MLB legend Dave Parker dies at 74: See the two-time World Series champion
MLB legend Dave Parker dies at 74: See the two-time World Series champion
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Fox News
37 minutes ago
- Fox News
Nationals' James Wood becomes 1st player to receive 4 intentional walks since Barry Bonds
Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood entered Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Angels with 22 home runs and was looking for more when he was up at the plate. However, Angels pitchers decided to pitch around him for the most part. Wood had six plate appearances and was intentionally walked four times. It was the first time a batter was intentionally walked four times in a game since Barry Bonds in 2004. The only others to be intentionally walked four times in a game since at least 1955 were Roger Maris, Garry Templeton, Manny Ramirez and Andre Dawson, who received five intentional walks in May 1990. Wood did go 1-for-2 with a stolen base. The Nationals defeated the Angles, 7-4, in 11 innings. Wood has been one of the better players for the Nationals since he entered the league in 2024. He had 31 home runs and 105 RBI with a .274 batting average and a .863 OPS, according to his 162-game average. His numbers have been compared to Juan Soto and Bryce Harper. "Those are some of the best guys to put on a jersey," he said Saturday, via ESPN. "I definitely strive to be guys like that. They've been doing it -- Juan Soto for seven-plus years and Bryce Harper for 12-plus years -- I know I got a long way to go, but it's definitely cool." More importantly, Wood has to help get Washington back into the winning column. Despite the win against the Angels, the Nationals only improved to 35-49. Washington hasn't won more than 80 games since 2019 – the same year Washington won the World Series that year. Wood has been the best player for the Nats, according to his wins above replacement (3.9). Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Cardinals' Brendan Donovan emerges as a leader during transition season
The mania that comes ahead of your major-league debut can feel frantic, hectic and chaotic, to put it mildly. Players usually arrive on little sleep, having come from the minor leagues with minimal notice. They've often spent most of their travel time texting as many family members and friends as possible. Advertisement Upon arrival, it's a mad dash to meet the manager, teammates and training staff, followed by media availability and pregame routines. If a player is lucky, he'll have a few minutes to collect himself before first pitch. Often, big leaguers will describe their long-awaited debuts as whirlwinds and can't recall much about the day itself. That's where Brendan Donovan comes in. The St. Louis Cardinals infielder has established a tradition. On debut days, Donovan will present the call-up with a celebratory bottle of Ace of Spades gold champagne. The bottle is dated by equipment manager Mark Walsh and signed by every player on the active roster that day. It's not much — a memento acknowledging the milestone — but the sentiment behind the gesture carries considerable weight. The Cardinals were more than halfway through the 2023 season when this tradition began, but Donovan's season was over after elbow surgery in August. St. Louis was struggling through its worst season in over three decades. Donovan couldn't help on the field, but felt he could make an impact behind the scenes. 'I was trying to build a culture,' Donovan explained. 'How do I make people comfortable? How do I make them feel they belong?' Donovan began asking these questions nearly two years ago, and he hasn't stopped since. He does have some answers, and it shows in how he navigates a clubhouse where he's gained full respect. Throughout this transition year in St. Louis, no player has grown into more of a leadership role than Donovan. It has required him to far surpass his comfort zone, and he's had to learn a lot. There's an ease in how Donovan maneuvers through his daily routine, which has led teammates to gravitate toward his consistency. For how reliable Donovan has been on the diamond this year, his transformation outside of the white lines is most impressive. Talking about himself ranks very low on Donovan's list of preferred topics. The 28-year-old is eager to emphasize the play of others over his own. Part of that stems from his military background. Donovan was born in Würzburg, Germany, while his father, James (Jim), was stationed there with the U.S. Army. He spent his childhood moving around various U.S. states, including Virginia, Tennessee and Alabama. He learned discipline and adaptability from his father and his mother, Lisa, who held down the fort while Jim was on deployment. Advertisement Those traits helped propel Donovan's career. He has a simple philosophy when he arrives at the stadium each day: How can he solve a problem? 'How can I give the manager flexibility? How can I give competitive at-bats? How can I run the bases?' Donovan said. 'That's how I look at it: What can I do to try to help this team win on a daily basis?' His play certainly helps. The Cardinals (47-38) are fresh off a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians and sit a season-best nine games over .500, firmly in the National League playoff hunt. Donovan has been instrumental in leading them. At the season's halfway mark, he's hitting .297 with a team-best .376 on-base percentage. His .793 OPS ranks second on the Cardinals to Alec Burleson's .804. Donovan has the defensive skills to play around the diamond, but he's been so solid at second base that the Cardinals are reluctant to move him to the outfield unless it's truly necessary. He's a unanimous choice around the clubhouse to represent the team at the All-Star Game. Donnie goes deep on the FIRST pitch of the game! — St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 28, 2025 But there is more to the game than producing, at least from Donovan's perspective. When the Cardinals announced their plans to reset in 2025, Donovan could have felt stuck in the middle. He was entering his fourth full season in the majors but still not experienced enough to be considered a veteran. As the organization shifted its focus to young and upcoming players, it would have been understandable if Donovan felt like he was on the outside looking in. Instead, he realized he had an opportunity to share his insight. 'That's what I took to this offseason, but that's what I've tried to do my whole career,' Donovan said. 'I didn't see it as anything different. We have some guys that are learning how to become themselves, learning about the game. Unfortunately, the best teacher of this game is failure. So I thought, 'How can I aid some of these players? How can I be a shoulder or an ear they can come to?' And I can listen and hopefully provide some guidance.' Advertisement It took some trial and error. Donovan is not a flashy personality. He prefers to lead by example. But that leadership style isn't what the clubhouse needed from him this season. The Cardinals needed young players to be accountable and lead the charge for the next wave of talent. Veteran players Willson Contreras and Nolan Arenado encouraged this dynamic, reasoning that if the focus is on the future, the future needs to step up. So Donovan took a few uncomfortable steps forward. 'I don't seek it,' he said. 'I don't want to be loud and obnoxious. I don't want to be that guy. But I think it's important for me to try to raise the level of play through preparation. I've seen it through former teammates. I've seen it with my parents, my military mom running a household while dad's on deployment. Being the same person every day, setting the example of working hard, no excuses. That's what I try to do. 'Where do I think I've grown in that? I think I've tried to invest more in people. I've tried to get to know them as a person to show that I genuinely do care about them, and that they can feel comfortable coming to me, speaking to me, knowing they can confide in me.' It can be as simple as a text message, a suggestion in the batting cages or a short conversation over a meal. In Thomas Saggese's case, it was an offer to break down some video. Saggese, a 23-year-old infielder who has bounced between Triple A and the majors, was in his first stint with the Cardinals this season when he saw Donovan make a break for the film room after the game. Curious, Saggese asked where he was going. An invitation followed. 'Come with me.' Donovan's rigorous routine isn't just for pregame. After most games, he heads straight to the Cardinals' video room to break down plays and swings with head video coordinator Chad Blair and first-base coach Stubby Clapp. With Saggese in tow, Donovan helped analyze specific moments, good and bad. Film clips ranged from solid defensive stops and balanced swings to questionable defensive routes and base-running gaffes. These film sessions allow Saggese to explain what he was thinking in real-time. When asked, Donovan shared what he would have done and how he might go about things differently. He detailed what he liked about the play and what he didn't. Advertisement Bouncing ideas off each other helps both players, Donovan explained. The goal isn't to get on players if they make a mistake. The goal is to teach through an open dialogue. 'I try to do things like him,' Saggese said, unable to contain a sheepish smile. '(Donovan) is someone you can really trust. He's pretty quiet, so you have to go up to him and talk to him. I've made that one of my priorities. … He's definitely a big part of this team.' For all the teaching he's been doing, Donovan is still evolving himself. He became a first-time father last year; his wife, Aly, and 1-year-old daughter, Viviane, accompany him to most home games and on many road trips. Donovan is far from a perfect player, but he takes exceptional pride in ensuring he's at his best every day. 'There are only a few things you can control in this game: your mentality, your preparation and your hustle,' Donovan said. 'I might get a little more nicks and bruises, but I enjoy playing hard.' Younger players aren't the only ones taking note. Earlier this month, Contreras applauded Donovan's defense at second base, his diligence and, most notably, his growth. 'You can see him working,' Contreras said. 'He's a professional on and off the field. It's really good to have a guy like him who goes to work and puts 100 percent effort in day in and day out. His energy and work ethic are contagious.' As the Cardinals continue to force their way into playoff conversations, heightened tensions loom. For many of these players, including Donovan, it would be the first time they have faced pressure of this nature. Donovan welcomes such scrutiny. As with his everyday play, he's not shying away from anything. The future core of this club will continue to be a focus. 'A player's dream is to be with one organization their whole career, and to win a lot and to bring a lot of success and a lot of joy to a fan base,' Donovan said. 'I would love to be a part of that.'
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Isaac Paredes' fit, Cam Smith's defensive future and Yordan Alvarez's progress: Astros takeaways
HOUSTON — Isaac Paredes prepared for an imperfect transition. He'd already been traded twice during his five-year major-league career, creating some preconceived notions about assimilating into a new environment. Before entering the Houston Astros' clubhouse, he manufactured another. 'At first in spring training, I thought it was going to be harder because you have all these superstars, so I thought it was going to be more strict,' Paredes said Sunday through an interpreter. Advertisement 'But it's the complete opposite. It's very relaxing. They've been very open. And that gives (me) the confidence to go out there and play ball.' Nothing better explains how the Astros function. Rosters and roles change, but their ethos remains entrenched. Becoming the third major-league team to reach 50 wins only reinforces the notion. Doing so with a deluge of injuries is a testament to something so many presume is trite. Houston's clubhouse culture can't be quantified and is almost impossible for outsiders to explain. Closer Josh Hader called it 'dudes just doing it.' 'We don't have many rules,' utilityman Mauricio Dubón said earlier this week. 'If you perform, if you're ready to go at 7 p.m., OK, good. Get between the lines. We try to make everybody feel comfortable.' Paredes is the perfect example. He is perhaps the quietest member of Houston's clubhouse, someone who stayed away from all of the attention around this weekend's three-game series against the Chicago Cubs. Kyle Tucker, Ryan Pressly and Cam Smith received most of it instead. Paredes may prefer it that way and, now, resides in a place that allows it. He is understated but not undervalued. In a lineup craving consistency, Paredes has provided plenty, pounding a team-leading 17 home runs while bringing the sort of patient, pesky approach the Astros lacked for so much of last season. No American League hitter sees more pitches per plate appearance than Paredes. On Sunday, he saw 37 across the four at-bats he took. No Astro since 2000 had ever seen more in one game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Paredes saw 31 of the 107 pitches thrown by Cubs starter Jameson Taillon. He only totaled one hit — a bloop single in the first — but the energy Taillon expended against him shortened his outing. Manager Joe Espada said it 'really set the tone' for a lineup that is struggling to find its footing while Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Peña nurse injuries. Advertisement Paredes' .826 OPS trails only Peña for the team lead. He's worked a team-high 42 walks and is one of four players with an on-base percentage above .350. Paredes' pull-happy approach is ideal for the Crawford Boxes at Daikin Park, but even his empty at-bats bring value. Take Sunday's fifth inning, when he fouled off four full-count pitches from Taillon. Paredes flew out on the 10th pitch of the at-bat, but pushed Taillon into uncharted water. He had not thrown more than 100 pitches in a start all season. Paredes got him to 101. Taillon's 107th pitch arrived two batters later. Jose Altuve deposited it into the left field seats, an outcome not possible without Paredes' persistence. 'It seems like he fits perfect here,' Altuve said. Dana Brown can't abandon his scouting background, so during his first three summers as a general manager, he has made it a mission to see every amateur player the Astros are considering with their first-round draft pick Last year, the journey brought Brown to Charlotte, N.C., where he saw a player Houston had no prayer of selecting at No. 28. Brown still scouted Cam Smith for two games of Florida State's run to a runner-up finish in the ACC Tournament. Brown believed in the player, but not at his primary position. Smith starred at third base for the Seminoles before the Cubs selected him with the 14th overall pick in the 2024 draft. Smith made all 24 of his defensive starts at third base during his brief time in the Cubs' system. Brown believed Smith's legs were too big to remain at third base for his entire career. Smith is just 22 and stands 6-3, meaning he may fill out more as he matures. Brown did not think that would be conducive to a career at third base. 'I didn't feel like, as a scout evaluating him, that he was going to be this piece at third base,' Brown told the Astros' pregame radio show on Sunday. 'I like my third basemen to be a little more agile on the dirt and I just thought this guy was more fast and strong, so it's probably more of an outfield piece.' Advertisement Acquiring Smith in December allowed Brown to test his theory. Team officials publicly maintained that Smith would play third base during spring training, but according to Brown, he advised his staff that 'I don't feel we took this guy for him to play third base, my vision for him is right field.' Early returns paint Brown as prophetic. According to Sports Info Solutions, Smith entered Sunday worth nine defensive runs saved in right field. Only Adolis García and Fernando Tatis Jr. have been worth more. 'One of the things you do as a scout, you go out and you make your evaluation and you always try to place the guy where you think he's going to play in the future,' Brown said. It is clear, then, where Smith's future will be. Fierce swings from an absent slugger pierced the silence of a sleepy Sunday morning at Daikin Park. Yordan Alvarez took a few rounds of batting practice on the field, peppering both gaps with line drives while delivering the most meaningful signs of progress in his recovery from a hand fracture. — Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 29, 2025 Alvarez exited the batting cages and boarded a flight bound for West Palm Beach, Fla., where he will spend the next few days at the Astros' spring training complex. Alvarez is scheduled to face some of the team's rehabbing pitchers in live batting practice sessions. Espada would not divulge what may follow. Scars may still linger from what occurred on May 30, when Alvarez reached this same juncture in his buildup, felt discomfort and then discovered the fracture in his right hand. At the time, the Astros intended to activate Alvarez without sending him on a minor-league rehab assignment. That he's missed another month since would seem to heighten the need for one. Still, during his interview on the team's pregame radio show, Brown brought up the possibility of Alvarez joining the team at Dodger Stadium this weekend. The general manager couched his comments — 'It's not the most likely scenario, but we're not putting that aside,' he said. — But that it is even being considered is noteworthy. After the Dodgers series, Houston has just six more games until the All-Star break. Peña's decision to hire Scott Boras as his agent will complicate what the Astros spent the last month or so trying to do — lock up the resurgent shortstop on a long-term deal. 'What it will not change is it will not change us making an effort to get Jeremy signed long-term here,' Brown told the team's pregame radio show on Sunday Advertisement Brown acknowledged it can 'sometimes' be difficult to sign Boras' clients to an extension because 'oftentimes they go to free agency.' Jose Altuve and Lance McCullers Jr. are two exceptions currently on Houston's roster. Boras negotiated two extensions for Altuve and another for McCullers, but bear in mind, both players preferred to stay in Houston instead of becoming free agents. Perhaps Peña feels the same way and will express that to Boras. If Peña does not, Boras' preference is almost always for his clients to test the open market. (Top photo of Isaac Paredes and Jose Altuve: Tim Warner / Getty Images)
