Carrasco honoured for charitable acts
Indians hurler wins prestigious Clemente Award
Cleveland Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco has won the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, Major League Baseball announced Friday.
The 32-year-old Carrasco, who has born in Venezuela, has engaged in numerous charitable acts in his home country, as well as other nations. He wins the award following a season in which he battled leukemia, but later returned to pitch.
The award is given to someone who “best represents the game of baseball, through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.”
“Winning the Roberto Clemente Award is one of the most prestigious honours,” Carrasco said in a news release. “This is something that I have dreamed of, and I am very excited to share this honour with the Cleveland Indians and my home country of Venezuela. I hope to continue giving back to others and inspire more players to help in the community.”
Carrasco travelled to Africa last November and distributed shoes, shirts and backpacks to underprivileged children. During the trip, he donated more than $70,000 to families in need.
Carrasco donated $25,000 worth of toys last Christmas for children in Venezuela and annually purchases two containers of medical supplies — at $33,000 per container — to be sent to Venezuela.
Every other Sunday during the off-season, Carrasco and wife Karelis distribute 500 lunches to the homeless from the front porch of their home in Tampa, Fla.
The Carrascos also donate money to single mothers and United States veterans.
This season, Carrasco went more than three months without pitching as he battled leukemia. He underwent chemotherapy and returned in September.
Clemente, a 15-time All-star with the Pittsburgh Pirates, died in a plane crash on Dec. 31, 1972, while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
After helping the Minnesota Twins set a major league record for home runs, James Rowson was hired Friday by the Miami Marlins as their bench coach, ESPN reported.
And even though the Marlins are in MLB, not the NFL, Rowson will also hold the title of “offensive co-ordinator.” Essentially, Rowson will be in charge of implementing the same hitting philosophy throughout the Marlins’ minor league system.
Rowson, 43, was the Twins’ hitting coach this past season when the team clubbed 307 home runs, more than any team ever in a single season in major league history.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will sit out Sunday’s game against the Green Bay
Packers with a dislocated kneecap.
Mahomes was injured Oct. 17 at Denver in Kansas City’s win over the Broncos, but was able to practice Wednesday and Thursday in a limited capacity. Head coach Andy Reid said Friday the Chiefs would instead give Matt Moore the start in a prime time game at Lambeau Field, affording Mahomes more time to recover from his injury.
Reid said Mahomes “just wasn’t ready” and pointed to the original projection of about three weeks for the quarterback to be healthy.
Moore will start for the first time since the 11th game of the 2017 season for the Miami Dolphins.
He relieved Mahomes at Denver and went 10 of 19 passing for 117 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown to Tyreek Hill.
Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan practised on Friday, but Falcons coach Dan Quinn told reporters that Ryan will be a game-time decision when Atlanta hosts Seattle on Sunday.
The Falcons (1-6) listed Ryan as questionable to play against the
Seahawks (5-2).
The 34-year-old Ryan is 202-of285 passing for 2,170 yards and has thrown 15 touchdowns, tied for the NFL lead with Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Russell Wilson of Seattle. He has been intercepted eight times.
Jimmy Butler missed his regular-season debut with the Miami Heat for unspecified “personal reasons,” but coach Erik Spoelstra cleared up the mystery on Friday.
“I think it’s like the worst kept secret that’s out there right now why Jimmy missed the game. Jimmy is now a proud father and he has a baby daughter,” Spoelstra said. “The rest, I’ll let him give you the details.”
The Heat beat Memphis 120-101 on Thursday and are heading north to meet Milwaukee on Saturday and Minnesota on Sunday. He isn’t expected to travel with the team and play in either game.
The Heat acquired Butler in an off-season trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.