We have a brand new updated website! Click here to check it out!

Category: Sports

Missouri Western softball splits doubleheader at Lindenwood

Posted on

ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Missouri Western softball (4-13) went 1-1 in its MIAA-opening doubleheader at Lindenwood (9-7) Friday.

The Griffons rallied to take game one, 4-3 on an RBI-single from Shelby Uhl in the seventh inning. A seven-run third by Lindenwood blew game two wide open, ending in an 11-2 run-rule shortened win for the home team.

NOTABLES
– Shelby Uhl went 3-4 with three RBIs in game one. She hit a two-run home run in the third and delivered the game-winning RBI with a single in the seventh. On the day, Uhl was 4-for-6 with four RBIs, a walk and a stolen base in her only attempt

– Rebekah Mueller hit a solo home run in the fifth that tied the game at three
Emma Hoffart went 2-for-6 on the day

– Kenzie Hilzer picked up the win in game one, holding Lindenwood to three runs on seven hits. She pitched one inning in relief of Barbara Billingsley in game two.

– Missouri Western hit four doubles and two home runs on the day. Lindenwood hit one of each, but its home run was a grand slam in the third inning of game two

– Lindenwood had 18 hits in the doubleheader with the Griffons totaling 13

UP NEXT
Missouri Western travels to Jefferson City for another MIAA doubleheader at Lincoln (3-11, 0-2) on Saturday, March 10.

— MWSU Athletics —

Northwest Missouri State softball takes two from Lincoln

Posted on

The Northwest Missouri State University softball team swept a pair of conference games in Jefferson City, Mo.
– The Bearcats improve to 8-6 overall and 2-0 in conference play, while Lincoln falls to 3-11 overall and 0-2 in conference.
Game One Key Statistics (Northwest 9, Lincoln 1)
– Northwest scored two in the first, three in the fifth, one in the sixth and three in the seventh inning. The Tigers scored one run in the fourth inning.
– The Bearcats had nine runs on 13 hits with three errors. Lincoln had one run on seven hits with three errors.
– Kaitlyn Weiss was 3-for-5 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a homerun.
– Rebecca Maher went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, one RBI, drew two walks and hit a homerun.
– Jaedra Moses was 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
– Erin Keeney went 2-for-5, scored a run and hit a double.
– Abigail Gilson was 2-for-3, with four RBIs, one run scored and two doubles.
– Karli Allen went 2-for-4 with one RBI and a double.
– Jessica Rawie drew a walk and scored a run.
– Taylor Blackford threw five innings on five hits, one run scored and allowed one walk.

Game One Key Innings
– Maher started the game off with a walk and advanced to second after Weis hit a single to left center. Rawie drew a one out walk to load the bases. Maher and Weis score on a double down the left field line by Gilson to give the Bearcats the lead, 2-0.

– Keeney started the top of the fifth with a double down the left field line. Rawie reached base on a throwing error to advance Keeney to third. Gilson hit a double to left to score Keeney and advance Rawie to third. Allen followed up with a double to score Rawie and advance Gilson to third. After an out, Kiana Baderdeen reached on an error allowing to score Gilson from third base.

– Moses started the sixth inning with a bunt single while Weis and Keeney follow it up with singles to left field to load the bases with zero outs. Gilson hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Moses from third.

– Maher started the two out rally in the seventh with a solo homerun to left field. Moses reached base on an error. Weis hit a two run homerun over the center field fence to put Northwest up 9-1.
Game Two Key Statistics (Northwest 11, Lincoln 1)
– The Bearcats scored four in the first, three in the second, two in the third, one in the fourth and one in the fifth. Lincoln scored one run in the first inning.
– Northwest had 11 runs on 13 hits with one error. The Tigers had one run on three hits with two errors.
– Maher finished the day 2-for-3 with two runs scored, one RBI and one double.
– Moses went 2-for-4 with one run scored and a stolen base.
– Gilson was 2-for-3 two RBIs, one run scored and a sacrifice fly.
– Baderdeen finished 2-for-3 with one run scored and a double.
– Weis was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
– Keeney went 1-for-2 with one run scored, drew a walk and had an RBI.
– Rawie was 1-for-2 with a run scored and drew a walk.
– Allen went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a double.
– Rachel Smith threw five innings with six strikeouts, allowed three hits, one run and one walk.

Game Two Key Innings
– Maher started the game with a double down the right field line. After two outs, Keeney hit a single up the middle to score Maher from second. Rawie and Gilson follow it up with singles to load the bases with two outs. Allen hit a double to right center to score Keeney and Rawie while Gilson advanced to third. Gilson scored on a wild pitch to give the Bearcats the lead, 4-0.

– Baderdeen started the second inning with a double to right center. Moses hit a single to second base and quickly stole second. Weis reached on an error to score Baderdeen and Moses. Weis would then come around to score on an out.

– Lynnlee Parrott drew a walk to start the third inning and a batter later Maher drew a walk. Moses hit a single to shortstop to load the bases. Weis singled to left field to score Parrott and Maher.

– Gilson began the fourth inning with a single through the left side. Allen reached on a fielder’s choice and Kenzi Sutton came in to pinch run for Allen. Baderdeen reached base with a single to left field. Next batter up Maher, singled to right center to score Sutton from second.

– Kailey Siemonsma doubled to right field to start the fifth inning. An out to second base advanced Siemonsma to third and Rawie was hit by a pitch. Bearcats conclude their scoring on a Gilson sacrifice fly to center field to score Siemonsma.
Up Next
– Northwest will play on Saturday, March 10, against Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., at noon.

— Northwest Athletics —

Area High School Basketball Scores/Schedule

Posted on

THURSDAY’S RESULTS
CLASS 2 BOYS SEMIFINAL
Van-Far 58
Mid-Buchanan 55

CLASS 2 GIRLS SEMIFINAL
Mid-Buchanan 60
Northeast (Cairo) 35

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
CLASS 2 BOYS 3RD PLACE GAME
Mid-Buchanan vs. Purdy – 12:50 PM

CLASS 2 GIRLS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Mid-Buchanan vs. Neelyville – 2:40 PM

CLASS 1 GIRLS SEMIFINAL
Mound City vs. Wheatland – 12:50 PM

CLASS 1 BOYS SEMIFINAL
North Andrew vs. Walnut Grove – 8:10 PM

AP source: Moustakas, Royals agree to $6.5M, 1-year contract

Posted on

Mike Moustakas is staying with the Kansas City Royals in a surprising turn dictated by a historically slow free-agent market.

Kansas City agreed Thursday to a one-year contract that guarantees the third baseman $6.5 million, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The deal could be worth up to $22.7 million over two seasons, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.

Moustakas gets a $5.5 million salary this year and has the chance to earn $2.2 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances. The agreement, reached exactly three weeks before opening day, includes a $15 million mutual option for 2019 with a $1 million buyout.

The 29-year-old infielder turned down a $17.4 million, one-year qualifying offer from the Royals in November. But he found the interest of many other teams dimmed because a deal would have required compensation such as a loss of draft picks and/or international signing bonus allotment.

Moustakas would make $200,000 each for 225, 250, 275, 300, 325 and 350 plate appearances, and $250,000 apiece for 375, 400, 425 and 450. If he earns those bonuses and the option is declined, the total value of the deal would match the $8.7 million he earned in 2017.

His agreement was first reported by Yahoo.

The 29-year-old could not be given a qualifying offer again after this season. One of the changes in the collective-bargaining agreement reached in November 2016 is a provision preventing a player from being given more than one qualifying offer in his career.

Among the players who in 2015 led the Royals to their first World Series title in 30 years, Moustakas will find a changed clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium. First baseman Eric Hosmer left as a free agent for a $144 million, seven-year contract with San Diego, and center fielder Lorenzo Cain departed for an $80 million, five-year deal with Milwaukee.

But a languid market that left dozens of free agents unsigned when spring training began last month allowed the Royals to reach an agreement with Moustakas and keep shortstop Alcides Escobar for a $2.5 million, one-year contract. Kansas City added first baseman Lucas Duda for $3.5 million and outfielder Jon Jay for $3 million. Jay will compete for playing time with Jorge Bonifacio, Paulo Orlando and Jorge Soler in the outfield.

Cheslor Cuthbert had been expected to get the majority of playing time at third base, and Ramon Torres has also played the position. But in Moustakas, the Royals were able to keep a left-handed power bat in the lineup, not to mention a veteran who helped to establish the current clubhouse culture.

Moustakas was an All-Star for the second time last season, when he hit .272 and set a Royals season record with 38 homers. He also drove in 85 runs in what was by far the most productive season of his career.

Ultimately, his track record — he’s a career .251 hitter and had never hit more than 22 homers before — and some injuries that have sidelined him over the years may have kept clubs reticent from making big-money long-term offers.

— Associated Press —

Mizzou upset by 12th-seeded Georgia in Porter, Jr.’s return

Posted on

ST. LOUIS (AP) — With the Southeastern Conference tournament in St. Louis and heralded freshman Michael Porter Jr. returning, Missouri fans were hoping to be treated to a weekend-long show from the Tigers.

Yante Maten and the Georgia Bulldogs did their best job to prevent that from happening.

Maten scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Georgia squeaked out a 62-60 victory over Missouri in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Thursday.

Georgia, the 12th seed, led throughout the second half, but fifth-seeded Missouri narrowed the Bulldogs’ lead to just two points with seven seconds left. The Tigers drew up a play for their leading scorer, Kassius Robertson. But Robertson’s 3-point attempt went long and Georgia secured the victory.

After starting the game down 10-0, the Bulldogs (18-14), who face fourth-seeded Kentucky in Friday’s second quarterfinal, charged back with a 12-0 run of their own. The trend continued throughout the contest: Missouri makes a run, Georgia responds.

“I felt like we got off to a very slow start but eventually found a rhythm defensively in the first half,” Georgia coach Mark Fox said. “(We) were able to just kind of grind to the finish.”

Maten and the Bulldogs put Missouri in foul trouble early. Missouri bigs Jeremiah Tilmon and Kevin Puryear fouled out and Jontay Porter finished with four fouls.

“We did a poor job of fouling,” Robertson said. “We put them in the bonus really early, and they made a lot of money at the free-throw line.”

Jontay Porter led Missouri (20-12) with 20 points and eight rebounds. His brother, Michael, a projected lottery pick who played just two minutes in the season opener and later had surgery, finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, but shot just 5 for 17 from the field.

Teshaun Hightower came up big off the bench for Georgia, matching his career high of 13 points. Hightower played a big role in Georgia’s win over Vanderbilt Wednesday night, when he scored 13 and had six assists.

BIG PICTURE

Georgia: The Bulldogs looked impressive against Vanderbilt in the first round, and they looked solid against Missouri here in the second as well. Maten will need to have a big game against Kentucky to keep Georgia’s tournament hopes afloat.

Missouri: With a home court advantage, Missouri was obviously hoping to make it past the second round in the tournament. But the Tigers should still be safe on Selection Sunday. Porter Jr. looked good at times, but he didn’t shoot well overall. If the Tigers make the NCAA tournament, it will be interesting to see his role Missouri’s offense.

JONTAY VS. YANTE

Missouri’s Jontay Porter and Georgia’s Maten were going back and forth on the offensive end and on the boards. Each player led his team in both points and rebounding. For Porter, the 20-point performance marked his fourth game with 15 or more points in his last five contests.

“He’s coming in and consistently getting the work in, working on his shots, ball-handling, his passing,” Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin said.

For Georgia, Maten’s 21-point performance comes after his 25-point showing against Vanderbilt in the first round.

“He’s been just a tremendous producer for us this year,” Fox said. “He can shoot threes, he can get to the foul line, he can post up and go over both shoulders.”

STAR WATCH

Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. played the fifth-most minutes of Missouri players Thursday, but shot seven more times than any of his teammates. Many questioned whether Porter Jr.’s return would hurt the team’s offensive flow. And while Martin said Missouri’s offense didn’t flow as well, he attributed that to foul trouble, rather than Porter’s return.

“Because of foul trouble, we put him in some spots that he wasn’t accustomed to from the time he was practicing,” Martin said. “I was really trying to put him in a position where he’s a spot-shooter.”

UP NEXT

Georgia will take on Kentucky on Friday in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament.

Missouri will wait until Sunday to figure out where it will go next.

— Associated Press —

Newman’s career high lifts Kansas past Oklahoma State

Posted on

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas had just been battered by Oklahoma State for the second time this season, a humiliating loss in Stillwater that sent the Jayhawks into the Big 12 Tournament rubbing their bruised egos.

Then the Cowboys raced out to a 10-point lead in their quarterfinal matchup.

Rather than fold, though, the ninth-ranked Jayhawks showed the kind of toughness they’ve been missing much of this season. Malik Newman scored a career-high 30 points, their backup big men made up for the absence of injured center Udoka Azubuike, and coach Bill Self’s squad pulled away in the second half for an 82-68 victory over the Cowboys on Thursday.

“This team is easy to nitpick with because when we’re good, it’s magnified in ways because we can shoot and move the ball, and when we’re bad it’s magnified because we don’t do the things in grind-it-out games that a lot of teams do,” Self said. “Sometimes I think we get a little spoiled on what our expectations are, but I’m real proud of them. I think they competed hard for the most part.”

Svi Mykhailiuk added 13 points and Devonte Graham had 10 points, four rebounds and nine assists for the No. 1 seed Jayhawks (25-7), who were swept by the Cowboys (19-14) in the regular season. But they rose to the occasion when it mattered, setting up a date with Kansas State on Friday.

The Wildcats beat TCU in an overtime thriller earlier Thursday.

“We just wanted to come out, be aggressive and play tough,” Newman said, “because we haven’t played tough against those guys. We wanted to execute, have fun and be tough.”

Jeffrey Carroll scored 17 points and Kendall Smith had 14 for the No. 8 seed Cowboys, who can only hope their opening-round win over Oklahoma solidified their spot in the NCAA Tournament.

“We’re a tournament team. We’ve proven that all season long,” Smith said. “Especially to see the kind of basketball we’re playing right now, I definitely think we should get in.”

Azubuike sprained the MCL in his left knee in practice Tuesday, causing him to miss the entire weekend. The Jayhawks hope to have him back for the NCAA Tournament next week.

Mitch Lightfoot and Silvio De Sousa combined for 14 points and 14 rebounds in his place.

“We showed we can play without Doke,” Mykhailiuk said. “We can still win.”

Oklahoma State threatened to run the Jayhawks out of the building early on, just as it did in an 82-64 rout in Stillwater on Saturday. Yakuba Sima took advantage of the inside space where Azubuike usually roams, and Carroll’s 3-point barrage gave Oklahoma State an early 10-point lead.

That’s when the Jayhawks finally caught fire, going on an 18-4 charge to turn things around. It was Newman leading the way with a trio of 3-pointers, part of his 20 first-half points.

He kept the hot hand going early in the second half, scoring seven points during another big run — this one 14-0 — that made it 66-50 and forced Cowboys coach Mike Boynton to call timeout.

Boynton said after his team’s rough-and-tumble win over the Sooners that he didn’t buy into the notion that beating a team three times was any more difficult than beating it once. But Boynton didn’t address the challenge that comes with winning two games in fewer than 24 hours.

With 15 minutes left against Kansas, the Cowboys’ legs looked shot.

The Jayhawks’ game-breaking run coincided with a scoreless drought for Oklahoma State that went on for more than 7 1/2 minutes. At one point midway through the half, the Cowboys were 4 for 17 from the floor and had made more turnovers (five) than field goals.

Oklahoma State made a couple of late runs, but he Jayhawks were never in danger of letting their lead slip, locking up at least 25 wins for an NCAA-record 13th consecutive season.

“I won’t say fatigue wasn’t a factor,” Boynton said, “but we knew that coming in. We put ourselves in that scenario and Kansas earned the right to have the extra day of rest.”

BIG PICTURE

Oklahoma State had a 53-27 rebounding advantage against Oklahoma. But the Cowboys only had a 36-33 edge against Kansas, even with Azubuike out with the knee injury.

Kansas set a school record for 3-pointers in a season (319) when Lagerald Vick knocked one down with 3:49 to go. The Jayhawks have relied on the outside shot all year, but it came in handy with their biggest post presence sitting on the bench.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma State waits anxiously to hear its name called on Selection Sunday.

Kansas tries to beat the Wildcats for the third time this season.

— Associated Press —

K-State survives TCU 66-64 in OT in Big 12 quarterfinals

Posted on

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas State could have crumbled when TCU’s Desmond Bane knocked down a desperation 3-pointer to force overtime in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday.

Or when Vlad Brodziansky gave the Horned Frogs the lead in the extra session.

Instead, the Wildcats kept their poise, turned to their stingy and consistent defense, and leaned on star guard Barry Brown to convert the go-ahead lay-up with 11.2 seconds to go. And when the Horned Frogs’ Alex Robinson missed two free throws at the other end, Kansas State had a 66-64 victory that not only meant a semifinal berth but also may have locked up an NCAA Tournament bid.

“It was tough for us, but it was nothing we’ve ever been through before,” Brown said of Bane’s clutch 3. “We play overtime all the time in practice. It was something we were prepared for.”

The Horned Frogs actually had the ball with the game tied at 64 and 34.5 seconds to go. But when Robinson’s pass was deflected out of bounds, a video review showed Brodziansky touched it last, and the officials reversed their original call and gave Kansas State the ball.

Brown’s driving layup gave the Wildcats the lead, and Robinson tried to answer with his own layup with 1.3 seconds to go. But when he was fouled by Makol Mawien, the Horned Frog’s guard — a 60-percent foul shooter — missed the first of two free throws, forcing him to also miss the second.

Kansas State corralled the rebound to seal the overtime win.

“Hopefully that solidifies our chance to be in the NCAA Tournament. Now they’ve got to want more,” Wildcats coach Bruce Weber said. “Go get to the finals and see what happens.”

Mawien finished with 16 points, and Xavier Sneed and Dean Wade scored 12 apiece for the fourth-seeded Wildcats (22-10), who advanced to play Kansas in Friday night’s semis.

Kenrich Williams led the Horned Frogs (21-11) with 20 points. Robinson contributed 16 points on 6-for-15 shooting, and he finished with seven turnovers — none more costly than the last.

“They’re a really sound defensive team,” said Robinson, whose Horned Frogs were held to fewer than 70 points by the Wildcats in all three meetings this season. “Just a really good defensive team.”

The teams couldn’t have played a more even first half, swapping the lead seven times with seven ties and ending 30-all at the break. Both were 2 of 8 from beyond the arc, the Wildcats shot 48 percent from the field and the Horned Frogs shot 52, and neither team made a free throw.

Hardly a surprise, given the teams split in the regular-season with each winning at home.

TCU finally put together the first big run in the opening minutes of the second half. Robinson started it with a free throw and ended it with a jumper, and Williams added five points during the 11-0 spurt, which gave the Horned Frogs a 43-34 lead with 14 1/2 minutes to go.

Kansas State clawed right back thanks to a series of Horned Frogs miscues. At one point, Robinson turned it over three times in a span of four possessions, then blew a wide open layup in transition.

Cartier Diarra scored at the other end for Kansas State, knotting the game 53-all.

Kansas State kept the momentum going, edging ahead 59-56 when the Horned Frogs’ J.D. Miller was called for basket interference with 52.3 seconds left. But after Williams missed at the other end for TCU, coach Jamie Dixon elected to play defense rather than foul the Wildcats.

Brown’s long 3-pointer missed with eight seconds left, and that gave Bane enough time — by a fraction of a second — to hit his only basket of the game and force overtime.

It wound up simply prolonging an important victory for the Wildcats.

“Two NCAA Tournament teams playing in March,” Dixon said. “We played good. I thought we could have played better. We played hard, but I don’t think we finished it off as well as we could have.”

BIG PICTURE

TCU had never lost to the Wildcats in the postseason, beating them in the NCAA, NIT and Big 12 tournaments over the years. It also ended a streak of three straight conference tournaments in which the Horned Frogs had won at least one game.

Kansas State won four of six to finish the regular season, and now should feel comfortable about an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament despite its pillow-soft non-conference schedule.

QUOTABLE

“We just knew it was going to be a grind-out game the whole game. Wouldn’t expect it not to go into overtime, I guess you could say.” — Kansas State forward Dean Wade.

UP NEXT

TCU heads back to Fort Worth, Texas, to wait out Selection Sunday.

Kansas State tries to beat Kansas for the first time this season in the Big 12 semifinals.

— Associated Press —

Michael Porter Jr. to return for Missouri at SEC Tournament

Posted on

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri standout Michael Porter Jr. will return to play at the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Thursday — his first time in a game since the season opener.

Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin announced the move Wednesday, one day before the fifth-seeded Tigers (20-11) play either Georgia or Vanderbilt in the second round of the tournament.

The 6-foot-10 Porter, the top prep prospect in the country last season, has been out since playing only two minutes in the Tigers’ season-opening win over Iowa State. He underwent surgery in November and was expected to miss the rest of the season.

After being cleared to practice almost two weeks ago, Porter showed enough progress that both he and Martin felt comfortable putting the forward into a game.

— Associated Press —

Jayhawks’ Udoka Azubuike injures knee, out for Big 12 tournament

Posted on

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas forward Udoka Azubuike sprained his left knee during a scrimmage this week, ruling him out of the Big 12 Tournament and putting his availability for the NCAA Tournament in question.

Jayhawks coach Bill Self said after a scrimmage at the Sprint Center that Azubuike sprained his medial collateral ligament near the end of Tuesday’s practice. Azubuike was going for a rebound and a collision occurred under the basket, leaving the 7-footer with a “Grade 1” sprain.

“We did an MRI as soon as practice was over,” Self said Wednesday. “It’s similar to an ankle or whatnot, there’s obviously a ligament that’s sprained or stretched and right now it’s too loose to put him out there, but these are injuries, I’ve been told, the healing process begins quickly.”

The ninth-ranked Jayhawks (24-7) open the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday against the Oklahoma-Oklahoma State winner, and Self said his sophomore big man won’t be examined by doctors until Sunday.

That means backup forward Mitch Lightfoot will start in the post, and freshman Silvio De Sousa — who became eligible a couple months ago — will be forced to play more meaningful minutes.

“Silvio is going to have to play at least Mitch’s minutes, and Mitch is going to have to play Doke’s minutes,” Self said. “I wish it had happened two days ago, we could have practiced playing five guards, but we’ll have to deal with what we have.”

Azubuike, who is averaging 13.7 points and 7.1 rebounds, missed most of last season with a wrist injury. And his latest injury, which Self called a “freak accident,” merely continues a rough streak of absences for crucial players by the time the Big 12 and NCAA tournament rolls around.

Last season, star freshman Josh Jackson was suspended for the Big 12 tourney opener for a series of off-the-court incidents, and the Jayhawks promptly lost to TCU in their quarterfinal matchup.

Big man Joel Embiid missed the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments three years ago because of a back injury. Fellow big man Cliff Alexander missed all of March the following season due to an investigation into impermissible benefits. And another big man, Cheick Diallo, needed stitches after taking an elbow to his mouth and wound up sitting out a game in the Big 12 Tournament in 2016.

Azubuike’s injury is nearly identical to a sprained MCL that Perry Ellis sustained a few years ago, causing the Jayhawks’ forward to miss just over a week prior to the Big 12 Tournament.

The Jayhawks are the No. 1 seed for the league tournament after winning the regular-season crown for a record 14th consecutive year. But they are hardly the clear-cut favorite in Kansas City, and the injury to Azubuike may not even make them the favorite in their opener.

They’ll either face national player-of-the-year candidate Trae Young and Oklahoma, which split with the Jayhawks in the regular season, or Oklahoma State, which swept them quite easily.

Asked whether the Jayhawks will be able to cope without their big man, Big 12 player of the year Devonte Graham replied: “We’re going to have to be. We don’t have a choice.”

“I just feel bad for him, last year having the injury,” Graham said. “Just terrible timing.”

— Associated Press —

Royals sign veteran right-hander Ricky Nolasco

Posted on

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals signed veteran right-hander Ricky Nolasco to a minor league contract on Wednesday with an invitation to spring training.

He will get $1.5 million if he makes the major league roster and could earn another $250,000 in performances bonuses. He also can opt out of the contract on March 24 if he’s not added to the 25-man big league roster.

Nolasco went 6-15 with a 4.92 ERA in 33 starts last season with the Los Angeles Angels. He has a career record of 114-118 with the Marlins, Angels, Dodgers and Twins in 330 career games, 312 of them starts, over 12 years.

Nolasco would add depth to a rotation that includes Danny Duffy, Ian Kennedy, Jason Hammel, Jakob Junis and Nathan Karns.

— Associated Press —

Copyright Eagle Radio | FCC Public Files | EEO Public File