Jay Bruce agrees to minor league contract with Yankees

NEW YORK (AP) » Outfielder Jay Bruce agreed Saturday to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees and will try to win a job at big league spring training.

The 33-year-old has an opportunity as a left-handed bat in a primarily right-handed lineup. The Yankees’ outfield features switch-hitter center fielder Aaron Hicks and right-handedhitting right fielder Aaron Judge.

Clint Frazier, another righthanded hitter, is the top candidate for left field, with Michael Tauchman and Tyler Wade, both left-handed hitters, also contenders but more likely to spend time as backups.

Brett Gardner became a free agent and is talking to the Yankees, but the team and the 37-year-old left-handed hitter have been apart on money. Gardner joined the Yankees in 2008 and had been their longest-tenured player.

Jim Hilger, of Amarillo, Texas, is a retired computer analyst and educator. Besides making crosswords, he enjoys collecting 45 r.p.m. records (he has more than 10,000 of them), cartooning and watercolor painting. “Most of my paintings end up looking like cartoons, however,” he says. The starting point of this puzzle was 38-Across. Jim apologizes in advance to the maker of every product he has “misplaced” herein. — W.S.

ACROSS

1 Mannerly

6 Philippine currency

10 Just open

14 Second socks, say

19 Offer a judgment

20 Thing with tags

21 Fruit-salad fruit

22 Sound of exertion

23 Huge celebration after L.A.’s football team wins the Super Bowl?

26 Nice nicety

27 Great shakes

28 Oldest tech sch. in the

U.S., founded in 1824

29 Bygone royalty

31 Oodles and oodles

32 Besmirch

33 Big fuss

35 With 1-Down, address

ender

37 Schlep

38 Reason that the prestigious scientific journal refuses articles from President Herbert’s relatives?

45 Power symbol?

46 Senate support

47 ____ gras

48 Restorative

indulgence

50 Kind of bookstore 51 Oil-field sight

53 It’s symbolized by an

elephant, for short 55 Theater seating

option

56 Japanese honorific

57 Apology from a musician to the other band members?

64 Best Picture winner that was banned in Vietnam

66 Lena of ‘‘Chocolat’’

67 1957 Jimmy Dorsey

hit

68 ‘‘Lonely Boy’’ singer,

1959

69 Stiff

71 Morally

uncompromised 72 Many a summer

position

74 Like writing about

how to write

75 Epitome of herd

mentality 79 Volunteered at a

nursery?

83 General practice?

84 Idle of Monty Python

85 ____ Lou Who of ‘‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’’

86 Elton John or Mick

Jagger

87 District on Hawaii’s

west coast

88 Volcanic substance

91 Person fluent in

Quechua

94 Et ____ (footnote

abbr.) 96 Fool

97 Adding a historic ship

as a deal sweetener?

101 Campaign guru

102 Super Bowl played

in 2020

103 Past

104 Get hold of

105 Dry

107 Hiker’s snack

110 Article from

U.C.L.A.?

112 Vatican ambassador

115 Small versions

117 Story about a

drinking binge?

121 Frost lines?

122 Awards feat, for

short

123 Puccini piece

124 Really lift

125 Ed of ‘‘Elf’’

126 Movement based on deliberate irrationality

127 Be really impressive, informally 128 Procrastinate

DOWN

1 See 35-Across

2 Uber and Lyft had theirs in 2019, for short

3 Tarzan’s transport

4 Didn’t just request

5 Is dismissed, as a class

6 On a Seder plate, it represents the arrival of springtime 7 Port. is part of it 8 State symbol

9 Sound from a marching

band

10 Pseudonym lead-in

11 Ditch at the last

moment 12 Leatherwork tools 13 Largest city on the

Arabian Peninsula

14 ‘‘Lionized’’ studio

15 Neighborhood

16 Gift in ‘‘The 12 Days

of Christmas’’

17 Push

18 Trap, of a sort

24 Sheikh’s peer

25 Free from

30 Aussie animals

34 Medal above plata

36 One-up

38 ____ cavity

39 Bowl, e.g.

40 Prefix with nautical

41 One temporarily entrusting property to another

42 Ink

43 Units in the life span

of a galaxy

44 Ad ____ tax

45 Brink of transition

49 Folksy possessive

52 Wilt

54 Magazine whose crossword is always accompanied by a photograph

57 Rigged card game

58 Hooked up, as oxen

59 Wolfs (down) 60 Supergiant in Orion

61 Hall of Fame quarterback for the Colts

62 More balanced

63 In ____ way

65 Rail container for

liquids

70 Bakery buy

72 Cloth woven from flax

fiber

73 So last year

76 ‘‘You can’t make me!’’

77 Female goat 78 Gloomy, weather-wise

79 Place to surf

80 Haydn’s ‘‘The

Creation’’ and others

81 Step on a ladder

82 The Berenstain Bears

live in one

87 ‘‘A merry old soul,’’ in

a nursery rhyme

89 Crack up, in

textspeak

90 Bit of kindling

92 U.S. counterpart to

Britain’s MI6 93 ____-Norman French

95 Common call on a

3rd-and-1

96 Not black-and-white

98 Sticker worn in

November

99 How some practical

jokes go

100 Burden

101 Prairie east of the Andes

106 Two-fifths of one quarter

108 Sitar selection 109 Move laboriously

111 Houston M.L.B.’er

113 Stressed, in a way: Abbr.

114 Multiple of tetra116 Union member of the 20th century, for short

118 Concern for one catching a connection, briefly

119 Sound from a drunk

120 ‘‘Stop right there!’’

Sports briefs run as space permits throughout the week in The Saratogian. To submit an item, e-mail sports@saratogian.com.

Public Skating and Stick Sessions are Back at the Saratoga Springs Ice Rinks: The Saratoga Springs Recreation Department is offering weekend Family Skate, Family Stick, Open Public, and Open Stick sessions at the Weibel Avenue Ice Rinks. Participants must register and pre-pay online. Visit www.SaratogaRec.com and click the blue “Online Registration” button to create an account or to register. City residents can begin to register Monday of each week for that weekends’s sessions. NonCity residents can begin to register Wednesday of each week for that weekend’s sessions.

For safety and social distancing purposes participation is limited to groups of 20 for Family Stick and Open Stick and 30 for Family Skate and Open Public.

Fees for Family Skate and Open Public are $4 for City residents and $5 for NonCity residents. Fees for Family Stick and Open Stick are $9 for City residents and $11 for all others. No refunds will be given. No walks in allowed. Skate rentals will be available for an additional $5. Skate rental payments will be accepted by cash or check (made out to Commissioner of Finance) only. Participants must wear a mask at all times.

Visit www.SaratogaRec. com and click Programs, “Ice Rink Public Skating Sessions” for complete information. Contact the Recreation Department at (518) 587-3550 x2300 or recreservations@saratoga-springs. org with questions.

Form a new Skate of Mind with the Saratoga Springs Recreation Department’s Intro to Ice Skating Program: Learn ice skating basics or improve your skills. Everyone age 3-Adult is welcome. Our Early Spring program runs February 23-March 30. Classes are offered on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Fees are $60 for Saratoga Springs City residents and $80 for Non-City residents.

Participants must wear a mask at all times. Spaces are limited to comply with safety and social distancing guidelines.

Visit www.SaratogaRec.com and click Programs, Ice Skating Lessons for additional information and to register. Contact the Recreation Department at (518) 587-3550 x2300 or recreservations@saratoga-springs.org with questions.

Serve Up Your Best with the Saratoga Springs Recreation Department Volleyball Program: Develop your skills and learn the rules and strategy to be a successful volleyball player. Everyone ages 8-14 is welcome. Our Winter program runs January 6-February 10. Fees are $55 for Saratoga Springs City residents and $65 for Non-City residents.

Participants must wear a mask at all times. Spaces are limited to comply with safety and social distancing guidelines.

Visit www.SaratogaRec. com and click Programs, Volleyball for additional information and to register. Contact the Recreation Department at (518) 587-3550 x2300 or recreservations@ saratoga-springs.org with questions.

Shoot for your Goals with the Saratoga Springs Recreation Department Basketball Program: Tiny B’Ball for ages 3-5, Intro to Basketball for Grades K-1 and the Boys and Girls programs for Grades 2-8 are currently accepting registrations. Tiny B’ball is a parent/child activity that introduces participants to the sport of basketball through games and activities. Intro to Basketball introduces basketball fundamentals. Grades 2-8 Basketball builds on fundamentals through individual skills and drills.

Fees for Tiny B’Ball are $55 for Saratoga Springs City residents and $65 for Non-City residents. Fees for Intro to Basketball and Grades 2-8 are $60 for Saratoga Springs City residents and $80 for Non-City residents.

Participants must wear a mask at all times.

Spaces are limited to comply with safety and social distancing guidelines. Volunteer Coaches are needed.

Visit www.SaratogaRec. com and click Programs, Youth Basketball for additional information and to register. Contact the Recreation Department at (518) 587-3550 x2300 or recreservations@saratoga-springs. org with questions.

Drop in Pickleball at the Saratoga Springs Recreation Center: Drop in pickleball sessions are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings (excluding holidays) from 9-11am. Fees are $4 for City residents with a verified Community Pass account and $5 for all others. Participation is on a first come, first served basis. For safety and social distancing purposes participation is limited to 50. Participants must create an account and register for a Rec Card prior to coming.

Participants must bring a mask, paddle, and appropriate footwear. Participants must wear a mask at all times.

Days/times are subject to change.

Visit www.SaratogaRec. com and click Programs, Rec Center Drop in Sessions for additional information and to set up an account. Contact the Recreation Department at (518) 587-3550 x2300 or recreservations@ saratoga-springs.org with questions.

Racquetball Rentals at the Saratoga Springs Recreation Center: Reservations for court times can be made through Community Pass. Fees are $5 for City residents with a verified Community Pass account and $8 for all others. Reservations and fees are per person/per hour.

For safety and social distancing purposes participation is limited to groups of 3. Participants must create an account and register for a Rec Card prior to coming. Participants must bring a mask, racquet, racquetballs, and appropriate footwear. Participants must wear a mask at all times.

Visit www.SaratogaRec. com and click Programs, Rec Center Drop in Sessions for additional information and to reserve a court. Contact the Recreation Department at (518) 587-3550 x2300 or recreservations@ saratoga-springs.org with questions.

Racquetball Rentals are Back at the Rec!: Reservations for court times can be made through Community Pass. Fees are $5 for City residents with a verified Community Pass account and $10 for all others.

Reservations and fees are for a one hour rental.

For safety and social distancing purposes participation is limited to groups of 3. Participants must create an account and register for a Rec Card prior to coming. Participants must bring a mask, racquet, racquetballs, and appropriate footwear.

Visit SaratogaRec.com and click Programs, Rec Center Drop in Sessions for additional information and to reserve a court. Contact the Recreation Department at (518) 587-3550 x2300 or recreservations@saratogasprings.org with questions.

Saratoga Springs Recreation Department Announces Online Registration: The Saratoga Springs Recreation Department is excited to announce online program registration has begun! “Online registration has been a long time coming, and we cannot be more excited to offer it to our community” said John Hirliman, Administrative Director. Instructions for creating an account and registering for programs can be found by visiting SaratogaRec.com. Questions can be directed to 518-587-3550 x2300 or recreservations@ saratoga-springs.org.

Saratoga Springs Ice Rinks Offer Year Round Skating Fun: Visit SaratogaRec.com and click on the ice skate for the schedule. Contact the ice rink at (518)-583-3462, or the Recreation Department at (518) 587-3550 x2300 or recreservations@saratoga-springs.org with questions.

Get in the Ring with the Saratoga Springs Recreation Department’s Boxing Program: Everyone age 8-15 is welcome. This cosponsored program with Saratoga Youth Boxing will teach proper boxing technique and provide conditioning tips.

Visit SaratogaRec.com and click Online Registration for additional information and to sign up. Contact the Recreation Department at (518) 587-3550 x2300 or recreservations@saratogasprings.org with questions.

Hockey Hut Online Training: We hope everyone is staying safe during this trying time. In Keeping with the standards set by our government, our current programming is on hold. As soon as we can schedule our Tactical Power Skating and our Pond Hockey League we will, stay tuned.

During this difficult time period, we are looking for ways that we can support our community and do our part to help out. On the Hockey Hut Facebook and Instagram pages tune in for core, plyometric, strength, stick handling, and shooting drills.