A new week is underway, and that means all kinds of delicious new stories for us baseball sickos to consume. You hear about them Mets? First place, that’s right — and starting a series this week against another division-leading squad in the Giants. Those folks in Flushing must be riding high right about now!
As a matter of fact, it looks like we’ve got a Mets fan here with us today. Let’s get his thoughts on the team’s hot start…
This guy gets it pic.twitter.com/5YibWs8kN3
— Nationals Source (@NationalsSource) April 18, 2022
Ah, that didn’t go how I thought it would at all. Oh well. Let’s check in on their NL East rivals, as the defending champs take on the previous year’s champs in Chavez Ravine:
That glove might need just a little bit more breaking in pic.twitter.com/lsMMX5gKAu
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 19, 2022
Yikes. Not sure what’s going on there, but I think we could all use a palate-cleanser before we get to the Best Moments from Monday. Please, enjoy this video of a group of people chanting Ji-Man Choi with all their hearts:
Ji-Man Choi chants have broken out at Wrigley after he drives in Josh Lowe. 🔊 pic.twitter.com/UdToVLLTDI
— Tricia Whitaker (@TriciaWhitaker) April 19, 2022
That’s more like it. Alright, on to the main event.
A Fred-Hot Reunion
There once was a young man from sunny Orange County, California. He grew up to be a big-time smacker of baseballs, a talent which carried him far away to the fair state of Georgia. He spent many a year smacking balls in that state, doing it more frequently and memorably than few ever have. Then one day, he decided to go home. The young man moved back to California, and continued his smacking habits just the same as always. He lived happily ever after, or so I’m told.
It’s a nice story, albeit one better off forgotten for Atlanta fans like myself who haven’t quite gotten used to seeing Freddie Freeman in Dodger blue. But it was hard to miss on Monday, as Freeman’s dodgers played host to his old team for the first time in 2022.
It’s good to see you, old friend ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6xk9wZNVxO
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 19, 2022
As you can imagine, it was real tear-jerker for all involved. Freeman said he was genuinely excited to see his old teammates again, and he got a little misty-eyed talking about how he missed the fans in Atlanta. But the most excited person in the ballpark for the reunion was none other than Charlie Freeman, who just couldn’t wait to hug his uncle Dansby when he saw him:
Run, Charlie, run! 😊 pic.twitter.com/0ggqx1P1Hg
— Cut4 (@Cut4) April 19, 2022
Eventually, a baseball game was in fact played. And like the model leading man that he is, Freeman played his part perfectly.
You can't make this up. @FreddieFreeman5 just homered in his first at-bat against the Braves. 😱 pic.twitter.com/twwqlmghvq
— MLB (@MLB) April 19, 2022
Freddie’s first longball as a Dodger traveled 386 feet, which was approximately 386 more than I would have liked. But it’s cool, I’m not bitter or anything. Did you know Matt Olson went 3-4 last night? Really makes you think, huh?
The Many Moves of Marathon Monday
This particular Monday was special for another reason: the Boston Marathon game! Or as we all know it, the annual day where roughly half the fantasy baseball community forgets to set their lineups before the 11 am E.T. first pitch. But this year, it meant a little more to Boston native Rich Hill.
Rich Hill starts for the #RedSox on Marathon Monday, just a few days after his father passed away on on the 15th.
His dad ran the Boston Marathon 37 different times, starting in 1958.
It’s going to be an emotional day at the ballpark.#DirtyWater| #MLB pic.twitter.com/WpnZE4QmPT
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) April 18, 2022
Look, I swear it’s not our sole purpose to make you cry today. It is, however, obligated in my contract that I show you plays like this when they happen:
how in the heck did raffy get around this tag????? pic.twitter.com/lTUpVtQD8R
— Cut4 (@Cut4) April 18, 2022
I’m afraid I’ve got no answers, @Cut4. I’m positively baffled.
Sho, ho, ho!
https://gfycat.com/dearunconsciousamericanalligator
It was a rather gloomy morning, at least until the Angels blessed us with the above GIF to lift our spirits. Not every day can be a Shohei Day, but America’s Japanese sweetheart did give us this entertaining moment in Monday’s loss to the Astros:
Shohei calling time in the middle of Luis Garcia's Rock-a-Bye windup and Smiling…
But, it doesn't work. pic.twitter.com/Mrumwnrz65
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 19, 2022
Points for trying, I suppose?
Dugout Hum(id)or
Another highlight of the L.A.-Atlanta tilt was the ongoing disbelief over this fly ball by Gavin Lux, which didn’t quite make it over the fence:
Dave Roberts and Cody Bellinger in shock over the ball/humidor/marine layer or whatever else. pic.twitter.com/eXXrCCjDzd
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 19, 2022
But as is so often the case with these guys, the last laugh was Bellinger’s. Four innings later, he hit a ball to nearly the same spot, only this one had more than enough juice to get out of the park.
BELLI BOMB. pic.twitter.com/cfPEM8zlYi
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 19, 2022
It’s a game of inches, they tell me.
The Kiermaier Clan
Lastly, you know there’s nothing we love more than a brotherly reunion on the baseball diamond. But the latest such meeting came with a special twist: Kevin Kiermaier’s brother, Dan, is the head groundskeeper of said diamond at Wrigley Field. And on Monday, they walked the field together as “opponents” for the first time.
Just two brothers living the dream pic.twitter.com/qjBNGnwoLk
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 18, 2022
Interestingly, the reunion would’ve happened years ago if not for the pandemic and a poorly-timed injury for Kevin in 2017. If you’re interested, I recommend reading this story on the Kiermaier bros by Jordan Bastian and Adam Berry for MLB.com:
https://twitter.com/MLBastian/status/1516148315796258825?s=20&t=Dl15xI4XsZrvxEbWYKbruw
All in a day’s work for America’s Pastime. Until tomorrow!
Photo by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns of Twitter)