Page 2B
East Oregonian
SPORTS
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
MLB
Manfred hopeful for Cuba game; owners to discuss netting
until the Baltimore Orioles
faced Cuba’s national team
in Havana in March 1999.
BOCA RATON, Fla. MLB has not returned since.
— Major League Base-
“We got a little time
ball Commissioner Rob still. There isn’t really a
Manfred remains hopeful ¿UP FXWRII´ 0DQIUHG VDLG
a big league team will play “We’re going to proceed
an exhibition game in Cuba internally and get to the
during spring training.
point where we’ve sort of
President Barack Obama LGHQWL¿HG ZKR ZRXOG JR
announced in December meaning which club would
his intention to restore go if we can get it done.
diplomatic ties between the And one club maintaining
United States and Cuba, and ÀH[LELOLW\ ZLWK UHVSHFW WR D
embassies were re-estab- spring training date is a lot
lished in July.
easier than 25 clubs main-
“There are a variety of WDLQLQJWKDWÀH[LELOLW\´
issues involved there, not all
On other topics:
of which are wholly within
FAN SAFETY
EDVHEDOO¶V FRQWURO´ 0DQIUHG
He said ballpark differ-
said Tuesday at the general ences make it impractical
managers meetings. “Obvi- to have identical protective
ously, the federal government netting at all 30 big league
KDVVRPHVLJQL¿FDQWLQÀXHQFH venues. The commissioner’s
on whether that’s going to RI¿FH KDV EHHQ GLVFXVVLQJ
take place, and there are the issue with teams
issues that need to be solved following a series of injuries
EHIRUHWKDWFDQKDSSHQ´
to fans from foul balls this
U.S. teams played spring year. Owners will talk about
training games in Cuba the matter when they meet
before Fidel Castro’s revo- in Dallas on Nov. 18-19.
lution but none appeared
“If you go out and look
there from March 1959 at the ballparks, it becomes
By RONALD BLUM
Associated Press
that topic with this group this
week. There will be dialogue
with the owners next week
and we will continue our
conversations
with
the
0/%3$ RQ WKLV WRSLF´
Manfred said. “We see this
as a player safety issue and
we want to make sure we’re
— Rob Manfred, in the right place without
MLB Commissioner on the hurdles standing in the way of committing to whether there’s
playing an exhibition game in Cuba. JRLQJWREHDFKDQJHRUQRW´
CARDINALS-ASTROS
evident that a simple uniform Manfred met with the career PROBE
— for example you’re going hits leader Sept. 24.
Following the start of a
to net to the edge of the
“The end of the year is federal investigation into
dugout — is not workable, P\GHDGOLQH´0DQIUHGVDLG whether St. Louis Cardinals
given the variation in designs “I’m not telling you that this employees hacked into a
RIWKHVWDGLXP´0DQIUHGVDLG is coming Dec. 30 or what- Houston Astros’ database,
“It’s going to have to be a little ever. It will be done before Manfred spoke to GMs
more complicated than that if, the end of the year, let me be about intellectual property
LQIDFWZHPRYHDKHDG´
FOHDUDERXWWKDW´
and plans to have the issue
SECOND BASE TAKE- on the agenda for next
PETE ROSE
Manfred remains on track OUTS
week’s owners’ meeting.
to decide Pete Rose’s appli-
Baseball and the players
“It’s an issue upon which
cation for reinstatement by union appear to be moving we will give advice to the
the end of next month.
toward a new rule applying to individual clubs to make sure
Then
Cincinnati’s takeout slides at second base. that they negotiate individual
manager, Rose agreed in The Dodgers’ Chase Utley contract provisions that are
1989 to a lifetime ban from broke a leg of Mets shortstop protective of what they feel
baseball after an MLB inves- Ruben Tejada breaking up a WKH\ QHHG WR SURWHFW´ KH
tigation concluded he bet on potential double play during VDLG³7ZHQW\¿YH\HDUVDJR
games involving the Reds the NL Championship Series. or 30 years ago, intellectual
while managing and playing.
“There will be dialogue on property in this business
“Obviously, the federal government
has some significant influence on
whether that’s going to take place,
and there are issues that need to be
solved before that can happen.”
was what some GM carried
around in his head and he
was going to take with him
when he left. ... Today the
EXVLQHVVKDVFKDQJHG´
DODGERS TV
Manfred hopes to avoid
a third consecutive season
in which Time Warner
Cable SportsNet LA, which
televises most Dodgers
games, is unavailable to
many homes in the market.
Charter Communications
announced in May it plans
to buy Time Warner Cable.
“I’m hopeful that there
are dynamics in play
beyond baseball in terms
of corporate activity that
PD\ FUHDWH VRPH ÀH[LELOLW\
and hopefully we will get
a resolution in time for the
VHDVRQ´KHVDLG
ALL-STAR GAME AT
WRIGLEY FIELD
Wrigley Field last hosted
an All-Star Game in 1990.
MLB already has announced
the All-Star Game will be
played in San Diego next
year, followed by Miami
in 2017 and Washington in
2018.
SINGER: Travel time for league games hard to comprehend
solid head coach.
Greg Grant is the coach
On Saturday afternoon
that never stops. Grant — in
,¿QDOO\JRWWRVHHWKH
his 25th year in Heppner —
Mustangs with my own
one of the few prep coaches
eyes, and I’m buying the
I’ve seen that actively coach
hype.
The Mustangs thumped a and yell during warm-ups
Monroe Dragons team 55-14 before games, and the only
LQWKH¿UVWURXQGRQ6DWXUGD\ coach that will continue to
yell at his team when it’s
— the same Monroe team
winning by more than 40
that lost to the No. 1 seed
points in the second quarter.
Central Linn just 16-6 and
Looking at all of
lost to the No. 6 seed Lost
Heppner’s postseason
River 29-26.
success brought me to
Heppner succeeds
because of the depth it has at compare the differences
between the playoff system
the skill positions — which
here in Oregon to the system
is incredible for a 2A school
I grew up with back in Ohio.
— and because of a rock
Continued from 1B
Obviously, there are a
lot more schools in Ohio’s
athletic association, the
OHSAA. In their system,
schools are divided into
seven divisions based on
male enrollment, and then
are split up into 26 total
regions within the divisions
with about 30 schools in
each region.
But unlike in Oregon, if
a school wins its conference
or league the only accolade
that comes with the win
is a trophy and bragging
rights — not a trip to the
postseason. In fact, most
conferences or leagues are
comprised of schools in
different divisions, instead
being based on distance.
The conference my alma
mater is in, for instance,
has schools in Division II,
Division III, Division IV,
and Division V, which would
be the equivalent to having
Hermiston, Pendleton,
Mac-Hi, Weston-McEwen,
6WDQ¿HOG+HSSQHUDQG
Umatilla all in the same
league.
It’s not always the most
equal competition, but it
is great on travel, which is
something else that struck
me early on here.
The furthest distance I
remember traveling for a
league game in high school
was roughly 45 minutes,
and the furthest for a playoff
game was never more than
two hours tops.
So I can’t imagine being
a Pendleton volleyball or
soccer player and having
to sit on a school bus for
two-plus hours for mid-week
games to Hood River or The
Dalles. Or I can’t imagine
Weston-McEwen players
sitting on a bus for four
hours to travel all the way
to Culver for a league game,
getting back to Athena real
late, and then having to get
up early and go back to
school the next morning.
But enough of me
rambling. The fall sports
season was a pretty
PHPRUDEOHRQH¿OOHGZLWK
screw-ups, numerous wrong
turns, and some pretty
competitive action all the
way around. I’m looking
forward to what the winter
sports can follow up with.
———
Contact Eric Singer at
esinger@eastoregonian.
com, (541) 966-0839, or
follow on Twitter @ByEr-
icSinger.
CBC: Weston-McEwen DOPING: Russians won 13 golds at Sochi Games
four in all.
$51 billion and yielded huge in recent years, including
third with 17 selections VKRZ³SUXGHQFH´DQGDOORZ and Until
1991, the Soviet success for Russia’s athletes, the world athletics cham-
Continued from 1B
nine overall selections with
team. Fitzpatrick was also QRQH RQ HLWKHU ¿UVW WHDP
honorable mention as a wide Junior offensive/defensive
receiver and defensive back. lineman Brayden Postma
The Mustangs, on the was a two-way second-team
other hand, will see four selection, however.
The CBC did not name a
WZRZD\ ¿UVW WHDP SOD\HUV
Player
of the Year.
graduate this spring.
———
Quarterback/defensive
2015 All-League Football
Columbia Basin Conference
back Kaden Clark, offensive/
Offense
defensive lineman Patrick
First Team
QB — Kaden Clark, sr., Heppner
Collins, wide receiver/
QB — Dylan Grogan, jr., Stanfield
RB — Fredy Vera, sr., Irrigon
defensive back C.J. Kindle
RB — Jaiden Jones, jr., Culver
and wide receiver/linebacker
RB — Thyler Monkus, jr., Stanfield
— Logan Grieb, jr., Heppner
:HVWRQ 3XWPDQ PDGH ¿UVW WR
WR — Weston Putman, sr., Heppner
team on offense and defense
WR — C.J. Kindle, sr., Heppner
OL — Patrick Collins, sr., Heppner
as seniors.
OL — Kevin Murray, jr., Heppner
They’ve provided the core
OL — Devin Rhoades, sr., Weston-McE-
wen
for units that head into the
OL — Jose Garcia, jr., Stanfield
VWDWHTXDUWHU¿QDOVUDQNHG1R OL — Noe Sanchez, jr., Stanfield
Second Team
1 and 2 in overall points this
QB — Nate Verley, sr., Irrigon
RB — Tommy Bredfield, sr., Heppner
season, and will be joined
RB — Vince Roff, sr., Weston-McEwen
LQ JUDGXDWLRQ E\ ¿UVWWHDP RB — Ethan Reger, jr., Weston-McEwen
WR — Xander Bailey, soph.,
OLQHEDFNHU7RPP\%UHG¿HOG Weston-McEwen
WR — Patrick Roe, sr., Pilot Rock
who was a second-team
WR — Marco Retano, jr., Culver
selection at running back.
OL — Cougar Kroske, sr., Irrigon
OL — Mack Little, jr., Culver
They won’t leave the
OL — Hunter Barnes, jr., Stanfield
cupboard bare, though, and
OL — Parker Miller, jr., Irrigon
OL — Juan Mendoza, sr., Culver
Heppner will have some
OL — Brayden Postma, jr., Pilot Rock
Honorable Mention
players returning in the
QB — Gunner McCall, sr., Pilot Rock
trenches and on the edges to
QB — Brett Speed, soph., Weston-McE-
wen
build around.
RB — Justin Keeney, soph., Stanfield
Junior wide receiver/
RB — Carlos Zacarias, jr., Irrigon
RB — Chris Weinke, soph., Pilot Rock
defensive
back
Logan
WR — Jason Fitzpatrick, sr., Stanfield
*ULHE PDGH WZR ¿UVW WHDPV WR — Hunter Melton, sr., Pilot Rock
OL — Kolby Currin, jr., Heppner
as did junior offensive/
OL — Hunter Sater, jr., Weston-McEwen
OL — Alyx Shaw, sr., Weston-McEwen
defensive lineman Kevin
OL — Trevor Shockman, jr., Stanfield
Murray. Junior defensive
OL — Saul Erickson, sr., Heppner
OL — Devin Kraznavologi, sr., Culver
lineman Tim Jaca (second
OL — Sergio Flores, sr., Weston-McEwen
team), junior linebacker
OL — Colten Seelye, sr., Irrigon
Defense
Kolby Currin (second team)
First Team
DL — Patrick Collins, sr., Heppner
and sophomore defensive
DL — Kevin Murray, jr., Heppner
lineman Wyatt Steagall
DL — Vince Roff, sr., Weston-McEwen
DL — Jared Warren, sr., Stanfield
(honorable mention) will
DL — Jose Garcia, jr., Stanfield
help the retooling process as
LB — Weston Putman, sr., Heppner
LB — Tommy Bredfield, sr., Heppner
well.
LB — Dylan Grogan, jr., Stanfield
LB — Devin Rhoades, sr., Weston-McE-
Both Heppner and Stan-
wen
¿HOG DUH SOD\LQJ LQ WKH VWDWH LB — Cougar Kroske, sr., Irrigon
LB — Mack Little, jr., Culver
TXDUWHU¿QDOVWKLVZHHN
DB — Logan Grieb, jr., Heppner
:HVWRQ0F(ZHQ¿QLVKHG DB — C.J. Kindle, sr., Heppner
DB — Kaden Clark, sr., Heppner
third in the CBC this year
DB — Ethan Reger, jr., Weston-McEwen
DB — Thyler Monkus, jr., Stanfield
and was third in overall
Second Team
all-league selections with 17.
DL — Brayden Postma, jr., Pilot Rock
DL — Tim Jaca, jr., Heppner
Senior offensive lineman/
DL — Noe Sanchez, jr., Stanfield
linebacker Devin Rhoades
DL — Cole Little, soph., Culver
— Alyx Shaw, sr., Weston-McEwen
ZDV D WZRZD\ ¿UVWWHDPHU DL
LB — Fredy Vera, sr., Irrigon
LB — Devin Hasher, jr., Pilot Rock
and senior defensive lineman
LB — Kolby Currin, jr., Heppner
Vince Roff and junior defen-
LB — Reeve Betts, sr., Weston-McEwen
DB — Lake Albert, sr., Weston-McEwen
sive back Ethan Reger also
DB — Jaiden Jones, jr., Culver
ZHUH¿UVWWHDPKRQRUHHV
DB — Tristan Bogart, sr., Culver
DB — Chris Weinke, soph., Pilot Rock
Irrigon and Culver tied
DB — Nate Verley, sr., Irrigon
for fourth with 10 selections.
Honorable Mention
DL — Wyatt Steagall, soph., Heppner
Irrigon senior Fredy Vera
DL — Colby Krogh, jr., Irrigon
LB — Tyler Cain, sr., Weston-McEwen
(running back) and Cougar
LB — Abraham Gomez, jr., Stanfield
Kroske (linebacker) made
DB — Patrick Roe, jr., Pilot Rock
— Jason Fitzpatrick, sr., Stanfield
WKH¿UVWWHDPZKLOH&XOYHU¶V DB
DB — Justin Keeney, soph., Stanfield
¿UVWWHDP VHOHFWLRQV ZHUH Special Teams
First Team
juniors Jaiden Jones (running
K — Enoel Angel, jr., Stanfield
P — Jason Fitzpatrick, sr., Stanfield
back) and Mack Little (line-
Second Team
backer).
K — Kirk Scott, fr., Weston-McEwen
P — Devin Rhoades, sr., Weston-McEwen
Pilot Rock went winless
Honorable Mention
in its 2015 campaign and had
P — Joe Montes, sr., Culver
Continued from 1B
Russians to compete.
5XVVLDQ WUDFN DQG ¿HOG
head coach Yuri Borza-
kovsky, a former Olympic
800-meter champion, will
be among those meeting
with Putin.
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implement a recommenda-
tion from the report, WADA
revoked the accreditation
of Russia’s anti-doping
lab in Moscow. Hours
later, lab director Grigory
Rodchenkov
resigned,
according to the state news
agency Tass.
Russia has been a track
DQG¿HOGSRZHUIRUGHFDGHV
but in recent years its main
strengths have been in
race walking, women’s
middle-distance running and
WKH ¿HOG HYHQWV LQFOXGLQJ
world-record holder Yelena
Isinbayeva in the pole vault.
At the 2013 world track
DQG ¿HOG FKDPSLRQVKLSV LQ
Moscow, Russia won seven
gold medals — the most of
any nation — and 17 total.
This year in Beijing, Russia
won only two gold medals
Union enjoyed enormous
international
success,
especially in sports such as
KRFNH\ ¿JXUH VNDWLQJ DQG
gymnastics. It had a huge
pool of talent from its 15
republics and a wealthy
training system that made
its athletes walking adver-
tisements for the purported
superiority of Communism.
But in the economic
chaos that followed the
Soviet breakup, stadiums
and other sports facilities
deteriorated. Low salaries,
further undermined by the
1998 collapse of the ruble,
forced many athletes and
coaches to compete abroad.
The post-Soviet athletic
decline hit bottom at the
2010 Vancouver Olympics,
where Russia left with only
three gold medals and the
daunting task of rebuilding
its team in time for the
Winter Games in Sochi four
years later.
The Sochi Olympics,
overseen by Putin as part of
a broader effort to restore
national pride, cost a record
who won 13 golds — their
highest Winter Games haul
ever — and 33 total medals.
In congratulating the
medalists, Putin noted it
was important for Russia to
showcase not only its new
modern sports facilities
in Sochi but also its elite
athletes, “those who are
worthy of carrying the
banner of its great and
JORULRXVWUDGLWLRQV´
“You showed that these
traditions are strong and our
country as before produces
brilliant, strong athletes,
who are able to amaze and
GHOLJKW RXU FLWL]HQV ¿OOLQJ
them with pride in their
IDWKHUODQG´ WKH SUHVLGHQW
said.
Russia’s re-emergence
on the global sports stage
has been further boosted by
winning the right to hold the
2018 World Cup, although
the scandal rocking soccer’s
world governing body
FIFA has put that bid under
renewed scrutiny.
It also has held a series
of other major competitions
pionships in 2013 and the
world swimming and diving
championships this summer.
Andrei Kolesnikov, a
political analyst at the Carn-
egie Endowment’s Moscow
RI¿FHVDLG3XWLQOHJLWLPL]HV
his rule by playing up Soviet
victories, not just in World
War II but in the sports
arenas as well.
“Maybe it was not the
decision of Putin to use
these medical means, but the
very atmosphere in Russia,
it leads to these solutions
PDGH E\ VRPH VSRUWV RI¿-
cials. They are trying to be
victorious, they must win
HYHU\ZKHUH LQ WKH ¿HOGV RI
real war, the Cold War and
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VSRUWV¿HOGVDUHWKH¿HOGVRI
WKH &ROG :DU´ .ROHVQLNRY
said.
Kolesnikov
predicted
Putin would use the doping
scandal to his advantage,
both by standing up to what
he would portray as a hostile
West and by punishing
someone at home to show
that he was taking action.
ADAMS: Coming off record game, Ducks face top defense
State, and then had 300 yards
“We don’t want to be just passing and another four
completely thinking about touchdowns last weekend in
the Pac-12 North, but it’s a 44-28 win over California.
LQ RXU PLQGV GH¿QLWHO\´ His highlight reel from the
Adams said. “Hopefully, we latter game also includes a
just get this win and things dramatic keeper that Adams
happen. We’ve got to win capped by somersaulting
one game at a time and go over a defender and into the
end zone.
IURPWKHUH´
Overall, Adams has thrown
Adams transferred to
for
1,468 yards and 14 touch-
Oregon for his senior season, GRZQVZLWK¿YHLQWHUFHSWLRQV
looking to pick up where in six games this season. He’s
Heisman Trophy winner also rushed for 145 yards and
Marcus Mariota left off.
two more scores.
It wasn’t to be. Adams
“He was pretty much a
EURNH KLV ULJKW LQGH[ ¿QJHU national story before he got
in the season opener against WR 2UHJRQ´ 6WDQIRUG FRDFK
his former team, Eastern David Shaw told reporters
Washington. He struggled Tuesday. “He is an exciting
with the injury for a time player with a strong arm.
before he retreated to the He’s a dangerous football
sidelines for games against player. He is back to doing
Colorado and Washington those things that caught
State.
HYHU\RQH¶VH\H´
He returned three week-
At least for right now,
ends ago at Washington, Adams is most concerned
where the Ducks won 26-20 DERXW ¿[LQJ WKRVH LQWHU-
to kick off what is now a ceptions. Both of his picks
against Cal came in the end
three-game winning streak.
Adams threw for 315 zone.
“I’ve got to clean that
yards and four touchdowns in
Oregon’s 61-55 triple-over- up if we want to be a better
time thriller against Arizona WHDP´ KH VDLG ³,¶YH GH¿-
Continued from 1B
QLWHO\JRWWRFOHDQWKDWXS´
Adams was helped
against Cal by his offensive
linemen, as well as the
Ducks’ running game, which
churned out 477 yards on
the ground — led by Royce
Freeman with 180. Overall,
Oregon had a school-record
777 yards in total offense.
“Oregon’s always been
known for having a ton
of playmakers, so for us
to get that rolling in the
past couple of weeks feels
JUHDW´ VDLG MXQLRU UHFHLYHU
Bralon Addison, who pulled
down a pair of touchdown
passes from Adams in the
Cal victory. “We’re going to
FRQWLQXHWRJHWEHWWHU´
But that’s going to be a
challenge against Stanford,
which ranks atop the Pac-12
for total defense, allowing
opponents just under 339
yards per game and only 20
total touchdowns. Oregon
may have one advantage if
Adams can keep his upward
trend going: Stanford’s pass
defense is ranked 10th in the
league, allowing just over
213 yards a game.
Stanford has won eight
straight games and will
clinch the North outright
with a victory over Oregon.
The Ducks are underdogs
on Saturday, but the series
with Stanford is marked by
a couple of recent upsets. In
2012, Oregon was ranked
No. 1 when Stanford and
freshman quarterback Kevin
Hogan visited Eugene and
pulled off a 17-14 overtime
victory. The Cardinal went
on to win the Pac-12 champi-
onship game before beating
Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.
Stanford played spoiler
again the next year, beating
the then-No. 2 Ducks 26-20.
The Ducks went on to lose
to Arizona down the stretch
and wrapped up the season
in the Alamo Bowl.
Adams said he’s feeling
PRUH FRQ¿GHQW LQ KLV UROH
since his return, and he’s
also tried to be a more vocal
leader.
“I feel really good; I’m
YHU\ FRQ¿GHQW ZLWK WKH
offense now. I’ve got my
UHDGV GRZQ´ KH VDLG ³$OO
we can do is just keep it
rolling, you know? One
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