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Kumara goes from back-up to frontman

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The Sri Lanka quick stuck to his strengths against England and, for a change, got the rewards he so deserved

Shashank Kishore27-Oct-2023It’s a story similar to that of many of his team-mates. Lahiru Kumara made his ODI debut as a 20-year-old in 2017, but has managed just 28 games over the years. He’s battled all sorts of fast-bowler injuries in between: knee, back, ankle, hamstring, side… But every time he’s returned, the one constant has been pace, bristling pace.Unfortunately, he’s been prone to waywardness and inconsistency; an ODI economy of 6.48 is some indication of that.He doesn’t swing the ball but can be more than handful if there’s lateral movement. He also has the ability to work batters over with the short stuff. But, at the World Cup, on largely flat surfaces, he has had to work that much harder to execute.Related

  • Samarawickrama – Doing it with style, doing it with substance

  • Kumara out with thigh injury, Chameera comes in as replacement

  • England's lurching between attack and defence leaves them in no man's land

  • Are defending champions out of the World Cup?

  • Peak Sri Lanka too sharp for England

Kumara didn’t start the tournament and was largely seen as a back-up option. But Sri Lanka’s pace stocks have been depleting faster than the world’s gold reserves. Injured fast bowlers have recuperated and come in to replace other injured fast bowlers as a result. Kumara has been part of this merry-go-round for a while now. At the World Cup, he may well have been on the bench had Dushmantha Chameera been fit, but an injury to Matheesha Pathirana forced Sri Lanka to alter their combination.On Thursday, Kumara was up against England on one of the flattest decks in the country. He came in with a clear plan. He was told clearly to forget about Australia – he managed all of four wicketless overs and got taken for 47. “Just go flat out, bowl short, and be the middle-overs enforcer.”It’s easier said than done. But Kumara had been putting in the long hours in training. His nets sessions have been devoid of much drama. Just three stumps, the bowling coach on the side, and him. The mandate: bowl fast, hit the area marked out between short of length and good length repeatedly, and stick to one line. And Kumara had been at it, 30 minutes non-stop, sometimes 40, every day.

For once, he’s not in the news for a scan or a period of rehab. It’s about a bowling performance that has reinvigorated Sri Lanka’s flagging World Cup campaign

Kumara is strongly built. Broad shoulders, ripping muscles, he generates the strength from his core. The run-up may not be butter smooth, but there’s a hustle, effort, the grunt as he finishes off in a whippy open-chested action.On Thursday in Bengaluru, his pace and seam movement accounted for Jos Buttler. He bowled it just a touch fuller than Buttler probably anticipated as he tried to flay it on the up, the ball decking away and taking the thick outside edge to be superbly grabbed by Kusal Mendis behind the stumps. This was Kumara in his zone. He was simply running in and letting it rip. It’s likely he wasn’t sure how the ball was going to behave after pitching.The ball that got Liam Livingstone lbw ducked back in off a length to trap him lbw as he played all around it. Kumara was simply targeting one spot, give or take a few centimetres this way or that. Most times, this small margin is the difference between good and bad deliveries on flat decks. Against England, Kumara also got a touch lucky that England were on damage-control mode after a top-order meltdown when he got into his act.Kumara’s biggest wicket was yet to come. Ben Stokes had begun to raise hopes of a rearguard of the kind he’s known for. With England’s campaign on the line, he reined himself in for much of his stay. It hadn’t quite got to a point where he had to tee off, but he did nonetheless.1:46

Shane Bond: Hopefully this win kickstarts Sri Lanka’s campaign

But Kumara, by then, was like a four-stroke engine. Bounding in, hitting hard lengths, generating some movement. He beat Stokes twice with balls that held their line. Stokes, though, couldn’t hold back when he finally saw one dropped short. He took him on, pulling it from outside off, but picked out deep midwicket.Kumara was modest enough to admit afterwards that the Stokes dismissal played out accidentally. It was perhaps just the rub of green he needed.”Stokes,” he said spontaneously with a smile when asked after the match which of the three wickets he had enjoyed the most. He led the flag wave with a few Sri Lankan fans, chatted with the press pack, and walked off with the contented smile of a man who had thoroughly enjoyed his moment in the spotlight for all the right reasons.For once, he’s not in the news for a scan or a period of rehab. It’s about a bowling performance that has reinvigorated Sri Lanka’s flagging World Cup campaign.

Ross Taylor: A batting giant for New Zealand and a star at No. 4

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Stats highlights from Ross Taylor’s long and storied international career

S Rajesh08-Jan-2022With an aggregate of 18,145 runs, Ross Taylor has scored 2679 more runs than the next-best for New Zealand across all international formats. He has scored more Test runs, ODI runs, ODI hundreds and overall hundreds than any other New Zealand batter. That speaks of a career which has combined longevity with prolific run-scoring. He hasn’t always been counted among the very best batters in the world – and we’ll see the reasons for that later – but that in no way diminishes his overall contribution to New Zealand cricket.ESPNcricinfo LtdTaylor’s Test career can neatly be split into three phases. Till 2011 he was a competent, but not exceptional, middle-order batter, averaging 40.81 from 33 matches. He was superb in home conditions, averaging 49.62, but it dropped to 32.58 in away games. Similarly, in the period since the start of 2018 the returns haven’t been impressive: the average has dropped to 34.36, and away from home he averages only 25.82.

His best in Tests was the six years in between those two phases. Between 2012 and 2017, Taylor was among the top batters in the world, averaging 54.24 from 50 Tests, marginally higher than Kane Williamson and Joe Root. He averaged 64.92 at home, while the away average improved to 48.31.It helped that he scored 486 runs without being dismissed against Zimbabwe during this period (122*, 173*, 124*, 67*), but he had some significant innings against the better teams too, including a career-best 290 in Perth, and 142 against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Among batters who scored 3000-plus Test runs in these six years, only six had a higher average. These numbers are even more creditable given that this phase includes a period – around 2014-16 – when he battled an eye problem which prevented him from picking the swing from the bowler’s hand. That might have been part of the reason he averaged only 35.53 from eight Tests in 2014, and 42.4 in 2015.

Taylor’s numbers in Tests are good, but his ODI stats are even better. An average of 48.20 over 217 innings is incredible – it puts him in sixth place among the 32 batters who have scored 8000-plus runs – and his 21 hundreds in the format is 31% more than the next-best for New Zealand, despite the fact he batted mostly at No. 4 and didn’t have the opportunity to play out all the overs.

And unlike in Tests, where his numbers have faded away recently, they remain strong in ODIs: since the start of 2018, he averages 66.18 at a strike rate of 89.12. In fact, his highest ODI score of 181 not out came during this period, against England in March 2018.Taylor’s ODI numbers over the last 11 years are up there with the very best – an average of 57.27 in 131 innings, including 18 hundreds. Among the 45 batters who have scored at least 3000 runs during this period, only two – AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli – have a better average.ESPNcricinfo LtdOwning the No. 4 slotOf the 7655 runs he scored in Tests, 7059 runs came at the No. 4 position, at an average of 47.37. In the period since his Test debut, no batter scored more runs at that slot, while overall, only four have made more runs at two down.

In ODIs, Taylor sits on top for most runs and centuries by any batter at No. 4. While his overall ODI average of 48.20 is impressive, his average at that slot is even better: 52.13. In fact, he is one of only two batters – de Villiers is the other – to score 2500-plus runs at that position at a 50-plus average.

The partnership with KaneWith Williamson coming in at No. 3, it meant New Zealand didn’t have to bother about these two slots for over a decade. It’s hardly surprising that these two – and their third-wicket partnership – have been the cornerstone of New Zealand batting over the last 10 years. Across all international formats, Williamson and Taylor have put together 8018 partnership runs, including 24 century stands. Both are by far the best for New Zealand: the next-best in terms of runs is 5802 by Nathan Astle and Stephen Fleming, while in terms of century stands it’s 14, by Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum.In Tests, the 3882 runs they’ve added is a whopping 58% more than the next-best for New Zealand – 2458 by Tom Latham and Williamson. In ODIs, they are second in terms of aggregate, a mere two runs short of Astle and Fleming’s 3814. But while Astle and Fleming needed 118 partnerships to score those runs – at an average of 33.16 – Taylor and Williamson have scored 3812 runs in just 69 stands, at an average of 57.75 runs per completed partnership. This average is fourth-best among the 41 pairs who have put together at least 3000 partnership runs in ODIs.

Where Taylor fell shortDespite all the runs and hundreds, though, a couple of aspects of Taylor’s career stats remain underwhelming. In Tests, his overall average away from home is 38.16, but that includes 516 runs for two dismissals in Zimbabwe. In seven other overseas countries – Australia, England, India, UAE, South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies – his average falls to 33.55. Among the 14 New Zealand batters who have scored 1500-plus runs in these seven countries plus Pakistan, nine have a higher average. Williamson isn’t on top of this list – his average of 40.07 in these countries puts him in fifth place – but he probably has a few more tours to improve his numbers.

In the 50-over World Cup, Taylor averages 37.11, sixth among the 10 New Zealand batters who have scored 500-plus runs in the tournament. Williamson averages 56.93, Martin Crowe 55 and Glenn Turner 61.20.The run-out kingNo stats piece on Taylor would be complete without pointing out this quirk, so here goes: Taylor has been involved in 73 run-outs over his international career, the most among all players since his international debut in March 2006. MS Dhoni is next with 68, followed by Angelo Mathews with 67. Taylor himself has been out 33 times out of those 73, which is a far higher percentage than those for Dhoni and Mathews.

Cubs Position Player Drops Majestic Strike Clocking in at Well Below Speed Limit

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Trailing the San Francisco Giants by eight runs entering the bottom of the eighth, the Chicago Cubs threw in the towel in the form of letting catcher Reese McGuire stride out to the mound and lob some eephus pitches. Few things are more exciting in sports than watching non-pitchers lob pitches that would work in slow-pitch softball to the best hitters in the world and confound them into looking quite mortal.

McGuire did the job just fine, surrendering just one run in the frame and getting the game over quickly.

The catcher explored all the space above the strike zone before dropping moonshots in, including this 35-MPH job that Rafael Devers could only watch.

Beautiful stuff.

Now, the little ball icon would tell you this was very high. But that thing is calibrated for pitchers who are throwing very fast and not letting gravity do the work. It's entirely possible that this thing came from the sky and did cross part of the plate in the strike zone before finding the catcher's glove. Or the ump understandably just wanted to get things going.

Chelsea atinge valor milionário desejado pelo Palmeiras e fica perto de fechar com Estêvão

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

MatériaMais Notícias

O Chelsea, da Inglaterra, está próximo de acertar a contratação do meia-atacante Estêvão, do Palmeiras. Em um encontro na tarde de quinta-feira (16), em São Paulo, os representantes do clube inglês se alinharam com o estafe do jogador em uma operação próxima aos R$ 400 milhões.

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O Verdão ainda não recebeu oficialmente a oferta, o que deve acontecer nos próximos dias, mas a quantia está alinhada ao que a equipe alviverde deseja receber pelo atleta de 17 anos, que, caso o negócio seja fechado, só se transferiria ao time britânico na próxima temporada, após completar 18 anos.

A diretoria palmeirense está decidida que não vai liberar Estêvão para clube algum pelo valor menor da multa, que é de 45 milhões de euros (R$ 249,78 milhões, na cotação atual). O Chelsea, então, apresentou a quantia fixa de 55 milhões de euros (R$ 305,28 milhões), que representa o preço estipulado mais o pagamento dos impostos referentes à transação.

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Parte desse montante já seria pago imediatamente após a assinatura do contrato e o restante quando o jogador se apresentar aos Blues. Além disso, há previsão de pagamento de bonificações por desempenho, que gira em torno de mais 10 milhões de euros (R$ 55,51 milhões). Contando com comissões e intermediações, o negócio, se concretizado, se aproximará dos 70 milhões de euros (R$ 388,54 milhões).

O formato da oferta apresentada pelo Chelsea se aproxima ao que o Real Madrid, da Espanha, ofereceu para a contratação do atacante Endrick, no ano passado. O time merengue pagou 35 milhões de euros fixos mais 25 milhões de euros em bonificações por desempenho, além de arcar com os impostos da transação.

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Agora, com os Chelsea chegando ao valor desejado pelo Palmeiras, o desafio será outro para convencer o Verdão a topar o negócio: aceitar que Estêvão dispute o Mundial de Clubes no ano que vem. O garoto completa 18 anos em abril de 2025, dois meses antes da competição, que acontecerá nos Estados Unidos, e o clube alviverde não abre mão de ter a sua jóia no torneio internacional.

Se o Chelsea topar a condição palmeirense, o negócio ficará muito próximo de ser concretizado, mesmo com os palestrinos não tendo pressa e aguardando ofertas de outras equipes internacionais, como Barcelona (Espanha) e Paris Saint-Germain (França) nos próximos meses.

Já a pressa do estafe de Estêvão em fechar com os ingleses é muito motivada pela divergência dos empresários com o Barça. Recentemente, o mesmo grupo negociou o atacante Vitor Roque, ex-Athletico-PR, com os espanhóis, mas está insatisfeito com o tratamento dado ao garoto no Camp Nou.

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Assim, foi feito um esforço para que os culés, que foram os primeiros a se interessarem pela cria alviverde, quando ele ainda atuava pelas categorias de base, não avançassem pela contratação do jogador.

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لاعب برشلونة يثير إعجاب مدرب أتلتيكو مدريد قبل مواجهة الدوري الاسباني

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

يستعد برشلونة لمواجهة أتلتيكو مدريد، يوم الثلاثاء المقبل على ملعب الكامب نو في الجولة الخامسة عشر من الدوري الاسباني لكرة القدم.

ويحتل برشلونة صدارة ترتيب الدوري الإسباني مؤقتاً بـ34 نقطة، بينما يحتل أتلتيكو مدريد المركز الرابع بـ31 نقطة.

وكان رافينها لاعب برشلونة قد تلقى إشادة من دييجو سيميوني المدرب الأرجنتيني لنادي أتلتيكو مدريد، والذي أثار إعجابه بقدرات النجم البرازيلي الدولي.

وقال سيميوني في تصريحات نشرتها “barca blaugranes” عن رافينها: “أحب أسلوب لعب برشلونة وأحب رافينها”.

وأضاف: “أحب رافينها وتحركاته وروحه الجماعية، قدم بيدري أداء رائعًا وغياب هؤلاء اللاعبين في بداية الموسم يثقل العبء على الفريق رغم امتلاكه لاعبين رائعين، لكنهم يغيرون مجرى المباراة ومن يغير مجرى المباراة يحدث الفارق”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. نهائي كوبا ليبرتادورس يحرم برشلونة من إنعاش خزينته بـ مليون يورو

ويدخل أتلتيكو مباراة برشلونة بعد ستة انتصارات متتالية في الليجا لكن سيميوني لا يبدو منبهراً بأداء فريقه.

وقال سيميوني: “لا أركز على هذه المواقف، كرة القدم تتعلق دائماً بالحاضر والمباراة القادمة، تتعلق بمسؤولية تقديم أداء جيد، علينا التحسن والحفاظ على الثبات وهذا أصعب شيء في الدوري بتقلباته”.

وختم: “لا أفكر بنفس هذا القدر، فزنا بمباراة كان علينا الفوز بها، والآن تنتظرنا مباراة صعبة للغاية ضد خصم نعرفه جيداً ولديه إمكانيات هائلة وتزداد مع عودة بيدري ورافينها، سنواجه خصمًا صعبًا للغاية”.

West Ham dealt Jarrod Bowen blow as Nuno faces fresh concern about star winger

by rastrear-estafeta.com Uncategorized

West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo faces a fresh concern about star winger Jarrod Bowen, with the Englishman poised to play a key role in the Hammers’ fight against relegation.

The 2025/26 campaign has plunged Bowen into the most challenging period of his West Ham career. While the 28-year-old continues delivering on an individual level, his club finds themselves in a perilous battle at the wrong end of the Premier League table that threatens to define his future.

The Hammers captain has been West Ham’s top goalscorer for four consecutive Premier League seasons, netting 47 times in that period, cementing his status as the club’s talisman since his arrival from Hull City in January 2020.

Bowen is surely a shoo-in for Thomas Tuchel’s 2026 World Cup selection, having only missed out on two England squad inclusions since 2023, but the questions lie around his long-term future with West Ham currently in a dogfight.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bowen will get real encouragement by the fact West Ham have just won back-to-back home games for the first time since last year, and the Irons are a club he absolutely adores. He put pen to paper on a long-term seven-year deal back in 2023, keeping him at the club until 2030, but those were very different times back then.

After his winner against Fiorentina in the Conference League final that year, which gifted West Ham their first major trophy since the 1980s, optimism around the London Stadium was high.

However, amid fan protests against the ownership and their steep decline in the last two years, speculation surrounding Bowen’s future is rife.

Liverpool are exploring a deal to sign Bowen ahead of 2026, with West Ham reportedly willing to consider selling their captain if they receive an ‘irresistible’ offer. The connection to Anfield isn’t new, but the circumstances have changed dramatically. Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp previously described Bowen as his favourite player outside his own squad, and Bowen actually shares an agent with Reds defender Andy Robertson.

Arne Slot’s side could be keen on the 28-year-old as an heir to Mohamed Salah, but he’s also been linked with the likes of Tottenham and Newcastle.

West Ham dealt Jarrod Bowen blow as Nuno faces fresh concern

That is according to CaughtOffside, who also report the star forward’s stance on leaving West Ham in 2026.

As per their information, it isn’t good news, with Bowen looking to leave West Ham next summer and potentially compete for a Champions League club to test his own ambitions.

With 130 goal contributions in 250 appearances since joining from Hull, Bowen’s contribution at West Ham absolutely dwarfs his teammates.

The fan favourite’s departure would leave a gaping void that West Ham’s current squad lacks the quality to fill. Beyond stats, Bowen embodies leadership, consistency and the ‘West Ham way’ during very turbulent times – qualities desperately needed as the club battles a drop to the Championship.

Selling a homegrown hero who married into East London royalty and delivered European glory would also come as a major disappointment to the fanbase.

Replacing Bowen’s goals, assists, work rate and leadership would require multiple signings, and perhaps even more than that.

The task would be David Sullivan’s biggest one yet, and amid all-time high unrest over his leadership, the chairman needs to tread carefully.

Rob Manfred Claims There's 'Buzz' Around 'Golden At-Bat' Rule Among MLB Owners

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

As Rob Manfred continues to look for ways to spice up Major League Baseball, he apparently is considering a new out-of-the-box idea.

MLB's commissioner recently told Puck's John Ourand that the "Golden At-Bat" rule has been discussed throughout the league.

"There are a variety of [rule change ideas] that are being talked about out there. One of them—there was a little buzz around it at an owners' meeting—was the idea of a 'Golden At-Bat.'" Manfred said on podcast.

Most probably haven't heard of the proposal for a "Golden At-Bat," but the basic concept is that a team could choose one at-bat in every game to use its best hitter regardless of where they are in the lineup. So if, say the New York Yankees had the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, they could bring Aaron Judge to the plate even if it wasn't his turn in the order. It would be a one-time replacement, not a substitution like a pinch hitter.

There could be variations on it. As Jayson Stark points out, restricting the rule only to teams trailing at the time could be an interesting constraint. It could also lead to scenarios where a hitter bats one spot before his turn in the lineup, so what would happen if he gets on base? Would the original hitter take his spot on the bases, for the Golden hitter to step back in the batter's box for a second consecutive at-bat? There is a ton to think through here.

"That rule, and things like that, are in the conversation-only stage right now," Manfred clarified on the podcast.

One thing is for sure: If the "Golden At-Bat" rule is eventually implemented, scorecards are going to be an absolute mess.

Every American League Playoff Contender's Biggest Weakness

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

In a season where no teams are on pace to finish with 100 wins, the playoff picture feels quite muddled considering there are just 11 days left in the regular season.

That's especially true in the American League, as none of the three division titles have been clinched yet and the three wild-card spots are still up for grabs. We've witnessed Aaron Judge steer the New York Yankees to the top of the AL East once again, the Seattle Mariners fumble away a big lead to their AL West bullies in the Houston Astros, and the Cleveland Guardians pull away in the AL Central under the leadership of new manager Stephen Vogt.

There will be a new team representing the American League in the World Series this year, as the defending champion Texas Rangers are all but officially eliminated from playoff contention. So, what could prevent each contender from emerging from the AL bracket? Let's dive into each contender's biggest weakness.

New York Yankees

Current playoff spot: AL East leader
Biggest weakness: Bullpen

Holmes’s penchant for blowing leads has left the Yankees bullpen in flux. / Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images

The Yankees' high-leverage bullpen arms have been a big concern all season. Former closer Clay Holmes was demoted from his ninth-inning role earlier this month and has blown a league-high 11 saves—including two since his transition to a setup role.

Luke Weaver, Tommy Kahnle, Ian Hamilton and Marcus Stroman have combined for five saves since Holmes's demotion, but the Yankees don't really have a go-to reliever to set the table for whoever gets the ninth inning. And they certainly can't trust Holmes at this point.

Cleveland Guardians

Current playoff spot: AL Central leader
Biggest weakness: Starting rotation

Cobb has only pitched three games since being acquired at the trade deadline, but he could play an important role in a diminished rotation. / Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images

The Guardians arguably boast the best bullpen in all of baseball thanks to another dominant season from All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, but the guys trying to get the game to the arm barn leave much to be desired. Cleveland's rotation ranks 24th in ERA (4.49) and 23rd in WHIP (1.32) this season, having scuffled amid injuries, poor performances, or both, from Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, Logan Allen and Carlos Carrasco.

Tanner Bibee should start the first game of a playoff series, but after that? Veterans Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb, who last pitched on Sept. 1 and is still dealing with a right hand blister, have combined for 10 starts for Cleveland and yet are probably the best options.

Houston Astros

Current playoff spot: AL West leader
Biggest weakness: The Justin Verlander situation

Verlander has finally been showing his age this year. / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Remember in May when everyone thought the Astros' dynasty was over? Houston is playing its best baseball at the right time, much to the chagrin of the rival Mariners.

The Astros are still a team nobody wants to face in the playoffs and could easily make their eighth straight ALCS appearance this fall. But a big question lingering in Houston is around three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander. Is there a spot for him in the playoff rotation?

Framber Valdez should start the opening game of any playoff series, and Hunter Brown has been fantastic since the All-Star break (2.33 ERA). The Astros also have won all eight games Yusei Kikuchi has pitched since he was acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline. Meanwhile, Verlander owns a 5.20 ERA in 15 starts this season and hasn't posted a single quality start since May.

Does first-year Astros manager Joe Espada roll with the hot hands in his rotation? Or does he give the ball to a future Hall of Famer and two-time World Series champion who consistently shows up in the spotlight?

Baltimore Orioles

Current playoff spot: First AL wild card
Biggest weakness: Slumping offense

Rutschman is one of many Orioles struggling at the plate as of late. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

An old baseball adage rings true for Baltimore: It's not who you play, it's when you play them. And right now, anyone playing the Orioles is having a pretty good time.

The O's have lost seven of their last 10 games and have failed to score more than three runs in all seven losses. Over the last 30 days, Baltimore ranks 29th in batting average (.204) and 28th in OPS (.624). The club's young, exciting core has struggled of late, as Adley Rutschman owns a .190/.289/.250 slash line over the last month and Jackson Holliday hasn't exactly secured himself a spot on the playoff roster.

Kansas City Royals

Current playoff spot: Second AL wild card
Biggest weakness: Bullpen

Erceg will likely be asked to carry K.C.’s bullpen in October. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Bobby Witt Jr. is a problem. And he'll be a problem for whoever the Royals face in the wild-card round. But the bullpen is a problem for those employed at 1 Royal Way in Kansas City.

The Royals' relievers rank 23rd in ERA (4.42) and 25th in WHIP (1.38) this season. Trade-deadline acquisition Lucas Erceg has been mostly steady since being promoted to the ninth-inning role, converting eight of 10 save opportunities, but former closer James McArthur is the latest reliever to hit the injured list, following veterans Hunter Harvey, Will Smith and Chris Stratton. Manager Matt Quatraro is running out of reliable options to work with in the late innings.

Minnesota Twins

Current playoff spot: Tied for third AL wild card
Biggest weakness: Starting pitching

Richardson (78) is one of several youngsters Minnesota could tab for a playoff start. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Twins' ownership followed up its most successful season in two decades last year by significantly slashing payroll—and now the club is paying for it.

There's really no trustworthy option in the rotation behind ace Pablo Lopez. Joe Ryan is out for the season, Bailey Ober has been inconsistent after a fantastic start to the year, and the Twins' trio of youngsters—David Festa, Simeon Woods Richardson and Zebby Matthews—are so hot and cold it's tough to predict which one they'll call upon for a Game 3 start.

The bullpen hasn't been good, either, over Minnesota's current 10–19 slump since Aug. 18. Add that to lingering injuries for stars Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa, and a lot has to go right for the Twins to even match last year's playoff success.

Detroit Tigers

Current playoff spot: Tied for third AL wild card
Biggest weakness: Inexperience

Riley Greene leads Tigers regulars with a 136 OPS+. / Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

To even be on this list in late September is quite the accomplishment for Detroit, which hasn't made the playoffs since 2014 or finished a season over .500 since '16. The Tigers find themselves in the mix after winning the most games (33) in the American League since the All-Star break.

Detroit, however, is a young team—the third-youngest roster in MLB. Just one of their nine regular starting hitters has more than two years of MLB service time, and Matt Vierling represents the most playoff experience among Tigers batters with 15 postseason plate appearances for Philadelphia in 2022.

The Tigers are likely still a year away. But if they surpass the Twins or Royals, the pitching staff—namely, AL Cy Young front-runner Tarik Skubal—could make some noise in the postseason.

Seattle Mariners

Current playoff spot: 2.5 GB of third AL wild card
Biggest weakness: Offense

Rodríguez’s struggles this season have been emblematic of Seattle’s lineup. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The Mariners built a World Series-caliber rotation, as Luis Castillo, George Kirby and Logan Gilbert are about as good as it gets for a trio of starters. Unfortunately, their offense isn’t of the same pedigree.

Entering Thursday's game, the Mariners rank dead last in baseball in batting average (.221) and 25th in slugging percentage (.373). Julio Rodriguez, a preseason favorite to take home the AL MVP, is finally finding his swing in September, batting .310 with seven extra-base hits in 16 games. But will it be enough?

Bavuma: Picking Ngidi over Paterson 'tactical'

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

By leaving Paterson out, SA lengthened their batting and slotted Mulder at No. 3, where he has batted only twice before in Tests

Firdose Moonda10-Jun-2025

Lungi Ngidi has also only played two Tests in the last 18 months•ICC/Getty Images

At Lord’s come Wednesday, Lungi Ngidi will play his first Test in ten months, and only his third under coach Shukri Conrad. Ngidi was confirmed in South Africa’s XI for the WTC final ahead of Dane Paterson, preferred for the extra pace and bounce in an attack that will also feature Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder and Keshav Maharaj.”It was probably one of the tougher decisions that have been made,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said at his pre-match press conference. “We’ve seen what Patto [Paterson] did for us at the end of last season. But from a tactical point of view, there’s a little bit more pace from Lungi. He is taller as well.”On the Lord’s slope, a bowler’s height is considered a major asset. All of Australia’s quicks are at least 1.90m tall, while Jansen stands at 2.06m and Ngidi at 1.93m. Mulder, at 1.85m, is the shortest of the quicks across both sides, and his bowling style – medium pace with the ability to move the ball – was considered too similar to Paterson’s to include both of them in an attack looking for variety.Related

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“Lungi has the experience. He’s played here before – not that Patto hasn’t, but Lungi complements that bowling attack a little bit more,” Bavuma said. “We have a guy like Mulder as well, who kind of gives you something similar to what Patto can do. But I think that was probably one of the difficult decisions that we had to make.”Ngidi’s inclusion could still be considered a risk. While he has played at Lord’s before, against England in 2022, he bowled 12 overs across two innings, with figures of 1 for 27. Ngidi has also only played two Tests in the last 18 months, and no red-ball cricket last summer. He trained with Rabada, Jansen and Mulder under the watch of Stuart Broad on Monday afternoon.Ngidi’s last first-class match was South Africa’s Test against West Indies in August last year, where he bowled 16.5 overs with a haul of 1 for 51. Since November 2022, Ngidi has only bowled a combined ten-plus overs twice – both times in Tests – as he has battled a series of injuries. The latest was a groin concern that ruled him out from mid-November last year to January this year.Ngidi played five games in the SA20 this year and all of South Africa’s matches at the Champions Trophy and two games at the IPL. He bowled two overs against Zimbabwe in Arundel in a rain-affected warm-up match, but it remains to be seen how he will perform in long spells – or in third, fourth and fifth spells if required.Wiaan Mulder will form South Africa’s core for the next few years•AFP/Getty Images

Paterson is proven in that regard, and delivered 68 overs in the two Tests he played over the home summer in 2024-25, when he took 13 wickets at 16.92, South Africa’s best average. But Paterson has only once played in a Test with Mulder, in Bangladesh last October, where both had a light second-innings load as the spinners took control.South Africa’s desire to lengthen their batting line-up and balance their attack has ultimately cost Paterson the chance at a perfect farewell. He has not been named in their squad for the Tests against Zimbabwe later this month, and at 36, is in the twilight of his career. Ngidi and Mulder, meanwhile, at 29 and 27, respectively, will be part of the core for the next few years.Mulder has also been given the responsibility of batting at No. 3 in the WTC final, something he has only done twice before in his career – and both times for South Africa.The first was in Durban against Sri Lanka last year. When Tony de Zorzi was dismissed in the 12th over, Mulder offered to come in to try and take the shine off a new(ish) ball. But he suffered a broken right middle finger and was ruled out of cricket for the rest of 2024. Mulder returned for the New Year’s Test against Pakistan, where he again batted at No. 3, and scored 5.Tristan Stubbs has been South Africa’s go-to No. 3 batter in recent times•AFP/Getty Images

His most successful batting position in the top seven in all first-class cricket is No. 5, where he averages 39.20. But South Africa have chosen to use Tristan Stubbs, who was originally given the No. 3 spot, in that position. The other batter in the squad is opener de Zorzi, who has lost his spot to Ryan Rickelton and has not been considered at No. 3 – for now.”Mulder is quite young obviously in that position. But having played with Mulder, [and] having seen the way he has grown in the last two years within red-ball cricket, it’s about giving him a lot more confidence, backing him, and allowing him to do what he does best,” Bavuma said. “He has an opportunity in a pressure situation. But I think he can take comfort from the fact that the guys are backing him. We just want him to go out and play his game.”If Mulder is looking for advice, he could find some from Hashim Amla, South Africa’s most successful No. 3 among all those to have batted at least 20 times there.Amla averaged 49.95 in that position, and scored 25 hundreds. He was inducted into the ICC’s Hall of Fame on Tuesday evening, alongside former captain Graeme Smith, and his first tip to Mulder was to make sure he was ready to bat as early as possible.”You have to be able to handle a new ball. That’s because most of the time at No. 3, you end up coming in pretty early – so you’re always prepping for that,” Amla said. “You’ve got to have a good technique, and you’ve got to have the experience of batting in the top order for a long time. That makes the quality of a good No. 3 batsman for a long period of time.”Like Mulder, Amla was not a natural No. 3, but thinks it’s a role players can grow into.”When I first started at three, I was not a No. 3 batter. I actually preferred [batting at] four and five, and batting at three for South Africa was the only gap at that stage,” Amla said. “They asked me to do it, and I did it. I had a season of doing it with the Dolphins, and then going to the national team. In this current team, you may not have guys who have batted [at] three domestically, but there’s a time for them to start. And if Wiaan bats at three, it might be his time.”You have to be real that you need time to learn the position, and although it’s a big final, it’s tough to be in the deep end like that. But he can make it work. He’s technically sound, and the style of cricket that South Africa look to be playing is a little bit more attacking. So in many ways, your technique is not tested as much. You’re playing a bit more shots than normal, so it might fit into the way that South Africa are playing.”Of the two contenders for No. 3, Stubbs could be considered the more aggressive. But after trying him at No. 3 for five Tests in which he averaged 44.71, albeit on fairly flat tracks, South Africa decided to move him down, where he can play with more flair. Bavuma will bat at No. 4, between Mulder and Stubbs.With Bavuma as South Africa’s leading Test run-scorer in the last five years, Mulder and Stubbs’ fortunes are as, if not more, reliant on their captain’s performance.

Gareth Southgate's two Man Utd demands to INEOS revealed as pressure mounts on Amorim

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Manchester United are in a perilous position with Ruben Amorim in charge, and it is no surprise that they are considering alternative bosses at Old Trafford.

Manchester United's potential alternatives to Ruben Amorim

Inconsistent results have led the Red Devils to a lowly plight in the bottom half of the Premier League, and club chiefs are now casting an eye to alternatives should Amorim be relieved of his duties.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has been earmarked by Manchester United, and Steve Parish is doing all he can to see the German coach remain in the capital.

Crystal Palace manager OliverGlasnerbefore the match

Nevertheless, Paul Merson believes the Red Devils should go in a different direction, claiming the 51-year-old’s preferred formation wouldn’t align with the squad available at Old Trafford.

He stated via The Express: “Let’s say Ruben Amorim was manager at Palace now, he’d have half a chance of being a success. Palace have the players to play three at the back. They have the attributes in their squad to play in that system. For me, that’s why I’d be concerned about Glasner going to Man United.

“He’s a three-at-the-back man, and it is being proven that it is a system that just doesn’t fit the players at Man United. Glasner is not a good fit for Man United. Of course, I’m sure he’d be adaptable, and he’s proven with how he handles the players, but the system he uses is just all wrong for United. Amorim can tell you that.”

Michael Carrick has been mentioned in media circles, albeit he is probably one for the future, though one of his compatriots is now believed to be firmly in the running should Amorim be discarded over the coming weeks.

Gareth Southgate makes two demands to Man Utd

According to The Sun, former England manager Gareth Southgate has asked Manchester United for two key demands as he becomes a potential candidate to succeed Amorim.

First off, the 55-year-old, who was hailed for his underappreciated “ruthless” streak by John Stones, has made it clear he wants time to piece together a long-term roadmap to success, something he believes could take four years to master before the Red Devils are Champions League regulars once again.

Amorim forced into Man Utd changes v Sunderland as Wilcox and Berrada feelings shared

Amorim could make some big changes.

ByCallum Kemp Oct 3, 2025

Reticent to commit before his guarantees are fulfilled, he also wants INEOS to back him through all phases of his plan without fail, creating a sense of unity among all parties as Manchester United look to establish themselves among the elite once again.

The ex-Three Lions coach hasn’t managed at club level since his spell at Middlesbrough between 2006 and 2009. However, his time in charge of England was largely successful, reaching back-to-back European Championship finals and finishing fourth in the World Cup in 2018.

Given his ability to build sides capable of deep runs involving some of the world’s best talent, he may be the ideal man to get more out of Manchester United’s faltering players.

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