Powerful presence: Encarnacion gives Indians booming bat

” As fans lining the chain-linked fence next to Cleveland’s main practice field jockeyed for better position to snatch an autograph or selfie with the team’s newest star, Edwin Encarnacion showed no emotion. With his glove balanced on his head, Encarnacion signed baseballs, bats, cards and whatever else was thrust in front of him.

Nutting: Pirates had ‘step back’ in ’16, but talent is there

” The Pittsburgh Pirates missed the playoffs last season for the first time in four years, but that won’t cause chairman Bob Nutting to abandon the team’s steady, build-from-within approach. “We have not embraced, as many teams have, that you have to go in cycles and you have to commit to five years of a bad team in a rebuilding cycle,” Nutting said Monday after addressing the team at spring training.

Trocheck’s late goal lifts Panthers past Blues, 2-1

Vincent Trocheck scored with just under 5 seconds remaining to lift the Florida Panthers to a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Monday night. Jonathan Marchessault also scored and James Reimer stopped 26 shots to help the Panthers complete a 5-0 road trip – their first perfect trip of at least that many games in franchise history.

Olympic organizers say winter sports set for boom is Asia

Lee Hee-beom, the head of the Pyeongchang organizing committee, expects the 2018 Olympics to usher in a new era for winter sports in Asia. While the region has traditionally lagged behind North America and Europe in terms of winter sports competition, staging the next two Winter Olympics in Asia will significantly shift the balance, Lee said.

Monster Jam

It’s a good thing that one of them drives a space-age, aerodynamic machine, and the other pilots an artistically extravagant zombie mobile – that way you can tell Tyler and Travis Groth apart. Tyler drives Zombie and Travis pilots New Earth Authority Police in the new era of monster trucks in Monster Jam, which stops at Moda Center, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 25-26.

#Standpat

Both sensible Celtic fans and the organization alike agree that the team is best suited to build for the future, when superpowers Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers burn out and when the young core of Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown, Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn draft selections are ready to take over. This was evident when the Celtics refused to trade for DeMarcus Cousins, who would have costed the them Jaylen Brown and/or Brooklyn Picks.

Big Trade coming? Per IT?

IT doesn’t do this often for sure, Maybe he heard a proctologist’s opinion on Kevin Love? Maybe he and Lebron hung with Dewayne Wade? Perhaps Euro’s are in fact coming over? Avery Bradley is actually healthy? Olynck showed up at the All-Star game? WestBrook said he doesn’t give a crap about money, he just wants to beat Durant? IT told WestBrook he would have easily made that dunk? Vlade is actually a genius? Gentry is coming to Boston sooner than expected? FanPosts are fan-created content and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CelticsBlog. Be respectful and keep it clean.

Wanderers boss: banner ‘completely unacceptable’

Fine: Western Sydney Wanderers have been fined after a controversial banner was unfurled by supporters during the Sydney derby on Saturday. Wanderers boss John Tstatsimas has issued a scathing statement condemning a controversial banner that marred the club’s long-awaited Sydney derby victory on the weekend.

Recreation Calendar for Feb. 20, 2017

… and will not be published any other day of the week. Send information by mail (with a daytime phone number) to Sports: Recreation Calendar, Topeka Capital-Journal, 616 S.E. Jefferson, Topeka, KS, 66607; by fax to 295-1230; or by email to …

Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren a doubt for Leicester trip

Sutton’s dream over: Arsenal set up FA Cup quarter-final against Lincoln as Walcott’s 100th Gunners goal ends fairytale run Chelsea helping ex-Russia and CSKA boss Slutsky find a job as Abramovich’s pal watches games as club’s ‘guest’ Sutton reserve keeper Shaw eats a pie DURING the Arsenal game after visiting the bar at half-time… but was it all for a bet? Thought you’d seen last of Clattenburg? Well, think again… referee to return to Premier League for final four games ahead of Saudi Arabia move Villa slip further into relegation trouble as Newcastle inflict their EIGHTH defeat in nine games in 2017 to go top of Championship The A 1.7m smile: Stokes becomes the IPL’s most expensive EVER foreigner… and Mills lands A 1.4m deal despite only being able to bowl four overs a game ‘Boxing is more fun when he’s in it!’: Haye hopes Fury returns and meets him in an all-British heavyweight … (more)

NMSU looks for improvement on defense

… we have to find a way to re-engineer ourselves back to where we were at and get back to having another peak.” TV: Fox Sports Arizona (Comcast Ch. 28, DirecTV Ch. 686, Dish Network Ch. 415), Fox College Sports Central (Comcast Ch. 263). Fox Sports …

Broncos’ assistant joining 49ers

John Benton, hired in January as the Broncos’ assistant offensive line coach, was recently granted permission by the team to interview for the San Francisco 49ers’ top offensive line coaching position. Monday, it was reported by The Sporting News that the sides were finalizing a deal.

Julius Thomas has meeting, physical set in Miami Tuesday

The expected trades of tight end Julius Thomas from the Jaguars to the Dolphins and offensive tackle Branden Albert from the Dolphins to the Jaguars are awaiting final details, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday evening. Thomas will be in Miami Tuesday for a physical, one of the final steps to the trade being finalized.

New York City FC sign Canadian first-round draft pick Kwame Awuah

New York City FC has signed Canadian midfielder Kwame Awuah, taken in the first round of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft The 21-year-old from Toronto will occupy a domestic spot on the NYCFC roster, thanks to recent MLS rule changes involving young Canadian players. “Going back to the MLS Combine we saw something in Kwame that we believed was good enough to compete for a place in our first-team and in pre-season he’s just confirmed what we saw there,” New York City FC coach Patrick Vieira said in a statement.

Johnston, Toth pick apart PLK

Brian Johnston collected six goals and three assists and Peter Toth grabbed a hat-trick and four helpers as TC Auto thumped Penticton Lock and Key 15-7 in the final day of regular season play in Bad Tattoo Brewery Masters Indoor Soccer League action Sunday at the Adidas Sportsplex. Rick Morgan and Keith Johnstone each scored twice as TC Auto leapfrogged PLK into third place in the four-team league.

Trade of Cousins to Pelicans becomes official

The Sacramento Kings made official on Monday what had been reported shortly after the finish of Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game: Star center DeMarcus Cousins is heading to the New Orleans Pelicans in a blockbuster trade involving five players and two draft picks. Cousins, the centerpiece of the deal, and forward Omri Casspi are heading to the Big Easy in exchange for rookie guard Buddy Hield, swingman Tyreke Evans, guard Langston Galloway, a 2017 first-round pick and a 2017 second-round pick obtained from the Philadelphia 76ers.

SFA’s Malky Mackay wants to revive reserve league in Scotland

For Malky Mackay, it is a step back in time which he regards as pivotal to his plans for enhancing the future development of Scottish footballers. While much of the Project Brave manifesto Mackay is tasked with implementing is focused on new innovations, the SFA performance director believes the restoration of a an old staple of the game in this country is every bit as important.

Would Tony have been better than Dak this year?

Now, I know that Dak is the future at QB and if I could go back I wouldn’t change anything about Dak starting but there were many times while watching that Dak made a throw, read or decision that I know Tony wouldn’t have made. I can’t help but think that with Romo’s better arm in my opinion and experience and ability to read the defense that things would be better if he was QB this year even if he came in late in the year.

Cricket sides go down on Sunday

Griffith’s Geoff Lawson Cup side and Riverina’s Bradman Cup side – which features Griffith’s Reece Matheson and Dean Bennett – both lost on Sunday. Griffith’s Geoff Lawson Cup side and Riverina’s Bradman Cup side – which features Griffith’s Reece Matheson and Dean Bennett – both lost on Sunday.

Penn State Football Coaches Wear Singlets to Congratulate Wrestling Team

James Franklin and the Penn State football coaching staff donned Nittany Lion singlets to congratulate Penn State wrestling on its dual championship victory. Photo via James Franklin on Twitter The Penn State wrestling team won the NWCA Dual Championship on Sunday , erasing a 13-0 deficit to defeat Oklahoma State, 27-13, and finish the season undefeated for a second consecutive year.