Baker set to manage Astros
Dusty Baker is working to finalize an agreement to become manager of the Houston Astros,The Associated Press reported on Tuesday.
Baker, 70, becomes the oldest manager in the big leagues. He takes over from AJ Hinch, who was fired Jan. 13 just an hour after he was suspended for the season by Major
League Baseball for his role in Houston’s signstealing scandal.
Baker’s hiring is a sign the AL champions want to bring an old-school mentality and stern presence to a franchise reeling from the dismissal of Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow. Baker has 22 years of managerial experience, starting in 1993 with the San Francisco Giants.
A three-time National League Manager of the Year, Baker last managed the Washington Nationals, who let him go after a 97-65 season in 2017.
Elsewhere: Ryan Zimmerman and the World Series champion Washington Nationals finalized a $2 million, oneyear contract. The 35-yearold first baseman has spent his entire 15-year big league career with the Nationals. … Four members of the House of Representatives introduced a resolution urging Major
League Baseball not to follow through with its proposal to eliminate 42 current minor-league teams. MLB wants to cut short-season leagues and reduce the number of farm teams each big-league club affiliates with.
ETC.
College basketball: Kihei Clark scored 15 points and hit the go-ahead layup with 59 seconds left as Virginia ended No. 5 Florida State’s 10-game winning streak, 61-56, at Charlottesville. The game was tied 11 times and neither team could get any separation over the final 10 minutes. Virginia trailed 56-55 before Clark drove down the left side of the lane, reached across and banked his shot in on the right side. After Devin Vassell missed a jumper for the Seminoles, Mamadi Diakite hit a pair of free throws with 13.9 seconds left for Virginia (14-6, 6-4 ACC). Devin Vassell had 17 points to lead the Seminoles (17-3, 7-2), who missed two chances to tie. … Saddiq Bey scored 23 points, Collin Gillespie
had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 8 Villanova won its seventh in a row, easily handling St. John’s 79-59.
NFL: A circuit judge in Fort Lauderdale freed NFL free agent Antonio Brown
from house arrest, allowing him to travel freely as he awaits trial on charges that he attacked the driver of a moving truck. … The Houston Texans have added general manager to Bill O'Brien’s title, a role the coach has been filling since the firing of Brian Gaine in June.
Golf: Irish professional
Shane Lowry has become the second 2019 major championship winner to commit to the Honda Classic, Feb. 24-March 1 at
PGA National. Lowry, who won the British Open at Portrush last July, joins PGA Championship winner and West Palm Beach native Brooks Koepka — the No. 1 player in the world — in the field.
Soccer: AC Milan and its fans paid tribute to
Kobe Bryant with lights and applause before and during Tuesday’s Italian Cup game against Torino at the San Siro stadium. Bryant, who grew up in Italy between the ages of 6 and 13, was a devout Milan fan. … Athletic Bilbao beat second-division club Tenerife 4-2 on penalties in Madrid to reach the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey after playing nearly the entire game with 10 men.
Skiing: Henrik Kristoffersen overcame a big mistake in his final run to win a World Cup night slalom at Schladming, Austria, strengthening his lead in the overall and discipline standings.