May 2, 2020 3:51 am
UNDATED (AP) – Major League Baseball and its umpires have worked out a salary restructure in a deal that could put instant replay on hold this season. Two people familiar with the agreement tell the Associated Press that the agreement includes a 50% cut in May and nothing more this year if no games are played. The deal covers a pay structure during a coronavirus pandemic that has delayed the start of the season. Umps generally make between $150,000 and $450,000. They already have been paid from January through April. If even one regular-season game is played this season, the umps are guaranteed about one-third of their salaries. As part of the deal, MLB has the right not to use instant replays of umpires’ decisions during the 2020 season. Most calls have been subject to video review since 2014, but MLB is considering playing regular-season games at spring training ballparks that are not wired for replay.
May 1, 2020 3:49 am
UNDATED (AP) – NASCAR has set a date to green flag its Cup season. The circuit has announced it will resume its season without fans present starting May 17 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. The premier Cup Series will then race three more times in a 10-day span, beginning with one more at Darlington before two outside Charlotte, North Carolina. NASCAR’s revised schedule goes only through May and has a pair of Wednesday Cup races, fulfilling fans’ longtime plea for midweek events. The first race is scheduled for Darlington, NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway, followed by a second race at the 70-year-old, egg-shaped oval track three days later. Charlotte Motor Speedway will then host the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24 to mark 60 consecutive years the longest race on the NASCAR schedule will be held on Memorial Day weekend. The track in Concord, outside NASCAR’s home base of Charlotte, will then host a Wednesday race three days later. There will also be lower-tier Xfinity and Trucks series races at the two tracks.
May 1, 2020 2:41 am
Little League Baseball today announced that its seven age-specific World Series tournaments and regional qualifiers have been canceled for 2020. The program, headquartered in Williamsport, PA, made the determination following what it called a thorough assessment of the impact the devastating COVID-19 pandemic has had on 6,500 community-based Little League programs in 84 countries and based upon the direction of governmental and public health authorities, and in consultation with medical professionals and its Board of Directors. Little League called the decision “difficult and disappointing.”
“This is a heartbreaking decision for everyone at Little League International, but more so for those millions of Little Leaguers who have dreamt of one day playing in one of our seven World Series events,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “After exhausting all possible options, we came to the conclusion that because of the significant public health uncertainty that will still exist several months from now, and with direction from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine, as well as senior public health officials and government leaders from locations where our other six World Series are held, as well as the their qualifying regional tournaments, it will not be possible to proceed with our tournaments as we’ve hosted them for nearly 75 years.”
April 30, 2020 3:45 am
UNDATED (AP) – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has reduced his salary to zero, according to a person familiar with the move. The person told The Associated Press that Goodell voluntarily had his salary reduced this month. He makes upward of $30 million a year from salaries and bonuses. Other NFL employees will be taking pay cuts or furloughs due to the coronavirus pandemic. The league is implementing tiered reductions in base salary, beginning with the pay period ending May 22. The reduction will be 5% for workers up to the manager’s level, 7% for directors, 10% for vice presidents, 12% for senior vice presidents, and 15% for executive vice presidents. In a memo sent to league office staffers, Goodell also said no employee earning a base salary of less than $100,000 will be affected by these reductions, and no employee’s salary will be reduced below $100,000 by the reductions.
April 29, 2020 3:45 am
UNDATED (AP) – Jameis Winston has found a landing spot. The unrestricted free agent quarterback has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints. Winston was the first overall pick in the 2015 draft and the starting QB for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He’ll serve as backup to Drew Brees in New Orleans. Winston is coming off a season in which he led the NFL with 5,109 yards passing and ranked second with 33 touchdown passes, but he also led the NFL in interceptions with 30. That made Winston the first QB in NFL history to have at least 30 TDs and 30 interceptions.
April 29, 2020 3:43 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Pirates are suspending retirement benefits for members of the team’s baseball operations staff in an effort to cope with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. General manager Ben Cherington says the team has been searching for ways to find savings with the 2020 season on hold indefinitely with much of the country locked down in hopes of stemming the spread of the virus. The temporary suspension of retirement benefits is part of an effort to avoid any potential personnel cutbacks.
April 28, 2020 3:50 am
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – NASCAR is racing toward a restart that could come as early as mid-May. The stock car series is trying to put together a schedule that allows it to race in states that have started re-opening without spectators. The series is working on safety protocols that other racing leagues will be watching. Teams could be back at work in North Carolina race shops by the end of the week when local stay-at-home orders expire.
April 28, 2020 3:44 am
Following a season in which Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens ran away with the AFC North title, the rest of the division has been working diligently to narrow the gap. The Ravens, however, show no signs of slowing down. After a whirlwind of free agent signings and the NFL draft, the AFC North has a decidedly different look. The Bengals have No. 1 draft pick Joe Burrow, the Steelers expect to have quarterback Ben Roethlisberger back and the Browns are sporting a new GM and a first-year coach. But the Ravens improved, too, and expect to repeat as division champs.
April 27, 2020 3:42 am
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – A person familiar with the situation says the New Orleans Saints and quarterback Jameis Winston are working on a contract proposal to make the former Buccaneers starter a backup to Drew Brees. The person says the Saints and Winston are in “advanced” talks. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Sunday because negotiations were ongoing. Winston passed for 5,109 yards and 33 touchdowns last season but also threw 30 interceptions. Tampa Bay has replaced Winston with ex-Patriots QB Tom Brady.
April 26, 2020 2:44 am
We’re rolling back the hands of time, featuring the dozen state championship games involving Washington County high school teams over the past 10 years. We’ve relived basketball, baseball, softball and hockey championships so far, adding an afternoon broadcast to our original evening schedule. Now, we’re heading down the home stretch with just a few classics remaining.
Every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday through the end of the month, we’re opening the championship game archives. Our broadcasts air at 1 pm and again at 7 pm. Championship Classics are available on WJPA-AM (1450) and online. LISTEN HERE! Here’s the remaining schedule:
Tuesday, April 28–2010 Softball–Chartiers-Houston vs. Montgomery
Thursday, April 30–2010 Hockey–Canon-McMillan vs. Cardinal O’Hara
