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Masterpress/Getty Major League Baseball has been around for a long time, but it’s never seen a player quite like Shohei Otani. The Japanese phenom, currently playing for the Nippon Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball, is the definition of a two-way player. In five professional seasons, he’s posted a .286/.359/.505 slash line and a 2.77 ERA in just under 500 innings, earning three All-Star appearances and the 2016 Pacific League MVP award…

As I mentioned in a recent column, my wife and I are closely following the Arizona Diamondbacks this season. I think we’re typical fans. While we like the homeruns, great defensive plays and wins, we don’t necessarily like the spitting. I may be the only person in the country who can say this, but I actually have a theory about baseball spitting. Wil’s Official Theory About Baseball Spitting is…

The New York Giants in 1916 were an extremely streaky team. They offset a 2-13 start with 17 consecutive wins on the road, then later set a major league record with 26 straight wins during a 31-game homestand at the Polo Grounds. The record includes a quirk: a 1-1 tie against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a game that was rained out after nine innings. The teams made up that game…

Journalist Jemele Hill attends ESPN The Party on February 5, 2016 in San Francisco, California. ESPN had a great idea when it started The Undefeated, a strong daily foray into sports, race, culture and politics. Alas, that nexus is now rancorously exemplified by ESPN’s own Jemele Hill, an engaging show host who leaves no doubt what she thinks of President Trump. In a twitter storm, she wrote, “Donald Trump is a white…

Tito proud that everybody has contributed to historic run 15 mins ago

Add Darryl Strawberry to the “stick to sports” crowd. That was the message the former Mets slugger – although he’d apparently rather you remember him as a Yankee – delivered to the current generation of jocks. Strawberry, in a Tuesday appearance on Fox Business, was asked about the protest movement started by the former 49ers quarterback. “What would you tell these athletes today…

For those wondering about confirmation for the Cowboys having Ezekiel Elliott on the field for Sunday’s Week 2 game against the Broncos in Denver, there is some good news: he is pretty much a lock to play as of lunchtime on Wednesday, at least from a discipline perspective. On a conference call with media members, NFL spokesperson Joe Lockhart said he “would assume” that Elliott will play Sunday. Elliott was…

Image credit: Pixabay Sports channels are a must-have for many television viewers, but for those who aren’t interesting in watching any sporting events, their inclusion in a television streaming plan can drive the price up. Now The Wall Street Journal reports that a few networks are in talks to launch a streaming service for non-sports watchers that will come in at $20/month or less. The service will supposedly have a…

On Wednesday, the International Olympic Committee will rubberstamp the plan to hand Paris the 2024 Summer Games while Los Angeles will host in 2028. Given the lack of bids from democratic countries and the increasingly frequent torpedoing of bids by activists and referenda, Olympic boosters are surely thrilled to lock down Paris and LA, two cities in democracies with storied Olympic histories. After all, the IOC has received negative attention…

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Danica Patrick, the only female driver at NASCAR’s top level, is likely at the end of her driving career after a sponsorship shake-up left her without a ride at Stewart-Haas Racing. Patrick posted a statement on her Facebook page Tuesday saying her time with Stewart-Haas “had come to an end” due to a new sponsorship arrangement for the team next season. The statement came shortly after…

Swimming Victoria, home to the likes of World Championship athletes Mack Horton, Koti Ngawati and Josh Beaver, will soon see a new President appointed, as incumbent Paul Malcolm has announced his departure. Malcolm, who has been in the Swimming Victoria President position since 2014, will be leaving to take on a national role of General Manager of Participation and Sport Development at Swimming Australia. In his most recent Presidential blog, Malcolm…

One happy cycle commuter (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk) It’s Cycle to Work day today. Did you know that? Did you cycle? Did you? Did you? Your antidepressants might be messing with your skin I did. (Regretted it every pedal stroke because hello, there’s a right wind whip out there, bit dangerous, hey.) I really like cycling. I get made fun of for cycling. But I would rather cycle 10…

As I mentioned in a recent column, my wife and I are closely following the Arizona Diamondbacks this season. I think we’re typical fans. While we like the homeruns, great defensive plays and wins, we don’t necessarily like the spitting. I may be the only person in the country who can say this, but I actually have a theory about baseball spitting. Wil’s Official Theory About Baseball Spitting is…

Journalist Jemele Hill attends ESPN The Party on February 5, 2016 in San Francisco, California. ESPN had a great idea when it started The Undefeated, a strong daily foray into sports, race, culture and politics. Alas, that nexus is now rancorously exemplified by ESPN’s own Jemele Hill, an engaging show host who leaves no doubt what she thinks of President Trump. In a twitter storm, she wrote, “Donald Trump is a white…

In weighing the value of esports and whether they should be considered as potential additions to the Olympics, the International Olympic Committee seems hung-up on some rather pointed questions about the value, morality and organization of professional gaming. Related Esports May Come to the Olympics, But Not if They’re Violent While the International Olympics Committee is considering bringing esports to the games, don’t expect any with violence to make an…

The folks behind the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue have raised eyebrows by posting bikini shots from areas affected by hurricanes. On Tuesday, the brand posted pictures of the Brooklyn Nets cheerleaders posing in bikinis in the Caribbean — which was slammed by Hurricane Irma last week. The British army is currently coordinating relief efforts from Barbados, where the shoot for the team’s 2018 calendar has been taking place. Days before,…

On Wednesday, the International Olympic Committee will rubberstamp the plan to hand Paris the 2024 Summer Games while Los Angeles will host in 2028. Given the lack of bids from democratic countries and the increasingly frequent torpedoing of bids by activists and referenda, Olympic boosters are surely thrilled to lock down Paris and LA, two cities in democracies with storied Olympic histories. After all, the IOC has received negative attention…

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Danica Patrick, the only female driver at NASCAR’s top level, is likely at the end of her driving career after a sponsorship shake-up left her without a ride at Stewart-Haas Racing. Patrick posted a statement on her Facebook page Tuesday saying her time with Stewart-Haas “had come to an end” due to a new sponsorship arrangement for the team next season. The statement came shortly after Smithfield…

reader comments 117 Comcast TV customers in Oregon will soon have to pay $14.50 each month for the controversial “Broadcast TV” and “Regional Sports Network” fees. Currently, the two fees combined cost customers $11 a month but will rise by $3.50 starting October 1, The Oregonian reported yesterday. Comcast is also raising its modem rental fee from $10 to $11 a month, the article said. These fees are in addition to…

Gary Wadler, a Long Island internist and an expert on performance-enhancing drugs, and who was also the former chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List and Methods Committee, died Tuesday, according to a Newsday report. Dr. Wadler was 78 and the Newsday report quoted Wadler’s wife, Nancy, who said that her husband suffered for years from a neurodegenerative disorder, Multiple System Atrophy, and had recently been…