SPORTS SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2016

Trade deadline on horizon for indecisive MLB teams

NEW YORK: The All-Star Game has come and gone and it is back to business in Major League Baseball, both on and off the diamond as teams ponder whether it is time to buy or sell talent with the Aug. 1 trade deadline looming. All 30 clubs return to action yesterday following the All-Star break for a second-half push that will settle berths in the postseason playoffs leading to the World Series. Impactful players including Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, slugger Jay Bruce of the Reds, Oakland starting pitch- er Rich Hill and Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman are among presumed trade targets of contenders. Last year, eventual World Series champions Kansas City Royals added starting pitcher Johnny Cueto and versatile regular Ben Zobrist, and National League pennant winning New York Mets turned their season around by adding slugger Yoenis Cespedes. It takes two to tango, of course, so struggling teams such as the Oakland A’s, Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds are taking hard looks at their rosters with their future in mind. Eighteen clubs are within five games of a spot with three division titles and two wildcard berths at stake in both the American and National League. With demand strong, : of the United States plays a shot from the light rough on the 12th fairway during the promising prospects could be changing hands in order to get an instant boost, giving teams on the bubble a delicate second round of the British Open Golf Championship at the Royal Troon Golf Club. — AP dilemma. Mickelson retains advantage In-house relievers One such club is the New York Yankees, who after adding Cuban fireballer Chapman to in-house relievers Andrew on miserable day at Troon Miller and Dellin Betances in a pre-season trade with Cincinnati, have a troika of top-rate closer candidates. The Yankees (44-44) cherish their winning tradition and 27 World TROON: Phil Mickelson followed his stun- “I was actually more worried about yester- Padraig Harrington in 2007 and 2008. He Series crowns but stand 5-1/2 games out of a wildcard berth ning opening round with a solid 69 in miser- day’s round than I was about these coming had a one-over 70 to go to five-under over- with six teams to leap over and have been keen to get able weather conditions at Royal Troon yes- rounds because I feel very comfortable in all, although for the second day running younger on the field. terday to lead the British Open at 10 under the conditions to be able to shoot a num- Johnson bogeyed the last, one of four Among their aged veterans is 39-year-old outfielder Carlos . The American had led overnight after ber, shoot a good score. “I was worried dropped shots in his round. Beltran, who is enjoying a standout season with 19 home runs equaling the lowest ever round in a major about guys going low on the beautiful day The favorite coming into the weekend, and becomes a free agent next year. Among teams that figure championship when he shot 63 in glorious and then not keeping pace, so yesterday’s US Open champion Dustin Johnson, had an to be in the market for starting pitching are the AL-West lead- conditions on Thursday afternoon. He was round was a big round for me to ultimately unremarkable opening round of 71 but he ing Texas Rangers, AL-East leading Baltimore Orioles and their back out early yesterday morning and this set the pace, and not lose too much ground, produced an eventful 69 yesterday to go to division rivals the Boston Red Sox. NL West-leading Giants time had to deal with the wind and, above because I felt like I’d be best prepared for two-under. The American had six birdies, and NL Central frontrunners the Chicago Cubs could use an all, rain that left the players and the course days like today.” including three in a row from the 15th, but end-of-game reliever. Available starters could come from the on ’s west coast sodden. marred his card with double-bogey sixes at Rays (34-54), who may be tempted to swap Matt Moore, Drew But he still thrived, with three bogeys on Stenson makes move the seventh and the treacherous 11th. “I felt Smyly or Jake Odorizzi for promising players, while Jeremy the front nine, including at the short As it is Mickelson leads in the clubhouse like I swung it really well all day. Hit a lot of Hellickson of the Phillies and Drew Pomeranz of San Diego be eighth, the Postage Stamp, when he almost by one shot from after the great shots, so I’m looking forward to this moved for the right price. holed his tee shot. He also birdied the short Swede produced a stunning second-round weekend,” Johnson said. Oakland outfielder Josh Reddick and third baseman Danny 14th, although there was a dropped shot- 65 to go to nine-under overall. The effort, South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel, the for- Valencia, along with Angels’ third baseman Yunel Escobar and his first of the week-at the 12th and anoth- which equalled his lowest ever round at a mer Masters champion, shot a stellar five- perhaps three-time All-Star Carlos Gonzalez of the Rockies are er bogey at 15 that brought him back a lit- major, featured seven birdies and just one under-par 66 featuring seven birdies to go other trade options for offensively-needy contenders. The tle closer to the pack. bogey and gave him every chance of finally to four-under overall heading into the Mets, Giants and Dodgers in the National League and the “I thought it was a good round to back winning at a major this weekend. Also look- weekend. Rory McIlroy, who was two-under American League Central-leading Indians and division rival up the low round yesterday. I made one or ing good in the clubhouse was his fellow overnight, Jordan Spieth and world number Kansas City could be looking to beef-up their attacks. The two bad swings that led to bogeys but for Scandinavian Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark, one Jason Day were among those with blueprint for a playoff run is imprinted on the braintrusts of the most part I kept the ball in play and who scored a three-under-par 68 to move afternoon tee-times yesterday. They were title dreamers, emboldened by the 2015 Royals and Mets, and played stress-free golf,” said the American, to seven-under heading into the weekend. all hoping that the filthy weather, with rain Toronto’s charge to the AL Championship Series after adding who won the Open at in 2013 and Reigning champion Zach Johnson is still and low cloud obscuring the mountainous slugging shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and starter David Price. admitted he enjoyed the unpleasant condi- in the running to become the first player to Isle of Arran out in the , would Who wants to build this season’s powerhouse? — Reuters tions that can constitute a Scottish summer. win the Claret Jug in successive years since clear up. — AFP Waratahs on brink after another loss WELLINGTON: The NSW Waratahs Brumbies play the Western Force today. ferred running rugby style and they initial- Waratahs after more scrum woes for the slumped to a 34-28 loss against the The loss means the Waratah’s, the 2014 ly struggled with turnovers and knock-ons Blues. But they were able to hit back again Auckland Blues yesterday but maintain a champions, need the Force to spring a but built pressure through the forwards. almost immediately when Piers Francis slim chance of reaching the finals after massive upset against the Brumbies. “You They were rewarded with a penalty try went on a jinking run and weaved past earning a consolation bonus point. The never know, stranger things have hap- in the 22 minutes after their dominant five tacklers before touching down. A Waratahs were outscored five tries to four pened... we’ll wait and see,” captain scrum drew a string of infringement from penalty extended the Blues’ lead to 22-14 as the Blues staunchly defended their lead, Michael Hooper said. the Blues. But the Aucklanders hit back and they looked like running away with bouncing back whenever the The result means the Blues, who are four minutes later when Patrick Tuipulotu the game before Israel Folau burst into Sydneysiders looked like reeling them in. rebuilding under coach Tana Umaga, have latched onto Tevita Li’s pass and crashed open space for the Waratahs third try. The NSW entered the match level with the won 14 of their last 16 matches against over in the corner. The Blues then took a tit-for-tat scoring continued with Malani ACT Brumbies on 39 points at the top of Australian Super Rugby sides at Eden Park. 12-7 lead with a penalty try of their own Nanai adding a fourth for the Blues, then the Australian conference and desperate They also defeated the Brumbies last when NSW collapsed a driving maul as the Angus Ta’avao doing the same for the to claw ahead of their rivals. The Australian week, meaning the bottom placed New Blues were bearing down on the line and Waratahs. George Moala finally sealed it conference winner will make the playoffs Zealand side has defeated the top two poised to score. Referee Mike Fraser for the Blues in the 76th minute after the but the season will be over for the runner- Australian sides in the past fortnight. Wet awarded the third penalty try of the match Waratahs’ defence was stretched by a line- up, with final placings decided when the conditions hampered the Waratahs’ pre- early in the second half, this time to the out drive. — AFP