ReportWire

Tag: baseball and softball

  • Pete Rose Fast Facts | CNN

    Pete Rose Fast Facts | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    Here’s a look at the life of former Cincinnati Reds player and manager Pete Rose.

    Birth name: Peter Edward Rose

    Birth date: April 14, 1941

    Birth place: Cincinnati, Ohio

    Father: Harry Rose, bank clerk and semi-pro baseball and football player

    Mother: LaVerne Rose

    Marriages: Carol (Woliung) Rose, (April 11, 1984-2011, divorced); Karolyn (Englehardt) Rose (January 25, 1964-1980, divorced)

    Children: with Carol (Woliung) Rose: Kara and Tyler; with Karolyn (Englehardt) Rose: Pete Jr. and Fawn

    Military: Ohio Army National Guard

    He was nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” as a rookie.

    Rose holds the Major League Baseball record for the number of games played (3,562) and hits (4,256).

    He was on the National League All-Star team 17 times between 1965 and 1985.

    July 8, 1960 – Rose begins his pro career with the minor league team the Geneva Redlegs of the New York-Penn League.

    1963 – Plays his first season for the Cincinnati Reds. At the end of the season he is voted National League Rookie of the Year.

    1965 – Leads the league in hits with 209 and a batting average of .312. It is the first of 16 seasons in which his batting average is at least .300, the first of 10 seasons with 200 or more hits and the first of seven years leading the league in hits.

    1968-1969 – Wins the first two of his three batting titles.

    1969-1970 – Wins a Gold Glove both years for fielding excellence as an outfielder.

    1973 – Named National League Most Valuable Player and wins the batting title.

    1975 – Rose is named World Series Most Valuable Player after the Reds defeat the Boston Red Sox 4-3.

    December 5, 1978-October 19, 1983 – Plays for the Philadelphia Phillies and wins the 1980 World Series, beating the Kansas City Royals 4-3.

    1984 – Plays 95 games with the Montreal Expos.

    August 16, 1984 – Rose is hired as player/manager of the Cincinnati Reds.

    September 11, 1985 – At home against the San Diego Padres, Rose breaks Ty Cobb’s 57-year record of 4,191 career hits.

    November 11, 1986 – Rose is released as a player from the Reds but continues to manage the team through the 1988-1989 season.

    March 20, 1989 – An announcement from the office of the Baseball Commissioner reveals an ongoing investigation into allegations of Rose’s gambling. Details of the allegations are reported the next day in Sports Illustrated.

    August 24, 1989 – With a 225-page report, witness testimony and volumes of evidence to support his findings, baseball commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti bans Pete Rose from baseball for life for gambling, with the stipulation he may apply for reinstatement after one year.

    August 1990-January 1991 – Serves five months in the Federal Prison Camp in Marion, Illinois, after pleading guilty to tax evasion.

    September 23, 2002 – Plays in a celebrity softball game that he organized, to mark the closing of Cincinnati’s Cinergy Field; his first public game since banishment.

    January 8, 2004 – Rose’s autobiography, “My Prison Without Bars,” is published. In the book Rose admits to betting on baseball while managing the Cincinnati Reds.

    March 14, 2007 – During a radio interview with ESPN, Rose admits to betting on every Cincinnati game while he was manager.

    January 13, 2013 – The reality show “Pete Rose: Hits and Mrs.,” about life with fiancée, Kiana Kim, premieres on TLC. The show is canceled after the fourth episode.

    March 2015 – Rose submits a formal request to Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred seeking reinstatement. On December 14, 2015, it is announced that Rose’s application has been denied.

    April 18, 2015 – It is announced that Rose has been hired by Fox as a baseball analyst.

    July 7, 2016 – Files a defamation lawsuit against attorney John Dowd for comments Dowd made suggesting that Rose committed statutory rape. Dowd, who led the investigation into Rose’s gambling on baseball, tells NJ Advance Media the allegations have been “blown out of proportion.”

    September 27, 2016 – Rose sends a letter to the National Baseball Hall of Fame asking that he be made eligible for inclusion, which would put his name on the ballot to be voted on by baseball writers.

    July 31, 2017 – Court records reveal an unidentified woman has provided a sworn statement alleging that in the 1970s she had sex with Rose before she turned 16. The statement is part of the defamation lawsuit Rose filed against Dowd. Rose acknowledged that he had a relationship with the woman but said he believed she was 16 at the time. On December 14, 2017, the defamation lawsuit is dismissed.

    February 5, 2020 – Rose’s attorneys petition MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for Rose to be reinstated. They argue that Rose’s “ongoing punishment for an act that never impacted a single play or game outcome is no longer justifiable as a proportional response to his transgressions.”

    October 7, 2021 – Debut of “Pete Rose’s Daily Picks,” a sports betting podcast hosted by Rose.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Former Boston Red Sox pitcher and 2-time World Series champion Tim Wakefield dies at age 57 | CNN

    Former Boston Red Sox pitcher and 2-time World Series champion Tim Wakefield dies at age 57 | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    Longtime Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield died Sunday morning at age 57, the team announced in a news release.

    No cause of death was provided, though the team issued a statement earlier this week acknowledging that the former pitcher was battling a “disease,” and requesting privacy for the Wakefield family.

    “Our hearts are broken with the loss of Tim Wakefield,” the Red Sox posted on X on Sunday. “Wake embodied true goodness; a devoted husband, father, and teammate, beloved broadcaster, and the ultimate community leader. He gave so much to the game and all of Red Sox Nation.”

    Red Sox legend and baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz posted a photo on Instagram of him hugging Wakefield, writing, “I can’t describe what you mean to me and my family, my heart is broken right now because l will never be able to replace a brother and a friend like you.”

    “He was real. He was CLASS. This is truly horrible news,” longtime Boston sportswriter Bob Ryan wrote on X.

    Wakefield was drafted out of college as a first baseman but when his career stalled he turned to a rarely thrown pitch to make the majors. He became a right-handed starting pitcher famous for being one of the few big leaguers to feature a knuckleball and in his career he won 200 games,

    Wakefield played two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates before beginning a 17-year stint with the Red Sox. He won a pair of World Series championships with the Red Sox, including their win in 2004 after a historic rally in the American League Championship Series and their subsequent MLB title in 2007.

    He was the recipient of the 2010 Roberto Clemente Award recognizing “extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.”

    In 1995, Wakefield finished third in voting for the Cy Young Award and was selected as American League Comeback Player of the Year by the Sporting News.

    His 186 victories in his Red Sox career are just six behind team record-setters Young and Roger Clemens. Wakefield’s 3,006 innings and 430 starts are club records.

    At his retirement announcement in February 2012, Wakefield said all he ever wanted to do was to help the Red Sox be champions.

    “There have been many ups and downs along the way, but one thing is for sure, every time I stepped on that field I gave everything I had. All I ever wanted to do was win. And the bigger goal was to win a World Series for this great city,” he said. “So, finally, after 86 years we were able to do that (in 2004) and the greatest thrill for me was to share it with all the players before us, but more importantly was sharing it with generations and generations of Red Sox fans.”

    Following his 19-year career, Wakefield remained involved with the Red Sox organization, spending a total of 29 years with the club as a player, special assistant and broadcaster. Wakefield also served as the honorary chairman of the Red Sox Foundation.

    “Tim’s kindness and indomitable spirit were as legendary as his knuckleball,” said Red Sox owner John Henry. “He not only captivated us on the field but was the rare athlete whose legacy extended beyond the record books to the countless lives he touched with his warmth and genuine spirit. He had a remarkable ability to uplift, inspire, and connect with others in a way that showed us the true definition of greatness. He embodied the very best of what it means to be a member of the Boston Red Sox and his loss is felt deeply by all of us.”

    MLB commissioner Rob Manfred called Wakefield a “respected teammate” and “one of the most unique pitchers of his generation.” His knuckleball was thrown with the tips of his index and middle fingers firmly planted on the leather cover and pushing the ball from his hands with the thumb and ring finger. That prevented the ball from spinning and made its path to the batter unpredictable and often bewildering.

    Manfred sent condolences of behalf of major league officials to his family, former teammates and friends.

    “We will continue to support our partners at Stand Up To Cancer in the memory of Tim and all those who are in the fight against this disease,” Manfred said in a statement.

    The Pirates said of Wakefield, “He was a great man who will be dearly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.”

    Wakefield’s medical condition was not publicly known until Curt Schilling, a former teammate on the Red Sox, shared it on his podcast. Schilling was immediately and widely criticized for doing so, and the Red Sox released a statement clarifying that the information was “shared… without [the Wakefield family’s] permission.”

    Wakefield is survived by his wife, Stacy, and their children, Trevor and Brianna.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Atlanta Braves slugger Ronald Acuña Jr. becomes 5th player in MLB history to join elite 40-40 Club | CNN

    Atlanta Braves slugger Ronald Acuña Jr. becomes 5th player in MLB history to join elite 40-40 Club | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. etched his name into MLB history Friday night when he hit his 40th home run of the season and became the fifth member to join baseball’s exclusive 40-40 Club.

    With his first inning blast off Washington Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin, Acuña becomes just the fifth player in Major League Baseball history to join the elite 40-40 Club – players who have hit 40 home runs and stolen 40 bases in a single season.

    Oakland Athletics slugger Jose Canseco was the first player to display the rare combination of speed and power, when he hit 42 home runs and stole 40 bases in 1988. San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds matched Canseco’s stat line in 1996 with 42 homers and 40 steals. In 1998, Seattle Mariners Alex Rodriguez belted 42 home runs and had 46 stolen bases. Alfonso Soriano was the last player to accomplish the feat when he hit 46 home runs and stole 41 bases for the Washington Nationals in 2006.

    No other member of the 40-40 Club has come close to matching the base-stealing prowess that the 25-year-old Venezuelan has shown in 2023. As of Friday, Acuña has stolen a whopping 68 bases this season, which leads the big leagues.

    The 2018 National League Rookie of the Year and four-time All-Star is making a strong case to claim his first Most Valuable Player award this year. Acuña is sporting a .338 batting average and 101 RBIs to go along with his impressive home run and stolen base totals.

    Acuña’s Braves boast the best record in baseball at 98-55 with the postseason set to start on October 3.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • 2 fans wounded by gunfire during Chicago White Sox game, officials say | CNN

    2 fans wounded by gunfire during Chicago White Sox game, officials say | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    At least two people were wounded by gunfire during a baseball game Friday night at Chicago’s Guaranteed Rate Field, police said.

    A 42-year-old woman is hospitalized in fair condition after suffering a gunshot wound to her leg during a game between the Chicago White Sox and the Oakland Athletics, the Chicago Police Department said in a news release Friday.

    Another 26-year-old woman was grazed in the stomach area and refused medical treatment, police said.

    The circumstances surrounding the shooting were unclear Friday night, but police said, “At no time was it believed there was an active threat.”

    The White Sox released a statement early Saturday saying two fans were “struck by bullets” at the game and wished them a speedy recovery.

    “It is unclear to investigators whether the shots were fired from outside or inside the ballpark,” the team said in the statement posted on social media. “While the police continue to investigate, White Sox security confirms that this incident did not involve an altercation of any kind.”

    CNN has reached out to the White Sox for further comment.

    Attendee Tom Miller said he was sitting two rows behind where the shooting occurred, CNN affiliate WLS reported. And although he said he didn’t hear or see what happened, moments later a woman appeared to be bleeding from the leg.

    “All of a sudden this lady just starts bleeding from the leg,” Miller told WLS. “And all of a sudden, security was there and they kicked us out.”

    After being removed from that section, he returned to his seat about 45 minutes later, Miller said.

    The shooting is under investigation. Chicago Police urged people to come forward with information by contacting the department.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Offseason substitute teacher pitches 7 shutout innings for MLB-best Atlanta Braves | CNN

    Offseason substitute teacher pitches 7 shutout innings for MLB-best Atlanta Braves | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Allan Winans tossed seven shutout innings in the team’s 21-3 win against the New York Mets on Saturday afternoon.

    The 28-year-old right-hander racked up nine strikeouts and picked up his first Major League Baseball win in just his second appearance in the big leagues.

    Winans has been supplementing his minor league salary in the offseason by working as a substitute teacher in his native Bakersfield, California, where he is known as “Mr. W” to his students, according to Braves broadcaster Bally Sports South.

    Winans was a 17th-round draft pick in the 2018 draft; ironically, he was originally selected by the New York Mets.

    “Anytime you get called to the big leagues, it’s pretty special and it’s pretty cool. But getting drafted by those guys, they definitely made me dream of Citi Field, so getting to come here and do it against those guys makes it a little more special,” Winans said after the game.

    “But my job today was to help the Braves win, and that’s what we did, so I was pretty happy with it.”

    “Getting your first ‘W’ in the big leagues is pretty cool no matter what team it is (against),” Winans added.

    Braves’ slugger Matt Olson cracked two home runs in the blowout win to take over the big league lead with 42 long balls this season and drove in 4 runs to pad his big-league-best RBI total of 105.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • He hasn’t played in MLB for more than two decades. One team is paying him $1.2 million a year until 2035 | CNN

    He hasn’t played in MLB for more than two decades. One team is paying him $1.2 million a year until 2035 | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    He hasn’t picked up a professional baseball glove in 22 years but he’s still picking up a paycheck – and a hefty one at that.

    It’s July 1, which for New York Mets fans means it’s Bobby Bonilla Day.

    The former slugger retired in 2001 with the St. Louis Cardinals, but he has been collecting a check of nearly $1.2 million from the Mets every year on July 1 for more than a decade.

    The deal is part of a contract negotiated by Bonilla’s agent Dennis Gilbert, which will pay Bonilla $1,193,248.20 every year until 2035. Bonilla, a former All-Star who last played with the Mets in 1999, will be 72 when his contract with the team expires.

    How was Gilbert able to secure such a sweet deal for his client? They can both thank disgraced financier Bernie Madoff and Mets owner Fred Wilpon.

    The Mets wanted to part ways with Bonilla in 1999, but he had $6 million left on his contract. Wilpon believed he was getting a huge return on his investments through Madoff but the Mets owner turned out to be a victim of Madoff’s infamous Ponzi scheme

    Instead of paying Bonilla outright, Wilpon opted to defer payments so that the money could be unwittingly invested into Madoff’s Ponzi scheme.

    Gilbert negotiated with the team to defer payments until 2011, with an 8% annual interest rate.

    Madoff was the mastermind of the most notorious Ponzi scheme in history. A Ponzi scheme is a form of fraud that uses funds from more recent investors to pay profits to earlier investors, leading them to believe that their investments are part of a successful enterprise.

    Madoff is serving 150 years in prison for the multibillion-dollar scheme that he ran for decades.

    In total, Bonilla will walk away with a $29.8 million payday because of Wilpon’s blunder.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • A college baseball player died after a dugout collapsed on him | CNN

    A college baseball player died after a dugout collapsed on him | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    A 19-year-old college baseball player has died from head injuries after a dugout collapsed on him while he was volunteering in Pennsylvania, according to school officials.

    Angel Mercado, a student and baseball player at Central Penn College, died at Holy Spirit Hospital in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, Wednesday evening, according to a news release from the school.

    Mercado was hurt Monday while volunteering with a youth baseball league unaffiliated with the college, the release said.

    “It is our understanding that he and others were working on a wooden dugout in a city park at 7th and Radnor Streets in Harrisburg as part of a youth baseball league, when the structure unexpectedly collapsed, causing very serious injuries to two volunteers,” said the school.

    Mercado was studying entrepreneurship and small business, according to the release.

    The school also published a letter sent by college president Linda Fedrizzi-Williams.

    “As friends who have become family, we are mourning the heart-wrenching loss of one of our own, a promising young athlete who senselessly lost his life while helping others enjoy the sport he loved so much,” she wrote.

    “No words can adequately express our anguish,” she went on.

    According to the release, counselors will be on staff to support students and staff “during this time of tremendous loss and sadness affecting our community.”

    Cumberland County Coroner Charley Hall told CNN Mercado died from traumatic head injuries at 11:12 p.m. Wednesday night. His manner of death was ruled accidental, according to Hall.

    Robert Stern, head baseball coach at Central Penn, set up a verified GoFundMe for Mercado’s funeral and medical expenses.

    In the fundraiser’s description, Stern remembered Mercado as “a fun-spirited student-athlete who loved the game of baseball.”

    The funds raised will help Mercado’s family cover the costs of his funeral and his medical expenses, according to the GoFundMe page.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Spring training game between Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates ends without umpires | CNN

    Spring training game between Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates ends without umpires | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    Umpires for the spring training preseason game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Pittsburgh Pirates were not fussed about working any overtime on Tuesday as they left the field before the players.

    In fairness to the officials, the game had officially ended when Baltimore’s Josh Lester grounded out to second base at the top of the ninth with the Pirates leading 7-4.

    But due to a prior discussion between Pirates manager Derek Shelton and Baltimore boss Brandon Hyde, the decision was made to keep the players out for the bottom of the ninth in order to give right-hander Ofreidy Gómez some practice against live hitters.

    The game continued without umpires as many supporters started making their way out of the stadium.

    According to MLB, catcher Maverick Handley was given the extra responsibility of calling balls and strikes for the rest of the game.

    “A little backfield action,” Hyde told reporters after the game, per MLB.

    It’s not unheard of for teams to decide to play a little longer during spring training games, but the umpires have no obligation to stick around.

    Clearly not on board with Tuesday’s plan, the officials simply walked off the field after a brief discussion. Perhaps they had dinner reservations?

    It’s yet another bizarre moment in this year’s preseason where players have been getting used to the new regulations brought in to speed up games for 2023.

    They have until the season starts for real on March 30 to get used to the changes and umpires will soon be obliged to stick around until the final pitch to enforce them.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Free-agent shortstop saga ends with Carlos Correa returning to Minnesota Twins | CNN

    Free-agent shortstop saga ends with Carlos Correa returning to Minnesota Twins | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    The free-agent saga surrounding shortstop Carlos Correa has finally come to an end.

    The coveted World Series winner signed a six-year guaranteed contract to return to the Minnesota Twins, the MLB team announced Wednesday.

    The deal is reportedly worth $200 million, according to the salary tracking website Spotrac.

    Minnesota is the third MLB team this offseason with whom the 28-year-old has agreed a massive deal.

    “I’m happy to be here in Minnesota, I’m happy to be a Twin,” Correa told reporters Wednesday.

    “We started something special last year and there is some more work to be done. At the end of the day, we want to bring a championship back to this city. That’s what we’re going to work for from now on.”

    After a lone season in Minnesota, Correa agreed on a 13-year, $350 million contract on December 13 with the San Francisco Giants, according to Spotrac. That deal fell through due to concerns arising from his physical.

    Eight days later, the New York Mets offered the shortstop a 12-year, $315 million deal, per Spotrac. But that deal also fell apart because of his physical.

    In a statement Wednesday, the Mets said: “We were unable to reach an agreement. We wish Carlos all the best.”

    Correa signed with the Twins on a three-year, $105.3 million deal, per Spotrac, in March. He opted out of the final two years in November.

    The Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico native hit .291 with 22 home runs and 64 RBI in 136 games last season.

    Prior to joining the Twins, the 2012 top overall draft pick for the Houston Astros played with the Astros for seven seasons and was named to two All-Star teams in 2017 and 2021.

    Correa was part of Houston’s first World Series title team in 2017. He won his first Gold Glove, which is awarded to the best defender at each position, in 2021.

    The 28-year-old has batted .279 with 155 homers and 553 RBI in eight MLB seasons.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Opinion: He took 4 teams to the MLB Playoffs. The 5th time was the charm | CNN

    Opinion: He took 4 teams to the MLB Playoffs. The 5th time was the charm | CNN

    [ad_1]

    Editor’s Note: Terence Moore is an Atlanta-based national sports columnist and commentator. He’s a CNN sports contributor and a visiting professor of journalism at Miami University in Ohio. Follow him on Twitter @TMooresports and subscribe to his YouTube channel. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. Read more opinion on CNN.



    CNN
     — 

    Before the 2022 World Series, I sent a text to somebody I’ve spent 45 years as a sports journalist covering, first as Major League Baseball player, then as a coach and manager. Over the years, the relationship has evolved into a friendship.

    My text read: “Go Astros! I won’t be there physically at the World Series, but I’ll be there mentally and spiritually cheering for Dusty Baker, along with all the other right-thinking folks.”

    The reply? “Thank you my brother. Dusty.”

    No, thank you, Dusty. You’re an icon, with your ever-present toothpick-in-mouth and wristbands on both arms, exuding charisma just by breathing.

    With your Astros winning 4-1 Saturday night at Minute Maid Park in Houston, you ended this World Series in Game 6 over the Philadelphia Phillies, and showed those facing adversity over the course of years (and years and years) that the answer is perseverance.

    And you proved that a team can win guided by a leader with a positive attitude and a sense of humor – and maybe with the help of a great bullpen, a splendid defense and a slugger like Yordan Alvarez slamming pitches into the other side of the solar system.

    Actually, Alvarez’s three-run homer in the sixth inning traveled only 450 feet over the huge structure behind the center-field fence called the “batter’s eye.” That pushed the Astros from a 1-0 deficit to a 3-1 lead, en route to Baker’s first world championship in his 25th season as a Major League manager.

    No manager in baseball history had won as many career regular season games (2,093) as this 73-year-old eternal optimist, but until Saturday’s win, Baker had never earned a World Series ring.

    He is the only manager to lead five different teams to the playoffs after winning division titles: the San Francisco Giants, the Chicago Cubs, the Cincinnati Reds, the Washington Nationals and the Astros. Most of those Baker-led teams ended their postseason in disaster. Worst of all was 2002, when Baker’s Giants led 5-0 in Game 6 of the best-of-seven World Series against the Anaheim Angels going into the bottom of the 7th, but somehow the Giants failed to win the championship.

    But this time, as Baker stood with others from the Astros organization atop the victory stage, fans still screaming with glee, somebody asked Baker over the PA system if the whole thing had hit him yet.

    “Oh, it’s hit me alright,” the oldest manager ever to win a World Series said, his face beaming with his contagious smile. “It hit me as soon as that ball that (Alvarez) hit over the moon out there. That’s when it hit me.”

    Baker is a devout Christian who surely knows that the Bible is filled with verses counseling patience. When he signed his first Major League contract in 1967 to play outfield for the Atlanta Braves, he was unofficially adopted by future Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron.

    Among other things, Aaron urged Baker to attend church regularly, eat right and never do anything to embarrass himself as a Black man with a high profile. Baker told those stories in the foreword of my book published earlier this year called “The Real Hank Aaron: An Intimate Look at the Life and Legacy of the Home Run King.”

    The late Aaron would be proud of Baker, and so would his late parents, Johnnie Baker Sr. and Christine Baker.

    “My mom and dad taught me perseverance and that you have to believe in yourself,” Baker told Fox Sports after the game.

    In 2017, the Astros won their only other world title – an achievement marred by a scandal over sign-stealing. Major League baseball officials two years later slapped the franchise with a $5 million fine and stripped them of draft picks. The Astros tried to clean up their front office and clubhouse in the aftermath. As part of that effort, they hired Baker, who went from taking the Astros to the American League Championship Series his first season to a second-place finish in last year’s World Series to this: A ring that wasn’t tainted.

    Baker thought about his pre-World Series supporters (including a sports journalist friend), and he said, “There were people of color everywhere I go, and people of non-color. Hey, man. We’re all family.”

    Yes, we are.

    Just sent Baker another text: “Congratulations! Finally!”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • No-hitter thrown for just the second time in World Series history as Astros beat Phillies in Game 4 | CNN

    No-hitter thrown for just the second time in World Series history as Astros beat Phillies in Game 4 | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    For just the second time in World Series history, a no-hitter has been thrown as four Houston Astros pitchers completed the feat against the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday night to win 5-0 and secure their place in baseball lore.

    Cristian Javier started Game 4 in the series for the Astros, tossing six innings of no-hit ball, striking out nine and walking two. He threw 97 pitches before being relieved.

    Bryan Abreu and Rafael Montero each pitched a perfect inning before Ryan Pressly closed out the Phillies in the ninth at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

    With the win, the Astros even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece, scoring all of their runs in the fifth inning.

    Javier told FOX after the game, via a translator, “It’s funny. My parents told me today I was going to throw a no-hitter, and thanks to God, I was able to accomplish that.” Javier, who hails from the Dominican Republic, later told reporters his father arrived in the US yesterday and saw him pitch for the first time.

    Houston manager Dusty Baker said postgame that he was thinking of Javier and protecting his health when deciding to pull him after the sixth, noting Javier’s increasing pitch count and the strength of the Astros’ bullpen.

    “It’s always tough to take a guy out, but you have to weigh the no-hitter and history versus trying to win this game and get back to 2-2 in the World Series,” Baker said.

    The only previous no-hitter in 118 years of World Series history is Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series.

    The Astros now hold the distinction of throwing the first combined no-hitter in postseason history, according to Major League Baseball. The only other no-hitter in postseason history was tossed by Roy Halladay for the Phillies in the 2010 National League Divisional Series.

    Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson noted the Phillies had a no-hitter pitched against them by the New York Mets earlier this year, then won the next day.

    “These guys, they got a short memory. They’re going to go home tonight. They’re going to go to bed and come back in here tomorrow and prep and compete like they always do,” Thomson said.

    This is Houston’s second no-hitter this season. On June 25, Javier, Hector Neris and Pressly combined for one against the Yankees.

    Astros catcher Christian Vazquez said of the Game 4 performance that he did not think of completing the no-hitter until “maybe the last inning” due to the potent Phillies lineup, which slugged their way to a Game 3 victory Tuesday.

    “We’ve not finished the job yet, but this is very, very special for us. And when we get old we’re going to remember this,” Vazquez said.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Philadelphia Phillies advance to the World Series for the first time since 2009 | CNN

    Philadelphia Phillies advance to the World Series for the first time since 2009 | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    The Philadelphia Phillies have advanced to the World Series after defeating the San Diego Padres four games to one in the National League Championship Series. The Phillies won Sunday’s decisive Game 5 by a score of 4-3.

    The Phillies trailed in the eighth inning of the game before slugger Bryce Harper hit a two-run home run, his fifth of the postseason, to put Philadelphia in front. Harper was named NLCS most valuable player after racking up eight hits, five RBIs and two home runs in the series.

    Philadelphia advances to its first World Series since 2009 and looks for its first championship since 2008.

    The Phillies await the winner of the American League Championship Series between the Houston Astros and New York Yankees, which the Astros lead three games to none.

    Philadelphia entered the postseason as the National League’s final wild card team after finishing third place in their division with a regular season record of 87-75.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Bryson Stott got tickets for a Phillies superfan who lost his father | CNN

    Bryson Stott got tickets for a Phillies superfan who lost his father | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Bryson Stott treated a superfan who lost his father to cancer to free National League Champion Series tickets.

    Geoff Crawley, a long-time Phillies fan, couldn’t afford tickets to see the team play in Philadelphia, WCAU-TV reported. But he was determined to watch the team play – so he used airline miles to book a flight from Washington, DC, to San Diego.

    Crawley’s passion for the Phillies started with his father, Skip, who died of cancer in July, according to WCAU. He brought a sweatshirt with a picture of his father to the San Diego game and placed it on the seat beside him.

    And when WCAU reporter John Clark posted a picture of the fan with his touching tribute to his father to Twitter on Wednesday, the story quickly took off, eventually making it to at least one member of the team.

    On Friday, Stott retweeted the image of Crawley, writing, “I would be happy to leave him 2 tickets for this weekend.”

    Crawley’s story was particularly resonant for Stott, who lost a high school friend to leukemia.

    “I mean I hate cancer,” Stott said, according to WCAU reporter John Clark. “Cancer is the worst thing on the planet. For (Geoff) to cheer us on all the way in California and honor his dad was pretty cool.”

    On Twitter, Crawley expressed his gratitude for the shortstop’s kind gesture – and asked Phillies fans to use the hashtag #WinItForSkip to honor his late father.

    “Thanks so much for all the love,” he wrote on Wednesday.

    Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed reporting by WCAU reporter John Clark.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Mariners produce sensational comeback to advance in playoffs | CNN

    Mariners produce sensational comeback to advance in playoffs | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    Seattle Mariners produced a sensational comeback on Saturday to beat Toronto Blue Jays in an MLB playoff game which also featured a violent clash that had Blue Jays’ George Springer carted off the field after he collided with teammate Bo Bichette.

    J. P. Crawford had hit a blooper into shallow center field and as the pair went for the ball, Bichette’s elbow made contact with the back of Springer’s neck.

    Bichette stayed on for the remainder of the game, while Springer departed in the eighth inning.

    After the game, Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider told reporters the 33-year-old was “doing OK.”

    “He’s going to be evaluated for a couple of different things, he said some nice things to his teammates just now,” Schneider said in the post-match press conference. “So, we’ll know more in the next couple of days.”

    Springer’s injury compounded what was an awful night for the Toronto team in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series at Rogers Centre as the Marines came back from a seven-run deficit to advance to the second round.

    According to MLB.com, the comeback was the second-largest in playoff history, the largest for a team on the road and the largest in a series-clinching game.

    The Blue Jays had an 8-1 lead after five innings, but the Mariners tallied four runs in the sixth and four more in the eighth to tie the game at 9-9. Second baseman Adam Frazier doubled in the ninth inning to drive in Cal Raleigh with the winning run.

    The Mariners will next host the Houston Astros in the best-of-five series.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Aaron Judge’s 62nd home run ball is valued in the region of $1-2 million, experts say | CNN

    Aaron Judge’s 62nd home run ball is valued in the region of $1-2 million, experts say | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    As Aaron Judge hit his record-breaking 62nd home run, one fan struck the jackpot.

    The New York Yankees slugger moved clear of Roger Maris’ single-season American League record with his 62nd home run Tuesday, and Cory Youmans – sitting in left field with a front-row seat – was the lucky fan who caught the historic souvenir at Globe Life Field.

    A Dallas resident and Texas Rangers fan, Youmans said he doesn’t know yet whether he’ll keep the ball, and after making the catch – an event that prompted euphoric celebrations – he was escorted from the section of seats by security.

    Should Youmans sell the ball, he could be set for a handsome payday.

    “In the last week or so, our colleagues at Memory Lane auction house have guaranteed to pay the person who catches the ball $2 million,” Bobby Livingston, Executive Vice President of RR Auction, told CNN.

    “With all the publicity and excitement, plus the fact that it’s Aaron Judge of the Yankees, I wouldn’t be surprised if another auction house or sports investment group purchases the ball for $5 million in the current environment of the sports memorabilia market.

    “Assuming that Judge doesn’t play tonight [against the Rangers], this ball will live forever in New York Yankee lore.”

    However, Ken Goldin, the founder of Goldin Auctions, calls the $2 million price tag a “drastic overpay” and “more of a publicity stunt,” instead valuing the ball at $1.25 million.

    “It’s a historic achievement that is boosted by the fact he is a loved player and plays for the New York Yankees,” Goldin told CNN, adding that $1.25 million would make this the second most expensive baseball ever sold.

    In 1999, Mark McGwire’s 70th home run baseball fetched $3 million at auction including commission, at the time making it the most money ever paid for a sports artifact.

    David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, agrees that higher valuations are used as a tool to generate “branding and media coverage” for auctions houses and that Judge’s 62nd home run ball is “more of a $500,000 to $1 million item from an estimated standpoint.”

    “But to be clear,” Hunt told CNN, “I certainly could see a path where it would bring a million or maybe even two if the proper bidders got involved. That’s not impossible.”

    In a statement sent to CNN, Lelands auction house called Judge’s 62nd home run ball “the most valuable baseball hit in recent years … estimated to fetch over seven figures.”

    “It’s just incredible that a $20 baseball can turn into a seven figure ball with one crack of the bat,” the statement added.

    When Judge tied Maris’ record with his 61st home run last week, no fans were able to catch the ball as it fell into the bullpen and was eventually passed along to Judge, who then gave it to his mother.

    Michael Kessler, the 20-year-old fan who caught Judge’s 60th home run, exchanged the ball for a clubhouse meet-and-greet with the Yankees slugger, four signed baseballs and a signed game bat, according to MLB.com.

    “I don’t know where it’s at,” Judge told reporters when asked about the fate of his 62nd home run ball.

    “We’ll see what happens with that. It’d be great to get it back but that’s a souvenir for a fan. They made a great catch out there and they’ve got every right to it.”

    Judge runs the bases in Arlington, Texas, after hitting his 62nd home run of the season.

    Since breaking Maris’ 61-year-old record with his 391-feet drive in the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the Rangers, Judge has received widespread praise – including from President Joe Biden.

    “Congrats @TheJudge44 on home run 62. History made, more history to make,” Biden wrote on Twitter.

    Barry Bonds holds the major league single-season record of 73 home runs, but many have cast doubt on that landmark given he – along with other players of that era – was embroiled in performance-enhancing drug scandals and allegedly used steroids. Bonds has denied those allegations.

    While it remains unclear whether Judge will play Wednesday in the final game of the regular season, he has an outside chance of winning the American League triple crown by leading the circuit in batting average, runs batted in and home runs.

    He is first in home runs and RBIs but trails Minnesota Twins star Luis Arráez in batting average.

    If Judge does play on Wednesday and hits another home run, that would likely alter the value of Tuesday night’s ball.

    “It’s not his final home run ball, it’s not the one that established a new record and thus it’s not nearly as viable,” Hunt explained.

    But there’s also a scenario whereby Youmans’ catch only increases in value.

    “If we go another 15, 20, 30 years and nobody breaks that record, this could end up being a very, very special, historic piece, which would point towards a higher value range,” said Hunt.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Baseball great Alex Rodriguez reflects on steroid abuse, his past with J-Lo | CNN

    Baseball great Alex Rodriguez reflects on steroid abuse, his past with J-Lo | CNN

    [ad_1]

    Editor’s Note: Watch “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?” on CNN TV Sundays at 7pm ET. New episodes with full-length interviews are availble on HBO Max each Friday.



    CNN
     — 

    Baseball great Alex Rodriguez is opening up about mistakes in his personal and professional life, and how they are shaping his growing business empire.

    In an interview on CNN and HBO Max’s “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?”, Rodriguez said the performance-enhancing drug scandal that marred his legacy was “the most embarrassing moment of my career.”

    “The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life was face my daughters Natasha and Ella and tell them this is the mistake that Daddy made,” he told host Chris Wallace

    Rodriguez said that because of the stringent culture of professional baseball, he was denied a happy ending to his otherwise legendary baseball career.

    “I understood my mistake, and I’ve taken full responsibility for it,” he added.

    The 14-time Major League Baseball all-star said he was “bullish” about the future of baseball despite warning signs that viewers are less motivated to watch games.

    Rodriguez, who just last week was passed by Albert Pujols on the MLB’s home run list, says if he were MLB commissioner he would “open the floodgates,” and give fans more access to America’s pastime.

    “We have to be proactive, meaning I would put cameras on guys,” he told Wallace. “The players that are driving to the park, I want to see them at home.”

    Rodriguez wanted coverage to expand so that fans have insight into the clubhouses, batting cages and bullpens.

    The World Series winner also advocated for Major League Baseball to plant its flag on America’s Independence Day, much like the National Football League does with Thanksgiving.

    “If you look at July 4, it’s a wide-open day. There’s no football, there’s no basketball, there’s no soccer,” he said, noting that the MLB should make the Fourth of July “all about baseball.”

    “Every game, we’re going to wire (put a microphone on) these guys and we’re going to have interviews, and everybody is at home watching baseball at a barbecue with their families.”

    Another change that Rodriguez wanted to make to baseball included increasing financial literacy education for players – like teaching them about capital markets, investments and the importance of balancing a checkbook.

    “I read something where it was over 50% of athletes were going bankrupt after their playing days,” Rodriguez said. “That’s a tragedy.”

    In his post-playing career, Rodriguez has turned his own focus to business. He told Wallace his investment firm, A-Rod Corp, is a “mini-Berkshire Hathaway” – referring to the multinational conglomerate owned by billionaire Warren Buffett, who Rodriguez considers a mentor.

    A-Rod Corp is an investment firm that houses his vast real estate holdings, as well as private equity and venture capital investments.

    “If you were to put value in our enterprise, it’s probably somewhere between 1 billion and 2 billion,” Rodriguez told Chris Wallace.

    The former shortstop also discussed his break-up with pop icon Jennifer Lopez. Lopez married actor Ben Affleck in July 2022 after she and Rodriguez ended their multi-year relationship the year prior.

    “With Jennifer, look, it was a good experience. And I wish her and the children – who are smart, and beautiful and wonderful – I wish them the very best,” Rodriguez said.

    Telling CNN’s Chris Wallace that, despite his multiple high-profile relationships, he now feels that his previous relationships and the impact of his 2014 suspension from the MLB have made him “husband material” in the future.

    Wallace asks A-Rod if he thinks he’s ‘good husband material.’ See his response

    “I think I’m going to make a wonderful partner or husband and father post-suspension because of the lessons learned of my biggest mistakes.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link