Dick’s Sporting Goods sues Baseball Reference over GameChanger trademark infringement
A Dick’s Sporting Goods subsidiary is suing the company that operates the popular Baseball Reference website, alleging trademark infringement. GameChanger, which is owned by Dick’s, is a software application for youth baseball and softball. The app provides statistics tracking, as well as the ability to live stream games. According to...
Nolan Arenado embraces playing for contender Cardinals
DENVER — Nolan Arenado hasn’t expressed this much optimism since signing his $260 million contract with Colorado two years ago. “Excited” was the term the slugging, slick-fielding third baseman used about a dozen times Tuesday at his introductory news conference following his blockbuster trade from the Rockies to the St....
MLB to start on time after players reject delay
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball will proceed with an on-time start to spring training and the season after players rejected a plan Monday night to delay reporting by more than a month. “In light of the MLBPA’s rejection of our proposal, and their refusal to counter our revised offer...
Red Sox 2B, 2008 AL MVP Dustin Pedroia retires
BOSTON — Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2007 and the MVP in his second season but played in a total of nine games in the last three years because of a knee injury, retired on Monday. A four-time All-Star who...
MLB proposes delaying start to April 28, cut to 154 gamesVideo
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball has proposed a one-month delay in starting spring training because of the coronavirus pandemic and pushing back opening day to April 28, two people familiar with the plan told The Associated Press. Under the plan presented to the players’ union on Friday, the regular...
AP source: Cubs agree to 1-yr deal with former Pirates righty Trevor WilliamsVideo
CHICAGO — Right-hander Trevor Williams agreed to a one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, giving the NL Central champions another option for the back end of their rotation. A person familiar with the situation confirmed the deal to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract...
Cardinals to acquire All-Star Nolan Arenado from Rockies
The St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to acquire All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado from the Colorado Rockies in a trade needing approvals before it can be finalized, a person familiar with the swap tells The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday night because the trade had...
Jameson Taillon, Corey Kluber are big pitching questions for YankeesVideo
NEW YORK — Brian Cashman knows the New York Yankees are taking big risks by adding pitchers Corey Kluber and Jameson Tallion, who have combined to pitch one inning the past two seasons, and letting go of Masahiro Tanaka. “Ultimately, gaining two for — current theory — the price of...
Ken Griffey Jr. hired as MLB senior adviser for youth development
NEW YORK — Ken Griffey Jr. has been hired as a senior adviser to baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred. The Hall of Fame outfielder will work in baseball operations and on youth baseball development. He is tasked with improving diversity at amateur levels, Major League Baseball said Friday, Griffey will work...
Could more Baseball Hall of Fame shutouts be on the horizon?
It could be a while before the Baseball Writers’ Association of America votes anyone new into the Hall of Fame. BBWAA members delivered an empty class in this year’s election, which was announced Tuesday night. Curt Schilling received the most support, but the former pitcher was selected on 71.1% of...
Baseball Hall gets no new members; Curt Schilling 16 votes shy
NEW YORK — The baseball Hall of Fame won’t 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. Curt Schilling, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were among the closest...
Cactus League asks MLB to delay spring training due to covid
The Cactus League and Arizona community leaders have asked Major League Baseball to delay the start of spring training due to coronavirus concerns just over three weeks before pitchers and catchers are supposed to report. The Cactus League made the request in a letter to Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred obtained...
Braves fans call for name change to Hammers to honor the late Hank AaronVideo
ATLANTA (AP) — 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. “Hammerin’ Hank” died Friday at age 86, drawing praise from all segments of society, including the current and former presidents, for his...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Hank Aaron was one of sports’ most important figures
Hank Aaron is not the all-time home-run king. The numbers don’t lie and can’t be qualified. It’s a matter of who hit the most. The scoreboard reads Barry Bonds 762, Aaron 755. But Aaron was about so much more than setting a record, even if it is baseball’s most fabled....
Hank Aaron, baseball’s 1-time home run king, dies at 86
ATLANTA — Hank Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth’s home run record and gracefully left his mark as one of baseball’s greatest all-around players, died Friday. He was 86. The Atlanta Braves, Aaron’s longtime team, said he died peacefully in his sleep....
AP source: Springer agrees to $150M, 6-year deal with JaysVideo
TORONTO — All-Star outfielder George Springer became the most prominent among baseball’s free agents to reach an agreement this offseason, a $150 million, six-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, a person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because...
Mark Madden: Situations with Brett Favre, Jared Porter show cancel culture is applied unevenly
Jared Porter got dismissed from his job as the New York Mets’ general manager because he sent a torrent of inappropriate texts to a female journalist while he was working for the Chicago Cubs in 2016. Among Porter’s texts: An image of his genitals, as reported by ESPN. Firing Porter...
Don Sutton, Hall of Fame pitcher for Dodgers, dies at 75Video
LOS ANGELES — Don Sutton, a Hall of Fame pitcher who was a stalwart of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ rotation spanning an era from Sandy Koufax to Fernando Valenzuela, died Tuesday. He was 75. The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., said Sutton died at his home in Rancho...
Mets fire GM after he sent explicit texts to female reporter
NEW YORK — New York Mets general manager Jared Porter was fired Tuesday after sending graphic, uninvited text messages and images to a female reporter in 2016 when he was working for the Chicago Cubs in their front office. Mets owner Steve Cohen said Porter was fired Tuesday morning. “We...
Former WPIAL stars Alex Kirilloff, Austin Hendrick on Baseball America’s prospect list
A pair of former WPIAL stars are ranked in Baseball America’s top 100 prospects, including one who cracked the top 20 for the first time. Plum’s Alex Kirilloff is ranked the No. 18 overall prospect and No. 1 in the Minnesota Twins organization by Baseball America. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound outfielder...
Aaron Judge avoids arbitration, signs 1-year deal with YankeesVideo
NEW YORK — Slugging outfielder Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees avoided arbitration when they agreed Friday to a one-year contract worth $10,175,000. Judge had his third straight injury-interrupted season since winning the 2017 AL Rookie of the Year award, hitting .257 with nine homers and 22 RBIs in...
Mickey Mantle rookie card sells for record $5.2 million, crushing Mike Trout record
It’s the Holy Grail. It’s the Mona Lisa. Entrepreneur Rob Gough believes he got both wrapped in one when he purchased a rare Mickey Mantle rookie baseball card for a record $5.2 million in November. “I’ve always wanted this card,” Gough recently told Forbes. “I’ve been searching for this Holy...
AP report: MLB suspends political donations after invasion of U.S. CapitolVideo
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball is suspending all political contributions in the wake of last week’s invasion of the U.S. Capitol by a mob loyal to President Donald Trump, joining a wave of major corporations rethinking their efforts to lobby Washington. “In light of the unprecedented events last week...
Bianca Smith, with Sewickley roots, makes history as 1st Black woman to coach pro-level baseball
The first Black woman to coach on a professional baseball team has roots in Sewickley, and her favorite baseball team growing up was the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bianca Smith, 29, was hired Jan. 4 by the Boston Red Sox. Her role is stationed in Fort Myers, Fla., to work as a...
Tommy Lasorda, fiery Hall of Fame Dodgers manager, dies at 93
LOS ANGELES — Tommy Lasorda, the fiery Hall of Fame manager who guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to two World Series titles and later became an ambassador for the sport he loved during his 71 years with the franchise, has died. He was 93. The Dodgers said Friday that he...
