Updated: May 6, 2021 8:41 a.m.
Back in 2009, I gave Willie a ride on Air Force One to the All-Star game in St. Louis.
I’ll never forget that day because it was one of the few times when I wasn’t the most important person on the plane. Everyone was excited to see Willie. And I was, too. I told him that if it hadn’t been for folks like him and Jackie Robinson leading the way, I might never have made it to the White House. The spirit Willie brought to the game and the way he carried himself not only changed baseball – it also changed people’s attitudes, and helped young Black and brown kids see themselves differently. We are lucky to be able to walk this earth with Willie Mays, and I’m glad he’s still going strong. (John Shea and Tal Kopan) Barack Obama| 44th President of the United States
April 9, 2021
The mystery pitcher began appearing in my morning box scores during the second half of September 1980. Sometimes he was Valenzuela, others Valenzla, but every time I looked, he had zeroes next to his name. I couldn’t find him in my baseball card set, my
Street & Smith’s Official Yearbook 1980, or my
Complete Handbook of Baseball 1980. All I knew was that suddenly he was one of the Dodgers’ most reliable relievers, a rookie thrown into the fire of a three-way NL West race between the Dodgers, Astros, and Reds.
What I didn’t know was that just over six months later, everybody who was anybody would know the name Fernando Valenzuela and the trail of zeroes he left in his wake. Fernandomania was coming.
Cubs vs. Royals at Surprise preview, Saturday 3/13, 2:05 CT
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Sogard 2B, Contreras C, Hoerner SS, Maybin CF, Vargas 3B, Ortega DH, Duffy RF, Martini LF, Rivas 1B
Royals lineup:
Merrifield RF, Benintendi LF, Mondesi SS, Santana 1B, Perez C, Soler DH, Rivera 3B, Dyson CF, Lopez 2B
Lots of Royals regulars in today’s game, not so much for the Cubs.
Adbert Alzolay will start for the Cubs this afternoon. Other Cubs pitchers today: Dillon Maples, Tommy Nance, Michael Rucker, Kohl Stewart, Robert Stock and Jerry Vasto. Of those, all but Maples were reassigned off the spring roster on Friday.
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In recent years, the Giants have put a greater emphasis on scouting local players in the months leading up to the annual MLB Draft. That strategy was borne out in 2019 when the Giants selected Palo Alto, Calif., native Hunter Bishop (an Arizona State University outfielder) with their first-round Draft pick.
Now ranked the club’s No. 4 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Bishop could be the next local product to develop into a foundational piece for the Giants in the coming years. Who are some other notable Bay Area natives to suit up for the orange and black? Let’s take a look at the top five: