MGM’s latest partnership in U.S. sports is with MLB
MGM Resorts has made its third deal in four months with a major U.S. sports league, becoming Major League Baseball’s official gambling partner in the U.S. and Japan.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday that MGM will become an MLB-authorized gaming operator and will promote itself with teams and on the MLB Network, MLB.com and the MLB At Bat app.
Manfred says “there’s been a huge change in public opinion” on sports gambling “and it has presented an opportunity for all sports and baseball in particular.” He adds “we have to take advantage of every opportunity to drive engagement by fans.”
MGM in August became the official gambling partner of the NBA and WNBA, and the first official sports betting partner of the NHL last month.
• Pirates pitcher Chris Archer has undergone surgery to repair a hernia but should be ready in time for spring training.
• Veteran catcher Erik Kratz and the Milwaukee Brewers have agreed to a $1.2 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration and includes a $300,000 guarantee.
• Outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall has agreed to a $2.75 million, one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, leaving the Cleveland Indians after eight seasons.
College
STANFORD’S PLUMMER IS VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF YEAR >> For the second straight season, Stanford outside hitter Kathryn Plummer has been named the Pac-12 women ‘s volleyball player of the year, the conference announced Tuesday. Teammates Jenna Gray was setter of the year and Morgan Hentz was named libero of the year. Additionally, the Cardinal’s Kevin Hambly has been tabbed the coach of the year.
An All-Pac-12 honoree for the thirdstraight year, Plummer has led the Cardinal to its 18th Pac-12 crown and secondstraight. Stanford won the title going a perfect 20-0 in league play becoming the first team since 2003 to run the table in league play. Seventh in the nation in kills per set (4.78) and fourth in points per set (5.48), she has helped Stanford post the second-best kills average in the country at 14.95.
Joining the trio on the All-Pac-12 team are Tami Alade, Audriana Fitzmorris and Meghan McClure.
Stanford became the first Pac-12 team to go undefeated in conference play since 2003 this season and carries a 26-match winning streak into the postseason. The Cardinal plays host to Alabama State in the NCAA tournament on Friday.
Stanford’s Holly Campbell, Cal’s Lauren Forte and Antioch’s Jenna Ewert, who plays at Colorado, earned all-freshman team recognition.
SANTA CLARA VOLLEYBALL COACH WILL NOT RETURN >> Volleyball coach Jon Wallace, who spent the past 20 years guiding the Broncos, will not return to the Santa Clara bench next season. The Broncos, 6-24 this season, 1-17 in West Coast Conference, reached the NCAA tournament 13 times in his tenure, including the national semifinals in 2005. Wallace posted a 367-230 record.
Tennis
USTA CHOOSES NEW PRESIDENT >> Patrick Galbraith is the new board chairman and president of the U.S. Tennis Association.
The USTA announced the election of Galbraith on Tuesday. He succeeds Katrina Adams, who served an unprecedented two consecutive terms.
Adams was the first African-American and first former professional tennis player to serve as USTA president.
Galbraith begins his two-year term Jan. 1.
Golf
AUSSIE OPEN BEING MOVED TO ACCOMMODATE PRESIDENTS CUP >> Next year’s Australian PGA championship will precede the Australian Open so it can accommodate the Presidents Cup in mid-December.
Officials said the 2019 Australian PGA will be played at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, a week ahead of the Australian Open (Dec. 8-11 at The Australian in Sydney) and the Presidents Cup (Dec. 12-15).
This year, the Open, won by Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, preceded the PGA by two weeks, with the World Cup of Golf at Metropolitan in Melbourne in between.
The World Cup team event was won by Belgians Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry, with Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman, representing Australia, tied for second.
This year’s Australian PGA begins Thursday with defending champion Smith and Leishman among the entries.
Also entered are Geoff Ogilvy, who was named as a captain’s assistant on Sunday by captain Ernie Els for the Presidents Cup, England’s Andrew (Beef) Johnston and American Harold Varner III, who has won, finished second in a playoff and finished sixth in three Australian PGAs at Royal Pines.