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Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Detroit Tigers took some risky picks on Day 1 of 2025 MLB Draft
ATLANTA — The Detroit Tigers selected four players on Day 1 of the 2025 MLB Draft: shortstop Jordan Yost at No. 24 overall in Round 1, catcher Michael Oliveto at No. 34 in Competitive Balance Round A, right-hander Malachi Witherspoon at No. 62 in Round 2 and left-hander Ben Jacobs at No. 98 in Round 3. Yost and Oliveto are left-handed hitters from the prep ranks — Yost from Sickles High School in Tampa, Florida, and Oliveto from Hauppauge High School in Hauppauge, New York. Advertisement The high schoolers are high-risk, high-upside draftees. "We needed to be prepared for a bunch of different scenarios," general manager Jeff Greenberg said Sunday, July 13. "The work that went into that put us in a really good spot to take players with those first two picks that we were really excited to get." JEFF SEIDEL: No shortcuts for Detroit Tigers in Day 1 of 2025 MLB Draft — and that's a good thing Yost and Oliveto are known for making smart swing decisions, with Yost as a hit-first prospect and Oliveto as a power-first prospect. Expect Yost to stick at shortstop throughout his career, whereas Oliveto could eventually move to a corner outfield position. Advertisement Yost is committed to Florida; Oliveto is committed to Yale. Both players still need to sign with the Tigers, who have just under $11 million in bonus pool money to spread among their 21 picks in this year's draft. "It's all about attributes," scouting director Mark Conner said Sunday. "It's about athleticism, bat speed, ability to control the strike zone. We're looking at right-handed hitters, left-handed hitters, switch-hitters." Round 1: Jordan Yost, SS High school: Sickles High School in Tampa, Florida. Age: 18. Vitals: 6 feet, 170 pounds. Bats/throws: Left/right. Draft pick: No. 24 overall. Yost ranked as MLB Pipeline's No. 50 prospect and Baseball America's No. 82 prospect. He wasn't expected to be a first-round pick entering the draft — in fact, he wasn't viewed as a candidate to be selected within the first three rounds until recently, as a breakout in the spring vaulted him up draft boards. Advertisement He hit .412 with four home runs, 20 walks and one strikeout in 35 games during his senior season. Those four home runs as a senior were the only homers he hit throughout his entire 123-game career in high school. "Smooth, left-handed swing, really good bat-to-ball skills," Conner said. "Defensively has every attribute to stay at shortstop — really good actions, accurate thrower. Wired in a tremendous way. Works hard. Very flatlined with his heartbeat. Good kid, hard worker with a really good swing." The good: Yost has elite contact skills and advanced feel for the strike zone, so he should make smart swing decisions and consistently put the ball in play. Additionally, he is an above-average runner and an above-average defender at shortstop. The bad: He needs to develop strength if he wants to become an impact hitter. The Tigers are betting that Yost — who already grew from 115 pounds as a freshman to 170 as a senior — will eventually unlock more power, but that's far from guaranteed. One reason for concern: His max exit velocity didn't even reach 99 mph at the MLB Draft Combine in June. Advertisement "He's still a young kid with wide shoulders, a lot of projection to add strength," Conner said. "He has made a lot of gains over the last couple of years. We definitely see bat-to-ball skills being his elite trait, and then, over time, power is to come." ROUND 1: Every player drafted in first round on Day 1 Competitive Balance Round A: Michael Oliveto, C High school: Hauppauge High School in New York. Age: 18. Vitals: 6-3, 185. Bats/throws: Left/right. Draft pick: No. 34. Oliveto ranked as Baseball America's No. 117 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 219 prospect. Most evaluators didn't have him on their radar until he shined last fall at Perfect Game's WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida — a prestigious wood bat tournament where he hit .615 with two home runs. His performance vaulted him into draft consideration and ultimately convinced the Tigers to take a chance on his upside. Advertisement "Our guys identified him a little bit later in the process," Conner said. If his hit tool develops, Oliveto has the potential to pair average hitting with above-average power — potentially becoming a .250 hitter with 25-plus home runs. He already shows a healthy approach at the plate and hits the ball hard, especially to the pull side. Oliveto hit .435 with nine home runs, 30 walks and six strikeouts in his senior season. Of the 30 walks, 14 of them were intentional. The next step is proving he can hit against better pitching in the minor leagues, beginning in the Florida Complex League. "He has a really, really good loose swing," Conner said. "He projects to have power, bat-to-ball skills. ... Very intelligent kid, driven, hard working, the frame to add a lot of strength." Advertisement Defensively, the Tigers plan to keep Oliveto at catcher because of his athleticism. Other evaluators, however, project him to move to right field, citing his below-average receiving skills. Oliveto is an offense-first prospect, but he lacks extensive experience against top-tier pitching in the prep ranks, and his defense remains a question mark. "He has all the attributes of the athleticism, body movements, hand strengths, hand movements," Conner said. "A lot of it is going to be learning some of the technique and fine tuning some of the throwing, footwork and different aspects like that. But all the characteristics and traits are there for him to be a really good catcher." Round 2: Malachi Witherspoon, RHP College: Oklahoma. Advertisement Age: 20. Vitals: 6-3, 211. Bats/throws: Right/right. Draft pick: No. 62. Witherspoon is the twin brother of Kyson Witherspoon, whom the Boston Red Sox selected No. 15 overall in the first round. In the next round — 47 picks later — the Tigers grabbed Malachi. He ranked as Baseball America's No. 93 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 121 prospect. Witherspoon registered a 5.09 ERA with 32 walks and 91 strikeouts across 74⅓ innings in 15 starts during the 2025 campaign — his second of two seasons at Oklahoma, following one season at Northwest Florida State College. He has struggled with walks throughout his college career, a result of poor command. To solve the problem, he needs to repeat the mechanics of his delivery. Advertisement That's what the Tigers hope to fix. "Very excited for Malachi to be working with our pitching group," Conner said. "Over the last couple of years, he has definitely progressed in his strike-throwing ability. He is a big, strong, powerful athlete that has a really good arm." The upside is undeniable: His fastball averages 96 mph and maxes out at 100 mph. His best secondary pitches are a low-80s curveball and an upper-80s slider, both generating whiffs. To create deception, he throws from a low three-quarters arm slot. There's a lot of reliever risk in Witherspoon's profile. But it's a risk the Tigers are willing to take. Advertisement They're going to try to develop him as a starting pitcher. "He is a tireless worker that's going to get the most out of his ability," Conner said. "We're excited to hand him off to our player develop group and see what they can do with him. Everything leads to trending in a really good direction with the strikes — and with really, really good stuff." Celebrate 125 seasons of the Detroit Tigers with our new book! Round 3: Ben Jacobs, LHP College: Arizona State. Age: 21. Vitals: 6-1, 195. Bats/throws: Left/left. Drafted: Round 3 (No. 98 overall). Jacobs ranked as MLB Pipeline's No. 107 prospect and Baseball America's No. 119 prospect. He pitched five innings at UCLA in 2023, then he transferred to Arizona State for 66⅓ innings in 2024 and 83⅔ innings in 2025. Advertisement Although Jacobs is a strikeout machine, his 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings throughout his college career are offset by a concerning 5.2 walks per nine innings, including 12.9 strikeouts and 4.8 walks per nine in 2025. "He's an athletic left-hander with a good body," assistant general manager Rob Metzler said Sunday, "and a really good foundational fastball that we think we're going to be able to build a starters repertoire around." He has a four-pitch mix: A 93 mph fastball that tops out around 95 mph with ride, plus a slider, curveball and changeup. His fastball, slider and changeup generate swings and misses. He typically locates his fastball for strikes, but the secondary pitches remain inconsistent — the key area of concern. In 2025, Jacobs posted a 4.95 ERA with 45 walks and 120 strikeouts over 83⅔ innings in 16 starts. If he doesn't improve his command soon, specifically at the lower levels of the minor leagues, then he could be destined for the bullpen by the time he gets to the big leagues. Advertisement The reliever risk is real, but the Tigers will try to develop him as a starting pitcher. Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@ or follow him @EvanPetzold. Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at Order your copy of 'Roar of 125: The Epic History of the Detroit Tigers!' by the Free Press at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers reasons for top four picks in Day 1 of 2025 MLB Draft
Black America Web
10-07-2025
- Black America Web
TSA Quietly No Longer Requiring Passengers To Remove Their Shoes At Security Screenings
Source: Jeff Greenberg / Getty / TSA One of the more hated security checks at the airport, removing your shoes, is quietly being phased out by the TSA. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has quietly reversed a decades-old security check that required air travelers to remove their shoes during screenings. TSA began encouraging airline passengers at airport security checkpoints in February 2002 after a failed shoe bombing attempt by Richard Reid two months earlier. According to the Wall Street Journal, the agency will start unveiling new procedures that allow passengers to keep their shoes on during standard airport screenings, but hasn't officially announced the change. 'TSA and DHS are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture. Any potential updates to our security process will be issued through official channels,' TSA told the Wall Street Journal in a statement. Shoe removal became mandatory in August 2006, along with a liquid restriction, following the disruption of a liquid explosives plot in the United Kingdom. The 20-year-old practice has seemingly come to an end, with many passengers taking to social media to boast about not having to take off their shoes. But it's not being widely implemented just yet. The TSA is slowly rolling out the new security procedures, and the first airports with expiring no-shoes requirements are Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Portland International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and Piedmont Triad International Airport in North Carolina. According to CBS News correspondents traveling from Los Angeles International Airport and New York City's LaGuardia Airport, they and other passengers did not have to take off their shoes. Is TSA PreCheck Still Worth It? While this sounds like good news, some people are now wondering if TSA PreCheck, which already allows passengers to go through airport screenings without having to remove their shoes, is still worth it. TSA PreCheck also allows travelers to go through screenings without having to take out their laptops, iPads, or gaming devices from their carry-on bags. Another user on X, formerly Twitter, pointed out how this could lead to travelers having to deal with increased security measures using AI surveillance. Interesting. You can see more reactions in the gallery below. TSA Quietly No Longer Requiring Passengers To Remove Their Shoes At Security Screenings was originally published on
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tigers GM breaks silence on Jackson Jobe's season-ending injury
The post Tigers GM breaks silence on Jackson Jobe's season-ending injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Detroit Tigers got some unfortunate injury news on Wednesday as their young star Jackson Jobe will need Tommy John surgery, and he will be out for the remainder of the season. Jobe was just called up late last season, and he was off to a good start this year. He experienced some discomfort in a start a couple of weeks ago, but it was unclear how severe his injury was. Now we know that it is as serious as it gets. Advertisement Jackson Jobe last made a start on May 28th against the San Francisco Giants on May 28th. His velocity fell off during the outing, and he has been out with an injury ever since. The Tigers went through the evaluation process, and the UCL injury was discovered. 'As is standard medical evaluation process, we sought additional evaluations,' Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg said on Wednesday, according to an article from 'Through that evaluation process, the UCL injury was also discovered. From there, there were a series of conversations between Jackson, the doctors and the medical staff. And ultimately, surgery was determined as the path.' The Tigers have all the confidence in the world that Jobe will get through this difficult journey and come back stronger, but it will be a very long road. 'It's obviously really disappointing news,' Greenberg added. 'I really feel for Jackson. Obviously everybody sees the talent. He made a really positive impression to this team in his short time here. He's going to work through this. He's a very determined individual. I have no question he'll work through this process and be a really important contributor for this team for a very long time.' Advertisement Another Tigers pitcher that has gone through the same injury is Casey Mize. His 2022 season ended early because of it, but he has worked his way back and is now in the Detroit starting rotation. He knows that Jobe will do the same. 'Hate it for him, obviously, having gone through it,' Casey Mize said. 'It's a long process, but it's one I know he'll attack. I hate it for our team as well. Jackson's a special talent. It's a long road, but I know he's going to work really hard and come out of it better and be able to help us when he gets back. Feeling for him, but I know in the end, everything's going to be all right for him.' The Tigers are one of the best teams in baseball this year, so the last thing that they wanted to see was an injury to a key player like Jackson Jobe. He is one of the best young players in all of baseball, and while this will be a difficult obstacle for him, he still has an incredibly bright future. Related: Tigers rumors: Trade deadline reunion could put Detroit over the top Related: Jackson Jobe gets crushing injury update from AJ Hinch
Miami Herald
17-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Walmart makes bold move to help inflation-battered consumers
If the economic data you keep reading in the news doesn't seem to align with your spending experience, you're not alone. Inflation is cooling – or at least that's what we're all being told. But let's be honest. Your last few grocery bills probably made you want to cry or punch a wall. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Although inflation hasn't been as rampant this year as in recent years, it's still very much a problem. Related: Growing supermarket chain makes bold move amid tariffs Many of us are paying through the roof to rent an apartment, put food on the table, and make sure we have basic necessities like water, electricity - and yes, a modest amount of entertainment. So even though economists may be able to point to cooling inflation on paper, that's not the typical American's reality right now. And things could unfortunately get worse before they get better. Image source: Jeff Greenberg/Getty Food is something we can't do without. Granted, we can choose where to buy our food if the goal is to save money. It's far cheaper to buy food at a supermarket, for example, than to buy it from a restaurant. Even within the realm of supermarkets, there are some that are known to offer better prices than others. Related: Walmart makes key move to help 'older' Americans But for the most part, we all have our staple grocery items we can't do without. And when the cost of those items increases, we tend to have no choice but to pay up. Making matters worse, looming tariffs could drive food costs up even further once the current pause comes to an end. Many retailers have already issued warnings stating they may have to raise prices once tariffs kick in. That could push cash-strapped consumers over the edge. At a time when so many retailers are raising prices on groceries, Walmart is offering an almost unbeatable deal right in time for summer. Now through July 6, Walmart is offering a 17-item cookout bundle at an almost unbelievable price. Related: Costco brings back huge perk members have missed The bundle, which is intentionally being released to coincide with the July 4th holiday, includes fresh products like hot dogs, burgers, lettuce, tomatoes, and corn. It also includes barbecue staples like buns, pickles, chips, baked beans, soda, and ice cream sandwiches for dessert. All told, the meal package is designed to leave up to eight people feeling nice and stuffed for under $6 per person. The July 4th bundle isn't the first time Walmart has made a budget-friendly meal package available to shoppers. In the past, Walmart has sold an Easter meal deal as well as an affordable Thanksgiving feast. Like many of its competitors, Walmart has warned that it won't be immune to the impact of tariffs. It recently said point blank that it may have to raise prices if it can't absorb the cost increases tariffs bring about on its own. For now, though, Walmart is doing what it can to offer consumers some amount of relief. Walmart has also, despite its warning, pledged to do its part to shield consumers from tariffs. Part of that strategy includes sourcing more of its goods domestically – a practice the retail giant already upholds. Walmart is also expanding its small business outreach program to help more local businesses become trusted suppliers. More retail: Walmart CEO sounds alarm on a big problem for customersTarget makes a change that might scare Walmart, CostcoTop investor takes firm stance on troubled retail brandWalmart and Costco making major change affecting all customers Called Grow with US, the program could be instrumental in creating more jobs and opening up more doors for smaller operations. And if it works the way it's supposed to, it could result in more locally produced goods that result in major cost savings for consumers. Related: Walmart makes surprise cuts as it looks at tariff price hikes The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Engadget
17-06-2025
- Engadget
This 1-800 number will generate ChatGPT images, if for some reason you need that
Jeff Greenberg via Getty Images The discourse around artificial intelligence has all been about pursuing the bleeding edge, pushing the tech into the future as fast as possible. So maybe it should be refreshing that OpenAI's latest announcement feels almost quaintly analog. Starting today, users can tap into the company's image generation by texting 1-800-ChatGPT on WhatsApp. The post on X announcing this new option for using the ChatGPT AI chatbot specifies that the feature is "now available to everyone." I'm not sure what percentage of "everyone" wanted to have a 1-800 number to contact in order to obtain their AI-generated pictures. Considering how long it's been since the concept of a long-distance call was a factor in regular communication, I'd guess that many ChatGPT users don't even know why 1-800 phone numbers were notable. Perhaps this is OpenAI's attempt to lure the older generations away from potentially confusing ( and embarrassing ) competitors.
