Vin Scully wins Baseball Digest lifetime achievement award

NEW YORK – Vin Scully has won the second Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Baseball Digest.

The longtime Dodgers announcer was honored Tuesday with an annual distinction that recognizes a living individual “who has made significant contributions to the national game.”

The 94-year-old Scully retired after the 2016 season, ending a 67-year broadcasting career that stretched back to when the Dodgers played in Brooklyn before moving to Los Angeles in the late 1950s. It was easily the longest tenure of any announcer with one team.

He was one of six finalists last year, when Willie Mays won the inaugural award. This year, a 17-member panel chose from a list of candidates that included Bobby Cox, Sandy Koufax, Rachel Robinson, Bud Selig and Joe Torre, among others.

“Any award that’s already been won by Willie Mays, who certainly was one of my favorite players and one for whom I had great respect, is an honor,” Scully said in a news release. “It’s an honor to even have my name linked with his in some way. I was honored, delighted and surprised that I turned out to be the second winner of Baseball Digest’s Lifetime Achievement Award. I’m proud of it and humble at the same time.”

Scully won the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting excellence in 1982 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

“Vin Scully was not only the voice of the Dodgers, but was also the soundtrack of our national game for an incredible seven decades,” Baseball Digest publisher David Fagley said. “We are honored to recognize his iconic career both as a broadcaster and as a wonderful ambassador for the sport he loves so much.”

TAMPA, Fla. — Anthony Volpe grew up watching Derek Jeter star at shortstop for the New York Yankees.

Now, the 21-year-old is getting the chance to be the Yankees’ opening day shortstop against the San Francisco Giants.

The team announced after a 6-2 win over Toronto in spring training that Volpe had won the spot. New York manager Aaron Boone called the kid into his office to deliver the news.

“My heart was beating pretty hard,” said Volpe, rated one of baseball’s best prospects. “Incredible. I’m just so excited. It’s hard for me to even put into words.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, hitting coach Dillon Lawson and bench coach Carlos Mendoza were also present.

Volpe was able to share the news with his parents and other family members near the Yankees’ dugout and said it is something he will never forget.

“It was pretty emotional,” Volpe said. “It was just an unbelievable moment to share with them.”

Volpe, who grew up a Yankees fan, lived in Manhattan as a child before moving to New Jersey. Jeter was his favorite player.

“It’s very surreal,” Volpe said. “I’ve only ever been to games at Yankee Stadium and for the most part only watched him play there.”

Volpe is hitting .314 with three homers, five RBIs and a .417 on-base percentage in 17 Grapefruit League games. He has just 22 games of experience at Triple-A.

Spring training started with Volpe, Oswald Peraza and holdover Isiah Kiner-Falefa competing for the everyday shortstop job. Kiner-Falefa was shifted into a utility role midway through camp, and Peraza was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday evening.

“While certainly the performance was there, he killed it between the lines,” Boone said of Volpe. “All the other things that we’ve been hearing about showed up. There’s an energy he plays the game with, and an instinct that he has that is evident. He really checked every box that we could have had for him. Absolutely kicked the door in and earned his opportunity.”

Volpe arrived in Florida in December to work out at the Yankees’ minor league complex.

“He’s earned the right to take that spot, and we’re excited for him and excited for us,” Cashman said. “He just dominated all sides of the ball during February and March, and that bodes well obviously for him as we move forward.”

Volpe was selected out of high school with the 30th overall pick in the 2019 draft from Delbarton School in New Jersey. He passed up a college commitment to Vanderbilt to sign with the Yankees.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get into the organization,” Volpe said. “This day, this feeling, this moment was kind of what I’ve worked my whole life for when I made that big decision.”

“Right now it’s crazy,” he added. “I don’t even know what lies ahead but Thursday I just want to go out and play, and have fun.”