Latest news with #Maddux
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Today in Chicago History: Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux records 3,000th strikeout at a wet Wrigley
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on July 26, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) 1964: Jimmy Hoffa, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, was found guilty in Chicago on three of 20 counts of fraud related to the Teamsters' Central States Pension Fund and one count of conspiracy. He was convicted of jury tampering earlier that year. 1985: Old St. Patrick's Church held its first 'World's Largest Block Party.' Tickets were $15 and entertainment included Stanley Paul & His Orchestra and the Jesse White Tumblers. The church discontinued the annual event in 2020. 2005: After a lengthy rain delay, Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux recorded his 3,000th career strikeout. Maddux caught San Francisco Giants shortstop Omar Vizquel looking at a third strike to end the third inning. Maddux, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2014, became the 13th member of the 3,000 strikeout club and the ninth pitcher in history with both 3,000 strikeouts and 300 victories. 2016: Park Ridge native Hillary Clinton became the first woman nominated to lead a major American political party in a run toward the White House. Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.
Fox Sports
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 MLB All-Star Game: Building the Best Braves Lineup
America's Team? Back in the 1990s, it felt like every TV was tuned into an Atlanta Braves game. But the lore stretches beyond the triple-threat of Glavine, Maddux, and Smotlz. After all, this team is where Hammerin' Hank made home run history. Either way, when you hear that Tomahawk Chop, you know things are about to get goin.' Manager: Bobby Cox Cox had an underwhelming first managerial stint with the Braves, as they posted three losing seasons and peaked at an 81-80 record in 1980 across his four years in the role (1978-81). But then Cox returned as Atlanta's manager during the 1990 season, and a team rotting at the bottom of its division became one of the best in the sport for the next decade. Posting six 100-plus-win seasons, making the playoffs in 14 of his first 15 seasons, winning five National League pennants and, most notably, the 1995 World Series, the Braves were a powerhouse in the 1990s and early 2000s under Cox, who was a three-time NL Manager of the Year Award winner. Cox, whose second stint in the Braves dugout lasted from 1990-2010, is far and away first in Braves history with 2,149 managerial wins. Starting pitcher: Greg Maddux Maybe the best pitcher of all time played in Atlanta from 1993-2003 and had the best run of his MLB career in a Braves uniform. Across his 11 seasons in northern Georgia, Maddux led MLB in both ERA and WHIP four times apiece, won three NL Cy Young awards and was money in the postseason, recording a combined 2.81 ERA in 29 appearances/27 starts, which included two complete games. Maddux, who was part of Atlanta's 1995 World Series triumph and one of, if not the best pitching trio in MLB history with John Smoltz and Tom Glavine, is fifth in Braves history among pitchers with a 66.2 WAR and 1,828 strikeouts, sixth with 194 wins, seventh with a 2.63 ERA, eighth with 2,526.2 innings pitched and 10th with 21 shutouts. Reliever/closer: Craig Kimbrel Kimbrel debuted out of Atlanta's bullpen in 2010 and instantly became one of the most dominant relievers in the sport. The right-hander, who became the team's full-time closer in 2011, had the distinct routine of dangling his arms forward like a bat while facing home plate before he came to a set. And when Kimbrel came to a set, he threw the gas, and impact contact from hitters was few and far between. Kimbrel was an All-Star in each of his four complete seasons with the Braves (2011-14) and led the NL in saves in each of those four seasons. Despite pitching just five-plus seasons for the franchise, Kimbrel, who made one appearance for the team in 2025, is first in Braves history with 186 saves, while posting a combined 1.43 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 477 strikeouts across 290.0 innings pitched. Catcher: Brian McCann McCann was one of the best catchers of his generation and a pillar for the Braves. Suiting up for the team from 2005-13 — and one more time in 2019 — McCann earned seven All-Star nods and five Silver Slugger awards. From 2006-13, McCann averaged 21 home runs and 80 RBIs per season, while posting a combined .277/.350/.477 slash line, while serving as a stabilizing force behind the plate. Plus, McCann was the 2010 All-Star Game MVP, as he hit a go-ahead, three-run double in the Midsummer Classic. 1B: Freddie Freeman Freeman was the face of a decade of Braves baseball, playing for the franchise from 2010-21. The 6-foot-4 first baseman was poised and a potent force from the left side of the plate, driving pitches to all fields, hitting for both contact and power at a high level and playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base. In Freeman's last season with the Braves, they won the 2021 World Series. Freeman, who won the 2020 NL MVP Award and was a five-time All-Star with the franchise, is third in Braves history with 367 doubles, sixth with 271 home runs and a 43.0 WAR, seventh with 1,704 hits, 10th with both 969 runs scored and a .509 slugging percentage and 10th with a .384 on-base percentage. 2B: Ozzie Albies Albies has been one of the best second basemen in the sport since entering the league in 2017. A two-time Silver Slugger and three-time All-Star, Albies has done damage from both sides of the plate, smacking pitching down both lines. In 2019, Albies led the NL with 189 hits and totaled 30-plus home runs and 100-plus RBIs in both 2021 and 2023. The 5-foot-7 Albies is adept at turning double plays with ease. Of course, he started at second for Atlanta's 2021 championship team, going 2 for 4 in its closeout Game 6 victory. 3B: Chipper Jones One of the best switch hitters of all time played his entire career in Atlanta (1993-2012). In what was just his first full season in the big leagues (1995), Jones found himself playing the hot corner for a team that went on to win the World Series, and Jones was spectacular that postseason, totaling three home runs and eight RBIs, while posting a .364/.446/.618 slash line. And then Jones proceeded to drive in 100-plus runs in each of the next eight seasons and become one of the elite third basemen in the sport. An eight-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger, Jones is first in Braves history with 1,512 walks, second with 2,726 hits, 1,623 RBIs, 1,619 runs scored, 549 doubles and a .401 on-base percentage, third with 468 home runs and an 85.3 WAR and tied for third with a .529 slugging percentage. SS: Johnny Logan Logan spent the first 10-plus seasons of his career with the Braves (1951-61), with whom he was among the faces of the 1957 World Series championship team. A four-time All-Star, Logan was stellar at the middle-infield position, highlighted by a 14.3 defensive WAR, which ranks fourth in Braves history. Logan, who led the NL with 37 doubles in 1955, seldom struck out and finished his Braves tenure with a career .270 batting average. OF: Henry Aaron Aaron was the greatest Brave of them all. With overwhelming power from the right side, Aaron totaled 30-plus home runs in 15 seasons, 100-plus RBIs in 11 seasons and 200-plus hits in three seasons with the Braves, with whom he played for from 1954-74. Part of the 1957 World Series team, Aaron totaled three runs and seven RBIs in the Fall Classic, while posting a .393/.414/.786 slash line and winning series MVP honors. Playing all but his last two MLB seasons with the Braves and an All-Star in every season but his 1954 rookie campaign for the Braves, Aaron is first in franchise history with 3,600 hits, 733 home runs, 2,202 RBIs, 2,107 runs scored, 600 doubles, a .567 slugging percentage and a 142.7 WAR. He's also sixth with 240 stolen bases and 10th with a .310 batting average. The two-time batting champion and three-time Gold Glover is second in MLB history with 755 career home runs. OF: Dale Murphy Murphy was a stud. Playing the first 14-plus seasons of his career with the Braves (1976-90), Murphy came up as a catcher before being moved to first base and went on to play all three outfield positions. At the plate, he cranked. Murphy, a four-time Silver Slugger, five-time Gold Glover and seven-time All-Star, was a vital source of power for the Braves in the 1980s, highlighted by him winning two NL MVP awards. Murphy is fourth in Braves history with both 371 home runs and 1,143 RBIs, fifth with a 47.2 WAR and sixth with 1,901 hits, 1,103 runs scored and 306 doubles. OF: Andruw Jones Jones is one of the best players not in the Hall of Fame. After shuffling positions, Jones became Atlanta's primary center fielder in 1998, and he proceeded to win 10 consecutive Gold Gloves. At the plate, Jones was a force to be reckoned with, totaling 35 home runs and 103 RBIs per season from 1998-2007. His most productive season came in 2005 when Jones totaled an NL-high with both 51 home runs and 128 RBIs. Jones, a five-time All-Star, is first in Braves history with a 26.6 defensive WAR, fourth with a 61.0 overall WAR, fifth with both 368 home runs and 1,117 RBIs, seventh with 1,045 runs scored and ninth with 1,683 hits. DH: Eddie Mathews Matthews spent the first 15 seasons of his career with the Braves (1952-66), with whom he was one of the elite players of his era and part of their 1957 title team. A 12-time All-Star, Matthews was consistently one of the best power hitters in the sport and also among the best at drawing walks, leading the NL in bases on balls four times. Matthews is second in Braves history with 493 home runs and a 93.9 WAR, third with 2,201 hits, 1,388 RBIs and 1,452 runs scored and sixth with a .517 slugging percentage. Honorable mentions: John Smoltz (starting pitcher) Tom Glavine (starting pitcher) Warren Spahn (starting pitcher) Mike Remlinger (reliever/closer) Gene Garber (reliever/closer) Marc Wohlers (reliever/closer) Javy Lopez (catcher) Fred McGriff (1B) Joe Adcock (1B) Marcus Giles (2B) Tony Cuccinello (2B) Jeff Blauser (SS) Andrelton Simmons (SS) Rafael Furcal (SS) Jason Heyward (OF) David Justice (OF) Gary Sheffield (OF) Rico Carty (OF) Sid Gordon (OF) Ronald Acuna (OF) Terry Pendleton (DH) Bob Elliott (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 Atlanta Braves recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Business Wire
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
AWRE and WIN Reality Partner to Deliver Automated AI Swing Analysis for Baseball and Softball
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AWRE Sports and WIN Reality today announced a strategic partnership to bring automated, AI-powered swing biomechanics analysis to baseball and softball coaches and players across high school, college, and professional levels. Every AWRE swing now comes with automated SwingAI biomechanics analysis—giving coaches instant, data-driven feedback without extra steps. Share With this integration, every swing captured on the AWRE platform will now be automatically analyzed by WIN Reality's SwingAI technology —delivering actionable mechanical insights with no extra recording, uploads, or workflow changes. This partnership brings together AWRE's industry leading video capture and analytics platform with WIN Reality's advanced AI swing analysis technology, delivering two major benefits for AWRE users: Maddux + SwingAI: AWRE's new natural language assistant, Maddux, now taps directly into SwingAI biomechanics data. Coaches and players can ask targeted performance questions like: 'Whose swing score is trending down over the past 3 months?' or 'How has Jesse's hip-shoulder separation changed this season?' Maddux instantly responds with data-driven, biomechanically backed answers—making it easier for coaches to spot trends, track development, and tailor training plans. SwingAI Mobile App Access: In addition to Maddux insights, every AWRE-recorded swing will also sync to the SwingAI mobile app, giving users access to 3D swing visualizations, AI-generated coaching cues, progress tracking tools and personalized training plans. This allows both coaches and players to dive deeper into individual swing mechanics, compare swings over time, and receive personalized drill recommendations based on real swing data. 'Maddux is designed to make complex data accessible and actionable for coaches at every level,' said Chris Clark, CEO of AWRE Sports. 'By integrating SwingAI biomechanic data, we're giving coaches and players a way to ask natural language questions and instantly get meaningful answers, backed by real swing data, all without changing their existing AWRE workflows.' 'This partnership gives coaches and players swing intelligence at scale, across every game, practice, and rep,' said Chris O'Dowd, CEO of WIN Reality. 'By combining AWRE's video capture tools with SwingAI's biomechanics analysis, we're making high-level swing feedback easier to access and apply than ever before.' The AWRE x SwingAI integration will be available to AWRE users coming in the fall. Learn more and get set up with early beta access at About AWRE Sports AWRE Sports is a leading provider of multi-angle video capture and data visualization tools for baseball and softball teams at the high school, college, and professional levels. AWRE's platform helps coaches and players analyze performance and drive player development with ease. About WIN Reality WIN Reality is a leader in virtual reality and AI-driven baseball and softball training solutions. Their products—including TrainVR and SwingAI—help players and coaches accelerate skill development through real-time feedback, biomechanics analysis, and scalable training tools.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sonny Gray Becomes First Cardinal since Adam Wainwright to Accomplish Rare Feat
Sonny Gray Becomes First Cardinal since Adam Wainwright to Accomplish Rare Feat originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Sonny Gray turned in maybe the best pitching performance of the MLB season on Friday night in Cleveland. The Cardinals' ace was pretty much as close to perfect as you can get, as he went all nine innings, struck out 11, gave up just one hit, and surrendered no walks. Advertisement The most impressive part of his outing, though? He did it all on just 89 pitches. With this performance, Gray becomes the first Cardinal to throw a Maddux since Adam Wainwright did so against the Pirates in 2021. Wainwright was the first Cardinals pitcher to accomplish the feat since his good friend Chris Carpenter did it in 2011. Wainwright beat out Gray's pitch count by a singular pitch, only needing 88 to get through all nine innings. Although it's a rarity in today's game, Gray isn't the first Cardinal to toss a complete game shutout this year. Fellow veteran right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde went the distance without allowing a run on June 9 in a 10-0 win over the Nationals. Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny GrayDavid Richard-Imagn Images Gray was asked after the game if he ever thought he'd throw a Maddux. Advertisement His response (in typical Sonny Gray fashion): "I never even thought about it. I do like him, so that's pretty cool." Arguably the best performance of his career, it was Gray's fifth-ever complete-game shutout and first since 2015. His one blemish on the night came in the fifth inning when he surrendered a two-out single to Guardians right fielder Nolan Jones. Gray is now 8-2 on the year with a 3.36 ERA. He is next scheduled to pitch on Wednesday against the Pirates. Related: Latest MLB Mock Draft has Cardinals Selecting Highly Touted LHP Related: Cardinals Back on the Road Following Split with Cubs This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Guardians Activate Playoff Hero Lane Thomas After Astros Series
Guardians Activate Playoff Hero Lane Thomas After Astros Series originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cleveland Guardians, fresh off a series loss to the surging Houston Astros at home, now turn their focus to a two-game set against the Cincinnati Reds in the battle of Ohio teams. Advertisement The Guardians will welcome their state rivals, fresh off a sweep of the ailing Diamondbacks, to Cleveland starting Monday. After dropping two of three to the Dodgers, the Guardians went 2-4 against the Yankees and Astros in what is shaping up to be a possible playoff preview. Prior to Monday's series opener against the Reds, Cleveland announced news on a former playoff hero. Cleveland Guardians outfielder Lane Thomas (8) runs the bases after hitting a grand slam in the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers during game five of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Blaze-Imagn Images The Guardians activated outfielder Lane Thomas from the 10-day injured list, and demoted infielder Will Wilson to Triple-A Columbus in a corresponding move. Thomas is most well known in Cleveland for his grand slam in Game 5 of the American League Division Series, which lifted Cleveland to a series victory over Tarik Skubal and the Tigers. Advertisement Thomas had been sidelined since late May with plantar fasciitis in his foot, but this isn't his first time on the injured list this season. Thomas was sidelined from April 19 to May 22 after being hit in the wrist by a pitch in the Guardians' home opener April 8. This season, Thomas has played in only 17 games, and hit to a paltry .117 average and .305 OPS. Some Guardians fans hope that the move to send down Wilson will free up fan-favorite Daniel Schneemann for more reps in the infield. While Thomas has struggled this season, his seemingly renewed health could hopefully provide more upside for the rest of the season. Advertisement Related: Tarik Skubal Makes History in Dominant 'Maddux' Related: Stunning Paul Goldschmidt Video Turns Heads Before Yankees-Guardians Related: Yankees' Aaron Boone Announces Giancarlo Stanton News Before Guardians Game This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
