MLB-SCHEDULE
Here we go
UNDATED (AP) β It’s hard to believe but this is the final weekend of baseball’s 2015 regular season. Here’s what remains up for grabs as far as the playoffs.
In the American League West the Rangers hold a three-game lead over the Astros while the Angels are four back. The Rangers have clinched a spot in the playoffs but are not assured of winning the division title. Depending on how things go, this weekend they could finish second.
As far as the AL wild-card race, the Yankees have the top spot secured while the Astros hold the second, just a game in front of the Angels and Minnesota Twins.
With the picture painted, here’s how the weekend shapes up. In Arlington, Texas, the Rangers are playing host to the Angels Friday, Saturday and Sunday, while the Astros are at Arizona for three games and the Twins are home to the Royals for three. In that Houston-Arizona game tonight Dallas Keuchel (KY’-kehl) of the Astros is looking for his 20th win of the season.
Everything else in baseball has been decided, with the Blue Jays winners of the American League East, the Yankees winners of a wild-card berth and the Royals champions of the AL Central. In the National League, the Mets are winners of the East, St. Louis is the Central champ and the Pirates and Cubs in the playoffs as the wild-card teams. The winning team of the NL West is once again the Dodgers.
A check of tonight’s schedule shows the Cubs playing in Milwaukee with Chicago right-hander Jake Arrieta (ehr-ee-ET’-uh) gunning for his 21st victory of the campaign, the Pirates home to the Reds, Miami at Philadelphia, the Orioles hosting the Yankees, Boston at Cleveland, the Rays home to the Jays, Washington in New York facing the Mets, Atlanta home to St. Louis, Detroit in Chicago playing the White Sox, Oakland at Seattle, the Dodgers entertaining the Padres and Colorado at San Francisco.
NFL-NEWS
New of and from the NFL
UNDATED (AP) β Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy is out indefinitely after revealing he had a setback with his hamstring injury last week. McCoy said he was making progress in his recovery from the left hamstring injury before Buffalo’s Week 3 game against the Miami Dolphins, but hurt it again on Sept. 24. He played through the injury in Buffalo’s 41-14 win over the Dolphins but ran for just 16 yards on 11 carries.
β Colts quarterback Andrew Luck will likely be a game-time decision to play against Jacksonville on Sunday. If Luck doesn’t play, backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is expected to start. As an insurance policy the Colts signed quarterback Josh Johnson, who most recently spent time with Cincinnati and the New York Jets this preseason.
β Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly (KEEK’-lee), the 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, will miss his third straight game Sunday when the team plays Tampa Bay. He was injured in the Panthers’ opening game of the season and suffered a concussion.
β Three members of the Washington Redskins, receiver DeSean Jackson, linebacker Perry Riley Jr. and cornerback DeAngelo Hall, have all been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson is still recovering from hurting his left hamstring in Week 1, Riley missed last week’s game with a strained left calf, and Hall hurt a toe on his right foot last week.
β Britain’s treasury chief has told the NFL that he hopes to see a franchise in London within five years. Chancellor George Osborne pushed his case for establishing an NFL team in London during a meeting with owners, executives and former players.
Osborne spoke on the same day that the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets arrived in London ahead of their game at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. It’s the first of three NFL games at Wembley this season.
NBA-TRANSACTIONS
No deal for Thompson and new pact for Henson
UNDATED (AP) β Forward Tristan Thompson is now officially holding out. By failing to show up for practice after refusing to sign a one-year, $6.8 million qualifying offer with Cleveland Thursday night, and then missing the next days practice, he became a holdout. He had until 11:59 p.m. Thursday to accept the offer.
Thompson was a key contributor during Cleveland’s run to the NBA Finals last season, filling in when starter Kevin Love dislocated his shoulder. Thompson and his representatives believe he deserves a maximum contract.
β The Milwaukee Bucks and John Henson have agreed to a four-year, $44 million contract that could reach $48 million if certain incentives are reached. A person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press about the move. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement has not been made.
Henson is entering his fourth year of play in the NBA after being the 14th overall pick out of North Carolina in 2012.
NASCAR-AAA 400
Pole set on points
DOVER, Del. (AP) β Rain wiped out qualifying for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway. With the field set on points Matt Kenseth will start from the pole with Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards second and third. Hamlin and Kenseth have advanced into the second round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship with wins in the first two races.
The 16-driver field is sliced to 12 following Sunday’s race. Reigning series champion Kevin Harvick is 15th in the standings and will likely have to win to advance and remain in championship contention.
Kyle Busch, Paul Menard, Harvick and Clint Bowyer are in the bottom four and most at risk of elimination on Sunday.
NASCAR
Bowyer lands 2016 ride
DOVER, Del. (AP) β Clint Bowyer (BOY’-ur) will spend next season with HScott Motorsports before he takes over for Tony Stewart in 2017. Bowyer was released from his contract with Michael Waltrip Racing because the team is folding at the end of the season. He was named this week as Stewart’s successor in the No. 14 Chevrolet. Stewart is retiring from Sprint Cup racing following the 2016 season.
Bowyer is 16th this season in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship standings. Barring a victory, Bowyer will not advance to the second round.
PGA-SPIETH
Spieth dominates awards
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) β Not that there was much of a question about it but Jordan Spieth (speeth) has been voted PGA Tour player of the year, giving him a sweep of all the significant awards. He had five wins this year, including the Masters and U.S. Open. If there was any doubt about Spieth winning the award he put that to sleep last week with his win in the Tour Championship.
At 22 he is the youngest player since Tiger Woods, who was 21, to win the Jack Nicklaus Award as player of the year. Spieth also won the Arnold Palmer Award by topping the money list with a record $12 million, and the Vardon Trophy for having the lowest adjusted scoring average.
Since the FedEx Cup began in 2007, Woods is the only other player to sweep the awards, win a major and capture the FedEx Cup and its $10 million bonus.
PGA-PRESIDENTS CUP
Furyk out
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) β Jim Furyk (FYOOR’-ihk) has decided to remove himself from the U.S. team at the Presidents Cup because of a wrist injury.
Furyk withdrew from the BMW Championship because of a deep bone bruise in his left wrist, and he sat out the Tour Championship last week with hopes it would get better.
U.S. captain Jay Haas replaced Furyk with J.B. Holmes, who was 12th in the standings. The Presidents Cup starts Thursday in South Korea.
SOCCER
Coke calls for ouster of Blatter
ZURICH (AP) β When a major sponsor takes a stand against the leader of a major sport, people normally listen. Let’s see who pays attention to Coca-Cola’s call for Sepp Blatter to step down as president of FIFA (FEE’-fuh), the governing body of world-wide soccer. Coke has become the first FIFA sponsor to call for Blatter’s removal.
The intervention from the soft drinks giant comes a week after the FIFA president was placed under criminal investigation by the Swiss authorities.
The company says, “Every day that passes, the image and reputation of FIFA continues to tarnish. FIFA needs comprehensive and urgent reform, and that can only be accomplished through a truly independent approach.”
BOXING
Heavyweight fight rescheduled
BERLIN (AP) β Wladimir Klitschko’s (VLAD’-uh-meer KLICH’-kohz) postponed heavyweight title defense against Tyson Fury has been rescheduled for Nov. 28 in Duesseldorf, Germany. The Ukrainian had been scheduled to defend his IBF, WBO and WBA belts against the British fighter on Oct. 24, but the bout was called off after Klitschko tore a tendon in his left calf in training.
DRONE
No jail time for tennis droner
NEW YORK (AP) β The man who flew a drone into the stands at the U.S. Tennis Open has been ordered to perform five days of community service. Daniel Verley, who is a New York City high school teacher, will have the charges dismissed in six months if he completes his service and stays out of trouble. The District Attorney says Verley cooperated fully with investigators. The charges will be dismissed in six months if he completes his service and stays out of trouble.
