In the eyes of his coach at the Dexter Southfield School in Brookline, Joshua Baez is a true five-tool player.
“He’s got major league tools all over the place,” said Dan Donato, who played four minor league seasons in the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays organizations.
“I coached against George Springer, now the leadoff hitter for the Houston Astros, when he was in high school at Avon Old Farms and Joshua is there, if not better.”
Baez, a 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound junior center fielder from Dorchester, runs the 60-yard dash in 6.4 seconds, easily clearing the MLB average of 6.9 seconds. At the plate, he’s hit over .400 at every level so far and possesses 400-foot plus power to all fields. And although pitcher is his secondary position, Baez’s fastball recently topped out at a personal-best 95 miles per hour in a bullpen session.
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“I’ve seen him hit balls that I don’t even know if they’ve landed,” said Christian Ortiz, who’s coached Baez in travel ball since he was 13. “Josh is the kid who always asks ‘What can I do to be better?’ He’s hungry and he loves the game.”
A week ago, he was selected as the state’s 2020 Gatorade Player of the Year.
Baez started playing baseball at 9 when his family lived in the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo, following in the footsteps of his father, Jose Manuel, who played professional softball and baseball in the Dominican Republic. The Baez family moved from Santo Domingo to Dorchester when Joshua was 11; his game took flight soon after.
In Little League, Baez captured the state’s home run derby and then made the varsity at Cristo Rey as a freshman. As a sophomore last spring playing for Ortiz at Snowden High, he helped lead the Cougars to the Boston City League title, serving as the team’s ace while hitting .442 with 20 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.
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He also added 40 pounds of muscle as a freshman and sophomore, filling out his frame and paving the way for a breakout summer season.
“I knew I had some talent and that I needed to just polish it,” said the 16-year-old Baez. “We just worked hard with my coaches and it really helped me get where I am today.”
Last summer, college coaches and scouts became familiar with Baez’s name as he traveled across the country partaking in some of the top amateur showcases and AAU tournaments.
Playing for Ortiz’s Boston Blue Jays team at the prestigious Black Bear Tournament in South Carolina, Baez reached 88 m.p.h. on the mound and hit his first home run of the summer. In August, representing the Yankees at the Area Code Games in Compton, Calif., he ran the fastest 60-yard dash time at the showcase.
His breakout performance came Labor Day weekend at a tournament in Atlanta, where Baez recorded two home runs, three doubles, a triple, and topped 90 m.p.h. on the bump. His team, Beast Mode Prime, won the tournament and Baez was named MVP.
He started to attract interest from elite college programs, and in the fall, Baez took an official visit to Vanderbilt. On his second to last day in Nashville, Commodores coach Tim Corbin, a New Hampshire native who recruits heavily in the Northeast, presented an official offer. Baez gave a verbal commitment.
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“It was a really good fit for me because they really like diversity players and players from all over the country,” Baez said. “I love the coaches and the facilities. I knew that was the school for me.”
To prepare for the academic rigor at Vanderbilt, Baez wanted to finish high school at a private school. Ryan Hernandez, a former Dexter baseball star who now plays first base for the University of Houston, encouraged his childhood friend and hitting partner to apply to Dexter.
Baez enrolled in the fall for his junior year. He was set to be the starting center fielder and a key member of Dexter’s pitching rotation this spring before COVID-19 canceled the season. In preseason workouts, Donato watched Baez consistently smack 450-foot home runs in batting practice.
“There was one time when he hits two balls out and then on the third swing he says ‘Ugh!’ and he’s kind of frustrated,” Donato recalled. “I turn around and look and the ball lands 40 feet beyond the left field fence and I was like ‘Oh my God, this is ridiculous.’ I think he could be a first-round draft pick and I’ve never said that about a kid ever.”
In a video released by MLB Network in February, analyst Harold Reynolds invited Baez to USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline, a three-week long showcase in California featuring the top 80 high school players in the country. Although the event was cancelled due to the pandemic, Baez is still lined up to play in other showcases this summer in Alabama and Florida as he prepares for his senior season of high school with the hopes of becoming a more consistent player.
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Ortiz said he and Baez frequently watch hitting videos of Mike Trout, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton, and break down their swings. Baez’s ultimate goal is to play in the major leagues, but he plans on honoring his college commitment to Vanderbilt first.
“We see those guys and we say let’s try to see what they do and let’s get to that,” Ortiz said. “Josh has the speed. He has the power. Defensively he’s there. He’s got the arm strength. He wants to be the best and get to that level where he can compete with the top guys.”
New Orleans Pelicans star Lonzo Ball attended a protest against police brutality and racial injustice on Sunday in California.
"Tired of being tired of being tired‼️" Ball wrote in an Instagram post. "F--k Racism and everybody who stand for that s--t. My momma white and my daddy black so don't say it can't be done."
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportThe Ball brothers came together and protested. (via @ZO2_) https://t.co/t37TSpYyKw
Protests have grown across the country in the wake of George Floyd's death.
Prosecutors charged since-fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after he knelt on Floyd's neck while placing him under arrest. Floyd communicated he was unable to breathe while being detained, but Chauvin continued kneeling.
Ball is among the handful of NBA players who attended protests this weekend:
Chris Grenham @chrisgrenhamMalcolm Brogdon: "I got a grandfather who marched next to Dr. King in the 60's. He was amazing and he would be proud to see us all here." He added "Jaylen, man, has led this charge. I'm proud of him. We need more leaders." https://t.co/3r3qsojB45
Complex Sports @ComplexSportsJaylen Brown drove 15 hours from Boston to Atlanta to lead a protest. 👏 #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd https://t.co/aamRHNdvPR
Jeff Skversky 6abc @JeffSkverskySixers forward Tobias Harris among those marching and protesting in Philadelphia today in honor of George Floyd Harris also has Sixers teammate Mike Scott on FaceTime 📸 via @tobias31 @6abc #GeorgeFloyd https://t.co/GN8e36fZkM
Bleacher Report @BleacherReportJR Smith and Jordan Clarkson joined the protests in Los Angeles. (via @JordanClarksons) https://t.co/wzRk0l46Pf
Hall of Famer Michael Jordan issued a statement as well:
Jordan @Jumpman23Statement from Michael Jordan: https://t.co/lWkZOf1Tmr
The story has hit particularly close to home for former NBA star Stephen Jackson.
Jackson said Thursday on NBC's Today that he had met Floyd in Texas and the two quickly struck up a conversation based on their shared resemblance. The 2003 NBA champion added he and Floyd "always hung together" when he'd travel to Houston.
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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - State officials said that five more people had died from the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, along with over 300 new cases since Saturday morning.
The Iowa Department of Public Health indicated that 533 people had died from COVID-19 in total since the start of the pandemic, an increase of five since Saturday morning’s total. One death was reported in Linn County, three in Polk County, and one in Wapello County.
An additional 345 cases of the disease had been reported to the state by public and private labs in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 19,487 since the start of the pandemic. 11,062 people are considered recovered from COVID-19, an increase of 147.
341 people are hospitalized due to the illness, a decrease of 27 since Saturday morning. That’s the biggest single-day decrease since the spread of the coronavirus began. 116 patients are in intensive care units, a decrease of two. 70 are on ventilators, an increase of one person since Saturday morning.
The results of 4,840 total tests were reported to the state in the last 24 hours, making the ratio of positive to total tests reported during that period at 7.1%.
Copyright 2020 KCRG. All rights reserved.
BRYAN — Uri Geva’s three children love the movie “The Greatest Showman,” perhaps because the film’s lead character, based on circus czar P.T. Barnum, reminds them of their enterprising father.
At the moment, Geva is Brazos County’s greatest showman. He’s also the brains behind one of the first official baseball events in the country during the novel coronavirus pandemic, the Collegiate Summer Baseball Invitational. The four-team tournament is scheduled to crank up Thursday evening at Travis Field along railroad tracks in Bryan as Geva tries to chart a path for fellow baseball brass during the pandemic.
“It’s an honor and blessing we have — and a huge responsibility,” Geva said. “Not just for each other and who’s playing in this, but for having sports back in America. If we screw this up, we screw it up for everybody. If we do it right, we can really open the door and open eyes to, ‘This is how sports can come back in a safe way in the United States.’”
The tournament, with college baseball players from across the nation arriving Sunday and Monday, is set for Thursday through June 7 before primarily a television audience (livestreaming available for a fee at csbi2020.com), with some pro scouts onsite. No fans are allowed in the ballpark, and the players will stay at the same College Station hotel.
“Someone has to be the first; someone has to help get baseball going again,” said Brett Dolan, a former Astros broadcaster who now calls college and pro games in different sports.
Dolan is teaming up with former Astros player Geoff Blum to call the contests starting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. NCAA Tournament regionals were scheduled for this past weekend, and super regionals would have been this coming weekend, but the college baseball season was canceled in March because of the spread of COVID-19.
“This will feel like a regional, with six games in three days,” said Dolan, who typically calls Arkansas baseball games this time of year and admitted to “baseball withdrawals” in the past couple of months.
Geva’s plan for a tournament, hatched a little more than a month ago, was greeted with some skepticism because of the overall shutdown of sports at the time. Since then, however, Gov. Greg Abbott has steadily reopened the state, and Geva said he and his staff are taking every precaution to protect the players and surroundings.
“There will be lots and lots of tests (for COVID-19) and doctors involved, and then we get to have some baseball,” Geva said. “The players will check in their car keys and be shuttled back and forth from the hotel to the stadium, and nobody is using their own private transportation. We knew as long as we followed the (Dr. Anthony Fauci) playbook and communicated with our local officials, we had no doubt this was going to happen.”
Fauci is a leading immunologist and the primary medical voice for the Trump administration during the pandemic. Dallas Baptist University pitcher MacGregor Hines, whose senior season was cut short, signed up for the tournament for a couple of reasons: to make an impression on scouts before the MLB draft June 10-11 and to simply have another chance to play ball.
“I thought this would be great to be a part of, especially since nothing else is really going on,” Hines said. “I can’t wait to get on the field again. The baseball world is a small one, and I’m looking forward to being around the guys and being around the sport, and I’m especially looking forward to competing.”
Hines added he doesn’t mind being quarantined with fellow players for nearly a week, that plenty of the competitors already know each other, and he’s eager to catch up with his peers in person.
Geva, 43, was raised in Tel Aviv, Israel — “Not your typical baseball community,” he said with a chuckle — and moved to College Station as a teenager when his parents became Texas A&M professors.
Geva attended A&M and in 1988 founded Infinity Sports and Entertainment, which has developed more than 1,000 websites, according to its own site. In 2007, Geva started the Brazos Valley Bombers, part of the Texas Collegiate League and featuring college baseball players from near and far during the summer.
Bombers games at Travis Field have become a family tradition for many in Bryan-College Station, with a festival-like atmosphere surrounding the competition, a throwback to when small baseball parks were the jewel and primary social spots of some communities.
“To take an old facility like Travis Field and create a platform for nine innings of entertainment, fireworks, crazy shows (between innings), traveling acts and some great baseball from college players, it all ties in to putting on this tournament,” Geva said. “The tournament is missing one piece, the entertainment, because we put on a show around baseball with the Bombers games. But this event doesn’t need that to get people excited. The baseball itself will do that.”
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As they evaluate their options in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers consider Maccabi Tel Aviv prospect Deni Avdija to be in the group of players just below the best available.
According to Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, the Cavs "have done extensive homework on Avdija" and believe him to be in "a large cluster of players in the second tier."
Memphis center James Wiseman, Illawarra Hawks guard LaMelo Ball and Georgia guard Anthony Edwards make up the first tier.
The success of Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has alleviated some fears about how Europe-based players will transition to the NBA. But whereas Doncic was a EuroLeague champion and the league's MVP in 2018, Avdija averaged 13.8 minutes and attempted 47 total shots in 26 EuroLeague games for Maccabi.
The 19-year-old played far more regularly in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, in which he averaged 12.3 points and shot 67.3 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.
The order of the 2020 draft remains fluid with the status of the 2019-20 season still up in the air. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne reported that NBA owners are expected to approve a plan that would see action resume with 22 teams in Orlando, Florida.
How that might impact the draft lottery is among the many issues that need to be resolved but aren't a priority for the moment. Going off the traditional format, the Cavs would have a 14.0 percent chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick and a 52.1 percent chance of landing in the top three, per Tankathon.
Fedor wrote Cleveland is looking at value more than roster fit in the first round, though the 6'9" Avdija would address a need on a team lacking reliable wings.
The team has used top-10 picks on guards in back-to-back years (Collin Sexton in 2018 and Darius Garland in 2019).
Between Sexton, Garland and Kevin Porter Jr., the backcourt is already getting a little crowded. While there's some logic behind letting everybody fight for minutes and watching the cream rise to the top, young players often need a level of stability in order to develop fully.
By throwing Ball or Edwards into the mix, the Cavs might end up having little to show for their combined investment because nobody would have had the opportunity to truly shine.
On Sunday, state health officials announced five new deaths related to COVID-19 and 69 new cases of the illness in a partial update.The state said the update is missing results from private labs, due to a “technical delay.” The missing results will be included in Monday’s update.
The state’s total of COVID-19 cases is now at 7,689 cases reported since the pandemic began. There are now 351 deaths recorded in the state related to the illness. Four of the five new deaths were in San Juan County, the fifth death was in McKinley County.
The five new deaths were:
Health officials did not disclose the specific underlying medical condition of each individual.
There are 182 individuals currently hospitalized for COVID-19, a decrease of seven since Saturday. This number may include individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 out of state but are currently hospitalized in New Mexico, but does not include New Mexicans who tested positive for COVID-19 and may have been transferred to a hospital out of state.
The Department of Health said there are 2,853 COVID-19 cases designated as recovered, an increase of 18 cases since Saturday.
The state has processed a total of 199,604 tests as of Sunday, an increase of 5,157 tests since Saturday.
Double-digit increases in new cases came from San Juan (19), Bernalillo (12) and McKinley (11) counties.
The most recent cases are:
DOH said it has corrected previously reported errors in cases, including two cases that were identified as duplicates (one in McKinley County, one in San Juan County); one case in McKinley County they determined to be an out-of-state resident; and one case in Taos County that was not lab confirmed.
The county breakdown of total cases now reflects those corrections, and includes the 69 newly-announced cases:
DOH reported the following totals of confirmed cases among those held by federal agencies, which includes four new cases reported at the Otero County Prison Facility:
The total confirmed cases among individuals held by the New Mexico Corrections Department remain unchanged since Saturday. They are:
Under the current state public health order, all residents must wear cloth masks to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The state said medical-grade masks should be saved for first responders and medical personnel. Many non-essential businesses can now operate at 25 percent capacity or with curbside service. Restaurants can now serve dine-in customers outdoors, including on patios. More restrictions will be lifted on June 1.
The state will allow any worker to get tested for COVID-19, regardless of symptoms. The state advises individuals who are experiencing symptoms of a COVID-19 infection—fever, cough, or shortness of breath—to call their health care provider or the NMDOH COVID-19 hotline immediately (1-855-600-3453). Those with non-health-related questions or concerns can also call 833-551-0518 or visit https://newmexico.gov.
People congregate outside a restaurant in the upper east side during the coronavirus pandemic on May 2, 2020 in New York City.
Noam Galai | Getty Images
As states gradually reopen, the U.S. economy is showing signs of life after one of the most significant downturns in history.
Though many restrictions remain in place across the country, Americans are gaining a greater sense of normalcy as they venture out to restaurants, increase travel and buy new homes.
These charts track five key indicators that signal a growing revival of the economy as consumers resume familiar routines and move forward from lockdown measures and business closures.
Apple Maps is often a go-to navigation app for many travelers. However, with stay-at-home orders implemented throughout the majority of the U.S. in March and April, many Americans could only venture out for essential reasons, such as a trip to the grocery store. Data from Apple shows a sharp decline in requests for directions on Apple Maps during the early stages of pandemic as lockdown measures were put in place.
As states began to ease travel restrictions, data shows an increase in requests for walking and driving directions. With retailers, beaches, parks and other places reopening, travelers have had more places to visit these past few weeks.
However, requests for transit directions still remain at less than half of their previous levels. As employees continue to work from home and travelers remain fearful of catching the virus in crowded subway cars, buses and trains, public transportation may not be an ideal option yet for many commuters.
The restaurant industry was hit hard by the coronavirus as most states restricted their business to takeout, delivery and curbside pickup. Data from the OpenTable network shows that restaurant bookings plummeted as these regulations were put in place, and were down 100% in the last weeks of March and most of April when compared to last year.
However, several states have allowed restaurants to reopen dining and there was a recent uptick in bookings in May, indicating that the worst of the pandemic could be over for the food service industry. These restaurants are often required to operate under new health guidelines such as capacity limitations and having to space tables six feet apart.
The pandemic dealt a serious blow to the hotel industry and the broader travel sector, as restrictions were put in place both within the U.S. and abroad. During the initial stages of the outbreak, global hospitality research company STR reported that the occupancy rate for U.S. hotels was at just over 20% in April, a steep drop from their more than 60% occupancy in February. The pandemic also prompted major hotel chains and resorts to temporarily close properties as travelers put their plans on hold.
However, occupancy rates began to increase in April and May as people resumed travel for business and leisure, and more hotels reopened. To help keep guests safe, major hotels have enhanced their cleaning procedures and put new health protocol in place, such as requiring employees to wear masks and putting plexiglass barriers at the front desk.
With airlines clamoring for government bailouts to stay afloat, the air travel industry has been one of the most visible parts of the economy impacted by the coronavirus. The daily number of travelers passing through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints fell almost 100% year-over-year in March and April and has picked up only slightly in May, according to data from TSA screenings.
However, as travel has increased, airlines have had to adjust booking policies in order to ease customers' fears of contracting the coronavirus. Companies like American Airlines and United Airlines are alerting passengers when planes are full and are making it easier for them to switch flights.
As coronavirus-related restrictions ease, potential homebuyers have been able to tour open houses and resume their search for a new home. Though the singly-family home mortgage purchase index saw a more than 30% drop in April when compared to last year, it has since reversed its course, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association. The index is now up almost 10% compared to the same period last year, indicating that the home purchase market could be on its way to a quick recovery.
Milan (AFP) - Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini on Sunday slammed as 'awful' the new rule which now allows teams to make five substitutions in a match instead of three.
"Five subs? Terrible. The game is distorted," Gasperini told Gazzetta Dello Sport.
"We become basketball. There may be ten new players on the pitch at the end."
FIFA has made the temporary change to ease the physical strain on players, who are returning to a congested period of games after a lengthy break due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But it could favour the bigger clubs, such as Juventus, who have deeper squads and better players ready to come off the bench.
"Who's the genius who claims that injuries can be avoided?" continued the former Inter Milan coach.
"On that basis? Better to change players from one game to another.
"How can you be allowed to change your engine halfway through the Grand Prix. It takes away from the show."
Serie A returns on June 20 with Gasperini's side in fourth, and battling for the final Champions League berth in Italy.
"I don't like football without fans either, but it's the only way to start again," he continued.
"During the first day of the Bundesliga I zapped, I could not follow. Borussia-Bayern, on the other hand, was a good game.
"I saw many technical errors even from important players - in an empty stadium it is more difficult to stay focused."
Sampdoria coach Claudio Ranieri, however, hailed five substitutions "a great thing" as his side battle relegation.
"The heat and matches close together carry a risk for players," said the former Leicester City manager.
"When there are three games a week the stress will be considerable."
Maile Brilhante was surrounded by tennis all her life, and it’s no surprise she found that same comfortable, family atmosphere at University of Pacific.
To Rainbow Wahine volleyball fans, they remember the Tigers for their tough play in Big West matches back in the day.
But the Waiakea graduate was attracted to Pacific because of coach Mike Erwin, who’s in his fourth year, and the environment at UOP, which is now in the West Coast Conference.
Brilhante will engage in annual WCC battle against teammate Kianna Oda, who signed with Gonzaga, a school famous for men’s basketball.
Pepperdine is the team to beat in the WCC, but maybe Brilhante and Oda can turn their programs around.
They’ve done it before.
The Warriors won the first of their three consecutive BIIF titles in 2017 when Brilhante, Oda, and Keilyn Kunimoto were freshmen.
Brilhante will major in biology and hopes to become a doctor. She also wants to leave a mark with Tigers tennis.
“My goals are to study and become a doctor and athletically represent my school through tennis,” she said.
Her brother Isaiah Brilhante did the same thing. He won a BIIF title in his senior year, went to Cornell, a Division I Ivy League school, and is in the process of becoming a dentist.
This was the year for Brilhante to change her BIIF resume. She was runner-up in doubles with Oda in 2017. Her sophomore and junior seasons she was BIIF runner-up in singles.
Like Isaiah, she’ll be a role model for her sophomore sister Jade, who won the BIIF doubles title with Maya Atwal in 2019.
“Having a family and a lot of tennis growing up helped me a lot because my brother and sister understood what I was going through and were always there for me on and off the court,” Brilhante said. “Kianna and Keilyn definitely helped push me throughout the years. Kianna is such a good friend, and I am so excited that she and I are in the same conference, and that I’ll be able to see her during the school year.”
Tennis has been a lifelong practice. Training, playing in tournaments during weekends and summers and constantly fine-tuning. But a Division I school was the goal, and she remembered former Warrior Sarah Dvorak, who went to Texas Tech.
“Division I has always been my top goal because growing up I always saw great tennis players like Sarah Dvorak and Alyssa Tobita go to D-I schools and I wanted to be like them,” Brilhante said.
In 2011 and ‘12, Mililani’s Tobita, a defensive-minded player who played at Oregon, defeated Dvorak to win the state title.
Her path awaits at UOP, and Brilhante hopes the next crop of Warriors follow in her footsteps.
“I hope I was a good influence on the younger tennis players, and that they are able to believe in themselves,” she said. “I really appreciate everything the teachers did to make any type of graduation possible. They did an amazing job with the restrictions and obstacles that COVID caused, and I’m just grateful we were able to have anything at all.”
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Billings Gazette Sports Five on Five | Sports | billingsgazette.com Billings Gazette[unable to retrieve full-text content]
The five: robots helping to tackle coronavirus The Guardian
COVID-19 cases grew by five in Union County between Friday and Saturday, according to the Arkansas Department of Health, bringing the county’s total to 171 cumulative cases.
Local recoveries increased by three in the same time period to reach 110 total, leaving 53 cases — 30.9% — active. No new deaths have been reported locally; eight Union County residents have died as a result of COVID-19, indicating a local mortality rate of 4.7%.
Arkansas saw another day with significant case growth, adding 236 COVID-19 cases to its cumulative total to break 7,000 cases (7,013 total). Another Arkansan has died as a result of the virus, bringing the state’s death toll to 133, indicating a statewide mortality rate of 1.9%.
The state’s number of recovered residents grew to 5,166, leaving 1,714 — 24.4% — active.
Tomorrow, Arkansas’s state parks, which include the South Arkansas Arboretum in El Dorado and the Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources in Smackover, will reopen for tent camping and day-use. Neither of the parks in Union County offer camping areas, though both do have meeting spaces.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced the closure of state park facilities on April 3. They were reopened for campers utilizing recreational vehicles May 1 and have since gradually been phasing in reopenings of the parks’ other services, like mining at the Crater of Diamonds State Park and hiking trails.
On Friday, Hutchinson announced that a technical advisory board formed to consider contact tracing technologies for his review will meet for the first time Tuesday. The Board is chaired by Dr. Austin Porter III, deputy chief science officer at the ADH, and includes officials from the Arkansas Departments of Information Systems, Health, Human Services and Commerce, as well as representatives from the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
“Two of the most critical tools in our ongoing efforts to stop COVID-19 are testing and finding those who have had contact with someone who is sick or who has tested positive,” reads a statement on Hutchinson’s official website. “The technology for those tasks is changing rapidly. The advisory board will review options to ensure that we are employing the best tools that will allow us to quickly mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.”
In Union County, 30 tests returned negative between Friday and Saturday, indicating a positivity rate in that time frame of 14.2%. Over 126,000 tests have been performed in Arkansas since the first COVID-19 case was identified in the state on March 11, according to the ADH; between Friday and Saturday, the positivity rate for the state was 6.5%. The overall positivity rate for the state since the pandemic began was 5.5% Saturday afternoon.
The United States’s caseload increased by about 14,000 between Friday and Saturday, putting the country’s cumulative case total at 1,759,725. Of those, 406,446 have reportedly recovered and 103,389 have died, indicating a national mortality rate of 5.8% and leaving 1.2 million cases — 71% — active.
The World Health Organization reported 5,819,962 COVID-19 cases worldwide Saturday afternoon. Of those, 362,786 have reportedly died, indicating a global mortality rate of 6.2%.
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'The Five' react to fired Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd's death Yahoo NewsBarcelona manager Quique Setien has said the introduction of five substitutes will work against his side when La Liga resumes in June, three months after it was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The temporary increase from three changes, announced by football's lawmakers the International Football Association Board [IFAB] earlier in May, will be active in all competitions which start and finish before the end of 2020.
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FIFA proposed the amendment to ensure the restart of football was easier on players, with a number of matches in a short space of time expected to take its toll on them after months of inactivity.
"I think having five substitutes could actually be detrimental to us because of the way we play," Barca coach Setien told the Las Palmas Football Federation.
"We know that a lot of the time we resolve matches in the latter stages of the game. Therefore, if you give the opposition the option of putting on fresh players during that time, the weakness that is generated, by tiring their players, won't happen to the same degree.
"That said, it can also give you more resources at a specific moment. So, it is an unknown quantity and we'll see how it goes."
While teams will be permitted more substitutions, to reduce disruption in matches, each side will have a maximum of three opportunities to make their changes -- not including half-time.
La Liga will resume on June 11 with the Seville derby between Real Betis and Sevilla. Barcelona's first game back will be away at Mallorca, with a league source having told ESPN the fixture is likely to be played on June 15.
Teams in Spain are training in groups of up to 14 and will progress to full training from Monday. Setien said he would have liked teams to be given longer to prepare and hopes the rushed restart date doesn't lead to injuries.
"We thought we would have more time together as a group, but it's not to be," he added. "We haven't even been able to be in the same room to do some video analysis.
"And now, in two weeks' time, La Liga is restarting. We would have liked more time. I hope there are not many injuries and that it's not as damaging as we imagine.
"It is clear that we will start to compete with a high level of stress because you are playing for the La Liga [title] in 11 games. We do not know how that, along with the physical effort, is going to affect us. We will see as time goes by."
Barca were two points clear of Real Madrid when the league was halted with 11 games to be played. La Liga president Javier Tebas has said the plan is for all games to be completed before July 20, with Sept. 12 pencilled in as the start date for the 2020-21 campaign.
MARION - Youth baseball and softball in Marion County is taking a summer vacation of sorts.
"There is no county rec ball youth season this year," said Scott Pierce, the president of Marion County Baseball and Softball for Youth and also an organizer for Prospect Baseball and Softball for Youth. "We canceled that when they closed the schools at the end of the year. Anything you see on the field right now is going to be a travel team."
It's been an unsettling time for the recreation scene in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
"In today’s world, you don’t know," said Justin Bowers of the Pleasant Baseball/Softball Association. "You can’t say this is what we’re planning on because you don’t know what you’re going to be allowed to do in two weeks."
And that's why county youth baseball and softball organizers decided against trying an abridged version of rec ball when Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine allowed it to resume last week.
"Pleasant uses the Pleasant fields, so we have to abide by their rules," Bowers said.
The area's schools are following the guidelines set by the Ohio High School Athletic Association in terms of how facilities will be used during three phases this summer. These plans are then approved by Marion Public Health.
The first phase, which lasts a minimum of two weeks, uses strict social distancing and sanitation rules and doesn't allow equipment, only exercise, conditioning and weight training. A form of practices could follow with the possibility of competition coming a month after the start of the first phase.
That wouldn't leave much time for the rec leagues to participate in a meaningful way.
A message to the Marion Merchants program was not returned, but River Valley Baseball for Youth's complex on Ohio 309 could see some action later in the summer.
"We canceled our county rec league for this year," RV's Aaron Corwin said. "I think we’re going to edge our way back into tournaments in mid- to late-summer as long as we can do it and meet all the Ohio Department of Health guidelines. We’re going to abide by those."
Corwin said he's already received calls from tournament organizers around central Ohio asking to use RV's facilities. While the organization is independent of the school district, River Valley owns the land on which the complex is built, so River Valley Baseball for Youth will follow their guidelines.
"Whatever we do, we’re going to make sure it’s in line with the health department and we’re going to make sure the school board is okay with it as well," Corwin said. "We’re hopeful that we can have a few tournaments yet this year."
The annual fall ball league at RV is expected to be played and will likely expand as kids are anxious to play after missing out on the spring and summer rec games.
"We’re hopeful about that," Corwin said.
But it's all dependent on how Marion County's COVID-19 numbers respond in the coming weeks. If the cases go down or at least plateau and all the overseeing entities agree to it, baseball and softball could return in some form or fashion.
"If you abide by the restrictions, I think it can be done and done safely, but I think we need to ease our way into this obviously and follow the guidelines and recommendations and the rules," Corwin said. "Being that we’re on school property, we’re going to make sure we’re following those rules and not going against the grain there."
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Five Below (NASDAQ:FIVE) isn't scrapping its aggressive growth plans. As part of a reopening update, the retailer said on Friday that it expects to open between 100 and 120 new locations in fiscal 2020, even as the wider industry struggles through traffic challenges due to COVID-19.
"We are thrilled to be in a position to have reopened over 75% of our stores," CEO Joel Anderson said, "and to have resumed our new store program."
Image source: Getty Images.
That 120-unit growth goal is a slight decrease from the 150 new locations that launched last year. Those added stores delivered nearly all of the youth-focused retailer's 2019 sales growth, too. Overall revenue rose 18% last year, while established stores expanded sales by less than 1%.
Prior to the pandemic, Five Below had aimed to speed up new store growth for a second straight year, targeting 180 openings for 2020. The nearly two-month COVID-19 pause in retailing deferred many of those launches, though.
Five Below's aggressive growth strategy suggests that management still sees room for at least 2,500 locations around the country, compared to the current total of just over 900. Investors should hear more details about the chain's growth expectations when management announces first-quarter results on June 9.
Little League has been around since 1939, but it’s never endured a season like this one.
In a normal year, one in which a global pandemic hasn’t led to over 100,000 deaths in this country and incalculable economic damage, Little Leagues would be nearing the end of the regular season. In every corner of the United States, teams would be battling it out to earn a spot in their respective district’s Tournament of Champions. All-Star tournaments would then follow in late June with talented youngsters looking to win their way through district, area and regional tourneys in the hope of earning a spot at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
That won’t be the case this year.
Young ball players were stripped of their opportunity to play America’s favorite pastime on diamonds near and far this spring as Little Leagues across the world halted play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Little League International announced the cancellation of its annual World Series Tournament for the first time ever on April 30, but is allowing individual leagues to determine their own path back to the field.
“As certain states and municipalities begin their phased approaches to reopening, it is highly encouraged that each league and district adheres to the guidelines set forth by their respective state and local government and health officials in terms of public gatherings, organized youth sports, and sporting events when determining when it is safe to return to Little League activities,” a statement on Little League International’s website reads.
Local youth sports organizations such as Nevada City Little League, Grass Valley Little League, Penn Valley Little League, Sierra Foothills Little League and Nevada County Girls Softball Association all postponed their seasons when the pandemic first hit, but have since canceled them outright and begun the process of refunding registration fees.
“We didn’t have facilities to use,” said Nevada City Little League President Josh Van Matre. “Schools were shut down so we couldn’t use them for practices and Pioneer Park was shut down so we couldn’t use it for practices … Until they lift the ban on large gatherings, we can’t play.”
Van Matre said the board thought it best to cancel the spring season, fully refund registration fees and, if things change regarding county guidelines on large gatherings over the summer, be ready to offer a “fall ball” season.
“Obviously, I’d love to get back out there and play, and I know my kids and all the other kids do, too,” said Van Matre, who also coaches a pair of teams. “But, I’m not going to do anything that’s going to put anybody in jeopardy.”
‘IN A HOLDING PATTERN’
There is one area Little League still holding out hope a season is still to be had.
Bear River Little League has postponed its season, but is planning to resume as soon as they get the green light from county officials.
“We are in a holding pattern,” said Bear River Little League President Jenn Lukenbill. “We haven’t canceled our season and we don’t plan to, but we can’t get started until we get the OK to do so. So, we’re just holding out.”
Lukenbill added that her league is offering refunds for those who want them. She also noted there are still lots of questions regarding social distancing at the fields, amount of spectators allowed, umpire positioning and how to minimize common use equipment that must be answered before they are able to return.
“We’re going to wait and see what the county will want us to do,” Lukenbill said. “We will adjust as needed so we can get the kids back on the field.”
Lukenbill said once they get the “OK” from the county, they will then evaluate how many players they have, how many other Placer and Sacramento area Little Leagues are fielding teams and develop a schedule from there.
Some league officials are looking forward to their “fall ball” seasons and hoping they will see an uptick in registration due to the absence of a spring season, but noted those numbers will be unknown until decisions are made regarding a safe return of their own sport as well as the standing of other fall youth sports like football and soccer.
“(Fall ball season) is very questionable right now,” said Nevada County Girls Softball Association President Matt Halvorson, noting there is still much uncertainty from league to league and county to county currently.
TRAVEL BALL
Over at Sierra Nevada Elite, a Grass Valley baseball academy which boasts several travel ball teams, Head of Baseball Operations Justin Deme said he wants to get started soon and expects an influx of players.
“I expect to have a pretty good (number of players) for summer and fall because Little League didn’t happen, most leagues have canceled for the year, and these kids want to ball,” he said. “When the parents give the OK, they will be out there.”
Deme said he’s spent the past few weeks sanitizing the Sierra Nevada Elite facility and developing processes for a safe return. He said he’d like to start holding small group practices by next week.
“I’ve talked to north of 30 parents and only two have expressed concern, but none have said their kid won’t play,” said Deme, who expects to field six to eight teams in the fall. “Basically whenever the parents say they’re ready to do this, that’s my key. They know what is best for their kids.”
HOPING TO DIVE BACK IN
Northern Sierra Swimming, a competitive swim program based in Nevada County, is looking to get back in the pool soon and has submitted a “Return to Pool Plan” to the Nevada County Health Department, Nevada Joint Union High School District, Grass Valley and Bear River Rec and Parks.
Northern Sierra Swimming uses pools at Bear River High School, Nevada Union High School and Memorial Park in Grass Valley. The Return to Pool Plan outlines several procedures coaches would take to ensure athlete safety and facility cleanliness.
“Sports are so important and these kids are itching to get back in the pool,” Northern Sierra Swimming coach Daryn Glasgow said. “But, it has given us an opportunity to work on mental and physical training that will make them better. That’s been a positive.”
Glasgow said when the sport is allowed to resume it will look quite different and believes virtual meets, in which swimmers compete at their team facilities and their times are then uploaded to a meet database, will be the preferred method in the coming months.
FALL SPORTS
Gold Country Soccer, which boasts around 1,300 participants each year, is still planning to start its fall season normally and registration is currently open.
The league usually starts practices in early August with games starting later in the month.
“It’s difficult to predict comfort levels of players and parents, and it’s still unknown what the environment will look like in three months,” said Gold Country Soccer board member Summer Bookout. “That’s a long time out to know how things are going to be, that’s why we’re planning with everything as normal with the hopes for a regular fall season.”
Bookout added that the league follows guidelines from the county as well as the sport’s governing bodies.
The Nevada Union Junior Miners football and cheer program is also going forward as normal, for now, with the hope their season will be unmarred by the pandemic.
“We’re anticipating that we will have a season,” said Junior Miners President Sarah Hooper. “We’re just waiting to hear what that will look like and if we can start on time. But, with everything we’re hearing, we are anticipating a normal season. We’ve opened up registration and basically waiting to see what the state says and CIF says as far as start dates.”
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state. The CIF has not yet made a decision on a possible postponement or cancellation of fall high school sports.
“We’re planning for the best and keeping our fingers crossed,” said Hooper.
To contact Sports Editor Walter Ford, email wford@theunion.com or call 530-477-4232.
If LaMelo Ball's objective in Australia's NBL was to reshape his image before the 2020 NBA draft, then mission accomplished. He demonstrated levels of maturity and competence that extinguished previous concerns over his style and professionalism during his time in high school and Lithuania.
But there are still holes in Ball's scouting report that he couldn't clear up through just 12 games with the Illawarra Hawks. Now lottery teams must make critical assessments—through an abbreviated predraft process—on how much stock to put into the 18-year-old's question marks, including a big one that could determine his NBA trajectory and where he's worth drafting:
How Worrisome Is His Shot?
Special passing, vision and IQ create a high floor for Ball, who averaged 6.8 assists in the NBL (second in league). The effectiveness and development of his shot will determine his ceiling.
His jumper represents an impactful swing skill for teams picking early and expecting a star. Gradual shooting improvement could elevate Ball into a high-scoring playmaker like Trae Young, but how dangerous would he be with just an average jump shot?
An average-shooting Ball could still be valuable enough to reach quality-starter status, given his 6'7" size, expanding athletic capability and signature ability to create for teammates. He can also generate transition offense and score on floaters and rhythm threes. But teams betting against his shot form and shooting probably won't have him ranked atop their boards.
On one hand, Ball hit 20 threes in 12 regular-season games after making four of six during an exhibition matchup in September. On the other, he finished at 25 percent from deep. He hit 11-of-43 pull-ups and 11-of-29 catch-and-shoot attempts in the half court, per Synergy Sports.
Though he's a threatening shot-maker with range and the ability to catch fire, his mechanics are unorthodox and raise questions about how well he can improve or translate to shooting off the dribble and catch. His left elbow flares out to the left of his body, and the right one goes right, the way they would on a chest pass.
Is his form conducive for quick, clean releases over NBA defenders? He'll hit shots, but at what rate?
Shot Selection, Showboating Concerns?
Ball toned down the showboating with the Hawks, and as a rookie and young NBA pro, he'll likely continue operating with relative restraint while trying to earn approval from coaches and teammates. But the flashiness will resurface. It's part of his identity and even drives some of his appeal.
Will it prevent him from reaching a certain level of efficiency?
Even though he stopped pulling up from half court when he got to Australia, Ball still showed a tendency to dance in place (while teammates watched) before launching a contested bomb. He likes to use dribbles for generating rhythm into jumpers, but he still seems to have an interest in splashing hero jumpers for highlights.
Teams considering drafting Ball will have to accept his loose style of play, which also features confident/risky ball-handling moves and fancy passes. The question is whether his brand is right for efficiently running an NBA team.
Defense
Though the sample size of film on Ball's defense was limited, the results were mixed, with more lapses in effort than ball-stopping quickness.
The positives showed him staying attached one-on-one or making plays from off the ball (1.7 steals per game). The negatives suggest he'll struggle early in pick-and-roll coverage, making reads and fighting through screens. He also got beat too easily on certain possessions, whether it was off the bounce or backdoor.
His defensive posture didn't scream "locked in," and there were too many casual stances and reaches.
NBA coaches will expect more from Ball defensively than his coaches did in Australia. And for teams that already have one defensive question mark in their backcourt—like the Atlanta Hawks with Young or Minnesota Timberwolves with D'Angelo Russell—they may have to think about how adding Ball would affect the defensive potential.
Fit with a Team That Has a Starting Point Guard
Among lottery teams, the Hawks, Wolves, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers either have a franchise point guard or recently drafted one.
Does it make sense to draft Ball to a backcourt that already has a ball-handler such as Young, Russell or Stephen Curry?
Ball did spend time playing off the ball overseas alongside Aaron Brooks, but he wasn't active in that role. Drafting him, only to use him often at the 2, forces him to play away from his strengths as a creator. While teams on the clock may deem him the best player available, they have to think about whether he can maximize his potential on their roster.
However, there is something appealing about a lineup that features two playmakers. Ball could take pressure off Young, who led the NBA in time of possession. He could allow Russell, Zach LaVine or Collin Sexton to focus more on scoring.
Otherwise, teams such as the New York Knicks or Detroit Pistons, who need an initiator, shouldn't have doubts about how Ball can help or fit.
Ball Versus the Field
Along with Ball, the No. 1 overall conversation includes Georgia's Anthony Edwards and long shots such as Memphis' James Wiseman, Israel's Deni Avdija or Dayton's Obi Toppin.
Positional size, translatable passing skills and soft touch paint Ball as low-risk. It's easy to buy his playmaking carrying over, and he should be a high-assist guard and triple-double threat at the least.
Lottery teams may feel similarly safe about Edwards' scoring translating. Where Ball could have an edge is with the perception that he has more potential to improve as a scorer than Edwards does as a distributor. In their primes, Ball has the chance to be the more complete player and one capable of making those around him better.
The upside kicks in for Ball if his shooting becomes more consistent and his body continues to fill out for finishing and defensive purposes.
Just over the past year, he has undergone a visible physical transformation in terms of height and athleticism. Rising above the rim looks easier for him, and he won't turn 19 until August.
Ball has been the No. 1 prospect on my board since November. Even if his shooting continues to be streaky, his shot-making should be threatening enough when paired with his elite creativity, facilitating and nifty floater/layup package.
It's also understandable why teams may question his scoring flaws, defense and fit for their roster.
Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes joins “The Full 48 with Howard Beck” to discuss the resumption of the NBA season and how he’d like to see it happen, the campus/bubble scenario, coronavirus health concerns, the Sacramento Kings season, Marvin Bagley’s injury status, and Kobe Bryant. He also weighs in on a possible NBA schedule shift, mid-game trades, and playing in empty arenas.
