BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s hopes of World Cup qualification are being impacted by the Iran war because players cannot get visas for the playoff tournament in Mexico and the team's coach is stranded in the United Arab Emirates.
“Because of airspace closures, our head coach, Graham Arnold, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates,” the Iraqi soccer federation said in a statement on Instagram on Wednesday. “In addition, several embassies remain closed at the present time, preventing several professional players, technical and medical staff members from obtaining entry visas to Mexico.”
Iraq is scheduled to play either Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey, Mexico on March 31 for one of the last two qualification places for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The federation said it is in “constant communication with FIFA regarding the arrangements for our national team’s participation” in the match. It said the Asian Football Confederation is also “fully aware of every development regarding our team’s situation.”
If Iraq fails to qualify through the playoff, it could take another path if Iran is unable to take part in the tournament because of the U.S. and Israeli attacks on the country.
“We cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” Iran’s top soccer official Mehdi Taj said.
Should Iran pull out — still hugely speculative — Iraq or the United Arab Emirates would be likely replacements as the ninth and 10th-ranked Asian teams in qualifying.
But FIFA’s legal regulations are vague and appear to give FIFA president Gianni Infantino wide powers to shape any decision.
Iraq’s most certain hope of qualifying remains winning the playoff later this month.
The NHL trade deadline is just a couple of days away, and the understanding is that the Los Angeles Kings' GM Ken Holland won't be a busy customer by the time the week's over.
He had his say, explaining that trading for Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers on Feb. 4 was his "big deadline deal." Holland also said that he anticipates the team's first-round pick not being in play this week.
Nonetheless, here is a roundup of the players that have been linked to the Kings in some way, leading up to Friday's deadline.
Elias Pettersson, C, Vancouver Canucks
Throughout the season, there have been rumblings regarding Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson and Los Angeles.
It seemed to be an obvious fit, looking on the outside. Captain Anze Kopitar, who has been the Kings' first-line center for practically the length of his 20-year career, will be retiring at the end of this season.
Therefore, Los Angeles is going to have to replace the veteran in some way, shape or form.
Pettersson could fit the bill of what the Kings will be missing as he is a top-six center and was once a superstar, recording a 103-point campaign back in 2022-23. The Swede is also 27 years old, meaning the Kings would get some prime years from Pettersson.
The trickiest part of that potential marriage is Pettersson's contract. The Canucks center carries an $11.6 million salary cap hit for the next six years. He also has a full no-move clause activated throughout the entire deal that expires following the 2031-32 campaign.
To this point, it doesn't seem like Pettersson is in play - for any team - ahead of the trade deadline. If Vancouver ever decides to trade him away, it'll likely be an off-season move when teams have a little more flexibility with the cap and their rosters.
Robert Thomas, C, St. Louis Blues
Robert Thomas has been one of the hottest topics in the NHL in terms of candidates to be moved before Friday's deadline. At his age, cap hit, and several years under term, what team wouldn't be interested in kicking tires at Thomas?
TSN's Darren Dreger said on the Barn Burner podcast that he could see Thomas being a fit for L.A. The fit here is built on the same philosophy as the Pettersson addition.
However, Thomas is younger than Pettersson at 26 years old and has a cheaper salary cap hit of $8.125 million until 2030-31.
The problem with this potential move is that the St. Louis Blues have a high asking price for Thomas, and given the position the Kings are in, Holland shouldn't unload his prospects and future assets. Making the playoffs isn't a certainty for Los Angeles this year.
Vincent Trocheck, C, New York Rangers
While Vincent Trocheck has three more years on his contract, he wouldn't be the type of fit for the Kings that Pettersson or Thomas would bring. Trocheck is a 32-year-old veteran center that contending teams will be looking to add.
Not only would the Rangers center only bring the Kings a few years of great penalty killing and second-line contributions, but Trocheck is reportedly uninterested in moving to the Western Conference.
Trocheck's 12-team no-trade list allows him to exercise that request. Along with that clause in his contract, he earns $5.625 million until the end of the 2028-29 season
Even though the Olympic gold medallist would be a great help for Los Angeles in their quest to get into the playoffs, it doesn't seem like a likely transaction.
Steven Stamkos, C/LW, Nashville Predators
The Kings were linked to Nashville Predators center and left winger Steven Stamkos for a brief period of time. Those rumors came to fruition before the Panarin acquisition and, since then, have gone silent.
In addition, there's no guarantee that Stamkos gets moved anywhere, as he has a full no-move clause for the remainder of his contract. The deal that sees him earn $8 million per season expires following the 2027-28 campaign.
Furthermore, Stamkos has hinted at not being interested in waiving his clause, keeping him in Nashville.
Nonetheless, the 36-year-old veteran has had an excellent campaign to this point, scoring 30 goals and 47 points in 61 contests.
Patrik Laine, RW, Montreal Canadiens
There are two parts of the story when it comes to Los Angeles pursuing Montreal Canadiens right winger Patrik Laine.
Initially, Holland contacted the Habs to check in on the status of Laine, but quickly began looking elsewhere as there didn't seem to be a fit.
However, the latest reports from David Pagnotta say that the Kings are circling back on the Finnish sniper. This likely has to do with the injury to Andrei Kuzmenko, who received surgery and is out for the long term.
At any rate, Laine also hasn't been healthy. He's only featured in five games this season, with his last appearance coming on Oct. 16. The 27-year-old has been sidelined for several months following a core muscle surgery.
Last season, the second-overall pick of the 2016 draft featured in 52 contests, scoring 30 goals and 33 points. The pending UFA carries an $8.7 million cap hit and has a 10-team no-trade list.
Evander Kane, LW, Vancouver Canucks
The rumor linking Canucks left winger Evander Kane to the Kings hasn't been a hot headline for some time. However, the reality of a deal happening is very much alive.
One thing to consider is how Los Angeles' GM feels about the player. Holland has brought in Kane before, when he was with the Edmonton Oilers, and could easily do it again if he wished.
Elias Pettersson and Evander Kane (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)
Kane, 34, was acquired by Vancouver in the off-season for a fourth-round pick. If Holland wants to add experience, sandpaper, and depth to the bottom half of his forward group, trading for Kane may be the easiest transaction the GM has ever made in his career.
This season, Kane has played 59 games and has registered 11 goals and 27 points while averaging 16:48 of ice time for the Canucks.
Blake Coleman is very likely to be moved by the Calgary Flames ahead of this deadline. But Coleman's connection to Los Angeles has been a relatively new development.
Dreger reported on Barn Burner that among the laundry list of forwards that the Holland and the Kings are keeping an eye on, Coleman appears to be one of them.
The 34-year-old is a very versatile player who can do a job in all forward positions. He's in his fifth season with the Flames, but played a key role as a checking forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning in their back-to-back Stanley Cup runs.
Coleman is in the fifth year of a six-year contract that pays him $4.9 million per season and has a 10-team trade list. He has 13 goals and 22 points in 48 games for Calgary.
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The Big 12 is loaded with teams capable of making a run in the NCAA Tournament. Perhaps a run in the conference tournament can be the boost a few teams need heading into March Madness.
Arizona is all but a lock for one of four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Could Houston or Iowa State sneak onto the final No. 1-seed spot with a Big 12 championship win?
Kansas is also capable of making a run for a Big 12 title, especially with Darryn Peterson fully available, which he has been as of late. Peterson, one of the top projected picks of the 2026 NBA Draft, has played 30 or more minutes in each of his last four games.
The Big 12 tournament could also have huge seeding implications for TCU, UCF, Cincinnati and others vying for an at-large bid.
Here's how the Big 12 bracket looks as of March 4 with one game left in the regular season:
Big 12 tournament projected live bracket (March 4)
All times Eastern.
Tuesday, March 10
Game 1: No. 12 Arizona State vs. No. 13 Oklahoma State | 12:30 p.m.
Game 2: No. 9 West Virginia vs. No. 16 Utah | 3 p.m.
Game 3: No. 10 BYU vs. No. 15 Kansas State | 7 p.m.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are so deep that a guy like Isaiah Joe gets overlooked. Joe has seen an expanded role since the start of February, and he’s taken advantage.
Joe is averaging 15.6 points over his last 14 games and has been a deadly 3-point shooter, draining a crazy good 46.6% of his 7.4 attempts per game during that stretch. I like him to light up the scoreboard at Madison Square Garden when OKC visits the New York Knicks tonight.
The Knicks have struggled with their perimeter defense, ranking 20th in opponent made threes per game, and are playing the second half of a back-to-back. Joe has hit three or more threes 10 times over this 14-game run.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN
Prop #2: Brandon Miller Over 3.5 made threes
+125 at bet365
Brandon Miller’s development might be the biggest reason the Charlotte Hornets are becoming a good basketball team. Miller is having a great season and is on fire from beyond the arc.
He’s averaging 23.4 points and shooting 41.3% from 3-point range on 10.2 attempts over his last nine games, and you can expect Miller to keep letting it fly tonight against the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics live and die by the 3-ball. They are one of the best long-range shooting teams while ranking 22nd in opponent made threes per game.
Miller has hit four or more threes in seven of his last nine games. At this price, I love backing him to do it again.
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Charlotte, NBCSB
But, even with Giannis, this Bucks team has too many issues, including on the glass. Even with one of the best rebounders in the game, Milwaukee owns the fourth-worst rebounding rate.
Meanwhile, Hawks big man Onyeka Okongwu has been putting in extra work on the boards. Okongwu is averaging 9.2 rebounds in his last six games, hauling down 10 or more five times. Over 7.5 should be light work against the Bucks tonight.
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The Detroit Red Wings return home with momentum after a statement 4–2 road win over the Nashville Predators, bouncing back from a tough trip that also included a stop against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Awaiting them are the Vegas Golden Knights, who enter Wednesday’s matchup struggling at 4-8-2 over their last 14 games and riding a three-game losing streak. While Detroit has dropped three of the last four meetings overall, Vegas has lost four of its last five games in the Motor City.
Vegas could again be without captain Mark Stone, paving the way for Pavel Dorofeyev to continue his hot stretch alongside Mitch Marner, with 15 points in his last 16 games. Detroit will counter with Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin, who have combined for eight goals over the past 10 games.
The biggest question surrounds Detroit’s crease after John Gibson exited Monday’s game, prompting the recall of top prospect Sebastian Cossa. Cam Talbot is expected to start against Adin Hill, as both teams look for stability in net in what shapes up to be a pivotal matchup.
Detroit Red Wings’ Expected Line Combinations vs Vegas (Wednesday)
Rasmussen – Larkin – Kane
DeBrincat – Copp – Raymond
van Riemsdyk – Compher – Shine
Finnie – Kasper – Appleton
Edvinsson – Seider
Johansson - Sandin-Pellikka
Chiarot – Benard-Docker
Talbot
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The hosts must conjure the spirit of their last title triumph, 27 years ago, when the sides meet at Murrayfield
Even now, 27 years on, Kenny Logan still remembers how good it felt. Back in 1999, as this year, Scotland were title outsiders before a crunch fixture against the defending champions, France. Beneath a bright blue Parisian sky they gloriously ripped up the script with five first-half tries and, thanks to England’s late implosion against Wales at Wembley a day later, hoisted the trophy at Murrayfield in front of 15,000 fans on the Monday.
For Logan, who landed five successful kicks on that famous afternoon, the timeless lessons of the story are twofold. The first is that Scotland have failed to win the tournament since; and the second is that, at times like this, fortune favours the brave: “When we went to France that year we took the game to them. That’s what Scotland will do this weekend – and probably do it better than we could.”
Things aren’t looking particularly good for the Florida Panthers and their hopes of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season.
Following Florida’s 5-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, the third straight for the Panthers, they fell 10 points behind the Boston Bruins for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
It wasn’t that long ago that Florida was in a much better position with solid prospects of making the playoffs.
After winning a third straight game on Jan. 25, the Panthers were just three points out of a playoff spot with 31 games remaining on their schedule.
They have played 10 games since then, losing eight of them and leaving any hopes at reaching the postseason into extremely critical condition.
With the NHL’s annual Trade Deadline looming on Friday, it seems the Panthers may have played themselves out of being buyers and instead may be looking toward the future.
According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, Florida may be taking a selling position at the deadline.
The Panthers lost again last night and my understanding is they've made the decision to be sellers as far as listening on pending UFAs, which most notably include the likes of AJ. Greer and Sergei Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky has a 16-team no-trade list. Doesn't mean he will be dealt…
That means pending unrestricted free agents Sergei Bobrovsky and A.J. Greer could be prime targets for teams looking to bolster their rosters ahead of the playoffs.
Greer, 29, is having the best season of his nine spent in the NHL, racking up career highs in goals (11) and points (22), and he’ll likely set a new mark for shots on goal in a season as well (he needs nine shots to break last season’s total of 86).
Bobrovsky, on the other hand, is having a regular season to forget.
Following Tuesday’s defeat to the Devils, Bobrovsky’s record dropped to 22-19-1. Through 43 appearance, Bob has skated to a career-worst .873 save percentage, and the only season he had with a higher GAA (goals against average) than his current 3.13 was during his first year with the Panthers, when it was 3.23.
Not since his second season in the NHL has Bobrovsky, who is 37 years old, had a save percentage lower than .900.
But Bobrovsky’s recent play during the postseason, where he’s been excellent, will keep him in high regard among potential playoff teams looking for help in the goaltending department.
While helping lead the Panthers to three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances, Bobrovsky has been lights out between the pipes, cementing his place as one of the NHL’s all time great goaltenders and playoff performers.
He struggles this season could also be attributed to Florida playing with a roster missing several of their key pieces, as Sasha Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Dmitry Kulikov and Tomas Nosek all missed months upon months, with Tkahcuk only returning in January and Kulikov and Nosek in the past week, while Barkov remains on LTIR.
The thing about Bobrovsky is that he has a 16-team no-trade list attached to his contract, and he and his family are very happy in South Florida.
It’s where he and his wife Olya have started their family, with two daughters joining the Bobrovsky clan in recent years, and where Bobrovsky has reportedly said he wants to continue his career beyond his current contract.
How all of this plays out in the coming 48 hours will be very interesting to watch unfold.
Photo caption: Jan 8, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Florida Panthers Sergei Sergei Bobrovsky (72) sprays his face with water against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period at Bell Centre. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)
The Houston Astros (1-6-3) travel to Sarasota to take on the Baltimore Orioles (5-4-1) in Grapefruit League action.
LHP Colton Gordon will make his third appearance of the Spring for the Astros, while RHP Shane Baz will take the mound for the Orioles.
TODAY’S STARTER: LHP Colton Gordon is coming off a productive rookie season, where he recorded a 5.34 ERA (51ER/86IP) in 20 games, including 14 starts for the Astros. Entered the 2025 season as the one of the Astros top pitching prospects and finished the 2025 season with the third most starts in the Astros rotation. Among AL rookies in 2025, he ranked first in walks per nine innings (1.99) and first in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.79).
TODAY’S POTENTIAL RELIEVERS: RHP AJ Blubaugh, RHP Alimber Santa and RHP Miguel Ullola.
CAMP BY THE NUMBERS: The Astros have 61 players in camp, including a full 40-man roster and 21 non-roster invitees. 34 pitchers, seven catchers, 11 infielders and nine outfielders.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, March 4, 12:05 p.m. CST
The New York Knicks (40*-22) host the Oklahoma City Thunder (48–15) tonight at Madison Square Garden, both on the second night of back-to-backs. Yesterday in Toronto, the Knicks fought the Raptors to the end for victory, while the Thunder beat the Bulls in Chicago. Both teams have won three in a row.
They last met on January 10, 2025, when Oklahoma City rolled to a 126–101 victory. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 39 points and controlled the game from start to finish. Josh Hart grabbed 13 rebounds in the loss.
The Thunder hold the league’s best record and have been a juggernaut all season. They rank near the top of the NBA in both offensive and defensive efficiency, scoring roughly 119 points per game while allowing about 108, giving them the league’s best net rating. The engine behind that success is MVP candidate Gilgeous-Alexander, averaging around 31.8 points and 6.4 assists per game. Chet Holmgren provides interior defense and versatility, contributing about 17 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks per night. Jalen Williams (17.5 PPG) has been another dynamic scoring option despite poor long-range shooting, while Luguentz Dort supplies the defense and trips.
OKC is expected to start SGA at guard alongside Cason Wallace (9 PTS), Dort, Holmgren, and Isaiah Joe (11 PPG, 42% 3P%) if Isaiah Hartenstein (10.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG) sits with a calf issue.
On the injury front, Miles McBride remain out for the home team. The Thunder enter somewhat banged up: SGA, iHart, and Ajay Mitchell are listed day-to-day, while Jalen Williams is sidelined with a hamstring issue.
Prediction
ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Knicks a 52% edge at home. We’ll take it. SGA, Hartenstein, and Jalen Williams all rested last night in Chicago, and I can’t think of a compelling reason why coach Mark Daigneault would rush anyone back for this interconference matchup. On our side, the Knicks have been locked in defensively and possessed by the spirit of cooperation of late, with all five starters scoring in double figures over the last three games. Factor in solid bench contributions from Landry Shamet, Mohamed Diawara, and Jose Alvarado, and the ‘Bockers look ready to challenge the mighty Thunder. Expect a little early fatigue, but watch our heroes catch fire mid-second quarter, grab the lead after halftime, and hold off a late push for a four-point win.
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (40*-22) at Oklahoma City Thunder (48-15) Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 Time: 7 PM ET Place: Madison Square Garden, NYC TV: ESPN and MSG Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
* Should be one more, but NBA Cup wins evaporate in water.
For a team that values combativity, seeing Montreal Canadiens’ Kirby Dach’s nonchalant play in his own zone against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night should have set off a couple of alarms. In a recent interview on the Basu and Godin Notebook, Habs GM Kent Hughes explained that Montreal is after competitiveness from its players. He cited Brendan Gallagher, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson as examples of players who have what he’s looking for.
Seeing Dach be so easily dispossessed by Kiefer Sherwood last night was yet another example of a play where the 6-foot-4 and 221-pound winger didn’t look like he wanted the puck and was willing to do whatever it took to get it. Unfortunately, that wasn’t a one-off. The Albertan might have been a third-overall pick for the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2019 draft, but he doesn’t always play like it.
Pretty inexcusable effort by Kirby Dach on this goal by the Sharks
There are nights when he looks really committed and plays well. In the 11 games he has played since his return from yet another injury, he has racked up six points, but he lacks consistency, and it’s hard to tell which version of Dach will turn up on any given night.
Given the key role Nick Suzuki’s line plays for the Canadiens, it needs to be firing on all cylinders for the Canadiens to be successful. Granted, Montreal has more secondary scoring than it once did, but the fact remains that life is much easier for the Habs when their top line is performing. On Tuesday night, Montreal scored five goals, but with Suzuki and Caufield finishing the night on a minus-three and Dach with a minus-two, the Canadiens still lost the game.
At 25 years old, and after 295 NHL games, Dach should know what it takes to play in the NHL, and he should be aware of the standard Martin St-Louis wants his men to meet. If it were up to me, Dach wouldn’t start the next game on Suzuki’s wing. I think it’s time to give Alex Newhook a look there. Granted, he doesn’t have the big frame that Dach or Juraj Slafkovsky have, he’s 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, but most of the time, he plays bigger than Dach and with a higher compete level.
Before returning from his fractured ankle, Newhook said he had trained to be able to hit the ground running on his return, and he wasn’t kidding. In three games, he has recorded four points, and his speed is right where it was before he was sidelined. When you watch him, you never ask yourself if he really wants that puck; it’s evident that he does.
If Martin St-Louis absolutely wants a big body on his first line, he could also put Slafkovsky back up there and have Newhook skate alongside Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov; that combination worked very well before the St. John’s native was injured. Newhook had 12 points in 16 games when he fractured his ankle. Furthermore, Slafkovsky has struggled since returning from the Olympics, and that move might help him as well.
Whichever way you look at it, Dach’s level of implication isn’t high enough to warrant playing on the first line with Suzuki and Caufield. The door might not be shut on that possibility forever, but as things stand, Newhook has put his foot right in there, and he deserves a look, much more than Dach.
Today we look at one of the Cubs’ camp arms, who might, MIGHT have a shot at the MLB bullpen. It’s up to him.
Jack Preston Neely came to the Cubs, along with on again/off-again Cub Ben Cowles, for Mark Leiter Jr. He’s got a live arm but tends to walk himself into trouble. Stop me if you’ve heard this before. He’s pitched a total of six innings for the Cubs during the regular season, resulting in a 9.00 ERA, 7 strikeouts, and a 1.67 WHIP.
In his MLB career, he’s pitched to a 4.85 ERA in 10 games, with one save, one hold, 9.1 innings pitched, 15 strikeouts, and 6 bases on balls. He’s given up 11 hits and two home runs, including statistics from this spring, where he hasn’t pitched badly or at length.
The 25-year-old 6’8”, 240 pound right-hander was picked in the 11th round of the 2021 draft by NYY from Ohio State. Neely was an Organization All-Star and a Post-Season All-Star for the Hudson Valley Renegades, a High-A affiliate of the Yankees. Other than his cups of coffee with the Yankees and Cubs, that’s pretty much a career retrospective.
He’s amassed a 0.2 bWAR (0.1 fWAR). Some projection systems have him reaching The Show this year, pitching in a few games, following the line of his career statistics. He’ll get some Ks, give up bases on balls and homers, and not really affect things one way or the other.
Not that he doesn’t have talent, but it’s never been harnessed to his advantage, due to his generosity with the free pass and the meatball. Another pitch would probably help. He throws a fastball in the mid-90s and a slider that runs about 85. Good disparity that a change or curve could set up admirably. His FB doesn’t have a lot of movement, so despite its velocity, batters wait on it and avoid the fast-breaking slider, which has a 35.5 inch vertical drop but not much lateral movement.
Neely is more or less a right-handed complement to Luke Little. Both are getting into the suspect class, but in the meantime, as they try to make The Show, both should remember the words of Ken Kesey.
“You’re either on the bus, or you’re off the bus.”
There are only two gamedays left in the regular season for SEC men's basketball.
Defending national champion Florida has already wrapped up the No. 1 seed for next week's SEC tournament in Nashville (March 11-15). But the rest of the positions are up for grabs.
Tuesday saw a number of unexpected results as Georgia beat Alabama to improve its case to get off the NCAA tournament bubble, while Missouri lost at Oklahoma and Texas A&M beat Kentucky to muddle up the middle of the conference.
Mar 14, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Dominican Republic center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) hits a two-run double during the sixth inning against Israel at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Mariners fans, do you smell that in the air? Fresh cut grass, hot dogs fresh off the grill, it’s the signs that another spring training is here and the baseball season is on the horizon. While the Seahawks kept me happy this winter, my one true love is finally coming out of hibernation; baseball season is here!
Now that spring training is finally in full swing, we can ask about what you all think so far. There’s been no shortage of exciting performances, fun at-bats, or eye-popping velocity from Mariners prospects so far this spring. Yes, it seems the Mariners have come to play with solid outings from top prospects like Cole Young, all the way to veteran players looking for a second act like Patrick Wisdom. The Mariners’ farm system seems ripe for harvest at a time when this team seems to be on the precipice of something great. I’m excited, but what I wanna hear from you is who has impressed you so far this spring? I know it’s difficult to say, obviously, you don’t watch every game, you can’t see every play, and as I’ve stated before, I can’t list every option in the survey, but let us know via the survey below who you think has been the most impressive so far this spring. If you feel compelled to shout out a player who you don’t see here, feel free to do so in the comments!
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Though it’s not just the regular season that’s around the corner, the return of competitive baseball will actually be the World Baseball Classic! As you may remember, a couple of weeks ago, I asked you all what Mariner you thought would do the best in the tournament. The results were unsurprising, to me at least:
I will say it’s a little tough for Muñoz to be in this poll because he is a relief pitcher, but I wanted to include players from different nations, and at least one pitcher, and it wouldn’t have felt right leaving out Cal or Julio. I can’t say I disagree with the poll’s findings either. As I said previously, I’m hopeful Julio can light it up for the DR and come out hot for the Mariners. I am surprised Cal didn’t do better. One would think, after last season, he could get a huge wave of support in terms of consistency of performance, but I guess the Dumper doesn’t have the mesmerizing effect I thought – or maybe our poll voters are bigger believers in the DR team’s chances? Let us know, was Julio your choice? Do you think Cal is gonna light up the whole tournament? Or do you have a dark horse pick you have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to talk about? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Finn Allen’s riotous 33-ball century propelled New Zealand to a stunning victory in Kolkata
Two in two balls! Ryan Rickelton slashes his first ball – a bit of a long hop in truth – straight to backward point and walks off shaking his head.
The offspinner Cole McConchie takes the new ball for only the second time in the competition – and the plan pays off in spade. De Kock skipped down to hit a majestic four but pulled the next ball high in the air and was easily taken at mid-on by Lockie Ferguson. That’s the fourth time in this World Cup that De Kock has been out to an offspinner.
Isaiah Joe
Brandon Miller
Onyeka Okongwu
