Friday, October 25

Sports

2024 Positional Power Rankings: Designated Hitter
Baseball

2024 Positional Power Rankings: Designated Hitter

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports We conclude our rankings of the sport’s place gamers with a deep dive on designated hitters. Back when the DH rule was launched in 1973 (has it actually been 5 a long time?), the position was usually stuffed by getting old and/or bodily compromised sluggers who have been within the lineup frequently. Boston’s Orlando Cepeda performed in 142 video games, whereas Minnesota’s Tony Oliva performed in 146 and the California Angels’ Frank Robinson noticed motion in 147. All have been of their mid-to-late 30s, and save for Robinson’s 17 video games in left discipline, all have been solely designated hitters. The Tigers differed in that they platooned on the place, however it was with an in any other case related script. Gates Brown and Frank Howard, each o...
Nishikori Comeback Begins With a Loss, and Excessive Hopes
Tennis

Nishikori Comeback Begins With a Loss, and Excessive Hopes

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday March 21, 2024On Thursday on the Miami Open Kei Nishikori performed his first aggressive match in eight months – and his first at a Masters 1000 since 2021. Even although the previous World No.4 was defeated by Austria's Sebastian Ofner (6-3, 6-4) in straight units, the 34-year-old confirmed a few of his classic kind, and says he's completely satisfied to be again on the comeback path.Motivation is not going to be an issue on this stage of his comeback from a number of accidents, says former US Open and Miami Open finalist Nishikori. Nishikori, at present ranked 351, sways he doesn’t know when, however he believes that he can get again into adequate kind to compete with the sports’ elite.“Maybe not today, but during practice I was playing pretty...
Down With the King
Baseball

Down With the King

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports Earlier at this time we revealed the positional energy rankings for heart area. For the primary time since 2013, and for simply the third time within the historical past of the positional energy rankings, the Angels will not be within the high spot. To put this altering of the guard in perspective, I went again and skim the entire entries about Mike Trout and the Angels. This article will not be a eulogy. Instead, we're right here at this time to commemorate his greatness. It’s a retrospective of kinds, each of Trout’s peak and our protection of it, however I'd remind you that he’s not but reached the compiling part of his Hall of Fame profession. In reality, amongst heart fielders, solely Aaron Judge is projected for the next wRC+ than Trout this se...
Fritz Serves Up Fritzy Spicy Margarita for Miami
Tennis

Fritz Serves Up Fritzy Spicy Margarita for Miami

 By Alberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, March 21, 2024You might by no means play with the highly effective precision of Taylor Fritz.Now, you possibly can celebration exactly just like the American No. 1.More: Aryna Sabalenka's Boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov Has Died at 42Taylor Fritz serves up spice in his partnership with Maestro Dobel.Fritz is unveiling his new signature cocktail - The Fritzy Spicy Margarita in Miami.The Fritzy Spicy Margarita is a "spicy twist on Maestro Dobel’s Spin Margarita, a staple of its cocktail menu at tennis tournaments," the model mentioned in a press release.Former Indian Wells champion Fritz hopes festive followers will pump up the celebration and drink the Fritzy Spicy Margarita throughout his Miami Open matches. Dobel serves because the Official T...
2024 Positional Power Rankings: Third Base
Baseball

2024 Positional Power Rankings: Third Base

Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK Earlier at this time, Michael Baumann gave an accounting of the league’s shortstops. Now we flip our consideration to the third basemen. Welcome to the final word tweener place. Like shortstop, the recent nook was a glove-first place within the early days of baseball, but it surely has developed to the purpose the place it’s arduous to be aggressive in case you don’t provide one thing with each the glove and the bat. This type of hybridization has in all probability harm third basemen of their quest for legendary standing. Baseball’s traditional methods of evaluating expertise — Triple Crown stats and Gold Gloves/defensive status — are inclined to diminish well-rounded gamers with out a single standout ability to level to, creating a...
I Do not Need Her To Endure
Tennis

I Do not Need Her To Endure

 By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, March 20, 202Sometimes, a heart-felt hug from a superb pal could be a life preserver for a participant in ache.Close associates Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka have shared success collectively and leaned on one another throughout robust occasions.More: Aryna Sabalenka's Boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov Has Died at 42When they face off within the Miami Open second spherical, it should possible be probably the most emotional encounter between the pair.The match might be Sabalenka's first since her boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov, died at age 42 by "apparent suicide" early Monday morning, the Miami-Dade Police mentioned.World No. 2 Sabalenka remains to be within the Miami Open draw and scheduled to play Badosa, who has been a caring and anxious ...
2024 Positional Power Rankings: Second Base
Baseball

2024 Positional Power Rankings: Second Base

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports Earlier at this time, Jay Jaffe coated the league’s first basemen. Now, Ben Clemens examines the state of the keystone. As has been the case for fairly some time now, second base feels just like the island of misfit toys. Players who don’t fairly match at different spots on the diamond find yourself taking part in second. Shortstop who can’t fairly discipline sufficient? Try second. Corner infielder whose bat doesn’t fairly equal your competitors? Maybe you possibly can discipline a little bit, give it a shot. Good athlete with out the vary for heart discipline? Sure, why not, second may work out. That results in a variety of completely different types at one place. There are the traditional little guys who do some little bit of every part – suppose ...
Alcaraz, Nadal Lead Barcelona Entry Listing
Tennis

Alcaraz, Nadal Lead Barcelona Entry Listing

 By Alberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, March 19, 202Spanish superstars will deliver the excitement to Barcelona.Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and 14-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal lead the entry record for the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell set for April 15-Twenty first. Report: Saudis Make Bid for Unified Tour PLAYERS ALERT 🚨✅ Here are the confirmed gamers for the 2024 version!Discover the official record on the web site ➡️ Link in bio pic.twitter.com/ccR8UugSPQ — Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell (@bcnopenbs) March 19, 2024 The king of clay Nadal has received a report 12 Barcelona titles, together with his first in 2005, two years after his coach, Carlos Moya, received Barcelona.Nadal is aiming to make his comeback on the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters earlier than B...
Outfield Free Agent Signing Roundup
Baseball

Outfield Free Agent Signing Roundup

Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports Two of the outfielders I'd have been most occupied with signing this winter (as high-quality backups) each agreed to offers final week. Normally, that wouldn’t be an enormous deal; that’s what offseasons are for, in spite of everything. But each of them signed roughly two weeks away from Opening Day, and for meaningfully lower than I'd have predicted. That means which you could’t disconnect their offers from the context wherein they have been signed. That additionally means they get wrapped up into one article, so right here we go. This might be a three-parter: Michael A. Taylor’s signing with the Pirates, Adam Duvall’s signing with the Braves, and the market forces behind each strikes. Taylor to the PiratesThis one was so apparent on reflection. The Pirates...
Swiatek Shares Feeling on High of the World
Tennis

Swiatek Shares Feeling on High of the World

 By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, March 18, 202Avid reader Iga Swiatek speaks a number of languages and is fluent within the artwork of world supremacy.Applying her all-court abilities, Swiatek sped via eight straight video games dismissing Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-0 within the BNP Paribas Open closing to seize her nineteenth profession championship, together with her second Indian Wells crown within the final three years.Report: Saudis Make Bid for Unified TourSwiatek turned the primary prime seed since Victoria Azarenka in 2012 to win Indian Wells.It’s been two years since Swiatek succeeded the retired Ash Barty as world No. 1.As she celebrates her 94th week on the prime of tennis, Swiatek shared the way it feels to be world No. 1 in her post-final presser at Indian Wells.“I w...