With the NFL combine behind us, we're just two weeks from the start of free agency and 52 days away from the 2020 NFL draft. And after teams spent the past week in Indianapolis talking to and evaluating prospects, things are becoming more clear at the top of Round 1.

Are the Bengals set to take LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick? What could the Redskins do with the No. 2 pick? How high will the first wide receiver go? We asked the NFL Nation reporters who cover teams picking in the top 10 to answer a question about each team's outlook for April's draft:

More: Draft order | McShay's Mock Draft 3.0

1. Cincinnati Bengals

Let's put a number on it: The chances Cincinnati stays at No. 1, takes Joe Burrow, and keeps him are ___.

99.9%. The Bengals had their first extended meeting with Burrow at the combine and were happy with how things went. The former LSU quarterback also dispelled the notion that he wouldn't play for Cincinnati if it drafted him.

Nothing is ever a sure thing until it happens -- the team will watch Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon's Justin Herbert throw at their respective pro days -- but it's virtually impossible to see the Bengals taking anyone but Burrow with the top pick. -- Ben Baby

2. Washington Redskins

What would it take for the Redskins to trade the No. 2 pick and not take pass-rusher Chase Young?

A massive haul. New coach Ron Rivera wants to build both lines, and he has a chance to create a powerful one on defense with the Ohio State defensive end, whom the Redskins feel checks "all the boxes." The best guess: It would take multiple first-rounders and possibly a starting-caliber player for them to trade down. Or picks in the second or third round and another first in 2021.

If they trade left tackle Trent Williams, who held out for the 2019 season, they could take an offensive tackle and then a receiver. Both would help. -- John Keim

3. Detroit Lions

Rank these scenarios with the No. 3 pick in order of the likelihood of the Lions doing them: Trading back; drafting a quarterback; drafting a non-quarterback.

• 1. Trading back. Working with the likelihood that Joe Burrow and Chase Young go 1-2, Detroit could command trade value for No. 3 with quarterback-needy teams. Provided one or two of those teams is interested in making sure they secure Tua Tagovailoa, the second-ranked QB in this class, the Lions could land a lucrative package by trading back.

• 2. Drafting a non-quarterback. If Tagovailoa goes No. 2, it would leave Young for Detroit at No. 3. Even if Young goes No. 2, if the Lions fall in love with Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah, Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons or Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown, they could make sure they nab an elite talent at No. 3.

• 3. Drafting a quarterback. It's not impossible to see the Lions taking Tagovailoa, but considering the team's needs and the expectation of winning in 2020, this seems like the least likely possibility. -- Michael Rothstein

4. New York Giants

Could the Giants think about a wide receiver or offensive lineman here, or is this pick all about defense?

Offensive line is definitely realistic, with Iowa's Tristan Wirfs a player they like. The Giants have to think about protecting their investment in quarterback Daniel Jones and are in need of a right tackle now and a left tackle of the future. Wirfs played both left and right tackle for the Hawkeyes.

A tackle at pick No. 4 or in a trade-down scenario makes sense. Not so much for a wide receiver, especially with so little ($22 million vs. cap) invested in their defense. -- Jordan Raanan

5. Miami Dolphins

Miami has three first-round picks (Nos. 5, 18 and 26). How would you define a successful Round 1 for the Dolphins?

A successful Dolphins first round would include landing their franchise quarterback (Tua Tagovailoa is a possibility), a front-seven pass-rusher (Iowa's A.J. Epenesa makes sense) and a starting offensive tackle (Houston's Josh Jones is a good fit).

Everything starts at quarterback for Miami, so expect the Dolphins' first selection to come at that position. After that, attention should go toward the offensive line, which gave up the most sacks and produced the fewest rushing yards last season, and edge rushers, because the Dolphins ranked last in the league in sacks. -- Cameron Wolfe

6. Los Angeles Chargers

Are the Chargers more likely to sign a quarterback in free agency or draft one in the first round?

After moving on from Philip Rivers, the Chargers finally will seek a long-term answer at the position, and it's likely they will take a young quarterback at No. 6. They will kick the tires on Tom Brady, but they don't often get a pick this high and three years ago passed on drafting Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson. With Mahomes in the division and the Chiefs coming off a Super Bowl win, the Chargers are now paying the price. That can't happen again.

Coach Anthony Lynn would like a mobile quarterback who takes care of the football. Prospects who fit and could be available at No. 6 include Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert and Utah State's Jordan Love. -- Eric D. Williams

7. Carolina Panthers

With Carolina potentially taking a hit along its front seven in free agency, is this pick likely to be used on a defensive lineman or linebacker?

I wouldn't totally rule out a quarterback here, but it could go either way with a defensive lineman or linebacker. Auburn's Derrick Brown and Clemson's Isaiah Simmons both would fill a need. Brown would be ideal to pair inside with Pro Bowler Kawann Short with the team expected to move on from Dontari Poe. Simmons can play linebacker or safety and would be ideal for a team trying to replace Luke Kuechly. It's a can't-lose situation with either prospect. -- David Newton

8. Arizona Cardinals

Could Arizona take a receiver here, and who are the candidates if it does?

Even after drafting three receivers last year, the Cardinals are still looking for that game-changing playmaker. Besides 37-year-old Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals don't have a consistent big-play threat with Christian Kirk dealing with injuries the past two seasons and none of the receivers from the 2019 draft playing consistently if at all.

Alabama's Jerry Jeudy or Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb could be an option here. Lamb would give the Cardinals an instant connection between him and quarterback Kyler Murray because they played together at Oklahoma. Jeudy is just flat-out talented, so Arizona can't go wrong. Another possibility for the Cardinals is to trade back, acquire some picks and draft LSU's Justin Jefferson and reunite him with assistant wide receivers coach Jerry Sullivan, with whom he worked in college. -- Josh Weinfuss

9. Jacksonville Jaguars

With two picks in Round 1 (Nos. 9 and 20), which positions are the Jaguars' priorities?

The Jaguars' defense is a shell of the unit that was one of the league's best in 2017, and their biggest weakness last season was against the run. They have to replace tackle Marcell Dareus, who made a significant difference when he was on the field versus when he wasn't (more than 50 yards per game allowed). Auburn's Derrick Brown and South Carolina's Javon Kinlaw are the names to watch at No. 9.

The Jaguars feel offensive line is one of their strengths, so there are multiple ways they could go at No. 20, but staying on defense seems like the best idea. Cornerback will be a major need, especially if they move on from A.J. Bouye. LSU's Kristian Fulton is a name to watch, too. -- Michael DiRocco

10. Cleveland Browns

Cleveland needs to upgrade at left tackle. Will it look to free agency or stick with the draft?

Considering the Browns also need to address right tackle, it seems likely they'll select a tackle here, regardless of free agency. This is a solid draft for tackles in Round 1: Alabama's Jedrick Wills Jr., Louisville's Mekhi Becton, Houston's Josh Jones and Georgia's Andrew Thomas all look like potential franchise left tackles.

If the Browns can address right tackle in free agency -- Jack Conklin, anyone? -- they could then zero in on adding their blindside protector of the future through the draft. -- Jake Trotter

CHICAGO -- Nearly 17 weeks had passed since Otto Porter Jr. last suited up in a Chicago Bulls jersey after suffering a left foot fracture.

And he was certainly keeping count.

In his first game back since Nov. 6 at Atlanta, Porter came off the bench to post 18 points in a little over 17 minutes, which tied for his second-highest scoring output of the season during Chicago's 109-107 win over Dallas on Monday night.

The 18 points were the most he had put up in a single game in his career while playing 20 minutes or less after missing 51 total games with a left foot fracture. He said he played with joy despite being on a minute restriction.

"Of course. To do something that you love, it's like giving candy to a baby and you want to be happy," Porter said following the win. "I'm definitely happy to get back out, play basketball, get back out there with my teammates, coaches and get the W."

When Mavericks guard Luka Doncic's last-second, desperation 3-point attempt fell short from half court at the buzzer, Chicago snapped its two-game losing skid without leading scorer Zach LaVine who was out with a left quad strain.

Doncic ended with 23 points, nine assists and five rebounds while rookie guard Coby White led the Bulls with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench.

White was happy to have Porter back after he was sidelined for so long.

"It was huge. He got the job done. He came in and played his minutes with force and he's a bucket," White said of Porter Jr. "He got to that as soon as he got in the game and he was scoring. Outside shooting is his thing and we missed it a lot this season, so for him to be back is big for us. Not only just him scoring and playing, he's also great defensively and he's a leader, he's a vet, so we missed that a lot."

Coll: ‘I just wanted to get into a good headspace and enjoy the match’
By SEAN REUTHE – Squash Mad Correspondent

New Zealand’s Paul Coll claimed his first ever win over World No.1 Mohamed ElShorbagy to send the defending champion out at the quarter-final stage of the Windy City Open presented by the Walter Family.

World No.5 Coll had lost all five of his previous meetings with ElShorbagy on the PSA World Tour but, in front of the stained glass windows of the University Club of Chicago’s Cathedral Hall, the Kiwi claimed one of the most significant victories of his career to date as he outclassed his opponent by a 12-10, 11-7, 11-6 scoreline to reach the last four.

“I was just trying to get into a really good headspace,” said Coll. “I had a really good opportunity at the ToC [J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions] and last week I was in another final. I am just trying to really enjoy the battle out there. Mohamed is such a class act and he has been top of his game for the last five years, if not more, so I just wanted to really enjoy the match with him today.

“I am not ashamed of that [five-match winless run] record. I have been chipping away slowly and getting more confident. For me, it is just a case of trying to improve day by day to challenge those guys.

“We’ve put a lot of work into getting my swing changing a little bit and it’s feeling really smooth at the moment. I am learning every day and I had the confidence today and it worked out for me.”

Coll will line up against World No.4 Karim Abdel Gawad for a place in what would be a first PSA Platinum final, and he will aim to end a three-match winless run against the Egyptian, who came through in five to beat Germany’s Simon Rösner.

Gawad had won their two previous matches by a 3-2 scoreline, and made it three in a row as he completed a 3-11, 11-3, 11-6, 3-11, 11-7 victory to vanquish the World No.7.

Meanwhile, World Champion Tarek Momen was taken to five games by Spanish veteran Borja Golan, before ultimately pulling through in the fifth to reach a second Windy City Open semi-final in a row.

World No.33 Golan was a surprise quarter-finalist but gave Momen a run for his money, with a scintillating performance from the Spaniard seeing him take the World No.3 to a decider against the odds, but Momen held his nerve to win 11-7, 3-11, 11-6, 4-11, 11-3.

“Borja loves Chicago, he’s had some incredible performances here,” said Momen. “Today was unreal, the gets he was getting, the physicality he was showing on court, it doesn’t show that he is 37. He could play for three or four more years. He played a very good match and I’m very happy to get through in five.”

World No.2 Ali Farag will clash with Momen after moving through to a third straight Windy City Open semi as he put in one of his best performances in recent months to beat Peru’s Diego Elias 3-0.

Farag was on fire right from the off as a series of lengthy rallies looked to suit the Egyptian, who sent Elias into all four corners of the court, with the Peruvian breathing heavily early on. He was tested by his opponent in the third as Elias finally put some work into Farag’s legs, but he absorbed everything Elias threw at him to book his spot in the last four.

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Meanwhile, World No.2 Nouran Gohar brought an end to US hopes in the women’s event as she axed the country’s No.1 player Amanda Sobhy in straight games, ending a three-match losing streak to the American.

Gohar is nicknamed ‘The Terminator’ on tour and the 22-year-old lived up to that nickname as she played at an electric pace and found her line and length right from the off to complete an 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 victory in 30 minutes.

“For me, it’s the toughest draw to get playing Amanda,” said Gohar. “The head-to-head speaks for itself. I don’t think anyone else has a record like this, beating me six times. I was just trying to focus on not playing the most beautiful squash, but the most efficient to be able to beat her today.”

Gohar will play World No.1 Raneem El Welily for a place in the final after the three-time champion defeated United States No.2 Olivia Blatchford Clyne 11-7, 11-8, 11-6.

World Champion Nour El Sherbini avenged her J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions final defeat to World No.3 Camille Serme after fighting to an 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9 victory in 45 minutes.

The World No.4 has suffered with illness and a long-standing knee injury this week in Chicago, but kept her focus at the crucial moments to move to within one win of a third final Windy City Open final appearance.

“My mother kept telling me to not let it get to five, I had to finish it as quickly as possible,” El Sherbini said afterwards.

“I have played Camille before and I knew I had to finish it in four and not make it any longer. She has been playing amazing the last two tournaments. She is beating only Egyptians and she beat me in our last meeting at the final of the Tournament of Champions. I was just trying to be steady for every shot and to stick to my game plan.”

The semi-finals will take place tomorrow (Tuesday March 3) and play will get under way at 17:30 (GMT-6). Action will be shown live on SQUASHTV (rest of world), Eurosport Player (Europe only) and the official Facebook page of the PSA World Tour. 

The Windy City Open 2020 presented by the Walter Family, Cathedral Hall, University Club of Chicago, USA.

Men’s Quarter Finals:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [6] Diego Elias (PER) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 (49m)
[3] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Borja Golan (ESP) 3-2: 11-7, 3-11, 11-6, 4-11, 11-3 (60m)
[4] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt [7] Simon Rösner (GER) 3-2: 3-11, 11-3, 11-6, 3-11, 11-7 (70m)
[5] Paul Coll (NZL) bt [2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) 3-0: 12-10, 11-7, 11-6 (51m)

Semi-Finals:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v [3] Tarek Momen (EGY)
[4] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [5] Paul Coll (NZL)

Women’s Quarter-Finals:
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [15] Olivia Blatchford Clyne (USA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 (29m)
[3] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [7] Amanda Sobhy (USA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 (30m)
[8] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt Rowan Elaraby (EGY) 3-2: 11-8, 5-11, 14-12, 9-11, 11-7 (65m)
[2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [5] Camille Serme (FRA) 3-1: 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9 (45m)

Semi-Finals:
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [3] Nouran Gohar (EGY)
[8] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) v [2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY)

Pictures courtesy of Steve Line, PSA and University Club of Chicago
Picture Gallery on tournament website

Ex-Ireland lock Dan Tuohy says the arm fracture which forced him to quit rugby left him struggling to do basic tasks such as shaving and cutting his food.

Tuohy, 34, broke the humerus bone in his left arm last September while playing for French club Vannes and announced his retirement two weeks ago.

After undergoing surgery, he had no wrist or hand function in his left hand until the Christmas period.

"You do feel partly disabled to be fair," said 11-times Ireland cap Tuohy.

Thankfully, Tuohy's injury has continued to improve over the last two months and he is optimistic he will have "full function of my hand before long".

Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster's Sportsound Extra Time, the Bristol-born player added: "I'm going bald so I cut my own hair but I couldn't cut my own hair with my left hand because I couldn't hold the razor.

"So I was missing a big patch on the back of my head that my wife had to do.

"I couldn't hold a fork in my left hand and cut my food properly. It's just silly stuff that you don't think of.

"But I've seen horrific nerve damage that some people have suffered so in the grand scheme of things, what I have is not too bad."

'Rugby rotten from the core'

Tuohy's retirement announcement in a lengthy social media post two weeks ago generated headlines with his description of rugby as being "rotten from the core".

The former Ireland player says he was primarily referring to the reduction in financial support to English Championship clubs from the Rugby Football Union when he made the comment.

Tuohy was a product of Weston-super-Mare RFC's youth system and had spells at Gloucester and Exeter before signing for Ulster in 2009.

The second-row also played at Leicester Tigers on loan from Bristol before signing a short-term deal with Stade Francais in 2018.

"It's starting to look as though rugby is all for the top echelon and not a great deal for underneath it," added Tuohy.

"The England players are reported to be paid £25,000 a game win, lose or draw.

"Fair play to them for negotiating that contract but if that's leaving the RFU short and they are having to cut the money to other leagues, that doesn't really seem fair to me.

"Fifty per cent of that England team actually plied their trade in the championship."

Bengal 312 (Majumdar 157, Akash 44, More 3-52, Mithun 3-77) and 161 (Chatterjee 45, Majumdar 41, Mithun 4-23, Gowtham 3-15) beat Karnataka 122 (Gowtham 31, Mithun 24, Porel 5-39, Akash 3-30) and 177 (Padikkal 62, Mithun 38, Kumar 6-61, Akash 2-44) by 174 runs

A small crowd sang chants for the hosts throughout the morning session at Eden Gardens as Bengal closed out Karnataka's chase to qualify for their first Ranji Trophy final since the 2006-07 season.

Karnataka began the day 98 for 3 with overnight batsmen Devdutt Padikkal and Manish Pandey, needing 254 for a win, but fast bowler Mukesh Kumar erased any thoughts of a fight with a relentless attacking spell, picking up four wickets in five overs to expose Karnataka's lower-order well inside an hour of play.

In a match where the opening hour has produced collapses every day, Karnataka would have hoped Pandey - their most experienced batsman - and Padikkal, who had made Karnataka's only fifty of the match the evening before, could survive against pace attack that has barely given them any leeway all match. But into only third over of the day, Kumar set Pandey up with incoming deliveries before getting one to straighten from a corridor line and have him push for an outside edge to the keeper.

In this next over, he had KV Siddharth play a similar shot to have him caught in the slips and was on a hat-trick after trapping Sharath Srinivas right in front next ball. At six down, Karnataka's hopes rested squarely on Padikkal and allrounder K Gowtham, but Kumar wasn't done. He switched to around the wicket and had the left-handed Padikkal caught behind in much the same way he had done to Pandey earlier.

At 118 for 7, Karnataka made the decision to throw their bats around but the novelty of a few sweetly struck slogs wore thin as Bengal's players roused the crowd as they came closer and closer to a historic win.

Ishan Porel accounted for Gowtham and in the seventh over of an uninterrupted nine-over spell, Kumar got Ronit More for his fifth wicket of the day. Karnataka lost their last seven wickets in 18 overs to crash out in the semi-final round for the third consecutive season. Kumar finished with his third five-wicket haul of the season, and career-best figures of 6-61.

It was a tame finish to the season for Karnataka, who were eyeing a treble after winning both limited-overs trophies before the Ranji Trophy, and were strongly placed after winning the toss and reducing Bengal to 67 for 6 on the first day. But Anustup Majumdar's unbeaten 149, which earned him Player of the match, rallied the lower order and helped Bengal to 312, an anomaly of a score on a challenging surface that neither team could even come close to for the rest of the game.

NEW YORK -- RJ Barrett, the Knicks' naturally right-handed rookie, has been told he's tougher to defend when he shoots with his left hand.

The Houston Rockets concur.

In what turned out to be the deciding shot in a raucous Madison Square Garden on Monday, Barrett authored a left-handed driving layup over P.J. Tucker with 7.6 seconds remaining, as New York defeated Houston 125-123.

"I just took the shot that came," said Barrett, who does most everyday activities with his right hand. "I like going left. That was kind of, in that situation, you're not really thinking about it. You're kind of just playing."

On a night when it didn't feel like the home team was in last place -- one with new Knicks president Leon Rose watching, in addition to New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, who, like Barrett, played at Duke -- Barrett finished with 27 points, tying his career high, on 10-of-18 shooting the field.

It was the kind of night Knicks fans have been craving all season, as Barrett, 19, reveled in the bright lights of the big city. He didn't do it alone, of course, receiving support from Julius Randle and his 16 points, as well as 15 points each from Bobby Portis and Wayne Ellington. But, clearly, the night belonged to the rookie.

James Harden put up a game-high 35 points and Russell Westbrook added 24 points and nine rebounds for the Rockets, who struggled out of the gate, falling down by 21.

"We should've never put ourselves in that position because it takes a lot of energy to fight back," Westbrook said. "Especially on the road."

From Duke to the Big Apple ? pic.twitter.com/KFxAtxYcZX

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 3, 2020

But they did fight back. As Harden shimmied his way to the free throw line, where he was a perfect 16-for-16, and as Westbrook zoomed across the floor with unreasonable speed, knocking down jumper after jumper, that once-commanding New York advantage dwindled. The Knicks entered the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, but it eventually shrank to two, courtesy of a Robert Covington 3-pointer.

But then came Barrett ... and that running left hand in the clutch, a shot the NBA may see more of.

"Aggressive," Harden said of Barrett. "I like that, especially for a rookie. Not timid at all, and when you're aggressive and confident in your game, you look good out there. Want him to continue to build his confidence and keep being aggressive and have the opportunity, which he will, to be great."

Of course, the victory doesn't change the fact that the Knicks are a far cry from postseason contention. If anything, the loss means more to the Rockets than any win means to the Knicks.

"We can't take games like this lightly," Westbrook said. "This is the NBA, everybody is going to go out and compete and we have to be ready to play."

And because the Knicks came to play -- for one night, at least -- New York had something to cheer for.

MIAMI -- It felt like a statement win at the perfect time Monday night, but according to Miami Heat All-Star Bam Adebayo, his team's 105-89 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks shows the Heat's potential yet doesn't change their underdog status.

"We're always the underdog. I feel like we can play with anybody. And my teammates believe that, the coaching staff believes that and this city believed it," Adebayo said. "So we can play with anybody and this is one knock off and we just gotta keep going from here."

Adebayo's defensive impact played a huge role in holding Bucks star and reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to a season-low 13 points. Antetokounmpo was 6-of-18 from the field (33.3%), tied for his second-worst shooting game of the season.

Antetokounmpo went 1-of-10 with Adebayo as his primary defender, including 0-of-7 on contested shots.

"When you get in this profession, you want the coaches to put more on your plate," said Adebayo, who finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks. "That's been my challenge. Go out there and guard the best player and get it done on both ends. It's been working out pretty good for me. Just got to keep that thing going.

"[Antetokounmpo is] a handful when he's running at you full speed. I feel like we did a good job containing him in transition. I feel like that's where he gets his flow in when he gets in transition, and I thank my teammates for not leaving me one-on-one."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra added: "This was one of the prototypical Bam Adebayo winning games."

Antetokounmpo had zero points in transition Monday, just the second time this season he was held scoreless in transition.

"You're going to win some games and you're going to lose some games. We're not going to go 82-0," Antetokounmpo said. "Miami is a great team. They came out and played really hard tonight, and we're definitely going to play them again at some point and we'll have to play better and play hard."

The Heat (39-22) won the season series 2-0 against the Bucks and became the only team to beat Milwaukee twice this season; the teams meet March 16 for the final time in the regular season.

Miami used a 3-point barrage (18 made 3s, 48.6% from deep) and one of its best defensive performances of the season to hold Milwaukee to a season-low 89 points.

"That is how we want to play all the time. Unfortunately we do not do that. [Monday] could be what we look like," said Heat All-Star Jimmy Butler, who tied Jae Crowder with a team-high 18 points Monday night. "I love the way that we played [Monday]. Everybody shared the ball, everyone guarded and everyone was communicating. We had fun. We were smiling. We are tough."

After losses to Atlanta, Cleveland and Minnesota over the past two weeks, the Heat bounced back with arguably their best performance of the season.

The Bucks (52-9) were held under 100 points in consecutive games for the first time since March 5 and 7 of 2018.

"If we see them in the playoffs, which is a month and a half away from now, we gotta be ready," Antetokounmpo said.

If current seedings hold, the Bucks (the top seed) and Heat (currently fourth) could face off in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

"We can hang with the best of them," Adebayo said. "It's not just the Bucks, we can hang with the best of them."

This relatively calm moment, between the cacophony that accompanied the Houston Astros' arrival at spring training and the impending clamor of the results of Major League Baseball's investigation into the Boston Red Sox's alleged sign stealing, offers a good time to reflect on what has been and peer ahead at what's to come. This isn't a make-or-break moment in baseball history so much as it is a period to understand how the sport arrived here and where it intends to go.

Such a moment tends to inspire plenty of questions. On this subject and the many others emanating from spring training, with an assist from dozens of sources around the game, here is an attempt to answer 20 of the most pressing.

If this is a period to understand where the sport is, where exactly is the sport?

So many people involved possess such disparate perspectives, it's best to divide "the sport" into three categories: Major League Baseball, players and fans.

Start with MLB, and not just because of the broad powers assigned commissioner Rob Manfred. The league severely miscalculated the anger that players would share publicly in the fallout of the sign-stealing scandal. Manfred in particular bore the brunt. He convened owners on a conference call. He held a town hall for all MLB employees. Amid fear, he urged calm.

One constant refrain from MLB officials in the weeks since has been that the league spends 2020 ensuring the vitality of fairness and competitive integrity. Snicker if you will, and snark rightly that a sport with incentivized pathways to noncompetitiveness can't do this about-face without getting some egg on it, but this is a reasonable goal for MLB. Better the league recognizes the imperative of this early on and attempt proper mitigation.

The form that takes is worth watching. MLB and the MLB Players Association are discussing just how draconian to get restricting in-game video in hopes of scuttling sign stealing entirely. This is a noble endeavor. It also ignores entirely the idea that actors outside of the clubhouse could be involved in such a scheme, but then that has been a particular point of emphasis from MLB this spring.

During meetings with team personnel, from the front office to coaching staff, officials from the commissioner's office have been exceedingly clear in their message, according to sources: If you aid or abet cheating in any form -- from sign stealing to using foreign substances to the many other forms and fashions -- you will be held responsible and disciplined.

Oooooooh. Sounds serious.

You're not impressed.

Just saying, it's easy to play tough guy after a cheating scandal happened on your watch -- and there were pretty clear signs that it necessitated monitoring back then. How exactly is MLB going to enforce this?

Great question. Especially when the answer is: Not easily. MLB won't have security sweeping every corner of ballparks in search of illicit cameras. There will be no TSA pat-downs before a pitcher walks onto the field. The league is impressing on team officials that there is a responsibility among all parties in restoring the notion that baseball is a game best played on a level playing field.

So when Cincinnati Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer tells Real Sports that 70% of major league pitchers use some sort of illegal substance, whether it's pine tar or Firm Grip or some witch's brew, and nobody at the league disputes that because 70% is actually probably light, well, that's a conundrum. Particularly considering better grip equals more spin, and more spin typically equals superior pitching.

The league could start handing out 10-game suspensions for foreign-substance usage on the daily, and that would be the law-abiding thing to do, since Rule 6.02 clearly states pitchers cannot use foreign substances on the mound. The problem there is twofold. First is the practical: That would require opposing managers to ask umpires to check pitchers, and managers are loath to do that because they know their pitchers are using tacky stuff too. Beyond that, the possible narrative -- that a rash of players are getting suspended for 10 games as a consequence of the Astros, who got suspended for zero games, cheating -- would be a rough look for the league.

Whether MLB sticks to its stated intent to hold teams accountable for foreign substance usage or this falls by the wayside remains to be seen. But the warning was serious enough that multiple pitching coaches told me and Kiley McDaniel that if they are caught supplying a pitcher with any sort of foreign substance, they will be subject to discipline, including suspension.

Perhaps there is another way -- one fiendishly offered on a platter by Bauer himself last September. As Ben Clemens noted at FanGraphs on Monday, Bauer's spin rate on his fastball jumped to an average of 2,757 rpm over his final four starts, according to Statcast data. His average four-seamer over his first 30 starts: 2,358 rpm. That's a 399 rpm jump, a staggering amount, one that Bauer himself has said in the past, generally speaking, happens only when players use foreign substances to aid their spin. Through August, Bauer's four-seam spin rate was the 120th highest in baseball. In September, it was the second highest.

When asked by ESPN on Monday if he had used any foreign substance, Bauer declined comment, but honestly, he didn't need to say anything. The numbers say it. Bauer, who was outspoken about sign stealing long before the Astros were caught and who has been at the front of the foreign-substance conversation, might have been flouting the rule, but it was to make a point: If 70% of pitchers are doing something, that means 30% aren't. That is the definition of an uneven playing field. So either ban it entirely or change the rules.

This year, MLB intends to pursue the former route, hopeful that Pandora's box can be closed and pitchers don't fall prey to the spin gods. As Bauer showed, if MLB wants to know who's using foreign substances, the numbers often tell the story.

Hold on. Let's look just at the foreign-substance/spin issue from another angle. Five years ago, spin rate wasn't a thing. Two years ago, spin efficiency wasn't a thing. Now, some pitchers act like they're the only thing. They've been fed this idea that their careers can be made or broken by spin. Teams' almost-universal fealty to numbers is creating this, right?

It is easy, and not entirely unreasonable, to suggest that baseball arrived at this point -- its 2017 World Series champions sullied, its 2018 World Series champions under investigation, skepticism about 2019 understandably and accordingly rampant -- because of broader shifts in the game. That cold, dead-eyed efficiency was the devil on the game's shoulder, urging it down this debauched path. That baseball is in this position because the quants won.

But come on. This is not entirely about some new generation coming into baseball and stealing the game from the lifers. Lest we forget: Arguably the single most famous play in baseball history is surrounded by accusations of cheating. It is fact that in 1951, the New York Giants used a scheme to relay signs from the right-field bullpen to home plate. Whether Bobby Thomson used it or didn't when he hit The Shot Heard 'Round the World is not entirely material; the Giants writ large used it, used it often, used it in a World Series-winning season and used it half a century before Moneyball existed and 66 years before the Astros banged on trash cans.

People don't cheat because of technology; they cheat because competition is fierce and advantages slim. Perhaps it's true that asking those very competitive people to buy into the greater-good theory is a road to perdition, but the idea that unplugging will solve all of baseball's ills does not square entirely, either.

How do fans factor in?

In a clearly important way: They are the ones who will be the truest arbiters of the sign-stealing scandal's fallout. They will watch games on TV ... or stop watching games. They will go to stadiums ... or stop going. Yes, there are dozens of other factors -- COVID-19 is one that's beginning to scare a number of high-ranking officials across the game who fear the potential of a severe drop in attendance -- but the sign-stealing scandal has been so pervasive that the league wonders its true effect. MLB has weathered all sorts of scandals in the past, but the general interest in sign stealing, its tentacles and the lasting effects exceeds anything since steroids -- and perhaps even before that.

And what about you and the rest of the media? Aren't you part of this too?

Absolutely. The media does play a part in stories of this magnitude, and we should be held to account on words past and present. Of particular interest to Astros fans have been some past words I wrote when the Red Sox were fined for illicitly using an Apple Watch, the first punishment levied in the sign-stealing era.

Here's what I said: "The entire charade is patently absurd. Almost every team in baseball blurs the line of cheating on a daily basis."

Here's the truth: It was a bad take. One that did allude to deeper issues -- "Some executives fear a slap on the wrist will enable those tempted to go beyond stealing signs," I wrote later in the piece -- but I didn't fully digest the gravity of what was going on in baseball.

Sliming the media is easy, and wearing that slime is part of the job, and those who believe this amounts to a sign that I hold the Astros to a different standard than the 29 other teams are entitled to that belief. It's not true. Opinions evolve, and the more I spoke with people in the game, the more details about what the Astros did emerged. As more details emerged, the depth of their cheating was significant compared to other teams'. Yes, other teams blurred the line. The Astros erased it -- an erasure they themselves admitted to as they apologized and apologized again and apologized once more.

I'm glad my opinion evolved, by the way. Opinions are clay, not stone. They should be malleable, shaped by new fact sets rather than dogma. Moral intransigence and intellectual incuriosity are sins far worthier of scorn.

Are you done with Astros and Astros-tangential stuff?

Yes.

Really?

Probably not.

Just talk about baseball, Passan.

Fine! Hey, how about Nate Pearson!

Who's Nate Pearson?

Only the most impressive player in baseball this spring. The 23-year-old right-hander is a frightening presence (6-foot-6, 250 pounds) with a frightening fastball (his velocity sits at 96 to 98 mph and tops out at 102) and frightening secondary pitches (slider, curveball and changeup). In three innings, he hasn't allowed a baserunner and has struck out six hitters.

And ... he is going to start the year in Triple-A. The Toronto Blue Jays haven't said as much, but general manager Ross Atkins said Monday the team is "entirely focused on his development," which is code for: We are going to manipulate his service time. Which is what pretty much every other team in baseball would do too. (See: Earlier conversation about competitive integrity.) It's just frustrating to know that one of the most talented pitchers in the world -- and on pure stuff alone, Pearson already is that, before logging a single major league inning -- will be in the minor leagues to start the season not for "development" reasons but because the Blue Jays want to keep him under control for nearly seven full seasons instead of six.

Who else has been impressive?

A quick (and certainly not complete) list from scouts:

• Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, Tampa Bay Rays: The 28-year-old's power is evident, but most impressive has been his nimbleness at third base, a position he hasn't played regularly since 2012.

"He's better than Yandy Diaz there," said one scout, and while that comes close to damning-with-faint-praise territory, Tsutsugo getting reps there and jumping into the middle of the Rays' lineup looks likelier by the day.

• Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks: Acquired for dynamic shortstop prospect Jazz Chisholm at the trade deadline last year, the right-handed Gallen is looking more and more like a front-of-the-rotation starter. He'll play most of the season at 24 years old, his fastball is playing in the mid-90s and he is an extraordinarily bright pitcher, able to add and subtract velocity off a four-pitch mix that includes a wicked changeup and cutter.

• Trent Grisham, San Diego Padres: When the Padres acquired the 23-year-old Grisham in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers over the winter, they hoped he could play center field. Evaluators who have seen him this spring believe that not only is Grisham an everyday center fielder, he could be a well-above-average one. Add an emerging bat and it could make the trade -- along with Zach Davies for shortstop Luis Urias and starter Eric Lauer -- perhaps a newer version of the Ketel Marte-Mitch Haniger deal that saw breakouts abound for Arizona and Seattle.

• Franmil Reyes, Cleveland Indians: He is down 20 pounds. He still has otherworldly power. He won't turn 25 until the All-Star break. If ever he can cut down the strikeouts, he has a chance to be a star.

• Trevor Rosenthal, Kansas City Royals: Yes, there is a buyer-beware element after his struggles with Washington last year, but Rosenthal's fastball is sitting at 98 mph -- and, most important, he is throwing strikes. Among Rosenthal, Greg Holland and Josh Staumont -- the 26-year-old whose heat is sitting at 100 and topping 102 -- the Royals could have the makings of a decent bullpen surrounding Ian Kennedy and Scott Barlow.

What is this, the Deep Sleeper Fantasy Report?

I feel seen.

Tell me about Mookie.

Fine. What do you want to know?

Why did the Dodgers get Mookie Betts if they're already going to win the National League West anyway?

Because he is Mookie Betts. Because he is one of the best players in the world. Because they want to re-sign him. Because complacency doesn't win World Series. Perhaps the better question is: Why didn't more teams go strong after Betts?

Well ...

Remember that stuff about not being incentivized to win and competitive integrity and every team having about the same read on every deal and thus paralysis by analysis being the great baseball disease of 2020? That's pretty much why every team wasn't beating at the Red Sox's door. Because the greatest criticisms of Mookie Betts have nothing to do with his game and everything to do with the economic statuses he carries: $27.5 million salary, free agent-to-be.

So how many games are the Dodgers going to win?

Let's start with this: Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA system is so confident in the Dodgers that it has the likelihood of them making the playoffs at 100.1 percent. You know when a team breaks PECOTA it's pretty good.

Systems such as PECOTA tend to play things pretty conservative too. So to see not only the literally impossible percentage but the projection for 102.4 wins speaks to how good these Dodgers can be. They have ceiling. They have depth. They hit for power. They're patient. They're fast. They field well. They're versatile. They have hard-throwers. They feature a pitcher for every situation. They've got prospect depth. They are as scary a team as baseball has seen in a good while.

The question to ask about such teams is: What could stop them? A Walker Buehler injury would be bad, particularly for playoff time. Really anything having to do with their rotation, even though they've got a full rotation's worth of pitchers who aren't going to crack their starting five.

All of this is to say: Put me down for 105 wins. With the caveat that they do a better job of staying healthy than the other MLB superpower 3,000 miles away.

Is that your oblique way of saying the New York Yankees' injuries should scare their fans?

"Scare" is too strong a word, but when your entire starting outfield could miss Opening Day, and that starting outfield includes two of the game's greatest power hitters and a center fielder who will be out for months following Tommy John surgery -- well, that's a start. And then you compound that with your second-best starter undergoing Tommy John and another starter needing back surgery and a third starter missing months due to a domestic-violence suspension, and to not at least worry a little about that all seems kind of irresponsible.

Granted, even with all that uncertainty over Giancarlo Stanton's calf and Aaron Judge's pec, the Yankees still have a lineup that includes Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez, DJ LeMahieu, Luke Voit, Brett Gardner, Miguel Andujar and Mike Tauchman. That plays. Even without Luis Severino and James Paxton and Domingo German, the Yankees still have a rotation that includes Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka, J.A. Happ, Jordan Montgomery and Jonathan Loaisiga, with Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia, among others, in reserve. That is plenty, when the Yankees' bullpen is as good as it is.

So, no, they probably shouldn't be scared. But the possibility of losing Stanton or Judge for an extended period, while not seemingly in the cards at the moment, is the sort of thing that would give the Tampa Bay Rays that sliver of daylight they need to not just challenge the Yankees for the AL East crown but win it.

Not the Red Sox?

Nope. Not these Red Sox. Their offense should be potent, but their rotation -- with Chris Sale starting the year on the injured list, Eduardo Rodriguez the opening day starter, Nathan Eovaldi being relied on to make 30 starts having done so once in his eight-year career -- is a mess.

Martin Perez is their fourth starter. In 14 second-half starts last year, batters hit .319/.374/.542 against him. Essentially, for 327 plate appearances, Perez made every hitter look like Jeff McNeil. Their fifth-starter race is a grab bag of prospects, non-prospects and never-were prospects.

What's worst is that when the penalties come down on the Red Sox from the investigation into their alleged sign stealing -- and there are expected to be penalties, even if they're not nearly as severe as the Astros' were, according to sources -- it could handicap a team that already has a mediocre farm system.

The Red Sox will be fine because new chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom is good at his job and they have goo-gobs of money that they're going to spend after dipping under the luxury-tax threshold. Right?

Right.

Right.

You sure about that?

Aren't I the one who's supposed to ask the questions?

Yes. But I'll ask and answer one instead.

Question: What's been the funniest part of spring training?

Answer: Unquestionably the continuous awkwardness between the Colorado Rockies and their star third baseman, Nolan Arenado.

It is abundantly clear at this point that Arenado wants to get out of Colorado because he has zero faith in the Rockies' ability to win. The Rockies, meanwhile, have tried to trade him but are asking teams for far more in return than a player owed $234 million for presumably the downside of his career would warrant. Thus, this incredible stalemate that sees Arenado coming up with new ways to talk about how excited he is for the season because 29 other teams are going to be watching him or how he wouldn't have signed his contract extension last year and would've been a Dodger this year had he known the Rockies were going to spend the entire winter of 2019-20 not spending a dime in free agency.

Ultimately, this is going to end with the Rockies trading Arenado. That is inevitable. The relationship is broken. The Rockies aren't good enough right now to contend in the NL West, and the lack of contention will only reinforce Arenado's point, and the Rockies will drop their asking price, and somebody will pounce. Until then, he'll hit like a star and field like a Hall of Famer and do all the things he does, and the Rockies will remain the team whose owner said they're going to win a franchise-record 94 games because he doesn't understand how math works.

So if Arenado is moving eventually, are the Indians going to trade Francisco Lindor, too?

At some point probably. They're in an odd position in the AL Central right now, with the Minnesota Twins favorites and the Chicago White Sox up-and-comers and the Indians nursing a handful of injuries. If things go sideways, the incentive to deal Lindor -- who will be a free agent following the 2021 season -- is strong.

Cleveland's young core, led by Shane Bieber, is decent. Where they're undoubtedly strong is in the lower levels of the minor leagues. Outfielder George Valera is a star in the making. Middle infielders Brayan Rocchio and Aaron Bracho are slick-fielding switch-hitters who have impressed scouts. None of them is 20 years old yet.

Flipping Lindor for cost-controlled, win-now players would help bridge the gap until 2022, when the kids could be ready and a new window could open for Cleveland.

What other team interests you?

The Astros.

You're a troll, you know?

Seriously, they do. I know I said the Astros' portion of the proceedings was closed, but they're just a fascinating group.

I'm curious how they adapt to the boos that will greet them.

I'm curious how each player has processed the scorn.

I'm curious how baseball treats all of those outside the clubhouse, like Kevin Goldstein, the longtime director of pro scouting who the league's investigation cleared of wrongdoing, or Tom Koch-Weser and Derek Vigoa, executives who figured more prominently in the Codebreaker and "dark arts" aspects of what Houston did.

I'm curious how deep the anger among the players runs -- because I keep hearing that for all the support some players have given the Astros, other friendships have been ruined.

I'm curious how the Astros will play. Genuinely, deeply curious about that, because baseball is already a hard enough game when the entire industry isn't watching.

What players interest you?

A list of 25, in no particular order, with occasional comments:

• Mike Trout: Of course.
• Jo Adell
• Jacob deGrom
• Dakota Hudson: After working with pitching guru Bob Zimmermann over the winter, Hudson has gone 4 2/3 walkless innings after leading the major leagues with 86 last year. It's early yet, but it's progress. • Wander Franco
• Dellin Betances
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr: The star shall emerge.
• Andrew Benintendi
• Yasiel Puig: Whatever his flaws, whatever reasons he has for not signing yet, baseball is a more interesting game with Puig than without.
• Jasson Dominguez
• Josh Hader
• Jesus Luzardo: He has the stuff to be an ace and is part of the nastiest trio of left-handers in baseball alongside Sean Manaea and A.J. Puk.
• Stephen Strasburg
• Oneil Cruz
• Collin McHugh: He's back to throwing after a Tenex procedure cleaned up his right elbow, and his versatility will be a bounty wherever he lands. "I can start and relieve," he said in February, "and I can do both well, especially given the right situation." An excellent midseason addition waiting to happen.
• Lance McCullers Jr.
• Jimmy Nelson
• Fernando Tatis Jr.: Lightning in a bottle.
• Ronald Acuña Jr.: Thunder in a bottle.
• Corey Kluber
• Trea Turner: The No. 3 hitter version.
• Julio Rodriguez
• Dylan Carlson: "He's a (bleeping) superstar," a scout said this week. It followed something similar, minus the bleep, from another scout. St. Louis should be excited.
• Yoan Moncada
• Yu Darvish

OK. We've got the teams. We've got the players. Let's just go general: With the season about three weeks away, with baseball about to kick into full swing, what else about the game right now interests you?

Two words: Joey Shoves.

DETROIT -- Captain Gabriel Landeskog withstood a crunching hit while making a pass that sprang Logan O'Connor for a breakaway goal in the second period, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 on Monday night for their seventh straight victory.

Vladislav Namestnikov also scored for the Avalanche, who extended a franchise record with their ninth consecutive road win. Anthony Mantha had the only goal for Detroit.

According to ESPN's Stats & Information, the Avalanche's seven-game win streak is their longest since January 2018. Now with 87 points, the win also moved Colorado to within one point of the St. Louis Blues for the Western Conference lead.

"It was a good way to cap off the road trip," Landeskog said. "This was just a next-shift mentality, next-line-up mentality, just keep moving forward and doing the little things.

"Those are the types of things that sort of wears a team out throughout the game."

With the score tied at 1, Landeskog was just inside his own blue line when he took a hit from Detroit's Robby Fabbri. As he was clocked, Landeskog released a pass up the ice to O'Connor, who was behind the defense at the other blue line.

O'Connor went in and beat goalie Jonathan Bernier for his second goal of the season.

Mantha converted off a goalmouth scramble to open the scoring in the first, but the Avalanche equalized before the period was over. Ryan Graves took a shot that slipped through Bernier, and Namestnikov kicked the puck to himself in the crease and then stuffed it in the net with his stick.

The Red Wings are 3-18-2 in their last 23 games.

Detroit was outshot 21-10 through the first two periods. The Red Wings put on occasional pressure in the third, but goalie Michael Hutchinson did enough to hold them off. Hutchinson finished with 17 saves.

"He was big-time for us tonight, he was dialed in the whole game," Landeskog said of Hutchinson. "He held the fort down back there."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said eight deputies allegedly took or shared graphic photos of the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash scene, but he ordered them deleted.

"That was my No. 1 priority, was to make sure those photos no longer exist," Villanueva told NBC News for a story Monday. "We identified the deputies involved, they came to the station on their own and had admitted they had taken them and they had deleted them. And we're content that those involved did that.''

The sheriff said he learned the week of the crash that killed the Los Angeles Lakers great that as many as eight deputies might have been involved.

"We've communicated in no uncertain terms that the behavior is inexcusable," Villanueva said. "I mean, people are grieving for the loss of their loved ones. To have that on top of what they've already gone through is unconscionable.''

Villanueva said the sheriff's department doesn't have a specific policy about taking photographs on personal cellphones. But he plans to change that situation and would like to see a state law making it illegal to take unauthorized photos of accident scenes depicting dead bodies.

Villanueva told KABC-TV that the deputies are facing an investigation and possible disciplinary action. He wouldn't specify the kind of actions they might face.

The sheriff's department has a policy against taking and sharing crime scene photos, but it doesn't apply to accident scenes, the sheriff told KCBS-TV.

Bryant, his daughter and seven others died on Jan. 26 when their helicopter crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, northwest of Los Angeles, during foggy weather. The victims were traveling to a youth basketball tournament at Bryant's sports facility in Thousand Oaks.

The crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Los Angeles Times reported last week that a public safety source with knowledge of the events had seen one of the photos on the phone of another official in a setting that was not related to the investigation of the crash. He said the photos showed the scene and victims' remains.

Only the county coroner's office and the NTSB were authorized to take photographs of the crash scene. After dealing with grieving family members, "it's just a sense of betrayal" to learn that other photos were taken, the sheriff told KABC-TV, describing it as "a punch to the gut."

Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant, was "absolutely devastated" by the reports of unauthorized crash scene photos being shared, her lawyer said last week.

Villanueva told KABC-TV that he has apologized to the families.