HOUSTON (AP) The former scouting director of the St. Louis Cardinals pleaded guilty in federal court to hacking into the player database and email system of the Houston Astros in an unusual case of high-tech cheating involving two Major League Baseball clubs.
Chris Correa pleaded guilty to five counts of unauthorized access of a protected computer from 2013 to at least 2014, the same year he was promoted to director of baseball development in St. Louis. Correa, 35, was fired last summer and faces up to five years in prison on each charge when he is sentenced April 11.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson said the hacking cost the Astros about $1.7 million, taking into account how Correa used the Astros’ data to draft players.
MLB could discipline the Cardinals, possibly with a fine or a loss of draft picks, but said only that it looked forward to getting details on the case from federal authorities. The Cardinals, whose chairman, Bill DeWitt Jr., had blamed the incident on ”roguish behavior,” declined comment.
The FBI said Correa was able to gain access using a password similar to that used by a Cardinals employee who ”had to turn over his Cardinals-owned laptop to Correa along with the laptop’s password” when he was leaving for a job with the Astros in 2011. The employee was not identified, though Jeff Luhnow left St. Louis for Houston in December of that year and is now the general manager of the Astros.
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Washington Nationals accommodated reliever Drew Storen, trading him to the AL East champion Toronto Blue Jays for outfielder Ben Revere.
The Nationals will also get a player to be named and will send cash to the Blue Jays.
The 28-year-old Storen had sought a deal, having lost his closer role in late July when the Nationals acquired Jonathan Papelbon from Philadelphia.
Storen had converted 29 save chances and had a 1.73 ERA when the Nats got Papelbon. Shifted to an eighth-inning role following that deal, Storen struggled and finished the season with a 3.44 ERA without another save. His season ended in mid-September when he slammed his locker in frustration and broke his right thumb.
Storen was 21-13 with 95 saves and a 3.02 ERA in six major league seasons, all with the Nationals. He had a 1.12 ERA in 65 games in 2014.
NFL
RENTON, Wash. (AP) – Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch was ruled out of the NFC wild-card game against Minnesota.
The Seahawks released a statement late in the day saying Lynch did not make the trip for the Sunday game.
The statement from the team capped a day where Lynch’s status changed three times. Coach Pete Carroll indicated on KIRO-FM on Friday morning that Lynch would play, then after practice in the afternoon said that Lynch was questionable and the team needed to evaluate him again before deciding if he would play against the Vikings.
Lynch was listed as a full participant in practice all three days this week after not playing since Week 10 against Arizona. Lynch had abdominal surgery Nov. 25 and rejoined the team this week after spending most of his recovery in the Bay Area working out with personal trainers.
NEW YORK (AP) – Khalil Mack became the first selection at two positions in the same year, while Adrian Peterson and J.J. Watt were unanimous choices for the 2015 Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team.
Mack was a force at both defensive end and outside linebacker for Oakland this season. He drew enough support from a panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league to make history. Others, including Houston’s Watt last year, have been chosen first team at one position and second at another.
Carolina, with an NFL-best 15-1 record, had the most All-Pros with six: quarterback Cam Newton, fullback Mike Tolbert, center Ryan Kalil, linebackers Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis and cornerback Josh Norman.
Kuechly and Pittsburgh receiver Antonio Brown received 49 votes.
One rookie, Seattle kick returner Tyler Lockett, made the squad.
In all, 15 NFC players and 12 from the AFC were chosen.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa said Friday it will pay $15,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a football player who was one of 13 Hawkeyes hospitalized with a serious muscle disorder following a high-intensity 2011 workout.
A university lawyer notified court officials of the settlement with William Lowe ahead of a hearing in his personal injury lawsuit. School spokeswoman Jeneane Beck said hours later the university will make the $15,000 settlement payment – a fraction of Lowe’s initial $200,000 claim – once a state panel signs off.
Lowe’s lawsuit alleged that coaches and trainers failed to properly supervise the January 2011 workout and didn’t immediately offer medical care after he and others reported severe pain and symptoms. The former backup cornerback argued that his injuries were aggravated because he was required to participate in additional workouts in the following days.
UNDATED (AP) – A group representing minority coaches is calling on the NCAA to adopt a rule that would require its member schools to interview a candidate of color for all head coaching and leadership vacancies.
The National Association for Coaching Equity and Development is joining longtime equality crusader Richard Lapchick in lobbying for an ”Eddie Robinson Rule,” which would be college athletics’ version of the NFL’s well-known Rooney Rule requiring interviews of minority candidates for coach and some other high-profile positions.
The group says such a rule would ”address the negligent hiring practices which consistently exclude racial and ethnic minority coaches and administrators from positions of leadership in intercollegiate athletics.”
