send him back down to Triple-A Round Rock. The plan is to use him in a super-utility role moving forward, which will likely include some exposure…
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USA Today talked with Bronson Arroyo, David Freese, C.J. Wilson and David Wright about their travel preferences. Here’s the short version: The longer version: food is important. First thing they check when they check in to a hotel? Room service hours and if breakfast is still being served. And they all like that minibar: Arroyo, Freese and Wright unite over…
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Last time Johnny Cueto returned from the disabled list the Reds sent his rotation fill-in, Tony Cingrani, back to Triple-A, but this time around they’ve decided to keep the rookie left-hander around as a reliever. “He fills what we need,” manager Dusty Baker told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. “We need a power arm in the…
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The Orioles are coming in to Detroit to play the Tigers this evening. Jim Leyland was asked about Orioles star Manny Machado. Leyland’s take: Quote of the year, from Leyland: “Machado leads the league in doubles. I’m second in doubles — double vodkas, double scotches … “ — Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 17, 2013 …
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Mets prospect Zack Wheeler is set to make his MLB debut Tuesday against the Braves and when asked if Wheeler should follow in the footsteps of last year’s stud Mets pitching prospect, Matt Harvey, manager Terry Collins gave a pretty great response: Terry Collins on whether Zack Wheeler should follow Matt Harvey’s lead: “You mean…
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The Tigers place Anibal Sanchez, Alex Avila on the disabled list
Jun 17, 2013, 4:28 PM EDT
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From “concern” to the disabled list. Anibal Sanchez is going on the shelf for a bit: the Tigers have placed him on the disabled list with a shoulder strain. Sanchez, who is 6-5 with a 2.76 ERA, will be replaced by Jose Alvarez in the rotation for his next turn. Jim Leyland is optimistic, and believes he…
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I’ve counted approximately 3,875 articles in which someone has, in one way or another, referred to Alex Rodriguez as a player “who may never play for the Yankees again.” If that’s the case, no one has told Alex Rodriguez that: Alex Rodriguez will face live pitchers on Tuesday, Cashman said. I believe that’s for the…
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Plus: we talk about golf and Premier League soccer. Sort of.
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Getty Images
There’s no official word yet, but Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters this afternoon that he’s “personally leaning” toward putting Mark Teixeira on the disabled list due to more problems with the first baseman’s right wrist. Teixeira missed the first two months of the season with a wrist injury suffered during the World Baseball…
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Wolff on the Coliseum: “It’s all a bunch of crap … it stinks.”
Jun 17, 2013, 2:30 PM EDT
OK, admittedly the elipses covers a TON of ground here. So much so that I’m clearly and juvenilely trying to make poop jokes out of this Oakland Coliseum thing. But A’s owner Lew Wolff did say those things to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Less juvenilely, Nightengale’s article is interesting beyond potty humor. Specifically, in…
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Yadier Molina and Buster Posey are neck-and-neck tatto. David Wright is getting help from the cougars! Did Domonoic Brown do something awful to the pets of every All-Star voter? Confused? You won’t be, after this week’s episode of … “SOAP!” Er, sorry. After this week’s NL All-Star voting update: FIRST BASE Joey Votto, Reds 2,047,945…
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Reuters
Not so long ago Mark Teahen was a big-league regular and he’s still just 31 years old, but he hasn’t been in the majors since 2011 and this year he’s bounced around, being released from Triple-A by both the Diamondbacks and Rangers along with having an agreed-upon trade to the Reds nullified. And now he’s…
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The Rangers have lost six in a row, lost their lead in the AL West and haven’t been scoring at all. Getting handcuffed by Chien-Ming Wang was apparently the last straw for Ron Washington, who held a team meeting after yesterday’s loss: “I spoke to them, and the message is nobody’s business in this room…
