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LOS ANGELES – Most players who have achieved as much as Adam Scott are primarily driven by a desire to win more major championships or perhaps qualify for a particular team competition.

All of those things drive Scott, but there’s another more specific benchmark the 40-year-old has been eyeing.

“I just had 20 [PGA Tour victories] in my head,” Scott said.

Twenty Tour victories comes with a lifetime exemption which likely began to look more appealing to Scott following his 14th triumph last year at the Genesis Invitational.

“That was a mark I'd like to do quickly so I can take advantage of that lifetime membership because I'm getting a bit older,” he said Wednesday at Riviera Country Club. “I'm very confident that I've got quite a few wins left in me, but also I'm aware I'd like to do that at a pretty quick fashion.”

There are just two active players who utilize the life member category, Davis Love III (21) and Vijay Singh (34). Tiger Woods (82) and Phil Mickelson (44) are eligible but have status otherwise. Dustin Johnson has 24 Tour victories but the regulation stipulates players must have played at least 15 seasons on Tour. This is Johnson’s 14th season.

MLS, NYRB want arbitration to settle Kaku saga

Published in Soccer
Wednesday, 17 February 2021 18:37

Major League Soccer and the New York Red Bulls are taking the contract dispute involving midfielder Kaku to arbitration, the Red Bulls announced on Wednesday.

The dispute has been dragging on for the last several weeks, with Saudi side Al-Taawoun claiming on Feb. 1 that they had signed Kaku as a free agent. The Red Bulls countered that Kaku -- also known as Alejandro Romero Gamarra -- was still under contract to them, and thus not free to sign with another club.

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At one stage, MLS and the Red Bulls had asked the U.S. Soccer Federation to not release Kaku's International Transfer Certificate (ITC), which was needed for the move to Al-Taawoun to go through. But earlier this week, Al-Taawoun obtained a provisional ITC for the Paraguay international from FIFA, which will allow him to take part in Thursday's match against Al-Ittihad

Since the dispute is considered a domestic issue in the eyes of FIFA, the arbitration will involve MLS and the Red Bulls on one side with the MLS Players Association (MLSPA) and Kaku on the other. The terms under which the arbitrator will be appointed are spelled out in the recently ratified Collective Bargaining Agreement, the precise terms of which haven't yet been made public.

"The issuing of the provisional ITC does not change the fact that a valid contract exists between Major League Soccer and Kaku," the Red Bulls told ESPN in a statement. "In response to the player's apparent signing with Al-Taawoun, MLS and the New York Red Bulls have sought to arbitrate the dispute pursuant to Kaku's MLS contract and will take all further necessary action to enforce their rights."

The MLSPA declined to comment on the matter.

The disagreement centers on whether MLS, and by extension the Red Bulls, exercised an option in Kaku's contract. MLS said they informed both Kaku and his agent, but Kaku's representatives maintained that they were not notified of the exercise of the option.

The player also has the support of the MLSPA in the matter. In a letter from MLSPA General Counsel Jon Newman to MLS EVP of Competition and Player Relations Todd Durbin dated Jan. 18, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, the MLSPA contends that Kaku is out of contract, since notification of the option exercise wasn't given prior to Dec. 1, 2020.

"Kaku's option notice was sent by NY Red Bulls Sporting Director Denis Hamlett on February 28, 2020, via email to Scott Pearson," the letter reads. "Mr. Hamlett's email attached the option exercise letter and asked Mr. Pearson to '[p]lease share this with the player and let us know if you have any questions.' That email was not copied to Kaku. Despite several requests to MLS for evidence to the contrary, that February 28, 2020 email to Scott Pearson was the sole means of delivery to Kaku of the notice to exercise the 2021 option in his contract.

"You have stated that the option exercise notice was emailed and hand delivered to Kaku. It was not. Despite several requests, MLS has not provided evidence to support its assertion that the notice was delivered to Kaku. Mr. Pearson is not designated as Kaku's authorized representative on his contract, nor has MLS produced any evidence that Mr. Pearson has, in accordance with Section 26.1 of the CBA, signed a form provided by MLS designating him as Kaku's authorized agent."

The dispute involving Kaku has echoes of other similar disputes involving MLS clubs. Back in 2014, then-Vancouver Whitecaps forward Camilo Sanvezzo forced a move to Liga MX side Queretaro, going so far as to train with the club despite still having a contract with the Whitecaps. The two teams eventually agreed on a "multi-million dollar fee."

Back in 2018, then-Orlando City SC forward Cyle Larin refused to show up to preseason training, and ultimately forced a transfer to Turkish side Besiktas for a reported $2.3m.

Haaland: Mbappe's hat-trick motivated my play

Published in Soccer
Wednesday, 17 February 2021 18:37

Erling Haaland said Kylian Mbappe's hat trick for Paris Saint-Germain against Barcelona on Tuesday gave the Borussia Dortmund striker "motivation" in Wednesday's 3-2 win over Sevilla FC.

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The 20-year-old forward from Norway scored twice at Sevilla and trails only Mbappe as the player with the most Champions League goals before his 21st birthday, with 18 goals in 13 matches. Mbappe, 22, scored 19 goals before turning 21.

Mbappe made a splash against Barcelona in Tuesday's 4-1 win with his three-goal performance, which Haaland pointed to as a source of motivation.

"When I saw Mbappe score the hat trick, I got free motivation, so thanks to him," Haaland said after the match. "He scored some nice goals and I got a free boost from him, so it was nice."

Sevilla took an early lead thanks to Suso, but Mahmoud Dahoud equalised it in the 19th minute. Haaland put Dortmund ahead in the 27th from inside the area after a nice give-and-go exchange of passes with Jadon Sancho, then added to the lead in the 43rd from close range after a fast breakaway. Luuk de Jong scored a late goal for Sevilla.

"We had a good plan,'' Haaland said. "[Borussia manager] Edin [Terzic] has been good and I've been talking a lot with him. He said today would be my game and that I would get my chances and I did, so it was an important win.

"It was not good to let in two goals, but it is good to score three away goals and take them with us.''

Like Mbappe, Haaland has been linked to a move to Real Madrid, among other clubs. When asked about his thoughts on the Spanish club, Haaland demurred by saying "it's nice to be wanted."

On the rumours of a potential exit from PSG, Mbappe said after the Barcelona match: "I have always said that I am happy here. This sort of match makes me even happier. The PSG shirt is one that I hold dear to my heart."

PSG enjoy Mbappe-inspired glory, but job is not done

Published in Soccer
Wednesday, 17 February 2021 16:46

On Monday night, Kylian Mbappe got to step onto the Camp Nou pitch for the first time. He'd never been there before; not only had he never played in this famous ground, but he'd never been as a spectator either. He found it beautiful and didn't feel an ounce of fear or anxiety about playing Barcelona on Tuesday night.

You would have forgiven him if he did, though: PSG were without Neymar and Angel Di Maria for the Champions League last-16 first leg, and had turned in a string of average performances before the clash with Lionel Messi & Co. away from home.

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PSG didn't arrive in Catalonia full of confidence and momentum. During Monday's training session, the French prodigy had a chat with Mauricio Pochettino. "How many times have you won here, boss?" he asked him. "Only once, when I was at Espanyol," the manager responded. "There will be a second time tomorrow," he then told the Argentine coach, with a smile.

Mbappe relished the challenge. His first game at the Camp Nou, his first game against Barcelona, his first club game against Messi (having played him when France met Argentina in the 2018 World Cup) and his first game in the Champions League without Neymar and Di Maria all on one night. He was on a mission, though Pochettino didn't want him too excited or nervous about the prospect. In the discussion they had prior to the game, the PSG manager made sure Mbappe didn't think or feel that he had to win it on his own; he didn't want his star to try too hard to do it all by himself.

Paris had to be a team to win in Barcelona and to win big. Marquinhos said after the 4-1 win that "football is a team sport. But when a team is strong, it is the individuals that shine." This was PSG's motto on Tuesday. Only with a strong collective could the likes of Mbappe, Marco Verratti or Marquinhos shine. And shine they did.

Mbappe was magnificent. At 22, his hat trick, making him the first away player to score three at the Camp Nou in a Champions League game since Andriy Shevchenko in 1997 with Dynamo Kiev, is a reminder of what an incredible talent he is. But it was also a confirmation that he can own a big game like this and carry this team if needed. At a time when Mbappe is still openly undecided about his future, such a win can only be good from a PSG point of view to convince him to stay.

Seeing PSG play under Pochettino since his arrival on Jan. 2 had been more disappointing than anything else. Yet Tuesday was the night to put things right, both for the new coach and for his team. Despite the difficulties, despite the absences and despite Messi lining up opposite them.

Pochettino had a meticulous plan for Barca, and his players executed it perfectly. The goal was to play balls for Mbappe and Moise Kean, whom Pochettino preferred to Pablo Sarabia with great effect, into the half-spaces around Mauro Icardi and force the Barcelona full-backs, Jordi Alba and Sergino Dest, to follow them in-field, which in turn left PSG full-backs Alessandro Florenzi and Layvin Kurzawa free to support in attack. Both of them were key on the first and third goals after great passes from Marquinhos and Paredes.

Verratti occupied a more central role, higher up and between the lines in possession, but also very efficient defensively on the left to take away almost all defensive responsibilities for Mbappe.

Defensively, Paris were perfect too. Kean and Florenzi blocked Alba from getting forward on his flank, while Icardi did a great individual job on Sergio Busquets to prevent him from having some influence on the game. Collectively, PSG also stopped Messi and Pedri from continuing their productive relationship, restricting the duo to just five passes between them. It all worked so well. Seeing the performance levels of Paredes and Icardi, Pochettino's Argentine compatriots, also shows the work the PSG boss has done to lift his players.

It's true that Barcelona were poor on Tuesday night, but it is because PSG were so good. Barca's struggles are why no one inside the club, nor among the players, is willing to devalue the win. The Spanish side are not what they used to be, but no opponent has beaten them so easily and convincingly this season. No one had scored four goals against them this season until Tuesday night -- not Real Madrid, nor Atletico Madrid, Sevilla or Juventus. (Though it must be said Juve's 3-0 win in the group stage, with two penalties, was impressive and meant they finished top of their group and the Catalans second, which got them the PSG draw. Barca had beaten Juve 2-0 earlier this season in Turin, too.)

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Obviously, this is a significant victory for Pochettino and PSG. As a new manager in charge only for six weeks, it's so important to get big wins and big performances straight away, building momentum for the team and getting vindication for the coach's direction. Even if, until Tuesday, the team's level of play had not been great, they'd beaten Marseille twice under the Argentine already and now, they have a statement win in Europe. While Thomas Tuchel is doing well in his first weeks at Chelsea and the pressure was huge on Pochettino before Tuesday night, the former Spurs boss will enjoy this. It even means a little more to him given his days playing for and coaching Espanyol.

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There is still a second leg to be played, of course, and hopefully, Di Maria and Neymar will be back for the game in Paris on March 10. The difference with before is that everyone in the dressing room after the first leg was already focused on the return fixture. They know the job is not done, and the ghosts of the Remontada in 2017 are still there. The scar is still visible. Only if they knock Messi and Barca out in style next month will the nightmare of four years ago go away.

In the dressing room on Tuesday night, there was no extra jubilation. Mbappe, sat next to Sarabia, had the match ball and the man of the match trophy by his side. Every PSG player signed the ball, and it will surely be centre stage in Mbappe's trophy room at home in Paris. Paredes and Icardi, next to each other, enjoying their mate. Happiness was everywhere, but nothing was over the top.

As great as Tuesday night at the Camp Nou was, they are still not through to the quarterfinals and are still only second in Ligue 1. There is plenty more work to do still this season.

Mets' Tebow retires after five years in baseball

Published in Breaking News
Wednesday, 17 February 2021 17:50

Tim Tebow is retiring from baseball after five years as a minor leaguer with the New York Mets.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner returned to baseball in 2016 for the first time since his junior year of high school and reached Triple-A, encouraged by then-general manager and current team president Sandy Alderson.

Tebow, who works for ESPN's SEC Network as a football analyst during the offseason, played 77 games at baseball's highest minor league level in 2019, batting .163 with four home runs. He finishes his career with a .223 average over 287 games.

"I want to thank the Mets, Alderson, the fans and all my teammates for the chance to be a part of such a great organization," Tebow said in a statement released by the Mets on Wednesday. "I loved every minute of the journey, but at this time I feel called in other directions.

"I never want to be partially in on anything. I always want to be 100% in on whatever I choose. Thank you again for everyone's support of this awesome journey in baseball, I'll always cherish my time."

A lefty-hitting outfielder, the 33-year-old was invited to major league spring training this season, taking one of New York's 75 spots after Major League Baseball limited spring roster sizes as a coronavirus precaution. Position players aren't slated to report to the Mets' spring complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida, until next week.

Over four big league spring trainings, Tebow batted .151 in 34 games, connecting for his first and only homer last spring before camps were closed because of the pandemic.

"It has been a pleasure to have Tim in our organization, as he's been a consummate professional during his four years with the Mets," Alderson said. "By reaching the Triple-A level in 2019, he far exceeded expectations when he first entered the system in 2016 and he should be very proud of his accomplishments."

Tebow's baseball career began with a bang -- he homered in his first professional at-bat during an instructional league game against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fall of 2016. Later that fall, he made headlines by comforting a fan who had a seizure in the front row during Tebow's Arizona Fall League debut.

The former NFL quarterback -- a first-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos in 2010 -- was an All-Star at Double-A in 2018, when he batted .273 with six homers in 84 games. He struggled the next year at Triple-A and had his season cut short by a laceration on his left hand.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Nets to be without KD vs. Lakers; Kyrie probable

Published in Basketball
Wednesday, 17 February 2021 16:36

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant will not play against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, missing his third consecutive game with a left hamstring strain.

Durant traveled with the Nets on their five-game road trip and continues to get treatment on his hamstring. Brooklyn initially said Durant would miss at least two games. The team has called Durant's strain "mild."

Kyrie Irving, who missed Tuesday's game against Phoenix with lower back tightness, is listed as probable at the Lakers on Thursday.

The Nets' Big Three of Durant, Irving and James Harden have played only seven games together. Durant has missed 11 of the Nets' 30 games.

After being sidelined for all of the 2019-20 season with an Achilles injury, Durant is averaging 29 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists.

Source: Padres, Tatis agree on 14 years, $340M

Published in Baseball
Wednesday, 17 February 2021 18:58

Fernando Tatis Jr., the emerging face of baseball, agreed to a 14-year, $340 million contract extension with the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, securing one of the largest guarantees in American sports history and wedding himself to the team where he quickly established himself as a star, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN.

Tatis, 22, will receive the third-biggest deal in baseball history -- and do so at a far younger age than Mike Trout and Mookie Betts, both of whom signed their megadeals at 27.

The 6-foot-3, 217-pound Tatis, whose dazzling shortstop play is perhaps exceeded by his prowess at the plate, came to San Diego via trade and is now the player around whom the Padres will build a team equipped to win a championship.

Full of substance to back up his style, Tatis blitzed through the minor leagues after the Padres acquired him from the Chicago White Sox in a deal for aging starter James Shields. His talent in spring training was so apparent in 2019 that San Diego started him at shortstop on Opening Day, eschewing the standard play of sending supreme talents to the minor leagues to manipulate their service time and keep them under team control for an extra season.

The mutual admiration between the team and Tatis was clear enough that the Padres hoped it wouldn't be a mistake. And with a deal that will lock him up for nearly a decade-and-a-half, through his age-35 season, the Padres convinced Tatis that small-market San Diego is where he belongs.

Tatis wasn't willing to relinquish control of that. He will receive a full no-trade clause, allowing him veto power over any potential deal. The $340 million marks the largest deal given to a player before he reaches arbitration -- nearly $200 million more than Trout's first contract extension. Trout's second extension set a domestic sports record of $426.5 million guaranteed, and Betts' $392 million deal is now followed by Tatis' contract.

Tatis joins Manny Machado, who plays third base next to him for the Padres, as the only teammates in any American sport with $300 million-plus deals. Both Machado and Tatis are represented by agent Dan Lozano.

Machado's agreement with San Diego before the 2019 season was a turning point for the organization, which has positioned itself as the greatest threat to the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who happen to play in the Padres' division. San Diego blossomed during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, with Tatis playing a front-and-center role after a dynamic rookie season that ended due to injury.

Hitting leadoff, with his trademark dreadlocked hair flowing out of his batting helmet and a bat flip at the ready, Tatis was the best player in the game for the first half of the season, an unstoppable combination of raw talent, polish and excitement, the sort that is evident even to the casual fan.

His appearances in more commercials -- for Major League Baseball and products he was selling -- illustrated that Tatis might be different than other would-be stars. The sport, starving for someone with wide appeal, struck gold with Tatis, who was raised in the Dominican Republic by his father, longtime major league infielder Fernando Tatis, and his mother, Maria.

Tatis wasn't a highly touted prospect when he signed with the White Sox as a 16-year-old. The athleticism, the explosiveness, all of the skills he now wields -- they were simply tools back then. Maybe they would arrive, maybe they wouldn't.

San Diego saw something different -- a player who, in his first year after signing, grew, gained muscle, started looking the part. After the trade, he grew another inch, then another, and by the time Tatis was embarrassing Double-A pitchers, he looked the part of a future star.

To become that so quickly, not just finishing fourth in the MVP voting in 2020 but compelling a team to guarantee $340 million, speaks to the Padres' commitment to Tatis. They could have kept him for four more seasons before he reached free agency. Instead, after he hit .277/.366/.571 with 17 home runs and 45 RBIs in 59 games, they gave Tatis more than any free agent ever has received.

Talks between the sides picked up early this week, and sources familiar with the discussions expected a deal to get done. One of this size, one of this magnitude? Well, when Tatis does something, he tends to do it big.

La Russa feels fortunate to manage after DUI

Published in Baseball
Wednesday, 17 February 2021 18:52

On his first day back in uniform in a decade, new Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa felt fortunate to be on the practice field after the team stuck by him despite an arrest for DUI in early 2020.

"I had already been beating myself up for the mistake without anyone knowing it," La Russa said Wednesday afternoon. "Once it became public, so soon after getting the job, when you understand the negative effect on fans, family and friends, that's torture. I don't enjoy torture."

La Russa hasn't managed since 2011 but indicated he couldn't pass up the opportunity to take over a playoff-caliber team. The White Sox went to the postseason in 2020 for the first time in 12 years and then improved the club in the offseason with several key acquisitions, including starter Lance Lynn and closer Liam Hendriks.

But the team drew negative headlines, due to La Russa's arrest in Arizona last February, only a day after announcing the hiring of the 76 year-old manager.

"Do I feel fortunate? Yes," said La Russa, who is the third-winningest skipper in MLB history. "I embrace the challenge mostly because I love the job and I'm excited about the potential of this team."

Despite the arrest going public, the White Sox never wavered in their support of La Russa. He was asked if he considered stepping down as the backlash to his hiring grew.

"[When] they decided they wanted to keep me, I haven't had the first thought that I should back off," La Russa said.

Despite the issues surrounding him this offseason, players have expressed a desire to learn from him, citing his experience as a three-time World Series-winning manager. After 10 years watching on the sidelines, La Russa was as excited as ever to be back on the field on Wednesday.

"The hairs on my neck were alive and kicking several times," he stated. "I love the game of baseball. I loved it even when I was a bad player.

"I was fortunate that they stood by me."

La Russa pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving to resolve the misdemeanor drunken-driving charges. He was sentenced to one day of home detention, fined nearly $1,400 and is required to complete 20 hours of community service.

The San Diego Padres and superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. agreed to a 14-year, $340 million contract extension Wednesday night, a source tells ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal is the third-largest contract in MLB history, trailing only Mookie Betts and Mike Trout's record paydays.

What does the deal mean for Tatis, the Padres and the rest of the sport? Will San Diego win its first World Series with Tatis as the face of its franchise? Where does the newly paid Friar rank among MLB's best players? And who could be in line for the next major extension? We asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield and Bradford Doolittle to weigh in.

Fourteen years, $340 million? What do you make of the years and total dollars the Padres are giving their young superstar?

Doolittle: Fourteen years is ... a really long time. By the end of this deal, teams will be flying from their hotels on the road -- which will be built in the sky like Lando's city in "The Empire Strikes Back" -- and going to the ballpark in hovercraft. Everyone will have a robot maid with roller skate feet named Rosie. But by then, who knows, $30 million will barely be enough to cover a year's rent for a studio apartment in the Gaslamp quarter. The Marlins will be playing in a ballpark constructed on stilts. My feeling is that the Padres think Fernando Tatis Jr. is going to be really good for a really long time. If anyone is worth this kind of contract at 22, it's probably him.

Schoenfield: I don't think we're allowed to curse here, but holy ... cow! Talk about buying out his free agent years. I love this. I love the Padres spending the money to lock up a player who could be the best and most exciting franchise cornerstone in the game for the next decade-plus, a player who -- yes -- has the potential to be the best player in franchise history. It's not without risk since Tatis had the back injury as a rookie, but from what we've seen in his two half-season in the majors, if he stays healthy this will prove to be a wise investment for the Padres.


What does it mean for the Padres to have Tatis locked up for his prime years at such a young age?

Doolittle: The Padres see what everyone sees, which is that Tatis is the full package and not just because of what he does on the field. He's a great hitter whose peak is still well in the future. He's a great athlete who holds down the most important defensive position on the field, but he's big, too, and someday will be an All-Star at other positions. And for a team that hasn't had a true franchise icon since Tony Gwynn retired, Tatis can be that for the Padres, as well as one for all of baseball. More than anything, it signals to San Diego fans that the Pads aren't just loading up for a short-term challenge to the Dodgers. They plan on being a factor year in, year out.

Schoenfield: It means the Padres are going to sell a lot of tickets in upcoming seasons as they go toe-to-toe with the Dodgers in the best rivalry in MLB since the Red Sox and Yankees circa 2004. I think there's a lesson to be learned here for all organizations, big-market or small-market: the Padres did not mess around with Tatis' service time back in 2019 as he made the Opening Day roster. They could have easily have kept him in Triple-A for a couple weeks to preserve another season of team control. Maybe that gesture helped them lock up Tatis with this contract.


Where does Tatis rank among the best players in baseball right now?

Doolittle: He's on the short list. Mike Trout hasn't relinquished his crown yet, and if he does, Mookie Betts is probably best positioned to take his place. After that, you get into the group of fast risers, like Tatis, Juan Soto and Ronald Acuna Jr. There will be others who rise to challenge, like perhaps Wander Franco. But as we prepare for that debate, the important thing to keep in mind is that there are really only a handful of transcendent players in the big leagues at any given time and the Padres have locked one of them up for the foreseeable future.

Schoenfield: He's right near the top. He now has about a full season's worth of playing time (148 games, 629 plate appearances) and has hit .301/.374/.582 with 39 home runs, 27 steals and 7.0 WAR. His plate discipline improved in 2020, as he cut his strikeout rate from 29.6% to 23.7%. He's entering his age-22 season and has a chance to be the best player in the game -- which, surprisingly, isn't as rare as that sounds.

Ten players have led their league in bWAR at 22: Ted Williams, Ty Cobb, Bryce Harper, Stan Musial, Alex Rodriguez, Cal Ripken Jr., Pete Reiser, Trout, Johnny Bench and Rogers Hornsby. Those are all inner-circle players except Harper (who hasn't been able to match that 2015 season) and Reiser, who got injured. Like Brad, I would still lean to Trout or Betts as best in 2021, but Tatis has inner-circle potential.


If you were starting a team, where would Tatis rank among the current players you would choose to build around?

Doolittle: If we take the question at face value -- starting a team -- then we're talking about a process that takes awhile and because of that, I'd take Tatis over Trout, Betts or anyone else. The reasons are obvious and mirror those that inspired the Padres to make this investment. He's very young, very good, has a skill and position profile that will keep him viable for a long time to come and, best of all, he gives my new team an immediate identity and a reason to come to the ballpark no matter what else is going on.

Schoenfield: While I might still consider Trout or Betts, I think I would aim for one of the three young phenoms. Acuna has more speed and is a better defender than Soto, but his strikeout rate will ultimately limit his offensive upside -- he's still amazing though, hitting .250/.406/.581 in 2020. Soto, however, has a chance to be a generational hitter in the mode of a Williams with ridiculous triple-slash lines like 2020's .351/.490/.695. If he can do that every season, I'll live with his defense. But for all-around brilliance, I'll go with Tatis, who has developed into at least an average shortstop on defense, maybe a little better. That gives him the nod of Acuna or Soto (the only caveat being the back injury he had in 2019, which perhaps makes the other two safer long-term choices).


Shortstop is loaded in MLB right now, where does Tatis rank among the best in the game at the position?

Doolittle: Tatis may already be the best hitter at the position. In terms of all-around play, I might still lean towards Francisco Lindor, but it would be a tough call. And even that is only a question is we're talking about which guy gives me a better chance to win this year. If we widen the time frame any wider than that, then it's Tatis, no question. It may already be Tatis.

Schoenfield: Yeah, I think it's Tatis as well. Lindor's defense makes it close, but he's also topped out at a .358 OBP in his best season (and just .335 each of the past two seasons). Lindor's durability is a big plus and we still have to see how Tatis fares in that category. Ultimately, I'm a believer in Tatis' defense, so he gets my vote (with further apologies to the underrated Trevor Story and I feel Corey Seager is going to have a huge 2021).


How many World Series will the Padres win during the length of Tatis Jr.'s contract?

Doolittle: Two. The Padres are poised for yearly contention and as long as they can avoid too many catastrophic contracts, they appear to be willing to play in a fairly high payroll bracket. And of course there is a matter of a very good and still-deep farm system.

Think of this: The Padres signed Ha-Seong Kim over the winter and he profiles as a first-division shortstop right now. With San Diego, he'll play second base or move around. Then there is CJ Abrams, the best shortstop prospect in the non-Wander category and one of the best overall prospects in the game. When you have perhaps the game's best player already at that spot, that's an amazing luxury to have. Let's say Tatis bulks up and loses some defensive range. Fine, you move him over and let Abrams do his thing. Or you move Abrams if he is forcing your hand and use him in, say, center field. Or you use Abrams to anchor a blockbuster addition that balances the roster. San Diego is in the best sense of the word loaded.

Schoenfield: I'm curious to see what happens to Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers in 2021 as both performed way above their career norms in the shortened season. If they fall back to earth, the offense may be more very good than great -- and that makes the Dodgers the decisive favorite, at least this season and maybe 2022, before the next wave like Abrams and Luis Campusano make an impact.

Not to mention the Braves have a great foundation and the Mets are perhaps building one as well. But the Padres are going to be right there for the foreseeable future -- Brad didn't even mention potential future ace Mackenzie Gore. It's just that the NL is going to be bloodbath for the immediate future. So I'll lean more conservative and say one title.


Which young star could be next to get a megadeal like Tatis' contract?

Doolittle: Soto seems like a good bet. The Nationals have the resources and after losing Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon in recent years, they figure to be motivated to keep a two-star foundation in place in Soto and Trea Turner. Soto won't quite garner a Tatis-level commitment because he's a corner outfielder but, then again, he might be a 2021 Ted Williams, so you never know.

Schoenfield: Soto makes sense. With Max Scherzer a free agent after 2021 and if they do bring him back it will be on a short deal given his age, so they need keep Soto as that superstar face of the franchise. How about Cody Bellinger and the Dodgers? He's not a free agent until after 2023, but if Seager leaves after this season, they may want to lock up Bellinger to a long-term deal.

COVID-19 Stops WoO’s Spring Western Swing Again

Published in Racing
Wednesday, 17 February 2021 14:17

CONCORD, N.C. – State and local restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have forced the cancellation of the spring West Coast Swing for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

With COVID-19 restrictions throughout the West Coast limiting the availability of fans at tracks, World of Outlaws officials were forced to cancel the entire West Coast Swing for the spring only.

The canceled dates include March 4 at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas; March 12-13 at Arizona Speedway; March 20 at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway; March 21 at Santa Maria (Calif.) Raceway; March 26-27 at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif.; April 2 at Merced (Calif.) Speedway; April 3 at Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif.; and April 9-10 at Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park.

Those who purchased a ticket in advance to any of the West Coast events will receive a face-value credit to their MyDirtTickets.com account to be used towards any World of Outlaws event available at WorldofOutlaws.com/tix.

If an account credit does not work, fans have 30 days to click here to visit the refund request page.

Magnolia Motor Speedway and The Rev will replace the now-canceled Arizona Speedway doubleheader, with Magnolia taking place on Friday, March 12, and The Rev taking place on Saturday, March 13.

Fans that have already purchased tickets for Magnolia and The Rev can use those tickets for the new dates. Those unable to make it to the rescheduled dates have 30 days to request a refund through the following link.

The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season continues Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26-27, at Cotton Bowl Speedway with the Texas Two Step.

New events, in place of the West Coast events, will be announced soon adn will take place after Cotton Bowl to bring the tour back to its original schedule, with Lawton Speedway set for Friday, April 16, and Devil’s Bowl Speedway following on Saturday, April 17.

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