Latest news with #All-Sta
Fox Sports
7 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Colorado Rockies All-Stars: Building the Best Rockies All-Time Lineup
Aided by the mile-high air in Denver, plenty of Rockies sluggers are always producing some golden moments at Coors Field. From Larry or CarGo to Charlie, there's never a shortage of star sluggers in Colorado to take your breath away. Manager: Clint Hurdle The best season in Rockies history came with Hurdle in the dugout. After taking over during the 2002 season, Colorado posted five losing seasons before a then-franchise-record 90-win 2007 campaign that saw the franchise make the playoffs for just the second time. The Rockies then proceeded to sweep both the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks before getting swept by the Boston Red Sox in the World Series. Colorado fired Hurdle during the 2009 season. The Rockies went 534-625 under Hurdle from 2002-09, with his 534 managerial wins ranking second in franchise history. Hurdle is currently back with the Rockies as their interim bench coach and hitting coach. Starting pitcher: Ubaldo Jimenez Jimenez spent the first five-plus seasons of his career with the Rockies (2006-11) and was one of the better pitchers in the sport over that span. His best season for the Rockies came in 2010, posting a career-best 2.88 ERA, 19 wins and 214 strikeouts over 221.2 innings pitched (33 starts), helping him get the starting nod for the NL in the 2010 All-Star Game. The right-hander pitched deep into games, evaded trouble and pitched well for the Rockies in the 2007 postseason, posting a 2.25 ERA over three starts (16.0 innings pitched). Jimenez is first in Rockies history with a 3.66 ERA and an 18.9 WAR among pitchers, tied for first with three shutouts, is third with eight complete games, fifth with 773 strikeouts and seventh with both 56 wins and 851.0 innings pitched. Reliever/closer: Brian Fuentes Fuentes was a pillar in Colorado's bullpen from 2002-08 and one of the best relievers in the sport. A three-time All-Star with the franchise, the southpaw struck out batters at a high clip and recorded 28 saves per season from 2005-08. Fuentes, who posted a 3.38 ERA over his seven seasons with the Rockies, is first in franchise history with 115 saves. Catcher: Yorvit Torrealba Colorado signed Torrealba for the 2006 season, with him serving as its primary catcher for the run to the 2007 World Series. Torrealba was a respectable hitting catcher, batting .258 across his four seasons with the Rockies (2006-09), while posting 8 DRS behind the plate in 2007. He returned to the Rockies in 2013, his final MLB season. 1B: Todd Helton Helton is Mr. Rockie. The first baseman was stellar at the corner-infield position, winning three Gold Gloves, and was one of the best hitters of his generation, having a great eye and consistently getting on base at a high level while possessing notable power. In 2000, Helton led the NL with 216 hits, 59 doubles, 147 RBIs, an 8.9 WAR and a slash line of .372/.463/.698. Spending his entire 17-year career with the Rockies (1997-2013), Helton, a four-time Silver Slugger and five-time All-Star, is first in franchise history with 2,519 hits, 369 home runs, 1,406 RBIs, 1,401 runs scored, 1,335 walks, 4,292 total bases and a 61.8 WAR. He's also second with a .414 on-base percentage, tied for third with a .316 batting average and is seventh with a .539 slugging percentage. 2B: DJ LeMahieu The 6-foot-3 LeMahieu was one of the most consistent infielders in MLB across his seven seasons in Colorado (2012-18). Crisp at second base and one of the premier contact hitters in the sport, LeMahieu earned three Gold Gloves and two All-Star honors with the Rockies, while winning the 2016 NL batting title and posting a combined 60 DRS at second base. LeMahieu is sixth in Rockies history with an 8.6 defensive WAR, seventh with 31 triples, tied for eighth with a .299 batting average, is ninth with both 1,011 hits and 498 runs scored and 10th with both a 16.6 overall WAR and 75 stolen bases. 3B: Nolan Arenado The best third baseman in baseball resided in Denver last decade. Spending the first eight seasons of his MLB career with the Rockies (2013-20), Arenado was spectacular, making absurd plays at the hot corner and swinging as dangerous of a bat as anybody in the game. Arenado led the NL in home runs three times. The third baseman earned a Gold Glove in each of his eight seasons in Colorado, while also earning four Silver Slugger awards and five All-Star nods. Arenado is first in Rockies history with a 15.3 defensive WAR, third with a 39.7 overall WAR, fourth with 235 home runs, fifth with 760 RBIs, a .541 slugging percentage and 2,227 total bases, tied for sixth with 1,206 hits and is seventh with 649 runs scored. SS: Troy Tulowitzki Tulowitzki was extraordinary for the Rockies, with whom he spent the first nine-plus seasons of his career (2006-15). An impact hitter from the right side, Tulowitzki was superb in the field and arguably the best shortstop in the NL in the early portion of his career. He earned each of his two Gold Gloves, two Silver Slugger awards and five All-Star honors with the Rockies. Tulowitzki is fourth in Rockies history with a 39.6 WAR, sixth with 660 runs scored, eighth with 1,165 hits, 188 home runs, 657 RBIs, 2,001 total bases and a .371 on-base percentage and tied for eighth with a .299 batting average. OF: Larry Walker Walker was great for the Montreal Expos, but he was an MVP-caliber player for the Rockies. Across nine-plus seasons in Colorado (1995-2004), Walker was a terror from the left side of the plate with blazing power and impressive plate discipline. Walker won three NL batting titles and led the NL in slugging percentage twice. All the while, he won five Gold Gloves at first base in Colorado. Furthermore, in 1997, Walker totaled an NL-high with both 49 home runs and a 9.8 WAR, while posting 208 hits and, in doing so, winning the NL MVP Award. Walker is first in Rockies history with a .334 batting average, a .426 on-base percentage, a .618 slugging percentage, second with 258 home runs, 848 RBIs and a 48.3 WAR and third with 1,361 hits, 892 runs scored, 126 stolen bases and 2,520 total bases. OF: Carlos Gonzalez "Cargo" delivered shipments over the outfield wall in all directions at Coors Field. After an auspicious and efficient debut season with the Rockies in 2009, Gonzalez had a breakout 2010 campaign in which he won the NL batting title and totaled an NL-high 197 hits while finishing third in NL MVP voting. The left-handed slugger was a consistent power plug who did damage and slugged at a high level, made some noise on the basepaths early in his career and was a plus outfielder at all three positions. Playing 10 seasons with the Rockies (2009-18), Gonzalez earned three Gold Gloves, three All-Star nods and two Silver Slugger awards. Gonzalez is fourth in Rockies history with 1,330 hits, 769 runs scored, 118 stolen bases and 2,366 total bases, tied for fifth with 227 home runs, is sixth with both 749 RBIs and a 24.0 WAR and 10th with a .516 slugging percentage. OF: Matt Holliday There was most definitely power at the Holliday Inn. Spending the first five seasons of his career in Colorado (2004-08), Holliday was both a three-time Silver Slugger and three-time All-Star, showing out in the team's 2007 NL pennant campaign, totaling five home runs and 10 RBIs, while posting a .289/.319/.622 slash line in the 2007 postseason. The 6-foot-4 Holliday was an imposing hitter from the right side, swinging for power, being an extra-base hit machine and driving in runs like nobody's business. In the 2007 regular season, Holliday won the NL batting title, while also leading the NL with 216 hits, 50 doubles and 137 RBIs. Holliday is second in Rockies history with a .319 batting average, third with a .387 on-base percentage, fourth with a .550 slugging percentage, eighth with an 18.6 WAR and 10th with 486 RBIs. DH: Charlie Blackmon A career-long Rockie (2011-24), Blackmon was one of the best outfielders of his era. A steady presence in both center and right field, Blackmon was a consistently potent left-handed bat for Colorado, hitting for average and slugging with his long, compact swing. A four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger, Blackmon won the 2017 NL batting title, while also leading the NL with 213 hits, 137 runs scored and 14 triples in said season. Blackmon is second in Rockies history with 996 runs scored, 2,956 total bases and 148 stolen bases, fourth with 801 RBIs, tied for fifth with 227 home runs and is seventh with a 21.7 WAR. Honorable Mentions: Jorge De La Rosa (starting pitcher) Aaron Cook (starting pitcher) Rafael Betancourt (reliever/closer) Justin Morneau (1B) Andres Galarraga (1B) Eric Young Sr. (2B) Trevor Story (SS) Vinny Castilla (DH) Dante Bichette (DH) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Major League Baseball Colorado Rockies recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Paul Skenes, Pirates Not Speaking Yet About Contract Extension
PHOENIX — The Pittsburgh Pirates are about to reach a crisis point when it comes to the future of the franchise. Do they sign stellar starting pitcher Paul Skenes, the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year, for at least five seasons to cover his pre-arbitration and arbitration years, or do they trade him before he even gets to that point? Advertisement More from If they don't trade or sign him, his price in each of his three arbitration years could prove to be very prohibitive for a franchise that has a $114.2 million payroll for tax purposes this season per Spotrac, which is 26th in Major League Baseball. That's the second-lowest payroll in the National League to Miami's $85.2 million. Skenes, who is earning a second-year minimum salary of $875,000 this season, has not yet held contract talks with the Pirates, the right-hander said after earning the win in a 10-1 drubbing of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday at Chase Field. 'That hasn't happened,' Skenes, the No. 1 draft pick from 2023 out of LSU, said. 'This is about the here and now. I'm not in any rush for a decision to be made like that. I don't think they are, either.' Advertisement Skenes is this decade's Gerrit Cole, as far as the Pirates are concerned. Cole was picked first overall by the Pirates in the 2011 draft and was ultimately traded to the Houston Astros in 2018 before he could reach free agency—something that still irks Cole. The right-handed pitcher went on to sign a nine-year, $324 million contract with the Yankees in 2019; he is out this season and into next after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. That deal was way too rich for Pittsburgh's blood then, and it certainly would be even at half that amount now. Skenes, turning 23 on Thursday, is constrained by the early restrictions the collective bargaining agreement places on young players. Even Detroit's Tarik Skubal, who won the American League Cy Young Award last year, is a little more advanced, making $10.15 million this year after signing a one-year contract to avoid arbitration. He has one more year of arbitration before heading into free agency in 2027. Skenes? 'I'm tied up until 2030, I think,' the Pirates ace said. And already the trade rumors are rolling. Does he pay any attention to all that? Advertisement 'What trade rumors?' he said. 'I don't think any of that is for real.' But unless the Pirates make a contractual overture, the rumors will persist. One would think it would be in the Pirates' best interest to do something long-term at what might now be a discount price. For example, the Diamondbacks signed outfielder and speedster Corbin Carroll in 2023 at age 22 for eight years, $111 million, wiping out his arbitration years and early free agency, which doesn't begin by rule until a player has finished his sixth season. That gives the club more control and the player some much-needed security. MLB contracts are guaranteed if a player is hurt. In Skenes' case, he was the NL All-Star starter last year at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas and a player the Pirates would want to build around, you'd think. Advertisement 'No doubt,' Pirates manager Don Kelly said. 'A [player like] Paul Skenes doesn't come around very often, maybe ever. There are few pitchers like that. When I was younger I got to play with [Justin] Verlander and [Max] Scherzer. You see the same thing in Paul. He's definitely the kind of guy you want to build around.' But that depends upon the Pirates and their thrifty ways. The club's assistant general manager Bryan Stroh was on the road trip but declined to make himself available to answer questions about the subject. In essence, the Pirates don't get much of an attendance bump when Skenes is starting at PNC Park as opposed to the rest of their home schedule. They average 17,120 fans a game at PNC Park, 26th in MLB, and 18,937 in the five starts thus far this season that Skenes has made—and that includes the 37,713 who showed up on April 19 in a loss to Cleveland when the team gave away a Skenes bobblehead. Demand was so high for the bobblehead that fans lined up early across the Roberto Clemente Bridge into downtown Pittsburgh. Initially, only the first 20,000 through the gates were to obtain the prized possession. But when owner Bob Nutting saw the commotion, he guaranteed a bobblehead to all fans in attendance handing out a voucher when fans scanned their tickets. It was such a great promotion that the Pirates are planning to give away a Paul Skenes Superman bobblehead for their game against the Texas Rangers at PNC Park on June 22. Advertisement Perhaps that's to avoid these kind of attendance results: 8,291 to see Skenes pitch in an April 8 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals and 13,633 to see Skenes lose to the Chicago Cubs on May 1. The largest crowd to see Skenes pitch this season was 53,055 at Dodger Stadium on April 25. The right-hander excelled that night by pitching into the seventh inning in a win, holding the Dodgers to no runs, five hits while striking out nine on 108 pitches. Similarly, on Wednesday he allowed no runs on four hits while whiffing seven on 96 pitches before Kelly plucked him with two out in the seventh in front of another strong road crowd of 25,202. If he's more popular on the road and less of a payday at home, the Pirate might as well trade him than extend. But that all remains to be seen. Advertisement 'It's all probably a long way away,' Skenes said. 'We have a good core and good opportunity to do so something significant in Pittsburgh.' Is this where he wants to be long term? 'I don't know,' he said. 'Just hear them out.' Best of Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Brewers lose another starter as Nestor Cortes lands on injured list with a left elbow strain
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Nestor Cortes throws out Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl (29) during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps) Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Néstor Cortes (65) throws to the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps) Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Néstor Cortes (65) throws to the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps) Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Nestor Cortes throws out Cincinnati Reds' TJ Friedl (29) during the third inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps) Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Néstor Cortes (65) throws to the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps) MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers placed left-hander Nestor Cortes on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a flexor strain in his left elbow, further depleting the team's starting pitching. The loss of Cortes leaves the Brewers with Freddy Peralta as the only healthy pitcher among those projected to be in the five-man rotation this season. Advertisement Cortes' elbow problem surfaced last weekend following a rough outing that saw him give up three home runs on consecutive pitches and five overall in a 20-9 loss to the New York Yankees. Imaging tests revealed no structural damage, and Cortes threw six shutout innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday night. 'Leading up to the game it wasn't feeling great but it felt good enough to pitch and that's what I did,' Cortes said. 'After that is when I started feeling more sore than usual.' Cortes said the elbow didn't feel right on Friday, and on Saturday he and the team agreed he needed to go on the injured list. Left-handed reliever Grant Wolfram was recalled from Triple-A Nashville. The Brewers said further testing would be done on Cortes' elbow. Advertisement 'This is not a situation that we think is going to be a long-term issue,' assistant general manager Matt Kleine said. 'We're still in the process of gathering information -- that'll take another few days -- but as of right now, this is looking more like a short-term issue than a long-term issue.' Cortes has dealt with the injury before. He missed a month last season and, despite not being fully recovered, he returned to pitch for the Yankees in the World Series. Cortes said the reward of pitching in the World Series outweighed the risk of a potential long-term injury. 'If I have a ring and then a year off of baseball, then so be it,' he said at the time. Cortes didn't get the ring. He gave up a walk-off grand slam to Freddie Freeman in Game 1 and the Yankees lost in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers. A few weeks later he was traded to Milwaukee in a deal that sent All-Star closer Devin Williams to New York. Advertisement The Brewers were confident Cortes would be ready when spring training opened, and their medical staff devised a plan to build him up carefully for the regular season. 'Between me and the medical staff, we've had good communication,' Cortes said. 'Once I got traded, I got an MRI in the offseason and then going through the whole rehab process in the offseason gave us a better idea of where I stood with the arm. 'We did a really good job in spring training so it sucks that we're here right now.' Cortes is the eighth Brewers pitcher, and seventh starter, to land on the injured list. Milwaukee went into camp knowing they'd be without Brandon Woodruff until at least May while he works his way back from shoulder surgery in September 2023. Robert Gasser was out, too, after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer. Advertisement DL Hall suffered a lat injury just before camp opened, and Aaron Ashby and Tobias Myers were lost to oblique injuries. Aaron Civale got in one start before he landed on the IL with a hamstring strain. To shore up depth, the Brewers signed veteran left-hander Jose Quintana in mid-March but he's yet to make a start. He has remained in Arizona to continue building up strength after his late arrival. ___ AP MLB:
