“It’s been a lot of negative stuff going on around here and I’ve been feeling some of that and I was just expressing how I felt at the time, but it wasn’t anything to do with race. I wasn’t trying to bring race into it. I probably should have thought more about what I was going to say.” – Mets manager Willie Randolph. Willie Randolph apologizes for his negative remarks concerning SNY’s coverage of him as the Mets skipper. The first black major league manager hired in New York had brought up race when asked about the way he is being portrayed by the team’s TV network.

ByTom

“It’s been a lot of negative stuff going on around here and I’ve been feeling some of that and I was just expressing how I felt at the time, but it wasn’t anything to do with race. I wasn’t trying to bring race into it. I probably should have thought more about what I was going to say.” – Mets manager Willie Randolph. Willie Randolph apologizes for his negative remarks concerning SNY’s coverage of him as the Mets skipper. The first black major league manager hired in New York had brought up race when asked about the way he is being portrayed by the team’s TV network.

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5/21/2008: For the second time in four days Yankee Stadium was the site of an incorrect HR call by the umpires. After having homered in the third, in the bottom of the sixth Alex Rodriguez hit of line shot to right center off of Lance Cormier that cleared the fence, but bounced back into the field off of a set of stairs above the fence painted yellow. Orioles right field Nick Markakis played the ball and threw to second where Rodriguez was standing. Immediately after the play, Rodriguez pointed to the stairs and said the ball had hit there. After a brief consultation the umpires ruled the ball had bounced back from the top of the fence, so the hit became a double. However, replays showed the ball cleared the fence by a couple of feet.

ByTom

5/21/2008: For the second time in four days Yankee Stadium was the site of an incorrect HR call by the umpires. After having homered in the third, in the bottom of the sixth Alex Rodriguez hit of line shot to right center off of Lance Cormier that cleared the fence, but bounced back into the field off of a set of stairs above the fence painted yellow. Orioles right field Nick Markakis played the ball and threw to second where Rodriguez was standing. Immediately after the play, Rodriguez pointed to the stairs and said the ball had hit there. After a brief consultation the umpires ruled the ball had bounced back from the top of the fence, so the hit became a double. However, replays showed the ball cleared the fence by a couple of feet.

At the Ballpark in Arlington, the Rangers establish two team records when the club hits four homers in one inning and goes yard a total of eight times, routing the Astros, 18-3, in a Lone Star interleague game. Rod Barajas, Hank Blalock, Laynce Nix, and Mark Teixeira all go deep in the team’s eight-run second inning, with Kevin Mench, Richard Hidalgo, and David Dellucci, who connects twice, also contributing to the franchise mark.

ByTom

At the Ballpark in Arlington, the Rangers establish two team records when the club hits four homers in one inning and goes yard a total of eight times, routing the Astros, 18-3, in a Lone Star interleague game. Rod Barajas, Hank Blalock, Laynce Nix, and Mark Teixeira all go deep in the team’s eight-run second inning, with Kevin Mench, Richard Hidalgo, and David Dellucci, who connects twice, also contributing to the franchise mark.

When Dae-Sung Koo bats against Randy Johnson, Mike Piazza confides to David Wright in the dugout, “If he gets a hit, I’ll donate a million dollars to charity.” The Korean reliever, batting lefty off the Yankee fire-balling southpaw and who was afraid to stand in the batter’s box in a previous game, promptly hits a 91-mph fastball to the wall in center for a double, causing the Mets catcher to remark he’ll be making a significant donation to a charity over the next 20 years.

ByTom

When Dae-Sung Koo bats against Randy Johnson, Mike Piazza confides to David Wright in the dugout, “If he gets a hit, I’ll donate a million dollars to charity.” The Korean reliever, batting lefty off the Yankee fire-balling southpaw and who was afraid to stand in the batter’s box in a previous game, promptly hits a 91-mph fastball to the wall in center for a double, causing the Mets catcher to remark he’ll be making a significant donation to a charity over the next 20 years.

As Dae-Sung Koo stands in against Randy Johnson, Mike Piazza confides to David Wright in the dugout, “If he gets a hit, I’ll donate a million dollars to charity.” The Korean reliever, batting lefty off the Yankee fire-balling southpaw, was afraid to stand in the batter’s box in a previous game, but promptly hits a 91-mph fastball to the wall in center for a double, causing the Mets catcher to say he will be making a significant donation to a charity over the next 20 years.

ByBaseball

As Dae-Sung Koo stands in against Randy Johnson, Mike Piazza confides to David Wright in the dugout, “If he gets a hit, I’ll donate a million dollars to charity.” The Korean reliever, batting lefty off the Yankee fire-balling southpaw, was afraid to stand in the batter’s box in a previous game, but promptly hits a 91-mph fastball to the wall in center for a double, causing the Mets catcher to say he will be making a significant donation to a charity over the next 20 years.

Before their interleague game with the Athletics, the Giants pay homage to Juan Marichal by dedicating a nine-foot bronze statue outside SBC Park. The “Dominican Dandy”, who hurled for San Francisco from 1960 to 1973, joins Willie Mays and Willie McCovey as former players to have statues made in their honor in the city.

ByBaseball

Before their interleague game with the Athletics, the Giants pay homage to Juan Marichal by dedicating a nine-foot bronze statue outside SBC Park. The “Dominican Dandy”, who hurled for San Francisco from 1960 to 1973, joins Willie Mays and Willie McCovey as former players to have statues made in their honor in the city.

In a 5-3 Tampa Bay victory over Cleveland at Tropicana Field, Jose Cruz Jr. ties a franchise record, accumulating ten total bases. The Devil Rays right fielder’s 4-for-4 performance includes three doubles and a home run.

ByTom

In a 5-3 Tampa Bay victory over Cleveland at Tropicana Field, Jose Cruz Jr. ties a franchise record, accumulating ten total bases. The Devil Rays right fielder’s 4-for-4 performance includes three doubles and a home run.

In his return to Texas, Alex Rodriguez is roundly booed by fans at the Ballpark in Arlington. The fans continue to show their displeasure as the Yankees third baseman drives a 2-1 pitch over the fence during his 1st-inning at-bat.

ByBaseball

In his return to Texas, Alex Rodriguez is roundly booed by fans at the Ballpark in Arlington. The fans continue to show their displeasure as the Yankees third baseman drives a 2-1 pitch over the fence during his 1st-inning at-bat.

The Diamondbacks set down the Giants, 9 – 4, behind Randy Johnson. Johnson notches the 3,500th strikeout of his big league career in the contest.

ByBaseball

The Diamondbacks set down the Giants, 9 – 4, behind Randy Johnson. Johnson notches the 3,500th strikeout of his big league career in the contest.

The Devil Rays defeat the Mariners, 1 – 0, behind Joe Kennedy’s four-hitter. The contest ends Tampa Bay’s streak of 194 consecutive games without a complete game. Kennedy’s only misplay is an error on a bad throw; Kennedy will make 10 errors on 41 chances this year to lead major league pitchers in miscues.

ByBaseball

The Devil Rays defeat the Mariners, 1 – 0, behind Joe Kennedy’s four-hitter. The contest ends Tampa Bay’s streak of 194 consecutive games without a complete game. Kennedy’s only misplay is an error on a bad throw; Kennedy will make 10 errors on 41 chances this year to lead major league pitchers in miscues.