Helton becomes first former Tennessee Vol enshrined in Cooperstown
Courtesy / WVLT Volunteer TV Sports By John Sartori
COOPERSTOWN, NY (WVLT) – There may not have been a tougher moment in Todd Helton’s baseball life than what he had to do on Sunday in front of thousands in Cooperstown, New York.
It’s something the Vol For Life has shied away from at every opportunity, talking about himself. On Sunday, Helton had no choice, becoming a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024.
“Those of you who know me know I’d be more comfortable doing anything other than standing up here, talking about myself,” Helton said.
The Rockies legend spent the majority of his speech thanking those who helped raise him to Cooperstown.
“You don’t get to play Major League Baseball or dream of getting to the Hall of Fame without people who support you,” Helton said. “My wife, Christy, we did this together.”
From there, Helton thanked his Mother Martha and his late Father Jerry.
“Mom, thank you for all the time you put in to helping me get here,” said Helton. “I now see how much you sacrificed to help me live out my dream. You watched more baseball than most big league scouts…Thank you so much.”
“My Dad passed in 2015. This would have meant as much, if not more to him than it does me,” Helton said. “My Dad made me believe I could stand up here today.”
Helton is the first Tennessee Volunteer to make the Baseball Hall of Fame. He is just the second Colorado Rockies player in the Hall.
Tennessee’s two United States Senators are calling for President Joe Biden to resign after making the announcement he will no longer seek to run for re-election.
Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty each say Biden should resign immediately if he isn’t capable of running for re-election.
Biden says he is intent on completing his term.
President Joe Biden announcing he would no longer be running in the 2024 presidential election.
The move comes after several Democratic leaders, including Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama, reportedly pushed for it.
Several of East Tennessee’s lawmakers releasing statements shortly after the president’s announcement yesterday (Sunday).
Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon saying it’s takes courage to pass the baton to the next generation of leaders. Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs saying if Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president. He needs to RESIGN NOW!
Republican Representatives Tim Burchett, Diana Harshbarger along with Democratic Representatives Gloria Johnson and Steve Cohen all expressing their thoughts for and against the President’s decision.
An investigation is underway and Knoxville Police arrest a man in connection to a shooting a Shell Convenience store near downtown Knoxville.
Officers called to the parking lot of the station on Summit Hill Drive Saturday night for a shooting. Police believe that two men were fighting which led to shots being fired.
One man was hit in the leg and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect, 23-year-old Dereke Upton was arrested after being found in a home on Laurans Avenue Saturday night. He is charged with aggravated assault.
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office is searching for an inmate who escaped the Hancock County jail.
Five inmates escaped Wednesday, all but Jason Holden Collins have been captured. Anyone with information is asked to call HCSO at 423-733-2249.
According to HCSO, the inmates escaped around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday. HCSO has identified the escapees as Casey Denim, Todd Carroll, Jason Holden Collins, John Benton III, and Adam Bailey.
Two of the five inmates, Adam Bailey and John Benton III, have been captured and returned to the jail. HCSO said on Friday evening, it was confirmed that Casey Denim and Todd Carroll were also captured.
This afternoon (Sunday), at 4:19 PM, the Knox County Emergency Communications District received a call from a male who stated that his home was on fire. The caller advised that he believed the fire was in his basement.
On the arrival of KFD Engine 6, the officer reported smoke coming from the front door. After a brief investigation, a fire was discovered in a bedroom in the basement of the home. Crews immediately went to work and extinguished the fire within 10 minutes of the initial call to 911.
The home has suffered moderate fire damage in the basement and smoke damage throughout.
The home was occupied by three adults: two males and one female. No one was at home at the time of the fire. One of the adult males had just returned home and discovered the fire.
The American Red Cross is assisting the occupants.
No injuries were reported.
The Knoxville Fire Department Investigations Unit is on the scene, working to determine a cause.
Sunday, President Joe Biden announced he would no longer be running in the 2024 presidential election.
The move comes after several Democratic leaders, including Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama, reportedly pushed for it.
Several of East Tennessee’s lawmakers released statements shortly after the president’s announcement. WVLT News is collecting those statements here in real-time as they are released.
Knoxville-area Mayors
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs (R)
For months, Democrats denied Biden suffered from cognitive decline. Now that they can no longer hide it, they’re kicking him to the curb. But the problems go deeper than one man. It’s doesn’t matter who they run, this country needs
It takes courage and humility to step aside and pass the baton to the next generation of leaders. Putting his country first will be Joe Biden’s legacy.
I want to thank President Biden. Since he took office, Knoxville has secured more than $100 M in federal grants for affordable housing, reducing gun violence, safer streets, & planting trees.
From our $42.6 M Reconnecting Communities grant, to capping the price of insulin at $35 per month for seniors, President Biden has made a huge positive difference in the lives of everyday people.Mayor Indya Kincannon on X (formerly Twitter)
State Representatives
Tennessee House Minority Leader Karen Camper
Today, we acknowledge a significant moment in our nation’s history as President Joe Biden has announced his decision not to seek re-election. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to President Biden for his unwavering service to our country. Throughout his tenure, he has kept his commitment to the American people, delivering on numerous campaign promises that have led to substantial progress in our society.
President Biden’s leadership during these challenging times has been commendable, and his dedication to the principles of democracy and justice has been inspiring. We thank him for his steadfast resolve and the positive changes he has championed.
In his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for President, we see a continuation of this legacy of leadership and progress. Vice President Harris has demonstrated exceptional service and dedication in her role, and her experience and vision make her an outstanding candidate to lead our nation forward.
I fully support Vice President Harris in her bid to become the next President of the United States. Her commitment to equality, justice, and the well-being of all Americans reflects the values we hold dear. Together, we will work to ensure a brighter future for our country.
Thank you, President Biden, for your service and commitment. And thank you, Vice President Harris, for your unwavering dedication. We stand with you as we embark on this new chapter for America.Tennessee House Minority Leader Karen Camper
Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Hendrell Remus
In 2020, while everyone around me was choosing sides and lining up behind their preferred Democratic candidates for President, I patiently awaited the entry of Vice President Joe Biden into the race. Once Vice President Biden entered the race, I was locked in and vowed that I was Ridin’ with Biden come hell or high water.
Today, as President Joseph R. Biden announces his intention not to seek re-election, I am saddened but I am forever proud of having supported the man who defeated Donald Trump and restored hope in America. President Biden delivered for the American people on election night in 2020 and every day during his term in office. Our nation is better today because President Biden served.
The next Democratic President will inherit a historic record of accomplishments to build on. Our party must do everything in its power to ensure that we protect President Biden’s legacy while fighting to make the lives of ordinary people better.
At this critical moment with so much on the line, we must unite as a party and deliver for the American people. The path ahead is clear. We have one objective and that is to make sure that Donald Trump does not return to the White House.
Mr. President, we will carry out the mission and finish the job of building back better.Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Hendrell Remus
Rep Marsha Blackburn (R)
Finally, Joe Biden has realized what the rest of the American people and even his own party already knew—he is not only the wrong leader for America, but is wholly incapable of doing the job of President of the United States. But he didn’t go far enough. https://x.com/VoteMarsha/status/1815083933001781323
Joe Biden’s decision not to seek reelection confirms what I and many of my colleagues have known for years: Joe Biden is unfit to lead.
Though Democrats and the media have ignored the President’s rapid decline in mental and physical health for months, his decision to drop out of the race is an overt admission of his poor condition and his inability to serve out the rest of his term as President of the United States.
I could not agree more with President Trump and Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance who have repeatedly said that if Joe Biden is not fit to run for reelection, he is not fit to be commander-in-chief.Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R)
It is no secret President Biden’s health has been in decline for quite some time. I am glad to see that he has made the best choice for himself, his family, and for the country.Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R)
One of the suspects in the shooting of a Tennessee State Trooper during a traffic stop on I-40 in Putnam County is arrested in Kentucky.
Kentucky State Police took Braze Rucker, one of the suspects in Trooper Adam Cothron’s shooting, into custody. THP says they used Trooper Cothron’s handcuffs to take Rucker into custody.
Authorities are still searching for the other suspect in that shooting and have doubled the reward to $20,000. If you have any information, please call 1-800-TBI-FIND.
The shooting happened Friday night and Cothron was taken to the hospital. His family says he is doing much better.
The family of the Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper Adam Cothran who was shot during a traffic stop on I-40 in Putnam County asking you to keep those prayers coming.
Trooper Cothran was shot Friday night and his family says he’s getting some muscle response movements in his legs now and his arms are improving as well.
The bullet will remain where it’s at unless his body starts to try getting rid it of on its own but doctors say it should not cause any problems to leave it.
The good news: the bullet is not lodged in his spinal column like originally thought. It’s actually in his right scapula area and almost exited.
His family says it gives them hope that recovery of mobility in his legs will be better.
PUTNAM CO., Tenn. (WVLT) – Kentucky State Police took Braze Rucker, one of the suspects in the Tennessee Highway Patrol shooting, into custody early Sunday morning. THP said the trooper, Adam Cothron, was shot during a traffic stop in Putnam County.
Rucker was found in Princeton, Kentucky. THP said they used Trooper Cothron’s handcuffs to take Rucker into custody.
Eastbound lanes of I-40 were closed Friday night after a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper was shot.
THP officials said the shooting happened around mile marker 285 at 7:47 p.m.
Trooper Adam Cothron pulled over a white Kia Forte, with two black males inside, for a traffic violation. One of the men was identified as 29-year-old Braze Rucker.
During the stop, Cothron was shot and the men drove off, according to officials.
Cothron was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center and was in stable condition.
Before joining THP in 2015, Cothron was a deputy sheriff for the Trousdale County Sheriff’s Office.
“He is a certified K-9 handler and is an outstanding trooper and comes from a respected law enforcement family, but what he is best known for is being a father and a husband to his wonderful family,” THP officials said. “We ask that you please keep him and his family in your prayers.”
The car was found later in Gallatin, according to THP officials.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued a Blue Alert for the two suspects.
THP has also added a $10,000 reward for information leading to Rucker’s arrest.
Both agencies obtained warrants for Rucker’s arrest for criminal responsibility of facilitation of a felony.
President Biden announced Sunday that he will suspend his 2024 re-election campaign amid mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party for the president to end his 2024 bid after a disastrous debate performance last month.
The unprecedented announcement came as an increasing number of Democrat lawmakers had begun to publicly call for Biden to step aside and the party’s leadership reportedly was engaged in efforts to convince Biden, 81, he could not win in November’s general election against former President Trump, the 2024 GOP nominee who Biden defeated four years ago to win the White House.
And Biden quickly offered his “full support and endorsement” for Vice President Kamala Harris to take over as the party’s presidential nominee.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president,” Biden wrote in a public letter. “While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.”
Biden said he will formally address the nation later this week about his decision.
“For now, let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me reelected,” Biden wrote. “I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me.”
Biden added: “I believe today what I always have: that there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.”
“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” Biden wrote.
The president’s endorsement is likely to dissuade any serious completion from other Democrats who may have mulled a bid for the presidential nomination and could clear a path for the vice president to succeed Biden as the party’s nominee.
Harris, in a statement about two hours after Biden’s announcement, said she is “honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead. I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.”
And the vice president praised her boss, thanking Biden “for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. His remarkable legacy of accomplishment is unmatched in modern American history, surpassing the legacy of many Presidents who have served two terms in office.”
Biden’s endorsement of Harris was quickly followed by two top party elders, former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State and former Sen. Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.
“We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her.”
And LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, one of the Biden campaign’s biggest donors, also quickly endorsed Harris.
“The Biden-Harris administration has put this country on the right track. It’s time for us to unite. I wholeheartedly support Kamala Harris and her candidacy for President of the United States in our fight for democracy in November,” Hoffman wrote in a social media post.
At least half a dozen Democratic senators also quickly backed Harris, with the number likely to grow. So did some top House Democrats, as the move to rally around the vice president picked up momentum.
But former President Obama didn’t endorse Harris, at least not yet.
“We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges,” the former president wrote in a letter.
But Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama were among the scores of top Democrats praising Biden for putting the nation and the party over personal ambitions.
“Joe Biden has been one of America’s most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we’ve also been reminded — again — that he’s a patriot of the highest order.” the Obamas wrote.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement, “Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader, but he is a truly amazing human being. His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first.”
Biden endorses Kamala Harris to be Democratic nomineeVideo California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a top Biden surrogate, wrote in a social media post that Biden “will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents.”
It was a very different reaction from former President Trump, the GOP presidential nominee.
“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was!” Trump charged in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Trump argued that “we will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly.”
And in an interview with Fox News Digital, Trump reiterated his claims that Biden was “not fit to serve” and asked “who is going to be running the country for the next five months?”
The Trump campaign quickly started fundraising off the blockbuster news. Within 440 minutes of the preisdent’s announcement, the Trump campaign put out a fundraising post on X with the subject line, “Biden just suspended his campaign.”
MAGA Inc, the leading super PAC supporting Trump’s 2024 White House bid, quickly launched an ad charging that “Kamala was in on it. She covered up Joe’s obvious mental decline.”
The super PAC tells Fox News the new commercial will go up in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona as soon as possible, as part of MAGA Inc’s $5 million per week ad blitz.
Meanwhile, some top Republican in Congress called on Biden to resign from office immediately.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., charged in a statement, “If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough.”
Biden was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday, a revelation that came on the heels of several TV interviews and campaign appearances in which the president insisted he was remaining in the race. But the interviews failed to reassure supporters and provided critics – including those on the left – with further evidence that Biden was no longer up to the job.
Biden had delivered a strong welcome address to world leaders at last week’s NATO summit in Washington D.C. The showcase served as an opportunity to prove he was fit to continue his current term and eager and able to lead the nation for another four years.
For a time, it seemed Biden could survive the surge of calls for him to quit the race after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that they backed Biden’s bid.
But Biden, who has long been known for a propensity to commit gaffes, continued to stumble. His missteps included a glaring error on the world stage at the NATO summit. While speaking on live television, Biden referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “Putin,” name-checking Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose invasion of Zelenskyy’s Ukraine has precipitated more than two years of hellish war.
Questions over whether Biden would end his campaign remained the top political story heading into last weekend.
But two blockbuster developments in rapid succession – the attempted assassination of Trump at the former president’s rally in western Pennsylvania on Saturday and Trump’s naming Monday at the Republican National Convention of Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate – briefly halted the fervor over Biden for a couple of days.
But the call on Wednesday by Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic Senate nominee in California, for Biden to end his campaign, as well as reporting that top Democrats such as Schumer, Jeffries, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had frank conversations with Biden, quickly reignited the political crisis for the president.
Biden’s stunning announcement occurred during the roughest stretch of what was a more than year-long campaign for a second term. Doubts about his viability at the top of the Democratic Party’s 2024 ticket began seeping out into the mainstream after his halting delivery and awkward answers were placed on full display for a national audience during June’s presidential debate with Trump in Atlanta.
The performance sparked widespread panic within the president’s party and almost immediately spurred calls from political pundits, editorial writers and some party donors for Biden to step aside as the party’s 2024 standard-bearer.
As Biden struggled to regain his footing, an increasing number of House Democrats publicly urged the president to end his re-election bid.
Biden huddled with worried Democrats, including governors and congressional leaders, in the wake of the debate debacle and also was engaged in “working the phones,” according to campaign officials.
He started last week in a defiant posture, sending a letter to congressional Democrats in which he vowed that he was committed to campaigning against and beating Trump in November. Biden also urged lawmakers to stop focusing on the debate and end the calls for his withdrawal – pleas that he said only helped Trump.
Biden followed that up with a call with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and also gained the support of members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
But concerns mounted and intensified. Democrat lawmakers met behind closed doors hoping to come to a consensus and support the president, but some were hesitant.
The Biden campaign met with Senate Democrats on Capitol Hill and, for days, the White House and the Biden campaign – and the president himself – said Biden had no intention of dropping out of the race.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had told reporters that the president was “absolutely not” considering dropping out.
And Quentin Fulks, the principal deputy Biden campaign manager, emphasized that “the president is in this race to win it. He is the Democratic nominee.”
On the day after the presidential debate, Biden acknowledged at a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, “I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious.”
“Folks, I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to,” Biden added. “But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done. And I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get knocked down, you get back up.”
And the president, pointing to his 2024 rematch with Trump, emphasized, “I would not be running again if I did not believe with all my heart and soul that I can do this job.”
But Biden soon was staring down a slew of polls showing his standing against Trump was slipping while concerns over his age were surging.
The president’s shocking announcement brings to an end his 2024 presidential campaign, which he launched in April of last year.
And it also seemingly brings to an end a half-century-long career in national politics.
Biden was first elected to the Senate representing his home state of Delaware in 1972. During his nearly four decades in the Senate, he notably drafted and steered to passage the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act and the Violence Against Women Act, chaired the Senate Foreign Relations and Judiciary committees and oversaw six Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
He also ran unsuccessfully for the 1988 and 2008 Democratic presidential nominations.
After dropping out of the 2008 race, then-Democratic presidential nominee and Sen. Barack Obama named Biden as his running mate. Biden served eight years as the nation’s vice president as he and Obama won the 2008 election and re-election in 2012.
Biden considered, but ultimately decided against, a run for the White House in the 2016 election cycle, as he mourned the loss of his elder son, Beau, to brain cancer. With Biden on the sidelines, the party coalesced around the candidacy of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
But four years later, Biden launched a bid for the 2020 nomination. After dismal early finishes in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, Biden turned his campaign around and a landslide victory in the South Carolina primary propelled him to the Democratic nomination. Biden went on to defeat Trump and win the White House.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – With the second half of the 2024 season kicking off Friday afternoon, former Tennessee Volunteers across the nation continue to well-represent their alma mater throughout the professional ranks, including one’s upcoming enshrinement into the sport’s lore forever.
Garrett Crochet’s meteoric rise has been the talk of baseball through the first half of the season. He became the eighth VFL in program history to be selected for the MLB All-Star Game before pitching a scoreless fourth inning in Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic, which was won by the American League. His inning was highlighted by a strikeout of Teoscar Hernandez, who won the Home Run Derby the night before.
Entering the break, Crochet led the majors in strikeouts (150) and ranked fifth in opponent batting average (.199). He was named AL Pitcher of the Month in June and ranks in the 90th percentile for eight different advanced metrics, according to Statcast.
Ben Joyce has also been on a tear since being recalled to the Angels on June 2. The Volunteer Fireman sports a 2.76 ERA over 16.1 innings of work and threw the fastest pitch of the 2024 season thus far, a 104.5 mph fastball, in a 6-5 victory over Seattle on July 12.
“There’s no doubt about it,” Angels’ manager Ron Washington said. “He’s growing, man. He’s starting to believe in himself and his ability to throw the ball over the plate. If he can do that, he’s going to be a real good one.”
Last Saturday, July 13, Chase Dollander got the start in the MLB All-Star Futures Game for the National League, posting a scoreless first inning of work at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. It was announced after the game that he would be promoted to Double-A Hartford after posting a 2.83 ERA in 70 innings at High-A Spokane. In those 70 innings, he had a league-best 111 strikeouts (14.27 K/9).
Most notable of all, Tennessee legend Todd Helton will be enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, July 21, in Cooperstown, New York. The Knoxville native was drafted by the Colorado Rockies No. 8 overall in 1995 and spent 17 years with the club, earning five All-Star selections, four Silver Sluggers and the 2000 Hank Aaron Award. Helton amassed 2,519 hits in his career, with 369 home runs and 1,406 RBIs. His triple-slash line finished at .316/.414/.539.
The 2024 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday and will be broadcast on the MLB Network.
Information on all 33 VFLs in Major and Minor League Baseball can be found below. Also set to join this group soon are the eight Volunteers selected in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft. For more information on the 2024 draft class click HERE.
One of the top pitchers in all of baseball this year, Crochet was named an American League All-Star for the first time in his career and recorded a scoreless fourth inning, striking out Teoscar Hernandez. Crochet was named the AL Pitcher of the Month for June and leads the majors in strikeouts currently, notching 150 through 20 starts. He sports a 0.95 WHIP and a .199 opponent batting average and is the most coveted pitcher available on the trade market this season.
Ben Joyce – RHP, Los Angeles Angels Season: 14 App, 1 GS, 1-0, 3 HLD, 2.76 ERA, 16.1 IP, 13 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 16 K, 1.16 WHIP, .217 BAA
Has been excellent for the Angels since being recalled on June 2, recording 11-consecutive scoreless outings. Joyce delivered the fastest pitch in the majors this year, clocking a 104.5 mph fastball on July 17 against Seattle, and he has not walked a batter in any of his last six appearances.
Recalled to the big-league club on July 2 and has hits in five-of-eight games. Lipscomb has had a particularly strong impact on the basepaths for the Nationals, leading the team in stolen-base percentage among players with 10 or more attempts at 84.6 percent. Already with 11 this season, Lipscomb compiled seven stolen bases in his four-year career at Tennessee.
Signed by the Chicago White Sox on July 17 after a stint with the Washington Nationals, Senzel looks to infuse some power into the Chicago order like he did in his white-hot month of April. The third baseman currently ranks in the 86th percentile in walk rate and 77th percentile in chase rate, according to Statcast.
Has found his groove in Single-A San Jose going 11-for-29 (.276) at the plate in July with an eye-popping on-base percentage of .447. Ahuna crushed a grand slam on July 1 against Stockton for his fourth home run of the season.
Came off the injured list on June 20 and finished out the month strong in Triple-A, conceding just one run over two starts for Buffalo while fanning seven batters over nine innings.
Continues to develop as the year progresses, hitting .326 (14-for-43) in July after a .278 (20-for-72) month of June. In those two months, the outfielder has nine extra-base hits and 18 RBIs. Dickey blasted a three-run homer, his seventh of the season, in his final game before the All-Star break against Peoria.
One of the most exciting pitching prospects in the game, Dollander has continued to turn heads every time he takes the mound, leading the Northwest League in strikeouts (111). The fireballer has logged a 2.05 ERA since the beginning of June, amassing 51 strikeouts over 30.2 innings, including a pair of double-digit strikeout performances on June 14 at Vancouver, then again on July 2 at Tri-Cities.
Dollander started the 2024 All-Star Futures Game for the National League squad and pitched a scoreless frame. Following the contest, it was announced that he would be promoted to Double-A Hartford to begin the second half of the season.
Activated from the injured list on July 12 and has delivered a pair of scoreless outings since returning to action for the ACL D-backs, fanning three across two innings of work.
Begun a rehab assignment on July 11 with the Mets’ complex league team. Gilbert has been sidelined since April 7 with a hamstring injury.
Gilbert remains in the MLB Pipeline Top 100 as the No. 39 prospect in baseball. He was also recently elevated to the No. 10 outfield prospect and ranks No. 3 in the Mets’ organization.
Excellent in the month of June for Hartford, locking down 6-of-7 save opportunities with a 1.80 ERA over 10 innings. Halvorsen has been terrific in high-leverage spots for the Yard Goats recently, successfully converting 8-of-9 saves over an 11-game stretch beginning on May 31 against Reading. At the break, Halvorsen sits tied for second in saves among Eastern League pitchers.
Elevated to Triple-A Durham on July 9 after a fantastic start to the year in Montgomery where he was the Biscuits’ most dependable arm, leading the team in ERA among all pitchers (2.03). Hunley made just one appearance in Triple-A before the All-Star Break, finishing the game at Charlotte on July 12.
Entered the All-Star Break on a five-game hit streak which commenced during a three-hit night on July 6 at Altoona. For the month of July, Lawson is hitting .303 (10-for-33) with three doubles and three RBIs. He has served as the primary shortstop for the Senators this season.
Continues to consistently produce for Triple-A Oklahoma City, compiling an OPS of .869 at the midway point of the season. Lipcius has seen a notable uptick in his power numbers this season, already setting a new high-water mark in home runs for his minor league career with 19 in just 86 games, surpassing the 12 he had in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Lipcius leads the club in hits, while ranking second in homers and RBIs.
Picked up his first save of the season on June 1 at Arkansas and has seen his strikeout numbers tick upward since last season. Mabrey stands as the team leader in holds.
Has been a solid multi-inning reliever for Kannapolis and had a particularly strong month of June where he registered 15 innings with a 1.80 ERA and 13 strikeouts. McLaughlin limited opposing hitters to a .176 batting average during the month and kicked off July by tallying the victory against Fayetteville.
McLaughlin and the Cannon Ballers were first-half winners in the Carolina League and, in doing so, punched their ticket to the postseason.
Started to find his groove in the power department, crushing five homers since June 6. Ortega has been particularly impressive in the field for Wichita, logging 406 error-free innings at both shortstop (231 inn.) and second base (175 inn.) in 2024.
Has been back-and-forth between Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk since the end of May but has shown lots of success with the Triple-A club, posting a .297.409/.459 triple-slash line for the Tides in 13 games. Also at the Triple-A level, Pavolony cut down 6-of-8 potential base stealers from behind the plate.
Continues to be one of the most consistent and dependable bats in the order for Wichita, posting an average of .260 or higher each month of the season thus far. Rucker has the second-most hits and RBIs in the Texas League at the break and his first-half was highlighted by a two-homer, four-RBI game at Northwest Arkansas on June 8.
Fantastic since the start of June, Schultz has posted a 1.38 ERA over 13 innings with just eight baserunners allowed. The recent string of success has resulted in higher leverage situations for the hard-throwing right hander who closed out a pair of saves in his last three outings.
Began anew with the San Francisco Giants organization on May 30 and started in Double-A Richmond on June 4. Soularie’s first home run with his new club was a grand slam, coming July 3 at Bowie.
Traded from Baltimore to Milwaukee on May 25 and has been effective as both a starter and a reliever for Triple-A Nashville. Stallings entered the All-Star Break on a high note, earning the victory on Sunday, July 14, after tossing 5.1 innings and allowing just one run against the Iowa Cubs.
Drew Steckenrider – RHP, Las Vegas Aviators (Triple-A OAK) Restricted List
Tied for second in all of Minor League Baseball in stolen bases with 43, Stephenson has been unstoppable on the basepaths in 2024, swiping bags at a 89.5 percent success rate. He has also been highly dependable in the field for West Michigan, recording a .992 fielding percentage across all three outfield positions.
Earned a promotion from Double-A Binghamton to Triple-A Syracuse on May 21 and made eight appearances for the Mets (seven starts) before the All-Star Break. Tidwell burst on the scene in Triple-A, logging a 1.54 ERA in his first two starts. His second start was electric, tossing six innings of scoreless baseball and allowing just four hits against Buffalo on May 29.
Tidwell ranks as the Mets’ No. 11 prospect in the system.
Logged an excellent June where he sported a 2.35 ERA and an opponent batting average of .148. Wallace has also started earning time in high-leverage situations, picking up his first save of the season on June 17 at Great Lakes. He locked down another on July 1, posting a perfect ninth against Cedar Rapids.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference announced Friday that two Tennessee football standouts earned preseason first team All-SEC recognition from the media at the conclusion of 2024 SEC Media Days in Dallas.
Senior center Cooper Mays was tabbed to the league’s first team on offense, while junior edge rusher James Pearce Jr. was selected to the defensive first team. Both Vols were recently recognized as preseason First Team All-Americans by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Tennessee was one of five schools in the conference with a first-team selection on both offense and defense, joining Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss.
Mays enters his fifth year with the program and fourth as Tennessee’s starting center. The Kingston, Tennessee, native has paved the way for a record-setting offense, and he enters the campaign without allowing a sack in his last 14 games. Mays has played 2,075 career offensive snaps and issued only four sacks. He was the leader of an offensive line that was named semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award in 2023.
Pearce Jr. is one of the most explosive defensive players in the country. In two seasons, he has racked up 16.5 tackles for a loss of 87 yards, 12 sacks for a loss of 75 yards, 17 QB hurries, one interception for a touchdown, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles. The Charlotte native and 2023 first-team All-SEC recipient is the SEC’s returning statistical leader in both tackles for loss (14.5) and sacks (10).
Tennessee begins preseason camp on July 30 with its first practice scheduled for July 31.
James Pearce Jr., DE, Jr. First-Team All-American (Athlon, Phil Steele, Walter Camp) First-Team All-SEC (Athlon, Media, Phil Steele, Walter Camp) Lott Trophy Watch List
Helton becomes first former Tennessee Vol enshrined in Cooperstown Courtesy / WVLT Volunteer TV Sports By John Sartori COOPERSTOWN, NY (WVLT) – There may not have been a tougher moment in Todd Helton’s baseball life than what he had to do on Sunday in front of thousands in Cooperstown, New York. It’s something the Vol For…… Continue Reading
Tennessee’s two United States Senators are calling for President Joe Biden to resign after making the announcement he will no longer seek to run for re-election. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty each say Biden should resign immediately if he isn’t capable of running for re-election. Biden says he is intent on completing his term.…… Continue Reading
An investigation is underway and Knoxville Police arrest a man in connection to a shooting a Shell Convenience store near downtown Knoxville. Officers called to the parking lot of the station on Summit Hill Drive Saturday night for a shooting. Police believe that two men were fighting which led to shots being fired. One man was…… Continue Reading
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office is searching for an inmate who escaped the Hancock County jail. Five inmates escaped Wednesday, all but Jason Holden Collins have been captured. Anyone with information is asked to call HCSO at 423-733-2249. According to HCSO, the inmates escaped around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday. HCSO has identified the escapees as Casey…… Continue Reading
This afternoon (Sunday), at 4:19 PM, the Knox County Emergency Communications District received a call from a male who stated that his home was on fire. The caller advised that he believed the fire was in his basement. On the arrival of KFD Engine 6, the officer reported smoke coming from the front door. After…… Continue Reading
Sunday, President Joe Biden announced he would no longer be running in the 2024 presidential election. The move comes after several Democratic leaders, including Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama, reportedly pushed for it. Several of East Tennessee’s lawmakers released statements shortly after the president’s announcement. WVLT News is collecting those statements here in…… Continue Reading
Updated story: One of the suspects in the shooting of a Tennessee State Trooper during a traffic stop on I-40 in Putnam County is arrested in Kentucky. Kentucky State Police took Braze Rucker, one of the suspects in Trooper Adam Cothron’s shooting, into custody. THP says they used Trooper Cothron’s handcuffs to take Rucker into…… Continue Reading
President Biden announced Sunday that he will suspend his 2024 re-election campaign amid mounting pressure from within the Democratic Party for the president to end his 2024 bid after a disastrous debate performance last month. The unprecedented announcement came as an increasing number of Democrat lawmakers had begun to publicly call for Biden to step…… Continue Reading
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – With the second half of the 2024 season kicking off Friday afternoon, former Tennessee Volunteers across the nation continue to well-represent their alma mater throughout the professional ranks, including one’s upcoming enshrinement into the sport’s lore forever. Garrett Crochet’s meteoric rise has been the talk of baseball through the first half of the…… Continue Reading
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference announced Friday that two Tennessee football standouts earned preseason first team All-SEC recognition from the media at the conclusion of 2024 SEC Media Days in Dallas. Senior center Cooper Mays was tabbed to the league’s first team on offense, while junior edge rusher James Pearce Jr. was selected to the defensive first team. Both…… Continue Reading
