BASEBALL
Sanchez traded to Royals
Pitcher Jonathan Sanchez, who threw a no-hitter in 2009, was dealt by the San Francisco Giants to the Kansas City Royals for outfielder Melky Cabrera on Monday. The 28-year-old left-handed starter was key part of the Giants’ rotation when they beat the Texas Rangers to win the World Series last year. He had four wins and seven losses this season with a 4.26 ERA, but he missed the final month of the season with a left ankle sprain. Kansas City also got left-handed minor league pitcher Ryan Verdugo in the three-player deal. “He’s a very dynamic left-handed pitcher,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said of Sanchez. “His hit rates are very low, his strikeout rates are very high, his walks aren’t something we’re overly excited about, but at the same time he’s very young. He’s somebody our scouts feel is a breakout candidate moving forward into 2012.”
SOCCER
Mihajlovic gets the boot
Sinisa Mihajlovic was sacked as coach of Serie A side Fiorentina on Monday and replaced by Delio Rossi, the club announced. Mihajlovic, 42, had come in for some heavy criticism already this season and Sunday’s 1-0 defeat by Chievo Verona — which left them 11th in the table — proved the final straw for the club’s board. The Serbian — who had previously coached Bologna and Catania in Serie A after a distinguished playing career which saw him win the European Cup with Red Star Belgrade in 1991 — had been in charge since the beginning of last season when Cesare Prandelli left to coach the national side. Rossi is best known for two spells coaching Palermo in the past two seasons, guiding then on both occasions to a Europa League place. However, the 51-year-old fell foul of the so called “coach eater” Palermo owner Maurizio Zamparini, who refused to renew his contract in the summer and only last season sacked him after a 7-0 humbling by Udinese, before rehiring him a month later.
SOCCER
Alcaraz charged for spitting
Wigan Athletic’s woeful start to the season got worse on Monday when Antolin Alcaraz was charged by the Football Association (FA) with spitting at Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Richard Stearman during Sunday’s 3-1 defeat. The 29-year-old Paraguay international defender, signed from Belgian side Club Brugge KV last year after an eye-catching World Cup campaign, has only just returned to action after being out with a torn leg muscle. “Wigan Athletic’s Antolin Alcaraz has today been charged by the FA for spitting at an opponent,” an FA statement said. “The incident, which was not seen by the match officials but caught on video, relates to his side’s game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.” If Alcaraz admits to the offense he will receive a three-match ban, but he risks a lengthier ban if he appeals and is found guilty at a hearing.
RUGBY UNION
New tournament launched
Southern hemisphere rugby body SANZAR has relaunched its annual Test tournament as the Rugby Championship, replacing the Tri-Nations and reflecting the inclusion of Argentina. Argentina have been confirmed alongside South Africa, New Zealand and Australia to play from next year in the new Rugby Championship. SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters said yesterday that the regular participation of Argentina in a top-level tournament is “long overdue and we are excited about their inclusion.” Union Argentina de Rugby president Luis Castillo described the Pumas’ inclusion as an “historic moment for rugby in Argentina.”
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
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