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☆ MLB Opening Day: 2024 regular season kicks off in full with Shohei Ohtani cloud looming
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Although fans have been treated to a glimpse of MLB action, the 2024 season kicks off in full on Thursday with Opening Day. How to watchThe Opening Day slate of games takes place on Thursday, March 28, with 26 teams taking to the field. The Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Angels kick off the day’s action at 3:05 PM ET at Camden Yards in Maryland. Ohtani cloud overshadows Dodgers startThe majority of the Los Angeles Dodgers offseason was dominated with optimism and talk of a World Series challenge after the acquisition of two-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and pitching phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Ohtani prepares for a pitch during the Dodgers' preseason game against the Los Angeles Angels.

Persons: Tuesday’s Francis Scott Key, Shohei Ohtani, phenom Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ohtani, Ippei, Mizuhara, Yamamoto, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Tyler Glasnow, Walker Buehler, Harry, Juan Soto, Soto, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, Stanton, Nathan Ray Seebeck, Ronald Acuña Jr, Acuña, Tim Nwachukwu, Wyatt Longford Organizations: CNN, Seoul, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Deigo Padres, MLB, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels, Camden, Orioles, Dodgers, ESPN, Los Angeles Times, baseball’s, League, St, Louis Cardinals, Bronx Bombers, New York Yankees, Yankees, San Diego Padres, San, American League, Houston Astros, Judge, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, National League, Braves, NL, Phillies, National, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Miami Marlins –, Cleveland Guardians, Oakland Athletics –, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Locations: South Korea, Camden Yards, Maryland, Seoul, Ohtani, San Diego, Atlanta, Texas

CNN —Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is expected to address the media Monday as Major League Baseball investigates allegations of theft against his former interpreter. “I think it’ll give us a little bit more clarity.”Roberts spoke before the Dodgers’ 5-3 victory over Ohtani’s former team, the Los Angeles Angels. Bookie’s attorney speaks to CNNVideo Ad Feedback MLB launches investigation into Ohtani allegations 03:03 - Source: CNNBass, Bowyer’s attorney, told CNN that her client dealt with Ippei Mizuhara. I don’t have access to that information,” she told CNN. • After learning about the allegations against Ohtani and Mizuhara, MLB on Friday announced it would be pursuing an investigation.

Persons: Shohei Ohtani, “, Dave Roberts, ” Roberts, Ohtani’s, Ippei Mizuhara, Mathew Bowyer, “ Mathew Bowyer, Diane Bass, Scott Villiard, Bowyer, Mizuhara, Ohtani, ESPN’s Tisha Thompson, Ippei, ” Bass, ” Bowyer, ” Mizuhara, ”, Bass, • Mizuhara Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Dodgers, Major League Baseball, ” Dodgers, Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Dodger, ESPN, Los Angeles Times, Mizuhara, MLB, Internal Revenue Service, “ Major League Baseball, Department of Investigations, IRS, Angeles Field Office, Nippon, Ham Fighters, Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League, “ feds, Padres, Ohtani’s, San Diego Padres Locations: Bowyer, California, Ippei, San Diego, Mizuhara’s, Seoul, South Korea

☆ Opinion | Hey, Losers! Here’s How to Bring Baseball’s Very Boring Era to an End.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Rafi Kohan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Action in the form of runs scored and stolen bases went up, even as the average time of a nine-inning game went way down — sliced by nearly 25 minutes from the previous season. Additional rule tweaks are in store for the 2024 season, as M.L.B. Which is to say: It’s time to bring back bench jockeying. All that changed in the 1880s, when a ballplayer named Arlie Latham started making a whole lot of noise. As a player, Latham peaked in the 1887 season, in which he batted .316, stole 129 bases and scored 163 runs.

Persons: who’ve, Arlie Latham, Latham, — Organizations: Major League Baseball

☆ In Latin America, a New Frontier for Women: Professional Softball in Mexico
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( James Wagner | Marian Carrasquero | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In many parts of Latin America, baseball is a popular and well-established sport with men’s professional leagues in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, among others. But women wanting to play baseball’s cousin — softball — professionally had only one option: to leave. In what is believed to be a first in Latin America — a region where men often have more opportunities than women, particularly in sports — a professional women’s softball league has started in Mexico. On Jan. 25, when the inaugural season began, 120 women on six teams got to call themselves professional softball players, many for the first time. “Before, there wasn’t even a question of, ‘Should there be a professional sport for women?’ It was a given that it didn’t exist.

Persons: ”, Stefania Aradillas Organizations: Diablos Locations: America, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, United States, Japan, Mexico City

☆ Pro Sports in Las Vegas Aren’t Cheered by Everyone
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Ken Belson | Jenny Vrentas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The history of Las Vegas has been marked by a relentless churn of hotels, casinos, theaters and restaurants. The Golden Knights of the National Hockey League were the first to start play here in 2017. The Aces of the Women’s National Basketball Association started in 2018, and the National Football League’s Raiders arrived from Oakland in 2020. Last year, Major League Baseball’s Athletics were given the go-ahead to make the same Oakland-to-Las Vegas move, and the National Basketball Association is expected to add a team in the coming years. Las Vegas’s transformation into a pro sports town reflects not just the leagues’ interest in the city and their general embrace of sports betting, but also the power of the region’s primary economic driver, tourism.

Organizations: Golden Knights, National Hockey League, Aces, National Basketball Association, National Football League’s Raiders, Major League Baseball’s Athletics, Allegiant, Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers Locations: Vegas, Oakland, United States

Donations poured in Wednesday to replace a destroyed statue of Jackie Robinson on what would have been the 105th birthday of the first player to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier. Major League Baseball pledged support. “We have after school education, enrichment and tutoring.”One of the largest donations is a $10,000 pledge from an anonymous former Major League Baseball player who won a World Series. And, we make every effort to educate our kids about the role that Jackie Robinson played in life and civil rights, his life beyond sports. “We can’t imagine, being named League 42 without a Jackie Robinson statue in our park," he said.

Persons: Jackie Robinson, Robinson, Bob Lutz, Lutz, Leslie Rudd, We’re, ” Lutz, “, Joe Sullivan, ” Sullivan, John Parsons, ”, He’s Organizations: Major League Baseball, Wichita , Kansas . Police, McAdams, league, Brooklyn Dodgers, Fire, Little League, MLB, Leslie Rudd Learning Center, Wichita, Kansas City Monarchs, Negro Leagues Locations: Wichita , Kansas

Fire crews found the burned remnants Tuesday of a prized bronze statue of Jackie Robinson that was stolen last week from a public park in Kansas, authorities said. The statue, which was cut at the figure's ankles, went missing Thursday morning. Surveillance video shows two people hauling the sculpture away in the dark, to a truck that was later found abandoned. He said the mold is still viable and anticipated that a replacement could be erected within a matter of months. “This now lets us know that we need a new statue,” he said of the destroyed remains.

Persons: Jackie Robinson, Andrew Ford, ”, Bob Lutz, “, it's, Joe Sullivan, ” Robinson, He’s, Lutz, John Parsons, “ I'm, McAdams, Brandon Johnson Organizations: Little League, ”, Robinson’s Dodgers, league, Wichita, Kansas City Monarchs, Negro Leagues, Brooklyn Dodgers Locations: Kansas, Wichita, Garvey, McAdams

Left-hander James Paxton and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to an $11 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Paxton can earn up to $13 million if he is healthy during the early part of the season and starts at least 20 games. Paxton can earn $1 million in performance bonuses for starts: $250,000 each for 16 and 18, and $500,000 for 20. A 35-year-old left-hander, Paxton was 7-5 with a 4.50 ERA last year in his only season with the Boston Red Sox. He signed a $10 million, two-year contract with Boston and returned to make seven minor league appearances late in the 2022 season.

Persons: James Paxton, Paxton, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Walker Buehler, Tommy John, Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, spender, Shohei Ohtani, Yamamoto, Teoscar Hernández, didn't, ___ Organizations: Los Angeles Dodgers, Associated Press, Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Seattle, Boston, New York Yankees Locations: Los Angeles, Boston

Just 270 players are in the Hall, 1.3% of the approximately 20,500 who have appeared in the major leagues, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Beltré was the leading vote-getter at 99% in his first try, according to Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame Ballot Tracker. Mauer, also on the his initial ballot, was second at 83%, and Helton was next at 82.5% in his sixth appearance. Mauer was a six-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and the 2009 AL MVP during 15 seasons with Minnesota. The seven-time All-Star is sixth in career saves with 422, going 47-40 with a 2.31 ERA in 16 seasons.

Persons: Beltré, Joe Mauer, Todd Helton, Billy Wagner, Gary Sheffield, ”, Jayson Stark, “, Stark, Dan Shaughnessy, Shaughnessy, Ryan Thibodaux’s, Helton, Wagner, Andruw Jones, Jim Leyland, Bob Costas, Frick, they’ve, you’ve, Costas, Alex Rodríguez, Manny Ramírez, that’s, we're, it's, Brooks Robinson’s, Mauer, ___ Organizations: baseball's Hall of Fame, Elias Sports Bureau, Writers ' Association of America, Boston Globe, Beltré, of Fame, Sheffield, BBWAA, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota, Colorado, Coors Field, Houston, New York Mets, Milwaukee, Dodgers, New York Yankees, Mets Locations: Cooperstown, Mauer, Seattle, Boston, Texas, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Diego, Florida, Detroit

HOUSTON (AP) — Hard-throwing reliever Josh Hader and the Houston Astros finalized a $95 million, five-year contract on Monday. Hader will get a $19 million salary in each of the next five seasons, none of it deferred. He gets a full no-trade provision and would receive a $1 million bonus for winning the Mariano Rivera/Trevor Hoffman Reliever of the Year Award. Houston reached the agreement three days after announcing reliever Kendall Graveman will miss the season after right shoulder surgery. Because Hader turned down a qualifying offer, San Diego will receive an extra pick in next July’s amateur draft.

Persons: Josh Hader, Hader, Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, Edwin Díaz’s, won’t, Ryan Pressly, Rafael Montero, Bryan Abreu, Héctor Neris, Kendall Graveman, ___ Organizations: HOUSTON, Houston Astros, New York Mets, Astros, Houston, San Diego, Padres, Star, NL, Brewers, Baltimore Locations: San Diego, Milwaukee, Maryland, Houston

The world also said goodbye to former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who died Nov. 29. Political Cartoons View All 1277 ImagesAnother political figure who died this year was former U.S. first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died Nov. 19. Among the entertainers who left the world this year was singer Tina Turner, who died May 24. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2023 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Fred White, 67. A Hall of Fame forward who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup Final.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin’s, Henry Kissinger, Rosalynn Carter, Jimmy Carter, Silvio Berlusconi, Dianne Feinstein, James Buckley, James Abourezk, Nigel Lawson, Pervez Musharraf, Sandra Day O’Connor, Li Keqiang, Martti Ahtisaari, United Nations Bill Richardson, Gov, Sheila Oliver, Theodoros Pangalos, Tina Turner, Ike Turner, Suzanne Somers, Matthew Perry, Raquel Welch, Richard Belzer, Chaim Topol, Jacklyn Zeman, Lance Reddick, Alan Arkin, Paul Reubens, David McCallum, Richard Roundtree, Tom Sizemore, Jimmy Buffett, Sinéad O’Connor, Rita Lee Jones, Burt Bacharach, David Crosby, Fito Olivares, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Astrud Gilberto, Coco Lee, Tony Bennett, Harry Belafonte, Cormac McCarthy, William Friedkin, Bob Barker, Jerry Springer, Louise Glück, Jeff Beck, Mary Quant, Kaija Saariaho, Lloyd Morrisett, Fred White, Maurice, Verdine White, Ken Block, Walter Cunningham, Fay Weldon, ” Jan, Russell Pearce, Charles Simic, Lynette “ Diamond ” Hardaway, Donald Trump, Diamond, Constantine, Jan, Tatjana Patitz, George Michael’s, Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley, Robbie Knievel, Evel Knievel, Ray Cordeiro, Elmo, Cookie, Gina Lollobrigida, Chris Ford, Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Cindy Williams, Shirley, “ Laverne, Billy Packer, Sylvia Syms, Alex ”, Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield, “ Papa, Rollin ’ Stone, Tom Verlaine, Patti Smith, Bobby Hull, Paco Rabanne, Harry Whittington, Dick Cheney, Hsing Yun, ”, San Jose ”, Carlos Saura, Spain’s, Hugh Hudson, Oscar, “ Greystroke, Hans Modrow, David Jude Jolicoeur, Huey “, ” Smith, Little Richard, Lloyd Price, “, Leiji Matsumoto, Yamato ”, Tim McCarver, Stella Stevens, Jerry Lewis’s, John Munch, Ahmed Qureia, Betty Boothroyd, Ricou Browning, Gill, Gérard Latortue, Fontaine, Barbara Everitt Bryant, Ryan ”, Kenzaburo Oe, Judy Heumann, Gary Rossington, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Georgina Beyer, Traute Lafrenz, Rose, Peterson Zah, Tevye, Robert Blake, Jiang Yanyong, Bud Grant, Dick Fosbury, Pat Schroeder, Gloria Bosman, Jacqueline Gold, Britain’s Ann Summers, John Wick ”, John Jenrette, Juana La, Willis Reed, Darcelle, Paul O’Grady, Lily Savage, Emperor ”, Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter, Margaret Thatcher, Ben Ferencz, Nuremberg, Elisabeth Kopp, Michael Lerner, Jack Lipnick, “ Barton Fink, Bugsy Calhoun, Anne Perry, Thomas Pitt, William Monk, Al Jaffee, magazine’s, Charles Stanley, Richard Riordan, Todd Haimes, Tony Awards, Barry Humphries, Tony, Dame Edna Everage, Len Goodman, Carolyn Bryant Donham, Emmett Till, LeRoy “ Lee ” Carhart, Larry “, ___ Gordon Lightfoot, Tori Bowie, Vida, Grace Bumbry, Rock ”, Ovelha, Denny Crum, Heather Armstrong, Bobbie Spencer, Rolf Harris, Kenneth Anger, Doyle Brunson, Jim Brown, Timothy Keller, Andy Rourke, Ray Stevenson, Thor ”, Ed Ames, George Maharis, Carroll Cooley, Miranda, John Beasley, Kaija, George Winston, Ipanema ”, Robert Hanssen, Richard Snyder, Simon & Schuster, Françoise Gilot, Pablo Picasso —, Pat Robertson, Theodore “ Ted ” Kaczynski, Roger Payne, Treat Williams, Glenda Jackson, Daniel Ellsberg, Richard Nixon, Big, George Frazier, Lee Sarokin, Rubin “, ” Carter, Winnie Ewing, Sheldon Harnick, Jerry Bock, “ Fiorello, John Goodenough, Peg Yorkin, Sue Johanson, Yan Mingfu, John Berylson, James Lewis, poisonings, Mikala Jones, André Watts, Jane Birkin, Kevin Mitnick, San Francisco ”, Frank Sinatra, Lady Gaga, Hugh “ Sonny ” Carter Jr, Jimmy, Randy Meisner, Herman, Angus Cloud, Fezco, ” O’Neill, ___, Mark Margolis, Hector Salamanca, Saul, Sixto Rodriguez, flamed, Robbie Robertson, Tom Jones, Magoo, Timbaland, Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, Clarence Avant, Quincy Jones, Bill Withers, Ada Deer, Jerry Moss, Herb Alpert, Alpert, Michael Parkinson, Muhammad Ali, Miss Piggy, Jiri Cerny, Betty Tyson, Richard Nixon’s, John Warnock, Ron Cephas Jones, Howard Hubbard, Samuel “ Joe ” Wurzelbacher, Joe, Barack Obama, Gil Brandt, Tom Landry, Tex Schramm, Bill Richardson, Steve Harwell, Shabtai Shavit, Jordan, Ian Wilmut, Dolly, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Roy Kidd, Eno Ichikawa, Michael McGrath, Fernando Botero, Giorgio Napolitano, Matteo Messina Denaro, Michael Gambon, Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter ”, Mankombu Sambasivan, Saad Eddin Ibrahim, Hosni Mubarak, Tim Wakefield, Dick Butkus, Michael Chiarello, Michael Chiarello ”, Masters, Burt Young, Paulie, Sylvester Stallone, Hughes Van Ellis, Kevin Phillips, Louise Meriwether, Mark Goddard, Major Don West, Rudolph Isley, Isley, unblinking, Piper Laurie, Chrissy Snow, Bobby Charlton, Bishan Bedi, Richard Moll, Xi Jinping, Wu Zunyou, Chandler Bing, Ken Mattingly, Bob Knight, Frank Borman, Steve Norton, Don Walsh, Mariana Trench, Terry R, Taylor, Daisaku Ikeda, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Ussery, George “ Funky ” Brown, Joanna ”, Marty Krofft, Pufnstuf, Donny, Marie ”, Terry Venables, Tim Dorsey, Serge A, Frances Sternhagen, ” “, Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, Gerald Ford, Shane MacGowan, Bernard McGhee Organizations: Wagner Group, Russian, White House, U.S, Supreme, United Nations, Greek Foreign, Republican, Hong, Boston Celtics, NBA, NBC, CBS, Television, Fame, Chicago Blackhawks, ”, New, of Fame, Louis Cardinals, “, Palestinian, Israel, South Dakota Democrat, Arab, Arab American U.S, Britain’s, Commons, . Census Bureau, Alabama ”, Zealand, Navajo, Minnesota Vikings, People, Playboy, Capitol, Juana La Cubana, New York Knicks, Guinness, World Records, Hollywood, Treasury, Southern Baptist Convention, Los Angeles, Roundabout Theatre Company, Air Force, Harlem Globetrotters, Janeiro Games, baseball’s, Germany’s Bayreuth, NCAA, Hall of Famer, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Legion, Ames, Phoenix, FBI, Simon &, Christian Broadcasting Network, Republican Party, Christian Coalition, Harvard, Feminist Majority Foundation, “ Little, Communist Party, Millwall, New York Philharmonic, San, Brigade, Wing, Eagles, HBO, of Indian Affairs, M, Police, Carpenters, Adobe Systems, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dallas Cowboys, escapist, Democratic, Zulu, Eastern, AA, Broadway, Communist, U.S . Senate, Red Sox, Yankees, Boston, Chicago Bears, Major, Isley Brothers, New York Times, Manchester United, India, Indiana, Nevada — Resorts, Atlantic City —, Navy, Associated Press, Soka Gakkai, Kentucky Derby, Kool, The, European, Barcelona, Tottenham, City Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Russian, U.S, Finnish, New Mexico, New Jersey, British, Greece, American, Hong Kong, Italian, America, New York, Spanish, catwalks, Texas, Taiwan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, San, New Orleans, Rosebud, Arab American, Haiti, “, African, Brooklyn, London, Los, Mississippi, United States, Rivers, Georgia, Savannah, Louisville, New York City, Irish, HBO’s “ Rome, Brazilian, Ipanema, Moscow, Virginia, Montana, Vietnam, Canada, Asia, Chicago, Hawaii, France, South Africa, Wisconsin, Los Angeles, Czech, Eastern Kentucky, Colombian, ”, California, Tulsa, Finland, China, Nevada, Atlantic City, Florida, Berkshire

Until the embittered end, Henry Kissinger was one of the trusted few of a distrusting Richard Nixon. Political Cartoons View All 1273 Images“No doubt my vanity was piqued,” Kissinger later wrote of his expanding influence during Watergate. Two years later, Saigon fell to the communists, leaving a bitter taste among former U.S. allies who blamed Nixon, Kissinger and Congress for abandoning them. “The emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union is not an objective of American foreign policy,” Kissinger tells Nixon. And so they did — the Quaker-born Nixon, the Jewish-born Kissinger, on the floor, Nixon in tears about the unfairness of his fate.

Persons: Henry Kissinger, Richard Nixon, Kissinger, Nixon, Gerald Ford, ” Kissinger, ” Ford, “, ”, Donald Trump’s, Trump, ” —, —, — Kissinger, Robert Dallek, Walter Isaacson, David Frost, Isaacson, scrawled, Susan Mary Alsop, Stanley Kutler, “ Henry Kissinger, Jeffrey Kimball, starlets, Kissinger squired, Jill St, John, Shirley MacLaine, Marlo Thomas, Candice Bergen, Liv Ullmann, ” Nixon, H.R, Haldeman, Henry, It’s, Nancy Maginnes, Nelson Rockefeller, Gallup, Le Duc Tho, Tho, Walter, ” Walter, “ Kissinger, Ford, you’ve, ” “, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Kissinger demurred, Chile’s, Eisenhower, Augusto Pinochet, Pinochet, ” Peter Kornbluh, ” Heinz Alfred Kissinger, Heinz, Joe DiMaggio ”, Kennedy, Johnson, he’d “, William Rogers, Melvin Laird, Townsend Hoopes, deflating, ” Isaacson, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan’s, diplomat’s Kissinger, George W, Bush, Long, didn’t, Bush “, Anneliese Fleischer, Elizabeth, David, extol Nixon, ” ___, Barry Schweid Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republican, Democratic, “ PBS, ”, National Security Council, State Department, Vietnam, Nixon, Hollywood, Playboy, Newsweek, America, Columbia University, Senate Armed Services Committee, White, Washington Post, New York Times, Yankee, Army, Harvard, Weapons, Rogers, Defense, Manhattan, New York Giants, Lincoln, diplomat’s Kissinger Associates, GOP Locations: U.S, Vietnam, China, Nazi Germany, Southeast Asia, Latin America, United States, Saigon, Soviet Union, White, Cambodia, South Vietnam, Khmer Rouge, Soviet, America, Chile, London, Pinochet, Bavarian, Fuerth, Manhattan, Germany, Pakistan, Beijing, Iraq, Afghanistan, American

☆ What the Big Ten’s Tony Petitti Learned From the Houston Astros
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Jared Diamond | Laine Higgins | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Tony Petitti had a front-row seat to what had been the biggest sign-stealing scandal in American sports history. He was Major League Baseball’s deputy commissioner in late 2019, when his boss, Rob Manfred, began investigating the Houston Astros’ now infamous trash-can banging scheme. From his spot within the game’s inner circle, Petitti saw up close how Manfred’s probe unfolded, how he decided to impose discipline and how the public ultimately reacted afterward.

Persons: Tony Petitti, Rob Manfred, Houston Astros ’, Petitti Organizations: League Baseball’s, Houston Astros

That was the vision of Joan Kroc, billionaire philanthropist and heiress to the McDonald’s fortune of her husband, Ray. And today, 20 years later, 26 grand, state-of-the-art Kroc centers have opened in places as varied as Ashland, Ohio; Guayama, Puerto Rico; and Quincy, Illinois. Half was to be earmarked for the construction of recreation centers, with the other half deposited into endowments to support them. In the two decades since Kroc’s bequest, quantifying the precise impact on all of the communities served by the Kroc centers is difficult. She explained that Joan Kroc meant for the place to be accessible to all — that beauty was part of her plan.

Persons: Joan Kroc, Ray, Army didn’t, Joan Kroc’s, MacKenzie Scott, Kroc, revved, she’d, Ronald McDonald, MacKenzie, Phil Buchanan, Scott, ”, “, that’s, Angelia Grandberry, Grandberry, Lisa Napoli, Joan Organizations: Salvation Army, Phoenix Kroc, Army, baseball’s San Diego Padres, San, National Hockey League, Catholic, Notre Dame, University of San, Ronald McDonald House Charities, National Public Radio, Center, Coast Kroc, Associated Press Locations: Ashland , Ohio, Puerto Rico, Quincy , Illinois, Boston, Augusta , Georgia, San Francisco, U.S, Southern California, baseball’s, St, Paul , Minnesota, San Diego, University of San Diego, Biloxi , Mississippi

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The race to add two-way baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani in a blockbuster free agency deal is off to a clandestine start. “Special player, that’s all I’ll say,” said Chris Young, general manager of the World Series champion Texas Rangers. “We may ask some questions, but I can’t tell you we’re diving all in,” Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said. Privately, they're surely discussing the developing Ohtani sweepstakes, which could cost the winning team upward of $500 million. “You have to have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, so on and so forth.

Persons: Shohei Ohtani, ”, Chris Young, “ We’re, Brian Cashman, “, Dana Brown, they're, “ There's, Perry Minasian, We've, Tommy John, Nathan Eovaldi, Jameson Taillon, Daniel Hudson, Jason Isringhausen, Walker Buehler —, TJ, —, Ohtani, He’s, There’s, he’s, Brown, ” Ohtani, Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Tim Anderson, Aaron Nola, Sonny Gray, Jordan Montgomery, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Mike Trout, ” Minasian, We're, Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto, ” Dipoto Organizations: Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, ” Houston Astros, Major League Baseball, Privately, Los Angeles Angels, ” Angels, He’s, MLB, Current Dodgers, Astros GM, Cubs, Former Angels, Seattle Mariners, Seattle GM, Mariners Locations: SCOTTSDALE, Ariz, Scottsdale, ”, Arizona

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The first sign of discontent regarding Craig Counsell’s decision to leave the Milwaukee Brewers to manage the Chicago Cubs appeared in his hometown at the Little League field that bears his name. The sign was covered up Tuesday morning, one day after the Cubs landed Counsell with a five-year deal worth over $40 million. “I give Craig credit for helping to build that, and for adding all these coaches, all of whom have stayed. Counsell told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Tuesday the opportunity for a new professional challenge and the proximity of Chicago made this opportunity appealing. Neitzel said he believed Attanasio would have received most of the criticism if Counsell had ended up managing any opponent other than the Cubs.

Persons: Craig Counsell’s, “, Mark Attanasio, Craig, ” Counsell, John Counsell, Counsell, Indiana Jones, Kay Kenealy, ’ “ Laura Hemming, Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre, Favre, Gabe Neitzel, Brett, ” Neitzel, Attanasio, Terry Francona, David Ross, ” Attanasio, ” Kenealy, ” Hemming, ”, Hemming, Hunter Baumgardt, Baumgardt, he’d, Neitzel, “ Craig Counsell’s, ” Baumgardt Organizations: MILWAUKEE, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, Little League, Cubs, Brewers, Major League Baseball’s, Milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Brewers ’, ‘ Raiders, Wisconsin, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Packers Hall of Fame, Minnesota Vikings, Packers, ESPN, Vikings, MLB Locations: Whitefish, Milwaukee, Counsell, Chicago, Waukesha , Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Madison

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets are hiring Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza as their manager, according to a person familiar with the decision. Mendoza spent the past four seasons across town as Aaron Boone's bench coach with the Yankees. He replaces Buck Showalter, fired by the Mets at the end of last season after holding the job for two years. Political Cartoons View All 1234 ImagesMendoza becomes the fifth Mets manager since Terry Collins’ seven-year tenure ended in 2017. Showalter took over in December 2021 and led the Mets to a 101-61 record and a playoff berth in 2022, when he was voted NL Manager of the Year.

Persons: Carlos Mendoza, Mendoza, Aaron Boone's, Buck Showalter, David Stearns, Steve Cohen, Terry Collins ’, — Carlos Beltrán, Craig Counsell, Stearns, Counsell, David Ross, hadn't, Stephen Vogt, Terry Francona, Showalter, Cy Young, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, ___ Organizations: New York Mets, Yankees, Associated Press, Mets, Venezuelan Winter League, NL East, Major League, Houston Astros, hometown Brewers, NL Central, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Guardians, New Locations: Atlanta, . New York, Milwaukee, New York, San Diego

☆ Frank Howard, Towering Slugger Whose Homers Were, Too, Dies at 87
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Richard Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Frank Howard, the Bunyanesque slugger who struck some of baseball’s more awesome home runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Senators while rolling up a prodigious strikeout total as well, unable to conquer his penchant for chasing bad balls, died on Monday in Aldie, Va. His death, at a hospital, was caused by complications of a stroke, his daughter Catherine Braun said. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds — though well above that weight at times — Howard played for 16 seasons in the major leagues and hit 382 homers. Many of his home runs — and even some hits that didn’t clear the fence — were unforgettable. As a Dodger in 1960, he hit a ball over the left-field wall at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh that was found alongside a parked car some 560 feet from home plate.

Persons: Frank Howard, Catherine Braun, — Howard Organizations: Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Senators, American League, Dodger, Forbes Field Locations: Aldie, Va, Pittsburgh

☆ The World Series Without Baseball’s Best Teams or Best Players
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Jared Diamond | Lindsey Adler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Major League Baseball fundamentally reshaped its rules this season in a drastic effort to improve the product on the field and attract younger generations of fans who had abandoned the sport. The changes largely worked: The once-controversial pitch timer resulted in shorter and more action-packed games. Limiting pitcher pickoff throws led to a record 41% increase in stolen bases. Attendances climbed to their largest total since 2017, reversing years of decline that started even before the pandemic disrupted the live entertainment market. Nearly two-thirds of teams saw their local television ratings rise.

Persons: pickoff Organizations: Major League Baseball

Baseball’s League Championship Series are producing solid ratings after seeing declines during the first two rounds. The late afternoon window on Fox averaged 26.09 million, including the New York Jets’ upset win over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Division Series on TBS, Fox and FS1 were off 8.8%. The Phillies-Atlanta Braves series averaged 4.6 million viewers, making it the most watched NLDS on TBS in eight years. The Phillies’ 10-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Tuesday’s second game of the NLCS averaged 5.3 million on TBS, TruTV and Max.

Persons: “, Rob Manfred, ESPN’s, FS1, Max, ___ Organizations: Baseball’s, Nielsen, Houston, Fox, Fox Deportes, Rangers, New York Yankees, Astros, Yankees, NFL, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, ESPN, ABC, TBS, Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks Locations: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Texas, Tuesday’s

The Philadelphia Phillies slugger said it would be a dream to play for Team USA when baseball returns for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. He would be 10 years into the contract and 35 years old, should he get the chance to play for Team USA in LA. The WBC is operated by MLB and takes place during spring training, meaning players do not need to miss regular season games to participate. Cricket, flag football, softball, lacrosse and squash also were confirmed Monday by the International Olympic Committee to be held at the Los Angeles Games. Phillies manager Rob Thomson, raised in Corunna, Ontario, was part of the Canadian squad that competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles when baseball was a demonstration sport.

Persons: — Bryce Harper, Harper, texted, ” Harper, “, they’ll, it’s, Rob Thomson, ”, ___ Organizations: PHILADELPHIA, Olympics, The Philadelphia Phillies, Team USA, Los Angeles Games, Major League Baseball, NHL, USA, Baseball, MLB, Phillies, Arizona, WBC, Winter, Cricket, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Canadian, Venezuela, Dodger Locations: Japan, LA, Mumbai, India, Corunna , Ontario, Los Angeles

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Everything is certainly bigger deep in the heart of Texas this baseball postseason, with a Lone Star State showdown for a spot in the World Series. Bochy won three World Series titles with the San Francisco Giants and Baker finally got his first championship last season. Houston has dominated the AL West since the Rangers won the division in 2016, their last winning season before this year. The Astros had clinched the season series even before their obliterating three-game sweep with 16 homers and 39 runs in Arlington from Sept. 4-6. Their first World Series came as National League champions in 2005.

Persons: “, ”, Bruce Bochy, Nolan Ryan, Houston's Dusty Baker, Bochy, Baker, Bruce, Mitch Garver, didn’t, Alex Bregman, we’ll, Yordan Alvarez, Bregman, Marcus Semien, Martin Maldonado, Adolis García, Nathaniel Lowe, Houston, ” Bochy, I'm Organizations: Lone Star State, Houston, Astros, Texas Rangers, AL, Rangers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Bochy's Giants, Baker's Cincinnati Reds, AL West, Tampa, ” Rangers, Seattle, Minnesota, National League, NL, NL Central, MLB Locations: ARLINGTON , Texas, Texas, Houston, California, Tampa Bay, ” Texas, North Texas, Baltimore, Arlington, Semien

PHOENIX (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ third straight 100-win season led to a third consecutive postseason flop. “There’s some things with the format that people can dissect or whatever, but the bottom line is that the last two years we’ve got outplayed in the postseason,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. The Dodgers won the NL West in 10 of those seasons, yet their only World Series in that span was following the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. And after winning 100 games this season, the Dodgers were swept by Arizona, which had 16 fewer wins. It's just how I didn't help the team win the series and that's the most disappointing part, letting your guys down.”___

Persons: “, we’ve, Dave Roberts, I’ve, Roberts, ”, Kiké Hernández, Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller, Lance Lynn, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Betts, Freeman whiffed, ” Freeman, I've, ” Betts, Freeman, Max Muncy, Martinez, ” Muncy, Hernández, Kershaw, hasn’t, that's Organizations: PHOENIX, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, ” Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, The Dodgers, NL West, Dodgers, League, Elias Sports Bureau, Los Angeles, Braves, Diamondbacks Locations: Los Angeles, San Diego, Arizona, J.D

☆ Fenway Farms: On the roof of an iconic sports venue, this urban farm in Boston can grow 6,000 pounds of produce a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Samantha Bresnahan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Boston, Massachusetts CNN —Though home to the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park is known for being green. Spanning a section of what was once an empty black rubber roof, a farm is making Fenway green in a completely different way. “We can produce anywhere from 4,000 to 6,000 pounds of fresh produce a year, depending on what we’re growing,” Grallert says. A little replica of Fenway Farms also opened at the Boston Children’s Museum last year. Green City estimates roughly 500,000 children and adults encounter Fenway Farms every year.

Persons: Boston , Massachusetts CNN —, Benjamin Moore, ”, Chris Grallert, ” Grallert, Bob Crowley, Grallert, Chef Ron Abell, Abell, he’s, lettuces, Danielle Morgan, Samantha Bresnahan, ” Abell, they’ve, Abell’s, Nature’s, we’ve, ” Read, Haley Bergeron, John Cumberland, “ Organizations: CNN, Boston , Massachusetts CNN, Boston Red Sox, Fenway, Green City Growers, Red Sox, Fenway Park, Green City, Major League, Sox, Coors, Oracle, Boston, Boston Children’s Locations: Boston , Massachusetts, Green, Fenway, Boston, reinvigorating, Massachusetts, Colorado, San Diego, San Francisco

Travis d’Arnaud and Riley hit two-run homers as the Braves, who were held without a hit into the sixth inning, rallied from a four-run deficit to stun the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 Monday night, evening the NL Division Series at one win apiece. But Riley alertly backed up the play and zipped a throw to first that completed the double play. Unbelievable.”So did Riley, backing up on a play that he never could've expected to be involved in. Wheeler fanned the side in each of the first two innings, with the Braves making contact on just 12 of 26 strikes. D'Arnaud made Wheeler pay on his 92nd — and final — pitch, but the Phillies manager had no regrets.

Persons: sluggers, Michael Harris II, Austin Riley, Travis d’Arnaud, Riley, ” d’Arnaud, ” D'Arnaud, Sean Murphy, Jeff Hoffman, Ronald Acuña Jr, Hoffman's, “, Brian Snitker, They’re, Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, Harris, ” Harris, ” Harper, backtracked, Ozzie Albies, Riley alertly, d'Arnaud, Mike, Harper, Rob Thomson, Harper's, ” Thomson, didn’t, ” Riley, A.J, Minter, Raisel Iglesias, Zack Wheeler, Realmuto, Max Fried, Alec Bohm's, Bryson, Wheeler, Acuña, Matt Olson, Turner, Marcell Ozuna, Johan Rojas, Fried, Bryson Stott, we’ve, ZACK Thomson, Suárez, Thomson, D'Arnaud, Aaron Nola, Bryce Elder, AJ Smith, ___ Organizations: ATLANTA, —, Atlanta Braves, Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Phillies, ” Braves, Elias Sports Bureau, Philadelphia, ” Phillies, Atlanta, Miami Locations: “, Truist, Wheeler, ”

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