COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- The Baseball Hall of Fame opened its gates today to a former No. 1 overall pick who spent his entire career in his hometown of the Twin Cities, and a former Double-A backup catcher who spent 18 years in the Minor Leagues before spending a day in

This story was excerpted from Thomas Harding’s Rockies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- The first time Adrian Beltré signed up for baseball using birthday money, he just nee ded his parents to pay the monthly fee. “The first thing my dad asked me was, ‘What position are you going to play?’” Beltre said. “I didn’t reply, I didn’t know. He

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – In the middle of Jim Leyland’s first season as Tigers manager in 2006, the skipper once kicked the media out of his office in the visiting clubhouse at Wrigley Field in the middle of a postgame press conference. His team had just completed a sweep of the

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Joe Mauer was a stoic, steady presence behind the plate for much of his 15-year career, all with the Twins. But the first sign that his Hall of Fame induction might test that came the night before his speech. As he stepped off the truck carrying him

There are some things that everyone knows about Adrian Beltré. A member of the 3,000-hit club. A fantastic defensive player. One of the best third basemen in baseball history. And as of today, an inductee in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. • Complete Hall of Fame coverage Oh, and

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Long before he became the face of the Rockies franchise -- and, officially on Sunday, a Hall of Famer -- Todd Helton was lifting players who weren’t even teammates yet. “I had dinner with him before I even made it to the big leagues, and he treated

The Hall of Fame's Class of 2024 is complete. Now the question becomes: Who's next? Three players punched their tickets to Cooperstown in 2024: first-timers Adrián Beltré and Joe Mauer, along with Todd Helton, who made it in his sixth year of eligibility. But what will the future Hall of

The Hall of Fame Class of 2024 was inducted on Sunday, with Adrian Beltré, Todd Helton, Joe Mauer and Jim Leyland all taking their places among the legends in Cooperstown. Now let's look ahead to next year's ballot. The 2025 Hall of Fame election cycle will bring two powerhouse newcomers

This story was excerpted from Christina De Nicola’s Marlins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox. MIAMI – Once the adrenaline wore off from capturing a World Series championship via walk-off fashion, the 1997 Marlins followed manager Jim Leyland’s

COOPERSTOWN -- As Adrian Beltré soaks in the totality of his Hall of Fame experience this weekend, culminating in Sunday's induction ceremony outside the Clark Sports Center, the former third baseman took time to reflect on his very first steps as a professional after his signing by the Dodgers in

Jim Leyland will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday in Cooperstown, New York, alongside Adrian Beltre, Todd Helton and Joe Mauer. The popular manager, who led the Pirates to three consecutive National League East titles from 1990-92, was chosen for enshrinement by the Contemporary Era

When Induction Day rolls around in Cooperstown, the biggest thrill for a fanbase (outside of celebrating the actual player, of course) might be seeing its team's logo ensconced on the bronze plaque. The designation typically means that the player defined his career in that city -- or perhaps even led

A Hall of Fame is, almost by definition, a ranking of the best players to ever play the sport. We know from past research that something like the top 1-2% of players who reach the Majors get into the Hall of Fame, but what if we went a step further

For one weekend each summer, the quiet, sleepy village of Cooperstown, N.Y., becomes the bustling center of the baseball world, welcoming tens of thousands to celebrate the sport’s history with the Baseball Hall of Fame inductions. This weekend, the Hall opens its doors to welcome a four-person class that includes

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Joe Castiglione received the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence mainly for his distinguished work over a Red Sox-record 42 seasons. But any discussion of his career leads to the magical 2004 season, when the Red Sox vanquished the Yankees in the American League Championship Series

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Todd Helton was asked if he has a photo of his and the Rockies’ golden moment at his Knoxville, Tenn., home -- arms raised in triumph, the final out of the 2007 National League Championship Series -- his face savoring the team’s trip to the World Series.

A version of this story was first published in January, after Adrián Beltré was elected into the Hall of Fame.

Jim Leyland used to spend offseasons scribbling out batting orders. So when he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame last December, it figured he would put the same meticulous effort into his speech. He studied video of past Hall of Fame speeches. He pondered how to balance a

DENVER -- The connection was immediate between Todd Helton, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday afternoon, and Clint Hurdle, who served him as a Minor League and Major League hitting coach and manager with the Rockies -- but more importantly as a mentor and

MINNEAPOLIS -- Justin Morneau laughs as he explains that the first time he figured he’d one day be traveling to Cooperstown, N.Y., to watch Joe Mauer get inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame was, in fact, the first at-bat he saw Mauer take in Spring Training. Not only

A version of this story originally ran in January 2020.

This story was excerpted from Jason Beck’s Tigers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox. ARLINGTON -- Jim Leyland’s No. 10 wasn’t always seen in the dugout during his eight seasons as the Tigers' manager, because he regularly wore

Birthdays are important. We’ve established this. That’s why we have a story here at MLB.com for every day on the calendar, with the best players born on each day. How about those particularly productive birthdays, by Hall of Fame talent? The National Baseball Hall of Fame has more than 300

CHICAGO – There’s very little debate when talking about Frank Thomas as the greatest hitter in White Sox history. The Big Hurt, as he was aptly dubbed, hit for power, hit for average and had a keen batting eye. That success carried over into short stints with Oakland and Toronto