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No. 17 Clemson 51, The Citadel 14
CLEVELAND — Even after leaving Cleveland, Carlos Santana remained a fan favorite and was warmly welcomed back as a visitor. He's home again. Santana signed a one-year, $12 million contract and returned Monday for his third stint with the Guardians, who have an opening at first base after the AL Central champions traded Josh Naylor to Arizona on Saturday. Santana can earn an additional $1.2 million in bonuses for plate appearances: $200,000 for 500 and each additional 25 through 650. The 38-year-old Santana spent last season with Minnesota, batting .238 with 23 homers and 71 RBIs in 150 games. He also won his first Gold Glove, becoming the oldest position player to win the honor for the first time. Santana previously was with Cleveland from 2010-17. He returned in 2019, made his first All-Star team and spent two seasons with the club before signing as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals. The switch-hitter is second in club history in walks (881), tied for sixth in homers (216) and is eighth in extra-base hits (503). Over 15 major league seasons, Santana has 324 homers and 1,082 RBIs in 2,080 games. Santana has been remarkably consistent, driving in at least 60 runs and playing a minimum of 130 games in each of his 13 full seasons. He also has played for Philadelphia, Seattle, Pittsburgh and Milwaukee. The well-respected Santana will be Cleveland's primary first baseman in 2025 after the Guardians sent Naylor to the Diamondbacks for right-hander Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance draft pick. The Guardians have other options at first base, including Kyle Manzardo and Jhonkensy Noel. But there's no need to rush those players with Santana around, and it's entirely possible he could be signed beyond 2025. With the Naylor deal, the Guardians have completely overhauled the right side of their infield this winter. Cleveland previously traded Gold Glove second baseman Andrés Giménez to Toronto as part of a three-team swap with Pittsburgh. It feels somewhat risky — and maybe unnecessary — for an established team, but president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti was quick to point out that both Naylor and Giménez arrived in Cleveland via trades. “Very difficult trades,” he said. "In terms of how we have to operate moving forward, there are times when we have to make difficult decisions involving very good players, but our goal continues to be how do we find a way to field competitive teams both in the near term and long term and that sometimes necessitates difficult decisions. “To be clear, our goal in 2025 is to try to find a way to win the American League Central.”
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On brand as ever, Nigel Farage got the news that Reform appears to have surpassed the Tories in membership numbers while attending a traditional Boxing Day hunt. He was filmed for TikTok and Instagram wearing tweeds and a flat-cap, getting the news on his phone. He said: “We’ve done it. We’re through. How about that? We’re now the official opposition.” Sticking out his tongue and smiling straight into the camera, he added: “It’s going to be a long day.” Despite his deliberate efforts to appeal to conservative instincts, Farage’s social media methods are far from traditional for a UK politician. While Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch delivered conventional Christmas speeches in suits in front of their festive trees, Farage’s social media offerings were unscripted, casual and broadcast to many more followers. His Christmas day picture featured him in a Santa suit with a baby member of his clan on his knee in what looked very much like an ordinary, suburban family Christmas setting in front of patio doors. These pictures and video clips of Farage are reaching his 5.4m-plus followers in a way that the other party leaders are barely attempting to do, and they are a large part of why Reform appears to be growing so strongly in membership and in the opinion polls. Badenoch posted on X on Thursday to challenge Farage’s claims of surpassing the Tories in membership and to accuse him of faking the projection of the numbers on Conservative party HQ. But her claims that he does not understand the digital age do not add up when you look at the way he has been building support online. While 130,000 members is a drop in the ocean compared with Farage’s social media reach, the overall number of voters, and the kind of mass membership enjoyed by political parties in past decades, those who sign up to become card carriers do matter. They are the foot soldiers who campaign and drop leaflets, set up branch offices, become candidates and eventually form a pool for future leadership talent. The Conservatives claim not to be bothered by Reform’s growing size to rival their own membership base, but their associations are undoubtedly rattled by their increasing share of the vote in council byelections and target for expansion in the local elections next year. Labour should also be worried , after Reform won council byelections in Liverpool and Kent in the last month, as well as surging in Dudley where that allowed the Tories to take a seat off Labour. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Despite the spat between Badenoch and Farage over which party actually has the highest number of members at this point in time, the fact remains that Reform appears to have the momentum after growing from nothing to a level that rivals an established party. The next battle between them will be over the donors and high-profile defectors – and whether more big money will follow the foot soldiers in switching from the Conservatives to Reform. Past incarnations of Reform – from Ukip to the Brexit party – did not manage to professionalise or attract a broad enough coalition of support to convince donors to make the switch. The test will be if those willing to fund the party increasingly believe Farage is becoming the leader of a viable national entity.HARRISBURG — Students, parents, and teachers are anxiously watching and waiting to see how the state’s billion-dollar education funding increase and new adequacy formula will impact struggling school districts, even as district property taxes continue to rise. In the meantime, success measures reflect the depth of learning loss since the beginning of the pandemic, and administrators search for talent amidst a severe labor shortage. Throughout these fundamental challenges, Pennsylvania schools, both K-12 and post-secondary, have repeatedly found themselves at the center of the political clashes pulling at the nation in 2024. Politicized pressure The battle over transgender issues reached Pennsylvania with a federal court ruling that parents have the right to receive advanced notice and remove their children from lessons including gender ideology. The incident in the court case related to statements and reading outside the school’s curriculum. Anti-war protests supporting the people of Palestine and demanding institutional divestments from Israel roiled college campuses and brought national attention to the state in the spring. Encampments at Pitt and the University of Pennsylvania saw clashes with the police and involvement from the state’s highest office. The conflict shed light on concerns around antisemitism, which were also felt at the district level. Conservative professors felt compelled to hide their views, while students reported intolerance toward disparate political views. Penn State was accused of free speech violations pertaining to the election. Temple unveiled a new social justice minor and faced scrutiny for diversity programs. In K-12 schools, issues of racial bias continued to show a demonstrable impact on student performance, while solutions remain elusive. Pittsburgh schools sought help from consultants with diversity and in addressing racism in math. The state updated its relevant framework for teacher competencies. Higher ed incentives One compelling option to address both performance gaps in testing and the teacher shortage is a ‘grow-your-own’ approach to new teachers, which encourages students from local communities to pursue teaching careers. The state’s 2022 approval of a teaching track within its career and technical education programming has opened the door for students to begin coursework in high school. Legislators floated plans to entice higher education students to set up long-term stakes in the state. Republicans promoted a plan that would offer aid to out-of-state students who agree to live and work in Pennsylvania after graduation. The governor proposed tuition caps at state-run schools, where tuition froze for another year. The state introduced a million-dollar tuition reimbursement for people pursuing careers in emergency services, and the House considered tuition reimbursement for medical professionals willing to relocate to one of the state’s fraught rural healthcare institutions. To get more students in the door, lawmakers looked at the FAFSA process and how to restore trust in higher education. Health and safety The Senate considered a bill that would require silent panic alarms in schools to help law enforcement more quickly respond to school shootings. The legislature weighed options for improving students’ mental health, including allowing for mental health days as excusable absences, displaying suicide prevention numbers, and clarifying the scope of school guidance counselors’ work. In-school cell phone bans that have seen traction throughout the states and in other countries were weighed in the legislature, citing the devices’ impact on student performance, mental health, and social skills. Big district woes The state’s major metropolitan school districts continued to struggle this year. The Pittsburgh Public School District is considering the closure of several of its facilities. Philadelphia spent big on transit passes and parent transportation in light of driver shortages, as well as green buses and recruiting efforts. School choice With so much going on weighing down the Pennsylvania school system, many maintain that school choice is still the best option available. Contention continues between those who believe public money shouldn’t end up in private hands and those who believe the alternative offers a necessary lifeline to students who deserve a good education.
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