..(Baseball)…..

Padres…Introduce Manny Machado at 9:30am Friday press conference at Peoria Sports Complex….No determination if he will play in Cactus League opener on Saturday against Seattle….Machado will receive 20M signing bonus and a 10M salary this year.

Padres…Move P-Dinelson Lamet to 60-day DL to make room on 40-man roster for Machado.

Padres….Bryan Mitchell make first start of Cactus League on Saturday vs Mariners…had (5.42-ERA) for year…but in September after coming off the DL had (2.19-ERA)

Padres…Contemplating moving top minor leaguer Hudson Potts from 3B-to-2B this year in the minors.

Padres…Rain wiped out Thursday workouts….Pitchers threw in cages….covered mound areas…Rain in forecast on Friday….Team may have just 2-full team workouts before having to play on Saturday.

Dodgers…P-Clayton Kershaw shuts down from throwing session on Thursday-given day off after disappointing throwing session in bullpen on Wednesday….Club would not say whether he had back or shoulder issues, or just did not have command of pitches.

Dodgers..Open Cactus League schedule against White Sox on Saturday.

Angels…P-Matt Harvey throws 30P-bullpen session-first workout since suffering glut injury while doing agility drills.

Angels…Open Cactus League schedule Saturday against Giants….Dillon Peters will start for Halos.

———

(Roster Moves)

Bryce Harper…..Phillies sources say club will not upgrade the 10Y-300M offer they made to free agent slugger.

Bryce Harper…White Sox reject overtures to open talks with Harper.

Bryce Harper…Giants have yet to make formal offer (5Y-150M) to Harper.

Bryce Harper….Washington Nationals not reopening talks nor upgrading offer made to Harper…(10Y-300M) with 100M in deferred payments.

Nolan Arenado…Rockies star latest to criticize owners…”teams are not trying to win-it’s sad’

Boston…Longtime Red Sox beat writer Nick Cafardo-Boston Globe-passes away (62Y)…had stroke standing infront of Red Sox clubhouse in Ft Myers today…been overing Bosox since 1989

Phillies..Sign FA-3B-Trevor Plouffe..ex Twins-Angels.

Giants..Sign FA-P-Nick Vincent-ex Mariners-Padres..(3.17-ERA)
Giants..Sign FA-P-Fernando Abad-ex Red Sox-Phillies..(8-27) career

Twins..Open talks with FA-2B-Marwan Gonzalez-ex Astros.

San Diego State…Open Tony Gwynn Legacy Tourney on Friday night…play Utah on Friday..Oklahoma on Saturday…Kansas State on Sunday.
———–

(Injuries)

Mets…2B-Jed Lowrie arrives in New York for MRI on ailing knee

Mariners..P-Anthony Swarzack-will miss start of spring with shoulder woes

Tigers..P-Chris Smith needs surgery-torn elbow ligament.

Phillies..SS-Sean Rodriguez-out with meniscus injury.

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…..(Basketball)………

NBA….Makes formal presentation to Players Association-change in draft rules…

..Draft age goes from 19-to-18 years old.
..Draft candidates must provide pre draft medical information
..Eliminate NCAA 1-and-Done rule
..College players must stay in school 2-years.
..High school players who file for NBA draft-but do not get selected remain eligible to play college basketball.

Lakers-W-Houston (111-106)….LeBron James rallies Lakers from 19-point deficit in 3rd quarter….trailed (79-60) when James took over ….hit 6-baskets…added 6-free throws in rally…..James (29P-11R-6A)…Brandon Ingram (27P) in win…..James Harden fouled out….(30P) but struggled all night…(2-10) on 3’s……shot (11-24) for the night….Chris Paul )23P) also fouled out…..Houston went (12-41) on 3-poing shots….Rockets committed 28-fouls…..LA went (27-33) from free throw line…..Lakers storm off All Star break…now (29-29) after Thursday night game

Clippers-at-Memphis…Friday matchup.

Lakers-at-New Orleans…Saturday game.

New Orleans….Coach Alvin Gentry will play Anthony Davis in games…rather than holding him out to avoid injury….NBA had threatened fines if Pelicans benched Davis.

———

(College)

Duke..C-Zion Williamson-has Grade 1-minor sprain of knee.

Syracuse..Coach Jim Boeheim cooperating with police after hitting man on icy highway on Wednesday at midnight killing him…..Man’s car had broken down in middle land of I-690…Boeheim swerved on icy highway to avoid car, but hit driver standing on edge of highway.

Aztecs-UNLV…Saturday road game…SDSU coming off huge defensive performance in stunning upset win of 6th ranked Nevada on Wednesday night….

USD-Portland…..Thursday night WCC conference action.

USD-St Mary’s….Final home game of season for Toreros stars Isaiah Piniero…Ollin Carter….Isaiah Wright.

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………(Football)…….

Chargers…DE-Corey Liuget will workout for team as he recovers from quad injury….Bolts released him last week-refusing to pick up 4M-option in contract and 4M-roster bonus.

Bears..Release TE-Dion Sims…clears 6M-cap space

Saints..Release S-Kurt Coleman

Broncos..QB-Case Keenum says he was shocked Denver traded for Joe Flacco to be starting QB.
Broncos..Release DT-Dom Peko
Broncos..OC-Matt Paradis cleared for off season workout-recovering broken leg.

Giants..S-Landon Donovan says he will not sign franchise tag for 2019 season if New York applies it.

——–

(Teams)

Steelers..GM-Kevin Colbert says QB-Ben Roethlisberger is unquestioned leader of team and has right to criticize team and players.

Falcons..Coach Dan Quinn says it was ‘painful’ to fire all 3-coordiantors at end of the season…but changes needed to be made.

Bengals..Hire Lou Anarumo-Def Coord-ex Giants assistant

Jaguars..Hire Dwayne Stukas-Def assistant-ex Giants

Miami..Hire Brandon Farrell-special teams assistant-ex Alabama.

Browns..WR-Antonio Calloway has marijuana possession charged dropped from fall arrest…still facing speeding-driving with suspended license charge.

Jason Jernigan…Former NFL player agent found guilty of stealing 1.9M in funds from NFL rookie players as their financial advisor….faces 2-years in prison…Co-hort guilty to get 5Y in prison.

Buffalo..NFL reinstates ex Bills RB-Karlos Williams-been suspended two years for drug violations…can sign as free agent immediately.

CFL…Bo Levi Mitchell…Grey Cup winning QB in CFL said he resigned with Calgary Stampeders…did not want to go to NFL and strictly be a backup QB…Worked out for Giants-Vikings-Bears-Colts-Denver.

Atlanta…Report AAF-Atlanta Legends team missed payroll last week…triggering new investor to step in and become CEO.

AAF….TV ratings for second weekend drop from week one….
..TBS…(0.6) rating….had 1.018M viewers…down from 2.9M 1st week
..NFL Network…(0.2) rating…down from (0.4) opening week

San Diego Fleet….host San Antonio Commanders on Sunday night-going for 2nd win in a row….Fleet QB-Philip Nelson limited in practice with minor back issue.

San Diego Strike Force….Indoor Foortball League team opens season on Friday night on road at Quad Cities-Iowa…..Strike Force head coach is ex Chargers Burt Grossman….Todd Marinovich was supposed to be Off Coord-but left after first week of camp.

————

(College Football)

Minnesota….Former Golden Gophers head coach Jerry Kill-now AD at Southern Illinois….criticizes Minnesota coach PJ Fleck….saying his ego is out of control…and that everything at Minnesota is about the coach and not the players.

Penn State…lands WR-George Campbell…transfer from Florida State.

=============

…….(Hockey)……..

LA Kings-Washington….Trade-Kings deal LW-Carl Hogelin to Capitals for #3-7 draft picks….Kings have now added #1-#3-#4-#7 draft picks in prior deals.

Ottawa…Hold Matt Duchene-Marc Stone out of Thursday lineup to prevent injuries…both could be traded by Monday NHL trade deadline.

Buffalo…GM-Jason Botterill gives vote of confidence to coach Phil Housley despite losing streak knocking team out of playoffs.

Kings-L-Nashville (2-1)….Pekka Rinne 28-saves for Predators…Kyle Turris key goal against Kings in tough road loss…..Thursday NHL action

Ducks-Calgary…Friday night road game for Anaheim.

Kings-at-Florida…Saturday
Ducks-at-Edmonton…Saturday

Gulls-San Antonio…..Gulls go for another home ice win on Saturday night….Gulls in 2nd place tie in Pacific Division with San Jose…Gulls now (28-16-6).

Bakersfleld-at-Tucson…Saturday night action…Condors have won 15-games in as row heading into weekend.

============

…..(General)…..

WGC-Mexico City…
..(-8-63)..Rory McIlroy..Eagle 1st hole-7 birdies
..(-7)..Dustin Johnson
..(-5)..Justin Thomas-Matt Kuchar

..(+4)..Jordan Spieth
..(+8)..Phil Mickelson 4-bogeys-double bogey on first six holes

NASCAR…Atlanta 500 on Sunday…Denny Hamlin leads field coming off Daytona 500-win….Drivers will deal with new downforce package at Atlanta…slower speeds…more pack racing….side by side racing

Indy Car….Signs full TV deal with NBC…..will show Indy 500 and 8-races on NBC….7-other races on NBC-Sports Network

English Premier League-Top games

..Hot Spur (20-6)-vs-Burnley
..Liverpool (20-1-5)-vs-Manhester (15-5-6)
..Arsenal (15-6-5)-vs-Southampton
..Chelsea (15-6-5)-vs Brighton

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