Sep 14, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Chicago Cubs batting helmet sits on the dugout rail before the Cubs play the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
One former MLB All-Star did not last for very long with the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs announced on Tuesday that they have designated veteran infielder Garrett Cooper for assignment. Fellow infielder Matt Mervis, an exciting young prospect whom Cubs fans already got a glimpse of last season, is being called up in a corresponding move.
Cooper, 33, was an All-Star with the Miami Marlins in 2022 and had a serviceable 2023 as well, hitting .251 with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs over 123 total appearances between the Marlins and the San Diego Padres. He hadn’t been bad in a Cubs uniform either after signing with them over the offseason. Through 12 games with the Cubs, Cooper was hitting .270 with a .774 OPS.
But the righty-hitting Cooper was very much a situational bat for the Cubs. They also have Michael Busch (a .309 hitter this year) and two fellow righty power bats in Christopher Morel and Patrick Wisdom (the latter of whom just returned from IL) capable of getting those plate appearances instead.
Mervis will join Busch as another lefty option in the lineup and one with some upside as well (after posting a career .904 OPS in the minors). Cooper, meanwhile, still appears to have plenty left and seems likely to be claimed by another team as he also drew interest from contenders in the past.
The Boston Red Sox have signed a pitcher after seeing his impressive video online.
Danny Kirwin, who pitched last season at Rider University, has been training for a season playing independent baseball. On Friday, Kirwin’s performance coach shared a video of the pitcher throwing an indoor bullpen session.
Kirwin topped out at 96.2 mph and averaged 95.1 mph on his fastball. His stuff showed good movement too. Take a look:
The post also contained Kirwin’s pitching metrics, such as how much spin and break he was getting on his pitches. The inclusion of the data probably helped him make his case to potential teams.
On Sunday, the Red Sox signed Kirwin’s rights away from the independent Oakland Ballers.
The Ballers don’t mind losing Kirwin because it generates publicity for them. They also were taking some credit for Kirwin’s signing.
Kirwin played four seasons at Rider and improved each year. The reliever went 7-2 with 14 saves last season and had a 2.32 ERA in 50.1 innings.
Watching Kirwin’s video, it’s evident he has good stuff. His problem is he can’t seem to locate his pitches, even when he’s not in a game situation. That problem seems to be evident with his elevated walk numbers; he walked 36 batters over his 50.1 innings last year. The Red Sox apparently saw enough that led them to give Kirwin a chance in their minor-league system.
Nov 22, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; An official game ball goes through the net before the Pittsburgh Panthers host the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Temple University is continuing their tribute to 2000s NBA basketball.
Transfer guard Jamal Mashburn Jr. announced to social media this week that he has decided to join the Owls for the 2024-25 season. Mashburn Jr. had spent the last three years at New Mexico and made three All-Mountain West teams before entering the portal last month.
Mashburn Jr., who has one year of eligibility remaining, is the son of ex-NBA forward Jamal Mashburn. A First Team All-American at the University of Kentucky, the elder Mashburn played in the NBA for 12 seasons and three different teams (the Mavericks, the Heat, and the Hornets). He earned All-Star and All-NBA honors during the 2002-03 season and ended his career with averages of 19.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.
As for Temple, they used to be coached by former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Aaron McKie, a Mashburn contemporary. McKie has since stepped down to become a special advisor for the Owls however with Adam Fisher taking over last year. Fisher ultimately led Temple to an underwhelming 16-20 finish (plus some negative headlines).
The addition of the 22-year-old Mashburn Jr., who averaged 17.3 points per game in his time at New Mexico, should give the Owls a notable offensive boost for next season.
Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) warms up before a game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
One scout delivered an incredible quote about quarterback prospect Caleb Williams.
Williams is widely expected to become the No. 1 overall pick by the Chicago Bears during Thursday’s NFL Draft. Despite the foregone conclusion that Williams will go first overall, not everyone is sold on the former USC quarterback.
David Fleming was a guest on “Pablo Torre Finds Out” and shared what a former scout told him about Williams. The former scout apparently is plugged-in with teams around the league, and the person told Fleming that drafting Williams would scare the s–t out of him.
Williams going up to cry with his mother in the stands after losing a game threw up “major red flags” for the scout.
The scout apparently said that Williams scares the s–t out of a lot of NFL teams.
“The book on him is he’s just kind of a weird kid. One GM told me it’s like if Prince played quarterback,” the scout told Fleming.
And there’s the money quote.
Prince was known for being a flamboyant and eccentric music performer. He had a great work ethic, was prolific, and is considered one of the great pop artists of all time. Williams puts messages on his finger nails, carries pink accessories, and cried to his mother after a loss.
Being so flamboyant may have helped Prince become so iconic as a music performer. Will that sort of behavior work just as well for Williams?
You can listen to the quotes from Fleming yourself:
Even when he is not on television duty, Stephen A. Smith cannot help but become a meme.
A funny photo of the ESPN personality Smith went viral on Monday. Smith was sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden for Game 2 between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. Smith, who is well-known for his support of the Knicks, was shown on the national broadcast at one point staring at Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo.
The snapshot ended up etching his way into meme lore. Here were some of the funniest posts on X about it.
Smith himself even got in on the fun by posting the image to his own X page.
The jokes about Smith supposedly not knowing who DiVincenzo was were particularly priceless. Clearly, people have not forgotten about the recent embarrassing mistake that Smith made while talking about the Knicks.
For his part though, DiVincenzo made sure that Smith knew who he was after Monday’s contest. He was ultimately the hero in Game 2, hitting a miraculous game-winning three after a chaotic sequence for the ages.
Sep 8, 2019; Carson, CA, USA; Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay on the field prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jim Irsay has been battling some health issues over the past several months, but the Indianapolis Colts owner insists a drug overdose did not play a role in any of them.
Irsay was noticeably absent from the public eye toward the end of the 2023 season. The Colts announced in January that the 64-year-old had been receiving treatment for a severe respiratory illness. Days later, a report from TMZ claimed Irsay was found unresponsive in his home on Dec. 8. A police report classified the incident as and âoverdoseâ and âoverdose/poisoning.â
In an interview with Mike Chappell of FOX59 on Monday, Irsay said he did not overdose in December. He said he had been “treating a leg injury” at the time that developed into a serious hematoma. Irsay expressed disappointment in police for classifying the situation as an overdose without having more information.
“It wasnât an overdose,” Irsay said. âI donât know why when you have your name in the paper in the past, people throw that out there quickly. I donât pay attention to it all that much, but I donât think itâs fair.
“Itâs unfortunate because they really donât have the information in that speed of time when youâre checking (someone) into the hospital and itâs an overdose or itâs this or that. It wasnât an overdose. The bottom line was the leg needed to be taken care of immediately.”
Irsay added that he has had 27 surgeries over the past eight years but said “no one ever wants to talk about that” because of his history with addiction. He said he underwent major surgery after the December incident to address a back/leg issue and has been “home for quite a while” but in close contact with Colts general manager Chris Ballard.
Irsay has been open about it his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction on numerous occasions. He told Andrea Kremer of HBO’s “Real Sports” last year that he has been to rehab âat least 15 timesâ and once overdosed while trying to detox himself. Irsay said a doctor told him he is lucky to be alive.
Irsay took over day-to-day operations with the Colts in 1995 when his father, Robert Irsay, suffered a stroke. Robert died two years later, and Jim took over ownership at age 37.
The Colts finished 9-8 last season and fell short of the playoffs.
Jun 12, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Strahinja Jokic celebrates after the Denver Nuggets won the 2023 NBA Championship against the Miami Heat at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Police and NBA officials are looking into the altercation that took place involving Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic’s brother on Monday night.
Jokicâs brothers, Nemanja and Strahinja, were in attendance for Game 2 of the opening-round playoff series between the Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo. Not long after Jamal Murray hit a buzzer-beater to lift Denver to a 101-99 victory, a fan captured a video that appeared to show Strahinja jumping over the row of seats in front of him and punching a fan in the face.
You can see the clip here.
According to TMZ, the Denver Police Department is investigating the incident. Police have seen the video of the haymaker and are trying to identify the man who was on the receiving end, but no one has filed a report claiming to be a victim. Investigators have asked witnesses to share any information they might have.
The NBA is also looking into the situation.
Strahinja and Nemanja, who are massive in stature like Nikola, are known for passionately supporting their brother. That support sometimes presents itself as entertaining pettiness, but they have also done things like threatening an opposing player who got into it with Nikola.
Nikola Jokic had 27 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in Denver’s Game 2 win. He scored 32 points in Game 1 on Saturday, which the Nuggets also won.
In the midst of all the chaos at the end of Game 2 between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers, one Nuggets player had an exemplary moment of sportsmanship.
Denver guard Jamal Murray capped off a spectacular 20-point second half comeback against the Lakers with a breathtaking shot to win the game at the buzzer. Murray hit the jumper over the outstretched arms of Lakers big man Anthony Davis, sending Ball Arena into absolute pandemonium (check out the video here).
Nearly lost in the bedlam though was an incredible gesture that Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had for Davis after the game-winner. Davis went backwards into the Nuggets bench after contesting Murray’s shot and nearly got flattened in the celebratory pile-up that ensued around Murray. But before going to celebrate with his teammates, Caldwell-Pope made sure to help Davis get out of there safely first.
Here is the footage of the moment of sportsmanship, which was pointed out by TJ Manotoc of ABS-CBN News.
Caldwell-Pope used to be teammates with Davis on the Lakers. The two played together for two seasons from 2019-21, including for the Lakers’ 2020 NBA title during the Orlando bubble.
Regardless of their history though, that was extraordinary presence of mind and pure class from Caldwell-Pope in making sure first that Davis was O.K. before joining in the Nuggets’ celebration. Almost anyone else would have gotten lost in the moment there. But instead we got to witness another incredible playoff sportsmanship moment from the Denver side.
February 15, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum during NBA All Star Saturday Night at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
A sports power couple is calling it quits after a year of marriage.
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller and WNBA star Kelsey Plum have filed a joint petition for divorce in Clark County, Nevada, according to records that were reviewed by the New York Post. Plum, 29, confirmed the news of the split with a statement she issued via social media.
“I’m devastated. I walked through fire for that man, but now I see it’s time to go,” Plum wrote. “God has given me an incredible life, and I’m truly so grateful for the profound love from my family and friends. One day I’ll share my story, today is not that day. Thank you for the grace to process my pain, to forgive and move forward. Today and every day I will continue to choose joy. Much love KP.”
Rumors swirled earlier this year that Waller and Plum were on rocky ground when the 31-year-old tight end shared a video in which he mouthed the lyrics to a remix of a breakup song. He later deleted the video and claimed he was just messing around, which most who saw the clip did not believe.
Waller and Plum, who plays for the WNBAâs Las Vegas Aces, got married in March 2023. The two met when Waller was playing for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Waller, who has battled injuries throughout his career, is reportedly undecided on whether he wants to play in 2024.
May 6, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) moves the ball up court against the Golden State Warriors during the first half in game three of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
D’Angelo Russell couldn’t help but let off some steam after the Los Angeles Lakers’ devastating Game 2 loss.
The Lakers fell at the buzzer to the Denver Nuggets on Monday in an epic game. After trailing by 20 points in the second half, Denver came roaring back and won the game on an incredible Jamal Murray stepback as time expired (video here).
About an hour after the heartbreaking ending for the Lakers, Russell took to X to complain about the officiating, particularly what he saw as one specific missed call.
“Thatâs a foul we all saw it on national television,” wrote Russell.
The former All-Star Russell was referencing an overturned foul call in the final minute of the third quarter (when the Lakers were up 79-69). He was hit in the face by Denver’s Michael Porter Jr. on a drive to the basket, and the whistle blew. But the Nuggets challenged the foul call and successfully got it overturned. Thus, instead of two free throws for Russell, Denver got the ball back and entered the fourth quarter with some momentum.
Here is the video of the play, which was shown extensively on the TNT broadcast during the review.
While the optics of that overturned foul call don’t look great, it was probably the correct decision. The contact was deemed marginal because the ball was already out of Russell’s hands, and thereby the blow to the face didn’t affect the shot at all. It was also a different situation from contact occurring after the release of a shot by a jump shooter, which is still a foul if the defender encroaches on the offensive player’s landing space (as the league wants to prevent injuries that can occur on those plays).
Russell’s criticism also rings hollow because the Lakers still had a full 12 minutes after the overturned call to hold their double-digit lead and finish off the job, yet failed to do so. But you can somewhat understand Russell’s frustration since he had a tremendous game on Monday with 23 points on seven three-pointers (after getting roasted to Saturn for his Game 1 dud) and yet still had to take the L.
