Friday fun: The 2009 Triple-A Home Run Derby

The MLB is pretty good at keeping it’s videos off of YouTube, but we have the next best thing.

Here is the Home Run Derby from the 2009 Triple-A All-Star Game in Portland.

Thursday trivia: How many Japan Series titles have the Yomiuri Giants won?

While our attention was turned to the Yankees and Phillies in the World Series earlier this month, another baseball-crazy nation was crowning its champion.

The Yomiuri Giants, based out of Tokyo, clinched their first Japan Series title in seven years earlier this month, defeating the Nippon Ham Fighters in six games.

The Giants are one of the most successful teams in the history of Japanese professional baseball.

That success has led many to compare them to the New York Yankees, because both teams’ success has led to widespread admiration and widespread hatred.

That leads us to our trivia question for the week.

Counting this year’s title, how many Japan Series championships have the Yomiuri Giants won?

If you know the answer, post it here, give us a tweet @BB_Express or find us on Facebook.

Last week, we asked how many Gold Gloves the New York Yankees’ Derek Jeter has won. The answer is four.

Related: Browse our selection of MLB fan apparel.

Press Release: MLB playoff stars swing Louisville Sluggers

LOUISVILLE, KY — Louisville Slugger continued its dominance of the postseason with 60 of 104 hitters on the eight playoff teams swinging Sluggers, the official bats of Major League Baseball. That included most of the World Series champion New York Yankees.

“Louisville Slugger was proud to once again make postseason history,” said Chuck Schupp, the company’s director of professional baseball. “We’ve been doing it since the first World Series in 1903 and have been associated with many of the greatest moments in postseason history.”

At least 10 Yankees swung Louisville Slugger bats including Derek Jeter (P72 model) and Alex Rodriguez (C271 model). Several Yankees also wore Louisville Slugger TPX fielding gloves. Andy Pettite, A.J. Burnett, Melky Cabrera, Damaso Marte, and Alfredo Aceves all wore Louisville Slugger TPX fielding gloves. In addition, Cabrera and Nick Swisher also wore Louisville Slugger TPX batting gloves.

“We’ve always been known for our great bats,” Schupp said, “but more and more players are recognizing that Louisville Slugger also makes high quality, high performance Major League fielding gloves.”

In addition to the five players on the Yankees, 12 other players in the postseason wore Louisville Slugger TPX fielding gloves.

Related: Check out our selection of Louisville Slugger baseball gear.

Look like a Big Leaguer with Rawlings’ Pro Flare baseball pants

Even though they are paid obscene amounts of money to do it, professional baseball players put their pants on one leg at a time, just like us.

With that in mind, we caution you to do the same when you put on Rawlings’ Pro Flare baseball pants. Yeah, they look great — just like what the pros wear — and they’re comfortable. But that doesn’t mean you can jump in with both legs at once. That’s dangerous.

Take it nice and slow and put these guys on one leg at a time. We promise it’s worth it.

Once you’ve got them on, you’ll love the comfortable, rugged fabric and the loose, baggy fit over the thigh areas. These pants have flared bottoms, perfect for a comfortable fit around your cleats.

The Rawlings Pro Flare baseball pants have also got all of the Rawlings pro-preferred features like gripper elastic to keep your shirt from coming untucked, an action gusset in the crotch and pocket tie downs.

These pants are some of the best you’ll find in baseball or softball. More than 200 shoppers have returned to our site to give stellar reviews on them.

Most said they liked the Pro Flare’s comfortable fit, and some complimented the attractive design. Others complimented its durable fabric and flattering cut.

Check out all of the reviews and all of our styles of Pro Flare pants: We’ve got them in piped, solid and pinstripe designs.

Related: View our entire selection of baseball pants.