Legendary Nuggets coach and Brooklyn native Doug Moe died Tuesday at the age of 87.
Moe spent a decade coaching in Denver, during the franchise’s most successful time period, while having coached in San Antonio and Philadelphia. Moe had a successful career on the court as well, earning three All-Star nods in the ABA from 1968 to 1970 and won a championship with the Oakland Oaks in 1969.
Moe grew up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn and recalled playing at Foster Park in an article published by the New York Times in 1984. He credited spending his youth playing basketball in the borough for his understanding of the game.
Nuggets head coach Doug Moe pleads with his team during a timeout in the closing seconds of a NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets in May 1986. AP
”After school and on Saturdays, we would play there until dark,” Moe said. ”I would play against guys a lot older and they would beat the heck out of me. But I learned a lot.”
The Nuggets described Moe as a “one-of-a-kind leader and person who spearheaded one of the most successful and exciting decades in Nuggets history.”
Moe served as head coach with the Nuggets from 1980-1990 and won 432 games, the franchise record for most wins until Michael Malone broke it in 2024. The Nuggets made the postseason in nine straight years during his tenure as head coach.
“He will forever be loved and remembered by Nuggets fans and his banner commemorating his 432 career victories as head coach will hang in the rafters to forever honor his incredible legacy,” the team said in a statement. “The organization’s thoughts are with Doug’s wife Jane, his son David and all of his family and loved ones who are hurting in this moment.”
Moe got his coaching start as an assistant under his former University of North Carolina teammate Larry Brown in 1972 when he was the coach of the ABA Carolina Cougars.
Nuggets head coach Doug Moe, center, directs his team from the bench during an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns on April 21, 1982. AP
The Brooklyn native received his first head coaching job in 1976 with the Spurs, where Moe spent the next four seasons before taking the Nuggets job.
After his dismissal in 1990, Moe’s next coaching gig didn’t come until 1992 during a brief stint as the head coach of the 76ers. He would return to Denver in the early 2000s as a special consultant and assistant coach from 2002-2008.
“It’s a sad day in Denver,” former Nuggets player Bill Hanzlik wrote on X. “Just learned one of the Absolute Best, Doug Moe has passed away peacefully holding the hand of his wife Jane Moe this morning. God Bless you BIG STIFF from your No Hoper Hanz.”
When it rains, it pours. For Frank Vatrano, it might as well have been hailing. Entering the first season of a three-year extension that he signed just over a year ago with the Ducks, Vatrano was set to play for Joel Quenneville again. Quenneville was someone Vatrano knew previously from playing under him with the Florida Panthers. Vatrano was also coming off his third consecutive 40-point season, with his tenure as a Duck being the most productive of his career.
However, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Vatrano in 2025-26. He’s having his worst statistical season by far since becoming a full-time NHLer, relegated to the fourth line and barely accumulating any special teams minutes. His average time on ice (12:21) is the lowest it’s been since the 2021-22 season, when he was playing for the Panthers.
To further exacerbate things, Vatrano suffered a shoulder injury on Dec. 27 against the Los Angeles Kings after his skate got caught in the ice and he slammed into the boards. He did not return to the game and the Ducks announced on Dec. 31 that Vatrano would be out for approximately six weeks due to a shoulder fracture.
Dec 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA;Los Angeles Kings right wing Adrian Kempe (9) is defended by Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) as he handles the puck in the first period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
“My immediate reaction was, ‘Am I paralyzed?’ I went in pretty (dangerously) there. I went in neck-first, and you’re always taught as a kid when you're going into the boards neck-first that you don't go in (with your head bent down), you kind of just bail, and that's what I did. I bailed and I let my shoulder take the blunt of it. I'm lucky I was taught that at a young age, because I don't know where I would have been if I didn't know how to protect myself from the injury that I had. It could have been a lot worse.”
The Ducks have gone 9-8-1 in the 18 games that Vatrano has missed, equalizing their seven-game losing streak with a subsequent seven-game winning streak. They finished out the pre-Olympic break portion of the season with two consecutive wins.
“I think the whole league has gone through it this year, with losing streaks and whatnot,” Vatrano said. “We crawled our way out of it, it was a team effort to crawl out of it. We didn't like the way that we were playing. I think we were playing too high-risk. I think we sharpened some things up defensively. We know we could score goals, but we want to keep the puck out of the net, so I think we've been doing a good job at that. We've been playing very hard defensively and just overall being a tough team to play against.”
Dec 7, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) on a drive against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
“No one ever wants to watch from up top (in the press box), but I think when you watch from up top, you can kind of see the game in a whole different perspective. Things are kind of slowed down up there. You see the plays develop and you put that in your mind when you're out there on the ice. You have extra plays to make and you have extra time, so you definitely benefit from that side of things.”
The Olympic break has given Vatrano ample time to rehab his injury without missing more games than he would have during a normal NHL season. While coming out of the break could feel like a mental reset on his season, he prefers to think of ways he can positively impact the team, even if his individual performance hasn’t been up to his standard.
“When things aren't going well, sometimes other things happen. That seems like that's what happened to me. When things aren't going well on the ice, then you either get hurt or something happens. You never really want to take a reset. You always want to be able to help the team, regardless of how the season's going for you. You want to feel (like you’re) a part of the group and help them go forward. To take the positive out of it, it's kind of time for me to sit back and work on my game a little bit and try to get back a little bit.”
Nov 8, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Frank Vatrano (77) celebrates with team mates after scoring a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
“Frankie gives us hard work, gives us an honest effort,” Quenneville said. “One of the guys (who is) well-liked (and gives us) enthusiasm. Whether it was his shot or his production, it's been off a little bit, and I think that he needs to get himself feeling good and getting that some confidence in his game and with the puck on his stick, go from there.”
With Vatrano and Leo Carlsson (Morel-Lavallée lesion) back in the fold, this is the closest the Ducks have been to full health since training camp. Quenneville will have plenty of options to choose from when crafting his lineups moving forward.
LeBron James’ future has never been more uncertain.
If you had asked me at the top of the season whether I thought James was going to return for Year 24, my answer would’ve been yes. People around James thought the same thing, including Kevin Love, his former teammate on the Cleveland Cavaliers and close friend.
Love, who won a championship alongside James in Cleveland in 2016, hung out with James the night before the Lakers played Utah on Nov. 18. At the game, Love made it clear he didn’t want to make any assumptions about James.
LeBron James’ future has never been more uncertain. APMany thought James would return for his 24th season, including former teammate and close friend Kevin Love. AP
But when I asked Love if he thought this could be James’ last season, he told me, “I don’t think it will be,” adding, “But at the end of next year, there’s a high likelihood that will be the case.”
Things may have changed since then.
James truly seems undecided about his future. When asked about his plans ahead of the All-Star Game on Sunday, he balked. “I want to live,” he said. “When I know, you guys will know. I don’t know. I have no idea.”
It’s hard to imagine that one of the greatest players of all-time doesn’t have things mapped out, especially James, who’s masterful with the media and deeply cares about his narrative. But it’s also possible that he just wants to see how he feels.
There are some days when the 41-year-old is the embodiment of joy, as he was against Dallas on Thursday, when he was dancing and grinning before tipoff and went on to become the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists.
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But then there are days when it’s obvious he’s questioning whether he still wants to do this, such as when he was embroiled in drama around Jeanie Buss last month. Or when he was slumped in a chair after a close loss to Oklahoma City last week and acknowledged he was “tired as f—-,” adding, “Sorry if I sound irritated, but I’m 41. My [patience for] irritation is being very, very low as the days go on.”
So, as that sand falls through the hourglass on one of the most storied careers in NBA history, no one knows what James is really thinking.
But if I had to rank the likelihood of what he’ll do, here would be my order.
Team USA Stripes forward LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on in game two against Team Starsduring the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
1. James returns to Cleveland
James cried while watching a video tribute in Cleveland last month. That’s a rare occurrence for the superstar, who showed that type of emotion when he won the 2016 championship with Cleveland and again when he became the league’s all-time leading scorer in 2023.
James returning to Cleveland would bring his illustrious career full circle. It’s where he was drafted in 2003 as an 18-year-old with the weight of his world on his shoulders. It’s where he quickly transformed into the face of the league. It’s where he called himself the greatest player of all-time after he led the Cavs to come back from a 3-1 series deficit in the 2016 NBA Finals against Golden State, something no other team has done. To this day, he still refers to himself “just a kid from Akron” after his accomplishments. His heart is still in Ohio.
Not to mention, the Cavs have made it clear that they’re in win-now mode after trading for James Harden earlier this month, as well as acquiring Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis at the deadline. James praised the Cavs’ moves Tuesday on his podcast, “Mind the Game,” saying, “They’re going for it.”
James’ and the Cavs’ timelines are aligned. While the Lakers are building around Luka Doncic and looking toward their future, the Cavs are all in right now. It makes you wonder if James could return to where his career began and vye for a championship alongside Donovan Mitchell.
As for Mitchell, he recently praised James, telling me, “Just being here in Cleveland, you want to replicate what he did.” When asked if he wanted to team up with the megastar, Mitchell flashed a smile. “That ain’t up to me,” he said. “I’m focused on these guys in the locker room. And from that point, everything else kinda goes where it does.”
Team USA Stripes forward LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after game two during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
2. James returns to the Lakers
Heading into the season, I thought James was going to retire in a purple and gold jersey. He loves Los Angeles. Would he really want to pull his daughter out of school and uproot his family? Or be apart from them for a year? He has been in LA eight straight seasons, his longest consecutive stretch anywhere in his career.
But now I’m not so sure about everything.
The ESPN report last month that Buss was frustrated with James over various issues, including his “outsized ego” and the control that he and Klutch wielded over the organization surely didn’t help things.
The Lakers’ priority is Doncic and his future. It’s not clear how James fits into that equation, especially considering they’re aiming to re-sign Austin Reaves to a big contract as well as take a major swing this summer (Read: Giannis Antetokounmpo). James is earning $52.6 million this season and historically has been opposed to taking dramatic pay cuts.
Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said in Sept. that he’d love James to retire a Laker.
But Buss reportedly expressed doubt Tuesday over whether James would return to LA for another season, either because he’d retire or go elsewhere, telling CNBC, “Never say never, but you know, he certainly hasn’t given an indication. He’s earned the right to decide how his career will go, and you know, he continues to impress.”
USA Stripes forward LeBron James dunks over World guard Norman Powell, of Jamaica, during the NBA All-Star basketball game Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) AP
3. James retires
I’m ranking this low because it’s hard to imagine James not wanting a farewell tour. Also, he’s still playing at an extremely high level, averaging 22 points on 50.2 percent shooting, 5.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists a game. He’s still capable of being the best player on the floor on any given night. James has always said he’s not going to do this until the wheels fall off. He’s not even remotely close to that point.
4. James joins Golden State
James famously said on “The Shop” in 2022 that if he could play with any player, it would be Steph Curry. James and the 37-year-old Curry met in four straight Finals from 2015-2018 and have a deep well of respect for each other. They’re both in the sunset of their careers and, alongside one another, could be championship contenders.
But would James really join a new franchise in his final season? Curry’s franchise?
Seems highly unlikely.
That said, there’s definitely some level of mutual interest there. The Warriors reportedly made an unsuccessful attempt to trade for James ahead of the Feb. 2024 deadline. And when I asked Draymond Green last month if he’d want to play with James, he didn’t hesitate, “I’ve always wanted to,” he said.
Barrel Man, one of the Brewers mascots operates a TV camera before the Milwaukee Brewers faced the Colorado Rockies for the home opener at Miller Park in Milwaukee, April 6, 2015. Barrel Man was originally the Brewers logo from 1970-1977. He became an official mascot in 2015. | Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
After an offseason full of turmoil with the Brewers’ broadcast plan, the team has a new home on Brewers.TV, an offshoot of MLB.TV, which is now owned by ESPN as part of the league’s new media agreement.
While the team has not yet announced local carrier information — you can keep track of that here — the team has announced their spring broadcast schedule, with most games available for listening via radio or MLB audio and a handful of games on Brewers TV.
I’ve also included the team’s two Spring Breakouts (prospect showcases), their exhibition against Great Britain’s World Baseball Classic team, and their two exhibitions against the Reds leading up to the regular season in late March.
Here’s the schedule, including game times and where to watch/how to listen (note: 620 WTMJ is the Brewers’ flagship radio station, though all games on WTMJ are broadcast across the Brewers Radio Network):
Saturday, February 21: vs. Cleveland @ 2:10 p.m. (620 WTMJ)
Sunday, February 22: @ White Sox @ 2:05 p.m. (Brewers TV)
Sunday, February 22: vs. Royals @ 2:10 p.m. (94.5 ESPN Radio)
Monday, February 23: @ Padres @ 2:10 p.m. (Brewers TV & 620 WTMJ)
NORTH PORT, Fla. — The Atlanta Braves added veteran first baseman and outfielder Dominic Smith to their major league spring training camp on Tuesday as a non-roster invitee.
Smith, 30, will provide depth behind starting first baseman Matt Olson as well as a possible option in left field or designated hitter.
Smith, who played his first six seasons in the majors with the New York Mets, hit .284 with five homers and 33 RBIs in 63 games with the San Francisco Giants last season. He also has played for Washington, Boston and Cincinnati.
Smith is a .250 career hitter in nine seasons. He has 69 homers, including a career-high 12 for the Nationals in 2023.
NORTH PORT, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 21: Overall view during an Atlanta Braves spring training workout at CoolToday Park on February 21, 2025 in North Port, Florida. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good evening, folks. I hope today was a good one for you. Here’s a random clip:
With the signing of Haywood Highsmith the other day, the Suns now have a full roster with 15 players ready for the playoffs.
Free agent forward Haywood Highsmith has agreed to a multiyear deal with the Phoenix Suns, his agent Jerry Dianis tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/UbkwghKYRL
This has many speculating that he will eventually be waived, and one of the standout two-way players on this team will be converted to the main roster.
Both Isaiah Livers and Jamaree Bouyea have been solid products for this squad and have shown they deserve the conversion. With the Suns signing Highsmith and keeping Amir Coffey, though, the wing room will be full. That leaves Bouyea as the most likely to be converted, with the Suns needing some guard depth as well due to injuries this season. Bouyea has delivered on both ends, being another happy story from the Suns’ front office, making moves on the margins.
This trade by the Suns will almost certainly create a spot for Jamaree Bouyea in the near future.
With Bouyea expected to get converted, we can speculate when that will happen. Since the Suns ducked the luxury tax at the trade deadline, they do not want to do it again. With each day getting closer to the end of the season, the guaranteed money on a contract shrinks. Therefore, Bouyea will be converted once he has reached his limit of 50 games played and can no longer play, at which point he will be on the main roster. This season, he has only played in 28 games for the Suns, so that still leaves 22 games of availability. With only 27 games left in the season, it would be expected that this would happen right before the season ends, to save as much as possible. That being said, if they want to sign someone to a two-way deal, the deadline is March 4th, so that it could happen before then.
When Anthony is eventually waived, and Bouyea is signed, that is where the fun begins, as the Suns will have an open two-way spot and can use it to convert another player who they think deserves some playing time at the end of the season, when teams are locked into seedings.
So let’s look at this great site created by my friend Finn Kuehl, twowaytalents, to see the best available guys the Suns could get to replace Bouyea. This site is absolutely fantastic, showcasing the latest on two-way and G-League players, so I definitely advise checking it out!
Damion Baugh
First, let’s start with the most likely candidate, as he is already in the Valley. Damion Baugh has been incredible for the Valley Suns and has definitely earned the case to get this spot. Funny enough, he also comes from the Suns’ favorite trade partner, the Charlotte Hornets. Baugh went undrafted in 2023 and has floated through some G-League teams before signing a two-way contract last year with Charlotte. With them taking him, he was able to get some playing time and notched 15 games in the NBA.
He ended up in Phoenix on an Exhibit 10 deal and has been the gritty player this team envisions on its roster already. He would fit the hard-nosed defense that Jordan Ott has embraced all season. He would be someone who could come in and help out this team, with all the little things, aiding the shot creators they have throughout the team.
This season, he is averaging 23.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.3 blocks on 41/27/86 shooting splits, in 35 minutes per game. The 6’4” scrappy guard could learn a lot from Jordan Goodwin and Dillon Brooks, who could take the young guard under their wing.
Jared Rhoden
With a list like this, I have to make a homer pick, and Jared Rhoden is that guy. Someone from my alma mater, Seton Hall, and to a team that already has some Big East ties, sign me up! Rhoden has not stuck in the NBA but has had multiple opportunities across the league since going undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft. He had two-way contracts with the Detroit Pistons, and then spent time in Charlotte and Toronto on two-way deals as well. Currently, he is overseas playing for Paris Basketball, part of the LNB Elite and the EuroLeague.
Rhoden could fit this team, as he is a wing player who could help mold the 3&D wing he has tried to be since college. Rhoden has always been known for his three-point shooting, which was his specialty, but his wingspan helps him defend multiple positions on the wing. If all the tools were able to come together, he could be one of those fun spark plugs on the bench who can get hot.
This season for Paris Basketball, he is averaging 12.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.4 blocks on 54/44/81 shooting splits in 22 minutes per game. The 6’5” guard/wing could definitely bring some offensive juice if he were signed back to a two-way and learn from shooters like Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale.
Drew Peterson
Last but certainly not least is Drew Peterson, who could be another fun shooter for this team. Peterson is someone I have liked due to his success with the Boston Celtics on a two-way deal. After going undrafted in 2023, he spent some time with the Miami Heat’s summer league and G League affiliate before being picked up by Boston. He then spent two years there, during which he won a championship in 2023. This season, though, he was not brought back and, in fact, signed with his old assistant head coach, Charles Lee, in Charlotte.
Unfortunately for Peterson, that was cut short early as he was waived right before Christmas, but not due to his terrible play. In fact, the Hornets just needed size and frontcourt bodies as they were hit by injuries. They ended up replacing Peterson with PJ Hall, and now he is on the Pistons’ G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise.
Peterson on this team would be similar to Rhoden: just another sharp shooter and scorer this team could use as a trial to see if they can be a long-term investment. Peterson showed that value by getting minutes in multiple games with the Celtics last year. If a coach like Joe Mazzulla trusts him, I am sure a guy like Jordan Ott would do the same.
The 6’8” wing would definitely fall under the wings of Grayson Allen, where he could learn to continue to be the knock-down shooter he has been so far. This year, he is averaging 15.1 points and 6.9 rebounds. 5.3 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.1 block on 47/36/85 in 31 minutes per game.
Final Thoughts
The Suns very well could not pick someone up and wait to convert Bouyea after the deadline. With that, though, they cost themselves an opportunity to hit on the margins as they have succeeded in the past. Look at the signings of Collin Gillespie, Jamaree Bouyea, and Jordan Goodwin as examples of that. If they could do that again with one of the three men listed above or anyone else, it could help them find more key role players for cheap to build this roster. Something that has proven to be a successful way to build a team under the new CBA.
What do you think about this? Do you like any of these names, or do you think the Suns should get someone else? Let me know your thoughts!
Back-to-back World Series champions puts you in rarified air.
Winning three in a row, that makes you immortal.
That’s what the Dodgers are chasing this year.
On one end is a dynasty close to ending if they come up short in the Fall Classic. On the other, with the trophy in hand and champagne spraying, is history and immortality.
However, that journey begins in Arizona where the Dodgers are spending spring training at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix.
Here is The California Post daily gallery of the Dodgers at spring training. Check back every day for updates.
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PEORIA, Ariz. — Walker Buehler has signed with the San Diego Padres after the right-hander spent the first eight seasons of his major league career with their archrivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Buehler was in the Padres’ clubhouse Tuesday morning after agreeing to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league camp.
“Yeah, it feels a little weird,” Buehler told reporters in Arizona after pulling on a brown and gold uniform. “I imagine five years ago it would have felt a lot more weird, but this is a crazy game and this is a great opportunity for me.”
The 31-year-old Buehler said he will “come in and try and make the team and contribute in any way I can. I’m a starter, and I want to start, so I’m here to try and make the rotation.”
Buehler spent last season with Boston and Philadelphia, which signed him in late August after the Red Sox released him. Buehler struggled in Boston, but looked good enough during his brief time with the Phillies to generate interest from the Padres and other teams.
“I threw the ball well over there, and getting the velocity back as well as the delivery has kind of been the big thing,” Buehler said. “The second half of last year was relatively successful compared to the first half, and there’s stuff we want to continue to build on there.”
Buehler earned two All-Star selections and two World Series rings during his 10 years in the Dodgers organization, serving as a mainstay in their rotation whenever healthy and often looking like one of the majors’ top starters. He has been particularly good against the Padres in his career, going 7-1 with a 1.67 ERA and 83 strikeouts in his 13 starts.
He won Game 3 of the World Series in 2024 before earning the save in the Dodgers’ clinching Game 5 victory at Yankee Stadium, capping his return to uniform with a gritty Fall Classic. He had missed the entire 2023 season and big chunks of 2024 while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery.
But that memorable relief inning in Game 5 to preserve a 7-6 victory over the Yankees was his final appearance for the Dodgers, who allowed Buehler to walk as a free agent for a lucrative deal with Boston. After one tumultuous year back East, he’s eager to be back in the NL West with the Padres, who have two openings in their rotation.
“Obviously some familiarity with the division, and living in Southern California is something that my family and I are accustomed to,” Buehler said. “A good opportunity to be a part of a really talented ballclub. Looking forward to seeing what we can make of it.”
Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove and Michael King already have spots in San Diego’s rotation. Buehler will be competing for the final two slots with returnees Randy Vásquez and JP Sears and newly signed Germán Márquez and Griffin Canning.
Buehler said he moved out West during the offseason to prepare for another run at the majors, and he “got my body in a little better spot.”
Buehler said his delivery is returning to the level and form at which he spent his first six big league seasons with the Dodgers before elbow surgery.
“My elbow and my body has kind of been through some stuff,” he said.
The Padres have been remarkably busy over the past week after doing little during the winter to bolster the roster of a team that won 90 games and made the postseason for the fourth time in six years.
General manager A.J. Preller signed slugger Nick Castellanos along with Canning and Márquez over the weekend after adding Miguel Andujar a week earlier.
Preller also agreed to a contract extension, keeping the second-longest-tenured baseball boss in the majors with San Diego during the club’s probable sale process.
Buehler is 57-29 with a 3.52 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP over his decade in the majors. He has topped 150 strikeouts three times.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 11: Manager Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants talks to players during Spring Training at Scottsdale Stadium on February 11, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When the San Francisco Giants made the unprecedented decision to hire Tony Vitello as their next manager, it was understood that there would be some hiccups along the way. There’s a learning curve for every first-time manager, and that’s doubly true for one attempting the unheard-of leap from college to the Majors with nary a day spent in professional baseball.
The sales pitch with Vitello was simple enough: his personality and people skills were so dynamic that they would propel him forward even while dealing with the requisite adjustments and bumps in the road as he blazed a trail in his new role. How he would manage a big league rotation and how he would adapt to an additional 100 games on the schedule were questions waiting to be answered; how he would present himself as a personality was not.
Which made Monday’s hiccup — his first since accepting the job — quite surprising. It didn’t come from mismanaging a bullpen, or mishandling bench deployment, or, heck, whatever the 2026 equivalent of pinch-hitting Mark Mathias for Brandon Crawford is. It came from the most surprising of places: a controlled environment, with some microphones and mild-mannered reporters in his face.
Less than one week after pitchers and catchers reported, Vitello opened his Monday media scrum not by fielding questions, but by asking one: “When did you first think I was taking this job?”
It was clear that the question was meant both rhetorically and for the group at large, though he seemed to pose it specifically to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser to ensure that someone actually answered him.
After Slusser responded with “about four days before it actually happened” — a reference to reporting from The Athletic that the Giants were “closing in on” hiring the then-Tennessee manager — Vitello had successfully created his opening. Now he could say what was on his mind. “It’s funny you say that,” he smirked, despite it being obvious that it was what Slusser would say. “Because that was not reality. At all.”
Vitello, who in fairness seemed jovial as usual while engaging in a half-monologue, half-conversation about what he deemed to be inaccurate reporting, certainly aired some grievances. While clarifying that he had not accepted the job at the time of The Athletic’s reporting (which, it should be noted, is in line with said reporting) Vitello offered up an ominous and fairly cryptic set of sentences: “Somebody tweeted it out. I don’t know who told them. I wish I did. It might have changed the course of history if I’d known who did.”
As is usually the case with reporting in sports, Vitello’s primary source of ire seemed to be that he wasn’t in control of his own narrative. “I did a really damn good job at keeping that away from our team, our recruiting, and it was not a distraction,” Vitello emphasized, suggesting he had taken meetings with the Giants without letting those around his college team find out. “And then all of a sudden in the middle of practice, I see our first and third base coaches freaking out. And they freaked out on me, too. And for no reason, because at that point nothing was gonna happen. And then somebody decided it that it was gonna happen, and then the whole world starts spinning real quick and I had to address the team.”
There was a lot in Vitello’s TED Talk that was understandable, but even more that was, frankly, odd. Most notable was that he performed the cardinal sin of Spring Training managers: he made himself the story.
At a time when platitudes and superlatives are as copious as bubble gum and sunflower seeds, the story this week has become Vitello. It stood in stark contrast to the last memorable time that a Giants manager eschewed questions and instead opened his Spring Training scrum with his own thoughts. That came a whole seven years ago, when a sheepish and slightly-uncomfortable Bruce Bochy announced that the upcoming season would be his final one in a Giants jersey; and while Bochy had, indeed, made himself the story on that day, he had quite clearly and openly done so to avoid being the story in the days that would follow.
That was not the case for Vitello who, four months after the offending action, opened a can of worms for seemingly no purpose at all. A point that could have been made at his introductory press conference, or during one of his many winter interviews, or, better yet, not at all, is now dominating the black and orange airwaves. At a time when we’re usually serving up best shape of his life clichés and excitedly discussing the battles for eighth reliever and fifth outfielder and second emergency starter, we’re instead not just talking about Vitello, but talking about a long-since buried story of his.
Vitello, like so many others in professional sports over the years, appeared upset at the media for an accurate report. His desire to control when his decisions are made public is very understandable, as is his ire at someone leaking the news prematurely. But those issues, of course, are not the fault of the journalists at The Athletic (national MLB reporters Ken Rosenthal and Brittany Ghiroli, and Giants beat reporter Andrew Baggarly). The implication with such a complaint (and sometimes it’s an outward statement, rather than an implication) is that the media should be working with the players and coaches, rather than in opposition to them.
It’s there where the funny irony of the story comes in. While it is, of course, not the media’s job to do PR for the Giants, it is, inadvertently, much of what we do, especially this time of year. Every article and soundbite about Bryce Eldridge’s rising stardom, and Hayden Birdsong’s attempt to bounce back, and Harrison Bader’s defensive wizardry, and the battle for the backup catcher position only serves — even when objective and journalistically sound — to excite a fanbase that is then even more likely to purchase tickets, buy merch, tune into a game, and heck, maybe even hop online in a fit of spontaneity and see what the flight prices to Scottsdale look like.
I had an article planned for today about Giants players. I suspect Baggarly, Slusser, and the other beat reporters on the scene at Papago did, as well. Instead, we all wrote about Vitello. The KNBR airwaves, offering Giants nuggets not just to diehard fans but, perhaps more critically, to casual ones, have been dominated with talk about Vitello. Many of the takes are absurd, but they’re out there nonetheless, causing damage where there would otherwise be excitement.
On Tuesday, Vitello fielded a question about the prior day’s scrum, and noted that he had not received any friendly feedback on his comments from the front office, despite the employment of the notoriously even-keeled trio of Bochy, Buster Posey, and Dusty Baker. It would certainly seem he was being honest there, as he somewhat doubled-down on his sentiments, saying that he was “just stating facts.” He thankfully offered a clarification on his cryptic comment: while “it might have changed the course of history” seemed to imply that Vitello may have chosen a different path had he known who leaked the story, he said on Tuesday that it “has no real impact on the opportunity that was presented, and it wouldn’t have changed what Buster and I would have agreed and joined to do.”
That probably ends the story. It’s not like Vitello committed a fireable offense or, despite what the online masses may have you believe, did something that should make you question his ability to be a good big league manager.
But it was an unforced error. The Giants have had a lot of those over the last half-decade, on and off the field. The hope was that Vitello would help them have fewer. For now, it remains exactly that: the hope.
02/17/26: Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker warms up during day five of spring training workouts at Camelback Ranch Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Photo By: Jason...
PHOENIX –– In his annual start-of-the-spring address to his Dodger team on Tuesday, manager Dave Roberts delivered a simple message to the two-time defending World Series champions.
“I think for us it’s more about looking forward, focusing on ourselves and … not concerning us with outside expectations, noise, other teams,” he said. “That’s what we’ve done a pretty good job of in years past.”
Then, Roberts invited the club’s two superstar offseason additions to speak to the room and drive home that message.
As has become a common theme in these team-wide spring meetings –– which take place on the morning of the club’s first full-squad workouts, which the Dodgers had on Tuesday –– the longtime skipper wanted his returning players to hear from the new faces in the clubhouse.
“It was just more about what made the Dodgers attractive to them,” Roberts explained. “I think it’s powerful for our guys to hear it from the other side, from somebody who hasn’t been here.”
This year, that meant speeches from Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz, each of whom explained why they wanted to sign with the Dodgers as free agents this winter.
Roberts said Tucker talked about watching “how the Dodgers go about things” while playing against them as a member of the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros over the last eight years, calling the franchise “a destination place.”
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Díaz echoed that sentiment when he got up to talk, joking that the Dodgers always “look pretty nice on the field” and how he “heard they treat every player the same inside the clubhouse.”
“That,” the new closer added while speaking to reporters later, “was one of the things I was looking for.”
The Dodgers hope that a scene like Tuesday’s will serve as a tone-setter ahead of their three-peat pursuit this year. Simply signing big names like Tucker (the $240 million outfielder) and Diaz (the $69 million right-hander) served as a source of reinvigoration for the club this offseason. But hearing their perspectives of the team for the first time was “refreshing,” veteran third baseman and longest tenured Dodger Max Muncy said.
Kyle Tucker explained why he wanted to sign with the Dodgers as a free agent this winter. Jason Szenes for CA Post
“Not that anyone in this room ever forgets, but (when) they talk about how good the organization is from the outside, from what they see and what they hear, just things about how the front office and the staff treats the players and the families –– (it’s a reminder that) we have it really good here,” Muncy said.
There’s another important dynamic, too.
“Then you get that little extra hunger from guys who want to go out there and win a ring,” Muncy added. “It keeps everyone else in here hungry, because you just start feeding off each other. And when it’s time to go out there and it’s go time, everyone’s ready to go.”
Díaz echoed that sentiment when he got up to talk, joking that the Dodgers always “look pretty nice on the field.” JASON SZENES FOR CA POST
For these Dodgers, it won’t be “go time” for a little while still.
Unlike the past two years, the team has no early start or season-opening international trip. And while they will send five players to next month’s World Baseball Classic (including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith, Hyeseong Kim and Díaz), they will use this spring to slowly build up many of their other veterans after a short offseason (namely, Muncy, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, whom Roberts said will likely not be playing in Cactus League games right away).
“It’s just about preparation,” said Betts, recounting the message he shared as one of several longtime Dodgers to talk at Tuesday’s meeting, along with Miguel Rojas and Will Smith. “Our confidence is gonna come with our preparation.”
Roberts said Tucker talked about watching “how the Dodgers go about things” while playing against them. JASON SZENES FOR CA POST“That,” the new closer added while speaking to reporters later, “was one of the things I was looking for.” JASON SZENES FOR CA POST
Tuesday, however, was about setting bigger-picture expectations, too, and reminding both the club’s returning core and new star players about the opportunity in front of them.
“It’s just trying to sustain that energy, that focus every day,” Roberts said, reiterating his clubhouse message. “Put those blinders on and get to work.”
As has become a common theme in these team-wide spring meetings –– which take place on the morning of the club’s first full-squad workouts, which the Dodgers had on Tuesday –– the longtime skipper wanted his returning players to hear from the new faces in the clubhouse.
“It was just more about what made the Dodgers attractive to them,” Roberts explained. “I think it’s powerful for our guys to hear it from the other side, from somebody who hasn’t been here.”
The Winnipeg Jets are beginning to filter back into the city following vacations and the Olympic break, turning their attention toward a return to regular season action midway through next week.
With several key players still away or sidelined, the organization made a series of roster moves to help facilitate full practices. Winnipeg is currently without starting goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, top forward Kyle Connor and star defenseman Josh Morrissey.
To stabilize the roster during workouts, the Jets recalled goaltender Domenic DiVincentiis, defencemen Ville Heinola and Elias Salomonsson, and forward Walker Duehr from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League.
The decision to bring up two defencemen has sparked some speculation about what could be ahead for Winnipeg’s blue line. One possibility is that the team does not expect one of its injured defenders to be ready when play resumes. Haydn Fleury, Colin Miller and Neal Pionk have all dealt with injuries in recent weeks.
Another potential scenario is that the Jets are preparing for a move once the NHL trade freeze lifts next week. Defenseman Logan Stanley has been mentioned in trade speculation, and the Olympic break may have provided an opportunity for discussions to progress behind the scenes.
For now, head coach Scott Arniel offered measured updates. Miller skated Monday and is scheduled for an injured reserve skate Wednesday. Pionk is considered a possibility for the team’s upcoming road trip. Fleury is progressing but will need additional time to rebuild conditioning, potentially opening the door for Heinola or Salomonsson to remain on the roster when games resume.
pic.twitter.com/VdkeNli4V3 Winnipeg's Josh Morrissey appears to suffer lower-body injury after his leg kicks out after colliding with Czechia player. Tried to come back in the second period but was unable to go. #GoJetsGo
There was also encouraging news on Morrissey, who was injured while representing Canada men's national ice hockey team at the Winter Olympics. He is expected to return to the lineup before the end of the tournament and could rejoin Canada as early as Wednesday’s quarterfinal matchup against Czechia men's national ice hockey team.
The Jets’ roster picture should become clearer in the coming days as the Olympics wind down and Winnipeg ramps up full practices in preparation for its return to NHL play.
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The Philadelphia Flyers will be an interesting team to watch ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. They are currently eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, so there is a chance that they will be sellers.
However, at the same time, the possibility of them adding to their roster should not be ruled out. One of the Flyers' biggest needs is another goaltender, so let's look at three netminders who could be good fits for Philadelphia.
Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild
Jesper Wallstedt is the most notable goaltender in the rumor mill right now. At just 23 years old, he would have the potential to be a perfect long-term fit for the Flyers if they acquired him. The 2021 first-round pick has a 14-5-4 record, a .914 save percentage, and a 2.72 goals-against average.
However, the Minnesota Wild's asking price for Wallstedt is undoubtedly very high, so coming up with a trade package to land him could be too tough for the Flyers. Yet, on paper, the fit looks perfect between Wallstedt and Philly.
Anthony Stolarz, Toronto Maple Leafs
Could the Flyers consider a reunion with Anthony Stolarz? The 32-year-old kicked off his NHL career in Philadelphia and has come up in the rumor mill this season.
Stolarz has struggled and also has had some injury trouble this season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, though. In 16 games this campaign with Toronto, he has a 7-7-1 record, a .882 save percentage, and a 3.55 goals-against average. However, he also led the NHL with a .925 save percentage in 2023-24 and a .926 save percentage last season. With this, he could be a bounce-back candidate for the Flyers to consider pursuing if the Maple Leafs end up being open to moving him.
Colten Ellis, Buffalo Sabres
Colten Ellis could be an interesting under-the-radar goalie for the Flyers to take a chance on. The Buffalo Sabres currently have three goalies on their NHL roster, and Ellis is behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon on their depth chart. With this, some questions have come up about Ellis' long-term future in Buffalo.
If the Flyers acquired Ellis, he would give them another young option to work with for their backup role. The 25-year-old has had a decent rookie season with the Sabres, as he has a 7-4-1 record, a .896 save percentage, and a 3.11 goals-against in 13 games. This is after he had a 22-14-3 record and a .922 save percentage in 42 AHL games last season with the Springfield Thunderbirds.
While the Yankees have entered spring training under the impression Anthony Volpe will miss all of April recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, the young shortstop is aiming for an earlier return.
Just a day after beginning his hitting progression with dry swings, Volpe sounded optimistic about playing in April, calling the timeline "definitely" possible while also not committing to a date for his 2026 debut.
"My body’s ready to go," Volpe said on Tuesday in Tampa. "I started my hitting progression, so other than that, I mean, I'm full go. My body's ready to go defensively and running, so the hitting will be what we work through next and judging on how everything's gone so far, I'm just excited."
The partially torn labrum on Volpe's left shoulder was repaired in October, and while the issue was cleaned up successfully, his doctors were surprised to see the damage was actually worse than what imaging showed.
Volpe doesn't believe the shoulder injury -- suffered last May -- was largely responsible for his regression-filled 2025 campaign, in which he slashed a woeful .212/.272/.391 with 19 home runs and 150 strikeouts across 153 games.
He continues to make no excuses for last season's low production, and the recovery process has helped him learn how to improve communication with the club and stay honest with himself.
"I know I could've played better, I felt strong and good enough to go. If I didn't, I mean, I wouldn't have," Volpe said. "You learn a lot about the mindset and how you've got to be self-aware, aware of certain things going on. And how to, if you're going to play through, perform and do the best you can."
Volpe described the early stages of rehab as "rock bottom" physically, and he didn't start to feel over the hump in his offseason work until more baseball activities around the new year.
The next step in Volpe's progression will be tee work, followed by soft toss. He'll make sure landing on the shoulder is the last hurdle cleared, since a diving defensive play against the Rays at Yankee Stadium caused the "pop" that prompted two cortisone shots last season.
In the meantime, Volpe is trusting the training staff's plan, no matter how long utilityman Jose Caballero and others hold down the fort at shortstop. Volpe claims there's always been "a chip on his shoulder" -- apparently, doctors missed that during imaging, too.
"I just can't wait to go back out there, play, feel good, perform, and help the team win," Volpe said. "Because at the end of the day, if I do that and I play the way I can play, everything will take care of itself and I appreciate everything. I appreciate the accountability."
