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Palace take a risk with new manager Pierre Sage, who is tasked with building on Glasner’s unprecedented success
Guardian writers’ predicted position: 16th (NB: this is not necessarily Ed Aarons’ prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 15th
Continue reading...The former England full-back is back in the Championship after 12 years away, hoping to lead Wolves out of it
When the question inevitably comes, Kieran Trippier is happy to set the record straight. Fresh from training, head to toe in Wolves kit – vest, shorts and club-branded sliders – he walks into a suite at their Compton Park base, conversation soon shifting to an episode that rocked supporters and stopped outsiders in their tracks: three days after signing, the manager Trippier cited as a significant driver behind his decision to drop into the second tier, Rob Edwards, had been sacked. All the while, a deal for his replacement, César Peixoto, was being accelerated.
“I’m not going to sit here and lie, I wasn’t expecting it,” Trippier says. “But it’s the club’s decision. I had good chats with Rob, of course, but I’m here to play for Wolves. There are many surprises in football and that certainly was a surprise, I’m not going to deny that. But I just cracked on, I was with my kids on holiday, training in Mallorca and just looking forward to day one in pre-season.”
Continue reading..."You want to have a catch?"
Ray Kinsella's dad isn't walking through those corn stalks, but Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Kody Clemens and Josh Bell will when Major League Baseball returns to the cornfields of Iowa for the first time since 2021.
The Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins play Thursday, Aug. 13, at the site made famous in the classic 1989 movie, "Field of Dreams."
With the first Field of Dreams game in five years, what better time to debate the best baseball movies of all time? Here's just one seamhead's list (let the angry comments begin):
Compiled from IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes and MLB.com.
1. Bull Durham
T2. Field of Dreams
T2 Moneyball
4. A League of Their Own
5. Eight Men Out
T6. Pride of the Yankees
T6. The Natural
8. Major League
9. The Sandlot
10. Everybody Wants Some!!
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: As Field of Dreams game returns, what are best baseball movies ever?
Despite a promising start to his pro career with the Philadelphia Flyers, a formerly undrafted defenseman has changed hands and moved to the KHL in hopes of turning a rough few years around.
Although he made the NHL roster out of training camp and stuck for a few months, the Flyers cut ties with the once-promising Egor Zamula, trading him to the Pittsburgh Penguins for forward Phil Tomasino on Dec. 31.
Zamula, 26, never played for the Penguins organization, though, and subsequently signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets as a free agent on Jan. 6 after his contract was terminated, reuniting with former Flyers teammate Ivan Provorov.
Now, though, after having his KHL rights traded a few months back, the 6-foot-4 defenseman is looking to get his career back on track with Russian powerhouse CSKA Moskva, where he'll play alongside former Flyers teammate Denis Gurianov, former NHLers Klim Kostin, Nikita Okhotiuk, and Nikita Nesterov, and prospects like Prokhor Poltapov and Dmitri Gamzin.
"I've never played in the KHL, so both the guys and the coaching staff are giving me advice and going over all the details with me. I'm improving with every practice, feeling better both physically and mentally. There's a lot of new stuff; some things I haven't done in a while, and some I didn't even know about," Zamula was quoted as saying of his move to CSKA by Championat.
Flyers' Egor Zamula Comments on Russia's Ban from 2026 Winter OlympicsPhiladelphia Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula is one of many in and around hockey disappointed to see Russia, one of hockey's powerhouse nations, banned from competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
"I played with Nikita Okhotyuk at the Traktor academy, and I also know Nikita Nesterov and Denis Zernov. In America, I played with Denis Gurianov, and I also know Klim Kostin. When I transferred here, I already knew half the team, so it was easier for me to integrate."
In a difficult last NHL season split between the Flyers and Blue Jackets, Zamula appeared in 30 games, recording three assists.
Zamula played in 168 NHL games for the Flyers, scoring eight goals, 33 assists, and 41 points with a -12 rating overall, carving out a solid temporary niche for himself as a once-undrafted prospect starting his professional career.
Now, the Chelyabinsk native will return home and play in Russia for the first time since 2016-17.
This week has been brutal for the Phillies, but at least you’ll be able to watch them ground into double plays with the majestic backdrop of a cornfield in Iowa tonight at the Field of Dreams game. Well, if you have Netflix. And if it doesn’t rain.
On to the links.
The Detroit Tigers failed to secure the series win on Tuesday night, falling to the Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park, 6-4. Framber Valdez was not sharp and the offense could not keep up with the visitors after the two teams opened things up with a pair of runs in the first inning.
Climbing the hill for the Motor City Kitties in the series finale is right-hander Keider Montero, who is looking to bounce back from one of his weaker starts last time out. The 26-year-old was tagged for five runs on five hits (two home runs) and three walks while striking out five San Francisco Giants over six innings of work to earn his seventh loss of the season in a 5-2 final.
Montero saw Cleveland once before this season back on May 19, when he threw five frames of three-run ball on two hits (one home run) and four walks while striking out one. He did not figure in the decision as Detroit fell, 4-3.
For the Guardians, left-hander Parker Messick gets the start on the heels of a superb six-game stretch. Since the start of July, the 25-year-old has put up a 1.77 ERA and 3.61 FIP over his last 35 2/3 innings, allowing 26 hits (four home runs) and nine walks while striking out 30 and tossing a pair of wild pitches. Up until his most recent outing, he had not allowed more than one earned run over that span.
When Messick last saw the Tigers, he also faced Montero, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits (one home run) and three walks while striking out seven over five frames. Much like his Detroit counterpart, he did not figure in the decision that day.
Take a look below at how the two match up on paper for their second head-to-head meeting this season.
Time (ET): 1:10 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site:Covering the Corner
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 121: RHP Keider Montero (8-7, 3.38 ERA) vs. LHP Parker Messick (9-6, 2.57 ERA)
| Player | G | IP | K% | BB% | GB% | FIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montero | 25 | 122.1 | 17.5 | 5.7 | 40.8 | 3.87 | 2.1 |
| Messick | 23 | 136.2 | 25.1 | 7.0 | 44.3 | 3.19 | 3.5 |
MONTERO
MESSICK
The Milwaukee Brewers are dealing with a serious depth problem on the left side of their infield. Cooper Pratt is out for a few more weeks with a hamstring strain. Joey Ortiz has been dealing with a neck/back injury. Those are the two top shortstops on the Crew’s depth chart.
The Brewers have a large number of infield prospects in their minor league system, including several in the upper levels. However, they have not called on any of them to this point since Cooper Pratt came up in June. When Pratt needed to go on the IL, the Brewers opted not to dip back into that farm system for more help, but instead signed free agent Ji-hwan Bae.
It was understandable that on such short notice, Bae might have been the only one who could get to Milwaukee in time for Sunday’s game.
Bae struggled defensively in his lone start so far. He dropped a couple of successful bunts in his Brewers debut, but it’s been mostly downhill since. With Ortiz also battling an injury, that’s left the Brewers a man down on the bench.
Pat Murphy has had to turn to Andrew Vaughn starting at third base, moving Brice Turang over to shortstop, and other creative solutions just to put a healthy lineup out there. Ortiz was able to make it back for the series finale against the Padres, but it’s become quite obvious there is still a problem in the infield with Pratt on the IL.
One solution the Brewers should turn to is right in their farm system with one of their top prospects and it’s not Jett Williams.
It’s Luke Adams.
Adams has a great combination of power and on-base ability that he has proven at Triple-A Nashville this year and he has been solid at third base defensively. His glovework there should be passable enough that the Brewers can feel comfortable putting him at the hot corner and have a chance to fortify this lineup a little bit more.
This season, Adams is hitting .260/.407/.544 with 16 homers, 35 walks, and 40 strikeouts with a .944 OPS.
Adams is Rule 5 eligible this winter and will need to be added to the 40 man roster anyway in a few months, especially since it’s highly likely they would want to protect him. Why not take this opportunity to get to see him in the big leagues for a little bit?
Jett Williams would have been the choice, but he’s been dealing with a wrist injury and on the same night that Pratt and Ortiz got injured, Williams also re-aggravated his wrist injury in Triple-A and has since been placed back on the IL.
Brock Wilken has been healthy, but is hitting just .177 with 12 homers and 118 strikeouts in 100 games. Tyler Black is not an option on the left side of the infield at this point, and that leaves Luke Adams as really the only viable option that can handle a position on the left side.
Adams is an on-base machine, which is what this offense could use more of right now. He also has plenty of over-the-fence power, which this Brewers offense also could use more of.
While he’s not a shortstop solution with Pratt on the IL, Adams can shore up this infield, shore up this offense, and maybe provide another spark here, because after this series in San Diego, it sure looks like they could use one.
What is a Hall of Fame starting pitcher in today’s MLB? We know of a few retiring legends who’ve transcended eras and will be in Cooperstown: namely Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer. But the game and the position itself have evolved in such a way that the traditional stats that used to define a Hall of Fame starter are no longer achievable.
300 wins used to be the goal, but after Verlander’s quest to get it came up short, it seems nobody will come close for a long time, if ever. 3,000 strikeouts have also been used as a moniker to make you a lock, but with innings being managed and injuries plaguing even the most durable starters, how many people can realistically get to that?
Two older pitchers who are viewed as the best chances to get inducted from this era were on display this past weekend against Atlanta, as Chris Sale and Gerrit Cole went head-to-head on a Saturday afternoon in the Bronx. The two aging aces are two men on the same warpath as their careers wind down, having fought the same battles to get here.
Sale was younger than Cole when he went under the knife for Tommy John surgery, but it was part of a stretch of ailments that cost him a large portion of his prime. He missed eight starts in 2019 before making a grand total of 11 starts from 2020 to 2022, throwing his entire $150 million contract extension into the shredder. He’s enjoyed a career renaissance in Atlanta, but has still battled injuries, being held to just 20 starts in both 2023 (his last year in Boston) and 2025.
As Cole enters his mid-to-late 30s, he’s entering the same part of his career that Sale struggled to stay on the field with Boston. The normally durable ace, who had not been on the injured list since 2016, missed several months in 2024 with an elbow flare-up before going under the knife for Tommy John in March 2025. The internal brace procedure allowed him to return relatively quickly, making his 2026 debut on May 22, but questions existed about whether he’d be able to recapture his old form quickly or face the lagging effects that others have in the past.
Those lagging effects can come in a bunch of different forms. It can hit your velocity, as it did with Spencer Strider. It can hurt your command, as it did with Sandy Alcantara. It can leave you more susceptible to future injuries. At age 35, Cole isn’t in a position to have a multi-year ramp-up if he wants to stay on a Cooperstown path. Fortunately for him and the Yankees, he seems to be right where he wants to be.
There have been some hairy patches, but Cole’s first few months back after a long absence have seen more life on his fastball than he had when healthy in 2023 and 2024, good control of the strike zone, and an ability to work deep into games. He’s been bitten by shoddy command at times, which is often considered the last thing to come back from an injury, but the results have been excellent. A 3.35 ERA across 80.1 innings with 87 strikeouts to a mere 17 walks. In a 2026-centric view of it, the Yankees might be getting a fresher version of the ace they signed back in 2020.
But this article is thinking long-term. When MLB.com analysts ranked Hall of Fame likelihood in 2023 and 2024, Cole was pretty high up due to his body of work and durability, but the elbow injuries knocked him down a few tiers in recent editions. With how Tommy John has impacted dozens of veterans in recent years, it was impossible to know if he would be able to get the train back on track.
Entering his 15th start of the season against Toronto this weekend, Cole has 159 career wins and 2,338 strikeouts. In the two traditional categories that Hall of Fame voters care about most, he likely won’t get the opportunity to hit any incredible milestone, but there are two numbers that, should he hit them, should make him a lock to eventually be enshrined in this era of baseball.
200 wins used to not be a big deal. There are 122 200-game winners in MLB history, with many of them never getting to Cooperstown. The mark that has been used as more of a moniker since guys stopped pitching 40+ games a year in the 1980s is 250, and predictably, only seven of the 49 pitchers who have achieved it have been left out (with multiple being shunned due to PED use).
But in the ever-changing game, 200 might need to be the new standard. Only six pitchers who’ve thrown a pitch in the last 10 years have more than 200, and all of those guys started their careers in the 2000s, a time when pitchers were given a lot more rope. In that case, does Cole only need to get 200, assuming the voters will adjust with the times? 41 wins might be difficult for a 35-year-old to attain, but if he can stay on teams with good offenses and continue to be good for at least five innings, it’s not out of the question.
The fun one is the number that he’s banking on more: strikeouts. The magic number is 3,000, a mark that has virtually ensured induction, with every single one of the 17 eligible pitchers who’ve reached it being inducted except Curt Schilling and Roger Clemens, who aren’t in for reasons you probably already know. While big, round numbers are what we all love, the number that has virtually guaranteed induction is actually closer to 2,564. The only non-controversial players who were left out were David Cone, Mickey Lolich, Frank Tanana, and Chuck Finley.
That lower number is a lock for Cole as long as he stays healthy and has already been exceeded by Sale. As someone who’s still averaging more than five strikeouts per start, he might only need another 40-45 starts to do so, which he might achieve as early as April-May 2028 (barring a lengthy lockout). From there, it’s all gravy, with the more strikeouts he can accrue, the better.
Cole has just two years left on the nine-year megadeal that he inked in the winter of 2019, but his efficacy immediately after a lengthy absence makes you believe that he’ll still be pitching beyond the 2028 season. A guy like him who eats, sleeps, and breathes baseball feels like someone who will go as long as possible, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he was still pitching past his 40th birthday in the early 2030s, which at that point, these round numbers become more attainable.
Let’s say Cole wants to plays into his 40’s, and pitches five more years and retires at age 41 in 2031. If he managed to be fully healthy, which is unlikely, that’s 160 more starts. Let’s be more conservative and say he has 100-120 left in his career. In those 100-120 starts, is it possible he can get those 41 wins and 662 strikeouts? It might be hard, but this is a guy who’s consistently picked up a win in 40 percent of his starts since 2021 with new life on his fastball that can will him up the strikeout leaderboards.
Would 190 wins and 2,800 strikeouts be enough? It should be, because if it isn’t, you’d be shutting the door on the rest of baseball history.
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
This past week was the Orioles’ chance to decide whether they want to be serious contenders in the postseason race. Unfortunately, it appears they have made their decision quite clear.
Presented with a golden opportunity to make up ground against two wild card opponents, the Orioles lost their series to both the Rangers and Twins, all but burying themselves in the race. The O’s controlled their own destiny, and they steered it right into a ditch. Their latest failure came in yesterday’s rubber game in Minnesota, with Shane Baz imploding in a 7-5 loss. Mark Brown recapped the action.
Even in a mediocre American League, a 2-4 stretch just isn’t going to cut it. As of this writing, the Orioles sit 2.5 games out of the third wild card spot, pending the results of the Rangers’ late game last night. The O’s also trail the Twins, the Tigers, the Guardians, and now the Blue Jays, who pulled a half game ahead of the Birds by winning three straight against the Red Sox. That means the Orioles now sit alone in last place in the AL East.
The fact that the Orioles squandered their chances against mediocre teams like the Rangers and Twins is all the more painful considering what’s coming next. Starting tomorrow, the Birds will spend the next 10 days playing exclusively against the two best teams in the American League. Seven of those are against the Rays (74-46), who are riding a nine-game winning streak after completing a perfect 9-0 road trip. A three-game set versus the Yankees (68-52) is sandwiched in between.
If you’re looking for a sliver of hope, I’ll point out that the Orioles have won a series each against the Rays and the Yankees this season, including a sweep of Tampa Bay in May. Of course, the O’s have also gotten swept by both teams, too. On paper, these are the worst possible opponents for the Orioles at the worst possible time. It’s two teams that are clicking on all cylinders against a Baltimore squad that is again struggling to even win two games in a row.
Call me pessimistic if you like. But it’s hard to imagine any scenario where the Orioles remain even on the fringes of the postseason race after this punishing 10-game stretch is over. Not unless they find another gear and bring their all-too-rarely-seen A game to these upcoming series.
For all intents and purposes, this could be the 2026 Orioles’ last stand. Will they show up?
Shane Baz fades fast as Orioles’ struggles continue in Minnesota – The Baltimore Banner
Baz has gotten screwed out of a lot of possible wins because of poor run support. This time he has nobody to blame but himself.
O’s land 18-year-old OF Rivas from Sox to complete Adley deal – MLB.com
The Orioles added yet another top-30 prospect as the player to be named in the Rutschman trade. That still doesn’t make it any easier for me to stomach.
A very solid year on the O’s farm now leads RHP JT Quinn to Double-A – Steve Melewski
JT Quinn is quietly pitching himself into a quality prospect. That Chesapeake rotation is looking absolutely stacked right now.
When will Heston Kjerstad get called up by Orioles? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com
I’m not bullish on Kjerstad’s chances of ever contributing in the majors again, but we’re getting to the point that there’s no harm in giving him one more try. What’s he going to do, cost them a playoff spot?
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And happy 22nd to Samuel Basallo. The Orioles’ catcher is having a solid rookie season at the plate, with 16 homers and a .756 OPS, but has been sidelined since July 19 with right shoulder inflammation. There’s no word yet on his potential return. Once he comes back, the primary catcher position is Basallo’s for good, which the O’s made clear by trading Adley Rutschman earlier this month.
Former Orioles born on Aug. 13 include right-handers Cory Doyne (45) and Tom Niedenfuer (67), lefties Will Ohman (49) and Jeff Ballard (63), and outfielder Corey Patterson (47).
Aug. 13 has been a big day for Hall of Fame Orioles, none bigger than in 1969, when Jim Palmer threw a no-hitter against the Athletics. Palmer was effectively wild, scattering six walks throughout the game — three of them to fellow Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson — but blanked the A’s lineup with a masterful 0-for-29, eight-strikeout performance. Palmer improved to 11-2 after missing the entire previous season with back and shoulder problems.
In 1977, Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson played the final game of his legendary 23-year MLB career. Well, he didn’t technically play in it. Brooks was announced as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the ninth against left-hander Bob Lacey, but when the Athletics brought in righty Doug Bair, Robinson was replaced by Tony Muser without ever batting.
In 1978, Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver stole a win for the Orioles through some crafty gamesmanship. The Orioles were leading the Yankees 3-0 after six innings before New York rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh. But when heavy rains arrived, Weaver stalled the game long enough (with help from the groundskeepers) that the field was deemed unplayable. According to the rules at the time, the score reverted to the last completed inning, giving the O’s a 3-0 win. The rule was changed two years later.
And on this date in 1998, Hall of Famer Harold Baines became MLB’s all-time leading RBI leader as a designated hitter, driving in his 824th run with an RBI single in the sixth off Cleveland’s Dwight Gooden. That record has since been demolished, like a dugout phone, by David Ortiz of the Red Sox (1,343).
SYRACUSE 10, JACKSONVILLE 9 (BOX)
This game had EVERYTHING.
Jacksonville lead and controlled this game in the early portion of the proceedings, as the Jumbo Shrimp were up 3-0 after five innings. The Syracuse offense finally arrived in the sixth, with MJ Melendez starting the scoring with a two run home run. Zack Short followed it up with a three run home run, putting a five spot on the board for the Mets. Eric Wagaman continued the scoring in the seventh with a double, and Melendez singled him home, as the Mets ran out to a 7-3 lead.
The Jumbo Shrimp did not take this lightly, and scored five in the bottom of the eighth to take a 8-7 lead. The Mets, who simply would not be denied on the day, took the lead back in the top of the ninth with a Christopher Morel two run home run. Wagaman went back to back with Morel, making it 10-8. Jacksonville would hit a solo home run to get a run back in the ninth, but Zach Franklin closed the door for the save.
BINGHAMTON 13, PORTLAND 5 (BOX)
Binghamton, who have been doing their best 1927 Yankees impression since the trade deadline, are at it yet again, winning their ninth in a row in dominating fashion.
Jefferson Rojas started the scoring in the first, notching an RBI single, and they were off from there. They scored five in the second, one in the third and fourth, and five in the sixth. Everyone except John Bay got a hit in the game, and only Rojas, Chris Suero, and Billy Amick had one hit (though Amick’s was a three run home run, so he made it count). Mitch Voit notched two hits (and dropped his batting average to .533 in the process), and Émilien Pitre had three. It was a dominating performance.
On the pitching side, Gary Gill Hill got the start and was up and down, going six innings but surrendering all five of the runs (with four being earned). He only surrendered five hits and one walk, but was done in by two home runs. He struck out five. The bullpen coasted through the final three frames.
JERSEY SHORE 4, BROOKLYN 3 / 11 (BOX)
After four scoreless frames for both teams, the Cyclones finally got on the board in the fifth, when Daiverson Gutierrez singled home Ronald Hernandez. That 1-0 score held until the eighth, until Jersey score tied it at one and took a 2-1 lead in the ninth (on a Chase Meggers error). Yonatan Henriquez tied it in the bottom of the ninth with a sacrifice fly, pushing us to extras.
The teams traded runs in the tenth, with the Cyclones scoring on a Gutierrez double. Jersey Shore scored on a fielder’s choice in the tenth, and held off the Cyclones in the bottom of the frame.
JUPITER 16, ST. LUCIE 8 (BOX)
For a game that ended in a such lopsided way, it was actually an interesting game for a while. Jupiter ran out to a 6-0 lead after two, and a 7-3 lead after five, before St. Lucie came roaring back in the sixth. A Bohan Adderley bases loaded walk made it 7-4, and singles by Dylan Carey and Aiden Robbins flipped the game on its head, giving the Cyclones a 8-7 lead.
The good times woukd end there, though.
Jupiter scored two in the bottom of the sixth and seven in the eighth, putting the game to bed.
NO GAME (SEASON OVER)
Eric Wagaman
Brett Banks
In 2012, on the day after Mark Walter and his partners bought the Dodgers, I sat next to Walter in a conference room. To the sports fan, Walter was virtually anonymous: a super rich guy who had made his money running investment and insurance companies.
Walter’s purchase valued the Dodgers and its related assets at a then-record $2.15 billion. That value stunned the sports world. Mark Cuban had bowed out of the bidding, believing the Dodgers were not worth even $1 billion.
I asked Walter why he believed it made business sense to pay three times as much as any major league team had sold for.
“I think you have a few moments in life where you have the opportunity to own an asset and really be a custodian of something that should be multigenerational and iconic,” he said then. “I understand it’s a lot of money. But it’s not as if you can go buy another one tomorrow. … We hope we never, ever are going to sell it.”
Read more:Plaschke: Too many questions, not enough answers. Lakers sale doesn’t pass smell test
That was essentially the point someone who travels within the inner circles of pro sports made to me Wednesday morning, as news broke that Walter had sold the Lakers to Bob Iger, the former Disney chief, and Joshua Kushner.
The Steinbrenner family has owned the New York Yankees for 53 years. Jerry Jones has owned the Dallas Cowboys for 37 years. The Buss family owned the Lakers for 46 years.
These trophy assets are few and far between. Walter had sold the Lakers after less than one year of ownership ratified by the NBA board of governors — and not through a comprehensive bidding process, but to an inquiring caller during the weekend?
“This has more red flags than a May Day parade,” an industry insider said, speaking on condition of anonymity so as not to jeopardize his professional relationships.
The deal, which valued the Lakers at $12.5 billion, was motivated by the spiraling price for an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. After all, if Iger and Kushner might have to pay $10 billion for a startup team, why not call and see if Walter might accept a bit more for one of the marquee franchises in American sports?
“It was suggested to us that maybe Mark Walter would be interested in selling his stake in the Lakers,” Iger told the California Post.
“I never knew that. He never said that to me,” Kasten said. “I think he was surprised by it. That’s what he has expressed to me. Mark had no plan to do this. This just came up, and he thought about it and said yes.”
Only he can say for sure, but his companies are under federal investigation for failing to disclose and properly account for billions of dollars of loans among related entities. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that Walter’s holding company is trying to raise money that could help pay off or at least pay down those loans, and the Financial Times reported that company assets could be sold or restructured.
No charges have been filed, and investigations can conclude without charges. No allegations of wrongdoing have been made against Walter.
Among the investment firms Walter’s holding company approached about “deals to raise cash,” according to Bloomberg: the asset management firm owned by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen.
Cohen’s firm passed, according to the Financial Times.
When Walter and his partners bought the Dodgers, the runners-up: the bid team of Cohen and Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong.
Read more:Swanson: Bob Iger could be the Imagineer to lead the Lakers back to glory
“No, that never came up. And Mark and I discussed it,” Kasten said. “So, no, we don’t have any reason to think that. I certainly have no reason to think that.”
“It means nothing for the Dodgers,” someone who speaks regularly with Walter said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “He owned them long before the Lakers and will own them long after.”
Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700-million contract with the Dodgers includes an unusual escape clause: If Walter is no longer the controlling owner, or if Andrew Friedman is no longer running the Dodgers’ baseball operations department, Ohtani can opt out of the contract.
Way too soon to tell. If major league owners get their way in collective bargaining, the proposed salary cap would mean Ohtani at $70 million could eat up just about one-third of any team’s payroll. And, in his third year with the Dodgers, he has yet to complete a full season as a pitcher, and a left knee in which manager Dave Roberts says Ohtani suffers from “wear and tear” could make him less of a two-way player as the contract winds down.
On the other hand, playing salary might be less of an issue for him than for any other player in baseball. Ohtani is making more than his annual salary — an estimated $125 million this year — from sponsorships and endorsements, and he famously deferred $68 million of each year’s salary so the Dodgers could spend more freely on players that could help him and the team win. After six losing years with the Angels and two World Series championships in two years with the Dodgers, a losing team might not entice Ohtani, no matter how much room it might have under a proposed cap.
Disney dressed the Angels in uniforms derided by one player as “pinstripe pajamas,” put cheerleaders on the dugout roof, and installed a loud “countdown to first pitch.” This all seemed awful at the time but, given the plagues of in-game hosts and teams sporting jerseys in colors far beyond home white and road gray, perhaps Disney was just ahead of its time. And, for the first few years of the franchise, Mighty Ducks gear was some of the hottest merchandise in American sports.
Ultimately, Disney wanted the Angels and Mighty Ducks to launch an “ESPN West” regional sports channel. When that channel collapsed, Disney no longer needed the teams and eventually sold them. The Angels were such a minimal part of Disney’s portfolio that then-chief executive Michael Eisner showed up in the clubhouse and the players had no idea who he was.
Disney. The company hired an investment banker to sell the team in the final month before the Angels won the 2002 World Series and agreed to sell to Arte Moreno in the first month of the following season.
“I think it was opportunistic and he found something that made sense to him,” Kasten said. “Mark’s a very sensible guy. But that’s really the only way I can explain it.
“You’ll have to talk to Mark about a more in-depth explanation and good luck.”
Times staff writer Maddie Lee contributed to this report.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
February 21st, 2002 found the Dallas Mavericks swinging a trade deadline deal with the Denver Nuggets. In the move, the Mavericks shipped off Juwan Howard, Tim Hardaway (Sr.), Donnell Harvey, a first round draft pick in 2002 and cash. That netted Dallas Raef LaFrentz, Avery Johnson, Tariq Abdul-Wahad and Nick Van Exel. The centerpiece of the deal at the time was actually Raef LaFrentz, a 25-year-old 6’11” center who was the well-established starter for the Nuggets at the five.
To that point, Dallas had two true centers on their roster – Shawn Bradley and Evan Eschmeyer – neither of whom were three-point threats. Head coach Don Nelson loved unconventional lineups (that would look much more like the league norm years later) with a stretch big who was a legitimate deep threat. LaFrentz fit the bill and upon his arrival, he slotted in as the go-to starter (starting 25 of 27 games for the remainder of the regular season). The outbound Juwan Howard played some minutes at center for the Mavericks, but didn’t bring the size or shooting range they were after, so the deal was generally a win/win for both sides in that respect. Little did anyone know at the time, but the trade brought in future head coach Avery Johnson, and the player who would meaningfully change the identity of the Mavericks as he shifted to a sixth man role – Nick Van Exel.
As much as the trade was framed about LaFrentz, Van Exel was certainly no slouch. Spending his first five seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers where he earned a single All-Star selection, Van Exel was a staple in the starting lineup throughout his career to that point. Up until his final season in LA, he started every game he played except one, which came in his rookie season. He then started all but two games he played during his time with the Nuggets. The season he was traded to Dallas, he was averaging 21.4 points and 8.1 assists per game across 45 contests with Denver.
Of course, everyone knew the trade meant Van Exel would be shifting roles from a sure-fire starter, to a backup behind Steve Nash. That may have been part of why he wasn’t the featured name of the transaction, but coming off the bench proved to be a role he thrived in. So much so, in fact, that he averaged more points per game as sixth man than LaFrentz did as the starter!
In Van Exel’s first Postseason with the Mavericks, he was part of the 3-0 first-round sweep of the Minnesota Timberwolves. That series has since become a talking point about the careers of Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Garnett, with some deeming it to be the tie-breaker as to why Nowitzki is the better power forward of the two. In the next round, Dallas got walloped by the Sacramento Kings, 4-1.
That Kings team was relatively stacked with players such as Mike Bibby, Peja Stojakovic, Chris Webber, Vlade Divac and others. Dallas meanwhile had Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Dirk Nowitzki and LaFrentz leading the way as something of a well-matched mirror for the Kings. The similarities between the teams and the frequency of high intensity regular season games between them supercharged a rivalry that was only added to by the Kings’ young hotshot owners from the Maloof family, who were perfect rivals for Mavericks’ then-owner Mark Cuban.
The following season, the Mavericks met the Kings in the Playoffs in the second round once again. Following a game seven win over the Portland Trailblazers in the first round, Dallas dropped game one of the second round series against the Kings, at home. That loss prompted Van Exel to ask Nelson if he could speak to the team. With permission granted, Van Exel told Nash, Finley and Nowitzki that they needed to stop deferring to the Kings and stop believing them to be a better team. Van Exel backed up his words with stellar play of his own. In game two, the Mavericks ran the Kings out of the gym after dropping 83 first-half points on them. Van Exel scored 36 points in that one, then hung 40 points in game three’s double-overtime victory back in Sacramento. For the series, he connected on over 50% of his total field goals and just north of 45% from downtown.
Van Exel’s stay in Dallas was relatively short, clocking in at a season-and-a-half overall. He was largely electric in his time with the Mavs, and certainly brought a much-needed grit and attitude to the team. His only full season in Dallas was the first time the franchise won 60 games. His motivational speech in the Playoffs against the Kings was the only series win Dallas had against Sacramento across three-straight seasons in which the two teams met in the postseason. Van Exel then returned to the fold as the head coach of the Mavericks G League team, the Legends, for the 2015-2016 season.
Van Exel’s unconventional free-throw shooting from about two feet behind the line, his post-up game (yes, the 6’1” point guard had a nice back-to-the-basket game) and his quirky spinning hook/push shot were all memorable. His unwillingness to back down and his ability to turn it on when needed should be unforgettable, despite a relatively short tenure in Dallas.
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The Boston Celtics have had a puzzling offseason. By trading away Jaylen Brown, one of their franchise cornerstones, to a long-time conference and division rival in the Philadelphia 76ers, it appears they opened up a can of worms.
In a vacuum, Brad Stevens helped to steer the team in the right direction with the latest moves this summer. Signing veterans Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley Jr., locking in extensions for Ron Harper Jr., Jordan Walsh, and Neemias Queta, and drafting Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell were all hits.
Though controversial, swapping JB for Paul George and picks could be seen as a small win too, finding a player who could be a slightly better fit next to Jayson Tatum, while also giving the team more flexibility for the future.
If we leave the vacuum and look to the rest of the league, Boston’s situation might not look as appealing. By sending Brown to the Sixers, it seems they turned Philly into the hottest destination of the offseason. Dean Wade, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Anfernee Simons – oh, and LeBron James all decided to join JB, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe to help fill out the roster in pursuit of a ring.
The Miami Heat took a swing of their own, beating out Boston in the race for Giannis Antetokounmpo that later prompted the Brown trade. They haven’t had much financial flexibility to improve the roster around him and Bam Adebayo, but they’re a team that constantly overachieves under the coaching of Erik Spoelstra, so they can’t be taken lightly.
The Charlotte Hornets sent out LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges in favor of more veteran players as they look to make their first return to the post-season since Kemba Walker was on the team. The Toronto Raptors went all-in for Kawhi Leonard as well, though we’ll have to see how the league handles that one…
The Indiana Pacers made their push last season when they gave up a haul for Ivica Zubac, giving Tyrese Haliburton a solid starting center to work with and round out the team as he returns from rehabbing his torn Achilles. The New York Knicks, reigning champs, are bringing back nearly the same roster that won it all, the main change being the loss of Mitchell Robinson, who they now replaced with Andre Drummond.
Long story short, the Eastern Conference got a whole lot better, and a whole lot more competitive. Several teams made big moves to win now, so why didn’t Boston? Why favor “optionality” over a proven super star like Giannis?
It’s a fair question fans have been asking all offseason. Sorry to say, I’m not sure I have the answer, if there is one at all.
Only one team brings home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the end. Is a high chance of winning the championship this season worth more than maybe having a potentially high chance of winning one or more championships in the future?
As we’ve learned in the past, even “super teams” aren’t guaranteed to win every year. If the Celtics traded Jaylen, Hugo Gonzalez, and Baylor Scheierman for Giannis, a package that Boston was rumored to have been unwilling to offer, instead of trading Brown for PG, would they be closer to winning a championship this year? I would bet on it. Would they be head-and-shoulders over the rest of the league, or even the rest of the East? Not to the point where a ring would be guaranteed, especially given Giannis’ injury history.
Keep in mind, Giannis is also on the final guaranteed year of his contract, with a player option in the following season. Boston would be faced with either extending him for another four years at around $275 million, or potentially seeing him walk in free agency. If he continues to have health issues, would extending him make sense?
It’s hard to say what the “right” answer is. So much of sports is left up to chance. If things go according to plan, it’s a no-brainer to always go all-in, but it’s incredibly rare for that to happen. Injuries can strike at any time, even after perfect preparation, as Celtics fans already saw with Jayson Tatum.
For my fellow Red Sox fans, we gave up a haul of top prospects at the trade deadline in a win-now move, acquiring Adley Rutschman from the Baltimore Orioles. Rutschman is a great player at a position of need coming from an in-division team, and was also being pursued by Boston’s rivals as well.
This comes in a season where the Red Sox were playing terribly to start and sitting well outside of the playoff picture for quite some time. Their climb back into a wildcard spot for the playoffs has felt magical at times, and the front office decided it was as good a time as any to make a real push for a ring.
Boston is dealing with some injuries to key players at the moment, and now with five straight losses, it feels like their improbable comeback is starting to lose steam. If they don’t win it all, was it a bad idea for them to make the trade? Could one or more of those prospects have brought Boston a ring somewhere down the line?
Again, there’s no right answer.
Jeff Passan, ESPN’s lead MLB insider, said on the Pardon My Take podcast that fans have been “conditioned to accept that now is not as important as the future,” going on to say that he hates that as a fan. He made that comment while saying that the Red Sox “comically overpaid” for Rutschman, though praising them for actually “going for it.” He wants “executives and owners to treat this year like it’s the last year that’s going to be played… We don’t know what the future is going to look like. We don’t know when our franchise player is going to suffer a catastrophic injury … So why wouldn’t we throw all of our resources at what we’ve got right now, and try to steal a championship.”
It’s a very fair assessment to make, and incredibly hard to argue with as a fan. In my heart, I share the same sentiment, though it is noteworthy that the MLB and NBA operate very differently in terms of salaries, roster spots, and the ability to have and develop prospects. The stakes are a bit higher on a player-to-player basis in the NBA when playoff rotation can shrink to as small as 6-7 players.
Maybe you trade DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard, and immediately win your first championship in franchise history. Maybe you trade Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a boatload of picks for Paul George and end up with at least half a decade of mediocrity, if not more.
Regardless, I think everything Celtics fans have felt this offseason has been justified, and I say that knowing how hard it is to find two Celtics fans who agree on anything more than loving the team. The pain, the joy, the confusion, the anger – all of it is justified.
Unfortunately — or maybe fortunately — we aren’t in those executive offices making the tough decisions. We don’t get to dictate the makeup of the team. We just get to feel what we feel, and if so inclined, share it with the world as we all watch along.
No one knows the future. Maybe this current iteration of the team is still enough to get it done. The only way to find out is to wait and see how everything plays out. It may be frustrating at times, but I for one would like to sit back and enjoy the ride, wherever it may take us.
This journey through the wonderful world of The Statistical Doppelgänger Machine starts with some warnings.
Remain seated throughout the duration of this article. Keep your hands, feet, legs, and arms securely accounted for. For the protection of others, avoid flailing about or throwing objects, including — but not limited to — smartphones, laptops or other electronic devices. Do not attempt to read or listen to this article while exercising, driving, or operating heavy machinery. Use of safety gear such as a seat belt or lap bar are recommended. Do not read or listen while under the influence of drugs, alcohol or other substances.
Maybe keep those substances handy for after reading.
This one is a trip.
For those wondering what the heck this is all about, welcome to my statistical doppelgänger series, in which I run Wizards players through an algorithm connected to a player database. The algorithm calculates which player seasons (as measured across 14 categories) through NBA history are “most similar” to the reference player.
In the first article of this year’s series, we learned that Alex Sarr just might be the second coming of Kristaps Porzingis. Right down to the broken foot.
Anyway, today we’re looking at Wizards wing Bilal Coulibaly.
Through three seasons, Coulibaly has been somewhat enigmatic — long and hyper-athletic. At times, he’s defended well and exhibited athletic arrogance. At others he’s seemed timid and too ready to defer. Also, he’s gotten hurt a lot — sitting out 27.8% of the team’s game since he entered the league.
Entering his fourth season, Coulibaly is still just 22-years-old.
As I wrote in his production ekg article, what he can do remains more than a little unknown, even after three seasons. What he seems to do best (defend) seems to have had little impact on the team performance, which is a) ultimately what matters, and b) might be a function of less-than-committed teammates, a terrible defensive ecosystem, and a franchise that was trying to lose.
The offensive end is where he’s shown the least promise, though over his final 20 games played last season, he showed sustained aggression, reasonable efficiency, and an apparent ability to get by nearly anyone off the bounce nearly any time he wanted.
All that said, I was in no way prepared for what the doppelgänger machine says are Coulibaly’s closest comps (similar per possession production across 14 categories at a similar age).
To save you some typing in the comments:
To the doppelgängers:
One of the fascinating things about this annual exercise is the different directions young players can go from a similar start. Coulibaly’s comps range from guys who had similar production patterns early in their career and then went in wildly divergent directions. Which way will Coulibaly go?
Moving into the “honorable mention” section, the player types start feeling more like what I expected before I order The Machine to run:
Then seasons from other guys who make sense: Devin Vassell, Jerami Grant, Jaylen Brown (age 21), Jae Crowder, Will Barton, Jalen Suggs, Paul George (age 21).
The Doppelgänger Machine in this case largely reinforced what I wrote about Coulibaly back in May. But maybe the point is that with young players, it’s hard to tell what they’re going to become. The range of possibilities is vast.
If Coulibaly does the kind of psychotic work that Harden and SGA did on their bodies and games, he probably has the physical tools to reach elite status.
If he does “hard-working NBA player” work — which is to say borderline psychotic — maybe he’s a high-level role player like Gordon or Washington.
If he does “normal NBA player” work — which would provide work-life balance and probably $150 million in career earnings over a 10-12-year career — maybe he’s an 8th or 9th man type like Casspi.
Next through The Statistical Doppelgänger Machine: Kyshawn George. I promise it won’t be so weird.
Per a Spurs press release:
“The San Antonio Spurs today announced Heybike as the organization’s official e-bike partner, uniting the two brands through a shared vision for connection through sports and movement. This marks Heybike’s first agreement with an NBA team, as they seek to align with strong, internationally recognized sports brands like the Spurs.”
Heybike, a global e-bike brand, seeks to redefine eco-mobility with sleek design and user-centric innovation. Jason Fang, Heybike founder, stated,
“Partnering with the San Antonio Spurs is a historic milestone for Heybike. We believe an e-bike is more than just transportation—it is a bridge that brings generations together. Through this partnership, we are excited to integrate into the Spurs’ vibrant community and inspire fans of all ages to explore, connect, and let their joy out!”
To celebrate the launch, Official Spurs Fan Club can receive a 20% discount on their Heybike purchase from now until Sunday, September 30.
Brian Colbert, senior vice president of global partnerships for Spurs Sports & Entertainment added,
“We’re proud to welcome Heybike to the Spurs family. Whether we’re bringing people together through sport or helping fans explore their cities in new ways, we share a belief in the power of mobility to create connection and strengthen communities.”
If you are not a current member of the Spurs Fan Club, joining now makes you eligible for the discount on a Heybike purchase.
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