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Adrián Beltré, Joe Mauer and Chase Utley among 12 newcomers on BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Adrián Beltré, Joe Mauer, Chase Utley, David Wright, José Bautista and Matt Holliday are among 12 new candidates on the Hall of Fame ballot released Monday.Todd Helton, who fell 11 votes short this year in ballots cast by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, and Billy Wagner, who was 27 shy, are among 14 holdovers.Bartolo Colon, Adrián González, Victor Martinez, Brandon Phillips, José Reyes and James Shields also are making their first appearances on the ballot.When Scott Rolen was elected this year, Helton got 72.2% of the vote and Wagner 68.1%,Other holdovers include steroids-tainted Alex Rodríguez (139 votes, 35.7%) and Manny Ramírez (129, 33.2%) along with Andruw Jones (226, 58.1%), Gary Sheffield (214, 55%), Carlos Beltrán (181, 46.5%), Omar Vizquel (76, 19.5%), Andy Pettitte (66, 17%), Bobby Abreu (60, 15.4%), Jimmy Rollins (50, 12.9%), Mark Buehrle (42, 10.8%), Francisco Rodríguez (42, 10.8%) and Torii Hunter (27, 6.9%).Sheffield will be maki...

Packers have found a couple of building blocks in rookie receivers Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — This season of transition for Green Bay’s offense gives the Packers plenty of opportunities to figure out which of their young players could emerge as long-term key performers.It appears they’ve found a couple of keepers in rookie wide receivers Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. Reed scored on a 32-yard end-around and Wicks had three catches for a career-high 91 yards Sunday in a 23-20 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.“They’re playmakers,” quarterback Jordan Love said after the game.Reed, a second-round pick from Michigan State, has a team-high 463 yards receiving. After catching four touchdown passes in the Packers’ first nine games, Reed showcased his versatility Sunday by scoring his first career rushing touchdown.Love faked a handoff to Aaron Jones and then flipped the ball backward to Reed, who raced around the right end. Reed also caught four passes for 46 yards.“He was a little banged up, as well,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “Nothing serious,...

US women’s soccer team adding new players for final games of the year

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — The U.S. women’s national soccer team will give some younger and less experienced players an opportunity in a pair of exhibition matches against China next month. Veterans Alex Morgan, Becky Sauerbrunn, Alyssa Naeher and Crystal Dunn won’t be with the team for the games against China on Dec. 2 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and on Dec. 5 outside of Dallas. Instead, interim head coach Twila Kilgore’s 26-player roster announced Monday includes midfielder Jenna Nighswonger, who plays for Gotham FC in the National Women’s Soccer League, and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Korbin Albert. It is the first national team call-up for both players. Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie, who has yet to appear in a match, also joins the team. Kilgore chose the roster in consultation with U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker and Emma Hayes, the new head coach who will join the team in May after finishing out the season with Chelsea. “We value these p...

Atlanta to host opening game, Miami gets the final for 2024 Copa América

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta was awarded the 2024 Copa América opener and South Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium will host the final of the tournament, held outside of its home continent for only the second timeA joint announcement was made Monday by soccer’s governing bodies of South America and of North and Central America and the Caribbean. Other sites and the schedule for the 16-team tournament were not revealed.The tournament is set to begin on June 20 at 71,000-seat Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United has set numerous attendance records. Defending Copa América champion Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will presumably be one of the teams taking part in the opener.The retractable-roof stadium near downtown Atlanta, which opened in 2017, will install a grass field over its artificial playing surface for the tournament.Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens already has a Bermuda grass field and seats about 65,000 after a $50...

Syracuse athletics director says late-season swoons, failure to get to 7 wins led to Babers’ firing

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Syracuse athletics director John Wildhack says the latest November swoon and failure to achieve a 7-5 regular season record led to firing football coach Dino Babers after eight seasons.“The decision was not a knee-jerk reaction, not an emotional decision,” athletics director John Wildhack said Monday, a day after firing Babers. “We evaluated the program on a consistent basis … what it boils down to is November. We’ve not had success in November.” The Orange (5-6, 1-6 ACC) have one last chance to become bowl eligible by hosting Wake Forest (4-7, 1-6) on Saturday. Syracuse had just two bowl appearances under Babers.After opening the season 4-0, Syracuse has dropped six of seven following a 31-22 loss at Georgia Tech on Saturday. The pattern is similar to last year when the Orange opened 6-0 start before closing 1-6, including a loss to Minnesota in the Pinstripe Bowl.“There’s a consistent theme, ”Wildhack said. “We’ve not had the success we need and that re...

Voters to decided on Miami Beach mayor in runoff election

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

After two Miami Beach mayoral candidates didn’t reach the threshold to take the city’s top job, a runoff election on Tuesday will cement a winner.In Tuesday’s runoff election, former Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora, is ready to re-enter local government, while Miami Beach Commissioner Steven Meiner looks to step up into the role of mayor.“I’ve been so focused on resident’s quality of life, law and order being number one,” Meiner said. “Limiting over development. Trying to mitigate our traffic.”“I wanna re-brand out city as one of arts and culture, I wanna make sure we have the police presence we need and we will keep Miami Beach safe,” Gongora said.The seat opened up after current mayor Dan Gelber reached his term limit.On Nov. 7’s off year election, only 242 votes separated the two candidates who have a number of endorsements each. They are trying to set themselves apart.“I am hopeful when we in...

Jalen Ramsey’s return has transformed the Dolphins’ defense

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jalen Ramsey has a new nickname in the Dolphins’ locker room.“As advertised,” linebacker Jaelan Phillips said. “That was Jalen Ramsey. He can call his shots, so we call him ‘as advertised.’”The All-Pro cornerback jumped in front of Tre Tucker and intercepted a pass from Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell in the third quarter Sunday against Las Vegas. Then Ramsey sealed Miami’s 20-13 victory with his second pick, a leaping catch in the back of the end zone with 32 seconds remaining.For once, the Dolphins’ defense outshined their offense. Miami turned the ball over three times for just the second time this season. But the defense has improved to the point that it could weather that adversity.The Dolphins (7-3) limited Las Vegas to 36 yards rushing and 260 yards passing, intercepted O’Connell three times and stopped the Raiders on two fourth-down attempts. The Raiders rarely threw the ball in Ramsey’s direction, but he sti...

Police report gives new details on arrest of Bruins’ Milan Lucic

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

A police report is shedding new light on the arrest of Bruins veteran winger Milan Lucic, who is expected to be arraigned on a charge of assault and battery in Boston Municipal Court this week.Lucic was previously arrested on Saturday morning at his North End apartment in Boston following what was reported to be a domestic incident, leading to the Bruins placing him on indefinite leave.A police report obtained by 7NEWS described how officers responded to Lucic’s apartment in the North End by his wife, who had called police stating her husband attempted to choke her.According to the report, officers met with her in the apartment’s lobby and learned that the incident occurred after, sometime during the night, Lucic had come home and could not find his cell phone.She said Lucic accused her of hiding the phone and demanded it back, and that when she told him she did not have it or know where it was, he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her backwards as she tried to walk awa...

Middleborough police arrest school counselor for allegedly dragging, striking 10-year-old student living with autism

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

Police in Middleborough say a school counselor is facing multiple assault and battery charges after he allegedly dragged and struck a 10-year-old student living with autism.The Middleborough Police Department announced the arrest of 50-year-old Steven Adamec, who was taken into custody on Friday, Nov. 17, after officers were called to READS Collaborative on Bedford Street for a report of an employee assaulting a child.According to the police department, responding officers arrived and determined that Adamec, an adjustment counselor at the facility, allegedly struck a 10-year-old student “across the side of their face following an argument.”“Police subsequently determined that Adamec dragged the student by the arm and pushed him into a door while escorting him out of a classroom,” a news release stated. “Adamec then used his left hand to strike the student across the side of their face.”The police department said Adamec was arrested at the school a...

Tewksbury police looking to ID armed suspect who held up convenience store

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

Authorities in Tewksbury are asking for the public’s help as they continue to look for an armed suspect who robbed a convenience store over the weekend.The Tewksbury Police Department said has been investigating an armed robbery that happened Sunday night on Woburn Street. According to the department, it was just after 8:30 p.m. when officers were called to Andy’s Convenience Store for the incident.Police said during the robbery, a suspect, believed to be a male in his mid-20s, entered the store with a large-capacity firearm and demanded cash and other items from an employee.—WATCH: Surveillance video showing armed robbery at a Tewksbury convenience store on Nov. 19—After the robbery, the suspect then ran across Woburn Street and into a wooded area.Reviewing surveillance footage, police described the suspect as wearing a black sweatshirt with white stripes/strings, black pants, a navy blue backpack and white and black Nike sneakers with “an orange or re...