MLB Bullets would rather talk about other things

Good thing the season hasn’t started yet.

• The fans at an Astros/Rangers game got an “umpshow” courtesy of umpire Ron Kulpa. You need to see it if you haven’t, but it can be summed up by Kulpa shouting “I can do anything I want.” Umpires have a rough job and I do sympathize with them sometimes. But not when they pull this kind of crap. This kind of behavior should not be tolerated.
• BIll Baer has more details on the incident.
• From “umpshow” to “broadcaster show.” Diamondbacks broadcasters Steve Berthiaume and Bob Brenly going off on Padres infielder Manny Machado for a seemingly innocuous interference play. Brenly all but said that someone should punch Machado in the face.
• Here’s some more criticism of Berthiaume and Brenly’s rant, along with some better video of the interference. To me, it looks like Machado just barely brushes up against John Ryan Murphy on the follow-through of his swing. And it certainly doesn’t look like Machado puts his bat where Murphy was going to trip on it.
• Diamondbacks outfielder Adam Jones (weird to write that) had a Padres fan ejected for screaming obscenities at Petco Park.
• Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer had a no-hitter through seven innings when he was pulled from the game after 117 pitches. The Indians lost the no-hitter when Blue Jays’ Freddy Galvis singled to lead off the ninth.
• Ben Lindbergh looks at the hot start from Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich and wonders if he’ll ever cool off. (The answer is yes, but “cooled off Christian Yelich” might be better than most other players in the league.)
• The Pirates starting rotation off to a terrific start as well.
• So is Rays outfielder Tommy Pham, who set a team record for reaching base in 39 straight games. That streak dates back to last season, of course.
• David Schoenfield calls the Rays the most exciting team in the game right now.
• The Mariners are also off to a hot start, but Graham MacAree warns that this is a trap designed to rip out the hearts of Mariners fans yet again.
• The Cubs aren’t the only team with bullpen issues. The Nationals and Phillies are having bullpen problems as well and none of them are going to sign Craig Kimbrel.
• Part of the Nationals problems is Trevor Rosenthal, who currently has an era of infinity. Jay Jaffe looks at Rosenthal’s quest for baseball infamy.
• Ken Rosenthal explains how the players are losing by signing nine-figure contract extensions. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Sheryl Ring looks at all the Yankees injury problems.
• Jon Tayler thinks that the Yankees injury issues means that the team’s season is already in jeopardy.
• Here are 12 key players coming back from injuries in 2019.
• Tim Brown profiles the relationship between Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias and his father as Urias tries to come back from a shoulder surgery.
• The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani said that he could come back from Tommy John surgery by the end of April. As a hitter only, however. No pitching in 2019.
• For everyone who says that the Angels need more impact players that just Mike Trout, Jeremy Bembry introduces you to outfield prospect Jo Adell. Adell is going to be writing a journal about his 2019 season and sharing it with us.
• Anthony Castrovince has five teams that could make a big trade this summer.
• Red Sox DH/OF J.D. Martinez says that the Diamondbacks could have easily re-signed him rather than let him leave as a free agent.
• Jon Tayler talks with Rangers outfielder Hunter Pence about how he’s remade his swing as he attempts to extend his career in Texas.
• Starting this season, Triple-A baseball will use the same baseballs used in the major leagues. Most people don’t realize that the minors uses a different ball than the majors uses. The biggest difference is the cost. Major League baseballs are made with the highest-quality materials and minor league ones are not. But now, Triple-A baseballs will be identical to the major league ones, except for the names stamped on the ball.
• Eric Stephen has a profile of Great Lakes Loons manager John Shoemaker and his almost 40 years in the Dodgers organization. It’s a good piece that explains the impact of these career minor-league coaches have in building a top-flight organization. There are a few of these coaches in the Cubs system, such as South Bend manager Buddy Bailey. Bailey’s 40 years includes long stints with the Braves and Red Sox before he came to the Cubs organization in 2006.
• Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano keeps making unbelievable throws for outs. You better watch these highlights now because it seems doubtful that anyone will be running on Laureano the rest of the way.
• And finally, 100 years ago yesterday, Babe Ruth was said to have hit a 587-foot home run in Tampa, Florida. Matt Monagan looks at the story behind it and how true it might have been.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today. Buster.