MORNING ROUNDUP
Pujols signs 1-year deal with Cardinals
Albert Pujols is returning for at least one more year with the St. Louis Cardinals, the team the future Hall of Famer played for in the first 11 seasons of his career.
Pujols and the Cardinals have agreed to a one-year contract worth $2.5 million, according to multiple reports.
The St. Louis Dispatch and Athletic were the first to report the deal. Pujols played for the Cardinals from 2001-11. He was the 2001 NL rookie of the year, and then went on to win three National League MVP awards. Pujols also was a vital part of two World Series title-winning teams (2006 and 2011) in St Louis.
Pujols signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Angels in 2012 and spent nine-plus seasons with the team before being released on May 13, 2021. Four days later, he signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pujols, who has a career .297 batting average, ranks fifth on the all-time home runs list (679) and 12th on the all-time hits list (3,301).
Browns coach hopes a Mayfield deal is ‘resolved soon’
ESPN reported that quarterback Baker
Mayfield remained on the Cleveland Browns’ roster Monday, 10 days after the team traded for Deshaun Watson. Nevertheless, the Browns have every plan to get rid of the former Oklahoma star, coach Kevin Stefanski said.
“I think everyone understands the situation, and we’re hoping that it is resolved soon,” Stefanski said. Cleveland traded with Houston for Watson and then added free agent Jacoby Brissett as his backup. Mayfield is guaranteed his full base salary of $18.858 million in 2022, a factor that is likely complicating trade efforts.
ETC. ESPN reported that all 32 NFL teams must hire a minority offensive assistant coach for the 2022 season, part of a series of policy enhancements announced Monday to address the league’s ongoing diversity efforts. The coach can be “a female or a member of an ethnic or racial minority,” according to the policy adopted by NFL owners during their annual meeting.
Extra points WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL:
Lexie Hull scored 20 points, including a key three-point play inside the final three minutes, and Haley Jones hit four free throws in the closing moments to finish with 18 points in top-seeded Stanford’s Elite Eight win over No. 2 seed Texas 59-50 on Sunday night. The Cardinal will play in the national semifinal for the 15th time in program history, facing either North Carolina State or Connecticut in Minneapolis.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Pittsburgh and football coach Pat Narduzzi have agreed on a new contract that will keep Narduzzi with the Panthers through at least 2030. The deal comes three months after Narduzzi led Pitt to its first Atlantic Coast Conference title.
GOLF: Oklahoma State golfer Rina Tatematsu will play in the Augusta National
Women’s Amateur Championship, which begins Wednesday and runs through Saturday. The sophomore from Bangkok, Thailand, will be making her first appearance in the tournament. OSU has had a least one competitor in the tournament since its inception in 2018. SPORTS MEMORABILIA: Al’s Sports Cards in Edmond will have its monthy in-store baseball card show from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday. Those who attend can participate in 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. drawings that will be worth a $10 voucher at any dealer table. Al’s Sports Cards is located in a strip shopping center at 116 E. 15th St. ... Another trading card show — the OKC Sports Card and Memorabilia Show — is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the Best Western hotel at 4300 SW 3rd St.
The show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. A James Spence Authentication representative will be on hand for those who want to have autographs authenticated. ...
Sports memorabilia dealers are on the Jocelyn Alo train. Ebay has an assortment of Alo trading cards produced in 2021 by the Sports Illustrated for Kids magazine selling for $19.95 each. Another is selling autographed softball for $149. The Oklahoma slugger is the NCAA’s career leader in home runs.