MLB

Rivera 1st unanimous HOF pick; Doc, Edgar, Mussina also in

Published

8 years ago

January 22, 2019

NEW YORK (AP) — Mariano Rivera has become baseball’s first unanimous Hall of Fame selection, elected Tuesday along with Roy Halladay, Edgar Martinez and Mike Mussina.

Rivera received all 425 votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced. The quartet will be enshrined in Cooperstown along with Today’s Game Era Committee selections Harold Baines and Lee Smith on July 21.

Ken Griffey Jr. held the mark for top percentage at 99.32 when he was on 437 of 440 ballots two years ago.

Rivera is baseball’s career saves leader with 652. With a steady demeanor and a fearsome cut fastball, he won five World Series over 19 seasons with the New York Yankees. He was always at his best in October, getting 42 saves with a 0.70 ERA over 16 postseasons, including 11 saves in the World Series.

Halladay, an ace with the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies, got 85.4 percent and will be the first posthumous inductee since Deacon White in 2013 and Ron Santo in 2012. Halladay died in November 2017 at 40 years old when an airplane he was flying crashed into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida.

Martinez was a .312 hitter over 18 seasons with Seattle. He got 85.4 percent in his 10th and final try on the writers’ ballot. He and Baines will join 2014 inductee Frank Thomas as the only Hall of Famers to play the majority of their games at designated hitter. David Ortiz will be eligible in 2022.

Mussina was a steady right-hander for the Yankees and Baltimore Orioles who went 270-153 with 2,813 strikeouts over 18 seasons. He received 76.7 percent, getting seven more votes than the 319 required for election.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens made gains but again fell short in their seventh times on the ballot. Bonds got 59.1 percent and Clemens 59.5.

Rivera grew up in Panama the son of a fisherman. He signed with New York in 1990, debuted in the majors as a 25-year-old in 1995 and a year later emerged as one of the game’s best relievers. Along with a core including Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada, Rivera helped the Yankees win four World Series from 1996-2000 and another in 2009.

“Hall of Fame teammate. Hall of Fame person,” Jeter said in a statement.

The Yankees didn’t even wait until his final game to retire his No. 42 — he was the last player in the major leagues to wear that number, grandfathered to him when No. 42 was retired in honor of Jackie Robinson in 1997.

“Wearing No. 42, representing Jackie Robinson, I assume he was the first No. 42 elected,” Rivera said. “To be the last No. 42 elected to the Hall of Fame, and unanimously, is amazing.”

Though his music taste skews more Christian rock than heavy metal, Rivera toed the Yankee Stadium rubber to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” for much of his career. “The Sandman” became synonymous with the song’s foreboding guitar riff, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers performed it live at Yankee Stadium in 2013 before one of Rivera’s final home games.

Bill Ballou of The Telegram & Gazette in Worcester, Massachusetts, wrote in November that because he didn’t plan to vote for Rivera, he wouldn’t submit a ballot. Ballou announced Tuesday he had changed his mind and sent a ballot that included Rivera.

Rivera and Smith will be the seventh and eighth relievers in the Hall, joining Hoyt Wilhelm (1985), Rollie Fingers (1992), Dennis Eckersley (2004), Bruce Sutter (2006), Rich Gossage (2008) and Trevor Hoffman (2018).

Halladay won two Cy Young Awards, one each with Toronto and Philadelphia, before ending his career in 2013 at 36 years old due to back injuries.

The right-hander was a first-round draft pick by Toronto in 1995, debuted in the majors in 1998 and struggled terribly until being demoted to the minor leagues in 2001. With the help of sports psychologist Harvey Dorfman, Halladay reinvented himself and became an All-Star in 2002, then won 22 games and an AL Cy Young in 2003.

Halladay’s best season came in 2010, his first following a blockbuster trade to Philadelphia. Halladay pitched a perfect game against the Florida Marlins in May, then delivered a no-hitter against Cincinnati in the opener of the NL Division Series. It was just the second no-hitter in postseason history after the Yankees’ Don Larsen pitched a perfect game against Brooklyn in the 1956 World Series.

In an era marked by pitch counts and early hooks, Halladay was a workhorse. Since 2000, Halladay’s 65 complete games are by far the most in the majors — Livan Hernandez is second at 39.

The only other player elected on the first ballot posthumously was Christy Mathewson in 1936. Roberto Clemente was elected by a special election in 1973 after dying in a plane crash on Dec. 31, 1972.

Martinez was among the game’s steadiest hitters throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, winning two batting titles and hitting 309 homers.

A late bloomer from Puerto Rico, Martinez never played more than 100 games in the majors until he was 27. He broke in as a third baseman before becoming a full-time DH at 32, a role he held until retiring at 41 years old in 2004.

Martinez got just 36.2 percent of the vote in his first ballot appearance in 2010 and fell as low as 25.2 percent in 2014 — the cutoff for induction is 75 percent. With a push from the sport’s analytics community and a hearty social media campaign, Martinez made major progress in recent votes, including 70.4 percent in 2018.

Mussina got 20.3 percent in his first ballot in 2014 but has steadily gained support since. Armed with a nasty knuckle curveball, Mussina also got a push from the sabermetric community.

It was only the fourth time the writers voted in four players in one class — it also happened in 2015, 1955 and 1947. The largest group selected by writers was the inaugural five-member class of Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson in 1936. The writers and Today’s Game Era Committee have combined to elect 31 people since 2014.

Curt Schilling got 60.9 percent in his seventh time on the ballot. An outspoken conservative, he also got a late endorsement from President Donald Trump via Twitter on Sunday, though voting had already concluded.

Larry Walker came in at 54.6 percent, and nobody else appeared on more than half the ballots.

Bonds, Clemens in Schilling may get their best shot at the Hall in 2021, when no first-time candidates are odds-on favorites. Jeter heads the newcomers on the 2020 ballot.

Central Florida News

ANNIKA Media Day Brings Melanie Green Back to Tampa Bay Ahead of Tournament Debut

Published

3 weeks ago

September 20, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican branding is displayed during ANNIKA Media Day at Tropicana Field ahead of the tournament’s November return to Belleair.

Attendees gather during ANNIKA Media Day at Tropicana Field as preparations continue for The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican this November.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — ANNIKA Media Day brought golf to Tropicana Field Thursday as former USF standout Melanie Green helped preview The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican ahead of its November return.

Green, the 2025 Epson Tour Player of the Year and Gaëlle Truet Rookie of the Year, spent the day meeting with media, connecting with fans and throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the Tampa Bay Rays game.

Green Reflects on USF Roots

Florida National News’ Todd Grasley asked Green what it means to now compete in an LPGA event essentially in her own backyard after spending four years at USF and making Florida home.

“Being a Florida resident now, I’m like, okay, this is awesome,” Green said. “So, you know, it’s exciting.”

The setting carries a different meaning for Green now. She has gone from competing collegiately at USF to the Epson Tour, where her breakout 2025 season earned her Player of the Year honors and a tour card.

Photo: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News / FNN Sports

From Epson Tour to the LPGA

Grasley asked Green about that climb — from USF to Epson Tour Player of the Year and now competing against some of the best players in the world while realizing a childhood dream.

Green reflected on the role her faith and support system played in that journey, saying much of what has happened was bigger than anything she could have created on her own.

When asked if there was an “aha” moment when being an LPGA player finally felt real, Green admitted the transition still requires reminders.

“I feel like I have to continually just keep reminding myself,”

She later put the adjustment into perspective.

“Once you get past the ‘whoa’ of the LPGA, then you can kind of feel like … your feet just aren’t getting wet, you’re actually in the water.”

Attendees gather during ANNIKA Media Day at Tropicana Field as preparations continue for The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican this November. Photo: Nisey Spruill / Florida National News / FNN Sports

USF Foundation Still Matters

Green also reflected on how her time at USF helped prepare her for life beyond college golf.

“I would say my coaches were phenomenal for me,” Green said.

Rather than focusing solely on the mechanics of her swing, Green said her coaches helped her navigate the larger demands surrounding competition, including tournament preparation and time management.

Green Looks Ahead to The ANNIKA

The conversation also turned to Annika Sörenstam, whose career Green followed before getting the opportunity to compete professionally in the tournament bearing her name.

Grasley asked what Sörenstam has meant to Green as a player she looked up to and what it means to now participate in her event as a professional.

“She holds just about, seems like, every record.”

Green describes Sörenstam as someone players continue to look up to and aspire toward.

The ANNIKA Returns in November

The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican returns to Pelican Golf Club in Belleair Nov. 11-15, with tournament play beginning Nov. 12.

Green is among the early commitments for the 2026 field. For Green, the week will bring another milestone in a season already filled with firsts — this time competing near the place where a major part of her golf journey began.

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Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com

MLB

MLB: Tampa Bay Rays Season Outlook & Preview

Published

5 years ago

April 7, 2022

FNN NEWS

Two Tampa Bay Rays players on the field during a game. Photo: Elsa/Getty Images.

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – It is Opening Day weekend across Major League Baseball. For the defending AL East Champion Tampa Bay Rays, that means a home series against the division opponent Baltimore on Friday.

24-year-old Shane McClanah will get the start for the Rays who went 100-62 during the 2021 season, the first time the team reached 100 wins in franchise history. McClanahan played his college ball at nearby USF, and is no stranger to getting the ball in big games. He went 10-6 on the year with a 3.43 ERA and has six postseason appearances including the World Series in 2020.

Star pitcher Tyler Glasnow is likely out for the season while fellow pitchers Michael Wacha and Collin McHugh along with Nelson Cruz left the team in free agency. Fan Favorites Joey Wendle and Austin Meadows were traded to the Marlins and Padres respectively.

So where does that put the season outlook for Tampa Bay? Most baseball outlets have the Rays in the middle of the AL East standings with the Blue Jays and Yankees as the favorites, both having major offseason additions to bolster their lineups. Despite being one of the best teams in baseball the last several years, the Rays have a tough time getting respect.

Wander Franco signed a massive 11-year, $183 million deal that will keep him with the club through 2033 and an option for an additional year. Having a superstar in Franco coupled with star Randy Arozena, Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe, and a team that can hit and play defense with the best teams in baseball is a positive sign.

The question for the Rays will be their starting pitching depth. Behind McClanahan is new addition Corey Kluber and youngsters Drew Rasmussen, Luis Patino, and Ryan Yarbrough. Behind them is one of a very reliable bullpen with set-up man Pete Fairbanks and closer Andrew Kittredge.

Fans have numerous opportunities to see an exciting brand of Rays baseball in April alone with home series against the Orioles, Athletics, Red Sox, Mariners, and Twins.

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Todd Grasley is a sports reporter for Florida National News Tampa. | sports@floridanationalnews.com

MLB

After a 99-Day Lockout, Baseball is Officially Back

Published

5 years ago

March 11, 2022

FNN NEWS

Tropicana Field. Photo: Todd Grasley/Florida National News.

TAMPA BAY, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – After a 99-day lockout the players union and owners have finally struck a deal on America’s National Pastime, and the best news of all, a full 162-game season. It’s a decision that comes as a sigh of relief to baseball fans nationwide who feared the wait could lead to the cancellation of the season, much like it did in 1994-1995.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, who took a lot of flac from outsiders throughout the process, was relieved to hear from MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark that the two sides had come to an agreement.

“I have a great job, but one of the negative parts of it is when you have a situation like this, where you’re depriving the fans of the game…I felt a great weight from that,” Manfred said in an interview with ESPN.com. “When we learned that they ratified, that weight came off my shoulders.”

While the new Collective Bargaining Agreement improves conditions for MLB players, it also comes with several rule changes to the game, including the postseason being expanded to 12 teams, a universal DH, doubleheaders now consisting of nine innings, eliminating the rule of having baserunners to start extra innings.

The 2022 season will start on April 7th for most teams, with the initial missed games at the beginning being made up in doubleheaders throughout the year and at the end of the season.

Tropicana Field and the Tampa Bay Rays are ready for the 2022 season. Photo: Todd Grasley/Florida National News.

As for Spring Training baseball in Florida and Arizona, players can report to voluntary workouts starting March 11th with games starting the week of March 18th.

Check out the complete schedule of Grapefruit League (Florida) and Cactus League (Arizona) games and keep it locked on Florida National News for coverage of Major League Baseball throughout the season.

Let’s play ball!

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Todd Grasley is a sports reporter for Florida National News Tampa. | sports@floridanationalnews.com