Category Archives: Deportes

Hector Neris Agrees to Two-Year, $17 Million Deal with Houston Astros

Posted on by
Reply

Hector Neris is celebrating an Astros-nomical deal…

The 32-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher and the Houston Astros have agreed to a two-year, $17 million deal, according to ESPN.

Hector Neris

Neris, a right-handed reliever, started the 2021 season as the closer for the Philadelphia Phillies but lost the job in June. He finished the season with a 4-7 record with 12 saves and a 3.63 ERA in 74 games.

In parts of eight seasons with the Phillies, Neris was 21-29 with a 3.42 ERA and 84 saves.

NBC Sports Philadelphia first reported the deal.

Brian Castaño to Face Off Against Jermell Charlo Once Again in February

Posted on by
Reply

Brian Castaño is ready to prove he’s the best…

The 32-year-old Argentine professional boxer and Jermell Charlo will meet once again to determine the best junior middleweight in the world.

Brian Castaño,Castaño and Charlo have agreed to terms for a rematch on February 26, 2022, at Toyota Center in Houston that will crown an undisputed 154-pound champion, multiple sources have told ESPN.

All four belts were set to be unified in July, but the bout resulted in a draw. The rematch was threatened by sanctioning body obligations, but it’s expected both mandatory challengers — Tim Tszyu and Bakhram Murtazaliev — will step aside.

“I think … he will try to avoid [the rematch],” Castano, ESPN’s No. 1 junior middleweight, said after the first bout. “He will probably come up with something else. But in reality, it is me who is going to give him the rematch. If he doesn’t want it, OK. We move on to the next fight.”

Only Charlo (34-1-1, 18 KOs) didn’t try to elude the encore encounter. He swept the final three rounds on all three scorecards to pull out the draw, but even he acknowledged the 117-111 tally was “kind of a large range.”

“I do believe I won the fight; I don’t believe it was that close,” said Charlo, ESPN’s No. 2 junior middleweight. “I should be undisputed right now.”

Charlo will have his chance to enter that rarified air once again, and this time, the fight will land in his hometown. The 31-year-old avenged his only loss — a controversial decision vs. Tony Harrison — via 11th-round KO in 2019.

Against Castano, it was Charlo who was on the beneficial end of the controversy. He won the fight 114-113 on one card, with the same score in favor of Castano on the other.

The PBC fight was exhilarating from the opening bell, with Castano (17-0-2, 12 KOs) applying nonstop pressure and Charlo seeking counter-punching opportunities. Down on the scorecards and on the brink of losing his three titles, Charlo connected on a fight-altering counter left hook in Round 10, but the knockdown never materialized.

“He was like belligerent all over the ring; he could barely stand up,” said Jermell Charlo, the twin brother of middleweight champion Jermall Charlo. “I just couldn’t get him out of there. He’s tough as f—.”

Seven months later, Charlo will have another opportunity to prove he’s the best 154-pounder in the world. And so will Castano, who left San Antonio with a bitter taste in his mouth.

“I feel that they robbed me,” Castano said. “I’m not taking anything away from Charlo. He’s a big puncher. He caught me with some good punches at times, but I survived, and overall, I thought I won the fight.

“And needless to say, I want the rematch because he still has the three belts that I need and feel should be mine.”

Wander Franco Reportedly Agrees to 12-Year Contract with Tampa Bay Rays Worth Up To $223 Million

Posted on by
Reply

Wander Franco has a dozen reasons to smile…

The Tampa Bay Rays saw enough in the 70 major league games that 20-year-old Dominican professional baseball shortstop played to secure a massive contract with him.

Wander FrancoFranco has agreed to a 12-year contract that guarantees him around $185 million, according to ESPN sources. The deal is worth a maximum of $223 million.

That dwarfs the previous record contract for a player with less than one full year of service time. At age 21 in 2019, Ronald Acuna Jr. signed an eight-year, $100 million deal with the Atlanta Braves.

Franco hit .288 with seven homers and 39 RBIs last season and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. He stepped up his game in the postseason, batting .368 with two homers and four RBIs in four games.

Franco wasn’t set to become arbitration eligible until 2024 and couldn’t become a free agent until 2027, but that was under the current collective bargaining agreement, which expires on December 1.

Lionel Messi Among Finalists for FIFA’s Annual Awards List for Best Men’s Player of 2020-21 Season

Posted on by
Reply

Lionel Messi is back in familiar territory… 

The 34-year-old Argentine soccer star, who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team, appears on FIFA‘s annual awards list for best men’s player of the 2020-21 season.

Lionel Messi

Messi appears on a finalist alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and last year’s winner, Robert Lewandowski.

A men’s list dominated by forwards was completed by Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Karim Benzema and Neymar in the nominations by a FIFA-appointed panel. Two Chelsea players — Jorginho and N’Golo Kante — rounded out the 11 candidates.

There are no defenders or goalkeepers in contention for the main FIFA award, though goalkeepers have their own separate award.

Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was named player of the tournament at Euro 2020, is among the five goalkeeping candidates.

Robert Mancini, who led Italy to the European title, is among seven candidates for the men’s coaching award that include Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel and Lionel Scaloni, whose Argentina team won the Copa America.

The winner of the women’s award last year, England defender Lucy Bronze, is nominated again and the 13 candidates include her national and Manchester City teammate Ellen White.

Olympic gold medal-winning Canada has just one candidate, veteran forward Christine Sinclair, 19 years after she was first voted into the top 10.

No player was nominated from the United States women’s team, which took bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Two men and three women are in contention to be the best coach in women’s football. They include Bev Priestman of Canada, Lluis Cortes of European champion Barcelona, and Emma Hayes of runner-up Chelsea.

Votes in all categories from national team captains and coaches, fans and media worldwide will be collected through Dec. 10. A virtual ceremony will be held on Jan. 17 remotely, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, from FIFA headquarters in Zurich. Ahead of the awards, three-candidate shortlists will be announced for each award, FIFA said.

Pedri Wins Golden Boy Award, the Prize Given to Best Young Player in Europe

Posted on by
Reply

Pedri is having a golden moment…

The 18-year-old Spanish soccer player, a Barcelona midfielder, has been named the winner of the 2021 Golden Boy award, seeing off competition from Borussia Dortmund and England‘s Jude Bellingham.

Pedri

 

Pedri becomes the first Barca player since Lionel Messi in 2005 to win the prize given to the best young player in Europe.

He succeeds Erling Haaland, who won it last year, with Joao Felix, Matthijs de Ligt and Kylian Mbappe also listed among the recent winners.

Italian newspaper Tuttosport, which hands out the award, revealed that Pedri’s winning margin was the biggest ever.

The Spain international collected 318 points from 40 voting journalists, 199 more than second-placed Bellingham.

“I want to thank Tuttosport for this trophy which makes me so proud,” he told the newspaper. “Thanks also to the members of my team and the fans who have always supported me throughout a 2021 which for me has been simply incredible.

“Of course, I want to thank Barcelona, the national side, my family, my friends and everyone who has been with me day-in-day-out without whose help I would not have been able to win the Golden Boy award.”

Pedri has enjoyed a remarkable year. He joined Barca as a 17-year-old from Las Palmas in the summer of 2020 but quickly established himself as a key fixture in the Catalan club’s midfield.

He made 52 appearances in his first season at Camp Nou, winning the Copa del Rey, and playing a major role in Spain’s run to the semifinals at Euro 2020, where he was named Young Player of the Tournament. He made his international debut in March.

A month after the Euros, he was also part of the Spain under-23 team that reached the final of the 2020 Tokyo Games, losing to Brazil after extra time.

Injuries have delayed his progress this season, though. He has made just four appearances for Barca thanks to a thigh problem and is expected to remain sidelined for the next few weeks.

Alex Rodriguez Among 13 First-Timers on Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot

Posted on by
Reply

Alex Rodriguez is getting his first chance…

The 46-year-old Dominican American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman, businessman and philanthropist is among 13 first-time candidates on the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame ballot of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Alex RodriguezA-Rod, as he’s nicknamed, is joined by fellow first-timers David Ortiz, Ryan Howard, Tim Lincecum, Justin Morneau, Jimmy Rollins, Jake Peavy, Carl Crawford, Prince Fielder, Joe Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon, A.J. Pierzynski and Mark Teixeira, the Hall and BBWAA said.

A-Rod and the first-timers join 17 holdovers.

Steroids-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens make their 10th and final appearance on the BBWAA ballot along with Curt Schilling, who fell 16 votes shy of the necessary 75% in last year’s balloting. Schilling appeared on 71.1% of ballots, Bonds 61.8% and Clemens 61.6%.

Holdovers include Bobby Abreu, Mark Buehrle, Todd Helton, Tim Hudson, Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Andy Pettitte, Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield, Sammy Sosa, Omar Vizquel and Billy Wagner.

Sosa also will be on the ballot for the final time after receiving 17% last year.

BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years of membership are eligible to vote. Ballots must be postmarked by December 31 and results will be announced Jan. 25.

Any players elected will be inducted into the Hall at Cooperstown on July 24 along with anyone elected by the Golden Days Era and Early Baseball Era committees, which are scheduled to meet on December 5.

No one was elected by the BBWAA in last year’s vote, and Schilling asked after the vote that the Hall remove him from the ballot.

“It’s all right, the game doesn’t owe me anything,” he said during a live video stream on his Twitter account.

Clemens has denied using performance-enhancing drugs and Bonds has denied knowingly using them. Bonds also has been accused of domestic violence and Clemens of maintaining a decade-long relationship with a singer who was 15 when they met.

Rodriguez was suspended for the 2014 season for violating MLB‘s drug policy and collective bargaining agreement, and Ortiz’s name was alleged to have appeared on a list of players who tested positive during 2003 survey testing.

Ketlen Vieira Foils Miesha Tate’s Comeback with Unanimous Decision Win

Posted on by
Reply

Ketlen Vieira has foiled Miesha Tate’s comeback…

The 30-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist defeated Tate, one of the most popular women’s fighters in MMA history, via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Ketlen Vieira

Vieira used her counterpunching and length to win the standup battle and bloody Tate badly in the fifth and final round.

“That’s what I’m here for — I’m here to fight the best,” Vieira said through an interpreter. “Respect my skills.”

ESPN had Vieira ranked No. 8 in the world at women’s bantamweight entering Saturday.

Tate is the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion who returned after a five-year layoff in July with a TKO win over Marion Reneau. With a victory, Tate was hoping to earn a title shot against old rival Amanda Nunes, but she will have to go back to the drawing board.

“I’ve always dreamed about being in a main event against a legend,” said Vieira. “To be able to live that moment and get a victory, I don’t have words to express.”

The fight had many close rounds. Vieira admitted she was hesitant early on. Tate was the aggressor and landed hard shots in the early rounds. Vieira, though, always seemed to have an answer on the counter. The first round was a tossup, with both women landing big right hands. In the second, Vieira started to get into more of a rhythm, landing combinations.

Vieira kept that momentum in the third round, landing a beautiful right uppercut-left hook combination several times. Tate rebounded in a solid fourth round, landing a hard right hand at the round’s outset and then a takedown later on. Vieira really got off again with her punching combos in the fifth round, blasting Tate and making her bloody with a big right hand. By the end of the fight, Tate had a swollen left eye, bloody nose and lumped up face.

“The real thing is about enjoying the journey,” Tate said. “This is just a moment in time, you guys. We all have moments in our life. … What else can I say? I get to go home and kiss my two kids. Life is great.”

Tate was transported to the hospital after the fight for a CT scan on her head and face, according to UFC.

Vieira said she will be in Las Vegas for 10 more days and would love to work with Tate in the gym while she is in town.

“I’d love to have the chance and opportunity to train with her. She’s a legend,” Vieira said. “I look up to her.”

Added Vieira: “Miesha Tate is a world champion. She’s one of the best fighters in the world.”

Vieira (12-2) came in having lost two of her past three fights, most recently a unanimous decision loss to Yana Kunitskaya in February. She is now 2-2 in her past four. The Brazil native was 10-0 prior to this recent stretch. Vieira, 30, owns career wins over Cat Zingano and Sara McMann.

Tate (19-8) returned from retirement July 17 with a third-round TKO win over Reneau — Tate’s first-ever KO/TKO in UFC. The Washington native, who lives and trains in Las Vegas, retired in November 2016 after back-to-back losses to Nunes and Raquel Pennington.

Only Nunes has more wins in the UFC women’s bantamweight division since 2016 than Vieira, who has six victories during that span, tied with Irene Aldana and Pennington.

Tate, 35, won the UFC women’s bantamweight title at UFC 196 in March 2016 with a fifth-round submission win over Holly Holm and lost it to Nunes at UFC 200 four months later. “Cupcake” is also known for her well-publicized feud with Ronda Rousey, which included two grudge matches.

Lionel Messi Scores First Ligue 1 Goal in Paris Saint-Germain Win

Posted on by
Reply

Lionel Messi has kicked his way into the Ligue 1 books…

The 34-year-old Argentine professional footballer scored his first goal in the league as Paris Saint-Germain opened a 13-point lead at the top of the table despite playing almost half an hour with 10 men in a 3-1 home win against Nantes on Saturday.

Lionel Messi

Messi found the back of the net with a curled left-footed effort from outside the box three minutes from time, adding to Dennis Appiah‘s own goal after Randal Kolo Muani had cancelled out Kylian Mbappe‘s first-half opener.

The result left PSG with 37 points from 14 games ahead of a Champions League trip to Manchester City on Wednesday, while Nantes are 11th on 18 points.

Messi has scored three goals in the Champions League since joining from Barcelona during the close season but the Argentine forward had not found the back of the net for PSG in his five previous appearances in Ligue 1.

Garbine Muguruza Becomes First Spaniard to Win WTA Finals Title

Posted on by
Reply

Garbine Muguruza is ending the year with a bang…

The 28-year-old Spanish Venezuelan tennis player defeated Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 7-5 to win the WTA Finals title for the first time in her career and improve her record playing in Mexico to 14 wins and two losses.

Garbine Muguruza Muguruza, who won back-to-back titles in Monterrey in northern Mexico in 2018 and 2019, became the first Spaniard to win the women’s season-ending tournament.

Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario was a runner-up two times, the last time in 1993.

Muguruza’s past successes in Mexico motivated her to play in the WTA Finals. In the ceremony after winning the title, she recalled telling WTA CEO Steve Simon at the US Open that she wanted to play again south of the Rio Grande.

“To qualify, the whole year with my team, I was saying to them, ‘It’s in Mexico, we have to make it, c’mon.’ It was my biggest motivation,” Muguruza said.

The former No. 1-ranked Muguruza, who was a semifinalist in the WTA Finals in 2015, also became the oldest champion since Serena Williams won it in 2014 and will finish the season at No. 3 in the rankings, her best performance since 2017.

 

Muguruza was backed the whole week by a raucous crowd who gathered at Estadio Akron to cheer and clap for her as if she were one of their own.

“It’s funny, the other day I was speaking with my manager. … He was like, ‘You know what, for the first time, Garbine, you’re really using the crowd, really getting that energy and using it on the court. You should do that more often,'” said Muguruza, who entered the Estadio Akron wearing a Mexico soccer team jersey for her last two matches.

“I think a big lesson to me is I should get the energy from the environment. I’m very supported here in Mexico. I don’t know if it will be everywhere, but I used it this week for sure.”

Despite the loss, Kontaveit, who moved from No. 30 in the rankings into the top 10 in the past few months, is projected to finish at No. 7 in the rankings.

Muguruza took control early in the match with three breaks against an erratic Kontaveit, who played better in the second and got a break in the ninth, but the Spaniard broke the Estonian’s next two serves to win it.

The WTA Finals were played in Guadalajara for this year only, with the event scheduled to return in 2022 to Shenzhen, China.

FC Dallas’ Ricardo Pepi Named Young Player of the Year by MLS

Posted on by
Reply

Ricardo Pepi is celebrating a banner year with a special prize…

The 18-year-old Mexican American soccer player and FC Dallas star has been named the 2021 Major League Soccer Young Player of the Year.

Ricardo PepiPepi, a forward, led his club with 13 goals and added three assists in 31 games, including 24 starts.

He recorded his first MLS hat trick against the LA Galaxy on July 24 and scored twice in games against the New England Revolution (June 27) and Austin FC (Aug. 29).

Pepi received 39.47% of the votes from MLS players, technical staff and media members.

Revolution midfielder Tajon Buchanan was the runner-up at 31.1%.

Pepi has produced 15 goals and four assists in 55 matches (28 starts) since making his MLS debut in 2019.

He also made his debut earlier this year with the United States men’s national team. In six appearances, he has three goals.

The Young Player of the Year award honors the top player in the league age 22 and under. Players born on or before Jan. 1, 1999 were eligible for selection.