Digital Sports Desk

The online destination for sports purists

DIGITAL SPORTS DESK The LEDE It’s Big Papi Day

by

LA Angels at Boston
When: 7:10 PM ET, Friday, June 23, 2017
Where: Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
Special Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

BOSTON – Rick Porcello, the American League Cy Young Award winner last year, will have a more modest goal when the Boston Red Sox host the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series. A 22-game winner in 2016, Porcello attempts to avoid becoming the first pitcher in the major leagues to reach 10 losses this season.

Division Series - Cleveland Indians v Boston Red Sox - Game Four

BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 10: David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox tips his cap after the Cleveland Indians defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-3 in game three of the American League Divison Series to advance to the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park on October 10, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

###

Normally, the struggling Porcello’s start would draw scrutiny but it will be FAR overshadowed by Friday’s pregame ceremony to retire the number of slugger David Ortiz, who called it quits after the 2016 season. Boston could use Ortiz’s booming bat in its lineup as the team ranks tied for 27th in the league in home runs (70) and 24th in slugging percentage (.414). The Angels have played .500 ball in 20 games in June, but they pushed across 22 runs in taking two of three at Yankee Stadium to open their eight-game road trip. Los Angeles DH Albert Pujols, a .324 hitter in 38 games versus Boston, had a pair of RBI singles in Thursday’s 10-5 win over the Yankees.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN West (Los Angeles), NESN (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Alex Meyer (3-3, 3.52 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (3-9, 5.05)

Meyer was masterful against Kansas City in his last outing, matching a season high with nine strikeouts while blanking the Royals on two hits over six innings. The 6-9 Meyer has not allowed more than three earned runs in seven straight starts, although he failed to get through five innings in two of them. Meyer keeps the ball in the park, giving up three homers overall and one in his last six turns.

Porcello took it on the chin again last time out, giving up seven runs on 10 hits over six innings at Houston to drop to 0-4 over his last five starts. The New Jersey native has yielded at least eight hits in eight consecutive starts and surrendered six home runs over his last four turns. Porcello is 5-6 with a bloated 6.26 ERA against the Angels and must be wary of Pujols (8-for-23) and Kole Calhoun (6-for-12).

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts is 8-for-16 with three homers and seven RBIs during a four-game hitting streak.

2. Angels OF Cameron Maybin homered and scored three times Thursday, extending his on-base streak to 26 games.

3. Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia, who missed the three-game series at Kansas City, hopes to return to the lineup Friday.

NBA Draft: Celtics Select Tatum

by

BROOKLYN – (Official player bio from NBA) – Jayson Tatum, an early entry candidate from Duke University, was drafted at No. 3 overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2017 NBA Draft.

2017 NBA Draft

###

Career Highlights: One of five final candidates for the Basketball Hall of Fame’s Julius Erving small forward of the year award as a Duke freshman. … An All-ACC Third Team pick, USBWA All-District III honoree and member of the ACC All-Freshman Team. … Owns three gold medals with USA Basketball. … In high school, selected as the 2016 Gatorade Boys National Player of the Year. Freshman (2016-17): Averaged 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds to rank second in each category on both the team and among ACC freshmen. … Shot 45.2 percent from the field and 84.9 percent from the free throw line. … A three-time ACC Freshman of the Week honoree. … Ranked fifth in the ACC in free throw percentage, 10th in rebound average and 12th in scoring. … Set a Duke single-season record with six games of at least 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks — third most in the Duke career record books. … Ranks fourth on the Blue Devils’ single-season freshman charts in free throws made (118), fifth in both free throw percentage (84.9) and rebounding, seventh in scoring, eighth in blocks (1.1 bpg) and 10th in both steals (1.3 spg) and minutes (33.3 mpg). USA Basketball: Has won three gold medals with USAB. … Averaged 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds to help lead the United States to a first-place finish at the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship. … At the 2014 FIBA U17 Worlds, averaged 11.3 points and 3.1 rebounds. … Posted 10.0 points and 4.6 rebounds at the 2013 FIBA U16 Americas. … At the 2016 Nike Hoop Summit with the U.S. Junior Select team, scored 14 points in a win over the World Select team. … Participated in the 2015-16 U.S. Men’s Junior National Team minicamp.

High School: Averaged 29.5 points and 9.1 rebounds as a senior with Chaminade HS. … Ranked as the No. 3 recruit by ESPN and Rivals and No. 4 by Scout and 247Sports. … Named 2016 Gatorade Male Athlete of the Year and Gatorade National Player of the Year. … Naismith Award finalist. … Played in the McDonald’s All-American Game and Jordan Brand Classic, tallying 18 points in each game. … A Naismith Trophy All-American, MaxPreps All-American and USA Today All-USA First Team pick. Strengths: Smooth athlete with a polished offensive game. … Scores from many different spots on the floor. … Terrific isolation player who has great command of his dribble and gets easy separation from defenders. … Prototypical size and length to defend both forward spots at the NBA level.

Personal: His father, Justin, played forward at Saint Louis University and averaged 8.2 points and 5.3 rebounds over three seasons.

“This is a dream come true and everything that I’ve ever wished for,” said Tatum. “I’m so happy to be drafted by an organization like the Boston Celtics.”

 

DIGITAL SPORTS DESK The LEDE Sixers, Fultz On Top of the World

by

PHILADELPHIA — For the second consecutive year, the Philadelphia 76ers will have the first overall pick in the NBA draft.  Last season, the Sixers selected LSU standout Ben Simmons, though he never played after suffering a broken bone in his foot toward the end of training camp.

Markelle Fultz at Empire State Building

NBA Draft prospect Markelle Fultz poses for a photo on June 20, 2017 at the Empire State Building in New York City (David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images).

###

When the ping-pong balls landed in the 2017 draft lottery, Philadelphia came away with the No. 3 overall pick this year. But president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics, allowing the Sixers to move up two spots to No. 1 again.

It looks like Philadelphia is prepared to take Washington guard Markelle Fultz at No. 1. Paired with Simmons, the Sixers seem to have a rising backcourt for the next 10-to-12 years.

Colangelo was rather vague when meeting with the media. That happens in the days leading up to the draft.

“Most importantly we’re taking the next step, I believe, in formulating a solid young core of players that ultimately will lead to a successful and sustainable product,” said Colangelo. “That’s our goal and that’s where we want to be. With the certainty of No. 1, we know we control our circumstances.”

While Simmons missed the season, center Joel Embiid was limited to 31 games because of injuries. Forward Jahlil Okafor struggled with a balky knee. Philadelphia stumbled to 28 wins, putting its total number of victories at 75 over the last four seasons.

The Sixers were fortunate in the lottery once again and seem primed to take another step with a high-caliber type of player at No. 1.

“A lot of things are lining up, with hopefully good reason, again to be able to have the opportunity be able to select No. 1 and control our destiny,” Colangelo said. ” And then have Ben Simmons, and Jerryd Bayless, and others that will be either acquired in the trade or free agency join this mix, along with that developing core that was there, with a healthy Joel Embiid.

“There’s a lot of excitement and a lot of reason to move forward with a much further idea of what we have. Again, it is somewhat circumstantial that we’re here. Nobody is angry about being here.”

If Philadelphia takes Fultz as expected, the rest of the top five in the draft appears to look like this: the Los Angeles Lakers selecting UCLA guard Lonzo Ball at No. 2; the Celtics taking Kansas guard/forward Josh Jackson at No. 3; the Phoenix Suns picking Duke forward Jayson Tatum at No. 4; and the Sacramento Kings selecting Kentucky guard De’Aaron Fox at No. 5.

Of course, Florida State’s Jonathan Isaac, Kentucky’s Malik Monk and North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith could all sneak in the top five because anything is possible on draft night.

This is a particularly crucial draft for the Sixers. It’s year five of coach Brett Brown’s era and time to start winning for a fan base which has had to “Trust The Process,” in honor of former general manager Sam Hinkie.

Philadelphia also owns four second-round picks, acquired in previous trades with the Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks and Utah Jazz. They could attempt to package some draft picks and move up for another potential first-round pick.

Clearly, the focus is on the No. 1 choice, also known as Fultz.

“It’s great excitement, obviously,” Colangelo said of the buzz of having the top pick. “We have a much better idea of where we are today than just a few days ago and, again, sitting in the No. 1 spot, we couldn’t be in a better place. So, we know where we are, we’ve got pick certainty now and we can zero in on the fine details of that selection now.

“And plan — we can get a head start on planning for some of the things that follow that can also help us with our trade thoughts and free-agent thoughts moving forward.

PGA Tour: The Tour Swings in Hartford

by

CROMWELL (Conn) – (Special to Digital Sports Desk by The Sports Xchange) – If there’s a hangover in the golf world in the aftermath of the U.S, Open, the Travelers Championship is here to provide a little pick-me-up.  The TPC River Highlands in Cromwell is the place to be this week, thanks to a Bobby Weed-designed golf course that can produce birdie opportunities in bunches. It carries a reputation for scoring and fun that’s much needed by the 156 PGA Tour players that will tee it up here today.
Travelers Championship - Round One

CROMWELL, CT – JUNE 22: Jordan Spieth of the United States plays his shot from the 12th tee during the first round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 22, 2017 in Cromwell, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

###
They all will be chasing a total purse of $6.8 million, with $1.224 million and 500 FedExCup points going to the winner.
The field that challenges the 6,841-yard, par-70 course includes three of the top six players in the world — Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, Jason Day of Australia and Jordan Spieth, ranked third, fourth and sixth, respectively. McIlroy and Day missed the cut last week at the U.S. Open, while Spieth finished tied for 35th.
Then there’s six players who finished inside the top 10 at the U.S. Open last week at Erin Hills: Brian Harman (who tied for second), Xander Schauffele (tied for fifth), Charley Hoffman (eighth) and Trey Mullinax, Justin Thomas and Brandt Snedeker (who all tied for ninth).
In all, there are 13 major championship winners accounting for 24 majors on the grounds.
The 23-year-old Spieth, a nine-time PGA Tour champion and two-time major winner, will make his debut at the Travelers Championship.
“I just haven’t played the week after the U.S. Open, and thought, ‘Why don’t I?'” Spieth said. “You play a U.S. Open, any course you play right after should seem a bit easier and should be fun because of that. I’ve heard unbelievable things about this tournament.”
Spieth explained that he was drawn to the event because of the course’s penchant for allowing a final charge and bringing any player close to the lead into contention.
“I’ve watched the exciting last seven holes where anything can happen, and that’s always fun for us,” Spieth said. “When you get opportunities to make birdies or even make a couple eagles on a nine-hole stretch with just hitting good, solid shots, you can come back from anywhere. It’s also a lot more exciting because you have to play aggressive, and I think that that’s something that if I’m forced to do, helps us.”
Jim Furyk understands better than anyone the kinds of low scores that aggressive and solid play can produce here. Last year, Furyk became the first player in PGA Tour history to shoot 58 as well as the only player in history to break 60 twice on the Tour (2013 BMW Championship, where he shot a 59 in the second round).
Furyk hit all 18 greens in regulation, made 10 birdies and a hole-out eagle to finish tied for fifth.
The 2016 edition of this event was won by Scotland’s Russell Knox, who posted a final-round 68, highlighted by a 12-foot par putt on the 72nd hole, to secure a one-shot victory over Jerry Kelly. The win marked Knox’s second career PGA Tour title in his 110th start.
Knox said Monday that TPC River Highlands plays totally different in the morning (when Furyk went on his tear) than in the afternoon.
“If you tee off in the morning you can always shoot a mega-low score,” Knox said. “But teeing off in the afternoon, especially on a weekend, shooting under par is a great score. The course changes significantly as the day goes on, just the firmness of the greens and I think players like that.
“Whoever wins this week can say, ‘Hey, I beat Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Bubba Watson.’ The winner is going to have to earn it. He’s going to have to play incredible golf because those guys that I named, I mean, they’re capable of shooting unbelievable scores.”
A total of 17 players have picked up their first PGA Tour victory at the Travelers Championship and six of the last 11 winners here have been first-time Tour champions: J.J. Henry (2006), Hunter Mahan (2007), Watson (2010), Fredrik Jacobson (2011), Marc Leishman (2012) and Ken Duke (2013)

 

PGA Tour: Ten to Watch at TPC

by

Ten PGA Tour players to watch at The Travelers, at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut:

1. Justin Thomas, United States — Coming off his best result in a major championship, a tie for ninth in the U.S. Open at Erin Hills, Thomas is high on the list of players to continue the trend of seven straight first-time winners on the Grand Slam tournaments. He has eighth top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season, including three victories, sits third in the FedExCup standings and is knocking on the door of the top 10 in the World Golf Rankings at No. 12. The 24-year-old Thomas has placed in the top 10 in three of his last four tournaments and will try to keep that going when he makes his third start in the Travelers Championship this week. He recorded his best finish at TPC River Highlands last year when he reeled off four scores in the 60s, including a closing 62, to finish two strokes behind winner Russell Knox in a tie for third.

2017 US Open - Final Round

Golf: US Open: Justin Thomas in action, drive during Sunday play at Erin Hills GC. (Donald Miralle /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images).

 ###

2. Jordan Spieth, United States — The sixth-ranked player in the world has run hot-and-cold for much of this season and he did both last week while finishing in a tie for 35th in the U.S. Open, closing with a 69 that was his best score of the week at Erin Hills. That came after he tied for second in his title defense in the Dean & DeLuca Invitational and tied for 13th in the Memorial, but he’s been good enough that his six top-10 results this season have him at sixth in the FedExCup point standings. Surprisingly, Spieth is making his first start in the Travelers Championship, but the 23-year-old has been a quick study since he turned pro in 2013 and almost immediately earned his PGA Tour card. He has nine victories on the best tour in the world, including two majors and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this year.

3. Jason Day, Australia — After missing the cut last week in the U.S. Open at Erin Hills, Day gets the chance to bounce back right away in the Travelers Championship and is making his third appearance at TPC River Highlands. He tied for 27th in his tournament debut in 2008, opening with 67-67-66 before sliding down the leaderboard with a closing 71, and rallied in 2014 by shooting 69-67-65 to tie for 18th. The fourth-ranked Day, coming off a back injury at the end of last year and dealing with his mother’s battle with cancer early this season, played well before the second major of the year by finishing second in the AT&T Byron Nelson and tying for 13th in the Memorial Tournament, but needs some high finishes to kick-start the second half of the season leading up to the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale and the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.

4. Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland — Following a missed cut in the U.S. Open at Erin Hills, there have to be questions about the nagging rib injury that has bothered McIlroy this year. After tying for seventh in the Masters, he tied for 35th in the Players Championship before shooting 78 in the first round at Erin Hills, but he bounced back with a 71 and hopes for better this week in the Travelers Championship. The third-ranked player in the world, who is down at 69th in the FedExCup standings, needs to add some tournaments to his schedule and will play for the first time in the Travelers Championship this week at TPC River Highlands. McIlroy took time off for his injury and his wedding to PGA of America employee Erica Stoll, and must get healthy and kick his game into gear with the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on the horizon next month.

5. Bubba Watson, United States — So far, it’s been a so-so season for Bubba, but if nothing else he will have some good vibes when he shows up at TPC River Highlands for the Travelers Championship. He has claimed two of his nine PGA Tour victories in the tournament, both in playoffs. In 2010, Watson earned his first victory on the circuit with a par on the second playoff hole to beat Corey Pavin and Scott Verplank. In 2015, he opened with a 62 and three days later made a birdie on the second extra hole to turn back Paul Casey of England. Watson is making his 11th start in the tournament and also tied for second in 2012, finished fourth in 2014 and tied for sixth in 2008. Watson has had some good results lately, finishing in the top 10 on three occasions, but also missing the cut three times in his last six starts.

6. Brandt Snedeker, United States — Snedeker will show up at TPC River Highlands following a tie for ninth in the U.S. Open at Erin Hills, only his fourth top-10 finish on the PGA Tour this season. However, he does have seven top-25 results so he’s not far from the form that has taken him to eight victories on the circuit. He is making his sixth start in the Travelers Championship and has played his best the last two years. A year ago, he shot 63 in round three and was fourth heading to the final round, but closed with a 71 and wound up in a tie for 10th. In 2015, he opened with a 65 and closed with a 64 to finish in a tie for 11th. Snedeker has shown he can go low at TPC River Highlands, also shooting 63 in the second round three years ago on his way to a tie for 24th.

7. Charley Hoffman, United States — With his eighth-place finish at Erin Hills, Hoffman wound up in the top 10 for the first time in the U.S. Open and this week he will play for the seventh time in the Travelers Championship. His best result at TPC River Highlands was a tie for second in 2012, when he started with three 67s and had a 66 in the final round before losing by one stroke when Marc Leishman of Australia took the title by closing with a 62. That’s not the whole story, as Hoffman held a two-stroke lead after 16 holes in the final round, but hit his tee shot into the water on the 17th en route to a double bogey and then made bogey on the last hole. He came close to his sixth PGA Tour victory earlier this year when he again wound up one shot behind Leishman in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

8. Marc Leishman, Australia — Returning to the site of his first victory on the PGA Tour, Leishman will make his seventh start in the Travelers Championship this week. He closed with an 8-under-par 62 in 2012 and waited for two hours to see what it meant, and wound up with a one-stroke victory when Hoffman blew a two-stroke lead by closing double bogey-bogey. Watson also finished one shot behind Leishman. The Aussie also held the 36-hole lead in the Travelers last year after opening with 65-68, but played the weekend in 71-68 to tie for ninth, in addition to tying for 11th at TPC River Highlands in 2014. Leishman picked up his second PGA Tour victory earlier this season, sinking a 51-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole that held up for another one-stroke victory over Hoffman and Kevin Kisner at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He has won 10 times as a pro in addition to losing to Zach Johnson in four-hole aggregate playoff in 2015 at St. Andrews.

9. Brian Harman, United States — The left-hander should be brimming with confidence after posting his best result in a major championship, a tie for second — four shots behind Brooks Koepka — in the U.S. Open last week at Erin Hills. Harman, who claimed his second PGA Tour victory earlier this season in the Wells Fargo Championship by one stroke over top-ranked Dustin Johnson and Pat Perez, has climbed to 10th in the FedExCup standings with six results in the top 10, and 11 in the top 25 this season. He is making his seventh start in the Travelers Championship and recorded his best result two years ago, when he opened with 66-66-65 at TPC River Highlands to take a one-stroke lead after 54 holes. However, he closed with a 69 and finished solo third, one stroke out of the playoff in which Bubba Watson defeated Paul Casey of England.

10. Brendan Steele, United States — Steele’s tie for 13th at Erin Hills is his best finish in the U.S. Open although he seemed headed for his first top-10 in the majors before stumbling to a 73 in the final round. Still, it’s been another solid season for him with four finishes in the top 10 and eight in the top 25, including his second PGA Tour victory in the Safeway Open, and he is 13th in the FedExCup standings. Steele, who also won the 2011 Valero Texas Open, will tee it up for the seventh time in the Travelers Championship, and his best result was a tie for fifth in 2014, when he held the lead after the first round with a 62. He has finished in the top 25 in all but one of his appearances at TPC River Highlands, shooting 74-69 — 143 to miss the cut by three strokes in 2012

 

Sports Biz: PGA Tour Testing for PEDs

by

PONTE VEDRA BEACH – Starting next season, the PGA Tour will implement significant changes to its anti-doping procedure.  The Tour is adding blood testing and bringing its list of banned performance-enhancing substances in line with the World Anti-Doping Association, the Associated Press reports.

GOLF: SEP 24 PGA - TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola - Third Round

September 24, 2016: NBC Golf logo and camera at the third round of the PGA Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The changes, which will take effect when the new season begins in October, will allow for the detection of Human Growth Hormone, which cannot be found through urine samples.

However, the Tour plans to use urine samples for most of its testing. In addition, the Tour will publicly announce when golfers fail tests for PEDs as well as drugs of abuse.

PED-related suspensions are not as common in golf as they are in other sports, but golfer Scott Stallings was suspended three months for violating the Tour’s anti-doping policy in 2015

Red Sox: KC Powers Past Boston

by

Kansas City 6, Boston 4
When: 2:15 PM ET, Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Where: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, (Missouri)
Attendance: 30826
Special to Digital Sports Desk by The Sports Xchange

KANSAS CITY (Missouri) – Salvador Perez had never hit a grand slam in the majors, but he had a premonition and an answered prayer in the eighth inning. Perez went 3-for-3 with a grand slam as the Kansas City Royals rallied to defeat the Boston Red Sox 6-4 on Wednesday afternoon.

The Kansas City Royals and Boston Red Sox baseball teams

Kansas City Royals’ Salvador Perez follows through on a single in the second inning during Wednesday’s baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (John Sleezer/Kansas City Star/TNS via Getty Images)

###
“I was thinking about it two pitches before,” Perez said. “I don’t know where it’s coming through my mind, that I never hit one. I said, thank God. Unbelievable, huh.”

Perez homered in the eighth inning after Red Sox relievers Matt Barnes and Robby Scott (0-1) walked the bases loaded with nobody out. Perez worked the count full before propelling a Scott pitch out to left, scoring Jorge Bonifacio, Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer.

“The last pitch was lower in, a little in the middle,” Perez said. “And I hit it pretty good. I don’t make adjustments. I see the ball and hit it. If it’s close, I’m swinging.”

Red Sox manager John Farrell decided to keep the left-handed Scott in to face the right-handed swinging Perez.

“His power numbers have come against right-handed pitching, by a 2- or 3-to-1 margin,” Farrell said. “He’s a .230 hitter against left-handers. It didn’t happen today.”

Scott walked the left-handed-hitting Hosmer on four pitches, none close to the strike zone, to set up Perez’s blast.

“With the go-ahead run at the plate with the possibility of left-on-left to try to get a ground ball, there’s four wide ones again,” Farrell said. “It set the stage for the grand slam, unfortunately.”

Said Scott, “I’ve got to do better.”

Kelvin Herrera pitched around a Jackie Bradley Jr. leadoff double in the ninth to collect his 17th save. Joakim Soria (3-2) worked a perfect eighth to pick up the victory.

Drew Pomeranz held the Royals to two runs over 6 1/3 innings, but the bullpen could not hold a 4-2 lead after he was pulled.

“We’ve been playing great,” Pomeranz said. “You can’t win them all. That’s going to happen sometimes, especially against these guys. They’re swingers. It’s part of the game. The bullpen has been great all year. It’s just one of those things. We’ll forget about it and be back at it on Friday.”

Ian Kennedy silenced the Red Sox without a hit in the first three innings, but there were two loud booms to start the fourth. Rookie Andrew Benintendi led off the inning with a 454-foot splash down into the center field fountains. It was his 100th career hit and his 10th home run this season.

Xander Bogaerts took a 3-1 Kennedy offering over the left-field fence to tie the score at 2.

“Those are frustrating pitches,” Kennedy said.

The Royals scored a pair of runs on three outs. Eric Hosmer doubled to lead off the second and stopped at third on Perez’s single. Hosmer scored when Mike Moustakas grounded into a double play.

Alcides Escobar led off the third with a double, advanced to third on Ramon Torres’ groundout and scored on Whit Merrifield’s flyout to Mookie Betts.

The Red Sox took advantage of two Kansas City errors in the fifth to score a pair of unearned runs on one single. Christian Vazquez started it with a single to left. Deven Marrero put down a sacrifice bunt, but Kennedy’s throw sailed over the head of first baseman Cheslor Cuthbert.

Vasquez wound up scoring on Betts’ sacrifice fly. Kennedy was removed after an intentional walk to Bogaerts. Mike Minor replaced Kennedy and attempted to pick Bogaerts off first, but Cuthbert whiffed on the throw, which hit first base coach Ruben Amaro Jr., allowing Marrero to score.

NOTES: Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia missed the entire series with soreness in his rib cage area after being struck by a pitch Sunday in Houston. The Red Sox are optimistic Pedroia will start Friday. … Royals LHP Danny Duffy, who is on the disabled list with a strained oblique, will throw a bullpen session Friday and could begin a minor league rehab assignment next week. … DH Hanley Ramirez, who is hitting .205 with five extra-base hits in his previous 22 games, was not in the Red Sox lineup. He flied out as a pinch hitter to end the game. … The Royals and Red Sox are off Thursday. The Red Sox return home and will retire David Ortiz’s No. 34 jersey before the game Friday against the Angels. The Royals will welcome the Blue Jays to Kauffman Stadium for a weekend series. Royals rookie RHP Jake Junis will start the opener.

Sports Biz: Wizards Go “G”

by

WASHINGTON DC – (Staff report from official News Release) – The Washington Wizards have purchased the first “G League” team.

The Washington Wizards and the NBA G League announced the NBA’s Wizards franchise has acquired the right to own and operate an NBA G League team. The team, which will debut in the 2018-19 season, is scheduled to play at the Wizards’ new facility in Ward 8 in Washington, D.C. The newly branded “G League” is set to grow to a record 27 teams for the 2018-19 season but will feature 26 teams for next season.

###

“I’m thrilled to welcome the Washington Wizards to the NBA G League family,” said NBA G League President Malcolm Turner. “We’re looking forward to working closely with the Monumental Sports & Entertainment team to introduce the exciting brand of NBA G League basketball to the D.C. market as our record 27th team prepares to play in the 2018-19 season.”

“The NBA G League has been a great resource for us over the years, both for calling up talent and for allowing young players on our roster to gain more on-court experience,” said Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld. “Having our own team, selecting the front office and coaching staff and being able to implement our system will allow us to further enhance our player and staff development program moving forward.”

Washington’s new NBA G League affiliate, like the Wizards, will be owned and operated by Monumental Sports & Entertainment. The NBA G League team will play its 24 home games at a new, state-of-the-art venue on the campus of the former St. Elizabeths Hospital in southeast Washington. The St. Elizabeths facility, set to open in 2018, will also serve as the practice facility for the Washington Wizards and the home of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics.

Season-ticket memberships for the inaugural season are on sale now. Fans can secure their seats to become a founding fan with just an initial deposit of $25 per seat. Visit www.wizardsgleague.com or call 202-864-4350 to speak with an NBA G League representative to reserve seats today.

Monumental Sports & Entertainment will stream all 50 of the team’s NBA G League games on Monumental Sports Network. Fans can download the Monumental Sports Network app in the app store or visit getmonumental.com to access a free, three-month trial.

Since the NBA G League began in 2001, the Wizards have called-up a total of 17 players (10 since the start of the 2010-11 season). Notable call-ups include: Bobby Simmons (Mobile Revelers, 2002-03), Alonzo Gee (Austin Toros, 2009-10) and Garrett Temple (Reno Bighorns, 2012-13).

In April, the NBA G League finished a record-breaking season that included new marks for unique NBA players assigned (92) and players on end-of-regular-season NBA rosters with NBA G League experience (199 – 44% of NBA players). Five current Wizards have NBA G League experience, including starting center Marcin Gortat, who appeared in 2007. Guard/forward Sheldon McClellan and forward Chris McCullough both spent time on assignment last season.

About the NBA G League

The NBA’s official minor league, the NBA G League prepares players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory. Featuring 26 teams with direct affiliations with NBA franchises for the 2017-18 season, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. An all-time high 44 percent of all NBA players at the end of the 2016-17 season boasted NBA G League experience. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA Cares programs. NBA G League games are available on ESPN’s family of networks and NBA TV.

Sports Biz: EPIX Does Danica

by

NEW YORK  – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Premium television network EPIX announced a roster of all-new original programs to premiere this year, including sports documentaries on racer driver Danica Patrick and former heavyweight champ George Foreman.  The sports docs – “Danica” and “Foreman” will premier in the fall of 2017 as the network also rolls out a new comedy special Anjelah Johnson: Mahalo & Goodnight.

“EPIX is proud to continue its long-standing tradition of delivering thought provoking, insightful documentaries and specials to our audience,” said Mark Greenberg, President and CEO, EPIX.  “As EPIX expands its slate of originals, these new additions underscore our commitment to delivering the kind of relevant, incisive programming for which we’re known.”

DANICA

Premieres Fall 2017

Danica Patrick has commanded attention with her achievements in professional motorsports, making herself a household name by going against the current and succeeding in a male-dominated world.  Now, at 35, this transcendent sports star stands on the cusp of something even bigger than she ever might have imagined growing up as a girl racing go-carts for her dad.

In Danica, the racing superstar reveals herself like never before: as a competitor eagerly preparing for her next race; a woman confidently considering when she wants to start a family; and a budding mogul carefully considering thinking about her next steps.  Directed by award-winning journalist and pioneer in sports broadcasting Hannah Storm (Brainstormin Productions), this documentary will take a rare, candid look at an icon, capturing never-before-seen moments on and off the track with Danica Patrick and those closest to her.

Danica is produced by EPIX in conjunction with Brainstormin Productions. The film is edited by Tim Mullen and written by Aaron Cohen. Jackie Decker, Jill Burkhart and Valerie Bishop Pearson are producers; Carmen Belmont serves as line producer and Dom Savio is the director of photography. Danica is executive produced by Hannah Storm, Ross Bernard and Jocelyn Diaz.

Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race - Open

Danica Patrick, driver of the #10 Wonder Woman/One Cure Ford, stands by her car during the Monster Energy NASCAR Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 20, 2017 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jerry Markland/Getty Images)

###

 

FOREMAN

Premieres September 13, 2017 @ 8 PM ET

In 1994, at the age of 45, George Foreman completed the greatest comeback in the history of heavyweight boxing. Not only did he reclaim the heavyweight championship crown that was lost in spectacular fashion 20 years earlier to Muhammad Ali, but he went on to complete an unparalleled personal transformation – from reviled street bully to beloved teddy bear. Foreman is the unlikely story of a boxer who struggles with, and later establishes, a sense of purpose on his remarkable journey to achieve the impossible.

Foreman is directed by Chris Perkel (Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives) and executive produced by Gary Cohen (Catching Hell, Requiem for the Big East).  The film is produced by Matt McDonald (Catching Hell, Requiem for the Big East) and edited by Ross Hockrow (Gods or Men). Ross Bernard is also an executive producer; Jill Burkhart and Valerie Bishop Pearson serve as producers.

 

In addition to its original documentaries and specials, EPIX will also continue its rollout of original scripted series this year, with the debut of the 10-episode dark comedy Get Shorty (starring Chris O’Dowd and Ray Romano) as well as the season two premieres of its timely, critically-acclaimed returning series: drama Berlin Station and comedy Graves (which garnered a Golden Globe nomination for star Nick Nolte).

Sports Biz: Boxing Day for Topps

by

NEW YORK – (Staff report from official news release) – You’ve collected some baseball cards, maybe some football cards or basketball cards, but do you have an official “Boxing Card?”

As boxing champ Floyd Mayweather prepares for his 50th career title bout, the Topps card company is gearing-up for its first trading card of the undefeated fighter.

###

Mayweather will have his first Topps cards, including an autographed version, in 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter Baseball, which releases on July 19. Mayweather’s inclusion in Allen & Ginter fits right in with the 12-year-old brand, which highlights world champions beyond baseball.

This will be the first of several products that fans can find Mayweather’s Topps autographed cards this year. Stay tuned for more details.

Mayweather recently announced his upcoming fight with UFC champ Conor McGregor on August 26 in Las Vegas. The much-anticipated fight sees Mayweather going for his 50th professional win – and no losses.

Fans and collectors can find 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter in hobby shops, Target, Walmart, online retailers and Topps.com on July 19.

Copyright 2017

www.digitalsportsdesk.com