Cleveland, OH
Josh Donaldson announces retirement from MLB, credits Oakland A’s fans
Josh Donaldson, who broke out as an American League MVP candidate with the Oakland A’s, announced his retirement from baseball on Monday.
Donaldson announced his decision on the “Mayor’s Office” podcast with former big league Sean Casey.
“Today is a sad but happy day for me,” said the 38-year-old. “I am going to announce my retirement from the game I’ve dedicated my entire life to. It’s sad because I will not be able to go out and play the game I love anymore. It’s also a very happy time that I get to be around the family and take that next chapter in life.”
Donaldson struggled last year, hitting just .152 within a .667 OPS over 50 games between the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers.
He said he considered returning for another season, but the right opportunity didn’t present itself.
Donaldson will finish his 13-year career with a .261 average, .847 OPS, 279 home runs, three All-Star nominations and the 2015 American League MVP award.
He was originally drafted No. 48 overall by the Chicago Cubs as a catcher/third baseman out of Auburn University in 2007, but was traded to the A’s the following year as part of the trade for Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin.
He didn’t make it to the big leagues until 2010, when he hit just .156 in 14 games before being sent back down. He was called up and sent back down five times until the middle of the 2012 season, when something clicked.
“I started making changes, seeing how guys were pitching me, understanding that there were some pitches that I wasn’t able to handle and I needed to figure out a way to do that,” he said on the podcast. “My approach was, if it’s over the plate, swing. Once I got sent down the last time I started honing my approach and thinking, ‘I have to dictate the at-bat.’”
He was recalled for the final time on Aug. 14, 2012, and hit .290 with an .844 OPS over his final 47 games while leading the A’s to their first postseason berth since 2006. They won their final six games, including a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers, to win the A.L. West on the final day of the season.
The following year in 2013, Donaldson exploded while hitting .301 with an .883 OPS and 24 home runs, earning him a fourth-place finish in the MVP voting while again leading the A’s to the postseason.
After another big year in 2014, Donaldson was due for a big raise, but the A’s instead traded him to Toronto for Franklin Barreto, Kendall Graveman, Brett Lawrie and Sean Nolin.
It ended up being a poor deal for the A’s, who finished in last place the next three years.
Still, Donaldson said he remembers his time in Oakland fondly.
“First and foremost the fans there are pretty spectacular,” he said. “By the end of 2012, 2013, they started showing up more and more. The true fanbase there, they were like our team: they’re grinders. They were out there supporting us through the best of times and the worst of times…
“We were always overlooked and we over-performed as a team because we were grinders. We weren’t able to get to the World Series, which is the ultimate goal, but we were picked to finish fifth in the division every year and we won the division in 2012…That was a pretty special time in my career.”
Donaldson won the MVP his first year in Toronto and continued as one of the game’s premier third basemen until his age-36 season in 2022, when he was traded to the Yankees and struggled to perform.
“The last two years were tough for me,” he said. “It’s tough to play in New York when you’re not winning. It’s especially tough when you’re not playing well.”
Donaldson said he got married to his longtime partner this offseason. They have a 3-year-old and 7-year-old. He said he plans to golf a lot more in his retirement.
“If you would’ve asked me in 2010 if I would have the career I was able to accomplish, there’s 5% of me that would’ve said yes,” Donaldson said. “The other 95% of me would’ve been like, ‘you’re crazy.’”
Cleveland, OH
Amerks Hang on to Secure 3-2 Win in Cleveland
December 22, 2024 – American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release
(Cleveland, OH) – Zachary Metsa scored the game-winning-goal moments after Cleveland’s teddy bear toss tally, while Devon Levi and Rochester’s defense stood tall to secure a 3-2 win over the North Division rival Monsters Sunday afternoon at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The win is Rochester’s fifth consecutive victory on the road, along with its sixth win over the past seven games. The Amerks improved to 16-9-3-0, giving them 37 points on the season and tying them with Cleveland for second in the North Division as the AHL starts its annual holiday break.
FIRST PERIOD
The Amerks jumped on the attack early with several scoring chances before breaking through under five minutes into the game. Brett Murray and Viktor Neuchev exchanged possession with the puck right in front of the net. Neuchev took a shot from the right side that was kicked free by Cleveland’s Zach Sawchenko. The bouncing puck was scooped up by Murray, who knocked it through multiple bodies and into the back of the goal for his team-leading 13th goal of the season.
For the first time, Josh Dunne scored against his former team. Dunne, who centered a hard-working line with Brendan Warren and Graham Slaggert, circled the zone with his linemates as Rochester maintained pressure throughout the shift. It culminated at the 10:11 mark of the first, when Warren slid a puck across to Metsa, who took a shot from the right point that Dunne tipped through traffic, eluding Sawchenko and doubling Rochester’s lead with Dunne’s fifth goal of the season.
SECOND PERIOD
Rochester dominated in shots with a 21-6 difference in the middle period, but Stanislav Svozil broke through first for Cleveland, taking a shot from the right wing with traffic taking the eyes away from Levi, making it 2-1 with 6:22 to play in the period. The goal served as the teddy bear toss goal for Cleveland, forcing the game into delay while thousands of stuffed animals were collected and donated.
After the festivities ended, the Amerks jumped right back into the action, scoring 35 seconds later with Metsa blasting a one-timer by Sawchenko. Metsa’s shot from the right point was unintentionally tipped by Cleveland defenseman Corson Ceulemans, surprising Sawchenko and putting the Amerks back up by a pair of goals, heading into the third period with a 3-1 advantage.
THIRD PERIOD
Cleveland notched the lone third-period goal in the dying seconds of the game when Daemon Hunt managed to solve Levi with 7.5 seconds remaining and the net pulled for the Monsters to have a 6-on-5 advantage. Nikita Novikov took a matching roughing penalty with Cleveland’s Owen Sillinger with 2:56 to play. The penalty was the lone infraction called against the Amerks as the red, white, and blue never allowed Cleveland a power play, marking the first time this season Rochester did not have to kill a penalty.
STARS AND STRIPES
With 23 saves, Levi picked up his ninth win of the season and his eighth in the last nine starts. The 22-year-old ranks eighth across the AHL 2.14 goals-against-average … Murray’s 13th goal of the season is his sixth in the last five games and 11th in the last 20 … The sixth-year pro is tied for the eighth-most goals in the AHL … Rochester extended its point streak in Cleveland to six games, going 5-0-1-0 in their last half dozen visits to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
UP NEXT
Rochester enters the AHL’s annual holiday break, with the team taking off Dec. 23-26. The Amerks return to play on Friday, Dec. 27 to begin a home-and-home weekend against the Utica Comets (6-14-1-2). The weekend begins at Blue Cross Arena with puck-drop slated for 7:05 p.m. Friday night and will be carried live on The Sports Leader 95.7 FM/950 AM The Fan Rochester as well as AHLTV on FloHockey.
Goal Scorers
CLE: S. Svozil (3), D. Hunt (1)
ROC: B. Murray (13), J. Dunne (5), Z. Metsa (2-GWG),
Goaltenders
CLE: Z. Sawchenko – 30/33 (L)
ROC: D. Levi – 23/25 (W)
Shots
CLE: 25
ROC: 33
Special Teams
CLE: PP (0/0) | PK (3/3)
ROC: PP (0/3) | PK (0/0)
Three Stars:
1. ROC – Z. Metsa
2. ROC – J. Dunne
3. CLE – S. Svozil
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board…
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Cleveland, OH
Donald W. Fenner
Donald W. Fenner
OBITUARY
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Donald W. Fenner, age 90, of Mentor (formerly of Willowick), who died December 17, 2024, at home. Don was born in Cleveland, OH on August 13, 1934, to John and Emily (nee Maly) Fenner. He was a graduate of Cleveland South High School. Don was truly the best of us. A kind, generous and compassionate soul who left an indelible mark on everyone he met. He married the love of his life Margaret Ann (nee Fallon) in Sallisaw, Oklahoma on July 12, 1958, before he began his U.S. Army service in Korea. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in 2023. She preceded him in death on September 25, 2023.One of 10 children, Don, was honorably discharged in 1960 and then entered a 30-plus-year career as a salesperson and manager at Sears Roebuck Co. retiring in 1991. He had a second career as a property handyman where he took pride in his work at Parkshore Apartments, where he dedicated himself to enhancing apartment living. At home, his workshop in the garage became his haven where he spent countless hours crafting cemetery crosses, birdhouses, toy barns, gates, and more. There was nothing he couldn’t fix, and he saved everything “just in case” with a craftsman’s foresight. His resourcefulness and ingenuity were unmatched. His family was his greatest joy and deepest pride. A devoted father and grandfather, he cherished every moment spent with his loved ones, always putting their happiness and well-being first. His love knew no bounds, and his presence brought comfort, strength, and warmth to all who were lucky enough to call him family. Loved by all, Don had an uncanny ability to make everyone feel seen, heard, and valued. His laughter, wisdom, and kind heart will be profoundly missed but forever remembered. Don is survived by his cherished sons Donald (Robyn Francis) of Cleveland; and Jeff (Cindy) of Mentor; grandsons Christopher Fenner of Columbus; Ryan (Mary) Fenner of Hilliard; Michael Fenner of Willoughby and Brendan Fenner of New York City; sister Joan (nee Fenner) Morawski; brother-in-law Clement Nesnadny; and many nieces and nephews. He is also remembered fondly by his extended family and friends who were touched by his warmth and infectious spirit. Calling hours will be held Friday, December 27 from 3-7 p.m. at Brickman Bros. Funeral Home, 37433 Euclid Ave., Willoughby. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, December 28, at St. Mary Magdalene Church, 32114 Vine St. Willowick, OH 44095. Internment is at All Souls Cemetery in Chardon. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Association of Cleveland or St. Jude’s Research Hospital. May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may his memory continue to bring us smiles and laughter in the years to come.
Cleveland, OH
Cleveland police announce 6 more arrests in connection to September street takeovers
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Cleveland Police announced six more arrested in connection to the Sept. 28 and Sept. 29 street takeovers in a release Friday.
Cleveland police make arrests in Columbus in connection to September street takeovers
Cleveland Police said the six were arrested on Tuesday and the charges for them all range from aggravated riot, tampering with evidence, disruption of public service and possession of criminal tools to obstruction of official business.
Cleveland Police arrested the following individuals:
- Duane Thomas Sanders, Jr. age 22, of Cleveland
- Noah Scott Painting, age 20, of Brunswick
- Robert Hezekiah Polk, age 18, of Strongsville
- Imari Tylonic Cross, age 22, of North Canton
Below are the mugshots of the individuals arrested by Cleveland Police:
Troopers arrest 2 people in connection to Cleveland street takeovers
Parma Police arrested 23-year-old David Goldwin of Independence.
Linndale Police arrested 19-year-old Ali Zahid Jumma Al Jubainawi of Akron.
Below are the mug shots of Jubainawi (left) and Goldwin (right):
PREVIOUS: Cleveland City Council closer to enacting law that crackdowns down on street takeovers
Cleveland Police said this brings the total arrests to 15.
4 Columbus men accused in Cleveland street takeovers face judge
According to the release, there is an active warrant for 20-year-old Ethan James Yovann of Parma Heights.
The Street Takeover Task Force Tip Line is also still active.
PREVIOUS: Cleveland Police and the city plan pilot program to deter street takeovers
Anyone with information can call: 216-623-5474 or email to police@clevelandohio.gov.
Copyright 2024 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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