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Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Dugout Digest – the Braves are falling further down the standings

The defending NL East champion Atlanta Braves are not playing good baseball right now. The team lost 10-5 to the Phillies on Wednesday, allowing Philadelphia to complete their first sweep in Atlanta since the final series of the 2011 season. For the month, the Braves are just 6-10 with a -22 run differential – that […]

Travis Snider strikes out Joey Votto — Really

Travis Snider’s MLB pitching debut will probably be overshadowed by a controversial call at home plate (and Clayton Kershaw’s no-hitter will rightly get most of the national attention), but the Pirates outfielder struck out one of the best hitters in MLB Wednesday night.

In the ninth inning of an eventual 11-4 loss to the Reds, Snider took the mound to give the bullpen a break in a blowout game that had been rain-delayed for more than an hour. He walked two batters, allowed a double to Billy Hamilton and gave up two runs. But he also struck out Joey Votto.

Snider got ahead of the Reds’ on-base machine with a one-ball, two-strike count. Then he put away the former NL MVP by getting him to whiff on a 77 mph changeup high and inside in the strike zone. After losing his right field job to phenom Gregory Polanco, maybe Snider just found a new role with the Pirates.

Mike Matheny doesn’t think the Lucroy/Molina ad is funny

“I think you have to take it in the nature in which it was meant and it was meant to be geared toward their fan base. It was just amazing that it was that much directed at our organization. I think that part probably caught me off-guard the most.”

“Not saying that’s surprising. We’ve gone through this the last few years, especially last year with the Cardinal Way stuff getting blown way out of proportion. I think it can put a bad taste in a lot of peoples’ mouth. But in defense of the recognition that our guys have had — whether it’s having a number of guys on the All-Star team — that stuff isn’t just handed out. These guys have worked hard for that. They have deserved it, and they have earned it, and I don’t think that’s anything for us to apologize for.”

–Mike Matheny on the Fox Sports Wisconsin “attack ad” against Yadier Molina

[MLB.com]

Brad Ausmus probably shouldn’t make any more jokes

Ryan Howard may or may not listen to Nickelback

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard on allegations by a Braves fan that he listens to Nickelback:

“Damn, that’s outrageous. I didn’t know that. Is it bad to listen to Nickelback?”

After getting told that yes, it probably wasn’t a good thing to be accused of being a Nickelback listener:

“I mean, I’m not afraid to say that I diversify my musical portfolio. I didn’t know they could see or hear what … how do they know I listen to Nickelback? I listen to everything. I don’t know if there’s a specific song by Nickelback (I listen to).”

We know nothing. Ryan Howard may listen to Nickelback, or he may not. The world may never know the truth.

-via MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Dugout Digest – welcome to first, Royals

For proof of how nutty (or unpredictable, or blase, or mediocre, or whatever adjective you want) the 2014 MLB season has been thusfar, simply look at the AL Central standings. There you’ll find the Kansas City Royals, all alone staring at the rest of the division. The Royals are the only team in the division […]

Ryan Braun continues to troll Kirk Gibson

“I wasn’t surprised I got hit. I was surprised I got hit in that situation and circumstances. You’d have to ask him [if the HBP was about 2011]. I wish him the best. I hope he finds peace and happiness in his life and is able to enjoy his life. I wish him the best.” –Ryan Braun on Kirk Gibson, after getting hit by Arizona pitcher Evan Marshall Tuesday night

[Twitter]

Vin Scully met the Stanley Cup, and naturally, had hockey stories

During the Rockies-Dodgers game on Tuesday night, staffers from the LA Kings brought the Stanley Cup to Dodger Stadium and into the broadcast booth with Vin Scully. As he marveled at the Cup, Scully began to delve into childhood stories about his fandom for the New York Rangers and their goalie Dave Kerr.

And of course, he asks if it really was true that margaritas were made in the Cup on Monday night. Thanks for being you, Vin.

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The most exciting walk offs of the week (June 16th edition)

There were…not a lot of great walk offs this week. That really leaves me with not a lot of content for this column, but I’ll try to make the best of it. June 10th, Athletics vs Angels The story of this 14 inning game in Anaheim was Yoenis Cespedes’ unreal throw at the plate to […]

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Matt Wieters needs Tommy John surgery, done for season

After weeks of rehabilitation, the most recent evaluation for Baltimore Orioles backstop Matt Wieters has concluded that he does indeed need Tommy John surgery and will miss the remainder of the 2014 season. The 28-year-old switch hitter had enjoyed his best start in his career this season, batting .308/.339/.500 with five home runs through 26 […]

Brewers release All-Star attack ads

Politicians who trail in the polls late in the race tend to go negative in their advertising. As it turns out, so do baseball teams.

Jonathan Lucroy is quietly having an unbelievable season, and is just now starting to get some national publicity for it. Catcher is a hard position to break into the All-Star Game at if you’re in the National League, though, considering Yadier Molina and Buster Posey are locks to make it just about every year.

In the most recent All-Star vote tally, Lucroy sits in third, trailing Posey by nearly 300,000 votes and Molina by 900,000. So if you’re the Brewers, how do you close the gap with less than a month to go in voting? UNLEASH THE MOLINA ATTACK ADS.

Fox Sports Wisconsin also produced an ad for Carlos Gomez, who recently slipped to fourth in the NL outfielder voting:

Both spots were put together by Fox Sports Wisconsin producer Brad Weimer, who you can follow on Twitter.

Here is Keith Olbermann’s emotional memorial to Tony Gwynn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PXSVbLhyMY

Last night, we brought you the clip of Vin Scully remembering the life of Tony Gwynn, the person, rather than Tony Gwynn, the hitter. Today, we bring you Keith Olbermann doing the same thing, with a special focus on Gwynn’s sense of humor and knack for baseball history and humility. I’m not sure how many more of these tributes I can handle – all of them are painting Gwynn as one of the greatest men that ever lived, and it breaks my heart that he’s gone so soon.

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Dugout Digest – Justin Verlander is mortal

If there were still questions as to whether or not Justin Verlander is still JUSTIN…VERLANDER, I think those questions were answered on Monday night in Detroit. Verlander pitched relatively well through the first three innings of his start against the Royals, allowing one hit, one walk, and plunking one hitter through his first three innings […]

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