Latest news with #OpeningDay
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Untimely Wins Led To White Sox Missing Out On Witt, Rutschman
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 15: Andrew Vaughn #25 of the Chicago White Sox walks back to the dugout after ... More striking out in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 15, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by) Timing is everything in baseball, as in life. There are times when wins can hurt you, especially when they come against the wrong opponents. The White Sox were 62-100 under Rick Renteria in 2018, the first 100-loss season since 1970 for Frank Thomas' old franchise. But included among the 62 wins were 15 in 26 games against the Royals and Orioles. That's a .577 winning percentage versus Kansas City and Baltimore, and a .346 winning percentage against everyone else. The implications of being able to beat the Royals (11-8) and the Orioles (4-3) have been felt every time they've taken the field the last three years, and will continue to be felt into the future. As bad as the White Sox were in 2018, the Royals (58-104) and Orioles (47-115) finished with worse records. That meant they picked ahead of the South Siders in the '19 draft, when it was clear to almost all scouts that Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman and Texas high school shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. were the top prospects in the pool. The Orioles claimed Rutschman with the first overall pick; the Royals took Witt Jr. with the second pick. That's when the draft became problematic. But University of California, Berkeley first baseman Andrew Vaughn had been the most productive college hitter for at least two seasons. He won the Golden Spikes Award as a sophomore and then was almost as impressive as a junior, hitting .374 with 15 home runs and a 1.243 OPS in 52 games. Despite the 32-year-old Jose Abreu still hitting like he was in his prime, the White Sox selected Vaughn over the likes of prep prospects Riley Greene, C.J. Abrams and Corbin Carroll and college stars JJ Bleday, Josh Jung and Nick Lodolo. While Rutschman and Witt stayed in the minors for 180 and 161 games, respectively, the White Sox rushed Vaughn to Chicago after only 57 games in their farm system. All three of those players missed a year's worth of games during the Covid-shortened 2020 season, when the minor leagues did not operate. The White Sox, who had traded Chris Sale and Jose Quintana in 2017 to trigger a brief rebuilding phase, went 35-25 under Renteria in '20, surprisingly winning the American League Central, and then fired Renteria to bring Tony La Russa out of retirement for '21. Vaughn was never far from their minds before he landed a spot on the Opening Day roster that season, hitting fifth and playing left field in a 12-8 victory over the Angels. This seemed the start of something big but it hasn't worked out that way. While Rutschman and Witt led their franchises to postseason spots last season, the White Sox have gone 249-361 with Vaughn on the field, including a 112-237 record the last three seasons. He hasn't even played to replacement level, and was hitting .189 with five home runs and a .531 OPS in 48 games when he was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte last week. With below-average speed and defensive skills, Vaughn's value lies almost exclusively in his bat. Fangraphs ranks him at -1.3 WAR this season, dropping his career figure to -1.7. Witt has accrued 21.3 fWAR in his three-plus seasons; Rutschman is at 14.4 even though his production is currently in decline. The White Sox haven't had the first overall pick in the draft since 1977, when they selected Hall of Famer Harold Baines. They won't have it this year despite losing 121 games last season, the most in history. Anti-tanking rules implemented at the request of the players' union in the last collective bargaining agreement prohibit 'payor clubs' — that is, big-market teams that are required to make revenue-sharing payments — from picking in the top six in back-to-back drafts. The White Sox had the fifth pick a year ago, selecting University of Arkansas left-hander Hagen Smith. They will pick 10th in the first round on July 13 but then have the first overall pick in all other rounds. There are no obvious picks like Witt and Rutschman at the top of this year's draft. Meanwhile the White Sox hope Vaughn regains his confidence in Triple-A and returns to finish the season strong. But either way he appears to be near the end of his road with the team that took him after Rutschman and Witt went off the board.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alex Cora: Roman Anthony isn't just knocking at door of MLB debut, he's knocking it down
Roman Anthony is the last of the Red Sox' Big 3 who remains in the minors. And with Boston in the midst of arguably its worst baseball this season, many have wondered what more baseball's No. 1 prospect has to do to get the call. 'I know at some point Roman is going to be here,' Red Sox manager Alex Cora told WEEI on Thursday afternoon. Advertisement Anthony was in the Worcester Red Sox' lineup as their leadoff hitter for Thursday's game, so it was confirmed he wasn't on a plane to Atlanta to meet the Red Sox for their series against the Braves that begins Friday. Going into Thursday's WooSox game, Anthony was batting .318 with eight home runs, 23 RBI and a .978 OPS. The 21-year-old's home runs have had exit velocities of 116 mph. 'Obviously, he's doing an outstanding job. He's getting better,' Cora said. 'He's not knocking at the door, he's knocking it down.' Kristian Campbell made the Red Sox Opening Day roster, and Marcelo Mayer was recently called up due to Alex Bregman's quad injury that will sideline him for weeks. Chief baseball officer told WEEI's 'The Greg Hill Show' that the team wants to make sure that Anthony is an everyday player when they decide to bring him up, and admitted the outfielder's time is coming. Advertisement At some point, Anthony will be with the big league club. It's a matter of when and not if at this point. 'When we make the decision. I know everybody is going to be happy,' Cora said. 'And I know he's going to contribute.' More Red Sox coverage Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
2025 Opening Day at Mosby Pool is delayed
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — Opening Day for Evansville city pools is right around the corner, but one pool will not open on time. Lorraine and Rochelle-Landers Pools will open Saturday morning, however Mosby Pool's opening date is delayed. Evansville hopes to have Mosby Pool open on Saturday, June 7. Everything was ready to go for the pool to be open this Saturday, but some of the machinery failed earlier this week. The city says it's been working on getting the problem fixed ever since. While families will kick off their summer on Saturday at Lorraine and Rochelle-Landers, Mosby Pool on the west side will be empty, hopefully for one more week. During preparations, some unforeseen circumstances came in the way. 'A combustion pump that was connected to the motor and some fabricated piping broke,' says Evansville Parks and Recreation Executive Director Danielle Crook. 'This is what the contractor is working on repairing right now.' We're told the repairs will be made this weekend, and the health department will test the water, hopefully giving the green light for guests to enjoy for the season. Lorraine and Rochelle-Landers Pools will open for the first time this summer at 11 a.m. this Saturday. Feed Evansville asks for community's help to keep school children fed all summer long 2025 Opening Day at Mosby Pool is delayed Swimmers flock to Burdette Park pool's opening day despite cooler temperatures Morganfield native coordinates event to remember passed loved ones for 13th consecutive year Daredevil group debuts for the summer at Holiday World Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Pope Has 'Open Invite' To Throw First Pitch At White Sox Game
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The new pope has an "open invite" to throw the first pitch at a White Sox game, says White Sox Executive Vice President Brooks Boyer. Speaking with on May 20, Boyer, who is also the chief revenue and marketing officer for the White Sox, told the outlet: "He has an open invite to throw out a first pitch. Heck, maybe we'll let him get an at-bat." Pope Leo XIV, who was born Robert Prevost in Chicago, is now one of the world's most famous White Sox fans and has been honored by a mural of him, which is now projected onto the wall at the team's home stadium, Rate Field. The White Sox have been contacted via email for comment. White Sox commemorate fandom of Pope Leo XIV with Graphic installation at Rate Field before a baseball game between the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Monday, May 19, 2025. White Sox commemorate fandom of Pope Leo XIV with Graphic installation at Rate Field before a baseball game between the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Monday, May 19, 2025. Nam Y. Huh/AP Photo The Context The tradition of the ceremonial first pitch became widely recognized in 1910 when President William Howard Taft threw the first pitch at the Washington, D.C., ballpark to commemorate the Washington Nationals' first game of the season. Since then, every sitting president has thrown the first pitch on baseball's Opening Day. First pitches throughout the season are now often thrown by celebrities or locally important people. Fans dressed as popes look on during the third inning of a baseball game between the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Monday, May 19, 2025. Fans dressed as popes look on during the third inning of a baseball game between the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago White Sox in Chicago, Monday, May 19, 2025. Nam Y. Huh/AP Photo What To Know When news came out that the first North American pope was from Chicago, residents of the city had one question: Is he a Cubs fan or a White Sox fan? This critical question was answered by footage of the pope, then known to friends and family as "Father Bob," at Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, where the White Sox swept the Astros to win the title. Pope Leo was at that White Sox game in 2005 with his close friend Ed Schmit, who has now passed away. Schmit's daughter, Heidi Skokal, told that her father believed his friend would become the pope one day. Ed Schmit IV, who was 5 years old during the game in 2005, remembers sitting next to his grandfather's friend, who happened to be a priest. He also recalled that his family was caught on camera during the game. He went through the footage following Pope Leo's election to prove to the world that Father Bob is not only now the pope but is also a White Sox fan. Schmit IV told "I don't want anyone to think he's a Cubs fan because he's not a Cubs fan. The Pope is a White Sox fan. We have proof. He was at Game 1 of the World Series, and everyone knows now." Astros fan Joran Scott-Ruiz told Newsweek that he is not surprised the pope has been invited to throw the first pitch because "baseball and religion in the U.S. have always been deeply linked." He pointed to how the Houston Astros invite "Rally Nuns," nuns from The Dominican Sisters of Mary Immaculate Province, to attend games during the playoffs. Scott-Ruiz added: "[Baseball] is about family and tradition. Most fans I know are fans because of their parents or grandparents." Sister Mary Catherine Do told ABC13 in 2022 that the nuns "Truly believe in divine intervention and angels in the outfield." Pope Leo is not the only famous White Sox fan. President Barack Obama is also known to support the team. Pope Leo XIV showing off his catching skills while catching a little doll on the Popemobile after his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Pope Leo XIV showing off his catching skills while catching a little doll on the Popemobile after his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Gregorio Borgia/AP Photo What People Are Saying White Sox executive vice president Brooks Boyer told "I just never thought I would see in my lifetime a North American Pope, let alone a White Sox fan from the South Side of Chicago that is among us. He's pretty amazing. You thought when the sitting President was a White Sox fan, President [Barack] Obama, it probably can't get much higher than that. These guys brought us the Pope." What Happens Next Pope Leo's predecessor, Francis, was known to be a big soccer fan and personally supported the Argentine club San Lorenzo. Following his election to Pope in 2013, San Lorenzo won a national title and brought their trophy to the Vatican. The White Sox may gain the same boost from Leo. However, they are currently 5th out of five teams in the American League Central.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
MLB steps into women's sports with launch of pro softball league
Major League Baseball is investing in a new women's professional softball league, Commissioner Robert Manfred announced Thursday on "CBS Mornings." The partnership with the Athletes Unlimited Softball League marks MLB's first major investment in women's professional sports. MLB will broadcast select games on its network and streaming service, help with marketing and provide financial support for the league's operations. The AUSL launches Saturday, June 7, with Opening Day games in Rosemont, Illinois, and Wichita, Kansas. The Wichita game airs exclusively on MLB Network and at 7:30 p.m. ET. The league's four teams, the Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Volts, will play a 24-game season through July 23, culminating in a championship series July 26-28 at the University of Alabama's Rhoads Stadium. The AUSL will become city-based in 2026. This inaugural season features games in 12 cities. Single game tickets are now available, with more information at
