Baker to MLB: Tell teams to ‘stop the comments’
Dusty Baker wants action from Major League Baseball: End the criticism of the Astros from across baseball over sign stealing, and take steps to ensure pitchers don’t throw at his players.
“It’s not good for the game, it’s not good for kids to see it, so I think both,” the new Houston manager said Saturday. “Stop the comments and also stop something before it happens.”
Baker spoke in response to a wave of harsh comments during spring training about the Astros’ use of video to steal signs in 2017 and 2018. Los Angeles Dodger first baseman Cody Bellinger said Friday the Astros “stole” the 2017 World Series title from them and adds that Jose Altuve did likewise with the MVP, denying the Yankees’ Aaron Judge.
Houston players, management and ownership spent the first day of camp apologizing for their actions and professing remorse. But many players and front offices around the league didn’t feel they went far enough.
Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said he wanted to hear the Astros use the word “cheated” when addressing the situation.
“I’m depending on the league to try to put a stop to the seemingly premeditated retaliation that I’m hearing about,” Baker said. “In most instances in life you get kind of reprimanded for when you have premeditated anything.”
Los Angeles pitcher Ross Stripling indicated he might intentionally throw at Houston batters.
“We don’t start nothing,” Baker said. “This is kind of the slogan of my team: We don’t start anything — not intentionally. Guys are going to be getting hit intentionally and unintentionally. If you say you are going to drill somebody and all of the sudden you drill them, you can’t say, ‘I wasn’t trying to hit them,’ you know what I mean?”
Pro football
RUDOLPH'S AGENT: GARRETT
LEGALLY LIABLE AFTER ESPN INTERVIEW >> The agent for Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph says Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett opened himself up for potential legal action after reiterating his claim that Rudolph used a racial slur shortly before their infamous brawl in November.
During an interview with ESPN, his first since being hit with a suspension after slugging Rudolph in the head with Rudolph’s own helmet in the final seconds of a Browns win on Nov. 14, Garrett said Rudolph called the defensive end “the N-word.”
Rudolph, as he did when Garrett made the claim while appealing the suspension in November, called the allegation “a disgusting and reckless attempt to assassinate my character.” Tim Younger, Rudolph’s agent, went a step further. Because Garrett conducted the interview in California, Younger said Garrett’s “defamatory statement” has now exposed the former No. 1 pick to “legal liability.”
The NFL said there was no evidence of Rudolph using a slur when it handed out an indefinite suspension to Garrett, a suspension which ended when he was reinstated earlier this week. Garrett, however, hinted the league may know more that it has revealed.
Track and field
DUPLANTIS BREAKS WORLD
POLE VAULT RECORD AGAIN >> Armand Duplantis broke the world pole vault record for the second time in eight days.
The American-born Swede eclipsed his own mark by a centimeter when he vaulted 6.18 meters at the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix.
Duplantis sailed over with his first attempt at 5.84. With no one else left in the event, he also flew over at 6.00, a UK indoor all-comers record.
The 20-year-old vaulter had the bar moved up to 6.18 and one attempt was all he needed as he flew well clear.
Duplantis also broke the record in Torun, Poland last Saturday.
Soccer
UNBEATEN LIVERPOOL 25 POINTS CLEAR >> Winning five of the remaining 12 games will guarantee Liverpool the end of its 30year title drought.
Sadio Mane produced the sole moment of quality as Liverpool fended off Storm Dennis and Norwich for a 1-0 win that sent the visitors 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Manchester City, the second-place defending champions, plays West Ham on Wednesday.
Golf
MCILROY, SCOTT, KUCHAR SHARE LEAD AT RIVIERA >> Rory McIlroy kept patient through some missed opportunities by making enough birdies for a 3-under 68. Adam Scott, motivated to get a victory at Riviera that the PGA Tour counts, rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 67. Matt Kuchar recovered from three bogeys in a four-hole stretch to make one last birdie for a 70.
They were tied for the lead at the Genesis Invitational.
Toronto Boston Philadelphia Brooklyn New York
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Miami Orlando Washington Charlotte Atlanta
CENTRAL DIVISION
Milwaukee Indiana Chicago Detroit Cleveland
Friday's games
2020 Rising Stars Challenge
Team USA 151, Team World 131
Saturday's games
No games scheduled.
Sunday's games 2020 All-Star game
Team Giannis vs Team LeBron, 5 p.m., Chicago
Harden, HOU 51 Antetknmp, MIL 48 Young, ATL 50 Lillard, POR 54 Beal, WAS 46 Doncic, DAL 44 Leonard, LAC 42 Wstbrook, HOU 45 Davis, LAL 46 Booker, PHX 52 LaVine, CHI 55 James, LAL 51 Ingram, NOP 47 Mitchell, UTA 53 Siakam, TOR 44 DeRozan, SAS 52 Embiid, PHI 39 Wiggins, GSW 45 Tatum, BOS 50 Walker, BOS 46 517 529 459 507 459 418 398 473 428 463 483 488 401 477 385 445 290 374 406 332 532 1800 307 1438 392 1483 368 1594 305 1340 306 1271 256 1141 234 1223 320 1225 347 1374 258 1392 189 1274 249 1169 205 1288 170 1033 298 1196 262 893 164 1011 178 1121 181 1001 35.3 30.0 29.7 29.5 29.1 28.9 27.2 27.2 26.6 26.4 25.3 25.0 24.9 24.3 23.5 23.0 22.9 22.5 22.4 21.8
1. Baylor (23-1) beat No. 14 West Virginia 70-59.
2. Gonzaga 25-1) at Pepperdine.
3. Kansas (22-3) beat Oklahoma 87-70.
4. San Diego State (25-0) did not play.
5. Louisville (21-5) lost to Clemson 77-62.
6. Dayton (23-2) beat UMass 71-63.
7. Duke (22-3) beat Notre Dame 94-60.
8. Florida State (21-4) beat Syracuse 80-77.
9. Maryland (21-4) beat Michigan State 67-60.
10. Seton Hall (18-6) at Providence.
11. Auburn (22-3) lost to Missouri 85-73.
12. Kentucky (20-5) beat Mississippi 67-62.
13. Penn State (20-5) beat Northwestern 77-61.
14. West Virginia (18-7) lost to No. 1 Baylor 70-59.
15. Villanova (18-6) at Temple.
16. Colorado (19-6) at Oregon State.
17. Oregon (19-6) did not play.
18. Marquette (17-7) did not play.
19. Butler (19-7) lost to Georgetown 73-66.
20. Houston (20-6) lost to SMU 73-72. OT.
21. Iowa (17-8) did not play.
22. Illinois (16-9) lost to Rutgers 72-57.
23. Creighton (19-6) vs. DePaul.
Vancouver Edmonton Vegas Calgary Arizona Sharks Anaheim Los Angeles
CENTRAL DIVISION
St. Louis Colorado Dallas Nashville Winnipeg Minnesota Chicago
Boston Tampa Bay Toronto Florida Montreal Buffalo Ottawa Detroit 58 58 59 59 60 58 57 58
GP W
58 56 57 57 59 58 57 59 59 58 58 60 58 57 60
METROPOLITAN DIVISION
GP W
Washington 57 Pittsburgh 56 N.Y. Islanders 56 Columbus 59 Philadelphia 59 Carolina 57 N.Y. Rangers 57 New Jersey 57
Friday's games
10 6 5 7 5 7 8 12 5 8 6 7 8 11 4
L OT Pts
5 6 6 11 7 3 4 10
Pittsburgh 4, Montreal 1 Carolina 5, New Jersey 2 N.Y. Rangers 3, Columbus 1 Sharks 3, Winnipeg 2
Saturday's games
Boston 4, Detroit 1
Nashville 4, St. Louis 3
Tampa Bay 5, Philadelphia 3 Edmonton 4, Florida 1
Sharks 2, Minnesota 0
Dallas at Montreal, (n)
Toronto at Ottawa, (n)
Los Angeles vs. Colorado at Falcon Stadium, (n)
Chicago at Calgary, (n) Washington at Arizona, (n)
N.Y. Islanders at Vegas, (n)
Sunday's games
32 31 29 30 28 26 23 20 32 33 33 28 29 27 25 36 39 30 30 27 26 19 14 37 35 33 30 32 33 30 21 21 21 22 23 24 28 27 33 16 17 19 22 25 24 24 11 15 20 22 26 24 27 42 15 15 17 18 20 21 23 26 5 6 8 6 8 4 7 5 69 190 175 68 186 180 66 188 183 66 170 178 64 167 165 56 152 189 53 146 179 45 142 186 74 186 170 72 202 157 71 154 144 63 187 186 63 176 179 61 176 187 58 166 181 84 196 145 83 211 156 68 205 192 66 201 198 61 181 184 60 166 181 49 150 193 32 122 224 79 205 174 76 186 151 72 166 156 71 152 146 71 193 177 69 186 159 64 188 178 52 158 201
Detroit at Pittsburgh, 9:30 a.m. Boston at N.Y. Rangers, 12:30 p.m. Edmonton at Carolina, 1 p.m. Anaheim at Vancouver, 2 p.m. Columbus at New Jersey, 3 p.m. Dallas at Ottawa, 3 p.m.
St. Louis at Nashville, 3 p.m. Toronto at Buffalo, 4 p.m.
Chicago at Winnipeg, 5:30 p.m.
GF GA
Saturday
At The Classics at Lely Resort Naples, Fla.
$1.6 million
6,845;
Purse: Yardage: Second Round
Stephen Leaney ................... 65-65—130 -12 Bernhard Langer ................. 65-66—131 -11 Chris DiMarco ...................... 68-64—132 -10 Fred Couples ......................... 67-65—132 -10 Fred Funk ............................... 65-67—132 -10 Kevin Sutherland ................... 70-63—133 -9 Scott Parel ............................. 64-69—133 -9 Marco Dawson ........................ 67-67—134 -8 Bob Estes ................................. 67-67—134 -8 Tim Petrovic ........................... 66-68—134 -8 Ken Tanigawa ........................ 65-69—134 -8 Kent Jones .............................. 69-66—135 -7 John Daly ................................ 68-67—135 -7 Scott Verplank ....................... 67-68—135 -7 Brandt Jobe ............................ 66-69—135 -7 Mark Brooks .......................... 66-69—135 -7 Stephen Ames ....................... 69-67—136 -6 Brett Quigley ......................... 69-67—136 -6 Rod Pampling ......................... 69-67—136 -6 Steve Flesch ........................... 68-68—136 -6 Doug Barron ........................... 64-72—136 -6
Saturday
At NYBC Live
New York
$719,320
Hardcourt indoor
Purse: Surface:
SINGLES
Semifinals
Kyle Edmund (8), Britain, vs. Miomir Kecmanovic (6), Serbia, 6-1, 6-4.
Pedro Sousa, Portugal, def. Diego Schwartzman (1), Argentina, walkover. Casper Ruud (8), Norway, def. Juan Ignacio Londero, Argentina, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.
Saturday
At Ahoy Rotterdam Rotterdam, Netherlands $2,013,855
Hardcourt indoor
Purse: Surface:
SINGLES
Semifinals
Par:
71
College basketball
Tennis
Felix Auger-Aliassime, Canada, def. Pablo Carreno Busta, Spain, 7-6 (2), 6-4. Gael Monfils (3), France, def. Filip Krajinovic, Serbia, 6-4, 7-6 (5).
Odds