Latest news with #springtraining
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Why Yankees' Aaron Boone wanted Joe Torre coaching alongside him again
NEW YORK — Two spring trainings ago, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone needed to convince legendary manager Joe Torre to wear the pinstripes once more. It had been 17 years since he wore the Yankees' No. 6 jersey. But a few hours after Torre arrived at George M. Steinbrenner Field as a guest instructor, Boone succeeded in getting Torre back in uniform. A few days later, Torre made a pitching change. Yankees fans were treated to that slow, lumbering walk out to the mound. Torre was showered with a standing ovation. Advertisement 'I think he loved it,' Boone said Tuesday, reminiscing about Torre's presence at camp. 'I know our guys love being around him. I think this year he was really looking forward to coming back to spring training. He was in uniform. He's just awesome to be around. What gets me excited is I know he's enjoying it.' Boone had an idea at the end of spring training this year. With winning the American League pennant, Boone gets to manage the league's All-Star team in Atlanta this year. He invited Cleveland Guardians manager Steven Vogt to coach alongside him, but he also wanted to check to see if Torre would have interest, and if MLB would approve it. Torre has been a special assistant to commissioner Rob Manfred since 2020. 'I actually went to the league and asked, 'Hey, what do you think about Joe coming to the All-Star Game, being in uniform?'' Boone said. 'They of course loved the idea. Then I went to Joe, I went to him and said, 'You don't have to answer this right now. Just hear me out.' I asked him would he consider coming. Right away, he was like, 'Yes.' And he seemed really excited about it. He seemed moved by it, which could not have gone better in my eyes. I'm excited to have the skipper with us.' Aaron Boone will manage the American League All-Star team and be joined by Joe Torre as an honorary coach — Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 17, 2025 Boone and Torre, who managed the Yankees to four World Series titles (1996, 1998-2000), have developed a close relationship since the former took the managerial job in 2018. Boone said Torre has given him lots of advice over the past eight years, and pops into his office at Yankee Stadium occasionally. Yankees players have also appreciated having Torre around at spring training. Anthony Volpe, who grew up a fan of the team, could not stop smiling when Torre made the pitching change in 2024. At the time, he called it one of the highlights of his baseball career. Rodón, who was taken out of the game by Torre, said he initially was mad that he was getting pulled from his spring training start. Advertisement 'I wanted to be like, 'Get out of here,'' Rodon said in 2024, 'but it's Joe Torre.' Torre will be in uniform next month at the All-Star Game being held in Atlanta, which is also where the Hall of Famer managed from 1982-1984. He also played with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves from 1960-1968. Not only does Boone get to take Torre to Atlanta, but his entire Yankees coaching staff will have the opportunity to be in the dugout, too. 'A lot of those guys, in a lot of ways, it will be the experience of a lifetime to get to be in an All-Star Game around the greatest in the world to do it,' Boone said of his assistants. 'You're always in that competition mode against other clubs, teams, players, staffs. To get to share the same uniform with guys you compete against all the time is a little pause in things and something that I know I'm going to cherish and I'm sure most of our staff will.' (Photo of Torre and Boone in 2024: New York Yankees / Getty Images)
Forbes
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Two Cleveland Guardians' Prospects Knocking On The Big League Door
TEMPE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 29, 2024: A closeup view of the jersey worn by Chase DeLauter #6 of the ... More Cleveland Guardians during the fifth inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on February 29, 2024 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) With the Cleveland Guardians offense continuing to sputter, there are some potential reinforcements waiting in the wings. To this old scout, two credible Guardians prospects could see playing time in the second half of the season. Chase DeLauter-OF C.J. Kayfus-1B/OF Each of them could bring good contact hitting, and much needed power. AKRON, OHIO - JULY 28, 2024: Chase DeLauter #22 of the Akron RubberDucks signs autographs prior to a ... More game against the Bowie Baysox at Canal Park on July 28, 2024 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) Chase DeLauter was the Guardians No. 1 draft pick in 2022. Selected out of James Madison University, DeLauter was the No. 16 player chosen in the draft. The Guardians gave DeLauter a $3.75 million signing bonus. DeLauter can hit, but so far, he has been plagued by injuries in his pro career. DeLauter broke his foot running the bases in 2022, and then after having surgery, he re-injured the foot after he was drafted. Sadly, he broke it again last April. Now recovered, DeLauter is playing at Triple-A Columbus, where he is getting playing time in right field, and at designated hitter. DeLauter has played all three outfield position in the past, so he may be on the Guardians radar to play center or right at the big league level. The Guardians are careful with DeLauter, as they want to take things easy as he returns from so much time away. As of June 10, DeLauter is hitting .250/.362/.400/.762, with three doubles, one home run, and five RBIs in 47 plate appearances, covering 11 games at Triple-A Columbus. For this old scout, DeLauter is a Grade 55 player, which means he is better than average in more than one tool. For DeLauter, his best tools are hitting for average, hitting for power, and his strong arm. AKRON, OHIO - JUNE 18, 2024: C.J. Kayfus #12 of the Akron RubberDucks celebrates with teammates ... More after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Canal Park on June 18, 2024 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) An intriguing prospect with yet to be determined power potential, Kayfus is zooming up the prospect rankings. It seems Kayfus is on the fast-track to Cleveland. Kayfus was a 3rd round draft pick in 2023, out of University of Miami. The Guardians signed him for $700,000, and he will likely eclipse that figure with his production. Kayfus slipped in the draft, because teams looked for more power from first base candidates at draft time. Last year, however, Kayfus opened eyes at both Class-A Advanced Lake County, and Double-A Akron. Combined, he hit .291/.393/.511/.904, with 17 homers, and 92 RBIs in 481 plate appearances. Kayfus has shown a good eye at the plate, and a willingness to accept a walk. There is some strikeout in his game, but that is to be expected as he climbs his way to Cleveland. The Guardians have him taking reps at first base, left field, and right field at Columbus. So far this year, Kayfus is hitting .302/.373/.524/.897, with seven doubles, three triples, five homers, and 16 RBIs in 33 games, and 47 plate appearances at Triple-A Columbus. This old scout grades him as a 55, an above average hitter with good pop, a good batting average, and good defensive projections. CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 22: Johnathan Rodriguez #30 of the Cleveland Guardians runs out an RBI single ... More during the seventh inning against the New York Mets at Progressive Field on May 22, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by) Outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez was promoted back to the Cleveland Guardians June 8. Rodriguez was a 3rd 2017 draft pick of the Guardians out of Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy, in both Florida and Puerto Rico. The Guardians signed Rodriguez for $450,000. Rodriguez never got the opportunity to play with Cleveland on a regular basis, so evaluating him against big league pitching is difficult. This may be his chance. Rodriguez does have power. Last year, in 118 games at Triple-A Columbus, Rodriguez hit .301, with 29 homers, and 94 RBIs. Rodriguez will likely assume the right-handed platoon role in right field. But, to this old scout, he has the ability to play everyday. Due to his power and hitting potential, this scout grades Rodriguez as a Grade 55, better than average player. Travis Bazzana-2B-currently dealing with an oblique strain at Double-A Akron. The injury occurred May 14, and he is expected to be out another eight weeks. Juan Brito-INF-He has had surgery to repair a high-grade ligament sprain of his right thumb. He sprained the thumb April 17, at Triple-A Columbus. Cooper Ingle-C-A name to remember, Ingle is a very good hitting catcher, with little to no power. But he makes contact, and he could be knocking on the Guardians door by next year.
New York Times
28-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
After long wait, Wenceel Pérez provides Tigers another sublime moment
DETROIT — It was the last day of spring training. The Tigers were in Clearwater. The final game was over. That is when Wenceel Pérez walked through a set of double doors and entered the clubhouse. Most of his teammates were already dressed. Their bags were packed, their spirits were high. Another long spring was over. The Tigers were headed to San Francisco for a pair of exhibition games, and Opening Day was within reach. Advertisement Pérez, though, was still in uniform. He wore a sullen look on his face. He made no eye contact and hurried toward the showers. We soon learned an explanation for the strange scene. Pérez reported pain in his lower back. He had missed time earlier in camp with back tightness. He has battled back injuries dating to his time in the minor leagues. He tried to keep going, wanted to play through the pain. It finally became too much. 'I think I was swinging hard and too much,' Pérez said Tuesday. 'I was feeling out of my rhythm and out of my timing. I was taking so many swings, and then that's when I started feeling it again.' Pérez had little choice but to tell the staff. He finished spring training with only three hits. So his teammates packed up and boarded the plane. Pérez stayed at the Tigers' spring training facility and reckoned with the road ahead. 'Yeah, it was tough,' Pérez said. 'I was trying to get through it, but it was just getting worse and worse and worse and worse.' The rehab was not exactly easy, either. He went on the 60-day injured list with lumbar spine inflammation. Two months of his season were promised to be lost. He rehabbed with teammates like Matt Vierling and Alex Cobb, gathered and cooked out while the Tigers played on Opening Day. By May 16, he finally started a rehab assignment, one that caused him to bounce around. He started in High A, playing for the West Michigan Whitecaps in Fort Wayne. He was bumped to Triple-A Toledo, then moved to Class-A Lakeland because of weather concerns in the Midwest. 'Oh my gosh,' Pérez said. 'That was not a vacation.' By Monday, Pérez was in Detroit awaiting activation. The Tigers had just gotten Vierling back from a shoulder injury and were finally nearing full strength. What ended up happening Tuesday tells the story of the 2025 Tigers in ways good and bad. Vierling, it turns out, went back on the IL with shoulder inflammation. He's going to get more tests. Right now, the vibes seem worrisome. Advertisement 'We put him on the injured list, which should tell you we don't think he can play,' manager A.J. Hinch said. 'We'll have more information as we get more tests, and more doctors need to weigh in.' But Pérez was indeed activated and started in center field. This was some emotional yin and yang. 'We should not steal any joy away from getting Wenceel back,' Hinch said. 'This guy is so fun to be around. He's energetic, big smile, bounces around the clubhouse.' By the bottom of the second inning on Tuesday, Pérez was up facing Giants right-hander Logan Webb. Pérez had gone just 4-for-18 during his rehab assignment. He found himself perturbed with the tedium of the minor leagues. 'At the beginning, it's just tough, getting the same stuff probably three or four times a game, in the spot, same team again,' Pérez said. 'I was a little bit frustrated with it, but it's a game, and I have to control what I can control and come back as strong as I can.' Here in his first big-league at-bat since October, he took two balls, then got a 2-0 sinker over the heart of the plate. Pérez let loose the short stroke that came through for the Tigers in so many big moments last season. The ball crashed into his bat, then went screaming out over the right field wall at 100.5 mph. Home run. WELCOME BACK WENCEEL 💣 — Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 27, 2025 'So proud for that kid,' Hinch said. 'He's worked hard. Obviously, injuries are hard on everybody. Think about the last game of spring training, and we're getting on the plane to go to the exhibition game. He's got to report that he's not feeling great. That's a crushing blow at any point in the spring, but that's like getaway day for the most exciting day of the year at that point.' Pérez struck out in his two subsequent at-bats, but the Tigers won 3-1, bumping their record to 36-20. Aside from tough luck with injuries, that's what it's been like so far this season. Cards that keep turning up in the Tigers' favor. Advertisement Now back with the team, Pérez should see time at all three outfield spots. He is 25 years old, only one year removed from converting from infielder to outfielder last spring. In 2024, he was a pesky and dependable presence that often felt more important than his 1.1 fWAR would indicate. He's joining a first-place team that has endured without its injured players for the first two months of the season. Tuesday, he provided another memorable moment in what could become a summer full of them.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Everything Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko had to say at Coaches' Night on Wednesday night
During this part of the football calendar, there's not much happening beyond recruiting updates. However, coaching events offer valuable insights into the team's progress following spring training. For Texas A&M, lingering questions remain after last season's conclusion and a vanilla Spring Game. While the team is still searching for breakout stars, the Aggies boast plenty of experience on both sides of the ball. Advertisement The offensive line is set to return all five starters, providing a strong foundation for the unit. With a deep running back room and a playbook tailored to quarterback Marcel Reed's skill set, the offense looks promising. While wide receiver and tight end positions are still being finalized, the talent pool remains deep. Defensively, the secondary brings valuable experience, bolstered by the addition of cornerback Julian Humphrey. However, the defensive line faces its biggest challenge after losing three key players, Shemar Turner, Shemar Stewart, and Nic Scourton, to the NFL. Seniors Cashius Howell and Albert Regis will lead the charge, with hopes that emerging talent will step up. On Wednesday, Coach Mike Elko addressed the Brazos County A&M Club at Coaches' Night, highlighting the program's transformation: Coach Elko comments on the journey to this point "It's been a long journey to get here to Texas A&M. A year ago I stood on this podium for my first Coach's Night at Texas A&M. One year later, we've had tremendous progress into building the program you want to see." The Texas A&M football program is taking the next step forward "We are building the foundation of a championship level program. One of the biggest things we had to do was change the culture of what Texas A&M football is all about." Coach Elko comments about the talent on the roster "When you look at the current roster, we project to have more NFL Draft picks on this 2025 roster than we've had in a long time. We project anywhere from 10 to 12 players to hear their name called in the 2026 draft." Coach Elko believes his defense will be better that last season "We bring back eight starters on defense. It was well documented that we need to finish seasons better. That group is really hungry to go out and play the level of defense Texas A&M fans deserve." Coach Elko comments on Marcel Reed's development "Marcel Reed's development is what I'm most excited about. His development as a leader and in the passing game is important. He was a great player last year, but you'll see a significantly better version of him this fall." Coach Elko is ready to get his team back on the field and play at a high level for the whole season "We're excited to go out there and finish... We didn't finish the way we wanted to in November. That has been our mantra this offseason." Coach Elko sees something special happening in Aggieland and everyone wants to be part of it "Success is never linear. We are on course for where we want to be. I'm proud of our retention. We didn't lose starters in the portal. We're not losing coaches. There are signs that something really special is about to happen here" Coach Elko speaks on the resilience of his roster "The core of our roster has battled through a lot of adversity here. They're here because they believe in Texas A&M. They believe in what we're building here. I believe we have kids who are truly committed to Texas A&M and what it stands for." Coach Elko highlights the continuity of his roster "When you bring back 16 starters, our conversations start at a much higher level in Spring camp. We can hit the ground running at a much higher pace in year two." Coach Elko knows how last season ended and is committed no to repeat that "We all understand how we finished the year. We played three bad games of defense to finish the year. We're all aware of that. That's not how we play defense at Texas A&M. We have to have a better commitment for getting the job done at a higher level." Coach Elko comments on the team's schedule "We all understand how we finished the year. We played three bad games of defense to finish the year. We're all aware of that. That's not how we play defense at Texas A&M. We have to have a better commitment for getting the job done at a higher level." Advertisement Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1. This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M Football: Coach Elko provides key updates at Coaches' Night
Washington Post
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
MLB seems ready for automated balls and strikes. Players remain skeptical.
This spring, Major League Baseball tested an automated balls and strikes challenge system in spring training games, allowing hitters, pitchers and catchers to challenge ball or strike calls they thought the home plate umpire missed. After years spent vetting the concept and testing its logistics in the minor leagues, the decision to subject the system to its harshest and most skeptical critics — major league players — signaled MLB's intentions: Automated balls and strikes (ABS) are coming to the big leagues, sooner or later. The questions are when, and in what form.
