Welcome back, folks. Hope you had a lovely long weekend that ended with all fingers and toes still accounted for.
The local teams chalked up five losses and a draw (yay, United) while we were gone. But it’s a new week, so how about we get things off on a more positive foot?
Quick links: Braves hit a new low | Rhyne gets the nod | Tech interim AD out
HOMETOWN HEROES (AND BEYOND)
The last time Atlanta hosted an MLB All-Star Game, Matt Olson was 6 years old — and watched from the Turner Field seats as Sammy Sosa bested Ken Griffey Jr. in the home run derby.
This time, the Lilburn native will be part of the fun.
“It’s one of those full-circle things, for sure,” the Braves first baseman said. “It’s always special.”
Olson got the nod as an All-Star reserve Sunday, as did pitcher Chris Sale. The latter won’t play, thanks to a cracked rib cage — but they’ll both join starting outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. for the homefield festivities next week.
Which leads me to this: Who are all these other guys coming to town? Find the full All-Star rosters here … but how about a quick, mostly Atlanta-centric rundown, too?
⭐ The former Braves: Beloved former Atlantan Freddie Freeman, one of five Dodgers receiving nods, gets the start at first base for the National League.
Max Fried, midway through his first season with the Yankees, carries a 2.27 ERA and has a decent shot at starting on the mound for the American League.
⭐ The megastars: Shohei Ohtani! Aaron Judge!
⭐ The rivals: The NL East-leading Phillies got DH Kyle Schwarber and Smyrna native Zack Wheeler in, while the Mets send shortstop Francisco Lindor, first baseman Pete Alonso and closer Edwin Diaz (pity that billion-dollar baby Juan Soto didn’t make the cut).
- The Nationals send pitcher MacKenzie Gore and James Wood, the 22-year-old outfielder with 23 home runs (shoulda been a starter).
- Outfielder Kyle Stowers will represent Miami.
⭐ The young guys: A few of my personal favorites, among the budding stars.
- Cal Raleigh, the record-breaking Mariners catcher (35 home runs as we speak) with the fantastic nickname: Big Dumper. He’s 28, but still counts here.
- Paul Skenes, the Pirates fireballer you’ve surely heard of.
- Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Cubs’ do-it-all center fielder (and real-life son of the actress who played the mom in the ‘90s kids classic “Little Big League”).
- Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson, who’s hitting .335 and would look pretty, pretty good in a Braves uniform one day. Just saying.
Much more coverage to come as we get ready for everything All-Star in and around Truist Park.
ONE NOD, ONE SNUB
The Atlanta Dream have a couple of All-Stars of their own. And it probably should’ve been three.
Over the weekend, all-around guard Rhyne Howard got the nod to join starter Allisha Gray for the WNBA’s midseason melee (July 19 in Indianapolis). That’s Howard’s third such honor in four season, and well-deserved.
😖 Sure feels like teammate Brionna Jones got snubbed, though. The center averages about 14 points and eight rebounds a game, the latter falling near the top of the league.
According to The Athletic, Dream general manager Dan Padover called Jones not getting the nod “one of the most ridiculous things I’ve seen in quite some time.”
- Up next: The Dream host the Golden State Valkyries — an impressive first-year expansion team — Monday at 7:30 p.m. Watch on Peachtree TV.
SPEAKING OF RIDICULOUS …
… and The Athletic, a new ranking of college football’s best rivalries includes Georgia-Florida — at No. 12.
Can’t complain about a lot of the selections, but that’s behind games like Nebraska-Oklahoma and Minnesota-Wisconsin. Regional bias blah blah blah … but come on now.
Georgia-Georgia Tech came in at No. 31.
🔗 Bonus links: Top UGA players in each decade; Top Tech players in each decade
THE SEARCH CONTINUES
Georgia Tech interim athletic director Jon Palumbo is on the way out, set to join former boss J Batt at Michigan State.
As beat writer/tea leaf reader Chad Bishop points out, that likely means the Jackets have honed in on another candidate to lead things in Atlanta.
Might we see an announcement soon?
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
This was one of my favorite reads from over the holiday weekend, courtesy of the AJC’s Sarah K. Spencer:
Marietta’s Kari Knotts is 14 years old, 6-foot-3 and dreaming of Olympic volleyball stardom. She just helped the United States’ under-19 team win gold the Pan American Cup (and no, she doesn’t play basketball, stop asking).
🏐 Said coach Jamie Morrison: “You often forget how old she is, but I think that there’s something inside, a drive, a motor that’s unique, that’s a little bit different. And I think for me if she stays humble through all of the attention that she’s getting and uses that drive, the sky’s the limit for her.”
ALSO INTERESTING
↔️ The Hawks somehow ended up part of the record-breaking seven-team deal that sent Kevin Durant (and Atlanta center Clint Capela) to the Houston Rockets. No big changes from what was reported last week, just a little creative packaging to start the new league year.
🙃 Saints running back Alvin Kamara threw out a (very bad) first pitch at Wrigley Field over the weekend, then got a do-over. Which is fine — but the New Orleans social media crew only posted the second attempt. Poor form.
⚽ The U.S. men’s soccer team dropped Sunday’s Gold Cup final against Mexico, 2-1. But they looked much better during the tournament as a whole? Which bodes well for next year’s World Cup? Maybe?
WEEKEND WONDERPERSON
The Weekend Wonderperson is you — if you ran, walked or otherwise enjoyed Friday’s AJC Peachtree Road Race.
Bonus points if you put something ridiculous on to do it, like the ladies above (and the rest of the folks in this photo gallery).
QUOTE OF THE DAY
There's nothing better than being with 55,000 of my closest friends.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
Before taking over the AJC's Sports Daily newsletter, Tyler Estep spent two years writing the A.M. ATL newsletter. A Gwinnett County native and University of Georgia graduate, he has been with the AJC since 2015 and previously worked as a reporter on the breaking news, hyperlocal and local government teams.
