Latest news with #Bret
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wrestling Fans React to the Biggest 'What Ifs' in WWE History
One of the most engaging parts about sports and media discourse is discussing what could have been. There's a natural human desire to lament all possible outcomes from the past. It sparks intense debates and allows for endless hypotheticals. Recently, a fan took to X and asked about the most significant "what-ifs" in wrestling history. The post went viral and sparked endless responses, so I decided to consolidate it to make it WWE-centric while plucking out some of the more intriguing replies. Bret would've been about 44 at the time, and was such a technically sound worker, he likely would've had a few great years left in the ring. "The Hitman" would've made for an excellent leader of The Alliance. This has always been a popular sliding door, but of the group that competed with the Black and Yellow armband at SummerSlam 2010, who has been a star in any promotion, at any point, outside of Wade Barrett? It was a group with a shelf life that was too short, but fans have wildly overrated the stable's personnel in the years since. If Hogan had cold feet and stayed a face, he would have been released within the next few years due to his lucrative salary and diminishing fan support. The NWO doesn't reach the mainstream in the same way, but without Hogan politics, WCW booking doesn't crater, and the company remains a viable competitor far past 2001. Mr. Kennedy would've had a chance to be a main event star, but it would've been so hard to land the plane on this angle. It was a rare creative risk that was intriguing, but there were almost no viable payoffs. The world would keep spinning. This is tough for me. In the immediate aftermath, Creative was likely hesitant to push him in the same way, but he's been an ironman since. The likes of Seth Rollins and Charlotte Flair have been hurt more frequently, yet have never tumbled down the card. It seems like Balor has been more of a victim of sloppy angles than the inopportune injury. Advertisement Related: Wrestling Insider Makes Bold Prediction About Logan Paul's WWE Future Related: John Cena's Farewell Tour Has Been a Total Flop
New York Post
21-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Aaron Boone recalls fights with brother Brett before winning first matchup as coaches
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free As Aaron Boone's pitchers tried to combat Bret Boone's hitters, the jabs were metaphorical. At one point, those Boone vs. Boone punches were literal. Round One of the Boone Bowl — the first matchup between the Yankees manager and his big brother Bret, recently named Rangers hitting coach — brought back memories of two of the sons of Bob Boone, essentially baseball royalty, going at it in their younger days. 'We used to box when we were kids,' Aaron said before beating Bret's Rangers 5-2 in The Bronx on Tuesday. 'I used to wear the headgear, and he wouldn't. So, picture I'm probably 6, he's probably 10, and I popped him good one time. It kind of got him upset, and he took it to me pretty good. 'I'm starting to cry a little bit, and he's like, 'No, you can't cry. We're going to get in trouble.' 'Years later I was thinking: 'We're going to get in trouble? You're going to get in trouble for beating up your little brother.' The fight has become fairer over the years. The two longtime big leaguers had matched up in their playing days but had not gone face-to-face as members of opposing coaching staffs until Tuesday. The Rangers hired Bret as hitting coach on May 5 after firing Donnie Ecker to attempt to breathe life into a flatlining offense. 3 Aaron Boone (right) and Brett Boone (left) pose for a picture with the umpires during the lineup exchange before the Yankees' 5-2 series-opening win over the Rangers on May 20, 2025. Jason Szenes / New York Post Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Bret Boone — who had no previous coaching experience but ran a podcast and was a three-time All-Star over 14 big league seasons — can bring new ideas to his hitters and help them get 'more involved, invested watching the game.' Aaron and Bret watched each other from opposite dugouts after meeting on the field to exchange lineups before first pitch. The two were appreciative that the timing worked out so Aaron could have his four kids at the game and Bret's two sons attended, an impromptu family reunion. The timing also involved a mutual off-day Monday, when they went out to dinner together. 'He actually paid the bill last night,' Bret said. Giancarlo Stanton is 'toward the endgame of his running program,' though Aaron Boone did not know when the DH would begin a rehab assignment. Stanton is 'doing well,' Boone said, in his rehab from tendon injuries in both elbows. Boone said Stanton will begin getting some live at-bats 'soon,' though he was not sure in what capacity Stanton would be getting those at-bats. After Ben Rice took ground balls at third base before Sunday's game — an interesting development for a positional group that is overflowing at the moment and yet does not have a true third baseman — Boone again downplayed the scene. 3 Ben Rice hits a solo homer in the second inning of the Yankees' win over the Rangers. Jason Szenes / New York Post He said there is value to Rice, a catcher and first baseman, moving his legs at another position for athleticism reasons. He also said that 'you never rule out anything,' leaving the door open for Rice to try the spot later this year. 'You always just want to stick someone at third, and it's not that simple,' said Boone, himself a former third baseman. 'I've seen him over there a couple times and I like how he moves over there and things like that, but it's not much more than that right now.' Rice went 2-for-3 with two RBIs — on a solo home run and sacrifice fly — on Tuesday night. 3 Devin Williams celebrates after striking out Texas Rangers' Adolis García during the eighth inning of the Yankees' win over the Rangers. Getty Images Devin Williams entered play having allowed a run in one of his past nine appearances. The reliever was credited with a hold while pitching an inning, striking out two and allowing a hit on Tuesday. Boone said 'we'll see' whether Williams would reclaim the closing spot that Luke Weaver, who picked up his sixth save in the Yankees' win, has inherited. 'No plans right now,' Boone said.
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
After a 2-decade hiatus, the ‘Battle of the Boones' resumes in the Bronx
Larry Bowa still remembers the two kids, sons of Philadelphia Phillies catcher Bob Boone, shagging fly balls in the outfield at the old Veterans Stadium. Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski and other Phillies of that era hit the ball hard. When the turf at the Vet got wet, the ball would skip. Players feared one of the kids might get hurt. Advertisement 'And they're catching balls like they've been playing in the big leagues for 10 years, catching 'em on one hop, off the wall,' said Bowa, the shortstop for the Phillies' 1980 World Series champions. 'Right then, you knew, they were going to play somewhere.' Oh, they played, all right. Bret Boone spent 14 years in the majors, younger brother Aaron 12. They were teammates with the Cincinnati Reds in 1997-98, occasional opponents after that. And on Tuesday night, the remarkable story of the first family in baseball history to produce three generations of major leaguers will enter its next phase. Bret, 56, will be in the visiting dugout at Yankee Stadium, the newly-hired hitting coach of the Texas Rangers. Aaron, 52, will be in the home dugout, in his eighth season managing the New York Yankees. The Battle of the Boones, in its latest incarnation. 'It's been well over 20 years since we had this kind of situation,' Aaron said. 'It'll be a little fun, a little weird looking at him. I'm sure I'll glance his way a handful of times.' Brothers being brothers, the competitive juices will stir. As players, their most memorable game against one another took place on May 11, 2000, in Cincinnati, when Bret went 3-for-4 with two homers for the San Diego Padres, only to be topped by Aaron hitting 3-for-5 with a walkoff homer for the Reds. In their present roles, the emotions are different. 'Once the game starts,' Bret lamented, 'I've never felt less control of anything in my life.' And yet, there is no place Bret, the more garrulous of the two brothers and host of the Bret Boone Podcast, would rather be (Bret and Aaron also have a younger brother, Matthew, who played minor-league baseball). 'It's in our blood,' said Bret's oldest child, Savannah, who is married to Atlanta Braves shortstop Nick Allen. 'We're surrounded by baseball on all sides.' Advertisement Keeping up with the Boones can be dizzying. Bret and Aaron's grandfather, Ray Boone, was an infielder who played from 1948 to 1960. Their father, Bob, is third in all-time games caught, behind only Iván Rodríguez and Yadier Molina, and also managed for six seasons, including the Reds in 2003, when Aaron was his third baseman. The next generation includes Bret's son, Jacob, a former minor leaguer who is now special projects coordinator in Major League Baseball's player programs department; Aaron's son, Brandon, a student offensive assistant for Bill Belichick's football team at the University of North Carolina; and, last but not least, Allen, known to his father-in-law as 'Nicky Knocks' and one of the top defenders in the game. So who will Savannah root for this week when her father's team faces her uncle's? 'I'm pulling for both, but I've got to side with my dad at the end of the day for this matchup,' Savannah said. 'If they were playing the Braves, obviously I've got to go with Nick. It just depends on the circumstances.' Bret, on the other hand, makes no secret of his motivations. 'When we played against each other, man, I wanted to beat him,' Bret said of Aaron. 'But as long as our team won, on the side I'd think, we're winning, we're kicking their butt tonight, so I'd kind of like it if Aaron gets a hit right here. Throw in a knock, but still lose.' And when Bret played against teams his father was managing? 'Same thing,' he said. 'Sometimes I'd go to the ballpark and we'd hit early before anybody knew even though he was the manager of the opposing team. Then I loved kicking his butt, too.' Three weeks ago, the possibility of Bret getting back in uniform this season was nonexistent. If anyone had floated the idea over the Christmas holidays, as the Boone clan gathered in Punta Mita, Mexico, it would have seemed even more absurd. Not content to lounge by the pool, Bret made his podcast a part of the vacation, interviewing 21 family members for a two-part 'holiday special.' Each segment lasted about one hour, 45 minutes. Video was part of the production. No one was excused. 'It was tough coordinating. I would be like, 'Aunt Laura, you're on deck, get ready,'' Bret said, referring to Aaron's wife. 'You've got the women wanting to do their hair a little bit and look presentable. The boys, they didn't really care. They were all sleeping. They'd been surfing. They didn't give a s— how they looked.' Advertisement Bret delighted in the exchanges, which included some of his nieces and nephews, 'wearing me out.' He saved his mother Sue, the family matriarch, for the end, and could sense her pride in the family she and Bob created. Still, not everyone was thrilled with the all-day affair. 'It was a pain because it took hours, and everyone was rotating through it, and we were wanting to go to the beach and pool and stuff,' Aaron said, smiling. Bret's efforts, though, reflected his own passion for family — a passion, Savannah said, that kept him out of baseball for almost two decades following his final season as a major leaguer in 2005. In his 2016 book, 'Home Game: Big League Stories from My Life in Baseball's First Family,' Bret also acknowledged an alcohol problem helped contribute to the end of his playing career. Aaron said his older brother, 'has been through a lot in his life,' but currently is in 'a really, really good place.' Bret had four children with his first wife, Suzi — Savannah, 29; Jacob, 26; and twins Isaiah and Judah, 20. He also has three stepdaughters with his second wife, Krista — Isabella, 26; Analiese, 23; and Malia, 17. 'I know he always wanted to get back in the game. He just didn't know when the right time was,' Savannah said. 'Between me, my siblings and my step-siblings, his house was pretty crowded. He didn't want to leave. Especially as the boys and the girls were going through high school, he wanted to be there for them.' Yet, even with the house quieting down, Bret was not looking for a job in baseball, or even thinking about one. He still is incredulous at the way his opportunity with the Rangers arose. The story, in an age when teams operate with all deliberate speed, taking pride in process-oriented decision-making, is nothing short of astonishing. Throwing out the first pitch before a game at his alma mater, the University of Southern California, Bret ran into Michael Young, the former infielder who is now a special assistant with the Rangers. He asked Young to send his best to Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, his skipper with the San Diego Padres in 2000, and president of baseball operations Chris Young, the former pitcher. Bochy called a few hours later to ask Bret to take over as his hitting coach, and that was that. Advertisement The news caught the family, not to mention the entire baseball world, by surprise. 'I told Aaron before anybody knew and there was a pause on the phone like, 'Where did this come from?'' Bret recalled. 'I said, 'Aaron, I don't know. I was just hanging out with my dog on the beach. I didn't ask anybody for anything.'' Aaron's hiring by the Yankees in December 2017 was not as sudden, but also a bit of a shock, for he had never managed at any level. In a follow-up conversation with Bret, he was more composed and enthusiastic about his older brother's possibility with the Rangers. 'I think you should do it,' Aaron said. Bret, honoring the Rangers' request for him to keep the news quiet until the official announcement, initially told only his wife and parents, in addition to Aaron. He then decided to inform Savannah — 'my oldest, the princess' — but only after her husband, the Braves' shortstop, left for the ballpark. Bret has friends with the Braves, including bench coach Walt Weiss. He didn't want Allen worrying about keeping a secret. So, when Bret called Savannah, he made her promise not to tell Allen until he got home after the game. Savannah's reaction was similar to her uncle's. 'I was like, 'Are you kidding?'' In the days after he joined the Rangers, Bret received well wishes from former teammates and friends in the game. Many expressed excitement over what they perceived as an old-school hire, believing Bret's perspective as a former player would complement the analytics prevalent in baseball today. Allen, a current player, said he immediately thought, 'it's a different game now than when he was in it.' But the Rangers aren't asking Bret to dive into the numbers, knowing their other hitting coaches, Justin Viele and Seth Conner, can cover that aspect. And Bret's younger brother is an example of someone who successfully navigates both worlds. Advertisement 'Aaron's a better politician than me,' Bret said, joking. The bigger adjustment for Bret — for any former player who gets into coaching or managing — is the inability to directly impact the outcome of a game. 'When you're out there (as a player), you're like, 'F— it, I might pop a three-run homer,'' Bret said. 'But (with the Rangers) I let my boys go and I'm like, 'All right, get 'em!'' Bret said he counseled Aaron through certain difficult periods with the Yankees, telling him, 'You can't stew over what you have no control over.' Once he got back in the dugout, he quickly realized that was easier said than done. No longer can Bret find solace in defeat by going say, 2-for-4. Every loss, he said, feels like an 0-for-4. Even if the Rangers win 90 games, he will experience 70 or so such nights. 'When you're on the outside looking in, it's easy to talk Aaron off the ledge,' Bret said. 'But when you're the guy on the ledge, now I know what he's feeling. And I'm not even in the manager position, where everything falls on you. That's the human side I'm going through right now that I forgot about.' Allen believes his father-in-law will succeed as a coach because he's straightforward and upfront, capable of keeping things simple, armed with a sense of humor. In fact, Allen takes it a step further, saying Bret — like his father and younger brother — is 'really built to be a skipper.' Bret isn't so sure. 'Manager?' he said. 'I never thought I'd be a hitting coach.' Then again . . . 'I always thought, if I went back, managing fits my personality the best,' Bret said. 'At this point in my life, I'm open to everything, and I know I've got a lot to give. Would I rule out managing one day? Absolutely not. But it's nothing I'm thinking about right now.' No, he's thinking about the Rangers' next series, their visit to New York. He was excited to see his son Jacob for the first time since Christmas, and planned to spend time as well with Aaron and his family. And of course, he was excited for the games. Advertisement Bret and Aaron have always been close and supportive of each other, except when they're opponents. Except this week, when The Battle of the Boones resumes. 'Aaron's going to want to whup us, and I'm going to want to whup him,' Bret said. 'From a team standpoint, that's kind of the way we've always been.' (Top photo of Aaron, Ray, Bret and Bob Boone at the 2003 MLB All-Star Game: Mark Duncan / Associated Press)
New York Post
19-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Yankees vs. Rangers brings unexpected Boone Bowl — 20 years in the making
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free When the Rangers hired Bret Boone to be their hitting coach earlier this month, Aaron Boone immediately checked the Yankees' schedule. The manager did not have to wait long for the Boone Bowl. The Rangers will arrive in The Bronx on Tuesday, pitting the Boone brothers against each other for the first time since 2005, when Bret's Mariners beat Aaron's Indians in a game at Safeco Field. 'It'll be cool,' Aaron Boone said this weekend. 'I'm looking forward to seeing him, just because I don't see him that much in person throughout the year, so that'll be good. I'm just excited he's in a dugout again, I feel like where he should be, and having a chance to impact some people.' Yankees manager Aaron Boone. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Rangers hitting coach Bret Boone. AP Since retiring from playing for good in 2008, Bret Boone had been a roving instructor and scout for the Athletics from 2014-15, but otherwise had been out of the game — he did host a podcast centered around baseball — before the Rangers hired him on May 5 after firing offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker. Aaron Boone, in his eighth year as the Yankees' manager, recently said he had talked 'quite a bit' with his older brother (Bret is 56, Aaron 52) since he got the job and that he 'seems to be enjoying it,' calling Bret 'in his element' in the role. There will be some extra Boones in attendance for the series, in addition to Aaron's family — one of Bret's sons is already in Manhattan working for MLB while another will be coming into town for the series. Tyler Matzek became a free agent on Monday after declining an outright assignment to the minors following the Yankees designating him for assignment on Friday. The veteran lefty reliever looked like he might be a steal for the Yankees early in spring training as a minor league sign, but after returning from an oblique injury, did not look as sharp in limited action in the big leagues. The Yankees will insert Ryan Yarbrough back into the rotation on Wednesday after skipping his start over the weekend — taking advantage of an off day last Thursday — so Clarke Schmidt and Max Fried could start against the Mets on normal rest. Will Warren, Tuesday's starter, will already be pitching on his sixth day because of another off day Monday, but having Yarbrough go Wednesday will mean that the rest of the Yankees' starters will also be pitching on their sixth day this turn through the rotation. 'Picking our spots to where we still value that sixth day when we can have it with some guys,' Boone said Sunday. 'The way things line up makes sense. And Yarbs has done a great job for us. But to be able to have him in the pen the last couple days, it gave us a little added protection there. But also feel like he really — gosh, he's pitched so well that he kind of deserves to get in there. 'Over the course of a long season, we don't want to get in the habit of just, when we have the off days, run our guys automatically on that fifth [day]. So valuing that sixth day every now and then too, especially when they've had a couple in a row maybe where they've gone on the fifth day.'
USA Today
18-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Sibling rivalry: New Rangers coach Bret Boone faces little brother Aaron's Yankees
Sibling rivalry: New Rangers coach Bret Boone faces little brother Aaron's Yankees Show Caption Hide Caption Pete Rose now eligible for Hall of Fame after years of ineligibility USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale discusses Pete Rose now being eligible for the Hall of Fame and what it means for the steroid era players. Sports Pulse CHICAGO — 'Where the hell did this come from?" Ah, nothing like little brother's reaction to big brother's promotion. The truth is that Bret Boone received virtually the same response from his close friends and golf buddies as when he broke the news to his brother, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, that he is now the new Texas Rangers hitting coach. Boone's experience? Nothing, except those playing career statistics on the back of his baseball card. 'I wasn't looking for anything," Bret Boone, 56, the former three-time All-Star second baseman, told USA TODAY Sports. 'I had never seen myself in a hitting coach capacity anywhere. All of this happened out of nowhere. There was no agenda. Nothing. Now, here I am, and I've got 12, 13 kids I'm living and dying with on every pitch every game. 'It's surreal." This week, Boone will be bringing his new family of hitters to the Bronx where he hopes they can pummel his little brother's team, just like back in the days when they were facing one another across the field playing in the big leagues. The Rangers open a three-game series against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, and 2,793 miles away in Buena Park, California, Bob and Sue Boone will have the big screen TV on in Bob's trophy room, watching in fascination as their two sons go toe-to-toe for three games, just like the old times. 'This is something that Bret wanted for so long," Sue Boone said. 'I'm so excited for him. But I was kind of torn. I rely on Bret a lot, he does a lot of stuff around the house for us, but I know this is something he wanted for so long." RIP TO TANKING: Brandon Hyde survived Orioles' ugly years – then franchise failed him The routine for Sue and Bob Boone is sitting on their leather chairs watching the Yankees on the large TV in the middle of the room, and the Atlanta games on another – Nick Allen, who's married to Bret's daughter, is the starting shortstop for Atlanta. Well, thank goodness they have three TVs now, making sure they get their game times right not to miss a single pitch. The Yankees games will remain on the main TV though. 'I watch them more intently now than when Bob was playing or the boys were playing," said Sue Boone, who has been married to Bob since 1967. 'That's our livelihood now, watching the games. When Bret and Aaron's teams were playing against each other, people are asking, 'Who do you pull for?' They would always ask me that when the boys were playing each other. Well, you cheer for both of them. You want them both to get a few hits." There was nothing like that 2000 game in Cincinnati, which will forever be etched in the family scrapbook. Bret went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI for the visiting San Diego Padres, only for Aaron to go 3-for-5 with a walk-off home run to give the Reds a wild 11-9 victory. 'But now that Aaron is a manager, and Bret is coaching," Sue Boone says, 'well, it's a little different. I know their competitive juices will really be flowing. They're brothers, but will be enemies this series." So, what are the parents rooting for this week? 'I want to see the Rangers get a whole lot of hits because of Bret," Sue Boone says, 'but the Yankees win because of Aaron." So, in other words, the dream scenario would be Yankees 12, Rangers 11? 'That would be perfect." The Boones have been watching Yankees games every night since Aaron became manager before the 2018 season. It has become a family ritual with Bob dissecting the strategy as if he was back in the dugout, laughing at Aaron's fiery disposition which has led to 41 ejections, the most in Yankee history, while Bob was ejected just eight times in 815 games. Scott Miller, author of the book, 'Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter," sat down with Bob and Sue Boone to watch one of the Yankees' games on TV, and devoted his entire first chapter to the family. Bob managed the Cincinnati Reds with Aaron on the team from 2001-2003, and still today, Aaron calls his dad after games to go over everything that transpired. 'If I've got a little question, I might ask him why did you do that, and he'll tell me," Bob Boone told Scott Miller for the author's new book "Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter." 'I could irritate him if I tell him, 'Here's what you should have done.' That won't work. But if I have a thought, I'll tell him." But these days, it's the boys who speak after games. Aaron and Bret used to talk perhaps once a week during the season, but now they talk every day. Aaron, who was on a bus headed back to Yankee Stadium after a Yankees 'Welcome Home Dinner" in New York when Bret gave him the call, sounded even more excited than Bret when speaking to USA TODAY Sports this week that his brother is back in the game. 'The way it came together, and the speed it came together for Bret is wild," Aaron, 52, says. "I don't think he was even lobbying or trying, but I always thought they'd love to be back in the game with a team. So, I'm not surprised he jumped at this opportunity. 'He's in a great place in his life where he's ready for this. And I think he definitely will have a positive impact on the players." It all began when Bret was invited to throw out the first pitch at his alma mater, USC, two weeks ago. He got a text message from former All-Star infielder Michael Young, who was in the stands, saying, 'Don't bounce it." They caught up after the game, spoke for a few minutes, and an hour later, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy was calling Boone asking if he wanted to become their new hitting coach. 'I don't think I'd be sitting here if that interaction didn't happen," Bret Boone says. 'I hadn't talked to Michael in a couple of years, and we were just shooting the breeze. He says, 'Why don't you go back onto the field?' I told him, 'Nah, I like staying home and doing my podcasts. Tell C.Y. [GM Chris Young] hello and give Boch a hug for me.' 'The next thing I know, I'm flying out to Boston to meet the team wondering what am I even doing? I get in at 11:30 at night, and there waiting for me at the check-in desk is Boch. 'I knew then I was right where I'm supposed to be." It has been two weeks since Bret took over as the Rangers' hitting coach, and already, he has made an impact. Texas has off since his arrival, going 8-4 and moving from fourth place into a tie for second entering Saturday, despite All-Star shortstop Corey Seager back on the injured list. 'I've been scoreboard-watching," Aaron says. 'I never paid much attention to the Rangers, but I sure do now, seeing how that offense is doing. It's fun checking on each other every day now. All of a sudden, we have a little more in common." The best time of Aaron's career, he says, was playing 2 ½ years for his dad in Cincinnati, and spending two months playing alongside his brother in 1998 – also living with him. It was Aaron's first full season while Bret was making his first All-Star team and winning a Gold Glove with 24 homers and 95 RBI. Bret's finest stretch that season was his first full month with Aaron, hitting .286 with five homers, 25 RBI and a .944 OPS in August. 'That was so cool playing in the same infield with Bret for two months," Aaron sats. 'Here I am just trying to establish myself as a big leaguer, and here I am playing with my older brother where I was the third baseman and he was the second baseman. 'I'll remember that forever." Then, there was the 2003 All-Star Game in Chicago, Aaron's first time making the team and Bret's third and final nod. They have a picture together with Aaron and Bret, alongside Bob Boone and grandpa Ray Boone. The family has combined for 5,890 hits, 634 homers and 3,139 RBI with 10 All-Star Game appearances and 11 Gold Gloves. 'I have that picture in my office," Aaron says. "Three generations of All-Stars, that was pretty neat for all of us." There will be plenty more photos taken this week, of course, with perhaps the two exchanging lineup cards at home plate. They may even get together for dinner on Monday's off-day with Bret's son, Luke, who lived with Aaron and his family last year, working in New York for MLB. And, of course, there will be good-natured teasing, with Aaron wondering how Bret managed to keep his job after the Rangers were no-hit for six innings by Colorado Rockies rookie Chase Dollander one night and then Detroit Tigers Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal was perfect for six innings against Texas. 'When I saw they were facing Skubal," Aaron says, 'I told him, 'It's about to get real. Real quick.'" Bret laughs at the irony, golfing together with Skubal just before spring training. While Skubal was shutting down the Rangers, he was teasing Boone in between innings, mimicking his golf swing, while the TV cameras remained glued on Boone's face. 'It cracks me up," Bret says. 'The camera is always on me. It's the Boone factor. I'm a witch and a sorcerer. Hey, I'm not here to re-invent the wheel. These guys won a World Series two years ago. A lot of the guys in that room have a trophy in their house. 'I wasn't coming here to flip over the lunch table. I'm just here to learn these guys, their tendencies and personalities, and sprinkle in some 'me.' These kids are young. Some of the the guys like Evan Carter (22) and Wyatt Langford (23) were three years old when I retired. I tell them I can relate to every emotion you're going to have. I know exactly how you feel. I've been on top of the world and I've been hiding in my room, not wanting to go to the ballpark because I don't know if I'll get a hit again. 'And if you don't believe me, go ahead and Google me." If you do, you'll find one of the greatest, most successful baseball families in history, with a deep, rich lineage and now entering yet a new chapter. 'Watching those two compete will be very cool and a lot of fun," said agent Adam Katz, who represented both players since the beginning of their major-league careers, 'but nothing new with two competitive siblings like Bret and Aaron." And the emotions have already begun. 'Aaron is always checking in with me," Bret says, 'making sure everything is fine. He knows what I'm going through being back in the grind. But I couldn't be happier. I'm back in the game, and I'm about to go face my brother's team at Yankee Stadium. 'It doesn't get any cooler than that" Around the basepaths – Contrary to popular belief, it's a longshot that Pete Rose will be elected into the Hall of Fame when he's first eligible in 2027. You don't have to look back any further than the ballot two years ago when Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens didn't even receive four of the required 12 votes needed by the 16-person committee in December 2022. Yet, despite never being suspended, fined or testing positive for PED use, they didn't come close to election. Do you really think that Rose, who committed baseball's cardinal sin of gambling and lied about it for 15 years, will be suddenly forgiven by the executives, Hall of Fame players, writers and historians on the committee when they quickly dismissed baseball's all-time home run king and a seven-time Cy Young winner? The voters realize that if Rose is let into Cooperstown, there will be no compelling reason to keep out Bonds, Clemens and Sammy Sosa, or even Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez, who were suspended for steroid use. If you can allow managers who bet on baseball and players (Shoeless Joe Jackson) who took money from mobsters to throw games, what's a little PED use? Remember, the Hall of Fame instructs voters to base their choices 'upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship and contribution to the team(s) on which the player played.' – The value of Rose's merchandise and memorabilia has spiked since Manfred reinstated Rose from baseball's permanently ineligible list. – When the Hall of Fame hears that it can't be a true museum of history without baseball's all-time hit king, their officials point out there are 31 artifacts from Rose already in the Hall of Fame – so his story is already being without his induction. – Several teams, including the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, are closely monitoring Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon in case he's traded this summer. – If the Boston Red Sox are still looking for a first baseman at the trade deadline, Rhys Hoskins of the Milwaukee Brewers could be the perfect fit. Hoskins, a free agent after the season, will be available if the Brewers aren't in the playoff hunt. – Barry Larkin's ownership group aiming to get an MLB franchise in Orlando remains a viable option if the Rays don't soon have a resolution in the Tmapa Bay area. – Yankees starter Marcus Stroman's trade value is actually increasing by being on the injured list. Now that he's sidelined, he won't be able to automatically exercise his player option since he'll fall short of 140 innings. There were several teams who had interest in Stroman during the winter, but balked at the possibility of being on the hook for $18 million in 2026. – If the Brewers are out of the race by July 31, they are expected to be flooded with calls for ace Freddy Peralta, who has a club option for just $8 million next season. – Maybe it's not so much a coincidence that the White Sox have played better since Pope Leo took office, considering his affinity for the White Sox. 'It's been exciting obviously to have someone of that significance be w a White Sox fans," White Sox GM Chris Getz said. 'Since he's been announced to become the Pope, the White Sox have tacked on some wins. So perhaps a higher power is on our side.'' – Scouts who watched Dodgers rookie Rōki Sasaki in Japan were convinced that he was hurt after watching him pitch this season and their suspicions were verified when Sasaki was placed on the IL with a shoulder impingement. Sasaki, who was recruited by virtually every team in baseball, has a 4.72 ERA with just 24 strikeouts in 34⅓ innings through his first eight big starts. – How much of a regular guy is new Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly? He not only has been a part-owner of a local Jimmy John's in the Pittsburgh area, but he would regularly fill in making sandwiches or delivering orders. – The Athletics of West Sacramento shelled out $67 million or Luis Severino to be the ace of the staff and provide a smooth transition from Sacramento to Las Vegas. What they didn't factor in is that Severino would have a tough adjustment to hitter-friendly Sutter Health. 'It's tough to pitch here,' Severino told reporters after being shelled by the Yankees. 'You're just not used to it. You have a routine your whole life, then you come here and just (have to) work around whatever you have here.' While Severino typically would walk into clubhouse in between innings or even jump on the exercise bike to keep his legs moving, the A's clubhouse is located behind the left-field fence, keeping Severino trapped in the dugout. The impact? Severino's ERA at the A's temporary home is 6.75 in six starts. His road ERA is 0.95 in three starts. – Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who drove in six runs Friday from the leadoff spot to tie a franchise record, is also the first Cubs player to hit at least 12 homers, drive in 30 runs and steal 10 bases in the first 45 games of the season. 'It's fun to see a player take another step," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. 'He's taking a step up defensively. He's taking a big step offensively. It's an impact player." – Phillies starter Aaron Nola, who has badly struggled this year (1-7, 6.16 ERA), will miss his first start since 2017 after hitting the IL. Nola had been baseball's ultimate workhorse, pitching an MLB-leading 1,482 ⅓ innings with 217 starts. – Don't look now, but the Colorado Rockies, after firing manager Bub Black and employing their third hitting coach in six weeks, are off to the worst start in baseball history and are now on pace to go 26-136, obliterating the White Sox's record of 121 losses set last year. The Rockies are hitting just .184 on the road where they've gone 2-21, and entered Saturday having been outscored by 145 runs. – The only team in Tigers history who had a better run differential (87) than this year's edition after 45 games is that famous 1984 Tigers team, who went wire-to-wire. – The Atlanta organization was pleased that Ronald Acuña Jr. apologized to manager Brian Snitker and his teammates for his social media comment last month criticizing Snitker for not benching outfielder Jarred Kelenic when he did not run hard out of the batter's box after hitting a ball that he mistakenly thought was a home run. 'If it were me," Acuna said, 'they would take me out of the game.' Acuña said he simply was frustrated being away from the team when he tweeted out his comment. 'I was in the wrong," he said in a press conference this week. 'I shouldn't have done that. But thankfully I was able to apologize to Snit, man-to-man, to his face. I was able to apologize to my teammates. And now we're just turning the page and moving on.' Acuña, who is recovering from his second ACL tear, should be able to return in time for Atlanta's next home stand beginning May 23. –Can we go ahead and give the Comeback Player of the Year award to Detroit Tigers center fielder/shortstop Javy Baez? He played in just 80 games last season hitting .184 with a .516 OPS and was in danger of being released, even with three years and $73 million left on his contract. These days, he's hitting .307 with an .855 OPS, and has played brilliantly defensively in center field. He has already matched last year's total of six home runs and his 28 RBIs are just nine shy of last season. "It just goes to show, you can't write guys off," Tigers starter Jack Flaherty told reporters. 'You can't give up on guys, especially a guy like that who is as talented as anybody who has ever played that game and someone, who as I've gotten to know him, is going to work hard. The adjustments he's been able to make, even just embracing the move to center field, I'm so happy for him. It's awesome to see." – Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman still needs 90 minutes of treatment on his surgically repaired right ankle just to play each day, is hitting .358 with a 1.097 OPS, and credits his soft single off Pirates ace Paul Skenes' changeup on April 25 for his soaring confidence. 'That's when my confidence in my swing kind of skyrocketed, was after that hit," said Freeman, who was hitting .250 at the time. 'Sometimes you just need a result." Freeman says his ankle probably won't be 100% until at least after the All-Star break. – Who would have thought that the best rookie in baseball this year would be Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson, who is hitting .341 with an .853 OPS, with his 58 hits trailing only Aaron Judge? – In 1975, pitchers threw a complete game once every 3.7 starts. Now, look at what's happened, according to Codify Baseball. 1985: 1 of every 6.7 starts 1995: 1 of every 14.7 starts 2005: 1 of every 25.7 starts 2015: 1 of every 46.7 starts 2025: 1 of every 247.2 starts. – You know the AL Central is a whole lot stronger than envisioned when the Minnesota Twins win 12 consecutive games and pick up only three games in the standings. – The New York Mets not only are winning on the field, but at the gate, too. They are fifth in attendance this year, averaging 37,027, behind the Dodgers, Padres, Yankees and Phillies. A year ago, they were 17th, averaging 29,484. – The San Francisco Giants are 9-0 when Robbie Ray starts. They are 17-19 when he does not. – The first-place Chicago Cubs, with the White Sox, Marlins, Reds, Rockies and Nationals on their upcoming schedule, don't play a team with a winning record again until June 6 when they face the Tigers. – The glory age of putrid: Since 1961, when baseball went to a 162-game schedule, 14 teams have lost 110 games or more in a single season. Well, seven of those have occurred since 2013, including five of the last six seasons with the Rockies now making sure that streak continues. – Welcome back, 37-year-old Clayton Kershaw and 78-year old coach Gene Lamont. Kershaw, who tied a franchise record by playing in 18 seasons with the Dodgers, entered Saturday's game with 2,968 career strikeouts, 32 shy of becoming only the 20th pitcher in major-league history to reach 3,000. Lamont is joining the Pirates as a special adviser to Don Kelly. It will be his third stint with the Pirates organization, originally joining the Pirates in 1986 as one of Jim Leyland's coaches. Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
