MLB
Inoperable brain tumor takes Michael Weiner’s life at 51
NEW YORK – Michael Weiner, the plain-speaking, ever-positive labor lawyer who took over as head of the powerful baseball players’ union four years ago and smoothed its perennially contentious relationship with management, died Thursday, 15 months after announcing he had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. He was 51.
The Major League Baseball Players Association said Weiner died at his home in Mansfield Township, N.J.
As Weiner’s health deteriorated this summer, a succession plan was put in place. Former big league All-Star Tony Clark took over Thursday as acting executive director and is to be approved as Weiner’s successor when the union’s board meets Dec. 2-5 at La Jolla, Calif.
Weiner is survived by his wife, Diane Margolin, and daughters Margie, Grace and Sally.
Coming soon to a ballpark near you: metal detectors
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Baseball fans should expect to go through a metal detector to see their favorite team play in 2014.
Major League Baseball security director John Skinner said Friday that all 30 teams are expected to screen all fans entering their ballparks next season. Some aspects of the screening will be left to individual teams, but the commissioner’s office is planning to recommend walk-through metal detectors, he said.
MLB’s decision on Rodriguez likely to come in January
NEW YORK – Now the waiting begins for Alex Rodriguez and Major League Baseball.
A-Rod’s grievance hearing to overturn his 211-game suspension ended Thursday when both sides rested their cases, a day after the New York Yankees third baseman angrily walked out and decided not to testify in his own defense.
The sides set a schedule to file briefs by Dec. 11 and reply briefs by Dec. 21, which will close the record and submit the matter to arbitrator Fredric Horowitz. His decision on whether to uphold or alter the discipline for the three-time AL MVP likely will be made in January.
Both World Series programs play Let’s Make a Deal
ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Cardinals traded former World Series MVP and St. Louis native David Freese to the Los Angeles Angels in a four-player deal.
The Cardinals also sent reliever Fernando Salas to the Angels on Friday in exchange for outfielder Peter Bourjos and prospect Randal Grichuk.
BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox acquired right-hander Burke Badenhop from the Milwaukee Brewers for minor league lefty Luis Ortega.
Golf
Tiger Woods’ World Challenge moves from Calif. to Fla.
Tiger Woods is moving his World Challenge from his old home in California to his old course in Florida – Isleworth Country Club.
Woods said Friday his charity event, which attracts a world-class field even without being part of any tour, will move in December 2014 to Isleworth, the course where he honed his professional game from 1996 until moving away to south Florida two years ago.
The World Challenge had been at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif., since 2001. It was played the first two years in Arizona.
Soccer
USA women’s soccer team will begin 2014 with Canada
CHICAGO – The United States women’s national team will open its 2014 schedule with a match against Canada.
The game Jan. 31 will be held at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
This year, the U.S. beat Canada 3-0 at BMO Field in Toronto. The Americans won 4-3 in overtime in the two programs’ semifinal of the 2012 London Olympics.
Associated Press
