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USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
From Chicago to L.A.: Coleman Shelton's PFF grade signals a smart Rams reunion
From Chicago to L.A.: Coleman Shelton's PFF grade signals a smart Rams reunion Coleman Shelton returns to Los Angeles after a productive stint with the Bears, landing inside PFF's top-20 centers for 2025. Coleman Shelton decided to pack up his bags and head back to Southern California this offseason. Following one season with the Chicago Bears, where he started all 17 games during the 2024 season, the 29-year-old center rejoined the Los Angeles Rams, where he had played previously from 2019 to 2023, on a two-year deal that he signed during the March free agency period. The veteran center continued to showcase himself last season as a productive leader up front. Pro Football Focus' Mason Cameron ranked the former 2018 UDFA at No. 19 amongst the top 32 centers ahead of the 2025 NFL season. After one season with the Bears, Shelton finds himself back in Los Angeles, hoping to replicate the success he found in his time away. His 66.4 PFF overall grade with the Bears was a top-15 mark at the position. Shelton's solid all-around play earned him a top-10 finish in PFF WAR (0.20), as well as 66.0-plus PFF grades as a pass protector and a run blocker. After anchoring Chicago's offensive line last year, Shelton finished with an overall grade of 66.4, which ranked him within the top 15 centers of 2024. What stood out the most is the consistency across the board. The now eighth-year center recorded 66.0-plus grades in both pass and run blocking, which also led to a top-10 ranking in PFF's Wins Above Replacement (WAR) metric for centers, which showcases the impact he had up front. Now back with the Rams, where he helped the team win Super Bowl LVI in 2021, the 6-foot-4, 285-pound center, who has not missed a game in two years, will help bring leadership and stability to a unit that could determine just how far Los Angeles will go this year as they will look to keep a 37-year-old Matthew Stafford upright as well as try and pave the way for another 1,000-yard season for RB Kyren Williams, who earned both All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors the last time Coleman played for the Blue and Gold. In a division that features some quality interior defensive linemen, including Dalvin Tomlinson, Jarran Reed, and Johnathan Hankins, having a reliable center to pave the way up front could make a difference in sustaining a drive. While not the splashiest of all free agent signings, the ones that show up, are durable, and quietly get the job done can be just as impactful, which is what the Rams are banking on Shelton to do.
Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
At ‘CPAC of the center,' Democratic moderates beat up on the left
The Democrats in the room aimed to put a new sheen on — and perhaps some more spine in — what has long been tagged as the mushy middle, arguing that they are the majority-makers the party needs in 2026 and beyond to take control of Congress. It was a wonky gathering where center-left Substack pundit Matthew Yglesias was greeted like a rock star and Lakshya Jain, a data-crunching analyst, detailed a ratings system to show which Democratic lawmakers had the highest candidate-quality WAR — Wins Above Replacement — a term borrowed from baseball analytics. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'This room may be full of nerds,' said Andrew Mamo, a Democratic strategist who attended the conference, WelcomeFest. 'But the focus is how to not look like losers and how to not be losers.' Advertisement This event was not the place to debate the finer points of policy. There was glancingly little discussion beyond what would sell with voters. If some called it the 'CPAC of the center' — after the big right-wing confab — there was far less red meat, and more crudités (a platter of chopped peppers, carrots, and cauliflower was served in the back). Advertisement Instead, the thrust of the day's discussion was dismissing the party's left wing as an anchor to Democratic chances to win national elections. Scattered potshots were aimed at the activist group Indivisible throughout the day, with Representative Jared Golden of Maine, who represents the most pro-Trump district of any Democrat in the House, calling it 'a hypernational organization with a very single-minded agenda.' One of the event's organizers wore a West Virginia University football jersey — bearing the name and number of former Senator Joe Manchin from when he played quarterback at the school. Interns distributed buttons urging people to sign up for a movement to keep the size of the Supreme Court at nine justices. Some of the advice felt like Politics 101. 'A key to success in politics is to talk to people and to find out what they're saying,' Representative Tom Suozzi of New York told the audience. 'It has to be informed by real-life experiences.' A parade of Democrats who had won in hostile districts and swing states offered paeans to pragmatism. 'Being on 'Team Normal' right now really helps,' said Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, who was tapped to deliver the party's response to President Trump's first congressional address this year. 'People want practicality.' The conference took place at the Hamilton Hotel in Washington as allies of the Blue Dog Coalition, the most moderate faction among House Democrats, are forming a new super PAC and an allied nonprofit group ahead of the 2026 midterms. The Blue Dogs have long had their own PAC, but never independent entities that can take unlimited donations. The new nonprofit, which has not been previously reported, will be called the Blue Dog Action Fund, with Aisha Woodward, a former chief of staff to Golden, serving as executive director and overseeing a staff of five. Advertisement 'We're willing to get involved in primaries, but our goal is to win the House majority,' said Phil Gardner, who will be a senior adviser to the groups and is a former campaign manager for RepresentativeMarie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state, a Blue Dog leader. 'Which is going to require winning in seats that Trump won.' The gathering Wednesday was organized by Welcome PAC and supported by an array of center-left groups on and off Capitol Hill. Notably absent from the day's panels, discussions, and side conversations, that included a handful of former Biden administration and campaign aides, was the standard Democratic talk about abortion rights, gay rights, and the importance of Black voters to the party. To a crowd that was mostly white, Jain said his research had found that the race and gender of a candidate did not matter. Michael Ceraso, a progressive operative who made his way in, quipped: 'It's a good place to source a lot of white people.' At one point, when RepresentativeRitchie Torres of New York was speaking, left-wing protesters stormed the stage chanting 'Free Palestine' and unfurling banners about genocide. The event organizers blasted the Carly Simon anthem 'You're So Vain,' from the sound system during the interruption. Liam Kerr, a cofounder of Welcome PAC who wore the West Virginia jersey, said the center was newly energized to take on the party's left. 'Going against the status quo is always fun,' he said. This article originally appeared in Advertisement
Newsweek
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Three Landing Spots for Orioles First Baseman After Trade Prediction
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The early season struggles for the Baltimore Orioles were a bit unexpected to most and put a quick halt to Baltimore's plans to stay atop the AL East for years to come. Because of that, the Orioles will more than likely be sellers at this year's trade deadline and according to Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller, first baseman Ryan O'Hearn is among one of the trade candidates in Baltimore. BOSTON, MA - MAY 25: Pitcher Zack Kelly #76 of the Boston Red Sox looks on as Ryan O'Hearn #32 of the Baltimore Orioles smiles as he heads for home after his double and two... BOSTON, MA - MAY 25: Pitcher Zack Kelly #76 of the Boston Red Sox looks on as Ryan O'Hearn #32 of the Baltimore Orioles smiles as he heads for home after his double and two errors allowed him to score during the eighth inning at Fenway Park on May 25, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. More"Though he has served as designated hitter more than anything else this season, O'Hearn is more than capable of playing first base or right field," Miller wrote. "He even occasionally sets up shop out in left field. And that means with very few exceptions, every tentative buyer has a weak point in its lineup that could be filled by O'Hearn." He is in the middle of a career season, with a .338 batting average, nine home runs, 21 RBI and a .977 OPS. It is an unexpected breakout year for the 31-year-old, and it has put him at the forefront of trade conversations. If the Orioles decide to move him, here are three potential landing spots. Detroit Tigers Detroit has picked up right where it left off last season and has jumped out to a six-game division lead. The Tigers have a perfect combination of timely pitching, timely hitting and lockdown relief pitching. O'Hearn's ability to play a multitude of positions makes him a perfect fit in a Detroit lineup that manager AJ Hinch loves to mix and match depending on the pitching matchups. He would an excellent addition to a Tigers team that looks like it is headed back to the postseason for the second consecutive year. Boston Red Sox Boston will need to play better down the stretch to find itself in any sort of position to acquire players at the trade deadline and if it is able to do that, O'Hearn would be a nice fit. The Red Sox rank 27th in Wins Above Average from first basemen this season and O'Hearn's gaudy numbers this season would help that tremendously. Boston would likely have to give up a little more than other teams since it is division rivals with the Orioles. It would be well worth it if O'Hearn stays hot and gets the Red Sox back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021. San Francisco Giants Another team that is near the bottom of the Wins Above Average list at first base, the Giants rank 25th at -1.3 for the season. LaMonte Wade's .171 average with one home run is not going to cut it much longer and San Francisco may make a move sooner rather than later to help itself stay in the hunt for a NL West title. Replacing the struggling Wade with the scorching hot O'Hearn could provide not only an instant spark, but constant production in the Giants lineup for the remainder of the season. More MLB: Yankees Pitcher Has 3-Word Response to 5th Inning World Series Meltdown vs Dodgers
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Brewers infielder Kolten Wong retires after 11 big-league seasons
Kolten Wong, best known for his Gold Glove at second base but whose top years with the bat came with the Milwaukee Brewers, officially retired May 19. Wong, who played the final of his 11 big-league seasons in 2023, was a member of the Brewers in 2021 and 2022, posting career-best years on offense while playing second base. The two years with the Brewers marked his two best home run outputs, with 14 in his first year and 15 the next. By OPS+, which measures on-base percentage plus slugging percentage adjusted for factors such as ballpark, they were also the two top performances of Wong's career. Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Kolten Wong (16) circles the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of their game against the New York Mets on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When Wong signed with Milwaukee before the 2021 season, he did so with a reputation as one of the best defensive second basemen in baseball, having won a pair of Gold Gloves. That didn't quite carry over to the Brewers, where he graded out below average on defense but was still a major factor in Wong amassing 22.9 career Wins Above Replacement. Advertisement The Brewers dealt Wong to the Seattle Mariners for Jesse Winker and Abraham Toro in December 2022. The deal, at face value, flopped for both sides as Wong was designated for assignment after 66 games with a .468 OPS and Winker battled injuries and hit for no power all year. The Brewers, though, did turn Toro into right-hander Chad Patrick in a deal with the Athletics after the 2023 season. Wong, a native of Hawaii, finished with 973 career hits, 512 runs scored, 86 homers, 120 stolen bases and a .719 OPS. He spent his first eight seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he took third in rookie of the year voting in 2014 and received MVP votes in 2019. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Brewer, Cardinal Kolten Wong retires after 11 seasons
Newsweek
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Three Landing Spots for Rays Closer After Recent Trade Prediction
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. With it appearing that the New York Yankees may run away with the AL East division championship, the rest of the teams in the division may need to start plan on being sellers at this season's trade deadline. That includes the Tampa Bay Rays, who have been predicted by Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter as sellers, with their most likely trade piece being closer Pete Fairbanks. If the Rays do decide to move him, here are three potential landing spots. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 16: Pete Fairbanks #29 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after a strike out ends the game for the 8-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 16,... ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 16: Pete Fairbanks #29 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after a strike out ends the game for the 8-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 16, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. MoreAtlanta Braves Atlanta has been one of the best stories in baseball over the last month, as it has scratched and clawed back to a .500 record after beginning the year 0-7. A bit of a weak spot still for the Braves is the bullpen. Rasiel Iglesias is the current closer in Atlanta and he is having one of the worst seasons of his career. Iglesias has a 5.71 ERA and is 7-for-10 on save chances. He's already allowed six home runs this season, two more than he allowed all of last season in 69 1/3 innings pitched. Making a move for Fairbanks would allow Iglesias to move to the 8th inning role and regain his confidence before what Atlanta hopes is a deep postseason run this season. Chicago Cubs Chicago has been one of the best teams in all of baseball this season, and if it had a halfway decent bullpen, it would be considered a true contender in the National League. The offseason acquisition of Ryan Pressly has not worked out the way the Cubs had hoped it would. He has a 6.91 ERA and just seven strikeouts in 16 appearances and 14 1/3 innings pitched. The acquisition of a closer feels like a much-needed move and Fairbanks could fill that need nicely and help improve a Chicago bullpen that ranks No. 28 in Wins Above Average from relief pitchers. San Francisco Giants San Francisco already has one of the best bullpens in the league and the addition of Fairbanks to that bullpen would make the Giants true competitors to the Padres and Dodgers in the NL West. Fairbanks could join a bullpen that ranks third in Wins Above Average from relief pitchers and features both Camilio Doval (1.37 ERA, five saves) and Ryan Walker (seven saves). It is unclear if San Francisco is looking for bullpen help and if they are, Fairbanks could be a viable option for a team hoping to win its first division title since 2021. More MLB: How to Buy Boston Red Sox "Green Monster" 2025 City Connect Jerseys, Hats, Gear
