MLB legend Keith Hernandez refuses not to use the term 'drag bunt': 'I know you're not supposed to say it'



Two-time World Series winner Keith Hernandez raised eyebrows by alleging it is politically incorrect to use the term "drag bunt" during a broadcast.

The New York Mets broadcaster and former player was commenting on a game between the Mets and the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, the second game of a doubleheader, which the Cardinals won 5-4.

Following a bunt play by Cardinals outfielder Victor Scott II, Hernandez surprised fans by saying the term "drag bunt" is not supposed to be used.

"And this is a perfect bunt. This is shades of Bud Harrelson, who was a terrific," Hernandez said on the broadcast. "I know you're not supposed to say it, but it's — they call it a different term. But in our day, it was a 'drag bunt.' And nothing you can do. You did everything right. It was a perfect."

According to the Baseball Almanac, a "drag bunt" got its name from the appearance that the batter is "dragging" the ball as he sprints to first base. In this scenario, the batter is bunting for a base hit as opposed to a sacrifice bunt, and it is typically performed by left-handed hitters.

Keith Hernandez with Jerry Seinfeld at Shea Stadium on May 22, 2005. Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Hernandez's comments confused fans, most of whom could not imagine any viewer had taken offense to his remarks.

"Who is watching a baseball game today and thinks 'drag bunt' is offensive? I seriously don't understand. This wouldn't even be a story if he didn't reference some fake cancel culture," one viewer wrote.

Another viewer replied, "It's never anyone actually watching, it's keyboard warriors the next day."

Who is watching a baseball game today and thinks “drag bunt” is offensive? I seriously don’t understand. This wouldn’t even be a story if he didn’t reference some fake cancel culture.
— Ross Read (@RossRead) May 4, 2025

It is unclear whether or not Major League Baseball has issued a directive to announcers to stop using the term, but Hernandez has not since made public remarks regarding the usage.

There did not appear to be any mention of a changing of the term on the MLB website or affiliates, and there has not been any semblance of outrage online connecting the baseball term to drag performers, who are typically homosexual men performing as caricatures of women.

Hernandez has broadcasted for the Mets since 1999 and has worked for both the MSG network and subsequently SNY since 2006.

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Boy who had birth certificate changed to 'female' now dominating girls' softball



A 17-year-old male from Minnesota is dominating girls' softball after allegedly hiding his true gender from his team.

According to a recent report, the male athlete plays for Champlin Park High School in Champlin, Minnesota, and is a starting pitcher for the school's girls' fast-pitch team.

The 6-foot athlete recently started in the season opener against the state champion Rogers High School, where he pitched a shutout with 14 strikeouts. He also hit a double.

Charlie Rothenberger, who now goes by "Marissa," reportedly started playing girls' sports at an early age. According to research by Reduxx, court documents show that Rothenberger's mother applied to the Hennepin County District Court to alter his birth certificate just after he turned 9 years old.

The mother's petition was approved, and her son was issued a new birth certificate that changed his sex to "female" and changed his name from "Charlie Dean" to "Marissa."

While most changes to birth certificates in Minnesota require labels indicating that information has been changed, if a person acquires a court order to replace the birth record, "the original record will be sealed," the state notes on their website.

"The new birth certificate doesn’t indicate that the record has been changed," the state website adds. It then becomes "confidential and only released according to Minnesota law."

Rothenberger was shown in a highlight package in 2024 that displayed an obvious advantage and masculinity compared to his competitors.

An anonymous female softball player from Minnesota spoke to Reduxx and claimed that she played on the same team as Rothenberger in 2023.

'Looking back now, it disgusts me and is just scary.'

The girl said she did not realize Rothenberger was male for a number of years and first thought of him as an "awkward" girl.

"I never thought he was a boy, but after finding out he was a boy and then looking back on a lot of things I wouldn't have looked at before, [it] definitely shows he is a boy, and I felt dumb for missing the clues," the girl recalled.

The athlete said it was not until July 2024 when she discovered Rothenberger was male, and by November, "lots of people from the softball community found out the truth and were openly talking about it."

"Looking back now, it disgusts me and is just scary," she added.

The former teammate described Rothenberger's athletic abilities as "completely unreal" and "much more" than what any of the other girls are capable of. She said she was bothered by being told that she just has to "learn to accept that men can take advantage of you even if they just want to identify as a female."

She continued, "Many players and I work so hard to achieve something through this sport, and we find it unfair that our spot can be stolen from us."

"This shouldn't be allowed, and boys can stay in boys' sports and leave us girls alone. I shouldn't have to learn this lesson that girls don't matter or that we need to just be silent while we lose out so a boy feels okay."

Rothenberger has previously been named Player of the Month and has played for a traveling rep team. In his bio for that team, Rothenberger brags that he is "known to have an infectious personality full of passion, drive and humor."

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The most foulmouthed MLB fan base revealed after analysts review over 1 million fan comments



An analysis of fan comments that featured curse words has revealed which team has fans who are most likely to swear.

A sample of comments was taken from the subreddits (dedicated pages on the social website Reddit) for each of the MLB's 30 teams, where readers can often find the most dedicated fans who want to discuss team struggles and operations.

Outlet VegasInsider took in over 1.2 million comments from the fan bases, and with a minimum 15,000 comments per team, calculated how many of those posts contained swear words. Each fandom was assigned a value based on the percentage of the comments on the fan pages that contained swear words.

The analysis, which concluded in April 2025, found the Oakland Athletics to be the most foulmouthed fan base with 6.51% of their comments including swear words. This equates to over 1,300 comments out of 20,000+ total remarks that contained cursing.

However, the devil may be in the detail of these stats. The Athletics have been planning to move their team out of Oakland and to Las Vegas since 2023, and in the interim, have played their home games in West Sacramento.

This has led to chants in support of opposing teams, planned instances of dead silence, and heckles of "sell the team!"

The reality is that before the team announced its move, the Oakland Coliseum where the Athletics played was known as one of the worst stadiums to play in, coupled with poor fan turnout. From 2022 through 2024, the Athletics had the lowest average attendance in the league and were near or at the bottom since 2006.

This may leave Cleveland Guardians (née Indians) fans as the true, most foulmouthed fan base. They came in second with a noted 6.06% swear-word rate.

Cleveland was followed by fans from the Miami Marlins with a rate of 5.91% curse word-laden remarks.

The typically loud New York Yankees fans were ranked as 20th most foulmouthed team.

The Cincinnati Reds were by far the most docile fans, with a rate of 2.86% comments that featured curse words, the only team to place below the 3% marker.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Philadelphia Phillies were second most friendly in their remarks at 3%. It seems they may save all their heckling for real-life scenarios.

With a stereotype of being friendly Canadians, Toronto Blue Jays fans placed 24th on the list at 3.34%, while the typically loud New York Yankees fans were ranked as the 20th most foulmouthed team with 3.68%. New York Mets fans swore less than the Yankees fans by half of a percentage, 3.28%.

In the end, only two words represented the most popular swear word for any given team: "s**t" and "f**k."

While there was no rhyme or reason for this, Athletics fans happened to choose the latter.

In total, 50,034 swear words were revealed in 1,206,364 online comments.

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New York Yankees say they are still committed to DEI initiatives: 'Our Diversity and Inclusion Committee continues'



The New York Yankees said they are still hosting diversity, equity, and inclusion committees and summits, despite Major League Baseball removing references to such activities online.

While MLB removed references to DEI initiatives as well as its DEI-centric hiring pipeline program in March, sources inside the organization claimed the Yankees are still engaging in possibly discriminatory hiring practices that were thought to be finished.

At the same time, other race-based activities are still firmly in place.

'Our dedication towards these efforts remains unchanged.'

Ahead of Jackie Robinson Day, an annual celebration by the league in which every player wears Robinson's number, the New York Yankees were asked about their commitment to DEI by the New York Daily News. The franchise said that its commitments are unwavering.

"We are continually working with the members of our Diversity and Inclusion Committee and are actively engaged with our neighbors and community partners," said Brian Smith, the Yankees' senior vice president of corporate and community relations. "Our dedication towards these efforts remains unchanged, and our Diversity and Inclusion Committee continues to do its work."

The outlet then noted the Yankees' alleged five pillars of diversity, which were a series of buzzwords such as socioeconomic development, social responsibility, and health and wellness. The remaining two pillars were focused on "education" and working on diversity and inclusion within the Yankees organization.

This appeared to be in lockstep with what an MLB spokesman said on the matter in March: that the league's stance on DEI had not changed despite public perception.

"As the commissioner stated, our values on diversity remain unchanged. We are in the process of evaluating our programs for any modifications to eligibility criteria that are needed to ensure our programs are compliant with federal law as they continue forward."

MLB diversity-related websites appear to remain down, however, even the one referred to just days ago in the local report, titled "Diversity and Inclusion Committee | New York Yankees."

A page that showcased a press release about the creation of the committee also no longer exists.

Although it seems the Yankees would prefer to be less public about the race-based initiatives, the diversity council reportedly meets twice per year and subsets of the group meet regularly.

Inside sources were alleged to have claimed that New York Yankees' hiring practices have not changed either, meaning the team is still making staffing decisions based on race.

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The Curse of Tim Walz: Minnesota Twins Go 0-4 After Loser VP Candidate Predicts Undefeated Season

Tim Walz is trying to make a comeback after losing the 2024 election, but he can't shake the stench of failure emanating from his Midwestern dad body. The Minnesota governor, best known for being briefly adored by mainstream journalists after Kamala Harris picked him as her running mate, keeps spreading his loser vibes wherever he goes.

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New York Yankees 'Torpedo' bats cause controversy after 15 home runs in first 3 games: 'That means you stink!'



The New York Yankees are setting a bat trend that has some critics claiming their new wood has an unfair advantage.

The new (and legal) "Torpedo" bats, as described by Major League Baseball, have an untraditional barrel that rests closer to the hitter's hands. They have more wood, are heavier, and allegedly have increased wood concentration in the area where the batter is likely to hit the ball.

A New York baseball fan has garnered over nine million views with a post on X that showcased the bats and said the Yankees hired a physicist to procure its design.

"Yes, the Yankees have a literal genius MIT Physicist, Lenny (who is the man), on payroll," the fan wrote. "He invented the 'Torpedo' barrel. It brings more wood - and mass - to where you most often make contact as a hitter. The idea is to increase the number of 'barrels' and decrease misses."

The MLB even cited the post in an article, seemingly confirming the bat's origins.

The controversy is spiraling after the Yankees hit nine home runs in one game on Saturday, including three from star slugger Aaron Judge. The team leads the majors with 15 dingers in just three games, with the Los Angeles Dodgers in second with 12 home runs, but with five games played.

However, not only has Judge declined to use one of the new bats, not everyone around the league is convinced by the new design.

San Diego Padres outfielder Brandon Lockridge, who spent time with the Yankees across several seasons, also said he had tried the "Torpedo" bat in a previous spring training but did not like it.

"I don't think using those bats is causing all the home runs," Lockridge said about the Yankees.

Other Yankees players have explained their bat choices to ESPN, as well.

Baltimore Orioles hitting coach Cody Asche also downplayed claims that the new bats were causing the uptick in home runs.

"Where you hit the ball, put some more mass in the sweet spot — I think that’s not something that’s unique to the Yankees," Asche said. "I think a lot of teams are doing that around the league," he added.

'How do we make him not suck?'

Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy said the bats, first used in the MLB in 2024, are a form of "cheating" and are meant for players with slow bat speeds.

"The Yankees hired a MIT physicist to basically take wood from the other part of the bats, like you know, the handle label, and put it in the sweet spot, making the sweet spot bigger. They did this because [Yankees shortstop] Anthony Volpe sucks, and he kept getting jammed and sawed off," Portnoy said in a video Sunday night.

"[The Yankees] were like, 'How do we make him not suck? Let's just make this, this bat called a 'Torpedo' bat, where basically if you swing and you make contact on the handle, it gets sawed off, it's a home run,'" Portnoy added. "They studied Anthony Volpe, and they found out he gets jammed on every single pitch. That means you stink. You shouldn't alter the bats to make it better."

The Barstool CEO's video, and comments that the bat should be banned, garnered a response from Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.

"This is a high school baller talking," Chisholm laughed in response to Portnoy's consistent touting of his high school baseball prowess.

— (@)

Chisholm did eventually provide an explanation hours later, admitting the "barrel is bigger" but is still within regulation.

"Nobody is trying to get jammed you just move the wood from the parts you don't use to the parts you do! You're welcome no more stress for y'all," the 27-year-old stated.

— (@)

While the recent success of the Yankees — who fans love to hate — may not be specifically attributed to the "Torpedo" bats, the Atlanta Braves have reportedly bought into the hype and ordered some of their own.

ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney said during a broadcast for the Padres and the Braves that the latter had "put in an order."

"[Braves catcher] Drake Baldwin actually told me that he used one of these in the Arizona Fall League last year. He said, 'It looks weird, but if the Yankees are gonna keep hitting like that, everyone's gonna want to do it,'" Olney added.

Olney noted a similar point about the Yankees' Volpe and stated the shortstop makes his contact closer to the bat handle, adding credence to Portnoy's claims, albeit without accusing anyone of cheating or sucking.

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Roger Clemens backs Trump, says spy balloons won't 'fly across the country' with him as president



"Rocket" Roger Clemens praised President Donald Trump's governance and implied that he would not allow national security issues to go unresolved.

Clemens, a 62-year-old former MLB pitcher with two World Series titles, appeared on Fox News' "The Will Cain Show" and was asked, among other things, about the recent John F. Kennedy Jr. document dump by the Trump administration.

Host Will Cain said he thought about asking Clemens about Los Angeles Dodgers players visiting the White House, but instead asked for Clemens' "theory" after reading through "the 80,000 released documents."

'It is an honor to go to the White House.'

"I haven't [read them]," Clemens laughed. "I am looking forward to doing that," the pitcher added, before recalling his relationship with the Kennedy family.

"I was fortunate, Will, to play in two of the most historic cities' ballparks with Fenway Park and pld Yankee Stadium and became friends [with the Kennedy family]. I was able to meet a few of the Kennedys," Clemens said.

Clemens quickly took the opportunity to address the question Cain chose not to ask and stated, "It is an honor to go to the White House."

"Doesn't matter who the president is," Clemens continued. "There are some presidents that I didn't vote for, became our president, but I rooted for our president to do well no matter what once he is in there."

Rogers then expressed that he felt the same about supporting President Trump and even explained that he was still shocked at the details surrounding the first assassination attempt against Trump in 2024.

"The same thing goes with President Trump. It still amazes me that seven months ago he almost got shot on national TV. They let a guy into the rally, Will, as you know — I know I am rehashing things — it is still amazing to me they let a guy into a rally with a range finder, of all things," Clemens continued. "It is bizarre. I mean, come on."

Roger Clemens presents a baseball to President George W. Bush on May 4, 2001, in the Rose Garden of the White House. Photo by Mark Wilson/Newsmakers/Getty Images

Clemens reiterated that he is "rooting" for President Trump and directly compared his capabilities for national defense to those of President Biden.

"I am pretty sure with President Trump in the White House, you are not going to see a spy balloon fly across the country," Clemens chuckled. "But man, it's crazy. Just rooting for the guy."

The infamous Chinese spy ballopon incident from 2023 was a sore spot for the Biden administration, after the balloon was first spotted in Montana and was later revealed to have been monitored since it was initially launched from China.

The balloon was eventually shot down by U.S. fighter pilots off the coast of South Carolina after about eight days of flying over the continental United States.

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MLB removes DEI references and programs from website, triggering journalists who prefer race-based hiring practices



Major League Baseball removed references to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives as well as its DEI-centric hiring pipeline program.

MLB no longer refers to diversity on its careers homepage and has removed links to its Diversity Pipeline Program, which was aimed at increasing the hiring pool of non-white (male) baseball operations employees.

"The Diversity Pipeline Program will serve as our game’s key initiative towards attracting top talent, hiring qualified candidates, and developing careers," Commissioner Rob Manfred said in 2016.

In February, Manfred even told reporters at the annual owners' meetings that MLB's "values on diversity remain unchanged," but "another value that is pretty important to us is we always try to comply with what the law is."

"There seems to be an evolution going on here. We're following that very carefully," Manfred continued, per OutKick. "When things get a little more settled, we'll examine each of our programs and make sure that, while the values remain the same, that we're also consistent with what the law requires."


In 2023, America First Legal filed a federal civil rights complaint against MLB, directly citing the Diversity Pipeline Program with a specific job listing that asked only for "qualified minority and female candidates."

The complaint also noted a Diversity Fellowship Program for "people of color and female candidates" and a diversity in ticket sales training program to "grow the visibility of people of color and women within the industry."

Blaze News reached out to America First Legal to inquire whether or not the complaint directly affected MLB's decision, to the best of the organization's knowledge. This article will updated with any applicable responses.

'As the commissioner stated, our values on diversity remain unchanged.'

Multiple writers from the Athletic were in defense of the program, citing 400 hirings made by MLB through its practice of preferring immutable characteristics.

The outlet spoke to an MLB spokesman on the matter, who claimed the league stance on diversity has not changed.

"As the commissioner stated, our values on diversity remain unchanged. We are in the process of evaluating our programs for any modifications to eligibility criteria that are needed to ensure our programs are compliant with federal law as they continue forward."

The outlet also spoke to a game preparation specialist for the Milwaukee Brewers who was hired through one of the race-based programs and called it "literally the greatest experience ever for my career."

The same man then unironically recalled the joy of "sharing things that I have gone through as a black male in this industry that maybe only another black male is able to relate to."

The MLB employee called race-based conversations a "huge bonus" of the diversity program.

The Athletic credited baseball writer Craig Calcaterra as the first to notice the changes on the MLB website; he subsequently called MLB "cowards" who threw away their "much-lauded and respected" diversity in order to please President Trump.

The writer hoped MLB could still achieve a "truly diverse workforce" and further accused the league, saying it "takes credit" for Jackie Robinson's achievements while not sharing the late baseball legend's values.

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Weekend Beacon 3/23/25

Having spent the last week poring over the JFK files, I can tell you the biggest question remains unanswered: Oswald's coworker Bonnie Ray Williams says right before the assassination he was having a fried chicken sandwich. But Williams also says the chicken was bone in. Who eats a bone-in chicken sandwich? And who would serve such a thing? Alas the coverup continues.

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Capitalism, Baseball, Community, and Loss

Homestand is a book about baseball, and the author is a Mets fan. Thus, Homestand is a book about loss. It’s not only about loss, of course, and the Mets are only in the background. The 2022 Batavia Muckdogs, the centerpiece of Homestand, win most of their games, including an exciting playoff run. And Homestand isn’t only about baseball, either. It’s also about capitalism and community—and about the complicated relationship between the two.

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