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Aaron Judge praises top prospect Anthony Volpe: ‘If you’re the best player…you should be up helping the New York Yankees’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:49 GMT

Anthony Volpe has been the talk of Tampa.The Yankees’ top prospect came into camp riding the motivation from a reported phone call between himself and GM Brian Cashman where he was told he’s in the mix to start at shortstop for the Yankees on Opening Day.The 21-year-old is 6-for-17 (.353) with a homer, two doubles, two stolen bases and has made a series of flashy defensive plays from both shortstop and second base. The New Jersey native is in the thick of a position battle trying to fend off incumbent Isiah Kiner-Falefa and fellow prospect Oswald Peraza.However, if the opinion of the clubs’ captain holds any water, Volpe may have a leg up on the competition.“I think he’s got all the tools,” said Aaron Judge after Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals at the Yankees’ spring complex. “He checks a lot of boxes defensively, offensively. He’s got the speed… My thing has always been, if you’re the best player, it sho...

Mike Preston: Lamar Jackson has only himself to blame for breakdown in negotiations with Ravens | COMMENTARY

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:49 GMT

Maybe Lamar Jackson has finally figured out he needs an agent to conduct contract negotiations.The star quarterback has been negotiating on his own behalf with the Ravens but has been outmaneuvered throughout the nearly 2 1/2-year process. The team outplayed him when it applied the nonexclusive franchise tag on him Tuesday.While some have said it was risky business for the Ravens to allow Jackson an opportunity to sign with another team, I thought the decision was superb and showed that the team’s front office had thoroughly studied the landscape and his value throughout the league.The emotion over at The Castle might be a little subdued, but there surely has been some high-fiving.Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta could have used the exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, 26, which would cost about $45 million, but instead chose the nonexclusive, which is about $32.4 million.Jackson is free to start negotiations with other teams Monday and the Ravens would have five days to mat...

15-year-old boy who shot NFL’s Brian Robinson gets maximum 6-year sentence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:49 GMT

A teenager who admitted to shooting Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson was sentenced Wednesday to nearly six years in juvenile detention.A judge ruled that the 15-year-old boy must remain behind bars until he turns 21, the Washington Post reported. He will then be released.The teen had also pleaded guilty to a second crime — the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Andre Robertson in D.C. in October 2022.That killing was prosecuted as involuntary manslaughter, so the case remained in juvenile court. Under D.C. law, the maximum sentence for a juvenile is detention until age 21.The teenager’s attorneys had asked for a two-year sentence, while prosecutors sought the maximum, local CBS affiliate WUSA reported.Robinson had yet to play a down for the Commanders when he was attacked in an attempted carjacking and robbery on Aug. 28, 2022. Though Robinson was shot twice in the attack, he escaped with his life, his car and his possessions.Months later, police arrested two...

Daniel Jones’ new Giants contract is ‘team-friendly’ in its structure

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:49 GMT

The guts of Daniel Jones’ four-year, $160 million contract extension reveals a “team-friendly” deal, in the words of multiple league sources, that boils down to a three-year, $112.5 million pact averaging $37.5 million per season.Jones gains by getting $82 million guaranteed in the first two years, which is about $11 million more than the $71.28 million he would have made on consecutive franchise tags.And thanks to the short four-year term, Jones also can get back to the negotiating table quickly before the 2026 season if he plays well, which benefits the player.However, the Giants have the ability to get out of the contract after only two seasons at a dead cap cost of just $18 million.An extra $12 million guaranteed in salary for 2025 doesn’t lock in until Year 3. It can be offset and come back to the Giants if they cut him before that.And none of the Jones’ fourth season money is guaranteed, so bailing after Year 3 would be easy.Jones’ contract ...

After Breonna Taylor death, feds find police discrimination

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:49 GMT

By DYLAN LOVAN (Associated Press)LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department found Louisville police have engaged in a pattern of violating constitutional rights and discrimination against the Black community following an investigation prompted by the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor.Attorney General Merrick Garland made the announcement Wednesday. A Justice Department report found the Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government and Louisville Metro Police Department “engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives people of their rights under the Constitution and federal law.”The report said the Louisville police department “discriminates against Black people in its enforcement activities,” uses excessive force and conducts searches based on invalid warrants. It also said the department violates the rights of people engaged in protected speech, like the street protests in the city in the summer of 2020 after Taylor’s death...

Teamsters President Sean O’Brien clashes with Sen. Markwayne Mullin: ‘You’re out of line, man’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:49 GMT

An old-school Boston brawl took center stage during a U.S. Senate hearing on Wednesday, as Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien engaged in a heated battle with Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin about unions, their salaries and union members’ dues.O’Brien — a fourth generation Teamster who joined Teamsters Local 25 in Charlestown when he was 18 — blasted the Oklahoma senator and claimed that he worked more hours than the GOP politician. Mullin told O’Brien to “shut your mouth” at one point.During the intense exchange, O’Brien said Mullin had “hid money” when he owned a company. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ended up banging his gavel a few times during the back-and-forth between O’Brien and Mullin.O’Brien was testifying at a hearing held by the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The committee hearing — “Defending the Right of Workers to Organize Unions Free from Il...

Boston council passes proposal aimed at tackling rising rent

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:49 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston City Council on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a proposal from the mayor to cap rent prices as part of an effort to address rising housing costs and prevent homelessness. Under Mayor Michelle Wu’s proposal, known as a home rule petition, the maximum allowable annual rent increase would be based on the change in the consumer price index, plus 6%, or a maximum increase of 10% — whichever is lower. The measure also provides other rental protections, including requiring that evictions be for cause such as not paying rent. “This is a monumental act for the City of Boston,” said City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo, who supported the proposal. “I commend the mayor for moving forward with a rent stabilization plan to address what has been and is an ongoing, long-standing issue of price gouging and rent gouging and displacement of residents of the City of Boston.”Several council members said they were moved by earlier testimony from tenants who were facing rent increase...

Regulator orders TC Energy to reduce operating pressure on Keystone pipeline

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:49 GMT

CALGARY — A U.S. regulator has ordered TC Energy Corp. to lower the operating pressure on the entire Keystone pipeline system.The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration issued the ruling Tuesday as a result of its ongoing investigation into a Dec. 7 leak that saw around 13,000 barrels of oil spill into a creek in Washington County, Kansas.In its “amended corrective action order,” the PHMSA essentially revokes TC Energy’s special permit, dating back to 2007, which allowed the company to operate certain portions of the pipeline at a higher stress level — 80 per cent of its specified maximum yield strength — than would normally be allowed under U.S. regulations.Tuesday’s order restricts the entire Keystone pipeline to operate at no more than 72 per cent of its specified maximum yield strength. Keystone was the only crude oil pipeline in the U.S. to have been granted such a special permit. However, the December leak has raised questions about the ...

Loonie hits four-month low as Bank of Canada holds key interest rate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:49 GMT

TORONTO — The value of the loonie hit a four-month low compared with the U.S. dollar on Wednesday, but some experts say Canadian consumers shouldn’t expect their wallets to take a major hit.The Canadian dollar traded at 72.54 U.S. cents on Wednesday, the weakest level in more than five months.CIBC chief economist Avery Shenfeld said the weak loonie is reflective of the U.S. Federal Reserve getting more aggressive on interest rate hikes while the Bank of Canada holds its key rate steady for the first time in a year.While import cost hikes could lead to higher prices for items such as groceries, he said the effect on Canada’s inflation rate should be minimal.“This is pretty small potatoes in terms of the inflation rate. We’re talking a decimal place here or there,” Shenfeld said.“Even if something is an imported good, the import price doesn’t tend to pass on all the exchange rate moves. It tends to show up in things like fresh fruits and veget...

Colorado police say no charges to be filed against Ja Morant

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:21:49 GMT

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will not face charges in Colorado related to the livestreamed video is which he appeared to be displaying a gun in a strip club, police said Wednesday.The Glendale Police Department said it looked into the video, which was a stream that Morant showed on his Instagram channel while he seemed to be holding a firearm, and found no proof that a crime was committed. Glendale is an enclave surrounded by the city of Denver.“In this case, it should be noted that on the night in question the GPD did not receive any calls for service at the nightclub regarding a weapon of any type,” police said. “Subsequently, no disturbances were reported, and no citizens of patrons of the club came forward to make a complaint.“The investigation also concluded that no one was threatened or menaced with the firearm and in fact no firearm was ever located.”The NBA has said it is also looking into the matter, and has not announced any sanctions — such as a suspension — against ...