FROM AROUND THE WORLD OF BASEBALL

After being hit by a pitch on the forearm, Tampa Bay Rays player Will Rymes took first base and proceeded to faint. When you see the video, you realize he didn't just get dizzy, he went down like a pile of bricks, having to be caught by the Rays' first base coach. After the game, he explained what he felt and showed the welt on his arm. He actually didn't find it odd or embarrassing. That makes one of us.

Nationals Bryce Harper and Blue Jays Brett Lawrie brought little league behavior to the majors. After going 0 for 4, Bryce went into the dugout tunnel with bat in hand and slammed it against the concrete wall. The bat bounced right back and hit him just above the eye. The cut he got required 10 stiches. Brett Lawrie, after being called out on strikes (which most said was ball four) took his helmet and slammed in against the ground. The helmet bounced and hit the home plate umpire in the lip. Brett is facing a four game suspension. It appears managers are going to have start giving guys time outs in the naughty chair. Maybe teams could replace their bench coaches with Jo from Super Nanny.

A recent back page of the New York Daily News read "Curse of the Closer" regarding the injuries suffered by closer Maria Rivera and then the replacement closer, David Robertson. Now, I don't believe in any curse; not the Kennedy curse, curse of the Bambino or even the curse of Wrigley Field. However, if I'm Rafael Soriano, who has now been designated to close, I would prefer the title "9th inning guy" versus "closer". I mean better safe than sorry, right?

Lastly, it was so good to see Andy Pettitte pitch again on Mother's Day. After a slightly rough outing, including a home run by Casper Wells, Andy said he got a text from Josh, his oldest son. Josh stayed in Texas with his HS baseball team who were in the playoffs. The text read "You looked good out there, Pops. Wells got lucky". Although technically it was Mother's Day, to Andy it was Father's Day as well.