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Guardians manager Terry Francona planning multiple operations, potential retirement

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:56 GMT

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona has already scheduled shoulder replacement surgery and plans on having a pair of hernia operations at the end of this season.The 64-year-old knows his recovery period will be lengthy, and spending another year in the dugout is not conducive to making it a smooth process.Francona, however, isn’t quite ready to announce his retirement after 11 seasons with the franchise.“I need to go get healthy for my life, and this lifestyle is just too difficult,” Francona said Wednesday. “I also know how I feel about doing the job a certain way, and I don’t think I can necessarily do that anymore. And that bothers me.“I don’t want to fib to people (about my future), but I also don’t want the last six weeks to be about me. The focus has to be on the players.”One Tuesday, Francona inadvertently made himself the focal point of the Guardians’ final 36 games by hinting that he would step down as manager. It made his routine pregame availabilit...

Shohei Ohtani hits 44th homer, leaves mound early; De La Cruz has 6 RBIs in Reds’ 9-4 win over Halos

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:56 GMT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his major league-leading 44th homer in the first inning before he abruptly left the mound in the second due to arm fatigue during the Los Angeles Angels’ 9-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday in the first game of a doubleheader.Elly De La Cruz had a career-high six RBIs with a three-run homer and a three-run triple for Cincinnati following the latest early departure of Ohtani, who has been bothered by nagging injuries on the mound all summer.Ohtani faced six batters and threw 26 pitches before he departed with a 2-2 count on Christian Encarnacion-Strand, following a brief consultation with the training staff. Ohtani skipped his previous turn in the Angels’ rotation to rest his arm, and he has now left five starts early this summer with injuries including finger blisters, a cracked fingernail and cramping.The two-way superstar homered and pitched in the same game for the seventh time this season, with his two-run shot moving...

Sam Darnold wins backup QB job for 49ers, putting Trey Lance’s status in doubt

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:56 GMT

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Sam Darnold has won the backup quarterback job in San Francisco, putting Trey Lance’s status with the 49ers in doubt less than three years after the team traded three first-round picks to draft him.Coach Kyle Shanahan told flagship radio station KNBR on Wednesday that Darnold recently took control of the race to be Brock Purdy’s backup and that he told the quarterbacks about the decision on Tuesday night.Lance didn’t take part in practice on Wednesday and the 49ers are considering all options, including a possible trade if a partner can be found. But Shanahan said he hopes to have Lance on the roster as the third quarterback when the season starts Sept. 10 in Pittsburgh.“This isn’t a thing that we’re giving up on Trey,” Shanahan said. “This is more how Brock played in his seven games and that was decided before the season started. And then how good Sam’s looked. They both looked good but we do have to make a decision here. You only ...

Correction: Oregon-Marijuana story

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:56 GMT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — In a story published December 16, 2021, about Oregon’s efforts to combat illegal marijuana production, The Associated Press erroneously reported that the Illegal Marijuana Market Enforcement Grant Program was established in December 2021. The program was created in 2018 and was expanded in December 2021.Source

With Ohtani as a model, pitchers at Little League World Series like hitting

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:56 GMT

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — You might call them the little Ohtanis.Talk to the players and coaches at the Little League World Series and in the “favorite MLB player” conversation American League MVP frontrunner Shohei Ohtani gets a lot of love. Maybe not coincidentally, the best player on many teams are pitchers who can hit.“Usually at this level, your pitchers are your best players,” Washington manager Christian Sweeney said. “They are usually your best hitters. You look at most of the teams and their best pitchers are probably one of their best hitters, if not their best hitters.”It’s easier to have pitchers hit in Little League – for one thing, they have to. The fielders have always hit in Little League and, as of this year, everyone on the roster gets up to bat.Once pitcher-sluggers reach their teens, pressure builds on players to go one way or the other – on the mound exclusively, or taking another position in the field and focusing on the plate.But there have been a couple ...

Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams is arrested on controlled substance, weapon charges

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:56 GMT

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dallas Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams was arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon, police said Wednesday.Police in the Dallas suburb of Frisco said Williams was arrested Sunday. The department wouldn’t provide further details, saying a public information request had to be filed.Williams was on the practice field again Wednesday after going through a full workout Tuesday, the first of three training camp sessions at the team’s headquarters in Frisco following four weeks in California.While Williams could face discipline under the NFL’s personal conduct policy, owner/general manager Jerry Jones said the club had no plans to sit the 24-year-old.“I don’t anticipate this impacting his time on the field,” Jones said. “I do have all of the details, and there’s some lessons to be learned there for everybody.”It’s the second arrest for Williams this year. In January, the second-...

GOP debate updates: Republican presidential candidates face off

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:56 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Eight presidential candidates are taking the stage Wednesday night at the Republican debate and Donald J. Trump won't be one of them – but there's a good chance the former president will be a popular topic.The debate takes place in Milwaukee from 9 to 11 p.m. EST, with live broadcast coverage on Fox News Channel. Fox News hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will moderate the debate.The candidates include North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.Burgum, 67, is reportedly using crutches after suffering an Achilles tendon tear during a game of basketball with his staff Tuesday, tweeting Wednesday afternoon, "I've played lots of pick-up games in my day! This isn't the first time one has sent me to the ER. Appreciate all the well-wishes." GOP dr...

Dog rescued after falling into Lakewood storm grate

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:56 GMT

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) -- A dog was rescued Wednesday after she fell into a curbside storm grate in Lakewood.The dog, Barkley, was on a morning walk with her owner near West 15th Place and Quail Street when she suddenly fell into the ground, according to West Metro Fire Rescue. How pets, livestock are affected by West Nile virus Barkley is a blind Shih-Tzu, who the fire rescue said likes to get outside.She tends to walk close to the curb, but fire rescue said this time she fell down through a storm grate.West Metro Fire Rescue's Tower 2 crew removed the grate, and Lakewood Animal Control climbed down into the storm grate and rescued her.Luckily, Barkley was not injured in the fall, according to the fire rescue.

Helen Mirren portrays Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in new biopic

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:56 GMT

We’ve seen our fair share of prime ministers, from the likes of Winston Churchill to Margaret Thatcher. But now get ready for the story of Golda Meir, Israel’s prime minister back in the ’70s. In the upcoming biopic, we learn all about the woman who led her country through the Yom Kippur War.Helen Mirren (as Golda Meir): “Today, the Egyptian and Syrian armies launched an offensive against Israel.”Helen Mirren stars as Golda Meir in the film “Golda,” based on the Israeli prime minister who led the country through the Yom Kippur War.Daniel Ben Zenou (as Avner Shalev): “The Egyptians have fired a cruise missile at Tel Aviv.”Helen Mirren (as Golda Meir): “Well, I’m not going to get under the table, but don’t let me stop you.”Director Guy Nattiv says it’s not your average biopic.Guy Nattiv: “You will need probably a nine-part miniseries in order to cover everything that Golda went through.”Hel...

Diddy teases new R&B album, first solo effort in 17 years, and it’s all about love

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:55:56 GMT

Sean “P. Diddy/Puff Daddy” Combs says he’s eager to get back in the music game.It’s been almost two decades since Sean Love Combs has released a solo album … and this time, it’s all about love, baby. He says R&B is alive, which means so are our hips.Diddy is back on the grind!Diddy: “Why am I doing this, you know what i’m saying? Especially with the success that I’ve had, especially where my life is, how stressful and treacherous this music industry is. Why would I just come back in here and have to do something that I don’t have to do?”The rap icon’s heart has been broken, and we’re about to hear all about it on a new R&B album.Diddy: “I still got that question of, like, ‘Am I going to love again?’ (rapping) Sometimes you gotta go through the dark and manifest, sometimes you gotta smile through the eye in the stress. My feet ain’t been on the ground, I’m flying and landing ...