Pujols hits 703rd HR to pass Babe for 2nd in RBI; Cards lose
Albert Pujols hit his 703rd home run, breaking a tie with Babe Ruth for second place in career RBIs, but the St. Louis Cardinals lost to Pittsburgh 3-2 when the Pirates drew four consecutive walks in the ninth inning to force home the winning run.
Maris Jr: Bonds, McGwire illegitimate, Judge to be HR king
Roger Maris Jr. considers the home run feats of Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa to be illegitimate and says Aaron Judge should be recognized as the holder of the big league season standard if the New York Yankees slugger hits No. 62.
Big Papi elected to HOF; Bonds, Clemens, Schilling left out
David Ortiz was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first turn on the ballot, while steroid-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were denied entry to Cooperstown in their final year under consideration by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
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Masterful Webb pitches Giants past Dodgers in playoff opener
Logan Webb struck out 10 pitching masterfully in his postseason debut, Buster Posey hit a two-run homer that held up, and the 107-win San Francisco Giants blanked the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 in the opener of their NL Division Series.
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Call it a career: MLB ump Winters opted out in '20, now done
FILE - In this May 18, 2019, file photo, home plate umpire Mike Winters looks on during the eighth inning of a baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and the Oakland Athletics in Detroit. After more than three decades of hard work as a big league umpire, Winters is retiring. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)After more than three decades of hard work as a big league umpire, Mike Winters is ready to loaf. But I’m getting there.”One of 12 umps to opt out during the pandemic-shortened season, the 62-year-old Winters has made it official. The reworked schedule gave Winters a chance to reconsider, but he already was looking ahead to days off the diamond.
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Longtime ESPN baseball correspondent Pedro Gomez dies at 58
Spencer Green, File)Pedro Gomez, a longtime baseball correspondent for ESPN who covered more than 25 World Series, has died. He was a Dad, loving husband, loyal friend, coach and mentor,” the Gomez family added. He was a correspondent on ESPN's “SportsCenter,” “Baseball Tonight” and additional shows, including the network's “Wednesday Night Baseball” package. “We are shocked and saddened to learn that our friend and colleague Pedro Gomez has passed away,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement on Twitter and the network's public relations page. “More than an elite journalist, Pedro Gomez was a good and decent man, so proud of his family, and his heritage,” said former “SportsCenter” anchor Bob Ley.
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Could more Hall of Fame shutouts be on the horizon?
The baseball Hall of Fame wont have any new players in the class of 2021 after voters decided no one had the merits on-the-field or off for enshrinement in Cooperstown on this year's ballot. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)It could be a while before the Baseball Writers' Association of America votes anyone new into the Hall of Fame. AdSchilling wrote on Facebook that he has asked the Hall of Fame to remove his name from next year’s ballot. LAST CHANCEBonds and Clemens have one more year on the writers' ballot, and Schilling does, too, unless the Hall abides by his request for removal. OTHER AVENUESEven if the BBWAA doesn't vote anyone in next year, there's still a chance someone will be elected by one of the Eras Committees, which consider players no longer eligible for the BBWAA vote.
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Baseball Hall gets no new members; Schilling 16 votes shy
Like many baseball writers, C. Trent Rosecrans viewed the Hall of Fame vote as a labor of love. Schilling, a right-handed ace who won three World Series titles, finished 16 votes short of the 75% threshold necessary for enshrinement. Schilling, Clemens and Bonds will be joined on next year's ballot by sluggers Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz. Schilling wrote on Facebook that he would like the veterans committee to review his Hall case. “I’ll defer to the veterans committee and men whose opinions actually matter and who are in a position to actually judge a player,” Schilling wrote.
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Aaron's death prompts call to change name: Braves to Hammers
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)ATLANTA – As his adopted hometown mourned Hank Aaron's death, some fans called on the Atlanta Braves to change their name to the Hammers in his honor. The NFL's Atlanta Falcons, Major League Soccer's Atlanta United and Georgia Tech's football team all announced they would retire Aaron's trademark No. The Hammer spent nearly all of his 23-year career with the Braves, whose nickname has drawn some criticism as being offensive to Native Americans. The Braves have steadfastly resisted calls to change their name, saying they view it as a tribute to Native Americans rather than a slur. There has been no indication that Aaron's death would change the team's stance on its Braves nickname.
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Character concerns go beyond PEDs in this Hall of Fame vote
Like many baseball writers, C. Trent Rosecrans viewed the Hall of Fame vote as a labor of love. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)Like many baseball writers, C. Trent Rosecrans viewed the Hall of Fame vote as a labor of love. Ken Rosenthal, Rosecrans’ colleague with The Athletic, began a recent column this way: “I hate my Hall of Fame ballot. So it remains up to the voters to decide how they’ll weigh off-field issues when evaluating Hall of Fame candidates. Lynn Henning, a former columnist for the Detroit News, understands what makes some of these candidates objectionable — but he doesn’t think the Hall of Fame vote is the right forum for holding them accountable.
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A look at Hank Aaron’s career and accomplishments
FILE - In this April 8, 1974, file photo Atlanta Braves' Hank Aaron hits his 715th career home run in Atlanta Stadium to break the all-time record set by the late Babe Ruth. Hank Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth but went on to break the career home run record in the pre-steroids era, died early Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. The Atlanta Braves said Aaron died peacefully in his sleep. Other Records: MLB career leader in RBIs (2,297), extra-base hits (1,477) and total bases (6,856); played in 25 All-Star Games. Beginnings: Started pro career at age 17 with Indianapolis Clowns of Negro American League.
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Hank Aaron, baseball's one-time home run king, dies at 86
The Atlanta Braves said Aaron died peacefully in his sleep. (AP Photo/Mike Groll, File)ATLANTA – His name is all over the baseball record book and, indeed, Hank Aaron could do it all. “It’s just a small thing that can help zillions of people in this country.”The Atlanta Braves, Aaron's longtime team, said he died in his sleep. Aaron's career total was surpassed by Barry Bonds in 2007 — though many continued to call the Hammer the true home run king because of allegations that Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs. Six feet tall and listed at 180 pounds during the prime of his career, Aaron was hardly an imposing player physically.
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From Cape Cod to Alaska, college leagues eye MLB changes
It was a quintessential college summer league experience, an up-close look at a major league star long before his big break. The Appalachian League, formerly a Rookie-level minor league, will convert into a 10-team wood bat summer league in 2021 for college players entering their freshman and sophomore seasons. The problem is it’s going to put some of the smaller leagues out of business, I think.”Wood-bat college summer leagues have played a crucial role in the development of many major leaguers. Northwoods League Commissioner Ryan Voz holds a similar view and doesn't believe MLB's incursion is an existential threat on its own. The Cape and NECBL are members of the National Alliance of College Summer Baseball, a 12-league organization that receives funding from MLB.
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Dodgers hope Gonsolin more than an opener in Game 6
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin leaves the game against the Tampa Bay Rays during the second inning in Game 2 of the baseball World Series Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)ARLINGTON, Texas – Tony Gonsolin found out after Game 2 that he would be starting Game 6 as well for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This time, they plan for the rookie right-hander to be more than an opener with the Dodgers having a chance to clinch their first World Series title since 1988. Gonsolin went 1 1/3 innings against Tampa Bay in Game 2, a planned bullpen game for the Dodgers. RAY OF HOPEEleven of the last 14 teams that trailed going into Game 6, and then forced a Game 7, went on to win the World Series.
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Arozarena slugs into WS history, stumbles into October lore
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)ARLINGTON, Texas – Hours after slugging his way into World Series history, Randy Arozarena stumbled into October lore. None of those three won the World Series. “It feels really good to be able to break the record and be on top of that record board,” Arozarena said through a translator. Center fielder Chris Taylor bobbled the hit, chased after the ball and threw toward the plate as Arozarena rounded third. Down in the dirt, Arozarena kept pounding the plate as the Rays rushed out to celebrate with him.
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Arozarena, Rays top Astros 4-2 in Game 7, reach World Series
Arozarena homered again, 36-year-old Charlie Morton was brilliant against his former team and the Rays silenced the Houston Astros 4-2 to reach the World Series for just the second time. The Rays will face either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Atlanta Braves in the World Series in Arlington, Texas, starting Tuesday night. Tampa Bay’s only other World Series appearance was in 2008, when it lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. Under new manager Dusty Baker, the Astros were trying to reach the World Series for the third time in four seasons. “Cash made the right move again — shocker,” kidded ace Tyler Glasnow, now lined up to start the World Series opener.
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Pujols 2 HRs, passes Mays for 5th place, Angels beat Rangers
Pujols hit No. Pujols said that he received a text and email from Mays after he tied the Hall of Famer on Sunday in Colorado. Pujols added that he had not checked his phone after Friday's game to see how many congratulatory messages he had received. Pujols passed Mays with a solo drive to left. After the Rangers rallied to get within 3-2, Pujols led off the seventh with No.
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Pujols passes Mays for 5th on HR list with No. 661, adds 662
Pujols connected for a solo homer with two outs in the fifth inning. He led off the seventh to extend Los Angeles’ lead to 4-2. Pujols now trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Alex Rodriguez (696). Pujols, who tied Mays last Sunday at Colorado, has one more season left on his contract with the Angels after this year. ___AP Sports Writer Tim Booth in Seattle and Baseball Writer Stephen Hawkins in Texas contributed to this report.
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Pujols hits homer No. 660 as Angels rally to beat Rox 5-3
Trailing 3-2, the 40-year-old Pujols lined a fastball from Carlos Estevez (1-3) into the empty seats in left-center for his 660th homer. Pujols now trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Alex Rodriguez (696) on the career home run list. It was a crazy day at the plate for the Angels, who had more walks (10) than hits (six). The Angels took two of three from Rockies and wrapped up a six-game trip with a 3-3 mark. If you’re good, you’re young and you’re not hurt, you’ll work through it.
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Pujols hits 660th career homer, ties Mays for 5th place
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)DENVER – Albert Pujols hit his 660th career homer, tying the Los Angeles Angels slugger for fifth on the all-time list with Willie Mays. The 40-year-old Pujols now trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Alex Rodriguez (694) on the career home run list. Pujols has averaged 26 home runs per season over the past eight years with the Angels. His best home run season with the Angels was in 2015 when he hit 40. Pujols, who has one season left on his contract with the Angels after 2020, has gone deep four times this season.
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1st 60: How MLB standouts fared in what will equal full 2020
After 60 games this year, it will already be time to determine who wins those awards. Only one Cy Young winner over the past 20 seasons has had more than the nine wins Verlander had after 60 games last year. Mauer and Morneau have the highest and lowest batting averages for any MVP through 60 games since 2000. In 2008, nine years after Chipper Jones was the NL MVP, he was hitting .409 through Atlanta's first 60 games. Williams hit .406, only one point lower than he was through Boston's first 60 games that season.