BASEBALL
Ichiro to stay with Miami
Miami Marlins’ Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who owns the Major League Baseball record for consecutive 200-hit seasons, has signed a one-year deal to stay with the team for next year’s season, the team said on Tuesday. Suzuki, who in 2001 became the first Japanese position player in MLB history, will open next season 65 hits shy of becoming the 30th member of the 3,000-hit club. The 41-year-old outfielder is coming off his first campaign with the Marlins in which he had 91 hits in 398 at-bats along with a .229 batting average, 21 runs batted in and 11 stolen bases. Suzuki made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners and went on to win the American League’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards. He also opened his MLB career with 10 consecutive seasons of more than 200 hits.
SOCCER
US beat Panama 4-0
Sluggish in the first half, the US needed some kind of catalyst. So the team called on Jerome Kiesewetter and Jordan Morris, ending their nights off. Kiesewetter sparked the offense with a goal and an assist in the second half, and the US beat Panama 4-0 in CONCACAF Olympic qualifying in Commerce City, Colorado, on a rainy Tuesday. Already through to the semi-final round, the US did not have much to play for and rested several of their starters. Scoreless at halftime, coach Andi Herzog turned to his bench for a lift, sending in Kiesewetter and Morris. The US caught a break early in the second half when Panama defender Fidel Escobar knocked in a crossing shot. Kiesewetter then scored about three minutes later and Morris right after that. Luis Gil wrapped up the scoring by converting a penalty-kick, helping the US advance out of Group A with a 3-0 record. Canada finished second.
BASEBALL
Arroyo’s yacht stolen, sold
A former personal assistant for Bronson Arroyo secretly sold the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher’s yacht and kept the money, authorities in Florida said on Tuesday. Anthony Acosta, 38, of Tampa, Florida, was charged with grand theft and forgery and is being held in Hillsborough County Jail on a US$50,000 bond, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said in a statement. Acosta is accused of forging Arroyo’s signature on a bill of sale document and selling his 2006 Concept Boat to an unaware buyer in Opa-locka, Florida, pocketing the US$22,000 from the transaction in 2013, according to an arrest warrant. However, his plan unraveled when the buyer learned of a US$100,000 lien still on the boat and contacted Arroyo, the warrant said. Arroyo had fired Acosta as his personal assistant in 2012 because he made mistakes, was unreliable and took prescription drugs, according to the arrest warrant. An All-Star in 2006 while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds, Arroyo currently plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but is on the disabled list.
CRICKET
Warne, Tendulkar in US
Australian Shane Warne and India’s Sachin Tendulkar will captain two All-Star sides in a three-match Twenty20 series in the US in a bid to spark interest in a sport alien to most Americans. The ICC-sanctioned matches will be played on drop-in pitches at major baseball fields in New York, Houston and Los Angeles next month, with plenty of superstar talent on show. Among the throng of cricketing greats signed up are Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, Muttiah Muralitharan, Wasim Akram, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Glenn McGrath and Brad Haddin.
ADVANTAGE ATLETICO: Well off the pace in La Liga, the Copa del Rey represents Atletico Madrid’s best chance of silverware this season Atletico Madrid on Thursday hammered Copa del Rey holders Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their semi-final. After an Eric Garcia own-goal sent Diego Simeone’s side ahead early on, Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman and Julian Alvarez struck to give Atletico a landslide lead by halftime. Barca defender Garcia was sent off in the final stages, with Atletico maintaining their significant advantage on the record 32-time winners, which they take into the second leg at the Camp Nou on March 3. Both sides missed good chances in the second half, with Barca’s Pau Cubarsi having a goal disallowed before Garcia was sent off
Dasun Shanaka hammered the fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in T20Is as the cohosts thrashed Oman by 105 runs at the World Cup yesterday in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, for their second win in Group B. The 2014 champions piled up 225-5, the highest total of the tournament, before restricting an outclassed Oman to 120-9. The 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem waged a lone battle for Oman, compiling an unbeaten 53 to become the oldest player to score a 50 in T20 World Cups. Having promoted himself up the order and under pressure to deliver, Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka smashed a 19-ball half-century. It has been
Kawhi Leonard on Sunday scored 41 points, grabbed eight rebounds and made four steals to lead the Los Angeles Clippers in a lopsided 115-96 victory at Minnesota. The 34-year-old forward, a two-time NBA champion, matched the second-best road scoring effort of his career as the Clippers improved to 25-27. “Just being aggressive. My teammates trust me,” Leonard said. “Every moment when I touch the ball — assist, shooting the basketball or getting a rebound — I’m just trying to help the team win.” Leonard made three steals in a row at the start of the contest. “Just wanted to come out early in the
FLOP TO CONQUEROR: It was sweet vindication for Sam Darnold, who played for four NFL teams before his debut season in Seattle ended in the ultimate win The Seattle Seahawks on Sunday coasted to Super Bowl glory, routing the New England Patriots 29-13 as Sam Darnold sealed his journey from flop quarterback to conqueror of the NFL’s biggest prize. Brushing off a reputation for wilting in big games, journeyman quarterback Darnold threw for a touchdown and 200 yards on the grandest stage of all to give the Seahawks their second-ever Lombardi Trophy. “It’s unbelievable. Everything that has happened in my career, but to do it with this team, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Darnold said. The victory was buoyed by a dominant defensive display and kicker Jason Myers’
RSS