Posts

Posted on

Tweaked Warriors roster puts onus on Steve Kerr and his revamped coaching staff

Tweaked Warriors roster puts onus on Steve Kerr and his revamped coaching staff originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Autopsies of the Warriors’ 2025-26 season concluded that injuries to Jimmy Butler III and Stephen Curry were such severe wounds so that one could overlook contributing causes.

If those causes are unaddressed, they’ll be fatal next season – even if the aging roster somehow achieves optimal health.

The Warriors too often were guilty of sloppy late-game execution, silly turnovers, curious shot selection and defensive rotations that were too late or entirely missed. They sometimes looked clueless under coach Steve Kerr.

The holes within the roster and lapses in quality coaching were too much to overcome. After presiding over four championships in his first nine seasons with Golden State, Kerr concedes as much.

“We’ve studied everything over the offseason, taken a lot of time to watch film and see certain combinations, what we did well, what we didn’t do well,” Kerr tells NBC Sports Bay Area. “And I think we have a chance to be much better this year than we were last year.

“I really believe we’re going to be better, and I think I’ve got to be better.”

In one of his first steps toward that end, Kerr sifted through several candidates to replace three departing assistants: Chris DeMarco, Jerry Stackhouse and Terry Stotts. DeMarco left during the season to become head coach of the WNBA New York Liberty. Stackhouse and Stotts left after the season to explore other opportunities.

The only outside hire was veteran coach Frank Vogel, who coached the Los Angeles Lakers to victory in the 2020 NBA Finals. As associate head coach, Vogel will focus on defense, formerly the domain of DeMarco and Stackhouse.

“Frank’s a great coach,” Kerr says. “He’s been obviously a head coach for many years in the league. He’s a great defensive mind. I’m excited. I think he will be a good voice for our team. He’s a great defensive mind, especially, but he’s someone who I feel very comfortable with right next to me. I’m going to turn the defense over to him.”

The Warriors last season posted a 114.4 defensive rating that ranked 16th in the NBA. They were punished in transition, allowing 15.7 fast-break points per game to rank 20th (the lowly Milwaukee Bucks were 19th) and ranked 20th in effective field-goal percentage defense at 55.3 percent. Golden State was second in steals but 25th in defensive rebounding and 26th in blocks. And only seven teams allowed more points in the paint.

There are numerous details to address and plenty of ancillary repairs required to fix this sub-mediocre aspect of the team.

“When (DeMarco) left for New York last year, I thought the void was apparent,” Kerr says. “He and Jerry really kind of tag-teamed the defense, and we had a good we had a good thing going. And then Chris’s void was real, and I thought between the injuries and losing Chris, our defense suffered a little bit.”

Vogel will coordinate the defense, with returning staffers Jacob Rubin and Anthony Vereen acting as lieutenants. The trio is, in essence, replacing Stackhouse and DeMarco.

Vogel is a four-time NBA head coach, beginning with Indiana in 2010. He spent six seasons with the Pacers, then two with the Orlando Magic, three with the Lakers and one with the Phoenix Suns before working under Jason Kidd last season with the Dallas Mavericks.

Vogel’s teams typically play strong defense, as his resumé includes three No. 1 finishes in defensive rating and two more seasons within the top five.

Even if Vogel and his crew coax Golden State’s defense back toward the top 10, the offense must find ways to improve. That will again be Kerr’s priority, with the aid of assistants Bruce “Q” Fraser, Seth Cooper and Nicholas Kerr. Cooper and Kerr have spent time as head coach with the G League Santa Cruz Warriors.

“I will collaborate on the offensive side,” Kerr says. “Seth and Nick have done a great job coming from Santa Cruz. We’ve really instituted some changes over the last couple of years from our G League coaches; I think they have a finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the league.”

It’s incumbent on Kerr and his sidekicks to generate scoring beyond the gravity created by Curry. Even if uninjured, he’s going to miss a few games. Even when he plays, his minutes will rarely exceed the low 30s.

As Curry ages, the response when he’s off the floor has become more indicative of the team’s fate. When the “non-Steph” minutes are productive, the Warriors can float. When they’re not, the tumble is predictable.
Golden State’s offensive rating (113.8) last season left it in 19th place. But the most salient truth was exposed after injuries to Butler and Curry. The Warriors were 14th (114.8) before Butler and Curry were sidelined in January and 22nd (112.3) after.

After a summer in which the roster was tweaked rather than significantly upgraded, the task falls to Kerr and his revamped staff to find ways to improve. Injuries surely doomed last season, but let’s not forget the other inadequacies that played a significant role.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Posted on

Todd Boehly exits Chelsea diminished after having his fingers burned

The billionaire’s departure will change little day-to-day but could be significant for club’s stadium plans

Not since a doomed foray into the thorny world of the transfer market has Todd Boehly had any real influence over the day-to-day at Chelsea. The American exits football as a diminished figure four years on, along with his fellow investor Mark Walter, and the first thing to say is that little will change in the Stamford Bridge boardroom just because Boehly has left the scene.

Clearlake Capital, the US private equity firm founded by Behdad Eghbali and José E Feliciano, was already the majority owner and guiding force. The trio of Boehly, Walter and the Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss had an equal share of a 38.5% stake but have drifted into irrelevance since the BlueCo consortium bought Chelsea from Roman Abramovich for £2.5bn in 2022.

Continue reading...
Posted on

The bullpen, sure, but how do the Giants fix their defense?

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 12: Jung Hoo Lee #51 and Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants run off the field after the end of the inning at Oracle Park on August 12, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In Buster Posey’s big interview with Tim Kawakami, he stated that the bullpen would be a point of emphasis this offseason. That group has been among the worst in the sport, but not quite negative in value, believe it or not: +0.9 fWAR, bad enough for 25th in MLB. As bad as they’ve been there, they’ve been as bad with their gloves in the field, coming in 24th place with -16.4 Defensive Runs Above Average. In fact, they lead all of Major League Baseball in errors with 102 and counting. They need better defense. How can they make that happen?

Well, this is where trading away Patrick Bailey and losing Daniel Susac to injury hurts. Bailey had been the top defender on the team three years running and even this year, with just 238.1 innings under his belt before the trade, his +5 Fielding Run Value and 4.8 Defensive Runs Above Average made him third-best. Susac’s +8 FRV and +8.7 Def in 351 innings wound up being a great swap (second-best), but here are the other two players in the top four: Luis Arraez, the team leader in defensive value this season (+9 FRV, +9.2 Def in 885.2 innings), and Matt Chapman (+5 FRV, 4.6 Def in 718.2 innings), checking in at #4. Drew Gilbert is #5 with +4 and +2.6. Casey Schmitt follows, then Christian Koss, then Jonah Cox are the next bunch of positive defenders. So, let’s just say that Susac, Chapman, Gilbert, Schmitt, Koss, and Cox aren’t the problem.

Also not the problem? Bryce Eldridge (-2.3 Def) or Rafael Devers (-7.9). Defensive measures for first basemen are typically tough because it’s considered such an easy position. Very easy to drop into negative numbers. Admittedly, Devers’ 8 errors are the third-most on the team behind Willy Adames (18) and Matt Chapman (9), but I’m going to chalk some of that up to lingering injuries and basically settling in to a new position. Still this trio makes up 34% of the team’s errors this season.

But the worst defenders on the Giants are pretty easy to identify. Willy Adames (-8.3) and Jung Hoo Lee (-10.5) both have both cost the Giants about 1 game each over the course of the season with their poor defense. They are the worst position players on the roster by far (minimum: 100 innings). The pitching group’s 17 errors is tied with Cincinnati for 2nd in MLB (or, 29th) behind only Toronto.

Now, maybe you’re a gut-trusting eye-tester when it comes to defense, and I can understand that because it’s hard to conceive of how laser tracking and computer modeling could properly value defensive contributions or the subtleties of playing in the field, but if you line up the good defending teams vs. the bad defending teams this season, an interesting pattern emerges:

With the exceptions of the Royals and Phillies, bad teams have bad defense and good teams have good defense. Though, it must be noted that the Royals have gone 38-41 over the last 3 months and the Phillies 25-15 since improving their defense significantly with the addition of Luis Arraez.

And just to underscore how important defense is, in the past 10 years, the only Giants teams with positive Defensive Runs Above Average values were:

  • 2021 (+28.3) | 107-55
  • 2023 (+22.6) | 79-83
  • 2019 (+19.6) | 77-85
  • 2024 (+8.9) | 80-82
  • 2025 (+7.9) | 81-81

Not exactly the strong point I was hoping to make but you can see that the past decade of Giants Baseball, whenever it has even bothered to approach success, has had strong defense as part of the foundation.

So, how can the Giants improve? The sexy call is to figure out how to get Jung Hoo Lee off the roster. If that’s possible, sure, why not? That’s a good step in the direction of fixing the defense while getting cheaper. I’m not confident that Lee’s bat is worth keeping around, either. But it’s not that easy to trade a player like Lee. There’s the money owed to him for one thing, but it’ll be tough from a fanbase position to do it, too. He is a draw, even though he and the team are not good.

And, if Casey Schmitt hadn’t torn his meniscus, I’d think it’d be close to a no-brainer to put him at short and slide Willy Adames over to second base; but, I’m not so sure that’s in the cards now. In any case, Adames had better move in with Ron Washington this offseason and hope that he has an Arraezean renaissance in 2027. But that could still happen with him at second base. He has been bad enough there that I think trying to get Chapman to play short while sticking Schmitt at third might make more sense than giving Adames another go.

The team has increased its athleticism in the field as the season has gone along and that’s the sort of thing they’ll need to keep doing in order to improve this part of the team. On paper for next season, it’s basically Daniel Susac, Jonah Cox, and Matt Chapman as the defensive keystones. The team does have a glut of up the middle players working their way through the minors so reinforcements could be well on the way, but I’ll just go ahead and say that the Giants don’t go anywhere without better defensive play. A better defense will take the pressure off the team needing to spend big bucks on the bullpen — or even the rotation, which might be a better use of time and resources, Buster Posey.

Posted on

Kenny Serwa and Thayron Liranzo power SeaWolves to the Eastern League championship series

Erie SeaWolves 5, Richmond Flying Squirrels 3 (box)

Kenny Serwa put together a whale of a start for the SeaWolves, while a game tying home run from his catcher sparked the offense as the Erie SeaWolves advanced to the Eastern League Championship series for the fifth straight season.

Things didn’t start off well for Tony Cappuccilli’s squad in this one. The Giants first round pick in July, right-hander Jackson Flora, got the ball for two innings and the SeaWolves couldn’t deal with him, striking out four times in two perfect frames. Fortunately, he’s on a strict pitch count. Once he was out of the game, lefty Jacob Bresnahan took over to flip the SeaWolves platooning. The SeaWolves got a single from Izaac Pacheco and a walk to E.J. Exposito to start the third inning. Seth Stephenson advanced them with a sac bunt, but they squandered that chance as Peyton Graham and Zyhir Hope struck out.

Meanwhile, Serwa was cruising in the early innings before trouble struck in the fourth. A one-out single and then a walk set the table for Kaeden Kent, who smoked a three-run shot to right field for a 3-0 lead.

The SeaWolves couldn’t get it going in the fifth, but credit to Cappuccilli for sticking with Serwa, who proceeded to steady the ship and cruise through seven innings with no further trouble.

Finally, in the top of the sixth, Stephenson reached and took second on an error. Graham struck out, but Hope walked, and Thayron Liranzo mashed a three-run homer to tie the game.

They didn’t stop there. Chris Meyers followed with a double. Andrew Jenkins struck out, but Luke Shliger walked. The Squirrels went back to their pen, but Marques Johnson walked Pacheco to load the bases. A passed ball scored Meyers, and it was 4-3 SeaWolves.

Serwa tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, and Stephenson walked to start the seventh. He stole second, and after Graham made on out on a comebacker to Johnson, a wild pitch got Stephenson to third, and Hope drove a ball out to center field for a sacrifice fly. 5-3 SeaWolves.

Surprisingly, Cappuccilli continued to ride his veteran knuckleballer, and it worked. He gave up a leadoff bunt single, but got a double play ball to face the minimum in the inning. Really good work from Serwa to recover from the homer and pitch deep into this one, especially as the bullpen isn’t exactly stacked with monsters.

Tanner Kohlhepp took over in the eighth, pitching around a two-out walk, and so it was up to hard-throwing sinkerballer Moises Rodriguez. The slender right-hander was 98-99 mph, but with one out, Graham booted a routine ground ball at shortstop, and after getting a fly ball for the second out, Rodriguez walked the next hitter. He bounced back, tying up Zander Darby, who hit a little swinging bunt down the first base line. Rodriguez pounced on it, flipped to Jenkins, and it was party time for the Erie SeaWolves organization.

Congrats to Greg Coleman, Greg Gania, Tony Cappuccilli and his staff and team, and the whole SeaWolves family on reaching their fifth straight Eastern League championship series.

Liranzo: 2-3, R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, K

Stephenson: 1-1, 2 R, 2 BB, SB

Meyers: 1-4, R, 2B, K

Serwa (W, 1-0): 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves will have two days off until the Eastern League championhip best-of-three series gets underway on Sunday. Game 1 will be held at home at UPMC Park at 5:05 p.m. ET before heading to Reading next Tuesday.

Toledo Mud Hens 5, Louisville Bats 1 (box)

Dylan File threw a good game, and the Hens took advantage of seven walks to beat the Bats again on Thursday.

File was cruising early on and the Hens broke through in the bottom of the third. Max Burt and Trei Cruz walked with one out, and sent the Bats back to their bullpen. The new reliever walked James Outman and Max Anderson both, forcing in a run. Jace Jung lifted a sacrifice fly to right to plate Cruz, and it was 2-0 Hens.

File allowed a solo shot in the fifth, but in the bottom half, Jung doubled in Cruz to make it 3-1 Hens.

File wrapped up his day in the sixth, and in the bottom of the seventh, Cruz led off with a single. Outman grounded into a force of Cruz, but Max Anderson singled, and Jung doubled in both runners to make it 5-1.

Enmanuel de Jesus handled the seventh and eighth without much issue. Yilber Diaz walked two and struck out one in closing out the ninth. Hopefully he can get his control dialed in this offseason.

Jung: 2-3, 4 RBI, 2 2B

Cruz: 1-3, 2 R, 2 BB

Anderson: 1-3, R, RBI, BB

File (W, 7-1): 6.0 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: The Hens had won six of their last eighth, and are up 3-0 in this series heading into a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Friday in Toledo.

Posted on

Angels 5, Twins 4 (10 inn.): Broken records, and not the good kind

Sep 17, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Walker Jenkins (11) crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning as Los Angeles Angels catcher Tyler Heineman (31) watches at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If two teams in the bottom of their respective divisions play a game of baseball, does it really happen? Sorry, that California air is really getting to me. Just kidding, I’m not in California.

The Minnesota Twins are there in Anaheim taking on the “Los Angeles” Angels. Stop me if you’ve heard this, but the team facing Minnesota scored a few runs in the first inning. This time it was off of starter Taj Bradley, albeit not really entirely all his fault. Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but the Twins defense kinda played a part. Bradley walked Mike Trout with one out. That’s Bradley’s fault. Then someone named Wade Meckler hit a grounder to someone named Ben Ross and the grounder ate him up and couldn’t get the out. Moisés Ballesteros brought in Trout with an RBI single. Denzer Guzman (not sure on the relation to Twins great Cristian Guzman) singled to left field and the throw in did not go directly to second base to get Ballesteros at second, but according to the radio, it should’ve and could’ve gotten him for a second out. After a strikeout of Josh Lowe, Oswald Peraza drove his hit to right field, bringing in Ballesteros. That’s a 3-0 lead after the first inning for the Angels.

After that, it was goose eggs through seven. Rookie Walbert Ureña held the Twins to four hits across his seven innings of work, striking out nine batters while walking none. Bradley settled down to turn in seven frames as well, allowing only two more hits and notching nine strikeouts, raising his K total to 199 on the year.

Minnesota batters did claw back one run in the eighth. On two consecutive pitches to lead off the inning, Walker Jenkins singled to center and Ben Ross got his first major-league hit – a double – off of bullpen arm Luke Murphy. After striking out Luke Keaschall, former Twins player-turned-manager Kurt Suzuki turned to Tayler Saucedo. Brooks Lee hit a sac fly, allowing Jenkins to tag up and touch home from third.

Ben Joyce came in for the ninth to attempt to close the door on Minnesota. Victor Caratini hit a two-out single, setting up newly-hot Jenkins. And Jenkins did a hot thing: hit a homer to tie the game. Ross did a not-hot thing and struck out to keep it a tied game at three runs apiece.

View Link

A depleted bullpen was put to work tonight for the Twins. Andrew Morris pitched a clean eighth while A. J. Minter, who pitched last night, was given the ninth. After striking out two batters, he gave up an almost-home-run double to Josh Lowe. Derek Shelton pulled him in favor of Jeff Hoffman. An intentional walk to Adam Frazier put runners on first and second and a double-steal during a Jose Siri at-bat put both runners in scoring position and took the force play off the books. But no worries, as Hoffman got Siri out on strikes to take the game into extras.

The tenth inning had Manfred Mann’s Earth Band participant Ben Ross on second base with Blake Weiman pitching for the Halos; Keaschall singled him over to third while Lee hit an RBI single to untie the baby. Kody Clemens dropped a sac bunt to move the runners to second and third. A Josh Bell pop-out and an intentional walk to pinch-hitter Ryan Jeffers brought up Royce Lewis with the bases juiced. However, he made the decision to strike out on four pitches.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: the bullpen blew it. Yoendrys Gomez, who got tagged with the blown save yesterday, was tabbed to take the bottom of the tenth with Jose Siri joining Manfred Mann’s Earth Band at second base for the Angels. A flyout and a walk set up runners on the corners for Trout, who singled in Siri to tie the game at four runs. Kody Funderburk was brought in to face Meckler, which resulted in a single to walk-off the game, 5-4.

These two teams meet up again tomorrow – same time (838p Central), same place (Angel Stadium) – for the second game of this four-game set. Connor Prielipp (5-7, 5.24 ERA) is listed as the starter for Minnesota while Grayson Rodriguez (4-7, 6.10 ERA) goes for Anaheim.

Also, this is my last game thread and recap for the season, so I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for joining in and making this fun as always!

W: Blake Weiman (1-1)
L: Yoendrys Gomez (2-4)

STUDS

  • Walker Jenkins: 3-4, game-tying HR, 2 R, 2 RBI
  • Brooks Lee: 2-4, 2 RBI

duds

  • Royce Lewis: 0-5, 4 K

COTG

Prester John (no relation to me, or at least I don’t think so) willed Jenkins out of his slump.

Posted on

Trevor Story authors dramatic comeback in cathartic 4-3 Red Sox win

Sep 17, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) reacts as he circles the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is why we watch! Trevor Story’s season looked dead and buried both three months and three weeks ago. He’s battled injury, surgery, rehab, way too many strikeouts, and growing chatter from knuckleheads like me who have repeatedly questioned if he even belongs back in this lineup.

Well tonight, he came to the plate with the Sox down 3-1 in the eighth and on the verge of getting swept. He was facing a tough reliever in Jacob Latz, a Texas team that was 63-1 when leading after seven innings, and the weight of his team going a combined 0-17 with runners in scoring position in the series up to that point.

Then he did this:

View Link

As somebody that’s been leading the “Trevor Story is cooked ” charges, I love this so much! Nothing can humble and amaze quite like baseball, and after months of hard work, grinding behind the scenes, and having to deal with all the noise, Story smashed a 108mph line drive home run not only in the face of Latz and Texas’ playoff hopes, but also in the face of all those who have been doubting him for weeks (hand raised).

It’s just one game, and the real test doesn’t start until the 29th, but boy did this have to feel incredible for Story who hadn’t gone deep since May 13th. To do it in that moment, in his home town, and against the backdrop of everything that’s happened this year is just so perfectly baseball. It’s why we love this game so much, and why people like Story are willing to put in the work behind the scenes for months on end to get the chance to do something amazing like that.

I know some of you might not believe it after what I’ve written about him in recent weeks, but I truly am very happy for Story! He deserves all the credit tonight!

Oh, and in addition to Story’s game changing three-run homer, he followed that up by starting double plays on defense to end both the eighth and ninth:

View Link
View Link

Baseball really is the best!

Studs

Trevor Story: If I didn’t put him here, I’d have to legally resign from Over The Monster.

Wilyer Abreu: He looked a little better tonight with a sharp single in the fourth and a walk that turned into a run on Story’s three-run shot.

The bullpen: The comeback wouldn’t be complete without the pen holding it down, and with Aroldis Chapman unavailable with lat tightness, Wyatt Olds, Alec Gamboa, and Garrett Whitlock combined to go 2.2 scoreless innings.

Duds

Only one dud tonight, and that’s me given my recent stance on Story’s playing time. The crow is delicious, and I hope it remains on the menu well into October!

One other important note

Just before Story’s home run, Willson Contreras was hit in the hand by a pitch and had to leave the game. The good news is x-rays were negative, but given x-rays were also negative after Curtis Mead got hit in July, I’m not going to be celebrating this one until we get further confirmation.

Play of the game:

Was there ever any doubt it would be Story’s home run? Here’s the game changing swing one more time.

View Link
Posted on

'Hopefully, They Lead Us To A Stanley Cup Here One Day': Penguins Eager To Take Another Step Toward Contention

Even if the relative course the Pittsburgh Penguins are charting isn't entirely clear to some, it doesn't change the fact that, after three years out, the team made the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. 

In some respects, the unexpected postseason berth put the Penguins in a tough spot organizationally. They want to get younger and allow some youth to start showing up at the NHL level, but they are also aware that they're good enough to stay relevant in the playoff race.

At the end of the day, the organization - as defenseman Erik Karlsson put it - is in a bit of a "weird" place right now, but the goal is and always will remain sustained contention. And the Penguins, from management on down to the players, believe they are progressing toward that.

"I think the group that we had here last year and the guys that are still here this year, I feel, have a lot more to give," Karlsson said. "I think that the young guys that we have coming in are taking the right steps forward. And, obviously, the guys that we've had here that have been around for a long time, we know what we're going to get from those guys, and they're going to keep contributing and be a big part of this team."

The thing with the Penguins' youth is that several of them should be good enough to help propel the team back to sustained contention, so their transition to the NHL roster shouldn't necessarily be as development-focused once they make the final jump. But the blend of that youth and the team's longtime veterans in Karlsson, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell is the somewhat tricky part to navigate.

Then, you have the new players coming in. The Penguins added forwards Nick Robertson, Hendrix Lapierre and David Gustafsson and defensemen Trevor van Riemsdyk, Declan Carlile and Kaedan Korczak in the offseason, all of whom figure to be either locks or solidly in the mix for roster spots. 

Forget Forward Logjam: Penguins Might Have Defensive Crowding ProblemForget Forward Logjam: Penguins Might Have Defensive Crowding ProblemThe Pittsburgh Penguins have logjams at several positions, but their defensive one may be the most pressing.

As for the new guys coming in, they recognize both the talent that the Penguins have up-and-coming and the talent that has been in Pittsburgh for the better part of the last two decades. 

"There's a lot of veterans but also a lot of younger guys that I've played against and known," Robertson said. "It's good to be in that mix. They've got a bit of excitement from the younger guys and, obviously, a lot of experience from the older guys. It's a unique team, and I'm very happy to be a part of it."

Korczak, who came over from the Vegas Golden Knights this summer in exchange for defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, has been part of a Stanley Cup-winning culture for the last several years. He recognizes a winning culture because he's been part of it.

In the Penguins and GM Kyle Dubas, he sees an organization that is working its way toward the Cup conversation again, and he wants to be part of the young crop of players who helps accomplish that. He is signed with Pittsburgh for four more seasons at $3.25 million. 

"Just talking with Kyle and the coaches, it's exciting to be part of that group that's going to, hopefully, bring that next step to the organization," Korczak said. "You obviously have those guys that can lead you. You've got some Hall-of-Famers here that can show us the way.

"So, I'm really excited for the opportunity to be a part of this young group, and hopefully they lead us to a Stanley Cup here one day."

Penguins' Training Camp 2026: Observations From Day 2Penguins' Training Camp 2026: Observations From Day 2Here are some of my observations from the second day of the Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp.

So, what is the plan for the 2026-27 season? Well, that was made pretty clear by Dubas at the end of last season, when he said that this team doesn't plan to take any steps back. They want to build on their playoff run from last season, and they believe they have at least some of the youth talent to help them keep progressing.

Whether they are Cup contenders again this season or a bit farther into the future remains to be seen, and there is still work to be done and talent that needs to be added in order for them to sustain winning ways. 

Regardless, the most basic goal for the players and the organization remains the same as it always is each and every year.

"If everything goes according to plan, I think - hope - that we're going to be a step better than we were even last year," Karlsson said. "That's obviously the goal. That's what we're operating from right now, and we'll see what the future brings."

Crosby, Karlsson, Penguins' Assistant GM Spezza Give Updates On ExtensionsCrosby, Karlsson, Penguins' Assistant GM Spezza Give Updates On ExtensionsWith both players eligible for extensions but remaining unsigned heading into training camp, some clarity was given on both situations Thursday.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

Posted on

Rangers Training Camp Day 1: Key Takeaways, Line Combinations and Opening-Night Roster Clues

Danny Wild-Imagn Images
Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Day one of training camp is in the books for the New York Rangers, and after months of speculation, we got our first breadcrumbs about what the opening-night roster could look like.

Here’s all you need to know from the first day of training camp 

Gabe Perreault, Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière reunite:

Mike Sullivan went back to a winning formula on Thursday, reuniting Gabe Perreault, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafrenière on a line. 

For a stretch late in the 2025-26 season, these three forwards found success playing alongside each other and provided the Rangers with consistent offensive production they had not gotten all year long. 

Perreault is slated to take on a larger top-six role as he heads into his first NHL season and by the looks of the team’s first practice, it appears as if he’ll indeed start the season as a top-six forward. 

“We thought they had pretty good chemistry, so I think just from a common sense standpoint, it would make sense to maybe see where it goes,” Sullivan said.

The case to pair Zibanejad with Pavel Dorofeyev is certainly enticing and could be explored as camp progresses, but the fact that he started training camp playing with Perreault and Lafrenière may be a sign of things to come, and Sullivan confirmed that he wants to keep the same lines and defensive pairings for at least a couple of days. 

“I'd like to give them a couple of practices, maybe a couple inter-squads, and see where it goes. I think it's obvious we started there for a reason,” Sullivan said. “We'll learn along the way, and we'll figure out based on what we see, based on some of the conversations we have with the players involved, we'll get their feedback also, and then we'll try to make the best decisions for the team.”

J.T. Miller centers line with Pavel Dorofeyev and Oliver Bjorkstrand:

After thriving playing alongside Jack Eichel in Vegas, Pavel Dorofeyev opened up camp with J.T. Miller as his new center. 

Miller fluctuated from the wing to center last season, but playing his natural position down the middle is more beneficial to him, and having Dorofeyev on the wing could help him recapture his offensive game.

“J.T. is a versatile guy,” Sullivan said. “I think his playmaking ability is probably undervalued. He sees the ice pretty well, I think he has an ability to distribute the puck. I think J.T. brings a physical element to the downlow-grind game that I think he can drag his linemates into a little bit, so they can create some offense in different ways. 

“I think Pav is a guy that could obviously score goals, and so we wanted to see what that looks like.”

Oliver Bjorkstrand, who signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Rangers this offseason, complimented Miller and Dorofeyev, as Sullivan praised Bjorkstrand’s ability to score goals. 

While Dorofeyev played on the right side during Thursday’s practice, Sullivan has plans to try out Dorofeyev at both right and left wing. 

“I know he can play both,” Sullivan said of Dorofeyev. “From talking to him, talking to some of his former coaches, I know he can play both sides. I think a lot of it is going to come down to what we think is the best fit based on the combinations that we put together. 

“So we're going to explore different options to figure out how we can create the balance that we think is necessary to win consistently, but also to set players up for success, him included. I would anticipate probably seeing him on both sides throughout the course of the next couple of weeks.”

Will Cuylle Set To Play A Third-Line Role:

The Rangers’ third line on Thursday consisted of Will Cuylle, Noah Laba, and new addition Eeli Tolvanen, with Taylor Raddysh also filling in. 

Sullivan felt that last season Cuylle played his best hockey in a third-line role playing alongside Noah Laba, and now that the Rangers have added more depth to their top-six forward unit, it gives them the ability to utilize Cuylle on the bottom six, a position that he’s better suited to thrive in. 

“I thought Will Cuylle played some of his best hockey with Laba last year,” Sullivan emphasized. “When you put a guy like Will on the third line, so to speak, it creates I think, a scoring threat, a physical presence, more balance through our lineup that makes us harder to play against. You potentially get more advantageous matchups. I think there are advantages to having balance. Will Cuylle with Laba, it strengthens that top nine as opposed to that top six.”

Tolvanen signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Blueshirts late in the offseason, and he provides an element of speed and physicality to a line that is centered around those two traits. 

This newly assembled line brought a strong physical presence on Thursday, specifically shown on a hit delivered by Cuylle on Lafrenière. 

Joe Veleno and Tye Kartye create a speedy fourth line: 

Sullivan looks to be prioritizing speed on the fourth line with a duo of Joe Veleno and Tye Kartye. 

The Rangers went out and signed Veleno to a one-year, $1.2 million contract, and based on the team’s first practice, it appears as if he’s the frontrunner to land the fourth-line center role. 

Kartye mostly played on the third line after being claimed off waivers in February, and he provided an instant spark to the team. 

Sullivan noted the increase in speed to the bottom-six forward unit, specifically provided by Veleno and Kartye. 

“I think we got faster in the bottom six in particular,” Sullivan said. “Veleno, he can really skate. We added Tye Kartye at the end of the year. Tye could really skate, he’s a dog on the bone with the puck.” 

Jaroslav Chmelař and Matt Rempe rotated for that last fourth-line spot. 

Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson make up the second defensive pairing:

When the Rangers acquired both Durzi and Pettersson this summer, it was widely speculated that they would be paired together. 

That was the case on Thursday. Durzi and Pettersson made up the Rangers’ second pairing behind Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov.

Sullivan and Chris Drury emphasized the Rangers’ need for a puck-moving defensemen that is exactly what Durzi and Pettersson provide. 

“You look at our defense core, adding Marcus Pettersson, adding Durzi. We tried them together out there today, and I thought they looked really good,” Sullivan said. “I think both of them have an ability to move the puck, go tape-to-tape, I think that is really going to help us. 

“Exiting out of our end, maybe getting out a little bit cleaner. If we can get the puck in motion, if we can get the puck with speed, I think it should help us off the rush. I think these guys are good players that will make our group stronger back there.”

Alberts Šmits being given a real shot to make the NHL roster: 

During Wednesday’s press conference, Sullivan made it abundantly clear that Šmits will be given a real opportunity to make the Rangers’ opening-night roster.

"Yes, he has a chance to make the team,” Sullivan said of Šmits. “We have to make sure that we do the right thing for him.”

Sullivan put his words into action, placing Šmits on the third defensive pairing alongside Braden Schneider. 

If this is an indication of anything, it is that the 2026 fifth overall pick is seriously being looked at to fill a roster spot come Sept. 29 in Boston to kick off the regular season. 

“I thought he had a pretty strong first day. I think the thing that jumps out at me right away is just his physical stature. He's big and strong, winning puck battles, but when he passes the puck, he snaps it hard, which I think is a very evident thing with NHL players.That’s one thing I noticed right away being on the ice with him, he snaps pucks. It's on and off his tape. We obviously had him paired with Schneids today. I thought he had a good first day. I thought he didn’t look out of place by any stretch.”

Matthew Robertson, who’s Šmits’ main competition for that third-pairing left-handed defensemen spot, was paired with Scott Morrow as alternates, but given Robertson’s role with the Rangers last season, all indications point toward him still having an edge over Šmits for now.

Rangers Open To Carrying Three Goalies To Start The Season:

The Rangers’ backup goaltending position is up for grabs, with Dylan Garand and Joonas Korpisalo competing for that spot. 

The retirement of Jonathan Quick left a void for the backup spot behind Igor Shesterkin, and despite Dylan Garand making a strong impression when he was called up from the American Hockey League at the tail end of the 2025-26 campaign, the Rangers still went out of their way to acquire Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins. 

While there still may be a competition between Garand and Korpisalo for the rights to backup Shesterkin, Sullivan hasn’t ruled out carrying both goalies on the roster to open up the season. 

“Is that an option that is on the table for us, yes,” Sullivan said of the Rangers potentially carrying three goalies on the roster. “It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. I think it's very manageable in the short term. I don't think it's in the best interest of the guys in the long term for obvious reasons.”

Korpisalo practiced with the Rangers’ main group, consisting mostly of NHL players on Thursday, while Garand practiced with most of the players expected to play for the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Posted on

Crosby, Karlsson, Penguins' Assistant GM Spezza Give Updates On Extensions

It's no mystery that Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson are eligible to sign extensions, and each player may have a vastly different path in front of them.

But regardless of what those eventual paths are, the Penguins are not too worried about neither player being signed up to this point.

After day one of training camp Thursday, Penguins' assistant general manager Jason Spezza spoke on a variety of topics, including Crosby and Karlsson. Like general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas emphasized in the spring, Spezza said the situations for both players will sort out in due time.

"We've communicated with [Karlsson] where we're at as a team, and we want to continue to see growth. And I think he wants to see that as well. So, there's been great conversation transparency around his situation.

"We think a lot of Erik. I think he's enjoyed his time here, and we've enjoyed having him. So, those situations will play themselves out as the year goes."

As for Crosby, who is entering his 22nd season and is currently on one of the best bargain contracts in the NHL at $8.7 million average annual value?

"With Sid, I think it's a unique situation, but it's also a situation other great players at his level have gone through," Spezza said. "And, at his age, he probably wants to see how he feels. I think Sid is going to play for a long time if he continues to see things this way. Where that falls into the contract, I think it's less of a concern for us internally and, probably, for him at this point. And he probably wants to see how he feels.

"And I can understand it as a guy who played later into my career. You want to kind of see how you feel, and you want to play at a certain standard. And I think that's probably where Sid is at right now So, there's not really a concern on our end or on his at this point, and like I said with Erik, we try to be transparent with the guys and have conversations with them. And I think everyone knows Sid's situation here. So, he's gonna make sure he's feeling good before anything gets done."

Penguins' Training Camp 2026: Observations From Day 1Penguins' Training Camp 2026: Observations From Day 1Here are some observations from the first day of the Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp.

During season ticket deliveries Tuesday, Crosby clarified the situation with his contract, saying that he's letting Dubas and agent Pat Brisson handle it. He also said that he feels good but, realistically, knowing when to hang up the skates is different for every player, and trying to project when that will be is a futile exercise.

"I wouldn't say there's a hard timeline," Crosby said to reporters covering the event. "I think it's something that I'll let them discuss. And, at this point in my career, it's hard to project how long I'm going to play for, but I think it's just something that I'll see what happens there."

While Crosby's contract situation with the Penguins feels certain to resolve with an extension at some point, the same is not the case for Karlsson.

When asked about his future Thursday, Karlsson offered some clarity with a dash of uncertainty woven in, specifying that extension talks have not occurred between him and the Penguins up to now. But he also implied that he's comfortable entering the season and seeing where the team is at before coming to any final determination on his future with the Penguins, who are in an interesting position organizationally.

"I think that the situation is pretty given on what it is and what it's not," Karlsson said. "I have one year left. Our team is in a weird stage, I think. So, we'll see how it goes this year."

He added: "I'm enjoying my time right now, you know? I'm 36 years old, feel really good. Got a lot of years left in me. The future is not something that I've really thought about.

He added: "I know where I'm at. I know I feel good enough that it's not something that I think I have to worry about. I'm going to stay in the present. I'm very focused on what I can control in the moment right now, and I'm looking forward to that."

'It's New For All Of Us': Penguins Presented With New Challenges In Shortened Training Camp'It's New For All Of Us': Penguins Presented With New Challenges In Shortened Training CampPittsburgh, like all other NHL teams, are navigating fresh pre-season rules with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

Posted on

Josh Hart says Knicks ‘ready to get to work’ on trying to repeat

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Josh Hart speaks during David Yurman’s “Crafting a Legacy” event on Sept. 17 2026 in Manhattan, Image 2 shows Karl-Anthony Towns (left) and Josh share a laugh during David Yurman's

The Knicks are done with the championship celebrations.

They don’t need — or want — more pats on the back. They’ve turned the page.

“This year was amazing. But I think all of us, the thing that makes us special is right now we’re looking forward,” Josh Hart, speaking at David Yurman’s “Crafting a Legacy” event in Manhattan on Thursday night, said when asked about the Knicks’ chances to repeat as champions.

Josh Hart speaks during David Yurman’s “Crafting a Legacy” event on Sept. 17 2026 in Manhattan. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“I think all of us are kind of tired of hearing the congratulations, and we’re ready to get to work,” the Knicks veteran said. “We’re ready to put the work in, grow, build and see where we are at the end of the year.”

The NBA has had eight different champions the past eight years, with the league fully engulfed in an era of parity.

The Knicks will have to buck that trend.

But they return nearly their entire core, with Mitchell Robinson being the only notable departure.

Their quest to repeat will face the challenge of a reshaped Eastern Conference, with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now with the 76ers, Giannis Antetokounmpo now with the Heat, Paul George joining a fully healthy Jayson Tatum on the Celtics and Tyrese Haliburton back in action for the Pacers.

Karl-Anthony Towns (left) and Hart share a laugh during
David Yurman’s “Crafting a Legacy” event in Manhattan on
Sept. 17, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Just under two weeks away from the start of training camp, the Knicks have left their championship in the past and have turned their focus to that challenge.

Hart was joined by teammates Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordan Clarkson, ex-Knick Carmelo Anthony and Spike Lee at Thursday’s event. He also spoke about his personal legacy.

“It’s really just what you pass down to the next generation,” Hart said. “For me, it’s what I pass down to my kids. And it takes a long time to build it. It doesn’t come overnight.”

Posted on

Cubs Minor League Wrap: Connor Noland dominates as Iowa beats Omaha 3-2

DYERSVILLE, IA - AUGUST 11: Connor Noland #38 of the Iowa Cubs waves to the crowd during player introductions prior to the MiLB Field of Dreams game between the St. Paul Saints and the Iowa Cubs at MLB Field at Field of Dreams on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 in Dyersville, Iowa. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Iowa second baseman Hayden Cantrelle was activated off the Development List

Iowa outfielder Greg Jones went on the injured list.

The Midwest League postseason All-Star Team was announces and two South Bend Cubs were named to the team. Josiah Hartshorn was the team’s first baseman and Jackson Brockett was named as one of two relievers.

Hartshorn hit .297/.405/.560 with 18 home runs and 12 steals in 83 games for South Bend.

Brockett made 17 appearances for South Bend and was 7-2 with a 1.79 ERA and three saves in 50.1 innings. He struck out 54 and walked just 12 in that span.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs calmed the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 3-2.

Starter Connor Noland absolutely dominated the Storm Chasers over five innings, allowing no runs and no hits. Noland struck out six and walked two.

Jordan Wicks relieved Noland in the sixth and gave up a solo home run to the first batter he faced. Wicks’ final line was two runs on five hits over 2.2 innings. He struck out two and walked one.

Gabe Klobostis retired the side in order in the ninth inning for the save. Klobostis struck out one.

The I-Cubs managed just four hits tonight, but three of them were the first three batters of the fourth inning, which led to three runs. Catcher Owen Ayers doubled, first baseman Kevin Alcántara singles and then left fielder Chas McCormick doubled them both home. McCormick would come around to score later in the inning on a Jordan Nwogu sac fly.

Ayers went 1 for 4 with the double. Alcántara was 1 for 4. McCormick went 1 for 4 with the double.

McCormick’s two-run double.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were blasted by the Rocket City Trash Pandas (Angels), 13-3. The Trash Pandas win the best-of-three Division Series two games to none and the Smokies season is now over.

This game was over early as Rocket City scored two runs in the second, four in the third and three in the fourth, giving them an early 9-0 lead. Brody McCullough started and took the loss. McCullough allowed five runs on five hits over 2.1 innings. Two of the five runs were unearned. McCullough did strike out six and he walked no one.

Center fielder Kane Kepley went 2 for 3 with a walk, a double and an RBI triple in the bottom of the ninth. Kepley also scored one run.

Catcher Ariel Armas was 2 for 3 with a walk. He had an RBI single in the sixth inning.

Shortstop Karson Simas was 2 for 3 with a walk. He scored on Kepley’s triple.

Kepley’s triple [VIDEO]

View Link
Posted on

Kevin Porter Jr. gets married — with his wife trading bridal white for all black

Kevin Porter Jr. is a married man. 

The Bucks guard recently wed his now wife, Tee Janay, according to a post on Porter’s Instagram page on Thursday. 

Porter, 26, posted a carousel of photos on his social media page that showed the couple’s wedding and captioned the post, “WE/DO Mrs. Porter.” 

The pictures Porter posted showed the couple both wearing all black, with the hooper in a black suit and his bride donning a black wedding dress and holding purple flowers. 

Other images showed the newlyweds looking off at fireworks that appeared to be featured during the reception and the two dancing while surrounded by guests at the nuptials. 

The Bucks, whom Porter has played for over the past two seasons, congratulated Porter with a post on X. 

It’s unclear when the wedding took place, but a post by celebrity bridal designer Inna Elsie went up five days prior to Thursday, boasting that Tee Janay had worn one of the designer’s bridal robes. 

NBA star Kevin Porter Jr. gets married. Credit: Instagram

Porter is entering his third season in Milwaukee after he exercised the $5.39 million player option in his contract. 

His season was cut short by injury in March, but he had averaged 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game in the 38 games he did play for the Bucks during the 2025-26 season.

This will be his first season in Milwaukee without Giannis Antetokounmpo on the roster after the NBA star was traded to the Heat in July.

Porter would prove valuable during the upcoming campaign if he can replicate the success he had last season as the Bucks go through a massive change following Antetokounmpo’s departure. 

NBA star Kevin Porter Jr. gets married. Credit: Instagram

Porter has been in the NBA for six seasons, starting his career with the Cavaliers before spending time with the Rockets, Clippers and Bucks. 

Porter was arrested on Sept. 11, 2023, in New York and charged with assault and strangulation of his then-girlfriend Kysre Gondrezick.

Gondrezick later denied being hit and told The Post at the time that her “injuries don’t support any of those claims” made by authorities.

He eventually agreed to a plea deal, agreeing to charges of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree.

Posted on

Mets talk 'scary' Jared Young injury, grateful for quick paramedic response: 'It was a terrifying moment'

The result of Thursday's series opener against the Phillies wasn't on the minds of the Mets. All they could think about was the health of Jared Young.

The first baseman took a knee from Nolan McLean on a dribbler down the first base line, which left Young motionless on the ground for a few moments before he was carted away. 

Interim manager Andy Green gave a positive update on Young's condition, saying he was responsive and doing well in the hospital. He underwent CT scans and the results came back negative, but the Mets skipper could not understate how he felt in that moment.

“It was really scary. Since he’s got to the hospital, he’s had a CT scan and the results have come back negative," Green said. "Still experiencing real concussion symptoms right now. Likely avoided the scariest outcome. It was a terrifying moment on the baseball field."

Green said his thoughts immediately go to Young's family and teammates.

“When you see a collision like that and you get out there quick, and there’s not much going on, those are very scary moments," Green said. "Thankful he’s showing really good signs right now and doing well at the hospital. Thankful for the paramedics and everybody that came on the field so quickly for taking care of him. Thoughts and prayers to Julia and the rest of his family."

McLean was not available to the media following the game, but Green said the young right-hander was shaken by the play. 

"Knew it was a really bad collision. Still was willing to go back out the next inning," Green said of McLean. "Didn’t feel that was in his best interest at that point in time. Probably should have made a better position to not let him get the next hitter.

"He was still strong enough to do it and got back out there and did it. He’s a heck of a person. He’s a great competitor. But the humanity hit him pretty hard there too."

McLean said he was capable of pitching both mentally and physically. Once he got on the mound and took some warm-up throws, he felt good enough and struck out Garrett Stubbs to get through the sixth. 

"It’s scary to see one of our brothers, one of the most respected and loved teammates that we have here, like that," Francisco Lindor said. "And then seeing another great teammate say, ‘man this is not good. I hit him with my knee.'  Life is bigger than this game, for sure. Seeing him not reacting and the trainer holding his neck. It's scary. It's a scary moment. You can only think about how quick life can get out of his hands. You think about his family and everyone else here. Thoughts and prayers to him and his family...Tough moment. It's scary. Respect for Nolan to gather himself and finish the inning." 

Young, 31, had become the everyday first baseman with his play this season. In 102 games this season, he slashed .268/.332/.431 (.764 OPS) and became a fixture in the lineup and in the clubhouse.

How Young's teammates speak about him and the somber atmosphere after the game show how much they respect and care for Young. 

"He’s a guy who is always happy, is the same person no matter what," Lindor said of Young. "He posts up whether he’s playing or not. He’s there, he’s consistent. He’s somebody we all respect and appreciate and have love for him. He’s been a big part of our team this whole year. Probably one of the better hitters on our team. Can only imagine what he is going through right now and his family as well."

Posted on

Who will be next Angels GM? Job viewed as more desirable after sale

The Los Angeles Angels remain in search of a permanent general manager after the firing of Perry Minasian on June 26.

The organization is one of three, as of Sept. 17, looking for a new lead front-office official, along with the Athletics and Houston Astros.

According to a report from Yahoo Sports, the Angels may have become a lot more desirable following the agreement that will see Arte Moreno sell the team to Stan Kroenke, who also owns the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche, among other teams. The franchise is expected to be sold for a record $4 billion.

"The Angels job just shot to the top of everybody's list," one American League general manager told Yahoo Sports. "That owner with those resources and an empty canvas — every executive not tied down is gonna want that job and should!"

With the fan base hungry to have a winner back in Anaheim and a new owner who's won championships in multiple sports at the top, the Angels could be appealing.

There had been a vocal group of fans expressing their frustration at home games, the group sitting in the upper deck shirtless, waving their shirts and asking for Moreno to sell the team. He finally did.

Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates with Wade Meckler after hitting a home run in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 11, 2026, in Washington, DC.

John Mozeliak was named the team's "Baseball Operations Consultant" and interim general manager.

Mozeliak had spent 30 years with the St. Louis Cardinals, including 18 as the head of the club's baseball operations, but he was not expected to be the full-time replacement as general manager upon his hiring.

Who could Angels consider for general manager role?

Tampa Bay Rays senior advisor Jon Daniels and Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes received the most votes as part of a Yahoo Sports survey asking 24 MLB executives to name potential general manager candidates they would have on a short list.

Dodgers' special advisor Farhan Zaidi also received a vote.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who will be next Angels GM? Job viewed as more desirable after sale