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COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Jim Leyland, Lou Piniella, Cito Gaston and Davey Johnson are among eight men on the ballot for the Hall of Fame’s contemporary era committee for managers, executives and umpires that meets on Dec. 3 at the winter meetings in Nashville, Tennessee.

In addition to the four managers, the ballot includes umpires Joe West and Ed Montague, former National League president Bill White and former general manager Hank Peters, the Hall said Thursday.

The identities of the 16 voters will be announced closer to the meeting, and 75% of the vote is needed for election. Anyone chosen will be inducted into the Hall next July 21 along with players voted in by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, whose balloting will be announced on Jan. 23.

Leyland, 78, won 1,769 games over 22 seasons with Pittsburgh, Florida, Colorado and Detroit, leading the Marlins to the 1997 World Series title. He was voted Manager of the Year in 1990, 1992 and 2006, and he managed the U.S. to the 2017 World Baseball Classic championship.

Piniella, 80, won 1,835 games with the New York Yankees, Cincinnati, Seattle, Tampa Bay and the Chicago Cubs, winning the 1990 World Series with the Reds. His 2001 Mariners won an America League-record 116 games. He was voted Manager of the Year in 1995, 2001 and 2008. Piniella was voted the 1969 AL Rookie of the Year and hit .291 with 102 homers and 766 RBIs in 18 big league seasons that includes titles with the Yankees in 1977 and ’78.

Gaston, 79, had 894 victories while managing Toronto for 12 seasons, earning World Series titles in 1992 and ’93. He hit .256 with 91 homers and 387 RBIs during 11 seasons.

Johnson, 80, had 1,372 wins for the New York Mets, Cincinnati, Baltimore, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington, leading the Mets to the 1986 World Series title. He was voted Manager of the Year in 1997 and 2012. As a player, he batted .261 with 136 homers and 609 RBIs in 13 seasons.

West, 70, umpired a record 5,460 games from 1976 to 2021, breaking the prior mark of 5,375 set by Bill Klem. West worked six World Series.

Montague, 74, worked 4,369 games from 1974 to 2009 and umpired in six World Series, including four as crew chief.

White, 89, was NL president from 1989-94. He was an All-Star first baseman in five seasons and hit .286 with 202 homers and 870 RBIs from 1956-69, and became a Yankees broadcaster from 1971-88.

Peters, who died in 2015 at age 90, was general manager of the Kansas City Athletics in 1965, moved to the Cleveland Indians the following year, was president of the minor league governing body the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues from 1972-75, then became Baltimore’s GM from November 1975 until October 1987 and helped the Orioles win the 1979 AL pennant and the 1983 World Series. He was president of the Indians from 1987 through 1991.

The Hall in 2022 restructured its veterans committees for the third time in 12 years, setting up panels to consider the contemporary baseball Era from 1980 on and classic baseball era for before 1980. The contemporary baseball era holds separate ballots for players and another for managers, executives and umpires.

Each committee meets every three years, starting with contemporary baseball/players last December, when Fred McGriff was elected. Classic baseball meets in December 2024 and contemporary baseball/players in December 2025.

Managers and umpires were eligible if they had 10 or more big league seasons and have been retired for five years, though people 65 and older are eligible six months after retirement. Executives must be retired for five years, but active executives 70 or older are eligible.

The ballot was picked by a historical overview committee that included Bob Elliott of the Canadian Baseball Network, Steve Hirdt of Stats Perform, David O’Brien of The Athletic, BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O’Connell, Tracy Ringolsby of InsideTheSeams, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle and Mark Whicker of the Los Angeles News Group along with Jim Henneman (formerly of The Sun in Baltimore), Jim Reeves (formerly of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram) and Glenn Schwarz (formerly of the San Francisco Chronicle).

Adrián Beltré, Joe Mauer, Chase Utley, David Wright, José Bautista and Matt Holliday are among the players eligible for the BBWAA ballot for the first time in the upcoming vote. Holdovers include Todd Helton, who fell 11 votes short this year, and Billy Wagner, who was 27 shy.

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Astros’ Altuve set for spring training debut in LF

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Astros' Altuve set for spring training debut in LF

Houston Astros star Jose Altuve will make his spring training debut Friday — and he’ll do it in left field, manager Joe Espada told reporters Wednesday.

Following the offseason trade of All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs, the Astros have an opening in left field — and Altuve, a career second baseman, has said he will play anywhere on the field that he’s needed.

Altuve, who turns 35 in May, has played 1,766 games at second base and two at shortstop, never manning the outfield during his 14 seasons in the majors. A nine-time All-Star and former American League MVP, he won the Gold Glove at second base in 2015.

Altuve’s defensive stats at second base have slipped in recent seasons, however. In the past three seasons, he has registered a minus-15 defensive runs saved and two campaigns of minus-13.

The seven-time Silver Slugger hasn’t dropped off offensively, though. The three-time AL batting champion has averages of .300, .311 and .295 during that span.

Espada told reporters Tuesday that Altuve is doing well in his transition to left field.

“He’s actually been pretty good out there,” Espada said. “One thing, it’s practice and we can control the environment and the volume, but once the game starts he’ll be tested and we’ll get a better read of where he’s at. Right now, the attitude is exactly what we’re expecting and the work has been pretty good.”

Mauricio Dubon currently sits atop the depth chart at second base, but he is being challenged by Brendan Rodgers and Luis Guillorme.

The Astros will face the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Field Level Media contributed to this report.

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Ohtani to make spring training debut vs. Angels

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Ohtani to make spring training debut vs. Angels

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani will make his first spring training appearance of the year Friday night against his old team, the Angels.

Ohtani, 30, will be the designated hitter. Roberts has not given a timetable for Ohtani’s return to the pitcher’s mound other than to say he hopes it would be “sooner than later.” Roberts has ruled Ohtani out for the March 18-19 season-opening series in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs.

Ohtani injured his left shoulder sliding into second base during the World Series, when the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in five games. He did not pitch last season, his first with the Dodgers, while recovering from surgery to repair a ligament in his throwing elbow.

Playing exclusively as a batter, he hit 54 home runs with 59 stolen bases — the first person in the major league 50/50 club — and won his third unanimous MVP award.

As a pitcher, Ohtani is 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA, including a 10-5 record and 3.14 ERA in 2023 before he was injured that August.

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Sooners hire ex-Senior Bowl leader Nagy as GM

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Sooners hire ex-Senior Bowl leader Nagy as GM

Oklahoma has hired Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy to be its football general manager.

Since 2018, Nagy had run the Senior Bowl, the annual postseason college all-star game in Mobile, Alabama. He will now lead the Sooners’ roster building, player evaluation, recruiting and compensations operations alongside coach Brent Venables.

“This is a new era in intercollegiate athletics at one of the greatest college football programs in the country,” Nagy said in a statement. “The legacy of excellence that precedes my arrival is a testament to the leadership at OU and the university’s commitment to execute at a championship level. I am honored to bring my experience and work ethic to this program and am confident that through collaboration and effort, we can achieve excellent results.”

In December, the New York Jets interviewed Nagy for their vacant general manager job before hiring Darren Mougey.

Prior to the Senior Bowl, Nagy worked as an NFL scout for almost two decades for the Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots and Washington Commanders.

Nagy replaces former OU linebacker Curtis Lofton, who stepped down as the Sooners’ general manager last month.

“Nagy’s high-caliber, extensive experience in scouting, recruiting, and retaining top talent will pay dividends across our roster and ultimately on the field,” Venables said.

The Sooners are entering their fourth season under Venables and second as a member of the SEC.

OU finished 6-7, including 2-6 in the conference, in its first year in the SEC.

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