BASEBALL
Kuo signs with Mariners
The Seattle Mariners have signed free-agent relievers Kuo Hong-chih and Shawn Camp to one-year contracts in a move to bolster their bullpen, the Major League Baseball (MLB) team said on Monday. Financial terms were not released. Kuo, who in 2010 became the first Taiwanese to make an MLB All-Star team, went 1-2 and had a 9.00 earned run average in 40 games last season while hampered by elbow and anxiety problems. The left-hander, 30, had spent his entire seven-year Major League career with the Dodgers before being released in the off-season. Camp, 36, appeared in a team-high 67 games for the Toronto Blue Jays last year, posting a 6-3 record and 4.21 earned run average.
ICE HOCKEY
Crosby works out with team
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby worked out with his teammates on Monday, but said he was still recovering from concussion-like symptoms and a neck injury, and offered no timetable for his return. Crosby practiced with the Penguins at the Bell Centre in Montreal ahead of yesterday’s game with the Canadiens, but he and coach Dan Bylsma cautioned there was no change in his status. “I didn’t want to skate by myself,” Crosby told reporters. “When I go back to Pittsburgh I’ll be skating by myself again. It’s getting tough. I miss being out with the guys.” The NHL’s top attraction has been out of the lineup since Dec. 5 with concussion-like symptoms and a recently diagnosed soft-tissue neck injury. He said he believed his health was improving. “I feel like I’m getting there,” Crosby said. “I don’t have a time frame, I wish I did, but I don’t. The good news is that there is some progression.” However, he said: “I’m not symptom free. As soon as I am, I’ll be out there.”
CYCLING
Garmin win second stage
Garmin won the second stage at the Tour of Qatar on Monday, beating Quick Step by 7 seconds in the opening time trial of the season. In a slick performance from start to finish, Garmin finished the 11.3km route in 12 minutes, 38 seconds in sunny conditions. Sky Procycling were third, 9 seconds back. The win lifted American rider Tyler Farrar into second place in the overall standings, behind 2005 world road race champion Tom Boonen of Belgium. Boonen, who won the first stage on Sunday, was satisfied with his team’s performance. “We did a very good job until the last four [kilometers],” Boonen said. “There was a tail wind and the plan was to go fast on the way back. I think the last 1km is where we lost the time trial. So like I said yesterday, a finish in the top three would be a very good job, but we tried hard and lost to a very good team. I am happy with our young guys.”
BASKETBALL
Love handed suspension
Minnesota forward Kevin Love was suspended for two games without pay by the NBA on Monday for stamping on Luis Scola as the Houston player lay on the court during a game on Saturday. In making the announcement, NBA executive vice president Stu Jackson said the incident had been upgraded by the league office to a flagrant foul two. The incident occurred with 8 minutes, 34 seconds to play in the third quarter of Minnesota’s 100-91 victory over Houston in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Scola hit the floor after a drive toward the basket and Love stepped on Scola’s head and chest with his left foot as he moved down the court. At the other end, the Rockets bench was called for a technical and the contest became increasingly physical from there.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
After nearly six years away from the NBA, New Taipei Kings player Jeremy Lin (林書豪) is set to participate in the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars mini-tournament as the coach of Team G League. The NBA announced Monday (U.S. time) that the Taiwanese-American player will join a trio of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers – Tim Hardaway Sr., Chris Mullin, and Mitch Richmond – as honorary coaches for four teams featuring 28 rising talents. "See you soon in the Bay," Lin wrote in an Instagram story sharing the news. As the All-Star Weekend will take place at
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was