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Should women's Tests be played over five days?

Published in Cricket
Monday, 22 July 2019 23:17

The conclusion of the Women's Ashes Test in Taunton has raised the question whether the format should be played across five days, after a combination of rain and stodgy scoring rates stymied the contest.

Australia batted out the final day of the one-off match, securing the draw they needed to retain the multi-format Ashes, with the coach Matthew Mott saying they had considered ways of making a match of it but weren't going to donate England a chance of victory.

Australia had dominated the Test from the start. And once they batted for the first four sessions and rain wiped out the rest of day two, England's chances were all but gone of fighting back for a win even before they took a defensive approach with the bat late on the third day. England did declare after saving the follow-on and made a couple of early inroads in Australia's second innings, but the visitors were never in danger.

"Maybe it's an advertisement for five-day Test in women's cricket," Mott said. "With four [days] and you take half a day out, it certainly wasn't enough. It would have been an awesome [fifth] day if we'd had the extra day.

"We're not a charity, we don't give up a result that easily. We've won the first three ODIs and we deserve the opportunity to bat it out. We weren't prepared to roll that dice and give England a chance when they didn't really earn the right to it."

There were 100 overs scheduled for each day of the Test. So, without weather interruptions, there would have been 400 overs available in the game compared to 450 across a five-day Test consisting of 90-over days.

"[A fifth day] would've helped get a result," Meg Lanning, Australia's captain, said. "It probably wouldn't have been a drab day if we had a day five but we both knew it was four days coming in. It's not a decision for us to make but I guess it's something to look at."

However, England coach Mark Robinson suggested that the first priority for the Test format in the women's game was to get more matches played before thinking about extending the length of them. This decade there have been just eight Tests with six of them being England-Australia matches.

"You've got to try and get more Tests, and more countries playing Test match cricket," Robinson said. "I think we all would agree it would help the development of the players.

"The young Aussie [Tayla Vlaeminck] what a promising quick, but at the moment she hasn't got control - if that's a 50-over game she has wides - but the beauty of this is it allows her to run in, how exciting is that? Games allow quicks to run in, it allows batters to bat time, build innings, be tactically better.

"It would help not just our team, but all teams around the world, the development of their players before we get to saying we should be playing five days in England-Australia [Tests]."

Swindell Secures 360 Knoxville Nationals Ride

Published in Racing
Monday, 22 July 2019 17:09

GERMANTOWN, Tenn. – Sammy Swindell has locked down a ride for the 29th annual My Place Hotels 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank.

Swindell is teaming up with Terry Steward and Scott Brown during the marquee event at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, Aug. 1-3. Swindell’s preliminary night is currently scheduled for Aug. 1.

“They have been in racing for a long time,” he said. “Gary Wright drove for them for quite a few years. I’ve known the guys for quite a while. They let me borrow a motor for the first two 360 Nationals I raced and then I had it when I won the Short Track Nationals with the Big Game car in 2013.”

The team will invade Knoxville Raceway this Saturday to compete in the 360 division as a tune-up prior to the 360 Knoxville Nationals.

“Little things are different and you have to get the breaks during the night,” said Swindell, who has two career starts with the team that both occurred in November 2017. “I know we’ll have a competitive car. Doing it this way where we have a weekend up there before the 360 Nationals will be good.”

Swindell won the 360 Knoxville Nationals in 2016, making him only the second driver to win both the 360 and 410 Knoxville Nationals.

He has five top-five finishes during the event, which ranks tied for sixth.

Swindell is also scheduled to compete for his son, Kevin Swindell, and Swindell SpeedLab during the 5-Hour Energy Knoxville Nationals.

Zidane blames 'suspect Spanish' on Bale saga

Published in Soccer
Monday, 22 July 2019 17:56

Real Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane said on Monday he had not "disrespected" Gareth Bale and it was the club who wanted to sell the Welsh forward, not him personally.

Bale did not play for Real in their 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in the International Champions Cup on Saturday, with Zidane revealing his absence was due to the club "working on his departure."

- Source: Bale could go to China on a free transfer
- Darke: Bale's time at Madrid is done, but where can he go?

Bale's agent labelled Zidane a "disgrace" but the Frenchman defended his conduct ahead of Real Madrid's pre-season clash with Arsenal in Washington, D.C.

"At times my Spanish is very suspect," Zidane told reporters. "I want to be very clear about this. Firstly, I have not disrespected anybody and least of all the player.

"I have always said the same, the players are the most important and every time I am with a player here I will be with them always.

"Second thing, I said the club is trying to sell him. Third point, I think it is very important and crucial to say that the other day Gareth did not [play] because he did not want to.

"He will train with us today. He will train with the squad today but tomorrow is tomorrow.

"Gareth is a Real Madrid player. That is the most important thing, he is a player for the squad."

Bale, 30, has won four Champions League titles since joining Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 for a then world record €100 million (£89.77 million) but he struggled to hold down his place in the starting side last season.

Can MLS finally topple Liga MX in Leagues Cup?

Published in Soccer
Monday, 22 July 2019 15:03

On Tuesday, the latest attempt to stoke the MLS/Liga MX rivalry will take place with the inaugural matches in the Leagues Cup. In each of the four games, an MLS side will go up against a Liga MX counterpart, with the winners progressing to the semifinals to be held on Aug. 20 (All games will be available on ESPN networks or ESPN+). The final will take place in Las Vegas a month later.

Frankly, it's difficult to take the budding competition seriously, at least in this initial go-round. The timing, in the midst of the MLS season and at the very beginning of the new Liga MX campaign, is curious. The choice of MLS sides -- the LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, Houston Dynamo and Chicago Fire -- looks entirely random as well, though qualification for next year's tournament is more concrete. The concept has also been tried before with a tournament called the SuperLiga that ran from 2007-10, one that was abandoned amid expansion of the CONCACAF Champions League.

There's also the fact that the games are being crammed into a time of year when fixture congestion is already an issue for MLS teams and the weather is borderline scorching in many of the league's cities. MLS participants like Houston and RSL are fighting for their playoff lives. For a team like RSL, the playoff six-pointer next weekend at FC Dallas will take far greater priority than Tuesday's game against Liga MX powerhouse and reigning 2019 Clausura champions UANL Tigres.

- Report: Leagues Cup expanding to 16 teams in 2020
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- Corsello: Zlatan Ibrahimovic doesn't dream. He is the dream

Then there's the overwhelming fact that competitive matches between Liga MX and MLS clubs strain the definition of the word "rivalry." MLS has long been trying to gain the attention of its older and more well-established sibling, with little success. According to ESPN Stats & Information, starting with the 2012-13 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League, there have been 54 games between MLS and Liga MX sides: Liga MX won 28 times, 12 matches resulted in draws and MLS won the remaining 14. Only three times in the current decade has an MLS team so much as reached the CCL final, losing every time against Liga MX opposition.

While Toronto FC did come agonizingly close in 2018, falling to Chivas de Guadalajara on penalties, the 2019 edition of the tournament was a step backward. In five matchups between MLS and Liga MX, only Sporting Kansas City managed to prevail in its round of 16 matchup against Toluca. SKC was later humbled in the semifinals 10-2 on aggregate by Monterrey.

So why will this competition be any different? And while there is consensus that MLS is closing the still sizable gap on Liga MX clubs, what needs to happen to close it further?

Seattle Sounders FC GM Garth Lagerwey is among those taking more of a long-term view about the tournament. Such a competition will provide the players who participate in it with the opportunity to play against a higher standard of competition. It's also a chance for people who are already fans of the sport to see what MLS teams have to offer.

"It adds to the credibility of our league if you can beat Mexican teams," he said. "If, in fact, these games will be scheduled in a more favorable period of the year, hopefully you win more of them and you add respect to the league. If we can get the folks who watch Liga MX to watch MLS more regularly, that's just basic math. That would lead to better ratings and will hopefully generate more revenue for our franchises."

Not everyone is on board. The tournament's arrival has been met with a shake of the head by the MLS Players Association. MLSPA executive director Bob Foose noted that a bonus structure for players taking part in the tournament has yet to be agreed, and there are practical concerns as well.

"On the one hand, we understand and support the desire to build new properties that get attention and have value," said MLSPA executive director Bob Foose. "That's good for us. Competition between our clubs and Mexican clubs obviously is something that we need over time on a serious level to continue to build the sport. On the other hand, the league and the owners haven't done what they need to do about schedule congestion, travel conditions, or about carefully planning and thinking through what they do."

Does MLS have an edge this time around?

The timing of the new tournament does provide MLS teams with some advantages. The time of year for the CCL, basically at the start of the MLS season in late winter and early spring, does MLS teams no favors. By comparison, Liga MX sides are about 8-10 games into the second half of their league calendar.

"It's very difficult from a physical perspective and a mental perspective when players have to be up and ready to play in that competition and we haven't even played a game in MLS yet," said SKC manager Peter Vermes. "We're already in a must-win competition."

The opposite will be true in the Leagues Cup, with MLS teams deep into their season as their Liga MX counterparts are just starting out. The fact that all of the games will be held on U.S. soil will help as well.

Such factors will not minimize the significant structural differences between Liga MX teams and those in MLS. The largest is what the teams spend on their respective players and how that impacts roster depth. Lagerwey estimates that on average, Liga MX sides spend double that of their MLS counterparts. The data accumulated by the web site Transfermarkt is a bit more favorable to MLS, with the average market value of players on Liga MX team coming out to $42.7 million while the average for players on MLS teams checks in at $26.7m. This still represents a sizable gap, connected to the financial constraints MLS places on itself when it comes to salary caps and the rules about how money can be spent.

"I wish we could spend here what they spend in Mexico," said LA Galaxy GM Dennis te Klose, who previously served as the director of national teams for the Mexico Football Federation. "I think if you look at the Champions League games, which I think is a good measure, if you have a few guys out, and there are some injuries, or there are a few things that go a little bit on the downside for the MLS clubs, I think there is more depth and there are more quality players available for the Mexican teams to replace or come up with tactical variations or in different spots."

Leagues Cup fixtures:
- Chicago Fire vs. Cruz Azul, 7/23, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- LA Galaxy vs. Club Tijuana, 7/23, 11 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Houston Dynamo vs. Club America, 7/24, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- Real Salt Lake vs. Tigres, 7/24, 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)

All of this points to a need for MLS to further loosen the purse strings if it is to really compete with Liga MX clubs. That will no doubt be a part of the upcoming CBA negotiations between the MLSPA and MLS. But Foose also feels steps can made even before such discussions begin, especially as it relates to the level of influence the MLS league office has on how money is spent.

"In our system, we're only constructing a roster one way, which is the way that MLS has dictated that you do it," he said. "The Mexican clubs have the freedom to construct their roster in the way that they think makes the most competitive sense. They can have a roster where the highest-paid player makes twice what the 20th-highest paid player makes. The way we do it is more like 20 times higher. I for one would like to see what our teams could do with the freedom to spend the money the way they want to spend it in order to be competitive.

"I think we're past the point where there's any benefit -- that's if there ever was any benefit -- of having centralized planning like that."

An upside for young players

There is more to closing the gap than just importing players from the top down and increasing spending. There needs to be an emphasis on developing players from the ground up as well.

Te Klose praised MLS's increased focus on youth academies as well as the continued recruitment of young international players from abroad. This needs to continue and Efrain Alvarez, the 17-year-old Galaxy academy product, looks to be a player who could benefit from a competition like the Leagues Cup. However, te Klose notes that Mexico has also been making this a point of emphasis. MLS is still playing catch-up, though te Klose wouldn't go so far as to say MLS should emulate Liga MX in mandating that teams give a certain number of minutes to youth players.

"You can't copy and paste things that are very productive or successful somewhere else," he said. "You need to understand what your needs and your market are, and what your idea or philosophy is locally, and then maybe you can take advantage of certain things that have worked outside.

"I'm not sure if on every team [mandating minutes] would be positively welcomed, that you need to play young players."

The extent to which a tournament like the Leagues Cup can be a puzzle piece in terms of MLS teams catching up to Mexico is still to be determined. Interest in the SuperLiga waned to a degree, with crowds routinely failing to crack 10,000 in the last two years it was held. Yet there is cautious optimism that the Leagues Cup will help lift the collective boat of MLS.

"I have no doubt there's short-term pain with fixture congestion, squad rotation, things like that," said Lagerwey. "But if you want to get where you want to go, this [tournament] is potentially a step in the right direction."

Narine and Pollard recalled for T20Is against India

Published in Cricket
Monday, 22 July 2019 20:26

Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard have been recalled to the West Indies T20I squad for the opening two matches against India, with uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Anthony Bramble also earning a call-up.

Allrounder Andre Russell has been included subject to passing a fitness test following the knee injury which forced him out of the World Cup. John Campbell, the opening batsman, takes the spot vacated by Chris Gayle who is unavailable due to playing in the Canada GT20.

Narine, who last played T20Is nearly two years ago, is joined in the spin attack by left-armer Khary Pierre. Narine was in the frame to be part of the World Cup, but did not feel confident getting through 50-over cricket after a finger injury. The selectors are casting their eye forward to next year's men's T20 World Cup in Australia where West Indies will defend their title.

"We felt that players like Narine and Pollard, who have played well in T20 leagues around the world, once they are fit and mentally ready to play, we must give them the opportunity to represent the West Indies again," Robert Haynes, the intern chairman of selection, said.

"It's not just about the present - the India tour of the West Indies - but we are also looking at the T20 World Cup coming up next year and it is important that we find the right combination of players and the right formula for defending our title.

"We have to make sure that we put certain things in place now, so that when it comes to picking the squad for the T20 World Cup, it becomes easier, so we are giving more players the opportunity to play and get the exposure."

Bramble, 28, will provide wicketkeeping back-up to Nicholas Pooran despite not having played an official T20 in close to three years. He did, however, captain West Indies B at last year's Canada GLT20 and was picked up by Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL draft in May.

"He is young and has a lot of ambition, and we saw his character come out in the way he batted whenever Guyana Jaguars were in problems in the West Indies Championship and Super50 Cup, so we know he is capable of getting the job done," Haynes said.

The selectors could make changes to the squad for third T20I in Guyana. India's tour also includes three ODIs and two Tests.

Squad Carlos Brathwaite (capt), Anthony Bramble (wk), John Campbell, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, Keemo Paul, Khary Pierre, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Oshane Thomas

Lasith Malinga is set to retire from ODIs after the first game of the upcoming three-match series against Bangladesh. This will give Sri Lanka a chance to identify their next line of wicket-taking bowlers, which will be their "biggest problem" going forward, according to captain Dimuth Karunaratne.

"Our biggest problem is identifying wicket-taking bowlers in the months ahead, we need to find bowlers that can take wickets in the early overs, as well as the middle overs," Karunaratne said, when asked what the team's immediate plans were post World Cup.

"In the series ahead we will be giving chances whenever we can to identify that talent, because we know Lasith Malinga is not available after this series. Lasith is only going to play the first match and then he's retiring. That's what he's told me at least."

Karunaratne, who is a known stat buff, will have been likely well aware of his team's impotency in terms of wicket-taking when making his observations. At the World Cup, Malinga's 13 wickets at 28.69 in seven matches were more than twice that of the next best Sri Lankan bowler, Isuru Udana, who picked up six in the same number of games. Nuwan Pradeep, who picked up five in three games, is a possible contender to take over the mantle, but injuries have been a frequent hindrance for him.

As such, Karunaratne knows the only lasting solution is to plan well in advance, with his thoughts already turning towards building for the 2023 World Cup.

ALSO READ: Niroshan Dickwella, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan recalled for Bangladesh ODIs

"We also need to groom some youngsters for the next World Cup as well," Karunaratne said. "Yes, there's plenty of time, but we need to groom them one at a time and that takes time. Of course, we can't fix everything at once, but we have four years before the next World Cup so we need to see how we can groom our youngsters and pass on the experience of our senior players to them.

"We've been looking to give Shehan Jayasuriya a chance after his performances against India A, and Lahiru Madushanka who performed well against South Africa [for the Emerging Team]. Those are some of the players we have in mind, but of course we can't give everyone a chance just yet."

Following a World Cup campaign in which Bangladesh both impressed and disappointed, they will also be looking to test their fringe players. For them it's a temporary glimpse; Shakib Al Hasan - the unofficial player of the World Cup - is away on Haj pilgrimage, Liton Das is getting married, and captain Mashrafe Mortaza and Mohammad Saifuddin are injured. That's four World Cup starters out, and a chance for some fringe players to shine.

ALSO READ: Mashrafe Mortaza out of Sri Lanka tour with hamstring injury, Tamim Iqbal to lead

"The guys who have been picked in the squad are all very capable. I really don't like to talk about players who aren't here at the moment," stand-in captain Tamim Iqbal said, when questioned about Bangaldesh's plans for replacing Shakib. "I know he's a special player and has done fantastically well for Bangladesh, but he's not part of this tour so let's not talk about him. There are other 15 players and they all are very, very capable, and whoever plays in the first ODI, I'm sure they're ready to cash in on their opportunity."

Tamim, however, doesn't have as many concerns as Karunaratne. Bangladesh travelled with a well-settled squad for the World Cup, and at another time would have likely travelled to Sri Lanka at full strength and probably as favourites. But as things stand, Tamim was keen to focus on the players at his disposal, and helping his side take the step up from simply playing well to winning games consistently.

"I think we had a pretty decent World Cup, there were a few games we should have won. If you see the points table you'd think we had a very bad World Cup because we finished only eighth in the table, and we as cricketers know we could have done more. On the whole though we played some good cricket, but we know that in the end it's winning games that is important."

Astros rookie Alvarez sets record with 35th RBI

Published in Baseball
Monday, 22 July 2019 22:16

Houston Astros rookie slugger Yordan Alvarez homered and knocked in a pair of runs Monday night in an 11-1 win over the Oakland A's, making him the first player to have 35 RBIs in his first 30 career games since runs batted in became an official statistic in 1920.

Alvarez, 22, passed Albert Pujols, who had 34 in his first 30 games with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2001.

"I was very happy and very grateful (about the record), something I just found out about when I got here to the clubhouse," Alvarez said through an interpreter.

"Especially with (Pujols), it's an honor and a privilege. When we were in Anaheim, I spoke with him and he gave me a lot of advice, a lot of information to help me out."

The left-handed slugger from Cuba is now hitting .342 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs since making his major league debut with the Astros on June 9. At the time, he was tearing up the Pacific Coast League with 23 home runs and 71 RBIs in 56 games.

Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow took to Twitter to laud Alvarez.

Alvarez was one of three Cuban-born Astros players -- along with Yuli Gurriel and Aledmys Diaz -- to homer in the 11-1 trouncing of the A's Monday night. That had only happened once before in MLB history, when Jose Abreu, Alexei Ramírez and Dayan Viciedo did it for the White Sox in 2014.

White Sox first team to employ extended netting

Published in Baseball
Monday, 22 July 2019 18:36

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox have become the first team in the major leagues to extend protective netting from foul pole to foul pole, starting Monday night against the Miami Marlins.

The extra netting at Guaranteed Rate Field was in place for Chicago's first home game since the All-Star break. The White Sox announced the safety measure last month, a week after a foul ball at the park sent a woman to the hospital with her head bleeding.

On Sunday in Cleveland, another fan was hurt by a foul. Indians star Francisco Lindor said he was told his line drive put a 3-year-old boy in the hospital.

"It's a great idea," White Sox pitcher Evan Marshall said. "It's a shame it wasn't done sooner and just almost a standard across baseball, I think. Finally the players are speaking out because everybody is tired of seeing people get hit.

"It just sucks the air right out of the game and we see it happen. It's hard to move on to the next pitch or do whatever because somebody's going to the emergency room," he said.

White Sox manager Rick Renteria agreed.

"I think they did a nice job ... It looks like there is no inhibiting factors in terms of seeing things but it should obviously keep high velocity screamers and some bats from going into the stands and causing injury," Renteria said.

Several fans, including a 2-year-old girl in Houston, have been injured by hard-hit fouls this season. Many players and fans have implored Major League Baseball to require pole-to-pole netting covering foul territory at every ballpark.

The new netting in Chicago will be 30 feet high above the dugouts and reach a maximum height of 45 feet down the lines.

As for ground rules, the nets will be treated like walls -- as in, a ball that bounces or is thrown into the netting remains in play.

White Sox rookie star Eloy Jimenez hit the foul last month that injured the woman.

"It's really good because now the fans are going to be more safe," he said. "Especially because line drive foul balls, most of the time they're super hard. I think it's going to be safe for the fans."

White Sox star Tim Anderson agreed that it's good for the safety of the fans, but did express some concern that it would limit players' ability to sign autographs.

The Washington Nationals were among other teams to announce this season they would extend their netting. It was in place at Nationals Park on Monday when the game against Colorado was rained out.

Commissioner Rob Manfred recently said extending protective netting down foul lines is a ballpark-to-ballpark decision because of differing configurations.

MLB recommended in Dec. 2015 that teams extend protective netting. That move resulted in all clubs extending netting to at least the near ends of dugouts by 2016. After a toddler was struck by a line drive at a Twins-Yankees game in New York in Sept. 2017, all teams had netting in place to at least the far ends of dugouts for the start of the 2018 season.

As the crowd entered the park for the Marlins-White Sox game, there were varying views of the new netting.

A fan named Michael, who declined to provide his last name, brought his 8-year-old son. They sat two rows off the field, two sections down from the White Sox dugout on the third base side.

"Tough call, safety versus pleasure," he said. "I would take safety. Now for sure you won't get hit; before you probably had to pay more attention. But the balls were coming off pretty hard, so anyone who's just not [paying attention] would get hurt.

"There's definitely an impediment with the net," he said. "It definitely changes the experience. It's not the same as before, getting balls, seeing through the net. It's not the same, but I'm sure people will get used to it."

Maybe not, said Missi Cundari, who brought 10-year-old son Dean. They had the same seats for a game earlier this season, three sections past third base dugout, a couple rows back.

She wasn't happy.

"The view and also the ball boys would throw us balls and the players would come up and chat. This is terrible," she said. "We never felt unsafe. The balls that were hit over here were groundballs.

"Honestly, looking at this makes me dizzy. This is terrible. Luckily these seats were not expensive."

White Sox manager Rick Renteria applauded the extra netting at his home park and said he doesn't believe the nets will get in the way of the fans' enjoyment.

"I think every organization will continue to do everything they can to allow the fans to get the experience in terms of the human connection," he said. "You can still see people through the netting, it's not like a wall, a blocked off wall.

"I'm sure fans will find a way to still get items through to get signed autographs and things of that nature. You'll still be able to have physical contact if you truly want to touch somebody, it's still possible," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Skaggs remembered, praised at memorial service

Published in Baseball
Monday, 22 July 2019 19:20

SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Los Angeles Angels pitcher Andrew Heaney urged those at a private memorial service to remember a gift fallen teammate Tyler Skaggs gave to them.

"Take a moment, close your eyes and think of a story or even an image that reminds you of all the good times you had with Ty," Heaney said. "Take that memory and hold it in your hearts and in your minds. That is his lasting gift to everyone here."

Skaggs' teammates and family gathered Monday at a Catholic church in his native Santa Monica to remember Skaggs, who was found dead in his hotel room in Texas on July 1. He died shortly before his 28th birthday.

The mourners remembered Skaggs as a beloved son, husband, teammate and friend whose upbeat personality brought joy to everyone around him. The altar was flanked by two large red-and-white floral arrangements prominently featuring No. 45, Skaggs' uniform number.

Hundreds of attendees laughed and cried at the eulogies from 14 speakers. Several family members related stories of Skaggs as a precocious, upbeat kid who just happened to grow into a world-class athlete.

"To Tyler's parents and family, what an incredible job you did raising such a wonderful person," said Padres pitcher Garrett Richards, a longtime teammate who was drafted by the Angels along with Skaggs in 2009. "Carli, your husband had a big smile, but an even bigger heart. He truly cared about people. I feel so honored to have known and spent as much time with him as I did. He impacted me in so many areas of my life. Rest in peace, Skaggy."

The final speaker was Carli Skaggs, the pitcher's wife, who made a last-minute decision to share poignant memories of her life since their marriage last winter.

"I didn't think I'd be able to do it," Carli Skaggs said. "Tyler gave me some strength."

The current Angels and owner Arte Moreno were joined by former team members including longtime manager Mike Scioscia, Jered Weaver, Richards, David Freese and Matt Shoemaker. They were joined by Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, Jack Flaherty of the St. Louis Cardinals and former major leaguer Trevor Plouffe, all Los Angeles-area natives and friends of Skaggs.

The Angels players and other members of the organization made the short trip from Anaheim in three buses. Skaggs grew up as a fan of the Angels instead of the closer Dodgers.

"He was a genuine and caring person," Heaney said. "His friendship is something that I'll always remember and cherish. He was the best friend anybody could ask for."

The Angels all wore Skaggs' No. 45 jersey in their first home game after his death on July 12, and pitchers Felix Pena and Taylor Cole stunningly combined to throw a no-hitter in a 13-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.

After the service, mourners were greeted by a catering truck from In-N-Out Burger, a Southern California institution and one of Skaggs' favorite meals.

Earlier in the day, the Major League Baseball Players Trust made a $45,000 donation to the Tyler Skaggs Baseball Foundation, which supports youth sports, projects and family services.

Texas authorities aren't expected to announce Skaggs' cause of death until October, after laboratory testing is completed.

Taichung to Tokyo, step at a time

Published in Table Tennis
Monday, 22 July 2019 15:17

Aiming once again for honours, China provides a formidable contingent of players; in the men’s singles events, the names of Feng Panfeng (class 3), Cao Ningning (class 5) and Zhao Shuai (class 8) all appear on the entry list. All struck gold in the Brazilian city.

Similarly, men’s singles silver medallists three years ago, Korea Republic’s Joo Youngdae (class 1) and China’s Guo Xingyuan (class 4) are present alongside bronze medallists Thailand’s Rungroj Thainiyom (class 6) and China’s Yan Shuo (class 7).

Notably in Taichung all start as favourites for gold; they are the top seeds in their respective events. Strong opposition but none face Rio 2016 medallists.

In the women’s singles competitions, for Mao Jingdian (class 8), it is a similar situation but for her Chinese gold medal winning colleagues from Rio de Janeiro, it is different. Fellow medallists await Liu Jing (class 2), Xue Juan (class 3), Zhang Bian (class 5) and Liu Meng (class 9).

Revenge is in the air in class 1-2, Liu Jing is the no.2 seed; Korea Republic’s Seo Suyeon, the player Liu Jing beat to secure gold in Rio de Janeiro, is the top seed.

Similarly, Xue Juan is the top seed in class 3 but also present is colleague Li Qian, the Rio silver medallist. Li Qian is the no.3 seed, one place behind Zhou Ying, also from China, the 2018 Asian Para Games gold medal winner. In class 5, Zhang Bian is the top seed in an event that witnesses the attendance of Korea Republic’s Jung Younga, bronze medallist in Rio de Janeiro. Jung Younga occupies the no.3 seeded spot, one step behind Jordan’s Khetam Abuawad, silver medallist at last year’s Asian Para Championships.

Intense competition, it is very much the situation for Liu Meng; in class 9 she is the no.3 seed. China’s Xiong Guiyan and Korea Republic’s Kim Kunhea occupy the top three places. Last year Xiong Guiyan secured gold at the Asian Para Championships; Kim Kunhea was a gold medallist at the World Para Championships.

Meanwhile, for Hong Kong’s Ng Mui Wui, she is the only Rio medallist on duty in class 11, she secured bronze, in Taichung she is the top seed. Somewhat similarly, Korea Republic’s Kim Seongok is the only Rio bronze medallist present in class 11 but she faces a most testing time. She is the no.2 seed, behind China’s Wang Rui, gold medallist at the 2018 Asian Para Games.

A total of 174 men and 103 will compete in Taichung.

2019 ITTF Asia Para Championships: Entry List

2019 ITTF Asia Para Championships: Draws and Latest Results

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