Sports briefs
By Associated Press
Rob Manfred says he will retire as baseball commissioner in January 2029 after 14 years
TAMPA, Fla. | Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday he will retire when his current term ends in January 2029.
Speaking at a spring training news conference, Manfred noted he will be 70 years old and will have been commissioner for 14 years when his term ends on Jan. 25, 2029.
“You can only have so much fun in one lifetime,” Manfred said.
Manfred, 65, succeeded Bud Selig in January 2015 and was given a five-year term as baseball’s 10th commissioner. S
Owners voted in November 2018 to offer Manfred a new deal through the 2024 season, then voted last July to approve his latest term.
“I have been open with them about the fact that this is going to be my last term,” Manfred said. “I said it to them before the election in July and I’m absolutely committed to that.”
Manfred beat out Boston Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner in the first contested vote for a new commissioner in 46 years. The third candidate, MLB Executive Vice President of Business Tim Brosnan, withdrew just before the start of balloting.
Candidates to succeed Manfred have not publicly emerged. Dan Halem, who joined MLB in 2007 as general counsel for labor, has been deputy commissioner since 2017. He will be 58 in May.
“I’m sure the selection process is going to look like it looked the last time,” Manfred said. “There’ll be a committee of owners that’ll be put together and they’ll identify candidates, an interview process and ultimately someone or a slate of people will be put forward.”
Among the major unresolved issues of Manfred’s tenure are new ballparks for the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays. Oakland received approval from MLB in November to move to Las Vegas, where the A’s hope to build a new ballpark that will open in 2028.
Tampa Bay hopes to construct a new ballpark adjacent to the current Tropicana Field, also aimed to open in 2028.
“I’m hope that I’m here to go to opening day as commissioner for both Tampa Bay and Las Vegas,” Manfred said.
He does not expect expansion to 32 teams will be completed by 2028.
“I don’t think realistically those clubs would be playing before I’m finished,” Manfred said. “I would like to have the process in place and operating before I go.”
Manfred expects A’s to play in new Las Vegas stadium starting in 2028
TAMPA, Fla. | Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is confident the Oakland Athletics will be playing in Las Vegas starting in 2028.
“The reality of the situation is that whenever you’re leaving a market where you’ve been for decades and you’re going to make a move to a different city where there’s not a stadium, that’s a really difficult undertaking, and it’s not going to be seamless, smooth,” Manfred said Thursday. “There’s going to be bumps along the road.”
The team reached an agreement with Bally’s and Gaming & Leisure Properties to build a stadium on the Tropicana hotel site along the Las Vegas Strip, and the Nevada Legislature approved $380 million in public financing last June for a $1.5 billion stadium that the team wants completed for the 2028 season. MLB owners unanimously approved the move in November.
No ballpark renderings have been released, and there has been speculation a 9-acre site might not be sufficient.
“I am confident that the deal in Las Vegas is solid and that the A’s will build a stadium in Las Vegas and play there in 2028,” Manfred said. “We believe the parcel is adequate for a major league ballpark. I think the delay in the renderings is due to the discussions between Bally’s and the A’s as to how the ballpark and what else is going to happen there is going to be most efficiently designed to make it the best possible experience for fans.”
The team’s lease at the Oakland Coliseum extends through the 2024 season. It’s unclear whether the A’s will play 2025 home games in Oakland, Sacramento, San Francisco or a minor league stadium in Las Vegas. The A’s met with the City of Oakland on Thursday about extending the club’s lease beyond this season.
“I believe it is important to work collaboratively for the good of our public, and that includes the workers, the fans, and the taxpayers,” Oakland Vice Mayor and Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan told The Associated Press.
Manfred said the 2025 venue is a complicated decision.
“There’s conflicting considerations that kind of point you at one direction or point you to another direction. So it’s not an easy choice as to where it’ll be, but I do think they have been thorough in terms of exploring their alternatives,” Manfred said. “The schedule gets finalized July-ish. We need to know before that exactly where they’re going to be, because it will impact travel issues, whatever, if they’re not in Oakland.”
PHANTOM INJURED LIST
Manfred last week suspended former New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler through the 2024 World Series for directing staff to fabricate injuries to open roster spots during during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
“I’ve read a couple of comments from players that we’re following up on about that issue,” Manfred said. “If in fact it is more widespread, it concerns me. It’s is a form of cheating, and I think that it’s incumbent on us to try to figure out if it’s more widespread. But the fact … that you allege that somebody else was doing it is not a defense if we catch you. Everybody has their own personal responsibility on these issues. However it happens, you get caught, you’re going to get disciplined.”
Earlier in the day, New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman said: “It’s been something that I’ve heard discussed and, you know, people have been accused of over the course of time, but I couldn’t tell you what’s fact and what’s fiction.”
FREE-AGENT SIGNING DEADLINE?
Pitchers Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, designated J.D. Martinez and outfielder Cody Bellinger are among the dozens of free agents still without contracts.
“We would prefer to have a free-agent signing period, ideally probably in December with a deadline that drove people to make their deals, get things settled. We actually made proposals to that effect, to the MLBPA. They were not warmly received,” Manfred said, referring to a mid-agreement proposal in 2019.
“One of the tactics that’s available to player representatives is to stretch out the negotiation in the belief that they’re going to get a better deal,” Manfred said. “That’s part of the system right now. There’s not a lot we can do about it. But certainly from an aspirational perspective, we’d rather have two weeks of flurried activity in December, preferably around the winter meetings.”
DOMINICAN AGE FRAUD
MLB is monitoring reports of age fraud among prospects from the Dominican Republic. A player residing outside the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico can sign starting Jan. 15 in the year he turns 16 before Sept. 1, as long as he hasn’t been enrolled in a high school in the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico in the previous calendar year.
Manfred intends to meet with Dominican President Luis Abinader around exhibition games between Boston and Tampa Bay at Santo Domingo on March 9 and 10.
“We pay a lot of attention to the developments in Dominican. It’s such an important source of talent for us,” Manfred said. “We are aware of the recent uptick. We are having ongoing conversations about additional steps to manage what is a very, very difficult problem. It goes to how age and IDs is managed by the government in the Dominican.”
MORE REALITY
Netflix is producing a docuseries about this year’s Boston Red Sox.
“I think it’s a really important first venture for us and I think you’re going see a lot more of it.” Manfred said.
ALL-STAR SITES
Manfred plans to be involved in selecting All-Star Game sites for 2027 and ‘28. He mentioned the Chicago Cubs (last in 1990) and Toronto (1991) as teams that have not hosted for many years.
South Carolina, Stanford, Ohio State and Colorado top seeds in early women’s NCAA Tournament reveal
South Carolina, Stanford, Ohio State and Colorado would be the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament if it began now.
The NCAA women’s basketball selection committee on Thursday did its first reveal of the teams in line for the top 16 seeds.
“It was extremely challenging this year, but it needs to be remembered that this is just a snapshot,” NCAA women’s basketball selection committee chair Lisa Peterson said in a phone interview Thursday. “We were talking about this two weeks ago and it didn’t look like this then. It will continue to change.”
Peterson said the committee has been thoroughly impressed with what coach Dawn Staley has done at South Carolina with a new starting five.
“What Dawn has done this season can’t be understated,” Peterson said.
Just outside the top four teams were Caitlin Clark and Iowa, which is ranked No. 4 in the AP poll. The Hawkeyes, last year’s national runners-up, were projected as a 2 seed.
The top 16 seeds will host first- and second-round games with the regional rounds being played at two neutral sites for the second straight year. Portland, Oregon, will host half of the Sweet 16 and Albany, New York, will host the other eight teams.
South Carolina and Ohio State were projected as the top seeds in the Albany Regional with Stanford and Colorado in Portland. The unbeaten Gamecocks were the overall No. 1 seed.
Joining the Gamecocks in their bracket were No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 UConn and No. 4 Louisville.
Peterson said UCLA was moved from a different region to ensure that the bracketing principle of keeping the top four teams in a conference in different regions was protected. The Pac-12 had five of the top 16 seeds.
The Buckeyes would have No. 2 seed N.C. State, No. 3 Southern Cal and No. 4 LSU.
The other top teams in Stanford’s region were No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Oregon State and No. 4 Indiana. Colorado would be joined by Iowa, Virginia Tech and Kansas State.
Teams just outside the top 16 included Notre Dame, Syracuse, Utah and Gonzaga. Peterson said that there was a long discussion about whether the Zags or Louisville should be the 16th team. As of now the Cardinals had a slight edge.
The Final Four will be played in Cleveland on April 5 and the NCAA championship game is two days later.
The NCAA has been doing in-season reveals since 2015 to give teams an early idea of where they could be come selection night. Thursday’s reveal did not factor in the games scheduled for later that night. The NCAA will have one more reveal on Feb. 29 before the real seedings are announced on March 17.
NFL suspends Raiders backup QB Garoppolo
for violating PEDs policy
HENDERSON, Nev. | Las Vegas Raiders backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was suspended by the NFL on Friday for the first two games of next season for violating the performance-enhancing drugs policy of the league and NFL Players Association.
ESPN also reported the Raiders are expected to release Garoppolo next month before an $11.25 million roster bonus kicks in.
Garoppolo’s days in Las Vegas appeared over at midseason when then-interim coach Antonio Pierce replaced him with rookie Aidan O’Connell for the rest of the season. Pierce became the Raiders’ full-time coach last month, and the Raiders also hired Tom Telesco as their general manager.
The Raiders signed Garoppolo last offseason to a three-year, $72.75 million contract when coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler were in charge. He previously quarterbacked the San Francisco 49ers, making an appearance in the Super Bowl and two in the NFC championship.
But Garoppolo threw seven touchdown passes and nine interceptions this season with a 77.6 quarterback rating, opening the way for O’Connell to take over.
Garoppolo said after the season he wanted to be able to play again somewhere.
“I’m pretty open,” Garoppolo said at the time. “A lot of things are out of my control. I’ve had situations like that before, so as a player, you’ve got to roll with the punches a little bit. Whatever happens, I think it all happens for a reason. You’ve got to make the best of your situation.”
The Raiders still have major decisions to make at quarterback.
O’Connell could keep the job after going 5-4 under Pierce, or Las Vegas could look to upgrade through free agency, a trade or this year’s draft.
“There hasn’t been a lot of years I’ve been the unquestioned starter going in, so I’m used to competing,” O’Connell said on Jan. 25. “I had to compete to get to this spot that I’m in. I also think it would be right to have competition in this league. It’s the NFL. It’s the best of the best, so it’s my job to try to keep my job.”
American Armstrong
gets two more medals on final day of swim worlds
DOHA, Qatar | American swimmer Hunter Armstrong helped himself to two more medals on the closing day of the World Aquatics Championships in Qatar on Sunday, winning the men’s 4×100 medley relay with the United States team after taking the silver in the men’s 50 backstroke.
Armstrong, who swam the first leg, praised his teammates Nic Fink, Zach Harting and Matt King after the United States won in 3 minutes 29.80 seconds. The Netherlands took silver in 3:31.23 with Italy in bronze (3:31.59).
“We start strong and we finish stronger,” Armstrong said. “We take pride in our medley relay.”
The Ohio native won golds earlier in the championships in the mixed 4×100 medley relay and men’s 100 backstroke.
Lewis Clareburt of New Zealand had a special victory celebration lined up for the men’s 400 medley.
After winning in a time of 4:09.72, the 24-year-old Clareburt did a brief imitation of the New Zealand rugby team’s Haka in the pool, opening his eyes wide and sticking out his tongue as he pushed an imaginary spear-like weapon above the water at the Aspire Dome in Doha.
British swimmer Freya Colbert won the women’s 400 medley in 4:37.14, ahead of Israeli swimmer Anastasia Gorbenko, who clocked 4:37.36 and was jeered by the crowd when she spoke. Italy’s Sara Franceschi was third in 4:37.86.
Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte won the women’s 50 breastroke title for the third straight time. She was pushed hard by China’s Tang Qianting — the women’s 100 breaststroke winner — who made a great start before Meilutyte caught her at the end. Benedetta Pilato of Italy took the bronze medal.
Sweden’s Sarah Sjoestroem also defended her title, and just missed out on beating her own world record of 23.61, when she won the women’s 50 free in 23.69. American Kate Douglass finished second in 23.91 and Poland’s Katarzyna Wasick was third in 23.95.
Daniel Wiffen of Ireland dominated the men’s 1,500 freestyle, setting a personal best time of 14:34.07 and winning by a massive 10.54 seconds.
“Thank you everyone for the support,” he told the crowd. “I was really dying in the middle.”
Germany’s Florian Wellbrock edged out Frenchman David Aubry for the silver medal.
Isaac Cooper of Australia won the men’s 50 backstroke in 24.13. He started strongly and held off the defending champion and world record holder Armstrong by .20 seconds. Poland’s Ksawery Masiuk was third.
“I’ve been waiting a very long time to stand on a longcourse podium,” the 20-year-old Cooper said. “I was thinking back to when I was a kid and I used to do one backstroke a year and rip out a PB (personal best).”
Australia won the women’s 4×100 medley relay in 3:55.98, ahead of Sweden (3:56.35) and Canada (3:56.43).
China topped the table on the gold-medal count. It had 33 medals overall — including 23 golds — while the United States was second with nine golds among an overhaul haul of 23. Australia was third overall with 24 medals but fewer golds (seven).
It is the first time in history a longcourse world championships has been held in the same year as an Olympics. The Paris Games take place July 26-Aug. 11.
—From AP reports
