BASEBALL
McCutchen dances as MVP
Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen and Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera both coasted to Most Valuable Player awards in New York on Thursday. McCutchen won the National League honor by a wide margin after leading a baseball revival in Pittsburgh. He drew 28 of the 30 first-place votes from members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Seated in a sweater and tie, a smiling McCutchen juked a sort of stationary shimmy when his name was announced on MLB Network. “If I could get up and dance right now I would, but I don’t have much room to do that,” he said. “When I get off camera, I probably will.” Cabrera took the American League prize for the second straight year, once again winning by a comfortable gap over Angels outfielder Mike Trout.
SOCCER
Spain will not explain trip
Spain will travel to Equatorial Guinea for a friendly, and the country’s soccer federation will not say why. The decision to play in the former Spanish colony today has drawn the ire of Equatorial Guinea’s opposition in exile group in Madrid, and raised questions about what benefit the World Cup champions expect to get from playing a team ranked 119th in the world. The federation said it will not be paid any extra fees to play. When directly asked why the game is being played, federation president Angel Maria Villar refused to answer. “I won’t answer this question,” Villar said on Thursday. Spain will become the first team from outside Africa to play in Malabo since Obiang took power in 1979.
SWIMMING
Phelps signals return
Michael Phelps has rejoined the US Anti-Doping Agency’s (USADA) drug testing program in a signal the most decorated Olympian could be considering a return to the swimming pool in time for the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016. Phelps retired after winning four gold and two silver medals at the London Olympics last year to take his career tally to 22, 18 of which were gold. The 28-year-old was tested twice in the quarter ended Sept. 30, according to data released by USADA. World swimming governing body FINA requires athletes to be tested for a minimum of nine months before competing in sanctioned events. Phelps had said before the London Games he would not contemplate a comeback after he retired and his coach Bob Bowman downplayed any suggestions he was considering a return to what would be his fifth Olympics. “It’s premature to say that,” Bowman said on Thursday. “What we’re doing is kind of letting him have his options.”
BASEBALL
MLB to extend replays
Another Major League Baseball (MLB) tradition is about to largely disappear: A manager, with a crazed look in his eyes, charging the field and getting into a face-to-face shouting match with an umpire. Instead, most calls next season will be subject to video review by umpires in New York. MLB took the first vote in a two-step process on Thursday, unanimously approving funding for expanded instant replay next year. They plan to approve the new rules when they meet again on Jan. 16 after agreements with the unions for umpires and players. “We made a gigantic move today,” MLB commissioner Bud Selig said. “This is quite historic.” Selig long opposed replay and watched from afar as it was first used by the NFL in 1986, the NHL in 1991, the NBA in 2002 and Wimbledon in 2006. MLB allowed it starting in August 2008, but in a limited manner. Now, virtually every decision likely will be subject to review.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care