For crying out loud, can we stop the race-baiting narratives in sports already?
Here’s some backstory: Atlanta Braves center fielder Jarred Kelenic didn’t run out a fly ball in a game against the Minnesota Twins last week, and proceeded to get himself thrown out at second base in a tie game.
Surprisingly, manager Brian Snitker didn’t say anything to Kelenic afterward, which prompted Ronald Acuña Jr. (a repeat offender at not hustling on the base paths) to remark that he would have been held to a different standard.
It looks like we just have some good-ol’ fashioned drama between players and coach. But Ken Rosenthal, one of the best baseball reporters in the sport, inserted a race-baiting narrative into the situation in a piece for “The Athletic.” (He also noted that Snitker has called out other non-white players on his team for a lack of effort).
“All three of those players are Latin. Kelenic is White, as is Snitker, who is 69. Inevitably, some will view this matter solely through the lens of race. We can’t know for sure how much of a role that played,” Rosenthal wrote. “Within the game, Snitker is held in high esteem, in part because of his feel for players, as both Acuna and [Marcell] Ozuna can attest.”
What do you think of race-baiting sports coverage? Do you hate it as much as me? Let me know: [email protected].
Really Ken? Can’t we just enjoy our baseball drama without worrying that we have some bonafide racism on our hands?
Rosenthal didn’t go Jemele Hill-level crazy on us, but bringing it up is just so unnecessary! Plus, it ignores a lot of other facts in the situation.
As OutKick’s Ian Miller pointed out, Kelenic went to Snitker himself and apologized for not giving 100 percent effort. That’s why the manager didn’t call out the player in a press conference, like he did with Acuña in 2019.
There are lots of other possibilities to consider. Maybe Acuña isn’t good at accepting accountability. Maybe Kelenic has higher character than Acuña. But I highly doubt that racism had anything to do with it.
In fact, it almost never does.
Your Bat Flip Is Nowhere Near As Cool As Andy Lugo’s
There are bat flips, and then there are bat launches. In High Single A action, Greenville Drive third baseman Andy Lugo gave us one for the ages last week.
On Saturday, the bases were loaded in the bottom of the twelfth inning for Lugo against the Winston-Salem Dash, with the score tied 9-9. He had tied the game with a home run in the eighth, and had a chance to play the hero in extras.
With a 1-0 count, Lugo roped a ball deep into center field for the game-winning base hit.
The camera obviously caught the ball drifting off into the night sky, but it also picked up another flying object. That second projectile was Lugo’s bat, which he flung a mile into the air.
Dang, what a statement!
Lugo said that that was his first celebratory bat flip, and he certainly had one to remember.
“It’s my first time doing that and it’s the highest I was excited about the situation of the game since it had been a super tight game on all occasions plus the referees (were bad). I don’t have plans to do that again, I don’t think,” he said in an interview with OutKick.
Some players plan their celebrations ahead of time, but Lugo said that his celebration was completely unscripted. However, it was a testament to the energy that he brings to his ball club, something he takes a lot of pride in.
“Actually, I didn’t go into the at-bat thinking about any of that, I just went in to look for a good pitch to hit the ball in the air and when that happened, the emotion led me to throw the bat,” Lugo said. “I feel that it is an extra skill that I have, to have so much energy in the game.”
Despite nearly causing the bat to hit the stratosphere, Lugo revealed that it didn’t splinter into a thousand pieces when it hit the ground.
“The bat didn’t break and I’m still using it. I don’t have plans to do that again, I don’t think,” he said.
Be that as it may, I think he has plans to keep coming up with clutch hits – and I can’t wait to see his celebrations when he does.
Team USA Will Be LOADED For The WBC
Can we PLEASE get the World Baseball Classic started already?
I know, we’ve got to wait a full year before it gets underway. But we’ve already got a mock lineup for Team USA for the tournament, and it looks lethal.
Bro, that is every baseball fan’s DREAM .
Captain America: Aaron Judge Will Be Team USA’s Leader At 2026 World Baseball Classic
I know Mike Trout might be declining a bit, but he’s still a bonafide superstar. When you have him batting sixth in your order, you know its gotta be loaded.
Time will tell if this is how it actually plays out. But if it looks even half as good as this, we are in for an AWESOME time next spring.
The Pittsburgh Pirates Killed Someone…Probably
Sometimes, we as sports fans will say “The (insert your favorite team) will be the death of me if they don’t start playing better.” We use it casually and sarcastically, but one woman from Pennsylvania might have actually been killed by her favorite baseball team.
Sadly, Louise Ann Barone of Leechburg, PA, passed away at the age of 70 on April 15. However, either she or someone in her family had a phenomenal sense of humor, even in the face of her death.
Here is what the first paragraph of her obituary says, word for word:
“Louise Ann Barone, 70, of Leechburg passed away on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Forbes Memorial Hospital. Her cause of death was (probably) due to the steady decline of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball organization. Her family is devastated especially because she was just getting the hang of that iPhone, and will miss her beyond measure.”
I feel conflicted about how to respond here. On the one hand, Louise just died. But on the other hand, this paragraph (and frankly the rest of the obituary) is peak comic writing. I guess I’ll laugh, because I’m sure that’s what Louise would want.
But get it together Pirates! People are dying because of you (maybe), and Paul Skenes can’t turn the franchise around by himself.
Tim McGraw Is Coming To The MLB Speedway Classic
The MLB is going to host its first Speedway Classic game, which will take place on Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee (the game will feature the Braves and the Reds on August 2).
As if that weren’t enough, Tim McGraw will headline a concert that will be held there!
A baseball game on a racetrack with McGraw rocking on stage? Does it get more American than that?
Around The Horn – Quick-Hit Highlights And Oddities From The Week
Mike Trout Is Adjusting To RF Quite Well
For pretty much his entire career, Trout has only played centerfield, but made the switch to right this season. Highlight plays like this are proof that one of the best in the game is having no problems with the switch.
Nothing is too hard for Trout – except getting to the playoffs.
Pirates Rookie Wastes No Time Announcing His Arrival
In the same game that Trout made that catch, Pirates rookie Matt Gorski went yard in his first major league at-bat.
Talk about making an impression right away! Congrats to him, that’s a moment he’ll remember forever.
This Fan Got Some Crocheting In While Garret Crochet Pitched
On Thursday, Red Sox pitcher Garret Crochet took the mound against the Seattle Mariners. That’s when a fan got to work with has a super-creative pass time for whenever the Boston ace is pitching.
Anna Gailbreath got the idea to crochet a sweater whenever Crochet takes the mound. But there’s a catch: she will start when he throws his first pitch, and then stop as soon as he is pulled from the game. She is hoping to finish it by the end of the year.
Naturally, a goal like that would get attention from the Red Sox, so the team invited her to Thursday’s game so she could work at the park instead of just at home. Gailbreath was having the time of her life as the Sox ace got to work.
I wish I had the creativity of Anna as a Red Sox fan. I guess the team will have to settle for my rabid excitement whenever they play.
Other Great Baseball Coverage From The OutKick Staff
MLB’s Tommy Pham Goes Low, Grabs Junk In Angels Fans’ Faces
Freddie Freeman Talks Shower Incident, Reveals How His Wife Dunked On Him About It Later
Nick Castellanos’ Home Run Prop Odds Plummet After News Of Pope Francis’ Death
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That’s it for this week! Thanks for reading, and let me know what your thoughts are about this or anything else MLB-related at [email protected].
