CHICAGO — ”Where the hell did this come from?‘

Ah, nothing like little brother’s reaction to big brother’s promotion.

The truth is that Bret Boone received virtually the same response from his close friends and golf buddies as when he broke the news to his brother, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, that he is now the new Texas Rangers hitting coach.

Boone’s experience?

Nothing, except those playing career statistics on the back of his baseball card.

“I wasn’t looking for anything,’ Bret Boone, 56, the former three-time All-Star second baseman, told USA TODAY Sports. “I had never seen myself in a hitting coach capacity anywhere. All of this happened out of nowhere. There was no agenda. Nothing. Now, here I am, and I’ve got 12, 13 kids I’m living and dying with on every pitch every game.

“It’s surreal.’

This week, Boone will be bringing his new family of hitters to the Bronx where he hopes they can pummel his little brother’s team, just like back in the days when they were facing one another across the field playing in the big leagues.

The Rangers open a three-game series against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, and 2,793 miles away in Buena Park, California, Bob and Sue Boone will have the big screen TV on in Bob’s trophy room, watching in fascination as their two sons go toe-to-toe for three games, just like the old times.

“This is something that Bret wanted for so long,’ Sue Boone said. “I’m so excited for him. But I was kind of torn. I rely on Bret a lot, he does a lot of stuff around the house for us, but I know this is something he wanted for so long.’

The routine for Sue and Bob Boone is sitting on their leather chairs watching the Yankees on the large TV in the middle of the room, and the Atlanta games on another – Nick Allen, who’s married to Bret’s daughter, is the starting shortstop for Atlanta.

Well, thank goodness they have three TVs now, making sure they get their game times right not to miss a single pitch. The Yankees games will remain on the main TV though.

“I watch them more intently now than when Bob was playing or the boys were playing,’ said Sue Boone, who has been married to Bob since 1967. “That’s our livelihood now, watching the games. When Bret and Aaron’s teams were playing against each other, people are asking, ‘Who do you pull for?’ They would always ask me that when the boys were playing each other. Well, you cheer for both of them. You want them both to get a few hits.’

There was nothing like that 2000 game in Cincinnati, which will forever be etched in the family scrapbook. Bret went 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI for the visiting San Diego Padres, only for Aaron to go 3-for-5 with a walk-off home run to give the Reds a wild 11-9 victory.

“But now that Aaron is a manager, and Bret is coaching,’ Sue Boone says, “well, it’s a little different. I know their competitive juices will really be flowing. They’re brothers, but will be enemies this series.’

So, what are the parents rooting for this week?

“I want to see the Rangers get a whole lot of hits because of Bret,’ Sue Boone says, “but the Yankees win because of Aaron.’

So, in other words, the dream scenario would be Yankees 12, Rangers 11?

“That would be perfect.’

The Boones have been watching Yankees games every night since Aaron became manager before the 2018 season. It has become a family ritual with Bob dissecting the strategy as if he was back in the dugout, laughing at Aaron’s fiery disposition which has led to 41 ejections, the most in Yankee history, while Bob was ejected just eight times in 815 games.

Scott Miller, author of the book, “Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter,’ sat down with Bob and Sue Boone to watch one of the Yankees’ games on TV, and devoted his entire first chapter to the family. Bob managed the Cincinnati Reds with Aaron on the team from 2001-2003, and still today, Aaron calls his dad after games to go over everything that transpired.

“If I’ve got a little question, I might ask him why did you do that, and he’ll tell me,’ Bob Boone told Miller for ‘Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter.’

“I could irritate him if I tell him, ‘Here’s what you should have done.’ That won’t work. But if I have a thought, I’ll tell him.’

But these days, it’s the boys who speak after games. Aaron and Bret used to talk perhaps once a week during the season, but now they talk every day.

Aaron, who was on a bus headed back to Yankee Stadium after a Yankees “Welcome Home Dinner’ in New York when Bret gave him the call, sounded even more excited than Bret when speaking to USA TODAY Sports this week that his brother is back in the game.

“The way it came together, and the speed it came together for Bret is wild,’ says Aaron, 52. ‘I don’t think he was even lobbying or trying, but I always thought they’d love to be back in the game with a team. So, I’m not surprised he jumped at this opportunity.

“He’s in a great place in his life where he’s ready for this. And I think he definitely will have a positive impact on the players.’

It all began when Bret was invited to throw out the first pitch at his alma mater, USC, two weeks ago. He got a text message from former All-Star infielder Michael Young, who was in the stands, saying, “Don’t bounce it.’ They caught up after the game, spoke for a few minutes, and an hour later, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy was calling Boone asking if he wanted to become their new hitting coach.

“I don’t think I’d be sitting here if that interaction didn’t happen,’ Bret Boone says. “I hadn’t talked to Michael in a couple of years, and we were just shooting the breeze. He says, ‘Why don’t you go back onto the field?’ I told him, ‘Nah, I like staying home and doing my podcasts. Tell C.Y. [GM Chris Young] hello and give Boch a hug for me.’

“The next thing I know, I’m flying out to Boston to meet the team wondering what am I even doing? I get in at 11:30 at night, and there waiting for me at the check-in desk is Boch.

“I knew then I was right where I’m supposed to be.’

It has been two weeks since Bret took over as the Rangers’ hitting coach, and already, he has made an impact. Texas has taken off since his arrival, going 9-4 and moving from fourth place into second entering May 18, despite All-Star shortstop Corey Seager back on the injured list.

“I’ve been scoreboard-watching,’ Aaron says. “I never paid much attention to the Rangers, but I sure do now, seeing how that offense is doing. It’s fun checking on each other every day now. All of a sudden, we have a little more in common.’

The best time of Aaron’s career, he says, was playing 2 ½ years for his dad in Cincinnati, and spending two months playing alongside his brother in 1998 – also living with him. It was Aaron’s first full season while Bret was making his first All-Star team and winning a Gold Glove with 24 homers and 95 RBI. Bret’s finest stretch that season was his first full month with Aaron, hitting .286 with five homers, 25 RBI and a .944 OPS in August.

“That was so cool playing in the same infield with Bret for two months,’ Aaron sats. “Here I am just trying to establish myself as a big leaguer, and here I am playing with my older brother where I was the third baseman and he was the second baseman.

“I’ll remember that forever.’

Then, there was the 2003 All-Star Game in Chicago, Aaron’s first time making the team and Bret’s third and final nod. They have a picture together with Aaron and Bret, alongside Bob Boone and grandpa Ray Boone. The family has combined for 5,890 hits, 634 homers and 3,139 RBI with 10 All-Star Game appearances and 11 Gold Gloves.

“I have that picture in my office,’ Aaron says. ‘Three generations of All-Stars, that was pretty neat for all of us.’

There will be plenty more photos taken this week, of course, with perhaps the two exchanging lineup cards at home plate. They may even get together for dinner on Monday’s off-day with Bret’s son, Luke, who lived with Aaron and his family last year, working in New York for MLB.

And, of course, there will be good-natured teasing, with Aaron wondering how Bret managed to keep his job after the Rangers were no-hit for six innings by Colorado Rockies rookie Chase Dollander one night and then Detroit Tigers Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal was perfect for six innings against Texas.

“When I saw they were facing Skubal,’ Aaron says, “I told him, ‘It’s about to get real. Real quick.”

Bret laughs at the irony, golfing together with Skubal just before spring training. While Skubal was shutting down the Rangers, he was teasing Boone in between innings, mimicking his golf swing, while the TV cameras remained glued on Boone’s face.

“It cracks me up,’ Bret says. “The camera is always on me. It’s the Boone factor. I’m a witch and a sorcerer. Hey, I’m not here to re-invent the wheel. These guys won a World Series two years ago. A lot of the guys in that room have a trophy in their house.

“I wasn’t coming here to flip over the lunch table. I’m just here to learn these guys, their tendencies and personalities, and sprinkle in some ‘me.’ These kids are young. Some of the guys like Evan Carter (22) and Wyatt Langford (23) were 3 years old when I retired. I tell them I can relate to every emotion you’re going to have. I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been on top of the world and I’ve been hiding in my room, not wanting to go to the ballpark because I don’t know if I’ll get a hit again.

“And if you don’t believe me, go ahead and Google me.’

If you do, you’ll find one of the greatest, most successful baseball families in history, with a deep, rich lineage and now entering yet a new chapter.

“Watching those two compete will be very cool and a lot of fun,’ said agent Adam Katz, who represented both players since the beginning of their major league careers, “but nothing new with two competitive siblings like Bret and Aaron.’

And the emotions have already begun.

“Aaron is always checking in with me,’ Bret says, “making sure everything is fine. He knows what I’m going through being back in the grind. But I couldn’t be happier. I’m back in the game, and I’m about to go face my brother’s team at Yankee Stadium.

“It doesn’t get any cooler than that.’

Around the basepaths

– Contrary to popular belief, it’s a long shot that Pete Rose will be elected into the Hall of Fame when he’s first eligible in 2027.

You don’t have to look back any further than the ballot two years ago when Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens didn’t even receive four of the required 12 votes needed by the 16-person committee in December 2022.

Yet, despite never being suspended, fined or testing positive for PED use, they didn’t come close to election.

Do you really think that Rose, who committed baseball’s cardinal sin of gambling and lied about it for 15 years, will be suddenly forgiven by the executives, Hall of Fame players, writers and historians on the committee when they quickly dismissed baseball’s all-time home run king and a seven-time Cy Young winner?

The voters realize that if Rose is let into Cooperstown, there will be no compelling reason to keep out Bonds, Clemens and Sammy Sosa, or even Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez, who were suspended for steroid use. If you can allow managers who bet on baseball and players (Shoeless Joe Jackson) who took money from mobsters to throw games, what’s a little PED use?

Remember, the Hall of Fame instructs voters to base their choices “upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship and contribution to the team(s) on which the player played.”

– The value of Rose’s merchandise and memorabilia has spiked since Commissioner Rob Manfred reinstated Rose from baseball’s permanently ineligible list.

– When the Hall of Fame hears that it can’t be a true museum of history without baseball’s all-time hit king, their officials point out there are 31 artifacts from Rose already in the Hall of Fame – so his story is already being told without his induction.

– Several teams, including the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, are closely monitoring Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon in case he’s traded this summer.

– If the Boston Red Sox are still looking for a first baseman at the trade deadline, Rhys Hoskins of the Milwaukee Brewers could be the perfect fit. Hoskins, a free agent after the season, will be available if the Brewers aren’t in the playoff hunt.

– Barry Larkin’s ownership group aiming to get an MLB franchise in Orlando, Florida, remains a viable option if the Rays don’t soon have a resolution in the Tmapa Bay area.

– Yankees starter Marcus Stroman’s trade value is actually increasing by being on the injured list. Now that he’s sidelined, he won’t be able to automatically exercise his player option since he’ll fall short of 140 innings.

There were several teams that had interest in Stroman during the winter but balked at the possibility of being on the hook for $18 million in 2026.

– If the Brewers are out of the race by July 31, they are expected to be flooded with calls for ace Freddy Peralta, who has a club option for just $8 million next season.

– Maybe it’s not so much a coincidence that the White Sox have played better since Pope Leo XIV took office, considering his affinity for the White Sox.

“It’s been exciting obviously to have someone of that significance be a White Sox fan,’ White Sox GM Chris Getz said. “Since he’s been announced to become the Pope, the White Sox have tacked on some wins. So perhaps a higher power is on our side.’’

– Scouts who watched Dodgers rookie Rōki Sasaki in Japan were convinced that he was hurt after watching him pitch this season and their suspicions were verified when Sasaki was placed on the IL with a shoulder impingement. Sasaki, who was recruited by virtually every team in baseball, has a 4.72 ERA with just 24 strikeouts in 34⅓ innings through his first eight big-league starts.

– How much of a regular guy is new Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly?

He not only has been a part-owner of a Jimmy John’s in the Pittsburgh area, but he would regularly fill in making sandwiches or delivering orders.

– The Athletics of West Sacramento shelled out $67 million for Luis Severino to be the ace of the staff and provide a smooth transition from Sacramento to Las Vegas.

What they didn’t factor in is that Severino would have a tough adjustment to hitter-friendly Sutter Health.

“It’s tough to pitch here,” Severino told reporters after being shelled by the Yankees. “You’re just not used to it. You have a routine your whole life, then you come here and just (have to) work around whatever you have here.”

While Severino typically would walk into the clubhouse in between innings or even jump on the exercise bike to keep his legs moving, the A’s clubhouse is located behind the left-field fence, keeping Severino trapped in the dugout.

The impact?

Severino’s ERA at the A’s temporary home is 6.75 in six starts.

His road ERA is 0.95 in three starts.

– Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who drove in six runs May 16 from the leadoff spot to tie a franchise record, is also the first Cubs player to hit at least 12 homers, drive in 30 runs and steal 10 bases in the first 45 games of the season.

“It’s fun to see a player take another step,’ Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s taking a step up defensively. He’s taking a big step offensively. It’s an impact player.’

– Phillies starter Aaron Nola, who has badly struggled this year (1-7, 6.16 ERA), will miss his first start since 2017 after hitting the IL. Nola had been baseball’s ultimate workhorse, pitching an MLB-leading 1,482 ⅓ innings with 217 starts.

– Don’t look now, but the Colorado Rockies, after firing manager Bub Black and employing their third hitting coach in six weeks, are off to the worst start in baseball history and are now on pace to go 26-136, obliterating the White Sox’s record of 121 losses set last year.

The Rockies are hitting just .184 on the road where they’ve gone 2-21, and entered May 17 having been outscored by 145 runs.

– The only team in Tigers history that had a better run differential (87) than this year’s edition after 45 games is that famous 1984 Tigers team, who went wire-to-wire.

– The Atlanta organization was pleased that Ronald Acuña Jr. apologized to manager Brian Snitker and his teammates for his social media comment last month criticizing Snitker for not benching outfielder Jarred Kelenic when he did not run hard out of the batter’s box after hitting a ball that he mistakenly thought was a home run.

“If it were me,’ Acuna said, “they would take me out of the game.”

Acuña said he simply was frustrated being away from the team when he tweeted out his comment.

“I was in the wrong,’ he said in a press conference this week. “I shouldn’t have done that. But thankfully I was able to apologize to Snit, man-to-man, to his face. I was able to apologize to my teammates. And now we’re just turning the page and moving on.”

Acuña, who is recovering from his second ACL tear, should be able to return in time for Atlanta’s next home stand beginning May 23.

–Can we go ahead and give the Comeback Player of the Year award to Detroit Tigers center fielder/shortstop Javy Baez? He played in just 80 games last season hitting .184 with a .516 OPS and was in danger of being released, even with three years and $73 million left on his contract.

These days, he is hitting .307 with a .855 OPS and has played brilliantly defensively in center field. He has already matched last year’s total of six home runs and his 28 RBIs are just nine shy of last season.

‘It just goes to show, you can’t write guys off,’ Tigers starter Jack Flaherty told reporters. “You can’t give up on guys, especially a guy like that who is as talented as anybody who has ever played that game and someone, who as I’ve gotten to know him, is going to work hard. The adjustments he’s been able to make, even just embracing the move to center field, I’m so happy for him. It’s awesome to see.’

– Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman still needs 90 minutes of treatment on his surgically repaired right ankle just to play each day, is hitting .358 with a 1.097 OPS, and credits his soft single off Pirates ace Paul Skenes’ changeup on April 25 for his soaring confidence.

“That’s when my confidence in my swing kind of skyrocketed, was after that hit,’ said Freeman, who was hitting .250 at the time. “Sometimes you just need a result.’

Freeman says his ankle probably won’t be 100% until at least after the All-Star break.

– Who would have thought that the best rookie in baseball this year would be Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson, who is hitting .341 with a .853 OPS, with his 58 hits trailing only Aaron Judge?

– In 1975, pitchers threw a complete game once every 3.7 starts.

Now, look at what’s happened, according to Codify Baseball.

1985: 1 of every 6.7 starts
1995: 1 of every 14.7 starts
2005: 1 of every 25.7 starts
2015: 1 of every 46.7 starts
2025: 1 of every 247.2 starts.

– You know the AL Central is a whole lot stronger than envisioned when the Minnesota Twins win 12 consecutive games and pick up only three games in the standings.

– The New York Mets not only are winning on the field, but at the gate, too.

They are fifth in attendance this year, averaging 37,027, behind the Dodgers, Padres, Yankees and Phillies.

A year ago, they were 17th, averaging 29,484.

– The San Francisco Giants are 9-0 when Robbie Ray starts.

They are 17-19 when he does not.

– The first-place Chicago Cubs, with the White Sox, Marlins, Reds, Rockies and Nationals on their upcoming schedule, don’t play a team with a winning record again until June 6 when they face the Tigers.

– The glory age of putrid: Since 1961, when baseball went to a 162-game schedule, 14 teams have lost 110 games or more in a single season.

Well, seven of those have occurred since 2013, including five of the last six seasons with the Rockies now making sure that streak continues.

– Welcome back, 37-year-old Clayton Kershaw and 78-year old coach Gene Lamont.

Kershaw, who tied a franchise record by playing in 18 seasons with the Dodgers, entered the May 17 game with 2,968 career strikeouts, 32 shy of becoming only the 20th pitcher in major league history to reach 3,000.

Lamont is joining the Pirates as a special adviser to Don Kelly. It will be his third stint with the Pirates organization, originally joining the Pirates in 1986 as one of Jim Leyland’s coaches.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

We have reached the regional championship portion of the 2025 NCAA Softball Tournament.

The field has dwindled from 64 teams to 32 entering play on Sunday, with 16 more teams facing the end of their seasons today. The 16 winners from today will advance to the super regional and continue on the road to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The 2025 tournament has featured a lot of parity, as a number of ranked teams are on the ropes entering the championship. No. 1 seed Texas A&M needs to win twice to advance to a regional, while one loss could derail its season. No. 10 LSU has already been eliminated and will watch its home regional championship game from the stands.

Watch NCAA Softball Tournament live with ESPN+

No. 13 Arizona, No. 14 Duke and No. 16 Oregon also enter similar situations as the Aggies. The Wildcats, Blue Devils and Ducks all need two wins to continue their seasons. Will their seasons continue to the super regionals, or will they all face disappointment with an early ending to their seasons?

Here’s a look at scores and highlights from the second day of the 2025 NCAA Softball Tournament regional round on Sunday, May 18:

NCAA Softball Tournament scores today

This story will be updated as the games go final.

Sunday, May 18

All times Eastern.

Tallahassee Regional: Auburn 8, No. 5 Florida State 3
Knoxville Regional: No. 7 Tennessee 5, Ohio State 0 | Ohio State eliminated
Gainesville Regional: No. 3 Florida 8, Mercer 0, 5 innings | Mercer eliminated
Columbia Regional: No. 8 South Carolina 8, North Florida 0, 5 innings | North Florida eliminated
Austin Regional: No. 6 Texas vs. UCF | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Clemson Regional: No. 11 Clemson vs. Kentucky | 1 p.m. | SEC Network (Fubo)
Norman Regional: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. Cal | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Tuscaloosa Regional: No. 15 Alabama vs. Virginia Tech | 2 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
Durham Regional: Georgia vs. No. 14 Duke | 2:30 p.m. | ACC Network (Fubo)
Lubbock Regional: No. 12 Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Baton Rouge Regional: Nebraska vs. Southeastern Louisiana | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Fayetteville Regional: No. 4 Arkansas vs. Oklahoma State | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Bryan-College Station Regional: Nebraska vs. No. 1 Texas A&M | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Eugene Regional: No. 16 Oregon vs. Stanford | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Los Angeles Regional: No. 9 UCLA vs. UC Santa Barbara 7 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Tucson Regional: No. 13 Arizona vs. Ole Miss | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+

If necessary games:

Tallahassee Regional: No. 5 Florida State vs. Auburn | 3 p.m. | ESPN+

The 2025 NCAA Softball Tournament regional round is wrapping up.

That means the field in contention for the Women’s College World Series shrinks from 64 teams to 16 ahead of next weekend. The next round is the super regionals, a three-game series between two programs with the chance to advance to the WCWS in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The top eight seeds are in line to host the super regional round. However, one of the remaining top 16 seeds could be in line to host if one of the top eight seeds falters. The 2025 tournament has already provided upsets with No. 10 LSU falling ahead of Sunday’s championship games. A handful of other ranked teams enter Sunday needing two wins to keep their seasons alive.

Here’s what you need to know about who is advancing to the Super Regionals, the hosts and when the games start:

Who’s in NCAA softball tournament Super Regionals?

This list will be updated as programs clinch spots in the Super Regional round of the 2025 NCAA softball tournament.

No. 3 Florida (Will host Gainesville Super Regional)
No. 7 Tennessee (Will host Knoxville Super Regional)
No. 8 South Carolina (Will host Columbia Super Regional)

Super Regional schedule, how to watch

All times Eastern

Schedule will be updated as it becomes available.

When are the NCAA softball tournament Super Regionals?

The 2025 NCAA softball tournament super regionals are scheduled to begin on Thursday, May 22, and run through Sunday, May 25. Across eight super regional sites, 16 teams will play three-game series to determine who advances to the WCWS.

In a few weeks, they’re going to start tearing down what’s left of old Pimlico, a historic racetrack that has been rotting in the middle of Baltimore for decades, revived year after year only for one reason: When you have the middle jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown, you do whatever you can not to lose it. 

As Journalism won Saturday’s 150th edition of the Preakness, surviving one of the most rough-and-tumble stretch runs you’ll ever see and coming back from what seemed like an impossible position with 1/8th of a mile to go, you can understand why the state of Maryland is about to invest $400 million to give the place the facelift it deserves. 

Yes, even in a fractured sport that struggles to gain mainstream interest outside of five weeks every year, the Preakness still matters and Maryland lawmakers have put huge stakes on the table to keep it. 

But that investment isn’t going to pay off unless horse racing gets its act together. As thrilling as Saturday’s race was, and as great of a horse as Journalism appears to be, did anyone but the sport’s dwindling die-hards care? 

The answer, of course, is not really. The moment Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty was withdrawn from consideration for the Preakness, the race was essentially rendered meaningless in the greater sports landscape. 

And it didn’t have to be that way. 

In the old days, a rematch between Sovereignty and Journalism – who ran eyeball-to-eyeball in the Derby until the former pulled ahead in the stretch – would have been worth at least a few headlines over the last couple weeks. 

Instead, Sovereignty’s connections decided that coming back just two weeks after the Derby, which is almost unheard of at any level of horse racing these days, was not a good fit for their horse. We’ll see him again in three weeks at Belmont, rested and ready. 

With the Preakness field coming up pretty weak, Journalism trainer Michael McCarthy threw his hat in the ring and got rewarded with a victory in a $2 million race. But given the two hard races he already has under his belt, the odds of bringing Journalism to New York for a rematch are low. 

Maybe they’ll meet again in late August at the Travers Stakes, known in racing as the mid-summer Derby, or the season-ending Breeders’ Cup Classic. It’s possible the Derby will end up being their only meeting. 

And given the way this Triple Crown has played out through two races, we’ll always wonder “what if?”

What a blown opportunity for a sport that could use the kind of rivalry we used to see all the time, whether it was Affirmed and Alydar or Sunday Silence and Easy Goer. The best raced against the best in the biggest races over and over again. The horses had actual fan bases who showed up at the track. The owners and trainers often didn’t like each other.

And it was awesome for horse racing, for the broadcasters, for the bettors and casual fans who just wanted to tune in for some human and equine drama. 

Can it ever get back to that? 

Not the way the Triple Crown is structured these days.

The problem with changing anything about the Triple Crown is that Churchill Downs, Pimlico and the New York Racing Association all operate as separate entities. If you want to move the Preakness two weeks later, well, you need to get Belmont first to move their race later in the calendar, too. 

That’s not so easy when everyone has their own piece of real estate. 

But the most powerful people in horse racing need to understand one thing: It is to the benefit of everyone if the best horses run in all three legs of the Triple Crown. And it’s especially crucial to Maryland, which is about to start this massive construction project on the premise that the Preakness is going to attract the Derby winner every single year barring injury. 

Unless that happens, Maryland has wasted its time and money. And it’s not so good for Belmont’s piece of the pie, either, if there’s almost never going to be a chance for a Triple Crown winner – or at least a sustained rivalry – on its biggest day. 

As Pimlico closes its doors and moves the Preakness about 15 miles south to Laurel Park for a couple years, all the relevant entities need to get in a room and decide what’s best for the future and for horse racing. 

Because even a great race and a great horse doesn’t do much to keep your sport relevant when there’s no overarching story to tell. 

That’s just basic Journalism. 

Mass equals gas.

It’s a refrain you hear from today’s pitchers, even from early adolescent ages, bent on increasing their velocity with added size. It’s not just baseball.

Walk around a high school athletic field, court or track and you’ll see kids who are larger and sleeker than they were just a decade or two ago.

Young athletes are lifting weights and taking over-the-counter dietary supplements in an attempt to gain size and power. The three most common of these performance enhancing substances (PES), according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Creatine, caffeine and protein supplements.

‘I think sometimes what happens is that a child who’s really interested in adding strength and muscle bulk, they’ll do a lot of things at the same time,’ says Rebecca Carl, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, ‘and so then it’s not clear if they’re taking caffeine and creatine and they’re on protein supplements and they’re lifting what’s helping them.

‘There’s a big issue with contamination,’ she says.

How much do supplements help? How safe are they? USA TODAY Sports spoke with Carl, a sports medicine physician and associate professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, about children and adolescents’ use of popular supplements and healthy weight gain.

Creatine: Benefits ‘really doubtful’ for kids

According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), creatine is produced in your liver, kidneys, and pancreas, then stored as phosphocreatine in your muscles, and our bodies use phosphocreatine to help ‘jumpstart’ during exercise.

The USADA says creatine is also found in red meat, salmon, milk, eggs and mollusks.

Taking in the compound as a supplement, however, is highly popular but also somewhat controversial among the adolescent population.

While you might know a coach who suggests taking creatine supplements, the AAP doesn’t recommend children or adolescents take them.

‘There are not studies demonstrating safety in children/adolescents,’ Carl says. ‘More recent reviews suggest that creatine can be used safely but these are generally studies of adults.

‘Your body can make creatine so it’s not needed in the diet. There is creatine found naturally occurring in things like meat and fish. But taking it as a supplement, we don’t know if there’s harm in doing that for children.

‘The other thing is it has a very narrow performance benefit.’

Carl says creatine could aid athletic bursts of one to three seconds but probably not with overall sports performance.

‘If I was summarizing it for a family, I’d say for most athletic activities, the benefits of creatine are really doubtful,’ she says. ‘There may be some benefit for really explosive, short activities. The classic would example be a weightlifter who does a single maximum lift, then there’s probably a performance benefit for that … (but) probably not even repetitive activities like that.

‘There’s not a benefit for certainly any sport where there’s an endurance component of it.’

So for baseball, for example, Carr says, creatine might help you with a single swing or single pitch, but not a series of swings or pitches.

‘PES use does not produce significant gains over those seen with the onset of puberty and adherence to an appropriate nutrition and training program,’ the AAP says in its most recent policy statement on performance-enhancing substances, which Carl says is reviewed every four years.

Coach Steve: When can teenagers start lifting weights? What about a personal coach?

Protein bars, powders and shakes: ‘Totally unnecessary’ for most kids

Two in five parents say their teenager consumed protein supplements over a one-year period, according to a 2024 University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health. 

Teens think they are taking them to build muscle, but the AAP says there’s no performance benefit to protein supplement if a diet provides adequate protein. 

‘Protein supplementation is for most children totally unnecessary because they get enough protein in the diet,’ Carl says. ‘Even kids who are lifting.’

If an athlete is a vegan or has other has dietary restrictions, Carl might have them see a registered dietician to determine how much protein and nutrients their body needs.

The AAP recommends that children 4 years and older and adolescents get 10-30% of their daily calories from protein. 

Generally, Carl says, adolescents should take in 0.5 grams of protein per pound pound of body weight per day. Those needs may be higher for athletes engaged in intense activity or resistance training. 

‘Getting adequate protein through the diet is best, especially given the issue of possible contamination,’ Carl says. ‘One other thing that is an important issue with all of these supplements is that supplements aren’t regulated the way that drugs are, so you don’t have to pull a supplement from the market until it causes harm. (With) medications, you have to prove that it’s safe first.’

Caffeine and energy drinks: ‘The risk of taking too much’

The amount of caffeine in food (soft drinks are allowed a maximum of 71 milligrams of caffeine per 12 ounces) is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Caffeine in energy drinks and other dietary supplements isn’t. 

‘Most children take caffeine, whether or not they’re doing it as a supplement, so it’s not that we think kids shouldn’t have any caffeine,’ Carl says, ‘but  some of the energy drinks that have really high doses, there’s been emergency room visits over taking too much of it.’

AAP research connects significant toxicity with the ingestion of multiple energy drink. The AAP doesn’t recommend kids and adolescents drink them at all. 

The AAP has guidelines about safe caffeine use. According to its PES statement, 1 to 3 milligrams per kilogram has been shown to have performance-enhancing effects, particularly in endurance activity, strength of knee extensors and improvements in time to exhaustion studies. 

So, for example, Carl says a child weighing 40 kilograms (or 88 pounds) would take 120 milligrams.

‘Caffeine does have performance benefits, and it’s safer than things like, certainly anabolic steroids and some of the more notorious agents,’ Carl says. ‘I think in specific circumstances, there may be a benefit to taking caffeine, but there’s also the risk of taking too much of it.’

Some potential adverse effects of caffeine overdose include cardiac arrhythmias (premature ventricular contractions), increased blood pressure, headaches, irritability, sleep disruption, tremor and gastric irritation and increased core body temperature with exertion in hot environments.

The FDA issued a warning in 2018 about supplements consisting of pure or highly concentrated caffeine in powder or liquid form.

‘It is very difficult to tell the difference between what is a safe amount and what may be a toxic or even lethal amount of this bulk product,’ the FDA said in the statement. ‘Caffeine is a powerful stimulant and very small amounts of pure or highly concentrated caffeine may have serious effects and could even be deadly.’

If you have read Richard Ben Cramer’s biography about Joe DiMaggio (‘The Hero’s Life’), you know the baseball legend used to drink many cups of coffee before games to get a boost.

According to FDA calculations, DiMaggio would have had to go on a 28-cup binge to equal the same amount of caffeine in one teaspoon of pure powdered caffeine.

Coach Steve: What are the keys for young baseball players to realize their potential?

Guidelines for adolescent weight gain

According to its statement on weight control practices in young athletes, the AAP recommends athletes who want to gain weight and add lean muscle mass do so gradually, and without supplements:

For Boys: Up to a half-pound or pound per week.
For girls: up to one-quarter to three-quarters of pound per week.
If you’re maintaining body weight while adhering to the protein guidelines above, consume an extra 300 to 500 calories above your baseline intake, an extra 14 grams of protein, strength train and get adequate sleep.

The AAP doesn’t necessarily use a maximum weight recommendation for height. Carl says Body Mass Index measurements, which have traditionally been used, are not as helpful for athletes with higher lean body mass.

‘BMI classify individuals as obese even if they have low body fat (and) more muscle mass,’ she says. ‘We tend to think in terms of recommendations of how to gain muscle mass.’

The problem with supplements and the next level

About 10 years ago, as The New York Times reported, the New York State attorney general accused four major retailers of selling fraudulent and potentially dangerous herbal supplements.

‘Sometimes that’s an issue for things like allergies – if you’re allergic to garlic and there’s garlic power or something like that – but some things they have steroid derivatives in them that could really be harmful,’ Carl says of dietary supplements.

We routinely hear from professional athletes who say they didn’t knowingly take a substance banned by their league for which they tested positive. Our children are eventually going to be held accountable, too.

‘At the college and professional level, they will recommend athletes not take any kind of supplements unless they have cleared it with the athletic trainers or coaching staff because sometimes there’s things that shouldn’t be in there,’ Carl says.

Steve Borelli, aka Coach Steve, has been an editor and writer with USA TODAY since 1999. He spent 10 years coaching his two sons’ baseball and basketball teams. He and his wife, Colleen, are now sports parents for two high schoolers. His column is posted weekly. For his past columns, click here.

The Indiana Fever have officially put the WNBA on notice.

Caitlin Clark led the Fever to a dominant 93-58 win over the Chicago Sky in the WNBA’s opening weekend with a triple-double. Clark finished with 20 points, shooting 6-of-13 from the field, 4-of-8 from three and 4-of-4 from the free throw line at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. She also recorded 10 rebounds, 10 assists, four blocks and two steals.

Despite the monster box score, Clark says she’s not satisfied with their performance. 

‘We put up 93 points and won by 30, but I felt like we could still have been a lot better, so we go back to work,” Clark said following the win over the Sky and rival Angel Reese. 

Reese led the Sky is scoring with 12 points and recorded a double-double with 17 rebounds, but Chicago wasn’t able to get much going offensively. Only two players, Reese and Ariel Atkins, reached double-digits. The team collectively shot 29.1% from the field, 22.2% from three and was outscored 48-26 in the paint. 

USA TODAY Sports recapped the rout. Check out highlights from the matchup:

LIBERTY VS. ACES HIGHLIGHTS: Stewart, Cloud star as New York wins WNBA opener

Caitlin Clark records triple-double

Last year, Clark became the first rookie in the WNBA’s 28-year history to record a triple-double in July. She notched her second Sept. 4. It only took her one game in the 2025 WNBA season to record her third.

Caitlin Clark recorded a triple-double in the Fever’s win over the Sky on Friday, finishing opening night with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, in addition to four blocks and two steals. It marked the third triple-double of Clark’s career, tied for the third-most all time. It also marks the most triple-doubles achieved through the first 41 games of a WNBA player’s career.

DeWanna Bonner moves up on WNBA’s all-time scoring list

DeWanna Bonner, one of the Fever’s newest acquisitions, made history of her own on Friday.

She scored seven points in her debut in Indiana, which was enough for her to move up the WNBA’s all-time scoring list. Bonner passed Tina Thompson with a free throw in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter and she enthusiastically raised her hands in celebration as the crowd applauded.

Here’s a look at the WNBA’s all-time career scoring leaders:

Diana Taurasi: 10,646
Tina Charles: 7,696
DeWanna Bonner: 7,489
*Tina Thompson 7,488
*Tamika Catchings: 7,380
Candice Dupree: 6,895
Cappie Pondexter: 6,811
*Sue Bird: 6,803
Candace Parker: 6,574
Nneka Ogwumike: 6,502

bold denotes active players

*asterisk notes Hall of Famers

Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers in the building

The Indiana Pacers are in the building to support the Fever on opening night. Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and other teammates were spotted watching the game from a suite. The Pacers didn’t have to travel far. They share the same arena with the Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Pacers tip off Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Knicks on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in New York. 

End of 3Q: Fever 65, Sky 45

The Fever have busted this game wide open and have a 20-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, marking Indiana’s largest of the game. Caitlin Clark is on triple-double watch with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists, in addition to four blocks and one steal. Aliyah Boston added 17 pints and 11 rebounds, while Natahsha Howard has 15. The Sky have struggled to find any offense. Angel Reese is the only Sky player in double-digits with 10 points. She also has 15 rebounds, marking her first double-double of the season.

Caitlin Clark called for Flagrant foul on Angel Reese

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese had to be separated after Clark committed a hard foul, which was upgraded to a Flagrant 1. With the Fever leading 56-42 with 4:38 remaining in the third quarter, Clark intentionally fouled Reese on the arm and shoved her as the Chicago star went for a layup. 

After being fouled, Reese hopped of the ground and attempted to approach Clark before Fever’s Aliyah Boston cut her off, pushed her and got in between the two. Reese and Boston were both called for technical fouls that offset. 

The foul came after Clark appeared to be frustrated on a non-call on Reese the prior play after Reese appeared to push Natasha Howard while attempting to rebound the ball. 

Clark, who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in 2024, and Reese, who was taken with the No. 7 pick by the Chicago Sky, have been pitted against each other throughout their career and their rivalry has captivated the nation.

The rivalry dates back to their collegiate days at Iowa and LSU, respectively, and it reached a boiling point during the closing moment of LSU’s 102-85 national championship win over Iowa, when Reese directed the John Cena ‘you can’t see me’ taunt toward Clark, the same taunt Clark used toward opponents multiple times. The taunt sparked national discourse that has followed the two superstars into the WNBA.

Caitlin Clark shows off new muscles

This offseason provided Clark some much-needed rest. Clark opted not to play competitive basketball this offseason, bypassing playing overseas or in the inaugural season of Unrivaled. She hit the gym and weight room to develop her game.

The results have been on display. Clark significantly bulked up and her new muscles became a topic of conversation across social media, especially during the Big Ten women’s basketball tournament in March.

‘I think it’s funny,’ Clark told USA TODAY about the commentary surrounding her biceps. ‘People see one photo and kind of run with it. But I appreciate it. I worked really hard so at least they noticed.’

Clark found herself on the receiving end of a lot of physicality in her rookie season, which opponents used as a means to slow her down and knock her off balance. But Clark’s added strength and muscle mass should help her push off pesky and handsy defenders.

Read Cydney Henderson’s full story on how Clark improved her game for Year 2 here.

Halftime: Fever 45, Sky 32

Caitlin Clark ended the first half with a bang. She knocked down a 25-foot three pointer to give the Fever a 13-point lead heading into halftime, which marks Indiana’s largest of the game. Clark is up to 12 points, shooting 3-of-9 from the field and 2-of-5 from three, in addition to four rebounds, three assists, three blocks and one steal. Natasha Howard is also in double digits with 10 points and three rebounds.

Chicago is only shooting 28.9% from the field and 25% from three through the first two quarters and is being outscored 22-12 in the paint. Angel Reese and Rebecca Allen each have seven points, a team-high. Reese is one rebound away from her first double-double of the season with nine rebounds.

Angel Reese hits three, fourth of her career

Caitlin Clark isn’t the only one scoring from deep. Angel Reese knocked down a shot from beyond the arch with 8:23 remaining in the second quarter to bring Chicago within three points of the Fever, 23-26. It marked only the fourth three of her WNBA career. Reese made three three-point shots on 16 attempts all of last season.

End of Q1: Fever 22, Sky 17

The Fever have a slight 22-17 lead over the Sky heading into the second quarter. Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell has a game-high nine points, while Natasha Howard added eight points. Caitlin Clark has five points, shooting 1-of-3 from the field and 1-of-2 from three.

Sky superstar Angel Reese, who led the league in double-doubles her rookie year, is already up to five rebounds after the first quarter, in addition to four points. Ariel Atkins also has four points for Chicago.

How to watch Fever vs. Sky: TV, stream

Time: 9 a.m. ET
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana
TV: ABC
Stream:  ESPN+, Disney+

Caitlin Clark hits deep three

Caitlin Clark is doing what Clark does best. She hit a deep three in the opening minutes to give the Fever a 7-4 lead over the Sky with 8:15 remaining in the first quarter. The shot is reminiscent of the signature three Clark hit to break the NCAA’s all-time scoring record in women’s or men’s basketball while at Iowa in February 2024.

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