Esteban Loaiza -- accused of possessing over 40 lbs. of coke -- was sprung from county jail in San Diego ... but he ain't goin' home, 'cause the ex-MLB star was moved to a federal jail.
Loaiza -- a 2x MLB All-Star who played 14 seasons in the big leagues -- has been behind bars at San Diego County Jail since being arrested February 9 on multiple felony drug charges.
After consulting with federal prosecutors, the San Diego D.A.'s office tells us they decided to drop all charges against the former White Sox pitcher, so he could instead be charged federally.
Yesterday, U.S. prosecutors charged Loaiza with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute ... and he was transported to Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego -- a federal facility primarily used to hold inmates awaiting trial.
MCC currently holds about 900 inmates -- male and female -- of all security levels.
Loaiza -- who is facing 10 years to life in prison, if convicted -- is due back in court March 12.
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Jim Abbott Praises Shaquem Griffin 'I'm Rooting for You!'
3/6/2018 9:39 AM PT
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AMAZING STORYMLB legend Jim Abbott is a HUGE fan of Shaquem Griffin -- telling TMZ Sports he's an inspiration to physically disabled athletes all over the world.
Of course, Abbott is an icon -- battling the odds to become a dominant Major League pitcher despite the fact he was born with one hand. Dude even threw a no-hitter in 1993!!!
So, how did Jim feel when he saw Griffin -- who also has one hand -- kill it at the NFL Combine? Proud is definitely an understatement.
"I just love him," Abbott says referencing Griffin's incredible performance at the NFL Combine ... "His determination is fierce."
"I just feel like you can see the burning desire within him with every step, so I'm a big fan. I'm really rooting for him."
Jim also says Shaquem is "making a real difference in the world" -- and he hopes to meet the kid one day.
Very cool stuff.
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Giancarlo Stanton Greased Up and Topless ... Say Cheese!
3/6/2018 7:20 AM PT
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MAJOR LEAGUE STUDHere's NY Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton making you feel inferior ... showing off his insane, jacked physique in a topless photo shoot.
You're welcome.
Stanton flexed out for Men's Health magazine (on stands now) -- which included the shirtless pics as part of an article about Giancarlo's recovery from that insane 2014 at-bat where he took a fastball to the face.
Giancarlo opened up about the hospitalization, how he couldn't eat regularly for a month and how pitchers tried to exploit his post-traumatic stress from the incident after he returned.
"For two years, pitchers would throw up and in to scare me," Stanton said ... "Just to get me thinking about that. I was aware of it. But in terms of messing with me as a hitter, it never did."
Crazy, right?
But, not as crazy as the dude's Adonis-like bod.
Feel guilty about skipping the gym this morning?
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Kurt Warner I'm Praying for Jim Kelly ... He'll Beat This Thing!
3/2/2018 3:20 PM PT
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YOU GOT THIS, JIM!Jim Kelly asked for prayers -- and Kurt Warner answered the call.
The Hall of Famer tells TMZ Sports he's friends with Jim and was devastated when he heard Kelly's oral cancer had returned.
"He's a godly man," Warner said ... "He's gonna find a way through this so I'm gonna continue to pray for him."
Kurt says he's already been in touch with the Kelly family to offer a personal message -- but encourages Jim's fans to keep up the prayers because he truly believes it helps.
Jim and his wife Jill opened up about the cancer battle earlier this week. It's Jim's 3rd bout with oral cancer but this time, he says the treatment will require a major surgery that will essentially require doctors to reconstruct his upper jaw.
Jim says he was shocked and saddened when he was diagnosed, but tells his fans, "God is with me."
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Esteban Loaiza's GF Back Off My Man ... Stop with the BS!!
2/23/2018 10:32 AM PT
Esteban Loaiza's girlfriend is sick of the blowback from the ex-MLB star's bombshell cocaine arrest ... so she's taken to social media to clap back at the haters.
"It's not fair that some people are just looking to tarnish his career and ruin his reputation with made-up nonsense when they know that's not the case," Esteban's GF, Ross Labra, said in a post.
"So please, whoever does not have anything good to say should limit their comments because no one is perfect, only God, and nobody is exempt from finding themselves in a situation like this."
Ross also passed along a message from Esteban ... who pled not guilty to his 3 felony drug charges in a San Diego courtroom earlier this month.
"Esteban asked me to thank all the people who have remembered him and are supporting him with their messages and prayers."
FYI, the former All-Star pitcher was arrested earlier this month after cops found him in possession of over 40 POUNDS of blow ... labeling him a "sophisticated" cocaine smuggler.
If convicted, Loaiza faces over 20 years in prison.
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MLB Prospect Wearing '58 Strong' Glove To Honor Vegas Shooting Victims
2/21/2018 3:54 PM PT
MLB prospect Bubba Derby -- who heroically used his body as a human shield during the Las Vegas massacre -- has reported to Brewers spring training with a "58 Strong" glove to honor the people who were killed in the shooting.
The 23-year-old pitcher was in the crowd at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on Oct. 1 when a deranged man opened fire on the crowd from the Mandalay Bay hotel.
Derby threw his body over two women in the crowd to shield them from the bullets -- and then stayed with the girls until they were reunited with their friends.
We reached out to Derby who tells us he's dedicating the 2018 season -- and every season -- to the 58 people who lost their lives in the shooting ... "They will never be forgotten."
Derby says he plans to use the "58 Strong" glove for the entire 2018 season.
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Derek Jeter On School Shooting ... Marlins Will Help Florida Heal
2/21/2018 1:45 PM PT
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COME TOGETHERDerek Jeter is vowing to use his experience playing after the 9/11 attacks to help Florida fans cope with the massacre that left 17 people dead in the Parkland school shooting.
Jeter was in Ft. Lauderdale at a Chamber of Commerce meeting when Evan Golden -- a TV producer who graduated from Stoneman Douglas in '99 -- asked for advice on handling the tragedy.
Jeter and the Yankees -- and the sport of baseball -- are credited with playing a big part in returning a sense of normalcy to life following the 2001 attack.
"Sports has that great ability to bring people together. The fan base in New York really rallied around us on September 11th," Jeter says.
"Those horrific events that happened last week, nothing will change that. We can learn from it. Hopefully over time we find something to cheer for."
When an audience member yelled out, "Hopefully the Marlins will do it here" ... Jeter's response?
"We will do our part."
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Cal Ripken Jr. Crazy Huge Estate ... Hitting Auction Block
2/21/2018 8:45 AM PT
Gallery TopTenRealEstateDeals.comWanna own a home with its own baseball field, indoor basketball court, full gym ... and a private fishing pond?!!?
Good news -- Cal Ripken Jr. is putting his incredible Maryland home on the auction block ... which means it could all be yours if you've got roughly $10 million to spend!
Ripken initially put the 24-acre estate on the market for $12.5 mil back in 2016 -- but the price was just too damn high ... so Cal chopped the asking price down to $9.75 mil back in April 2017.
Still, no takers -- but Cal's motivated to sell ... so he's bringing the home to auction with no reserve on May 12.
Here are the highlights ... the home is roughly 22,000 square feet and has 6 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, a home theater, 10-person spa, private hiking trails, pool and a kitchen that can fit 100 people!
Oh, and the baseball field has a private locker room with a training area and a batting cage!
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MLB Legend Orlando Cepeda In Critical Condition After 'Cardiac Incident'
2/20/2018 6:28 AM PT
Feb 21. 9:06 AM PT -- The San Francisco Giants released a statement saying Cepeda was hospitalized due to a "cardiac incident" ... and is in critical condition.
7:45 AM PT -- Cepeda "suffered a severe blow to the skull" after falling in the parking lot of his gym on Monday ... Orlando's family friend, Minor League Dodgers coach Paco Figueroa, told Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Dia.
Baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda, 80, was rushed to a Bay Area hospital on Monday night ... according to an SF Giants team official who spoke with one of Cepeda's family members.
The official had no information on Cepeda's current condition or the reason he was hospitalized.
Orlando's last public appearance was at AT&T Park in January ... when he joined Willie McCovey and other former Giants teammates for Mac's 80th birthday party.
Cepeda is one of the greatest players in Giants history, making 7 All-Star teams (6 with SF) and winning NL MVP in 1967 with the Cardinals. He also played for the Braves, A's, Red Sox and Royals.
He became the 2nd Puerto Rican player to make the Hall in '99, joining Roberto Clemente.
Story developing ...
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Dodgers' Kenta Maeda Mercilessly Pranks His Translator ... You Scared, Bruh?
2/16/2018 2:13 PM PT
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THE JUMP SCARE NEVER FAILS!Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda has a pretty clear New Year's resolution: scaring the living hell outta his translator!!
Since the calendar hit 2018, Kenta's been on a tear messing with his language bro, Will, in the most hilarious ways possible.
On Thursday, the Japanese star punk'd him with a jump scare (again) ... but his best work had to be the classic water bottle coin trick (c'mon, bro ... that one was obvious).
Will's being a great sport through it all ... probably 'cause he's plotting a mistranslating scheme for when the season starts up again.
GOT HEEEM!!!
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Anthony Rizzo Gives Powerful Speech At Vigil for Florida Shooting Victims
2/15/2018 6:57 PM PT
Chicago Cubs star Anthony Rizzo choked back tears while delivering a powerful speech at the vigil for those lost in the tragic shooting at his H.S. alma mater ... and he's calling for the government to make a change.
Rizzo -- who attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL -- addressed the crowd mourning the 17 people killed in Wednesday's massacre ... promising to do whatever he can to help his community.
"I've been very impressed with talking to the students and how they're taking care of each other and how they're coming together," Rizzo said.
"I want you to know that you're not alone in your grief."
Rizzo added "I'm a baseball player, but I'm also an American, I'm a Floridian, and I'm a Parklander for life."
"While I don't have all the answers, I know that something has to change before this is visited by another community and another community and another community."
We also talked to PGA golfer Nicholas Thompson -- who was born and raised in the area, and graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas H.S. -- about the impact the shooting has had on his family, and how he plans to help the community heal.
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Esteban Loaiza Pleads Not Guilty In Cocaine Smuggling Case
2/14/2018 3:25 PM PT
Ex-MLB star Esteban Loaiza is fighting the charges in his cocaine smuggling case -- pleading not guilty to possessing more than 40 POUNDS of blow.
The 46-year-old former All-Star pitcher appeared in court in his jailhouse jumpsuit -- where his lawyer told the judge he denies all of the allegations against him.
As we previously reported, cops say Loaiza had a "sophisticated" drug smuggling compartment in his vehicle -- and when they searched his home, they found the motherload. Officials say Loaiza kept the drugs in a home just steps away from a preschool.
Prosecutors say Loaiza had come back from a trip to Mexico on the same day he was arrested.
He's facing multiple felony criminal charges including possession of cocaine for sale.
The judge set Loaiza's bail at $250,000 after prosecutors argued that he's a flight risk. The judge ordered him not to leave San Diego without permission from the court.
If convicted on all counts, Loaiza faces more than 20 years in prison.
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MLB's Elias Diaz Mom Rescued After Being Kidnapped ... Dirty Cops Arrested
2/12/2018 12:44 PM PT
The mother of Pirates catcher Elias Diaz has been safely recovered 3 days after she was abducted in Venezuela ... and several dirty cops have been booked for carrying out the kidnapping.
Elias' mom, 72-year-old Ana Soto, went missing last Thursday in their hometown of Maracaibo -- the state capital of Zulia, Venezuela -- shortly after Elias left her at home.
On Sunday, a group of national and local police officers were able to pull off a rescue mission and place her 6 captors under arrest -- 5 of whom were on the Zulia state police force, according to BBC.
A friend from Venezuela sent me this picture of @Pirates catcher Elias Diaz’s mom after she was saved from her captors / Un colega de Venezuela me envió esta foto de la madre de Elías Díaz después de ser liberada tras su secuestro ¡Enhorabuena! pic.twitter.com/qzLo5O1H63
@MarlyRiveraESPNThe head of Venezuela's investigative police dept. says no ransom was paid for the return of Ana -- who is reportedly in good health despite the incident.
The Pirates released a statement after hearing the news, saying they are "relieved and overjoyed" ... and "incredibly grateful for the swift and effective work of the local law enforcement officials."
FYI, Venezuelan sports stars and their families being targeted is nothing new. Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped back in 2011 ... and more recently, Tigers superstar Miguel Cabrera claimed his family was in grave danger, specifically mentioning dirty cops.
Diaz, 27, was the Pirates' backup catcher last season, hitting .223 in 188 at-bats. He's expected to report to the team's training camp Monday in Pittsburgh.
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Cops: Esteban Loaiza 'Sophisticated' Cocaine Smuggler ... w/ $500k In Blow
2/12/2018 10:08 AM PT
Ex-MLB pitcher Esteban Loaiza was dealing $500,000 in cocaine from a home located steps away from a preschool ... and was using "sophisticated" devices to hide it, cops say.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Dept. is now releasing details about Loaiza's Feb. 9 arrest -- saying he was busted during a drug-smuggling sting by the Border Crime Suppression Team.
Loaiza was initially stopped by police during a traffic stop for a minor traffic violation -- but a search of his car led to the discovery of a "sophisticated aftermarket compartment used to conceal contraband."
Cops then got a warrant to search a home that Loaiza had been renting since early February -- located "steps away from an area preschool" -- and found roughly 20 kilograms of suspected cocaine.
Estimated street value -- $500,000.
Loaiza was booked into San Diego County Jail for 3 felonies -- Possession of Cocaine Over 20 Kilograms, Possession of Cocaine for Sale, and Transportation of Cocaine.
His bail was set at $200,000.
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MLB's Esteban Loaiza Arrested In Huge Drug Bust ... At Least 44 Lbs. of Cocaine, Heroin
2/12/2018 8:16 AM PT
Former MLB All-Star pitcher Esteban Loaiza was arrested Friday in San Diego with at least 44 pounds of heroin or cocaine ... and could now face more than 20 years behind bars.
Loaiza, 46, is being charged with 3 felonies ...
1) Possession of more than 20kgs of heroin or cocaine
2) Possession or purchase of narcotics
3) Transportation or sale of narcotics
He's currently being held at Chula Vista's South Bay Detention Facility with bail set at $200,000. He's due to appear in court on Wednesday.
Loaiza, the second-winningest pitcher from Mexico in MLB history, played for 8 different teams in his career -- earning over $43 million.
He last played for the White Sox in 2008 -- the same team he played for when he was an All-Star in 2003 and 2004.
Loaiza was previously arrested for DUI in 2006.
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Cubs' Addison Russell Pumped For Yu Darvish Can't Wait to Meet Him!!
2/12/2018 6:31 AM PT
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A BIG HELPChicago Cubs star Addison Russell is stoked to meet his new (super rich) teammate, Yu Darvish ... telling TMZ Sports he can't wait to LEARN from the accomplished veteran.
We spoke with the World Series champ about Darvish's massive new 6-year, $126 MILLION contract with the Cubbies -- and Russell clearly believes CHI is getting its money's worth.
"It's gonna be a big plus! We're happy to have him ... I've faced him a few times so I know what he brings to the table!"
There's a funny celebrity cameo in the clip -- but Russell's not impressed.
Maybe because Rick Springfield dropped "Jessie's Girl" 37 years ago ... 13 years before Addison was born!
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