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Lehner's mental health message earns Masterton

Published in Hockey
Wednesday, 19 June 2019 21:34

LAS VEGAS -- Nine months after Robin Lehner publicly revealed his battle with bipolar disorder and substance abuse, the New York Islanders goalie won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the NHL player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey."

"I took that first step and it's been life changing for me," Lehner said in his acceptance speech at the NHL Awards show at Mandalay Bay on Wednesday. "Got to keep pushing, end the stigma. I'm not ashamed to say I'm mentally ill, but that doesn't mean I'm mentally weak."

Later, Lehner told reporters it was "pretty tough" to address the crowd and he was "fighting back tears."

"Now I'm diagnosed and medicated and I've learned a tremendous amount with how to deal with my issues," Lehner said. "I still have a lot to learn, but it's incredibly manageable and that's why a lot of people need to take that first step."

In September, the 27-year-old Lehner penned a first-person essay for the The Athletic that detailed an in-game panic attack he had while with the Buffalo Sabres last season. The Sabres sent Lehner home after his panic attack during an intermission of a March 29, 2018 game against the Detroit Red Wings. On the way home that night, Lehner said he stopped to buy beer and after a night of drinking, he told his wife, "I have to go away."

Lehner would never play another game for the Sabres. However, the episode led Lehner to seek treatment. He went to rehab where he says he was treated for addictions to alcohol and drugs and diagnosed as bipolar and ADHD with PTSD and trauma as well as having manic phases.

Lehner signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Islanders in free agency after he was candid with the front office about what he was dealing with. Lehner and the Islanders then smashed their modest expectations this season. Lehner finished the season 25-13-5, with a 2.13 GAA, .930 save percentage and six shutouts as the Islanders, surprisingly, had the league's best defense and qualified for the playoffs -- then swept the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. Barry Trotz won the Jack Adams Award on Wednesday for Coach of the Year.

Lehner was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy and was recognized with teammate Thomas Greiss for the William M. Jennings Trophy for being the tandem that allowed the fewest goals in the NHL this season.

Lehner credits his support system -- which includes Islanders teammates, coaches and management, as well as his doctors -- with helping him stay on track.

Entrance into the NHL/NHLPA's Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program is kept confidential, though Lehner said there were benefits for him disclosing his participation. For example, Lehner said he recently had dinner with some of the doctors who treated him and they said other players have come forward, thanks to him.

"Obviously they don't tell me names or anything, but they've said a lot of people have reached out to them to start getting help," Lehner said. "Me being outspoken, and if that's just one person, then it's worth it."

Lehner admitted there were risks to being so frank about his condition -- especially financially, as it could affect negotiations or contracts going forward. It's why he believes many players have typically been hesitant to admit they need help.

"We as players in this league, GMs, whoever it might be, there needs to be some change to open it up," Lehner said. "Why it's been so successful for me this year, is because I was open with it. I think the program for the first time was able to work together with the team, it was a good collaboration. ... For a majority of people, they're not going to be open about it to the team. So the team part is going to be not involved because as soon as that comes to light, it's going to affect your financial future, it's going to affect negotiations, contract, or whatever it might be. It's going to turn into a risk."

Lehner, however, said the past year has been a highlight of his career.

"I've had such an incredible outpour of support," Lehner said. "There's been so many people who have contacted me, tried to contact me, who I haven't been able to get to yet. They're scared of taking that first step, scared of doing the things that are necessary to turn their lives around. ... Reaching them, that's incredibly rewarding."

Mexico beats Canada; 'Tata' downplays rift

Published in Soccer
Thursday, 20 June 2019 00:23

Mexico substitute Andres Guardado netted twice in the second half to secure a 3-1 victory for El Tri against Canada in the second round of games in Group A of the Gold Cup.

Roberto Alvarado had opened the scoring at Broncos Stadium in Denver five minutes before half-time, with Lucas Cavallini netting for Canada in the 75th minute, two minutes before Guardado made it 3-1.

Canada put up stern resistance for much of the game in a far tougher test for El Tri than last Saturday's 7-0 win over Cuba in Los Angeles.

The result means Mexico is qualified for the quarterfinals of the tournament, unless there is a bizarre set of result in the final match day in Charlotte on Sunday, when Canada plays Cuba and Mexico faces Martinique.

Alvarado's goal came when it looked like Mexico was getting frustrated, as highlighted by a heated argument between Mexico's Gerardo "Tata" Martino and Canada coach John Herdman on the sidelines.

"He made a joke and I just answered, I'm not sure what it was because it was in English," Martino quipped after the match.

Herdman also downplayed the back-and-forth as a simple misunderstanding.

"He is a great coach," Herdman said of Martino. "I don't speak Spanish. I think he was asking how my new role was going. Said, 'Yeah, it's going well.' I asked him if he's enjoying his role."

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The victory, in front of 52,874 fans, gives Martino six wins from his six games in charge of Mexico so far.

Mexico had 72 percent possession in the first half, but was largely restricted by Canada to a couple of chances, with Jonathan dos Santos going closest with a volley in the 29th.

The first half was slightly marred for Mexico with an injury to Erick Gutierrez, who was replaced by Guardado in the 36th.

Guardado's influence quickly showed itself and the Mexico captain added El Tri's second from 25 yards in the 54th with a memorable goal, although one minute earlier Canadian teenager Alphonso Davies pounced on a loose ball and got past Diego Reyes inside the area, but could only shoot wide.

Canada continued to put up a fight and got back into the game when Cavallini tapped in, after a mistake from Nestor Araujo allowed Jonathan David to charge through on goal and pass square to the Puebla striker.

But Mexico responded immediately through Guardado, with LA Galaxy right-winger Uriel Antuna setting him up after a mazy run down the flank.

Mexico travels to Charlotte on Thursday ahead of Sunday's game against Martinique.

Earlier Wednesday, Martinique defeated Cuba 3-0 to remain in contention for a place in the quarterfinal.

Sources: Man Utd only have £100m for transfers

Published in Soccer
Thursday, 20 June 2019 03:43

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been given just £100 million to strengthen his Manchester United squad this summer, with further spending likely to be dependent on money raised by player sales, sources have told ESPN FC.

Despite United suffering one of their worst seasons since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, further investment in the squad hinges on the futures of Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and David De Gea, who have all been linked with moves away from Old Trafford this summer.

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If United are able to retain all three players -- Pogba and De Gea, in particular -- there is a view within the club that the recruitment of emerging talent ahead of next season can make Solskjaer's team competitive for a top four finish.

But having seen Ander Herrera and Antonio Valencia leave as free agents at the end of last season, five months after the £10.5m sale of Marouane Fellaini to Shandong Luneng, Solskjaer has been told that his initial rebuilding plans must be financed by the £100m transfer fund.

Solskjaer, who was confirmed as full-time manager in March after initially replacing the sacked Jose Mourinho on a caretaker basis last December, has so far added just one signing in Swansea City winger Daniel James to his squad since the end of last season, when United finished sixth and without a trophy for the second successive campaign.

United, who have recently given new contracts to Ashley Young, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Juan Mata, are also pursuing Leicester and England centre-back Harry Maguire, Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff and Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

But with the club's players due to report back for preseason training on July 1, only £15m has been spent so far.

Sources have told ESPN FC that moves for Maguire and Wan-Bissaka have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough due to United offering substantially less than the valuations of Leicester and Palace respectively.

Should Pogba, De Gea or Lukaku be sold, sources have told ESPN FC Solskjaer and his backroom staff would expect to be given the proceeds to reinvest in the squad.

But interest in Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho has already been shelved due to the German club's £80m-plus valuation of the England player, while Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly is also regarded as being over-priced, with the Italian club seeking at least £90m.

Messi ensures Argentina live to fight another day

Published in Soccer
Wednesday, 19 June 2019 22:19

No plan survives first contact with the opposition. Argentina's pulsating 1-1 draw with Paraguay on Wednesday was a battle between two sides who had run headlong into this problem in their opening matches.

Argentina's caretaker coach Lionel Scaloni was full of bold talk when he was appointed last August.

"I've always liked more direct, vertical football," Scaloni said then. "Winning the ball to arrive at the opposing goal as quickly as possible."

And so he went about building his side with two wingers and quick transitions to the flanks, the ball played rapidly into space. Then Lionel Messi returned from his international hiatus and, of course, wanted the ball played to his feet. Argentina's debut match, a 2-0 defeat to Colombia, was marked by enormous confusion. The half-time substitution of left winger Angel Di Maria by the entirely right-footed Rodrigo De Paul was the moment that Scaloni's initial idea bit the dust. And so, searching in the dark for something new, something coherent, he changed the formation against Paraguay to something like a 4-4-2.

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Paraguay coach Eduardo Berizzo, meanwhile, also announced his own revolution on his appointment in February.

"I'm always thinking of how to dominate the game," said the ex-assistant of the king of the high press Marcelo Bielsa. "I don't want to be dominated, sit back and try to scrape results."

But the historic identity of Paraguay is exactly that -- a team who over the years have revelled in deep defence. Berizzo's first attempt to play higher up the pitch in a competitive match was not a conspicuous success. On Sunday, they were flattered by the 2-0 lead they opened up against Qatar, and may even have been flattered by the final scoreline of 2-2. If Qatar stretched them out and played through them, what would Argentina and Messi do?

Berizzo chose not to run the risk. It was back to basics in Belo Horizonte for Paraguay. The order of the evening was deep defence and counter-attack.

This had pros and cons. The big pro for Paraguay is that, in a low-scoring game like football, defending is the easier part. Two teams were trying to improvise a solution, and it was more comfortable for Paraguay to destroy than it was for Argentina to construct. The other pro, specific for this game, is the lack of pace in the Argentina back line -- a problem that has dogged La Albiceleste for years.

In the break he made to set up the Paraguay goal, Miguel Almiron was faster running with the ball than the rival defenders were running without it. Paraguay should have won the game when they exposed this flaw a second time. Caught on the wrong side, Nicolas Otamendi committed a desperate foul in the area, only for Derlis Gonzalez to waste the penalty with a weak shot, pushed around the post by Franco Armani.

By this time, Argentina had drawn level from the spot -- a moment that illustrated the risks of the Paraguayan approach. Argentina lacked organisation, but defending deep can always run into the problem of conceding set pieces close to goal -- a risk much heightened by the appearance in the game of the video assistant referee.

The decision to penalise Ivan Piris for a hand ball in the box is controversial. It did not look clear even after studying the video evidence. Without VAR, the supposed offence would have gone unnoticed and Argentina would have been happy to go ahead with the corner that Messi was about to take when the referee held his arm aloft and began the long conversation with his colleagues.

Perhaps Argentina got lucky. But they had to change once more to earn their luck. Scaloni's experiment with Roberto Pereyra as a central midfielder was a clear and predictable failure, abandoned at half-time. On came Sergio Aguero, giving more options closer to goal, and Aguero was key to the move where Argentina won their penalty.

With Aguero up front, De Paul on the right of the midfield trio and Giovani Lo Celso on the left, the balance was a little better. Space started to open up for Messi to run at the Paraguay defence, and Argentina are still alive in the competition.

In a World Cup, one point from two games would be a disaster. The Copa America is more lenient. Two of the third-placed teams go through to the quarterfinals. In the history of the 12-team Copa, four points has always been enough to make it through, so a win against Qatar on Sunday should be enough for Argentina.

Scaloni, then, has a few days to sit down with his players and come up with the game plan that will not crumble on first contact with the Asian champions.

Nicole Bolton will depart for the Ashes in good spirits after over-coming a first-ball duck with a half-century in Australia's final warm-up match before leaving for England.

Bolton took a break from the game midway through last season's WBBL but returned to the fold when the squad for the Ashes tour was announced.

The Australian squad prepared for the trip with a training camp in Brisbane which included two games against Australia A who will tour England concurrently with the main side. Bolton, who was opening the batting, bagged a first-ball duck in the first of the matches but responded with 72 off 64 balls in the second.

"I felt a lot better than the other day," Bolton said. "I got a first-baller so I was pretty keen to take the first ball of our innings and get through the first one today. It was really nice to get out there and spend a bit of time in the middle.

"I think I was having an internal battle after the first game; we had optional training on the Tuesday and I'd already opted myself out of it, so when I made a first-baller I was like, 'maybe I do need a hit'.

"But I backed myself in today and I'm just really pleased with that different approach, being a bit more positive and relaxed. It was nice to get some runs and spent some time out there."

The multi-format Ashes begins with the one-day series, followed by the one-off Test before concluding with three T20Is. Bolton, a player predominately used in the longer formats, only has two T20Is under her belt but has experience of two Ashes Tests in 2015 and 2017 alongside 47 ODIs where she averages an impressive 43.93 and has scored four hundreds.

However, she knows there is no certainty that she will slot back into the side with a logjam for the top-order batting positions between her Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney and Elyse Villani.

"The thing with our line-up is we have batters who are in tremendous form and they can adjust to every format so it's a really hard line-up to crack," she said. "I know I've got to bide my time, all I can do his train really hard, put runs on the board and make sure my fielding is up to scratch. It's a tough line-up to get into at the moment, but you want competition."

Live Report - Australia v Bangladesh

Published in Cricket
Thursday, 20 June 2019 01:03

Catch detailed analysis from Trent Bridge, chatter from around the ground and more with ESPNcricinfo's Live Report of Australia v Bangladesh. If the blog doesn't load straightaway, please refresh the page

Mayfield stirs OU-Texas rivalry, rips QB Ehlinger

Published in Breaking News
Wednesday, 19 June 2019 22:06

Baker Mayfield might be a rising star for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL, but he will never leave the Red River Rivalry behind him.

Mayfield, who won the 2017 Heisman Trophy while at Oklahoma, was ready to trash-talk Texas and Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger in an appearance Wednesday on Sportstalk 1400 in Norman, Oklahoma.

Mayfield was asked about the perception in preseason publications that Texas is back and could contend for a national championship.

"They said the same thing when they beat Notre Dame a couple of years ago, and they won like three games after that," Mayfield said. "I'm sick of that crap."

Mayfield came down especially hard on Ehlinger, who was, like Mayfield, a high school star around Austin, Texas -- Mayfield at Lake Travis, Ehlinger at Westlake.

"He couldn't beat Lake Travis, so I don't really care [about] his opinion on winning," Mayfield said. "Westlake is a great program, but the two best quarterbacks to come out of there are Drew Brees and Nick Foles. Sam can stay down there in Texas."

"That will stir the pot," Mayfield added. "He doesn't like me, and I hope he knows I don't like him either."

Mayfield and Ehlinger have a history. When Oklahoma left tackle Orlando Brown struggled to one of the worst performances ever at the NFL combine in 2018, Ehlinger took to social media to make fun of him.

Mayfield's response then: "He's never beat Lake Travis, and he also hasn't beat OU, so leave it at that."

The Longhorns and the Sooners will meet for the Red River Showdown at Texas on Oct. 12.

Sources: Bucks trading Snell to Pistons for Leuer

Published in Basketball
Wednesday, 19 June 2019 21:45

The Milwaukee Bucks are trading guard Tony Snell and the 30th pick in Thursday's NBA draft to the Detroit Pistons for forward Jon Leuer, league sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Pistons now have the 15th and 30th picks in the draft. Milwaukee saves $4 million in salary this year, and remove Snell's $12 million salary hit in 2020-21.

Snell has spent the past three seasons with Milwaukee, playing in 74 games (12 starts) last year. He averaged 6.0 points and 2.1 rebounds for the Bucks in 2018-19.

Leuer played in 41 games for the Pistons last year (one start), averaging 3.8 points and 2.4 rebounds. He's entering his ninth season in the NBA.

NEW YORK -- With a lack of consensus after the first three picks, Thursday's NBA draft (7 p.m. ET on ESPN) comes with major questions surrounding potential trades throughout the first round.

Last weekend's Anthony Davis trade agreement between the New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers only added to those questions, with the Pelicans acquiring No. 4 overall and having significant interest in trade talks with teams about the pick, according to a report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Then on Wednesday, the Memphis Grizzlies acquired the No. 23 overall pick in this year's draft in a deal that sent point guard Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz, and initial reports suggested that pick could be on the move again.

Here's a rundown of some of the biggest things that could shake up the festivities inside Brooklyn's Barclays Center, starting with that fourth pick up for auction.


1. Who wants Darius Garland (or another prospect) at No. 4?

Zion Williamson to the Pelicans at No. 1, Ja Morant to the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 2 and RJ Barrett to the New York Knicks at No. 3 is beginning to look locked in. The Knicks brought in Vanderbilt point guard Darius Garland for a workout on Wednesday, though could just be an act of due diligence. Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday that the Knicks remain locked in on Barrett.

The draft really begins in earnest when the Pelicans are back on the clock at No. 4. New Orleans VP David Griffin has been fielding calls from teams looking to move up, with Garland looking like the prime target for teams hoping to get there.

One of the teams with the most assets in this year's draft, the Atlanta Hawks, is interested in swapping two of their picks -- Nos. 8 and 10 overall -- for the fourth selection, per a report by ESPN's Jonathan Givony, which also noted the Knicks shot down the same package for the No. 3 pick.

In addition to Atlanta, the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls have also expressed interest in New Orleans' No. 4 pick.

As the draft has approached, it has widely been considered to drop off in talent after Barrett goes off the board. But Garland has intriguing upside, having played just five games last season at Vanderbilt before being shut down for the remainder of the season with an MCL injury -- and earning favorable comparisons to scoring point guards with shooting range like Damian Lillard and Trae Young by ESPN draft analyst Mike Schmitz.

If a team such as Minnesota, Boston or Chicago -- all three need point guard help -- gets the No. 4 pick, Garland would seemingly be the choice. But that doesn't mean Garland is an automatic selection there -- especially if the Hawks move up, since they already have a point guard of the future in Young. Virginia's De'Andre Hunter, Texas Tech's Jarrett Culver and UNC's Coby White also have garnered interest this high.

On the latest Woj Pod, Wojnarowski said the Pelicans are looking for an established player in exchange for the No. 4 pick, and hanging onto veteran guard Jrue Holiday indicates they want to remain competitive. If someone like Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal becomes truly available, using the No. 4 pick as the base of a deal to acquire him makes all the sense in the world for New Orleans.

Beal is both a game-changing talent and under contract for the next two seasons. Outside of a blockbuster Beal trade, it's tough to find a young player with star potential who is under contract and available. Remember, nearly half the league is about to enter free agency on June 30.


2. What if the teams with point guard needs strike out?

The Phoenix Suns (No. 6), Bulls (No. 7) and Wolves (No. 11) all have point guard needs which they could look to fill in the draft. One problem: There might not be enough reliable PG prospects in the lottery.

Both Morant and Garland are likely to be off the board before Phoenix's pick. If so, that makes Coby White (No. 8 in ESPN's top 100 draft rankings) the best available primary ball-handler. Virginia's Ty Jerome is the next PG in ESPN's rankings, but he's rated down at No. 25 -- a serious gap.

Drafting for need, rather than taking the best player available, is always risky business -- especially when it comes to teams that are rebuilding (they're in the lottery for a reason). But that doesn't stop teams from doing it, or from moving up to try to secure a position of need with a player they prefer.

So will one of these teams make a deal to go grab Garland or White? If both are off the board, do they consider moving back? This is something to keep an eye on -- and not just on draft night. If, say, Phoenix bypasses a point guard to grab a wing player, is that a sign they'll target a floor general in free agency?


3. What will the Hawks do with all of their picks?

Atlanta might be the most interesting team to watch on draft night. The Hawks hold picks Nos. 8, 10, 17, 35 and 41 (Atlanta's No. 44 pick was traded to the Miami Heat on Wednesday).

They certainly don't need to add five rookies to their roster. After general manager Travis Schlenk's successful draft a year ago, when the Hawks traded back for Young (No. 5) and hit on Kevin Huerter (No. 19), Atlanta feels confident it can find more contributors this time around.

Maybe they strike the right deal to move up for Garland or one of the wing players. They could trade back into future drafts, delaying all these young additions to the roster. There's also the possibility that Atlanta could package its picks for an established talent to augment its young core of Young, Huerter and big man John Collins -- though, like with New Orleans, finding the right fit there is challenging.

Last year's trade that saw Atlanta pass up on Luka Doncic to select Young and add a future first-round pick (now this year's No. 10 pick) was proof Schlenk has no problem making an against-the-grain transaction. It also serves as a reminder that the Hawks will be aggressive in making their best moves on draft night, regardless of outside perception.


4. What will the Celtics do with all of their picks?

A year ago, the Celtics looked to be better positioned than any team in the NBA to contend long term. Then Boston flamed out in five games against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the playoffs, Anthony Davis ended up with the Lakers, Kyrie Irving looks likely to leave in free agency and Al Horford is possibly joining him.

In short: Boston's future is now incredibly murky. The Celtics hold picks Nos. 14, 20, 22 and 51. Entering this week, the Celtics weren't expected to have an interest in carrying four rookies on their roster next season. But with Irving, Horford and Marcus Morris potentially out of the picture, Boston has six returning players age 25 or younger. They could look to pivot into a full youth movement.

If Boston chooses to do so, there certainly are players in the middle of the first round -- including Gonzaga forward Brandon Clarke, Oregon center Bol Bol and Kentucky guard Tyler Herro -- who could help augment the team's current young core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart.

But given the history of Boston president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, who has never been afraid to make a deal, don't be surprised if the Celtics wind up shaking things up before draft night is through.


5. Will the contenders with roster constraints move up or down?

Making successful picks in the 20s or later in the draft is usually considered a bonus, not a necessity. It's hard enough to reliably find lottery talent that can help a team win. But there's added pressure on three teams -- the Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets -- to pull off this difficult task on Thursday night.

Philly needs a better bench, and hitting on relatively cheap draft picks would be a great way to build that depth. The Sixers got immediate contributions from 2018's No. 26 Landry Shamet before shipping him out in the Tobias Harris trade at the February deadline. Now, as they contemplate spending well into the luxury tax to keep free agents Harris, Jimmy Butler and JJ Redick, they need to come away from draft night with at one or two potential rotation players for 2019-20.

They hold picks Nos. No. 24, 33, 34 and 42, which gives the Sixers a couple of paths to tread. In one, they could package some of those selections together to move up and get a specific guy they like. In another, they could use all four and get several bites at the apple to find another player or two like Shamet.

One thing that helps Philadelphia's decision-making: The roster is so thin behind the star-studded starting five that there's no need to worry about positional value. The Sixers just need to find guys who can step in and play.

Meanwhile, Golden State simply needs bodies. If Klay Thompson and/or Kevin Durant return, the Warriors will be over the cap with a team that was already thin this past season when both were healthy. Following injuries in the NBA Finals, they're likely to miss most or all of next season. With Shaun Livingston potentially retiring on top of that, the Warriors need to find low-cost options to fill out the rotation. Their selection at No. 28 takes on added importance now, whether they pick there or make a move.

Then there are the Nets, hoping to strike it rich in free agency with a pair of max contract stars after sending two first-round picks to the Hawks to dump Allen Crabbe's contracts earlier this month. Big spending like that necessitates finding cheap contributors on long-term deals to play around them -- something the Nets have had success with in recent years by selecting Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert and Rodions Kurucs in the 20s and beyond.

The Nets will be hoping to strike gold again this year if they use their picks at Nos. 27 and 31, or package them for more desirable pieces.

Maddon awed by HR boom: It's 'extraterrestrial'

Published in Baseball
Wednesday, 19 June 2019 23:37

CHICAGO -- Add Cubs manager Joe Maddon to the list of people wondering what's going on with the baseball this season. On an unusually chilly June night at Wrigley Field on Wednesday, the Cubs and White Sox combined to hit five home runs in the first four innings of the game.

Several of them had Maddon thinking about aliens.

"I don't know what I'm witnessing, but the way the ball is coming off the bat right now is extraterrestrial," Maddon said after the Cubs' 7-3 win. "It's an E.T. thing going on out there. It's crazy. This is my fifth year [with the Cubs], and I know what I've seen. Whenever the wind is blowing in like that, you don't see that. You don't see that."

A light rain combined with that wind and cooler temperatures should have added to a pitchers' night, but it was not meant to be. White Sox center fielder Leury Garcia led off the game with a first-pitch home run off Cubs starter Jon Lester, beginning the mini home run derby in the early innings.

"We can sit here and talk until we are blue in the face about the ball," Lester said. "It is what it is. Every pitcher in the big leagues has to pitch with it. You can comment on it all you want, but it just sounds like an excuse. I don't make excuses. Have to make better pitches."

It didn't take long for the Cubs to join in the long ball fun. Catcher Willson Contreras smacked a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning, then hit a solo shot two innings later. David Bote also went deep for the Cubs, as did White Sox backstop James McCann.

"It took off," Maddon said of the McCann home run. "You could see it from the field. It gets there [to the outfield] like a UFO. It just took off. It stood still, then took off."

Following a power drought in 2018, the Cubs are on pace to shatter records, like many other teams in baseball. After Contreras belted his second of the night, the Cubs became the only team in baseball to employ five players with at least 15 home runs. No other team has more than three. They've blasted 114 home runs already this season, after hitting just 167 last year.

As Maddon said, while shaking his head and though with a smile, "Wind blowing in, at a gale, balls flying out -- easily."

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