MLB
Nationals fire manager Williams, coaching staff
WASHINGTON – The Nationals fired manager Matt Williams and his coaching staff after a season in which the team went from World Series favorite to failing to make the playoffs.
Washington announced the move Monday, a day after the Nationals finished the regular season barely above .500 at 83-79, second to the New York Mets in the NL East.
Williams was the manager in Washington for two seasons. Last year, he was voted NL Manager of the Year after the Nationals finished with the best record in the league.
In February, the Nationals exercised his 2016 contract option.
Sabathia to check into alcohol rehab center
NEW YORK – Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia checked into an alcohol rehabilitation center and will miss the postseason.
The team issued a statement from the pitcher Monday, a day before New York will play Houston in the AL wild-card game. Sabathia, the 2007 AL Young Award winner, said he took the step to receive the care he needs and become the kind of person “I can be proud of.”
“I love baseball and I love my teammates like brothers, and I am also fully aware that I am leaving at a time when we should all be coming together for one last push toward the World Series,” he said. “It hurts me deeply to do this now, but I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right. I want to take control of my disease, and I want to be a better man, father and player.”
Sabathia was 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA this year, slowed by his surgically repaired right knee. After returning from the disabled list and using a tighter brace, the portly 35-year-old left-hander was 2-1 with a 2.17 ERA in five starts and got the win against Boston that week that clinched the Yankees’ return to the postseason following a rare two-year absence,
NFL
Dolphins coach Philbin fired 4 games into season
MIAMI – Joe Philbin was fired four games into his fourth season as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, and one day after a flop on an international stage that helped to seal his fate.
Tight ends coach Dan Campbell, who has been with the Dolphins since 2010, was promoted to interim coach Monday. He has no previous head coaching experience.
The Dolphins (1-3) lost their third game in a row and turned in their fourth consecutive lackluster performance when they were beaten Sunday in London by the archrival New York Jets, 27-14.
Midseason head coaching changes are unusual in the NFL, but few will accuse owner Stephen Ross of impatience. He ignored calls to fire Philbin in December after the Dolphins faded to finish 8-8 for a second successive season.
Chancellor’s big play pushes Seattle past Detroit
SEATTLE – Kam Chancellor punched the ball free from Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson at the 1-yard line when it appeared the Lions were going to take the lead, and the Seattle Seahawks held on for a 13-10 win on Monday night.
With Detroit on the verge of capping a 91-yard drive with the go-ahead touchdown with less than 2 minutes remaining, Chancellor came from the side and punched the ball from Johnson’s arm as he was being tackled by Earl Thomas. The ball bounded into the end zone and went over the back line for a touchback and Seattle’s ball at the 20.
Russell Wilson was sacked six times and pulled numerous escape acts, but threw a touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin in the first half and Steven Hauschka hit a pair of field goals from 50-plus yards as Seattle evened its record at 2-2.
Associated Press
