FSU football head coach Mike Norvell talks bye week practice
FSU football head coach Mike Norvell talks bye week practice
David Ross misses this time of year.
The two-time World Series champion and former Chicago Cubs manager says there’s nothing more intense – or more fun – than Major League Baseball’s playoffs.
And Ross, a former Florida High standout, has enjoyed watching fellow Tallahassee residents Luke Weaver (New York Yankees), Tyler Holton (Detroit Tigers) and Cole Ragans (Kansas City Royals) excel in the postseason.
“This is definitely the time of year I miss baseball the most,” said Ross, the former MLB catcher who won World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox and Cubs.
“This what you play for, to be on that stage and all the hard work you put in all year pay off. It’s super cool to see guys from Tallahassee dominating on the biggest stage in baseball. Guys that have been doing my camp (Father-Son) for many years continue to mature and grow in their careers and be on this stage is super fun to watch.”
Former FSU pitcher Luke Weaver embraces closer’s role with Yankees
Weaver, a Deland native who pitched at Florida State from 2012-14, has been integral to the Yankees’ postseason run out the bullpen for the first time in his career.
He appeared in all four games of the American League Division Series, saving all three of New York’s victories as it advanced to the AL Championship Series against the winner of the Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Guardians decisive Game 5 on Saturday.
In Game 1, Weaver, 31, struck out three batters over 1.1 innings to close out a 6-5 win. In Game 2, he retired the one batter he faced. In Game 3, he recorded a five-out save. And in Game 4 Thursday, the righty set the Royals down in order in the ninth to preserve the 3-1 win.
Weaver is 7-for-7 in save chances since replacing Clay Holmes as closer on Sept. 6 and has struck out 29 of 55 batters.
“We’ve been fighting to get better all year and for me, it’s been a hard road to get here,’’ Weaver (7-3, 2.89 ERA) told the New York Post. “It’s hard to believe when you’re the guy getting the final out.”
Gage Smith – Weaver’s brother-in-law and his former FSU teammate – is hopeful he can travel from Tallahassee to see a postseason game. Smith, a reliever who went 14-4 with 114 career appearances with the Seminoles, says it’s neat to see local players competing in MLB.
Ragans (11-9, 3.14 ERA), a fellow North Florida Christian alum and first-round selection (2016), was an All-Star selection with the Royals this season. The lefty made his first career postseason start against the Orioles, tossing six scoreless innings in Kansas City’s 1-0 win Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series. He threw four innings in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees, surrendering one run with four walks and five strikeouts.
Holton (7-2, 2.19 ERA), one of the Tigers’ most versatile pitchers who starred at Lincoln High and FSU, started Game 1 of their ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians. He earned a save in Game 3 and threw a scoreless inning of relief in Game 4. The lefty also started Game 2 against Houston in the American League Wild Card series.
Two local pitchers whose teams did not advance into the playoffs included Minnesota’s Cole Sands (9-1, 3.28 ERA) and Toronto’s Bowden Francis (8-5, 3.30 ERA). Sands pitched at NFC and FSU. Francis, who lost no-hit bids in the ninth inning in two games over four starts, pitched at Chiles and Chipola College.
“It’s actually incredible seeing all these guys like Luke, Holton, Bowden and Cole who all live in little Tallahassee in the offseason then go out on one of the biggest stages there is and perform as well as they have all year,” Smith said. “And then three of those guys continuing to excel in the postseason is an absolute blast to watch.
“Stuff like this doesn’t happen.”
Added Francis: “It’s pretty sick seeing this many high level guys come out of a smaller town around the same time. I think it’s just the competitiveness we had throughout the years in high school shapes us into who we are being now as players.”