Sports

Scott Mitchell: Mark Shapiro reacts to Rangers' plans to pack Globe Life Field – TSN

Published

4 years ago

March 11, 2021

TORONTO — When the Texas Rangers host what, as of today, is expected to be the first full-capacity crowd any U.S.-based major sport has seen in more than a year on April 5, the Toronto Blue Jays will be in the opposing dugout at Globe Life Field.

Not only will the players be in the dugout, but support staff and front-office execs will be in the building, too, all of them entering a state that’s turning a blind eye to a pandemic that is far from over.

Considering they’re currently based in Florida, another state that’s taken an interesting approach to implementing pandemic guidelines to say the least, the Blue Jays as an organization are at least aware of navigating life around major COVID-19 concerns.

They’ll travel as usual from New York City to Arlington following their Sunday, April 4 matinee at Yankee Stadium for a 3:05 p.m. local time first pitch against the Rangers on the Monday.

“It gets back to us controlling our adherence to the protocols, us being steadfast, us recognizing what that means for our ability to stay healthy and ultimately compete,” Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro said Thursday.

“Last year, our guys were incredibly rigorous in how well they adhered to the protocols and we didn’t have any outbreaks or even cases. Even though things are moving in a more positive direction, that doesn’t mean we’re out of danger. We have to remain steadfast.”

While many players might initially welcome the normalized game atmosphere, it goes without saying there are health and safety questions for all involved.

Those clearly don’t concern Texas governor Greg Abbott, and the Rangers claim the 40,518 that could be in attendance will still be forced to follow some protocols that the state is no longer mandating.

Fans will be required to wear masks, except when they’re eating or drinking, which is the same rule they had in place for the NLCS and World Series when they allowed 28 per cent capacity — 11,388 fans — into their brand new $1.2-billion stadium last October.

With the seats full, there will obviously be no semblance of social distancing on April 5.

“We’re very confident we won’t be a super-spreader event,” Rangers CEO Neil Leibman told the Associated Press on Wednesday. “With all the protocols that we’re following, we’ll be extremely responsible and provide a very comfortable environment for somebody to enjoy the game without worrying we’re going to be a spreader event.”

The pandemic is still a day-to-day situation, even in Texas, so things could change between now and the time the Blue Jays are scheduled to arrive for their fourth game of the new season, but the Rangers seem committed to a capacity crowd on April 5 at this point.

“Obviously, the state of Texas has made a series of decisions that placed them as an outlier, but my expertise is not to judge them, it’s to operate the Blue Jays, so that’s what I’m focused on,” Shapiro said.

On the Major League Baseball side, they are allowing teams to operate under local capacity policy.

The Yankees will also have fans in the stands when the Jays open their season in New York, albeit far less than a capacity crowd after governor Andrew Cuomo announced last month that stadiums seating at least 10,000 can open at 10 per cent capacity, which would see about 5,400 fans in attendance.

Per New York state guidelines, staff and spectators must have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of an event in order to attend.

Based on conversations behind the scenes, the announcement Wednesday from the Rangers wasn’t a total surprise to Shapiro.

“I know from MLB calls that they’d been consistently the strongest in pushing to extend limits, but again every team’s got its own local jurisdiction that’s governing so no one’s paying attention to what anyone else is doing other than what we can learn from it,” Shapiro said. “In the case of Texas, there’s nothing for us to learn from.”

At this point, the Rangers plan to host a full capacity crowd for only their April 5 home opener, leaving the final two games of the series against the Jays with additional social distancing measures in place and less fans allowed into the retractable roof building.

According to the AP, the roof will be open weather permitting, and the Rangers plan to install plexiglass barriers on top of the dugouts and enclose the bullpens.

Shapiro isn’t sure if he’ll be at Globe Life Field when the series gets underway, but general manager Ross Atkins could be.

“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Shapiro said. “Ross will likely be with the club, so it seems redundant for me to be there, as well.”

Forced out of their Rogers Centre home in Toronto thanks to the closed border, the Blue Jays have been diligent in their efforts to keep players and their families safe, and they are still one of the teams that has been able to avoid a positive COVID-19 test since the 2020 regular season began July 24 in Tampa.

After travelling to a couple of hotspots last season, namely Tampa, and now residing full-time in Florida, at this point it’s business as usual heading to Texas to play in front of a packed house next month.

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

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AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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