A-Rod ‘honored’ to be part of Yankees’ ’09 reunion
-
Jorge Castillo, ESPN Staff Writer
NEW YORK — Several first-time attendees were on hand for Old Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, but only Alex Rodriguez had his relationship with the Yankees deteriorate to the point where he wondered if he would ever be welcomed to the annual celebration.
“I was actually surprised that I got an invitation,” Rodríguez said during a press conference alongside other members of the Yankees’ 2009 championship team, which was commemorated on its 15th anniversary. “Honored. Very happy.”
Rodriguez spoke sitting between Derek Jeter and A.J. Burnett on a dais. Mariano Rivera and Joe Girardi, the 2009 team’s manager, were seated on the ends. They shared memories of the 2009 club, the last one to win a World Series for the franchise. They offered their thoughts on Aaron Judge and winning. Jeter cracked a few jokes.
They all wore Yankees home jerseys. For Rodríguez, that was especially noteworthy: The last time he donned the pinstripes was on August 12, 2016 — the day of his last game as a major leaguer.
“He wears it at home all the time,” Jeter quipped.
Said Rodriguez: “I’ve been back broadcasting for FOX and some of my work with ESPN, but I think just back in the fold with the uniform on, I think is pretty unique. And it’s my first time back and I’m excited to be back. I’m very proud of my time in New York and I’m very proud to be part of a champion team. So, happy to be back.”
Now the question is whether the Yankees will one day honor Rodriguez with a plaque at Monument Park.
“I’ve thought about it,” said Rodriguez, who turned 49 last month. “I would love to be in, but obviously that’s not my decision. But I honor everything about the New York Yankees, and it would be an honor.”
In a vacuum, Rodriguez’s production in New York warrants a spot. His Yankees tenure, which began in 2004, included two AL MVP Awards, seven All-Star nods, 351 home runs, and that 2009 title over 12 seasons. He collected his 3,000th career hit and passed Willie Mays for fourth on the all-time home run list as a Yankee.
The tenure, however, is just as remembered for its off-the-field drama. Among the lowlights: He admitted in 2009 to taking steroids over a three-year period while with the Texas Rangers and in 2013 was levied a 211-game suspension. for his ties to the Biogenesis clinic. He served the ban, which was reduced to 162 games, for the entire 2014 season.
In June 2013, general manager Brian Cashman, when informed that Rodriguez had announced he was ready to return from hip surgery, told a reporter, “Alex should just shut the f– up.” Rodriguez filed three separate lawsuits that involved the Yankees, Major League Baseball, commissioner Bud Selig, and the MLB Players Association. All three were dropped before he returned to the team in 2015 upon serving his suspension.
Rodriguez’s standing with the organization was illustrated five years after his retirement: While the Yankees have waited an extended period to give a retired star’s number to another player — if it’s ever passed on at all — the Yankees waited just four seasons before giving Rodriguez’s No. 13 to Joey Gallo in 2021. Jazz Chisholm, acquired last month, now wears the number.
On Saturday, all that was forgotten. More than eight years since hearing his name announced in the Bronx, Rodríguez was introduced to cheers for Saturday’s pregame ceremony. Former teammates cited Rodriguez’s performance during the 2009 postseason, after having previous October struggles haunt him, as essential for their championship run.
Rodriguez, back in pinstripes, soaked it all in.
“It’s my first time back in a long time,” Rodriguez said. “I love being a Yankee. It’s a great family.”
The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby is set to deliver yet another exhilarating race to the finish. From the field to the favorite, here is everything to know about the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.
When is the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
The 2025 Kentucky Derby will take place Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
What time does the 2025 Kentucky Derby begin?
The post time for the 2025 Kentucky Derby is 6:57 p.m. ET.
How can fans watch?
Coverage of the 2025 Kentucky Derby begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Peacock will stream early coverage beginning at noon ET.
How many horses run in the Kentucky Derby?
Twenty horses have the chance to compete in the Kentucky Derby.
How do horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby?
To earn a spot in the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby, a horse must compete in a series of designated races from September through mid-April. Points are awarded to the top five finishers in each race. The 20 horses with the most points, or the horses who win their international series, earn a spot in the starting gate in Louisville on the first Saturday in May.
Who is the favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy, opened as the 3-1 favorite.
What are the post positions for the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Post 1: Citizen Bull (20-1 morning line odds)
Post 2: Neoequos (30-1)
Post 3: Final Gambit (30-1)
Post 4: Rodriguez (12-1)
Post 5: American Promise (30-1)
Post 6: Admire Daytona (30-1)
Post 7: Luxor Cafe (15-1)
Post 8: Journalism (3-1)
Post 9: Burnham Square (12-1)
Post 10: Grande (20-1)
Post 11: Flying Mohawk (30-1)
Post 12: East Avenue (20-1)
Post 13: Publisher (20-1)
Post 14: Tiztastic (20-1)
Post 15: Render Judgment (30-1)
Post 16: Coal Battle (30-1)
Post 17: Sandman (6-1)
Post 18: Sovereignty (5-1)
Post 19: Chunk of Gold (30-1)
Post 20: Owen Almighty (30-1)
Alternate: Baeza
Which post has produced the most Kentucky Derby winners?
Post 5 has produced the most winners, with 10.
What three races make up horse racing’s Triple Crown?
The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes are the three races needed to accomplish the Triple Crown.
Who won the 2024 Kentucky Derby?
Mystik Dan, trained by Kenny McPeek, won last year’s Kentucky Derby at 18-1 odds.
What is the purse for the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Since 2024, $5 million in prize money has been guaranteed for the Kentucky Derby.
Check out the ESPN horse racing hub page for the latest news and notes ahead of the big race.
-
Ryan S. Clark
Add Rick Tocchet to the list of available coaching options on the open market with the Vancouver Canucks announcing Tuesday that Tocchet left the team.
There had been a belief that Tocchet’s time with the Canucks could be coming to an end. Last week saw the discussion of Tocchet’s future with the franchise come under greater focus, with Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford saying they weren’t exercising their option on Tocchet’s contract before adding that they offered him a new, more lucrative deal to remain in Vancouver.
But now? Tocchet joins the list of sought-after coaching candidates and the Canucks become the eighth NHL team that will use this offseason to go through a coaching search.
“After a very long and thorough process, unfortunately Rick has decided to leave the Vancouver Canucks,” Rutherford said in a statement. “This is very disappointing news, but we respect Rick’s decision to move to a new chapter in his hockey career. We did everything in our power to keep him but at the end of the day, Rick felt he needed a change.”
In the same news conference in which Rutherford said the team offered Tocchet a new deal, he also said that Tocchet “may have his mind somewhere else” before adding that he felt Tocchet and his staff did “a good job coaching this team this year” as they did in their first full campaign.
Tocchet was a midseason hire during the 2022-23 season. His first full year in charge saw the Canucks win 50 games, finish with 109 points and win the Pacific Division. He led the Canucks to their first postseason appearance since the 2019-20 season and was a win away from advancing to the Western Conference finals.
Entering this season, the Canucks had most of their players from their playoff team. They started strong with a 15-8-5 record but encountered numerous on-ice and off-ice problems that would prove too large.
Among them was the friction between star forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. The tension between Miller and Pettersson reached a stage in which Canucks captain Quinn Hughes publicly acknowledged there was an issue with Miller and Pettersson denying such issues.
Miller would be traded to the New York Rangers before the trade deadline, and the Canucks struggled to find someone who could replace his production. They would finish six points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.
Still, Tocchet had the support of Hughes, along with others within the organization who wanted him to stay.
As for what it all means going forward for both parties? Tocchet is among those who will join Mike Sullivan, who parted ways with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday after winning two Stanley Cups in 10 seasons, as one of the most attractive names for teams seeking a new bench boss.
Then there are the teams that need a coach. It’s a list that includes the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Seattle Kraken, plus the Penguins and now the Canucks.
“I’m choosing to move on from the Vancouver Canucks,” Tocchet said. “Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes an opportune time. While I don’t know where I’m headed, or exactly how this will play out for me over the near term, I feel like this is the right time for me to explore other opportunities around hockey.”
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway