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Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, whose melee-inciting bat flip three weeks ago continues to follow him, told ESPN's The Dan Le Batard Show on Wednesday that he is just trying to draw fans by having fun and isn't worried about how other teams react to him.
"I like to go out and play with a lot of passion because that's fun, and I think that draws attention to the fans and the kids," Anderson said. "You know the kids love it. I'm on deck now, I get from the fans, 'Hey, do the bat flip.' So it's cool stuff, and it's all fun stuff. It's nothing to disrespect anybody, but I think it's a part of the game or it should be."
Not everyone in baseball shares his opinion. Anderson's bat flip after a home run against the Kansas City Royals on April 17 led to him being hit in the backside with a 92 mph fastball one plate appearance later. After Anderson was hit by the pitch, he stepped toward the mound and the benches cleared.
Anderson, 25, said if he broke some unwritten rule, he was unaware of it.
"I don't really know the rules," he said. "There's not any for me. I can't call them dumb because I don't have any. ... Nobody really came to me and said these are the rules, so I really don't know what they are."
A week after the bat flip against the Royals, Anderson hit a walk-off homer to beat the Detroit Tigers 12-11 and punctuated it with a bat flip. He isn't worried that he might get payback for it later.
"I'm not bothered by other teams," he said. "I go in and I'm trying to beat the other teams. I could really care less how they feel about me or how they think of me as a player. But I know my teammates understand me. I'm going to go out every day and give them what I got."
Anderson, 25, has been one of the breakout stars of 2019, batting .331 with 6 home runs, 20 RBIs and an American League-leading 12 stolen bases and doing it all his own way.
He recently told Sports Illustrated: "I kind of feel like today's Jackie Robinson. That's huge to say. But it's cool, man, because he changed the game, and I feel like I'm getting to a point to where I need to change the game."
That comment earned him some criticism, but he brushes that off as well.
"When I said it, I was saying it in a jokingly way," he said. "I had said that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. I was saying that I feel like Jackie Robinson, I need to break the fun barrier. And I think that kind of got pulled out and thrown into the main topic of things. The people that know me kind of understand me. And I don't think I really have to explain anything to the people that don't understand me."
Anderson, who was named the AL Player of the Month in April, says he doesn't really follow baseball news. He wasn't aware that Oakland's Mike Fiers had pitched a no-hitter Tuesday night, he said.
"I'm not really logged into the baseball world. I try to stay away from it. You know I play the game, but that's about it, I leave it at that," Anderson said, adding with a laugh. "Man, it's a boring sport."
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Texas Rangers slugger Joey Gallo earned a place in baseball's history books with a major league first on Wednesday.
Gallo hit a two-run shot into the Allegheny River in the third inning of the Rangers' 9-6 win at the Pittsburgh Pirates, becoming the first player in major league history to hit 100 home runs before reaching 100 singles (he has 93).
The blast, estimated at 443 feet, was Gallo's 100th career home run in his 377th game, making him the fastest player to 100 homers in American League history.
"Yeah, that's pretty crazy," Gallo said. "Like, if you would have told me that I would do that three years ago, I would think you were crazy. Pretty cool accomplishment, honestly. Be in the history books forever, so that's pretty special."
In setting the American League record, Gallo surpassed Mark McGwire, who hit his 100th homer in his 393rd game with the Oakland Athletics. Ryan Howard owns the major league record, recording his 100th in his 325th game with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Before Gallo hit his 100th, the player with the fewest singles in reaching that milestone was journeyman first baseman Russell Branyan, who had 172 singles when he hit his 100th home in 2004 while with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Gallo, 25, made his MLB debut in 2015 with the Rangers. Wednesday's blast was his 12th homer this season.
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The Chicago Cubs have recalled Addison Russell, who will start at second base and bat eighth Wednesday night against the Miami Marlins. It will be his first game since Sept. 19.
Russell, 25, was suspended 40 games in September for violating the league's domestic abuse policy after an investigation into allegations of emotional, verbal and physical abuse made by his ex-wife, Melisa Reidy.
In 130 games last season, Russell hit .250 with 51 runs scored and 38 RBIs. Russell played 12 games at Triple-A Iowa before the recall, batting .222 with three home runs and 13 RBIs.
The Cubs said they have been monitoring Russell's mandated counseling and are calling his return to the Cubs a "conditional second chance."
The move comes as Ben Zobrist takes an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons.
The Cubs also placed reliever Pedro Strop on the injured list with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and activated left-handed reliever Mike Montgomery.
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One day break, back to action for Christina Chee
Published in
Table Tennis
Wednesday, 08 May 2019 06:36
Similar to the prior course, the attendance figures reached the maximum limit of 20 students, all male, 10 members being full-time, 10 being part-time.
Preparation complete, proceedings were opened by Mehrdad Aligardashi, President of the Table Tennis Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran; returning hot foot from the Liebherr 2019 World Championships, he encouraged all present.
“Learn to be a great coach; I hope all coaches return to support their provinces and to put theories into practice, good luck with the course. Thank you to the international trainer for elevating our coaches’ knowledge and supporting the federation’s education and training programme.” Mehrdad Aligardashi
Notably, as with the immediately preceding course, more than half the coaches held a Master’s Degree in Physical Education or Sport; most had played in national leagues or at provincial level. Most significantly present was Afshin Noroozi, he competed in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games; he attended alongside Mahdi Khoshmaram a full time coach who assists national team members.
“It was indeed a good course, I gained from both theory and practical presentations and demonstrations which I can apply as both player and coach for my future career working efficiently with our young players.” Afshin Noroozi
All the coaches were enthusiastic, Christina Chee having to respond to many challenging questions. The coaches worked hard, discussions going on late into the night in the hostel. The outcome was that all gained high marks, notably three students with 100 per cent.
“We received knowledge on high level training and on technical analysis especially different variations in blocking, body adjustment and footwork. I will use the new skills and work immediately with my young players.” Mahdi Khoshmaram
A most successful course; moreover it was one that attracted media attention, Christina Chee was interviewed on the first day by the National Sport Radio, a 24 hours radio programme exclusively for sport.
“Appreciations to Fatemeh Keyvani, Table Tennis Federation of Iran Vice President and Head of National Talent Identification Programme, also a certified Level One Course Conductor for working professionally as translator for the whole duration of the course.” Christina Chee
Throughout, as with the previous course Miss Faeze Tabrizifar, Table Tennis Federation of Iran International Affairs Department Manager, organized matters in a most professional manner; a fact of which Christina Chee was most grateful, flights hospitality all arranged perfectly.
Matters concluded with a closing ceremony conducted by Mahmood Nazori, Secretary-General of the Table Tennis Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, alongside colleagues, he worked tirelessly to promote the course, thanks are extended for his time and efforts.
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Laura Massaro celebrates her 2014 world title success in Penang
World and British Open titles crown career of the greatest British female player of he modern era
By ALAN THATCHER and SEAN REUTHE
England’s former world champion Laura Massaro has announced that she will retire from professional squash at the end of the 2018-19 season.
Preston-based Massaro, 35, is the most successful female English player of the modern era and, in 2014, became the first Englishwoman in 15 years to lift the PSA World Championship title.
She also won the historic British Open twice, ending a 22-year wait for a female English player in 2013, while she captured her second British Open crown in 2017, becoming the first Englishwoman since 1951 to win squash’s longest-running tournament on two occasions.
The only Englishwoman to win both the World Championship and British Open titles – trophies which she held at the same time – Massaro also topped the PSA Women’s World Rankings for four months in 2016, making her one of just three female English players to hold the No.1 ranking.
A tough, uncompromising player, Massaro has always made life difficult for her opponents. Playing a brand of hard, high-paced, pressure squash, she has thrived on the adrenalin of big-match occasions where her discipline and dedication have shone through.
Massaro has been ever-present in the world’s top 10 since May 2008 and, since turning professional in 2000, has won 23 PSA Tour titles from 43 finals, with her most recent trophy win coming at the Monte Carlo Classic last December, where she beat World No.9 Tesni Evans in the final.
Massaro has played 543 matches on the PSA Tour, winning 371 of them, and her final two PSA tournaments will be the Manchester Open – which begins tomorrow – and the Allam British Open as she brings the curtain down on a glittering career.
Away from the PSA Tour, Massaro also has three Commonwealth Games silver medals and four British Nationals titles to her name, while she led England to the Women’s World Team Championships crown in 2014 after four runner-up finishes at the tournament.
“I’ve been really lucky to have a healthy body, a really long career, and it’s probably been more that I’ve ever expected in terms of titles and my achievements in the game,” Massaro said.
“There’s no point in trying to chase the world’s best when my best level of squash is probably behind me, and it’s going to be very hard to get that back. I’ve always gone after being the best in the world and winning titles. But I think it’s time to hang up the racket, give a little bit back now and watch these amazing youngsters do their thing on court.
“I’m hugely proud of what I achieved, I always wanted to be successful, I wanted to hang up my racket feeling that I couldn’t have achieved any more in the game than I have, whether it was titles or the level of play.
“That’s down to everyone that’s helped me in my career. There are too many people to mention, but DP [David Pearson] and Danny [husband Massaro] go without saying. I owe my level of squash to them, along with all the other coaches who have helped me on my way.
“They, along with the physios, fasciotherapists, Caroline, Jade, Vicky and Sylvan, have helped my movement be so efficient and given me my longevity, along with Mark Campbell, who has given me the strength and fitness to maintain my level. Without all of them, my career wouldn’t have been what it has been.
“I also want to say thank you to my family and friends who have been there supporting me in the ups and downs of my career since I was a young junior player.”
PSA Chief Executive Alex Gough said: “Laura has always been a consummate professional. Her success on the tour has been testament to her hard-work and unwavering mental strength.
“Laura has been an incredible role model for aspiring squash players, and everyone at the PSA wishes her well for the future.”
Massaro will appear as the No.5 and No.8 seed at this month’s Manchester Open and British Open, respectively.
The Manchester Open takes place between May 9-13 at the National Squash Centre, while the British Open will be held between May 20-26 at the University of Hull’s new sports complex.
Laura Massaro Biography:
Date of birth: 2nd November 1983 (age 35)
Birthplace: Great Yarmouth, UK
Resides: Preston, Lancashire, UK
Plays: Right-handed
Coaches: David Pearson (DP) and Danny Massaro (husband)
Laura Massaro Achievements:
World Champion – 2014 Penang, Malaysia (first Englishwoman to win the title for 15 years)
World No.1 – January 2016
World Series Finals Champion – 2016 & 2017 Dubai
British Open Champion – 2013 & 2017 Hull (2013 became the first English woman to win the title in 22 years, in 2017 became the first Englishwoman since 1951 to win the title twice)
US Open Champion – 2011, 2015
Commonwealth Games Silver Medallist – 2010 Doubles, 2014 Singles & Doubles
British National Champion – 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017
23 Professional Tour Titles
FOOTNOTE: What’s your favourite Laura Massaro match? Readers are invited to comment below.
Pictures courtesy of PSA, England Squash and Patrick Lauson
Posted on May 8, 2019
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Australian driver James McFadden will fill in for Kasey Kahne in the Wicked Energy Gum No. 9 car for the next several races.
McFadden will debut in the No. 9 machine at the World of Outlaws Patriot Nationals in Charlotte on May 24-25.
Kahne, who is recovering from an injury sustained in a crash at Williams Grove Speedway earlier this season, will continue to be hands-on with the car and travel with the team.
An exact return date for Kahne to climb back behind the wheel will be announced at a later date.
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AT&T Byron Nelson odds: Koepka the favorite; Romo huge longshot
Published in
Golf
Wednesday, 08 May 2019 01:35
Here are the complete odds for the 2019 AT&T Byron Nelson, where Brooks Koepka is the favorite and Tony Romo is a huge longshot at 10,000/1. Odds courtesy of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Brooks Koepka | 13/2 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | 16/1 |
| Jordan Spieth | 18/1 |
| Aaron Wise | 20/1 |
| Henrik Stenson | 20/1 |
| Marc Leishman | 25/1 |
| Patrick Reed | 30/1 |
| Keith Mitchell | 30/1 |
| Branden Grace | 30/1 |
| Sungjae Im | 40/1 |
| Ryan Moore | 40/1 |
| Kevin Na | 40/1 |
| Scott Piercy | 40/1 |
| Charles Howell III | 40/1 |
| Rory Sabbatini | 40/1 |
| Rafael Cabrera Bello | 40/1 |
| Alex Noren | 50/1 |
| Pat Perez | 50/1 |
| Ryan Palmer | 50/1 |
| Scottie Scheffler | 50/1 |
| Abraham Ancer | 60/1 |
| Thomas Pieters | 60/1 |
| Thorbjorn Olesen | 60/1 |
| Lucas Bjerregaard | 60/1 |
| Seamus Power | 60/1 |
| Russell Knox | 60/1 |
| Daniel Berger | 60/1 |
| Trey Mullinax | 60/1 |
| C.T. Pan | 60/1 |
| Jimmy Walker | 60/1 |
| Justin Harding | 80/1 |
| Kyoung-Hoon Lee | 80/1 |
| J.T. Poston | 80/1 |
| Bud Cauley | 80/1 |
| J.J. Spaun | 80/1 |
| Matt Jones | 80/1 |
| Kevin Tway | 80/1 |
| Brian Stuard | 80/1 |
| Dylan Frittelli | 100/1 |
| Michael Thompson | 100/1 |
| Kiradech Aphibarnrat | 100/1 |
| Russell Henley | 100/1 |
| Austin Cook | 100/1 |
| Nick Taylor | 100/1 |
| Beau Hossler | 100/1 |
| Sam Burns | 100/1 |
| Adam Schenk | 100/1 |
| Brian Harman | 100/1 |
| Nick Watney | 100/1 |
| Ollie Schniederjans | 100/1 |
| Brian Gay | 100/1 |
| Aaron Baddeley | 100/1 |
| Scott Stallings | 100/1 |
| Denny McCarthy | 125/1 |
| Martin Laird | 125/1 |
| Luke Donald | 125/1 |
| Bill Haas | 125/1 |
| Sung Kang | 125/1 |
| Wyndham Clark | 125/1 |
| Vaughn Taylor | 125/1 |
| Troy Merritt | 125/1 |
| Shawn Stefani | 125/1 |
| Kramer Hickok | 150/1 |
| Peter Uihlein | 150/1 |
| Mackenzie Hughes | 150/1 |
| Chris Stroud | 150/1 |
| Roberto Castro | 150/1 |
| Matt Every | 200/1 |
| Harris English | 200/1 |
| Kelly Kraft | 200/1 |
| Curtis Luck | 200/1 |
| Anirban Lahiri | 250/1 |
| Cameron Davis | 250/1 |
| Ernie Els | 250/1 |
| Padraig Harrington | 250/1 |
| Colt Knost | 250/1 |
| Chad Campbell | 300/1 |
| Michael Kim | 500/1 |
| Tony Romo | 10,000/1 |
| Field | 11/2 |
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Petterson enjoying life as 'regular mom,' full-time LPGA future up in the air
Published in
Golf
Wednesday, 08 May 2019 02:36
There is a good reason Suzann Pettersen’s future as a player has been a mystery in the LPGA ranks since she last teed it up 18 months ago.
She isn’t sure herself whether she wants to return as a full-time player.
Pettersen is, however, certain about loving her new life as a mother to Herman Alexander. She gave birth to him nine months ago. She took the entire 2018 season off as maternity leave and hasn’t played an LPGA event since the CME Group Tour Championship in November of 2017.
“My initial plan was to return as quickly as I could after giving birth, but there is a time for everything in life, and I have not felt a massive need to get back to my usual (golf) life,” Pettersen told Golf Channel’s Morning Drive on Wednesday.
Pettersen confirmed that she will play the LPGA’s Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational team event July 17-20, with European Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew as her playing partner, but her playing plans beyond that remain up in the air.
“It’s been a little hard for me to get back to the normal routine (of golf),” Pettersen said. “It just takes so much work to come back, and I’m going to put every effort and all the energy and time I have to prepare for the Dow, and we will see how that goes.
“There is a time for everything in life, and I feel like I have had a lot of time for myself over the last 20 years and now is maybe the time to give a little bit to junior so I am just going to take it as it comes, see how the next two months evolves, the practice and preparation. If I do find some magical game, I might try to play and qualify for the Solheim. If not, I am going to be a happy vice captain to Beany. Either way, I will be around for the next couple months and we will see how that goes.”
Pettersen, 38, is a 15-time LPGA winner with two major championships on her resume. She will be a vice captain to Matthew when the Solheim Cup is played in Scotland Sept. 13-15, and possibly a playing vice captain. She is 16-11-6 in eight Solheim Cups.
“I have really enjoyed being with little Herman and being at home and just being a regular mom,” Pettersen said. “I’m just really enjoying life at the moment.”
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Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino said he could leave the club and "go home" if they manage to win the Champions League this season.
Spurs could reach their first ever Champions League final if they overturn a 1-0 deficit against Ajax in the semifinal second-leg on Wednesday.
Pochettino, who has guided Spurs to three consecutive top three Premier League finishes, hinted that he is prepared to walk away from the club if he manages to secure European success.
"Winning the Champions League? It would be fantastic, no? Close the five-year chapter and go home," he told a news conference.
"To win the Champions League with Tottenham, in this circumstance, in this season, maybe I need to think a little bit to do something different in the future, for sure. Because to repeat this miracle, you know."
Pochettino had been heavily linked with the Manchester United job before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed manager on a permanent basis in March.
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Philippe Coutinho is "not a Barcelona player" and will be the first casualty of their shambolic Champions League exit to Liverpool, while the board are set to meet to decide coach Ernesto Valverde's fate, sources have told ESPN FC.
- Ogden: Liverpool comeback tops any night Anfield's ever seen
- Hunter: Barca were the 'dopes' in shock loss at Liverpool
- Liverpool ratings: Origi, Fabinho top list of heroes vs. Barca
- Barcelona ratings: Alba 3/10 as his mistakes start collapse
Sources also confirmed that a number of the coaching staff are disappointed with Coutinho's performances this season. The Brazilian is the club's record signing at €160 million but his displays against his former side across both legs of the semifinal strengthened the idea that his time at Camp Nou is up.
"Coutinho is not a Barcelona player, that's been made clear," a club source told ESPN FC.
The ex-Liverpool playmaker started the season well but his form and confidence have fallen off a cliff since an injury in October. He's been unable to re-find his best form since and the source bemoaned that "he has added nothing. He will leave in the summer."
ESPN FC first revealed in March that Barcelona were ready to listen to offers north of €105m for Coutinho and his performances against Liverpool have done nothing to change their plans. He was taken off before the hour mark in both matches, jeered by Barca fans last week and Liverpool supporters on Tuesday. The Catalan club made a huge effort to sign him but there's now an acknowledgment that things have not worked out.
While the reaction in the heat of the moment has seen Coutinho singled out inside the club, the board, headed by president Josep Maria Bartomeu, will try to deal with the fallout from the Liverpool loss in the coming days in a more cool-headed manner.
Diario Sport called the 4-0 defeat the "biggest embarrassment" in the club's history and Bartomeu says there will be time to reflect on how they recover from a second successive European humiliation. They also surrendered a three-goal lead against Roma last year.
"There will be time for a deep reflection and to give explanations," he said after the game. "There's a Copa del Rey final to play in three weeks [against Valencia on May 25].
"Last year, in Rome, the same thing happened and it's not easy to explain. We will try to do so internally. We have to pick ourselves up and apologise to all the Barcelona supporters."
The board will talk in the coming days and Valverde's future will be up for debate. The former Athletic Bilbao boss has won back-to-back league titles but those who are most critical of him at the club point to the fact this is the second time in a year that Barcelona have chucked away a huge advantage.
However, as suggested by Bartomeu, the board do not want to rush into making a decision. But there will be talks to see if they can respond to a question which they still don't have an obvious answer: who could replace Valverde?
There are not many options available who would be capable of leading the required regeneration. Barcelona's starting XI at Anfield included seven players aged 30 or over.
"We have to see how Valverde deals with this tricky situation," a club source said on Wednesday. "The fans are really upset and disappointed with what happened and on Sunday there's a league game against Getafe. It will be interesting to see how the supporters react."
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