This post is part of a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.
Which Mets prospect will take the biggest step forward in 2026?
The Guardians will need some help from players whose performance dipped in 2025 to make a playoff run this year… Will they get it?
Will it be David Fry who went from a 129 wRC+ to a 63 wRC+?
Will it be Stuart Fairchild who went from a 116 wRC+ against LHP to an 88 wRC+ against LHP?
Will it be Tanner Bibee who went from a 3.47 ERA to a 4.24 ERA?
Or will it be Tim Herrin who went from a 1.92 ERA to a 4.85 ERA?
What say you, Guardians fans? Who is our comeback player of the year when we look back on the 2026 season?
This intro was originally going to be about how the Pirates were having an interesting offseason after being connected to Kyle Schwarber earlier this winter and with Ken Rosenthal saying they were making an aggressive push for Framber Valdez yesterday. Then the Tigers went and signed Valdez, so the Pirates offseason of “No Paul, we’re really, REALLY trying! We swear!” continues.
On to the links.
Hello, friends.
There are now 49 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day. That’s seven weeks from today that we’ll be back to real baseball. I’m not so sure we’ll be rid of the snow piles by then. WBC pitchers and catchers are four days away from reporting, with the rest of the pitchers and catchers arriving a day later. The first exhibition game is 15 days from today. It’s all getting close.
The last big starting pitching free agent question got settled last night. The Orioles are not the winners in the Framber Valdez derby. We may never know how seriously they competed. What we do know is that ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Detroit Tigers are the team that’s landed Valdez on a three-year deal that will pay $115 million. That is a $38.3 million per year contract, a record for a left-handed starting pitcher, although the present day value will be less once deferrals (currently not reported) are calculated. In addition, Valdez has an opt-out after the second year of the deal.
Now that the Valdez business is resolved and the Orioles know he’s not coming here, should they try to pivot to a different remaining starting pitcher? I’ve been on the “Valdez or bust” train for a while, not so much because I was enthused about Valdez as because I just don’t think any of these other dudes are going to be the difference-makers that would be worth paying them $15+ million or whatever only to displace Dean Kremer from the rotation. Mike Elias might feel differently. So might you.
A second, obvious question arises: Should the Orioles have made an offer that would have been preferable to Valdez than this one? It’s hard to say what that might have been; maybe a deal with no deferrals, maybe one with an opt-out after just one single season. That’s a heck of a lot of money and it’s tough for any pitcher to really live up to that in even the best of circumstances. Valdez, as has been mentioned frequently through the offseason, is already 32 so there’s the question of how much he’ll decline, if any, through this contract.
Not having the high bid here is justifiable, I’d say. But also that’s making a bet on this group forming a competitive rotation until at least July: Kyle Bradish, Trevor Rogers, Shane Baz, Zach Eflin, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells, Cade Povich, Brandon Young, Trey Gibson, or some unforeseen miracle or disaster player. This is a bet that could pay off. It is also a bet that could fail spectacularly in a way that will leave people asking of Elias, “What did you think would happen, you idiot?” I would be wondering, at that point, if David Rubenstein was starting to move in the direction of being one of those people.
“What did you think would happen, you idiot?” was the basic result for the 2025 Orioles. The bet that they were good enough to muddle along until July and then address needs by trade failed hard.
For this year, Elias is also betting on dingers from Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward plus bounce-backs from the many disappointing hitters returning from last year’s Orioles. He’s betting on Rookie of the Year-competing performance from either or both of Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers. He’s betting on being able to make it with a bullpen of Ryan Helsley, Andrew Kittredge, and a bunch of guys nobody cares all that much about at this moment. Some of these bets feel better than others right now.
Against this backdrop, the biggest thing the Orioles had going on yesterday is that they announced the non-roster invitees to spring training. All players on the 40-man roster are automatically included for spring training, with non-roster invites making up the rest. Many of these were reported through the offseason when the players involved signed minor league deals that come with big league spring training invites. The team announced the following 30 non-roster invites yesterday afternoon:
Pitchers (14)
Of these, prospects who will hopefully do something interesting are: De León, German, Gibson, and Wells. One never knows who might go from spring training afterthought to a key player on the roster; not too long ago, Ryan O’Hearn was one such spring training invite. I follow Orioles news very closely and I have never seen the name Richard Guasch before in my life.
Catchers (5)
You need a lot of catchers early in camp because there are also a lot of pitchers and somebody’s got to catch the five-wide bullpen sessions. I think Ardoin could end up as an occasional third catcher if he shows enough. Anderson and Willems are different flavors of prospect who can hope to get a little attention in the early days of camp.
Infielders (6)
It’s too late for you to claim your spot as the Aron Estrada hype train conductor, because that’s me, but there’s still plenty of room for you to get on board. You might recall Eeles from being acquired earlier this offseason for Alex Jackson. Notably, Eeles is listed at 5’5”.
Outfielders (4)
Bradfield, in particular, will probably get some chances to play in early spring road games where many of the regular players stay back in Sarasota.
FanGraphs projections for the 2026 Orioles make one thing clear (The Baltimore Banner)
Jon Meoli notes that the narrow gap between the Orioles and other AL East teams means that any improvement could be worth quite a lot. Valdez, we now know, will not be that improvement.
Top prospects among Orioles non-roster invitees (Orioles.com)
Jake Rill’s rundown of the non-roster guys focuses on a few who are prospects worth following. It will be nice if those guys can put themselves on the radar for later in the season.
Position preview: Colton Cowser the key to outfield success (The Baltimore Sun)
A lot is riding on those broken ribs turning out to be the reason why Cowser stunk from July onward.
Fans in Frederick excited about Keys return (Baltimore Baseball)
The Keys are an Orioles affiliate once again! I’m excited because driving to Frederick is better than driving to Aberdeen. Although I’ll probably still never do it.
How Baltimore is melting mountains of snow (The Baltimore Banner)
This article is more about things happening on the Ravens end of the Camden Yards sports complex than the Orioles end, but nonetheless, that is a lot of snow in Lot O and apparently it needs to be gone by March 7.
Nothing of particular note has happened on February 5 in Orioles history. With Valdez off the board, we can probably figure this is not going to change today.
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2014 reliever Ryan Webb, 2002 reliever Chris Brock, and 1996-98 infielder/Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar. Today is Alomar’s 58th birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you as well! Your birthday buddies for today include: tire magnate John Boyd Dunlop (1840), auto engineer André Citroën (1878), author William S. Burroughs (1914), baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron (1934), artist H. R. Giger (1940), and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo (1985).
In 1901, J. P. Morgan officially incorporated the U. S. Steel corporation.
In 1918, American aerial gunner Stephen W. Thompson shot down a German plane, the first recognized aerial victory for someone in the U.S. military. Thompson was serving as the gunner for a French plane.
In 1945, General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled his vow to return to Manila.
In 1971, the Apollo 14 mission landed on the moon, with astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell walking on the surface. Shepard bookended a career that began with his being the first American in space with his command on this mission.
I received a book of Orioles trivia for Christmas. I’ll ask a question in this space every time it’s my turn until I run out of questions or forget to ask one. If you are replying early in the day, please be polite and give your answer in spoiler text so that others arriving later have an opportunity to participate.
In 2005, I joined the Orioles and immediately went on an 11-game hitting streak. Who am I?
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on February 5. Have a safe Thursday.
As a Pittsburgh Pirates fan who is younger than 50-years-old, there has not been a lot of marquee moments from the club in my lifetime. While it was incredible watching the Pirates return to the postseason and earn an NL Wild Card win over the rival Cincinnati Reds, I’ve gotta say it just wasn’t enough. After that brief run of success that the team had in the early 2010’s, the organization dismantled the core of players that I grew up loving. It was devastating watching Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte be traded away, and for a long time, it was hard to watch the Pirates at all.
My love for baseball was reignited by becoming a writer for Bucs Dugout in September of 2022, but 2023 is the year that permanently changed how I watch baseball. With my first professional writing job came a new responsibility to follow baseball as closely as possible, which in a way is not a responsibility at all. Getting to write about baseball and cover the Pittsburgh Pirates was like a dream come true, and while it was shaky at first, it has become one of the greatest joys in my life.
At the turn of the New Year in 2023, it felt like Pittsburgh was turning back the clock by signing McCutchen to a one-year deal and officially reuniting the best Pirate of the 21st century with the city that he became a star in. Driving through the city at the time and seeing the signs donning the simple but powerful phrase “He’s back” was incredible. Getting to have a second chance at seeing my favorite Pirate back in Pittsburgh was an incredible way to start 2023.
At the time, Pittsburgh had so many exciting up and coming players to pay attention to as well. I was very pumped for the tandem of third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes and then shortstop Oneil Cruz, citing them as a combo that could be as exciting in baseball as Ghostface Killah and Raekwon the Chef are in hip-hop. I was very high on one of the best pitching prospects in Pittsburgh’s system, Quinn Priester, and raced home from work to see him make his debut in July of that year. Endy Rodriguez had yet to make his MLB debut but was impressing in the Minor Leagues, and Luis Ortiz was still just an exciting starter and not under FBI indictment for rigging pitches. Needless to say, I didn’t and still do not have a crystal ball.
Looking back, the team as a whole was not that good. The Pirates finished with a 78-86 season, which had them at fourth in the NL Central, but at least it was not another 100-loss season. All things considered, it was an improvement. Even though the team finished poorly, there were some fun milestones that were fun to write about and watch throughout the season. McCutchen recorded his 2000th hit that year as fans got a fond glimpse of the past by the way he turned back the clock for the Buccos. Fans also got a glimpse into the future, as Pittsburgh selected pitcher Paul Skenes first overall in the 2023 draft. It took very little time for fans to see how impactful a draft pick of that magnitude would be, as Skenes made his MLB the very next season. I hope and pray that the Pirates don’t mess that up.
Although I was excited to have ‘Cutch back in Pittsburgh, it ultimately didn’t result in anything for the Pirates other than having a childhood favorite back on the squad. They didn’t make the postseason, they didn’t play in any high stakes games and they finished right where many expected them to. Despite my hometown team not performing very well, I got to watch my nation’s team on the biggest stage in the most exciting contest I’ve ever witnessed as a baseball fan.
The 2023 World Baseball Classic set the sport ablaze. For the first time in the tournament’s history, it really felt like every country that participated was bringing their absolute best, and for Team USA that was a very exciting time. I was in the middle of my enlistment in the Air Force and having always had immense love and pride for my country, I was dialed in when the WBC games started. Team USA had a mythical Avengers-like lineup. Mike Trout served as the team’s captain and primary recruiter. Trout brought on fellow All-Stars like Trea Turner, Mookie Betts, Kyle Schwarber and even then Pirate David Bednar.
Team USA was stacked, but so was the rest of the competition. In the quarterfinal game against Venezuela, the Americans were on the ropes down by two in the eighth inning. Team USA had the bases loaded when Trea Turner came to the plate. With an 0-2 count Turner turns on an 86mph pitch that soared over the wall for a team USA grand slam. That single hit is one of the greatest highlights I have ever seen as a sports fan. Team USA would eventually go on to lose to Team Japan in the finals, but that game had all the ingredients that make up a good heavyweight slug fest. It was baseball at the highest level on the world stage with America coming up just short, but make no mistake we will be back.
As a kid, I grew up loving playing baseball in the backyard and on my neighborhood teams. I grew up loving the fun Pittsburgh teams that brought a buzz for baseball back to the Steel City. I hated watching those teams be dismantled, and I had a hard time with not loving playing the game anymore as a high schooler. As an adult and a young Airman away from my friends and family, I fell back in love with baseball by getting to write about it and be reconnected to the game and community that I grew up loving. That’s the beauty of baseball. At the end of the day it’s just a game, but it’s a game that means so much to so many people for so many reasons. 2023 was just another year for the Pirates, but for me it changed how I watch and enjoy baseball for the rest of my life.
Tell us in the comments, what year permanently changed the way you watched baseball.
So, the Yankees are running it back 2026. As frustrating as that will feel to many (cue the “getting Gerrit Cole back is like trading for an ace!” proclamations from Yankee brass), there is reason to be optimistic about the strategy. The team that they’re running went an MLB-best 32-12 down the stretch, and at the risk of sounding like Brian Cashman, adding Cole to a team that tied for the most wins in the AL and paced the majors in every offensive category is certainly an enticing proposition.
But, it all begs the question: what version of Gerrit Cole will the Yankees be getting in 2026? Perhaps Cole reverts right back to pre-injury form and posts another season like his 2023 Cy Young campaign, where he led the league in ERA and innings. Maybe we’ll get something like his more erratic 2022, when he showed dominance in the form of a league-leading 257 strikeouts, but also struggled with the long ball. Or, maybe something in between like his abbreviated 2024 season, where Cole looked slightly physically diminished compared to his peak, but still did an admirable job preventing runs while dealing with an elbow injury that would eventually torpedo his 2025 before it even began.
What do you think? Is this the world where Cole can recapture his peak and put together a late-career Cy Young campaign. Will he need more time to really get back to himself? Is he just a number two or three starter now? The answer could determine the Yankees’ fate in 2026.
It’ll be another packed day on the site as we wind down the offseason and gear up for spring. Matt has you set with today’s season preview, as he takes a look at José Caballero, while Kevin looks back at Roger Peckinpaugh as part of our Birthday series. Kevin also remembers the Brian McCann signing, already 12 years and change ago, while Josh examines the milestones that various Yankees could hit in 2026.
PHOENIX — They will be packing their bags, practicing their introductory speeches, and arriving in a few days early to spring training camps from West Palm Beach, Florida to Surprise, Arizona.
They are young. They have little or no experience.
They make up Major League Baseball’s incoming managerial class.
Ten managers have been hired since the end of last season.
And just like the NFL’s coaching carousel, none are Black.
Four have never managed a game – even in the minor leagues. One has never even coached a game outside of college.
One is in his 30s. Eight are in their 40s. One is in his 50s.
The newbies will be scrutinized, dissected, questioned and debated all season.
“There’s going to be a lot of people watching," future Hall of Fame manager Dusty Baker, now a special advisor for the San Francisco Giants, tells USA TODAY Sports. “A lot of people are wondering if they can do it. We’re all going to find out."
Three of the new managers – Skip Schumaker (Texas), Walt Weiss (Atlanta) and Derek Shelton (Minnesota) – had previous MLB managerial experience.
Two of the managers – Don Kelly (Pittsburgh) and Warren Schaeffer Colorado) – were interim managers last season, and proved to their front offices and ownership that they were deserving of being promoted to full time.
But for the other five rookie managers, it’s a whole new ballgame.
Washington Nationals manager Blake Butera, 33, who managed four minor league seasons but has never been on a major-league staff, became the youngest MLB managerial hire in 53 years.
San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen, 41, a 13-year reliever in the major leagues, spent the previous two years on the Padres’ baseball operations staff, but has never coached or managed a single game at any level.
Los Angeles Angels manager Kurt Suzuki, 42, played for 16 years and was a special assistant in the front office, but also never coached or managed.
Craig Albernaz, 43, of the Baltimore Orioles, is the most traditional hire of those with no experience, spending five years in the minor leagues and five years as a major-league coach.
And Tony Vitello, 47, of the Giants, happens to be one of the most unique hires in baseball history.
Vitello becomes the first college coach to immediately transition to a major-league manager with no professional coaching experience. He was an assistant collegiate coach for 15 years, and a head coach for eight years at the University of Tennessee.
He also was rewarded as the highest-paid first-year manager in baseball history, earning $3.5 million a year for the next three seasons.
“It’s a bold move," says Baker, who met with Vitello and talked to him about the challenges of managing before he was hired. “That was my first thought."
Joe Maddon, who led the Chicago Cubs to the 2016 World Series championship, had another thought.
"Quite frankly, I'm using the word insulting," Maddon told KNBR radio in San Francisco after the hire, “only from the perspective that it appears as though you don't have to have any kind of experience on a professional level to do this job anymore.
"When I was coming up, you had to have all that. You had to, like, go through the minor leagues. You had to ride buses. I was a scout. I started in 1981. I finally get a managerial job in 2006. I mean, there was a rite of passage, a method to get to that point.
“To think that somebody could just jump in there and do it, you took 20-some years to be considered qualified to do, it is kind of insulting."
So, will it work? And will this be the wave of the future?
Buckle up, we’re about to find out.
“It’s certainly going to be challenging for them," says Ernie Whitt, a 15-year MLB catcher and manager of Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. “Some of them come from good college baseball backgrounds, but to be at the highest level, and never experienced any type of managing at that level, or even in the minor leagues, that’s going to be tough.
"The game speeds up on you in a hurry."
It’s hardly as if young, inexperienced managers have no prayer to succeed.
You don’t have to look any further than Steven Vogt of the Cleveland Guardians. He spent 11 years as a big-league catcher, and after just one year as the Seattle Mariners’ bullpen and quality control coach, was hired to manage the Guardians before the 2024 season.
Two years later, he has twice led the Guardians to the AL Central title, and twice been honored as the American League Manager of the Year.
Aaron Boone had never managed or coached in the major leagues or minors when he was hired before the 2018 season by the Yankees. He has led the Yankees to the postseason in seven of the eight years, including a World Series appearance.
Dave Roberts, who has the greatest winning percentage (.621) of any manager in history with at least 850 games – along with three World Series titles – had only one game of managerial experience at any level before being hired to lead the Dodgers 10 years ago. Yet, he did have experience being on on the Padres’ coaching staff for five years.
“I just feel sorry for the number of players that need these jobs and they’re not available," Baker says. “You’d be surprised how many calls from guys who are White, Black, who say they need a job, can’t get one. Now, if you’re a former [big-league] player, it’s almost like a detriment. Teams are going with inexperienced guys, even college guys, looking for guys elsewhere to fill these jobs."
Says Whitt: “Guys go through the trenches as a manager in the minors just to have a chance, and for them not to get an opportunity is tough to see. I don’t understand it. I know guys are relying on analytics, but you still have to have a feel for the game. You let your eyes tell you what’s going on.’’
Davey Martinez, who led the Washington Nationals to their first World Series championship in 2019, still can’t believe he didn’t receive a single phone call to interview for a vacancy.
Brandon Hyde, the AL Manager of the Year in 2023 after leading the Baltimore Orioles to 101 wins, got only one interview.
Bruce Bochy, who should be inducted into the Hall of Fame with Baker in 2027, let teams know he was willing to keep managing, but no one called. The Giants eventually hiring him as an advisor.
Even veteran coaches like Eric Young, who was instrumental in Atlanta’s recent dominance in the NL East, didn’t get a call for another coaching job – let alone for a managerial vacancy.
Bo Porter, the former Houston Astros manager and major-league coach with five different organizations, also couldn’t find a job after the Angels turned over its staff.
Gary Pettis, the five-time Gold Glove winner who has coached 26 years and won two World Series titles, remains unemployed after the Astros didn’t re-sign him after the 2024 season.
Just as the NFL went 0-for-10 in hiring a Black head coach in the offseason, so did MLB. There are now just two Black managers (Roberts and Will Venable of the Chicago White Sox) in baseball, and one Black GM (Dana Brown of the Astros).
The only minority candidates who received managerial interviews from more than one team were future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols, who interviewed with the Angels and San Diego Padres; nine-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter with the Angels and Twins, and Suzuki, who was the lone minority candidate the Giants interviewed for their vacancy.
“You don’t see a lot of progression," Baker says, “you see regression. It’s getting discouraging. Some of the best teachers, some of the most influential people in our lives, are not even in baseball anymore. You can’t turn your back completely on the guys who played. They not only can tell you what to do, but also show you what you can do.
“I don’t see the diversity on coaching staffs, either. I always had Latin guys, Black guys, White guys, country guys. Having a diverse staff helps communication. You need someone to talk to. When you’re the only somebody, it gets lonely sometimes."
The landscape is filled with strong minority managerial candidates who continue to be on the outside looking in. It makes no sense for someone like Benji Gil, who was born in Tijuana, Mexico, to never be given a chance to be an MLB manager. He played eight years in the major leagues, won a World Series championship with the 2002 Angels, managed the Mexico national team in the Tokyo Olympics, is managing Charros de Jalisco in the Mexican Pacific League, and will manage Team Mexico again in the WBC in March.
Gil, who continually draws rave reviews by everyone from his players to his peers to tournament officials, leading Mexico to a stunning third-place finish in the 2023 WBC, has had only ever had one major-league managerial interview – with the Padres in 2023.
“I believe I’m more than ready," Gil says. “I check all of the boxes. As a player, I was on teams that won. I understand winning baseball. I understand culture. I think I do a good job with the media. I don’t think there are many resumes in the last decade that are better than what I’ve done.
“So, I would think that would hopefully encourage somebody to at least consider me, to get in a room with people to see what I’m all about."
Maybe, Baker says, he should go find the reggae song he was listening to at his home Monday night, and send it to all 30 teams, just so they can to hear the lyric: “Experience is the greatest teacher."
Then again, the executives whole lot more experience than the managers and coaches they’re hiring.
Jeremy Zoll, promoted just last week to run the Minnesota Twins baseball operations, is 35 years old. He’s the youngest head of baseball operations in MLB.
Buster Posey, the Giants’ president of baseball operations who retired as a player just four years ago, is 38.
Scott Harris, president of baseball operations for the Detroit Tigers, is 39.
And Paul Toboni, hired in November as the Nationals’ new president of baseball operations, turns 36 on Sunday.
The Nationals, who were run by Mike Rizzo, 65, with Martinez, 61, as manager, are now the youngest organization in baseball. Their GM is 31-year-old Anirudh Kilambi. The assistant GMs are Justin Horowitz (34) and Devin Pearson (31). The coaching staff has eight members between the ages of 29 and 39.
Certainly, it’s a risk having precious little experience in the dugout, but then again, it’s not as if the Nationals are going to be matched up against the likes of Joe Torre, Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa night after night.
Four of the game’s most experienced managers are gone with the departures of Bochy, Bob Melvin, Buddy Black and Brian Snitker. There are now just nine managers who have been with their current team for four or more seasons.
“I think the thing that young managers have going for them," Baker says, “is how much inexperience the other managers have, too. So, how can you tell one that’s going to be good and one that’s not good if everybody’s inexperienced. The experienced managers had such a tremendous advantage when I came in, but now you have inexperience managing against other inexperience.
“It gives even more credence to the front office and the sabermetrics and being kind of told what to do and how to manage the game."
There may be fewer than a handful of managers who make out their only lineup each game without heavy front-office interference. If you’ve got little or no experience, are you really going to argue with your bosses?
“I hear that over and over about the lineup being sent down," Whitt says. “That’s not a good way to manage. It’s crazy. I wouldn’t manage if I had to do that. If it’s not my thumbprint on it, then I don’t want anything to do with it.
“I mean, analytics are good, don’t get me wrong, but you still have to have a feel for the game. You’ve got to let your eyes tell you what’s going on.’’
The evaluations on this class of managers will begin the first day of spring training. Six months from now, we’ll find out who thrived, who managed to survive, and who succumbed to the pressure.
“The best advice I can give," Baker says, “is to just be yourself. You can’t be anybody but you. Now, it’s all up to you."
Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB's new managers lack in experience. Dusty Baker has some advice.
The England legend discusses punditry, rugby sevens and the pride he felt while watching Joe Marler in The Traitors
Are you surprised at the complete turnaround in England’s results or did you see this coming? “I’m not at all surprised because I saw the team trending in the right direction. I was involved for the back end of the 2023 World Cup campaign and it was amazing. Then a lot of experienced heads left, but the young lads had learned so much from those boys: Courtney Lawes, Billy Vunipola, Joe Marler, Ben Youngs, Dan Coles. Then in the 2024 Six Nations we got that win against Ireland and in Paris I remember standing behind the posts watching a couple of tries, going: ‘That’s how England should play!’ That’s the blueprint. There was Ben Earl, Marcus Smith, playing quickly, physical direction, carving up the French defence. Even though we lost, I remember thinking: ‘That was my last ever game for England, annoyingly – they’re gonna do all right from now and I’m not going to be a part of it.’ But in a way, maybe I played the tiniest part in their transition. The last year has been a joy to watch.”
Do England need to win the Six Nations to be serious contenders for the Rugby World Cup next year? “They have to win it just to prove to themselves that they are that good, but not necessarily this year. It’s going to be really tough, but I believe the boys can do it. The last game’s in France: it would be quite special to do it there 10 years on from when we won a grand slam over there. It would be a brilliant feeling for them to realise what it takes. A lot of the lads starting for England at the moment experienced how close we were to reaching the 2023 World Cup final, the fine margins, and they’ll be way better players for it come 2027. Obviously I’m biased, but we’re in a nice side of a draw so I’m very hopeful England can go all the way. Eighteen months away from a World Cup, England couldn’t be in a better place.
Continue reading...Los Angeles Kings (23-18-14, in the Pacific Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (26-16-14, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Golden Knights -147, Kings +123; over/under is 6
BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Kings visit the Vegas Golden Knights after Andrei Kuzmenko scored two goals in the Kings' 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken.
Vegas is 8-4-4 against the Pacific Division and 26-16-14 overall. The Golden Knights have a 5-4-4 record in games their opponents commit fewer penalties.
Los Angeles is 23-18-14 overall and 5-2-8 against the Pacific Division. The Kings are 18-1-7 in games they score at least three goals.
Thursday's game is the third time these teams meet this season. The Golden Knights won 3-2 in overtime in the previous matchup.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mark Stone has 20 goals and 36 assists for the Golden Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev has six goals and one assist over the past 10 games.
Quinton Byfield has 11 goals and 19 assists for the Kings. Adrian Kempe has five goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 3-5-2, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.6 assists, 2.3 penalties and 5.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
Kings: 4-2-4, averaging 2.4 goals, four assists, 4.3 penalties and 11 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: None listed.
Kings: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
England have the squad depth, but France have a returning hero and hosting duties for the potentially decisive finale
What are you most looking forward to? Let’s hope it stops raining at some stage. Because if Matthieu Jalibert, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Henry Arundell, Manny Feyi-Waboso, Louis Rees-Zammit et al have a licence to thrill with a dry ball this could be an eye-catching championship.
Continue reading...Los Angeles Clippers (23-27, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Sacramento Kings (12-40, 15th in the Western Conference)
Sacramento, California; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Sacramento looks to end its four-game home slide with a victory over Los Angeles.
The Kings are 2-7 against Pacific Division opponents. Sacramento has a 5-25 record in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Clippers are 6-4 against the rest of the division. Los Angeles has a 2-6 record in one-possession games.
The Kings average 10.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.3 fewer makes per game than the Clippers allow (13.7). The Kings average 112.3 points per game, 8.2 fewer points than the 120.5 the Kings give up to opponents.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Clippers won 131-90 in the last matchup on Dec. 31.
TOP PERFORMERS: DeMar DeRozan is averaging 19.2 points and 3.9 assists for the Kings. Zach LaVine is averaging 14.5 points over the last 10 games.
Kris Dunn is scoring 7.8 points per game and averaging 2.9 rebounds for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard is averaging 17.3 points and 3.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 0-10, averaging 109.8 points, 43.0 rebounds, 24.7 assists, 6.3 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.4 points per game.
Clippers: 6-4, averaging 112.4 points, 42.9 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 7.9 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.4 points.
INJURIES: Kings: Keegan Murray: out (ankle).
Clippers: Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), Ivica Zubac: out (personal), Darius Garland: day to day (toe).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
San Antonio Spurs (34-16, second in the Western Conference) vs. Dallas Mavericks (19-31, 12th in the Western Conference)
Dallas; Thursday, 8:30 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Spurs -6.5; over/under is 224.5
BOTTOM LINE: Dallas hosts San Antonio looking to break its four-game home skid.
The Mavericks are 3-7 against division opponents. Dallas ranks third in the NBA with 35.0 defensive rebounds per game led by P.J. Washington averaging 5.7.
The Spurs are 8-3 against Southwest Division teams. San Antonio is fifth in the Western Conference scoring 116.9 points per game and is shooting 47.2%.
The Mavericks are shooting 47.0% from the field this season, 1.5 percentage points higher than the 45.5% the Spurs allow to opponents. The Spurs average 12.9 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.9 more makes per game than the Mavericks allow.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Spurs won 125-92 in the last meeting on Oct. 23. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 40 points, and Washington led the Mavericks with 17 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cooper Flagg is averaging 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Mavericks. Klay Thompson is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Stephon Castle is shooting 45.0% and averaging 16.5 points for the Spurs. Julian Champagnie is averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Mavericks: 4-6, averaging 117.1 points, 48.0 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.0 points per game.
Spurs: 7-3, averaging 114.0 points, 45.6 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 7.0 steals and 6.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.7 points.
INJURIES: Mavericks: Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), P.J. Washington: out (concussion protocol), Brandon Williams: day to day (leg), Kyrie Irving: out (knee), Daniel Gafford: day to day (ankle).
Spurs: Kelly Olynyk: out (foot), Dylan Harper: out (ankle), Lindy Waters III: out (knee), Jeremy Sochan: out (quad).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Chicago Bulls (24-27, 10th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Toronto Raptors (30-22, sixth in the Eastern Conference)
Toronto; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Raptors -8.5; over/under is 226.5
BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Bulls visit Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors in Eastern Conference action Thursday.
The Raptors are 22-14 in conference play. Toronto is eighth in the league giving up just 112.5 points per game while holding opponents to 46.2% shooting.
The Bulls have gone 16-19 against Eastern Conference opponents. Chicago is fifth in the league scoring 17.9 fast break points per game. Ayo Dosunmu leads the Bulls averaging 3.5.
The Raptors are shooting 47.2% from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points lower than the 47.4% the Bulls allow to opponents. The Bulls average 14.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.9 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Raptors give up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Barnes is averaging 19.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.5 blocks for the Raptors. Brandon Ingram is averaging 22.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists over the last 10 games.
Josh Giddey is scoring 18.6 points per game and averaging 8.6 rebounds for the Bulls. Matas Buzelis is averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 5-5, averaging 113.5 points, 42.4 rebounds, 29.4 assists, 8.0 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.3 points per game.
Bulls: 5-5, averaging 116.8 points, 44.5 rebounds, 30.2 assists, 6.2 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.9 points.
INJURIES: Raptors: Jakob Poeltl: out (back).
Bulls: Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Zach Collins: out (toe), Julian Phillips: day to day (wrist), Josh Giddey: day to day (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Memphis Grizzlies (19-29, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (23-28, 10th in the Western Conference)
Portland, Oregon; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Portland comes into the matchup with Memphis after losing six in a row.
The Trail Blazers are 18-15 in Western Conference games. Portland is 9-12 in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Grizzlies are 16-17 in Western Conference play. Memphis ranks ninth in the Western Conference shooting 34.9% from 3-point range.
The Trail Blazers' 14.1 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.2 fewer made shots on average than the 14.3 per game the Grizzlies give up. The Grizzlies average 13.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 more makes per game than the Trail Blazers allow.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Grizzlies won 119-96 in the last matchup on Dec. 7.
TOP PERFORMERS: Shaedon Sharpe is averaging 21.8 points for the Trail Blazers. Jerami Grant is averaging 13.6 points over the last 10 games.
Cedric Coward is averaging 13.8 points and 6.2 rebounds for the Grizzlies. GG Jackson is averaging 10.8 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 53.6% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 4-6, averaging 112.9 points, 48.0 rebounds, 22.7 assists, 8.7 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.1 points per game.
Grizzlies: 2-7, averaging 116.8 points, 42.8 rebounds, 28.7 assists, 7.9 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.2 points.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Deni Avdija: day to day (back), Scoot Henderson: day to day (hamstring), Matisse Thybulle: out (knee), Kris Murray: day to day (lumbar), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
Grizzlies: Kyle Anderson: out (illness), Georges Niang: out (foot), Scotty Pippen Jr.: out (toe), Ja Morant: out (elbow), Zach Edey: out (ankle), Brandon Clarke: out (calf).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Charlotte Hornets (23-28, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (31-18, fourth in the Western Conference)
Houston; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Rockets -3.5; over/under is 217.5
BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte will try to keep its four-game road win streak alive when the Hornets play Houston.
The Rockets have gone 17-5 in home games. Houston scores 115.5 points while outscoring opponents by 5.4 points per game.
The Hornets are 12-15 on the road. Charlotte ranks fourth in the Eastern Conference shooting 37.0% from 3-point range.
The Rockets are shooting 47.2% from the field this season, 0.1 percentage points lower than the 47.3% the Hornets allow to opponents. The Hornets are shooting 46.3% from the field, 0.3% higher than the 46.0% the Rockets' opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kevin Durant is averaging 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Rockets. Jabari Smith Jr. is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Miles Bridges is averaging 18.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 23.7 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 7-3, averaging 109.6 points, 48.8 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 9.4 steals and 6.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.9 points per game.
Hornets: 8-2, averaging 113.4 points, 48.7 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 6.1 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 104.1 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle), Dorian Finney-Smith: out (ankle).
Hornets: Tidjane Salaun: day to day (illness), KJ Simpson: out (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
