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Mets, Betances agree to deal
NEW YORK — The New York Mets have reached an agreement with free-agent reliever Dellin Betances on a one-year contract with a player option for 2021.
The Mets announced the deal with the four-time All Star on Tuesday. Betances is guaranteed $10.5 million under the contract.
The 31-year-old, who is from New York, is staying in his hometown after spending his first eight seasons in the majors with the Yankees.
He missed most of 2019 because of injuries. Betances’ season ended after just eight pitches. He tore an Achilles tendon in his first appearance back from a lat injury that had sidelined him since spring training.
Betances was the first reliever in baseball history to have 100 or more strikeouts in five consecutive seasons (2014-2018). The right-hander led all major league relievers in strikeouts in each year from 2014-2016.
“Dellin is one of the elite relievers in the game with an incredible track record of pitching on the biggest stage and in playoff games,” Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said in a statement.
In 2018, Betances made 66 appearances, with a 2.70 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 66⅔ innings. He has made nine career playoff appearances, with a 3.27 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 11 innings.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Mets designated infielder Sam Haggerty for assignment.
AG suspends investigation
LANSING, Mich. — State Attorney General Dana Nessel has suspended a nearly two-yearlong criminal investigation into Michigan State University’s handling of complaints against nowimprisoned serial sexual abuser Larry Nassar, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.
The probe, which began under Nessel’s predecessor, has resulted in charges against three former school officials. One was convicted. Two others, including former president Lou Anna Simon, were ordered to trial. Their cases will continue to be prosecuted.
It is unclear if or when the investigation will resume. Investigators want the university to waive attorney-client privilege on more than 6,000 documents, and they hope to interview former interim president John Engler, who took over following Simon’s resignation, Nessel spokeswoman Kelly Rossman-McKinney said.
Nassar is effectively serving life in prison for possessing child pornography and sexually assaulting athletes, mostly female gymnasts, at Michigan State and Twistars. Olympians said he also molested them in Texas and overseas.
Company sues Ohio State
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Oh no: A New Yorkbased sports network has turned to the federal courts in its trademark dispute with Ohio State University over use of the letter “O.”
Overtime Sports Inc., an online network focusing on high school basketball and football, has a capital O with sloping corners as its logo. Its application to trademark the logo is pending with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Ohio State asked the company in July to stop using the logo, saying it was too close to its own trademarked octagonal “block O” letter.
Overtime Sports disagrees with Ohio State’s position and on Monday filed a federal lawsuit in New York City asking that the university be prohibited from trying to stop the use of the logo.
The lawsuit notes that Ohio State’s “O” contains neither rounded edges nor a rectangle in the center, as the company’s logo does. It also argued there’s no danger of someone confusing the letters, and that Overtime Sports has not unfairly competed with Ohio State or violated any of its rights.
Revenue from licensing royalties was $15.5 million last year and $207 million since the licensing program began in 1980, Davey said.
Mobile betting to begin in N.H.
CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire will join Rhode Island next week as the second state in New England to allow sports betting.
The betting company DraftKings announced it will launch New Hampshire’s mobile betting product ahead of schedule on Monday. In November, Gov. Chris Sununu said the app would likely be operational by January or February. Anyone physically in New Hampshire who is over the age of 21 and has downloaded the app will be able to place bets on professional sports online.
The New Hampshire Lottery Commission approved a six-year sports-betting contract with DraftKings in November. The company will pay the lottery 51% of gross gaming revenue for mobile and 50% of gross gaming revenue from retail locations.
Rhode Island became the first state in the region to allow sports betting in November 2018. The state launched its mobile betting application in September.