Black Hawk Softball practices in the dirt to prepare for World Series
The Black Hawk Softball team is going to Alabama to play in the 2025 NJCAA Division II Softball World Series for the first time since 2014.
The 14th-seed Braves will face the 19th-seed Delaware Technical Community College at 1 p.m. Monday May 19.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Braves trade deadline primer: 3 early storylines to watch
ATLANTA — If the Atlanta Braves had been swept for a third consecutive series this week at Milwaukee, we might be leaning toward their being sellers at the trade deadline for the first time since 2017. That was when they traded away pitcher Jaime García and catcher Anthony Recker. The Braves pursued controllable starting pitchers at that deadline, including Sonny Gray and José Quintana, but weren't willing to part with their No. 1 prospect, a kid named Acuña. Advertisement Yes, it's been a while. And it'll probably be a while longer before the Braves are trade-deadline sellers. Because as disappointing and frustrating as this season has been for the Braves and their fans, one of the worst stretches of baseball this team has had in decades wasn't bad enough to make them move to likely seller mode. At least not yet. There are nearly seven weeks until the July 31 trade deadline, and only five teams have double-digit deficits in the wild-card standings: the Pirates, Marlins and Rockies in the NL, and the Athletics and White Sox in the AL. The Braves were nine games behind the third-place team in the NL wild-card standings before Thursday. That's an undeniably large deficit, and what makes it even more difficult is that five other teams were closer than Atlanta to the third and final wild-card spot — the Cardinals, Brewers, Reds and Diamondbacks all were five or fewer games behind the Phillies and Padres, the second- and third-place teams in the NL wild-card standings. Still, the Braves are in a unique position in that they have a lineup featuring several former All-Stars who are in their primes led by the aforementioned Ronald Acuña Jr., who has only been back from a yearlong knee surgery rehab for three weeks and has looked terrific, giving the Braves another reason to believe their offense is going to improve. They are a team with position players signed to long-term extensions (including club options) through at least 2027 at every spot except shortstop. It's not a team in any position to consider rebuilding. The Braves want to win another ring or two while they have the likes of Acuña, who's under contract through 2028, including two club options, Austin Riley, Matt Olson and Michael Harris II, all under control through at least 2030. What they do at this year's July 31 trade deadline could depend on how things transpire between now and then, but here are a few scenarios. Advertisement Though it's unlikely the Braves will become sellers barring a continued slide further behind the wild-card leaders, trading veteran catcher Murphy could be a possibility. As good as the strong-armed 2023 All-Star is behind the plate with blocking, framing and game calling, and as much of a power threat as Murphy can be — he's rebounded from a career-worst .636 OPS and 76 OPS+ in 2024 to post a .784 OPS and 118 OPS+ — the Braves have a potential star emerging at catcher in rookie Drake Baldwin and might be a better offensive team with Baldwin catching four of five games. LOVE the Drake#BravesCountry — Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 5, 2025 There'd be risk in going with a rookie as the main catcher, and if Baldwin were to get hurt, it'd be an obvious problem after trading Murphy. But the Braves have veteran James McCann at Triple A who could be a solid second catcher, and they could trade for another in an emergency. Baldwin is one of the better hitting catchers in the NL already, and the Braves could occasionally DH him if Marcell Ozuna needs a day off for his balky hip, or after this season when Ozuna exits as a free agent. Trading Murphy would also clear up cash and $15 million annually over each of the next three seasons. The Tampa Bay Rays and San Francisco Giants are contenders getting woeful offense from catchers who could use Murphy, who has the intellect and personality that teams know he could step in at midseason and immediately gain the confidence of pitchers. The Braves were two games under .500 and five games out of first place at the 2021 trade deadline, when president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos finished remaking the outfield with trades for Jorge Soler, Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario, after trading for Joc Pederson on July 15. Advertisement Beginning Aug. 3, they won 16 of 18 to go from third place and five games back in the NL East to first place and 4 1/2 games ahead. Those outfielders played major parts in getting the Braves' turnaround and World Series title that year. Granted, this year's deficits and record are a lot worse than in 2021. But again, the Braves have Acuña now and believe the likes of Olson, Riley and Ozuna can get hot and carry an offense that's underperformed. There's an additional unknown element: Jurickson Profar, the left fielder who was their only significant free-agent addition last season and then got slapped with an 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension in the first week of the season. He's eligible to return June 29 but can't play in the postseason. The Braves don't know what he'll provide after missing three months and coming off a steroid suspension that cast doubt over his career-best 2024 statistics with San Diego, but Profar should be able to give them better production than the platoon of Alex Verdugo and Eli White. And if they could add a decent middle-infield bat, to provide more offense than they're getting from all-glove shortstop Nick Allen and protect in case of another injury to second baseman Ozzie Albies, the Braves' offense could reasonably be expected to perform at a higher level the rest of the way. The Braves lost 14 of 17 before taking two of three from the Brewers. The way they see it, eight of those 14 losses were by one run, and four others were by two, meaning they might've won many of those games with just a big hit here or a shutdown inning there. They outscored the Brewers 14-7 in the series that ended Wednesday, when the Braves flexed considerable power, the kind that carried them to a historic-level offense in 2023 but has been erratic ever since. It's still there, if sometimes dormant. Advertisement Now, they need to add a back-of-the-bullpen arm. Braves relievers have a league-high 15 losses and a league-low 10 saves, making them the only NL team with more blown saves (12) than saves. They can't wait for closer Raisel Iglesias, at age 35, to start pitching as he did the past two seasons (2.30 ERA, 89 hits, 11 homers in 125 total innings) rather than in 2025 (6.48 ERA, 31 hits, seven homers in 25 innings). They also don't know whether setup man Daysbel Hernández, out with forearm inflammation, will miss much longer or whether that'll be a lingering issue. They need to add a closer, or at least someone who fits the profile and could step into the role. Potential target: Félix Bautista of the Baltimore Orioles. What could make him particularly attractive to the Braves is the fact he's under team control through 2027 and could take over at closer for the rest of this season and the next two after Iglesias exits as a free agent. Bautista had converted 12 of 13 saves and has a 3.32 ERA in 22 appearances in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, with 28 strikeouts and 16 walks in 21 2/3 innings. The walk rate is high but not unusual for a post-TJ season, and lately he's been dominant, with a 1.29 ERA in his past seven appearances. Problem is, a bunch of other teams are also looking for bullpen help, including contenders with better prospects to dangle, including Philadelphia, Arizona, Seattle and Milwaukee. (Photo of Sean Murphy: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)
NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Rockies at Braves Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 13
Its Friday, June 13 and the Rockies (13-55) are in Atlanta to begin a weekend series against the Braves (29-38). Germán Márquez is slated to take the mound for Colorado against Bryce Elder for Atlanta. Colorado snapped a five-game losing streak with an 8-7 win Thursday. Orlando Arcia walked it off for Colorado with a two-run single in the final frame as the Rockies prevailed for just the thirteenth time in 68 games. The Braves enjoyed a day off Thursday. Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We've got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long. Game details & how to watch Rockies at Braves Date: Friday, June 13, 2025 Time: 7:15PM EST Site: Truist Park City: Atlanta, GA Network/Streaming: COLR, FDSNSO Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out. Odds for the Rockies at the Braves The latest odds as of Friday: Moneyline: Rockies (+232), Braves (-287) Spread: Braves -1.5 Total: 9.0 runs Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Braves Pitching matchup for June 13, 2025: Germán Márquez vs. Bryce Elder Rockies: Germán Márquez (2-8, 7.00 ERA) Last outing: 6/7 vs. Mets - 5IP, 4ER, 8H, 0BB, 3KsBraves: Bryce Elder (2-3, 4.08 ERA) Last outing: 6/7 at San Francisco - 8IP, 1ER, 3H, 0BB, 12Ks Rockies: Germán Márquez (2-8, 7.00 ERA) Last outing: 6/7 vs. Mets - 5IP, 4ER, 8H, 0BB, 3Ks Braves: Bryce Elder (2-3, 4.08 ERA) Last outing: 6/7 at San Francisco - 8IP, 1ER, 3H, 0BB, 12Ks Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type! Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Braves The Rockies are 4-6 in their last 10 games Each of the last 6 games between the Braves and the Rockies have stayed under the Total The Braves have covered the Run Line in 4 of their last 5 games with a rest advantage over their opponents Austin Riley has at least 1 hit in 8 of 10 games in June (13-43) Ryan McMahon enters the series riding a 5-game hitting streak (7-16) If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports! Expert picks & predictions for Friday's game between the Rockies and the Braves Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts. Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager. Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Rockies and the Braves: Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Atlanta Braves on the Moneyline. Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Colorado Rockies at +1.5. Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0. Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Fox Sports
2 hours ago
- Fox Sports
In Charlie Hustle's day, 110% effort was non-negotiable. In modern baseball, it's more complicated
Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Imagine this inspirational slogan on a T-shirt: Give 70% effort. It's not quite as catchy as the 110% baseball players have been instructed to exert since Little League. But maybe, just maybe, Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s on to something with his theory that going 70% might be the way to be his best self — and cut down on strained obliques or pulled hamstrings in the process. Only, hustle is woven into the fabric of the game. Nicknames derive from it (Charlie Hustle) and awards are built around it ( Heart & Hustle ). This season, hustle has already come into play on several occasions. Most notably, when Juan Soto, the Mets $765 million star, didn't run hard to second base after smacking a ball high off the Green Monster at Fenway Park. In this modern era of baseball, where the average salary topped $5 million for the first time this season, the politics of hustle may play a role. There's the fundamental notion of hustle (run everything out) set against the possible ramifications of hustle (injuries to high-priced players). To the old guard, though, hustle is a non-negotiable. A lack thereof risks the wrath of not only teammates but a spot in a manager's doghouse. Which is why Chisholm's 70% mindset doesn't quite fly for Ron Washington, a gritty player back in the late 1970s and '80s who now manages the Los Angeles Angels. 'You give the visual of 100% at all times," the 73-year-old Washington told The Associated Press. "The only person who knows you're 70% is you, but don't tell people you're 70%, so when they see you dog it, they say, 'Well, he's only 70%.'' The definition of hustle The Baseball Almanac defines hustle as 'to play aggressively, quickly, and alertly.' Translation: You know it when you see it. Two months ago, Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. criticized manager Brian Snitker's lack of response to Jarred Kelenic failing to hustle out of the batter's box. Acuña was removed from a Braves game on Aug. 19, 2019, when he was slow to leave the batter's box on a long drive that bounced off the right-field wall for a long single. 'There's no blanket thing,' Snitker said after the Kelenic situation on removing players for lack of hustle. To Washington, the definition of hustle has 'changed in this generation,' he said. 'Because (the lack of hustle) wouldn't have been allowed in other generations. ... Now people don't want to pull their best player off the field when he acts like an (expletive). I'm sorry. They don't want to pull him. Because you pull him, you just gutted the whole team. 'Back in the day, they didn't care. You didn't hustle, your (butt) is off the field. And you know who took care of it when they took you off the field? The players. Not management. Not the manager, not the coaches. The players took care of it.' That's Vinny Castilla's take, too. The two-time All-Star for the Colorado Rockies in the 1990s had veterans pull him aside when sometimes 'you don't feel too good and you don't go 100%.' 'The veterans step in and say, 'Hey, man, you've got to do it. You've got to hustle every day,'' Castilla said. 'Hustle doesn't change. ... Some players love to play hard and get their uniform dirty, and some players don't like to do it." Give 100% of how you feel Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that he generally expects players to give 100% each day, but that's relative to how their feeling. As a recent example, Lovullo cited star outfielder Corbin Carroll, who was nursing a tight hamstring during a series in Cincinnati. 'For Corbin the past couple days, just give me 100% of what you have," Lovullo said. "So, yeah, we'll protect players.' In most cases, Lovullo said, hustle is a hard thing to turn on and off. 'If a player is healthy, I feel like there's no reason to not go 100%. To run fast, you've got to practice running fast," he said. "To throw hard, you've got to practice throwing hard. You can't turn it on and off. I think you're risking injury when you don't go hard and then all (of a) sudden you need to go hard." The 70% approach Chisholm believes he found the key to playing well and staying healthy by going 70%. The New York Yankees infielder postulated that his success since returning from the injured list has been caused by limiting intensity. 'Play at 70%: defense, offense, running, everything,' Chisholm said. "Stay healthy. You don't overswing. You don't swing and miss as much, and you're a great player at 70%.' Of course, that wouldn't have gone over well with 'Charlie Hustle' himself — the late Pete Rose, who elevated hustling to an art form. That was also before the age of the viral bat flip. Admiring homers is not just permitted, it's encouraged — and doesn't result in a fastball to the ribs the next go-around at the plate. In Soto's case, he appeared slow out of the box after watching what he thought was a homer. It's a different time from Washington's day. 'The game became young and it got to the point where we don't want to hurt nobody's feelings,' he said. 'I don't remember (longtime big-league manager) Gene Mauch giving a (expletive) about hurting my feelings. ... You didn't get the job done, then I'm letting you know you didn't get the job done. And if you don't want me screaming at you, guess what you better do? Get the job done!' It's a balancing act for sure. 'Some days are tougher than others. We always say that,' Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "We're going to play hard for 27 outs. There's gonna be days where Woody (22-year-old budding star James Wood) sometimes will run out a groundball because he knows he' got a chance to make it. There will be some days where he hits a 110-mph one-hopper where he doesn't go hard out of the box, and I can understand that.' Hustle, much like Chisholm's theory, remains complicated. 'Some of it is what you would call eyewash, and some of it's real,' Brewers manager Pat Murphy explained. 'Real hustle means staying present in the game and staying on the game, being relentless in pitch-to-pitch readiness. Sometimes you can't even see it. I can see it. 'Your mind's decided on something else. You're worried about your contract or you're worried about next year or you're worried about a .300 batting average versus .299. I look at that as kind of lack of proper focus, not necessarily not hustling, the actual physical hustle. I think these guys play their (butts) off.' The stare Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger learned the importance of hustle through a stare. He and his teammates growing up called it the 'Clay Stare.' It was the look from Bellinger's father, Clay, his longtime coach who helped instill the values of the game. 'You don't ever want the 'Clay Stare,'' Bellinger said. 'My dad was always like, 'Hey, run balls out. People are always watching.'' Bellinger's been benched in his career, like when he was with the Dodgers in 2018 and manager Dave Roberts sat him for not hustling on a double. 'Hustle, I think, it's one of the few things in this game you can control,' Bellinger said. 'You can't control where you hit the ball. But you can always control hustle and energy.' ___ AP Baseball Writers Mike Fitzpatrick, David Brandt and Ronald Blum, AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee and AP freelance writer Mike DiGiovanna contributed to this report. ___ AP MLB: recommended
