Welcome to Wednesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.
WEDNESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
MLB: Red Sox at Blue Jays, 7:07 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Reds at Cubs, 2:10 p.m. (WGN)
MLB: Orioles at Diamondbacks, 3:40 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Pirates at Cardinals, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Softball: Little League World Series championship, 11 p.m. (ESPN2)
Soccer: Exhibition, U.S. vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2:25 p.m. (ESPN2)
Soccer: Exhibition, Mexico vs. Ivory Coast, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
Golf: U.S. Amateur, 3 p.m. (TGC)
AROUND THE WEB:
‘¢ The Rangers released Manny Ramirez from his minor league contract Tuesday, just over five weeks after he joined the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock, Texas.
“Based on our evaluation, there was not a spot for Manny on the club at this time,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. “We released him so he could pursue other opportunities if he so chooses.”
Ramirez, 41, hit .259/.328/.370 with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 30 games, but he was without a homer in his last 22 games. The onetime Red Sox star, whose career was derailed by penalties for performance-enhancing drugs after he left Boston, began the season in Taiwan but returned to the States for another chance at the majors. He has not played in the majors since a stint with the Rays in April 2011 that ended with him retiring rather than serve a 100-game suspension for a second positive drug test.
‘¢ Police said Tuesday that the death of Braves fan Ronald Homer Jr. at Monday’s game in Atlanta appears to have been an accident. The 6-foot-6 Homer fell over a 42-inch railing about 85 feet to a parking lot below just as the game was set to begin following a rain delay of almost two hours.
Homer, 30, fell just after ending a phone call with his mother.
“He said, ‘I love you, mom,’ and I said, ‘I love you, too,’ and that was it,” Connie Homer told The Associated Press.
Said his father, Ronald Homer: “This is going to hurt us for the rest of our life. When you lose a kid, not only your kids but your best friend, too, it’s bad.”
The Braves showed a picture of Homer on the scoreboard and held a moment of silence before Tuesday’s game.
‘¢ ESPN fired “Numbers Never Lie” co-host Hugh Douglas following the network’s investigation into an incident last week when Douglas allegedly threatened fellow host Michael Smith at a nightclub in Orlando. The pair were at a party as part of the National Association of Black Journalists Convention when, according to reports, an inebriated Douglas attempted to climb on stage to join the DJ and became incensed when Smith refused to help, calling him a “house [N-word]” and an “Uncle Tom” and grabbing Smith before others stepped in to separate them.
The 41-year-old Douglas, who played 10 seasons at defensive end in the NFL, joined ESPN in 2011.
Douglas sent out a tweet Tuesday afternoon that read: I am very disappointed to be leaving ESPN and will have more to say about this situation and my future at the appropriate time.
ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On Aug. 14, 1991, which Red Sox reliever recorded his 30th save in a 2-1 win over the Indians, giving him six 30-save seasons in seven years (with three teams)?
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “That’s not anything we’re ready to talk about right now. There’s a lot of competition out there. We’ll see how it all plays out.” — Patriots coach Bill Belichick, on the possibility of Tim Tebow making the team’s 53-man roster
STAT OF THE DAY: 9 — Wins for the Red Sox in their last 13 games vs. the Blue Jays in Toronto, following Tuesday’s 4-2 victory in 11 innings
‘NET RESULTS (mobile users, check the website to see the videos): Warriors players David Lee and Kent Bazemore pay a visit to New York’s Rucker Park to show off their skills.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Jeff Reardon, who joined the Red Sox in 1990 after recording two 30-save seasons with the Expos and three with the Twins
SOOTHING SOUNDS: David Crosby was born on this day in 1941.