March 31, 2020 3:43 am
NEW YORK (AP) – The site of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York is going to be used for 350 temporary hospital beds and to prepare food packages during the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier says an area that houses indoor courts at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows will begin to be converted into a medical facility starting Tuesday. New York state and city officials are trying to increase hospital capacity by up to 87,000 beds to handle the outbreak.
March 30, 2020 3:44 am
Two Chicago Cubs employees who attended an annual training session at Wrigley Field on March 8 have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. A team spokesman says one employee was hospitalized and the other was recovering at home. The spokesman also said there was “nothing definitive” indicating the session “contributed to exposure” since the test results weren’t received until March 23 and 24.
March 29, 2020 7:01 am
A deal worked out between Major League Baseball and the players doesn’t include details of what a reconfigured schedule would look like. The agreement calls for play to resume “as soon as is practicable” with a goal of completing “the fullest 2020 championship season and postseason that is economically feasible.” It also says there must be no legal restrictions on mass gathering and travel. The two sides agreed to consider playing past the usual end of the postseason in late October, even if it involves using neutral sites and domes. Details were divulged to The Associated Press by people familiar with the agreement.
March 28, 2020 4:08 am
UNDATED (AP) – The final pitch of the 2020 baseball season could be thrown closer to Christmas than Halloween. Major League Baseball owners ratified a 17-page agreement with the union on that provides for $170 million in salary advances and guarantees service time to players even if no games are played due to the new coronavirus. The season was to start Thursday and Game 7 of the World Series was on track to be Oct. 28. Union head Tony Clark says big leaguers would play as long as they could to get in as many games as possible.
March 27, 2020 3:43 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers fullback Derek Watt is happy to be reunited with younger brother T.J., just don’t expect the Watt brothers to become roommates. Derek Watt joked that T.J. doesn’t want to share a roof with him. Derek added his wife also isn’t in favor of the Watt brothers living together. Derek Watt signed a three-year deal with the Steelers after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Chargers.
March 26, 2020 3:48 am
The NHL has announced that it is postponing the scouting combine, the league awards ceremony and the draft due to the ongoing uncertainly resulting from the coronavirus. All three events were scheduled to be held in June, an impossibility if the league resumes its regular season and holds a full playoff schedule. The NHL added that the draft and draft lottery will be announced when plans are finalized.
March 26, 2020 3:45 am
UNDATED (AP) – Mookie Betts and all the players set to be free agents after the 2020 season would still get that chance if there is no baseball this year. That’s part of a broad deal being negotiated by the commissioner’s office and the players’ association. A person familiar with the talks told The Associated Press the agreement would credit major leaguers with the same service time this year that they earned in 2019 if there’s no season because of the new coronavirus. Major League Baseball and the union would agree to try to play as many regular season games as possible, the person said. They also would agree to explore one-time changes to the postseason, which would create the possibility of expanded playoffs this year.
March 25, 2020 3:39 am
The NHL is extending its recommendation for players and staff to self-isolate and stay away from team practice facilities until at least April 6. Multiple people with knowledge of the update say the NHL has recommended players and staff extend their self-quarantine 10 days beyond the original March 27 timeline. The decision further pushes back the earliest date team facilities can reopen.
March 24, 2020 3:41 am
UNDATED (AP) – The New England Patriots have dropped their longtime kicker and picked up a quarterback. The Patriots said goodbye to another longtime staple of their two-decade run of championships, releasing kicker and franchise leading scorer Stephen Gostkowski. The three-time Super Bowl champion has spent his entire 14-year career in New England. Gostkowski has long passed Adam Vinatieri as the Patriots’ leading scorer with 1,775 points. The 36-year-old Gostkowski started the first four games of 2019 but struggled, missing a career-high four extra points after not missing more than three in any of his previous 13 NFL seasons. He was placed on injured reserve in October and underwent season-ending hip surgery. Brian Hoyer is now in the running to become Tom Brady’s replacement after accepting a one-year contract with the New England Patriots. The 34-year-old twice served as Brady’s backup and will compete with Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler for the starting job. Hoyer played four games and had one start with Indianapolis last season, completing 54% of his passes for 372 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions.
March 21, 2020 4:05 am
UNDATED (AP) – The head of USA Swimming is calling for a postponement of the Tokyo Olympics. CEO Tim Hinchey has sent a letter to leadership at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee urging it to push for a 12-month delay. In his letter, Hinchey noted the unimaginable disruptions athletes have experienced during the coronavirus crisis. The committee didn’t immediately respond to the letter. But earlier Friday, its leaders said there was no rush to postpone the Olympics.
