Black coaches and players say Kansas City Royals’ academy to grow local talent has lost its way

The Urban Youth Academy would have been an ideal place for his all-African American team, the Kansas City Expos, to train for its demanding travel schedule that included tournaments outside the local program.

“I had a team,” said Hall. “We didn’t get to practice down there.”

The Urban Youth Academy facility, owned by the Kansas City Royals, was completed in 2018 just off the main drag of Kansas City’s most historic Black neighborhood.

Hall said, whenever he tried to arrange practice there, he’d go through the application process but was always told the fields were booked.

Then, he and others would see teams from outlying areas practicing there.

“It’s not for the African Americans in the inner-city. For baseball, ...

Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo benched after failing to hustle on the basepaths, per report

Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo was benched during Wednesday’s game after failing to hustle, according to Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe. In turn, Verdugo will not start Thursday’s series finale versus the Cleveland Guardians.

The tipping point occurred during the seventh inning of Wednesday’s game. Verdugo was on first base and the Red Sox were trailing by a 5-2 score when Masataka Yoshida hit a two-out chopper to the right side. The play pulled first baseman Josh Naylor far away from the bag, and at such an angle that it would’ve been difficult for him to toss the ball to the pitcher covering first base in time to record the out.

Alas, Naylor was able to snuff out whatever rally could’ve transpired because Verdugo let off ...

MLB postpones Yankees, Phillies games as Canadian wildfire smoke harms air quality

Major League Baseball has postponed two games on Wednesday night due to air quality being negatively impacted by the Canadian wildfires in Quebec. Yankees vs. White Sox in New York and Phillies vs. Tigers in Philadelphia have both been pushed back and rescheduled to play Thursday. Nationals vs. Diamondbacks in Washington D.C., however, will be played as scheduled.

“These postponements were determined following conversations throughout the day with medical and weather experts and all of the impacted clubs regarding clearly hazardous air quality conditions in both cities,” the league said in an announcement.

Health advisories have been put in place across the Northeast this week with areas like New York City blanketed in smoke from the ...

Rangers ace Jacob deGrom needs Tommy John surgery, will miss rest of 2023 season

Off to the best start in team history, a postseason appearance becomes a more and more realistic probability for the Rangers. That vision, however, no longer includes expected ace Jacob deGrom. At least not for this year.

A follow-up MRI Tuesday confirmed the Rangers’ worst fears about deGrom’s troublesome elbow: There is a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament. He will require Tommy John surgery and will be out until at least until the middle of 2024.

It will extend deGrom’s long stretch of seasons interrupted by injuries to four. He pitched only 92 innings in 2021 with the Mets due to right forearm tightness and only 64 innings last season due to a stress reaction in his right scapula. He has pitched just 30.1 innings in ...

Blue Jays demote Alek Manoah to rookie-level Florida Complex League

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah was optioned Tuesday to the rookie-level Florida Complex League, a demotion designed to help the former ace reset from a nightmare start to the season.

The Blue Jays made the move one day after Manoah lasted just one-third of an inning and allowed six runs in a loss to the Houston Astros. The 2022 American League Cy Young Award finalist is 1-7 with a 6.36 ERA in 13 starts this season.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider acknowledged after Monday’s 11-4 loss that “everything is on the table” in terms of the organization’s options for Manoah, whose demotion came amid a series of roster moves.

Reds call up top prospect Elly De La Cruz, put Nick Senzel on IL

Shortstop Elly De La Cruz, recently ranked as the No. 1 MLB prospect by ESPN, has been called up by the Cincinnati Reds, it was announced Tuesday.

The 6-foot-5 De La Cruz was promoted from Triple-A Louisville and will join the Reds on Tuesday for the team’s series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He takes the roster spot of third baseman Nick Senzel, who was placed on the injured list with a right knee injury.

De La Cruz, with a tantalizing power-speed combination, was named baseball’s top prospect by ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel in his updated rankings last month.

The 21-year-old is hitting .296 with 12 home runs, 11 stolen bases, 36 RBIs and an OPS of 1.031 in 158 at-bats this season. He started the season on the injured list after suffering ...

Bobby Bolin, former Giants pitcher, dead at 84

Bobby Bolin, a former Giants pitcher who was one of the original inductees to the team’s Wall of Fame, died June 2 at 84, according to an online obituary.

A cause of death was not given.

Bolin was a right-handed starter and reliever in the majors for 13 seasons with the Giants, Brewers and Red Sox.

A reliable pitcher, Bolin finished in the top 10 in the National League three times for ERA and twice for shutouts and winning percentage.

“I was never classified as a starter or as a reliever, so I mostly sat on a tarp between the bullpen and the dugout because I didn’t know which one I’d be doing,” he once said.

In 1968, a season known as The Year of the Pitcher, Bolin went 10-5 with a 1.99 ERA in 34 appearances, including 19 ...

Rangers place Jacob deGrom on 60-day IL

DeGrom had already been on the 15-day IL since April 29 with right elbow inflammation. The move means the first day he will be eligible to return is June 28. GM Chris Young couldn’t say that deGrom had a setback in his recovery from the injury, but nor could he say eliminate that. The Rangers will do a second MRI on his elbow on Tuesday to get a better idea.
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“I believe he’s the best pitcher in the world when he’s healthy,” Young said. “When he’s on the mound, it’s just captivating. But we want to proceed cautiously and do what’s right by him. That’s the biggest factor in this move. We want to make sure the inflammation is gone. The [symptoms] have come and gone. He’s had good days and bad. It’s not been ...

Anthony Rendon assault investigation closed with no charges filed | LA Times

Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon will not face charges stemming from an incident with a fan at Oakland Coliseum on March 30. An Oakland Police Department spokesperson said this week, without naming Rendon, the case is closed.

The Police Department investigated a misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor battery, according to a redacted incident report received by The Times. Rendon was not named in the report, but it listed a person wearing an Angels uniform, location and time of the altercation. The police spokesperson also confirmed that no victim ever came forward.

Arraez and Let Us Swing

So let’s get down to it: Can Arraez hit .400?...

In a way, Arraez’s lack of power makes him more susceptible to swings in BABIP than a normal hitter. When Manny was hitting in the .380s at this point in 2001, he was on pace to hit 56 home runs; 19 of his hits were going to be hits no matter what the defense did. Arraez’s BABIP is… huge! It’s enormous! It’s gigantic! That .405 mark is the second-highest BABIP among 161 qualified hitters, and if it stayed that high all season, it would be remarkable. In the past decade, only Yoán Moncada in 2019 has posted a higher BABIP as a qualified hitter in a 162-game season. The only other hitters to break .390 in that time were Tim Anderson that same season and Avisaíl García in 2017. ...

Nestor Cortes Likely To Be Placed On IL With Shoulder Issue

Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes has a shoulder issue and is likely headed for the 15-day injured list, with Bryan Hoch of MLB.com among those to relay word from manager Aaron Boone (Twitter links). Boone hopes that Cortes will only miss one or two starts but the southpaw is undergoing an MRI to determine the exact nature and severity of the issue.

It’s not clear exactly when the issue arose, though Boone says Cortes has been having issues recovering in between his starts. If the club does indeed have to proceed without Cortes, that would obviously not be ideal, but it would perhaps at least lead to an explanation for his diminished results on the season.

Red Sox place Chris Sale on IL with left shoulder inflammation

BOSTON—The Red Sox placed left-hander Chris Sale on the injured list with shoulder inflammation on Friday, another setback for the seven-time All-Star as he attempts to re-establish himself as a reliable member of the rotation.

“It’s just kind of a gut punch,” Sale told reporters before Friday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. “I hate feeling like this. I started having fun playing baseball again. And now, back to not having fun. That sucks.”

Roger Craig, Teacher of an Era-Defining Pitch, Is Dead at 93

Roger Craig, who pitched or managed in five World Series and changed the face of pitching in the 1980s as the guru of the split-fingered fastball, died Sunday. He was 93.
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A lanky 6-foot-4 right-hander who, it was often noted, bore a remarkable resemblance to President Lyndon B. Johnson, Craig pitched in three World Series for the Dodgers in the 1950s and another with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964. In managing the Giants to the 1989 N.L. pennant, he implored his players to hustle with the mantra “Humm baby” and taught his pitchers to throw the split-fingered fastball.

Craig spread the gospel of the split, thrown with the same motion as a traditional fastball but able to confound batters because the pitcher gripped the baseball ...

Marcell Ozuna removed for not hustling in Braves’ 8-5 victory

Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna was removed from Sunday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks for not hustling after hitting a drive to deep center field, manager Brian Snitker confirmed after the game.

In the fourth inning of the Braves’ 8-5 victory, Ozuna smashed a Zac Gallen offering to deep center. He ended up on first base, settling for a 415-foot single because Ozuna stood at home plate and watched the ball reach its destination instead of running right after contact.

Instead of hitting the seats, the ball hit an overhang just below the line that marks a home run. Snitker then replaced him with Sean Murphy in the sixth inning. Murphy went 0-for-3 after entering.

“I guarantee he feels worse than I do for having to ...

Howard Johnson, Al Leiter headline Mets hall of fame class

Howard Johnson and Al Leiter were inducted into the New York Mets hall of fame prior to the team’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.

Johnson played for New York from 1985 through 1993. He ranks third in team history with 202 stolen bases and fourth in homers (192) and RBIs (629). Leiter grew up a Mets fan in New Jersey before pitching for the team from 1998 through 2004.

The 62-year-old Johnson played his first big league game in 1982 for the Detroit Tigers and his last one with the Chicago Cubs in 1995.

“There’s probably not a day goes by that you don’t think about that—being able to play the game that we did when we were 25, play at that level,” Johnson said. “Every time you get out of bed is a reminder that was a long ...

Brewers’ Jon Singleton back in majors for 1st time since ‘15

“It’s been a long journey,” said Singleton, who is starting Saturday’s game and batting sixth vs. the Reds. “Right now, I really can’t even describe my emotions, my feelings. Definitely grateful.”

Singleton, 31, was such a heralded prospect early in his pro career that he signed a $10 million long-term deal with the Houston Astros in 2014 before ever playing a big league game, but off-field issues hampered his development.

Singleton told reporters he learned about his promotion from Nashville Sounds manager Rick Sweet during the ninth inning of Friday’s game.

“When Rick told me, I was just mind-blown, to be honest,” Singleton said. “It was something that came so unexpectedly at that moment. It was definitely a long time coming.”

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Beloved ex-Met Bartolo Colon finally retires from baseball at 50

Bartolo Colon, 50, has officially retired from baseball, Z101’s Hector Gomez reported.

The right-hander, whose Major League career spanned 21 seasons, joined the Mets in 2014 and became a dependable part of the rotation for three seasons.

He threw 31-plus starts each year, with his best statistical season coming in 2016 when he finished 15-8 with a 3.43 ERA and earned his fourth and final All-Star Game selection.

Report: Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg has ‘severe nerve damage’

Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg has “severe nerve damage,” leading to doubts he will ever pitch again, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

Strasburg, 34, was shut down more than a month ago, unable to take part in any rehabilitation, per the report. He had surgery to treat thoracic outlet syndrome and hasn’t pitched in a game since last June.

He has a history of nerve issues.

After an offseason throwing session at Nationals Park in Washington in February, he reported nerve pain in his neck and shoulder. He missed spring training and was put on the 60-day injured list before Opening Day, and although he is eligible to come off, that isn’t in the Nationals’ plans.

He had continued to try to stay in shape by working ...

Aaron Boone’s Rate of Ejections Is Embarrassing ... And Historically Significant

How foolish does Boone look by getting thrown out so often? Boone has been ejected more times in his six years (30) than Dusty Baker has in his 26 years managing (25). He has been ejected more in the past 1​​⅓ seasons (13) than Dave Roberts has in his nine seasons (10). His place on this list says it all:

Boone gets thrown out more often than anybody in the past 62 years. It is crazy that Boone is getting thrown out more often than Weaver did. The Earl of Baltimore feuded so often with umpires he was thrown out of both games of a doubleheader—three times. He was the first manager thrown out of a World Series game. His feud with umpire Ron Luciano was so legendary the AL stopped scheduling Luciano to work Orioles games. When an ...

Hitters Are Losing More Long Plate Appearances

Little change here. So what does this all mean? Well, hitters have the advantage when they put the ball in play on the first or the second pitch, and there’s a massive dropoff once the possibility of a strikeout arises at three pitches. wOBA doesn’t really re-approach average (i.e., a wOBA change of zero) until you get to six pitches, which is where you have a bunch of full counts and hitters who have fouled off a few. Each of the past two years, wOBA has continued rebounding or stayed level through at least nine-pitch PAs. This year, however, the rebound surges at seven pitches and then stops….

This makes me think that it’s less a matter of fatigue and more a matter of focus. Hitters typically have shorter bursts of action than ...

MLB managers should be challenging a lot more in 2023

In 2022, Showalter challenged 33 times and got 26 overturned calls (tied for the most in MLB). That’s 0.20 challenges per game and 0.16 calls per game overturned in the Mets’ favor. Through 55 games in 2023, he has challenged 11 times — also 0.20 challenges per game.

Far more meaningful, however, is that those 11 challenges have resulted in just two calls overturned — 0.04 per game, or one-fourth last year’s rate — tied with Padres manager Bob Melvin, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli and Angels manager Phil Nevin for the fewest successful challenges this year. After finishing last season with the highest success rate, Showalter has the second-lowest success rate this season, and only Melvin has challenged effectively less often.

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The Athletic: After 50 years, is this the San Diego Chicken’s last stand? [$]

There have been high-profile highlights since Y2K — a tee-ball game on the White House lawn early in 2001, West’s record-breaking game — but the Chicken has largely faded from the public consciousness.

For Giannoulas, it’s been a slower time by design. In recent years, he’s found himself anonymously walking the concourse out of costume and noticing all the things he’s missed. “You reflect wistfully,” he says. What would it be like to watch a ballgame instead of performing at one? “I was working these things. I was enjoying it,” he says, but there are also joys to be found outside of work. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that he and Jane got to sit on the grass and watch the fireworks on the Fourth of July. “I ...

OMNICHATTER for June 2023

8 big All-Star voting storylines to follow

3. How many starters for Rays’ dominant offense?

If Franco does earn the nod at shortstop, that might just be the tip of the iceberg for a Rays offense that has been dominant all season.

In addition to Franco, first baseman Yandy Díaz and outfielders Randy Arozarena and Josh Lowe are among the Rays with the most realistic chances of a starting nod. But there’s seemingly no end to the number of Tampa Bay offensive players with strong starts to the season. The Rays had 11 players with at least seven home runs through 50 games, three more such players than any other AL/NL team through 50 games since at least 1906.

If the Rays manage to have four ballot winners, they would be the first team to do so since both the Red Sox and Cubs in ...

Former Los Angeles Dodger Steve Garvey weighs U.S. Senate bid

Former Los Angeles Dodgers icon Steve Garvey is considering running for the open U.S. Senate seat in California as a Republican, a move that would immediately upend the 2024 race, according to several GOP state party insiders and operatives who requested anonymity to discuss the former All-Star’s plans.

The 74-year-old has never held elected office but has been meeting with GOP donors and leaders around the state as he weighs a bid and is expected to make a decision within the next month or so.

Republican strategist Andy Gharakhani, who is advising Garvey, confirmed that the Palm Desert resident is weighing a campaign.

“He is being contacted by leaders up and down the state. They’re recruiting him to run from both sides, ...

Jays pitcher Anthony Bass sorry for posting video endorsing anti-LGBTQ boycotts

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass shared a post on his social media which promoted anti-LGBTQ campaigns, which targeted boycotting Target and Bud Light because of those companies associated with the promotion of Pride campaigns.

Bass took to Instagram stories and shared a video that called on Christians to stop patronizing companies in the United States.

Earlier this month, Target announced it would be removing some of its LGBTQ2S+ merchandise nationwide and moving its Pride merchandise to the back of some southern U.S. stores after receiving backlash from some customers.

The original video posted took directed aim at those companies, saying “Here’s the reason biblically why I believe Christians have got to be boycotting ...

Big Spending Begins To Pay Off For AL West-Leading Rangers

In the 2021-22 season, they spent $500 million combined to revamp their middle infield by signing shortstop Corey Seager (10 years, $325 million) and second baseman Marcus Semien (seven years, $175 million) as free agent.

Yet the Rangers finished with a 68-94 record last season and manager Chris Woodward was fired with 48 games remaining.

The Rangers again made one of the biggest splashes of the past offseason by signing two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom to a five-year, $185-million deal…

While the Rangers wait for DeGrom to get healthy, they have risen to the top of the AL West on the strength of a relentless offense. Texas is averaging an MLB-best 6.33 runs a game with right fielder Adolis Garcia helping lead the charge ...

Diamond Sports Group fails to pay Padres, loses broadcast rights

Diamond Sports Group has decided not to pay the San Diego Padres their latest rights fee, a monumental development that will revert the team’s broadcasting rights to Major League Baseball and establish precedent for an uncertain, rapidly evolving landscape.

Diamond, the Sinclair subsidiary that operates under the name Bally Sports, skipped its payment to the Padres a couple of weeks ago and had until the end of its grace period on Tuesday to make the team whole and maintain their long-term agreement. Choosing not to meant Tuesday’s game against the Miami Marlins was the last Padres game under the Bally Sports umbrella. Moving forward—starting Wednesday, continuing through the end of the season and resuming in perpetuity—MLB will air ...

Red Sox will host first scheduled doubleheader since 1978 this Sat.; here’s why

But scheduled doubleheaders over the course of a normal, 162-game schedule? Those are true rarities. In fact, research by the Red Sox indicates that it’s been 45 seasons since the team last had a doubleheader planned from the start of the season. The last scheduled doubleheader took place at Fenway on Aug. 30, 1978 against the Toronto Blue Jays. That was the fourth of four doubleheaders at Fenway that historic season.

On Saturday, that’s going to change, however, when the Red Sox host the Tampa Bay Rays in a day-night, separate-admission doubleheader at Fenway. The first game will begin at 1:10 p.m, with the second getting underway at 6:10 p.m. It’s an experimental move, one that two other franchises (Philadelphia and Colorado) are ...

It’s Not Your Imagination: A Lot of Relievers Are Really Good Now

First, let’s look at velocity. Over half of the pitchers on the list sit above the major league average fastball speed of 93.8 mph. It’s not a guarantee that each of them will hold that velo throughout their careers, but an impressive number meet a minimum threshold to be above average by big league standards. Ten can reach back for triple digits, and that doesn’t even include the guys in the higher FV tiers. Of the 81 plus or better pitches among the 35+ FV guys, about half are fastballs, but an impressive 39 are breaking balls, 31 of which are sliders. Pitchers throw about twice as many sliders as they did when the pitch tracking era began in 2008, and the fact that so many pitchers can throw one at a high level is certainly a ...