Big Papi elected to HOF; Bonds, Clemens, Schilling left out
David Ortiz was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first turn on the ballot, while steroid-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were denied entry to Cooperstown in their final year under consideration by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
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Texans QB’s sex assault cases highlight concerns amid #MeToo
Lawyers fighting sexual assault allegations against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson face a predicament: Defending their client means working to discredit the claims of 22 women who are more likely to be believed four years into the #MeToo movement.
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Mad Bum gets opener for D-backs; Kluber is Yanks' No. 2
He was 2-1 with a 6.35 ERA in three spring starts, including allowing six earned runs against Cincinnati on Friday. Alec Bohm had two hits, including his fourth double. AdFreddie Freeman had two hits, including a double and his first homer — a two-run shot in the sixth. Victor Robles had three hits, including his sixth double, with an RBI, and Kyle Schwarber doubled and walked three times. Adalberto Mondesi singled and homered and Jorge Soler had two hits, including a double.
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Could more Hall of Fame shutouts be on the horizon?
The baseball Hall of Fame wont have any new players in the class of 2021 after voters decided no one had the merits on-the-field or off for enshrinement in Cooperstown on this year's ballot. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)It could be a while before the Baseball Writers' Association of America votes anyone new into the Hall of Fame. AdSchilling wrote on Facebook that he has asked the Hall of Fame to remove his name from next year’s ballot. LAST CHANCEBonds and Clemens have one more year on the writers' ballot, and Schilling does, too, unless the Hall abides by his request for removal. OTHER AVENUESEven if the BBWAA doesn't vote anyone in next year, there's still a chance someone will be elected by one of the Eras Committees, which consider players no longer eligible for the BBWAA vote.
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Baseball Hall gets no new members; Schilling 16 votes shy
Like many baseball writers, C. Trent Rosecrans viewed the Hall of Fame vote as a labor of love. Schilling, a right-handed ace who won three World Series titles, finished 16 votes short of the 75% threshold necessary for enshrinement. Schilling, Clemens and Bonds will be joined on next year's ballot by sluggers Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz. Schilling wrote on Facebook that he would like the veterans committee to review his Hall case. “I’ll defer to the veterans committee and men whose opinions actually matter and who are in a position to actually judge a player,” Schilling wrote.
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'No Hard Feelings': Patriots fans still rooting for Brady
Football fan Brian Pope browses for Tom Brady jerseys in the pro shop at Gillette Stadium, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, in Foxborough, Mass. Tom Brady is going to the Super Bowl for the 10th time, and New England Patriots football fans are cheering for him -- just like before. “I’ll be watching, and I’ll be rooting for Brady,” Pope said as he eyed a rack of the quarterback’s Patriots and Michigan Wolverines jerseys in the Gillette Stadium pro shop on Monday afternoon. So he drove up from Connecticut to see if the Patriots Pro Shop had any Brady Buccaneers gear in stock. At 6 years old, he had never known a Patriots season without Brady as the quarterback, or without a trip to the playoffs.
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Character concerns go beyond PEDs in this Hall of Fame vote
Like many baseball writers, C. Trent Rosecrans viewed the Hall of Fame vote as a labor of love. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)Like many baseball writers, C. Trent Rosecrans viewed the Hall of Fame vote as a labor of love. Ken Rosenthal, Rosecrans’ colleague with The Athletic, began a recent column this way: “I hate my Hall of Fame ballot. So it remains up to the voters to decide how they’ll weigh off-field issues when evaluating Hall of Fame candidates. Lynn Henning, a former columnist for the Detroit News, understands what makes some of these candidates objectionable — but he doesn’t think the Hall of Fame vote is the right forum for holding them accountable.
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Reaction to the death of Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford
FILE - In this Oct. 8, 1960 file photo, New York Yankees pitcher Whitey Ford throws against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the third World Series game at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo, File)Reaction to the death of Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford, the ace of the mighty New York Yankees teams in the 1950s and ’60s. Obviously, a great pitcher. They never say Whitey Ford. It’s Whitey Ford.
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No debate: Judge, Yankees pound Bieber, Indians in opener
(AP Photo/David Dermer)CLEVELAND – On a night for debates, Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees made quite an opening statement. "I wish I would have been with my off-speed stuff in the zone, and challenged those guys a little more. Staked to an early lead on Judge's homer, Cole showed why the Yankees shelled out $324 million for him in the offseason. Cole's strikeouts were the second-most by a New York pitcher in postseason history. Judge's first homer since coming off the injured list on Sept. 16 — and the first allowed by Bieber at home this season — gave the Yankees a stunning 2-0 lead.
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Freeman's 2-run HR lifts Braves to sweep of slumping Yankees
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)ATLANTA The Atlanta Braves have renewed hopes their starting pitching can carry them through the second half of a shortened season. The second game of the twinbill was Judge's first since being activated from the injured list, and he left in the middle of the sixth inning. In the opener, Ian Anderson dazzled in his big league debut, holding the Yankees hitless into the sixth inning and ending Gerrit Coles 20-game winning streak as the Braves won 5-1. Masahiro Tanaka was dominant, allowing only three hits in five scoreless innings as he left the second game with a 1-0 lead. It was Acua's longest homer and the longest by any Braves batter at Truist Park, which opened in 2017.
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LEADING OFF: Virus, Gulf Coast storm force sked shuffling
The Washington Nationals play the New York Mets during the third inning of a baseball game at Citi Field Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020, in New York. Michael Conforto and the Mets will start making up the misses this week. The Astros, meanwhile, have reshuffled their series against Mike Trout and the Angels because of Tropical Storm Laura. Chatwood is lined up to start the game at Detroit and Quintana will begin his return in the bullpen. Their weekend series at Citi Field was wiped out when two members of the Mets organization tested positive for the virus.
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LEADING OFF: Cole goes for 21st in row, Tigers' Mize debuts
New York Yankees' Gerrit Cole delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, in New York. Cole hasnt lost a decision in the regular season since May 22, 2019, against the White Sox while with Houston. FRESH STRIPESThe Tigers will debut another prized pitching prospect when Casey Mize starts against the White Sox. STREAKINGCorey Seager and the Dodgers have won seven in a row and own the best record in the majors at 18-7. ... Alex Bregman and the Astros have won a season-high six straight after beating Colorado 2-1 at Muinute Maid Park.
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Cole posts 20th straight regular-season win, Yanks top Bosox
New York Yankees' Gerrit Cole delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK Gerrit Cole posted his 20th straight regular-season win, becoming the sixth pitcher to ever reach the mark by throwing seven sharp innings to lead the New York Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 10-3 Friday night. New York also beat Boston for the seventh straight time and is 12-1 at home against the Red Sox since the start of last season. The Red Sox also lost to the Yankees for the 12th time in the past 13 meetings since July 28, 2019. Yankees: LHP James Paxton (0-1, 7.84 ERA) starts Saturday.
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LEADING OFF: Marlins home at last, Cole seeks 20th straight
FILE - This is a July 4, 2020, file photo showing the Miami Marlins running drills during a baseball workout at Marlins Park in Miami. Marlins Park will have a new look for its 2020 season debut Friday, thanks to cozier dimensions and a switch to artificial turf. Also, there will be a first-place team in the home dugout when the Marlins (8-4) host Atlanta. Miamis season was suspended for a week and the schedule scrambled, including the postponement of eight games at Marlins Park. The Cardinals season has been derailed by the coronavirus.
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LEADING OFF: Cole goes for 20th win in row, Cubs-Cards off
New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole delivers during the second inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)A look at what's happening in the majors on Saturday:RED-HOT COLEGerrit Cole tries for his 20th straight regular-season win when he pitches for the Yankees at Tampa Bay. Cole is 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA in three starts since signing a $324 million, nine-year contract with New York. Cole lost the World Series opener last year when Washington beat the Astros. Paul Goldschmidt and the Cards have been off since a week ago Friday, when two players returned positive coronavirus tests.
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Cole just misses 20th reg-season win in row, Yanks beat Rays
With two outs and a runner on, Cole had a 1-2 count on Ji-Man Choi, who came back to hit an RBI double. Jose Martinez followed with a two-run homer on the 107th pitch from a clearly tiring Cole. Cole was bidding to tie Roger Clemens, Jake Arrieta and Rube Marquard for the third-longest streak ever. His only loss since May 2019 came in Game 1 of the World Series last October, pitching for Houston against Washington. ... Rays C Mike Zunino was mired in an 0 for 23 slide before doubling off Cole during the fifth.
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Phillies return from layoff, lose to Cole and Yankees 6-3
Cole (3-0) allowed one run and five hits, struck out four and walked one on 91 pitches. The major league-best Yankees have won seven straight the equivalent of a 19-game spurt over a 162-game season. Because of Tuesdays postponement, the Phillies planned to return home after the game without having checked into their hotel. ... Closer Aroldis Chapman is to throw a bullpen in Scranton on Tuesday or Wednesday in his return from COVID-19. Happ (0-0) had been scheduled to start for the Yankees on Tuesday and RHP Aaron Nola (0-1) for the Phillies.
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1st 60: How MLB standouts fared in what will equal full 2020
After 60 games this year, it will already be time to determine who wins those awards. Only one Cy Young winner over the past 20 seasons has had more than the nine wins Verlander had after 60 games last year. Mauer and Morneau have the highest and lowest batting averages for any MVP through 60 games since 2000. In 2008, nine years after Chipper Jones was the NL MVP, he was hitting .409 through Atlanta's first 60 games. Williams hit .406, only one point lower than he was through Boston's first 60 games that season.
Derek Jeter among 18 newcomers on Hall of Fame ballot
FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2019, file photo, Miami Marlins CEO Derek Jeter smiles as he speaks during a news conference in Miami. Derek Jeter is among 18 newcomers on the 2020 Hall of Fame ballot, announced Monday, Nov. 18, 2019, and is likely to be an overwhelming choice to join former New York Yankees teammate Mariano Rivera in Cooperstown after the reliever last year became the first unanimous pick by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)NEW YORK, NY Derek Jeter is among 18 newcomers on the 2020 Hall of Fame ballot. Other newcomers announced Monday by the BBWAA include Cliff Lee, Josh Beckett, Jason Giambi, Paul Konerko, Rafael Furcal, Bobby Abreu and Alfonso Soriano. Players remain on the ballot for up to 10 years, provided they receive at least 5 percent of the vote annually.