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Column: Was Michael Kopech’s home-opener flop just a blip? Or a continuation of the Chicago White Sox starter’s struggles since last June?

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:21:18 GMT

The home-opener crowd of 34,784 at White Sox Park was in a festive mood early Monday afternoon, ready for a new start after the disastrous 2022 season.It had been a long, tough winter, and none of the fans’ offseason hopes panned out.Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf did not sell the team, despite a billboard campaign paid for by a GoFundMe page. Rick Hahn was still the general manager, Ken Williams was still the general manager whisperer and Ozzie Guillén did not become the manager.Yasmani Grandal was behind the plate again, Joe Kelly remained in the bullpen and SoxFest was canceled.But none of that mattered now.It was time to get back to the ballpark, to eat some encased meats and fried dough and to remember why they became Sox fans in the first place.Sox fans are a resilient bunch — and optimists down deep under the five layers of clothes for the home opener. Only when provoked do they turn, as evidenced by the “Sell the Team” banners and “Fire Tony̶...

Players in Orioles organization welcome ‘life-changing’ labor deal for minor leaguers

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:21:18 GMT

When Orioles left-hander Cole Irvin first got called up to Double-A as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies organization, he adopted the lease of another minor leaguer who had been moved to Triple-A. Irvin took his place as one of five players living in a two-bedroom apartment, the group unable to afford more comfortable accommodations.It’s hopefully not a situation minor league baseball players will face going forward. On Monday, MLB owners unanimously approved a five-year collective bargaining agreement with minor leaguers that will more than double players’ salaries at each minor league level. The first labor agreement focused solely on minor leaguers’ benefits comes months after the Major League Baseball Players Association, which represents major league players as their union, became minor leaguers’ bargaining representatives in September.“Minor leaguers deserve it,” Irvin said. “They’re in the entertainment business as much as t...

Chicago Bears Q&A: Do you draft for need or ‘best player available’? How far would Ryan Poles trade down?

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:21:18 GMT

We’re a little more than three weeks from the NFL draft, and even after trading the No. 1 pick, the Chicago Bears strategy remains full of intrigue. Brad Biggs attempts to sort it out in his weekly Bears mailbag.Does a situation arise picking for need vs. picking the best player on your draft board? — @gcominos“Best player available” is one of the more twisted and misunderstood terms this time of year. It’s fueled at times by teams declaring after the draft how they were delighted so-and-so fell to them because he just happened to be the highest-graded player on their board.Would the Bears draft a safety with their first pick? I’d be stunned. Now, there’s not a safety worthy of a top-10 pick, but consider my point. Review the roster and the Bears have gaping needs at defensive tackle and on the edge, have yet to do enough to overhaul the offensive line and need another cornerback. They could go in at least three directions and satisfy “...

Dolphins NFL draft options: Running backs

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:21:18 GMT

The South Florida Sun Sentinel opens its eight-part series previewing top players in the 2023 NFL draft (April 27-29) with running backs. This year’s class is considered fairly strong at the top, a departure from a year ago when no running back was taken in the first round. The Dolphins aren’t looking for a running back this year, or at least that’s not a top need right now. But you never know what can or will happen in the weeks leading up to the draft.Bijan Robinson, TexasAt 6 foot 1, 220 pounds, he rushed for 1,580 yards last season as a junior. He’s averaged 226 carries each of the past two years, which means he can carry a big workload, and he also had 60 receptions for 805 yards and eight touchdowns in his career, which means he can stay on the field for third down.Jahmyr Gibbs, AlabamaGibbs, a Georgia Tech transfer, rushed for 926 yards (6.1 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns, but at 5-9, 199 pounds his big thing is his versatility. Gibbs had 1,215 ...

Dolphins opted for continuity at running back this offseason over a big move in the backfield

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:21:18 GMT

The Miami Dolphins opted for continuity at running back over a major change for a bell-cow back this offseason.Four tailbacks from last year’s roster were free agents of some kind. Four are returning as members of the 2023 Dolphins.Such running backs like the Raiders’ Josh Jacobs, Giants’ Saquon Barkley and Cowboys’ Tony Pollard were placed on the franchise tag with their teams, so they were erased as offseason options for Miami. The Dolphins then passed on free agents like Miles Sanders (from Philadelphia to Carolina), David Montgomery (Chicago to Detroit) and Jamaal Williams (Detroit to New Orleans).With four running backs brought back — Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr., Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin — it seems like that’s the group the team is rolling with, instead of looking into a possible offseason trade with the Titans for Derrick Henry or Vikings to produce a Dalvin Cook homecoming.The Dolphins could still look to add a running back i...

Italian ex-leader Berlusconi hospitalized, reportedly in ICU

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:21:18 GMT

ROME (AP) — Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was hospitalized Wednesday, his spokesman said. Italian media reported he was in intensive care with respiratory problems. The 86-year-old three-time premier was admitted to Milan’s San Raffaele hospital, the clinic where he routinely receives care, said spokesman Paolo Emilio Russo. There was no confirmation of reports from the LaPresse news agency, Sky TG24 and Corriere della Sera that he was in the cardiac ICU.Berlusconi has had a series of health problems in recent years, most significantly recovering from COVID-19 in 2020. He told reporters after being discharged from a 10-day hospital stay then that disease had been “insidious” and was the most dangerous challenge he had ever faced. He has had a pacemaker for years, underwent heart surgery to replace an aortic valve in 2016 and has overcome prostate cancer.Berlusconi had been to San Raffaele, where his personal physician works, for a regular checkup for several days just las...

Poland scraps fencing event because of Russian participation

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:21:18 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A fencing World Cup event in Poland has been canceled because the sport’s governing body decided last month to let Russians and Belarusians compete.The Polish Fencing Association said Wednesday it will not host the Olympic qualifying event for women’s foil from April 21-23 in Poznan.Last month, the International Fencing Federation voted to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to resume competing after an exclusion of more than a year.After the decision to allows Russians back, more than 300 fencers signed a letter of protest and the organizers of another World Cup event in Germany withdrew as hosts. French organizers canceled yet another event last week.Russia, with the help of ally Belarus, invaded Ukraine more than a year ago. Poland has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since the war started.Poland will also host this year’s European Games, a multi-sport event similar to the Olympics, with no Russian and Belarusian athletes.The announcem...

Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada running for reelection

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:21:18 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat from Nevada who steered a moderate path during her first term in the chamber, announced Wednesday that she will seek reelection in the perennial battleground state.In a statement, Rosen focused on her efforts to promote bipartisanship and “big problems to solve” for the country, including “lowering costs for the middle class, defending abortion rights, tackling the climate crisis (and) protecting Social Security and Medicare.”Rosen’s announcement is welcome news for Democrats ahead of a challenging 2024 Senate map. They must defend incumbents not only in red states — Montana, Ohio and West Virginia — but also in multiple swing states.No Republican challengers have yet announced plans to take on Rosen. She ended 2022 with $4.4 million cash on hand in her campaign accounts, according to Federal Election Commission reports.The November 2024 will come two years after Rosen’s colleague from Nevada, Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez...

What’s open and closed in Toronto on Good Friday

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:21:18 GMT

The Easter Holiday weekend is upon us and that means a short work week for many GTA residents.It’s expected to be a good weekend to get outside, with a rain-free forecast despite daytime high temperatures a little below seasonal.Keep in mind, Good Friday is a public holiday and that means many businesses will not be open. Banks, libraries, post offices, and government services will all be closed on Friday.In Toronto, almost all city attractions will remain open including the CN Tower, Toronto Zoo, Casa Loma and Ripley’s Aquarium.Here is what else is open and closed in the city on Good Friday:TRANSITGO Transit will operate on a Sunday schedule on Friday.The TTC will be operate on a holiday schedule on Monday with most routes and subway service starting at 6 a.m.GROCERY AND ALCOHOLLCBO and Beer stores will be closed on Friday.Most big chain grocery stores will be closed, but some select locations will be open on Good Friday. Check with your local grocer for hours of operation.Ra...

Writers’ Trust Poetry Prize more than doubles to $60K with Scott Griffin contribution

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:21:18 GMT

TORONTO — Scott Griffin is shaking up the Canadian poetry landscape for the second time in a year, lending his name to the Writers’ Trust poetry prize and more than doubling its purse.The move, which turns the Latner Writers’ Trust Poetry Prize into the Latner Griffin Writers’ Trust Poetry Prize and bumps its value from $25,000 to $60,000, comes months after the philanthropist did away with the Canada-only category of the Griffin Poetry Prize. Griffin said upping the Writers’ Trust’s purse fills a gap in his efforts to boost poetry’s profile. His trust awards a $10,000 prize to an “unknown, up-and-coming” poet, he said, while the newly increased Writers’ Trust prize is dedicated to recognizing mid-career poets. “We have a significant Canadian prize with the Latner Griffin. And then we have the international prize, which is for all countries, including Canada,” Griffin said in a phone interview ahead of Wednesday’...