A major shift is coming to Major League Baseball, starting on opening day this Thursday. New rules are now in effect. There will be clocks at stadiums to hurry along pitchers and hitters, and there are restrictions on defensive shifts for fielders. The full slate of 15 games includes matchups at Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium.
Major league pitchers and batters aren’t the only ones going on the clock this season. Big league broadcasters have also been using spring training to adjust to baseball’s new rhythm amid a series of rules changes. When the season opens Thursday, MLB will usher in an age of sharper, quicker and more concise commentary.
The NCAA has gotten mostly positive reviews for its new women's Sweet 16 format during March Madness. Hosting games it two cities instead of the traditional four set attendance records and produced higher TV ratings. The two regionals combined to set an all-time attendance mark for the Sweet 16, following up the record mark set the first weekend.
Dusty May is going to the Final Four and it's safe to say that few might have seen that coming.
Major League Baseball’s new rules package is set for its regular-season debut Thursday when all 30 teams play their first game. The good news for the sport is that the rules changes have been widely praised during spring training.
Today is Wednesday, March 29, the 88th day of 2023. There are 277 days left in the year.
Comedian Eric Idle is 80. Singer Bobby Kimball of Toto is 76. Actor Bud Cort (“Harold and Maude”) is 75. Actor Brendan Gleeson (“The Banshees of Inishirin”) is 68. Actor Marina Sirtis (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) is 68. Actor Christopher Lambert (“Highlander”) is 66. Singer Perry Farrell of Porno for Pyros and Jane’s Addiction is 64. Comedian Amy Sedaris is 62. Model Elle Macpherson is 60. Actor Annabella Sciorra (“Law and Order: Criminal Intent”) is 59. Director Michel Hazanavicius (“The Artist”) is 56. Singer-harmonica player John Popper of Blues Traveler is 56. Actor Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess”) is 55. Country singer Regina Leigh of Regina Regina is 55. Country singer Brady Seals is 54. Actor Megan Hilty is 42. Keyboardist PJ Morton of Maroon 5 is 42.
In this column, I will discuss some of the major changes of the SECURE Act, beginning with timing.
Here is a list of gifts from organizations will quite literally sustain the receiver long after the holiday is over.
The Cleveland Guardians are close to signing a long-term contract with All-Star second baseman Andrés Giménez. The 24-year-old batted .297 and won a Gold Glove for the AL Central champions last season. He could sign the deal within days, according to an AP source. The person added that the Guardians are also nearing a deal with reliever Trevor Stephan.
Embattled Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder could very well sell the franchise before an investigation into his organization’s conduct can be complete. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said even if that’s the case, any report will be made public. Goodell said Tuesday at the league's annual meetings that the NFL is “committed to releasing the findings.” Snyder and the Commanders are still under investigation by former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White.
Jordan Miller entered the transfer portal two years ago and wasn't immediately on Miami's radar. That is, until a guy who the Hurricanes know as "Clutch" called. Clutch's real name is Gary Collins and he coached Miller during his AAU years. He called Miami assistant Bill Courtney and predicted Miller would be a breakout star. Fast forward two years. Clutch was right, and Miller and the Hurricanes are headed to the Final Four in large part because of his perfect shooting performance against Texas in the Elite Eight.
Some Russian athletes can soon return to international sports, although their status for the Paris Olympics is still up in the air. The International Olympic Committee has recommended that individual athletes from Russia and Belarus should be allowed to return to competition under a neutral status as long as they have no military links. But the IOC held off on deciding whether they can compete at next year’s Paris Olympics.
Rodney Terry said he always felt confident he'd earn the chance to be the full-time head basketball coach at Texas. The school removed the interim tag from his title and gave him the full-time job after Terry led the Longhorns to the Elite Eight following the midseason firing of Chris Beard.
The NCAA has taken a seat on the bench in the political game. The organization that governs college athletics was once at the forefront of hot-button issues such as the Confederate flag and transgender rights. But that stance evolved quickly as one Republican-controlled state after another rushed to pass laws that cover everything from abortion to transgender rights to drag shows.
