Baseball this 'n' that

 Five days after San Diego's Joe Musgrove threw the 1st no-hitter in Padre history, the Chicago White Sox had the 20th no-no in team history, and very nearly the 4th perfect game.

Carlos Rodon etched his name in the record books Wednesday for the ChiSox, in 3rd place in the AL Central, with his gem. Only a hit batsman with 1 out in the visiting 9th prevented the perfecto.

Check the highlights:

Play by play announcer Jason Benetti, who succeeded the ultimate homer, Ken "Hawk" Harrelson, is also doing work for ESPN this season to get his name out there. Former Cubs announcer Len Kasper called the game for ESPN Radio. Congratulations to Rodon & the White Sox.

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Just a few months after his passing, Hall of Famer Henry "Hank" Aaron will be honored in Atlanta as the school board there voted to change the name of a school after discovering that it was originally named for a Confederate soldier who later was a leader of the Ku Klux Klan. The school will officially be rechristened the Hank Aaron New Beginnings School, and it'll take effect for the 2021-22 school year.

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Winning percentage is often lost as a key element in the standings.

Not so this year, as the Mets will happily demonstrate.

The Amazin's sit in 1st place in the NL East after taking the first three games of their series with Philadelphia, dropping the 2nd place Phillies to .500 with a 5-1 verdict on Wednesday. The Mets have only played 8 games (5-3) due to one suspended game vs. Miami and having an opening series vs. Washington wiped out due to a COVID outbreak two weeks ago. Now, they have to hope they can play today, as, at last check, it's raining in Queens, with the game set to start at 12:10 pm (ET). The forecast isn't exactly lovely, either, for the team's 1st trip to Denver in 2 years when they play the Rockies starting tomorrow.

Update, 12:37 pm (ET): Today's game has been rained out.

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We reported the other day that ESPN/Fox baseball analyst Alex Rodriguez had bought a stake in the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, and we wondered if actress-singer Jennifer Lopez was part of the group. Now, we have our answer.

Nope.

On Wednesday, Lopez & Rodriguez ended their engagement, choosing to remain friends after weeks of denials amid early reports of a break-up.

Now, we have to wonder, due to his employment at ESPN, would there be a conflict of interest, due to ESPN's NBA contract, if he stays there. We'll have to wait & see.