The Sportsletter - Hall Calls & Poaching Coaches

BY JEFF YODER

JAN. 24, 2024 |  SUBSCRIBE  |  WEB VIEW

Good Morning,

Cooperstown called to three players last night, and we’ve got coaching updates in the NFL and NBA. The Milwaukee Bucks fired (and hired?) a coach in a single afternoon. Plus, the Aussie Open semi-finals are just about set. We’re speeding toward another great sports weekend.

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  MLB  

The Hall Calls to Cooperstown ⚾️

Photo: Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images

Adrian Beltre, Joe Mauer & Todd Helton Elected to 2024 Baseball Hall of Fame Class

The results of the first big 2024 election are in… Three of baseball’s biggest stars were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame last night. The trio of inductees includes superstar 3B Adrian Beltre, longtime Twins catcher Joe Mauer, and the home-run bashing Rockies 1B Todd Helton. Beltre and Mauer were elected in their first time on the ballot, but it was Helton’s sixth attempt. All three will join the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee electee, Jim Leyland. 

Players on the ballot must receive 75 percent of votes by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). Beltre was a surefire nod with 95.1 percent, but Helton and Mauer were a little tighter. Here’s a deeper look at the three players heading to Cooperstown in July, as well as some of the near-misses.

3B Adrian Beltre (1st Ballot, Votes: 95.1%)

The star of Hall of Fame ballot day was Beltre, a member of the 400-homer club and one of baseball’s best defensive third basemen. Beltre split his 20-year career with four teams — the Dodgers, Mariners, Red Sox and Rangers — from 1998-2018.

C Joe Mauer (1st Ballot, Votes: 76.1%)

Mauer still secured his 1st-ballot HOF status, but much more narrowly than Beltre. One of the greatest catchers to ever play the game, Mauer spent his entire 14-year career in Minnesota. He wasn’t smashing home runs or making dazzling plays over the diamond, but his reliability for a generation of Twins fans carried him to 1st-ballot status.

1B Todd Helton (6th Ballot, Votes: 79.7%)

Helton’s vote total on his sixth attempt was a little bit of a shock to me (maybe baseball purists can tell me why the sixth time was the charm). Helton’s power-hitting and longevity certainly played a role. He hit 369 homers and amassed 1406 RBIs over 17 years in Colorado. 

Near-Misses (2024 Hall of Fame Ballot)

P Billy Wagner (73.8%) — 9th Ballot

RF Gary Sheffield (63.9%) — 10th & Final Ballot

CF Andruw Jones (61.6%) — 7th Ballot

CF Carlos Belran (57.1%) — 2nd Ballot

Other Names on the Ballot

SS Alex Rodriguez (34.8%) — 3rd Ballot

OF Manny Ramirez (32.5%) — 9th Ballot

IF Chase Utley (28.8%) — 1st Ballot

Read More

ESPN: Adrian Beltre, Todd Helton, Joe Mauer Into Baseball Hall of Fame

MLB: Here’s to the Players Who Fell Off the 2024 Hall of Fame Ballot

CBS Sports: Looking Ahead to 2025 HOF Ballot, Including Ichiro Suzuki & CC Sabathia

  NBA  

The Buck Stops Here 🛑

Photo: John Fisher / Getty Images

Milwaukee Bucks Fire Adrian Griffin Halfway Through Year 1, Reportedly in Talks With Doc Rivers

The Milwaukee Bucks are 30-13, second place in the Eastern Conference, and tied for second overall in the NBA. Only the Boston Celtics (34-10) have a better record. And yet, the Bucks removed first-year head coach Adrian Griffin on Tuesday after just 43 games. Why? And what happens now?

Update: CNN reported that the Bucks hired Doc Rivers last night, but that breaking news was later altered to say that Milwaukee and Doc Rivers are "in talks." Read More

The Buck Stops Here

Early reports suggested Milwaukee — while still winning — just wasn’t performing at the championship standard they’d hoped for. Their defensive efficiency ranks just 22nd in the league, down from 4th last season. And the addition of Damian Lillard alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo was a move that pushed all their chips in. It’s ‘ship or sink for this Bucks team, and the front office thinks a veteran coach like Rivers could be the difference. Griffin’s short-term trial wasn’t enough.

Thirty wins in 43 games… Brutal. That’s the best winning percentage for a mid-season coaching change since the Cavs fired David Blatt (2015-16).

Read More

Sporting News: Why Did The Bucks Fire Adrian Griffin After 43 Games?

ESPN: Bucks in Talks With Doc Rivers on Head-Coaching Job

  NFL  

The NFL Coaching Shuffle 🔄

Photo: Chris Unger / Getty Images

3 Teams Have Found Their Next Head Coach, But 5 Teams Are Still Searching

The NFL coaching carousel keeps spinning, and each new day brings new light to the rumors. Three of the eight teams with coaching needs found their guy in the last week. The Raiders and Patriots elevated beloved in-house candidates in Antonio Pierce and Jerod Mayo, respectively. Monday, the Titans signed Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan to fill their void. That leaves five teams still needing a head skipper. The Chargers and Jim Harbaugh are deep into the interview process and appear to be on the doorstep of a deal any minute. Meanwhile, the Falcons and Bill Belichick might not be the puzzle-piece fit many hoped. More coordinators become available after this weekend’s games, so we’ll keep tracking the shuffle.

New Head Coaching Hires

Raiders: Antonio Pierce (In-House)

Patriots: Jerod Mayo (In-House)

Titans: Brian Callahan (Bengals OC)

Remaining Vacancies

Atlanta Falcons

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Carolina Panthers

Los Angeles Chargers

Other Coaching News & Rumors

• Chargers & Jim Harbaugh Could Agree on Contract Soon
• Bill Belichick Has Reportedly ‘Lost Momentum’ in Falcons’ Interview Process
• Eagles OC Brian Johnson Not Returning in 2024

  HIGHLIGHTS   🎥

🎾 Australian Open

W: D. Yastremska def. L. Noskova (6-3, 6-4)

M: #3 D. Medvedev def. #9 H. Hurkacz (5 Sets)

In Action: #2 C. Alcaraz vs. #6 A. Zverev (4:30 am ET)

🏀 NBA: Blazers Protest Loss in Wild Finish

The Thunder beat the Blazers in Oklahoma City last night (111-109), after Portland head coach Chauncey Billups was ejected in the final 20 seconds. The Blazers were up (109-108) at the time of the call. The Thunder hit one free throw before Jalen Williams cashed in a game-winner. Portland is protesting the loss with the league office.

🏀 NBA: Clippers Beat Lakers Behind Kawhi

Kawhi Leonard’s hot streak keeps getting hotter. Leonard had a 25-point triple-double (25-11-10) on Tuesday to beat the Lakers (127-116) in the battle of L.A. The Clippers have won three straight and they’re now 20-4 since the start of December.

🏒 NHL: Oilers Streak Climbs to 14 Straight

The streak continues! The Oilers topped the Blue Jackets last night (4-1) thanks to a three-goal third period. Warren Foegele and Evander Kane both tallied one goal and one assist, and Edmonton’s win streak is now at 14 games — just three away from the NHL record.

🏀 NCAA Basketball

M: #2 Purdue def. Michigan (99-67)

M: #4 Houston def. BYU (75-68)

M: South Carolina def. #6 Kentucky (79-62)

M: Texas def. #11 Oklahoma (75-60)

M: #12 Duke def. Louisville (83-69)

W: #8 UConn def. Marquette (85-59)

  STORYLINES  

⛳️ The Match (Part 9)

TNT Sports announced on Tuesday that Capital One's The Match 9 will take place on Feb. 26 and feature golfers Rory McIlroy, Lexi Thompson, Rose Zhang and Max Homa. It’s the first time female golfers compete in the mixed skins format. (Bleacher Report)

🏈 The Vinovich Super Bowl

The NFL tabbed Bill Vinovich as the head referee for Super Bowl LVIII. It’s his third time officiating the big game. In a year of official scrutiny, Vinovich could be a deciding factor. So what does it mean for the Ravens, 49ers, Lions and Chiefs? (CBS Sports)

🏀 Team USA’s Olympic Pool

LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid headline the 41-player pool from which the 12-player U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team is expected to be chosen. The final Olympic roster will be named later. (NBC Sports)

📺 The WWE’s Massive Netflix Deal

WWE Raw is coming to the giant streaming platform, and there’s plenty to sort out. Starting in January 2025, WWE’s flagship series will be moving to Netflix in a deal valued at $5 billion for 10 years. Let’s answer the biggest questions. (The Ringer)

  NEWS   📰 

• Heat Acquire Terry Rozier From Hornets for Kyle Lowry & Draft Pick (ESPN)
• Cavaliers’ Tristian Thompson Suspended 25 Games for PEDs (SI)
• Tim Tebow & WWE Had ‘Secret Meeting’ About WrestleMania in 2013 (B/R)
• Raiders Expected to Hire Former Chargers GM Tom Telesco as Next GM (NBC Sports)
• Duke Signee Cooper Flagg Headlines 2024 McDonald’s All-American Rosters (CBS Sports)
• Fans Support Bills Kicker Tyler Bass With Thousands in Donations to Cat Rescue Group (Yahoo! Sports)

  SCHEDULE   🗓️

Today's Must-Watch List

🎾 Australian Open (Semi-Finals)

Full Upcoming Match Schedule

🏀 NBA

Suns at Mavericks (8:30 pm ET, ABC)

Thunder at Spurs (9:30 pm ET, ESPN)

Hawks at Warriors (10:00 pm ET, NBALP)

🏒 NHL

Jets at Maple Leafs (7:00 pm ET, ESPN+)

Hurricanes at Bruins (7:30 pm ET, TNT)

Blackhawks at Kraken (10:00 pm ET, TNT)

⚽️ Carabao Cup

Liverpool vs. Fulham (3:00 pm ET, ESPN+)

🏀 College Basketball

M: #8 Auburn at Alabama (7:30 pm ET, ESPN)

M: #10 Illinois at Northwestern (9:00 pm ET, BTN)

W: Oklahoma at #10 Texas (7:00 pm ET, ESPN+)

  THE TEAM  

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Lead Designer: Joe Stella

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

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