Hello! Welcome to Vibe Check, a weekly roundup article where we just sit back, take a deep breath, maybe brew a cup of tea (green if you have it) and just kind of take the temperature on what’s going on around Major League Baseball. So stretch out, light some incense, and let’s check the vibes.  

All around the league, people were talking trash, selling out, and flipping bats. And if that wasn’t enough to turn the vibes sour, the Yankees hosted the Astros this week for the first episode of a prestige HBO-level Miniseries of Bad Vibes these two teams will continue to play out this season. This was an all-time Bad Vibes Week in baseball, and it’s been a joy to curate. You see, Bad Vibes are crucial to keeping the Vibes healthy throughout the MLB. Without Bad Vibes, we don’t get stank faces, bat flips, or Brian McCann, and  ⅔ of those things are crucial to the survival of the league. 

 

Corporate-Approved Vibes

The Nationals Sell Out

There’s a sort of anxiety I have about the heavy advertising that’s been creeping into baseball the last few years, as it has all sports, ruining some of the old-school vibes the game seems to be able to maintain. Once the ads complete their move from signage in the outfield to the pitcher’s mound to the jerseys, we lose something about this sport. On Tuesday, the Washington Nationals fired a warning shot. 

taste the rainbow tbh

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 4, 2021

It’s the Skittles League now, we’re all just guests. 

 

Don Draper Vibes

Okay, look. I know I just did a whole thing ripping a corporate partnership. I stand by that. But also, oh my god. Braves Pitcher Huascar Ynoa hit a grand slam and I saw this masterpiece of brand partnerships for the first time. 

🚨 PITCHER GRAND SLAM 🚨#PitchersWhoRake pic.twitter.com/xALpXuZBTZ

— MLB (@MLB) May 5, 2021

Because the Great American Pastime deserves a Great American Baking Soda. 

Now excuse me, I have a dead man’s identity to steal.

 

 

Disrespectful Vibes

Greatest Bat Flip Ever

Astros Prospect Luis Santana should already be a Hall of Famer. 

Santana woke up this morning and chose violence..

And we are absolutely here for it. pic.twitter.com/WUs7WXdB0G

— Asheville Tourists (@GoTourists) May 7, 2021

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we’re so lucky this was a vertical video. Here’s an easy way to vibe check your friends. Show them this video. If they say something like “that’s a bit much” or “that’s bad sportsmanship” or really anything other than “Astros Prospect Luis Santana should already be a Hall of Famer” then you know they have Old Guy Vibes and probably have the wrong opinion about Barry Bonds. 

 

 

Ozuna’s Selfie Slam

Selfie Slam. pic.twitter.com/YrBZvziHG9

— MLB (@MLB) May 6, 2021

The MLB needs to start allowing props in home run celebrations. I don’t care if it’s bad sportsmanship, I don’t care if it slows the game down. I want to see that terrible Oscars selfie photo recreated by the Milwaukee Brewers at home plate. #MakePitchersFeelBad 

 

 

Weird Vibes / Good Goofs 

Wade Miley Threw a No-Hitter 

Hey, did you guys know that Wade Miley Threw a No-Hitter?

Wade Miley tosses the 17th no-hitter in @Reds history! pic.twitter.com/J8kcIvpiNu

— MLB (@MLB) May 8, 2021

That’s kinda weird, right? Why did he do that? Was this a bet? Was it an accident? Was Cleveland doing a goof? If so, it was a good goof. 

 

 

Absolutely Awful Vibes

The Bad Guy Bowl

The New York Yankees hosted the Houston Astros for a series this week, and they actually let Yankees fans go to the games. For anyone who missed it, the Houston Astros cheated their way to a World Series title, and they specifically cheated their way past the New York Yankees in the ALCS. Yankees fans, not accustomed to losing or being out-villained, didn’t take it well. 

"What a way to be serenaded on your birthday…" pic.twitter.com/3mzcJmltCK

— 2021 Astros Shame Tour (@AsteriskTour) May 6, 2021

In fact, they took it really badly. 

Bring the ENERGY again tonight, Yankees fans

(Via @zack_hample)

pic.twitter.com/GuaM0feZ0o

— Very Baseball Moments (@verymlb) May 5, 2021

And that’s great! Because the Astros cheating was really bad. And they should all get the chance to feel really bad about it. The Yankees are old-school villains who got a chance to host the new villains on the block, and they ran an absolute clinic in villainy. 

There are so many clips from this series I can’t use because of how crystal clear the curse words are. Like, the overwhelming unity and clarity only possible from thousands of drunk, angry New Yorkers gathered together on a spring day after ten years of not going to a World Series and being able to blame someone else for it. 

Nature is healing. 

 

 

Championship Vibes

How Are The Mariners? 

Well, they got no-hit (and actually, more interestingly, imperfecto’d. 27 up, 28 down if you count the dropped strikeout + pickoff at 2nd) this week by this kid. 

https://twitter.com/JMeans25/status/1390144406930481152?s=20

So it’s time to bring this gif back. 

via GIPHY

Wow, two Mad Men memes this week. We’re on a heater here, folks.