Minnesota twins

SOURCE SPORTS: Twins Organization Cans Catcher For Tipping Pitches To Opposing Batters

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Did you think this only happened on Space Jam?

The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, a Low-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, fired catcher Derek Bender for the unspeakable; Bender was tipping batters from the opposing team as to what pitches were coming from the mound, giving them a heads up. For the non-followers of baseball, it’s probably one of the most blatant forms of cheating.

The sixth round draft pick out of Coastal Carolina was playing in a doubleheader last Friday(September 6) against the Lakeland Flying Tigers, a fam team for the Detroit Tigers, when he was reportedly telling several batters what pitches were being thrown by Mussels’ starter Ross Dunn.

Lakeland brought in four runs in the second inning and took a 6-0 shut out to win the Florida State League West division and eliminate Fort Myers from playoff possibility after the Mussels held a six-game lead just three weeks earlier.

The Lakeland coaches informed Fort Myers’ coaches after the game of Bender’s antics and the Flying Tigers gave no indication either. Sources say that he told his teammates that he wanted the season to be over. Bender spent the final two games of the season in the team’s bullpen instead of in the dugout. Ironically, the Mussels won both games.

Bender played 19 games for Fort Myers, hitting .200/.273/.333 with two home runs and eight RBIs. In three seasons at Coastal Carolina, he hit .326/.408/.571 with 32 home runs and 153 RBIs in 144 games.

A catcher and first baseman selected with the 188th pick this year, Bender signed for $297,500, slightly below the $320,800 slot for that selection. He will keep the entirety of his bonus, sources said.

Both Bender and the Twins organization declined to comment.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Twins Organization Cans Catcher For Tipping Pitches To Opposing Batters first appeared on The Source.

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SOURCE SPORTS: [WATCH] Minnesota Twins’ Joe Ryan Caught On Camera Putting Baby Powder On His Balls In Dugout

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Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan didn’t care who was looking as he was caught on camera pouring baby powder on his nuts in the dugout during the Twins game against the Chicago White Sox.

At the top of the 7th inning of the Twins’ road matchup against Chicago, Carlos Correa was headed back to the bench after hitting a home run when Ryan decided that was the time his cajones needed a cool off.

The broadcast’s intent was to captures Correa’s HR celebration, but the shot extended into Ryan’s relief, dumping baby powder into his waistband while chatting it up with the shortstop.

Ryan hasn’t addressed the viral moment, but we take it his preventative measures will help him go balls out when he takes the mound again on Friday.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: [WATCH] Minnesota Twins’ Joe Ryan Caught On Camera Putting Baby Powder On His Balls In Dugout first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: [WATCH] Minnesota Twins’ Joe Ryan Caught On Camera Putting Baby Powder On His Balls In Dugout appeared first on The Source.

SOURCE SPORTS: Minnesota Twins’ Relief Pitcher Jay Jackson Shares His Personal Playlist Courtesy Of Black Baseball Mixtape

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After making his way around the major leagues, the Minnesota Twins’ pitcher Jay Jackson is the epitome of a baseball OG. After getting drafted in the ninth round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs, the right hander from Greenville, South Carolina has played for the San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, and Toronto Blue Jays.

Jackson has even taken is skills on the mound overseas, playing in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp and Chiba Lotte Marines, but after six seasons in the MLB, Jackson signed a one–year, $1.5 million contract with the Minnesota Twins in 2024.

So far this year, the 36-year old has yielded one win and two losses out of 21 innings pitched. He threw 22 Ks with an earned run average of 5.91.

Jay loves his sounds and decided to share his taste in music with the Black Baseball Mixtape, where you can check out his selections below.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Minnesota Twins’ Relief Pitcher Jay Jackson Shares His Personal Playlist Courtesy Of Black Baseball Mixtape first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Minnesota Twins’ Relief Pitcher Jay Jackson Shares His Personal Playlist Courtesy Of Black Baseball Mixtape appeared first on The Source.