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MLB NEWS
MLB will investigate Astros conduct over last 3 seasons
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Major League Baseball has widened its investigation of alleged sign stealing by the Houston Astros and will probe activity by the team over the past three seasons.
After the conclusion of owners meetings Thursday, baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said MLB will “investigate the Astros situation as thoroughly as humanly possible.” The probe includes the team’s firing of an assistant general manager during the World Series for clubhouse comments directed at female reporters, behavior that the club at first accused Sports Illustrated of fabricating.
Oakland pitcher Mike Fiers (FY’-urz) told The Athletic in a story last week that while he was playing with the Astros during their 2017 World Series championship season the team stole signs during home games by using a camera positioned in center field. During this year’s playoffs, Houston players were suspected of whistling in the dugout to communicate pitch selection to batters.
In other baseball news:
— All-Star catcher Yasmani Grandal (yahs-MAH'-nee grahn-DAHL') agreed to a $73 million, four-year contract with the Chicago White Sox, finding a more lucrative free-agent market now that he is no longer burdened by draft-pick compensation. The 31-year-old hit .246 and had career bests with 28 homers and 77 RBIs. He declined to exercise his part of the option with Milwaukee and became a free agent again.
— John Sherman has been approved as the new controlling owner of the Kansas City Royals, and his group plans to close its deal to purchase the last-place team from David Glass and his family next week. The proposed sale was announced Aug. 30 and was expected to be worth about $1 billion.
— The San Francisco Giants’ ownership group has its new control person in Greg Johnson. Johnson has been approved by the major league clubs at the owners meetings in Arlington, Texas. President and CEO Larry Baer will still represent the club at the meetings, along with Johnson and Rob Dean, who had been handling leadership duties since March.
— Eve Rosenbaum is the latest member of the Houston Astros’ front office to leave, following Mike Elias to Baltimore and joining the Orioles as director of baseball development. Rosenbaum was hired by Houston in 2015 as international baseball operations coordinator and served as international scouting manager for the past two years.
— Joe Dillon has been hired as hitting coach for the Philadelphia Phillies under new manager Joe Girardi. Dillon served as assistant hitting coach for the Washington Nationals for the past two seasons and previously spent two seasons as the minor league hitting coordinator for the Miami Marlins.
NFL-NEWS
Garrett’s suspension for helmet attack upheld after appeal
UNDATED (AP) — The NFL’s indefinite suspension of Cleveland Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett has been upheld by an appeals officer.
Garrett is banned for the final six regular-season games and playoffs for smashing Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph over the head with a helmet last week.
Former player James Thrash felt the discipline for Garrett was warranted. Thrash also reduced the suspension for Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey from three games to two for punching and kicking Garrett following the shocking assault on Rudolph.
The story took a new twist when ESPN, using anonymous sources, reported that Garrett told the league during his meeting with Thrash that Rudolph used a racial slur just before the brawl erupted. Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten said Rudolph “vehemently denies” the report.
In other NFL news:
— Washington Redskins safety Montae Nicholson says it was his decision to play last week, days after the death of a woman he dropped off at a hospital. Nicholson and another man took 21-year-old Julia Crabbe to a hospital last week, and she later died there of a drug overdose.
NFL-SCHEDULE
Thursday night football has Colts in Houston
HOUSTON (AP) — The Texans look to bounce back from an embarrassing loss to Baltimore when they host Indianapolis tonight with the AFC South lead on the line.
Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson was sacked six times and had two turnovers in a 41-7 dismantling by the Ravens. Watson says he’s falling back on his high school coach’s adage “snap and clear,” meaning no matter how good or bad a game was, he had to move on to the next one quickly.
The Colts are on the opposite end of the spectrum, entering this matchup of 6-4 teams after beating the Jaguars 33-13 last week.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Two games in the NBA
UNDATED (AP) — Milwaukee returns home to begin a four-game homestand that starts with the Portland Trail Blazers tonight.
The Bucks are coming off a 135-127 victor over the Atlanta Hawks last night. Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH'-nihs an-teh-toh-KOON'-poh) led the way with 33 points and 11 rebounds, the ninth time this season that the reigning NBA MVP has had at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Carmelo Anthony will be playing his second game with Portland. He debuted Tuesday night, scoring 10 points in a 115-104 loss in New Orleans.
Those Pelicans are in Phoenix later to play, where former Pelicans head coach Monty Williams has been engineering a terrific turnaround for the Suns.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Islanders look to keep it rolling against Pens
UNDATED (AP) — The New York Islanders insist they don’t think about how well they are playing. They’re too busy preparing for their next opponent.
Still, stacking win after win after win has added up to a 15-game point streak. And since opening the season with three losses in four games, the Islanders are 14-0-1, matching a franchise record set during Stanley Cup dynasty days of the early 1980s.
The Islanders host the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight in Brooklyn. The two teams played in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, with New York winning 5-4 in overtime after scoring twice in the last 4:19 to tie the score.
Later tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs play their first game under head coach Sheldon Keefe. Hes coming off a successful run with the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies that included a Calder Cup championship in 2018.
The rest of the schedule has the Atlantic Division-leading Boston Bruins welcoming the Buffalo Sabres to town. Philadelphia is at Carolina, Detroit visits Columbus and the Anaheim Ducks’ eastern swing takes them to Florida to play the Panthers.
Minnesota hosts Colorado, Vancouver is at Nashville and the Stanley Cup Champion Blues get a visit from the Calgary Flames. Tampa Bay is at Chicago, Winnipeg at Dallas, while San Jose is in Las Vegas to play the Golden Knights. A Pacific Division matchup in Los Angeles completes the schedule with first-place Edmonton in town to play the last place Kings.
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
No. 1 Duke on court
UNDATED (AP) — Duke is back at No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll and back on the court tonight. The Blue Devils are on the road to play California.
Here’s the rest of the Top 25 schedule:
— Tennessee St. at (12)Texas Tech 8 p.m.
— S. Dakota St. at (14)Arizona 9 p.m.
— (17)Villanova at Middle Tennessee 11:30 a.m.
— (18)Xavier at Towson 7 p.m.
— Georgetown at (22)Texas 7 p.m.
— Ohio at (24)Baylor 4:30 p.m.
YALE-COACH
Yale women’s soccer coach leaves amid report of misconduct
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Yale University’s women’s soccer coach has left the school amid allegations of sexual misconduct by former players at a college where he previously coached.
Yale officials said Brendan Faherty’s last day was Wednesday, nearly a year after he was hired to replace coach Rudy Meredith following Meredith’s arrest in the nationwide college admissions bribery scandal.
Whether Faherty was fired or resigned was not disclosed by Yale. Faherty did not return messages seeking comment Thursday.
The student newspaper, the Yale Daily News, reported that former players at the University of New Haven, where Faherty coached from 2002 to 2009, accused him of groping one player and having a consensual relationship with another.
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