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Column: David Ross will be back for Year 5 as Chicago Cubs manager. It should be a make-or-break season.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:01 GMT

To no one’s surprise, David Ross will return as Chicago Cubs manager for a fifth season in 2024.President Jed Hoyer lauded Ross again Tuesday during his postmortem at Wrigley Field, crediting the manager for getting the Cubs back into contention after falling 10 games under .500 in early June.There was never any indication Ross’ job was in jeopardy during the 7-15 free fall that ended the season, unlike San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler, who paid the price Friday for his team’s fade.Ross has a .480 winning percentage (262-284) in four years on the job with one postseason appearance in 2020, when the Cubs lost both games of a wild-card series to the Miami Marlins. Kapler had a .543 winning percentage (295-248) in four years with the Giants, including a 107-win season in 2021.Ross obviously is held to a different standard than his predecessor, Joe Maddon, who won a championship in 2016 in the second year of a five-year deal and didn’t receive an exte...

Joe Mazzulla keeping open mind to Celtics starting lineup after Jrue Holiday trade

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:01 GMT

With the acquisition of Jrue Holiday, the Celtics can send out what would be one of the most fearsome starting fives in the NBA alongside Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis. But with three weeks before the regular season begins, C’s coach Joe Mazzulla isn’t making any lineup declarations just yet.“We put thought into that,” Mazzulla said. “I think with the roster that we have, I thought that something that was good for us last year was our ability to go back and forth with double big and playing small. So I’ve put thought into it. I haven’t really come across what the best way to go about that is yet, but I want to be as open-minded as we can, knowing that we have a lot of flexibility in the backcourt and in the frontcourt.”The aforementioned unit seems the most likely, given that Mazzulla already announced Derrick White as the starting point guard this summer and the big prices the Celtics paid for Holiday and Porzingis. It would send Al Horford ...

Revolution look to stay unbeaten at home against Columbus

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:01 GMT

The New England Revolution secured their berth in the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs with a 2-2 draw at Chicago last Saturday.Whether they open the playoffs at home or away in the Eastern Conference is what’s at stake for the Revolution with four games remaining in the regular season.The third-place Revolution (14-6-10) play the second of three games in eight days when they host sixth-place Columbus (14-9-8) on Wednesday night (7:30) at Gillette Stadium. The Revolution complete the tough stretch at second-place Orlando City FC on Saturday night.“Being at home is our main goal,” said striker Bobby Wood, who is second on the team in scoring with seven goals. “We saw that Cincinnati already clinched the Supporters’ Shield so right now, we are just focusing on getting that home field advantage and that strength for us.”Defending the house has been the singular strength of the Revolution all season. New England is the only MLS franchise unbeaten at home with a 11-0-4 mark. The Revolution are comi...

Red Sox notebook: Alex Cora has high hopes for rookies Enmanuel Valdez, Ceddanne Rafaela

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:01 GMT

Over the last month of the season three of Boston’s top prospects — Ceddanne Rafaela, Enmanuel Valdez and Wilyer Abreu — got extensive playing time in their first taste of the big leagues.Red Sox manager Alex Cora frequently praised all three rookies throughout September, and towards the end of Monday’s year-end press conference he offered his thoughts on what could be next for two of them.Valdez and Rafaela both have impressive tools, Cora said, but need to improve in crucial areas if they’re going to become reliable everyday big leaguers. For Valdez, the defense needs work, while Rafaela has to improve the quality of his at bats or he could be exposed by big league pitchers.One of the prospects acquired in last summer’s Christian Vazquez trade, Valdez could potentially have an opportunity to earn regular playing time at second base next season. Over the final month he largely platooned at the position with Pablo Reyes, and as things stand he’s in line...

Pence calls Trump’s attacks on Milley ‘utterly inexcusable’ at AP-Georgetown foreign policy forum

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:01 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday criticized his former boss-turned-rival, Donald Trump, for calling retired Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a traitor over phone calls he made to China in the final stormy months of their administration. “Frankly what Donald Trump said about him in that tweet, about treason and death, was utterly inexcusable,” Pence said at a national security and foreign policy forum at Washington’s Georgetown University.Pence also reacted to the news that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had been ousted from his post by a contingent of hard-right conservatives, saying, “Chaos is never America’s friend.”The event was the first in a series of conversations with 2024 Republican presidential candidates on the topic co-hosted by The Associated Press and Georgetown’s Institute of Politics and Public Service. Trump, in a recent social media post, lashed out at Milley over calls he made to his Chinese ...

Kevin McCarthy is out as speaker of the House. No one knows for sure what comes next.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:01 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House of Representatives is entering uncharted territory after a far-right effort to remove fellow Republican Kevin McCarthy from the speakership succeeded thanks to support from Democrats. A resolution — titled a motion to vacate — from Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. passed Tuesday with the support of eight Republicans and all the Democrats present and voting. The vote made McCarthy the first speaker in history to be removed from office, a bitter humiliation that comes after less than nine months in the job.It was a stunning outcome in the House that shocked lawmakers of both parties and left them wondering what the future will bring.Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry, who is now the acting speaker, declared the House in recess until both parties can decide on a path forward. There is no obvious successor to lead the House Republican majority, should McCarthy opt not to run for the job again.Here’s a closer look at what could happen next:WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE HO...

Cowboy Junkies postpone tour dates after COVID-19 outbreak in band

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:01 GMT

TORONTO — Alternative country band Cowboy Junkies say they’re postponing the remainder of their Ontario concert tour after an outbreak of COVID-19 within the band.The Toronto act says stops in Toronto, Kingston and Peterborough that were set to run from Tuesday through Thursday of this week will all be rescheduled.The “Sweet Jane” performers say they expect to announce replacement dates soon.Tickets for the scheduled shows will be valid for the new dates.The band’s postponements come as COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise and other music acts face similar situations.In September, Metallica postponed the second of two shows in Arizona after lead singer James Hetfield tested positive, while punk musician Jeff Rosenstock postponed his September tour dates in North America after he and members of his crew contracted the virus.Cowboy Junkies launched their Ontario tour last week to promote their latest album “Such Ferocious Beauty,” which came out e...

US automakers’ sales rose sharply over the summer, despite high prices and interest rates

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:01 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Automakers posted big increases in new vehicle sales during the summer, despite high prices, rising interest rates and even a limited strike against Detroit companies.Industry sales rose 16.3% from July through September as consumer demand stayed strong, even given an average new vehicle loan rate of 7.4% and an average vehicle price of more than $45,500.Vehicle supplies also continued to recover from shortages of computer chips and other parts that began during the pandemic and are finally abating. With increased selection, more people bought vehicles, despite an average monthly payment of $736.“I think this is 100% replacement purchases and needs-based,” said Ivan Drury, director of insights at Edmunds.com. Pent-up demand has been building since the pandemic started in 2020, with many people delaying purchases while waiting for prices to come down and supplies to increase. But then the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates. “Unfortunately some of the people i...

B.C. man takes one-tonne pumpkin on road trip to win California weigh-off

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:01 GMT

VANCOUVER — An enormous pumpkin nicknamed “Mama” grown in a Richmond, B.C., backyard has won first place in one of North America’s most prestigious pumpkin weigh-offs, tipping the scales at more than a tonne.Grower Dave Chan, 78, says “a lot of good science” went into his victory on Saturday in the National Pumpkin Weigh Off in Wheatland, Calif., where Mama weighed in at 1,003 kilograms, or 2,212 pounds.The retired dentist says he and his wife Janet Love analyzed soil samples throughout summer to ensure the pumpkin was receiving the right nutrients.They loaded Mama and another giant pumpkin onto a trailer and drove more than 1,300 kilometres to attend the weigh-in, which organizers say has been held since 1921.Chan, who’s been growing giant pumpkins for more than 40 years, won $28,000 – that’s US$9 per pound – as well as a flashy championship belt, worthy of a heavyweight champion.He says he and his wife will use the money for a trip to Ital...

Detroit-area mayor indicted on bribery charge alleging he took $50,000 to facilitate property sale

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:00:01 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — A suburban Detroit mayor was indicted Tuesday on a federal bribery charge for allegedly demanding $50,000 in bribes to facilitate the sale of a city property to an outside party.Inkster Mayor Patrick Wimberly allegedly accepted the bribes from September 2022 through this past April, the indictment said. The bribes began at $5,000 monthly until Wimberly demanded more and they rose to $10,000 monthly, prosecutors said in a news release.Wimberly, 49, could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if convicted.“Elected public officials owe a duty to their community to act in the citizens’ best interest,” U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said in a news release. “Our office is committed to prosecuting those public officials who betray the public trust by accepting bribes.”A telephone message seeking comment was left Tuesday at Wimberly’s office. Online court records did not list an attorney who might comment on his behalf.Wimberly, a former city council member and mariju...