Angels hire Washington, the 71-year-old's first gig since '14
ANAHEIM >> The Los Angeles Angels hired Ron Washington to be their new manager Wednesday, turning to a veteran baseball mind in an attempt to end nearly a decade of losing.
Washington, 71, became the majors' oldest manager and only the second active Black manager, joining the Dodgers' Dave Roberts.
Washington led the Texas Rangers from 2007-14, winning two AL pennants and going 664—611. He spent the past seven seasons as Atlanta's third base coach, helping the Braves to their 2021 World Series title.
Washington replaced Phil Nevin, who wasn't resigned last month after 1 1/2 losing seasons in charge of the long-struggling Angels. Los Angeles is mired in stretches of eight consecutive losing seasons and nine straight non-playoff seasons, both the longest streaks in the majors.
HARPER TO PLAY FIRST BASE FULL-TIME FOR PHILLIES >>
The Philadelphia Phillies have decided twotime Most Valuable Player Bryce Harper is the team's first baseman of the future, which means the franchise also is moving on from slugger Rhys Hoskins.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the front office and manager Rob Thomson came to the conclusion Harper was the best option at first base. The 31-year-old made 36 starts there this season after Hoskins tore his ACL during spring training.
Dombrowski said he's informed Hoskins — now a free agent — about the team's plan.
College football
MICHIGAN RESPONDS TO BIG TEN, SAYING COMMISSIONER DOESN'T HAVE DISCIPLINE AUTHORITY >> The University of Michigan warned Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti about overstepping his authority and rushing to judgment, insisting that he cannot discipline coach Jim Harbaugh under the conference's sportsmanship policy for an alleged signstealing scheme that has rocked college football.
Parts of the blistering 10page letter sent to Petitti were shared with The Associated Press by two people who have seen it and spoke
on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized by the school to disclose its contents.
The letter is Michigan's response to the Big Ten's notification of potential discipline of Harbaugh's undefeated second-ranked team, which is among the favorites to win the national championship.
Women's basketball NCAA PUTTING RENEWED EMPHASIS ON SPORTSMANSHIP >>
After a season that saw over a 33% increase in technical fouls, women's college basketball is putting a renewed emphasis on sportsmanship this year.
Last season, there were 830 total technical fouls called, up from 606 the season before, according to the NCAA. That included a 77% increase on techs given to head coaches and a whopping
193% increase on technical fouls assessed to personnel on the bench.
Fighting was also a problem last year, including incidents in a game between George Washington and TCU as well one between Georgia and VCU. There was a 400% increase in bench personnel ejections as a result.
Soccer
MADRID, SOCIEDAD ADVANCE IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE >>
On a royally good evening for standout Spanish teams, Manchester United fell in another wild loss in the Champions League.
Real Madrid and Real Sociedad advanced to the round of 16 with two games to spare after impressive home wins over Portuguese opponents, respectively 3-0 against Braga and 3-1 over Benfica.
Bayern Munich and Inter Milan also won and will be in the knockout phase after getting key late goals from their talismanic strikers, Harry Kane and Lautaro Martínez.
Kane scored in the 80th and 86th minutes in a 2-1 win over Galatasaray and Inter's 1-0 win at Salzburg was sealed by Martínez's penalty in the 85th.
Man United took a 4-3 loss at Copenhagen after twice letting leads slip and left coach Erik ten Hag's team last in Group A.
KING CHARLES PROPOSES BILL THAT TAKES AIM AT EUROPEAN SUPER LEAGUE >>
Over two fraught days in April 2021, a newly formed “Super League” threatened to change the face of European soccer by creating an elite tournament that would protect 15 top clubs from relegation.
It quickly collapsed, but a U.K. government bill announced by King Charles on Tuesday proposes powers to block English teams from attempting to join a breakaway league in the future.
In a document explaining the new Football Governance Bill, the government said the European Super League was “fundamentally uncompetitive” and “threatened to undermine the footballing pyramid against the wishes of fans.”
“Fans will no longer face the prospect of seeing their clubs sign up to ill-thought out proposals such as the European Super League,” the document said.