The M's lead the American League West and are trying to win their first division title since the 2001 season this year Though the Mariners have played very well through 31 games it's worth noting how beat up the roster has been George Kirby and Matt Brash haven't thrown a single pitch this season and Gregory Santos is currently on the 60-day injured list after knee surgery Ryan Bliss is out for the season after tearing his left bicep and Victor Robles is on the 60-day injured list as well Dylan Moore is on the injured list and Luke Raley is expected to miss two months with an oblique issue The Mariners have tapped into their farm system for help Leo Rivas and Rhylan Thomas each providing a boost And it looks like it may have to stay that way as ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney recently told the Refuse to Lose podcast that the trade options will be limited this year generally in my conversations with executives around the sport they assume that if they're going to get help mostly it's going to be internal answers the conditions for the trade market this year the early indications are it's going to be a really thin trade market We've talked about how equal these teams are in the American League That means it more likely that a would-be seller is going to say 'no we're going to try to hold our team together because we think we can compete.' And if you look at the National League it's more top heavy with great teams at the top and bad teams at the bottom like the Marlins and the Colorado Rockies But one executive pointed out to me those teams don't really have guys The White Sox have traded away most of the guys that they want to deal So the executives I'm talking to are saying 'yeah they just don't think that there are going to be a lot of guys that are going to be difference making that are going to be available unless the American League suddenly has a shake up and two or three teams drop out You can listen to the full interview with Olney in the player below: The Mariners will play the Rangers again on Saturday afternoon at 4:05 p.m ON THE MEND: The Mariners are badly wounded right now, but they are expected to get Dylan Moore back soon. When? CLICK HERE: WHAT's CHANGED: MLB Network delivered an awesome break down of what adjustments Jorge Polanco has made this season at the plate. CLICK HERE: BRADY FARKAS The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER BUMP AND STACY The Seattle Mariners have been a different team offensively this season, but the improvements at the plate can be traced back to last season Three observations from Seattle Mariners’ eighth straight series win In a recent post on social media, ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney pointed out the Mariners’ offensive prowess dating back to the final two months of last season the M’s produced the following AL rankings: Olney joined Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy on Friday to discuss the Mariners and he shared what he thinks has keyed the club’s recent offensive success it’s not perfectly all the way through who brought assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes with him “Part of the reason why I went back and looked at those numbers was because just talking with people about Edgar’s impact as a hitting coach for the Mariners I think it’s real,” Olney said “Sometimes guys come in and they’re a pitching coach or they’re a hitting coach and they don’t have much impact but I think Edgar’s had a real impact so the vast majority (64) of those 82 games were under his tutelage.” Olney revealed he had some bias sway his belief in Martinez’s impact on the Mainers offense due to conversations he had with former Mariners star shortstop Alex Rodriguez when they worked together on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight about after the Mariners would finish a series and Edgar would be in the back and he’d be sipping some wine and Alex would go back there and ask him all kinds of questions about hitting … Alex told me about how Edgar has this beautiful ability to simplify everything that he’s talking about and Alex would pepper him with questions for an hour and finally Edgar would chase him back to the front of the plane.” Olney said he’s heard Martinez’s way of communicating is also connecting with this group of Mariners “The idea that the Mariners for basically half a season would be second in runs while playing in their home ballpark which everyone knows offensive numbers are generally going to be depressed And I’m going to say I think it’s in part because of Edgar Martinez.” Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story Listen to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app Follow @ZacHereth SEATTLE MARINERS 11:26 PM | Updated: May 4 It shouldn’t be all that surprising that the Seattle Mariners are in first place in the AL West over a month into the season But what is a surprise is the way they’ve taken the early lead Based on AL rankings, Mariners made right call with offense The Mariners are down the top two pieces of their starting rotation which has been their strength ever since the 2022 team that ended a long postseason drought The numbers for Seattle’s pitching staff reflect those absences That means the offense has been picking up the slack, which is part of the reason that two MLB insiders – ESPN’s Buster Olney and MLB Network’s Jon Morosi – have optimistic reads of the Mariners’ hopes to return to October this season the American League isn’t looking so good “In the time that I’ve covered baseball I’ve never seen one league so much better than the other league The National League is staggeringly better than the American League,” Olney told Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy on Friday “… The National League is like the Justice League The American League is the land of opportunity.” And the Mariners seem primed to take advantage “You look at the American League West right now,” Morosi said during his weekly Thursday conversation with Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob “and I know it’s hard to say this on the first of May it’s the Mariners’ division to lose Morosi acknowledged the injury-related issues the M’s pitching staff is dealing with, but he pointed out how a bullpen led by closer Andrés Muñoz, April’s AL Reliever of the Month is teaming up with the offense to keep the M’s moving in the right direction Morosi explained the difference he’s seeing this year compared to 2024 “When you’ve got a team that can slug and you’ve got a team that can run the bases well it just puts pressure on the opposition,” he said pitchers were comfortable going against the Mariners … They’re just a harder team to game plan for.” Olney related these M’s to the teams that bashed home runs left and right at the Kingdome in the 1990s “The idea that the offense is a strength that is a different type of Mariners team,” Olney said Olney explained why the Mariners have opportunity in front of them not just in the division “The Rangers thought coming into this year that they were really going to hit Marcus Semien has been dropped into the middle of the lineup,” Olney said “We saw the Houston Astros on Sunday Night Baseball two weeks ago – guys Yordan Alvarez doesn’t have nearly the sort of support around him.” things could really take off if it matches up with the improved offensive production Mariners’ Dipoto shares great news about injured starting pitchers they probably have the best starting pitching in the league comparable to some of the teams that they’re going up against you can paint a reasonable path into October and through October “… If you are an American League team and you are leading your division or even if you’re in second place or third place the league is generally down so much (that) you can paint a reasonable path to playing the World Series.” Follow @BrentStecker playThe numbers behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s extension with the Blue Jays (0:59)Check out the details of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s 14-year $500 million contract extension with the Toronto Blue Jays After days of rumors -- and months of negotiating -- the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a 14-year, $500 million deal with superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on Sunday night And after finishing as also-rans in both of those deals (along with others) over the past few offseasons the Blue Jays receive a long-term commitment from their best homegrown talent since Hall of Famer Roy Halladay The 26-year-old Guerrero is a four-time All-Star 2021 American League MVP runner-up and Canadian-born superstar Buster Olney and David Schoenfield weigh in on the deal But he is a 26-year-old Canadian-born homegrown superstar and the son of a Hall of Famer who wants to stay in Toronto The Blue Jays will never have another player like this again For a franchise that has failed to attract stars north of the border -- over and over and over again -- this is the right move even if it could become an uncomfortable overpay on the backend It's one of those things where you'd think that if it were going to happen and he has a chance to be a defining player for it but I'm not sure he would have proven to be quite the market-mover in free agency as he might have thought His worth was more for Toronto than for other clubs Olney: The Jays had to do this because by constantly deferring decisions about his situation the perception of the franchise will shift because the Jays have their anchor -- a Canadian-born superstar who wants to stay Schoenfield: It's a little risky at this price point given Guerrero's year-to-year inconsistency they need the superstar version of Guerrero to anchor the lineup but there's also a chance his best seasons are still ahead of him -- and they won't be coming for the Yankees or Red Sox two teams who likely would have pursued him in the offseason Predictions » | Relive offseason moves » Passan's ultimate preview » The Blue Jays should stand pat and see where this team goes over the next three months the Jays can try adding for the stretch run at the trade deadline There's some time to build a contender around him A half-measure will only waste more of his prime years Doolittle: Let's let things play out this season and see how the roster functions in what should be a highly competitive division race This extension establishes the franchise's longer-term direction the direction would have been a lot less clear Olney: It's hard to say because if they don't contend The extension for VGJ makes it easier for them to make that decision leading up to the trade deadline Schoenfield: I'd start hounding the Marlins about Sandy Alcantara If the Blue Jays are going to contend this season -- and they can -- they'll need more pitching especially with Max Scherzer's immediate future in doubt so he would team up nicely with Guerrero while showing the Blue Jays are committed to winning now Where exactly depends on if we're talking about just this season or for several years Guerrero's potential at the plate is matched by just a few of his peers but he has been inconsistent year-to-year and he's a first baseman who provides little value in other areas Torpedo-shaped bats have become MLB's next big thing Here's what you need to know about the sport's hottest trend slowness afoot -- all these undercut his allure if you were picking from the entire talent pool not just in right-now value but for what they mean as he gets older Not a slam at all -- I love to watch Vlady hit and he's a championship-level producer Probably closer to 30 than 15 because I can't ignore that 1.8 WAR in 2023 The 2024 version of Guerrero is extremely valuable but he needs to hit at that level given his lack of an all-around game Henderson strikes me as the kind of player you'd like to have for as long as possible but he's not the only one in that organization who fits that bill (no pun intended) Schoenfield: The window might be closing for a De La Cruz extension with the Reds but I'd love to see Cincinnati lock him up like the Royals did with Bobby Witt Jr he's one of the most dangerous hitters in the sport His production in the two years in between Guerrero was very good -- and an All-Star -- in 2022 and 2023 but he slashed .269/.341/.462 with 58 home runs and 5.8 bWAR across the two seasons First basemen with those numbers -- and poor defensive and baserunning value-- don't warrant megadeals But his potential and age combined with the Blue Jays' unsuccessful search for a foundational superstar and Juan Soto's market-setting deal created the perfect storm to make this not only possible we rank the elite at every spot on the diamond Olney's Top 10s » which isn't probably what we're going for here and had some Hall of Famers pass through their clubhouses What they haven't had is an all-time face of the franchise a Hall of Fame player who spent all or virtually all of his career with the franchise Dave Stieb is probably the closest thing to that the Jays have had and he was terrific but Vlady has a chance to become the Blue Jays even if in a few years the Angels sign him to an erratic ill-advised contract for his last couple of years This stuff matters to the identity of organizations The Jays lose in terms of the market because this might be more than other teams would've paid but they win because they desperately needed a signature star to bridge into the future The Mets were interested in talking about a possible trade in the winter but sources say they were uncertain about whether to pursue him in the upcoming winter Schoenfield: I'll throw in a couple of losers here -- those teams where Guerrero could have been a great fit in 2026. That would include the aforementioned Yankees (Paul Goldschmidt on a one-year deal) plus the Giants (pursuing a big star for years) or maybe the Tigers (plenty of payroll room) Castillo: It says teams willing to spend the money have decided paying top dollar for superstars is worth the risk, a departure from where things stood five years ago when the Red Sox traded Mookie Betts instead of paying him his worth Doolittle: Everybody's different. Jackson Merrill seems to like his situation and isn't driven to maximize his check There might be an undercurrent of CBA-related uncertainty over what might be looming down the line as long as the numbers are in the ballpark Olney: Some teams have to weigh these whopper investments great Padres owner Peter Seidler: The franchises worth billions will be OK if they spend big The Jays are a financially healthy business and they have now completely altered the perception of what their franchise could look like in the years ahead Schoenfield: Despite all the angst over long-term local TV revenue Especially if you're good and set to reach free agency at a young age Tea Time has arrived in Olney with the inaugural event taking place at Lone Oak Brewery’s “Whispering Spirit Speakeasy” located at the Fallen Oak Distillery (5000 Olney Laytonsville Rd.) Our very own “Mr. MoCo” Alex Tsironis stopped by to support and shared a video of the experience that can be seen below The cost was $42 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and it came with the following: “A selection of fine teas from Shafa Blends but we had to make it back home to the kids so it ended at tea for us I was told that they’ll likely be doing this again soon so keep an eye out if it seems like something you’d enjoy.” Lone Oak/Fallen Oak has shared with us that the hope is for many Tea Time events in the future A post shared by Mr. MoCo • Alex Tsironis (@mrmoco301) You have reached ESPN's UK edition. Stay on current site or go to US version ATLANTA -- Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Teoscar Hernandez won last summer's Home Run Derby and he is open to the idea of defending his championship this year said his priority is to make the All-Star team again "I'm still thinking about it," he said Sunday outside of the visitors' indoor hitting cage at Truist Park There would be a really good chance that I would participate in the Home Run Derby." batting .305 with 33 RBIs in the first 32 games; Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Sunday's game that Hernandez has been obsessed with taking advantage of run-scoring opportunities Hernandez will enjoy the substantial voting support of Dodgers fans Roberts does have some influence in filling spots on the All-Star roster Last year, Hernandez beat Bobby Witt Jr. to win the last round of the Home Run Derby, after longtime friend and former teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr encouraged him to stop trying to pull the ball and just focus on driving the ball more toward the middle of the field The Olney Chamber of Commerce invited the Easter Bunny to Olney for a fun photo-op with the community Sparkles the Easter Bunny showed up bright-eyed and bushy tailed to the festive Easter event ready to greet all the excited children of Olney  Phone: (940) 564-5558 Fax: (940) 564-3992 Devorah Stolik loves networking and forming connections within the community She often utilizes these “matchmaking” skills whether she’s teaching Hebrew school or leading a women’s study session at Chabad Stolik is the director of Chabad of Olney’s Hebrew School of the Arts where she teaches 33 students ranging from kindergarten to seventh grade Originally from Brooklyn, New York, she lives in Olney with her husband, Rabbi Bentzy Stolik We did all the holidays together — all my first cousins When I know a certain kid would connect well with other families I’ll make a point at dropoff or pick-up to tell the parent “I think this kid really connects with your child Make a playdate!” It’s honestly the biggest joy to me when I see connections made I would also say definitely delegate tasks Responsibilities that you’re able to give over to someone else … try to give to somebody else so that I can have my energy to be able to actually be there for my kids emotionally Some of the values we try to model in our home is an open home welcoming others not just physically but also in the conversations we have [email protected] and website in this browser for the next time I comment and basketball court will be closed for renovations for approximately six months Improvements will also include stormwater management upgrades and enhanced ADA accessibility paths leading into the park from Willow Grove Road Thank you for your patience as we work to improve the park Two playgrounds are being renovated at Olney Family Neighborhood Park The playground located near Treadway Road (playground #3) was recently constructed while the main playground on Willow Grove Road (playground #1) is in final design with construction scheduled to begin in 2025 In addition to the playground renovation at Willow Grove Road other minor improvements in the area will include: Olney Family Neighborhood Park is a long and narrow park that runs through several neighborhoods and has multiple playground areas The park’s playgrounds were last renovated in 1988 one of the smaller areas with just swings was removed due to the location and no easy route for maintenance Another playground that had outlived its play value and was not being used was removed in 2018 Since both current playgrounds were installed prior to the final rules for the Americans with Disabilities Act going into effect The renovations would not only provide the necessary accessibility for the playgrounds to comply with the law but they would also provide more amenities for people of all physical abilities and staff in the Park Development Division met with State Senator Craig Zucker and representatives from the Olney Mill Homeowners Association in December 2019 Three concepts were presented along with the possible scheduling of each concept The Board and Senator Zucker agreed on two of the options for the locations on Treadway Road and Willow Grove Road The state bond bill for the playground on Treadway Road (playground #3) was approved in March 2020 with its construction completed in fall 2022. Another state bond bill was approved in 2022 for the playground at Willow Grove Road (playground #1) Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2025. Due to new Forest Conservation regulations the playground at Willow Grove Road will be relocated to be further away from the existing stream the playground was going to be located on top of and slightly west of the existing playground footprint the playground will be located similarly but extended further west and reshaped to be more linear to reduce impacts to the stream buffer The play equipment will remain the same as in the original concept drawings Please see the revised concept design drawings Please contact the project manager for updates 2425 Reedie Drive, 12th Floor Wheaton, MD 20902Call Montgomery Parks Customer Service: (301) 495-2595 Paper shred – 3 boxes or 3 large bags of paper Household Donations – Project B Green will accept household donations include clothing small furniture (no larger than 4ft by 4 ft) Lightbulb Exchange – The Department of Environmental Protection will be there to swap out your old incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs for energy efficiency LED bulbs Feel free to bring as many lightbulbs as you have and receive up to 3 LEDs per person The Young County-Olney Senior Cub Center hosted a special lunch for all those who have volunteered over the past year for the Cub Center Attendees enjoyed a free lunch with a special awards ceremony after which Cub Center Director Angela Lockard gave a speech thanking volunteers and presented the volunteers with a certificate of appreciation and a gift bag with small gifts of thanks Chick-fil-A at 18115 Georgia Ave in Olney has temporarily closed after a vehicle was driven into the building on Tuesday afternoon The restaurant posted the following message on its social media pages: “Thank you to our guests who have emailed and called us today out of concern We had an incident in the drive thru earlier this afternoon that caused damage to a part of our building our restaurant is closed for the rest of the day We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to serving you tomorrow Olney Independent School District received an overall grade of B under the new Texas Education Agency accountability ratings released last week with individual campuses showing strong progress despite changes that many districts say unfairly lowered scores statewide the first full release since the COVID-19 pandemic graded districts and campuses on an A–F scale based on three categories: student achievement Student achievement measures performance on state standardized tests and college and career readiness School progress tracks improvement on state tests and closing the gaps measures success among specific student groups such as students with special needs and English language learners Olney Elementary earned a C in student achievement and Bs in school progress and closing the gaps Olney Junior High posted a B in student achievement and As in school progress and closing the gaps Olney High School received a C in student achievement and Bs in the other two categories Greg Roach said changes in how the ratings were calculated made it harder to earn top marks — even if academic performance stayed steady “Receiving these ratings means little to us other than we are a bit competitive Our elementary and high school continued to provide high-quality instruction and will continue to incrementally improve to the A rating.” Roach noted that the district had already reviewed the 2022-2023 results and made adjustments to programming and instruction for the current school year “An A district in 20212022 could have the identical scores in each area for 2022-2023 and receive a B rating,” he said “This seems a bit political in nature rather than a concern for actually tending and teaching children.” Several school districts across Texas sued to block the release of the ratings arguing that the last-minute scoring changes unfairly punished schools and confused parents and communities Roach added that broader state and federal education policies have had little positive impact on students instead increasing bureaucracy and siphoning taxpayer dollars away from direct classroom support 1:19 PM | Updated: 2:16 pm ESPN’s MLB Senior Analyst Buster Olney joins Michael Bumpus & Stacy Rost to discuss the state of the Mariners and what has led to their improve offensive numbers since the end of ’24 and into ’25 Map and Directions Contact Us UMass System Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Accessibility Statement For an optimum web experience we recommend the latest version of Firefox Please use one of the links below to install a supported browser COVID-19 Updates Vaccine and Booster Information View All Media Advisories View All Speeches & Testimony Sign up for a newsletter or update your subscription preferences TEA releases 2023 A-F accountability ratings After a prolonged delay because of a lawsuit filed by about 100 school districts the Texas Education Agency has released the 2023 A-F accountability ratings indicating the share of campuses that received a passing ranking dropped by 14% from 2022 educators and communities have been denied access to information about the performance of their schools thanks to frivolous lawsuits paid for by tax dollars filed by those who disagreed with the statutory goal of raising career readiness expectations to help students,” said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath ongoing lawsuit has delayed the release of more recent ratings from the 2023-2024 school year School performance ratings from the 2024-2025 school year are set to be issued in August about half of Texas schools earned an A or B To view 2023 A-F ratings for all Texas public school districts or campuses State insurance crisis is now hitting public schools Severe weather from hurricanes and other weather events has not spared the state’s public schools resulting in skyrocketing property insurance costs Insurance costs for districts have increased by 44% statewide in the past five years The problem is particularly acute in coastal areas hit by hurricanes and severe storms Part of the major school finance package passed by the House in April would reimburse school districts in 14 coastal counties for insurance increases above the state average would give districts in coastal counties a credit against recapture payments for wind and hail coverage “You don’t want education to suffer because you’re worried about getting money to cover buildings for the kids,” Hunter said Abbott signs Texas version of DOGE into law The Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office is now set to become law after Gov Greg Abbott signed the measure into law last week fraud and corruption in state government and is patterned after the federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) The office will launch in 2026 with a $10-million known as the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office,” Abbott said put stricter standards on new regulations that could be costly to businesses and put a check on the growth of the administrative state.” The new office will also work to reduce state regulations that it considers outdated or unnecessary SBA assistance granted for Northeast Texas counties hit by twisters The U.S Small Business Administration has approved Abbott’s request for a disaster declaration for Northeast Texas communities hit by tornadoes and severe weather earlier this month renters and businesses access to a number of low-interest loans in affected communities Applicants can apply online at sba.gov/disaster or by calling 800-6592955 A Disaster Loan Outreach Center has opened in Daingerfield to assist with completing applications and answering questions Bill clarifying abortion laws clears Senate panel A bill to clarify the state’s abortion laws has passed out of a Senate committee Some amendments have been added to address criticism from the left and right Senate Bill 31 is intended to clarify when doctors can legally intervene and “aligns language” between the state’s three bans on abortion It would also remove the requirement that a medical crisis be imminent before a doctor can act which now goes to the Senate floor for debate specifically says a woman who has an abortion can’t be criminalized “as a party A companion bill in the House is still in committee Texas Republicans try to rein in housing costs A poll last year indicates 90% of Texans view the state’s high housing costs as a problem “Young people have been boxed out of the housing market,” Lt While buying or renting a home in Texas is still cheaper than California and New York rising costs could affect the state’s competitive advantage the state needs about 320,000 more homes than it has according to an estimate from one housing advocacy group One approach GOP legislators are trying is to force cities to reduce lot sizes and allow homes to be built in more places though the proposals would only apply to the state’s 18 largest cities “The bottom line is there’s no new land coming online,” state Sen who is behind some of the Senate’s efforts said during floor debate on one of the bills Nuclear power in midst of a resurgence A research lab at Abilene Christian University is building the nation’s first nuclear research reactor in more than four decades The goal is to prove that small modular reactors can be a clean “Our goal is to take this technology and bless the world with it,” said Rusty Towell an engineering professor at ACU who leads the university’s effort to build a small nuclear reactor The state has signed off on supporting nuclear technology with a $5 billion development fund Nuclear power is seen as a way to provide stable energy while slowing climate change Texas now has nuclear reactors at Comanche Peak about 100 miles northeast of Corpus Christi Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span which means it is time to look at the state of baseball ESPN's Buster Olney is bringing back his positional ranking series in which he surveyed those around the industry to help him rank the top 10 players at every position we rank the best of the best at one of the most important positions in baseball: starting pitcher Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto provided a window into the personality of Zack Wheeler in a recent interview with MLB.com describing Wheeler's responses when Realmuto and pitching coach Caleb Cotham visit the mound "I do everything I can to not have to go talk to him." Cotham will reach the mound and ask the pitcher what he wants to throw next "'I don't know,' and stare right through his soul Caleb will turn around and go back to the dugout." Wheeler does not like to complicate his work he just follows Realmuto's lead: The catcher drops the sign Wheeler agrees -- he'll shake off a sign maybe once or twice a game maybe less than that on some days -- and works to execute the assigned pitch he'll do little more than grunt in acknowledgment instead focusing on what he needs to do next The heavy lifting for Wheeler happens between starts when he and Cotham -- who have an excellent working relationship -- will talk about grips and pitch shape Wheeler used his sinker more effectively than he has in any season of his career sometimes throwing it inside to left-handed hitters as a finishing pitch with the ball running back over the inside corner "He just got even more strategic on who to use it against "and he got better with getting it to his glove side for a ball-to-strike pitch." with opposing batters mustering a .192 average against him -- the lowest of his career His strikeout rate of 10.1 per nine innings was the second best of his career Wheeler watches on monitors inside the clubhouse or he stands next to the staff in the dugout as close as you can get to the action from that boundary And Cotham sometimes is at home when he'll receive a text from Wheeler with a thought about the next game -- as if Wheeler saw something He finished second to Chris Sale for the National League Cy Young Award last season Evaluators were asked this question in an informal poll: Which pitcher would you pick to throw a decisive game in the World Series Wheeler's name was mentioned more than any other The top 10 starting pitchers in the big leagues right now: He got four of 30 first-place votes and 25 second-place votes in finishing behind Sale for the Cy Young the second time in his career he's been the runner-up for the award He has made 122 starts over the past four seasons while averaging more than six innings per start 2. Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers Managers and coaching staffs anticipate regression in starting pitchers as they are exposed to opposing hitters a third or fourth time in a game the resulting numbers fully support decisions to preemptively summon relievers continues even as he sees hitters repeatedly with the left-hander holding hitters to a .215 average the third time through the lineup First time through the lineup: .193/.230/.296 Second time through the lineup: .199/.245/.303 Third time through the lineup: .215/.277/.343 "He's really become incredible as he has gotten more confident in using all of his stuff," Tigers manager A.J And he can steal strikes with his breaking ball." who almost always takes his clients into the open market 3. Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates Skenes went into last season amid ridiculous expectations and yet he exceeded all of them, striking out 170 batters in 133 innings, generating an ERA+ of 214. To put that number into perspective: Clayton Kershaw who should be elected unanimously into the Hall of Fame someday Chris Sale (174) and Tarik Skubal (170) did not reach that while winning Cy Young Awards last season Now the innings limits will be mostly behind him and it'll be interesting to see what he does over the six-month season One sample of the nearly total dominance he demonstrated last year: No 3 hitters in opposing lineups -- often the best or second-best hitters -- batted .115 against him with one extra-base hit and 21 strikeouts in 63 plate appearances 4. Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves Skubal recently told a story about meeting Sale at an awards dinner over the offseason Sale asked his fellow Cy Young Award winner to pose for a picture together Skubal's internal response: Given Sale's accomplishments it was Skubal who should be asking for the photo Sale is building a strong case for the Hall of Fame He's had seven seasons in which he finished in the top five of the Cy Young balloting he'll surpass 2,500 career strikeouts and 2,000 innings He has an ERA+ of 140 -- higher than Christy Mathewson Sandy Koufax and many other Hall of Famers 5. Blake Snell, Los Angeles Dodgers Snell signed late last spring with the San Francisco Giants made only three starts before May 22 and really struggled in his first outings; he had a 9.51 ERA on June 2 What happened after he came back in July was pitching art: He allowed 11 earned runs in 14 starts holding hitters to a .123 batting average and a .171 slugging percentage but now that he's signed to a long-term deal with the Dodgers and is fully prepared for this season he is capable of running away with his third Cy Young Award 6. Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners Gilbert led all pitchers last season with 208⅔ innings and he struck out 220 while posting the fifth-best walk rate among all starters who threw at least 162 innings 7. Max Fried, New York Yankees Since the start of the 2020 season, Fried has an ERA+ of 151, with a 2.81 ERA, and for that, he was rewarded with an eight-year, $218 million contract. The Yankees loved Juan Soto and offered him $760 million but the instant they learned he chose the Mets GM Brian Cashman pivoted quickly to a market containing a lot of unsigned stars -- and Fried was his priority 8. Corbin Burnes, Arizona Diamondbacks there was talk among some evaluators that his pure stuff had regressed somewhat last year But the Diamondbacks bought into his future in a big way 9. Logan Webb He has made 98 starts and thrown 612 innings over the past three seasons establishing himself as one of baseball's foremost metronome starters 10. Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox In the first days of spring training, he has looked exactly how he did for the White Sox last year -- totally overpowering. He struck out 209 batters in 146 innings for Chicago in 2024 -- the highest strikeout rate (12.88 per nine innings) of any pitcher with 100 or more innings -- and he and Walker Buehler give the Red Sox bona fide aces at the top of their rotation Crochet has made it clear that the innings restriction of last year when he was in the midst of the biggest workload of his career He'll pitch when the Red Sox need him to pitch Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals: Maybe this list is another example of how Lugo He was second in innings last season and 10th in ERA and since the Padres gave him that chance two seasons ago Spencer Strider Atlanta Braves: It felt wrong to leave him off this list because before his elbow problem and his reconstructive surgery last spring The Braves hope he'll be back relatively early in the season Cole Ragans, Kansas City Royals: Kansas City's swap of Aroldis Chapman to Texas for Ragans in the midst of the 2023 season is one of the best deals executed by any front office in the last decade In 44 starts for the Royals since that deal Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers: When he pitches and this season -- two years removed from his second Tommy John surgery -- he might pitch more than in any year since 2019 In his first three starts last year after he was activated from the injured list walked one and allowed two runs in 10⅔ innings Dylan Cease, San Diego Padres: He'll hit free agency next fall and could be in line for a deal somewhere close to what Burnes got from the Diamondbacks Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Dodgers: He is among the 10 most skilled pitchers But in his first season back after another major elbow procedure and at a time when the Dodgers' rotation is saturated with options we just don't know how much he's going to pitch check that: He's going to pitch as often as he'd like to pitch but he could scale back to 120-130 innings Gerrit Cole New York Yankees: His eventual induction into the Hall of Fame is a done deal at this point in light of his six top-five finishes in the Cy Young Award voting He had a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts last season after going down with a sore elbow Yoshinobu Yamamoto Los Angeles Dodgers: He lived up to the hype in the first year of his record-setting deal and he established footing at the front of the L.A Kiley McDaniel ranks the top prospects and farm systems entering the 2025 MLB season Shota Imanaga, Chicago Cubs: He had a strong rookie season last year and he was especially good at Wrigley Field where he issued just 12 walks in 96 innings he surrendered fewer walks than home runs in his home starts last year Luis Castillo Seattle Mariners: The trade interest in him seemed to be affected by some of his diminished underlying numbers last season but he's still a front-line starting pitcher and part of the reason the Mariners could win the AL West President Carolyn Penn called the meeting to order and the club collect was read The roll was called and minutes read by Margie Snyder Committee chairmen reported their business The Membership Committee consisting of Gail Spears Phyllis Whitsitt and Margie Snyder put up three new members The Nominating Committee had the list of officers for the upcoming year President Penn turned the meeting over to Margie Snyder gave a presentation on mental health focusing on elders The program was interactive and enjoyable by all Veitenheimer passed out pamphlets and books focusing on hobbies The meeting was adjourned for refreshments served by hostess Jeanie Spivey along with Lucretia Taylor Judi Winslow was presented with a plaque of the club collect In an attempt to sign star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Toronto Blue Jays have made another offer to the slugger in the past 24 hours and it's unclear whether there will be more talks in the immediate future to reach a deal whose contract expires after this season and will be eligible for free agency in the fall had set a deadline to reach a deal for the first day of spring training and made it clear that he had a specific number that he wanted the Blue Jays to reach The 26-year-old fan favorite told ESPN earlier this month that the last contract extension proposal his representatives presented to the team before his Feb and reports said the two sides were roughly $50 million apart Team president Mark Shapiro said March 20 that he was still optimistic in signing Guerrero who has played his entire career with the Blue Jays I think we're going to extend him," Shapiro told reporters "We have such a clear alignment on the desired outcome "Vlad wants to play his whole career as a Toronto Blue Jay. We want him to end his career in a Blue Jays uniform and be a true legacy player for the Toronto Blue Jays Guerrero echoed Shapiro's sentiments at the time "I've always felt good about the whole thing," Guerrero said Just going to keep working very hard and be optimistic I'm going to leave that to my agents to work with that they're going to continue to work with that Information from Field Level Media was used in this report Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardWith no running water or room to change Olney High students lament deteriorating athletic facilities“When we have people come to see us play they have to stand up or sit on the ground because we don’t have benches It would be nice to have people come to watch us play," one student said Olney High’s lacrosse team practiced on its dilapidated football field — a shell of a stadium with seating ripped out At the athletic complex adjacent to the imposing school at Front and Duncannon but at least there’s a real backstop; the softball team has a makeshift backstop against some trees and spectators and players alike enter through a rusty opening in the fence » READ MORE: After a lifelong dream, she got her high school diploma at 55 — with her 64-year-old fiancé Some sports can’t play home games at Olney because its fields fall short of Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association standards A group of Olney athletes and teachers appealed to the Philadelphia School District and school board recently to fix it asking for a public financial commitment for improvements “Playing softball is very dangerous,” Olney student Ysis Rivera said at the meeting “Running around and falling into holes is dangerous Sliding into home plate is dangerous because of the many sticks and branches that can potentially injure you.” said it’s tough not having lights or a place to change or store equipment or other personal belongings “Many students have gotten things stolen … because we don’t have locker rooms and we have to get dressed outside,” said Pugh they have to stand up or sit on the ground because we don’t have benches,” said Joselyn Rodriguez “It would be nice to have people come to watch us play.” also lamented the conditions of the sprawling fields frequently used not just by students and community groups but also by families in the neighborhood — 335,000 square feet spanning an entire city block it needs a lot of love so the Olney community and Olney students will say we mean something.’” Tribbitt told the school board The Olney community has been told it would cost $19 million to bring the complex up to PIAA standards said the school system has committed $350,000 for some improvements that will be made this spring But it’s always frustrating to play at home People get injured; the ball hops strangely because of the uneven ground “There’s a lot of bumps in the field,” said Itzep It’s eye-opening to travel to other fields an Olney Spanish teacher and the school’s athletic director said the field conditions affect the school’s ability to attract students to schools with better fields,” said Gonzalez who also worries about the Title IX implications of Olney’s fields The softball field is in especially poor shape “The absence of changing facilities such as locker rooms benches and safety fences could be seen as a violation of federal law which requires the male and female teams receive equal access to safe and functional facilities,” Gonzalez told the school board Gonzalez and students said the bathroom situation is particularly distressing. Male athletes will urinate under the bleachers or behind bushes, but female athletes typically have to find someone to drive them to the closest Wawa or gas station taking significant time out of a game or practice » READ MORE: The Philly school district is growing after years of shrinking. Here’s how one school is attracting more students. Nina Abrams always felt like she was asking her athletes to take chances when she coached the Olney softball team; there’s a large divot in front of the pitcher’s rubber and a large metal grate in the outfield “Imagine players trying to track a fly ball said the school has made strides since it returned to the district after being controlled by the ASPIRA charter network Students can now choose from eight courses of study and the school posted its best academic scores in a decade this past year “The school district has done some really good things and they’re starting to invest in Olney High School and we’re really grateful for that,” Roth told the school board “What we’re looking for is essentially that type of development in our city particularly in an area in the city that has not received any public dollars when it comes to public facility planning in a long time,” said Phillips is keenly interested in the Olney situation too; Thomas is also a high school basketball coach and sits on the PIAA board “We want to celebrate our young people and our athletes right now and we are just not putting them on a road to success to celebrate them,” said Max Weisman “Olney’s not the only school with this issue and if we aren’t letting Philadelphia public schools be competitive we’re sending the message to our young people ‘Don’t come to public schools,’ and we’re sending the message to our families said district officials must think of the message they’re sending to Olney students by forcing them to play on fields that would be unacceptable elsewhere “In a world where the deck is already stacked against them in so many ways I want to know how I look them in the eyes and tell them we really do care when there’s so much evidence around them that shows them that’s not the case,” Abrams said Producer Kevin Duda and lyricist-librettist-composer Melvin Tunstall III conceived the show while performing together on Broadway Casting is now complete for the Olney Theatre Center's world premiere of the new musical Senior Class, presented in association with Kevin Duda Productions Directed by Amy Anders Corcoran with choreography by Emmy winner Karla Puno Garcia and musical direction by Dolores Duran-Cefalu performances are scheduled for May 16-June 22 on the Roberts Mainstage in Maryland Swings for the production are Ariel Kraje “Both Melvin and I were in the ensemble for almost [Beautiful's] entire five-year run,” Duda says about the genesis of Senior Class “I was having a lot of conversations around race I really wanted to do something theatrical that incorporated all of these ideas and ideals It occurred to me that My Fair Lady was a classic example of social structures and class systems my first show on Broadway as an actor was in the original cast of The Book of Mormon and I was a fan of Matt [Stone] and Trey [Parker]’s ability to deal with all of these very mature topics using the South Park kids one day at five-minutes-to-places for the show what if we did a contemporary retelling of Pygmalion but used students to reframe it and allow them to deal with these very elevated situations from their own The creative team also includes orchestrator Sam Young, set designer Lawrence E. Moten III and associate music director and conductor Christopher Youstra Noah Himmelstein will direct Matthew Puckett's original musical Neumann is the Tony nominated choreographer behind Hadestown and Swept Away one Tony winner is playing the trumpet while the other is channeling Madame Rose Due to the expansive nature of Off-Broadway and institutes have been revealed by the industry stalwart Thank You!You have now been added to the list Blocking belongson the stage,not on websites Our website is made possible bydisplaying online advertisements to our visitors Please consider supporting us bywhitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.Thank you Trigger Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the name and image of a person who has passed away friends and community members gathered in Roebourne to farewell Lois Mary Olney — a proud Aboriginal becoming one of the many children affected by the Stolen Generations she grew to be a voice of strength and beauty literally and metaphorically using music as her way to reclaim connection and identity Former partner John McBain described the significance of laying her to rest alongside her mother and son "This is her special day," Mr McBain said The urn will go with her son Keith — it'll be like Lois hugging her son again it’ll be like her mother is hugging her again She was taken from her mother just after birth The service brought together people from across the Pilbara and beyond She was born in her mother’s country at Roebourne,” she said “Her father was a Yamatji man from Meekatharra She was forcibly removed from her family in 1963 But she was raised with love by the only family who were led to believe she’d been voluntarily put up for adoption.” A passionate surfer and athlete in her youth Lois’s life took a turn when she discovered the music of Billie Holiday She was taught by someone who had been the musical director of Shirley Bassey But it was Billie Holiday who changed her life,” “She began singing in restaurants around Fremantle Lois will always appear in songs across the country.” Ms Lois had also asked Finucane to become her next of kin and ensure her legacy lived on “She wanted to take her voice and her wishes forward It’s a deep honour of mine to be here today,” Ms Finucane said Known for her deeply soulful voice and her generosity of spirit Lois Olney used music not just to express herself but to uplift others — especially through her work with Aboriginal communities she is finally home — embraced once again by the mother and son she longed for Ngaarda Radio Photography Showcase Video Showcase Book Our Services Become a Sponsor Volunteer With Us About Us Blog & News Contact Us Legal Documents Complaints Send us your email address to receive the latest news and updates straight to your inbox MLB's winter meetings begin Monday in Dallas, signaling when baseball's offseason activity is likely to take off after a relatively slow first month Which teams could land the other players in line for a nine-figure payday and who is looking to make a blockbuster trade Here is the latest intel we're hearing on the players teams and themes that will rock the meetings -- starting with the one name everyone is watching Passan: In a sea of misinformation about Soto's plans Teams engaged in a third round of Soto bidding this week one could materialize before the winter meetings officially begin Monday the contract is expected to set records for length and potentially overall value He has left doubt in the minds of those making offers because they don't know what he really wants in the end playing in New York or some other variable his signing will set off a flurry of activity as the losing bidders scurry to find consolation prizes Passan: Much of the high-end free agent market has been frozen on account of Soto those who didn't get him will pivot to backup plans a deluge of deals will make the remainder of December one of the busiest baseball-transaction months in recent memory How many of them come during the meetings could depend on the desires of Soto runners-up to immediately counteract their disappointment it does not seem out of the realm of possibility that the broad strokes of his deal could be something in the range of $750 million over 15 years Passan: It's an enormous number. It could include deferred money. But less than a year after Shohei Ohtani signed a $700 million contract that shattered the previous record by nearly $275 million Passan: Adames' market is beginning to take shape, and once Soto signs, it's primed to expand even more. Whether it's at shortstop, where the San Francisco Giants would play him Adames' combination of production (32 home runs position (left side of the infield) and age (29) all bode well We surveyed the sport for answers on big free agents and top trade candidates Offseason survey » Passan: Alonso's market is likely to take longer to develop than Adames' though there's a scenario in which Soto signs other high-dollar players start coming off the board and the combination of Alonso not wanting to miss out on big spenders and big spenders not wanting to miss out on impact players makes for a quick deal Olney: Jeff, I agree that Alonso might have to wait -- and unlike Adames, he's not a great fit for some of the teams involved with Soto. Do the Yankees need power? Sure, but it's hard to imagine their front office buying into another 1B/DH type on a long-term deal when they still have Giancarlo Stanton locked up for a couple of more years The Yankees have been right-handed heavy at times in recent years and it has been a problem against teams with elite bullpens The Red Sox are already saturated with 1B/DH types The best possible outcome for Alonso will be if Soto signs with some team other than the Mets Alonso is worth more to the Mets than he is to any other team and Bregman and Alonso might test the calendar Passan: At the top of the market remains Corbin Burnes, and as much as anyone, he is directly tied to Soto. If a team winds up spending $700 million, it could rationalize doubling down -- in the same way the Dodgers did last year with Yoshinobu Yamamoto -- and adding Burnes as well The likelier outcome: One of the teams stung by not getting Soto will pivot to Burnes and give him the eighth $200 million-plus deal ever for a pitcher • Fantasy baseball buzz: The latest news • Cockcroft: Two rising stars to grab • Reliever depth chart for every MLB team Fantasy baseball home page >> Olney: Fried has checked every box for contenders he might move to the top of the board for the teams that miss out on Soto The question for both these guys could be: Where do they really want to pitch the rest of their respective careers or would he aim for the highest dollar offer -- which could come from Toronto a team seen by rival execs and agents to be desperate to land high-end talents -- and would he be open to pitching in Fenway Park while leading a young Red Sox staff there has been a belief expressed that with the right move Boston will be positioned to make the playoffs next year and contend for a division title The Orioles should be in the Fried and Burnes conversations but we really haven't gotten a concrete indication that Baltimore's payroll is going to go to the point that they land one of the highest-priced free agents They are preparing presentations for his eventual posting knowing that for all the good they can do in free agency this winter the single most valuable player in terms of surplus value will be Sasaki When he is posted -- it can happen at any point now as the 45-day window to sign will include dates later than Jan when the new international amateur signing period begins -- Sasaki will take over from Soto as the biggest prize of the winter Olney: The conversation about Sasaki echoes what was said about Shohei Ohtani when he was first made available for an MLB deal -- all teams will do their due diligence get their power points and highlight videos ready But there is widespread industry belief -- correct or not -- that Sasaki has probably already picked a team All of these clubs will go through the process a lot of execs are going to complain that it was a waste of their time Passan: As prices on free agent starting pitchers remain high the trade market for Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet is starting to percolate Chicago let teams know it intends to trade the All-Star this winter and with an arbitration salary estimated around $3 million Crochet will be one of the biggest bargains in baseball Crochet's last year before reaching free agency and the White Sox accordingly are carrying a hefty price in negotiations A deal could materialize quickly; it also could come together as more free agent pitchers sign it's the sort of trade that can make a team's winter Olney: As far as the timing of a Crochet trade, executives are pointing out that White Sox GM Chris Getz has demonstrated that he will wait unless he gets a deal he really wants -- as he did with Dylan Cease last offseason holding onto him until the Padres became aggressive in spring training When all the best free agent pitchers come off the board that's when Crochet will become the best option in the market How much did the biggest stars get paid this winter Kiley McDaniel breaks down this year's free agent class Ranking top 50 free agents » the perception of some teams is that the White Sox are intent on dealing center fielder Luis Robert and this is being read as a tell that Chicago wants to cash out on whatever diminished value Robert has now rather than risk seeing his value crater even more through another subpar season The 27-year-old outfielder will make $15 million next season with $20 million club options for 2025 and 2026 "If they really believed he would bounce back wouldn't you hang onto him until next summer and look for him to rebuild his value?" asked one rival official Passan: Crochet isn't the only impactful starting pitcher who could move. Tampa Bay is willing to trade starting pitching, and with the Rays playing at Steinbrenner Field this season after Hurricane Milton destroyed Tropicana Field's roof, their revenue questions have prompted teams to inquire about left-hander Jeffrey Springs who will make $10.5 million each of the next two seasons and is widely considered a front-half-of-the-rotation starter they will have to be prepared to eat significant salary in order to facilitate a deal the prices paid for the best available free agents are going to be shocking because there is more need among teams than there are players available outfielders will start coming off the board once Soto chooses Olney: The Orioles can shift the perception of what is possible for the franchise by making deals for high-end starting pitchers working from their farm system resources or anteing up with dollars now is the time: They are in their window to win right now $10.75 million contract set a strong standard for relievers Saturday marked the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution And while others reenacted the first battles at Lexington and Concord people in Olney stepped out to make their own “shot heard round the world.” a nationwide effort to call attention to what some feel are threats to the Constitution According to multiple news sources there were hundreds of No Kings Day protests nationwide killed after falling onto SEPTA tracks: OfficialsPHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A man was struck and killed by a SEPTA train in North Philadelphia in what's being called a tragic accident The person was walking between rail cars at the Olney Transit Center Tuesday afternoon when he fell onto the tracks and was run over but there was no immediate word on his identity SEPTA suspended service for about two hours during the investigation Homegrown CJ Olney delivered an 86th minute game winner to give Philadelphia Union II its first-ever MLS NEXT Pro Playoff victory via a 1-0 margin over New York City FC II Union II’s first-ever home playoff match saw nine Union Academy products and students in the first 11 with five MLS homegrowns Playing in front of its largest crowd of the season at Subaru Park the youngest team in MLS NEXT Pro fed off that energy that proved the difference as extra time loomed on the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Neil Pierre provided the big assist as he sent a booming cross into the attacking third to Olney for a one-time rocket that crashed off the crossbar and into the net Philadelphia Union II now waits for Tuesday afternoon as they will find out their opponent via another MLS NEXT Pro Pick-Your-Own-Opponent Show October 27th and will be hosted at Subaru Park Early in the match the Boys in Blue forced a turnover in the middle of the pitch which sent Cavan Sullivan onto a counter attack The 15-year-old sent a leading pass into the box for Markus Anderson who went for the cutback pass to the homegrown at the top of the box for a scoring chance but saw it blocked by the defense New York City FC II got its first scoring attempt in the 11th minute as leading scorer Taylor Calheira gained possession in the offensive third and flicked a centering pass to Jonathan Jimenez With Neil Pierre pressing hard to not allow a shot the forward returned the ball to a crashing Calheira who ripped a tight angled shot but was blocked by Carlos Rojas’ sliding effort The Union’s direct style nearly netted the opening goal at the quarter hour mark as MLS NEXT Pro Best XI selection Frankie Westfield and Sullivan combined on the left side of the attack before the defender laced a crossed David Vazquez was the target at the back post but the shadows caused confusion for both sides to prevent a shot on frame Vazquez got off an attempt a minute later as he took a hard pass from Sullivan and ripped a shot that beat the keeper but went over the crossbar The ball did make its way into the back of the net in the 18th minute as Westfield and Sullivan combined for a finish however the goal was disallowed with the Union II Vice Captain called offside by half a step Both sides continued to seek the opening goal in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal with long spells of possession from the visitors while Union II opted for a direct attack That style for the Union saw Anderson again presented with a chance to score just after the half hour mark with a right-footed blast off the volley that went screaming into the stands as he missed by inches Five minutes later with NYCFC II pressed forward for a corner attempt Westfield won his aerial duel at the front post and headed it forward to Sullivan for a counter attack the midfielder nearly flipped the field to a wide open Olney on the right side but saw his curled pass collide with a stretched out defender to deny the ball Set pieces nearly net the Boys in Blue a goal like it has much of the season as Olney attempted a free kick from near the corner flag that connected with Westfield at the near post but went over the bar New York City dominated the first half possession but really didn’t produce many scoring chances but were left dismayed in the 43rd minute with an incredible reaction save from Andrew Rick New York City floated a cross into the box the was met with a diving header from Calheira inside the six The flying header was full of power but the Union’s 18-year-old shot stopper pushed it aside to keep the match deadlocked The second half started with a rocket off the foot of Vazquez as he forced a flying save in the air from NYC’s Alex Rando to keep it 0-0 A few minutes later it was an attack back up the left side as Olney sliced his way into the box before seeing a right-footed curler miss the mark Head Coach Marlon LeBlanc made his first change of the evening in the 63rd minute with fresh legs atop the attack as Sal Olivas replaced Davis A few minutes later the the visitors matched the hosts in goals disallowed as Calheira converted 1v1 at the top of the box but was offside The play was a wakeup call for the young side chasing its first ever MLS NEXT Pro playoff victory and they quickly went to work looking to break the deadlock The 68th minute saw the chains rattle on that lock as Anderson continued to get in strong scoring positions Vazquez began the latest chance with a forward pass on the left side to Olney that had the defense scrambling to find a man As he raced toward goal he ripped a perfectly weighted cross to the Union forward for a one timer that was headed for the back of the net only to be stopped by a diving effort from Rando The rebound fell to Sullivan as he continued his run and with the keeper racing to prevent a tap in Presented with another opportunity to score the keeper got some help from his defense who protected the goal line As the Union kept their rivals under pressure for long stretches of the second half New York City threw it back in quick but hard punches of their own NYC launched a 4v2 attack against a set piece offense but Olney made the full field sprint to delivered a key tackle as Calheira aimed for a shot The tackle was crucial as the next Union II attack saw the game winning strike Neil Pierre started off the remarkable play with a timed tackle against a NYCFC forward and then dribbled forward toward the center stripe the 17-year-old center back hit a pin point diagonal ball to Olney on the left side the midfielder hit a rocket that smashed off the crossbar and into the back of the net for the historic victory Earlier this winter, Elly De La Cruz drove to the hotel where Terry Francona was staying in Santo Domingo to make the first meeting more convenient for his new manager Francona had a question for his shortstop: What do you want to accomplish "I want to be the best player in baseball," De La Cruz responded Francona offered an amendment in thought: How about De La Cruz aim to become the best player in baseball on the best team in baseball with the two men agreeing to work together toward that end Pirates fans at a fanfest event chanted for Bob Nutting to sell the team and Pittsburgh seems to be looking for bargain signings in free agency but if their winter ambitions are realized in the summer and they successfully address some of the problems that ailed them last year they could be one of baseball's sleepers in 2025 Here are the five teams positioned to be the most improved in 2025 The Reds had the worst record in the majors in one-run decisions last year -- 15-28 -- and they are likely to get better merely by moving to the mean the Reds' president of baseball operations the Reds have a group of talented middle infielders When Francona spoke to Lux in the aftermath of the trade with the Dodgers earlier this week they agreed that they want to put Lux in spots most comfortable for him and that they'll define that once camp opens next month According to the baserunning metric used by Fangraphs the Reds were the second-best baserunning team in the majors But Krall and Francona noted that there were instances when the team redlined from aggressiveness into recklessness in the hope that the team runs into fewer outs who could manifest at the big league level sometime in 2025 The Reds' recent revised regional television contract could give the team more spending flexibility while also fishing from the deep pool of free agent relievers By the way: Francona generally is not big on bringing guest speakers into his clubhouse former Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia offered to come to Cincinnati's camp for whatever Francona needed -- and Francona intends to take him up on that The 2025 D-backs are well-positioned to get back to the postseason Is your favorite franchise boiling hot or below freezing We take the temperature of every club with a brand-new number Bradford Doolittle » In Jacob deGrom's last seasons with the New York Mets he presented the maddening combination of utter brilliance on top of a mountain of injuries which rival evaluators always believed were rooted The Rangers might get the ace they believed they landed when they signed him to a $185 million deal after the 2022 season But if deGrom can get back to making 25-30 high-end starts -- it has been 5½ years since he threw 100 innings in a season -- the Rangers could be back making October noises David Olney was a songwriter’s songwriter and his songs were recorded by Linda Ronstadt He delivered his thoughtful stories with a gruff voice and twinkle in his eye and his introspective lyrics cast glimpses into the “deeper well” of the human heart and soul Olney died doing what he loved: singing one of his songs onstage at the 30A Songwriters’ Festival among others—have gathered to pay loving tribute to him and his songs on Can’t Steal My Fire The album includes an unreleased recording by Olney reciting his “Sonnet #40,” the first new recording by Willis Alan Ramsey since his 1972 debut album and a live recording by Townes Van Zandt of “Illegal Cargo,” which has never before been released delivers a swinging country shuffle on “Delta Blue,” written by Olney and Gwil Owen Whirling guitars and organ create the sonic soundscape for Anana Kaye’s haunting chamber folk rock version of “Running from Love,” fueled by Joe McMahan’s ethereal spiraling lead riffs on the instrumental bridge and throughout the song Buddy Miller captures the arid voice of a religious huckster who’s uncertain about Jesus and his message but who nevertheless feels he has nothing to lose by following him even as they head into “Jerusalem Tomorrow.” The McCrary Sisters turn in a rousing uplifting gospel version of “Voices on the Water,” featuring handclaps by Olney’s daughter Fueled by Tammy Rogers’ glittering fiddle and mandolin Ramsey offers a gorgeous take on “Women Across the River,” while Mary Gauthier evokes the ache of a night of love between a young soldier and a French prostitute amidst the death of war in “1917.” In his canny “Sonnet #40,” Olney gives the familiar safety spiel of a flight attendant—securing the upright table not leaving one’s seat before the plane has stopped—a surprise ending “we appreciate your business/now farewell/we hope you enjoy your stay in Hell.” Alton Wolfe’s version of “Titanic” is a towering rocker while Janis Ian’s “She’s Alone Tonight,” which she wrote with Olney floats somewhere between a lullaby and a waltz Can’t Steal My Fire delivers a fitting tribute to David Olney’s brilliant songwriting These versions breathe new life into Olney’s songs and they serve as messages of gratitude and love from the hearts of these artists to their dear friend Can’t Steal My Fire: The Songs of David Olney is available HERE Olney Fights Back” protest taking place in Olney this afternoon similar events are taking place across the country and in neighborhoods within the county This appears to be one of the larger protests in the county A video of the protest can be seen here “Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them They’re taking everything they can get their hands on—our health care our services—and daring the world to stop them we’re taking to the streets to fight back with a clear message: Hands off This mass mobilization day is our message to the world that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies and protesting to demand a stop the chaos and build an opposition movement against the looting of our country events is a commitment to nonviolent action We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values Check out handsoff2025.com for more information.” Philadelphia Union announced today that they have signed Philadelphia Union II midfielder and USYNT player CJ Olney to a contract as a Homegrown player through 2028 with an option for 2029 coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute “CJ’s development as he progressed through the academy and Union II has been notable he has been a different type of player for Union II,” said Philadelphia Union Sporting Director “At just 17-years-old he has a great future His creativity and ability to facilitate goals will add a difference piece to our midfield as we look to continue to bolster our roster in the coming weeks.” joined the Union Academy in 2021 before becoming Union II’s fifth academy player to sign an MLS NEXT Pro professional contract in November of 2023 Olney has started 36 out of his 39 appearances and has scored eight goals and registered 15 assists scoring four goals and leading the league with seven assists Olney made his MLS NEXT Pro debut on July 7 against Rochester NYFC and scored his first professional goal at Subaru Park on March 26th his 33 key passes ranked as the highest among Union II players this season Olney was recently signed to four short-term agreements and a pair of Olympic call ups this season for Union’s first team matches as well as joining the team for both matches of the group stage of 2024 Leagues Cup Olney played a crucial role in the Philadelphia Union U17's triumph against Dallas Olney won the Golden Ball at the 2021 MLS NEXT Cup with the U17’s in the Player Development Academy Olney was one of 23 players to receive an invitation to the United States Under-17 Men’s Youth National Team for a training camp in Palm Beach Olney received an international call-up to United States Under-19 Men's Youth National Team for their training camp in South America from June 3-11 where the team played two international friendlies against Argentina and Uruguay The 2025 schedule has been released and now is the perfect time to lock in the best seats for all the key matchups at Subaru Park Chopt has announced that it will be giving customers an exclusive preview before the store officially opens at 18123 Town Center Dr “Please join us for Chopt Gives on Thursday you can walk-in or order ahead for pickup on our app or choptsalad.com 100% of sales will benefit the Montgomery County Food Council The Montgomery County Food Council (MCFC) is a nonprofit organization connecting over 2,000 local and regional partners to address food system issues through education We work to enhance food access for over 100,000 residents at risk of hunger and address the environmental impact of food production and recycling equitable food system that benefits our community If you can’t join us for #ChoptGives CJ Olney and Frankie Westfield made history on Wednesday as the duo became the first Philadelphia Union II players in the organization's history to recieve MLS NEXT Pro Awards The 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Best XI recognizes the league's top players at each position with the duo certaining setting high marks for Union II as they set club records for points wins and position in the table en route to earning its first-ever home playoff match Union II defender and Vice-Captain Frankie Westfield set the pace for all defenders with 26 games played and 26 games started logging the most minutes amongst his teammates with 2,313 minutes on the pitch Westfield set career highs with six goals and six assists ranking second on the team in both categories His six goals mark the most by any defender in club history surpassing the previous record of five goals set by first team Assistant Coach Ryan Richter in 2016 Westfield received his first call-up to the U.S Under-20 Men’s Youth National Team for a training camp in Chile where he made an appearance as a substitute in the team’s 3-0 victory against Chile featured in 22 games (20 starts) and scored six goals while registering eight assists along with 49 key passes and 42 corner kicks ranked him highest among all Union II players this season and tied him for the third most assists in the league he became the 25th Homegrown player in club history Under-19 Men’s Youth National Team and contributed as a substitute in two matches Union II will face New York City FC II in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference quarterfinals and first-ever home playoff match at Subaru Park on Sunday, October 20th (5:00 p.m. ET / Apple TV). Tickets can be purchased by clicking here we rank the best of the best corner outfielders in MLB starting pitchers (Thursday) and relievers (Friday) Who are the top corner outfielders in baseball A small sample of postseason struggles and a dropped fly ball in the World Series obscured some of what Aaron Judge accomplished in the preceding months last year which was quite simply one of the greatest regular-season performances ever His adjusted OPS+ of 223 was higher than the best season posted by these Yankees all-time greats (though Babe Ruth did have five seasons of 225 or better): But Judge did that damage with an all-time great hitter aligned in front of him in the batting order: Juan Soto who left in December to sign a record-setting contract with the Mets Soto had the highest full-season OPS+ of his career drawing 129 walks and reaching base nearly 300 times A natural question is: What will Judge do this year without the benefit of Soto hitting in front of him Judge probably won't have a hitter getting on base in front of him 42% of the time as he did last year When Judge batted with runners on base last season One evaluator said he doesn't think Soto's departure will have much impact on Judge "I've said all along -- 20% discount with promo code SOTO22," Perez wrote in a text "Why pitch to [Judge] when he's locked in." wrote in a text that the absence of Soto "will definitely have an effect on (Judge's numbers) I'm not sure the Yankees have someone who even approaches Soto's OBP on their roster." Said former big leaguer Tony Gwynn Jr.: "It'll definitely have an impact for sure Longtime catcher David Ross: "I'm not sure what the numbers will be Former Yankee Alex Rodriguez doesn't think that Judge's numbers will be dramatically impacted and Judge hit 62 homers in a year before Soto arrived," he said But Rodriguez does think Judge's RBI total -- 144 last year -- will go down without Soto's presence The identity of the hitter behind Judge "is one of the most overrated aspects in the sport It's far more important to have someone good hitting in front of you I had the luxury of (Bobby) Abreu having tough at-bats and getting on base in front of me." there are times when you don't even have the donut on your bat in the on-deck circle yet and you're walking to the plate because the guy in front of you is a quick out and they're calling your name." "It's not like Judge hasn't had monster seasons without Soto," wrote Ben McDonald the former pitcher and current ESPN analyst "Having said that -- no doubt it's going to hurt some It's nice to be hitting with runners on all the time The key this year is whoever is hitting behind Judge -- Bellinger Stanton or whoever -- has to be good to force teams to pitch to Judge." Judge is high on the list of MLB's top 10 corner outfielders 1. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees Not having Soto hitting ahead of Judge might hurt but that could be offset to some degree by Judge's shift back to right field from center there were times when Judge did not seem to be moving as well in the outfield -- as if he were tired He generated a lot of wild numbers last year Judge had a .900 OBP -- four intentional walks in 10 plate appearances -- and batted .800 2. Juan Soto, New York Mets Think about this: The Mets have committed more value in tickets for Soto's family per game than they will on the salary for manager Carlos Mendoza in 2025 He could end up becoming one of the last players to get to 3,000 3. Kyle Tucker, Chicago Cubs This season will be a full dress rehearsal for Tucker to become the next $400 million player he could see the Yankees join the Cubs and other teams in attempting to sign him to a huge contract In just 277 at-bats with the Houston Astros last year 23 homers and 56 walks (with just 54 strikeouts) for 4.7 WAR 4. Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves Acuna is this far down the list only because he missed most of last season following knee surgery The Braves and Acuna seemed to have learned some lessons from when he blew out his other knee He'll get back to being one of the most explosive players in the majors -- Manny Machado came back from two knee surgeries to have a Hall of Fame career -- but this year Acuna might be far more conservative in his baserunning 5. Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks Carroll went through a classic sophomore slump Carroll still did enough to score 121 runs 6. Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres Tatis' salary spikes to $20.7 million this year and the Padres need him to continue to grow as a hitter in his age-26 season But he showed again in the postseason just how dynamic he can be 7. Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox All the conversation this spring about where Rafael Devers will play has clouded over this truth: Duran was Boston's best player last year He led the majors in doubles and triples and scored 111 runs 8. Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians and he's starting to add some thump to his swing -- he had 14 home runs in 122 games last year after compiling nine homers in his first two seasons 9. Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers He was having a great year (.909 OPS) when he went down with a season-ending back injury in July but he expects to be ready at the start of the 2025 campaign "I saw before I came here that I might be a question mark for Opening Day Unless something crazy happens [in spring training] 10. Jackson Chourio You could make an argument for him being higher in the top 10 considering how he finished last season as a rookie in Milwaukee Over his last 89 regular-season games in 2024 Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels: The Angels have moved him to right in the hope he can stay healthy the move to the new spot will be relatively seamless Whether he can stay on the field is the big question: Trout has missed 59% of his team's games over the last four seasons Teoscar Hernandez, Los Angeles Dodgers: He could put up huge numbers again after hitting 33 homers last year and then signing a multiyear deal with L.A Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers: He has one of baseball's best swings and Detroit's late-season surge in 2024 coincided with Green's return from the injured list Anthony Santander, Toronto Blue Jays: Only five players have hit more homers over the past three seasons than Santander's 105 Lawrence Butler, Athletics: Over his last 66 games of 2024 Ian Happ Chicago Cubs: His excellent defense is just part of his value as shown by his career OPS+ of 115 (including a 120 mark last season) Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInOLNEY Texas (KAUZ) - After years of preparation and planning Olney Hamilton Hospital officially broke ground on a new healthcare facility marking a major milestone in its 117-year history of service to the community As the oldest rural hospital in the state of Texas Olney Hamilton Hospital has provided healthcare in the region for more than a century The new facility represents not just an updated building but a continued commitment to high-quality care for generations to come making some preliminary plans so we’re building a future that we can house an efficient medical facility to take care of the citizens of our area,“ Olney Hamilton Hospital board president Dale Lovett said The groundbreaking marks a major step in their mission of providing high- quality care The facility isn’t just about today’s patients; it is also being built to support generations of patients and healthcare professionals for years to come “Our previous buildings and facilities were spread out and they weren’t computerized they weren’t ready for the medical technology All of those things are new to the medical delivery so we want to integrate in our facility new services that are in line with the cutting edge of medical technology,“ Lovett said Olney Hamilton Hospital CEO Michael Huff said it won’t be about the tech upgrades but the facility will have the look and feel of the new space with it the whole thing I think is going to make a very positive impact on our patients and the community as they come through our facility,“ Huff said this moment has been a dream in the making but even with a new building on the horizon It wasn’t just hospital officials who made it happen; the community got behind the vision in a big way The objective of this exercise is to identify the best players for the 2025 season not who might be best in five years or over their career We will roll out a position per day over the next two weeks here's the rest of the schedule: first basemen (2/18) Check out who makes the list at every position on ESPN+ and when he was promoted to the big leagues in May of 2022 But the second half of last season was an interruption in his reign with Rutschman really struggling in all phases of the game with a .279 OBP and a .280 slugging percentage "He started chasing pitches up in the zone and he didn't really adjust," one rival evaluator said The perception of some staffers with other teams is that Rutschman got a little heavy in the second half and didn't move as well behind the plate sources within the Orioles' organization acknowledged: He wasn't hurt This was just a matter of a really talented player performing badly He wasn't the first rising star to go through something like this generally regarded as the greatest catcher Bench recalled 1971 and how he had started well -- nine homers in the Cincinnati Reds' first 20 games But the team wasn't playing well and he began to struggle; he started second-guessing himself at the plate and becoming reactionary rather than instinctive After ending that season with the second-lowest full-season batting average of his career Bench hit 40 homers and drove in 125 runs the next year en route to his second MVP Bench's bounce-back the following season shows that Rutschman could still regain his title as baseball's top current catcher Let's take stock of the position and rank the 10 best catchers in the majors 1. William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers Milwaukee's catchers rank first in the big leagues in fWAR since 2008 and its catcher value -- offense and defense -- has been worth about $38 million per season since 2010 The Brewers' catchers have been particularly good The common denominator has been Charlie Greene who has borne different job titles through the years -- he's currently the Brewers' bullpen coach -- but has been involved in the development of catchers "He taught me everything I know about the catching position," said Jonathan Lucroy the Brewers' catcher for six-plus seasons in the 2000s Lucroy says that Greene believes in doing receiving drills -- which are difficult -- so that game action will seem easier and curating drills around that," Lucroy added Contreras is not an elite receiver -- he was 35th among 58 catchers in catcher framing runs -- but he was good enough in his catching work to help the Brewers win the National League Central scoring 99 runs and driving in 92 with an adjusted OPS+ of 129 last season "He started to realize the little things that he could do in receiving the baseball little things that can make a difference," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of Contreras and he's getting better at controlling his emotions But he did a good job working with a lot of different guys Rutschman's second half of last season cost him the No There is a lot of curiosity in rival front offices about how Rutschman will fare in 2025 "He's just too talented to not rebound," one executive said they need him to get back to being a force near the top of the lineup." Bench has gotten to know Rutschman a little and what he noticed was that Rutschman became more of an upper-body hitter in the second half getting his hands started in his swing too late Bench believes Rutschman will learn from his 2024 season and bounce back: "Oh 3. Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners He had 34 homers and 100 RBIs last season, receiving some top-10 MVP votes. Raleigh finished second among all players at his position in catcher framing runs -- only the Giants' Patrick Bailey had more "[Raleigh] has the advantage of working with a great staff which is going to make you look better," one rival staffer said 4. Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers Smith was last in catcher framing runs (minus-10) and rival evaluators have a checklist of small things they think he can do better behind the plate But Smith is respected for his steady in-game personality: "He's always under control," one evaluator said He has had four straight seasons of at least 19 homers and 75 RBIs -- Realmuto is the only catcher with more homers since Smith's debut season in 2019 5. Yainer Diaz, Houston Astros Diaz is among the best-hitting catchers in the majors -- one who can hit in the middle of a lineup -- and batted .299 last season 6. Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals More and more, his offensive production is the priority for the Royals, with manager Matt Quatraro working to keep him in the lineup daily -- Perez played 158 games last season and of those, he caught 91. Freddy Fermin is highly regarded by rival evaluators for his defense 7. J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies the last of a five-year contract he signed in 2021 Rival evaluators love how he runs a game and handles pitchers but they say it has become more difficult for him to get strikes at the bottom of the zone "That's going to happen with catchers as they get older," one coach said 8. Austin Wells, New York Yankees By the end of his first full regular season in the big leagues, Wells was among the leaders in the pitch framing metric, while bearing the responsibility of hitting behind Aaron Judge in the lineup He finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting 9. Patrick Bailey, San Francisco Giants and is seen as one of the best pitch framers But the Giants could use a nudge upward in his offense: Bailey had an adjusted OPS+ of 82 last year 10. Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks Moreno probably would be higher on this list if he hadn't been sidelined because of injury for a significant portion of last season Ivan Herrera, St. Louis Cardinals: He'll move into the top 10 next year, with the shift of Willson Contreras to first base Shea Langeliers, Athletics: He's coming off a big power year Alejandro Kirk, Toronto Blue Jays: He's seen as an improving defensive player Francisco Alvarez, New York Mets: He'll climb this list Rival staffers like the production but believe he needs to tamp down his emotions when working behind the plate we rank the best of the best at the premier infield position: shortstop starting pitchers (2/27) and relievers (2/28) as a multi-tool player who can hit for power But the Orioles' Gunnar Henderson might be the next player to move into Soto-like free agent status in his career with so much lining up for him to get a mega-mega-megadeal He is 23 years old and already a preeminent player having generated 6.2 WAR and 9.1 WAR in his first two full seasons He'll reach free agency when he is 27 years old He is a phenomenal athlete -- a good shortstop now he should be able to move readily as he ages He will presumably hit the open market not long after the next CBA is signed Henderson will likely reach free agency at a relatively young age (One caveat: If the next agreement includes any kind of salary cap-and-floor system that reduces the possibility for megadeals Henderson could be the player most affected by that the union has worked with a principle of never accepting a salary cap.) There is a significant difference between Henderson and Soto though: The outfielder possessed a better command of the strike zone at a young age Henderson drew 78 walks and compiled 159 strikeouts Those numbers probably need to get closer for Henderson to draw those mega-mega-mega-offers like Soto did -- and they might The Orioles could try to get ahead of Henderson's free agency -- as the Royals did with Bobby Witt Jr -- by signing him to a long-term deal before he hits the market But keep in mind: Henderson is represented by Scott Boras the agent who negotiated the Soto contract and Boras almost always takes his clients into free agency 1. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals If not for those two transcendent performances Witt would have gotten more acclaim (he did still finish second in the AL MVP race behind Judge) He is a really good defender -- only Dansby Swanson generated more outs above average last season -- all while holding down the sport's most challenging position And look at what Witt did on offense in 2024: He led the majors in batting average (.332) and hits (211) His adjusted OPS+ of 171 was the third highest for any shortstop since 1920: That the Royals locked up Witt to an 11-year deal last February will pay off in a big way for this franchise 2. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers Betts had the benefit of knowing throughout the offseason that he was going to be the team's shortstop when the Dodgers switched him from second base to short during spring training Betts always hits: He has a career adjusted OPS+ of 138 and he could reach 300 home runs and 200 stolen bases this season 3. Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles ESPN researcher Paul Hembekides sent this along about the start to Henderson's career comparing it to that of Hall of Fame shortstop and Baltimore legend Cal Ripken Jr.: 4. Corey Seager, Texas Rangers Seager has four seasons of at least 5.0 WAR His final home run last season was the 200th of his career 5. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets It makes sense that Lindor will remain in the leadoff spot of the Mets' lineup he had a .303/.374/.552 slash line -- and if Soto is slotted in right behind him Lindor has the experience and acumen to take advantage of that Lindor could reach 1,000 runs in his career this season 6. Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds He's going to need more plate discipline if he is going to realize his ambition of becoming the best player in baseball -- he has an OBP of .324 in his first two seasons and racked up 218 strikeouts in 2024 there is so much to build on with De La Cruz who seemingly has a shot to become the first player since Vince Coleman to steal 100 bases; last year he stole 67 while compiling 71 extra-base hits 7. Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies Turner will probably surpass 1,500 career hits late in the 2025 season and he has a shot to reach the 200-homer and 300-steal milestones as well Do not let him see a starting pitcher for a third time in a game: In those situations Buster Olney ranks MLB's best at every position for 2025 Olney's top 10s » 8. Willy Adames, San Francisco Giants The Giants angled to take Adames off the board as quickly as they could last fall in part because they worried that the losers of the Soto bidding -- the Yankees among other teams -- might turn to Adames as a Plan B San Francisco's Oracle Park can be challenging for some hitters but Adames has fared well in the Giants' home park in a small sample: He's hit .321 over 16 games 9. Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins Correa has played more than 136 games in just two of his 10 seasons His adjusted OPS+ of 152 last year -- despite playing in only 86 games due to injury -- was the second best of his career 10. Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs He continues to be the metronome of shortstops leading all players at his position last season in outs above average with 18 He was also sixth in WAR among all shortstops in 2024 Ezequiel Tovar, Colorado Rockies: As Tovar continues to develop he'll probably crash his way into the Top 10 moving forward Masyn Winn, St. Louis Cardinals: He finished 10th in WAR among shortstops last year Zach Neto, Los Angeles Angels: Not much has gone right for the Angels in recent seasons but Neto has a chance to break through and be special Jeremy Pena, Houston Astros: He hits with power and runs some How much more he progresses offensively may depend on whether he can develop more patience Cats: "The Jellicle Ball" co-director Zhailon Levingston is helming the new work by Joriah Kwamé Maryland's Olney Theatre Center has revealed its upcoming 2025-2026 season, which includes new dates for the world premiere musical Little Miss Perfect. Originally announced for the company's 2024-2025 season, the work features a book, music, and lyrics by viral TikTok star Joriah Kwamé and will be directed by Zhailon Levingston (Cats: "The Jellicle Ball") Performances will run February 12-March 15 The new work follows high school senior Noelle who is expected to achieve nothing less than perfection against all odds The musical gets its title from the song of the same name which launched the project on TikTok and itself has garnered millions of views Kwamé's full score also includes "Ordinary," another viral hit; plus new songs like "Black Girl Magic," "Malaya's Words," and "Legendary." Patrick B Phillips will serve as music supervisor and music director the work follows a group of aspiring professional football players whose lifelong friendship is challenged by gentrification and the demise of their childhood "red pitch." Performances will run September 17-October 19 The cast will feature Ty'Ree Hope Davis as Bilal Also making their premieres this season at Olney will be the musical adaptation of Lauren Gunderson's I And You with music and lyrics by Ari Afsar and performing April 23-May 25 2026 (Olney's run is part of a rolling world premiere that also includes performances at New Jersey's McCarter Theater Center); and Carla Hall: Please Underestimate Me a new solo show from the reality TV chef judge written by Hall and Leslie Thomas and performing May 27-June 28 The season also includes stagings of Hello, Dolly!, starring Nova Y. Payton, directed by Kevin S. McAllister, music directed by Christopher Youstra, and choreographed by Eamon Foley and opening November 9; A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and opening July 5; and A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas adapted by Paul Morella and directed by Hallie Gordon and performing November 28-December 28 Michael Russotto will star in the solo adaptation of the Dickens classic For full scheduling details and tickets, visit OlneyTheatre.org Gail Kriegel's new play follows a family affected by mental illness The Tony-winning Best Musical continues at the Walter Kerr Theatre