David Ortiz tried to shut Manny Ramirez up. “OK, that’s it,” Big Papi shouted playfully, figuring his power partner already had said too much. Manny’s mouth kept moving — a rare sight for the media-shy star — so Ortiz turned to a crowd of TV reporters encircling the couch where both Boston sluggers sat.
He blocked out everything: the screaming crowd, Kenny Lofton’s chirping, even his ex-girlfriend singing only a few feet away. Josh Beckett, standing tall as ever on the mound, rose above it all — October’s biggest star. Beckett dominated the Cleveland Indians for the second time and Manny Ramirez drove in the go-ahead run with a 390-foot single as the Boston Red Sox stayed alive in the AL…
New Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker kept Dick Pole as his pitching coach Thursday, reuniting him with one of his top assistants from his days with the San Francisco Giants. The 57-year-old Pole was Baker’s pitching coach with the Giants from 1993-97. Pole was hired by the Reds for last season, and has already provided Baker with his insights on the pitching staff.
The Washington Nationals will retain their entire coaching staff in 2008. The team announced Thursday that pitching coach Randy St. Claire, hitting coach Lenny Harris, bench coach Pat Corrales, third base coach and spring training coordinator Tim Tolman, first base coach Jerry Morales and bullpen coach Ricardo Aponte will again be on manager Manny Acta’s staff.
Todd Helton and the Colorado Rockies returned to work Wednesday a carefree bunch. They’re going to the World Series, that’s for sure. Whether they’re headed to Jacobs Field or Fenway Park next week, that can wait. The Rockies took a much-needed break after clinching their first NL pennant Monday night with their 21st win in 22 games.
A strip club manager paralyzed in a triple shooting is suing the NFL, the Tennessee Titans and suspended football player Adam “Pacman” Jones, claiming they’re responsible for his injuries. Tommy Urbanski seeks unspecified damages in the lawsuit, which his lawyer, Matthew Dushoff, said would be filed Friday in Clark County District Court.
Titans quarterback Vince Young will be a game-time decision Sunday against Houston after he took one series of snaps with the scout team Friday. Young had injured his right quadriceps against Tampa Bay and had not practiced all week. He began Friday’s workout by dropping back and throwing the ball, then ran the Titans scout team offense during a red zone drill against the starting defense.
Eagles starting right tackle Jon Runyan sat out practice Friday after bruising his tailbone in a training room fall, but believes he will make his 184th consecutive start Sunday against Chicago. Runyan, who was moving gingerly in the locker room Friday, said he slipped while getting into a tub following Thursday’s practice and landed on the tub’s edge.
Suspended defensive tackle Tank Johnson is back on the practice field. Johnson, signed by the Cowboys after he was cut by the Chicago Bears, can’t play in a game until Nov. 11 at the New York Giants. He went through stretching exercises Friday and mostly watched during individual drills that were open to the media.
Mavericks forward Josh Howard was suspended Friday for the first two games of the regular season, punishment for a fight with Sacramento center Brad Miller earlier in the week. Howard was ejected from an exhibition Tuesday against the Kings after delivering a forearm to the back of Miller’s neck. He also pushed Miller, who had shoved Dallas guard Devin Harris to the ground.
