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Al Arabiya
41 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Ichiro Suzuki adds humorous touches to hall of fame induction ceremonies
If you want someone for your next celebrity roast, Ichiro Suzuki could be your guy. Mixing sneaky humor with heartfelt messages, the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame stole the show Sunday in Cooperstown. Morning showers and gloomy skies delayed the ceremonies by an hour, but the moisture gave way to bright skies and warm temperatures. The sun seemed its brightest during Suzuki's acceptance speech. The outfielder was joined by pitcher CC Sabathia, also elected in his first year of eligibility, and closer Billy Wagner, who made it in his final try on the writers ballot. Suzuki fell one vote shy of being a unanimous selection, and he took a jab at the unidentified sports writer who didn't vote for him. 'Three thousand hits or 262 hits in one season are two achievements recognized by the writers. Well, all but one,' Suzuki said to roaring laughter. 'By the way, the offer for the writer to have dinner at my home has now expired,' he added with emphasis on 'expired' for good measure. A pair of Era Committee selections rounded out the Class of 2025: Dave Parker, who earned the nickname 'Cobra' during 20 big league seasons, and slugger Dick Allen. Parker died June 28, just a month before he was to be inducted. An estimated 30,000 fans crowded onto the field adjacent to the Clark Sports Center, sun umbrellas and Japanese flags sprinkled around. Suzuki's No. 51 was seemingly everywhere as fans, thousands of them Seattle Mariners boosters who made the trek from the Pacific Northwest, chanted 'Ichiro' several times throughout the day. A sign that read 'Thank You Ichiro! Forever a Legend' in English and Japanese summed up the admiration for Suzuki on his special day. With 52 returning Hall of Famers on hand, Suzuki paid homage to his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his adoring fans by delivering his 18-minute speech in English. His humor, a surprise to many, delighted the crowd. He threw shade at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career. 'Honestly, when you guys offered me a contract in 2015, I had never heard of your team,' Suzuki joked. He kidded that he showed up at spring training every year with his arm already in shape just to hear Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs scream, 'Holy smokes! Another laser-beam throw from Ichiro!' He even took a moment for some tongue-in-cheek modesty. 'People often measure me by my records. Three thousand hits. Ten Gold Gloves. Ten seasons of 200 hits. Not bad, huh?' Suzuki said to more laughs. He thanked his late agent, Tony Anastasio, 'for getting me to America and for teaching me to love wine.' But he also took time to get to the root of what made him extraordinary. 'Baseball is much more than just hitting, throwing, and running. Baseball taught me to make valued decisions about what is important. It helped shape my view of life and the world. … The older I got, I realized the only way I could get to play the game I loved to the age of 45 at the highest level was to dedicate myself to it completely,' he said. 'When fans use their precious time to see you play, you have a responsibility to perform for them, whether you are winning by 10 or losing by 10. Baseball taught me what it means to be a professional, and I believe that is the main reason I am here today. I could not have achieved the numbers without paying attention to the small details every single day, consistently for all 19 seasons.' Now he's reached the pinnacle, overcoming doubters, one of whom said to him: 'Don't embarrass the nation.' He's made his homeland proud. 'Going into America's Baseball Hall of Fame was never my goal. I didn't even know there was one. I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001, but being here today sure feels like a fantastic dream.' Sabathia thanked 'the great players sitting behind me, even Ichiro who stole my Rookie of the Year award (in 2001).' He paid homage to Parker and spoke about Black culture in today's game. 'It's an extra honor to be a part of Dave's Hall of Fame class. He was a father figure for a generation of Black stars. In the 80s and early 90s, when I first started watching baseball and Dave Parker was crushing homers, the number of Black players in the major leagues was at its highest – about 18 percent. Me and my friends played the game because we saw those guys on TV, and there was always somebody who looked like me in a baseball uniform. Baseball has always been a great game for Black athletes, but baseball culture has not always been great to Black people. I hope we're starting to turn that around. I don't want to be the final member of the Black aces, a Black pitcher to win 20 games. And I don't want to be the final Black pitcher giving a Hall of Fame speech.' Wagner urged young players to treat obstacles not as roadblocks but steppingstones. 'I wasn't the biggest player. I wasn't supposed to be here. There were only seven full-time relievers in the Hall of Fame. Now there are eight because I refused to give up or give in,' he said. Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes (99.7 percent) from the Baseball Writers Association of America. Sabathia was picked on 342 ballots (86.8 percent), and Wagner on 325 (82.5 percent), which was 29 votes more than the 296 needed for the required 75 percent. After arriving in the majors in 2001, Suzuki joined Fred Lynn (1975) as the only players to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Suzuki was a two-time AL batting champion and 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove outfielder, hitting .311 with 117 homers, 780 RBIs, and 509 stolen bases with Seattle, the New York Yankees, and Miami. He is perhaps the best contact hitter ever, with 1,278 hits in Nippon Professional Baseball and 3,089 in MLB, including a season-record 262 in 2004. His combined total of 4,367 exceeds Pete Rose's major league record of 4,256. Sabathia, second to Suzuki in 2001 AL Rookie of the Year voting, was a six-time All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and a World Series title in 2009. He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, third among left-handers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton during 19 seasons with Cleveland, Milwaukee, and the New York Yankees. A seven-time All-Star, Wagner was 47-40 with a 2.31 ERA and 422 saves for Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Mets, Boston, and Atlanta. Tom Hamilton and Tom Boswell were also honored during Hall of Fame weekend. Hamilton has been the primary radio broadcaster for the Cleveland Guardians franchise for 35 seasons and received the Ford C. Frick Award. Boswell, a retired sports columnist who spent his entire career with The Washington Post, was honored with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award.
Al Arabiya
41 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Angels star Mike Trout joins the 1,000-rbi club with a 'big-time blast'
ANAHEIM, Calif. – One swing of the bat was more than enough for Mike Trout to deliver a reminder about his impact on baseball. The Angels star hit a massive homer to center field on Sunday to move past 1000 RBIs in his career – a two-run shot that helped Los Angeles beat the Seattle Mariners 4-1. 'It takes your teammates to get on base and after the game that was one of the things I pointed out,' Trout said of a clubhouse toast that included whiskey and words of appreciation. 'None of this is possible without my teammates. It's been fun.' Now with 1001 RBIs, another Trout milestone is around the corner as the three-time American League MVP reached 397 home runs with his fifth-inning drive that traveled an estimated 443 feet. 'He couldn't have drawn it up any better, putting a big-time blast like that to center field,' said Jo Adell, Trout's successor in center. 'I'm honored to be able to start my career here and play with him and just see the evolution of him.' Trout has struggled to stay on the field in recent years, with a bone bruise in his left knee forcing him to miss a month this year. He has played designated hitter since his return after starting the season in right field. He was batting just .200 with one home run in nine games since the All-Star break, but he showed Sunday he can still deliver after 1598 games over 15 seasons. 'Every time we talk about Mike, even 75 percent of Mike is better than most people who have ever played the game,' Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery said. 'He's going to through ups and downs just like everybody else and his are more magnified because of who he is.' It was a day of exploits for the Angels veterans as Kyle Hendricks picked up win No. 103 by allowing two hits over six-plus innings and Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 465th save. Trout has 19 homers, his most since hitting 40 in 2022. He also joined Garrett Anderson and Tim Salmon as the only players to record their first 1000 RBIs exclusively with the Angels. 'When guys are here that long and what they mean to the club, it's pretty special to be in that group,' Trout said of Anderson and Salmon, who now work with the Angels broadcast team. 'They had unbelievable careers in an Angels uniform and when you're in the same conversation with them, it's pretty special.'
Al Arabiya
41 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Tomoyuki Sugano throws 6 sharp innings, Tyler O'neill homers again to help Orioles beat Rockies
Tomoyuki Sugano pitched six innings of four-hit ball, Tyler O'Neill homered in a third straight game, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Colorado Rockies 5-1 on Sunday. Dylan Carlson drove in two runs for the Orioles, who followed Saturday night's 18-0 blowout with a more conventional victory in the deciding matchup of a three-game series between last-place clubs. Sugano (8-5) gave up one run, walked two, and matched his career high with eight strikeouts. The 35-year-old righty, who signed a one-year contract with Baltimore in December, could be headed to a contender before Friday's trade deadline. Although he was impressive on Sunday, Sugano has yielded 21 homers in 20 games and had a 7.88 ERA over his previous seven starts. Alex Bregman hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth inning, and Boston hung on to beat Los Angeles for a series win. Rookie Roman Anthony added an RBI triple for the Red Sox, who captured their first series since the All-Star break. Boston had a 10-game winning streak entering the break. Boston closer Aroldis Chapman walked off the mound with an apparent injury in the eighth inning. In to face the top of the Dodgers order, his velocity was noticeably down to the mid-90 mph on his fastball instead of the high 90s to low 100s. Michael Conforto hit a solo homer and had two doubles for the Dodgers. Paul Skenes struck out nine and gave up three hits in six innings. Oneil Cruz and Ke'Bryan Hayes drove in two runs each, and Pittsburgh shut out Arizona for the second straight game. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Skenes (6-8) is the first pitcher to have an ERA below 2 through his first 45 starts. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year sits at 1.89 for his career and 1.83 this year, which leads the majors. Skenes is the only starter this season who hasn't allowed a first-inning run. He struck out two in the first, including Geraldo Perdomo, who hadn't fanned in a league-best 39 straight at-bats. Gallen (7-12) allowed four runs on five hits in six innings. Arizona scored one run in the three-game series, winning 1-0 in 11 innings Friday night. Ryan McMahon sparked a comeback with a tying two-run double in a four-run second inning against Zack Wheeler, and New York beat Philadelphia to salvage the finale of a three-game series. Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto made a spectacular leaping grab and tag of Cody Bellinger at the plate for an inning-ending double play that denied the Yankees a run in the third. Austin Wells hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly, and Trent Grisham an RBI single against Wheeler (9-4), who tied his career high with three hit batters – including two in a row in the second. Rookie Otto Kemp had his first big league multi-homer game, and Nick Castellanos also went deep as the Phillies hit three solo shots off Carlos Rodón (11-8), who allowed four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Jonathan Loáisiga, Luke Weaver, Tim Hill, and Devin Williams combined for one-hit shutout relief, with Williams striking out two in a perfect ninth for his 16th save in 17 chances. Yankees relievers entered with a big league-worst 7.11 ERA since June 28. New York stopped a three-game slide, ended a sloppy streak of five straight games with errors. Brady Singer took a shutout into the eighth inning, and Cincinnati beat Tampa Bay for its fourth straight victory. Singer (8-8) left after allowing Taylor Walls' one-out homer in the eighth. The right-hander gave up three hits and a walk and struck out eight in his longest outing of the season. Tony Santillan got the final two outs in the eighth. Emilio Pagán pitched the ninth for his 22nd save in 25 opportunities. Rays starter Shane Baz (8-7) gave up singles to TJ Friedl and Matt McLain leading off the first. Baz struck out Elly De La Cruz on three pitches, but Friedl scored from second on an infield hit by Austin Hays. McLain and Hays pulled off a double steal before McLain scored on Gavin Lux's groundout for a 2-0 lead. Baz gave up two runs on five hits in five innings – losing his fourth straight start. Tampa Bay has lost four straight and 10 of 13 to fall to 53-53. Jack Flaherty pitched six scoreless innings, Gleyer Torres hit a three-run homer, and Detroit ended a six-game losing streak with a victory over Toronto. Detroit had lost 12 of its past 13 games. Toronto fell to 8-2 since the All-Star break. Flaherty (6-10) allowed a double and four singles. He struck out seven and walked one to end a seven-start winless streak. Max Scherzer (1-1), pitching on his 41st birthday, fell to 2-3 in five career starts against his former team. He allowed three hits in seven innings, including Torres' homer, and struck out 11 without issuing a walk. The Tigers put the game away with seven runs in the eighth inning, including six with two out. Toronto scored four runs in the ninth off reliever Luke Jackson, who was making his Tigers debut. Bo Bichette had five of Toronto's 10 hits, extending his on-base streak to 19 games. Noah Cameron escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first before tossing five innings of three-hit ball. Maikel Garcia homered for the second time in three games, and Kansas City beat Cleveland. Garcia finished with two RBIs, and Vinnie Pasquantino and Luke Maile also drove in runs, while the Kansas City bullpen allowed only Gabriel Arias' homer amid four hits over the final four innings. Carlos Estévez worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for his 27th save. Cameron (5-4) was stingy after the first when Steven Kwan, Angel Martínez, and José Ramírez began the game by loading the bases with nobody out. Cameron rebounded to retire David Fry, Carlos Santana, and Arias, then allowed only two baserunners in the next four innings. He also struck out six in another dominant performance. The 26-year-old left-hander from nearby St. Joseph, Missouri, lowered his ERA to 2.44 and has not lost a game since June 27. Joey Cantillo (2-1) lasted only four innings for Cleveland on a hot, humid day in Kansas City. He allowed three runs and three hits and four walks while striking out four in his fifth start since joining the Guardians rotation. Cantillo had twice faced Kansas City in relief this season, retiring all six he faced and striking out four of them. Miguel Andujar and Shea Langeliers homered in the first inning. J.T. Ginn threw six shutout innings, and the Athletics beat Houston to sweep the four-game series. Starting in the leadoff spot for the first time in his nine-year career, Andujar homered on Colton Gordon's fifth pitch. With two out, Langeliers sent a 3-0 fastball over the train tracks in left for his 17th home run of the season. Langeliers has homered in three straight games for the first time in his career. He went 2 for 4 with two runs. Ginn (2-2) held the Astros to three hits in his longest start of the season. He struck out four without issuing a walk. Colby Thomas went 1 for 2 with a double and the first RBI of his major league career. CJ Abrams hit a leadoff homer, stole three bases, and scored three runs as Washington beat Minnesota. Nationals starter Jake Irvin (8-5), a Twin Cities native pitching at Target Field for the first time, gave up two runs on five hits over seven innings. Josh Bell went 3 for 4 with an RBI. Matt Wallner homered, and Harrison Bader had two hits for Minnesota, which has lost six of nine since the All-Star break. Daylen Lile tripled and scored on Paul DeJong's sacrifice fly in the fourth to put the Nationals on top 3-2. Washington broke it open with four runs in the fifth off Travis Adams (1-1), keyed by Alex Call's two-run single. Abrams hit the first pitch of the game from Twins opener Cole Sands for his 14th home run of the season. Ben Brown pitched five effective innings, Pete Crow-Armstrong drove in two runs, and the Chicago Cubs topped the Chicago White Sox. Nico Hoerner added two hits and a key defensive play as the Cubs won the rubber game in the weekend set. The North Siders went 5-1 in the season series against the South Siders. The Cubs (62-43) remained tied with Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central. They open a three-game series against the Brewers on Monday night. Andrew Benintendi homered twice and drove in four runs for the White Sox (38-68), who finished with three errors. Brown (5-7) got his first win since June 17. The right-hander went 1-4 with an 8.10 ERA in his previous five appearances. Blake Perkins singled home the winning run in the ninth inning as Milwaukee rallied to beat Miami. Milwaukee erased a 2-1 deficit by scoring in each of the final two innings to avoid the sweep. The Brewers have been swept just once in their opening series of the season at Yankee Stadium. The Brewers remain tied for first in the NL Central with the Chicago Cubs, who come to Milwaukee for a three-game series beginning Monday. The Cubs beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on Sunday. Eric Haase hit a one-out bloop single to center off Cade Gibson (2-5) in the ninth and advanced to third on Brice Turang's broken-bat double down the left-field line. Gibson intentionally walked Jackson Chourio to load the bases. Perkins then lofted a 3-2 pitch well over the head of center fielder Dane Myers. Perkins had scored the tying run in the eighth after entering as a pinch-runner, stealing second, and coming home on Andrew Vaughn's two-out ground-rule double off Ronny Henriquez. Manny Machado went 4 for 5 with two doubles and three RBIs one day after twice being hit by pitches, and San Diego breezed to a victory over St. Louis to split a four-game series. Fernando Tatis Jr. led off with a walk from Michael McGreevy (2-2) and advanced to third on a single by Luis Arraez. Machado doubled in Tatis, and Arraez scored on a throwing error by center fielder Victor Scott II for a 2-0 lead three batters into the game. Machado added a two-run double to cap four-run fourth for a 7-0 lead. Tatis had two of San Diego's 16 hits and scored three runs. Arraez went 3 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored. Xander Bogaerts hit his seventh homer – a solo shot off Andre Granillo in the seventh – and Jackson Merrill had a run-scoring infield hit off John King in the eighth to cap the scoring. Rookie Stephen Kolek (4-5) allowed four hits and two runs – on Alec Burleson's 13th homer – in six innings. He hadn't won since beating the Marlins 8-6 on May 27. McGreevy gave up seven runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander has been called up from Triple-A Memphis five times this season to make his five starts. San Diego is 5-5 since the All-Star break, while St. Louis has gone 3-7. Josh Smith hit a two-run home run, Wyatt Langford had a bases-clearing double, and surging Texas piled up eight runs in the first three innings in a victory over struggling Atlanta. Josh Jung added a two-run single to help the Rangers sweep the three-game series. Rookie Jack Leiter (7-6) set a career high with 100 pitches and matched a career mark with seven strikeouts. He allowed a run on two hits and three walks over six innings. Texas (56-50) has won six straight games, going six games over .500 for the first time since April 6. The Rangers are four games out of first place in the AL West gaining seven games since July 8 and are a half-game out of a wild-card spot. Atlanta starter Bryce Elder (4-7), who grew up about an hour's drive northwest of Arlington in Decatur, gave up all eight runs. The Braves (44-60) managed only four hits in dropping their fifth straight. Having played in the last seven postseasons, they're 12 games out of a wild-card position. Mike Trout hit a two-run homer in a four-run fifth inning to reach 1000 career RBIs, and Los Angeles beat Seattle. Kyle Hendricks (6-7) gave up one run on two hits over six-plus innings, and Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 18th save as the Angels earned a split of the four-game series. Cal Raleigh hit his major league-leading 41st home run for the Mariners. The Angels broke a scoreless tie when Kevin Newman's grounder brought home Travis d'Arnaud in the fifth. Luis Rengifo then scored on Logan Gilbert's wild pitch. Trout crushed a 443-foot drive to center field off Gilbert to give him 1001 RBIs. It was his 397th career homer and 19th this season. Raleigh connected against Hendricks in the seventh, his second home run in two nights and fourth this year against Los Angeles. Hendricks who had one walk and three strikeouts won for the first time since June 17. Gilbert (3-4) gave up four runs and three hits over five innings with seven strikeouts.
