When West Los Angeles College takes the field at its first home game on Friday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m., there will be the typical new season excitement, the usual parents and friends in the stands, and something very unusual — a female player. This year, the Wildcats are one of the few collegiate […]
— Read on www.culvercitynews.org/culver-city-high-school-boys-varsity-soccer-team-has-set-the-table/

Major League Baseball is using its financial muscle to support the U.S. women’s softball team, which already is assured a spot in the Tokyo Olympics while the American men’s baseball team struggles to qualify.
— Read on www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/28545124/major-league-baseball-sponsor-us-olympic-softball-team

https://youtu.be/rqWr_LhWmvU

She is one of a few women coaching on a professional men’s sports team.
— Read on thehill.com/changing-america/respect/lgbtq/479113-san-francisco-49ers-katie-sowers-first-openly-gay-person-to

Baseball is just coming around to adding women to coaching staffs, but this season will see one as a major-league assistant coach on the field in San Francisco Giants uniform.
— Read on www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/editorials/ct-editorials-women-major-league-baseball-20200121-7djar5xp35afjhua3udfeu3qje-story.html

2020 MLB Grit in MLB / USA Baseball Development Programs

2020 MLB Grit Baseball · Female Breakthrough Series

MLB Grit

If you have not already registered, you still have the opportunity to sign up for any of the five events. Please follow the links below to complete registration:

San Francisco – Saturday, January 25, 2020 – 9am– West Sunset Diamonds

http://www.mlbyouthplayerdevelopment.com/events/1476391-2020-mlb-grit-san-francisco

Compton – Sunday, January 26, 2020 – 10:30am – MLB Youth Academy

http://www.mlbyouthplayerdevelopment.com/events/1476397-2020-mlb-grit-compton

Vero Beach – Sunday, February 2, 2020 – 1:30pm– Jackie Robinson Training Complex

http://www.mlbyouthplayerdevelopment.com/events/1476403-2020-mlb-grit-vero-beach

Chicago – Saturday, February 15, 2020 – 9am – UIC Indoor Baseball Facility

http://www.mlbyouthplayerdevelopment.com/events/1476430-2020-mlb-grit-chicago

New York (Port Chester) – Saturday, February 15, 2020 – 3pm – Warrior Baseball Academy

http://www.mlbyouthplayerdevelopment.com/events/1476409-2020-mlb-grit-new-york

National Girls and Women in Sports Day

We will be hosting a Play Ball event and a combined baseball and softball clinic at the New Orleans MLB Youth Academy on Saturday, February 1, 2020. The Play Ball event is intended for all kids ages 4-12 and will take place from 9-11am. The clinic will follow for girls ages 12-18 and will begin at 12:00pm. If you are in the New Orleans area, we would love to see you at the event! Below are the registration links:

Play Ball Event: https://mlbplayball.leagueapps.com/events/1483423-national-girls–women-in-sports-day-play-ball-event

Baseball and Softball Clinic: https://mlbplayball.leagueapps.com/events/1477078-national-girls–womens-sports-day-clinic—new-orleans

Trailblazer Series

The application will open either at the end of this month or in early February. You will receive an email once it is open. Please save all inquiries until then as many questions will be addressed in that communication.

Elite Development Invitational and Breakthrough Series

The applications for these events will open in the late spring. Again, please save inquiries until then as many questions will be addressed in that communication.

2020 MLB Grit in MLB / USA Baseball Development Programs

2020 MLB Grit Baseball · Female Breakthrough Series

Unknown to many Filipino baseball aficionados, Japan’s most popular and oldest professional baseball team, the Yomiuri Giants, recently visited the country to conduct a baseball camp geared to strengthen ties between Japan and the Philippines and further promote development cooperation in Mindanao.
— Read on news.mb.com.ph/2020/01/19/japans-yomiuri-giants-conducts-baseball-camp-in-davao/

Alyssa Nakken, a former standout softball player at Sacramento State, has worked in the Giants’ organization since 2014 and will be tasked with “helping to build a winning culture in the clubhouse,” according to Manager Gabe Kapler.
— Read on www.washingtonpost.com/

The greatest Bama players of the last ten years.
— Read on www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/1/17/21039257/alabama-crimson-tide-softball-team-of-the-decade-haylie-mccleney-jackie-traina-kayla-braud-hemphill

SAN DIEGO — If you walked outside of MLB’s winter meetings last week, took a 15-minute drive down Pacific Highway, past the big warehouse supply store with a hu…
— Read on theundefeated.com/features/why-major-league-baseballs-rule-changes-on-marijuana-matter/

Major League Baseball drug policy – Wikipedia
— Read on en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_drug_policy

The Giants rounded out new manager Gabe Kapler’s coaching staff by adding two Major League assistant coaches on Thursday, including former Sacramento State softball player Alyssa Nakken, who is poised to become the first woman to hold a coaching position on a big league staff.
Mark Hallberg,
— Read on www.mlb.com/giants/news/alyssa-nakken-giants-coach

When West Los Angeles College takes the field at its first home game on Friday, January 24 at 2:00 p.m., there will be the typical new season
— Read on www.culvercityobserver.com/story/2020/01/16/sports/wlac-baseball-team-fields-first-female-player/8725.html

The SF Giants hired two more assistant coaches Thursday, adding Alyssa Nakken and Mark Hallberg to the coaching staff.
— Read on www.mercurynews.com/2020/01/16/sf-giants-make-historic-hire-add-former-sacramento-state-softball-player-alyssa-nakken-to-coaching-staff/

Women’s Baseball World Rankings: No. 1 Japan, No. 2 Canada, No. 3 Chinese Taipei lead way
— Read on www.wbsc.org/news/womens-baseball-world-rankings-no-1-japan-no-2-canada-no-3-chinese-taipei-lead-way

2020: Women’s Baseball World Cup – Four teams to make dream debut
— Read on www.wbsc.org/news/four-absolute-begginers-in-wbsc-womens-baseball-world-cup-2020

Kids will no longer have to drive 20 minutes out of their neighborhood to practice for baseball or softball thanks to a new training center.
— Read on spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/sports/2020/01/03/inglewood-gets-new-baseball–softball-training-center

KAYSVILLE, Utah (AP) — For decades, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was one of Boy Scouts of America’s greatest allies and the largest sponsor of troops. But on Jan. 1, the…
— Read on apnews.com/4415256925664852096cb7d57abe1df8

McKeel said the Little League program will benefit children in families who can’t afford to travel by allowing them to play all the games in one spot in Paducah. McKeel said children ages 4 to 16 will be eligible to play. The youngest players will start off with T-ball. Both girls and boys will get to choose whether to play baseball or softball. In addition, McKeel said Little League has a Challenger Division for children with disabilities.
— Read on www.wpsdlocal6.com/content/tncms/live/

Major League Baseball threatens to walk away from Minor League Baseball entirely – HardballTalk
— Read on mlb.nbcsports.com/2019/12/14/major-league-baseball-threatens-to-walk-away-from-minor-league-baseball-entirely/

Palestinian women try to bring baseball to Gaza | Stock Daily Dish
— Read on stockdailydish.com/palestinian-women-try-to-bring-baseball-to-gaza/

Most 15 year olds are only pros at using Instagram, not pitching a baseball.
— Read on ftw.usatoday.com/2019/12/this-15-year-old-girl-is-casually-throwing-triple-digit-fast-balls

MLB Winter Meetings began on December 8 in San Diego and concludes today. All 30 MLB teams are wheeling and dealing, trying to prepare for the upcoming season.
— Read on theshadowleague.com/mlb-winter-meetings-diversity-inclusion-events-recap/

When I tried out for my high school softball team my freshman year, I was pleasantly surprised by the mediocre but freshly-dragged dirt infield and yellowish-green outfield.  In my defense, it was a big step-up from the small field nestled behind the abandoned middle school, complete with potholes and weeds…
— Read on statehornet.com/2019/12/opinion-women-athletes-should-receive-the-same-treatment-as-men/

Rachel Balkovec wants to be a hit with the New York Yankees — and the way to do that is to help their minor leaguers get more hits.
— Read on www.3newsnow.com/sports/omahan-looks-to-break-barriers-as-minor-league-hitting-coach

Rachel Balkovec was hired in November and starts work next month as a minor league hitting coach of the New York Yankees.
— Read on fanbuzz.com/mlb/ap-rachel-balkovec-yankees-hitting-coach/

It’s Thursday night at Hermosillo’s baseball stadium, and the stands are packed with fervent fans, cheering on the city’s minor league team, the Naranjeros.Baseball in Hermosillo is a big party — with family and friends, food and drink, music and dancing. And of course the drama of the game.But tonight, the Naranjeros are also making history.“We present to you, Justine
— Read on fronterasdesk.org/content/1347516/mujeres-en-el-diamante-us-coach-brings-baseball-clinic-girls-mexico

Since 2017, Minor League Baseball’s Women in Baseball Leadership Event Scholarship has given women the chance to attend the Winter Baseball Meetings.
— Read on www.frntofficesport.com/women-in-leadership-milb/

Greta Thunberg has succeeded in turning vague anxieties about the planet into a worldwide movement calling for global change
— Read on time.com/person-of-the-year-2019-greta-thunberg/

A group of women find fitness and friendship playing a sport called rounders, which is similar to baseball or cricket.
— Read on www.wsj.com/articles/play-ball-women-bond-through-rounders-11575808200

Lauren Cummings is a young athlete with a twinkle in her eye. But that twinkle may be misleading.
— Read on www.montanasports.com/category/high-school/football/braids-basketball-baseball-and-football

Major League Baseball will host a selection of activities during the Baseball Winter Meetings designed to continue the considerable cultural growth of diversity and inclusion throughout the sport.
— Read on www.blacknews.com/news/major-league-mlb-baseball-winter-meetings-programs-diversity-inclusion/

As the 50th anniversary of Title IX approaches, former female athletes are donating millions to build facilities and endow scholarships and coaching positions at their alma maters.
— Read on www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/sports/women-donations-college-athletics.html

Vanderbilt’s 2019 NCAA baseball championship team turned down a White House invitation with Donald Trump; 2018 champs Oregon State went instead
— Read on www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2019/12/02/vanderbilt-baseball-declined-trump-white-house-invite-osu-takes-place-report/4350843002/

NEW YORK (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders met Monday with baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred to discuss MLB’s proposal to that would drop 42 minor league teams from their leagues after the 2020 season. MLB is negotiating a new agreement with the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, the governing body of the minors. The initial proposal primarily would impact lower-level teams in short-season leagues.
— Read on ktul.com/sports/content/baseball-commish-manfred-meets-with-bernie-sanders-over-minor-league-proposal

Hal Steinbrenner described Afterman as ‘essential’ to the organization.
— Read on www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-jean-afterman-assistant-gm-trailblazer-baseball-america-20191202-7tzdubh5rzd3lkh4swy4pqw2di-story.html

Saturday Nov. 30, 2019 is the 101st birthday of baseball icon Mary Pratt of Quincy.

— Read on www.patriotledger.com/blogs/20191129/happy-101st-birthday-to-baseball-legend-mary-pratt-of-quincy

Veronica Alvarez is the coach of the Oakland A’s and her trailblazing career is opening the door for more women to enter the sporting world of baseball.
— Read on wearemitu.com/entertainment/latina-coach-baseball/

HUNTINGTON — The Chicago Cubs recognize a great hitting instructor when they see one, regardless of gender.
— Read on www.herald-dispatch.com/content/tncms/live/

Mills had been living in Tucson for the last year.
— Read on tucson.com/content/tncms/live/

How can women break into the sport’s male-dominated industry? “There have to be people helping you along the way.”
— Read on theathletic.com/1406664/2019/11/26/inside-the-womens-sports-schools-first-baseball-scouting-weekend/

Diversity has been a looming issue in the baseball world since its infancy. One particular diversity concern that has gained attention over the last several
— Read on metsmerizedonline.com/2019/11/the-future-of-women-in-baseball-is-now.html/

The 2020 Democratic presidential candidate noted that the teams will shut down even as the average MLB franchise generated $40 million in profits in 2018.
— Read on www.foxbusiness.com/politics/bernie-sanders-mlb-minor-league-baseball-plan

Rachel Luba talked with Sheryl Ring about her new agency, Bauer, and being a woman in a male-dominated field.
— Read on www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2019/11/25/20977770/conversation-with-trevor-bauers-new-agent-rachel-luba

Yankee exec says Red Sox step to plate for women in baseball | Daily Stock Dish
— Read on dailystockdish.com/yankee-exec-says-red-sox-step-to-plate-for-women-in-baseball/

New Cubs staffer Rachel Folden was honored to be one of the first females selected to a minor-league staff but wished opportunities for women occurred sooner.
— Read on www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cubs/ct-chicago-cubs-rachel-folden-20191124-k4a4c7lgcfc5lmlawh7f2scamy-story.html

Granderson and his organization, Chicago Baseball and Educational Academy, teamed up with Baseball For All to provide a training camp for girls ages 10-18 at UIC.
— Read on chicago.suntimes.com/sports-saturday/2019/11/23/20934967/curtis-granderson-cbea-aim-to-change-narrative-through-partnership-with-baseball-for-all

New Cubs Hire Rachel Folden ‘Perfect Person to Cross This Barrier’ as Lead Hitting Lab Tech in Mesa – Cubs Insider
— Read on www.cubsinsider.com/2019/11/23/new-cubs-hire-rachel-folden-perfect-person-to-cross-this-barrier-as-lead-hitting-lab-tech-in-mesa/

During Cubs Convention last winter, a young girl walked forward, grabbed a microphone and had a question for president of baseball operations Theo Epstein. She wanted to know if the team was planning on hiring more women throughout the organization. The audience cheered with approval.
“We are,” Epstein
— Read on www.mlb.com/news/cubs-announce-2020-minor-league-coaching-hires