No Taser necessary in this game
It's a shame the Round Rock Express released relief pitcher Billy Ray "Rojo" Johnson after the ex-convict was ejected from his only appearance with the Triple-A club on Thursday in a Pacific Coast League game against the Nashville Sounds in Texas.
It would've been fun to watch the infamous "Rojo" pitch against the 51s at Cashman Field later this month, preferably on "Dollar Beer Night," considering the right-hander sprayed the only batter he faced Thursday with one of several beers he'd stashed in a resin bag on the mound.
After firing his only pitch of the game far behind a Sounds batter, the right-hander -- wearing a thick mustache several huge gold medallions -- argued with the umpire and was ejected.
The batter then chased a retreating "Rojo" around the field, much to the delight of the season-high crowd of 10,149. Thankfully, a Taser wasn't needed to end the incident.
"Mentally, I feel like I have the strength of 10 men after that," Johnson said. "Nashville showed a lot of stuff tonight. They've got a lot of moxie."
Truth be told, "Rojo" was comedic actor Will Ferrell, who performed the prank to promote The Will Powered Golf Classic, which took place Friday as a benefit for College for Cancer, an organization that provides scholarships to cancer survivors.
Dressed as "Rojo," Ferrell entered the game in the sixth inning. The video is available at MLB.com.
"I had a blast out there, and I especially enjoyed the camaraderie of my new teammates," Ferrell said. "We will be houseboating together this weekend."
■ BYRNES TURNS TO SOFTBALL -- The Seattle Mariners recently released outfielder Eric Byrnes in a move that likely brought an end to his 11-year career in the big leagues.
But the fun-loving 34-year-old still is living the dream; he'll earn $11 million this year as he surfs, golfs and plays beer-league softball for a team sponsored by Dutch Goose, a bar in Menlo Park, Calif.
"This is going to be a blast," Byrnes told mlb.com. "I can't wait for my first hit. I'm going to ask for the ball."
Byrnes is in the final year of a $30 million, three-year contract he signed with the Diamondbacks in 2007. Arizona cut him in January after two injury-riddled seasons but still has to pay Byrnes this year.
■ HOOTERS HATERS -- An under-16 Australian Rules football team has been criticized for entering a sponsorship deal with a local Hooters franchise.
After two local Hooters waitresses cheered the Broadbeach Cats to a lopsided victory last weekend, women's advocate Melinda Tankard Reist told an Australian morning television show the move sends a sordid message.
"The message these boys are getting -- and we're talking about 15- and 16-year-old boys -- is that as a young footballer you have an entitlement to large-breasted women in skimpy outfits bouncing around at your games," she said.
We at Leftovers should've been so lucky to receive that message in our youth. But, alas, a local plumbing company sponsored our Little League team, which left us permanently scarred by the unseemly sight of "plumber's crack."
COMPILED BY TODD DEWEY LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
