Sports – Page 497 – North Platte Post Archive

Sale, Rizzo, Aybar Added to All-Star Rosters

Posted on July 10, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Sale and Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo were voted by fans onto the rosters for Tuesday’s All-Star game, and Los Angeles Angels shortstop Erick Aybar will replace Kansas City outfielder Alex Gordon.

Rizzo received 8.8 million votes among the 52.5 million ballots and Sale 6.7 million, Major League Baseball said Thursday. Voting was conducted on MLB.com, team websites and Twitter.

MLB did not release voting totals for players other than the winners. The others on the AL ballot were all pitchers: Houston’s Dallas Keuchel, Cleveland’s Corey Kluber, the Angels’ Garrett Richards and Detroit’s Rick Porcello. The losing NL players were Miami third baseman Casey McGehee, Colorado first baseman Justin Morneau, Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon and Atlanta outfielder Justin Upton.

Aybar joins fellow shortstops Derek Jeter and Alexei Ramirez on the AL roster. Gordon has been bothered by a sprained right wrist.

There was no immediate announcement on a replacement for St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina, who is to have surgery Friday to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and is likely to be sidelined for at least eight weeks.

NBA All-Star Logo Inspired by NY’s Transportation

Posted on July 10, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — Next stop: New York.

The NBA unveiled the logo for the 2015 All-Star weekend on Thursday, a subway-inspired theme that’s fitting for an event that will have fans on the move when it comes to the Big Apple.

The Friday and Saturday events will be held at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, before the All-Star game is staged at Madison Square Garden, home of the Knicks, on Sunday, Feb. 15.

The logo features the teams’ abbreviations, BKN and NYK, next to a picture inspired by the colorful subway and bus line maps that are featured throughout the city’s transportation system. The numbers in 2015 are written to appear like they are subway lines.

No Players Taken in NFL’s Supplemental Draft

Posted on July 10, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — None of the four eligible players were taken in the NFL’s supplemental draft Thursday.

League spokesman Michael Signora says in an email that all four players — New Mexico receiver Chase Clayton, North Carolina linebacker Darius Lipford, Virginia-Lynchburg defensive tackle Lakendrick Ross and SMU running back Traylon Shead — went undrafted and are now free agents.

The supplemental draft allows qualified underclassmen who did not request early entry into the regular draft to have a chance at entering the NFL. Teams submit picks and are awarded players if their bid — for which round they would take that player — is highest. Teams then lose the corresponding pick in next year’s draft.

Royals Place Vargas on DL after Appendectomy

Posted on July 10, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals placed left-hander Jason Vargas on the disabled list after an appendectomy and recalled reliever Louis Coleman from Triple-A Omaha before Thursday night’s game against Detroit.

Vargas began experiencing pain early Wednesday in Tampa, and underwent the procedure later in the day. He remained in Florida after the Royals beat the Rays to wrap up their series.

Vargas is off to the best start of his nine-year big league career. He’s 8-4 with 3.31 ERA in 19 starts, solidifying a rotation that lost Ervin Santana to free agency last season.

Coleman was a dominant reliever for the Royals last season, but he had an unsightly 6.41 ERA with the club this season. He’s been in Omaha trying to rediscover his form.

Game and Parks Accepting Grant Applications for Outdoor Projects

Posted on July 10, 2014July 9, 2014

LINCOLN – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is accepting grant applications for parks, pools and other outdoor recreation facilities.

The grants are funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a program administered by the National Park Service for outdoor recreation projects. Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, baseball fields, soccer fields, swimming pools, picnicking facilities, playgrounds, park acquisition and development, shelter houses and related support facilities. All projects must encourage outdoor recreation. Project sponsors must be political subdivisions. LWCF provides reimbursable matching grants for up to 50 percent of the project costs.

Nebraska has received $484,258 from the U.S. Department of the Interior and the LWCF for 2015 and more than $45 million since 1965.

The LWCF was established by Congress in 1964 to ensure access to outdoor recreation resources for present and future generations and to provide money to governments to purchase land, water and wetlands to benefit all. The primary source of revenue for the LWCF is from federal oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf.

Contact Craig Wacker at 402-471-5424 or craig.wacker@nebraska.gov to request an application form, instructions and additional information. Grant applications must be submitted by Oct 1. Information and applications also are available athttps://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/parks/programs/lwcf/lwcf.asp. Approved grants will be announced in January.

Three Huskers to Attend Big Ten Media Days

Posted on July 10, 2014July 10, 2014

Lincoln – A trio of Nebraska football players will be in Chicago later this month to represent the Huskers at Big Ten Media days. I-back Ameer Abdullah, wide receiver Kenny Bell and safety Corey Cooper will be in Chicago on July 28-29.

Abdullah, a first-team All-Big Ten performer and Doak Walker Award semifinalist in 2013, rushed for 1,690 yards last season, the most by a Nebraska player since 1997, and this fall he could become the first Husker to record three 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He is also the nation’s active career leader in all-purpose yards and is on track to become Nebraska’s all-time leader in that category.

Abdullah will also speak at the Kickoff Luncheon on Tuesday, July 29, on behalf of the players in attendance.

Bell has been the Huskers’ leading receiver during his Nebraska career and enters the 2014 season with 134 career catches for 1,901 yards and 15 TDs. Bell enters his senior season poised to become the school’s all-time leader in both receptions and receiving yardage. As a junior, Bell had 52 receptions for 577 yard and four scores, while also averaging 26.5 yards on kickoff returns.

Cooper, a Maywood, Ill., native, started all 13 games at safety last season and led the Blackshirts with 91 tackles, including five for losses, to earn honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors in 2013. He had four games with at least double-digit stops, including 10 tackles in the Huskers’ Gator Bowl win over Georgia. A three-year letterwinner, Cooper has played in 38 games during his Husker career, including every game the past two seasons.

The Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon will be held on Tuesday, July 29, and features a new format for the 2014 event. Beginning at 10 a.m. CT, fans in attendance will take part in an autograph session with the head coaches and one former player from each school, while current players will take part in brief, live interviews highlighted by questions from fans on-site and through social media channels. Coaches and current and former student-athletes will be available for a photo session around 11 a.m.The luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m. and will showcase interviews with all 14 head coaches, and include speeches by Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, Rose Bowl President Rich Chinen and Abdullah of Nebraska.

A limited number of tickets remain available for $110 per seat or $1,100 per table (10 seats). Contact Josh Munk at the Big Ten office at 847-696-1010, ext. 105, orjmunk@bigten.org to purchase tickets.

Gregory Earns Spot on Nagurski Trophy Watch List

Posted on July 10, 2014

The preseason honors continue to roll in for Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory. The junior standout was named to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Thursday.

The 6-6, 240-pound Gregory is among the nation’s top returning defenders. Gregory led the Big Ten with 10.5 sacks last season, including nine in conference games. He also led the Huskers with 19 tackles for loss and was third on the team with 66 total tackles.

Gregory earned first-team All-Big Ten honors for his efforts in 2013, and is considered a strong candidate for first-team All-America honors this fall. In addition to being named to the Nagurski Watch List on Thursday, Gregory was earlier named to the watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award and Lott Trophy.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is presented by the Football Writers Association of America and is given to the nation’s top defensive player. Five finalists for the award will be named on Nov. 20, and the winner will be announced at a banquet in Charlotte on Dec. 8. Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh won the award in 2009.

Gregory is one of 10 Big Ten defenders on the watch list, including fellow defensive ends Joey Bosa (Ohio State), Shilique Calhoun (Michigan State) and Frank Clark (Michigan).

Additional watch lists will be announced through Friday, July 18.

Ex-Minor Leaguers Sue MLB over Low Salaries

Posted on July 10, 2014

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Like many young baseball players, Aaron Senne dreamed of fame and fortune when he signed his first contract as a Miami Marlins draft choice after a record-breaking college career at Missouri.

Reality as a low-level minor leaguer was far different: vending machine dinners, bug-infested apartments and a salary with an equivalent hourly wage less than what fast-food workers make

Senne and former minor-league players in each of the 30 big-league organizations are suing Major League Baseball, alleging violations of federal wage and overtime laws in a case some legal observers suggest has significant merit.

The lawsuit’s driving force is Garrett Broshuis, another former minor-leaguer from Mizzou who went to law school after six seasons in the San Francisco Giants’ organization. Major League Baseball says the claims lack merit.

Perez Hits 3-Run HR in 9th, Royals beat Rays 5-4

Posted on July 9, 2014

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Kirby Yates (0-1), the fifth Tampa Bay reliever, entered with runners on first and third with one out and gave up Perez’s towering shot into the left-field corner.

It’s been a big week for Perez, chosen Sunday to start at catcher for the American League in next week’s All-Star game.

Aaron Crow (4-1) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win. Greg Holland got three outs for his 24th save.

The second-place Royals return home Thursday night to begin a four-game series against AL Central-leading Detroit, which has a 4 1/2-game lead.

Family Fishing Event at Merritt Reservoir on July 26

Posted on July 9, 2014

LINCOLN – A family fishing event, hosted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Nebraska Walleye Association (NWA), is scheduled for July 26 at Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area.

This event, scheduled for 4-7 p.m. at Bead’s Landing, is free for all families. Park entry and fishing permits are required.

Anyone can come and learn to fish, as loaner equipment and bait will be available. Staff from Game and Parks as well as the NWA will be on hand to assist anglers.

Participants may come early and watch the weigh-ins for two fishing tournaments held that day: the state high school fishing tournament at 1:15 p.m. and an NWA tournament at 2 p.m.

Merritt Reservoir is located 28 miles south of Valentine in Cherry County. Contact Larry Pape for details at larry.pape@nebraska.gov.